3 weeks agoThe Boston Bruins have sent defenseman Derek Forbort to the American Hockey League's Providence Bruins on a long-term injury conditioning loan. The veteran blueliner has been out since March 2 due to a lower-body injury. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said on March 8 that Forbort was "more than likely" out for the season due to two separate undisclosed injuries. For the season, the 32-year-old has recorded four assists in 35 games while adding 68 hits, 65 blocks, and 17 penalty minutes to his resume. The Bruins enter Tuesday's contest against the Ottawa Senators sitting first in the Atlantic Division and can clinch the division with a victory in their season finale.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoWinnipeg Jets forward Nino Niederreiter (leg) could return to the lineup when the club hosts the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. The Swiss winger has been sidelined since April 1 when he suffered a deep cut on his lower leg against the Los Angeles Kings. "It was kind of a scary play," the veteran said. "I felt something in my leg, but I didn't know exactly what it was, so I reached down a couple times and felt some blood. It started getting warm." Niederreiter added that his Achilles was nicked, as well. The 31-year-old has recorded 18 goals and 33 points across 75 games on the season, adding 114 hits and 34 penalty minutes to his resume. The Jets enter Tuesday's action sitting second in the Central Division, one point ahead of the Colorado Avalanche with one game in hand.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoFlorida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (upper body) will be back in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. The forward has missed the past six games after leaving an April 1 contest against the Maple Leafs in the second period with an upper-body injury. Verhaeghe returned to practice on Monday and should provide a boost to a struggling Panthers power-play unit. "It is good for us because, when Carter went down, our power play kind of went down," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. "We were trying to affix a word to describe him; he is not the catalyst, but he is the fixer." The 28-year-old has tallied 33 goals and 71 points, including 21 power-play points, across 75 games on the campaign.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoVancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (knee) will be back between the pipes for Tuesday's contest against the Calgary Flames. The American netminder has missed the past 14 games with a knee injury suffered during a March 9 contest against the Winnipeg Jets. "I only missed about a month here, which is good, and just having attention to detail, staying engaged, going through some old videos and staying sharp mentally and obviously it will be a big game for me," Demko said Monday. The Canucks enter Tuesday's contest sitting atop the Pacific Division, five points ahead of the Edmonton Oilers with two games to go. The Oilers still have an outside shot at passing the Canucks with three games left in their regular season.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoWashington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren turned in a crucial outing on Monday, turning aside all 16 shots he faced en route to a 2-0 shutout win over the Boston Bruins. With the victory, the Capitals held onto the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They can clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Monday's start was Lindgren's fifth in a row and his 17th over the team's last 18 games. With the outing, he improved to a 2.71 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage along with an NHL-best six shutouts across 49 appearances (47 starts). The Flyers, Red Wings, and Penguins all have an opportunity to grab the final playoff spot in the east, as well.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoDetroit Red Wings goaltender Alex Lyon is getting the start on Monday for a crucial contest against the visiting Montreal Canadiens. After making six straight starts, Lyon gave way to James Reimer for Saturday's key 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs but he will get right back at it against the Canadiens on Monday. The 31-year-old has taken over the crease from Reimer this season but hasn't been as sharp of late. For the season, he owns a 3.03 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage across 43 outings (42 starts) while going 20-18-5 in that time. The Red Wings also play tomorrow as they sit tied for the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference but have the fewest regulation wins (the tiebreaker) between them and the Capitals, Flyers, and Penguins with two games to go.Source: Daniella Bruce
3 weeks agoWashington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren is making his fifth straight start on Monday for a crucial tilt with the Boston Bruins. Not only is it Lindgren's fifth consecutive start but also his 17th over the team's last 18 games as the team continues to go with the hot hand with Lindgren out-playing veteran Darcy Kuemper this season. The 30-year-old has posted a 2.77 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage across 48 outings (46 starts) on the season, going 23-16-7 in that time. For comparison, Kuemper has turned in a 3.31 GAA and an .890 save percentage across 33 appearances (30 starts), going 13-14-3 on the campaign. The Capitals currently occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference but are tied with the Flyers and Red Wings with 87 points and are just one point ahead of the Penguins despite a minus-40 goal differential.Source: Bailey Johnson
3 weeks agoColumbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner practiced on Monday for the first time since he and his wife, Maggie, announced that their son, Dawson, was stillborn. Jenner has missed the past six games but is an option for Tuesday's regular-season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. A 2024 All-Star, Jenner has had a solid season that includes 22 goals and 35 points to go along with 155 shots, 119 hits, 74 blocked shots, and 28 penalty minutes across 58 games. The Blue Jackets have an outside shot at landing the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft as they sit fourth-last in the NHL with 64 points and will remain in that spot at the end of the 2023-24 regular season.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoColumbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli practiced with the team for the first time since suffering a calf laceration on Jan. 28 against the Seattle Kraken. However, the rookie will not play in the team's final regular season game on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Fantilli was originally given an eight-week timeline after Kraken forward Jared McCann's skate accidentally made contact with Fantilli's calf but will end up missing the final 33 games of the regular season. "I was trying to get back for anything that I could, it just wasn't quite there yet," Fantilli said on Monday. The 2023 third-overall pick's rookie season concludes with 12 goals and 27 points on 115 shots on goal through 49 contests.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoWashington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper body) skated in a non-contact jersey on Monday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury in an April 7 contest against the Ottawa Senators. The Swede was ruled out for the remainder of the regular season following his injury, and the Caps have just two games remaining. If the Capitals qualify for the postseason, Sandin is an option for Game 1, according to head coach Spencer Carbery. "For sure," Carbery said. "First day back on the ice for him, and even [Nick Jensen] being in the facility, I think, took a positive step. Didn't skate today, but back in here and working his way back." The Capitals currently occupy the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 87 points but are also tied in points with the Red Wings and Flyers, who currently own the final playoff spot due to the most regulation wins between those three clubs. The Penguins sit one point behind with two games to go.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoMontreal Canadiens defensive prospect Lane Hutson will make his NHL debut on Monday versus the Detroit Red Wings after signing an entry-level deal with the team on Friday. The Boston University product inked his three-year, entry-level deal after his season at Boston University concluded by way of a 2-1 overtime loss to future NCAA champions Denver University on Thursday. "I'm just really excited," Huston said on Monday. " The guys here have been great and yeah, just ready to get going." The 2022 second-rounder notched 15 goals and 49 points across 38 games as a Sophomore this season, finishing second in the country for points by a defenseman. He registered 30 goals and 97 points across 77 games in his two years with the Terriers.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoDetroit Red Wings forward Andrew Copp (cheek) is a game-time decision for Monday's crucial contest against the Montreal Canadiens. The veteran has missed the past two games after suffering a broken cheekbone on an undetected high stick in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Capitals last Tuesday. Wings bench boss Derek Lalonde said Copp would take part in warmups on Monday before determining his status for the contest. Copp has recorded 13 goals and 33 points across 77 games this season, his second with the Red Wings. Detroit enters Monday's action tied with the Capitals and Flyers for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 87 points, but both clubs hold the tiebreaker over the Red Wings due to regulation wins.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoThe Anaheim Ducks have signed top prospect Cutter Gauthier to a three-year, entry-level deal after his season at Boston College came to a conclusion in a 2-0 loss to the University of Denver in the national championship game on Saturday. "We are excited to sign Cutter and have him begin his NHL career with the Ducks immediately," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "He was the top goal-scorer in college hockey and has the dynamic ability to produce in all situations. We look forward to having him join our group of top young players already in the NHL." The 20-year-old paced the nation with 38 goals as a Sophomore this season, the most by an NCAA player since the 1999-2000 season. Drafted fifth overall in 2022 by the Flyers, Gauthier told the team he would not sign in Philadelphia and was traded to the Ducks for young defenseman Jamie Drysdale in January.Source: NHL.com
3 weeks agoToronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll will be between the pipes for Tuesday's road game against the Florida Panthers. Ilya Samsonov has started each of the last two games and four of the last five but it will be Woll going Tuesday with Wednesday's starter to be determined against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Woll took over the starter's role early in the season over the then-struggling Samsonov but suffered a high-ankle sprain in a Dec. 7 win over the Ottawa Senators and didn't return until Feb. 29. He hasn't been as sharp since getting back but still owns a solid 2.88 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage across 24 games (22 starts) on the season. Samsonov is likely to start Game 1 of the postseason while Woll will serve as the backup.Source: Jonas Siegel
3 weeks agoToronto Maple Leafs forward Calle Jarnkrok (hand) is "not ready to play" and is questionable for Game 1 of the postseason, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe. The veteran has been out since injuring his hand for the second time this season during a 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on March 14. The versatile Swede has recorded 10 goals and 21 points across 52 games on the season after notching a career-high 20 goals and 39 points last season, his first with the Maple Leafs. The Leafs are also dealing with injuries to Bobby McMann and Max Domi up front, both of whom will also miss the final two games of the regular season.Source: Jonas Siegel