Three teams returning home with 0-2 deficits in their series all pulled out wins to get back into their series on Friday. In fact, I would argue that Friday was the day that the 2025 playoffs really started to get good. Montreal 6, Washington 3 (Capitals lead series 2-1) This was an eventful, spirited game [...]
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs kicked off on Saturday with two games, both of which involved only Central Division teams. Winnipeg 5, St. Louis 3 (Jets lead series 1-0) Kyle Connor scored the eventual game-winning goal with just 1:36 left in regulation in front of a “whiteout” crowd in Winnipeg. https://twitter.com/NHLJets/status/1913755523855372544 Connor also added two [...]
Jason Robertson is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury, making him unavailable for Game 1 against Colorado today. Robertson left Wednesday’s game with the injury – a game that was the Stars’ last game of the season. As much as resting star (Star) players inconveniences fantasy teams, this scenario is the argument for load [...]
Neal Pionk has signed a six-year, $42 million extension to remain in Winnipeg. Pionk was set to become a UFA after the season, so one potential UFA d-man has now come off the board. During his six seasons with the Jets, Pionk has been a remarkably consistent blueliner fantasy-wise, reaching at least 30 points every [...]
Alex Ovechkin was the most prominent player among non-injured players not in the lineup on Saturday. I haven’t discussed load management at all in my recent Ramblings because I haven’t noticed it come up significantly until now. At this point, a player like Ovechkin resting adds fuel to the argument that fantasy hockey leagues should [...]
Alexander Nikishin is coming to the NHL, mutually terminating his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg and then signing a two-year, entry-level deal with Carolina. Due to a lengthy process that could involve obtaining a Canadian visa as well as a US visa, Nikishin’s debut is expected to be in the first round of the [...]
Jacob Markstrom earned a 26-save shutout of the Rangers in a Saturday matinee game. Markstrom now has four consecutive wins and three consecutive quality starts after a rough patch in March that saw him go 1-4-1 with a 4.33 GAA and .830 SV% with three really bad starts. Markstrom has four shutouts this season, with [...]
Move over, Wayne Gretzky. You’ve got company. Alex Ovechkin scored career goals 893 and 894 on Friday, tying Gretzky for the all-time goal lead. Here’s the record-tying goal from Ovechkin, scored against Spencer Knight: https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1908330325085659569 I have to admit that when a Capitals fan presented the idea to me about five years ago that Ovechkin [...]
Who will be the better per-game goal scorer once Alex Ovechkin’s NHL career is finished? https://twitter.com/DavidAmber/status/1907613539184824641 As far as the Ovechkin watch goes, the Capitals are back in action tonight (Friday) against the Blackhawks, then Sunday against the Islanders. The Capitals play seven more games this season, which means that he could easily break the [...]
Matvei Michkov scored a pair of goals in the Flyers’ 7-4 win over Buffalo on Saturday. Michkov has tallied four goals, one assist, 11 shots, and at least 19:59 of icetime per game in the two games with Brad Shaw as coach. To be completely accurate, Michkov was hot even before John Tortorella was fired, [...]
