The NHL has hit the business end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with just four teams remaining. The Eastern Conference Finals is entering its fourth game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, with Carolina leading 2-1. The West sees the Colorado Avalanche trying to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are leading 3-0.

That’s the top-down view, but if you haven’t been keeping up with the NHL postseason so far, but want to dive in, let’s go a little deeper into these four remaining teams, as well as discuss the broader theme of the playoffs so far.

Eastern Conference

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have been the most consistent team in the playoffs with an overall record of 10-1, built on the back of their lane-clogging defense and suffocating forecheck. It’s also fair to say they’ve been one of the least-tested teams in the postseason thanks to back-to-back series against the Senators and Flyers to kick off their run.

On paper this team has every tool needed to hoist the cup, but they have two glaring issues right now:

Firstly is in net, where veteran Freddie Andersen has been extremely unreliable in the ECF. In three games he’s allowed 10 goals on 47 shots, an abysmal save percentage of 0.787% — not all of that is on Andersen, with Carolina having defensive breakdowns in every goal allowed, but a playoff-caliber netminder shouldn’t let in as many easy goals as he has.

The second issue is that the Hurricanes’ top line really hasn’t separated itself to prove it can be a cup-winning unit. Andrei Svechnikov/Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis have had a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results. They need this top line to pick up their play in order to really feel like a team that can go all the way.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.

The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.

This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.

The rest of the East …

The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.

Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.

Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.

Vegas Golden Knights

Full credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.

One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.

This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.

The rest of the West …

This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.

Stanley Cup Finals prediction

The Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.

Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2

After a spring of anticipation and high anxiety among an entire fanbase, the wait is finally over.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas announced that they have signed 39-year-old forward Evgeni Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million extension, a pay cut from his previous $6.1 million average annual value. The deal runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, which will be Malkin's age 40 season and his 21st in the NHL.  

The extension includes hefty bonuses, which include a $500,000 games-played bonus, a $1 million bonus if the Penguins contend for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026-27, and a $500,000 bonus for every round won in the playoffs.

Built on great moments, with even more to come.@PensInsideScoop has more: https://t.co/QCplprvaHopic.twitter.com/lJP1k3Kppz

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 26, 2026

"We look forward to Geno continuing to provide great moments for the city of Pittsburgh, while helping us return the Penguins to Stanley Cup contention through his play on the ice and his leadership off the ice," Dubas said in a statement from Penguins PR.

During the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-5, 213-pound Malkin recorded 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games - his first time above the point-per-game threshold since 2022-23 - and helped Pittsburgh secure its first playoff berth in four years. He had two goals and three points in six playoff games with the Penguins this season.

Malkin’s contract could go up to $9M if he hits all bonuses:

There is $500K in games-played available

$1M for playoff qualification

$500K per playoff round won https://t.co/cmX4Wcmbnr

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 26, 2026

Malkin currently ranks 23rd on the NHL's all-time scoring list (1,407 points), and he needs just 14 more points to surpass Adam Oates enter the top-20. He also has 533 goals - tied with Frank Mahovlich for 36th all-time - and would enter the top-30 with 24 more goals. He is also second all-time in both categories only to Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin for Russian-born players. 

Over the course of his NHL career, Malkin also has 183 points in 183 playoff games, which is second among active players and behind only teammate Sidney Crosby at 206 points. He is also only one of six active players to have hit the 500-goal plateau.

After the Malkin extension, the Penguins still have $37.04 million in cap space currently available for the 2026-27 season.

IIHF World Championship: Crosby Earns Assist In Canada's Win Over SlovakiaSidney Crosby and Team Canada continued their dominance at the IIHF World Championship with another win on Sunday to keep them undefeated.

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The New York Islanders announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way deal:

#Isles announce that they have signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) May 26, 2026

After recording 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 70 games for the Bridgeport Islanders 2024-25, his first season as part of the Islanders organization, Foudy set career highs across the baord in season two. 

In 60 games, Foudy scored 26 goals with 21 assists for 47 points, before being held pointeas in two postseason games.  

Expect Foudy's deal to have an AAV of around $850,000 at the NHL level, the new NHL league minimum after making league minimum ($775,000) this past season. 

The speedy forward was one of two players to get recalled for Game No. 82 of the season, after the Islanders were eliminated, officially, in Game No. 81. 

He recorded one shot on goal in 11:17 TOI alongside Ondrej Palat and Casey Cizikas on the Islanders fourth line. 

Foudy, who did play two games for the Islanders in 2024-25, has 105 games of NHL experience, recording seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points, averaging 11:55 minutes per game. 

Expect Foudy to get a real opportunity to make this team come the fall.

On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights look to do the unthinkable and complete the sweep against the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. PST. 

In Game 3, the Avalanche broke the ice early and took a 3-0 lead by the end of the first. The Golden Knights came out swinging to start the second, and tied the game before the period ended. Vegas took the lead in the third, and held on to complete the comeback and take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Final.

Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 11-4 and an average save percentage of .923 in 15 games this postseason. 

On the brink of elimination, the Avalanche are making a change in goal. They’ll turn to Mackenzie Blackwood, who has a record of 1-0 and an average save percentage of .873 in three games this postseason.

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Mark Stone

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Kaedan Korczak — Dylan Coghlan

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Avalanche Lines

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Gabriel Landeskog

Nazem Kadri — Brock Nelson — Martin Nečas 

Ross Colton — Nicolas Roy — Valeri Nichushkin

Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Defense

Devon Toews — Cale Makar

Brett Kulak — Sam Malinski

Josh Manson — Brent Burns 

Goaltenders: Mackenzie Blackwood / Scott Wedgewood 

Special Teams

VGK power play: 25.0%, 4th

VGK penalty kill: 87.2%, 5th

Avalanche power play: 21.2%, 6th

Avalanche penalty kill: 78.9%, 11th

Game Notes

The Golden Knights are 11-9 in Game 4s in franchise history.

Historically, teams that take a 3-0 series lead go on to win 98.2% of the time. 

Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A). 

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the league with ten postseason goals. On Sunday, Howden became the sixth player in Golden Knights franchise history to record double-digit goals in one postseason. 

Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 16.

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella had just one thing to say about his team following the miraculous Game 3 comeback. In his own words, that was a game where they “showed some balls.”

How to Watch 

TV: ESPN

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

After some news trickled out that negotiations were undergoing earlier today, the Penguins announced a finalized contract extension for Evgeni Malkin for next season.

ANOTHER YEAR OF MALKAMANIA 🔥

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 26, 2026

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Evgeni Malkin to a one-year contract extension, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.

The deal runs through the 2026-27 campaign and carries an average annual value of $5.5 million.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion (2009, ’16, ’17), Malkin has played all 20 of his NHL seasons with the Penguins, where he ranks in the top-three in team history in all major statistical categories including games played (1,269, 2nd), goals (533, 3rd), assists (874, 3rd), points (1,407, 3rd), power-play goals (187, 3rd), game-winning goals (89, 2nd) and overtime goals (14, 2nd). Only Sidney Crosby (21) has played more seasons in a Penguins sweater.

The seven-time NHL All-Star has won a plethora of individual awards, including two Art Ross Trophies (2009, ’12) awarded to the NHL’s regular-season scoring leader, one Hart Trophy (2012) awarded to the league MVP, one Ted Lindsay Award (2012) given to the “most outstanding player”, one Calder Trophy (2007) awarded to the league’s rookie of the year as well as one Conn Smythe Trophy (2009) given to the NHL’s playoff MVP. Malkin, who became the 48^th player to score 500 goals in NHL history in 2024, was also voted Penguins Team MVP by his fellow teammates on five separate occasions.

Some of Malkin’s most iconic performances have come in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 6-foot-5, 213-pound forward was instrumental to the team’s 2009 Stanley Cup Championship run where he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy after posting a league-best 36 points (14G-22A). In doing so, he became the fourth-youngest Conn Smythe winner in NHL history at 22 years, 10 months. Malkin also led the NHL in playoff scoring during the 2017 postseason, recording 28 points (10G-18A) in 25 games en route to his third Stanley Cup. Malkin ranks 12th in all-time NHL postseason scoring with 183 points (69G-114A) in 183 playoff games while only Crosby (206) has more playoff points in franchise history than Malkin.

The 39-year old Malkin is one of just 40 players in NHL history to eclipse the 100-point plateau three times or more (2008, ’09, ’12), and is one of just eight active players to do so. The 50-goal scorer (2012) has averaged a point per game or better in 16 of his 20 seasons, a mark that only four players have accomplished in NHL history. Since entering the league in 2006-07, Malkin ranks fourth in the NHL in goals (533) and third in assists (874) and points (1,407).

Malkin, a native of Magnitogorsk, Russia, is one of the most accomplished Russian players in NHL history. He is one of just four Russian-born players all-time (Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, Sergei Brylin) to win three Stanley Cup Championships, and his 1.11 points-per-game average is the fourth-highest in league history among his countrymen. Only Alex Ovechkin (1,687) has more points than Malkin among Russian-born NHLers. He has also represented Russia on the international stage on multiple occasions including three Olympic Winter Games (2006, ’10, ’14), eight World Championships (2005, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’19), three World Junior Championships (2004, ’05, ’06), two World Under-18 Junior Championships (2003, ’04) and one World Cup of Hockey (2016).

Malkin was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft.

The contract has a $5.5 million base salary with potentially more money available in the form of bonuses. Malkin also will have his usual no movement clause in effect.

While Evgeni Malkin's #pens extension is worth $5.5 million guaranteed, sources say he can also earn:

** $500,000 in games played bonuses
** $1M if #pens qualify for the playoffs
** $500,000 for each playoff round won

Malkin's new contract includes a no-movement clause

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 26, 2026

Some more details indicate the games played metrics can be hit when Malkin appears in 42 and then 63 games. Malkin played in 56 games in 2025-26 due to injury and suspension, and 68 games in 2024-25. Prior to that he had appeared in all 82 games in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

#LetsGoPens sign 39 y/o Evgeni Malkin to a 1 yr $5.5M cap hit, 9M AAV contract

$2.5M Salary
$3M Signing Bonus
$3.5M Performance Bonus

PB: $250K at each of 42 and 63 GP, $1M for playoffs, $500K for each round win

Full NMC

Rep'd by JP Barry @CAAHockeyhttps://t.co/PrVnh4B8AI

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) May 26, 2026

The Carolina Hurricanes have taken a 2-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final after a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.

But before they won the game, they nearly lost it as it looked initially like they had fallen into a 3-2 hole midway through the third period.

After some extended zone time by the Canadiens, Noah Dobson tried to thread a pass across the slot and a diving Nikolaj Ehlers accidently deflected it into his own net.

DOBSON SCORES IT AND BLOWS THE ROOF OFF THIS PLACE 🔥🚨

Being reviewed for offsides tho.... pic.twitter.com/NIbRoGyW5J

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 26, 2026

It looked like the Hurricanes were going to let a game in which they controlled slip away, but Carolina challenged the play for offside.

After review, it was determined that Cole Caufield had just barely entered the zone ahead of the puck, bringing the goal back and setting the stage for the Hurricanes to eventually win the game.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour credited his staff and their prior experience after the game for getting the call right.

"All teams, they're on it," Brind'Amour said. "As soon as an entry goes in, they're already buzzing you if it's close, but I give credit to [Video Coach Chris Huffine] because that's a bit of a tricky one because are you dragging it in and all that. We obviously went through that with Jordo already, which helped us be real confident that that was going to be offside. They did a great job there. Obviously that's a huge point in the game."

Goal was overturned due to Jordan Staal having possession but NOT control of the puck before he crosses the line.

Looking at this, I'm not sure how you can say that he did not have control of the puck.#OTTvsCAR#SoundTheSiren#GoSensGo#NHLPlayoffspic.twitter.com/b0SWF4k4yT

— Jason Drolet 🔴⚫️ (@jason_drolet) April 21, 2026

In Game 2 of the first round series against the Ottawa Senators, the Hurricanes themselves had a goal called back for offside as Jordan Staal was deemed to have not had control of the puck on a close play entering the zone.

It was seeing how that play was ruled by the league that gave the Canes the confidence they needed to make the call to challenge the play in Game 3.

"That was an interesting point in the game," said Taylor Hall "In the end, it's offside, so shouldn't have really even turned into a play. It's nice that they got it right and that was a nice break for us. We felt like we had control of the game and you have to make sure that we win those ones and we ended up doing that."

Is Carolina's Top Line Finally Heating Up?After a quiet postseason, the Canes' top line finally ignited in Game 3, delivering an overtime winner that could signal a shift for Carolina best players.

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Former San Jose Sharks forward Scott Sabourin is staying in Tampa Bay for at least one more season. 

Earlier this week, Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois announced that the team had reached an agreement with Sabourin on a one-year, two-way contract extension. 

Sabourin previously spent two seasons as a member of the San Jose Sharks organization, signing with the team during the summer of 2023 and departing as a free agent during the summer of 2025. The gritty winger appeared in just four games at the NHL level for the Sharks, failing to record a point and picking up nine penalty minutes during that span. 

The majority of his time in the Sharks organization was spent with the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. With the Barracuda, he played 127 games, scoring 28 goals and 52 points while racking up a whopping 303 penalty minutes. 

In his first season with the Lightning, the 33-year-old earned an opportunity to fill in at the NHL level when the team was struck by the injury bug. In 26 games for the Bolts, he scored a goal and had four assists along with his 89 penalty minutes. He also played 24 games for their AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. 

Sabourin earned a bit of a pay raise with his new contract, as his NHL salary increased from $775k to $850k for the 2026-27 season. He'll once again be a pending unrestricted free agent next summer.

Another former member of the San Jose Sharks organization could be heading overseas. 

Defenseman Calen Addison spent part of one season in the Bay Area, playing in 60 games for the Sharks and now he could be going to the Russian Kontinental Hockey League.

Mike Grier brought Addison into the mix early in the 2023-24 season in an attempt to get more offense from the Sharks' defense, and while he did do that to an extent, there were some glaring holes in his game that ultimately resulted in the Sharks opting not to submit a qualifying offer in order to retain his rights at the end of the season. 

Considering the Sharks only gave up a fifth round draft pick and Adam Raska, who has also gone overseas to continue his career at this stage, there was very little lasting impact to making the trade with the Minnesota Wild.

During his 60 games wearing teal, Addison scored a single goal and registered 12 points. Since leaving the Sharks, he's been a journeyman at the American Hockey League level and has played for three teams in two seasons. 

Reports from Russia's Sport-Express state that Dynamo Moskva has shown interest in signing the 26-year-old defenseman, but nothing is official at this point in time. Over the course of his NHL career, Addison scored six goals and tallied a total of 50 points in 152 games spread across four seasons. 

If Addison signs with Dynamo, he will join current Sharks prospect Yegor Rimashevsky who the organization drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

If the Colorado Avalanche season were a boat at sea, the vessel would be taking on water with the feeling of impending doom as the choppy waters of a series sweep loom over the horizon. A journey that started in the waters of Los Angeles could come to a sinking halt in the desert of Las Vegas, as the Golden Knights have a 3-0 series lead with a chance to advance to the cup final tonight.

Colorado seems battered and bruised from the quest, as Cale Makar is clearly not healthy, and Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin were hobbled in game three.

The team from the Mile High City also appears morally drained after blowing their first third-period lead to lose game two and a 3-0 first-period lead in game three. In fact, in game three, Colorado failed to register a shot in the last 12+ minutes of the final frame despite getting a power play at one point.

Vegas has been sippin’ pina coladas like a prize fighter as their (hard-earned) luxury yacht rolls into port for another night of dominance. The Avalanche have had zero answers to what Las Vegas has brought to the table, and so for the Golden Knights, the focus will be more of the same.

Will the Avalanche end the suffering and go quietly, or will they put up a fight?

Colorado Avalanche

What can I really say about where the Avalanche stand today ahead of game four? A lot.

For starters, it feels like Nathan MacKinnon either got some incredible treatment over the last 36 hours or he will, at a minimum, be hobbled this evening after he took a puck to the outside of his right knee in game three. The impact was substantial enough to bench MacKinnon for most of the third period outside of one pointless power play appearance.

I don’t say pointless because MacKinnon shouldn’t be out on the power play, but he was clearly unable to make any explosive movements and was basically ineffective.

Nathan MacKinnon was in some serious pain after blocking a shot. pic.twitter.com/wZ7V1RvzRG

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 25, 2026

This leads me to an adjustment I hope to see from Bednar. I don’t think riding your clearly wounded top guys into the ground is going to do anything but accelerate losing.

The approach we saw in game three just came off desperate as the top group waved off a timeout just to inevitably be too gassed to stave off an open net attempt.

Moreover, it explains why the end of game three was so lifeless.

Only one team in NHL history has come back from down 3-0 beyond the quarterfinals, and that was the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs.

Saying things have changed since then is incredibly reductive, but back then, Leafs head coach Hap Day chose to bench the team’s leading scorer and a veteran defender to make his lineup younger, faster, and better equipped to play 60 minutes of playoff hockey.

Here are three keys to victory for the Colorado Avalanche:

1. Effort every second of every shift.
2. A commitment to sacrifice and teamwork
3. Patience and pride.

It’s desperation time for the Avalanche (although I’d argue it has been for at least two games), and they will have to lean into that to avoid the sweep. That means controlling what they can control, and that starts with effort.

Speaking of effort, you clearly aren’t going to skill it up to a victory against this Vegas team, so to win, Colorado will have to buy into sacrificing offense for defense, grinding in the corners and below the goal-line, and crashing the net.

The approach that’s required right now isn’t a pretty one. It’s not gonna land anyone on ESPN’s top ten or make an end-of-year highlight reel. The Avalanche will have to trust themselves, prepare for battle, and play for the logo on the front of their jerseys.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Gabriel Landeskog
Nazem Kadri — Brock Nelson — Martin Necas
Ross Colton — Nicolas Roy — Valeri Nichushkin
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Brett Kulak — Sam Malinski
Josh Manson — Brent Burns

MacKenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Should the Avalanche pivot to Mackenzie Blackwood? pic.twitter.com/EO4Z3mT2ns

— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) May 26, 2026

Note: I have italicized the individuals who are a bit questionable tonight. We haven’t gotten the real word on either Nichushkin or MacKinnon’s status, and Cale has dealt with stuff all postseason.

Nothing has been reported, but it feels like the right time to give MacKenzie Blackwood a chance in game four.

Vegas Golden Knights

When John Tortorella took the reins in Vegas, he talked a lot about just getting out of the way with this Vegas group, which has an established cup-winning core and a cupboard full of talent. It’s apparently exactly what was needed to right the ship in Vegas.

Good goaltending has also helped, as Carter Hart is on a Jordan Binnington-like run here in the 2026 playoffs. His success has been largely instrumental in Vegas’ commitment to the counterstrike approach, as he’s backstopped the group well when Colorado has earned the seldom-seen high-danger look.

Carter Hart with a HUGE SAVE at the end of the period to keep it scoreless ❌ pic.twitter.com/cYQCclhuhM

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 21, 2026

Vegas is in comfortable territory right now, but won’t just take the foot off the gas this close to getting back to a cup final.

Here are three keys to victory for the Golden Knights:

1. Stick to the plan.
2. Play to win.
3. Ride momentum.

Vegas’ approach is undefeated against the team that many (along with Carolina) viewed as a shoo-in for the Cup Final. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

With this sort of series lead, it’s human nature to let up a little bit, seeing as only four teams have ever come back from being down 3-0 in the NHL’s 109 seasons. That gives the Avalanche ~ a 3.7% chance of realizing a reverse sweep.

That’s the sort of unlikelyhood that can seep into the little habits, but as we know in Colorado, habits are fleeting and must be nurtured even when the going is good. Or else.

The Golden Knights have done very well at getting and keeping momentum when it matters most. The first goal hasn’t mattered as much as the last goal in this series because Vegas doesn’t come out of their game when behind.

Projected Lineup:

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Brandon Saad — Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton — Dylan Coghlan

Carter Hart
Adin Hill

Let us know what you think in the comments, Avs fans! Is this the end or the beginning? Are the Avalanche losing or winning tonight?

The past 48 hours for the Colorado Avalanche haven’t been the best. You're down 3-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals with Cale Makar coming back from an upper-body injury, only to have Nathan MacKinnon go down with a knee injury. Now, the media and fans are all considering whether, if the team loses Game 4 or the series, management should make a coaching change.

Is It Time For The Avalanche To Make A Coaching Change This Summer?The Colorado Avalanche are down 3-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. If/When they are eliminated from the playoffs, does a change behind the bench need to be made, and could the replacement be closer than they think?

The pressure and rumors only continue; now, not only is there speculation about shaking up your head coach and coaching staff, but your General Manager could be leaving for a rival organization to take on a larger role this offseason.

Chris MacFarland To Music City?

On May 23, Jonah Sigel, writer for the Toronto Star, put out a post on X/Twitter that stated that he is hearing that the Nashville Predators will name Avalanche General Manager, Chris MacFarland, as their new Vice-President of Hockey Operations this summer, an upgrade over his current position with the Avalanche.

If true, won't go over well in Toronto, lots of buzzing out there the @PredsNHL will name @Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland as their new VP hockey operations, a promotion over GM role he currently has... Could be interesting

— Jonah Sigel | Sports media + streaming (@yyzsportsmedia) May 23, 2026

It's a serious upgrade and change of role considering where the Predators are right now with the state of their team. With a lot of expiring contracts, veterans who still have term on their deals, and nine combined picks from rounds 1 and 2 over the next three seasons, it's a team that needs clarity on where its franchise is going, and it needs to start this summer.

It does line up with the plans the Predators tend to make this summer, as current GM and President of Hockey Operations Barry Trotz announced earlier this season that he would step down from both roles to retire.

This past season, the Predators began the process of finding the right candidate to replace Trotz. A plethora of names have been reported as those they want to talk with, including former New Jersey Devils GM and President Tom Fitzgerald, Florida Panthers assistant GM Brett Peterson, Dallas Stars assistant GM Scott White, Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM Darren Yorke, and Edmonton Oilers assistant GM Bill Scott.

So the Predators are willing to talk to anyone and everyone they can get an accepted request from, but is the initial report true? Do the Predators tend to take MacFarland from the Avalanche? Is there any other source that can back it up?

Avalanche Are Safe, For Now

It didn’t take long for Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman to report 32 Thoughts: The Podcast to help break down the situation and elaborate further. The main point Friedman raised is that, right now, the Predators are not permitted to talk to MacFarland, and no deal is in place for him to sign when the season is over and jump ship immediately.

As much as the Predators have him as a key figure in their job search, nothing is set in stone, even with Friedman saying that a “done deal” is “way, way, way, premature”.

As of right now, aside from the two reports for Friedman and Sigel, there have been no other reports from insiders or announcements by the two organizations that have made it publicly clear that an interview request has occurred. Nothing is set in stone, and until a report or announcement is made, MacFarland’s position with the team is safe, though there isn’t much the team can do to stop him from leaving.

Management can block anyone from requesting access to speak to him for any managerial positions. When someone is under contract with the team, the team can hold them to their contractual obligations. Just look at what the Golden Knights are doing with Bruce Cassidy. Denying teams like the Edmonton Oilers and other teams in the conference from requesting to talk to him to hire him as their next coach.

Avalanche Doesn’t Really Have Full Control Of The Situation.

Make what you want of the reports; it all comes down to whether Nashville really wants MacFarland and whether he feels the same about an upgrade in position. If he does, the Avalanche can’t really do anything about it.

If the team really values MacFarland, there isn’t a higher title to give him. That would mean firing Sakic as President of Hockey Operations and giving MacFarland that title, but I doubt they will do that. They already made that move to keep both members after they won the Stanley Cup in 2022, bumping Sakic to President of Hockey Operations and moving MacFarland from Assistant GM to GM.

Chris MacFarland Bet Everything on Winning — and the Avalanche Are Cashing InAfter a season-defining trade sparked outrage across the hockey world, Chris MacFarland and Jared Bednar ignored the noise, doubled down on their vision, and somehow built the Colorado Avalanche into an even more dangerous Stanley Cup contender.

The only other factor is MacFarland's loyalty to the franchise. Whether he would really leave a contending championship team he helped build for a rival franchise in the division that's on the brink of a complete rebuild. It would obviously be a great opportunity and a promotion many might take if put in that situation, but would he be so quick to leave after just getting promoted a couple of years ago?

Obviously, every Avalanche fan would love to see him and the team issue a statement thanking the Predators for their interest while committing to the Avalanche for the future. Only time will tell whether the reports prove true and whether more changes will come to the Colorado Avalanche this summer.

Avalanche Need To Flip The Script If They Want To Come Back Against Golden KnightsColorado’s trademark third-period dominance has vanished against Vegas. After falling into a 0-2 hole, the Avalanche must change the way they play if they want to tie this series up.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing free agent targets for the Philadelphia Flyers will return to the NHL for another season rather than retiring, according to a new report.

Flyers legend Claude Giroux, who was traded away for Owen Tippett and draft picks back in 2022, has decided on playing in 2026-27 after spending some time considering his future, according to The Athletic NHL insider Pierre LeBrun.

"Claude Giroux needed some time after the season to mull over his future, as far as whether he wanted to continue playing," LeBrun wrote.

"I was told Monday that the 38-year-old forward, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, has decided he wants to come back and play another season."

Giroux, now 38, is still an effective player, even if that is one or two steps behind the player he was during his Flyers heyday.

The ex-Flyers captain has spent the last four seasons playing for his hometown Ottawa Senators, scoring 85 goals, 157 assists, and 242 points in 327 regular season games.

Giroux did not record any points in the Senators' sweep and exit at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes this postseason, but posted a goal and four assists in six playoff games last year.

Remember When the Flyers Were Favorites to Sign Mitch Marner?The Philadelphia Flyers should have been all-in for Vegas Golden Knights superstar Mitch Marner when they had the chance.

Many have wondered if the longtime Flyers talisman could return to Philadelphia for one last farewell tour, and while that is still unlikely, putting off retirement at least preserves that meager possibility.

The Flyers advanced further in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs than the Senators did, and old teammates like Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Danny Briere, and Travis Sanheim can play a role in convincing Giroux to ending his NHL career where it began.

In need of center depth, experience, and versatility, Giroux would check all of the boxes for the Flyers in a free agency class that is otherwise barren at the forward position.

Undoubtedly, Giroux can still win faceoffs and help aid an abominable power play that way, too.

It's unclear if a reunion was ever considered or even on the table, but one way or another, Giroux will play in the NHL next season, keeping a dream for some Flyers fans alive for another few months.

MONTREAL (AP) — After receiving their first wake-up call of the playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes have responded like the beasts of the East they have been all season.

Following a loss to open the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes have won back-to-back games in overtime to take a 2-1 lead against Montreal in the best-of-seven series. They look like their old selves again, and it has them two games from reaching to the Stanley Cup Final.

“We’re feeling good about playing hockey again,” said winger Taylor Hall, who scored his fourth goal this postseason in Game 3 on Monday night. “Now the game is starting to slow down, and you’re making reads without even having to think about it.”

That spells trouble for the Canadiens, who registered just two shots on goal combined over the third period and OT. Carolina has outshot Montreal 64-26 over the past two games.

“They throw a lot to the net, so they’re going to outshoot you,” said Montreal's Cole Caufield, who scored 51 goals during the regular season. “I think everybody that plays them knows that, and you can’t look at it that way — that they kind of tilt the ice that much.”

Shot volume is something the Hurricanes have done consistently in the eight years since coach Rod Brind'Amour took over. What has changed in this series is preventing the young, skilled Canadiens from generating offense.

“You need everything working against a team like that,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I don’t think you can just rely on the power play.”

Caufield chalked up his team's struggles to Carolina's pace and aggressive play. That the brand of hockey Brind'Amour wants to play.

“It’s putting the stress on them,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “It’s a hard system for us to play sometimes because you’ve got to be on your toes. You’re always skating. But you can see it’s pretty effective, and it’s probably not the best to play against.”

It did not look at all right in Game 1 last week, which the Canadiens won 6-2 after getting off to a hot start, finding long breakout passes and staying patient in solving Carolina's relentless forecheck to hand the Hurricanes their first loss of the playoffs.

“It’s definitely a turning point for us: a little adversity,” Gostisbehere said. “Having two sweeps the first two rounds — not a lot of adversity in that sense. For us, it was a good kick in the teeth.”

The Hurricanes are now as close to the final as they've been during this run of success under Brind'Amour, which included getting swept twice and losing in five games in their three previous trips to the East final. This spring, they are 5-0 on the road and 5-0 in overtime thanks to a consistent approach.

“We try to play our game home and away,” first-line center Sebastian Aho said. “The game’s the same, I feel like. Obviously the environment is a little bit different, whether you’re home or away. But I feel like the game stays the same.”

Game 4 at Bell Centre in Montreal on Wednesday night is Carolina's first chance to move to the verge of making the final. The Canadiens feel like they have another level to get to, and they need to find it quickly.

"We didn’t expect this to be easy, and we’re OK with that," St. Louis said. “There’s not one thing. We have to put it all together. You’re at this stage right now, you have to put it all together. Execution’s part of that. Jam is part of that. There’s not one thing. We’ve just got to put it all together, and I know we can.”

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