Playoff intensity is here, and the storylines are already heating up. Travis Green's message to the Sens is undoubtedly to cool it with the penalties after gifting the Leafs too many powerplay chances—Ottawa looked solid 5-on-5, but inexperience showed. Mitch Marner led Toronto with 3 points in a one-sided opener. Carolina looked strong in their win over New Jersey, though injuries and a bizarre friendly-fire moment for the Devils are already concerns. Winnipeg rallied past a physical Blues team in game 1, an important opener for the Jets to win. LA’s home ice edge looms large against an Oilers squad still trying to find chemistry among injury returns. Montreal’s youth faces a tough, heavy Caps team, and Dallas struggled to keep pace with Colorado’s speed in Game 1.

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Ray & Dregs Playoff Preview! Leafs will be a tough out if their stars show up, but the Senators bring energy and strong goaltending. Montreal fought their way into the postseason and are healthier than top-seed Washington, who have shown incredible consistency all season. Florida’s health is a question mark, and Tampa enters with Vasilevskiy in top form. Carolina vs. New Jersey will be low-scoring, can Markstrom steal it for the Devils? Winnipeg is out for redemption, but the red-hot Blues could push them into deep waters. Edmonton faces LA for the fourth straight year, but Ekholm being out and the Kings’ home dominance could give them an edge. Colorado’s season-long roster turnover hasn’t slowed them one bit, expect a beauty in their series against Dallas. Vegas looks built for another run, can the resilient Minnesota Wild prove to be more than a speedbump on their road to the Stanley Cup?

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Injuries, rest and returns are a league-wide overarching theme as the regular season winds down. Connor McDavid made a surprise return in the Oilers' win over St. Louis, notching three assists including a key play on the game-winner. Edmonton isn’t the same without McDavid and Draisaitl, and getting healthy ahead of the playoffs is crucial. The Leafs dropped a rough one to the Panthers Tuesday, then bounced back against Tampa Bay behind a Matthew Knies hat trick on Wednesday, leading to much discussion about which Florida team the Leafs matchup better against. In Minnesota, a wild 8–7 OT win over the Sharks featured big returns from Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek, and what was probably Marc-Andre Fleury’s final home start. Vegas is also eyeing full health with Pietrangelo and Hague recovering, but Hertl and Eichel’s absences are causing concern up front.

Jason Strudwick joins to talk about getting up to game speed for players like Evander Kane and Gabe Landeskog, his concerns about the Oilers' goaltending and how Quinton Byfield could be a difference-maker in this year's playoffs.

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Alex Ovechkin makes history by scoring goal 895 with a signature power-play strike. Plenty of praise and serendipity surround the goal itself and the way the teams and the league handled its celebration. Winnipeg ends St. Louis’ franchise-record win streak in a potential playoff preview. Calgary stays alive in the playoff chase but they're in a tough spot; Minnesota's strength of schedule could seal the deal for the Wild. Kings and Oilers both lose—seeding likely set with one head-to-head matchup left. Rangers exposed by Tampa; Ray sees major summer changes ahead. Is a KHL 49-goal scorer worth a look back in the NHL?

In Ask Ray & Dregs Anything... does Ovie's game need to change now that he has the record and will he garner Hart Trophy consideration? Plus, desserts and pranksters!

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Alex Ovechkin is three goals away from the all-time goal scoring record, and with seven games left, Ray is confident he gets there. Chatfield’s takedown of McMichael received unanimous condemnation... but will receive nothing from the Department of Player Safety. St. Louis is on a 10-game win streak, likely securing a wild card spot, with Doug Armstrong’s offseason RFA moves proving key. Minnesota’s hopes for playoff success rest largely on Kaprizov and Brodin’s returns, but their impact is uncertain. Montreal, Ottawa, and New Jersey each have compelling storylines, from Suzuki’s leadership to Staios’ smart moves and Hughes’ lingering absence.

In Ask Ray and Dregs Anything: Can the Leafs upend the champs in a 7-game series? Which current injury will affect a team most? What's a stat you would like to see kept? And how much do GM's and coaches communicate during trade deadline time?

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The Jets have been the model of consistency, with their stars performing and Cole Perfetti emerging as a key piece. Trophy talk: Ray favours Draisaitl for the Hart Trophy as the league's only 50-goal scorer, while Hellebuyck’s case may be hindered by the sheer existence of the Vezina Trophy. Lane Hutson is now Ray’s Calder favourite over Celebrini. Niko Mikkola was fined $5,000 for a dying-seconds slapshot in the direction of Habs' David Savard, what's the likelihood of retaliation in the rematch? Ovechkin’s goal chase has extra cameras and plenty of hype, but Bettman and Gretzky won’t go on tour just yet. NCAA late-season signings! The Capitals inked Ryan Leonard, who may transition smoothly as a middle-six forward. The Blues signed Jimmy Snuggerud, who will debut vs. Detroit despite the potential pitfalls of tinkering with a winning lineup. 

Then, LA Kings head coach Jim Hiller dives into the Kings’ incredible home record, the impact of offseason additions, and how Adrian Kempe has become a true star. He also reflects on the challenges of taking over midseason, his respect for Kopitar and Doughty, and the looming playoff showdown with Edmonton.

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John Tortorella is out as Flyers head coach after a tough loss to Toronto and some telling post-game comments, with Brad Shaw stepping in as interim. The firing will spark fresh speculation about Rick Tocchet heading to the Flyers this summer, although his contract in Vancouver has a club option for next season. Meanwhile, the Canucks keep grinding out wins in an attempt to keep pace with St. Louis and Calgary in the standings. In Edmonton, injuries are piling up, with Stuart Skinner out again after a collision with Stars' forward Mikko Rantanen, fueling concerns over the team’s response. Ray is in Minnesota tracking Ovechkin’s historic goal chase, while the Leafs have some key matchups against Florida before the regular season winds up.

Plus, Chris Pronger joins the fellas to talk about his personal journey of self-improvement, when Torts may have "lost the room", how the Oilers should have handled their goalies getting bumped and his pick for the Norris Trophy.

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Goalie interference controversy returns. Islanders had a potential game-winner overturned in a must-win game against Columbus. Coach Patrick Roy didn’t hold back postgame, questioning the consistency of the rule. Jakob Chychrun secures an eight-year extension with Washington, solidifying his place on a competitive team. In Vancouver, Thatcher Demko’s return sparked a shootout win, raising hopes for a strong finish. With McDavid and Draisaitl sidelined, the Oilers risk losing ground in the division race.

In Ask Ray & Dregs Anything: The Keefe/Kovacevic controversy, how dangerous are teams that get hot late, and text messages that people weren't supposed to see.

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Auston Matthews and the Leafs get a big win over Colorado, showing signs of hitting their stride at the right time. Alex Ovechkin seems to be calling his shot in pursuit of the NHL's all-time goal record—should he avoid an empty-netter for history’s sake? Josh Anderson escaped a major injury thanks to cut-resistant gear, highlighting the evolution of player safety. In Montreal, Kent Hughes preaches patience in free agency, amid rumours about a dream scenario involving Sidney Crosby. Plus, updates on goalie interference reviews and the NHL’s decentralized draft in LA.

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Auston Matthews broke out with a 3-point night in a decisive Leafs win over the Flames, easing concerns about his recent quiet stretch. Line adjustments, including Max Domi at centre, seemed to helped spark the team. Meanwhile, at the GM meetings in Florida, discussions focused on video review consistency, cut-resistant gear, scoring trends, and the success of the Four Nations tournament. With NHL overtime already resolving most games in five minutes, extending it to ten remains uncertain. Plus, thoughts on Bob Boughner's insightful viewpoint on coaching during a playoff race.

Then, in Ask Ray & Dregs Anything... do NHL officials "send messages" to young players, how has Carolina overcome a tumultuous trade deadline and will offer sheet frequency tick up in the coming years?

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