At long last, the puck dropped on the much-anticipated first-round series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning. While the Bolts captain Victor Hedman skated on Sunday morning, his first time back on the ice, the Lightning had to make do without him for the game, just like the Canadiens were without Noah Dobson, even though he made the trip with the team.

Unsurprisingly, the atmosphere in the building was absolutely electric when the puck dropped, and the intensity level was dialed all the way up. As expected, Jakub Dobes was in the net for the Habs, starting just his fourth playoff game, while Andrei Vasilevskiy, a fixture in the Bolts’ net for years now, was playing the 121st playoff game of his career.

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A Confident Rookie

Despite his inexperience, Dobes showed absolutely no sign of nerves. He came out strong, and while the Canadiens were outshot 9-4 in the first frame, they still had a 1-0 lead on the board thanks to some big saves.

The Czech netminder was aggressive at the right time, coming out of his net to cut the angles as a Tampa Bay player had a golden opportunity all alone in the slot. Furthermore, he proved he had nerves of steel when he came out of the net to handle the puck, near the empty net, under pressure; he kept his cool and made the right play.

JAKUB DOBES WITH A HUGE SAVE EARLY 🛑

📺: Canadiens 🆚 Lightning LIVE on Sportsnet
📲: Stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/WwRreo8C9h

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 19, 2026

The Highs And Lows Of Anderson

Josh Anderson always brings a lot of energy to the table in the playoffs. He clearly loves the importance of the moment and the electricity in the air. It’s no surprise, really, that he got the first goal of the game.

For a few minutes in the second frame, it looked like he had a second goal when he tipped a high puck in front of Vasilevskiy, but it was waived off because he touched it too high. Immediately after that, he got a two-minute charging penalty. He came at Charle-Edouard D’Astous like a train while the Bolts’ player was readying himself for contact with Jake Evans on the other side. As a result, D’Astous was hit by two Habs at once and fell to the ice, clearly shaken up. If he hadn’t been bumped by Evans at the same time, there might not have been a call, but there was.

Unfortunately for Anderson, that penalty would result in a big momentum swing. The hosts scored their first goal on the man advantage, then a second 29 seconds later, as the Canadiens looked panicked in their own end, the puck went through Kaiden Guhle’s leg on its way to the front of the net, where Brandon Hagel collected it before flipping it over Dobes’ arm. In those 29 seconds, the game had been turned upside down, and Montreal went from thinking it led 2-0 to trailing 2-1.

At that stage, Martin St-Louis spoke with the referees. Perhaps it was about a call he felt was missed, but it also looked like a way to take a time-out without actually calling for one, giving his team time to settle their nerves. If that was the case, it was an excellent move by the bench boss who was coaching his sixth playoff game.

Slafkovsky’s Strength

If anyone still doubted just how strong Juraj Slafkovsky is, that game should have settled any doubt. In heavy traffic with hits flying left, right, and center, the power forward made his way through the Tampa defense relentlessly. With half the game gone, he was the only member of the first line to have tested Vasilevskiy; he even had two shots.

After the Bolts had taken a 2-1 lead, it was the big Slovak who brought everyone back to square one with a one-timer on the power play with less than a minute to go in the second frame. Then, on another power play, early in the third, it was he again who scored for the Habs with a perfect shot from the bumper.

It used to be that if you contained Cole Caufield, the Canadiens’ power play was neutralized, but not anymore with Demidov on the other side, who can unleash a one-timer or distribute the puck in an elite manner, and Slafkovsky in the bumper ready to fire at will. On his second goal, Vasilevskiy was in close to the post, covering the near side that Caufield likes so much, so when he passed it, the goalie was vulnerable in his push to follow the puck. That’s when the power forward beat him.

With a 3-3 tie in the dying seconds of the third frame, the Canadiens got another power play, but they couldn’t score in regulation. Slafkovsky scored the game-winner, on the power play, in overtime, 4-3, against the Canadiens. Full marks to St. Louis, who didn’t call for a timeout earlier in the game when his young team panicked, but used it in overtime to extend his first unit’s shifts.

NOTRE ROI SLOVAQUE 🇸🇰

OUR SLOVAK KING#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/Loq2CNQ3aJ

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 20, 2026

The Habs now lead the series 1-0 and have stolen the home-ice advantage. Game 2 is set for Tuesday night, in Tampa Bay at 7:00 PM. 

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DENVER, CO — Ball Arena was the stage, and playoff hockey was the entertainment, and we were not disappointed in the slightest.

The arena and its patrons started in a frenzy, and as Gangsters Paradise rang out, the frenzy built into downright bedlam as the white pom poms flew.

Let it begin! #GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/xubSQ3tuet

— Adrian Hernandez (@AdoHernandez27) April 19, 2026

With three Stanley Cup banners wading in the noise, the Colorado Avalanche began their journey toward hopefully adding to the collection with the LA Kings standing in their way as first-round foe.

Will the Presidents’ winning Colorado Avalanche assert their dominance, or will LA prove pesky early in round one?

The Game

From puck drop, one thing was made very clear: the Avalanche were prepared and ready to get off on the right foot.

The pressure on the Kings’ netminder, Anton Forsberg, built and built; however, the Avalanche couldn’t cash in.

The Kings created a flurry of chances of their own late in the first frame, but a bit of puck luck and mostly stellar play from Wedgewood kept things tied at one.

A no-goal first period is likely exactly what the LA Kings players and staff had in mind, so I’d count that as a win for LA in period one.

The second frame began with much of the same.

Colorado’s second power play of the night led to some great chances, including a doorstep look for Landeskog, but the puck just didn’t go in.

The Avalanche appeared to score a goal, but it was immediately waved off for goaltender interference.

Fans were understandably displeased as it appeared that Drew Doughty’s check on Jack Drury caused the contact in the crease.

Inevitably, Jared Bednar would challenge the play.

Avs score but was ruled goalie interference, they challenged the call and it stood.

Right or wrong call? pic.twitter.com/gbMHpso6OO

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) April 19, 2026

The call was upheld, and the Avalanche would have to kill a power play.

I’m of the opinion that, although the contact from Doughty was well away from the net, Drury couldn’t do much more to stay out of the blue paint.

Finally, after all of the attacks Colorado was bringing to the table, it was none other than Artturi Lehkonen who broke the scoreless tie, in typical fashion!

Lehky’s goal looked strikingly similar to his series-clincher back in 2022 against the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final, in that Artturi was there to net a rebound and give his side the 1-0 lead. The Avalanche would hold that lead heading into the third period.

Next up on the goal-scoring train was Logan O’Connor, who, a few short months ago, hadn’t played any NHL hockey this season. His goal would give Colorado a 2-0 lead in the third period.

The Kings would cut the lead to one with a power play goal from Artemi Panarin with just over two minutes to go but Colorado held on to take the first game of the series by a 2-1 score.

Takeaways

There are very few environments in hockey like Ball Arena during the playoffs. The place was rocking, and during a game where the heavy favorites didn’t tally a goal in the first period, they stayed engaged and loud beyond the first wave.

This is why the NHL playoffs are so fascinating. No matter how the 82 games before the playoffs go, it’s still about who can win 4 games first, and the Kings played like a team with nothing to lose.

It was a low-scoring affair, but Colorado did control this one from the onset. Just took time to net one.

Scott Wedgewood with a playoff win to get things started, and I’m not sure the Avalanche could ask for more on that front.

Good for Scott, who more than earned his place as the starting netminder here in Colorado.

Did the Avalanche do a good job of sheltering their tender? Absolutely, but when he was on his own, he stood tall.

Upcoming

Same place, but different time (8:00 p.m. MT) as the Colorado Avalanche and the LA Kings meet for game two at Ball Arena on Tuesday.

Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!

The Los Angeles Kings start on the wrong foot in their first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado handled business in a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles, taking a 1-0 series lead on Sunday.

The Avalanche were by far the better team in this contest, creating the most dangerous chances and dominating puck possession. Despite Colorado imposing their will on this game for most of the outing, the Kings weren't completely out of it.

It was an awakening opening stretch of the first period, with the Avs suffocating the Kings offensively, and it seemed like Los Angeles had no answer, nor any sort of pressure.

It's worth mentioning that the Kings weathered the storm, remained patient, and slowly got more and more comfortable in the contest. But the truth is that they just couldn't break down the star-studded Avalanche.

A large part of the reason the Kings were ineffective for most of this game was the team's inability to survive Colorado's quick pressure, and they couldn't orchestrate many clean breakouts.

Late Push Not Enough As Kings Fall To Avalanche In Game 1The Kings did enough defensively to hang around, but a lack of offensive support and Colorado’s scoring down the stretch proved to be the difference in a tight Game 1 loss.

For instance, Colorado's second goal by Logan O'Connor was a result of Los Angeles getting hemmed in the defensive zone because the defense couldn't make a clean breakout pass to relieve the pressure.

Another note to add to this Kings' loss in Game 1: they couldn't capitalize on their chances. As coach D.J. Smith put it, they "need to be meaner offensively."

Defenseman Drew Doughty had a grand opportunity to open the scoring in this game, missing a wide-open net.

In the rare two-minute intervals that the Kings see the offensive zone, against a top-dog like the Avalanche, there's almost no room for error in terms of not taking advantage of opportunities. And that's exactly what happened in this contest for Los Angeles.

But the result of this game shouldn't deflect from the effort the Kings put in this contest. They kept it to a one-goal game and had a respectable showing defensively. The longer the Kings can keep it tied or close, the more likely they are to creep in a goal or two, which they did in the late stages with a power-play marker from Artemi Panarin.

In the end, the Kings will have to take these positives and improve on what went wrong quickly because the playoffs are a blur.

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It has become clear that the Philadelphia Flyers would not be where they are right now without Porter Martone, and they certainly would not have won their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since 2020 without him, either.

Martone, 19, was the hero for the Flyers on Saturday night, turning a mostly ho-hum performance into the zenith of his young career with a moment of individual brilliance.

With the Flyers up 2-1 on the Pittsburgh Penguins late in Game 1, Martone galloped down the ice in transition, and instead of forcing a pass to manufacture a scoring chance, found the composure to peel back at the right circle and evaluate his options with the puck.

The best option, clearly, was letting a shot fly; the 2025 No. 6 overall pick beat Stuart Skinner glove side at his near post with a bullet against the grain.

Not many players have the stones to make that choice nursing a fragile 1-goal lead in a playoff game, let alone their first-ever NHL playoff game and 10th total game in the NHL.

Porter Martone Makes Flyers History In Game 1 Win vs. PenguinsFlyers forward Porter Martone made some Flyers history in their Game 1 win against the Penguins.

But Martone did, and that is as good an indicator as any that he will eventually ascend to star status in this league.

The impact Martone has had on the Flyers since coming over at the end of his first and only campaign with Michigan State is demonstrable, and this play at this moment is only the latest example of that.

Martone's dagger against the Penguins Saturday night is one that will be shown in highlight reels and game previews between the two clubs for decades to come, and he only needed one chance to make that kind of impact for Philadelphians and Flyers fans everywhere.

Flyers Coach Rick Tocchet Has Rave Reviews for Porter MartoneAfter a short adjustment period, Porter Martone was one of the best players for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> during their playoff push, and head coach Rick Tocchet quickly took notice.

The Flyers still have business to take care of, including at least two playoff games at home later in the week, but we can expect this won't be the last of Martone this postseason.

The Buffalo Sabres held an optional morning skate at KeyBank Center, where every seat was adorned with white towels saying “We’re Back”, in preparation for the opener of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. Sabres fans level of excitement has been building since the club clinched a playoff spot to break the NHL record 14-season playoff drought, and is expected that thousands of fans will congregate at Canalside next to the arena to watch the game. 

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff admitted that he is anxious to get started, as Buffalo will be in the primetime slot on ESPN on Day 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as is team captain Rasmus Dahlin, who will be playing in the first playoff game in his eighth NHL season. 

“I try to stay away from (the emotions). It's hard to think about all the years and stuff, today especially, but we're in the moment. I'll probably reflect on it more when the season is over." Dahlin said. "But now, I just I'm ready to go, all I'm thinking about is having the best game of my career."

Other Sabres Stories

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The Sabres have a trio of players (Bowen Byram, Luke Schenn, and Tanner Pearson) that have won Stanley Cups and a pair who have reached the Cup Final (Alex Lyon, Ryan McLeod), but only Byram and McLeod will have a large role when the series behind. The bulk of their core group will be playing in their first postseason contest, something that Ruff believes could be an advantage.  

"Everybody has a routine, we haven't broken off our routine. So I mean today, being an optional(skate), normal meetings, we went through our our pre-scout meetings this morning, keeping everything as normal as we possibly can, knowing that it's not quite as normal as it used to be," Ruff said. "I'm hoping that we are amped up, because it will be electric. it'll be a totally different feeling for sure. I'm looking forward to how our guys are going to react to it. We've talked about the energy we need to bring, how we need to play, and I anticipate them being ready to do it."

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

Different opponent. Same result.

In each of the last four seasons, the Kings have opened the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers. They lost each time.

So on Sunday the Kings tried a different route, opening against the Colorado Avalanche.

They lost, 2-1.

The goals came from Artturi Lehkonen late in the second period and Logan O’Connor early in the third. The Kings made a game of it late, pulling goaltender Anton Fosberg with 2:57 to play and getting a power-play goal from Artemi Panarin 35 seconds later.

But if the Kings lost the game they also gained a ton of confidence with the way they played against the winningest team in the NHL during the regular season.

“The guys did what they had to do and played the right way,” interim coach D.J. Smith said “It is what it is. We're down in the series, but a lot of good things.”

“We played a good game overall,” forward Scott Laughton added. “You don't get the results, so it's disappointing. But a lot of things to build on.”

The Kings came in knowing good wasn’t going to be good enough against the team that won the Presidents' Trophy, the prize that goes to the team with NHL’s best regular-season record in the league. And the Avalanche earned that honor, scoring the most goals and giving up the fewest in the NHL. They also had the best home record in the Western Conference and the best road record in the league.

Read more:Kings (vs. Avalanche) and Ducks (vs. Oilers) face tough first-round task in NHL playoffs

But with Forsberg making a number of spectacular saves, the Kings played Colorado even until Lehkonen, defended tightly by defenseman Drew Doughty, was able to reach out his stick and sweep in the rebound of Nathan MacKinnon's shot from the right boards to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead with 4:31 left in the second period.

A major gaffe allowed Colorado to double its advantage 5:50 into the third period, with Joel Edmundson failing to handle a loose puck in the Kings' zone, allowing O’Connor to collect it and race defenseman Cody Ceci to the front of the net before beating Forsberg cleanly.

“It just comes down to a couple of bounces, a couple of plays,” defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “Then they find a way to capitalize.”

The game, which had been physical all afternoon, turned chippy after that and when Colorado’s Brock Nelson took an unnecessary high-sticking penalty at 17:03 of the final period, it gave the Kings their fourth power of the game. This time they took advantage, with Panarin halving the deficit with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line.

Although the Kings ranked in the bottom five in the NHL in both the power play and penalty kill, they won the special teams battle with Colorado in Game 1, scoring the only power-play goal and killing all four man-advantage situations for the Avalanche.

And while Laughton believes the late goal and the special-teams play gives the Kings momentum heading into the second game of the best-of-seven series Tuesday, Anderson said the team doesn’t need to rely on moral victories with the way its been playing lately.

“We're confident,” he said. “We've been feeling good about our game. We've been playing pretty good hockey. Everyone knows how good they are, but I think we have a good team in here.

“The feeling around the [locker] room the last couple weeks, it's been very high.”

The series still has a long way to go. And while the team’s playoff history with Edmonton was never encouraging, this time they may actually have history on their side.

Although the Kings haven’t won a postseason series since 2014, when they hoisted the Stanley Cup, the Avalanche are dealing with the Presidents’ Trophy curse. Only eight teams have won both the Presidents’ Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season; an equal number have gone out in the first round.

Colorado might have had the best record in the NHL, but Smith said the fact the Kings are finally playing anyone but Edmonton is a boost.

“If you've lost a couple years in a row, three years in a row, it's in your mind that you have to outperform rather than just do what you do,” he said. “And I think this is brand new.

“Everyone knows that’s the Presidents' Trophy winner. There's a huge job ahead of us. But it's a fresh start.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Playoff hockey is back, and the Los Angeles Kings did a solid job keeping this game close after 20 minutes, but the Avalanche took the game in the second and third periods to win 2-1 and take a 1-0 series lead at home. 

It was a very physical game as LA took 49 hits and blocked 23 shots, but struggled on the power play, finishing 1/4 and scoring their only goal in the final two minutes of the third period. 

Final from Game One in Denver. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/kw2Kcv7Nfj

— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 19, 2026

With the Kings being overwhelming underdogs in this game, LA still did a great job keeping it close and played solid defense early on, especially Anton Forsberg, but didn't get much help from its offense. 

We opened the first period with both teams feeling each other out. Colorado was all over LA like piranhas on defense, forcing them to take tough shots and making it hard to generate them.  

Even with the Avalanche playing good defense, the Kings got a lot of good looks at the net to score, including Drew Doughty, Trevor Moore, and Adrian Kempe, who had good looks to give the Kings an early 1-0 lead. 

Colorado also got away with an interference in the first period that wasn't called by the refs, leaving the play to continue on.

It wasn't the best first period from either team; Colorado came out controlling possession, but the Kings managed some dangerous chances as the period went on. Trevor Moore had a look at the rush that led to some extended pressure.

Anton Forsberg got the start and was excellent. Forsberg saved several key shots in the first 20 minutes of the game, including stopping the Avalanche on the power play to keep the scoreboard tied 0-0 to end the first period. 

The Kings had to be happy with how they ended the first period, keeping the game close, earning a great early PK, and getting a couple of good looks, with a solid defensive showing.

LA caught a huge break in the second period after Avalanche center Jack Drury initiated contact with Doughty and slipped on Forsberg, resulting in Colorado's goal being overturned. 

NO Goal. That was tight and usually the call on the ice stands when it's tight.

The Kings will head to their first power play of the game. A big chance here. https://t.co/70Lvrc3r3s

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 19, 2026

Colorado challenged the play, but the call would stand, clearly showing that Drury made contact, pushing Forsberg away from the net.  

Both teams were struggling on the power play, especially Colorado, which had two opportunities to score, but Forsberg continued to remain a force under the crease and stopped all the chances Colorado had at scoring. 

The Kings also couldn't score on the power play, struggling to hold on to the puck as Colorado brought pressure defensively and extra guys to force giveaways and kill the power-play chances. 

LA was leaving the door open because, even with the game tied, the Avalanche would eventually break loose. And that came at the 4:31 mark with Artturi Lehkonen cleaning up Nathan MacKinnon's shot at the doorstep to give Colorado first blood. 

1-0 Avalanche after 40 minutes.

Tough to give one up there, but good response by LAK after. Great shift by the top line with Dumoulin/Ceci pairing activating as well. Keep that up into the third.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 19, 2026

Doughty was all over Lehkonen, but his stick wasn't anywhere near the puck, giving Lehkonen the easy clean-up shot at home. 

Kings did a solid job holding their own for 35 minutes, but it's a tough goal to give up a goal after 40 minutes, especially with Colorado being 41-0-0 when leading after two periods.

Despite that, LA did what they were supposed to do, played solid defense, and the game was still close heading into the final frame. 

In the third period, Colorado's defense amped it up, holding the Kings to just two shots in the first eight minutes of the final period. After Logan O'Connor's goal was called off in the first period, this time it counted, coming at the 14:10 mark with a loose puck. O'Connor sprinted to seize it and buried the shot on the top shelf on the breakaway, beating Forsberg. 

COL Goal - O'Connor makes it 2-0.

Not sure if that puck hit something, but a floating puck falls perfectly to O'Connor, who buries it top shelf on a breakaway.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 19, 2026

With the Kings struggling on offense to generate quality looks on goal, you knew the Avalanche would capitalize on that and take the game from LA. The best offense in Hockey won't struggle for long and will take advantage of any mistakes the Kings make. 

Give credit to Scott Wedegwood, who wasn't making it easy at all for Los Angeles to score, especially on the power play. The difference was that Wedgewood was playing great defense and getting help on offense, but Forsberg didn't have anyone to capitalize on the stops he was getting. 

Los Angeles did get a big goal at the 2:22 mark after Artemi Panarin blasted a shot from the middle of the ice on the power play goal through traffic to cut the deficit down to one goal. 

Timeout Los Angeles, 52.3 on the clock.

Kings are shorthanded, after an Armia high-sticking call, trying to get Forsberg out as quickly as possible.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 19, 2026

 Even with the Kings cutting the lead down one, it was already too little too late for LA to get back in the game. Colorado did a good job playing with physicality in the last few minutes, so did the Kings, especially Kempe, but the Avs held on and won this game at home, taking a 1-0 series lead. 

Key Stats

Anton Forsberg finished with 28 saves on 30 shots, finishing with a .933 save percentage, and was huge on Colorado's power play possessions, saving key shots. If Forsberg got help on offense, the Kings would've had a great chance of stealing this game.  

Artemi Panarin scored the lone goal in the final frame to cut the deficit to one goal, finishing with a goal and a point. 

Both teams played with how they're supposed to if they want to win this series. The Kings, despite losing, showed they can win this series by matching the Avs' physicality, keeping the game close, and relying on strong goaltending. 

Game 2 will be on Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche at 7:00 PM PT. 

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Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Time certainly flies by fast.

It was on this day in 2019 that the Detroit Red Wings welcomed back franchise icon Steve Yzerman, the beloved former captain who led the club to three Stanley Cup championships and earned multiple accolades during his playing career, as their new general manager.

Yzerman was tasked with a significant challenge: returning to a team with a nearly depleted prospect pool and a roster burdened by several cumbersome contracts tied to underperforming players.

Former general manager Ken Holland, who had held his position since shortly after the club's 1997 Stanley Cup victory, initially stepped aside to accept a role as Senior Vice President, only to depart soon after and become the new GM of the Edmonton Oilers. 

"I'm extremely excited to be back in Detroit with the Red Wings," Yzerman said during his introductory press conference at Little Caesars Arena. "This city, Red Wing fans, the state of Michigan were incredibly supportive of me throughout the ups and downs of my playing career."

"I am very excited to return to the organization and join the Red Wings again, and with our goal of getting the team back in contention for Stanley Cups and the championship that is expected and has come to be expected in Detroit."

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

Yzerman took over as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 and transformed them into a juggernaut that is still led mostly by players he drafted or otherwise acquired, including Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and head coach Jon Cooper. 

With Yzerman at the helm of the Red Wings, his first selection months later in the 2019 NHL Draft was German defenseman Moritz Seider, who has since blossomed into the club's best defender and firmly put himself into consideration for the Norris Trophy thanks to his performance in the recently completed 2025-26 campaign.

While the Red Wings suffered through their worst season in over three decades in Yzerman's first year and shockingly moved back to fourth overall in the NHL Lottery rather than landing the top pick, their pick of Lucas Raymond turned out to be a blessing in disguise. 

Among other notable selections Yzerman has made in the NHL Draft over the years, who have become regulars on the roster, include Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Marco Kasper, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, while Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård got their first tastes of NHL action this past season. 

Emmitt Finnie, a seventh-round pick from 2023, played in all 82 games in 2025-26 and registered 30 points. 

Additionally, several players are waiting in the wings, like goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine, along with forwards Max Plante, Carter Bear, and Amadeus Lombardi.

Perhaps his two best trades have been the acquisitions of Alex DeBrincat, who became Detroit’s first 40-goal scorer since the 2008–09 season, and goaltender John Gibson, who was arguably the league’s best at his position for several months this year, helping Detroit build a comfortable cushion in the playoff race by the end of January.

However, the unfortunate fact is that despite improving in the standings every season (aside from 2024-25) since Yzerman's return, the Red Wings still have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Regardless, the chances of Yzerman leaving his role by any means other than his own accord remain exceptionally low, as he has the full backing of ownership and his long-term vision for the team. 

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Somewhere in the Rogers Place storage room, wedged between a pallet of unsold Zach Hyman bobbleheads and a box of 2006 playoff memorabilia that nobody has the emotional bandwidth to deal with, there may be the most important piece of Stanley Cup playoff equipment the Edmonton Oilers own.

A bobblehead. Three of them, technically. 

Edmonton is 3-0 on bobblehead nights this season. A perfect record achieved under the watchful, spring-loaded gaze of miniature plastic athletes whose heads never stop nodding, as if in constant affirmation of every decision this team makes.

The Oilers’ Most Compelling Individual Storylines This PostseasonAs the Edmonton Oilers chase a deep playoff run, the spotlight isn’t just on the team—it’s on the individual stories within it.

You can call it a coincidence, a small sample size, or the most statistically irrelevant winning streak in professional hockey. All of those things are probably true, but none of them matter because the bobbleheads are not losing, and we are not going to be the ones to stop them.

So the question isn't whether this is rational. The question is whether the Oilers can somehow get 18,000 bobbleheads into a playoff arena without the NHL stepping in to ruin everything, which they absolutely would.

Sure, the teams on those bobblehead nights weren't exactly murderers now. Nobody is pretending these were victories against the Presidents' Trophy winner, but before you dismiss the bobblehead victims as pushovers, just know that the Oilers were not exactly clawing their way to number one either. Respect the body of work.

Jason Dickinson "Highly Motivated" To Play: When Will He Get In?He's itching to hit the ice. Will injured forward Jason Dickinson be cleared for Game 1, boosting the Oilers' lineup?

Yeah, sure, the Anaheim Ducks did make the playoffs this year, which does count for something. But this is the same franchise that spent the better part of three seasons in a full institutional crouch, losing hockey games with such commitment and consistency that it started to look like a strategy—because it was—who has somehow clawed its way into the postseason. 

The cream jerseys are a whole other situation. These are alternate jerseys, a third option, the NHL equivalent of ordering something off-menu and being surprised it slaps. Not some storied vintage threads soaked in championship history.

There is no logical reason the Oilers should play better in them. The jersey does not improve their skating, sharpen their edges, or fix their breakouts. And yet, when Edmonton pulls the cream ones on, something happens that no analyst has successfully put into a chart.

3 Reasons This Ducks First-Round Draw Is One The Oilers WantedThe Edmonton Oilers have three strengths that perfectly counter the Ducks' defensive woes, setting up a favorable opening round.

The NHL's front office probably has a memo somewhere explaining why they can't wear them in the playoffs. 

Teams have been manufacturing superstitions out of flimsier material than this for decades. The 2012 LA Kings wore the same clothes on every road trip during their Cup run. Players have refused to wash their equipment, change their socks, or alter their pre-game meal for entire playoff runs.

One guy famously grew a beard, and now everyone does it. The bar for what counts as a legitimate playoff ritual is basically nonexistent.

Oilers Injury Update: Will Leon Draisaitl Play Game 1 vs the Ducks?Leon Draisaitl skated Friday, looking sharp. Will he be ready for Game 1 against the Ducks, or will the Oilers hold him back?

So maybe all it takes is someone placing a bobblehead on the shelf above the dressing room door. A small McDavid, head nodding in eternal encouragement, blessing each player as they head out to the ice. The cream jerseys hang nearby in a display case, radiating mysterious alternate-jersey energy through the plexiglass.

It's unscientific, completely unhinged, and costs roughly twelve dollars.

Worth every penny.

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Buffalo Sabres winger Josh Doan proved to be an effective offensive presence throughout his first season with the club, and that strong play will continue against the Boston Bruins tonight.

My Bruins vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks expect Doan to clear his SOG prop on Sunday, April 19.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 prediction

Who will win Bruins vs Sabres Game 1?

Sabres: Buffalo's skill, team speed, and home-ice advantage should definitely be a factor after 15 years of sitting on the sidelines come playoff time. If Jeremy Swayman doesn’t stand on his head, it’ll be tough for the Bruins to hang around.

Bruins vs Sabres best bet: Josh Doan Over 1.5 shots (-150)

Josh Doan generated at least two shots in 61% of his games against Bottom-10 shot suppression teams this season. That includes three Overs in four tries against the Boston Bruins, against whom he averaged 2.75 shots per game.

He cleared this line in 10 of 12 home dates vs. Bottom-10 shot suppression sides, averaging 2.3 shots on 4.5 attempts.

Not only is the matchup good, but he’s skating on a line with Josh Norris. Doan averaged 10.22 shots on goal per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play — easily the highest of any linemate he had all season.

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 same-game parlay

Doan has excelled playing alongside Norris and Zach Benson, outscoring opponents 8-2 at 5-on-5. They help elevate his offensive ceiling at even-strength.

He also skates on the No. 1 power play, where he has exposure to elite weapons like Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin.

On the other side, Charlie McAvoy averaged a point per game over the second half of the season and hit the scoresheet in a remarkable 78% of his appearances. He’s in line for monstrous minutes in this high-event series, making him a good candidate to produce.

Bruins vs Sabres SGP

• Josh Doan Over 1.5 shots
• Josh Doan Over 0.5 points
• Charlie McAvoy Over 0.5 points

Bruins vs Sabres Game 1 goal scorer pick

Josh Doan (+285)

Josh Doan is a playoff-type player. He plays a hard-nosed game and will work to get to the dirty areas of the ice, which is what’s needed at this time of year.

He has the hands and skill to finish in tight, and he has a better track record than many realize. He ranked third on the Sabres in 5-on-5 goals and outscored the likes of Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the man advantage.

Bruins vs Sabres odds for Game 1

• Moneyline: Bruins +130 | Sabres -150
• Puck Line: Bruins +1.5 (-190) | Sabres -1.5 (+160)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+120) | Under 6.5 (-140)

Bruins vs Sabres trend

Josh Doan has logged five points over his last five games. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Sabres.

How to watch Bruins vs Sabres Game 1

Bruins vs Sabres latest injuries

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

The Chicago Blackhawks are entering the 2026 NHL offseason as a team to watch very closely. While they have plenty of promising young prospects in their system, they should not be afraid to bring in proven NHL talent this summer as well. 

The Blackhawks' biggest need during the offseason is to bring in at least one proven top-six winger. Connor Bedard could use more help around him, and one player who stands out as a perfect target for Chicago is Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.

The Blackhawks' interest in Knies is no secret, as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month that they were one of the teams that targeted him leading up to the trade deadline. With the Blackhawks still in need of top-six help, bringing in a player like Knies would be huge for them. 

At just 23 years old, Knies would be a perfect fit on a rebuilding Blackhawks team that is looking to take that next step. This is especially so when noting that he would be far more than a rental for the Blackhawks if acquired. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2030-31 season, where he has a $7.75 million cap hit. 

Knies' offensive skill could make him thrive playing with a star center like Bedard. His stats this season show how impactful he can be, as he had 23 goals and 66 points in 79 games for the Maple Leafs. The 6-foot-3 winger also made an impact with his physicality, posting 152 hits. 

Ultimately, with the Blackhawks needing another star in their lineup, Knies is exactly the kind of young and proven forward that they should be kicking tires on again if Toronto makes him available. 

The playoffs are officially here, folks!

Well, technically they started yesterday elsewhere in the NHL, but for our purposes, today’s the day.

The Celtics kicked off their postseason at TD Garden earlier today, and hopefully that game went well—I’m putting this together on Saturday, so I hope the future is nice.

Anyways, all of the waiting and “tales of the tape” and “they have the edge here” is just about over.

It’ll be nice to enjoy some playoff hockey after a year away, and by “enjoy,” we all know that means “be in a constant state of anxiety for at least a week.”

Hey, it’s what we all look forward to, right?

Bruins! Sabres? Yes, Sabres! LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

Discuss.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us, and The Hockey Show is pumped!

This week, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork, along with producer Ethan Budowski, previewed the eight first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series’ that will begin on Saturday.

They also discussed the fiery comments of a pair of NHL head coaches, Carolina’s Rick Bowness and Detroit’s Todd McLellan, who had some very hard comments for the way their respective teams performed during their season finale’s last week.

Joining this week’s show to discuss playoff matchups and the Florida Panthers’ season ending was Florida’s radio analyst and former player Billy Lindsay.

In addition to previewing the first-round matchups and giving his darkhorse favorites, Billy also talked about the future of the Panthers, what the team may do with their 2026 first-round pick and how the team has maintained such a strong culture despite enduring a very challenging season.

This week’s wins and fails included some interesting moves by Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, a player being dragged out of a goal crease during an OHL Playoff game, a couple of great moments from last week’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, and a great move by the New Jersey Devils hiring former Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta as the team’s next general manager.

You can see the full show and interview in the videos below:

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For the eighth time in nine seasons, the Vegas Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They’ll start the first round against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:22 p.m. PST.

Carter Hart will start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart had a record of 11-3-3 and an average save percentage of .891 in 18 games during the regular season.  

Karel Vejmelka starts in net for the Mammoth. Vejmelka had a record of 38-20-3 and an average save percentage of .897 in 64 games during the regular season.

Golden Knights Lines

Mitch Marner — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone

Ivan Barbashev — Brett Howden — Pavel Dorofeyev

Reilly Smith — Tomáš Hertl — Keegan Kolesar

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Mammoth Lines

Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Lawson Crouse

Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther

JJ Peterka — Alex Kerfoot — Michael Carcone

Liam O’Brien — Kevin Stenlund — Brandon Tanev

Defense

Mikhail Sergachev — MacKenzie Weegar

Nate Schmidt — John Marino

Ian Cole — Sean Durzi

Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Vaněček

Special Teams (Regular Season)

VGK power play: 24.6%, 6th

VGK penalty kill: 81.4%, 7th

Mammoth power play: 20.0%, 18th

Mammoth penalty kill: 78.1%, 19th

Game Notes

In the regular season series, the Golden Knights won the first meeting by a score of 4-1. The Mammoth won the next two, 5-1 and 4-0, respectively.

This will be the first playoff series between the Golden Knights and the Mammoth. The Golden Knights have the edge in certain areas, but the young, hungry Mammoth will pose a unique challenge.

In 12 career Game 1s, Mitch Marner has five goals and 13 points.

Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights in scoring this season with 27 goals and 90 points in 74 games. Eichel has two goals and six points in six regular season games against the Mammoth.

Clayton Keller led the Mammoth in scoring this season with 26 goals and 88 points in 82 games. Keller has 10 goals and 26 points in 34 career games against the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights went 20-12-9 at home this season; the Mammoth were 21-17-3 on the road.

How to Watch

TV: Vegas 34, ESPN

Streaming: KnightTime+

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340, Deportes Vegas 1460

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Nick Lardis in the third round, 67th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft. He then became a prolific goal scorer in the OHL with the Brantford Bulldogs.

In his final season with Brantford, Lardis scored 71 goals in 65 games played. This was a massive jump from the 29 goals he had one year prior. When the 71-goal season ended, it was clear that Lardis had a knack for finding the back of the net, but would it translate to pro hockey? 

Lardis started this season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, and he was one of their best rookies. In 35 AHL games, Lardis scored 18 goals. He also had two stints in the NHL, totaling 41 games, exactly half of the regular season. 

In those 41 games, Lardis scored 10 goals. A 20-goal pace as a 20-year-old rookie, one who was selected in the third round, is excellent. His ability to score has followed him at every level. He won’t score 70 in the NHL, but becoming a solid contributor to their middle six is an incredible ceiling. His first year was outstanding for his development. 

"I think I learned a lot,” Lardis said. “Not just on the ice, but also on how to be a pro off the ice. I think that's important. There are a lot of great leaders here, and even in Rockford, too, when I was down there. They showed me the ropes a little bit and how to be a consistent pro hockey player. I thought that was big, too."

Lardis knows that he has what it takes to be a great goal-scorer. He is ready to learn from this season and apply what he learns to his future. He also soaked in what he might need to do to improve as the years go by. 

"I think a big thing for me in my first pro year is learning,” Lardis said. “I think there are a lot of little details that [Blashill] wants me and the other guys to improve on. I think for this summer, my overall strength, I want to be a lot stronger and win more puck battles next year, just making sure I'm winning a lot of battles and improving my strengths."

Being a double-digit goal scorer in 41 games played as a rookie is telling. As of now, it is hard to argue that he isn’t a top young goal-scoring player in the organization. That start to his career should give him the confidence to come in next year knowing for a fact he should be on the team. Once the games begin, he doesn’t have to wonder if he belongs because of his totals from the previous year. 

 "It helps, for sure,” Lardis said of reaching the 10-goal plateau, giving him more confidence. “But, I'm not going to think about it too much, honestly. I still believe in myself that I can be a great goal scorer in this league. It helps with confidence going into the summer. But next year, I'll have bigger goals. It just motivates me more to want to get more than 10 next year.”

Is Lardis a lock to make the team out of camp? That’s a lot to assume, but he will definitely be on the inside track coming into the preseason because of what he accomplished in his first year pro. 

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