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Cousins, Senators Fined For Warm-Up Incident

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The NHL Department of Player Safety issued fines against Ottawa forward Nick Cousins for a pre-game incident that occurred prior to Thursday night’s game three against the Maple Leafs, per a department statement. The Senators were also fined for the incident.

During warm-ups, Cousins wristed a shot at Toronto goalie Anthony Stolarz as he stretched in the neutral zone. The action will cost Cousins $2,083.33, the maximum allowable amount under the CBA for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Senators were also fined $25,000. Cousins, who was activated from LTIR on April 13 after missing months with a knee injury, has appeared in two of three games in the series, averaging just 9:34 of ice time per game.

Being pegged as “Warm-up Gate,” TSN insider Chris Johnston believes the league is taking the event so seriously to avoid an additional pre-game incident from taking place in the series, which could cause emotions to boil over. Toronto head coach Craig Berube laughed off the incident (and even shared a story of his playing days when Tie Domi and Ron Hextall got into it over a similar situation), while Sens coach Travis Green also made light of the situation.

With the Sens one game away from being swept by Toronto, Green did take a serious tone when noting how “disheartening” the series has been up to this point, per The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie. While games two and three went to overtime, Toronto came out on top in both contests, essentially dashing Ottawa’s hopes of a series win. After an eight-year playoff drought, the Senators are just one loss away from elimination.

With that said, Green noted his team won’t go down without a fight.

“It’s disheartening, to say the least. Sometimes playoff hockey comes down to little inches or bounces, and we were on the wrong end of it tonight,” he said. “The one thing I know about our team is, we’re not going to lie down, we’re not going to go away, we’re going to be ready to play,”

Avalanche Sign Zakhar Bardakov To Entry-Level Deal

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The Colorado Avalanche announced that they have signed forward Zakhar Bardakov to a one-year, entry-level deal, per a team release.

In 53 games this season for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Bardakov posted 17 goals and 35 points. The 24-year-old set career highs in goals and assists this season (while nearly doubling his previous career high in points) and served as an alternate captain. He added two points in six KHL playoff contests. In 209 regular season games in the KHL, he scored 79 points. The Russian native also spent three seasons in the MHL, scoring 70 points in 104 games.

Bardakov plays center and utilizes his 6’2, 210-pound frame to fend off defenders. He was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the seventh round in the 2021 draft, but acquired by the Avalanche in a trade with the Devils last season.

While the Avalanche continue with their Stanley Cup aspirations, the club’s prospect pool has quite a few promising forwards, including Maxmilian Curran, Cooper Gay, and Taylor Makar, younger brother of superstar Cale Makar. There is also forward Christian Humphreys, whose rights belong to Colorado although he remains unsigned. After 10 games at the University of Michigan this previous season, Humphreys joined the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, where he posted 33 points in 28 games.

For Bardakov, he appears to have the physical traits to break camp with the Avs to start next season, although he’ll likely start in the AHL as he acclimates to a North American style of play.

Mathew Barzal, Semyon Varlamov Expect To Be Ready For Training Camp

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New York Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov and forward Mat Barzal both expect to be ready for the start of next season, per Ethan Sears of the New York Post.

Varlamov has been out since November with an injury that required season-ending surgery. The 36-year-old appeared in only 10 games on the season, finishing with a 3-3-4 record and an undesirable .889 save percentage. Speaking to reporters, Varlamov noted the injury is something that he’s been dealing with for quite some time. He added that he is looking forward to returning to action next season.

If healthy, Varlamov should provide the Isles with a solid backup option behind star Ilya Sorokin. Marcus Högberg ended up appearing in 15 games this year, but didn’t make the most of his opportunity, finishing with a 2-6-3 record to pair with a .878 save percentage. Varlamov has two years remaining on his contract, paying a $2.75MM AAV. Despite a rough 2024-25 season, he’s just one year removed from providing New York with a .918 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average. If he can rediscover that type of play, the combination of him and Sorokin should help the club’s efforts to return to the playoffs.

Barzal, who suffered an injury to his knee back in early February, also expects to be 100 percent for next season. In fact, had the Isles made the playoffs, there’s a chance Barzal could have played. In 30 games on the year, he posted six goals and 20 points. The three-time All-Star is coming off of an 80-point season and has produced 190 points in the three seasons prior to this year. The 27-year-old still has six years remaining on his $9.125MM AAV deal.

Capitals Notes: Fehervary, Protas, Chychrun

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Martin Fehervary and Aliaksei Protas did not practice for the Capitals today, per NHL.com reporter Tom Gulitti. He adds that defender Jakob Chychrun did practice despite a puck deflecting into his face at practice yesterday.

Fehervary appeared in 81 games in the regular season but missed the final game of the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old defender scored 25 points on the year to go along with a plus-18 rating, 150 blocked shots and 139 hits. He also averaged 19 minutes of ice time per game, so his return will play a major factor in the team’s Stanley Cup aspirations. The same can be said for Protas, who burst on the season this year and produced 30 goals, 66 points, and an incredible plus-40 rating. He’s been out since April 4 with a foot injury.

Head coach Spencer Carbery was vague in discussing the potential return of Fehervary and Protas, recently stating: “I’m just going to leave it as we’ve got a bunch of guys working through some things, progressing, potentially playing on Monday, potentially not. Once we get going in the series, I can give you more updates as guys are obviously warming up and in the lineup or not.”

Chychrun has appeared to avoid any serious injury after being struck with a puck in practice yesterday. His return to practice today is obviously a great sign for the Capitals, especially considering the unknown return of Fehervary. Chychrun produced 20 goals and 47 points from the blueline on the season and serves as a key member of the team’s top power play unit.

Kings’ Tanner Jeannot Remains Out Week-To-Week

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While the Kings are relatively healthy heading into their first-round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, forward Tanner Jeannot remains out week-to-week, per Mayor’s Manors. It appeared Jeannot hurt his ankle on a no-contact injury while setting up to block a shot in March 25th’s win over the New York Rangers, and he’s been out of the lineup ever since. He has not begun skating and isn’t expected to play in the first round.

Jeannot scored seven goals and 13 points in 67 games on the season but served the Kings well as a physical presence on the fourth line, where the 6’2″, 220-pounder produced 211 hits. In 294 career games, Jeannot has delivered 1,083 hits, good for a 3.7 average per game. However, the 27-year-old has never been able to match the offensive production of his rookie year during the 2021-22 season, when he scored 24 goals and 41 points.

He also hasn’t been able to produce much offensively in 16 career playoff contests, where he’s produced just three assists and a minus-nine rating. However, he has showcased his physicality with 65 hits in those contests while averaging 13:04 of ice time. His return would provide the team’s bottom-six with a high-energy presence that can change the momentum of a game.

In his absence, rookie center Samuel Helenius and depth winger Jeff Malott have received more minutes. Helenius produced seven points in 50 regular season games but also doled out 150 hits in his rookie campaign. Malott produced well in the AHL this season, scoring 51 points in 61 games, but only secured one assist in 12 NHL games on the year.

Penguins Notes: Grzelcyk, Acciari, Koivunen

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While veteran defender Matt Grzelcyk is set for free agency, he isn’t ruling out a return to the Pittsburgh Penguins, per team play-by-play commentator Josh Getzoff. Grzelcyk told reporters today that the team welcomed him with open arms and that he appreciated the trust the coaching staff showed in him. Despite a rough start to the year, the 31-year-old veteran played in all 82 games on the season and produced a career high 40 points while averaging 20:37 ice time per game. He signed a one-year, $2.75MM contract with Pittsburgh last summer after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Boston Bruins.

In other Penguins news:

  • Veteran depth forward Noel Acciari noted he’s been dealing with a hip injury that he’s hopeful to rehab this summer and avoid surgery, per Seth Rorabaugh of TribSports. Acciari played in 79 games for the Pens this season, posting five goals and 12 points while serving as the team’s primary fourth line center. He added 180 hits and 100 blocked shots, and a 53.7 faceoff percentage while also serving as a primary penalty killer. Acciari has one year left on his $2MM AAV contract.
  • Penguins’ rookie Ville Koivunen impressed in his late season call-up, and he expects to continue that success starting next season, per a team release. Koivunen appeared in the final eight games of the regular season and posted seven assists, including one in each of the final five games of the season. He added 55 points in 62 AHL games this year. He told reporters today that the final stretch of the season gives him the confidence to know that he can succeed in the NHL, as well as an understanding of what he needs to improve upon for next season. Koivunen was one of the key pieces the Penguins received in last season’s Jake Guentzel trade, and he serves as one of the club’s top forward prospects next to Rutger McGroarty, Vasili Ponomaryov, and Tanner Howe. The play of Koivunen and McGroarty down the stretch of the season caught the attention of captain Sidney Crosby, who told reporters today that their play was “definitely promising.” Crosby added that Koivunen and McGroarty’s energy and hunger creates healthy competition for the Pens moving forward.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils, Shaw, Fabbro

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New Jersey Devils’ forward Ondrej Palat was back at practice today after suffering an undisclosed injury in the final week of the regular season that required him to miss Wednesday night’s game against the Red Wings, per team reporter Amanda Stein. Palat left a game against Boston after blocking a shot, but his x-rays came back negative, and he appears ready to go for the playoffs.

On the year, Palat scored 15 goals and 28 points while averaging 13:45 of ice time per night. The veteran also brings a wealth of playoff experience to the table, having played in 150 career playoff contests. The two-time Stanley Cup champ has shown an ability to take his game to another level in the playoffs, scoring 101 points in those contests, including seven points in 12 games for the Devils last season.

While Palat looks good to go, head coach Sheldon Keefe said today that “it would be a surprise” if defender Jonas Siegenthaler is ready for their first-round matchup against Carolina. Siegenthaler, 27, posted nine points in 55 games on the season, while adding 92 blocked shots and 75 hits. Siegenthaler has been out of the lineup for a little more than a month due to a lower-body injury and was moved to LTIR in recent days before Jack Hughes’ season-ending shoulder surgery. His defensive-minded play would support the Devils if he were able to return.

Elsewhere in the Metro:

  • Brad Shaw, who served as the Flyers interim head coach after the team fired John Tortorella, said today he would be happy to remain with Philly’s coaching staff even if the club does select an outside hire for the lead role, per Jordan Hall of NBCS Philly. Shaw noted that he would be interested in the head coaching position, and he’ll meet with GM Daniel Briere next week to see where things stand. This is the second interim head coaching position for Shaw, who experienced a similar situation with the New York Islanders during the 2005-06 season when head coach Steve Stirling was fired. Shaw guided the Isles to an 18-18-4 record and was not retained. He has since bounced around the league in various assistant coaching roles.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets’ defender Dante Fabbro said he was “shocked” when the Predators placed him on waivers, but that being claimed by Columbus was a blessing in disguise, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda. Fabbro, now a free agent, added that he would love to continue his career with the Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old put up career high numbers this season with Columbus, scoring nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 62 games for the club. He added a plus-23 rating, 136 blocked shots, and 66 hits. Based on his success with the team, it would be surprising if the Blue Jackets didn’t feel similar about a reunion.

Alex Tuch Interested In Extension With Sabres

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Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency following the 2025-26 season, but his hope is to stay in Buffalo long-term, per NHL reporter Justin Alpert.

Speaking at his end-of-year media availability, Tuch said he loves playing in Buffalo and wants to be a part of a winning culture for the team. While the Sabres have now missed the playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons, they do have a solid core consisting of Tuch, Jason Zucker, Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and more. For his part, Tuch tied a career high with 36 goals and finished with 67 points while playing all 82 games this season. Tuch has flourished offensively since coming to Buffalo from the Golden Knights, scoring 243 points in 281 games.

Tuch, 28, has one year left on his current deal that is paying a team-friendly $4.5MM. Whether he signs an extension this summer with Buffalo or with another club next summer, he will no doubt be in line for a raise. While Tuch noted he’ll have to discuss things with his family, the Upstate New York native seems interested in remaining with the Sabres and helping to end their long playoff drought. Tuch said the organization has the capabilities to turn things around. He added that individual success isn’t enough to represent team success, and to his point, scoring goals wasn’t an issue for the team. While the Sabres finished 10th in goals for on the year (265), they also finished third-to-last in goals against (287).

Fellow forward Ryan McLeod, 25, is also interested in staying in Buffalo. Set for restricted free agency this summer, McLeod told reporters today he’d like to remain with the team and help the Sabres take the next step. In his first year with the club after coming over from the Oilers, McLeod enjoyed a career year with 20 goals, 33 assists and 53 points, shattering his previous career highs. He added a strong 52.5 percent faceoff percentage and served as a key part of the team’s penalty kill. Like Tuch, he is due a large raise on his expiring $2.1MM AAV contract.

Injury Notes: Heineman, Rutta, Hayes

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Montreal Canadians’ left winger Emil Heineman returned to the lineup tonight in an all-important matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes, per Eric Engles of Sportsnet. He is slotted on the fourth line alongside Jake Evans and Joel Armia. Heineman has missed the last five games due to his upper-body injury.

In 61 games this season, the 23-year-old has produced 10 goals and 18 points. The 6’2, 200-pounder has also contributed 171 hits while maintaining a low amount of penalty minutes (20). His return comes after his second extended injury of the year. He previously missed five weeks with an upper-body injury sustained on a road trip in Utah when he was struck by a car. The Habs need a win against the Hurricanes to secure their place in the playoffs.

Other injury updates of note:

  • Veteran defender Jan Rutta was on the ice for the San Jose Sharks’ morning skate and could be inserted back into the lineup, per Max Miller of the Sharks Hockey Digest. Miller noted that Luca Cagnoni was sent back down to the AHL yesterday, perhaps clearing a path for Rutta’s return. Rutta missed nearly two months with a lower body injury before recently returning to the lineup. However, the team opted to sit Rutta out in game two of a back-to-back on Monday. Rutta recently expressed his desire to re-sign with the Sharks. The 34-year-old is set for free agency this summer but has enjoyed his opportunity to play in San Jose. On the season, Rutta has produced nine points, 80 blocked shots, and a minus-three rating.
  • Penguins’ forward Kevin Hayes is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, NHL.com reporter Wes Crosby. With Pittsburgh having one game remaining on the season (Thursday against the Capitals), Hayes’ season is more than likely done. Hayes has produced 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games on the season. Despite spending time early in the season as a healthy scratch, Hayes has produced solid numbers in a mostly fourth line role. He was also recently nominated as the team’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominee. The award is given to the player who best exemplifies leadership and made significant contributions to the community. Hayes has one year left on his current deal and comes with a $3.5MM AAV (Philadelphia retains half of his salary).

Devils Dougie Hamilton Returns From Injury

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The Devils Dougie Hamilton is in the lineup tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, per a team announcement. The defender has missed the past 18 games due to a lower body injury he sustained on March 4th against the Dallas Stars. He has recovered quicker than expected after it was originally thought he would miss the remainer of the regular season.

According to an NHL release, Hamilton has been skating on his own the past three weeks and participated in warmups prior to Sunday’s game against the Islanders. Tonight, he has slotted right back into the team’s top pairing alongside Brenden Dillon.

On the season, the offensive-minded defender has put up 9 goals, 31 assists and 40 points in 63 games. He has added 81 blocked shots, 74 hits, a plus-nine rating, and has averaged 19:48 of total ice time per game on the year. In his career, the 31-year-old has scored 501 points in 834 career games.

Prior to the game, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe noted how hard Hamilton has worked to get ahead of schedule and back into the lineup. He added that Hamilton was, “Excited to go.”

New Jersey will finish third in the Metropolitan Division and will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. Hamilton’s return and ability to shake off a little rust tonight, should support the Devils’ efforts in the playoffs. In 66 career playoff games, Hamilton has posted 29 points.

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