Harlequins fly-half Jamie Benson has signed a contract extension with the Premiership club.

The 22-year-old has played 20 times in all competitions - making his debut in the Premiership Rugby Cup in November 2021.

He made his Premiership debut against Exeter in November last year and has gone on to play five times in the top flight and once in Europe this season.

The young Cambridge University graduate scored 13 second-half points to earn the Player of the Match award when Quins beat Saracens at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.

"I have been at the club since I was 13 years old. It's my boyhood club and I have been coming to The Stoop from a young age," Benson told the club website.

"Coming out of university and being in the programme full-time for the first time has been a big step up in standard - I've made my Premiership debut and earned a few more appearances, so I'm pleased so far.

"I'm very lucky to have Nick Evans as one of my coaches at the club and to work closely with Marcus (Smith) and Jarrod (Evans) daily.

"They have great rugby minds so I am just trying to absorb as much as I can and get better every day."

Quins have not disclosed the length of the former England under-20 international's deal.

"He's an intelligent rugby player and he's very accurate off the kicking tee, which is hugely important for every 10," Harlequins head coach Danny Wilson added.

"We have a strong group of fly-halves at the club, it's great to see how they learn from each other every day and push one another on the training pitch.

"We're delighted Jamie will continue his journey at Harlequins as we work closely with him to fulfil his bright potential."

With the Montreal Canadiens on the precipice of punching their playoff ticket Monday night, the Chicago Blackhawks shocked the world by pulling off the shootout victory. So the Columbus Blue Jackets remain in the hunt for the final Eastern Conference wild card.

In the West, there was no movement in the three-way wild-card race between the Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames on Monday, but all three play on Tuesday.

Here's everything you need to know heading into what could be a highly consequential evening:

New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

This is the Devils' penultimate tune-up before beginning their first-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes. On the other side, the Bruins enter this matchup in the fourth slot for the draft lottery order; they cannot catch the Predators at No. 3, but they are one point ahead of the Kraken and Flyers, and two ahead of the Sabres.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Maple Leafs have a four-point lead atop the Atlantic Division, but with two games left for the team chasing them (the Lightning), nothing is yet resolved. However, with a win or an overtime/shootout loss against their cross-border neighbors, the division title is theirs. Buffalo has closed the season out strong, but past foibles have the Sabres in the No. 7 spot in the draft lottery heading into Tuesday night; they are in a jumble of teams from No. 4-9, all between 75 and 78 points.

Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

The Blackhawks' win on Monday did not alter their final standings result, as they are locked in to the No. 2 spot in the draft lottery. The Senators are locked in to another part of the standings, the first Eastern Conference wild card, with a matchup against the Atlantic Division champs (either the Maple Leafs or Lightning) on the docket in Round 1.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Philadelphia Flyers
7 p.m. (ESPN+)

Montreal's loss in the shootout on Monday kept the Blue Jackets' playoff door open just a crack. Columbus needs regulation wins in both of its final two games (it hosts the Islanders on Thursday), PLUS the Canadiens to lose in regulation against the Hurricanes on Wednesday to earn the second wild card. The Flyers are part of the above-mentioned jumble of teams between 75 and 78 points; they begin the evening in the No. 6 spot with 76.

Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning
7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

The most likely postseason scenario in the Atlantic includes these in-state rivals squaring off in Round 1. The Panthers cannot catch the Lightning (they can tie in standings points, but Tampa Bay is well ahead in regulation wins); the Lightning can catch the Maple Leafs, but need to win their final two and have the Leafs lose their final two in regulation. In other words, this game might involve some "message sending" ahead of their upcoming showdown rather than any more standings shuffling concerns.

Washington Capitals at New York Islanders
7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)

Locked in as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals may not be, ahem, as honed in as we've seen them in recent weeks as they were chasing that clinched position (and Alex Ovechkin was still chasing Wayne Gretzky's record). On the Islanders side, they sit 10th in the draft lottery order with 82 points, four behind the Ducks (78) with two games to go, and one point ahead of the Rangers and Red Wings at 83.

Utah Hockey Club at St. Louis Blues
8 p.m. (ESPN+)

With a win of any variety and a Flames loss of any variety, the Blues clinch a playoff spot; with any other set of results, it's a little more complicated. In the franchise's first season, the Hockey Club remained in the playoff mix quite long, but they'll be in the draft lottery this May. Currently 14th, they can fall behind the Canucks for 15th if they win tonight.

Anaheim Ducks at Minnesota Wild
8 p.m. (ESPN+)

A win of any variety for the Wild clinches their playoff spot (regardless of what the Flames do); the Wild can also clinch if they lose in OT/shootout and the Flames lose in any fashion. The Ducks are at the tail end of the 75- to 78-point teams in the draft lotto order, sitting ninth as play begins Tuesday.

Vegas Golden Knights at Calgary Flames
9 p.m. (ESPN+)

Every game is a must-win for the Flames, and regulation wins will be critical; they are currently two points behind the Blues and one RW, so if the Blues win in regulation Tuesday and the Flames win in OT/shootout, that eliminates the Flames (they could tie in standings points with a win Thursday, but couldn't catch up in RW). If the Blues lose in any fashion, that leaves the door open for Calgary. The Knights are locked in as the No. 1 seed in the Pacific -- and will play whichever team winds up in the first wild-card spot when the playoffs begin. If they don't want to see Calgary in a series this spring, they can end that possibility by beating them on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles Kings at Seattle Kraken
10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

The Kings' win over the Oilers on Monday clinched home-ice advantage for them in the first-round series against those very same Oilers. Seattle is our final team in that 75- to 78-point mashup, beginning play on Tuesday night as the No. 5 team in the draft lotto order with 76 points and 28 regulation wins.

Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.

Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. WC1 Ottawa Senators
A2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. A3 Florida Panthers
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Montreal Canadiens
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers

Tuesday's games

Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).

New Jersey Devils at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m.
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Washington Capitals at New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m.
Utah Hockey Club at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m.
Anaheim Ducks at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.
Vegas Golden Knights at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles Kings at Seattle Kraken, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Monday's scoreboard

Chicago Blackhawks 4, Montreal Canadiens 3 (SO)
Detroit Red Wings 6, Dallas Stars 4
New York Rangers 5, Florida Panthers 3
Utah Hockey Club 7, Nashville Predators 3
Los Angeles Kings 5, Edmonton Oilers 0
Vancouver Canucks 2, San Jose Sharks 1 (OT)

Expanded standings

Atlantic Division

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 104
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 106.6
Next game: @ BUF (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 100
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Florida Panthers

Points: 98
Regulation wins: 37
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 1
Points pace: 99.2
Next game: @ TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Ottawa Senators

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 96.4
Next game: vs. CHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Montreal Canadiens

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: vs. CAR (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 94.4%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 85.1
Next game: @ NJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 78.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Boston Bruins

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 26
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 75.9
Next game: vs. NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Metro Division

z - Washington Capitals

Points: 109
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 111.7
Next game: @ NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 2
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - New Jersey Devils

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 91.2
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ PHI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.6%
Tragic number: 1

e - New York Rangers

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 84.0
Next game: vs. TB (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - New York Islanders

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 84.1
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 79.0
Next game: vs. WSH (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 77.9
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Central Division

p - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 114
Regulation wins: 43
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 115.4
Next game: vs. ANA (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Dallas Stars

Points: 106
Regulation wins: 41
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 107.3
Next game: @ NSH (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 102
Regulation wins: 40
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 0
Points pace: 102
Next game: N/A
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Minnesota Wild

Points: 95
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 1
Points pace: 96.2
Next game: vs. ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 98.3%
Tragic number: N/A

St. Louis Blues

Points: 94
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 95.2
Next game: vs. UTA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 90.6%
Tragic number: N/A

e - Utah Hockey Club

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 90.1
Next game: @ STL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Nashville Predators

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 66.8
Next game: vs. DAL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 59.7
Next game: @ OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

y - Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 107
Regulation wins: 45
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 2
Points pace: 109.7
Next game: @ CGY (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Los Angeles Kings

Points: 103
Regulation wins: 42
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 2
Points pace: 105.6
Next game: @ SEA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 99
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 1
Points pace: 100.2
Next game: @ SJ (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 100%
Tragic number: N/A

Calgary Flames

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 94.3
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 11.1%
Tragic number: 3

e - Vancouver Canucks

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VGK (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 2
Points pace: 80.0
Next game: @ MIN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 76.9
Next game: vs. LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 1
Points pace: 52.6
Next game: vs. EDM (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 0%
Tragic number: E

Note: A "p" means that the team has clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the regular season. A "z" means that the team has clinched the top record in the conference. A "y" means that the team has clinched the division title. An "x" means that the team has clinched a playoff berth. An "e" means that the team has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the No. 1 pick. More details on the process are here. Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters, is No. 1 on the draft board.

1. San Jose Sharks

Points: 52
Regulation wins: 14

2. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 59
Regulation wins: 20

3. Nashville Predators

Points: 66
Regulation wins: 23

4. Boston Bruins

Points: 75
Regulation wins: 26

5. Seattle Kraken

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 28

6. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 76
Regulation wins: 21

7. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 77
Regulation wins: 28

8. Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 23

9. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 78
Regulation wins: 24

10. New York Islanders

Points: 82
Regulation wins: 28

11. New York Rangers

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34

12. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 83
Regulation wins: 29

13. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 85
Regulation wins: 28

14. Utah Hockey Club

Points: 89
Regulation wins: 30

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 90
Regulation wins: 28

16. Calgary Flames

Points: 92
Regulation wins: 30

Scouts throughout the NHL all have a story about the one prospect they watched for countless hours that they begged their organization to draft -- only to watch that player become a success elsewhere.

For Judd Brackett, his cautionary tale of what could have been has helped the Minnesota Wild build what might be the NHL's best farm system as part of a larger plan to become the next long-term Stanley Cup contender.

Before Brackett was the Wild's director of amateur scouting, he was an amateur regional scout. His life was about those numerous long car rides through hundreds of miles of dreary and repetitive landscapes, with the payoff in finding a prospect who could possibly reach the NHL.

One day, Brackett found one of those prospects. He filed reports about a two-way player who had size, skill, could skate and score goals. A crossover scout came to watch the prospect, only to see him have his worst game of the season. Brackett pushed for another chance, but was told to forget about the player.

Except Brackett didn't forget. It still haunts him more than 15 years later for two reasons: the prospect was a later-round draft pick who won a Stanley Cup with the team that drafted him, and it taught Brackett the value in making sure that every scout feels heard, a concept he continues to uphold in his current role.

"I always try to be cognizant that even if I see a guy and they didn't play well, whether it's in the car ride home or next week, I am calling the scout in the area," Brackett said. "I ask them, 'Tell me again what you like?' If it was just a bad game, it's a one-off. If I've got a scout who really believes in a player and I didn't see it, I still have to find the right place for that guy."

When the Wild named Bill Guerin their general manager in 2019, it came with the belief that he could lead the franchise to new heights. The Wild are in position to reach the playoffs for the fifth time in Guerin's six seasons, but have had to maneuver around salary cap challenges.

How they've done that is having young talent on team-friendly contracts who could play right away. That's what makes Brackett and his staff so valuable to the Wild. Even though Bracket is not in a front-facing role, the work he and his staff have done has been visible for years.

Their first draft pick under Brackett, who started in the 2020-21 season, was Marco Rossi, who has emerged into a top-six center. The Kevin Fiala trade -- which led to them getting a franchise cornerstone defenseman in Brock Faber along with a first-round pick that became promising prospect forward Liam Ohgren -- was orchestrated with Brackett's insights.

And with the foundation that Brackett has laid -- and some big cap hits coming off the books -- they are in position to make a bigger splash this offseason.

"Judd's critical to what we're doing," Guerin said. "I cannot express how important he is to us and how great of a job he has done for us and what it's allowed us to do with how to operate with our empty cap hits. It's his staff, his department; he runs it, draft day is his, and he's a very smart guy and good leader."

THE CENTRAL DIVISION is arguably the NHL's toughest, particularly among the top five teams.

Many of their division rivals have chosen to build through the draft. The Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets each have more than 11 players that they drafted or signed as undrafted free agents. The Colorado Avalanche have five on their current roster, but their 2022 Stanley Cup team was built around a homegrown core that had nine players who were drafted or undrafted free agents.

The Wild have only three on their current roster -- for now. But the need to develop more talent from within further amplifies what makes the work done by Brackett and his staff so crucial to the Wild's short- and long-term plans.

"I don't know what he does, but he does it," Guerin joked. "He gets it, and he knows and I trust him wholeheartedly. We have Judd with us for development camp, for training camp, for [free agency], for the trade deadline, because even players that have been in the league for three or four years that we're considering, we go with Judd. We go back to [the player's] draft year. What do we know about him? What do we know about his character? He has all that information."

Keeping pace with division powers like the Avs, Jets and Stars is only part of the equation when it comes to the Wild. It's something that should become hypothetically easier once July 1 arrives and the Wild attain the financial flexibility they'd been missing because of the combined Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts.

The Parise and Suter buyouts in 2021 were nine years after they each signed identical 13-year contracts worth $98 million back in 2012. A year later, the NHL and the NHL Players Association came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement limiting the maximum contract length to eight years.

If they had remained with the Wild, those contracts would be coming off the books after this season. The first of the buyouts saved the Wild more than $10 million at a time in which every team was even more financially conscious because of the flat salary cap. However, the second year of the buyouts went from costing the Wild a combined $4.7 million cap space in the first year to $12.743 million in the second season. The third and fourth years increased to $14.743 million in cap space.

This meant the Wild needed to find talent with team-friendly contracts who could contribute to their lineup.

ENTER BRACKETT, his staff and how their haul from the 2020 NHL draft has benefitted the Wild in multiple ways.

• They used their first-rounder on Rossi, who has emerged into a top-six center the last two seasons

• Their second-round pick, Marat Khusnutdinov, played 57 games in a bottom-six role this season before he was traded for forward Justin Brazeau

• Defenseman Daemon Hunt, who was drafted in the third round, was part of a trade earlier in the season to get prospect defenseman David Jiricek, who was the sixth overall pick in 2022.

Guerin said Brackett was "extremely involved" with the Jiricek trade, just like he was with the Fiala trade with the Los Angeles Kings in 2022. Faber, who was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2023-24, has become the Wild's top-pairing defenseman, while Ohgren played in 24 games this season.

Between Faber, Khusnutdinov, Ohgren and Rossi, it was a quartet that combined to play in 227 games this season, at a collective cost of $3.6 million.

The Wild could have another prospect who plays a pivotal role for them in the playoffs in Zeev Buium. The University of Denver defenseman was part of a Wild draft class that earned an A grade from ESPN's Rachel Doerrie, and Guerin moved up one draft spot to No. 12 to ensure the Wild could select him. He signed his entry-level contract on Sunday, and began practicing with the team on Monday.

Buium, a Hobey Baker finalist, scored 11 goals and 50 points as a freshman in 2023-24 -- tops among all defensemen -- as he helped Denver win its NCAA-record 10th men's national championship. He also won gold twice with the United States at the World Junior Championships. Buium led NCAA defenseman in scoring again in 2024-25, and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award as college hockey's top player.

Brackett said every trade scenario -- whether for an NHL player, or swapping draft picks -- presents multiple options for a team to discuss. He said that it's difficult to concentrate on one player, because the other team might say no; that makes it important to have someone on staff who can speak about most, if not, all the potential prospects in play going each way.

"It usually starts at a moment's notice," Brackett said. "Most trades take some time, but the framework might be right there. There's usually some ongoing discussion so there's more time to dig a little bit deeper.

"But you know you must be prepared. You know you could get a phone call whether it's Bill or from an assistant GM or somebody. They want to know about a player, and you have to be ready to speak about that player with all the pros and cons."

EVEN THOUGH BRACKETT has a cautionary tale, he also has a success story about the player who made him believe he could be a scout someday.

That player was Marty Reasoner. Brackett was a high school goalie in Massachusetts before he played at Northeastern and later, Connecticut College. He played against Reasoner, who would become a first-round pick in 1996 and play nearly 800 NHL games. Facing Reasoner back then led to Brackett evaluating what made him so good at the time.

Brackett said looking at traits such as Reasoner's vision and selflessness along with his talent gave him a reference point when it came to player evaluations. It's something he took with him when he began working as a scout for the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL for nearly three full seasons. Gatineau won the President's Cup in his final season.

Brackett was then hired by the Indiana Ice in the USHL as their head scout and vice president of player personnel where he helped the franchise win two Clark Cups. He drafted or signed 34 future NHL players during his time with the Ice, before he was hired by the Canucks in 2008.

He was an amateur regional scout for seven seasons and was then promoted to amateur scouting director in 2015. Brackett played a role in the Canucks drafting future cornerstones such as Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson before departing the club in 2020 to join the Wild.

"Bill and I didn't have any prior relationship before coming to Minnesota," Brackett said. "We go about it in a very honest way in terms of our evaluation. We try to be unbiased when we're making those decisions or recommendations."

His work has been especially important with the Parise-Suter buyouts at their most expensive, with hope on the horizon: The buyouts will cost a combined $1.6 million annually over the next three years, and PuckPedia projects the Wild will have $21.8 million in cap space this offseason.

The team has five pending unrestricted free agents, including Marcus Johansson, Gustav Nyquist, Brazeau, Jon Merrill and Marc-Andre Fleury, while pending restricted free agent Rossi will also need a new contract. The majority of the core is under contract for at least one more season before star forward Kirill Kaprizov becomes a free agent after 2025-26.

Once they re-sign Rossi, it will leave Guerin with more cap space to address the roster than he's had in recent years. But he can further maximize that space by tapping into a farm system that's been strengthened by Brackett and his staff.

"Quite honestly, it's a luxury having a guy like Judd," Guerin said. "I trust him wholeheartedly. We know we are going to get players that have a chance. Even when we were making the deal for David Jiricek, Judd was the first to raise his hand and say, 'Don't worry about our pick this year. Get him.'

"That's when you know a guy has confidence, and a belief in what he's doing."

The San Jose Sharks scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, when the club and captain Logan Couture will announce that the veteran center can't continue his playing career because of injury, a source told ESPN's Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski on Monday night, confirming a report.

An NHL source told Wyshynski that Couture won't officially retire, and that, instead, he will remain on long-term injured reserve. But his playing days are over, marking an end to one of the greatest careers in Sharks history.

At the news conference, San Jose general manager Mike Grier will be joined by Couture, 36, a 2007 first-round pick of the Sharks who spent this entire season on LTIR. He appeared in just six games last season for the rebuilding organization, and last played a full season in 2022-23, when he skated in 82 games, finishing with 27 goals and 67 points.

Couture, who has been dealing with osteitis pubis, an inflammation between the left and right pubic bones, was a perennial playoff performer despite the Sharks having never won a Stanley Cup. In 116 postseason games, he had 48 goals, including 16 power-play tallies, and 101 points. He helped lead San Jose to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, when it lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

As the Sharks wrap up the regular season this week, Couture is concluding the sixth season of an eight-year, $64 million contract. He is due $13 million over the next two seasons, and his deal carries a salary cap hit of $8 million.

Couture will finish his career with 323 goals and 701 points. He is behind only Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski on the franchise's all-time points leaderboard.

News of Couture's decision was first reported by the Daily Faceoff.

MONTREAL -- After a whirlwind couple of days, Ryan Greene made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

Greene skated for almost 13 minutes in a 4-3 shootout win at Montreal. Greene, who centered a line between captain Nick Foligno and rookie Oliver Moore, went 3 for 9 in the faceoff circle.

He also is expected to play when the Blackhawks (24-46-11) close out their schedule at Ottawa on Tuesday night.

Greene had 13 goals and 25 assists in 40 games for Boston University this season. The Terriers lost to Western Michigan in the Frozen Four final in St. Louis on Saturday night.

A day later, the Blackhawks announced they had agreed to a three-year contract with Greene, a second-round pick in the 2022 draft. He skated with the team on Monday ahead of the matchup with the Canadiens.

"Tough loss there on Saturday," Greene said after the morning skate. "But had to sleep that one off and then get up pretty early on Sunday morning and drive down here. So a lot of emotions, for sure. Happened really quick, but just excited to be here."

Greene described himself as a responsible player who can be used in a variety of situations.

"I've just been able to round out my game the last three years at BU," he said.

The Blackhawks are closing out another difficult season. They are 4-11-3 in their last 18 games.

Greene is the latest prospect to join the team as it continues to look to the future. Defenseman Artyom Levshunov made his NHL debut on March 10, and Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel played in their first game with Chicago on March 30.

"It's cool to see. I mean the vibes are really good in here," Greene said. "It's a really young group. ... I've known some of the guys now from just meeting them and playing with them at development camp. So that made the transition a little bit easier for me."

MONTREAL -- Ivan Demidov scored in the first period of his ballyhooed NHL debut, but the Chicago Blackhawks spoiled the party, defeating the playoff-hopeful Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Monday night.

Demidov, a 19-year-old Russian forward who joined the team last week, had a goal and an assist, and Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook also scored for the Canadiens. But they couldn't prevent the home team from losing its third straight with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.

The Canadiens have 89 points -- four more than the Columbus Blue Jackets with one game left Wednesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blue Jackets have two games left.

What lies ahead for the team, though, took a back seat to Demidov and the deafening ovation he received after he set up Newhook's opening goal. The youngster sat on Montreal's bench, mouthed a couple of words and cracked a big smile while public address announcer Michel Lacroix announced the goal amid the Bell Centre bedlam.

"He has a unique blend of skill, hockey sense, deception," general manager Kent Hughes said Monday morning, highlighting Demidov's ability to move laterally on the ice. "Let's see how it is. He's going to adjust to a different game of hockey here."

In making his debut, Demidov became the third teenager in Canadiens franchise history to score a goal in his NHL opener, joining Mark Hunter (1981) and Bernie Geoffrion (1950).

"It's a great time to be a Habs fan," Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson said. "But for him I think it's important to know that he doesn't need to come in and be the savior."

Demidov was the No. 5 pick in last year's NHL draft. He led his Russian club, SKA Saint Petersburg, in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this season, setting a Kontinental Hockey League record for under-20 players despite having inconsistent ice time.

"In the locker room, I felt good," Demidov said after the loss. "But when I got out to do my rookie lap, I guess I was nervous, because the crowd was so amazing."

He should get used to crowds soon. Last Thursday night, when he touched down on Canadian soil at Toronto Pearson Airport, he was greeted by a throng of Canadiens fans waiting for him.

"It obviously shows how excited our fans are," Matheson said. "Social media kind of causes it to be way [bigger] than it could have ever been when I was growing up."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The 2025 MLS season is now firmly underway, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.

Who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 8 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.

1. Vancouver Whitecaps

Previous ranking: 3

The Whitecaps are riding high. Through to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals? Check. A dominant 5-1 victory over Austin despite missing Ryan Gauld? Check. Increasing their lead atop the West? Check. This team is for real.

2. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 2

Still yet to lose in the post-Cucho Hernández era, the Crew's 2-1 win over St. Louis featured the debut of new designated player attacker Dániel Gazdag. The former Philly standout is still finding his footing but looked comfortable picking out passes in the left half-space.

3. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 1

While Miami remains undefeated, Sunday's 0-0 draw with Chicago didn't see the Herons at their best. Without any vertical threats to push the Fire's backline, Javier Mascherano's team lacked danger in the final third. Even so, on short rest after a wild Concacaf victory over LAFC, a road point isn't a poor result.

4. San Diego FC

Previous ranking: 4

For the first time this year, San Diego's commitment to playing out of the back came back to bite in a 3-2 loss to Colorado. Those sloppy turnovers in the face of aggressive pressure from Chris Armas & Co. were SDFC's undoing.

5. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 6

The Loons didn't have quite enough juice in the attack to break the deadlock in a 0-0 road draw with Toronto. Still, this team hasn't lost a game since opening day, when it fell to LAFC. Minnesota has a wildly high floor.

6. Colorado Rapids

Previous ranking: 9

Not afraid of San Diego's precise possession play, the Rapids pressed high early and often in a 3-2 home win. Between Sam Vines' return to health and Chris Armas' decision to bench the struggling Kévin Cabral, Colorado played some of its best soccer of the year.

7. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 7

While Cincinnati's 1-0 win over D.C. matters most when it comes to the table, Matt Miazga's return from a knee injury suffered last June was the big story. Miazga subbed on late in the second half, and his arrival will give Cincy a big boost in the coming weeks.

8. Charlotte FC

Previous ranking: 9

Pep Biel is making a case to be one of the best non-DP attackers in MLS. The 28-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder nabbed the lone goal of Charlotte's 1-0 road win over Montréal on Saturday and now has eight goal contributions through eight games.

9. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 5

Between trading Dániel Gazdag to Columbus and losing 1-0 to NYCFC, it's been a rough past few days for Philadelphia fans. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks the Union's ceiling is as high today as it was a week ago.

10. Nashville SC

Previous ranking: 15

After some brutal luck in losses to Cincinnati and Charlotte the past two times out, Nashville got back in the win column with a 2-1 victory over RSL at home. Even without Walker Zimmerman as he recovers from a head injury, this new-look Nashville team was a worthy winner.

11. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 12

Despite playing up a man after a red card to Orlando's Rodrigo Schlegel, the Red Bulls came up empty in the final third in a 0-0 road draw. Concerningly, striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting found just one shot on the evening -- and it was blocked.

12. Orlando City

Previous ranking: 11

Orlando started the season hot in front of goal, scoring 15 in its first six games. In the past two weeks, though, the Lions haven't managed a goal. Missing Oscar Pareja's first-choice midfield pairing, they drew 0-0 with the Red Bulls on Saturday.

13. LAFC

Previous ranking: 13

Saturday's 2-1 win over San Jose didn't come easy for LAFC, who never seem to win easy these days under Steve Cherundolo. Regardless, they bounded back from a gut-wrenching midweek loss to Inter Miami in Concacaf play.

14. Austin FC

Previous ranking: 10

Nico Estévez's Austin team has prided itself on being a defensively resolute outfit. Through the first seven weeks, Austin was exactly that. In a 5-1 loss to Vancouver on Saturday, though, the Verde were anything but. They allowed more xG -- 4.5, according to FBref -- than any other MLS team has in a single game this year.

15. Portland Timbers

Previous ranking: 18

Between an explosive 4-2 win over Kansas City and the return of star forward Jonathan Rodríguez from injury, it was a great weekend for the Timbers. That their injury report didn't have a single name on it coming into the weekend is a fantastic sign.

16. Seattle Sounders

Previous ranking: 16

While Jesús Ferreira wasn't wildly impactful in his return to Frisco, the Sounders enjoyed a 1-0 win over Dallas on Saturday. Don't be surprised if this win -- Seattle's second of the season -- starts something of a run for Brian Schmetzer's team.

17. FC Dallas

Previous ranking: 17

Dallas' hunt for a statement win continues. So far this season, FCD's victories have come over a trio of bad teams: Houston, Salt Lake and Kansas City. Despite having more than 70 minutes to get back into the match against Seattle on Saturday, Eric Quill's team fell 1-0.

18. Chicago Fire

Previous ranking: 19

For a Chicago team that has lacked solidity at times in 2025, limiting Miami to just five shots from inside the box was a success. Gregg Berhalter will wish his team had shown a bit more in the attack, but a 0-0 draw against the most talented team in the league is nothing to be ashamed of -- especially when your injury list is as long as Chicago's.

19. New York City FC

Previous ranking: 20

Alonso Martínez continues to be one of the biggest success stories in MLS. Since moving from the wing to the striker spot early last year, the Costa Rica international has boasted a borderline-elite scoring record. In 2025, he has five goals in seven games and scored the eventual game winner in a 1-0 win over Philadelphia on Saturday.

20. Atlanta United

Previous ranking: 14

Things still haven't clicked for Atlanta. Once again, Ronny Deila tweaked the positioning of his two high-priced No. 10s in Alexey Miranchuk and Miguel Almirón on Saturday, but the Five Stripes couldn't put together a consistent 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to New England.

21. San Jose Earthquakes

Previous ranking: 21

Despite having more and better chances than their hosts, the Quakes fell 2-1 to LAFC this weekend. Beyond the loss, seeing star goalkeeper Daniel exit in the first half with a head injury is a concern for San Jose fans.

22. Houston Dynamo

Previous ranking: 24

The Dynamo outplayed the Galaxy on the road, staying tight defensively and finding some excellent looks on the back of a few sustained possession sequences, and yet they only claimed a 1-1 draw in Carson. The whole evening was a missed opportunity for Houston.

23. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 22

It was the same old story for RSL in a 2-1 loss to Nashville. They lacked consistency in the final third and didn't create nearly enough dangerous opportunities to give themselves a real chance to win. This team is in the market for a new starting striker for a reason.

24. St. Louis City SC

Previous ranking: 23

Make that four straight losses for St. Louis. With a slew of starters unavailable, STL's 2-1 home defeat against the Crew wasn't unexpected, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

25. New England Revolution

Previous ranking: 26

Caleb Porter can breathe a sigh of relief after picking up a 1-0 win over Atlanta. The Revs still haven't scored a goal from open play, but hey, a win is a win. Porter's switch to a back three paid off.

26. D.C. United

Previous ranking: 27

Despite facing Cincinnati at an opportune time where the visitors were without Evander, Obinna Nwobodo, Yuya Kubo and Matt Miazga in the starting lineup, D.C. fell 1-0 at home on Saturday. Things are bleak in the capital.

27. Toronto FC

Previous ranking: 28

Quietly, Toronto has collected three straight draws over three very good teams in Vancouver, Miami and Minnesota. Saturday's 0-0 result against the Loons didn't feature much attacking firepower, but Robin Fraser will take a point wherever he can find one.

28. Sporting Kansas City

Previous ranking: 25

Sloppy defending and ill-timed turnovers in their own third condemned SKC to a 4-2 loss against the Timbers on Sunday, their first defeat under interim manager Kerry Zavagnin.

29. CF Montréal

Previous ranking: 30

Montréal's first home game of 2025 didn't go to plan. After conceding just 16 minutes in, the hosts simply couldn't find the back of Charlotte's net en route to losing 1-0.

30. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 29

The Galaxy can't get through a game without making a major defensive error. A troubling number of those errors have come from Zanka, a new veteran center back. His first-half red card in a 1-1 draw with Houston was simply the latest example.

WASHINGTON -- Vice President JD Vance ended the Ohio State football team's visit to the White House on Monday by fumbling the team's national championship trophy.

After laudatory speeches by President Donald Trump, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and Vance on the South Lawn, the vice president -- an Ohio State graduate -- tried to hoist aloft the trophy.

He didn't count on the trophy's golden top being designed to separate from its black base. After some struggling, the vice president lost his grip on the two pieces. OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson, standing behind Vance, grabbed the football-shaped top of the trophy. But the base fell to the ground, forcing Vance to grasp around as it rolled a short distance.

Some of the players around the vice president winced. The United States Marine Corps Band, which performs at presidential events, had to compete with audible gasps from the players and crowd as it played "We Are the Champions."

Henderson and Day helped Vance reassemble the trophy, and the vice president later held just the top, cradling it in his arms while the players around him chuckled.

As pictures and videos of Vance's fumble rocketed across the internet, the vice president tried to explain away the gaffe with self-deprecation: "I didn't want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy so I decided to break it," he wrote on X.

Trump credited the Ohio State team with winning the 2024 college football championship despite "adversity," including the team's upset loss to unranked Michigan at home in November.

Trump said he hesitated to mention OSU's fourth consecutive defeat to "the team up north -- we won't talk about it."

Before fumbling the trophy, Vance also used part of his speech to mention the Buckeyes' biggest rival -- singling out an audience member in a Michigan hat.

"I don't know who let the guy over in the corner here, in a Michigan hat, into this celebration," Vance said. "But I'm about to tell the Secret Service, 'You've got a dangerous weapon, sir.'"

Former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck, who won a Super Bowl in his nine-year career and was the father of two NFL quarterbacks, died Monday. He was 70.

Hasselbeck's son, Matt, said his father died after going into cardiac arrest at his home.

"He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller," Matt Hasselbeck wrote on social media. "Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family."

The elder Hasselbeck was drafted in the second round by New England in 1977 after a standout college career at Colorado. He spent six seasons with the Patriots and led the team in catches in 1981 with 46, along with 808 yards receiving and six touchdowns.

He was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders early in the 1983 season and helped the team win the Super Bowl. He had two TD catches in the regular season for the Raiders and the 6-foot-7 Hasselbeck blocked an extra point attempt in a 38-9 win in the Super Bowl against Washington.

Hasselbeck then spent the following season with the New York Giants and had a TD catch in a playoff win over San Francisco and finished his career with Minnesota in 1985.

Hasselbeck had 107 catches for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns in 123 career regular-season games.

Two of Hasselbeck's sons went on to play quarterback in the NFL, with Matt making three Pro Bowls and starting in a Super Bowl for Seattle following the 2005 season and Tim, now an analyst for ESPN, playing mostly as a backup.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.