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Canucks Interested In Re-Signing Derek Forbort

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The Canucks have held preliminary extension talks with defenseman Derek Forbort, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports. The pending unrestricted free agent is coming off surgery on his orbital bone after breaking it in a fight with Wild forward Yakov Trenin, ending his season earlier than planned on April 12.

Forbort, 33, landed a one-year, $1.5MM commitment from Vancouver last summer. He was coming off a three-year deal with the Bruins that ended poorly. His 2023-24 campaign was sidetracked by multiple lower-body injuries and he only made 35 appearances as a result. He didn’t draw into the postseason lineup, either, as Boston reached the second round against the eventual champion Panthers.

A stay-at-home defender only capable of depth minutes at this stage of his career, Forbort struggled with knee issues this year but was able to record 2-9–11 in 54 games with a minus-seven rating. He averaged 17:06 per game with Vancouver, roughly in line with his usage in Boston but technically the lowest deployment of his NHL career since his 14-game rookie trial with the Kings in 2015-16. He contributed 77 blocks and 65 hits and, while his even-strength minutes were limited, was one of the team’s most frequently-used penalty killers alongside Marcus Pettersson, Filip Hronek, and Tyler Myers.

Possession metrics aren’t always the best judge of defensive specialists, given their deployment. That’s true in Forbort’s case, considering he started 62.1% of his shifts in the defensive zone at even strength. His 46.4% Corsi share and 43.4% expected goals share are still underwhelming but not as damning as they would be for a defender deployed in more two-way situations.

Forbort may have earned a small raise on a one or two-year extension since he managed to stay in the lineup for over half the year and was a legitimate factor on the Canucks’ above-average PK (82.6%), but likely not enough to push him much over the $2MM mark against the cap. The Canucks already have $23.6MM committed to their top-four group of Hronek, Myers, Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes next year, and youngsters Victor Mancini and Elias Pettersson (the defenseman) will be in competition for opening-night roles. Re-upping Forbort would presumably mean a lack of activity from Vancouver on the UFA defenseman market this summer unless they pursue an unforeseen trade.

Islanders Part Ways With Lou Lamoriello

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The Islanders will not renew general manager Lou Lamoriello’s contract, the team announced Tuesday. Minority owner John Collins will lead the search for a new GM on Long Island.

It’s not clear who will handle interim GM duties for the Isles if they don’t have a new GM in place by the draft. For now, Chris Lamoriello (Lou’s son) and Steve Pellegrini remain in their roles as assistant general managers and will presumably handle any minor moves or re-signings until a new top hockey operations decision-maker is appointed.

One of the longest-serving and most accomplished executives in league history, Lamoriello’s tenure with the Islanders ends after seven seasons. They brought him in during the 2018 offseason after his contract to serve as GM of the Maple Leafs expired, initially just as president of hockey operations. He quickly fired then-GM Garth Snow and appointed himself in the role.

The early stages of Lamoriello’s time at the helm were an unequivocal success. He poached head coach Barry Trotz from the reigning Stanley Cup champion Capitals, a decision that immediately helped put the Isles back in the postseason after missing out for two years. Trotz won Coach of the Year honors in 2018-19 as the Islanders rattled off 48 wins, their most in a season since winning 50 games in 1983-84, and swept the Penguins in the first round. While they didn’t advance to the Conference Finals, they would do so in 2020 and 2021, taking the eventual Stanley Cup champion Lightning to six and seven games, respectively.

In the four seasons that followed, the Islanders have won just three playoff games, including two first-round losses to the Hurricanes (2023, 2024). They finished with a .500 record this season and missed the playoffs, failing to secure more wins than regulation losses for the first time in Lamoriello’s tenure. They’ve also now failed to win at least 40 games in back-to-back 82-game seasons since 2010-11 and 2011-12.

It’s not as if Lamoriello’s successor is walking into a five-alarm fire on the Island, but there’s much work to do this summer. Chief among a long list of to-dos is a new contract for No. 1 defenseman Noah Dobson, who’s an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent this summer. Most of their other defenders don’t have deals for next season – only Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, and Ryan Pulock are signed for 2025-26 among rearguards who ended the year on the active roster. There has been reported progress on a contract extension for their top pending UFA, Kyle Palmieri, but it’s unclear how the GM change will affect talks there.

One thing is clear – the Islanders’ new GM will come from outside the organization. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports the Islanders won’t be making any coaching changes or hockey operations staff alterations until the new hire is in place. They’ll have a say in determining the future of head coach Patrick Roy, his staff, and the rest of the front office.

Lamoriello was already the oldest-serving NHL GM in history at age 82. Whether it’s the end of the road for him after a 38-year run in NHL front offices with New Jersey, Toronto, and New York remains to be seen. It’s almost certainly his last GM role, but a senior advisor role somewhere may be of interest.

Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.

Sharks Reassign Zack Ostapchuk, Jack Thompson

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The Sharks announced they reassigned center Zack Ostapchuk and defenseman Jack Thompson to AHL San Jose on Tuesday. Both were injured to end the regular season last week but will now head to the Barracuda to suit up in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Ostapchuk was brought in at the trade deadline from the Senators as part of the return for winger Fabian Zetterlund. Ottawa selected the 21-year-old early in the second round of the 2021 draft, the same year San Jose landed cornerstone rebuild piece William Eklund with the No. 7 overall pick. After getting his first taste of NHL action in a seven-game trial late last season, Ostapchuk spent most of 2024-25 in the NHL. He appeared in 56 games for Ottawa and San Jose, but the 6’4″, 212-lb pivot didn’t demonstrate much offensively.

The Alberta native averaged just 9:25 per game – still seeing less than 10 minutes of ice time in 13 games down the stretch with the Sharks – and was limited to four points (one goal, three assists) as a result. However, he was decent on draws (48.6 FO%) and was a factor physically with 110 hits on the season. He also helped drive play for the Sharks at even strength in his limited minutes down the stretch. He spent most of his time centering a checking line with Barclay Goodrow and Carl Grundström and helped the trio control 51.4% of expected goals, per MoneyPuck.

Ostapchuk will be making his Barracuda debut when he suits up for them in the postseason. He’s eligible to play in the AHL playoffs because he was on assignment to AHL Belleville when Ottawa and San Jose executed their trade, so he was briefly on the Barracuda’s roster before the Sharks recalled him. He had 2-9–11 in 15 showings with the B-Sens earlier this season.

The 23-year-old Thompson also spent a solid portion of the season on the Sharks’ roster. Acquired from the Lightning in last year’s Anthony Duclair trade, the offensive-minded righty managed 4-6–10 with a minus-nine rating in 31 games while averaging 15:47 per contest. Half of his assists came on the power play, where he was sometimes deployed on the second unit and averaged 1:08 per game.

While not an overly physical one-on-one defender, the 6’1″ rearguard is willing to block shots and had good possession results in his rookie season. San Jose controlled 45.4% of shot attempts and 50.4% of expected goals with Thompson on the ice at even strength, both around or above team averages. Both he and Ostapchuk are candidates to start next season on the opening night roster, particularly the former, although he requires a new contract as a pending restricted free agent. He’ll now aid the Barracuda in the postseason after posting 3-11–14 in 27 regular-season AHL contests.

Danila Yurov Released From KHL Contract

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Top Wild prospect Danila Yurov has been released from his contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League a few weeks ahead of schedule, the league announced. Minnesota is now eligible to sign the 21-year-old to his entry-level deal, although Michael Russo of The Athletic reports no contract is in place yet.

Still, it’s incredibly likely Yurov is in St. Paul for training camp next fall and, if all goes to plan, will be on the Wild’s opening night roster. The No. 24 overall pick in the 2022 draft went lower than most expected given his skill level, largely due to his contract status with Magnitogorsk.

For Minnesota, he’ll be a player worth waiting for. He was the top forward in their system and second-ranked prospect overall behind defenseman Zeev Buium in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s midseason rankings, and for good reason. A well-rounded 6’1″, 176-lb right-winger, Yurov has posted 41-47–88 in 209 career KHL games over the last five years with Metallurg. That included a team-leading 21-28–49 scoring line in 62 games in 2023-24 before leading Magnitogorsk to a Gagarin Cup.

This season wasn’t as productive for Yurov. Injuries took a bite out of his campaign, and he was limited to 46 of Metallurg’s 68 regular-season games. His point per game rate dropped off when dressed, and he finished the year with 13-12–25 and a +15 rating, the latter of which ranked second on the team. He was limited to one goal in five playoff games as the defending champions were stamped out of the first round of the KHL playoffs by Avangard Omsk.

If all goes to plan, Yurov should be a cost-effective addition to the top nine that allows more cap space for the Wild to devote toward a new deal for pending RFA center Marco Rossi as well as external additions in free agency. If he doesn’t crack the opening night roster, though, don’t expect him to report to Minnesota’s AHL in Iowa.

Any ELC will likely include a clause that allows the Wild to loan Yurov back to Metallurg, who retains his KHL rights, if he doesn’t make the team. It’s probably for the best. Iowa hasn’t served as a good developmental partner for the Wild in the past few years, finishing well under the .500 mark for the second straight season in 2024-25.

NHL Releases First Round Schedule

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This article will be updated as further start times are announced.

After the Canadiens clinched the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference yesterday, the playoff field is set ahead of tonight’s final regular-season games. The league has thus announced the full first-round schedule (via David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period). Games are listed in Central Time, along with US broadcast details:

Saturday, April 19
Blues vs. Jets, Game 1: 5 p.m. on TNT, truTV and Max
Avalanche vs. Stars, Game 1: 7:30 p.m. on TNT, truTV and Max

Sunday, April 20
Devils vs. Hurricanes, Game 1: 2 p.m. on ESPN
Senators vs. Maple Leafs, Game 1: 6 p.m. on ESPN2
Wild vs. Golden Knights, Game 1: 9 p.m. on ESPN

Monday, April 21
Canadiens vs. Capitals, Game 1: 6 p.m. on ESPN
Blues vs. Jets, Game 2: 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Avalanche vs. Stars, Game 2: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Oilers vs. Kings, Game 1: 9 p.m. on ESPN2

Tuesday, April 22
Devils vs. Hurricanes, Game 2: 5 p.m. on ESPN
Senators vs. Maple Leafs, Game 2: 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Panthers vs. Lightning, Game 1: 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Wild vs. Golden Knights, Game 2: 10 p.m. on ESPN

Wednesday, April 23
Canadiens vs. Capitals, Game 2: 6 p.m. on ESPN
Stars vs. Avalanche, Game 3: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Oilers vs. Kings, Game 2: 9 p.m. on TBS and Max

Thursday, April 24
Panthers vs. Lightning, Game 2: 5:30 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Maple Leafs vs. Senators, Game 3: 6 p.m. on ESPN2
Golden Knights vs. Wild, Game 3: 8 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Jets vs. Blues, Game 3: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN2

Friday, April 25
Capitals vs. Canadiens, Game 3: 6 p.m. on TNT, truTV and Max
Hurricanes vs. Devils, Game 3: 7 p.m. on TBS and Max
Kings vs. Oilers, Game 3: 9 p.m. on TNT, truTV and Max

Saturday, April 26
Lightning vs. Panthers, Game 3: 12 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Golden Knights vs. Wild, Game 4: 3 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Maple Leafs vs. Senators, Game 4: 6 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Stars vs. Avalanche, Game 4: 8:30 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max

Sunday, April 27
Jets vs. Blues, Game 4: 12 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Hurricanes vs. Devils, Game 4: 2:30 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Capitals vs. Canadiens, Game 4: 5:30 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max
Kings vs. Oilers, Game 4: 8:30 p.m. on TBS, truTV and Max

Monday, April 28
Lightning vs. Panthers, Game 4: 6 p.m. on ESPN
Avalanche vs. Stars, Game 5: 8:30 p.m. on ESPN

Tuesday, April 29
*Senators vs. Maple Leafs, Game 5: TBD
*Devils vs. Hurricanes, Game 5: TBD
*Wild vs. Golden Knights, Game 5: TBD
*Oilers vs. Kings, Game 5: TBD

Wednesday, April 30
*Panthers vs. Lightning, Game 5: TBD
*Canadiens vs. Capitals, Game 5: TBD
*Blues vs. Jets, Game 5: TBD

Thursday, May 1
*Maple Leafs vs. Senators, Game 6: TBD
*Stars vs. Avalanche, Game 6: TBD
*Golden Knights vs. Wild, Game 6: TBD
*Kings vs. Oilers, Game 6: TBD

Friday, May 2
*Lightning vs. Panthers, Game 6: TBD
*Capitals vs. Canadiens, Game 6: TBD
*Hurricanes vs. Devils, Game 6: TBD
*Jets vs. Blues, Game 6: TBD

Saturday, May 3
*Senators vs. Maple Leafs, Game 7: TBD
*Avalanche vs. Stars, Game 7: TBD
*Wild vs. Golden Knights, Game 7: TBD
*Oilers vs. Kings, Game 7: TBD

Sunday, May 4
*Panthers vs. Lightning, Game 7: TBD
*Canadiens vs. Capitals, Game 7: TBD
*Devils vs. Hurricanes, Game 7: TBD
*Blues vs. Jets, Game 7: TBD

*if necessary

Devils’ Luke Hughes, Brenden Dillon Out For Game 2

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Devils defensemen Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon will both miss tonight’s Game 2 matchup with the Hurricanes, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe (X link).

The team’s leading scorer and hitter among defensemen in the regular season, respectively, both sustained injuries in Sunday’s Game 1 loss. Hughes left the game briefly in the third period after getting tangled up with Carolina center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, favoring his left shoulder – the same one he injured last offseason but didn’t have surgically repaired. He returned for a pair of shifts late in the game. He recorded a minus-one rating, two shots on goal, seven shot attempts, one block, and three giveaways in 22:20 of ice time. Hughes was one of the few players who controlled play for New Jersey at 5-on-5 in the 4-1 loss, recording a Corsi share of 54.4% and an expected goals share of 58.1% (per Natural Stat Trick).

Injured on the same play was center Cody Glass, who did not return to the game after taking a heavy inadvertent slash from Devils netminder Jacob Markström as he was crossing in front of the net. Thankfully, he won’t miss time and called the play “pretty funny” to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh.

Dillon’s absence from Game 2 is less surprising. The physical shutdown defender left Game 1 midway through the second period after falling awkwardly in a net-front battle with William Carrier and could not get up without assistance from Devils head athletic trainer Scott Stanhibel. He didn’t return after the apparent lower-body injury, although New Jersey hasn’t handed down a specific injury designation to either Dillon or Hughes. Dillon recorded four hits in 8:53 of ice time before leaving the game. The Devils were outshot 7-3 and outchanced 6-2 with Dillon on the ice at 5-on-5 to begin the game.

Thus, after getting decisively outplayed by the Hurricanes in Game 1, the Devils enter Game 2 without half of their regular complement of defensemen. They were already without Jonas Siegenthaler, who hasn’t played since Feb. 4 due to a lower-body injury and is not expected back until the second round at the earliest. In-season waiver claim Dennis Cholowski and 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec will replace Dillon and Hughes in the lineup, according to Baugh.

Kings Recall Pheonix Copley

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The Kings have recalled Pheonix Copley from AHL Ontario to serve as their league-mandated emergency backup during the postseason, the team announced.

Normally, teams recall depth names from the ECHL or other relative unknowns in the system to fill the role if their AHL affiliate is in the Calder Cup Playoffs. That’s not the case here. Copley, 33, appeared in 42 of Ontario’s 72 regular-season games and was their unquestioned starter with a 2.49 GAA, .904 SV%, 24-17-1 record, and two shutouts. Backup Erik Portillo, who made his NHL debut this season, managed 15 wins but only a .889 SV% in 24 outings.

Nonetheless, it appears Copley won’t be available to Ontario as they begin their first-round series against the San Jose Barracuda. That’s a huge declaration of faith by the organization, not only in Portillo but in 18-year-old Carter George, who’s finishing the season with the Reign after his Owen Sound Attack was eliminated in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. The 2024 second-round pick is widely regarded as a top-five prospect in the organization and has allowed just one goal on 61 shots to begin his professional career, posting a 0.50 GAA and .984 SV% across two games with Ontario over the last week. With Copley out, the door is open for him to play professional playoff hockey, a rare feat for a teenage netminder.

As for Copley, it’s nice to see the veteran get back on track after ACL surgery in December 2023 upended his career. He only made one NHL appearance in relief this year, allowing two goals on 12 shots against the Maple Leafs early in the year, but he was L.A.’s No. 2 option as recently as two years ago when he went 24-6-3 with a .903 SV% and 2.64 GAA in 37 games in the 2022-23 season. An infrequent backup option throughout his lengthy professional career, he’s likely ticketed for AHL action as long as he’s still in the game.

Avalanche Activate Gabriel Landeskog From Long-Term Injured Reserve

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April 21: Contrary to what Bednar said, the official announcement has come. Landeskog has been activated from long-term injured reserve and is expected to make his return to NHL ice in tonight’s Game 2 of their first-round series against Dallas after sitting out Game 1, the team announced.

April 18: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is available to step onto NHL ice for the first time in nearly three years during their first-round series against the Stars, head coach Jared Bednar said today (via Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports). There’s unlikely to be an official announcement before they activate him from long-term injured reserve, Bednar said, but he’s an option for Game 1 tomorrow night.

Landeskog rejoined the NHL squad for practice earlier this week following a two-game conditioning stint in the AHL, his first game action since June 2022. He posted a goal and assist in the first minor-league action of his 12-year pro career stateside. Playing on back-to-back nights was an especially noteworthy accomplishment for Landeskog, whose multiple right knee surgeries have kept him sidelined since Colorado’s Stanley Cup win in 2022.

Whether he’s in the Game 1 lineup remains to be seen. Landeskog skated with the Avs’ projected scratches at practice for the second session in a row, so it’s not looking overly likely, Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports relays. Aside from Landeskog, Bednar told reporters today that defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Josh Manson will be available and will slot in on the third and second pairings, respectively. Manson will need to come off long-term injured reserve before tomorrow night.

Their availability gives the Avalanche a fully healthy complement of players for the first time this season. Considering Landeskog’s injury, it’ll be the first time the Avs can say that since Game 3 of their second-round series against the Blues in 2022. Samuel Girard sustained a broken sternum in that game and did not play for the remainder of the postseason.

It’s impossible to put expectations on Landeskog’s on-ice impact after such a long absence, but it’s worth pointing out he remained one of Colorado’s best players in their Cup win despite not playing on a fully healthy knee. He finished fourth on the team in playoff scoring with 11-11–22 in 20 games and co-led the club with a +15 rating. He’s nearly at a point per game over his postseason career, which spans 67 games across six trips.

Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports.

Blackhawks Assign Marek Vanacker To AHL

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The Blackhawks have assigned 2024 first-round pick Marek Vanacker to AHL Rockford, per Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio 720. The 19-year-old left-winger will get to make his professional debut in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Chicago traded up to select Vanacker last offseason, sending a pair of second-round picks to the Hurricanes to acquire the No. 27 overall pick. Unfortunately, the Ontario native is coming off a difficult post-draft season with the Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. His point production dipped back below the point per game mark (24-18–42 in 45 GP) after he managed well over the threshold in 2023-24. He led the Bulldogs in scoring by a wide margin last year with 36-46–82 in 68 games, but missed time due to injuries this year and ended up finishing in sixth. He did end the season on a high note with 11 points in 11 postseason games, though.

With Brantford’s season ending in a Game 6 loss to the Oshawa Generals in the second round of the playoffs, he’s now free to join Rockford. Vanacker just turned 19 earlier this month, though, so he won’t be eligible for a full-time assignment to the IceHogs next season. It’s either Chicago or Brantford again for him in 2025-26 with the latter seeming far more likely given his regression this season.

Vanacker was the last of three first-round selections Chicago made last year and ranked as the No. 7 prospect in their system in Scott Wheeler of The Athletic’s midseason rankings. He is the top left-winger in the Blackhawks’ system. With no NHL games for him this season and none expected next year, his entry-level deal will presumably slide to the 2026-27 campaign before taking effect. He still earned $97.5K in signing bonuses from the Hawks this year and will do so again next season, though.

Canucks Won’t Exercise Club Option On Rick Tocchet

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The Canucks will not exercise their club option to keep head coach Rick Tocchet on his current contract for 2025-26, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford told reporters today (including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet). Vancouver continues to work on a new deal to keep Tocchet behind their bench, Rutherford said, and the organization remains hopeful he’ll stay. They expect a decision on Tocchet’s future later this week, Friedman relays.

Tocchet is the only coach in the NHL on an expiring contract this offseason, and even then the Canucks could have opted to keep him in Vancouver under the terms of his current deal. Thomas Drance of The Athletic indicated last month the Canucks were operating under the assumption Tocchet would continue as their head coach next year and would exercise their option if extension talks weren’t progressing. While that didn’t end up being the case, they continue to indicate a willingness to retain Tocchet and make him the highest-paid coach in franchise history. Whether he accepts the offer or opts to explore some of the other vacancies around the league remains to be seen.

The 61-year-old just completed his second full season and third overall as Vancouver’s head coach. Last season, he won the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year after guiding them to their first playoff appearance since 2020 and first division title since 2013. When he took over midway through the 2022-23 campaign, he was the Canucks’ third coach in two years. The club fired Travis Green and replaced him with Bruce Boudreau during the 2021-22 season, only to fire Boudreau for Tocchet one year later.

At present, there are five openings for Tocchet to explore. The Ducks and Rangers’ positions are completely vacant after firing Greg Cronin and Peter Laviolette over the weekend, while three teams, the Blackhawks, Bruins, and Flyers, ended the season with interim head coaches. There’s a clear speculative fit in Philadelphia, where Tocchet spent the bulk of his 18-year playing career, but interim coach Brad Shaw remains a legitimate contender for a full-time role after ending the year with a 5-3-1 record.

In nine years as a coach with the Lightning, Coyotes, and Canucks, Tocchet has a 286-265-87 (.516) record in 638 regular-season games. He’s only made the postseason twice (Arizona, 2020; Vancouver, 2024) and has an 11-11 (.500) record there. Since Tocchet took over in Vancouver on Jan. 22, 2023, the Canucks’ .608 points percentage ranks 11th in the league.

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