NHL

6:48 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. There have been many surprises during the 2021 NHL season, a campaign that has been quite different than usual thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, one reality on April 28 that shocks

7:00 AM ET With the 2021 NHL season winding down, some playoff races have yet to be determined — but each team’s identity has been clarified. For this week’s ESPN NHL Power Rankings, we identified the breakthrough player for all 31 teams. How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1

11:52 PM ET For just the sixth time in franchise history, the Florida Panthers are a playoff team. Which is not an achievement many predicted for them prior to this season. “We knew what kind of character we had in the room. What kind of players we were. That’s just outside noise we didn’t need

9:50 AM ET ELMONT, N.Y. — New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz surveyed the skeletal confines of UBS Arena, scheduled to open in November as his team’s new home. He could tell the sight lines around the rink would be good. His suggestions on how to make the arena more player-friendly had been implemented. But

7:10 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. The Dallas Stars‘ 2021 season got off to a delayed start due to COVID-19 postponements, and through the season they’ve had some extra games remaining compared to their competition — a welcome sight

4:29 PM ET ESPN News Services CALGARY, Alberta — Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin will need season-ending shoulder surgery. The 24-year-old was injured early in the first period of Saturday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. Hanifin was tangling with Canadiens forward Corey Perry along the boards near the Flames bench when his left leg went

6:57 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. The West Division has given us the first three teams to clinch playoff spots in 2021: the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild. Meanwhile, the Arizona Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, Los

7:00 AM ET The NHL is a league of time-tested traditions, and one of the players’ favorites is the rookie solo lap. Last week, before Florida Panthers goalie Spencer Knight made his NHL debut, it was his turn. “Usually guys are excited, pumped up, going full speed,” said former NHL goaltender Roberto Luongo, who now

11:19 AM ET Associated Press CHICAGO — The Blackhawks have agreed to a three-year contract extension with defenseman Riley Stillman. The team announced the deal Sunday. The contract runs through the 2023-24 season and carries an annual cap hit of $1.35 million. The 23-year-old Stillman was acquired in a multiplayer trade with Florida on April

7:53 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. Saturday’s action around the NHL resulted in another team clinching a playoff berth — the Minnesota Wild, who are postseason-bound for the eighth time in nine seasons — and Sunday’s slate could result

7:50 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. It’s a full day of action around the NHL on Saturday, with 11 games on the schedule. The drama begins at 12:30 p.m. ET with the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New Jersey Devils,

4:48 PM ET Associated Press DETROIT — Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will be out for the rest of the season with an upper-body injury. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill made the announcement Friday. Like many of his teammates, Larkin struggled this season. The 24-year-old center had nine goals and 14 assists in 44 games.

3:23 PM ET Associated Press ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg will be sidelined for four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum and a bone problem in his right hip. Silfverberg had the surgery Thursday at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, the Ducks announced Friday. Silfverberg had

3:05 PM ET Associated Press The Calgary Flames have had one player test positive for COVID-19 and called off their morning skate due to the test. The club said in a statement the player was in isolation and other players and staff members had tested negative for the coronavirus. Montreal was prepared to play at

7:05 AM ET Tim KavanaghESPN.com Close Tim Kavanagh is a senior NHL editor for ESPN. He’s a native of upstate New York. As the end of April nears, many teams around the NHL are down to a single-digit number of games remaining on the schedule. In other words, time is running out for clubs currently

7:00 AM ET At this point, the international soccer Super League might go down as one of the biggest public relations fiascos in the history of sports. When fans, politicians, the media and FIFA all find themselves on the same side of an issue, something has gone terribly wrong. For the uninitiated: 12 of Europe’s

10:58 PM ET Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild signed forward Ryan Hartman to a three-year, $5.1 million contract extension Thursday night. The 26-year-old Hartman was eligible to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. The deal with an average annual value of $1.7 million will give him the

8:26 PM ET The NHL is planning to open the 2021-22 season on Oct. 12, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. That’s roughly a week later than a typical 82-game regular season would start, an understandable delay given that the Stanley Cup playoffs are expected to roll through mid-July. Sources said that training camps for NHL