With the Nashville Predators missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs by three points, all eyes are on the NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held on May 5.
According to Tankathon.com, which runs mock drafts and tracks draft odds across all five major sporting leagues, the Predators have a 3.5% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick with the 10th-best odds.
Their highest odds are to land the 10th overall pick at 73.3%.
The Vancouver Canucks have the highest odds of getting the No. 1 pick at 25%. They finished dead-last in the NHL standings with a 25-49-8 record and 58 points.
It's a slim chance for the Predators to get the top pick, but it has happened before. The New York Islanders had the 10th-best odds to land the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft at 3.5%.
They'd end up winning the lottery and drafting defensman Matthew Schaefer. This season, Schaefer has recorded 59 points in 82 games and is the leading candidate to win the Calder Memorial Trophy.
This didn't favor the Predators last season, who had an 11.5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick and the highest odds of landing the No. 3 overall pick, yet fell to the No. 5 overall pick.
Nashville ended up selecting center Brady Martin from the Soo Greyhounds with the pick. It was selected three times in the first round of the 2025 Draft.
The New York Rangers notably had a 9.5% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and won the lottery, selecting forward Alexis Lafrenière.
This year's draft is all about Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, who lit the WHL on fire last season with 129 points (41 goals and 88 assists) in 56 games at 16/17 years old.
He made the move to the NCAA this season, recording 51 points (15 goals and 36 assists) in 35 games. While having a fall-off from the 2024-25 season, McKenna is still the top prospect in this draft class.
In the midst of a general manager search, the Predators will have 12 picks in this upcoming draft.
Nashville Predators 2026 NHL Draft picks by round
Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announces Brady Martin is selected as the fifth overall pick to the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
First round: One pick
Second round: Two picks (Acquired a pick from Minnesota Wild, trading C Michael McCarron)
Third round: Two picks (Acquired a pick from Seattle Kraken, trading F Michael Bunting to Dallas Stars for the pick, which was originally Seattle's.)
Fourth round: Two picks (Acquired a pick from Pittsburgh Penguins, trading D Luke Schenn and C Thomas Novak for Bunting and a 2026 4th round pick)
Fifth round: Three picks (Acquired two picks from the Edmonton Oilers, trading a 2025 fifth-round pick and from the Carolina Hurricanes, trading C Mark Jankowski.)
Sixth round: One pick (Acquired a pick from Utah Mammoth for 2025 sixth-round pick)
The Chicago Blackhawks finished the season 29-39-14, which was good for 72 points. Their 31st-place finish makes it four years in a row that they finished in the bottom three, and they will pick in the top four for the same number of years.
Kyle Davidson received a contract extension, which will give him security ahead of the rebuild's next step. Now, it's all about taking the opportunity to use their incredible farm system to put together a winner.
This could end up being the most important summer of the entire project. There are many young players in the organization, and not all of them can be on the NHL roster full-time going forward. Trades and signings must be a part of it.
There is no limit to how many moves a team can make during the off-season, but some are more important than others. These five decisions stick out as the top priorities:
Make a wise decision with their lottery pick
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to pick in the top four. If they're picking fourth, that means that multiple teams below them won lotteries, which is unlikely. Regardless of where they land, however, they have to make a smart decision.
Most believe that Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg will be the first two forwards taken, while Chase Reid and Keaton Verhoeff will be the first two defensemen off the board. Regardless of who the Blackhawks take, they must get them on the best possible development path.
Extend Connor Bedard to a multi-year deal
Connor Bedard is the franchise centerpiece. The Blackhawks were handed a gift when they won the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, and he has rewarded them by putting in the work to develop into an elite player. There is still even more room for growth, which is what's most impressive about him.
Bedard is a restricted free agent and is in need of a contract extension. He was wise to wait through this year to get it done, because he's proven that he's worth an eight-figure number for a very long time. He will get that.
Although this is a no-brainer, there is always a worry about how long it takes to get done. The Blackhawks must learn from cases like Jeremy Swayman or Luke Hughes, as missing training camp can hinder seasons. The earlier this deal gets done, the better it will be for the team and the player.
Add a high-end top-six forward with NHL experience
The Blackhawks have a lot of great young forwards. A lot of them have the skills necessary to play in the top six. They also have Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored 32 goals, which led the team. This was a career year for Bertuzzi, so they need to add another good top-six forward to the group.
There are going to be some snipers available via a trade (and possibly free agency), and there are some who have had their name out there, but it remains to be seen if they'll actually be moved.
If the Blackhawks want a chance at winning more next season, a high-end talent to play with Bedard is a must. This will also push other guys down the lineup, which can be beneficial to other centers like Anton Frondell or Frank Nazar.
Add a veteran to the defense
The Blackhawks were without Matt Grzelcyk for the last month of the season, which made 24-year-old Alex Vlasic their elder statesman on the blue line.
It might be wise to add another veteran to play with this youth-filled group. Artyom Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, and Sam Rinzel could all use another mentor in the room to help them when things get tough.
The Blackhawks may also draft a young defenseman, depending on where things fall, which would make a veteran useful as well. There isn't going to be a world-beater available, but a steady second-pair guy would go a long way.
Be smart with Ilya Mikheyev's pending free agency
The Blackhawks traded Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, and Jason Dickinson at the deadline. All three of those pending UFAs are going to the playoffs, but it left a leadership hole on the team.
It also left Ily Mikheyev behind as a pending UFA. The Blackhawks tried to get him extended before the deadline, but to no avail. Over the summer, it would be in their best interest to revisit those conversations.
If Mikheyev is willing to sign a two-year deal at a good number, the Blackhawks should not hesitate. Even an overpriced one-year deal would be better than nothing. Mikheyev is one of the best penalty-killing forwards in the NHL, and he does everything you'd expect a bottom-six forward to do on a nightly basis.
Mikheyev, who is a wizard defensively, is also good for 15-20 goals a season with absolutely no power play time. A guy like that is hard to let go of, especially when he's one of your only players with significant NHL experience.
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Mind Over Chatter - Feb. 27 2026 - Vol. 73 Issue 3 - Jared Clinton
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH talking a bit of trash. In fact, there was a time when Sebastian Cossa thrived on it.
In August 2021, now-Utah Mammoth winger and then-Cossa’s Edmonton Oil Kings teammate Dylan Guenther was asked about the netminder’s smack-talking proclivities. Guenther told reporters Cossa had “no mercy.”
But when Cossa is pressed about that penchant for verbal sparring, he only laughs before offering that that was then and this is now.
At the ripe old age of 23, Cossa insists he’s a changed man. “Some guys would chirp me, and I’d chirp them back,” he said. “That fuels me a little more and would make me a little more dialled at that point. But over the last two years, I’ve realized I don’t really need that as much. Let the players take care of that and then just worry about myself at this point.”
Credit where it’s due: it’s commendable Cossa has become comfortable enough in his own skin – and, as importantly, with his own game – that he has been able to stash the chirping in his back pocket. Truth be told, coming to the realization he no longer really needs that element to his game puts Cossa clear of many a beer-leaguer who somehow feels the need to heckle opponents at an 11 p.m. ice time. Perhaps that’s the maturity to which Cossa is referring when he mentions he’s been called “an old soul.”
For Cossa, though, growing up quickly has always been a part of his story. His life and his on-ice career have been on the fast track since the time he was 13.
While his hockey card lists Hamilton, Ont., as his hometown, Cossa makes clear he hails from Fort McMurray, Alta. And while oil and the money that flows along with it are plentiful in ‘Fort Mac,’ elite-level hockey teams are not. The options for a talented young player to take the step to AAA hockey were limited. So when he was only 13, he had to decide whether to stay close to home or pack his things to pursue his dreams.
Ultimately, Cossa chose to hit the road. Leaving his family behind, he billeted in Fort Saskatchewan, a stone’s throw from Edmonton, in order to play high-level hockey. By 14, he was a second-round choice of Edmonton in the WHL’s bantam draft. By 16, he was the Oil Kings’ starting keeper. And just one year later, he was drafted 15th overall by the Detroit Red Wings. Since then, no goaltender has been selected higher.
From there, Cossa has only continued on his upward trajectory. His first full professional season was spent with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, followed by a full campaign with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, which led to Cossa getting his first, albeit brief, taste of the NHL in 2024-25. “Life’s moved a little bit quicker for me,” he said. “But I couldn’t have asked for anything else. It definitely has helped me mature.”
Given his steady and persistent rise, it might stand to reason that patience isn’t Cossa’s strong suit. After all, his career has thus far been defined by what’s next, not what’s present. So when his pathway to regular NHL duty was blocked after the franchise swung a deal in the summer for veteran keeper John Gibson, it was natural to wonder how he would react.
But he showed maturity with his understanding of his place in the Red Wings’ pecking order. “You do want to be there at the NHL level, but sometimes, you need to look in the mirror and see what you can continue to improve and also understand the situation as well,” he said, later adding that it would be hard to argue he should be in the NHL with how well Gibson and backup Cam Talbot have been playing.
Many of the things Cossa has worked on improving this season have been the mental, not physical, aspects of the game. Standing 6-foot-7, Cossa casts a shadow over the blue paint, and size has always been one of his most evident attributes. He’s also far more athletic for a goalie of his stature than one might expect. Knowing how to properly use those raw tools, though, is what separates top keepers from the pack. “For me, it’s a lot of positional stuff – depth-related, when to take ice and when to maybe take a little bit less,” he said. “Something for me is my hands, for sure. When my hands are on and dialled, there’s not a lot of spots to get beat for me.”
The way Cossa says that, too – that when he’s on, he’ll back himself to stop just about anything – has an air of self-assuredness that some would say borders on cockiness. But that matter-of-factness is self-belief that Cossa feels he builds through his work ethic. “We’ve got a really good system here with me and my goalie coach (Roope Koistinen) putting in a lot of work but being smart with it,” Cossa said. “I’m going into games feeling confident because I’ve put in the work during the week, and, at that point, it’s just going out there and playing.”
As with his grasp of his place on the depth chart, Cossa is not so confident as to believe he is infallible. He offers a frank and honest assessment of his play, particularly his past two seasons in the AHL. The first, he said, was defined by a meek start and a strong finish. His sophomore year, however, he views as the opposite: dominant early, with an ill-timed drop-off come the playoffs. That’s led him to view the current campaign as an opportunity to prove he has the requisite consistency to make the NHL leap.
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) April 3, 2026
If that is his challenge to himself, the early returns have been favorable. When the AHL broke for its All-Star Game – at which Cossa represented the Central Division – he was tied for the league lead with 20 wins (in 26 games) and second in goals-against average (1.99) and save percentage (.928) among goaltenders to have played at least 900 minutes. On their merits alone, those are impressive numbers. But when taking into consideration the AHL-leading Griffins have a sizable target on their backs, meaning Cossa gets the opposition’s best on a nightly basis, his performance stands out even further.
Even still, Cossa won’t be caught lamenting that he hasn’t found his way back up to Detroit this season. He’s keen on taking advantage of the opportunity he has and not trying to waste his time or energy focusing on the opportunity he wants.
His journey may have started early, but Cossa understands this is a long haul. “I love Grand Rapids, the city, and I love the group we have here,” he said. “I’m having a lot of fun, which makes it easier going to the rink every day. If you weren’t very happy here or putting a lot of thought into that, the answer would be different. But for me, right now, I’m trying to stay where my feet are.”
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The battle for Pennsylvania bragging rights is officially on.
For the eighth time in the franchises’ storied histories, the Pittsburgh Penguins are going head-to-head with the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL Playoffs.
After wrapping the 2025-26 campaign with a 41-25-16 record and a second place finish in the Metropolitan Division, Sidney Crosby’s old guard club have home ice advantage over Travis Konecny’s youthful 43-27-12 squad in this first-round showdown.
Games 1 and 2 — along with Games 5 and 7 if necessary — at PPG Paints Arena are set for:
Game OneSaturday, April 18 8 p.m.
Game TwoMonday, April 20 7 p.m.
Game FiveMonday, April 27 TBD
Game SevenSaturday, May 2 TBD
If you’d like to witness these cutthroat clashes live, tickets are available for all four potential tilts in the Steel City as of today.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one first round contest in Pittsburgh was $224 including fees on StubHub.
Prices start at $243 including fees for games in Philly.
And while that’s certainly pricey, it’s hard to put a dollar amount on catching these longtime foes — who split the four-game regular season series 2-2 — duking it out on the ice in the postseason, especially considering both have undergone recent playoff droughts.
Pittsburgh’s last trip to the postseason was in 2022; Philadelphia hasn’t advanced since 2020.
“Couldn’t have drawn it up any better. Battle of Pennsylvania, and it’s going to be a good one,” Flyers winger Owen Tippett said. “We’re excited.”
He’s not wrong; the majority of prognosticators are having trouble picking a winner for this neck-and-neck series. However, USA Today gives the Pens the edge, predicting they’ll win in six.
As for us, all we know for certain is that this “Legends vs. Kids” series should be a doozy.
Don’t miss this one live.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers 2026 First-Round NHL Playoff Series below.
Buffalo Sabres playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Sabres home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Buffalo Sabres home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game One Saturday, April 18
$402(including fees)
Game Two Monday, April 20
$224(including fees)
Game Five Monday, April 27
$229(including fees)
Game Seven Saturday, May 2
$358(including fees)
Philadelphia Flyers playoff home game tickets
All Flyers playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
Philadelphia Flyers home game dates
StubHub prices start at
Game Three Wednesday, April 22
$255(including fees)
Game Four Saturday, April 25
$266(including fees)
Game Six Wednesday, April 29
$243(including fees)
How to watch the Penguins and Flyers on TV
Fans hoping to catch high-stakes showdowns on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN and TNT.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NHL playoff schedule
Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The Buffalo Sabres have to wait until Sunday night to play their first postseason game in 15 years, and although the Sabres won the Atlantic Division and will be at home in front of an excited crowd at KeyBank Center, they will face a significant challenge in their division rival, the Boston Bruins. The Beantowners finished nine points behind the Sabres in the first Eastern Conference wildcard spot with 100 points, but have more playoff experience than Buffalo with the likes of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, nd Jeremy Swayman.
The Sabres lost three of four matchups against Boston this season (3-1 in Boston on October 11, 4-3 in overtime at TD Garden on October 30, and 4-3 in overtime at KeyBank Center on March 25). Buffalo’s only win, 4-1, came at home on December 27. Bruins head coach Marco Sturm gave away a bit of his club’s gameplan on Friday before they embarked for Western New York, stating that they plan to be the big bad Bruins.
“We know how we have to play. We're excited. We are bigger, stronger, we are more physical.” Sturm said. “We just have to be smart. But, we're going to go after them. Whoever comes in first place, second….I don’t really care. We are going to play our game.”
The Bruins apparently are going to try to take a page out of the Tampa Bay Lightning playbook, who on their infamous visit in March, targeted Sabres team captain Rasmus Dahlin and defenseman Bowen Byram, but Buffalo effectively pushed back and won a wild 8-7 contest. Boston has a group of tough players, including former Sabre first-rounder Nikita Zadorov (152 penalty minutes), center Mark Kastelic (140 penalty minutes), and rugged winger Tann Jeannot, and is likely calculating that they can take some liberties against Buffalo because of its ineffective power-play (21st in the NHL at 19.5%).
Buffalo head coach Lindy Ruff gave his club the day off after practicing on Thursday, and indicated that he does not expect to have center Sam Carrick for the series, but that rookie Noah Ostlund may play at some point. Goalie Alex Lyon may practice with the club on Saturday, after rookie Colten Ellis missed Thursday’s workout.
The NHL released the series schedule, with Game 1 on Sunday at 7:30 pm. Game 2 will be on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. The series shifts to TD Garden for Games 3 and 4, on Thursday at 7 pm and Sunday afternoon at 2 pm. If necessary, Game 5 will be on Tuesday, April 28 in Buffalo, Friday, May 1 at TD Garden, and Game 7 on Sunday, May 3rd. Games 5, 6, and 7 start times are to be determined.
The quest for Lord Stanley's Cup is down to four teams, with the Conference Final round well underway.
The battle is on for what's often said to be the hardest trophy to win in professional sports, but only one can be crowned NHL champion in June.
Our hockey experts will deliver their NHL playoffs predictions and NHL picks for every game, every day from now until the Stanley Cup is presented.
NHL playoff predictions today
Game
Best pick
Odds
ECF G4: CAR vs. MTL
CAR ML
-138
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
Wednesday, May 27
Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4 prediction
8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TNT
Expert pick: Hurricanes (-138 at Kalshi)
Carolina has generated 67.8% of the expected goals and 67.3% of the shot attempts since the first period of Game 1, and if Montreal begins to sell out to create more chances, the Habs will be all the more susceptible defensively to the Hurricanes’ counterattack.
Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes can only shelter the Carolina storm for so long.
The NHL is a prediction buffet — the key is picking the right market for your edge.
Futures: Not only can you trade on the team you think will win it all in the Stanley Cup odds, but you can also wager on Conn Smythe odds. The latter trophy is awarded to the player judged to be the best performer in the postseason, not just in the Stanley Cup Final
Game lines: The spread, moneyline, and total are the bread-and-butter once the playoffs begin. As the postseason rolls on and teams become more risk-averse, lines will get tighter, and totals will drop, so traders can take advantage of swings throughout the series one way or the other.
Props: NHL player props will still be going strong all the way until a potential Game 7 of the Cup Final. The most popular markets include anytime goalscorer, player points, assists, shots on goal, and goalie saves.
Same-game parlays: SGPs can be fun, but value varies. Compare the parlay payout to legs individually, and prioritize lines you’d play on their own.
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
While 16 teams are preparing for battle in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings were once again left cleaning out their lockers at Little Caesars Arena after another disappointing finish.
Despite being tied for first overall in the Eastern Conference in late January, the Red Wings stumbled to a 9-15-5 record during the final 29-game stretch of their centennial campaign, seeing their playoff cushion disappear and ultimately be eliminated from postseason competition last Saturday.
It marks the 10th consecutive season of no postseason hockey in Detroit, not only the longest drought in team history, but now officially the longest active drought in the NHL.
Forward Alex DeBrincat, who scored 41 goals, the most by any Red Wings forward since Marian Hossa in 2008-09, explained that the club needed to channel the disappointment they're currently feeling and use it as fuel for next season.
“Over the summer, we need to bottle up what this feels like and come back stronger,” DeBrincat said. “I think, I feel like we’ve said that the past couple of years, but overall, I think we played good hockey for, you know, 3/4 of the season and put ourselves in a great spot, had confidence. We were coming to the rink ready to play and confident we could beat any team in the League for a long time there."
Not long after the resumption of the schedule following the Olympic break, the Red Wings suffered a 4-3 OT loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 4, a game in which they led 3-1 in the third period.
What followed was a series of costly losses, perhaps the most damaging of which was a stunning 4-3 regulation setback against the Florida Panthers. Detroit led 3-2 with 90 seconds left, only to see the Panthers knot the score and then score the go-ahead goal with just 14 seconds left.
While they eventually rebounded with two straight wins over the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens at home, they dropped four of their next five, all against opponents they were jockeying for playoff position against.
“And that kind of slipped," DeBrincat said of Detroit's lead in the standings. "I don’t know exactly when it slipped or what happened, but then you see the mental side of the game come in, and we feel defeated, and you can see it. We need to find a way to work hard every game to the end of the season."
Following the aforementioned 5–3 loss to the Devils last Saturday that sealed Detroit’s playoff fate, the Red Wings earned a point with a third-period comeback against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. However, they then sleepwalked through an 8–1 loss in their regular-season finale against the Panthers—their largest margin of defeat all season and the most goals the club has surrendered since November 2022.
"I think our last game was probably one of the most embarrassing games I’ve played in myself," DeBrincat said of their lopsided loss. "Everyone, it seems like, we weren’t working hard, and I know it didn’t mean anything, but you could kind of see that creep into our game during that last bit. Very frustrating.”
DeBrincat is set to enter the final season of a four-year deal he signed shortly after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators during the 2023 offseason, but the Farmington Hills, Michigan, native reiterated that he feels comfortable playing in his hometown.
“I love it here. I think we’re still a little far away from even having those conversations, but yeah, this is my home,” said DeBrincat. “I’ve loved every bit of playing here, but I think at the end of the day, it’s a business, so we’ll see what they want to do. But yeah, I love it here.
“I think this is a team I want to be a part of for a long time, and I think everyone knows that. I want to be a big part of changing the culture, and obviously, we’ve done a little bit of that, but there’s still work to do.”
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The drought is officially over.
After a 15-year absence from the NHL playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres are returning to the postseason in a big way.
With a sparkling 50-23-9 record and first-place Atlantic finish, Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have home-ice advantage against Jeremy Swayman and David Pastrnak’s Boston Bruins in the best-of-seven first round.
Their four hypothetical home games are scheduled to take place:
If you’d like to be there to root yourself hoarse for the Blue and Gold live, tickets are available for all high-stakes showdowns.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any of the four games in Buffalo was $360 including fees on StubHub.
Prices for games at Boston’s TD Garden start at $176 including fees.
In the off-chance you’ve been living under a rock, Buffalo’s season took a turn in mid-December when they were made fun of on “Heated Rivalry” the club let general manager Kevyn Adams go and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen.
Once the move had been made, everything started clicking for Lindy Ruff’s gritty squad.
“It’s extremely satisfying,” Ruff said after clinching the Atlantic. “[These] last four months [have] been so much fun…you hope you get the team in the right place and become consistent, but these guys have exceeded my expectations.”
Over the course of the regular season, Buffalo and Boston met twice and split the season series. The Sabres won their most recent contest 5-1 on March 5 behind goals from Ryan McLeod, Alex Tuch, Josh Norris, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson.
Although we can’t predict what happens next, we do know the best way to experience this series is live because…who knows when the Sabres will be back in the playoffs?
Don’t miss this one.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins 2026 first-round NHL Playoff Series below.
Buffalo Sabres playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Sabres home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Buffalo Sabres home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game One Sunday, April 19
$501(including fees)
Game Two Tuesday, April 21
$365(including fees)
Game Five Tuesday, April 28
$360(including fees)
Game Seven Sunday, May 3
$437(including fees)
Boston Bruins playoff home game tickets
All Bruins playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
Boston Bruins home game dates
StubHub prices start at
Game Three Thursday, April 23
$176(including fees)
Game Four Sunday, April 26
$198(including fees)
Game Six Friday, May 1
$204(including fees)
How to watch the Sabres and Bruins on TV
Fans hoping to catch Ruf’s rowdy roster on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN and TNT.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NHL playoff schedule
Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?
Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NHL season?
The KeyBank Center has you covered.
The vintage and unhinged arena has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer (and fall) long.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Bryan Adams (Aug. 14)
• Zac Brown Band (Nov. 5)
• Zayn (Nov. 7)
• Sombr (Nov. 14)
• Andrea Bocelli (Dec. 11)
Want to see who else is Buffalo-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at the KeyBank Center (which includes the NHL Draft) to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
Colorado's performance this season was certainly not lost in this NHL 26 simulation.
In the first round of the playoffs, the video game predicted the Kings to get swept by the Avalanche in a 4-0 series defeat.
It may not be completely unrealistic for Colorado to sweep Los Angeles, considering the Avs finished the season with 31 more points than the Kings and are 19 positions apart in the NHL standings.
However, it's worth mentioning that Colorado has had a couple of first-round series in the last five campaigns where they swept their opponent as the top seed of their division.
It happened in the 2022 playoffs when the Avs swept the Nashville Predators, and in the 2021 playoffs when the St. Louis Blues were the victim of Colorado's dominance.
Whether it's looking back at history, the course of this past regular season, or the simulation of NHL 26, it's clear that the Kings are the biggest underdog in this year's playoff campaign.
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For the other half of the NHL, teams will look forward to seeing where they will draft in June. The annual draft lottery is scheduled to be held after the first round of the playoffs and will determine the order of the non-playoff teams in the first round.
The last-place Vancouver Canucks will have the best odds at 18.5% to win outright and 25.5% if a team in the 12 to 16 range wins and moves up the maximum 10 spots.
Here are the odds for the draft lottery, per Tankathon, based on their final finish in the 2025-26 standings:
NHL draft lottery odds
Teams in the 12 to the 16 range can't win the No. 1 overall pick. They would move up 10 spots.
1. Vancouver Canucks: 18.5% (25.5% overall)
2. Chicago Blackhawks: 13:5%
3. New York Rangers: 11.5%
4. Calgary Flames: 9.5%
5. Toronto Maple Leafs: 8.5% (pick traded to Boston but is top 5 protected)
6. Seattle Kraken: 7.5%
7. Winnipeg Jets: 6.5%
8. Florida Panthers: 6.0% (pick traded to Chicago but is top 10 protected)
9. San Jose Sharks: 5.0%
10. Nashville Predators: 3.5%
11. St. Louis Blues: 3.0%
12. New Jersey Devis: 2.5%
13. New York Islanders: 2.0%
14. Columbus Blue Jackets: 1.5%
15. Detroit Red Wings: 1.0% (pick traded to St. Louis)
16. Washington Capitals: 0.5%
Top North American skaters
LW Gavin McKenna, Penn State
D Reid Chase, Sault Ste. Marie
D Carson Carels, Prince George
D Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota
D Daxon Rudolph, Prince Albert
Top international skaters
LW Ivan Stenberg, Sweden
D Alberts Smits, Latvia
C Oliver Suvanto, Finland
C Viggo Bjorck, Sweden
RW Elton Hermansson, Sweden
How does the draft lottery work?
There are two drawings, first for a chance at the top pick and then for a chance at the second pick. Winning teams can move up only 10 spots. The last-place team can draft no lower than third overall. Beginning with the 2022 lottery, a team cannot win more than twice in a five-year period. There are 14 ping-pong balls in the machine and each team is assigned a series of four numbers. The lower a team is in the standings, the more series of numbers it gets.
The St. Louis Blues have started the process of reshaping their coaching staff.
On Friday, they announced that assistants Claude Julien and Mike Weber will not be brought back.
“I would like to thank Claude and Mike for their contributions during their time with the organization,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement. “With their contracts set to expire this summer, we wanted to give them the opportunity to move on to the next chapter of their coaching careers while we work to building a coaching staff that is best suited to lead our team moving forward.”
Julien, 65, joined the Blues as an assistant coach in the summer of 2024. The Blind River, Ontario, native helped guide the Blues to an 81-63-20 regular-season record during his tenure, along with a postseason appearance in 2025. Julien has more than 20 years of coaching experience, including NHL head coaching stints with the Montreal Canadiens from 2002-06 and 2016-21, New Jersey Devils in 2006-07 and Boston Bruins from 2008-17, winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.
Weber, 38, joined the Blues as an assistant coach in the summer of 2023. During his tenure, the Blues posted a 124-96-26 regular-season record and made a postseason appearance in 2025. The Pittsburgh native previously served as an assistant coach with the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans from 2020-23 and the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires from 2018-20.
When Blues coach Jim Montgomery was brought in to replace Drew Bannister in November of 2024, he kept the assistants in place until now and will have the opportunity to bring in someone that he's had previous experience with, perhaps, or someone new that he hasn't worked with before but has some sort of experience with.
There will be more on these moves on Saturday when Armstrong, Montgomery and players address things at locker room cleanout for the and the start of the off-season.
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The Edmonton Oilers didn’t dominate the regular season, but they may have landed one of the most favorable first-round matchups in the bracket. Against a young and inconsistent Anaheim Ducks team, Edmonton enters the series with clear advantages in firepower, experience, and special teams.
While nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs, there are several reasons why the Oilers are widely viewed as the favorites heading into Round 1. This draw against the Ducks could be just what the team needed.
Ducks’ Defensive Issues Play Directly Into Oilers’ Strengths
The Edmonton Oilers couldn’t have asked for a better stylistic matchup to open the playoffs. Simply put, the Ducks are terrible defensively. They ranked fourth-worst in the NHL in goals against and are the worst of the playoff teams. So too, their penalty kill ranked near the bottom among playoff teams — second only to the Ottawa Senators.
You can't be that bad in those areas and expect not to get scored on, and lots, by a dangerous team like Edmonton.
With Connor McDavid leading the league in points (winning the Art Ross Trophy for the sixth time) and Leon Draisaitl expected to return, the Oilers boast the NHL’s most dangerous power play. They were top five in goals for, goals for on the power play, and exceled in several offensive categories. Anaheim’s inability to suppress chances or stay out of the box could make this a short series.
Edmonton Is Peaking at the Right Time
The Oilers enter the postseason trending upward, having found another gear late in the season. While they struggled early by their own Cup-or-bust standards, the team came alive when things got serious. After the Olympic break, the team looked different. They weren't perfect, but the group that leaked chances and goals against, or got blown out by top-tier teams, disappeared.
McDavid is back to doing McDavid things, scoring at an almost unbelievable rate. Matt Savoie looks like a 20-goal guy, Zach Hyman is back and healthy, Connor Ingram has set a new baseline in goal, and the defense is suppressing chances against and keeping goals down. Add in the contributions of Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and the depth on this team, and Edmonton suddenly looks like a team capable of overwhelming opponents in waves.
Experience Gap Favors a Battle-Tested Oilers Team
While Anaheim’s young core brings energy and unpredictability, playoff hockey is often about experience — and that’s where Edmonton holds a clear edge. "Playoff hockey is unique," said McDavid. "It's a skill to win in the playoffs, and we feel pretty good about that, having that skill, having been there and won a lot of playoff games."
The Oilers have built a reputation for elevating their game in the postseason, finding ways to win. The Ducks, meanwhile, will have to learn how to win at this level. Despite intriguing pieces like Jackson LaCombe and a promising young roster, they limped into the playoffs without much momentum. There are questions about their readiness, especially as the physicality and intensity ramp up over the course of a seven-game series.
Edmonton understands what it takes this time of year, and that maturity could prove decisive. If the Oilers handle business as expected, this series could serve as a launching pad — not just to advance, but to build momentum for tougher matchups ahead against teams like the Vegas Golden Knights or Colorado Avalanche.
The Anaheim Ducks have punched their ticket to the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. This will be their first appearance in eight years, since the 2018 playoffs, where they were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round.
Their opponents for their first playoff series in the 2020s will be the back-to-back Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers. The series will begin on Monday, April 20.
Before breaking down storylines and matchups, it’s worth looking at how this Ducks roster was constructed, what general manager Pat Verbeek’s vision is for them, and how it will look in these playoffs and beyond.
Verbeek took over as Ducks general manager just six weeks ahead of the 2022 trade deadline with the goal of building a sustainable Stanley Cup-contending team. In order to do so, he felt his best route would be to perform a full, immediate teardown of the roster and fully commit to a rebuild.
His first two seasons spent in the chair were the two worst in franchise history, totaling 58 and 59 standings points in 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. His first four trade deadlines (2022-2025) were spent shipping out expiring UFAs for prospects and draft capital.
On the Ducks current roster, the players who were either on the team or drafted by Verbeek’s predecessor are Lukas Dostal (85th overall in 2018), Tyson Hinds (76th in ‘21), Jackson LaCombe (39th in ‘19), Mason McTavish (3rd in ‘21), Ian Moore (67th in ‘20), Troy Terry (148th in ‘15), and Olen Zellweger (34th in 21).
Every other roster player was either drafted, signed via unrestricted free agency, acquired via trade, or claimed off waivers by Verbeek since Feb. 2022.
It’s safe to state that the core of the Ducks in the present and moving forward consists of LaCombe, Dostal, Leo Carlsson (2nd in ‘23), Cutter Gauthier (from Philadelphia via trade, 2024), and Beckett Sennecke (3rd in ‘24). There’s potential for players like McTavish, Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov (10th in ‘22), Tristan Luneau (53rd in ‘22), Roger McQueen (10th in ‘25), and others to continue their development and breakthrough into consideration to be named among the team’s core.
Troy Terry (28) is consistently among the team’s leading scorers and has four years remaining on his seven-year contract. He is considered among “core” pieces, but would represent the eldest statesman in that regard.
When analyzing the Ducks’ roster, core, and future core and comparing it to teams on a similar trajectory like the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, and Montreal Canadiens, the aspect that stands out most is how, in theory, Verbeek has built and procured this core and pipeline with this time of year (the Stanley Cup Playoffs) in mind.
The Stanley Cup playoffs are traditionally a war of attrition, where the ice “shrinks,” scrums occur after nearly every whistle, and in tight games, infractions leading to special teams can be harder to come by.
As a whole, the collective of players mentioned above are long, heavy, speedy, skilled in open ice, skilled in small areas, and more than willing to engage in extracurriculars after whistles, even (and often especially) the youngest among them.
The Ducks’ young core will get their first taste of playoff experience, starting on Monday, when the puck drops on their best-of-seven series against the Oilers. They have a long way to go yet in their development to realize their potential, both as players and as a group in the most high-stakes games they’ll play in their careers.
These are also the games where details are paramount, and mistakes are amplified to the highest degree. With the exceptions of Beckett Sennecke and Cutter Gauthier (to a much lesser extent), who can be relied upon to provide instant, game-changing offense, the remaining projected core pieces have the capability and skillsets to progress into quality 200-foot impact players and control game flow in every zone.
In the crease, Lukas Dostal (25) has traditionally played his best when games matter most, whether on the Olympic, World Championship, or World Junior stage. Though the playoffs are a completely different beast, Dostal has placed the team firmly upon his back for extended stretches, kept them in games they have no business remaining in, and has the talent to steal an entire series for the Ducks. The hockey world has witnessed what can happen when goalies heat up in the spring.
Beyond this playoff run, the Ducks have a stable of young, talented potential roster contributors with complementary skill sets at various levels below the NHL. Players like Eric Nilsson, Nathan Gaucher, and Lucas Pettersson down the middle, wingers like Nico Mayatovic, Herman Traff, and Maxim Masse, defensemen like Stian Solberg, Noah Warren, and Lasse Boelius, and finally, goaltenders like Damian Clara, Tomas Suchanek, and Calle Clang all have the potential to be excellent foils to the Ducks’ high-profile core pieces.
Though young, though inexperienced, the Ducks’ youngest players are their drivers and lifeblood, and the next two weeks will provide themselves an opportunity to display how translatable and effective their styles, brands, skillsets, etc. are in the Stanley Cup playoffs and confirm that Verbeek’s approach and blueprint for the rebuild was, ultimately, the proper direction for the Anaheim Ducks organization.
The Sabres are making their first postseason appearance since 2010 when they lost to the B’s in Round 1. It’s been a long time coming for Buffalo. But the Sabres have been picking in the top 10 of the NHL Draft for more than a decade, and eventually they were going to break through.
They did so in impressive fashion, too. The Sabres didn’t just limp into the playoffs. They won the Atlantic Division and were one of the highest-scoring teams in the league. Buffalo’s roster is loaded with scoring depth up front and has a great blue line, led by potential Norris Trophy finalist and captain Rasmus Dahlin.
The one thing the Sabres don’t have is playoff experience. Many of their best players have never played in a postseason matchup. Will the moment be too big for the Sabres? How will they handle the pressure?
The Bruins have a lot more playoff experience. They also have a huge goaltending advantage. There are also more unknowns with the B’s.
Will their power play, which ranked 28th post-Olympic break, rediscover its elite form from earlier in the season? Will the bottom-six forwards provide enough offense? Can 19-year-old rookie James Hagens make an impact? The Bruins also struggled on the road for much of the season, and they don’t have home-ice advantage in this series.
Which team has the upper hand in this first-round showdown? Here’s a roundup of expert predictions:
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) celebrates his goal with right wing Matvei Michkov (39) against the Montral Canadiens during the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline/Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
It looked like this would be the spring of the past two No. 1 draft picks, Matthew Schaefer and Macklin Celebrini, making the NHL playoffs at 18 and 19 years old. Then Schaefer’s New York Islanders and Celebrini’s San Jose Sharks fell short.
There is plenty of youthful talent in the NHL postseason anyway, including rookies and players 21 and under getting their first taste of playoff hockey in the best league in the world.
Montreal’s Ivan Demidov, Pittsburgh’s Ben Kindel, Boston’s Fraser Minten, Philadelphia’s duo of Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson are among the young stars to watch in the chase for the Stanley Cup.
“(This will be about) showcasing some of these young players that are on the rise that maybe haven’t had that experience,” retired Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger said. “Now they get a chance to kind of understand what it’s all about and what it means to play in the playoffs.”
Ivan Demidov, Canadiens
Game 1 against Tampa Bay won’t be Demidov’s NHL playoff debut after he played in the first round a year ago against Washington. But the skilled, fast-puck-moving winger has gained some real experience since then; with 19 goals and 43 assists this season, he is a big reason Montreal is a legitimate contender.
“He’s just gotten better over the season at understanding the NHL game and understanding our systems and where he can be effective,” captain Nick Suzuki said. “He’s still a young kid in the league, and he’s going to keep getting better.”
Demidov, the fifth pick in the 2024 draft when Celebrini went first, is still only 20, and yet coach Martin St. Louis — himself a Hall of Famer — has entrusted him with an important top-six role.
“He’s really using his speed, using his skills and he creates a lot on the ice,” linemate Alex Newhook said. “Fun to play with. We play a fast game, and I think it suits his style a lot. He sees the ice really well. He plays fast himself. Sure, he can slow it down, but he fits that style and he’s built for what we’ve got going here.”
Ben Kindel, Penguins
Schaefer making the leap to the NHL right away was expected. That was not necessarily the case for Kindel, whom Pittsburgh selected with the 12 pick in the draft. Kindel was so good in training camp that he gave the organization little choice but to keep him around.
“For him it was just continuing to check boxes,” first-year coach Dan Muse said. “For a younger player, it’s just continuing to work with him and continuing to help his game evolve at the things that do go well and then over the course of the season, this is a game of mistakes. It’s also seeing how you adjust and how you adapt when maybe things don’t go as perfect.”
Kindel put up 35 points in 77 games. Game 1 against Philadelphia comes two days before he turns 19.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Kindel said. “It’s been a whirlwind, but I love going out there and competing.”
Fraser Minten, Bruins
Minten is the top prospect Boston got for trading Brandon Carlo to Toronto at the trade deadline last year. He was not expected to make the team right away at 21, but the 6-foot-2 center forced the coaching staff to make a decision.
“It was more up to him, so I give him a lot of credit,” coach Marco Sturm said, adding that he has seen Minten’s confidence grow in his rookie season. “When you have that, I think it automatically gives you more boost. It could be his skating. It could be his just calmness on the ice, playing a two-way game. He’s still growing. He’s still becoming a man and he’s just taking really good strides right now.”
Minten has played up and down the lineup and shown he can handle it.
“What impressed me is his ability to play in all three zones,” teammate Casey Mittelstadt said. “As a young guy, I had my troubles with that, so to see him do it is very impressive.”
Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, Flyers
This is Michkov’s second season after Philadelphia got him out of his contract in the KHL a year after taking him with the seventh pick in the 2023 draft. Michkov’s point total decreased, but he has become a better all-around player at 21.
“He’s really taken the information and applied it,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He’s always been a team guy, but it’s just about the team. And then whatever we can do to help him, we’ll help him.”
Martone, 19, joined in March after his college season at Michigan State ended. He gives the Flyers a power forward to contrast with Michkov’s offensive flashiness.
“They’re just a little bit different,” Tocchet said. “It’s good to have different flavors in your lineup.”
Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson, Ducks
General manager Pat Verbeek and his staff took a little heat for drafting Carlsson second in 2023 ahead of Adam Fantilli and for taking Sennecke third, long before his projection, in 2024. They have made Anaheim’s scouting department look smart.
Sennecke could be a Calder Trophy finalist for rookie of the year, and Carlsson is the most important player for the Ducks as they’ve returned to the playoffs under coach Joel Quenneville.
Carlsson nearly was a point-a-game player with 67 points in 70 games around the injury that sidelined him before the Olympics. Sennecke’s 60 points were two shy of Demidov for the most among rookies.
CAR vs. 
MTL
