Good morning and happy Sunday, Predators fans.

While it may be the offseason in Nashville, things haven't exactly slowed down around the hockey world. Between front office changes, free agent speculation, trade rumours, and plenty of action overseas, there was no shortage of headlines this week.

From the Predators continuing to reshape their hockey operations department to some notable developments around the NHL, we've rounded up the biggest stories from the past week all in one place.

Grab a coffee, settle in, and catch up on everything you may have missed.

Nashville Predators Prospect Cameron Reid Wins Memorial Cup With Kitchener Rangers Captain Cameron Reid snapped a two-decade title drought, leading Kitchener to major junior glory before heading to Nashville’s rookie camp alongside standout fellow prospects Alex Huang and Hiroki Gojsic.No NHL Team Benefitted More From World Championship Than Predators | Column From Roman Josi’s MVP performance to Justus Annunen’s golden goaltending, Nashville’s stars dominated the international stage, solidifying a formidable roster and sparking a heated crease battle for next season.REPORT: Nashville Predators Granted Permission To Speak To Avalanche GM Chris MacFarlandNashville seeks a swift conclusion to its front-office search as the Stanley Cup-winning executive meets with ownership, potentially shifting from Colorado to lead the Predators' new era.Predators Name Chris MacFarland President Of Hockey Operations & General ManagerFresh off a successful tenure in Colorado, the veteran executive takes the reins in Nashville to navigate a pivotal offseason defined by roster restructuring and bold personnel moves.Chris MacFarland Addresses Media For First Time As Predators GMFollowing a comprehensive four-month search, Nashville’s new front office leader outlines his strategic vision to revitalize the franchise through foundational rebuilding and a winning Colorado pedigree.THN Archive: NHL Valuations - Nashville PredatorsNew owner Bill Haslam brings billion-dollar stability and political patience to Nashville, balancing his massive wealth with a measured approach to the Predators’ front office and future.Predators Should Take A Chance On Patrik Laine This SummerNashville’s search for an elite finisher could find its match in the former 40-goal scorer, offering a high-upside gamble to ignite the power play and top-six.Predators Make Significant Front Office ChangesHall of Fame defenseman Rob Blake joins Chris MacFarland to spearhead a new era in Nashville, signaling a sweeping overhaul as longtime executive Brian Poile exits.THN Archive: The Joy of Bridge From Nashville's bargain bets to Nikita Kucherov's high-stakes gambles, NHL stars are weighing immediate security against the massive paydays that come with betting on their own prime.

Up Next: Now that the Predators have their front office in place, their attention turns to the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 & 27. Then, it's on to July 1 when free agency opens. 

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A competition of adorable rescue dogs that only the Stanley Cup Final could inspire will take place on Monday.

The NHL’s annual Stanley Pup is set to air across the United States and Canada, with all 32 of the league’s teams represented.

Suiting up for the Florida Panthers this year is Brad Marchound.

Some of the fun facts about Brad Marchound are that he has 12 pet rats and he led the league in chirping minutes, according to his player card.

Among the many talented puppy players joining Brad Marchound are Jack Eichowl, Seth Arfis, Matthew Schaefurry, Macklin Celewienie and brothers Jack and Quinn Chews.

There will also be a bunch of special celebrity guests who did not want to miss out on any of the furry fun, including Kenan Thompson, Flavor Flav, Anthony Anderson, Jean Smart, Brooke Shields, Kelli Giddish, Michael Strahan, Joel McHale, Kendall Vertes, and Emma Kenney.

Several NHL players, such as Alex Ovechkin, Seth Jarvis, Matthew Schaefer, Will Smith, Logan Thompson and Devin Cooley, are also expected to make cameo appearances.

Many of the four-legged friends participating on Monday are available for adoption through Brandywine Valley SPCA.

The 2026 Stanley Pup will air on truTV at 9:30 p.m. ET with a simulcast on HBO Max.

It will also air Tuesday on the NHL YouTube channel at 9 a.m., on HBO Max at 4:30 p.m., and on Wednesday at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on NHL Network.

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One of the more surprising pieces of news in recent Detroit Red Wings history dropped on Thursday courtesy of NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.

According to Friedman, he's heard from multiple confirmed sources that Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, who was their first-round selection (15th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft, has requested a trade from the only NHL club he's ever played for. 

Larkin remains the only active player on Detroit's roster who participated in their most recent playoff appearance in 2016, which was his rookie campaign in the NHL. 

But after 10 consecutive seasons of missing the playoffs, along with growing reports of an alleged "frosty" relationship with GM Steve Yzerman, Larkin has apparently decided his career would be better suited playing elsewhere. 

Larkin, who holds a full no-trade clause as part of the eight-year contract extension he signed in 2023, is already being linked to a handful of NHL clubs. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

During his recent "32 Thoughts" podcast, Friedman listed a handful of teams, including the New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers - but said above all else, the Minnesota Wild seem to make the most sense. 

"I know a lot of people suspect New Jersey would make a lot of sense," Friedman said. "I'm looking at Dallas, I'm looking at Tampa Bay, I don't know that Florida could do this, but I think you always have to look at them." 

"But I think the number one team everyone's looking at is Minnesota," he continued. "This has the Wild written all over it. I don't think Dallas is impossible, I don't think Tampa is impossible, and I don't know if he's gonna come to Canada, but Minnesota is the one team that everyone is talking about." 

Dylan Larkin's Reported Trade Request Marks a Dramatic Reversal From His April StanceThe reported trade request by Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is a complete 180 of what he said in late April after the season came to a close.

Larkin already has connections to Wild GM Bill Guerin, who was the GM of Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Larkin also played with Wild forward Matt Boldy and defenseman Quinn Hughes on Team USA.

Friedman then expressed doubt on whether the Wild could potentially include pending UFA forward Michael McCarron in a deal for Larkin, but did list center Danila Yurov and former Michigan State Spartan prospect forward Charlie Stramel as potential trade pieces. 

"There's a deal there - Yurov, Charlie Stramel, and who knows what else," Friedman said. "It makes too much sense, but it's up to Yzerman, and it's up to Larkin." 

Stramel, whom the Wild selected 21st overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, scored 19 goals with 25 assists in 37 games for Michigan State this season.

Yurov, selected by the Wild with the 24th overall pick in 2022, scored 12 goals and 15 assists in 73 games in his rookie season this year, and added another goal and two assists in nine postseason games. 

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The Montreal Canadiens' top goal of the off-season should be to upgrade their second-line center spot. When looking at trade candidates around the league, New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal stands out in a major way for the Canadiens to consider. 

If the Canadiens brought in Barzal, they would be adding an elite playmaker to their top six. This would be huge for a Canadiens club that will be looking to take another big step in the right direction next season.

Barzal could work beautifully on a line with Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov if acquired by the Canadiens. He would also give the Habs another major difference-maker for their power play, which would be huge. 

Barzal would also be much more than a one-year rental for the Canadiens, which adds to his appeal. This is because Barzal has a $9.15 million cap hit until the end of the 2030-31 season. 

With all of this, Barzal is certainly a center who the Canadiens should consider making a real push for this off-season. Perhaps the Canadiens could make a blockbuster trade with the Islanders for the second summer in a row after how well the Noah Dobson deal paid off for Montreal. 

In 81 games this season with the Islanders, Barzal posted 19 goals, 53 assists, 72 points, and a plus-10 rating. 

For several seasons, Swedish defenseman Mikael Wikstrand was a compelling prospect for the Ottawa Senators.

Wikstrand was a late pick, round 7, in the 2012 NHL Draft, and after three years of progress back home in Sweden, including a fine performance at the 2013 World Juniors, he arrived in Ottawa with a legit shot at an NHL job in the fall of 2015.

The plan was for Wikstrand to play in either Ottawa or with Binghamton in the AHL. In 2014-15, Wikstrand scored five goals and 20 points in 46 games with Sweden’s Frolunda HC, Daniel Alfredsson's old team. 

But during training camp, Wikstrand left the Senators overnight without telling anyone.

According to Senators GM Bryan Murray, Wikstrand did call assistant GM Randy Lee from the airport. Murray says the player felt he wasn't ready and wanted to go home and play in Sweden.

However, he was under contract with the Senators, who immediately suspended him. In speaking with the media, Murray says he told him he could be a grocery clerk back home or play for a Swedish beer league team.

Wikstrand, whose hockey career was now officially in limbo, then announced that the reason he wanted to play in Sweden was because his brother had been diagnosed with leukemia. Wikstrand says he didn’t know if or when he would be back in Ottawa because his brother’s situation “might take a month before everything is fine, or it might take three years.”

“It was really bad of me (to not tell the Senators),” Wikstrand told Varmlands Folkblad’s Johan Ekberg several days after leaving Ottawa. “I should have told them why I wanted to play at home. But I'm a guy that keeps a lot of things for myself, keep it in the family. My agent did not know about it before either.”

Ottawa didn't want his development to stall out completely so three months later, in January 2016, they finally relented and loaned him to Farjestad BK for the remainder of their 2015-16 season. 

“In an effort to further monitor his development, we have agreed to loan Mikael to Färjestad for the remainder of the season,” Murray said in a club statement. “We will retain his North American rights and should he change his outlook on working towards playing in the National Hockey League, we will be open to discussing a potential return at an appropriate time in the future.”

After lifting his suspension, it wasn't long before the Senators finally moved off their prospect completely, allowing him to get on with his career. In May of 2016, Wikstrand, who still had a year left on his ELC with the Senators, signed a four-year extension with Farjestad.

It was the end of the line for a player projected to at least be an AHL regular in 2015-16, but he was also a player Murray thought could potentially stick with the big club that year.

Wikstrand only played six more years of pro hockey, including an Olympic appearance in 2018 in Pyeongchang. Two years ago, due to injuries, he officially announced his retirement at age 30.

Hopefully, he let his team know.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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Palmieri ‘type of player' may be available for Flyers at No. 21 in draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next up:

J.P. Hurlbert

Position: Winger
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 183
Shoots: Right
Team: Kamloops

Scouting report

The Michigan-bound forward can put the puck in the net.

He has a goal-scoring prowess predicated on guile and confidence. He doesn’t own elite speed or size, but he can beat a goalie without help. He finds the right areas and finishes.

“He knows how to score in and around the net,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He’s not going to carry the puck end to end, he’s not going to flash and dash you, but he’s real good at understanding how to get open in the offensive zone, how to take advantage in the offensive zone and he’s going to pay a price in the offensive zone.”

Hurlbert had a prolific one-and-done WHL season with Kamloops. Over 68 games, he led all rookies in goals with 42 and points with 97. He delivered a hat trick in his debut and finished with three on the year. And he didn’t turn 18 years old until after the season.

Button has Hurlbert slotted at No. 22 on his May 20 draft list. He sees a Kyle Palmieri “type of player” in Hurlbert. The 35-year-old Palmieri has played in 925 career NHL games, putting up 30 goals twice and 50 or more points four times.

Hurlbert is No. 12 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting and the 21st-ranked player by Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis. EliteProspects.com has him at No. 30.

“A player of his physical stature, he’s not a guy that goes and gets engaged physically and tries to overpower guys,” Button said. “You do it with your brain, your smarts, you anticipate, you get to the right spots — he does all of those things. And he pays the price. That’s why I say Kyle Palmieri.”

Fit with Flyers

Sure, the Flyers have a ton of young wingers, but Hurlbert would be a really nice addition to their prospect pool.

The Flyers could use more shoot-first, goal-scoring potential in their system. Maybe the high-end upside isn’t quite there because Hurlbert doesn’t overwhelm you with speed or power. Still, though, there’s a lot to like.

His type of point production at No. 21 seems like pretty good value. He’d further add to the Flyers’ promising outlook on the wing along with Martone, Foerster, Matvei Michkov, Alex Bump, Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin.

More targets

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

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

Leadership — one of the biggest qualities the Vancouver Canucks will be targeting when it comes to bringing new players into the organization. 

Vancouver will enter their rebuild with General Manager Ryan Johnson, co-Presidents of Hockey Operations Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and head coach Manny Malhotra at the helm. All four of these important franchise figures have stressed the importance of developing their culture, habits, and environment before focusing on the wins and losses. 

Hence the emphasis on bringing in more leadership. 

“You’re nothing if you don’t have leadership,” Johnson said on the 100% Canucks podcast on Thursday. 

“It’s no secret that a lot of guys that I brought in, whether AHL contracts or NHL two-way contracts, if you look at it, I bet you 80% of them were captains somewhere. I always check — have they worn a letter on their jersey?”

Bringing players into a locker room that is expecting to go through some difficult seasons may be tough. One draw that may call to some players is the allure of returning to a familiar setting. These two league veterans have all taken on leadership roles with their respective teams — and both have ties to BC. 

Brendan Gallagher’s Name Has Been Tied To The Canucks As Of Late

“Vancouver would be a great place,” Gallagher told Montréal Canadiens media during his year-end availability earlier on in the week.  

During this availability, the forward explained that he may be moving on from the Canadiens organization after being scratched for all but three of Montréal’s 19 post-season games this year. On Saturday, Steve Ewen of The Provincereported that Gallagher’s agent, Gerry Johannson, had been given the green-light by the Canadiens to look at potential trade scenarios. 

Gallagher has spent his entire 14-season NHL career with the Canadiens, having been drafted by the team in 2010. He has worn a letter in all but three of these seasons. 

The longtime Canadiens forward has had ties to BC from the beginning. Though initially from Edmonton, Gallagher played out the entirety of his junior hockey career with the Vancouver Giants of the WHL, including serving as captain in 2011–12. Even now, he still spends time in BC during the off-season. 

A deal for Gallagher is something Vancouver would covet heading into a rebuild. If Montréal is willing to part with an asset in order for a team to take on Gallagher’s $6.5M AAV cap hit, the Canucks would not only be gaining a character veteran, but also acquiring something else in return. 

Is Third Time The Charm For Luke Schenn And The Canucks? 

Two-time Stanley Cup winner and two-time Canuck Schenn looks primed to be hitting free-agency come July 1. The 36-year-old defenceman has hopped around the league throughout the past few seasons, joining teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Winnipeg Jets, and Nashville Predators during playoff runs as of late. 

A near 20-year NHL veteran, Schenn has joined the Canucks twice throughout his career, being acquired via trade in 2019 and then later signing with the team in free-agency in 2021. In conversations about his time in Vancouver, Schenn has talked at-length about how the organization gave him a “second opportunity” in the NHL and how he’s grateful to the team for doing so. 

“Love everything about what it means to be a Vancouver Canuck. It’s a special organization and I had a great time there, they gave me my second opportunity there when I was down and out a little bit,” he told Donnie & Dhali in an interview at the end of May. 

Schenn’s ties to BC run deeper than just his time with the Canucks. Like Gallagher, the defenceman played out his junior career in BC, as a member of the Kelowna Rockets, and still spends his off-seasons in the interior. 

“When anyone asks me what my favourite spots to play [are], Vancouver’s right at the top of the list for me,” he added. “Kind of consider myself a bit of a BC guy now, playing junior here in Kelowna and spending my off-seasons in Kelowna.” 

Schenn is a steady depth defenceman that would act well as a mentor for a Canucks blueline that currently only has two players above the age of 25 under contract. What would make things easier in bringing him in is his added familiarity with some of Vancouver’s veterans, as well as his experience playing under Johnson with the Utica Comets. 

Other Intriguing Names With Connections To BC

Colton Sissons, Vegas Golden Knights: 

Pending UFA coming off a seven-year deal worth a little less than $3M per. Good depth add who is from North Vancouver. 15-goal, 35-point player in 2023–24 with Nashville. Formerly the captain of the Milwaukee Admirals. 

Troy Stecher, Toronto Maple Leafs: 

Pending UFA. Checks both the BC connection and former Canucks box. Heart-and-soul player who went undrafted and worked his way up to Vancouver. Fills a good depth role and is familiar with both the remaining pieces of the ‘old core’ and new management. 

Alex Kerfoot, Utah Mammoth: 

Pending UFA. Former 50-point player (2021–22) and current assistant captain for Utah. From Vancouver and played for the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express from 2010–11 to 2012–13. Doesn’t quite fit with the rebuild timeline. 

Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oilers: 

Pending UFA, signed for $775k through 2025–26. From Salmon Arm and signed with Vancouver in free-agency in 2022 but was soon traded. Previous captain for Team Canada (U20 WJC in 2014–15) and assistant with the Edmonton Oil Kings. 

Brenden Dillon, New Jersey Devils: 

Entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $4M per. From Surrey and has expressed interest in playing for Vancouver in the past. Former captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds during juniors. 

Tyler Myers, Dallas Stars: 

Entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $3M per. Longtime Canuck who also played juniors in Kelowna and made BC his home during off-seasons as well. Will likely want to pursue a Stanley Cup.  

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

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Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid has received the first half of the NHL's annual MVP honors.

McDavid was announced as the winner of the Ted Lindsay Award. Fellow players vote on the award for "the most outstanding player in the NHL."

He beat out the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini and Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov. The NHL Players' Association doesn't release vote totals.

McDavid is also a finalist for the Hart Trophy, the MVP award voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The winner will be announced later.

McDavid won the Ted Lindsay Award for the fifth time, tying Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky for most times. It was known as the Lester B. Pearson Award when Gretzky won it.

Why Connor McDavid won Ted Lindsay Award

He led the NHL with 138 points in 82 games to earn his sixth career Art Ross Trophy, tied for the second-most in league history. He recorded his eighth season of 70 or more assists. He helped the Oilers reach the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. 

Connor McDavid surprised with Ted Lindsay Award

The NHL has stopped holding the annual awards show, so the recipients are surprised with the trophies in unexpected settings.

McDavid was golfing when he received the award. His parents, wife and friends were there.

“This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much," McDavid said.

Other NHL awards winners

Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy

Norris Trophy (defenseman): Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski

Calder Trophy (rookie): New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer

Jack Adams Award (coach): Lightning's Jon Cooper

Selke Trophy (defensive forward): Montreal Canadiens' Nick Suzuki

Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship): Canadiens' Cole Caufield

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oilers' Connor McDavid wins Ted Lindsay Award for fifth time

A big subtraction from the Philadelphia Flyers roster feels inevitable at some point this summer, as does an addition. An oft-discussed name on defense appears to be the place to start.

With the addition of David Jiricek and the emergence of Oliver Bonk, it would benefit the Flyers to move on from aging veteran Rasmus Ristolainen at some point, regardless of whether or not they add John Carlson in free agency to bolster a miserable power play.

Daily Faceoff NHL insider Anthony Di Marco reports that the Flyers are very much willing to deal Ristolainen, 31, at the right price, and the big Finn still has plenty of suitors.

"According to team sources, the Flyers are still open to trading Ristolainen this summer – but are still holding firm on their asking price," Di Marco wrote.

"Among the teams who could have interest in Ristolainen, the Ottawa Senators have shown interest in him in the past. The Montreal Canadiens could be an option. Sources have suggested that they were among the closest of teams that almost acquired Ristolainen ahead of the trade deadline."

Flyers Meet with NHL Draft Prospect Compared to Shayne GostisbehereBy drafting Xavier Villeneuve, the Philadelphia Flyers can get the power play quarterback they've always wanted.

The Canadiens being one of the frontrunners for Ristolainen is interesting, considering they had a trade in place for Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies, only to have the NHL reject the late paperwork after the buzzer.

Considering Alex Zharovsky was on the table for Knies, the Flyers may have been targeting prospects like center Michael Hage or defenseman David Reinbacher.

Given a deal never came to fruition, the Flyers likely pivoted to David Jiricek as an alternative to Reinbacher.

Ristolainen's situation will be one to watch throughout this summer; his injury history appears to be behind him for now, and teams know it would be in the Flyers' best interest to trade the veteran defenseman away.

Any kind of trade that keeps Ristolainen in the East with the Flyers comes with inherent potential to backfire, but so long as the Flyers stick to the guns and get what they want, it should be worthwhile in the end.

Could Joe Pavelski end up behing the bench for the Toronto Maple Leafs? According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it’s a possibility.

In the latest edition of the ‘32 Thoughts’ podcast, Friedman disclosed that the Maple Leafs are interest in Pavelski, even though most of the candidates who have seemingly moved onto the next round of interviews have some NHL head coaching experience.

Pavelski has been coaching his son, Nate, with the Madison Capitols 15U hockey team with Friedman saying he was told Joe is being seen as a Martin St. Louis style coaching candidate. 

St. Louis was coaching his son’s peewee team before he was hired as coach as interim coach of the Montreal Canadiens in Feb of 2022. The interim tag was eventually removed. Given Montreal's sucess as of late under St. Louis, reaching the Eastern Conference final in 2026, it's clear to see why the Leafs may want to pursue this route.

The impact of bringing in someone like Pavelski is intriguing as he established himself as a player of authority and mentorship during his NHL career. In his playing days with the Dallas Stars, Pavelski invited 19-year-old Wyatt Johnson to live with him for two seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Logan Stankoven, who was with the Stars as the time, also joined Pavelski and Johnston for much of the 2023-24 season.

Former Stars head coach Pete DeBoer recalled Johnston in particular benefitting from “true leadership.” Johnston led the Stars in goals with 32 in the 2023-24 season.

In 18 seasons in the NHL, Pavelski had 476 goals and 592 assists in 1,332 games. He also played in 201 NHL playoff games, twice reaching a Stanley Cup final in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks and again with the Stars in 2020.

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The Buffalo Sabres should be looking to bolster their roster this summer after a successful 2025-26 season. One of their biggest needs is a star center.

One player who the Sabres were connected to leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas. With Thomas staying put past the deadline, some naturally wondered if the Sabres would kick tires on him again. 

Yet, based on a new report, the possibility of the Sabres landing Thomas this summer is very low.

According to Andy Strickland, the Blues are not shopping Thomas, and he is expected to be on their roster at training camp.

Hearing that Thomas is no longer an option for the Sabres is disappointing, as he would have had the potential to be an amazing addition to their top six. However, the Sabres will now need to explore their options elsewhere if they hope to bring in another center this summer. 

Thomas appeared in 64 games this season with the Blues, where he had 25 goals, 39 assists, 64 points, and a plus-22 rating. This is after he had 21 goals and 81 points in 70 games for the Blues during the 2024-25 campaign. With numbers like these, he would have been a major pickup for Buffalo. 

Former Edmonton Oilers' forward Milan Lucic has officially announced his retirement after 17 NHL seasons and 1,177 games.

The former Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins wraps up his career with 586 regular-season points and 77 more in the playoffs, also playing for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames.

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Lucic hadn’t played in the NHL since 2023-24 but attempted a comeback in 2025-26, including brief stints in the AHL and overseas. Last season, he had a PTO with the St. Louis Blues but was cut.  He played 26 EIHL games after joining the Fife Flyers in late December and recorded 5 goals, 7 assists, 18 PIMs and a +/- of -14.

His career effectively ended following a domestic incident in 2023, though charges were later dropped. Still, the latter part of his career, including his struggles both on and off the ice, will likely place a bit of a cloud over his career run. His repeated controversies in his personal life will have stained his legacy.

As for the positives, he retires as a physical, productive power forward, one of the best of his era. With the Oilers, he played 243 regular season games, scoring 39 goals. His best run came with the team in 2016-17, when he scored 23 goals during the season.

Milan Lucic is officially announcing his retirement following 1,177 career NHL games played – wishing all the best to the 2010-11 #StanleyCup champ👏 pic.twitter.com/X4QF1dWqt3

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) June 7, 2026

Mitch Marner’s natural hat trick in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final Saturday night was just one part of a historic box score.

The Golden Knights’ 5-4 win over the Hurricanes in double overtime in front of their home crowd in Vegas was an instant classic filled with record-setting action and events never before seen in a series with Lord Stanley on the line.

In the second period, Marner lit the game on fire shortly after Tomas Hertl gave Vegas a 1-0 lead on the power play.

A NATURAL HAT TRICK IN THE SPAN OF 6:10?!

MITCH MARNER JUST DID THAT #StanleyCup

Powered by @Verizonpic.twitter.com/dyf1qGPOzW

— NHL (@NHL) June 7, 2026

The former Maple Leaf scored the fastest three goals by a single player in Cup Final history, requiring just six minutes and 10 seconds to beat a record previously held by Maurice “Rocket” Richard from 1957 (6:21).

Since he also assisted on Hertl’s goal, Marner became only the second player in NHL Finals history — joining Frank Foyston (1919) — to post four points in a single period.

The 29-year-old is also just the second player in history to record a natural hat trick in a single period at this point in the playoffs, joining Ted Lindsay (1955). After this latest performance, Marner leads the playoffs by a considerable margin with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 19 games.

He is considered the frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL playoff MVP.

“Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up,” Marner told reporters after Vegas took a 2-1 series lead Saturday night. “I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night.”

The hat trick and the 4-0 Vegas lead stood as the game’s only notables for a very short time.

Carolina saw to that by setting a new record for the fastest three goals scored by a team in the final. Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal each struck within 39 seconds to pull the Hurricanes within one goal less than eight minutes into the third period, smashing the previous record of 56 seconds set by the Canadiens in 1954.

The equalizer came off the stick of Andrei Svechnikov while on the power play later in the frame.

Saturday was ultimately the highest-scoring Game 3 in Stanley Cup Final history.

In addition to the nine goals, two Vegas scores were overturned in the second period. The play on Mark Stone’s goal was deemed offside and goaltender interference disallowed Jack Eichel’s goal.

The Buffalo Sabres have a number of scenarios involving their roster construction this summer, and with limited cap space available, it could force GM Jarmo Kekalainen to make some trades to clear salary or get something in return for winger Alex Tuch before he hits the open market on July 1. 

The 30-year-old winger, along with Tampa Bay defenseman Darren Raddysh, will be the most hotly pursued free agent target. With just $12.9 million in available cap space and the price disparity between what Tuch’s representatives are looking for and what the Sabres are reportedly willing to offer makes the odds of him returning to Buffalo a long shot, especially with the salary cap going to $104 million this summer.

One option open to the Sabres may be to shop Tuch’s rights before July 1 to a club that wants the option of exclusive negotiating rights, but that would undoubtedly only yield a mid-round draft pick in return. Another option that could yield a more significant return would be to follow the Mitch Marner model that the Toronto Maple Leafs were forced into last June with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

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Marner had determined, according to various reports his intent on signing with the Golden Knights, going back to the start of his final year in Toronto, and blocked a trade to Carolina using his no-movement clause at the 2025 trade deadline. In late June, the Leafs negotiated an eight-year, $96 million extension with Marner and traded him to Vegas for center Nicolas Roy. Vegas needed to clear Roy’s $3 million cap hit to fit the winger’s $12 million AAV and the eight-year deal allowed the Golden Knights to lower the AAV to a more manageable number. 

With Tuch, the Sabres are the only club that can sign the 30-year-old to a longer term deal, and if he goes to market in July, the max he can receive is a six-year contract under the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement. A sign-and-trade might be worth something to the club Tuch is interested in signing with, since it would decrease his AAV and it would be beneficial to the Sabres, with them potentially getting a higher draft pick, player or prospect in the deal. 

Another situation that Kekalainen will have to deal with is RFA defenseman Michael Kesselring. The 26-year-old had an injury-riddled season with the Sabres, playing only 34 games, with two assists and 50 penalty minutes. The right-handed blueliner is only one year away from unrestricted free agency and after expecting to be a top-four defender with Buffalo, he is likely to be slotted on the bottom pairing.

With Kekalainen looking to extend Bowen Byram this summer, re-signing Kesselring to anything more than a one-year deal is unlikely, and with their being a dearth of righty blueliners in free agency this summer, the Sabres could potentially acquire a useful piece in return for someone who might not be in their future plans. 

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