Connor McDavid Extends Multi-Point Streak in Series-Clincher
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid finished with multiple points for a third consecutive game as the team ended the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars with a 6-3 victory on Thursday. The Oilers captain collected an assist on Corey Perry's early power-play goal and netted the game-winning goal on a one-man breakaway with 5:32 remaining in the second period. Playing in his 90th career postseason game, McDavid became the second-fastest player behind Wayne Gretzky (70 games) to record 100 playoff assists. Furthermore, McDavid and Gretzky are now the only two players to record at least three career 20-assist postseasons. McDavid has once again been a scoring machine in the playoffs and will enter the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) through 16 games.Shakir Mukhamadullin Inks One-Year Extension with Sharks
Source: San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin (shoulder) has secured a new one-year deal from the team, signing an extension worth $1 million. The 23-year-old, who underwent shoulder surgery in April, is coming off a season during which he made 30 appearances with the Sharks. Mukhamadullin showcased two-way potential by recording nine points (two goals, seven assists) with 51 blocks and 25 hits. We are likely to see much more of Mukhamadullin next season, as the Sharks remain in rebuild mode and will continue to give younger players opportunities.Tyson Foerster Signs Two-Year Extension with Flyers
Source: NHL.com
Philadelphia Flyers forward Tyson Foerster signed a two-year extension on Thursday. The 23-year-old was approaching restricted free agency before finalizing a new deal with the club. His contract is valued at $7.5 million, resulting in a $3.75 million cap hit for the next two seasons. Foerster, who turned 23 in January, enjoyed a second consecutive 20-goal campaign in 2024-25 and had a career-high 43 points (25 goals, 18 assists) in 81 appearances. His impressive form earned him a call-up to the World Championships with Team Canada, where he tallied two goals and three points in seven appearances. Fantasy managers should definitely keep an eye on Foerster, who appears to have a promising future in the National Hockey League.Jonathan Toews Eyeing NHL Comeback
Source: ESPN
Center Jonathan Toews wants to return to the NHL after sitting out for two seasons. According to reports, Toews reached out to his agent, Pat Brisson, on Wednesday to say he's 100 percent ready to pursue a comeback attempt. Toews, who turned 37 in late April, is a free agent and can sign with any team when free agency opens on July 1. The three-time Stanley Cup champion stepped away from the game two years ago due to the effects of long COVID and chronic immune response syndrome. In his final year with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23, Toews posted 15 goals and 31 points in 53 games. During his prime, Toews was one of the best two-way centermen in the league and an All-Star. While it's unlikely he will reach those heights again, Toews could still be a valuable asset to teams if fully healthy. The Winnipeg native has quickly begun to draw links with his hometown Jets.Bo Horvat Out 4-6 Weeks with Ankle Injury
Source: Sportsnet
New York Islanders center Bo Horvat is expected to miss four to six weeks due to an ankle injury sustained at the World Championships, general manager Mathieu Darche announced on Thursday. While playing for Team Canada, Horvat was injured toward the end of the group stage. He finished the tournament with eight points (four goals, four assists) in six games. The Islanders will be pleased to learn that Horvat requires weeks, not months, for recovery, suggesting he should be fully healthy in time for the start of training camp in the fall. Horvat took a small step back offensively in 2024-25, but still had a solid season. He led the Islanders with 57 points (28 goals, 29 assists) in 81 games and set a career-high with 100 hits.Jeff Skinner Back in Oilers Lineup Thursday
Source: Tony Brar
Edmonton Oilers left wing Jeff Skinner will return to the lineup on Thursday night for Game 5 against the Dallas Stars. The veteran forward will step in for Zach Hyman (upper body), taking on a third-line role. Skinner has appeared only once this postseason, recording an assist in 11:12 of action during a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Edmonton's first playoff game of the year. He finished the regular season with 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists) in 72 appearances, averaging two shots per game. Skinner is a former 40-goal scorer and can certainly cause problems for teams, but he has not been a consistent offensive threat in recent years.Mattias Ekholm Returns to Action Thursday
Source: NHL.com
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) is set to make his first postseason appearance of the year in Thursday's Game 5 against the Dallas Stars. Ekholm has effectively missed two months of action, having played only 1:52 on April 11 against the San Jose Sharks since suffering an undisclosed injury on March 26. He returned to practice at the start of last week. "I feel like I'm ready, I feel like I can play," Ekholm said Thursday morning. "I haven't played in a while, so it'll be a bit of an adjustment, but I feel great. I don't think I'm playing 26 minutes, but I do think I'm ready to play somewhat of a normal role." Ekholm, who notched 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) with 95 blocks in 65 regular-season appearances, will join Evan Bouchard on Edmonton's first defensive pairing, replacing Troy Stecher in the lineup.Connor Brown to Miss Second Consecutive Game
Source: ESPN
Edmonton Oilers right wing Connor Brown (undisclosed) will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters on Wednesday that Brown is "doing well" and there is hope that he can return soon. The 31-year-old has scored five goals and eight points in 14 playoff appearances. With Zach Hyman (upper body) also out, Knoblauch may bring Jeff Skinner back into the lineup. The veteran winger has not played since the postseason opener against the Los Angeles Kings. Another option is to go with seven defensemen, with Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed) finally available for selection.Seth Jarvis Notches Two Points in Wednesday's Loss
Source: ESPN
Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis recorded a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. Carolina's top line had a strong performance, with Jarvis assisting Sebastian Aho on a goal in the first period before scoring one himself in the third. Unfortunately for the team, it wasn't enough to extend the Eastern Conference Finals. Jarvis will head into the summer break as Carolina's leading scorer from the postseason, finishing with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) over 15 games. The 23-year-old has recorded back-to-back 67-point campaigns during the regular season and will remain a key contributor for the Hurricanes in 2025-25.Sebastian Aho Pots Two Goals in Season-Ending Loss
Source: ESPN
Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho came away with two goals as the team's season ended with a 5-3 defeat against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night. Facing elimination for the second consecutive game, Aho gave the Hurricanes a dream start with two first-period strikes. However, the Panthers snuck back into the game with a three-goal second period and closed out the series in style. Aho finished the postseason as Carolina's second-highest scorer, with 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in as many games. He just missed out on being a point-per-game player during the regular season, posting 29 goals and 45 assists in 79 appearances. At 27, he has entered his prime and is set to lead the Hurricanes attack for many years to come.Matthew Tkachuk Collects Two Points in Wednesday's Win
Source: ESPN
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk finished Wednesday's series-clinching 5-3 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes with a goal and an assist. Tkachuk's work allowed the Panthers to spark a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the second period. He scored a power-play goal by redirecting a shot from Aaron Ekblad and helped Evan Rodrigues score his first postseason goal just 30 seconds later. At times, Tkachuk has been quiet during the postseason, but he will take significant momentum into the Stanley Cup Finals, having logged three multi-point efforts over his past four outings. Overall, he has scored 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 17 games, tying him for the second most on the team in the playoffs.Aleksander Barkov Dishes Out Two Assists in Series-Clincher
Source: ESPN
Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov registered two assists as the team booked its place in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals with a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. He set the plate for Carter Verhaeghe to score the game-winning goal 12:21 into the third period, and Barkov collected another assist when Sam Bennett iced the game with an empty-netter. Barkov had a great series against Carolina, posting three goals and seven points in five games. He has heated up nicely for the Finals, entering the action as Florida's leading scorer. The Panthers captain has notched 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 17 games.Eetu Luostarinen Expected to be Available For Stanley Cup Finals
Source: Michael Russo
Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen (undisclosed) will likely be good to go for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Per Michael Russo of The Athletic, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice believes the 26-year-old will be fine for the start of the series, despite exiting Wednesday's series-clinching 5-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes due to an undisclosed injury. Luostarinen has at least a week to recover, with the Finals not scheduled to start before June 4. If the Dallas Stars win Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, the Finals will kick off on June 7. Luostarinen has played a big role in Florida's success this postseason as a member of a highly effective third line. He has scored four goals and 11 points in 17 outings.Adam Lowry Likely Out for Start of Next Season After Hip Surgery
Source: NHL.com
Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry underwent hip surgery on Tuesday and will likely miss the start of the 2025-26 season. It was announced that he will require 5-6 months to recover from the procedure, meaning it's unlikely the 32-year-old will be ready to play before November. If his season debut is delayed due to the hip surgery, Lowry may find it challenging to record a fourth consecutive 30-point campaign. He registered 16 goals and 34 points with 140 hits in 73 appearances this season. The Jets captain will enter the final season of a five-year, $16.25 million contract in 2025-26.Sean Walker Out for Game 5 Wednesday
Source: NHL.com
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (undisclosed) will remain absent for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Florida Panthers, missing a third consecutive contest. On Tuesday, there was optimism that either Walker or Jalen Chatfield (undisclosed) could return for Wednesday's elimination game, but both are still unavailable for the Hurricanes. Rookies Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow will continue to play, with the former looking like the better option for DFS competitions. Alexander Nikishin finished Monday's 3-0 win in Game 4 against the Panthers with one assist, one block, and five hits across 18:53 of ice time.