The 2025-26 NHL season has concluded, now what do we do?
Don’t worry hockey fans, there are several key dates coming up that should keep you interested until the dog days of summer arrive.
First up will be the 2026 NHL buyout window. The first buyout period this year starts 48 hours after the Stanley Cup playoffs end. So, with Carolina ending it last night, clubs will start the process of figuring out if they wish to buy a player out, and that process must conclude by June 30th at 5pm ET.
What will Columbus do during the buyout season? Probably nothing. The only player that would even remotely be a candidate is goalie Elvis Merzlikins, and honestly, I can't see that happening.
And then, of course, on June 26th, the NHL will conduct the 1st round of the entry draft. The CBJ are picking 14th, and who they will choose is anybody's guess. There are plenty of quality players who will be available at 14. You can find the players we wrote about at The Hockey News -Columbus Blue Jackets site. You can watch the draft live on ESPN and ESPN+.
On June 27th, rounds 2-7 will be conducted. You can watch the coverage on NHL Network and ESPN+. The Jackets have six picks from rounds 2-7, but of course, that is subject to change depending on trades.
A few days later, on July 1st, the free agency period begins. There are a few big names out there, but time will tell what Don Waddell does. He first needs to lock up Jet Greaves and Adam Fantilli to contracts, which will take up a nice chunk of change. Cole Sillinger must also be given a new deal before July 1st. Get those three players done, and then Waddell can focus on free agency.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will have their annual development camp a few days after the NHL Draft. Last year, it went from July 2 to July 5. It's usually open to the public and will conclude with a Prospects Game on the final day of camp. It'll be held from June 29 to July 2 this year.
After the development camp, the NHL’s dog days begin. Other than random signings, there’s not a lot going on. The only thing really going on is all the speculation on Twitter from fans about what their team is going to do in free agency. Some people take a break, get out in the sun, and enjoy the world. It’s nice to take a break from the stressful relationship a lot of fans have with their teams. Whatever you’re doing this summer, have fun!
Stay with THN Columbus all Summer for breaking news, player pieces, and everything else you can think of.
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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Bear, who was on an expiring one-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 at the NHL level, recorded 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) in 40 games with no points in two playoff games.
Ethan Bear's new one-year, two-way extension with #Isles comes in at $850,000 (NHL) level & $325,000 (AHL) with a guarantee of $425,000, I'm told.
He missed significant time with what appeared to be a wrist injury after blocking a shot in preaseason.
The 28-year-old didn't make the Islanders' lineup in 2025-26 but has 275 NHL games of experience and will continue to be a leader for the younger prospects as they embark on their first season in Hamilton.
It was a back-and-forth series between the two teams before the Hurricanes ramped it up and took over. The Golden Knights won Game 1; the Hurricanes responded in Game 2 before the Golden Knights won Game 3 once again. But a goaltending switch to Brandon Bussi changed momentum, and the Hurricanes rallied off three consecutive wins to claim victory 4-2 in the best-of-seven series.
While the Hurricanes go home to celebrate, the Golden Knights are left heartbroken. One of those heartbroken players is former St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev.
Barbashev played seven seasons with the Blues, notching 78 goals and 178 points in 410 games. Barbashev was traded to the Golden Knights during the 2022-23 season and helped them win the Stanley Cup. Barbashev was sent to the Golden Knights in exchange for prospect Zach Dean.
Barbashev, on the other hand, has enjoyed career seasons in Vegas, most recently recording 61 points this regular season. The 30-year-old has thrived in Vegas, utilized in numerous roles.
Barbashev has excelled playing on the top line with Jack Eichel or in a third-line defensive role. Wherever placed, Barbashev has produced and fulfilled his role.
Although he fell just short of his third Stanley Cup, Barbashev scored several clutch goals and finished the 2025-26 post-season with six goals and 14 points in 22 games.
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Former Calgary Flames players have been represented in the Stanley Cup Finals every year since 2018.
While some have played more notable roles than others, each of these players suited up for the Flames before finding success after their tenure in Calgary was complete. With multiple former Flames having competed in the 2026 Finals, here’s a list of players who made the Finals shortly after leaving Calgary.
Mark Jankowski (CAR 2026) - Selected 21st overall by the Flames in 2012, Jankowski played four seasons in Calgary before moving to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After additional stints in Buffalo and Nashville, he landed in Carolina in 2024 and won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2026.
Rasmus Andersson (VGK 2026) - Drafted and developed by the Flames (53rd overall in 2015), Andersson played parts of ten seasons in Calgary before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights this year. He reached the Finals in his first season with Vegas, contributing significantly to their blue line.
Noah Hanifin (VGK 2026) - Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2018 trade that sent Adam Fox the other way, Hanifin played six seasons for the Flames. He was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024, where he has become a core piece of their defensive rotation. He appeared in the Finals in 2026 against the Hurricanes.
Matthew Tkachuk (FLA 23/24/25) - In a pivotal moment in franchise history, Tkachuk informed the Flames in 2022 that he would not re-sign. Drafted 6th overall in 2016, he played six seasons in Calgary before being traded to the Florida Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar (and Cole Schwindt). Tkachuk went on to appear in three straight Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025.
Sam Bennett (FLA 23/24/25) - Often cited as a player the Flames moved on from too soon, Bennett was the franchise's highest draft pick at 4th overall in 2014. Despite his potential, he struggled to find an offensive role in Calgary and was traded to Florida in 2021. He appeared in three consecutive Finals, winning twice, and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2025 after a dominant 15-goal postseason.
AJ Greer (FLA 2025) - Greer had a brief stint in Calgary after being claimed off waivers, playing 59 games during the 2023-24 season. He signed with the Panthers as a free agent on July 1, 2024, and captured a Stanley Cup later that season.
Ryan Lomberg (FLA 23/24) - Lomberg spent seven seasons in the organization after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He played primarily for their AHL affiliate before joining Florida in 2020, where he reached two Finals and won the Cup in 2024. Lomberg returned to Calgary as a free agent in 2024 and has been a fan favourite in Calgary ever since.
Brett Kulak (EDM 24/25) - Drafted by Calgary 105th overall in 2012, Kulak played parts of four seasons in Calgary before being traded to Montreal. He eventually joined the Edmonton Oilers in 2022, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals with the Flames’ provincial rivals in 2024 and 2025.
Troy Stecher (EDM 24/25) - Stecher suited up for 20 games with the Flames at the end of the 2022-23 season. After signing back with Arizona, he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2024, appearing in back-to-back Finals.
Derek Ryan (EDM 24/25) - After beginning his NHL career in Carolina, Ryan signed with the Flames in 2018. He spent three seasons in Calgary before joining the Oilers in 2021. He reached two Finals in Edmonton before retiring in 2025.
Brian Elliott (TBL 2022) - Elliott spent one season as the Flames' starter after being acquired from St. Louis for a 2nd-round pick. While his tenure in Calgary ended with a difficult playoff performance, he later signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning and reached the Finals in 2022.
Curtis McElhinney (TBL 2020 & 2021) - A 2002 draft pick of the Flames, McElhinney played parts of three seasons in Calgary. After a long journey through the league, he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, where he helped the team secure back-to-back Stanley Cups as a reliable backup.
Jay Bouwmeester (STL 2019) - Bouwmeester joined the Flames in 2009 and was an ironman on the blue line for four seasons. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues in 2013, where he eventually captured the Stanley Cup in 2019 before retiring in 2020.
Chris Butler (STL 2019) - Acquired from Buffalo in 2011, Butler played three seasons in Calgary. He signed with St. Louis in 2014 and was part of the Blues' 2019 championship run as a veteran member of the extended playoff roster.
Deryk Engelland (VGK 2018) - Engelland spent three seasons in Calgary before being selected by Vegas in the 2017 Expansion Draft. He helped lead the Golden Knights to the Finals in their inaugural season and received the Mark Messier Leadership Award for his efforts.
Canadian broadcaster Ron MacLean issued an on-air apology for making a comment about roofies during the pregame show for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
With the Vegas Golden Knights' game against the Carolina Hurricanes taking place in Las Vegas, Sportsnet did a spoof of "The Hangover" movie and showed Keeper of the Cup Phil Pritchard asleep on a couch next to the trophy.
As the skit ended, MacLean said, "The roofies, they'll get you every time."
MacLean later apologized on air for the comment, which he called "a bad mistake by me."
"I referenced a scene in the movie in which the tiger is put to sleep, Mike Tyson's tiger. The Keepers of the Cup, of course, are asleep in the skit and I used the term, the slang term for the drug which has far more serious connotations in reality.
— bnpeki 🇨🇦 Matthew Knies Enjoyer (@bnpeki) June 15, 2026
"I should have made that connection. I did not. .. I know I triggered some people I know I offended some people with that remark and I feel very badly for that and I want to thank you for bringing it to my attention, to our attention. Very sorry."
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 14: The Carolina Hurricanes pose for a team photo with the Stanley Cup after their 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Six of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup was about a lot more than hoisting the toughest prize in sports; it was proof of concept. For years the Canes had played bridesmaid, having unprecedented regular-season and playoff success under head coach Rod Brind-Amour, only to see it vanish when it mattered the most in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Carolina became a meme. They were the choke job, the organization destined to catch the flowers, but never make it to the altar. It raised questions about the Canes’ roster construction, the organizational approach, and made people wonder if Brind-Amour’s team-based, “no stars” hockey philosophy was too outdated for a modern league that put a premium on individual excellence. That all changed on Sunday night.
The Hurricanes bet on themselves in so many ways, but none more profoundly than how GM Eric Tulsky believed in the potential of his young players to such an extent that he signed them ALL to long-term extensions without needing to see the production to back it up. This is the backbone of the Canes’ organization, and why the winners of the Stanley Cup are going to be a long-term problem for the NHL for YEARS to come.
Typically when a team wins the Cup you can look over the roster and find the obvious pain points. There will be a star or two ready to hit free agency, a handful of trade-deadline acquisitions coming off contract, and young players waiting in the wings to get a massive payday. This is the roster turnover we’re accustomed to seeing in order to knock elite teams down a peg and restore the competitive parity in the league. When it comes to Carolina this simply doesn’t exist.
As we approach NHL free agency the Canes only have one starting player set to hit UFA, and that’s goaltender Freddie Andersen who was replaced in the Stanley Cup Finals by Brandon Bussi. That’s it. Other than Andersen the team will likely lose Nicolas Deslauriers and Mike Reilly, who were veteran defensemen largely signed to act as tutors to the younger talent, without playing a huge role themselves.
It’s tempting to say “but that’s just one year,” but it’s not. Look ahead to 2027 and there’s definitely more turnover in Jordan Staal, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Jalen Chatfield — but Staal is likely facing retirement, while the two defensemen are both hitting their mid-30s and probably due for roster turnover anyway. Look at 2028, 2029, 2030 — it keeps being the same story. The Hurricanes aren’t slated to potentially lose a top-tier skating forward until 2029 when Andrei Svechnikov is poised to be a UFA, and that assumes he won’t re-up with the organization he clearly loves being a part of.
So, where the hell are all the Canes players? Tulsky locked them up. He locked them ALL up. Every single player who showed a glimmer of promise inside Brind-Amour’s system was signed ahead of the curve, and rather than give them three or four-year “prove-it” deals, Tulsky went full analytics nerd on the process to secure their services into the next decade.
Sebastian Aho: Until contract until 2031 for $9.75M AAV
Nikolaj Ehlers: Under contract until 2031 for $8.5M AAV
Seth Jarvis: Until contract until 2031 for $7.9M AAV
K’Andre Miller: Under contract until 2032 for $7.5M AAV
Jaccob Slavin: Under contract until 2032 for $6.4M AAV
Logan Stankoven: Under contract until 2033 for $6M AAV
Jackson Blake: Under contract until 2033 for $5.1M AAV
Not only do the Hurricanes have their entire core locked down for the foreseeable future, but they haven’t broken the $10M AAV mark for any player. Cap all this off with the fact that Carolina’s two most important young forwards in Stankoven and Blake are locked in on discount long-term deals, and it spells a horror story for the rest of the league. This is not the future a Stanley Cup winning team should have, and to add to the nightmare we have an organization that already has over $11M in open cap space, will open up more when they waive Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and a rising salary cap that not only means Carolina has their whole core locked in, but can be SERIOUS players in free agency to lure stars to Raleigh, now with the proof that they have an organization that can win the cup. It might just be enough to break the Vegas/Dallas/Florida stranglehold as tax shelters in the league.
Oh, but it gets worse. The Hurricanes’ prospect system was ranked No. 11 in the NHL by The Hockey Writers, with Kurban Limatov, Bradly Nadeau, Dominik Badinka, Felix Unger-Sörum, and Nikita Artamonov all poised to make their debuts in the next few years. Teams that consistently go so deep in the playoffs and routinely pick in the late-20s or early 30s simply shouldn’t have a prospect pool with the depth of Carolina’s.
The Carolina Hurricanes were built through disruption. Brind-Amour and Tulsky had specific visions on how they were going to build a team based on strength at every position, a de-emphasis on individual play, and a premium on team over stars. It hasn’t managed to lure top players, but it has now created a champion. That is an undeniable allure, and there’s no stopping this team for a long time.
Here’s the final kicker: Brandon Bussi, the free agent goalie turned Stanley Cup superstar? Yeah, Tulsky signed him to a three-year extension before the playoffs that will keep him in Carolina until 2029 for just $1.9M AAV.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - JUNE 4: Gavin McKenna poses for a portrait during the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine at Harborcenter on June 4, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes have hoisted the Stanley Cup, and now we hit the point where everyone is looking ahead to the 2026 NHL Draft in June. A forward-thinking, prospect-based draft — we’re going to be waiting four or five years to see some of these guys hit the ice in the pros, unless they’re taken in the Top 5 and can make the jump immediately.
The best teams are looking far into the future, projecting their core needs down the road, looking at veterans who might retire, as well as free agent markets to try and piece together as a vision for what their team could be down the line. It’s what makes the NHL Draft so fascinating, especially when you see which teams invest heavily in their European scouts to look at Sweden, Finland, and Russia to find diamonds where nobody else is looking.
Here’s the full first round mock, then we’ll discuss some of the picks.
Pick
Team
Player
Position
Current Team
League
1
Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna
LW
Penn State
NCAA
2
San Jose Sharks
Chase Reid
D
Soo Greyhounds
OHL
3
Vancouver Canucks
Ivar Stenberg
LW/RW
Frölunda HC
SHL
4
Chicago Blackhawks
Caleb Malhotra
C
Brantford Bulldogs
OHL
5
New York Rangers
Keaton Verhoff
D
North Dakota
NCAA
6
Calgary Flames
Tynan Lawrence
C
Boston University
NCAA
7
Seattle Kraken
Carson Carels
D
Prince George Cougars
WHL
8
Winnipeg Jets
Viggo Björck
C/RW
Djurgårdens IF
SHL
9
Florida Panthers
Albert Smits
D
Jukurit
Liiga
10
Nashville Predators
Daxon Rudolph
D
Prince Albert Raiders
WHL
11
St. Louis Blues
Adam Novotny
LW/RW
Petersborough Petes
OHL
12
New Jersey Devils
Ryan Lin
D
Vancouver Giants
WHL
13
New York Islanders
Mathis Preston
C
Spokane Chiefs
WHL
14
Columbus Blue Jackets
Oliver Suvanto
C
Tappara
Liiga
15
St. Louis Blues (via Red Wings)
Malte Gustafsson
D
HV71 U20
U20 Nationell
16
Washington Capitals
Xavier Villeneuve
D
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
QMHL
17
Los Angeles Kings
Wyatt Cullen
C
USNTDP
USHL
18
Washington Capitals (via Ducks)
Ethan Belchetz
LW
Windsor Spitfires
OHL
19
Utah Mammoth
Oscar Hemming
F
Boston College
NCAA
20
San Jose Sharks (via Oilers)
J.P. Hurlbert
F
Kamloops Blazers
WHL
21
Philadelphia Flyers
Ilia Morozov
C
Miami University (Ohio)
NCAA
22
Pittsburgh Penguins
Juho Piiparinen
D
Tappara
Liiga
23
Boston Bruins
Elton Hermansson
RW/LW
MoDo Hockey
HockeyAllsvenskan
24
Vancouver Canucks (via Wild)
Nikita Klepov
F
Saginaw Spirit
OHL
25
Seattle Kraken (via Lightning)
Yegor Shilov
C
Victoriaville Tigers
QMJHL
26
New York Rangers (via Stars)
Alexander Command
C
Örebro HK U20
U20 Nationell
27
Buffalo Sabres
Brooks Rogowski
C
Oshawa Generals
OHL
28
Montreal Canadiens
Maddon Dagenais
C
Québec Ramparts
QMJHL
29
St. Louis Blues (via Avalanche)
Liam Ruck
F
Medicine Hat Tigers
WHL
30
Calgary Flames (via Golden Knights)
Marcus Nordmark
LW
Djurgårdens IF U20
U20 Nationell
31
Carolina Hurricanes
Jack Hextall
C
Youngstown Phantoms
USHL
32
Ottawa Senators
William Håkansson
D
Luleå HF
SHL
Gavin McKenna goes No. 1: This is as much of a no-brainer as there has been. McKenna is the cause of angst among hockey fans who think the lottery was rigged for the Leafs, because he is that damn good. One of the most gifted passing wing prospects we’ve seen in YEARS, there are some real questions how he can mesh with Auston Matthews in Toronto, but the concern is not nearly enough to assuage taking a guy with his vision from the edge. McKenna will be a superstar, and even at 19-years-old, he’s ready to make the jump now.
The profound rise of Chase Reid: A fascinating prospect, most scouting services had Reid around the No. 10 pick before this process began, but he has cemented himself as a Top 3 pick in this 2026 class. His ability to push the pace offensively from the blue line has major shades of Cale Makar to his game, and with both his skating ability as well as puck handling, he could bring the same kind of edge to a team wanting to play a hybrid, aggressive system.
I’m still obsessed with Ivan Stenberg: Reid absolutely warrants the hype, but the more film I keep seeing of Stenberg, the more I’m convinced he’s going to be SPECIAL. There is some hesitancy that his finesse, pretty game might waver when it’s integrated with a physical NHL style, but Stenberg is just so good with the puck on his stick that I think he will find Mitch Marner-esque ways to evade contact.
Yes, Caleb Malholtra is Manny Malholta’s son: Feel old yet?
Yes, Wyatt Cullen is Matt Cullen’s son: Oh god, I’m so old.
What happened to the Senators’ pick? Ottawa should be picking at No. 20, but they elected to delay a punishment from the NHL over the 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov, in which the Senators did not forward a list of teams on Dadonov’s no-trade list to teams ahead of making deals with them. The NHL initially told the Sens they would lose their 1st round pick in their choice of 2024, 2025, or 2026 — with Ottawa delaying the penalty to this year. The league later revised their punishment to push the Senators to the back of the first round, rather than forfeit their pick altogether.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks and team owner James Dolan celebrate behind the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the victory against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
SAN ANTONIO – New York fans were a lovely bunch of coconuts during their stay in Texas, congratulating the hosts repeatedly for the Spurs’ shimmering future, checking the views of security guard’s faces to determine if a postgame pogo pit was appropriate behavior in the upper bowl for this sort of San Antonio scenario.
It was. Knicks fans won over their hosts in the same way Knick players won over their hosts. The Knicks managed to jam a dozen of our nation’s most-visible celebrities into a short, five-game series and still emerge without threats of overexposure. Mariska Hargitay is a legend, but it ain’t as if it’s a struggle to find an episode of her television show. And of course Taylor: Ms. Swift would re-issue her appearance in Game 4 if a more productive songwriter’s take were available. As is her right.
Texas was for the punters, the traveling Knicks fans familiar with the upper bowl. Stands at-least half-filled with Knick backers watching the Lawrence O’Brien trophy handed to their Knicks for the first time in the Lawrence O’Brien trophy’s history.
The catcalls in San Antonio after Game 5 were all ball, nothing rude. And the largest chant I was around, organic and fresh and a little unsteady like a sidewalk grocer, was for Leon Rose. The GM! Nobody ever cheers a GM because every sports fan knows they could do a better job than most GMs. And while this may not be correct, sportswriters enjoy promoting the idea so as to retain readership.
Knick fans are familiar with Knick GMs shooting for the top and sending projectile pieces southward and into their own foot. Owners remain but general managers come and go, GMs representing the human element of the sport while in charge of the human element in the locker room and the field.
We won’t argue that Leon Rose’s hiring was typical, he was the NBA’s most-influential NBA agent for the bulk of his pre-Knicks run. Rose helped put together the Miami Heat’s championship Big Three, yet drew applause for daintily stepping aside without conflict or rancor after LeBron James left Rose’s stable of clients to front Rich Paul’s Klutch collective. Rose played college basketball and also used institutions of higher learning to become a dang lawyer. Hardly the picture of the coffee-stained, hapless basketball scout, standing through another Star-Spangled Banner at a VCU game in November.
Knick fans cheered throughout the Star-Spangled Banner in Game 5, nothing runs the blood like a talented youngster belting out a song that’s impossible to sing, and chanted Leon Rose’s name after winning the NBA title. All instinct, continuing with the keen and warming atmosphere that’s carried over the top of these Knicks since falling in Indianapolis in 2025.
Rose and the Knicks didn’t make large player personnel changes after that defeat, he couldn’t, wouldn’t return fair value for his stars and prevented from making large-scale changes due to the team’s top-heavy roster. Few outfits took in as much dismissal and derision as those 2024-25 Knicks, waiting out another successful regular season only to watch as team mainstays Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns turned sieves in the postseason.
They didn’t, though, and not because Rose secured the rights to temerity and strong footwork in a draft night trade. Towns’ bridge iced before his road developed, Brunson was always big on the inside, each only needed time. Rose didn’t hire the pair because of output, he brought them together to build something larger, to learn together and develop.
There were alterations: Malcolm Brogdon was signed by Rose ahead of 2025-26 in the hopes of providing competent reserve minutes at point, but Brogdon retired before the season began in spite of an available roster spot. In February Rose traded Guerschon Yabusele and Guerschon’s guaranteed contract next season for, in effect, Jose Alvarado and the chance to sign (the Queens-raised) Alvarado (who owns a $4.5 million player option for 2026-27) to a longtime deal. Guerschon, meanwhile, will shoot 40 percent from the field as starting center for the Chicago Bulls in 2026-27, a team yet to win an NBA title this century.
All the while, Rose is owed a trillion favors around the league, this transactional transaction bidness. That won’t go away with a championship, the other 29 NBA GMs think each year’s champions are nice and cute but would rather focus on their own five-year plans, championship hopes.
The Knicks ensured any detractor would only scan as sour grapes, the name of an interesting but mostly unwatchable Larry David film. Worldwide villain to billions David Zaslav mostly watched Game 3 from a courtside seat next to LD, yet nothing deterred the impartial fan for falling for the Knicks. Leon Rose’s Knicks, built by a guy who looks as if he needs to “talk to you about a thing.”
As opposed to the last Knicks personnel chief, Scott Perry, who sounds like the sort of guy to keep us in a meeting all morning without revealing a thing. Perry is the picture of executive grace, hard to imagine Scott Perry drafting a force of nature like Obi Toppin with his first ever lottery selection, but that’s where Rose went.
Rose also watched, for two seasons as Knick chief, as Jalen Brunson put up 51/39/82 in JB’s final pair of campaigns with Dallas. Orthodoxy claimed this Mavericks gig as the perfect role for Brunson, a shoot-first undersized point guard who cannot defend and will run out of energy the longer a contest moves along. Leon Rose disagreed with the consensus behind Brunson’s outlook.
Jalen owned no such difficulties putting up points, but Rose saw something in his efficiency that previous spotters may have noticed with Stephen Curry and/or Steve Nash. Simply because a player hasn’t worked 35 minutes a night yet, it doesn’t make them incapable of the feat.
In one of my last stories before 2022 Knicks camp, I reported in Leon's 1st scouting meeting in 2020, he named Dallas reserve Jalen Brunson as a top target. Perry's scouts were stunned. Leon struck out on bringing Melo to NYK as agent but hit grand-slam homer for ages with JB.
Rose owed New York one following the Carmelo Anthony fade, securing the bag for his client in 2014 after meetings with then-Knicks prez Phil Jackson, neither side knowing any of it work but neither willing to get in the way of NBA business.
Leon’s first coaching hire in 2020 was Tom Thibodeau, who took the Knicks from a (prorated) 27 wins to (prorated) 47 wins in his first year, making the playoffs behind the Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Kevin Knox-core Rose and Thibs inherited. The Knicks missed the postseason in 2022 when half the league jumped Kemba Walker’s turnstile, but brought in Brunson to settle all point guard claims in 2022.
See, point guard’s been a problem in New York since these sons of guns traded Walt Frazier to Cleveland, since the days of Ticky Burden, Butch Beard, Jim Cleamons. The team never found a sage guide to work consistently alongside Patrick Ewing, rather past-prime vets and zero-prime clangers like Charlie Ward. Or trading a first-round pick for 36-year old Mark Jackson and Mark’s 19 percent turnover rate.
That a point guard led the Knicks to the title, won Finals MVP, must be the most astonishing part of New York’s championship – at least to the folks who posted on the RealGM message board two decades ago. This city destroys its quarterbacks, and Brunson’s package deal with his father raised all manner of eyebrows. Problem is: Rick Brunson can coach his tail off, and we all saw what Jalen Brunson is capable of in the of a 7’4 Defensive Player of the Year.
If Rose’s brooding presence gave New York its CAA-cultivated edge, Brunson delivered the public grin. He signed contract extensions early, ensuring all the ex-Villanova teammates Rose acquired could continue to work alongside the point guard who took them to an NCAA title. Sure, they combined for a series of enervating cellular carrier advertisements, deadening our senses throughout repeated NCAA Tournaments. But Brunson took less money in sports, the ultimate brand of divinity. Fans never forget these things no matter how much (oft-unavailable, sez this travelin’ sportswriter) rural coverage Brunson and his cohorts promised.
Rose even broke up the Wildcats, somewhat, sending Donte DiVincenzo (and Randle) to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the league’s most popular and most-polarizing players. Still came out smelling like a red flower, simply because KAT is so irrepressible, so easy to root for. Rose snatched the effusive OG Anunoby from Toronto, overpaid for long reliever Mikal Bridges but so what, the Knicks required Mikal Bridges.
Thibs was let go after 2024-25, MSG broadcasts eliminating its least-liked feature: Tom Thibodeau screaming angry instructions in a silent arena toward the end of a game decided over a half-hour before.
Leon Rose knew he needed Thibodeau, some stern voice ringing in ears when the next coach came aboard. The Doug Collins-cop and Phil Jackson-cop way of leading toward a confession still owns its charms, made much easier when Mike Brown is the second detective to enter the room.
Everyone loves Mike Brown, he’s enough to goose anyone into admitting to a crime they had nothing to do with. That’s all coaching is, chiding a player after a minor indiscretion so as to stave off the likely resultant major screwup. The Knicks chewed on six coaching candidates before – yeah, let’s go here – fate ensured the best one available took the job.
Any NBA coach could have done what was obvious, trim Thibodeau-styled minutes and loosen up the Thibs-styled offense. Brown won the energy of his charges by refusing early wholesale changes outside dropping average minutes per game, making work a little easier, less distracting. Cutting minutes absolutely led to this 2026 title, the Knicks routinely dragged heels throughout the postseason under Thibs, playing five performers over 35 minutes a night is no way to run a modern NBA team.
In the championship run, Brunson was the only one at (exactly) 35 minutes per game. Bridges was never made scapegoat, Anunoby was not dismayed by his status as a third-option. At his lowest point, Karl-Anthony Towns was afforded release in the form of Brown’s old high post plays from Sacramento, nobody was removed from any familiar roles, nobody lost a spot.
Rose made sure of this, as cutting any player after the Indiana loss only creates blame (if deserved), resentment from remaining players. This particular GM was hired to provide swagger, a back-room sensibility with all beaks drained for dipping, but instead Rose found his cubs in the form of his favorite players on other teams. It was as if Rose was under direction, after watching a two decades of Knick ball since the team’s last Finals appearance, to create a team that no NBA fan could refuse.
These charmers owed New York, 53-years without a title is unacceptable for a franchise with as diligent and studied a fanbase as New York’s. Also unacceptable for the less-informed, the ones shouting “Harden sucks.” It is a large city with diverse opinions, each valued.
These Knicks lost but THREE times in the 2026 playoffs, to four teams, in 19 games. Many of these conquests were outrageous blowouts, a ruined evening for those of us NBA fans tuning in for a competitive back and forth. These were somehow fun blowouts, though. The Knicks, Leon Rose’s tell ya what I’ll do-Knicks, never became anything less than beloved.
That’s on the leader, not the boss. Building a championship NBA team is legendary stuff, but building a winner the rest of the world falls in love with? That’s the work of someone in love with his team.
That's not the only Islanders-adjacent feat accomplished last night.
For the first time since 1980, the United States won the Gold Medal, known as the "Miracle on Ice." Later that year, the New York Islanders won their first-ever Stanley Cup.
One player won both that season. Islanders' Hall of Famer and shutdown defenseman, Ken Morrow.
For the past 46 years, Morrow remained the only American to ever win the Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold Medal in the same season.
Jaccob Slavin became the second-ever player to accomplish the feat, joining Morrow in one of hockey's most exclusive clubs.
NHL insider and former goalie, Kevin Weekes, tweeted out ahead of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final that he is under the impression that the Philadelphia Flyers have extended goalie Dan Vladar for five seasons.
Weekes' tweet lends credence to many other posts from people who closely follow the Flyers, who have been saying for some time now that the former Calgary Flames netminder was going to stay in Philadelphia.
👀 Per sources, I’m told G Vladar and the @NHLFlyers are working towards closing in on a 5 Yr Contract Extension that’s likely to land in the mid 5M AAV range. #HockeyXpic.twitter.com/V0ubAjFEx1
Two weeks ago, another NHL insider, Elliotte Friedman, also went on record to say he had heard that Vladar and the Flyers had already agreed to the extension. Still, the club was waiting until the start of free agency on July 1 to announce it officially.
Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in the third round (75th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, Vladar played only five games with the organization before a trade to the Flames in July 2021 gave him a chance to land a legit back-up role.
For four seasons, he split time (not evenly) with Jacob Markström and Dustin Wolf, compiling a 47-32-15 record with the Flames in 100 games. Once he became a free agent in July 2025, he found a home with the Flyers.
Thanks to a 29-14-7 record in 52, Vladar helped the Flyers back into the Stanley Cup playoffs, upsetting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round before a sweep at the hands of the eventual champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. Because of his strong campaign, Vladar finished 6th in Vezina Trophy voting and earned some votes for the Hart Trophy, finishing 18th on the ballot.
At this time, there is no official word on what his new contract will be worth, but several insiders believe the annual salary will be between $5 and $6 million. For comparison, Wolf will start making $7.5 million this season, while Markström is making $6 million.
“Here’s Taylor Hall breaking in. Hall scores! Taylor Hall, and it is 1-0, Carolina!”
With his head up, Hall’s wrist shot beat Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart a little over three minutes after the puck dropped, signaling the start of Game 6. It marked the 34-year-old’s seventh goal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He, along with his Carolina Hurricanes’ linemates Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, were one of the Hurricanes’ strongest lines in the postseason, combining for 55 points.
At 10:57 p.m. Eastern Time, the final horn sounded at T-Mobile Arena, and Hall threw his gloves, stick, and helmet in the air as he and his teammates swarmed their goaltender, Brandon Bussi, behind his net.
The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights, 3-0, clinching their second Stanley Cup in their history.
And Taylor Hall became a Stanley Cup champion.
“It is incredible,” he told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. “I have been kind of everywhere and got here (to Carolina) and felt really at home within a couple days. I think that is a credit to (Rod Brind'Amour) and the coaching staff, and to the guys who have been here for seven or eight years and have really put in the work to make this a special place to play. I am so happy for them. I am just ecstatic. This is an amazing group to do it with. I couldn't have asked for anything more.”
Drafted first overall in 2010 by the Edmonton Oilers, Hall went on to play for the New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks before landing in Carolina.
“You never know what kind of turn your life is going to take,” Hall continued. “I got fortunate coming here. Like I said, special group to do it with, and they allowed me just to come in and have success, and that says a lot.”
During his three and a half season stint with the Devils, Hall captured the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2018, given "to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team."
At 34, Hall played 1,062 games before celebrating his first Cup win. Per NHLPr, he had the second-most contests by a number one pick before his first championship behind Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin, with both players clinching their title against the Golden Knights in Vegas.
“I love the game, man,” Hall said. “I will keep doing this as long as I can. The Stanley Cup was the ultimate goal, but just playing hockey and being around my buddies doing it is incredible.”
Hall earned votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for their all-around role in helping the team win the Stanley Cup. He finished second behind Hurricanes’ captain Jordan Staal.
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SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 13: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks smiles after winning the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant /NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Indiana men’s basketball alumnus OG Anunoby’s storied NBA career added another accolade this past weekend when the New York Knicks won game five of the NBA Finals to seal a 4-1 series win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Anunoby played a crucial role for the Knicks, averaging 21.2 points per game against the Spurs with a 33-point performance in game four that was capped by the late go-ahead tip-in to complete the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, not to mention his impact on the defensive end of the court.
Tom Crean was in San Antonio to see his former pupil win his second ring too:
Stokes and Gus Atkinson left out for Oval Test after curfew breach
McCullum speaking to Stokes daily, not pushing him to return to cricket
Brendon McCullum has spoken of his concern for Ben Stokes’s wellbeing as the England captain sits out this week’s second Test against New Zealand as a result of his breaking the team curfew after the first Test at Lord’s.
The fallout from Stokes and his teammate Gus Atkinson deciding to spend the early hours of last Monday morning at a Chelsea nightclub rather than the team hotel has dominated the week between the two matches. While McCullum, the England head coach, admitted he initially had a strong negative reaction to learning about the curfew breach, he said this quickly changed. He has spoken to Stokes every day since the story broke, and said those conversations had left him feeling worried.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Isaiah Evans shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
If you’re Cameron Boozer, you can more or less relax in the run-up to the draft, because you almost certainly won’t go any lower than #4, and there’s a chance you could go #1.
For anyone outside of the projected lottery picks though, you have no certainty whatsoever. Some guys are going to slip while others are going to rise, and there’s often one guy who got invited to the Green Room who just sits and waits. The saddest example of this may be Florida’s Dwayne Schintzius. Expected to go early in the 1990 draft, he lingered until the 24th pick, finally taken by San Antonio, just one pick ahead of Duke’s Alaa Abdelnaby (keep in mind there were only 28 picks, and that he nearly fell out of the first round).
Since former Blue Devil Isaiah Evans is expected to go somewhere after the 20th pick, there’s just no way to begin to know where he will end up, and of course, he could always be part of a draft-night trade.
For any player, the most important thing is not necessarily how high you are picked, but rather being picked by a stable franchise that has a plan for you.
This story links to a Boston Celtics-focused podcast that talks about Evans being a possible pick for the C’s. Really, that could be a great situation or him. First, he already knows Jayson Tatum, who of course is Duke’s Chief Basketball Officer. He could be an excellent mentor for Evans.
Secondly, Brad Stevens is one of the smartest executives in the league and the Celtics are consistently one of the better teams in the league.
Thirdly, Joe Mazzulla has emerged as an excellent coach, and finally, Boston loves the three-point shot which is Evans’ calling card. He could be a great fit.
The former Vancouver Canucks defenceman was part of the Carolina Hurricanes squad that rode a dominant performance through the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs to win their first championship since 2006, doing so by taking down the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.
Carolina capped off their remarkable 16–3 post-season run with a 3–0 win in Vegas, with goaltender Brandon Bussi backstopping them to the victory only three games after he officially took the starting role after Frederik Andersen sustained a knee injury in Game 2 of the series. The 22-save shutout was his first of the post-season and third all-time in the NHL.
The journey to the Hurricanes franchise’s second Stanley Cup began after suffering three Conference Final losses through the prior seven seasons, during all of which they made the playoffs.
This year’s run began with a quick sweep of the Ottawa Senators in the first-round, during which former Canuck Chatfield recorded one assist in the team’s series-winning Game 4. Carolina went on to also sweep the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring three or more goals in each of their games against Philadelphia. Chatfield scored his first goal of this year’s post-season in Game 3 of this series.
The Hurricanes met with the Montréal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final — their fourth in the past eight seasons. Despite a dominant Game 1 performance for the Canadiens that saw Montréal put five goals past Andersen, Carolina continued rolling, winning four straight to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since their 2006 championship win. This was the third time the Hurricanes made the Final since relocating.
Vegas put up a valiant effort, but ultimately, Carolina was able to take the win in this year’s Stanley Cup Final. Both of the Hurricanes’ losses were separated by only one goal, with a thrilling Game 1 ending in a 5–4 score, and Game 3 featuring a shocking 4–0 comeback from Carolina cut short by an overtime goal scored by Shea Theodore.
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes players celebrate the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Offensively speaking, Chatfield hit another gear during Carolina’s 2025–26 playoff run. The defenceman recorded a career-high of seven assists in a single post-season and doubled his previous points-high by recording eight in 19 games. He was also relied on heavily by his team through this run, recording a career-high average of 22:32 minutes played per game.
Chatfield’s time with the Canucks was spent mostly in the AHL. The defenceman played in a total of 18 games with Vancouver, recording his first-career NHL point with the team, before he was not extended a qualifying offer and became a free-agent. In his first season with the Hurricanes organization, the defenceman won the 2022 Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves. He has since powered his way to a full-time NHL role with Carolina.
Carolina’s Stanley Cup win officially makes Chatfield a champion at the NHL, AHL, and OHL level, as he also won the Memorial Cup in 2017 as a member of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires.
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