NHL RECAP APRIL 13, 2025 – BLUE JACKETS, FLAMES ADD SPARKS TO WILD CARD RACE

The Wild Card race in both conferences intensified Sunday as the Blue Jackets (38-33-9, 85 points) and Flames (39-27-14, 92 points) both earned pivotal wins to move within three and two points, respectively, of the playoff line.

• Adam Fantilli (2-0—2) recorded his second consecutive multi-goal outing to help the Blue Jackets sweep their home-and-home against the Eastern Conference-leading Capitals, outscoring them 11-1 over two days. Columbus earned its fourth straight win and moved within three points of idle Montreal (39-31-10, 88 points) for the final playoff spot in the East – both teams have two games remaining (CBJ: April 15 at PHI & April 17 vs. NYI; MTL: April 14 vs. CHI & April 16 vs. CAR).
• Fantilli became the fourth player in Blue Jackets history to record multi-goal outings on consecutive days, joining Patrik Laine (Jan. 30-31, 2022), Scott Hartnell (Nov. 7-8, 2014) and R.J. Umberger (March 30-31, 2012). He’s one of six players to achieve the feat this season (also Matt Duchene, David Pastrnak, Kirill Kaprizov, Simon Holmstrom & Alex Ovechkin).
• Dustin Wolf stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced to help the Flames (39-27-14, 92 points) extend their point streak to six games (4-0-2) and move within two points of the Blues (43-30-8, 94 points) for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Calgary has two games remaining in its regular-season schedule (April 15 vs. VGK & April 17 at LAK), while St. Louis has one (April 15 vs. UTA).
• Wolf earned his 28th win of 2024-25, which tied Sergei Bobrovsky (28 in 2010-11) for the third most in a season by an active netminder in their rookie campaign. The list is topped by Matt Murray (32 in 2016-17) and Stuart Skinner (29 in 2022-23). He became just the second Flames goaltender in the past 10 years to record as many victories in a season next to Jacob Markstrom (37 in 2021-22).

PLAYOFF-BOUND ATLANTIC DIVISION TEAMS SWEEP SUNDAY SLATE
All three playoff-bound Atlantic Division teams in action Sunday skated to victory as the Maple Leafs, Lightning and Senators each got closer to determining their postseason fates.

• Morgan Rielly (0-3—3) recorded his 69th career multi-assist game to pass George Armstrong for eighth most by a Maple Leafs skater as well as his 13th career three-assist performance to tie Auston Matthews and Ted Kennedy for sixth most in franchise history. The Maple Leafs (50-26-4, 104 points) hit the 50-win mark for the third time in franchise history and maintained their four-point lead over the Lightning atop the Atlantic Division.
• Nikita Kucherov (2-0—2) recorded his 50th career multi-goal game and retook sole possession of first place in the Art Ross Trophy race while Jake Guentzel (2-0—2) scored his 40th goal of 2024-25 and joined Brian Bradley (42 in 1992-93) as the second player in Lightning history to hit the mark in their first season with the club. The Lightning (46-26-8, 100 points) moved two points clear of the Panthers (47-29-4, 98 points) for second place in the Atlantic.
• Thomas Chabot (1-2—3) factored on all three tying goals and Tim Stützle (2-1—3) scored the overtime winner as the Senators (44-30-6, 94 points) rallied past the Flyers and clinched the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Stützle recorded his sixth career overtime goal and tied Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson for third place on the franchise’s all-time list.

JETS WIN FIRST PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY IN FRANCHISE HISTORY

A day after clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the first time and their division for the second (following ATL in 2006-07), the Jets (55-22-4, 114 points) won their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history by virtue of the Capitals losing to the Blue Jackets in regulation. Winnipeg, despite falling to Edmonton Sunday, has one more game remaining in the 2024-25 regular season and can establish a franchise record for most points in a campaign, which would best 2017-18 (114).

Prime Monday Night Hockey Doubleheader highlights six-game schedule

The final week of the regular season starts with a six-game slate headlined by the first-ever Prime Monday Night Hockey doubleheader on Prime Video Canada featuring Lane Hutson and the Canadiens (39-31-10, 88 points) hosting Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks (23-46-11, 57 points) followed by Quinton Byfield and the Kings (46-24-9, 101 points) visiting Connor McDavid and the Oilers (47-28-5, 99 points).

• Hutson needs two assists in Montreal’s final two games to tie the NHL record for most in a season by a rookie defenseman, a mark set by Larry Murphy (60 in 1980-81). Hutson could skate alongside fellow rookie Ivan Demidov, who was chosen by the Canadiens with the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and can make his highly-anticipated League debut – Demidov heard his name called by legendary Las Vegas singer and Quebec native Celine Dion during the event, which took place at Sphere last June.
• The Kings and Oilers will meet in their fourth straight First Round series but continue to jockey for home-ice advantage as Los Angeles and Edmonton enter the week with three and two games remaining, respectively. McDavid can become the 13th player in NHL history with five consecutive 100-point campaigns and first since Steve Yzerman, whose six-season streak ended in 1992-93.
• Sunday also features the postseason-bound Stars (50-24-6, 106 points) and Panthers (47-29-4, 98 points) as well as Utah Hockey Club (37-30-13, 87 points) contesting the penultimate game of its inaugural season.

More national broadcasts from final week of the regular season

The first-ever Prime Monday Night Hockey two-pack is followed by more doubleheaders during the final three days of the regular season:

Tuesday, April 15 – Panthers-Lightning, Kings-Kraken on ESPN

• Sam Reinhart and the Panthers are pitted against Nikita Kucherov and the Lightning in a potential 2025 First Round matchup as Florida and Tampa Bay enter the week occupying third and second place in the Atlantic Division, respectively.

Wednesday, April 16 – Red Wings-Devils, Golden Knights-Canucks on TNT

• Nico Hischier and the Devils as well as Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights contest their regular season finales before leading their teams into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hischier hopes to guide New Jersey to its fourth Stanley Cup since 1995, when the Devils swept the Red Wings in the Final and captured their first championship.

Thursday, April 17 – Capitals-Penguins, Flames-Kings on ESPN

• Alex Ovechkin could contest his first game against Sidney Crosby since they overtook Wayne Gretzky for the most goals and point-per-game seasons in League history, respectively, while Nazem Kadri and Flames enter the week still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Thursday is also set to feature the season’s final NHL Coast to Coast, with the live whip-around studio show available to viewers on Prime Video Canada starting at 7 p.m. ET.

Saturday, April 19 – Start of 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

• The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday. Three postseason spots, five First Round matchups, the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Division, home ice in the First Round for two clubs and winners of three NHL awards will be determined during the final four days of the regular season.

Greaves, McDavid and Hellebuyck Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves, Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending April 13.

FIRST STAR – JET GREAVES, G, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Greaves – who had 16 career NHL appearances (including six this season) prior to last week (5‑9-2, 3.21 GAA, .910 SV%) – went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .968 save percentage and one shutout to help the Blue Jackets (38-33-9, 85 points) remain in contention for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference via a perfect four-game week. He stopped 39 shots, including each of the last 34 he faced, in a 3-2 comeback victory over the Buffalo Sabres April 10. Greaves then guided Columbus to a sweep of a home-and-home series against the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals, making 22 saves for his first career shutout in a 7-0 win April 12 before denying straight 29 shots (after allowing a goal on his first shot against) in a 4-1 triumph April 13. The 24-year-old Greaves, who signed with the Blue Jackets in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, owns a 5-2-2 record with a 2.22 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and one shutout in nine total NHL games this season. He also shares eighth place in the American Hockey League with 21 wins in 40 appearances for the Cleveland Monsters (21-11-6, 2.62 GAA, .920 SV%, 3 SO).

SECOND STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS

McDavid topped the NHL with nine assists/points (0-9—9), recording multiple helpers in each of his three contests to propel the Oilers (47-28-5, 99 points) to their sixth consecutive playoff berth. McDavid, who also shared the League lead with a +8 rating, collected three assists in his return from an eight-game absence – a 4-3 victory against the St. Louis Blues April 9. He then posted his 11th career four-assist performance – and second of the season (also Dec. 5 vs. CBJ: 0-4—4) – in a 4-2 triumph over the San Jose Sharks April 11. The Edmonton captain added two more helpers in a 4-1 win versus the Winnipeg Jets April 13, giving him points in each of his last 16 appearances dating to Feb. 23 (4-24—28). The 28-year-old McDavid has played in 66 total contests in 2024-25 (26-73—99), ranking among the top NHL performers in assists (t-3rd; 73), points (5th; 99) and power-play points (t-12th; 31). He is the fourth player in League history to register at least five straight 70-assist campaigns, joining Wayne Gretzky (13), Bobby Orr (6) and Adam Oates (5).

THIRD STAR – CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, G, WINNIPEG JETS

Hellebuyck went 3-0-0 with a 1.62 goals-against average, .931 save percentage and one shutout the help the Jets (55-22-4, 114 points) clinch their first Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history. He denied 14 shots as Winnipeg halted the St. Louis Blues’ franchise-record 12-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory April 7. Hellebuyck then earned his League-leading eighth shutout of the campaign with 25 saves in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars April 10. He finished the week by stopping 28 shots, and turning aside two of three shootout attempts, in a 5-4 triumph versus the Chicago Blackhawks April 12. The 31-year-old Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, paces the NHL (minimum: 25 GP) in wins (46), goals-against average (2.02), save percentage (.924) and shutouts (8) through 62 total appearances this season. Only four goaltenders in League history have recorded more wins in a single campaign: Martin Brodeur (48 in 2006-07 w/ NJD), Braden Holtby (48 in 2015-16 w/ WSH), Bernie Parent (47 in 1973-74 w/ PHI) and Roberto Luongo (47 in 2006-07 w/ VAN).