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Playoff Special 2025
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
FIRE STILL BURNS
AS SAM GAGNER WAITED for a fresh opportunity, he said he’d come to grips with the fact his NHL career could be over after 17 seasons and 1,043 games. After serving as a black ace throughout the Edmonton Oilers’ Stanley Cup run last spring, the veteran center generated mild interest as a free agent. Some teams offered two-way contracts that he believes could have led to recalls. But those deals made little sense for Gagner, who was drafted sixth overall by Edmonton in 2007. “I’m at a stage now,” Gagner said, “where everything I do now has my family in mind.” So, for months, Gagner stayed at home in Toronto with his wife, Dr. Rachel Linke, and the couple’s three children, preparing for that next chance while enjoying his life as a husband…
TOWER OF POWER
WHEN THEY INSIST ON referring to you as “the city of towers and gates,” you may as well lean into it and call your team the Ravensburg Towerstars. Or Tower Stars, depending on what day it is. A city of 50,000 in the German Alps with a 14th-century tower known as the Blaserturm and a pro hockey team in the German second division isn’t exactly the most likely venue for the incubation of one of the most explosive and dynamic players on the planet. Because, let’s face it, it’s no Leduc. Nonetheless, Ravensburg is where Leon Draisaitl found himself during the most formative development period of his hockey life. His father, Peter, was coaching the Towerstars, and Leon was entering his teenage years. Scoring 192 points in 29 games – that’s…
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
POWER RANKING | 6TH THEY NO LONGER have the ignominy of not being able to win in the playoffs hanging over their heads, but the Maple Leafs have a long way to go before they come close to realizing their potential as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. This team has all the tools to make this year the one, but it’s also a squad that could easily bow out in Round 1. So the Leafs forge on, in many ways reinventing themselves and changing their identity under GM Brad Treliving. But the constant is that this team will go only as far as its highly paid and regarded stars take them. And as of yet, that hasn’t been nearly far enough. The Maple Leafs shed their identity as a bunch of high-octane, no-defense chance-traders…
CROSSWORD/ HOCKEY TRIVIA/ WORD SEARCH/ PUCK PUZZLE
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 The world ___ is the informal name of an IIHF event for under-20 players 4 Johnny ___ was among the last unmasked goalies, eventually donning one in 1968-69. 7 Cups 8 Foster Hewitt Award winner who’s called over 3,000 Leaf games 10 Russian-born winger with Carolina 12 ___ Dame Fighting Irish 13 Hits hard 14 Positioning 18 Dealing with a single opponent, going ___-___-___ 19 Green twice nominated for the Norris Trophy 20 Struck with a lower leg joint 21 Left winger with the Oilers, pictured DOWN 1 Pounces on a loose puck, ___ on a rebound 2 Leaves alone 3 Letters that appear on sweaters worn by Team Finland 4 ‘Badger Bob’ steered the Flames and Pens 5 The late Chris Simon’s hometown 6 Kitchener’s OHL club 9 Came close to scoring 11 The Atlantic is one, as is the Metropolitan 12 City that’s had NHL hockey since 1925 15…
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