The Vegas Golden Knights will be without forward William Karlsson for Game 6 as the team tries to stave off elimination in the Stanley Cup Final.

Karlsson was injured in Game 5 on a check by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker, left the game and didn't return. A trainer was looking at his arm before they headed to the dressing room.

Golden Knights coach John Tortorella confirmed Karlsson's absence but did not discuss whether he would be available for Game 7 or who would replace him in the lineup on Sunday, June 14 in Las Vegas.

Karlsson has two goals and two assists in the Stanley Cup Final, which the Hurricanes lead 3-2. He has nine points overall in the playoffs.

William Karlsson rentre au vestiaire après cette mise en échec reçue... pic.twitter.com/2RoHCW48lZ

— TVA Sports (@TVASports) June 12, 2026

William Karlsson injury update

The Golden Knights forward will miss Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after being injured in Game 5.

Karlsson is a two-way center who kills penalties and gets some power play time. The Hurricanes scored two power-play goals after Karlsson left the game.

"It's obviously a big miss," Vegas forward Mitch Marner told reporters. "He's done a lot of great things for us since he's been back in the lineup, but we've done this all year. We've had a lot of injuries throughout the year, throughout the playoffs. Obviously, it's tough losing Will, but it's next man up mentality."

Goaltender Carter Hart and the Vegas Golden Knights are back home in front of friendly fans for Game 6 as they try to stay alive down 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final.

He was asked by a reporter during media availability on Saturday, June 13, about the "no means no" chants by Carolina Hurricanes fans during the three games in Raleigh, North Carolina, and called it "just noise."

Hart was one of five players on the 2018 Canadian national junior team who faced trial in 2025 on a sexual assault charge and were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario. Justice Maria Carroccia said she didn't find the accuser's testimony in the 2018 case credible and the prosecution didn't prove its case.

"It's just noise," Hart said of the chants. "Both atmospheres, both buildings have been really loud and a lot of fun to play in. Yeah, just noise."

The NHL eventually cleared players to return to the league and Hart signed with Vegas in October.

Hart will make his 22nd start of the playoffs in Game 6. After a stellar first three rounds, he has allowed four goals in every game of the championship series.

Understandably so.

When Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sitting in the middle of their prime years, it's only natural to wonder whether the answer lies in another blockbuster. Morgan Riely's name gets tossed around. We've all heard Jason Robertson's grumblings. Every unhappy star around the league eventually finds themselves wearing orange and blue on social media.

Reality tends to be less glamorous.

Winning teams aren't always built by buying high.

Quite often, they're built by identifying good players before everyone else remembers how good they are.

Florida didn't acquire Sam Reinhart after his 57-goal season.

Vegas didn't trade for Jack Eichel after he became a Conn Smythe candidate.

Insider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHLAs investigators look into Mike Babcock's past, one NHL insider suggests the veteran bench boss may soon return to the bench, potentially clearing a path to join the Edmonton Oilers.

Colorado landed Devon Toews before the rest of the league realized just how valuable he was.

The best swings aren't always the biggest ones.

Sometimes they're the smartest.

Which raises an interesting question for Stan Bowman.

Instead of chasing stars whose value has never been higher, what if Edmonton spent this summer looking for players who come with talent, upside and a few question marks attached?

Every Moment Ranked In An Already Embarrassing Summer For the OilersFrom botched coaching searches to leaked negotiations and trade drama, Edmonton’s chaotic offseason is spiraling. We rank the front-office blunders defining a franchise's most humiliating summer yet.

Players whose current teams might be wondering if they're worth the trouble.

Players whose best hockey may still be ahead of them.

Take Owen Tippett.

Philadelphia's rebuild hasn't exactly gone according to plan, and while Tippett remains one of the fastest and most dangerous shooters in the league, consistency has never quite followed. There are stretches where he looks like a future 40-goal scorer, followed by stretches where he disappears for weeks.

That sounds frustrating.

Darnell Nurse Requests Trade, Submits A List of 3-5 Teams To OilersAfter years as a blue-line fixture, the veteran defenseman is ready to move on. Following a fractured relationship with management, Darnell Nurse aims to control his exit via a targeted shortlist.

It also sounds like the kind of player Connor McDavid has made a career out of elevating.

JJ Peterka falls into a similar category.

Buffalo's inability to turn talent into Cups has become one of the NHL's greatest jokes, and while Peterka's offensive gifts are obvious, there have been whispers for years that a change might benefit both the player and the organization.

Would Buffalo really move him?

Maybe not.

If Mike Babcock Falls Through, Where Do The Oilers Go From Here?Should the latest investigation into Mike Babcock ultimately prevent him from becoming the next head coach of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers">Edmonton Oilers</a>, the organization could find itself in a remarkably awkward position, one that would leave people searching for answers while trying to explain how a process that began with such urgency became so messy.

But if the Sabres eventually decide that the fit isn't perfect, Edmonton should be among the first teams calling.

Then there's Mason McTavish.

Admittedly, this one requires a little imagination.

Anaheim would have to do something strange. The Ducks would need to convince themselves that their young centre isn't a long-term fit, something that seems unlikely today.

But life is full of surprises.

UFA Watch: Blue Jackets Veteran To Be Target For The Oilers?Boone Jenner’s veteran leadership and faceoff prowess could provide the depth Edmonton craves, but his injury history and contract demands present a calculated risk for the Oilers.

Nobody thought Matthew Tkachuk would leave Calgary.

Nobody expected Jack Eichel to become available.

And if Anaheim ever gets weird, Stan Bowman should be listening, because power forwards who score, hit and play with an edge aren't exactly growing on trees.

Dawson Mercer might be the most realistic name on the list.

New Jersey has money committed everywhere and several difficult decisions looming. Mercer's numbers haven't exploded, but his versatility and work ethic would fit beautifully on a contender.

Oilers Leadership Group Met With More Than Just Mike BabcockConnor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl personally vetted multiple coaching candidates, reportedly favoring Mike Babcock’s hard-nosed approach over another coach that was on Edmonton's short list.

Everybody wants the finished product.

Very few teams want to pay the price that comes with one.

The Oilers know that reality better than most.

They don't possess endless cap space. Their prospect pool has been thinned out. A shocking first-round exit to Anaheim has increased the pressure, but it hasn't magically created the assets required to win every bidding war.

Which means creativity matters.

Patience matters.

Timing matters.

This Could Get Ugly: NHL Moving Forward With Mike Babcock InvestigationNew allegations from Mike Babcock’s past threaten to derail his return. The NHLPA is demanding a full investigation into hidden claims before the NHL allows Edmonton to proceed with his hiring.

And perhaps the smartest thing Stan Bowman can do this summer is resist the temptation to chase names that everyone else wants.

After all, some of the biggest trades in hockey history looked underwhelming at the time.

Jack Eichel came with injury concerns.

Sam Reinhart had never scored 40 goals.

Sam Bennett was viewed as a disappointment.

Can Mike Babcock Finally Get Out Of His Own Way?For most of the last two decades, Mike Babcock's résumé has spoken louder than almost anyone else's.

Nobody knew Gustav Forsling would become Gustav Forsling.

Zach Hyman might very well be the steal of the century.

The common thread?

Each player arrived with questions attached.

And that's where Edmonton should be looking.

The Oilers don't necessarily need another superstar. They just need to find the league's next one before everyone else does.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

The Montreal Canadiens are going to be a team to watch this off-season. After making it to the Eastern Conference Final this year, the Canadiens should be looking to add to their roster.

The Canadiens have a few roster needs heading into the off-season. One of them is a top-four right-shot defenseman. 

The trade market has an interesting potential option to consider in Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring. 

Kesseling has been the subject of trade rumors since the end of the season. This is because the big right-shot defenseman has become the odd man out on the Sabres' blueline. This was made clear when the Sabres only played him in one playoff game this spring. 

Kesselring was also never able to get things together this season with the Sabres, too. He only played in 34 regular-season games this year for the Sabres, where he had just two assists. While it was a tough year, he is a prime bounce-back candidate, and a defenseman who the Canadiens should consider taking a flier on.

Kesselring has shown in the past that he can be an impactful top-four defenseman when playing at his best. Just back in 2024-25 with Utah, the 6-foot-5 blueliner set career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games. He also had five goals and 21 points in 65 games for the Arizona Coyotes during the 203-24 season. With this, it is certainly fair to wonder if he could bounce back if given a fresh start on a team like the Canadiens.

Kesselring's age also adds to his appeal, as he is entering his prime years at 26 years old. With this, he could be a good fit on a Canadiens club that is on the rise if he bounced back. 

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens make a push for Kesselring this summer. He could be a good player for them to take a chance on if he is made available by the Sabres. 

Rod Brind’Amour isn’t the type to take credit, but it’s time that he gets some. 

A lot can be said for why the Carolina Hurricanes currently hold a 3-2 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, and are now just one game from winning the franchise’s second ever Stanley Cup — the first in 20 years. But there might not be a bigger reason than the one behind the benches, where Brind’Amour has seemingly coached the best series of his career and gave the Canes a big advantage. 

The Hurricanes’ 4-2 win on Thursday night over the Knights wasn’t just the result of the power play finding its rhythm, Carolina’s stars finally joining the party or having the right man in net — it was a display of coaching ingenuity on one side against a fleet of desperate coaching decisions on the other. 

Heading into the locker room after the second period of Game 3, the Hurricanes found themselves down 4-0 after a four-goal period onslaught from the Knights, which included Mitch Marner scoring the fastest hat-trick in Stanley Cup Final history. 

Up until that point, the Canes had probably been outplayed for six of the eight periods in the series. The easy thing would’ve been to roll over. Instead, whatever Brind’Amour said during the intermission must have worked. His adjustments certainly did. Brind’Amour pulled Frederik Andersen — who had been arguably the best goaltender in the playoffs — in exchange for Brandon Bussi, who had never played in a playoff game. He switched the lines that the Canes had run for most of the season and all the playoffs, choosing to adapt on the fly.

As a result, Carolina stormed back to tie the game. After a crazy bounce in double overtime gave the Knights the win, there was little panic from the Canes after such an emotional defeat. 

Leading up to Game 4, all the talk was about who the Canes would start in net. While it seemed as if Bussi should be the answer, there were questions surrounding whether giving a goaltender his first start in a pivotal, must-win game of the Stanley Cup Finals was the right move. Some even questioned Brind’Amour’s stubbornness and whether he would even be open to starting Bussi. But Brind’Amour didn’t flinch. He went all in and gave Bussi the nod in goal. 

And for the first time all series, it felt as if Carolina finally controlled the majority of the game. Bussi went on to make 18 saves, including ones that Andersen hadn’t consistently made during the series. On top of the successful goalie change, the newly minted line of Ehlers-Staal-Jarvis ended up scoring the game winning goal. 

In Game 5, the adjustments were even more apparent. Bussi once again played well while the different line combinations worked. Jordan Martinook, who was moved up to play with Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho — who have both struggled recently — played a pivotal role in Aho’s first even strength, non-empty net goal since the second game of the playoffs. 

Maybe more eye opening has been the difference in coaching between Brind’Amour and John ​​Tortorella. With Carter Hart struggling this entire series in net for the Knights, Tortorella has refused to take him out, unlike how the Canes pulled Andersen. 

When Carolina opted to switch their lines, Tortorella chose to do the same. And unlike when Brind’Amour did it, the move has backfired on Vegas. Switching up Marner’s line that had been elite all postseason, as well as messing up the Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev connection, has failed. 

No one’s talked about it, but the biggest advantage that the Carolina Hurricanes have had during the Stanley Cup has been coaching. Brind’Amour has simply outcoached Tortorella.  

From a numbers standpoint, the Canes have also slightly adjusted their style of hockey. It’s been less about throwing every puck on net and more about generating high quality chances — something that is crucial when facing a goaltender like Hart, who was on the top of his game entering the finals.

In the first three playoff series, Carolina averaged 33.7 shots and 3.2 goals per game. This series, the shots are down almost six to 28 per game, but the goals have increased to 4.2. 

Of the 21 total playoff series coached under Brind’Amour, this is the fourth lowest in terms of shots per game. Yet, it’s the second highest scoring series in goals per game.

It’s clear that the Canes had to adjust how they faced this Vegas team, which they did courtesy of Brind’Amour.  Those adjustments have worked and have been a major reason as to why the Canes are leading the series.

If coaches were eligible for the Conn Smythe, Brind’Amour would have an argument. 

For all the critics that have spouted for years that Brind’Amour’s man-to-man defensive system paired with an overly aggressive forecheck can’t win it all, close your eyes. For all those that have believed, hold on. It’s happening. 

The teams meet in Game 6 on Sunday, and the Stanley Cup will be in T-Mobile Arena with Carolina up 3-2 and having a chance to close out the best-of-seven series over Vegas.

Tortorella, who previously coached Hart in Philadelphia, has been perhaps his staunchest defender.

“Because I know him,” Tortorella said Saturday. “I know there's a better game in him. I've seen it throughout the playoffs. Yeah, I think he's a very good goalie. We've got to do a better job around him, too. You can look at the numbers, and you guys (media), that's what you do. You spit out those numbers, but I've got to look at things differently and watch the play going on around him and what type of goals are being scored.”

Vegas' defense has not been sharp in this series, and Hart has been faced with a number of difficult shots. Carolina's Jordan Staal has exploited being able to station himself in front of the crease, scoring at least one goal in each game.

Hart, however, is a major reason the Golden Knights are even in this series.

He went 12-4 over the first three rounds, allowing 2.22 goals per game with a .924 save percentage. Against the Hurricanes, the GAA is 3.70 and the save percentage is .856.

“I haven't been at my best this series,” Hart said. “I'll be better next game and ready to go.”

Hart was made available to the media Saturday for just the second time this series. He also took part in the NHL-mandated media day before the final began. Even then, he didn't stay for the full 15-minute session after reportedly being asked a question about his return to play after and he four other players from the 2018 Canada world junior were acquitted last July of sexual assault.

The NHL ruled those players were eligible to sign deals beginning Oct. 15 and to play starting Dec. 1. Hart signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Golden Knights, who have limited his media availabilities.

Being back in the league made Hart a polarizing figure, and in Carolina, he has been met with “no means no” chants from the crowd.

“It's just noise,” Hart said. “Both atmospheres in both buildings have been really loud and just a lot of fun to play in.”

Golden Knights fans have largely embraced Hart, and the roars for him during pregame introductions only grew as Vegas advanced through the postseason.

The crowd also was behind Adin Hill during the 2023 Cup run that resulted in a championship. But now Hill has spent the past two months as a spectator while Hart mans the crease.

Tortorella was asked after Thursday's 4-2 loss at Carolina about the possibility to putting Hill in that game.

“That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard,” Tortorella snapped.

It's a question, however, that isn't going away.

One of two things can change that.

The Hurricanes could wrap up the series Sunday, putting the question more on hold. Attention at Vegas would quickly shift to the offseason and whether to bring back Tortorella. He replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season without the promise of anything beyond the playoffs.

The other is Hart regains his earlier form in the playoffs and is a key reason there will be a Game 7.

It's difficult to ignore the contrast in situations. One of the series' turning points occurred when Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour changed goalies while down 4-0 entering the third period of Game 3, and Brandon Bussi hasn't left the net yet as Carolina forced overtime that night in an eventual loss and then won Games 4 and 5.

“They've gotten some lucky bounces, and there's a few plays that I've got to make some more saves,” Hart said. “I've just got to prepare the same way as any other game, and I'll be ready to go.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

As the Edmonton Oilers kick the tires on hiring Mike Babcock as their next head coach, their interest has not only touched off an NHL investigation, but it's also sparked a series of player anecdotes, both old and new, about Babcock's poor behaviour over the years.

Former Senators defenseman Jason York shared a doozy this week.

In 2002, York had established himself as an NHL regular. He had played the previous five years as a full-timer in Ottawa, and after his trade to Anaheim, he played another full season under Bryan Murray and was the Mighty Ducks' second-leading scorer among defensemen.

The following season, when Murray became the Ducks' GM, Mike Babcock was given his first NHL head coaching job. He had been coaching Anaheim's minor-league team in Cincinnati, and before he'd coached even a single game, his mind games began.

Running his first NHL training camp, Babcock suddenly separated York and teammates Denny Lambert and German Titov from the rest of the Ducks' team and made them skate on their own with no coach or goalie through most of training camp. 

"He put us all in the room with the minor league guys," York recalled this week on the Coming in Hot podcast. "As soon as I saw that, I went right into Babcock's office. And this is what I don't like. He lied to my face.

"He said, 'Yorky, don't worry about it. The guys respect you. I need to get their attention. So I'm just doing this to make sure that everybody knows there's going to be change. You're one of my guys, you're going to be in the top four. Don't worry about it.'

"So that's what I don't like, instead of saying, 'Hey, you're not part of the plans, we're going to be getting rid of you. We're probably going to send you down because you're not a fit here.' Fine, then you get ahead of it, right? But this went on for two weeks."

York didn't end up in the top four in Anaheim that season. He started the year in the American Hockey League before being traded to Nashville, while Titov and Lambert never played again in the NHL.

York felt like it unnecessarily devalued his stock as a player, which was proven by what Anaheim got for him in a trade with the Predators. York still remembers the call from his agent, Pat Morris, who had just gotten off the phone with Nashville assistant GM Ray Shero.

 "Pat was like, 'Nashville's calling, and they're wondering what's wrong with you? Like, what happened? Did you do something? Did you get caught for curfew? Are you bad in the room? Are you a bad seed?

"And Pat's like, 'No.' So Nashville ended up getting me (in a trade) for a dollar bill. I was like the bet from the movie Trading Places."

York says that, years later, he confronted Babcock, who blamed everything on Bryan Murray.

"Then I sat down with Bryan about it, and Bryan said it was all Babs' idea to do it. And I believe Bryan over him. But I'm not bitter about it anymore. What are you going to do? For me, it's just this. You can do whatever you want, to some extent, especially back then as a coach.

"But just be honest. Don't lie."

York played as a full-timer the next two seasons in Nashville before the lockout hit. 

His negative experience with Babcock is one of several making the rounds as the Edmonton Oilers try to bring him in as their new head coach. The 63-year-old's behaviour didn't fly back in the day, but for some reason, the Oilers see him as their answer seven years after he coached his last game.

What's probably not being talked about enough is Babcock's lack of recent playoff success, which is the biggest part of the puzzle the Oilers are looking to solve.

Babcock's recent playoff record:

2012 DET - 1-4
2013 DET - 7-7
2014 DET - 1-4
2015 DET - 3-4
2016 TOR - Out
2017 TOR - 2-4
2018 TOR - 3-4
2019 TOR - 3-4
2020-2026 - Didn't coach

Unless Babcock has managed to undergo some kind of extreme makeover, it sure doesn't seem like the juice is worth the squeeze. 

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This story was first published at The Hockey News' Ottawa Senators site. Check out more from THN.com/Ottawa at the links below.

Senators Reveal Their First-Round Draft Approach 
Former Senators Forward Retires From Hockey At 34
Senators Top Amateur Scout Weighs In On Carter Yakemchuk's First Pro Season
LA Kings Get Their Man, And The Ex-Senators Coaching Drought Continues
Why Brady Tkachuk Is Poised For A Monster Bounce-Back Season

The Carolina Hurricanes winger had thrown a puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, leading to a power-play goal for the Vegas Golden Knights.

He knew he had to make up for it.

He did it, too. Not with a goal, but with a shot pass that perfectly hit a cutting captain Jordan Staal in stride for a redirection score that helped the Hurricanes go on to win 4-2.

“As a player,” teammate Seth Jarvis said two days later, “it's incredible to watch what he can do individually with the puck.”

The Hurricanes signed Ehlers last summer as an answer in a multiyear quest to add high-end skill, a “missing piece” acquisition for a playoff-tested lineup chasing a breakthrough moment. He's now had back-to-back three-point games, helping Carolina move within a victory of hoisting the Stanley Cup entering Sunday's Game 6.

“He's an elite player, playmaker — that’s what we knew we were getting,” coach Rod Brind'Amour said after Saturday's practice. “And he's delivered. He's been everything we had hoped he would be, and to our team."

There have been plenty of goal-scoring highlights for Ehlers, who had spent 10 seasons in Winnipeg before signing a six-year deal with Carolina. That included a two-goal game that included the overtime winner in a pressure-packed Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against Montreal with the Hurricanes facing a possible 0-2 series deficit.

But his passing has proven just as critical. He had three assists in Thursday's 4-2 win in Game 5, which followed his two assists to go with an empty-net clincher in a 5-3 road win in Game 4. That pushed him to five multipoint playoff outings in the past nine games after having just one in the first eight.

Now Ehlers and the Hurricanes have a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series entering Sunday's game in Las Vegas.

“It's going to be really hard,” Ehlers said after Thursday's win. “It's going to be a really tough game, but we're excited for it. We're ready for it. This team has been working all year for moments like this, and especially this moment.”

Ehlers has looked ready all series long.

He pounced for a goal just 25 seconds into Game 1 then added a second in the first period of that 5-4 loss. He has scored or assisted on six of Carolina's past eight goals.

Look at Ehlers' third assist in Game 5 as an example. The guy nicknamed “Fly” for his open-ice speed collected a power-play pass near the slot, spun and sent an on-the-tape pass to Andrei Svechnikov for the easy finish at the right post for a 4-1 lead.

Jarvis has typically played on Carolina's Sebastian Aho-centered top line with Svechnikov in these playoffs.

But Brind'Amour recently juggled his lines to put Jarvis alongside Ehlers and captain Jordan Staal looking for a boost from his top producers.

That worked during Round 2 against Philadelphia. Jarvis scored his first of the postseason on a third-period feed from Ehlers, coming on their first shift of Game 2 together.

“You know he’s looking for you,” Jarvis said. “You know he is looking to make plays, so it’s just about managing myself and where I am on the ice and positioning myself with a chance to be on the receiving end of it and score or make another play.”

That helps offset any potential mistakes he'll make, too.

Carolina improbably committed three “DOGPOG” penalties for throwing the puck over the glass in Game 5. Ehlers committed two, prompting Ehlers to call it “probably my worst game in the whole playoffs." He also joked he was nervous about the criticism he'd get from his father — Heinz, a professional hockey coach in Europe — for the penalties when they caught up afterward.

“To do that twice in a game is not something that I’m very proud of,” Ehlers said. "But you’ve got to try and stick with it and try to make up for it, not try to do too much — which I also did tonight.

“I’ve got a little better than I had tonight.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Coach John Tortorella confirmed Saturday that Karlsson — whose injury wasn't specified but appears to be to his left wrist, arm or shoulder — was out for that game. But Tortorella wouldn't comment on his availability for a potential Game 7 at Carolina on Wednesday. The Hurricanes lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Tortorella also didn't offer insight into the nature of Karlsson's injury or what his absence would mean to the team. Karlsson has three goals and six assists in 15 playoff games this year with a plus-10 rating.

He was injured in Thursday night's 4-2 loss at Carolina.

“When we lose Bill, it kind of screws things up,” Tortorella said after the game. “We lost momentum when we went back to back in penalties. It was about the same time that we lost Bill. We’ve got to find a way.”

Karlsson missed nearly six months of the regular season to a lower-body injury, returning for the beginning of the second-round series against Anaheim.

Mitch Marner primarily played center when Karlsson was out. When he returned, Marner was mostly Karlsson's linemate at right wing.

“We'll see how it goes, but I think center-wise, you've just got to be a little more patient with being in the right spot, helping out on the walls, especially in this series,” Marner said. “We know we're playing a team that really likes to pinch down on you and try to make it hard to get pucks out or make that play.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman’s status for the start of next season could be uncertain.

“I’ve heard his injury is pretty significant,” Friedman said on his podcast. “And I know some people have been wondering, will he be ready for the start of next year? I guess we’ll find all that out, but I just don’t think that that’s the reason here. I think it’s more of an excuse than anything else.”

After Makar was seen attending a Colorado Eagles playoff game without a sling or any visible signs of a serious injury, speculation naturally followed about whether the severity of the reported issue had been overstated.

There is no definitive way to confirm that either way, but Joe Sakic offered some clarity Thursday at Family Sports, pushing back on any concern about lingering health issues heading into next season. He said the organization expects a fully healthy group when training camp opens.

“Everybody is going to be at training camp and 100%,” Sakic said. “Nobody going to miss any time.”

That doesn’t mean the Avalanche weren’t dealing with real injuries during the series against Vegas. Artturi Lehkonen, Sam Malinski, Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon and Makar were all managing something in some capacity, which, at this point in the season, is more standard reality than exception around the league.

Makar, meanwhile, finished the postseason with five points in 11 games after a 79-point regular season — a playoff total that matched the lowest production of his career in any postseason run, including years in which Colorado exited in the opening round.

It’s the part of hockey that rarely gets romanticized — the stretch where everyone is playing through something, and excuses only carry so much weight after the final whistle. Much like a fighter stepping into a world title bout after a punishing camp, there’s rarely such a thing as perfect health in late spring. And once the result is decided, explanations tend to land hollow.

The reality is the Avalanche were beaten — cleanly — by a Vegas team that neutralized their speed, clogged their lanes, and punished mistakes with ruthless efficiency, which is exactly how the Golden Knights are built to operate.

As Sakic noted Thursday, it was four games, and a rough four games at that. But it doesn’t erase what came before. Colorado still finished the regular season with a Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top team, a distinction that matters even if it doesn’t soften playoff disappointment. The last club to win both the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season remains the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.

And in today’s playoff structure — where elite teams often collide early and the path to June feels more like survival than progression — it increasingly becomes a last-man-standing tournament. Right now, that’s exactly where the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes find themselves, preparing for Game 6 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

For Colorado, though, it's time to reset, recharge, and let the sting fade just enough to start the process all over again. 

The Buffalo Sabres have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster this off-season. With the Sabres having limited cap space and multiple players with expired contracts, there is a good chance that they will be moving on from some players.

One Sabres pending restricted free agent (RFA) who very well could not be back next season is defenseman Michael Kesselring. The 26-year-old defenseman was notably scratched for all but one game for the Sabres during the playoffs. He was also limited to only 34 regular-season games this season due to injury trouble, where he had zero points, two assists, and 50 penalty minutes.

With the Sabres having more important players to re-sign, it would not be surprising if they listened to trade offers for Kesselring this off-season. He has already been the subject of trade rumors this summer because of it. 

While Kesselring had a tough season for the Sabres in 2025-26, he has the potential to generate a lot of interest this off-season. NHL clubs are always on the hunt for big right-shot defenseman, and the 6-foot-5 Kesselring certainly fits that description.

Kesselring's past success also adds to his appeal. During the 2024-25 season with Utah, he posted career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games. This was after he had five goals and 21 points in 65 games for the Arizona Coyotes during the 2023-24 campaign.

When noting that Kesselring has shown in the past that he can work as a second-pairing defenseman and is only 26 years old, the Sabres should not have a hard time finding a trading partner for him. It will be interesting to see if Kesselring gets moved this off-season from here. 

No matter what happens tomorrow night InVegas, the major league hockey season will close for sure after the seventh game – of course, IF NEEDED.

The Maven cannot speak for Rangers fans but I sure can guess what will going through their heads as they watch the Canes and Knights slug it out – one hoping for The Cup; the other yearning for a Game Seven.

Questions that just might come to mind:

1. K'ANDRE MILLER: This guy has turned into one of the best NHL defensemen and key to the Canes' Cup aspirations. How come K.A.M. was not that good in a Blue Shirt?

2.  BRETT HOWDEN: All I remember is that this guy, who's been one of the playoffs leading scorers, couldn't tell a red light from a chartreuse bulb in New York. 

3. ROD BRIND'AMOUR: You tell me; are the Canes this close to the silverware because of the perpetually broken nose coach? Brindy has the knack. Period! 

4. JOHN TORTORELLA: I guarantee that not even Brind'Amour could have saved the skating slagheap left by Bruce Cassidy. Torts not only re-seeded the Vegas landfill but energized it to a point where two wins will bring another Cup to Sin City. (Torts could revive the Blueshirt Blunderers but that won't happen. Chris Drury treats Mike Sullivan as if he's his favorite nephew, once-removed. (And he should be removed!)

5. HURRICANES: The one time New England (WHA) Whalers have a savvy owner Tom Dundon and a g.m. Eric Tulsky, who knows, and a coach who has been around the block so often he can tell from across the street, the difference between a Champ from a Chump.

6. GOLDEN KNIGHTS: They don't fool around. If something looks wrong; or a coach loses his team – a la Bruce Cassidy – POOF! he's gone and the next guy will fix it. Which Torts has done.

One of these two admirable teams – Golden Knights or Hurricanes – will be crowned champs. For my dough, both deserve super kudos for a series well-played.

Rangers fans can only wish; who knows maybe wishing will make it so. 

Johnston did admit that it would be best not to prejudge the investigation since there are things that might have gone on he's unaware of. 

If true that his transgressions were not serious, that would suggest the rumors that a much bigger issue than Babcock going through cell phones might be inaccurate. There was chatter that something problematic was buried when Babcock resigned from the league in 2023. If it resurfaced during the investigation, it could squash any chance of the Edmonton Oilers bringing him on as coach. 

Should Babcock not have done anything more than what's already been reported, it would be hard for the league to keep him out because he's mean. If he's done nothing illegal, and nothing against the rules, being somewhat unethical, is an issue the Oilers will have to manage. 

Every Moment Ranked In An Already Embarrassing Summer For the OilersFrom botched coaching searches to leaked negotiations and trade drama, Edmonton’s chaotic offseason is spiraling. We rank the front-office blunders defining a franchise's most humiliating summer yet.

Elliotte Friedman noted, that there's no CBA between the coaches and the league, thus NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has a lot of power in this situation. Friedman said, "I don't know how he's gonna rule; I'm sure he's gonna be looking to find out whatever else may have happened."

This decision could come quickly on Babcock. It's being said that the league doesn't want this lingering. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

The Carolina Hurricanes are one win away from ending the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, and they'll look to do so in the desert on Sunday, June 14.

My Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights predictions and NHL picks expect Carolina to hoist the Cup in Game 6, with goaltender Brandon Bussi turning in another strong effort.

Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the game airing on ABC and Sportsnet. 

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights Game 6 prediction

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights best bet: Brandon Bussi Over 21.5 saves (-110)

This total is too low for Carolina Hurricanes netminder Brandon Bussi.

In addition to winning consecutive starts, Bussi was particularly sharp in Game 5 with 23 saves and 2.84 goals saved above expected.

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have consistently tilted the ice in their favor for stretches throughout the series:

• 11 shots on 26 attempts in the second period of Game 1
• 23 shots on 35 attempts in the second and third periods of Game 2
• 23 shots on 43 attempts in the second and third periods of Game 3
• Nine shots on 22 attempts in the third period of Game 4
• 13 shots on 25 attempts in the third period of Game 5
  

The Golden Knights should place an even higher emphasis on testing Bussi early and often in Game 6, and I'd recommend playing this prop down to -125.

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights Game 6 same-game parlay

Carolina’s edge in overall depth in front of Bussi will be the difference in Game 6.

Vegas starter Carter Hart has surrendered at least four goals in all five games of the series, sporting an .856 save percentage and 5.06 goals saved below expected, and the loss of William Karlsson (wrist) is a huge blow to the Golden Knights.

The two teams have also combined for 39 goals with six or more in all five games, and with the potential for earlier empty-net situations in an elimination game, I’m anticipating another high-scoring bout.

Carolina winger Seth Jarvis has marked the scoresheet in three of the past four games and paces Carolina forwards in ice time and on-ice expected goals during the series.

I'd play this SGP down to +280.

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights SGP

• Hurricanes moneyline
• Over 5.5
• Seth Jarvis Over 0.5 points

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights odds for Game 6

• Moneyline: Hurricanes -115 | Golden Knights -105
• Puck Line: Hurricanes -1.5 (+205) | Golden Knights +1.5 (-250)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+110)

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights trend

Carolina has won 20 of its last 25 games (+13.75 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights.

How to watch Hurricanes vs Golden Knights 6

Hurricanes vs Golden Knights latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

For the first time in a while, the Flyers are coming off a playoff run.

That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.

But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, grabbing Tyson Foerster at 23rd overall.

So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.

“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”

The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.

“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.

“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”

Last summer, the Flyers made nine selections, with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was their headliner at sixth overall. Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s.

“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).

“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”

Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.

Next up:

Liam Ruck

Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 174
Shoots: Right
Team: Medicine Hat

Scouting report

Ruck is adept at finding his spots and finishing. He can flat-out score and he’s effective in all situations.

“This kid is a hell of a player,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “This kid knows how to play the game everywhere — offensively, defensively, he’s a great competitor, he’s smart, he knows how to make things happen. I just watch him, he’s a hockey player.”

The 18-year-old led all draft-eligible players with 45 goals in 68 games this season for Medicine Hat. He put up 104 points, second in the WHL to only his twin brother Markus Ruck, who had 108.

“I love Liam. I like Markus, too,” Button said. “It’s very interesting when you think about the two of them and how they play. Markus is the playmaking center and Liam is more bent toward goal scoring, but a great playmaker.”

Liam Ruck is the 10th-ranked player on Button’s May 20 draft list. He scored 16 power play goals, three shorthanded and 10 game-winners. He recorded six games of four or more points. In the playoffs, he added eight goals and four assists over 14 games.

The Ruck brothers are not explosive skaters. They’re a bit undersized and on the thinner side. But those things are not total deal-breakers for teenage players.

“I hear this all the time and I get asked this question: ‘What about their skating?'” Button said. “Well, No. 1, I don’t need them to go on the speed-skating oval, put a stopwatch on them. They’re not in a speed-skating competition. And if [Liam] was a little bit better of a skater, we’d be talking about him at the top of the draft. … He’s a damn good hockey player. And his brother’s a damn good hockey player.”

NHL Central Scouting has Liam Ruck at No. 20 among North American skaters and EliteProspects.com has him at No. 24 overall. But Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis has him slotted at No. 16.

Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin, the Hall of Fame twin brothers, were forever teammates and often on the same line. Button wasn’t concerned about the Ruck brothers eventually having to find success on separate teams.

“I’ve had this question from a number of people: ‘Well, how are they going to play apart?'” Button said. “I’ve seen them play apart. With the Sedins, I never saw them play apart, ever — not with the national team, not with their junior clubs. I never saw the Sedins play apart. So it’s a legitimate question, how will they play apart? I’ve seen the Rucks play apart and I’ve seen them play really well apart.”

Fit with Flyers

Ruck would give the Flyers a hard decision if he’s still on the board at No. 21.

It’s fair to debate how his game will translate against men at the pro level because of the size and skating factors. But the shooting ability, versatility and hockey IQ are all there.

The Flyers’ future on the right wing would have some serious promise with Martone, Ruck and Matvei Michkov.

More targets

• Could Lawrence’s early jump to college have him fall to Flyers in draft?

• Will Flyers eye 6-foot-4 forward with ‘goal-scoring hands’ at No. 21?

• Palmieri ‘type of player’ may be available for Flyers at No. 21 in draft

• Russian center with pro build has interesting case for Flyers at No. 21

• Lin has ‘Brandon Montour profile,’ but will he be there for Flyers at No. 21?

• D-man with ‘unbelievable maturity to his game’ could be option for Flyers at No. 21

• ‘Second-line center all day long’ should intrigue Flyers in draft

Perception around and within the Anaheim Ducks organization is far different from what it was a year ago today. The Ducks were a month removed from hiring Joel Quenneville as their next head coach, two months from taking a 21-point jump in the standings from the year prior, and had declared a mandate to qualify for the 2026 NHL Playoffs. 

In his first roster move of the offseason, general manager Pat Verbeek made a trade with a familiar dance partner, the New York Rangers, and acquired forward Chris Kreider (35) along with a 2025 fourth-round pick (Elijah Neuenschwander) in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance (21) and a third-round pick (Artyom Gonchar).

Anaheim Ducks Rumor Roundup: 6/13/26

How the Anaheim Ducks can Become a Destination for Star Players

Kreider had two years remaining on his contract, which carried an AAV of $6.5 million. If one were to evaluate this trade from a certain point of view, it could be seen as the Ducks parting with a third-tier prospect and moving down 15 spots in the draft to sign Chris Kreider to a two-year contract, which would have been decent value given the NHL’s increasing salary cap landscape and the projected cap space the Ducks had to work with. 

Coming off an injury-riddled season in 2024-25, where he produced just 30 points (22-8=30) in 68 games, Kreider waived his 15-team NTC to facilitate the trade to the Ducks. 

The Ducks selected Terrance in the second round (59th overall in 2023) three years ago, and though his defensive upside remains, his potential ceiling is likely that of a fourth-line forward. He was just under a point-per-game player in the two years following his draft year in the OHL, playing for the Erie Otters, but struggled to produce in his first professional season, scoring 17 points (8-9=17) in 68 games. 

Gonchar and Neuenschander are still too raw and nearly removed from their draft to evaluate completely, but both are long shots to have long NHL careers at this point in time. 

Kreider started his Ducks tenure white hot, scoring ten goals in his first 13 games of the season and 21 points (13-8=21) in his first 25. He made an immediate impact on Anaheim’s top line, where he’d remain for the majority of the season and playoffs, alongside Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry. During that stretch, he was especially beneficial below the dots in the offensive zone and at the net front, offering the Ducks a strength in an area they’ve lacked in recent memory. 

As the months progressed through the season, his potency dissipated somewhat, and he finished the season with 50 points (22-28=50) in 75 games while playing a top-six role for the duration of the campaign. 

The Ducks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in eight years and advanced to the second round for the first time in nine, with Kreider playing a part in that success. He finished the playoffs with seven points (2-5=7) in 12 games; five in the first round vs the Edmonton Oilers and two in the second vs the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Kreider brought with him, from the blaring media light of the New York Rangers, a humor and lightheartedness that was blended with a veteran professionalism. He commanded respect, but was willing to be playful with teammates and the media. 

He will enter his 35-year-old season in 2026-27, and with any player in their mid-thirties, his impact will be determined by his ability to fend off Father Time as best he can. The hope is that the younger roster pieces on Anaheim’s depth chart will be able to slot into roles higher in the lineup with more consistency, taking some of that burden off of Kreider’s plate. 

The Ducks made the second round in the 2026 Playoffs and will be expecting to return to or eclipse that level in 2026-27. Throughout his 15-year NHL career, Kreider’s been more than willing to get to the hard areas of the ice and is 42 games from reaching the 1000-game milestone. He’s played 135 playoff games in 11 years on top of that total. 

If Kreider can notch another 40-50 points in 2026-27, from a lower-profile spot in the lineup and turn in a more productive postseason, the trade to acquire him in 2025 will prove to be an undeniable win for Anaheim. A lot of evaluation regarding this trade will be determined in year two of Kreider’s presence in Anaheim, when expectations have risen, and the team is projected to threaten the $104 million salary cap ceiling for the first time in a long time.

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That's exactly what the Colorado Avalanche were hoping to see when they selected the Swedish blueliner in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Funck was never viewed as an instant-impact prospect. He arrived with NHL size, strong defensive instincts and a mature hockey IQ, but the expectation was always that his development would take time. His first season with the OHL's London Knights did nothing to change that outlook.

The 6-foot-3 right-shot defenseman appeared in 65 regular season games, recording four goals and 18 assists for 22 points. Those are encouraging numbers for a defenseman still learning the North American game, especially one whose value extends far beyond the scoresheet.

Funck isn't asked to drive offense. His job is to close gaps quickly, separate opponents from the puck, disrupt passing lanes and make the smart first pass that turns defense into transition. Those details rarely generate headlines, but they're often what determine whether a prospect eventually earns NHL minutes.

Like most European players making the jump overseas, there was an adjustment period. Funck flashed confidence early, looking comfortable with the puck and contributing offensively while adapting to a faster, more physical style of play. As the season progressed and opponents became more familiar with him, the production leveled off, but his overall game never did.

Night after night, he continued to play the same composed, dependable style that earned him regular minutes on one of the OHL's premier teams. For a young defenseman leaving home and adapting to a new country and playing surface, it was impressive on the surface.

The next phase of his development is easy to point out. 

At 6-foot-3 and roughly 190 pounds, Funck has the height NHL teams covet, but there's still room to add strength. More muscle should make him even more effective in board battles, net-front coverage and the physical battles that define professional hockey.

The Avalanche have already seen how a dedicated offseason can accelerate a prospect's development. Seventh-round pick Christian Humphreys spent part of last summer working with renowned strength and conditioning coach Lorne Goldberg before arriving at training camp noticeably stronger and more explosive. He carried that momentum into a standout season with the Kitchener Rangers, helping lead the club to its first Memorial Cup championship in more than two decades.

Funck could benefit from a similar approach. Whether it's with Goldberg or another elite strength coach, adding functional strength while maintaining his mobility could unlock another level in his game.

That's where the offensive upside becomes intriguing. With greater confidence and a stronger frame, Funck should feel more comfortable joining the rush, holding pucks under pressure and trusting his instincts in transition without sacrificing the defensive reliability that already defines his game.

For an Avalanche organization that doesn't boast much prospect depth, this is a promising development. 

Funck didn't need a breakout season to validate his potential. He needed experience, consistency and proof that his defensive foundation could translate to North American hockey.

He accomplished all three, giving Colorado another reason to believe its patient approach may eventually pay off.

A half-dozen Canadians have done it since the NHL started sending players to the Olympics, but at this moment, more Americans have walked on the moon than accomplished what Morrow did. He is the only one.

That will soon change, no matter how the Cup final ends. After the U.S. won gold at the Olympics for the first time in 46 years, Carolina's Jaccob Slavin is one victory away from joining Morrow, unless Vegas wins Games 6 and 7 to put Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin in that exclusive club.

“I’ve had my 46 years,” Morrow told The Associated Press by phone Friday. “I’m always one that likes to see new people win the Cup, guys get a chance to do something that they’ll remember the rest of their lives. And for whoever does it this year, yes, I think it’s great.”

Morrow won the Stanley Cup four times in a row as part of that Islanders dynasty. Eichel is the only U.S. player in the final with a Cup ring, and he had a major part in the Golden Knights' championship run in 2023.

After helping the U.S. win gold in Milan in February, Eichel says there are similarities and differences to those journeys.

“One’s nine, 10 months; one’s two weeks,” Eichel said. “One of them is winner-take-all of just one game at a time. These are seven-game series, so it’s different in that sense. I think from an emotional standpoint and a mentality, I think there’s a lot of similarities: just the investment in winning and the feeling in the room and everything that comes with it.”

The single-elimination element is a good way of thinking of playoff hockey, Eichel said, though Hanifin pointed out that it is drastically different preparing for a game at a time at the Olympics than enduring the ups and downs of a postseason.

“When you’re playing seven-game series, you can kind of build over time and if you hit a little bit of a setback or some adversity, you can kind of learn from it and build and come back better,” Hanifin said. “Whereas Olympics, when you get into those medal rounds, it’s a one-and-done situation, so it’s different in that regard.”

If the Hurricanes win, it would be some measure of retribution for Seth Jarvis, who played for Canada in the final and lost to the U.S. in overtime on Jack Hughes' winning goal.

When Carolina had him, Slavin and bronze medalist Sebastian Aho pose for a photo with their medals in their Olympic jerseys, Jarvis in a behind-the-scenes video quipped about reliving his nightmares and brought up the stuffed animal versions of an Olympic mascot that IOC officials gave to a group of players after losing the biggest game of their lives.

Before the start of the final, Jarvis acknowledged the events are two separate things.

“Obviously, losing in the gold medal is going to suck forever,” Jarvis said. “But now I get a chance to be a winner and win something big here with a group of guys that I’ve been grinding with for five years, been through the ups and downs of it and people that I just really care about.”

Two more losses would put Jarvis back in the same spot, albeit without another stuffie. One more defeat by the Golden Knights would mean losing twice in a final this year for Mitch Marner, Shea Theodore and Mark Stone.

Before the series began, Slavin was working hard to keep his brain from drifting to the possibility.

“It crosses my mind,” Slavin said. “But we’ve got to go out and do a job first, so not trying to give it too much thought.”

In the nearly five decades since Morrow completed the Olympic gold-Stanley Cup double, the entire situation has changed. The NHL has participated in the Olympics six times since 1998, so players are already professionals.

Morrow at age 23 went less than a week and a half between beating the Soviet Union in the “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid, New York, visiting the White House, having his first practice with the Islanders and making his NHL debut.

“I was trying to earn a living,” Morrow said. “I had to kind of really change focus quickly into trying to earn a job with the New York Islanders, and it wasn’t a sure thing for me when I first came to them right after the Olympics. Am I going to be able to play in the league? Those were questions that I was facing in trying to make a living. And these guys certainly didn’t have that facing them after the Olympics.”

They just had to get back to doing their job, which was a challenge in itself. Vegas and Carolina each finished atop its division and got through three rounds of the playoffs.

That gave Eichel, Hanifin and Slavin an opportunity to join Morrow, Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan from Detroit in 2002, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith from Chicago 2010, and Drew Doughty from Los Angeles in 2014 in the history books.

“For myself, it’s been a pretty surreal year: Winning gold was awesome, and then having the chance to play for a Stanley Cup is awesome,” Slavin said. “I take it as a blessing and just thankful for it.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

At the NHL Draft, you never mind picking 32nd overall, because it usually means you just won the Stanley Cup. But this year, that selection didn't come with a prize; just penance.

The Senators will pick at 32, dead last overall, as their punishment for a messed-up trade from five years ago. And since the NHL's original ruling was no pick at all in Round 1, the Sens aren't complaining.

Without the league's change of heart, it would have been a pretty dull first day at the draft for the mighty Sens. Their first pick would have been the coveted 72nd overall selection, which is the pick they got from Florida in the 2024 Vladimir Tarasenko deal.

What also makes the Senators' first-round pick unique is that they're allowed to trade it. Commissioner Gary Bettman still wanted to set an example, and set it the way an elementary school teacher might handle a student who was causing trouble.

Back of the line, kid, and stay there.

So as their time to pick approaches in Buffalo on June 26, there will be no trades, no drama. They will absolutely choose someone at 32.

Senators head amateur scout Don Boyd, who's making a list and checking it twice, talked about his scouting team's preparation this week on TSN 1200 radio.

"We build our list with the idea that these players are going to go in this order, or that we would have them in this order if we were making every pick one to 32," Boyd said. "Other teams will make decisions for us. There may be somebody else outside of our 32 that jumps ahead of our pick, and then we have our list that we can react to that.

"If we were in a position where we could trade the pick... we would still build our list the same way."

No two teams will have the same draft list, so the Senators will almost certainly come away with a player they currently have ranked somewhere in the mid-to-high 20s.

Boyd figures that at least five prospects who they have ranked higher than 32 may be available to them. Or to put it another way, roughly five other teams are expected to use their first-round pick on players who aren't on the Sens' list.

He says there are even three players outside of their top 32 that they would still be very happy with. So they expect to end up with one of eight players.

Boyd, 73, has been around the scouting game for a long time, and was asked how the first-round talent depth this year stacks up with drafts of the past.

"We're looking at a draft that's got a lot of defensemen involved in the top 10-12 of the draft," Boyd said. "There are possibly 6 or 7 that could go in that area... it's a deep draft as far as defensemen go."

One thing that has dramatically changed draft evaluation is the relatively new NCAA eligibility rules.

"Players can go now to major junior and then go to college, and so now our perspective has changed when we're looking at players that are playing at so many different levels.

"We look at players who maybe have not produced at the college level in their first year, and we know they can produce or they've produced before. So we have to go back into their background, acknowledge what they've done in the past and take the big picture of what they've done this year."

Sounds like Boyd and his staff may have a college player or two in mind that other teams might be undervaluing.

The 2026 NHL Draft will be held at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This story was first published at The Hockey News' Ottawa Senators site. Check out more from THN.com/Ottawa at the links below.

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Senators Top Amateur Scout Weighs In On Carter Yakemchuk's First Pro Season
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The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of promising prospects in their system. One of them is forward Owen Beck.

Beck just completed his second professional season split between the Canadiens and Laval Rocket in 2025-26. In 15 games with the Habs, he scored his first-career NHL goal, threw 24 hits, and won 58.7% of his faceoffs. Down in the AHL with Laval, he had 13 goals and 33 points in 58 games. He also recorded three goals and two assists in five playoff games for the Rocket. 

Beck's offense dropped a bit this season compared to his first campaign with Laval, as he had 15 goals and 44 points in 64 regular-season games with the AHL club in 2024-25. While this is the case, he is still a prospect to watch very closely in 2026-27.

There is a lot to like about Beck's game when it comes to his two-way play, faceoff ability, and penalty-killing ability. Because of this, it would not necessarily be surprising if the Canadiens give him more opportunities on their NHL roster next season. If they do, he will be a prime breakout candidate to watch for the Canadiens next season. 

With Beck being among the Canadiens' most notable prospects, they are certainly hoping that he can take that next step. He has the tools to become a solid NHL player, and it will be intriguing to see if he emerges as just that next season for Montreal. 

Kane Cloutier, son of former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Dan Cloutier, was selected with the first-overall pick in the 2026 OHL Draft on June 12. The forward, who will turn 16 on Sunday, was selected by the Oshawa Generals. Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares was present at the draft to announce Oshawa’s selection. 

Cloutier spent the 2025–26 season with the U16 AAA Vaughan Kings of the GTHL, putting up 32 goals and 26 assists in 33 games played. Next season, he’ll join an Oshawa team that currently features forwards Cole Mazzoni, Mark Pape, and Brooks Rogowski. 

Former NHLer and Canuck Dan Cloutier spent 10 seasons in the NHL, having been drafted 26th-overall by the New York Rangers in 1994 and also playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings. 

In his five years with Vancouver, Cloutier put together an overall record of 109–68–24, registering a .906 SV% and 2.42 GAA. In four playoff runs with Vancouver, he won 10 of 25 games played in and posted a .872 SV% and 3.31 GAA. 

After his playing career, Cloutier spent two seasons as the Barrie Colts’ goaltending coach before heading back to the Canucks. From 2012 to 2016, he served as a goaltending consultant for Vancouver before being elevated to goaltending coach for two seasons. He spent the 2018–19 season as Vancouver’s Director of Goaltending before heading back to Barrie to serve as the special assistant to the General Manager. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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While Nurse, 31, may be an upgrade on defense at a certain price point that is well below his $9.25 million cap hit, there are many hoops to jump through to make such a trade worthwhile for the Flyers, and even the Oilers themselves.

The Oilers are not known for their strong defense or goaltending; Nurse plays a part in the former, and trade acquisition Tristan Jarry was meant to fix the latter.

Jarry, however, never fit well in Edmonton and as a result played the worst hockey of his career.

Should the Oilers be eager to rid themselves of Jarry and his $5.375 million cap hit in addition to Nurse, that's who the Flyers should really be after in a trade.

Jarry, 31, has two years remaining on his contract at that cap hit, and while he did just have an awful season in Edmonton, he was very solid in a handful of games for the Pittsburgh Penguins before being traded.

The Penguins, who were eliminated at the hands of the Flyers in the Stanley Cup playoffs in six games, owe their playoff appearance to Jarry, who went 9-3-1 in his first 13 starts with the team this season with a 2.66 GAA, .909 save percentage, and a shutout.

Former Flyers Goalie On Wrong Side of NHL HistoryFormer Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart has set an awful NHL record nobody would want to have.

Of course, the 6-foot-4 goaltender is familiar with the Metropolitan Division and life in Pennsylvania, and Jarry also made his NHL debut while Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet was an assistant coach with the Penguins back in 2016-17.

The Flyers will be extending Dan Vladar this summer, but the backup position behind him largely remains a question mark.

Jarry, while unproven in the playoffs, has several years of proof of being a quality NHL goalie on his resume, and at his best, could give the Flyers a formidable 1-2 punch with Vladar.

The price (Sweetener? Future considerations?) could be prohibitive, as with Nurse, but the financial commitment from the Flyers is nearly half while still addressing a position of need.

One could also argue that Jarry, at his best, is better and more impactful than Nurse would be at his best. Even with a rough few years with Edmonton and Pittsburgh, which included a stint in the minors, Jarry still has a career .907 save percentage.

Additionally, unless the Flyers want to invest in Stuart Skinner or Sergei Bobrovsky at a similar price point--Skinner with a term that will almost certainly exceed Jarry's two years--this may be their best path forward at the goalie position.

If the Flyers want to deal with the Oilers and their host of bad contracts, they should consider all avenues, including Jarry.

The player they select with that pick could very well be a difference maker for the franchise, especially considering Matthew Knies was picked 57th overall in 2021.

The prospect and drafting experts have different opinions, but one player who can potentially be aligned with Toronto's 60th overall pick is left-shot center Thomas Vandenberg, projected by former scout, Sportsnet's Jason Bukula.

Vandenberg is listed higher on several other mock draft rankings, but for Bukula, he is slotted in at No. 59, around the time for the Maple Leafs to make their second pick of the 2026 draft.

Vandenberg is coming off his first OHL season, playing 59 games for the Ottawa 67s. The Nepean, Ont., native recorded 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points, finishing fifth on the team in points, and tied for third in goals.

Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Alessandro Di IorioHere is the case for Alessandro Di Iorio for the team's 60th overall pick at the 2026 NHL draft.

In the OHL post-season, Vandenberg scored four goals and seven points in nine games, tying for second on the team in playoff tallies. The 67s swept the Kingston Frontenacs in the first round, but were eliminated in five games by the Barrie Colts in the following round.

After a solid rookie campaign in the Ontario League, Vandenberg is set to take his talents south of the border and into the NCAA after committing to Providence College for the 2026-27 season.

"Vandenberg is an equal parts shooter and playmaker," Bukula wrote, with Vandenberg's point totals from last season evidence of that. "He can be deployed up and down the lineup in a variety of roles. He’s one of the youngest prospects in the draft class." The 17-year-old was born on Sept. 8, 2008.

Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Matias VanhanenOutside of the first overall pick that the Toronto Maple Leafs own, here is the case for Matias Vanhanen for the team's 60th overall pick at the 2026 NHL draft.

Before his time in the OHL, Vandenberg played for the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. In that 2024-25 campaign, he scored nine goals and nine assists for 18 points in 55 appearances. That provides further proof that he's equally productive as a scorer and playmaker, as Bukula suggested.

NHL Central Scouting has Vandenberg ranked as the 35th-best North American skater in the 2026 draft class. They also have him listed at 6-foot.

Furthermore, Vandenberg thrived in a couple of testing events at the scouting combine in Buffalo. He finished second in both the 10-meter sprint and the anaerobic fitness tests.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially made their first trade of the 2026 offseason. 

They sent defenseman Emil Pieniniemi to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Oliver Okuliar. 

Okuliar is currently an unsigned restricted free agent. 

The Penguins have acquired forward Oliver Okuliar from the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenseman Emil Pieniniemi.

Details: https://t.co/XPr1JVdlBQpic.twitter.com/RU1SCGooug

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 13, 2026

Okuliar spent the 2025-26 season with the SHL's Skellefteå AIK. He appeared in 46 games, finishing with 15 goals and 29 points.

He also represented his home country of Slovakia in the 2026 Winter Olympics, compiling one goal and two points in six games. He then played for Slovakia in the 2026 World Championships, finishing with two goals and five points in seven games. 

Pieniniemi's 2025-26 season got off to a rocky start when he refused to report to the Wheeling Nailers after training camp. He flew back to Finland instead and was suspended by the Penguins until he eventually reported to the Nailers. 

He appeared in 26 games with the Nailers, finishing with six goals and 11 points. He also appeared in 11 games with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, racking up one goal and three points in nine games.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

If the Montreal Canadiens are looking to address their big organizational need, they’ll need to be willing to part with enticing young assets, and one of their prospects really fits that bill. 20-year-old right-shot defenseman Bryce Pickford just had a season for the ages in the WHL.

In 55 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers, the blueliner put up 83 points, including 45 goals. His numbers were so impressive that he has been nominated for both CHL defenseman of the year and player of the year. That’s not at all surprising given the fact that he won both awards in the WHL, but it still shows how exceptional a season he’s had. A third-round pick by the Canadiens at the latest draft, Pickford had impressed them so much by Christmas that they already signed him to an ELC.

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What Should Canadiens Fans Expect At The Draft?

Of course, success in the WHL doesn’t always translate to success in the NHL, but his stock is still quite high right now, and a rebuilding team that lacks a pure offensive defenseman may well be interested in his profile. The Canadiens themselves need a right-shot defenseman, but in an ideal world, they’d need one who’d be able to step in the NHL right now, and that’s not Pickford.

Dominating in the OHL, against younger players is one thing, but making the jump to the pro level is quite another. Generally speaking, defensemen need more time than forwards to reach their full potential, and as we’ve seen in these playoffs, the Canadiens’ window of contention has already started opening.

However, Kent Hughes has always been clear that he wants to build a perennial contender, not just a team that will have a great shot at winning the Cup once and then be taken apart. The contracts he’s been able to sign his players to reflect that reality. Hughes is not just about the now; he’s about the long-term as well. There’s a balance he’ll have to strike between getting the pieces that will move the needle in the right direction for his team now and planning for the future as well. He won’t make trades that will leave his prospect cupboard bare, but he won’t overly stockpile either.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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The Conn Smythe race remains wide open heading into Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Jordan Staal enters Sunday as the betting favorite after scoring in all five games of the series, but a potential closeout game creates opportunities for several contenders to make a late push. From Mitch Marner and Logan Stankoven to a handful of longshot candidates, there is still plenty of value available on the board before puck drop.

Let's take a look at the latest NHL odds, with a do-or-die Game 6 set for Sunday night in Sin City.

🏆 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Player
Jordan Staal	-120
Mitch Marner	+285
Logan Stankoven	+700
Taylor Hall	+750
Nikolaj Ehlers	+1650
Jacob Slavin	+8000
K'Andre Miller	+10000
Jackson Blake	+15000
Sebastian Aho	+20000

Odds as of 6-13.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds analysis

Despite Jordan Staal having only 12 points in the playoffs, seven of those have come against the Vegas Golden Knights, which is apparently enough to shorten his odds to -125.

I'm not buying it, with Taylor Hall (7/1) and Nikolaj Ehlers (16/1) holding much more value. If you think VGK can come back, now is the time to bet on Marner.

Conn Smythe Trophy prediction

Bet	Odds	Bet Date	Units
Brett Howden	+1300	June 5	1.0

Call this a price play, but I can't help but jump on Brett Howden at +1300. He leads the playoffs in goals with 13 (three more than the next closest player), and his ability to win faceoffs puts him in plenty of big opportunities.

His numbers aren't that far off from Sam Bennett's when he won (15 goals, seven assists), and his strong play has carried into the Cup Final.

Does Marner have more points? Yes, but the Conn Smythe is the MVP of the postseason, not the Art Ross of it. I would bet on anything longer than +1000 heading into Game 3.

Pick made on Friday, 6-5.

• Stanley Cup odds
• Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket
• NHL picks
• Best hockey betting sites

Conn Smythe Trophy odds - Mitch Marner vs. the Field

Player
Mitch Marner	-115
The Field	-110

📈 Conn Smythe Trophy trends

• There have only been five players to win the Conn Smythe without winning the Stanley Cup.
• Skaters have won the Conn Smythe over a goalie 74% of the time.
• There have been seven repeat winners of the Conn Smythe since its establishment.
• Only one player has won the Conn Smythe more than twice. Patrick Roy won it three times.

📜 Conn Smythe Trophy history

A quick look at recent NHL Conn Smythe Trophy winners and the teams they played for.

Season	Player	Team
2024-25	Sam Bennett	Florida Panthers
2023-24	Connor McDavid	Edmonton Oilers
2022-23	Jonathan Marchessault	Vegas Golden Knights
2021-22	Cale Makar	Colorado Avalanche
2020-21	Andrei Vasilevskiy	Tampa Bay Lightning
2019-20	Victor Hedman	Tampa Bay Lightning
2018-19	Ryan O'Reilly	St. Louis Blues
2017-18	Alex Ovechkin	Washington Capitals
2016-17	Sidney Crosby	Pittsburgh Penguins
2015-16	Sidney Crosby	Pittsburgh Penguins
2014-15	Duncan Keith	Chicago Blackhawks
2013-14	Justin Williams	Los Angeles Kings
2012-13	Patrick Kane	Chicago Blackhawks
2011-12	Jonathan Quick	Los Angeles Kings
2010-11	Tim Thomas	Boston Bruins
2009-10	Jonathan Toews	Chicago Blackhawks
2008-09	Evgeni Malkin	Pittsburgh Penguins
2007-08	Henrik Zetterberg	Detroit Red Wings
2006-07	Scott Niedermayer	Anaheim Ducks
2005-06	Cam Ward	Carolina Hurricanes
2003-04	Brad Richards	Tampa Bay Lightning

Understanding Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Sportsbooks will post Conn Smythe Trophy odds as early as the beginning of the playoffs. These NHL futures are constantly adjusted throughout the postseason depending on how well players perform as well as their team success. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NHL awards odds based on handle and liability to certain players.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds will usually look like this:

• Nathan MacKinnon +290

This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $290 if MacKinnon takes home the Conn Smythe Trophy. If it's close to the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs and a player has stood out as the obvious MVP of the series they might have a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds like this: 

• Connor McDavid -175

This means that if you bet on McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, you would have needed to bet $175 to profit $100.

All of the odds listed above are in American format, but if you prefer decimal or fractional odds, simply plug them into our odds converter tool.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Kings officially introduced Laviolette as the 32nd head coach in franchise history on Wednesday, handing the 61-year-old the job of reshaping a team that has not won a playoff series since its 2014 Stanley Cup run and was most recently swept by the Colorado Avalanche in a blunt reminder of how far it has fallen behind the NHL’s fastest contenders.

That series told the story in simple terms: five goals total, very little sustained pressure, and long stretches where Los Angeles simply couldn’t generate anything off the rush or in transition.

Known for early offensive spikes and aggressive, pace-driven systems, Laviolette has built a coaching career on unlocking scoring quickly — whether in Carolina, Philadelphia, Nashville, Washington, or most recently with the Rangers.

Across those stops, the results have followed a familiar rhythm: immediate jump in offense, playoff appearances, and at times deep runs, including a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006 and additional trips to the Final in 2010 and 2017.

But the most relevant connection in Los Angeles might not be system-based — it’s personal.

Artemi Panarin already knows the ceiling Laviolette can unlock.

In New York, Panarin produced one of the best seasons of his career under Laviolette in 2023-24, finishing with 49 goals and 120 points — a top-five Hart Trophy finish and one of the most productive offensive years in Rangers history. He followed that with another strong season before eventually being traded to the Kings earlier this year.

Now, the two are reunited.

“He can change a game on any given night,” Laviolette said of Panarin. “I’m really excited to work with him again.”

Panarin’s arrival in Los Angeles has already shown early signs of impact. He finished the regular season with 27 points in 26 games after the trade and accounted for two of the Kings’ five goals in the playoff sweep against Colorado — one of the few players who consistently found space in an otherwise compressed series.

That production stands in sharp contrast to the broader offensive profile of the roster. The Kings finished 29th in the NHL with 225 goals and were outscored by 22 on the season, finishing 20th overall with 90 points — the lowest-ranked playoff qualifier in the field.

Laviolette made it clear this week that philosophical labels won’t dictate usage or responsibility.

“There’s not going to be two sets of plans for those that we consider offensive and those that we consider great defensive defensemen,” he said. “There will be one set of rules, one set of plans.”

The challenge, however, is structural. Unlike his time in New York, Laviolette won’t have an elite play-driving defenseman like Adam Fox to stabilize breakouts and ignite transition play. That places more pressure on a blue line that combined for just 23 goals and 110 assists in the regular season, then managed only a single point of offense in the postseason.

It also forces a broader identity shift — one the Kings have resisted for years.

Still, there is optimism inside the organization that Laviolette’s track record translates. He has guided teams to the playoffs in 11 of the past 14 seasons he finished behind an NHL bench and ranks seventh all-time in coaching wins with 846.

General manager Ken Holland pointed to that consistency when explaining the hire.

“You look at his resume, all the teams he’s been with, the impact he’s had in the first couple of years,” Holland said. “It’s a hard league to win in.”

For Los Angeles, the calculation is simple but risky: the structure has taken them as far as it can. Now they’re betting pace, aggression, and a system built to unleash scorers will take them further.

The Avalanche bulldozed the NHL on their way to the Presidents' Trophy, finishing as the league's highest-scoring team while allowing the fewest goals. For most of the season, they looked less like contenders and more like an inevitable champion.

Then came four games against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The sweep was ugly. It was frustrating. It was also, in Sakic's eyes, far too small a sample to justify detonating a roster built to compete for championships.

“We could panic and try and blow everything up and start all over,” Sakic told reporters. “But this team, what they’ve done over the course of the year, was pretty remarkable. Now, I want to give them an opportunity to try and do it again.”

That philosophy should shape every major decision the Avalanche make this summer.

You don't tear down a mansion because one toilet clogged.

For weeks, speculation has surrounded Colorado's unrestricted free agents, but Sakic's comments paint a much different picture than the one many fans expected.

If the general manager genuinely believes the Western Conference Final was little more than one terrible stretch against an elite opponent, there is little incentive to gut the supporting cast that helped produce a 121-point season.

That could mean a majority—if not all—of Colorado's unrestricted free agents return.

Nick Blankenburg proved to be a dependable seventh defenseman, Brent Burns showed he could still handle significant minutes at 41 years old, Brett Kulak brought stability to the blue line after arriving at the trade deadline, and Joel Kiviranta battled through multiple injuries to provide a steady, reliable presence even if the offensive production never fully materialized. Kiviranta also earned a spot on Finland's roster for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where he represented his country alongside fellow Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen and former Colorado star Mikko Rantanen.

Keeping that group intact would align far more closely with Sakic's public message than pursuing wholesale change.

The bigger question belongs to restricted free agent Jack Drury.

According to DNVR's AJ Haefele, Drury declined multiple contract offers from the Avalanche during the season. That naturally raises concerns about whether negotiations could become complicated, but it doesn't necessarily mean the two sides are headed for a breakup.

Negotiations often become a game of patience.

And Colorado has a compelling comparable.

As The Hockey News' Stefano Rubino recently noted, the Minnesota Wild signed veteran center Michael McCarron to a six-year contract carrying a $3.33 million average annual value. Drury is smaller, younger and brings a completely different skill set, but his value to Colorado extends far beyond the scoresheet.

His faceoff numbers routinely climb above 60 percent, making him one of the NHL's most dependable specialists. Whether protecting a one-goal lead late in the third period or creating an offensive-zone possession after an icing call, Drury consistently wins critical draws that tilt games.

Fourth-line centers rarely command massive contracts, but elite defensive centers who dominate the faceoff circle are considerably harder to replace than many realize.

Finding common ground should remain a priority.

None of this means the Avalanche will spend the offseason standing still.

Sakic acknowledged the organization will examine every avenue to improve the roster, including the trade market. Without an abundance of premium draft picks, player-for-player hockey trades may become Colorado's preferred method of creating flexibility.

Ross Colton remains an obvious candidate.

The 28-year-old enters the final season of his four-year, $16 million contract, and Colorado explored moving him before the trade deadline without finding a suitable partner. His postseason usage also raised eyebrows after he was scratched for the first two games against the Los Angeles Kings before eventually returning to the lineup.

Valeri Nichushkin's future is another conversation that refuses to disappear.

At his best, Nichushkin is one of hockey's most dominant power forwards, capable of controlling games with his size, puck protection and two-way play. He is also signed through 2030 with a $6.125 million annual cap hit.

The challenge isn't talent.

It's availability.

Nichushkin missed the final five games of Colorado's first-round series against Seattle in 2023 after leaving the team for what the organization described as personal reasons. A Seattle police report later revealed an intoxicated woman had been discovered in his hotel room before Game 3.

Months later, he entered Stage 1 of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, which carries no disciplinary penalty but requires inpatient treatment.

After returning and producing nine goals in eight playoff games, Nichushkin suffered another setback, failed a drug test and entered Stage 3 of the program, resulting in a suspension without pay for a minimum of six months.

Since being reinstated, however, there have been no additional incidents, and by all accounts he has remained in good standing while returning to the lineup.

That reality makes any decision involving Nichushkin far more nuanced than simply measuring goals and assists.

The Avalanche certainly have options this summer, but Sakic's comments suggest evolution rather than revolution.

Colorado does not believe its championship window has slammed shut.

Instead, the organization views the season-ending stretch as an outlier that interrupted what was otherwise one of the strongest regular-season performances in franchise history. But as has been reported extensively, it wasn’t simply a bad week. There were underlying issues that were exposed and never fully corrected, and addressing those gaps will be a priority moving forward—whether that means adding a young left-shot defenseman via trade, or injecting more size and physicality up front.

If the man in charge truly holds that belief, it’s unlikely he will overhaul a roster that spent six months proving it belongs among the NHL’s elite.

The Stanley Cup is days from being awarded, the NHL combine has concluded, and in the weeks prior to the NHL Draft at the end of June, the rumor mill has been churning under the surface, as we may be on the precipice of an explosive summer or a disappointing one in terms of player movement. Two high-profile players (Dylan Larkin and Darnell Nurse) have already requested trades from the teams that drafted them, and indications suggest there may be more to come. 

The Anaheim Ducks are notoriously quiet, especially at this time of the year, keeping their cards close to their chest. As a result, their name has only been mentioned in speculation, but, in a refreshing change of pace, that speculation has focused on significant potential moves. 

How the Anaheim Ducks can Become a Destination for Star Players

The Anaheim Ducks’ 2025-26 Starting XI

Coaches

It appeared as though Ducks’ current assistant coach, Jay Woodcroft, was a finalist for the head coaching vacancy with the rival Los Angeles Kings. NHL insider, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, reported on Sunday that the list of finalists included Peter Laviolette, and Laviolette was ultimately hired on Monday. 

The only head coaching vacancies remaining in the NHL are with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers. The Leafs are reported to have made contact with former Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins and are uninterested in Woodcroft. Both are former head coaches of the Edmonton Oilers, and thus their names haven’t appeared in rumors regarding that vacancy. 

However, another former Ducks head coach, Mike Babcock, is reported to be the frontrunner for the Edmonton job, pending an NHLPA investigation into reported wrongdoing during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023. 

Lastly, San Diego Gulls head coach Matt McIlvane has been announced as assistant coach for the Boston Bruins and head coach Marco Sturm. Sturm was the head coach of Germany’s national team during the 2018 Winter Olympics, with McIlvane serving as his assistant. 

McIlvane will fill the vacancy left behind by Jay Leach, who was announced as head coach of the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack. The Gulls will now need to fill their head coaching vacancy, and Friedman suggested Gulls assistant coach Dave Manson may be in line for a promotion to the position.

Dylan Larkin

Following Larkin’s trade request from the Detroit Red Wings, he submitted an initial list of destinations he’d be willing to accept a trade to. The teams on the list have been in contention, with Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reporting them to be the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and Vegas Golden Knights. Various other reports have suggested the Tampa Bay Lightning and/or Dallas Stars are on the list.

Since reports of his three-team list arose, Larkin has been requested by Wings general manager Steve Yzerman to expand his list. If his list were to expand, St. James and others have suggested the Ducks may be on that second list. 

Elliotte Friedman reported that he, “had not heard Anaheim, but I’ve had people say to me, ‘Anaheim is a team that could do it.’” He went on to speculate during “NHL Tonight” that, “If it’s the Ducks, maybe you get Mason McTavish and something.”

Mason McTavish

McTavish continues to be the name that the national media discusses from the Ducks roster in terms of potential availability for a trade. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun relayed on TSN Radio’s “Melnick in the Afternoon” on Wednesday that teams continue to call Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on his status. 

“I really think there’s a chance he gets moved,” LeBrun said. “I think teams are obviously intrigued, given where he was drafted and his pedigree, but also concerned because they’re wondering what’s happening there. They want to know why the Ducks are taking so many calls on him.”

Auston Matthews

For the first time in Matthews’ career, the Toronto Maple Leafs failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2025-26. They are heading in a new direction, with a new front office, eventually a new coach, and the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

It had been reported that one of the Leafs’ goals, from ownership and the new front office, was to sell Matthews on a direction for the organization, and it would appear they have no intention of moving on from their captain in 2026. 

However, that hasn’t stopped insiders like LeBrun from speculating on the matter. He reported the Ducks, along with the Kings and Utah Mammoth, had been keeping tabs on Toronto’s situation. 

“So, unless something dramatic happens in the coming weeks, the Leafs captain will be back next season in Toronto,” LeBrun wrote in his “Rumblings” column on Wednesday. “That’ll be disappointing for a long list of teams that were keeping an eye on how things developed on the Matthews front, including the likes of the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and Utah Mammoth.”

Gulls Looking For New Head Coach After McIlvane Departure

Offseason Preview: Anaheim Ducks Trade Partners/Targets, Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks Offseason Rumor Roundup: 6/6/26

The month of June means time for preparations concerning the upcoming 2026-27 season. Now that both the Colorado Avalanche and their affiliate Colorado Eagles have seen their seasons conclude, action should heat up ahead of the new league year on July 1st.

One of the key decision points has to do with the depth of the organization, and specifically what to do about pending Restricted Free Agents as they are due qualifying offers by the end of the month, specifically June 29th. This year’s class is comprised of all forwards and is a larger than usual group for the organization to make a decision on.

One interesting wrinkle is that all of the following six players hold arbitration rights. Typically the Avalanche square away these files because they do not want to get into a negotiation where they don’t have all the leverage. The arbitration process could grant the players multi-year or one-way contracts especially if they have NHL experience, as several on this list do. We should see the Avalanche sign any of these players shortly if they are interested in keeping them as depth options, if not, a trade or simply a non-tendered qualifying offer might occur as the front office surely will want to limit their arbitration cases.

Avalanche Roster

Jack Drury is the clear headliner of this RFA group for Colorado. They would certainly like him to return but arbitration could prove costly. It’s quite telling there were rumors that Drury was already offered a contract extension near the trade deadline and he wasn’t interested in signing at that time. Drury had a solid first full season in Colorado with 27 points and 10 goals but didn’t quite stick on the third line as hoped. The lines of communication between both parties should be open again but how much can the Avalanche invest in a fourth line center when they already have Nicolas Roy on the books for $3 million next season? The Minnesota Wild’s recent signing of depth forward Michael McCarron to a six-year $3.3 million per year deal after scoring 17 points with a career high of 22 only inflates Drury’s comparables.

There’s several ways to interpret the 25-year-old Zakhar Bardakov’s tenure with the Avalanche. In his first year in the North America over the 2025-26 NHL season he dressed in 60 games, scored one goal and contributed nine assists, in an average of 7:12 minutes time on ice per game and held up well defensively with a 56.73% expected goals and 60.71% goal differential at even strength. Was he just another replaceable fourth line forward or is there enough encouraging results to bring him back? It wouldn’t take the Avalanche a lot of coin to retain Bardakov but after spending the entire postseason on in the press box it wouldn’t surprise if both parties wanted to move on.

Colorado Eagles

The safest best on a returnee from this list is Taylor Makar because of obvious familial reasons. He has taken a step forward in his first full season as a pro in his own right. The 25-year-old increased his production as the year went on and finished with 24 points in 52 regular season games and then six points in 17 playoff games. The Avalanche gave him 12 games as well, setting Makar up to spend more time in the NHL if they set their mind to it.

There should be a place in the NHL for Ivan Ivan but it might not be with the Avalanche. He was seen as more of an afterthought with nine games in the 2025-26 season after spending 40 games in the NHL the year prior. He had a good, and healthy, season in the AHL with 26 points in 66 games but really flourished in the postseason. Ivan’s 15 points in 17 games was second on the team and top five in the AHL, and without the benefit of any power play production. He lead the league with a +14 and took only one minor penalty in the postseason. Where Ivan goes from here should be very interesting.

Signed as a NCAA free agent two years ago, Chase Bradley hadn’t found his groove in the AHL until now. The 24-year-old posted only 23 points in 71 games last year, though 15 of those points were goals. He’s had injury troubles this year which limited Bradley to just 42 regular season games and 12 points. But this postseason was a different story as he scored five goals and five assists n 17 playoff games. With only two games of NHL experience, the Avalanche might move on but he got hot at the right time.

It was a tough season for 24-year-old Danil Gushchin after arriving in a trade from San Jose as he was limited to 49 regular season games and three in the playoffs mainly due to injury. He was productive when he was on the ice with 18 goals and 32 points. Despite spending the bulk of four seasons in the AHL, Gushchin is not yet a free agent and the Avalanche can retain his rights if they like for him to return.

Exceptions

At only 25-years old Matt Stienburg is not listed in the Eagles RFA category as he is a Group VI Unrestricted Free Agent because he didn’t meet the NHL games played requirement for the Avalanche to retain his rights. Other organizational depth players are entering the summer as with UFA status include forwards Jason Polin, Tye Felhaber, and Valtteri Puustinen.

As we continue diving into draft prospects here at AATJ, we have exclusively covered forwards projected in the top 15, mostly focusing on players that should likely/potentially be available at 12. It shouldn’t be a secret why we have been focusing on forwards as our prospect cupboard up front is is about as barren as XGMTF’s head. However, Best Player available should ALWAYS be the mantra during the draft and 2026 has several defenseman projected to go early in the draft. So, today I am going to take a look at the left shot guys who couldn’t be more different.

Albert Smits

Smits has had one of the more remarkable paths to get here – and is projected to be the highest drafted Latvian player in NHL history assuming he goes before 14 (Zemgus Girgensons). He is a big boy at 6’3” 209lbs and plays every inch of that size. His journey started when he left Latvia in 2021 at age 13 (by himself) to play in Finland and has steadily progressed eventually playing in the pro league this past season. Where he really started getting recognition was at the WJC and more recently the Olympics this past February where he more than held his own against the best in the world.

Based on being a big, strong, 2-way defenseman from a “non-traditional” country, the most immediate comparable I’ve seen is Moritz Seider. So let’s take a look at some video to see if that holds up:

I honestly can see the comp – he has great 4-way mobility, good instincts and poise with the puck, and makes strong offensive reads. Defensively, his gaps are near perfect and he showed a good stick and closing speed. He’s also not afraid to get physical. In the shift by shift every puck touch was the correct decision. He joins the rush when he should and has a good sense of where he is in the zone and doesn’t get caught. His offense isn’t overly dynamic and may be more muted at the NHL level which is why he is ranked in the 5-9 range on most lists, but he is pro ready and there is not a lot to dislike about his game.

Carson Carels

Carels is a cattle farm kid from Cypress River, Manitoba (pop. 175) – just over the border from North Dakota and west of Winnipeg. He stands 6’2” 198 lbs and profiles as smooth skating transition monster with good physicality and a bit of a mean streak. He was drafted by and joined the Prince George Cougars of the WHL and has represented Canada at every national tournament for which he has been eligible. He had a massive breakout this past season putting up big numbers while wearing an ‘A’ for Prince George and is committed to North Dakota next season.

Carels is firmly in the top 10 draft projections across the board, projected as high as 3rd. Frankly the only thing putting some of the RHD ahead of him is just that, handedness. He is, in my opinion, the best defenseman in this draft class, does everything well and projects as a Jake Sanderson jack of all trades with good offense. Let’s take a look at the videotape:

That comp holds up, although I definitely see him needing a little more polish in his defensive game. He does have good gaps and a good stick and closed well in transition, but feel like that can improve a touch. That being said, I’m big believer in drafting for offense and skating and he has both in spades – which is similar to Sanderson’s profile in his draft year. Get used to this kid there is a very strong possibility he winds up across the river.

Xavier Villeneuve

Villeneuve has largely crept up rankings for two reasons: 1) Lane Hutson’s success and 2) a monster performance at the U18 WJC. He is 5’11” 162 lbs and profiles very similar to Hutson, and frankly Quinn Hughes, as a dynamic undersized, offensive defenseman. In a copycat league, teams and scouts now have their radars on high alert for guys like this so they don’t slip through the cracks again. He is committed to BU net season which will be eye opening if he can elevate at the next level. He tops out at as high as #5, but most lists have him mid-teens to low 20s.

Villeneuve isn’t just a WJC flash in the pan though, for 2 years he has put up PPG numbers in the QMJHL, so let’s dive into some video and see if this kid has got it:

OK so his highlight reel is disgusting, he has fantastic high-zone awareness and ability, creates space and spins off pressure like a certain brother we all know. He also flashed some great passing and elite puck skills, his edgework and skating are elite in his highlights. I can see the Hutson, Quinn (insert undersized great skating Dman here) comps, but like I was with Dageneis, I am skeptical of the QMJHL and how top prospects look there.

So, let’s look at a whole game:

He is definitely an offensive wizard, and basically created a chance every shift for himself or teammates. I love his poise in the zone with the puck. He wasn’t overtly physical but I was mildly surprised that he didn’t shy away from contact, he even laid a few cross checks – one in front of the net, one as the 3rd guy into a puck battle in the corner. His Defensive zone positioning and puck decisions could use some work, it wasn’t egregious, but he did drift a few times puck watching, leaving a back door guy. He also had a few bad clearing attempts that turned into turnovers, and a few times got caught heading up ice leaving a guy behind him.

My Thoughts

If I had to rank these guys, I would have Carels, Smits, and Villeneuve in that order as do most draft rankings. Turns out scouts know things. I spent the most time on Villeneuve because one really have to believe in someone of his stature to take a 1st round flier on him. I was also an undersized defenseman and I’m glad to see the short guy club’s lobbying has finally started paying dividends.

Smits seems the most pro ready as of this writing, simply since his defensive game is the most sound, but I see Carels as the long term best of the group. Unless something crazy happens I’d have to imagine Carels and Smits will be long gone by the time we get to 12. Also, as I mentioned in the opening the defense room seems full at the moment but you never know what it may look like in 2-3 years. Unfortunately, I just don’t think the Devils are in a position to take a risk on a 2-3 year project this draft.

What do you think gang, any interest in any of these guys? Anyone of them stand out? Do you agree with how I have them ranked? Let me know in the comments!

LGD

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski never seems to get the respect he deserves. Even after he was awarded the 2026 Norris Trophy, there were some media and fans who refused to give him his flowers. 

On Friday, he was also named to the NHL's first team. Pretty good year for Werenski, yeah? Sadly, it wasn't enough for some voters. What were they watching? Or were they watching at all? 

Also on Friday, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association President Stephen Whyno released the full ballots for all awards in what he called "the interest of transparency."

You can open Whyno's tweet below and open the document if you'd like. 

For a ninth consecutive year, in the interest of transparency, @thePHWA is revealing all voters' NHL awards ballots. You can find them all here: https://t.co/BSg20ATCCi

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) June 12, 2026

Are you ready for some weird notes about the Norris voting?

Out of 198 ballots cast for the Norris Trophy, winner Zach Werenski was completely left off four voters' ballots.

Former NHL Goalie Jonathan Bernier, who is with Le Journal de Montréal, cast votes for Rasmus Dahlin, Moritz Seider, Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar, and Lane Hutson in that order. 

One SportsNet writer had Rasmus Dahlin, Cale Makar, Evan Bouchard, Jake Sanderson, and Moritz Seider on its ballot. 

A Minneapolis newspaper had Cale Makar, Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Bouchard, Lane Hutson, and Quinn Hughes. 

A Utah publication had Cale Makar, Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Dahlin, Erik Karlsson, and Moritz Seider. 

To be fair, it's their decision, but to completely leave off Werenski, who was widely considered the best overall NHL defenseman by hockey experts all over the globe, seems a bit weird. 

Of the four ballots who omitted Werenski, only one of them voted for players who all made the playoffs. 

Three of the ballots had the Red Wings' Moritz Seider, who also missed the playoffs, so it can't be that. So what was it?

In the end, the four votes didn't matter, as Werenski won it going away, but it would be interesting to hear the whys behind not even giving him a 5th-place vote. 

Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.  

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The Seattle Kraken announced Thursday that they had hired Pascal Vincent as assistant coach and Patrik Allvin as vice president and assistant general manager.

The two join a Kraken team that missed the playoffs last season, finishing 27th out of 32 teams.

Allvin joins the Kraken after serving as Vancouver Canucks general manager for four seasons. He previously made history as the first Swedish GM in the NHL. Now 51 years old, Allvin shared his thoughts on joining the Kraken with NHL.com.

"I am grateful for this opportunity and excited to join the Seattle Kraken organization," Allvin said in a press release. "There is a strong commitment to building a winning team and a passionate fan base, and I look forward to collaborating with (GM) Jason (Botterill) and the hockey operations staff as we continue building a club capable of sustained success.”

Seattle Kraken general manager Jason Botterill and Patrik Allvin are no strangers. The two worked together for a decade in Pittsburgh, winning three Stanley Cups together.

Botterill released a statement on the reunion and the reasoning behind the hire.

“Patrik is an excellent communicator in a team environment,” said Kraken general manager Jason Botterill. “He understands the importance of structure and a process in making decisions. You look at his experience evaluating talent in North America, Europe, amateur, pro, he’s had a lot of different titles over his career. He had success in Pittsburgh, winning three Stanley Cups, being a part of a group there [which included Botterill].”

Vincent, on the other hand, joins the Kraken from the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate.

Canadiens President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton released a statement on Vincent’s departure.

"We would like to sincerely thank Pascal for his work and contribution to the Rocket and wish him all the best in his next professional chapter in Seattle," said Gorton. "He was highly committed to our success and made valuable contributions over the past several years. A native of Laval, Pascal was greatly appreciated and respected by the players, his staff members, and the fans. We are grateful for his dedication, leadership, and hard work during his time with the Rocket."

Vincent has worked with several NHL and AHL teams in varying positions. In seven seasons as an NHL assistant coach, he worked with the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets.

In 2023-24, Vincent was promoted to head coach for the Blue Jackets.

Allvin summarized his thoughts on joining the Kraken to NHL.com.

“The practice facility is phenomenal, best in the league. The support of the Kraken in the city and region was evident every time I've been down there for games. As a visiting team, you can feel the fans’ energy and feel the identity of the team playing fast hockey.”

The NHL announced the players who made the All-Rookie Team for the 2025-26 season, and, unsurprisingly, two Montreal Canadiens players are on the list. Ivan Demidov, who led all rookies in scoring this season, and Jakub Dobes, who led all rookies in wins. They are joined by the Anaheim Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke, the St. Louis Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud, the New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer, and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin. Oliver Kapanen, who finished seventh in points amongst rookies this season with 37 and third in goals with 22, finished eighth in forward voting with just six voting points.

On top of leading all rookies in points with 62, Demidov also led in assists (43), in even-strength assists (30), power play assists (13), power play points (20) and multi-point performances (tied first with Sennecke at 14). Demidov dominated the forward votes with 195 points, four points ahead of Sennecke (191) and 59 points ahead of Snuggerud (136).

Canadiens' Prospect Getting First Taste Of Montreal
What Should Canadiens Fans Expect At The Draft?
Canadiens Prospect Make AHL Top Prospects Team

The Russian winger has incredible skills, and the Canadiens front office has made it clear it will try to sign him to a contract extension this offseason. As they should, since they still have the option to sign him to an eight-year deal until that possibility goes away because of the new CBA in mid-September.

As for Dobes, his 29 wins were well ahead of the competition, with his nearest pursuer having only 21 triumphs. Only three rookie goaltenders have had more wins with the Canadiens; Ken Dryden (39), Bill Durnan (38) and Jacques Plante (33). He becomes just the fourth Montreal goaltender to make the All-Rookie team after Steve Penney (1984-85), Patrick Roy (1985-86) and Carey Price (2007-08).

The All-Rookie Team was created in 1982-83, and since then, it has happened three times that the Canadiens have had two players on it: in 1982-83 when Mats Naslund and Dan Daoust made it, in 1984-85 when Penney was joined by Chris Chelios and in 1985-86 when Roy was joined by Kjell Dahlin. In other words, it’s a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in 40 years.

In the last few years, Lane Hutson (2024-25) and Nick Suzuki (2019-2020) made the cut. Before them, Brendan Gallagher had been the last Hab to make it, back in 2012-13.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Most recently, Pavelski himself confirmed the reports of the Maple Leafs showing interest in hiring him as the club's head coach.

“There’s truth to that stuff, we’ve had discussions,” Pavelski told Curtis Pashelka of the Bay Area News Group. “I’m excited to go through the process and kind of see where it leads.”

Pavelski has no experience as a head coach in the NHL or any sort of staffing role in the league since retiring as a player in July 2024, according to eliteprospects.com.

However, this past season, he coached the Madison Capitols' U-15 AAA team, with his son, Nate, on the roster.

Five Serious Remaining Candidates In Race For Maple Leafs Head Coach PositionAfter another head coach came off the Toronto Maple Leafs' list of candidates, here are five serious remaining contenders in the race to become the 42nd bench boss in franchise history.

Many may not believe Pavelski's experience as a coach justifies the possibility of being hired as an NHL head coach, and for one of the NHL's biggest and most intense markets, no less.

But this type of hire has happened before, and in another massive NHL market, with the Montreal Canadiens hiring Martin St-Louis as their head coach during the 2021-22 campaign.

Before being picked for the Canadiens job, St-Louis' only coaching experience was for his son, Lucas, and his team, the Mid Fairfield Rangers, at the U-13 AAA level.

Logan Stankoven Sees Joe Pavelski 'Being Very Successful’ If He Got NHL Coaching Job With Maple LeafsLogan Stankoven knows firsthand what Joe Pavelski brings to young players, which could make him a successful coach of the Maple Leafs if that's the direction they want to go.

Since he was brought in by Montreal, the Habs have seen exponential growth with the players and as a team. St-Louis' history as a star player in the NHL allows him to truly connect with his players. The Canadiens' recent playoff run to the Eastern Conference final is an example of his influence and success with the Habs.

While plenty of other coaches are being considered by the Maple Leafs, it's clear that Toronto's brass is looking to be creative and explore new concepts.

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Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month that the Blackhawks have made Mikheyev's signing rights available for trade. With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides decent secondary scoring and strong defensive play, the Blue Jackets should consider pursuing him. 

Mikheyev just had back-to-back solid campaigns with the Blackhawks. During the 2024-25 season with Chicago, he scored 20 goals and recorded 34 points. He followed that up this season by scoring 18 goals and setting a new career high with 36 points. With numbers like these, he would have the potential to provide the Blue Jackets with more offensive production if they brought him in. 

Mikheyev has also recorded at least 31 points in four out of his last five seasons. The only time he did not over that span was in 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks when he had 28 points but only played in 46 games. 

Mikheyev also provides plenty of value because of his strong penalty killing. He was a major part of the Blackhawks' penalty kill this season and could hold the same role if signed by the Blue Jackets. 

While Mikheyev is not the flashiest of players, he would still be a solid pickup for a Blue Jackets club that is looking to be more competitive next season. On a two- to three-year contract, the 31-year-old forward could be a good value signing for the Blue Jackets to make. 

In 427 career NHL games split between the Toronto Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Blackhawks, Mikheyev has recorded 98 goals, 103 assists, 201 points, and a plus-38 rating. 

Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14. 

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Much has been made of the Flyers' pursuit of high-end talent and a potential No. 1 center or defenseman, but the reality is, this late in the first round, that's quite unlikely.

A smaller, more dynamic defenseman like Xavier Villeneuve could be that for the Flyers, but that kind of selection has not been in the team's DNA under GM Danny Briere.

With the actual depth of the 2026 draft class looking questionable, all roads may, in fact, lead the Flyers to choosing yet another winger in the first round.

New draft intel from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects indicates that this very well may be the case when it comes down to it.

"[Elton Hermansson], I had a little bee whisper that maybe [the Flyers] had a good chat with him at the combine. Maybe they like Hermansson," Robinson said on the "Called Up: The Prospects" podcast with fellow draft expert Chris Peters.

Now, Peters did have the Flyers picking a different winger in Adam Novotny at 21 when the duo did their full first-round mock draft on the podcast, but Hermansson offers a bit of a different profile.

The 6-foot-1 Swede is wildly skilled and already plays pro, having played 38 games for MoDo in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier league, this past season. In those 38 games, Hermansson scored 11 goals, 10 assists, and 21 points.

The 19-year-old's scouting report from Elite Prospects tells us exactly why the Flyers might be looking his way later this month.

Flyers Draft Talk: Another Winger Isn't Such a Bad IdeaEventually, the Philadelphia Flyers will need to draft replacements for Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett.

"Looking for a high upside forward bet in the second half of the first round? Elton Hermansson could be just what the doctor ordered," an excerpt from his 2026 draft guide profile reads.

"Hermansson’s offensive skill level is impossible to miss, especially whenever he plays against his peers. He dominates the puck, consistently able to drive play and create quality chances for himself through his superior elusiveness and handling abilities."

The Flyers have no shortage of wingers with Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Tyson Foerster, and the elderstatesmen Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett.

But, by the time Hermansson is ready to go full-time at the NHL level, Konecny and Tippett will be well into their 30s, and Foerster will be close to it.

So, if the value is there, and everything goes well in his development, the Swedish dynamo could be a natural replacement in the top-six for one of those three.

“Super talented kid. Very talented. He’s got a nose for the net. He can shoot the puck. He’s got shifty feet, maybe a touch knock-kneed, but it doesn’t affect the speed. I think he’s going to be a good offensive winger," an Eastern Conference executive said of Hermansson, as included in the Elite Prospects 2026 draft guide.

"I’m not sure what his player comp is in the NHL, but I like his odds to be a scoring top-six winger in the NHL. Another thing with Hermansson is that he’s not physical, but he’s also not shy to play through contact. Great kid, too.”

Hermansson will have to develop a "B-Game", as many coaches say, to ensure a successful NHL future, but there is enough talent there to justify the Flyers taking another player at the winger position with a premium draft pick.

His pro production, as well as his dominance in international junior hockey (12 points in seven World Junior games, 33 points in 18 total games for Sweden's U18s), will make Hermansson impossible to dismiss, even for a winger-heavy team like the Flyers.

Paradise, Nevada; Sunday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Hurricanes -115, Golden Knights -105; over/under is 6

STANLEY CUP FINAL: Hurricanes lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the eighth time this season. The Hurricanes won 4-2 in the last meeting. Andrei Svechnikov led the Hurricanes with two goals.

Vegas has gone 27-15-9 in home games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 50-8-12 in games they score at least three goals.

Carolina has gone 31-12-6 on the road and 53-22-7 overall. The Hurricanes have conceded 236 goals while scoring 291 for a +55 scoring differential.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pavel Dorofeyev has 37 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Brett Howden has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.

Seth Jarvis has 32 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Jordan Staal has scored seven goals and added one assist over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.4 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Hurricanes: 7-2-1, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.5 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

INJURIES: Golden Knights: William Karlsson: day to day (arm).

Hurricanes: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The decision came after the 34-year-old had hip surgery and was forced to miss the entire 2025-26 AHL season. He had appeared only 19 games the season before, so he's had some time to adjust to the idea of not playing.

McCormick was a fan favourite as the captain of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the top farm club of the Seattle Kraken. He retires as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (67), ranking second all-time in points (140), and having played in the third-most games in team history (158).

McCormick was part of the Senators organization for four and a half seasons, suiting up for 71 games with Ottawa. He was a 2011 6th-round pick coming out of the USHL. He played the next three years at Ohio State with Ryan Dzingel, who was picked one round later in that same draft.

“The decision to retire from the game I have loved for as long as I can remember has not been easy, and as much as I wish I could play forever, it’s time to hang up the skates,” McCormick said in a Firebirds website press release.

McCormick made his NHL debut on Oct. 24, 2015 and scored his first career NHL goal in his tenth career game on Jan. 7, 2016.

After splitting time between Binghamton/Belleville and Ottawa, McCormick was traded to the Colorado Avalanche organization for J.C. Beaudin. Beaudin played 22 games for Ottawa, posting one assist.

McCormick later had stops with the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken. He was named the first captain in Firebirds’ history and served in the role in each of his four years. While the last two were write-offs, the first two were excellent.

In those two campaigns, McCormick not only found a scoring touch he'd never enjoyed before, but he also helped lead the Firebirds to back-to-back appearances in the final.

“Looking back on my career, I’m filled with nothing but gratitude and pride. Hockey has given me so many great memories, lifelong friendships, and opportunities I could have never imagined. I’m thankful to every organization, teammate, coach, and fan who was a part of my journey.

"I will forever cherish everything this game has given me.”

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has expressed a desire to take a "big step toward sustainable contention" next season, so maybe that involves leveraging their 22nd overall pick for a surefire young NHL talent. Maybe that involves trading up in the draft for a higher-upside player who can help them sooner rather than later. 

However, if the Penguins do decide to stay put, that doesn't mean there will be a lack of talent potentially available at 22.

Of course, beyond the top-10, the draft always has its surprises. It is a defense-heavy class - especially on the front end of it - and the Penguins are in need of more talent on their blue line in the system, making it somewhat likely they'll select a defenseman in the first round. 

But if they decide to go with a forward at 22, Peterborough Petes (OHL) forward Adam Novotny might just be their guy if he's still available.

A certain Penguins' and Petes' alumni is doing pretty well for himself in the Stanley Cup Final right now - Jordan Staal has goals in all five of the games in the series so far - and, in some ways, Novotny makes a lot of sense for Pittsburgh exactly 20 years after Staal's draft. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, the Czech forward doesn't quite have the frame that Staal has, but he is already pretty filled out for his age, and he plays a similar style to the younger version of Staal, even in the absence of playing center.

Staal's Standout Stanley Cup Final Performance For Carolina Hurricanes Brings Back Memories Of Clutch Moments During Penguins' TenureOnce upon a time, Carolina Hurricanes center and captain Jordan Staal was delivering clutch moments for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their quest for a Stanley Cup.

Novotny shoots a lot, which helps explain his 34-goal, 65-point campaign in 58 OHL games last season. He plays a no-nonsense, hardline style, unafraid to drive the middle of the ice and use physicality, speed, and soft hands to his advantage. He's still adding size, too, which should only help his ability to open himself up for scoring chances in high-danger areas of the ice. 

He's also a menace on the forecheck, as he uses his frame to gain positional advantage on opponents, pressures relentlessly and forces turnovers, and thrives around the net front. In some ways, his game is reminiscent to that of Philadelphia Flyers young star Porter Martone, although he compared himself to Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish, who is also a Petes alumni.

But, above all, Novotny gets that he can't simply rely on his shot or his skills as-is to get him to the next level. He values his positional and role versatility - and he is confident in his ability to bolster his overall game - but he also understands the importance of improving the margins on the aspects of his game he already excels at.  

Top 20 Projected pick Adam Novotny has offensive ability paired with a great motor who is a mosquito to opponents. He often forces his opponents to make mistake with his constant pressure.

He has a great shot and @SammyT_51 of the @ProHockeyGroup believes he could score 30… https://t.co/BOyGfcIcuhpic.twitter.com/WMm7pjxEET

— The Prospect Don (@TheProspectDon) May 4, 2026

"I mean, there's little stuff I need to work on," Novotny said at the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month. "It starts in the gym, obviously. You have to be explosive in your upper body to have a good shot. Then, on ice, there's a bunch of stuff you can do. Just, you know, shoot like 300 pucks in 30 minutes on a practice [and] after a practice, and, I mean, that's how you get better, right?

So, there is a bunch of stuff I need to work on. My shot, obviously, and that's something, maybe, I'll focus on in this offseason."

Novotny already has the makings of a solid power forward who can thrive up and down a lineup, but he believes he has the skill to elevate himself and be more multidimensional on offense. He reads exactly as the type of player that the Penguins would covet, even as a winger. 

And he did speak with the Penguins at the combine, appreciating their honest approach to meetings, where they showed less-than-ideal clips of players and evaluated their feedback. Novotny thrives off the challenge to improve. 

Draft Profile: Adam NovotnyThe Petes' Czech import will be of interest to teams looking for a scoring power forward later this month.

"They showed you your clips, usually negative ones," Novotny said. "But, obviously, I think they just want to hear how you're going to react to "many failures," if I could say it like that. And I think I did well. I think they told me I did a good job, so it was nice.

"I like my coaches to be honest with me. [For] all the people around, I just want to hear the truth, not walk around something and not be honest. I always appreciate that feedback and how is that going to get better, right? So, for sure, I was happy for that."

There is a decent possibility that Novotny won't be available for the Penguins at 22, as his draft stock has risen considerably over the past year. He has all the makings of a pro goal-scorer, and his floor seems to be relatively high for a scoring winger because of the honest way he plays the game. 

But, if he is still hanging around, he's certainly a player worth taking a shot on for Dubas and the Penguins. 

Penguins' Draft Prospect Profiles: J.P. HurlbertJ.P. Hurlbert is a player that the Pittsburgh Penguins definitely had their eyes on this season. Does he make sense for them at pick No. 22?

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There was plenty of debate in the aftermath of the Detroit Red Wings not retaining defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, whom they had signed to a one-year, $4.125 million contract. 

Gostisbehere, who has been an offensive-minded defenseman throughout his NHL career, fit in nicely on the Red Wings blue line and contributed 10 goals while adding 46 assists.

However, he departed in the summer of 2024, re-joining the Carolina Hurricanes with a three-year, $9.6 million deal, carrying a $3.2 million cap hit. 

Gostisbehere, who helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final during his first stint with the club, helped them do the same last season, where they were defeated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

This season, as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, he's helped them to come within one win of what would be their first Stanley Cup in 20 years. 

And so far through the first five games of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, Gostisbehere is the leading scorer on Carolina's blue line with a goal and five assists for six points. 

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Overall, he has 12 points in 18 postseason games so far this spring. 

The reported hangup in the negotiations between the Red Wings and Gostisbehere in the summer of 2024 was the length of the contract, which Carolina was eventually able to offer him. 

Meanwhile, the Red Wings also decided to eventually part ways with defenseman Jake Walman in a controversial trade just days before Gostisbehere returned to Carolina for reasons which GM Steve Yzerman declined to elaborate on. 

"It's Going To Be Soon": Agent For Sebastian Cossa On When His Client Will Get His Major Opportunity The player agent for Detroit Red Wings prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa spoke openly about the chances of his client getting a major opportunity, saying that it "will be soon".

Since the departure of both Walman and Gostisbehere, the Red Wings have iced the likes of Jeff Petry, Justin Holl, and Travis Hamonic on the blue line without much success. 

One thing is for certain - despite his defensive flaws, the Red Wings could certainly have made use of Gostisbehere's offensive capabilities in each of the last two seasons, both of which have resulted in missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

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The sun hasn’t yet set on the season for the Vegas Golden Knights, but it’s getting to be very late in the afternoon. 

The Golden Knights are no strangers to adversity. In the regular season, they survived nine different stretches of three or more losses, a bottom-five goaltending rotation, and long-term injuries to key players. Ultimately, this added up to a year full of underachievement, and, in a desperate attempt to break through, one of the more memorable Hail Marys in the history of the National Hockey League. 

With just eight games remaining in the regular season, the Golden Knights made a coaching change. Despite being in a playoff position, they relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach and brought in John Tortorella. 

There were a million ways this late-season coaching change could have gone wrong, and a million reasons that it should have. But it didn’t. 

With Tortorella behind the bench, the Golden Knights ended the regular season on a 7-0-1 run. In Round 1, they battled through close calls against the Utah Mammoth and came out victorious. In Round 2, they dispatched the Anaheim Ducks in six games, which were so unremarkable that the biggest bit of news was that they lost a second-round draft pick for refusing to speak with the media after their Game 6 win. And in the Western Conference Final, the Golden Knights shocked the world and swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.

But now, down 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final, the Golden Knights face their biggest challenge yet. 

John Tortorella isn’t concerned about the predicament his team is in. Following Thursday’s Game 5 loss, he took the stand and vowed that his team would return to Raleigh for Game 7. 

“We’ll be back here,” he swore. “We’re just gonna do it in a different order… I’m gonna leave my clothes here, that’s for sure. They’ll be at the hotel.”

A Mark Messier guarantee for a Game 6 victory wasn’t the only promise Tortorella made on Thursday night. Mere moments later, he backed goaltender Carter Hart, who entered the series with a .924 save percentage but is now setting records for all the wrong reasons.

In Game 4, Hart became the first goaltender to allow 4+ goals through the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final; last night, he extended that to five straight. Hart’s average save percentage in this series is .856, and for the first time since April, he has lost two games in a row. 

It is also worth noting that Hart hasn’t been made available to the media following any of the five Stanley Cup Final games. Despite being the starting goaltender, he hasn’t spoken since a hastily relocated availability during media day that ended very abruptly.

And yet, there is no question that Hart will start Game 6 on Sunday. 

When asked if he considered going to Adin Hill in the third period of Game 5, Tortorella scoffed, “Oh, for– Christ, that could be the stupidest question I heard.”

Tortorella has made his decision, and time will tell if it was the right one. On Sunday night, the Golden Knights will either be one win away from the Stanley Cup or headed towards locker cleanout day.

Legendary golfer Walter Hagen used to say, “No one remembers who came in second,” and that’s where the Golden Knights stand right now.

Win, and they force a Game 7 back in Raleigh for all the marbles. Win, and they get one step closer to etching their names in history as well as on Lord Stanley’s Cup. Lose, and they risk being forgotten.

It all comes down to Sunday.

The Carolina Hurricanes were trailing the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final two games to one heading into Game 4.

Now they are up 3-2 after becoming the first team in the series to win two in a row. They are in position to clinch their first Stanley Cup title since 2006 if they win Game 6 in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 14.

The Golden Knights will try to stave off elimination at home and force a Game 7 back in Raleigh, North Carolina. Coach John Tortorella vows that they will, even saying that he's going to leave his clothes at the team's Raleigh hotel.

Here is what happened to both teams in the last two games as the series turned around:

The 22-year-old scored 22 goals and 51 points in 70 games in his rookie season, ranking fourth in goals and points among rookies. 

Snuggerud had a slow start to the season before missing 11 games due to a wrist injury, but upon returning, the young sniper turned his season around. Paired with Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway, the trio formed one of the best lines in hockey down the final stretch of the season. 

Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Blues’ top line will almost assuredly be this aforementioned trio. 

Joining Snuggerud on the NHL All-Rookie team upfront were Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov and Anaheim Ducks winger Beckett Sennecke. On the backend, New York Islanders Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer and Carolina Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin were selected, with Canadiens’ Jakub Dobes in goal. 

Blues' Jimmy Snuggerud Finishes Fifth In NHL Calder Trophy VotingSt. Louis Blues rookie Jimmy Snuggerud finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting.

Snuggerud earned 136 points, the third-most among rookie forwards. 

No other St. Louis Blues rookies received any votes. 

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This week, THS hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork were pleased to be joined by Florida Panthers play-by-play voice Steve Goldstein.

Goldie has kept very busy during the playoffs, calling games in each of the first three rounds and cross-crossing the country in the process.

He spoke to the boys about the Carolina Hurricanes being one win away from the Staley Cup and the Vegas Golden Knights struggling with injuries and goaltending, as well as

And how he can be a Miami Heat fan that can root for the New York Knicks.

Dave also made sure to ask Steve if he keeps his “Let’s go home, baby!” call exclusive to just the Panthers or if he’s used it while calling playoff games around the league.

Additional topics discussed on this week’s show included the Edmonton Oilers trying to hire Mike Babcock, Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse requesting a trade, the Los Angeles Kings hiring Peter Laviolette, Nikita Kucherov winning the Hart Trophy and other award winners.

You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:

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After Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse requested a trade Thursday afternoon, the teams at the top of his list were the Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. 

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period broke the news on Thursday afternoon that Nurse has 3-5 teams he would be willing to sign off on for a trade, with LA and Pittsburgh the only two teams revealed so far. 

However, a report from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Friday morning suggests more news about Nurse's preferred destination. The 31-year-old is believed to prefer a move to the Eastern Conference, with another Canadian franchise unlikely to be among his preferred destinations. 

REPORT: Darnell Nurse Includes The Kings On His List Of Preferred Trade DestinationsDarnell Nurse has requested a trade from the Edmonton Oilers. The Los Angeles Kings, who have long been linked to the polarizing defender are included on his short list of preferred trade destinations.

Elliotte Friedman on Darnell Nurse’s trade request: “I have heard the preference is East, and not likely to be Canada.”

— The Mug NHL (@TheMugNHL) June 12, 2026

Despite the complicated issues with Nurse's contract, there appears to be strong interest from several teams around the league in signing off on a trade. Friedman indicated that the Oilers should have "no problem" finding a legitimate hockey trade should they decide to move forward with a deal.

While today's report suggests that the Eastern Conference is the preferred landing spot for Nurse, Friedman added that if a Western Conference team enters the mix, the Los Angeles Kings could emerge as a potential destination.

According to Elliotte Friedman, Oilers Darnell Nurse's preference would be a move to the Eastern Conference, and not to another Canadian team.

If a Western Conference destination is in play, the Los Angeles Kings appear to be a possibility.

Friedman adds there is legitimate…

— Bleed Oil Blue (@BleedOilBlue) June 12, 2026

Nurse has spent his entire career with the Edmonton Oilers since being selected seventh overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. The former 2019 IIHF World Champion still has a lot left in him; with the physicality and grit he brings, he is very valuable to the Oilers, and a team like the Kings would be the perfect fit for how the team likes to operate. 

With legitimate interest reportedly building and trade discussions expected to intensify, all eyes will be on Edmonton's front office to determine whether Nurse's long tenure in Oil Country is nearing its end.

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During the Montreal Canadiens’ dressing room clear-out day, Ivan Demidov revealed that he would be training with the Habs’ second-round pick of the 2025 draft (and their first pick of that draft), his childhood friend Alexander Zharovsky. While Demidov and his significant other have been vacationing in Mexico, Zharovsky made his way to Montreal and arrived on Wednesday.

On both Thursday and Friday morning, he was seen skating on the CN Sports Complex ice in Brossard and Paul Byron, who’s now a Player Development Consultant with the Canadiens, was with him on Friday morning, closely monitoring his every move. After Dans les coulisses had exclusive images of his Thursday skating session, RDS sent a crew to Brossard on Friday morning to capture more images.

TVA Sports’ Nicolas Cloutier has obtained confirmation from Dan Milstein, Zharovsky’s agent, that the youngster will leave Montreal from June 20 to June 24 to attend the Gold Star pre-draft camp. He also attended last season when the Canadiens had an appointment with him, a clear sign that they were hoping to select him at the draft days later.

Alexander Zharovsky a patiné quelques minutes tôt ce matin à Brossard.

Il était sur le décalage horaire, lui qui est arrivé hier ✈️

Selon des gens sur place, on peut s’attendre à le voir patiner à nouveau la semaine prochaine, cette fois avec Ivan Demidov. Les deux sont… pic.twitter.com/MY5ECVc13a

— DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) June 11, 2026

After that camp, he will come back to town and attend the Canadiens’ development camp, which he missed last year because of a visa issue. He’ll remain in Montreal until it’s time to head back to Russia in mid-July in time for Ufa’s Salavat Yualev training camp. The young Russian has one year left on his contract, which expires at the end of May 2027. Should his team miss the playoffs or be eliminated early, he could be released early, just as Demidov was by St. Petersburg’s SKA back in the spring of 2025. Until then, though, attending the Development camp in July is your best option to see what the promising winger can do.

Alexander Zharovsky is back on the ice in Brossard today.

Looks like he’s training alongside Paul Byron. pic.twitter.com/4TNVivWMcJ

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) June 12, 2026

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The 24-year-old defenceman, who was set to become a restricted free-agent at the end of this season, signed a one-year, two-way contract extension earlier today. 

Thompson was acquired via trade for Jett Woo back at the start of March, heading to the Abbotsford Canucks from the San Jose Sharks organization. He impressed in his first few games with Abbotsford, recording two goals and three assists in his first two games. Thompson finished the 2025-26 season with three goals and 10 assists in 14 games with Abbotsford. 

A third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thompson parted ways with the Lightning organization in the 2023-24 season. During the 2024-25 season, he split his time with the Sharks and the San Jose Barracuda, putting up four goals and six assists in 31 games at the NHL level. In 85 career games with the Barracuda, Thompson registered seven goals and 28 assists. 

Thompson's signing comes less than 24 hours after the Canucks announced the hiring of new Abbotsford General Manager and Vancouver Assistant GM Richard Seeley. The defenceman was one of seven Canucks who were set to be restricted free agents come the 2026 off-season. 

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The First and Second All-Star Teams have arrived! 🌟 #NHLAwardspic.twitter.com/9BQwCgCAhm

— NHL (@NHL) June 12, 2026

For Makar, this is his sixth consecutive season earning an All-Star honor; it's his third time being named to the All-Star First Team. With his nomination, he becomes the first player in Avalanche/Quebec Nordique history to earn six career postseason all-star honors and the first to be named to theNHL First All-Star Team on four occasions. 

This is MacKinnon’s fifth total selection, which tied him with Michel Goulet for the 2nd most. This is also the 11th time in Avalanche history that multiple players were named to postseason All-Star Teams in the same season, which included All-Rookie Teams as well.

Historic Performances From Both Players.

Makar finished last season with 79 points (20g/59a) in 75 games, ranking among NHL rearguards in points (3rd), assists (T-4th), goals (6th), even-strength goals (16, 3rd), and time on ice per game (24:51, 7th). He was the runner-up for the 2026 James Norris Memorial Trophy, which helped him become the second player in NHL history to be a finalist in six of the first seven full seasons.

During the season, we saw Makar score his 500th career point in his 467th game against the Winnipeg Jets on March 28th, helping him become the fourth-fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 500 points, only behind Bobby Orr (396 GP), Paul Coffey (422 GP), and Denis Potvin (465 GP).

What a TIP 🔥 pic.twitter.com/018fOK14P3

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 28, 2026

He also became the fastest defenseman in NHL history to reach 25 career game-winning goals (399 GP) when he notched the game-winner on Oct. 16 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He tied his career-high in assists with four against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 28. With the hot start of the team this season, he helped by starting the season with 10 points in his first 10 road games, which tied for the third-longest streak to start a season by a defenseman in NHL history.

MacKinnon capped off his historic season by taking home his first career Rocket Richard Trophy after leading the NHL in goals with 53, joining Milan Hejduk in 2002-03 as the only other Avalanche player to win the trophy. He also finished third in Hart Memorial Trophy voting.

Nathan MacKinnon Had The NHL Wondering If History Was About To Repeat ItselfNathan MacKinnon’s explosive start briefly fueled rare Triple Crown conversations before he finished another dominant season with 52 goals, 74 assists, and a Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, reaffirming his place among the NHL’s most unstoppable forces.

His 127 points in 80 games are the third most points in franchise history, only behind his own 140 he set during the 2023-24 season and Peter Stastny’s 139 in 1981-82. Of his 127 points, 97 were even-strength points (42 goals and 55 assists), the most in a single season since Wayne Gretzky's 103 (33 goals and 70 assists) back in the 1990-91 season with the Los Angeles Kings. He also paced the NHL in multi-goal games (14), three-point games (20), third-period points (56), shots (350), and rating (+57) and was tied for third in assists.

During his campaign, he surpassed Joe Sakic for the most points by an Avalanche player (1,015) in October. He became the first player in NHL history to score a game-winning goal against 32 different franchises when he scored against the Utah Mammoth on Oct. 9. 

Makar to MacKinnon a tale as old as time 😤 pic.twitter.com/GINC2oBXzz

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 10, 2025

While if you ask any Avalanche fan, or even Makar or MacKinnon, that this season would be even better with a Gold medal at the Olympics or another Stanley Cup, it's still important to look back at this season and admire the feats that these players are achieving. They put so much pressure on themselves that, yes, it's disappointing not seeing them win it, but it cements their legacy in what they are doing, not just with the team but in the NHL as a whole, and they are sure that they will look to improve even more next season.

Avalanche’s End-of-Season Media Availability: What Sakic & Kronke Had To SayGeneral Manager and President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic and KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kronke spoke with the media today about the past Colorado Avalanche season and how things look for the future of the team

Kyrou was originally drafted by the Blues in the second round (35th overall) in the 2016 NHL draft. Since then, he’s played 488 regular-season games, scoring 168 goals and 378 points.

Signed to an eight-year, $8.125-million contract, Kyrou owns a no-trade clause, so he’ll have to sign off on any deal. Reports have indicated that, depending on the team, Kyrou is willing to sign off on a trade. 

Without further ado, here are three teams that could be great potential fits for Kyrou.

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators underwhelmed in the playoffs, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sweep. The Senators didn’t generate enough offense, and Kyrou’s speed and skill could help make the Sens a competitor. 

With centers like Tim Stutzle, Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto, Kyrou could work with any of those three centers. 

According to a recent report, Bruce Garrioch said the Senators are interested in Kyrou, as are several other teams. 

Report: Insider Believes Jordan Kyrou Won't Be With The St. Louis Blues In 2026-27A new report suggests that Jordan Kyrou won't be a member of the St. Louis Blues next season.

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are another team where Kyrou’s skill and speed would thrive. Whether he’s paired on the top line with Connor McDavid or the second line with Leon Draisaitl, Kyrou could put up excellent numbers in Edmonton’s top six.

The Oilers are starved for secondary scorers outside of McDavid, Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins up front. Kyrou can come in and provide a major boost.

The one challenge facing the Oilers is whether they have the assets to acquire Kyrou. 

Jordan Kyrou's Underrated Two-Way Play & How He'd Fit On The IslandersThe Blues star offers more than elite scoring; his defensive dominance and long-term contract align perfectly with New York’s core to fix the roster’s most glaring weaknesses.

New York Islanders

The New York Islanders were linked to the 28-year-old around the trade deadline, but the Islanders decided to trade for Brayden Schenn rather than Kyrou. There is reason to believe that the Islanders and Blues can revisit trade discussions again this off-season. 

Kyrou fits the bill of what the Islanders are looking for: a two-way scoring winger to pair with Mathew Barzal or Bo Horvat. The Islanders are building their team around superstar rookie Matthew Schaefer, and adding a skilled winger like Kyrou will help improve the roster. 

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