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Islanders’ Bo Horvat Suffers Lower-Body Injury

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According to an announcement from the New York Islanders, forward Bo Horvat sustained a lower-body injury for Team Canada during the IIHF World Championships. The team stated that Horvat is returning to New York for evaluation from the team’s doctors.

Horvat wraps up his first international tournament in seven years with four goals and eight points in six games for Team Canada. Canada will enter the playoff round as the highest-ranked seed from the ’Group A’ Division.

While the Islanders were vague about Horvat’s injury, the team remains hopeful he can begin training camp on time. He’s been remarkably healthy since moving from Vancouver to Long Island during the 2022-23 season, appearing in 162 regular-season contests for the Islanders over the past two years.

In a separate announcement, Hockey Canada shared that they have already found Horvat’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament. Top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft, Porter Martone, has joined Team Canada’s roster.

Martone is considered a safe top-five selection in this summer’s draft, and could even find his way into the top-three. He recently concluded his junior season with the Brampton Steelheads, recording 37 goals and 98 points in 57 games, along with an additional four goals and nine points in six postseason contests.

He’s no stranger to international hockey, either. Martone is only a year removed from an impressive showing at the U18 World Junior Championships for Team Canada, scoring five goals and 17 points in seven tournament games.

Maple Leafs Notes: Tavares, Marner, Matthews, Nylander

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The head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Craig Berube, has addressed Mitch Marner and John Tavares’ upcoming unrestricted free agency. According to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, when asked if he’d like them to return, Berube said, “100%.”

The news comes with little surprise, as few coaches would want 176 points to walk away for nothing. Still, a report from TSN’s Chris Johnston a few days ago suggested there’s no guarantee Marner will re-up with the Leafs this summer.

There’s more room for optimism when it comes to Tavares. Aside from Berube’s desire to have him back, Toronto’s former captain shared with David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period today that he believes he’ll sign a new deal with the Maple Leafs, and has already spoken briefly to General Manager Brad Treliving.

Other notes from the Maple Leafs:

  • In a vague comment passed along by Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews said he’s been dealing with a ’mystery’ injury since training camp, and it flared up throughout the regular season and playoffs. Matthews played in fewer than 70 games for the first time since the COVID-19-shortened 2020-21 NHL season, and achieved his lowest goal total since his junior campaign in 2018-19.
  • There’s a chance that host country of the 2025 IIHF World Championships, Sweden, could get a major boost to their roster before the playoff round begins. According to Chris Johnston, William Nylander is contemplating joining his home country for the remainder of the tournament. Nylander hasn’t played in the international tournament since 2022, when he scored three goals and two assists in three games.

Winnipeg Jets Notes: Connor, Morrissey, Schenn, Fleury

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Although the Winnipeg Jets extended a few of their pending unrestricted free agents shortly before the end of the regular season, they still have a few to iron out. One of which is winger Kyle Connor, who’s eligible for an extension on July 1st.

According to Murat Ates of The Athletic, he’s fully expecting the Jets to make Connor’s extension a priority this summer. It would be the second contract extension that the University of Michigan alum has signed in Winnipeg, following the seven-year, $50 million deal that was signed in 2019.

Connor’s next deal is sure to include a substantial raise, considering his impressive average of over a point per game for the last seven years, along with multiple 30- and 40-goal seasons, and two campaigns with over 90 points. With the salary cap continually increasing, the Jets should face no financial issues. The only hiccup could be Connor’s desire to stay in Manitoba.

Other Jets notes:

  • In a report from TSN’s John Lu, defenseman Josh Morrissey won’t require surgery on his injured knee from Game 6 of Winnipeg’s Round Two series against the Dallas Stars. Still, it wouldn’t have mattered to the Jets’ Stanley Cup aspirations, as Morrissey shared he would have been done for the postseason regardless. He’ll be ready in time for training camp in September, at any rate.
  • Morrissey wasn’t the only injured player on Winnipeg’s blue line. According to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Free Press, trade deadline acquisition Luke Schenn had been playing through the playoffs with a fractured rib. Schenn didn’t let the injury affect his physicality, as the veteran blue liner collected 47 hits in nine games after purportedly suffering the fracture.
  • Staying on the Jets’ blue line, team color analyst Mitchell Clinton shared that depth defender Haydn Fleury would love to stay in Winnipeg for the foreseeable future. Fleury, the pending unrestricted free agent, appeared in 37 games for Winnipeg this year, tallying seven assists while averaging 15:56 of ice time per game.

Nick Jensen Undergoes Surgery For A Lower-Body Injury

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Earlier this month, Senators defenseman Nick Jensen acknowledged that he might need surgery to address a lower-body injury that nagged him in the back half of the season.  While it took some time to decide the best course of action, the blueliner has indeed gone under the knife, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

With further details beyond that unknown, it’s uncertain how long Jensen will be out for.  At the exit meetings roughly three weeks ago, the 34-year-old indicated that he was hopeful he would be ready for the start of training camp.  With surgery being delayed until just recently, that goal might be a little more difficult to reach, depending on how invasive the procedure was.

Despite requiring the surgery, it was a solid first year in Ottawa for Jensen.  Acquired last offseason as part of the return for Jakob Chychrun, he put up 21 points in 71 games, tying the second-best point total of his career.  Jensen also logged over 20 minutes a night for just the second time in his career and was a key cog on their penalty kill.  That continued into the playoffs in their opening round when he averaged just shy of 21 minutes per game despite playing through the injury.

Earlier this month, GM Steve Staios acknowledged (video link) that if Jensen’s availability for the start of the season was in question, he might examine an external addition to help cover for the blueliner’s absence.  At the moment, Ottawa has five blueliners under contract with Tyler Kleven being a restricted free agent while Travis Hamonic and Dennis Gilbert will hit the open market in July so there will be a roster spot available for Staios if he wants to add to hedge against Jensen potentially being unavailable to start in October.

Sonny Milano’s Availability To Start Next Season In Question

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This season was one to forget for Capitals winger Sonny Milano.  He was scratched several times early on in the season and after his third game back in early November, he didn’t come back at all after suffering a setback in his recovery from an upper-body injury near the trade deadline.

Unfortunately for him and Washington, it appears that it’s far from a given that Milano will be available to start next season as well.  Speaking with reporters today (video link), GM Chris Patrick noted that the 29-year-old is still in the process of trying to see if he can get himself healthy, a process that’s likely to carry into the summer.

Milano has one year remaining on a three-year, $5.7MM contract signed back in 2023 when he was in the middle of his second straight 30-plus-point season.  Unfortunately, things haven’t gone so well since then as he has only managed to play in 52 games in the last two years.

As a result of the injury, Milano spent most of the year on LTIR, joining Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie whose contracts are set to expire this summer.  If Milano isn’t ready to start next season and will miss at least the first 10 games and 24 days, he’ll be eligible to remain on there.  In the meantime, that uncertainty certainly won’t help Patrick and the Capitals in their offseason planning as they’ll need to leave themselves a bit of wiggle room in case Milano’s availability is in flux once again for 2025-26.

Jets’ Morrissey Injury “Not Good,” Says Coach Scott Arniel

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The Winnipeg Jets not only lost Game 6 against the Dallas Stars, ending their season, but they also lost key defender Josh Morrissey to a potentially significant injury, per a TSN report.

Morrissey was injured in the second period of Game 6 after getting tangled up with Stars forward Mikko Rantanen. His knee appeared to twist awkwardly, and after struggling to get to the bench, Morrissey was helped to the locker room and did not return. Following the game, head coach Scott Arniel said the injury is “not good,” but that the team would learn more upon returning to Canada. Arniel noted that Morrissey’s injury was among a series of obstacles the team had to face against the Stars.

“Again, losing Josh tonight was a big blow. Just a lot of circumstances that happened. Our leadership within our group kept grinding everybody and pushing everybody. It’s growth. It hurts a lot. But we lost to a great team,” Arniel said.

Morrissey enjoyed a fantastic regular season, recording his third consecutive campaign with over 60 points. Typically a model of durability — with at least 78 games played in each of the last four seasons — Morrissey wasn’t as fortunate in the playoffs, where he sustained two separate injuries that forced him to miss time. He was also injured in Game 7 of the first round against the St. Louis Blues after being hit by Oskar Sundqvist, which caused him to miss Game 1 against the Stars.

It remains unclear whether the injury Morrissey suffered against the Stars is related to his earlier ailment, and the full extent has yet to be revealed. If the injury proves to be serious, he’ll have the entire offseason to recover with the goal of being ready for the start of the 2025–26 campaign.

Maple Leafs’ Matthew Knies To Play Game 7

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May 18: Knies took line rushes at morning skate in his usual spot alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner and is thus expected to remain in the lineup for Game 7 tonight, per Johnston. Head coach Craig Berube later confirmed he’ll be in the lineup with no restrictions, per Kristen Shilton of ESPN.

May 17: The Toronto Maple Leafs could be without a top-line winger in their must-win matchup against the Florida Panthers on Sunday. Matthew Knies has been dubbed questionable with an undisclosed injury, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic, after playing just 13 minutes in Friday night’s win. Knies didn’t play in the final seven minutes of Game 6 and seemed to be nursing his shoulder through his final few shifts.

Losing Knies would be a significant blow for the Maple Leafs at the worst time. The 22-year-old winger has locked in a role on Toronto’s top line and powerplay unit over the year’s second half. He’s tied for second on the team with five goals and ranks third among Leafs forwards in average ice time in 12 games this postseason.

The performance has come on the heels of a breakout year during the regular season. Knies scored 58 points, split evenly, in 78 games this season, while converting on 19.1 percent of his shots. He also ranked second among Toronto forwards with 182 hits. The performance was a significant stride forward from the 15 goals and 35 points he managed last year, and earned Knies as much as 24 minutes of ice time through points in the year.

Filling Knies’ shoes would have to be a group effort for Toronto. His absence would likely push Nicholas Robertson back into the team’s bottom-six, after he served as a healthy scratch for Game 6, despite scoring the Leafs’ sole goal in Game 5. It’d also push Max Pacioretty further up the lineup and into an upgraded powerplay role, rewarding his eight points in 10 postseason appearances. But in a must-win game, boosting two slight-frame wingers likely wouldn’t make up for Knies’ imposing physical presence.

That could spark more ice time for a bruiser like Steven Lorentz, or push Toronto to lean heavier on the hard-nosed play of a star like William Nylander. The shift in strategy and approach with those moves will make Knies’ match readiness one of the league’s top storylines as Monday’s decisive matchup looms.

Jalen Chatfield Out For Game 5, Alexander Nikishin Making NHL Debut

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The Hurricanes will be without depth defenseman Jalen Chatfield for a potential series-clinching Game 5 due to an undisclosed injury, per the team’s Walt Ruff. That means top defense prospect Alexander Nikishin will be making his NHL debut tonight after signing before the postseason.

Nikishin will debut on his natural left side on a pairing with countryman Dmitry Orlov, who Ruff relays will slide over to his offside. Orlov and the righty Chatfield have been partners all year long, so there’s no domino effect on Carolina’s other defense units.

As for Chatfield, he tweaked something near the end of Game 4 and didn’t practice yesterday. While head coach Rod Brind’Amour said yesterday he didn’t expect Chatfield to miss time, he told Canes beat reporter Adam Gold earlier today that Chatfield had been downgraded to being a game-time decision. It’s worth noting Chatfield’s gone three games without hitting the 20-minute mark after doing so in four straight. He has one goal and a plus-six rating in nine games this postseason – the latter figure is tied for the team lead.

Nikishin’s long-awaited NHL debut comes nearly five years after Carolina selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft. The 23-year-old Russian has grown into a dominant rearguard in his home country in the past few years, routinely being dubbed the best defenseman outside the NHL. Standing at 6’4″ and 216 lbs, Nikishin had somewhat of a down year in 2024-25 with a 17-29–46 scoring line in 61 games for SKA St. Petersburg but led Kontinental Hockey League defensemen in scoring the two years prior.

A dominant two-way presence, Nikishin begins the NHL phase of his career after recording 177 points and a +71 rating in 288 KHL games with SKA and Spartak Moscow. Virtually guaranteed a left-side spot next year with Orlov’s contract expiring, tonight will be an important trial run for the youngster as he settles into NHL minutes in what’s a pretty safe scenario for Carolina, up 3-1 over the Capitals with a chance at the Eastern Conference Final on the line.

Snapshots: Stolarz, Hallander, Jedlicka

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The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t get any goaltending relief after a brutal 6-1 loss in Game 5. Head coach Craig Berube told the media that starter Anthony Stolarz is doubtful to travel to Game 6 on Friday, per Chris Johnston of The Athletic. Stolarz skated at the team’s morning practice, but exited the ice after more than 30 minutes. Stolarz’s injury hasn’t been technically specified, though it seems clear it’s a head injury after he received multiple headshots and was seen throwing up during Game 1 of the second round.

Stolarz has been Toronto’s rock for much of the season. He posted a .926 save percentage and a 21-8-3 record during the regular season – the highest save percentage and fourth-highest win percentage from a Leafs starter since 2000. Toronto’s backup, Joseph Woll, hasn’t matched Stolarz’s shutdown presence when healthy. Woll posted a .909 save percentage and 27-14-1 record in 42 games this season, earning the lion’s share of minutes while Stolarz battled injuries. Woll’s save percentage has dipped to .877 in five postseason appearances. He allowed six goals in his latest outing, which could be enough for Toronto to award veteran backup Matt Murray with just his second playoff start since the 2019-20 season. Murray posted a .934 save percentage in 21 AHL games this season.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Penguins forward prospect Filip Hallander was named the SHL’s Forward of the Year this season, the league announced on Thursday. He scored a career-high 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games this season, good for second in the league in total points behind David Tomasek’s 57 points in 47 games. Hallander signed a two-year contract with Pittsburgh at the tail-end of the SHL season, cementing his return to North America after spending the last two seasons in Sweden. He scored 61 points in 104 AHL games between 2021 and 2023, and added three scoreless NHL appearances. Hallander can now use the momentum from this award-winning season to notch his first NHL points next season.
  • After an injury-plagued season, it doesn’t appear the Avalanche will retain the signing rights to 2023 seventh-round pick Maros Jedlicka, relays Brennan Vogt of Mile High Sports. The 22-year-old Slovak forward spent the latter half of this season on a minor-league deal with AHL Colorado but was limited to five points in 18 games. He missed all of the 2023-24 season due to injury and managed just 12 appearances for HC Kometa Brno in Czechia before terminating his contract there early this season.

Mattias Ekholm Could Return For Oilers In Conference Finals

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Edmonton Oilers defender Mattias Ekholm remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, but coach Kris Knoblauch said Tuesday that the veteran could be available for the conference finals if the Oilers advance, reports NHL.com staff writer Derek Van Diest.

Ekholm has played just once since late March, returning for a single game on April 11 after a seven-game absence, only to aggravate his injury again. The 34-year-old has missed all 10 of the team’s playoff games, but Knoblauch mentioned he’s back skating and could return soon.

As Knoblauch stated: “Mattias has been on the ice for light skates,” Knoblauch said. “He will not be joining us this series. We’re hopeful that he can join us next series if we can get to that.”

The Oilers have performed impressively despite missing one of their top defenders and are now just one win away from another trip to the conference finals. But getting Ekholm back in the lineup would undoubtedly bolster the team’s Stanley Cup hopes. Ekholm posted nine goals and 33 points in 65 regular-season games and is just one season removed from posting a career-high 11 goals. However, Elholm’s playoff experience is where his value is felt most. He has appeared in 112 playoff games over his 14-year career and was a key contributor during the Oilers’ deep playoff run last season, recording five goals, 10 points, and a plus-nine rating in 25 games.

In his absence, the Oilers have used a variety of combinations on the back end, which includes the likes of Ty Emberson and Troy Stecher. Emberson has appeared in nine playoff games but has averaged just 9:29 of ice time per game. Stecher replaced Emberson in the Game 4 lineup, logging 16:46 of ice time in the shutout win.

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