Three More NHL First Round Series Finished

The first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is down to two series, after three others were decided Thursday night.

Toronto finished off host Ottawa, 4-2, to claim that series in six games. Max Pacioretty (Michigan) tallied the game-winning goal and also had an assist for the Maple Leafs, who had lost the last two games. Team captain Brady Tkachuk (Boston University) had one goal for the Senators, who were playing in the NHL postseason for the first time since 2017. Toronto will now take on defending Stanley Cup champion Florida in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Zach Hyman (Michigan) registered a goal and an assist for Edmonton as the Oilers topped Los Angeles, 6-4, to close out that series in six games. It marks the fourth year in a row that Edmonton has eliminated LA, which had won the first two games of this series, in the playoffs. 

Vegas finished off host Minnesota, 3-2, in the sixth and final game of that series. Jack Eichel (Boston University) notched a goal and an assist for the victorious Golden Knights, who will now face Edmonton in the Western Conference semifinals.

Colorado stayed alive with a 7-4 triumph over visiting Dallas. Cale Makar (Massachusetts) tallied three points and Brock Faber (North Dakota) had two assists for the Avalanche, who forced a winner-take-all Game Seven on Saturday night in Texas. Jake Oettinger (Boston University) finished with 41 saves for the Stars in defeat.

NCAA Alums on Move at 2025 NHL Trade Deadline

A number of former NCAA players were on the move before Friday's NHL trading deadline, as listed by last name (per Sportsnet.ca and hockeydb.com), for transactions occurring since March 1:

Player, Position (School) New Team Old Team

Brendan Brisson, F (Michigan) NY Rangers Vegas

Dennis Cholowski, D (St. Cloud) New Jersey NY Islanders

Charlie Coyle, F (Boston University) Colorado Boston

Vincent Desharnais, D (Providence) San Jose Pittsburgh

Brian Dumoulin, D (Boston College) New Jersey Anaheim

Michael Eyssimont, F (St. Cloud) Seattle Tampa Bay

Trent Frederic, F (Wisconsin) New Jersey      Edmonton

Dennis Gilbert, D (Notre Dame) Ottawa Buffalo

Patrick Giles, F (Boston College) San Jose Florida

Jonathan Gruden, F (Miami) New Jersey Pittsburgh

Mark Jankowski, F (Providence) Carolina Nashville

Erik Johnson, D (Minnesota) Colorado Philadelphia

Spencer Knight, G (Boston College) Chicago Florida

Luke Kunin, F (Wisconsin) Columbus San Jose

Ryan Lindgren, D (Minnesota) Colorado NY Rangers

Tyler Madden, F (Northeastern) Minnesota Los Angeles

Marc McLaughlin, F (Boston College) New Jersey Boston

Casey Mittelstadt, F (Minnesota) Boston Colorado

Brock Nelson, F (North Dakota) Colorado NY Islanders

Josh Norris, F (Michigan) Ottawa Buffalo

Thomas Novak, F (Minnesota) Pittsburgh Nashville

Gustav Nyquist, F (Maine) Minnesota Nashville

Craig Smith, F (Wisconsin) Detroit Chicago

Reilly Smith, F (Miami) Vegas NY Rangers

Carson Soucy, D (Minnesota-Duluth) NY Rangers Vancouver

Nico Sturm, F (Clarkson) Florida San Jose

Brandon Tanev, F (Providence) Winnipeg Seattle

Jimmy Vesey, F (Harvard) Colorado NY Rangers

Jake Walman, D (Providence) Edmonton San Jose

Former DU Coach, NHL Forward Backstrom Passes

Former NCAA hockey coach and NHL forward Ralph Backstrom (Denver) has passed away at the age of 83.

Backstrom, a left-handed center from Kirkland Lake, Ontario, played in 1,032 career NHL regular-season outings with Montreal, Los Angeles and Chicago from 1957 to 1973, in which he tallied 278 goals and 361 assists for 639 points. He added 27-32—59 points in 116 Stanley Cup Playoff contests, and won the coveted Cup six times with Montreal. 

He finished his playing career with five seasons in the World Hockey Association with Chicago, Denver, Ottawa and New England from 1973 to 1977. He collected 100-153—253 points in 304 WHA regular-season games along with 10-18—28 points in 38 postseason appearances.

Backstrom went 182-174-14 at the DU helm from 1981 to 1990, including six winning seasons. His best campaign came in 1985-86 when the Pioneers finished 34-13-1 overall, won both the WCHA regular-season and tournament titles, and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four in Providence.

He had previously served as an assistant coach for one year apiece with both Denver and the NHL's Kings prior to taking the top job at DU. He completed his coaching career by guiding the IHL's Phoenix Roadrunners for two seasons from 1990 to 1992, winning 67 regular-season games in that span.

Backstrom, who was also one of the founders and the first commissioner of Roller Hockey International, later served as a scout with the NHL's St. Louis Blues before founding the minor-league Colorado Eagles, who won several CHL titles before moving to the ECHL.  

Minnesota-Duluth Remains at No. 1

New year, same standings.

Defending NCAA Division I men's champion Minnesota-Duluth, unbeaten in its last 16 outings, remains atop the USCHO.com poll. UMD (14-3-3 overall) garnered all 50 first-place votes in the Jan. 9 poll, putting it ahead of Ohio State, Notre Dame, Boston College and Minnesota. It's the fifth straight week that the Bulldogs have been ranked first in the nation.

The Bulldogs, who defeated Michigan in April to win their first-ever national title, haven't lost since a 5-4 setback to rival Minnesota on Oct. 15. Since then they've gone 13-0-3, and senior center Jack Connolly is tied for the national scoring lead with 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points. UMD is also leading Division I with an average of 4.1 goals scored per game.

Boston University, Merrimack, Colorado College, Cornell and Western Michigan round out this week's USCHO top ten. UMD will attempt to keep its No. 1 streak going this weekend in a pair of games at Nebraska-Omaha.

NCHC Now a Done Deal

Say hello to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

It was formally announced on Wednesday in the state of Colorado that five WCHA schools and one CCHA club will make up the newest college ice hockey league in the NCAA Men's Division I ranks. Starting conference play as a unit in 2013-14 will be Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska Omaha and North Dakota. That same season will also see the nascent Big Ten Conference (Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin) step onto the ice as a group for the first time.

More changes at college hockey's highest level are still in the offing, as Notre Dame and perhaps Western Michigan will be extended invitations to join the NCHC. Rumors have it that Northern Michigan and Alaska Fairbanks may soon jump to what's left of the WCHA and join Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State.

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/07/11_nmu_in_talks_to_return_to.php

If the defection of NMU and UAF does comes to pass, then the CCHA will be left with only Bowling Green, Ferris State and Lake Superior State. The Michigan-based association could then try to survive by adding current independent Alabama-Huntsville, which was rejected by the CCHA last year. It could then perhaps add two or more teams from Atlantic Hockey - such as Canisius, Mercyhurst, Niagara and Robert Morris - that would like to offer 18 hockey scholarships instead of the dozen they annually award now.

http://www.uscho.com/2011/07/12/commentary-after-new-conference-announcement-what-comes-next/

What happens with Hockey East and the ECAC could be two whole other stories. Hopefully this is the end of the college hockey conference upheaval for the time being, but no one can say it's been a boring summer so far.

Oleksiak First NCAA Player Drafted in 2011

To little surprise, Northeastern rising freshman defenseman Jamie Oleksiak was the first (and only) current college hockey player taken in the first round of tonight's 2011 NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul, Minn. The Toronto native went 14th overall to the Dallas Stars, where his selection was announced by Dallas GM and former Cornell and NHL standout Joe Nieuwendyk.

Oleksiak won't be the last collegian selected this year, either, although at 6-7 and 240 lbs., he's sure to be the biggest. The question now is does he return to Huntington Avenue in the fall, especially since Northeastern head coach Greg Cronin resigned to take an assistant coaching position with the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week. The Versus telecast tonight mentioned that Oleksiak's major junior rights are held by Saginaw (OHL), and it's a sure bet the Spirit will be trying to pry the first rounder away from the Huskies and Hockey East between now and the start of the 2011-12 season.

Prior to Oleksiak's selection, John-Michael Liles was dealt from Colorado to Toronto for a second-round choice. The former Michigan State standout had spent his entire professional career to date on the Avalanche blueline. The Indianapolis native has tallied 68 goals and 207 assists in 523 career NHL regular-season games since 2003, and posted 4-7--11 points so far in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

North Dakota recruit J.T. Miller, a center, was drafted 15th overall by the New York Rangers, while a pair of incoming Miami freshmen also went in the first round. Connor Murphy, a defenseman, was claimed 20th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes, while future classmate and right wing Tyler Biggs went to Toronto two picks later.