Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the first round (15th overall) pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024 NHL Draft, demonstrated a flair for the dramatic on Tuesday evening.
Brandsegg-Nygård came through for the Griffins in a do-or-die Game 3 against the Chicago Wolves, scoring the overtime game-winning goal in dramatic fashion.
He took the puck in the neutral zone, skated over the blue line and then dangled around Wolves defenseman Ronan Steely before beating goaltender Cayden Primeau with a backhand shot, giving Grand Rapids the 4-3 win.
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) May 20, 2026
It was his fourth tally of the playoffs.
The Griffins are now 1/3 of the way toward winning the series, and they have no choice but to win two more consecutive games to remain alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Brandsegg-Nygård was one of three rookies to make the Red Wings' roster out of Training Camp and the pre-season in 2025-26, along with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie; he played in 12 games and registered an assist before being returned to the Griffins.
Both Carter Mazur and John Leonard, both of whom played multiple games this season with the Red Wings, gave Grand Rapids a 2-0 lead in the first period. However, Chicago would knot the score courtesy of goals from Domenick Fensore and Justin Robidas before taking the lead in the second period after a tally from Felix Unger Sorum.
But Tyler Angle responded less than two minutes later with his first goal of the postseason, re-tying the game.
Picking up the win in net was Michal Postava, who made 17 saves and also picked up a secondary assist on Mazur's goal. Meanwhile, Primeau was strong for Chicago, making 42 saves.
Game 4 between the Griffins and Wolves is scheduled for Thursday evening at Allstate Arena.
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There are going to be a lot of interesting storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2026.
For one, the NHL Draft is a little more than a month away, and that means draft boards and predictions are already making their rounds. The trade market will also be an intriguing point of emphasis, especially after Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas's comments during his season-ending press conference. Also, Evgeni Malkin is still without a contract, meaning his future in Pittsburgh is still up-in-the-air.
But one of the quieter topics of discussion that is bound to surface at some point or another is the one involving extension talks with, arguably, the team's two best players.
Dubas did confirm in his presser that talks with extension-eligible players Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson are on the back-burner a bit as of now since the Penguins' priority is on the draft.
“They’re not eligible until Jul. 1, so it’s not been a front-burner topic for us," Dubas said. "I think with both of them, [it may be] something later in the summer as we get back in the fall.
"Sid is in a different category. I think most players start to get into their late 30s, and it tends to become a year-to-year thing. I don’t know if that’s how each of them will handle it. That’s just how most players handle it. We’ll discuss that as we get through the summer and into the fall, for sure. In Karl’s case, obviously, players voted him Team MVP. We’re very happy with him. And Sid is Sid.”
While a Crosby extension seems like a given as long as he wants to keep playing, a Karlsson extension is certainly no guarantee.
Karlsson, who turns 36 at the end of May, has one year remaining on his contract that pays him $11.5 million annually, with $10 million being paid out by the Penguins. He is coming off his best season in Pittsburgh, as he thrived under Dan Muse and the new coaching staff on both sides of the puck and wound up with 15 goals and 66 points in 75 regular season games.
Of course, teams should always tread carefully when it comes to extensions to players who will be 37 years old when the new deal would kick in. Even if the Penguins made tangible progress toward becoming a contender in 2025-26 by making the playoffs, Dubas admitted during his press conference that the team is still a "long way off" from being a contender the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and more.
So, it's fair to wonder whether or not a Karlsson extension would fit their timeline. The Penguins could probably trade him for a pretty nice return this summer and use those assets to help acquire someone younger in the trade market.
However, there are a few things worth considering here:
This is the biggest point of emphasis. Karlsson entirely controls if he goes and where he goes, so any possibility of a potential trade would need to be cleared by him and his camp first.
In addition, the Penguins and Karlsson need to be aligned. If the Penguins want to trade Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to go, and if the Penguins want to keep Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to stay. He has expressed how much he likes playing in Pittsburgh, but the reality is that he'll be 36 years old and, still, without a Stanley Cup.
Would Karlsson want to go to a more surefire contender? Or do he and the Penguins mutually agree that they'll be able to legitimately contend if he signs on for another couple of seasons?
Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) passes the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images
2. The Penguins do not have the right-side depth to effectively replace him
Yes, Harrison Brunicke is an intriguing prospect. He's an elite skater, but there is still a lot of rawness to his game that he needs to harness and refine a bit before hitting his stride in the NHL.
And he certainly won't be ready for top-four minutes at the start of next season, let alone top-pairing minutes. Kris Letang's game is declining, as he is not really an option on the top pairing, either, and is more than three years Karlsson's senior.
Beyond them? Well, Jack St. Ivany, who hasn't shown much promise in the last couple of years between a plethora of injuries, too, is the next guy on the depth chart, followed by Finn Harding - playing in his first full professional season in WBS - who is not only not quite NHL-ready but also someone with a pretty low NHL ceiling.
Even though the Penguins are almost certainly not tanking next season, even if they wanted to remove Karlsson and "tank," they can't even do that because they literally do not have the personnel who can take on his minutes as of now.
So, if Karlsson isn't extended, the Penguins need an immediate plan to replace him.
3. If the Penguins "go for it" on the trade market this summer, it makes sense to keep him around in the short-term
There's no way around it: The Penguins are a much better hockey team with Karlsson on it, and he was the single-most crucial player to their playoff berth this season.
It's becoming clearer that the Penguins intend to compete with Crosby still around. They plan to compete post-Crosby, too - hence why they're rebuliding the way they are - but if there is a real chance at building a true contender within the next two years because of bigger swings in the trade market, savvy drafting, good asset management, and smart free agent signings, then extending a bona fide No. 1 defenseman who played some of the best hockey of his NHL career last season seems like a worthwhile gamble.
Plus, it would give Brunicke - and, potentially, another young blueliner acquired in the trade market or in free agency - the opportunity to learn and grow under Karlsson and in roles that won't demand too much of them too quickly. So, really, a shorter-term Karlsson extension beyond next season does actually make a lot of sense for the Penguins, especially if they plan to improve, not regress.
While folks may have to wait a bit for an answer to the Karlsson extension conundrum - possibly even through the 2027 NHL trade deadline - it's clear that Dubas and the Penguins still see a lot of value in the three-time Norris Trophy winner, regardless of how they ultimately decide to channel that value.
The long break paid dividends for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday night after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 2 of their Atlantic Division Final series against the Springfield Thunderbirds last Thursday.
They were refreshed and ready to go from the opening puck drop, and were the better team in all three periods in Game 3. They had to hold on to their 2-1 win at the end of the third period, but they got the job done and are now one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Final.
Rutger McGroarty got things started with a shorthanded goal in the first period. He took a beautiful feed from Avery Hayes, who was everywhere in the game, and buried the puck blocker side with 19 seconds left in the opening frame.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 19, 2026
WBS kept that 1-0 lead for the entire second period before Bill Zonnon made it 2-0 at 5:58 of the third period. Zonnon took a nice pass from Boko Imama and also ripped the puck blocker side. It's Zonnon's third playoff goal in his third AHL game.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 20, 2026
The Thunderbirds got one back late in the third period, but weren't able to tie the game in the final seconds.
WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov had another outrageous performance, finishing with 27 saves on 28 shots. He now has a .942 save percentage in seven playoff games this season.
The Penguins can clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Final with a win in Game 4 on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.
DENVER, May 19th, 2026— The Vegas Golden Knights have been in the news for all the wrong reasons over the last few days. On Thursday, they beat the Anaheim Ducks in six games, punching their ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the fifth time in nine seasons. That’s what should have been the story– the decisive victory, and the unparalleled level of success marked by their 76th postseason win in nine years.
On Friday, the NHL released a statement announcing that the Golden Knights would forfeit a second-round pick in the upcoming draft, in addition to Tortorella being fined $100,00, for “flagrant violations of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Media Regulations.”
“The imposition of these penalties comes after previous warnings were issued to the Club regarding their compliance with the Media Relations and other associated policies,” the league wrote in its statement.
The Golden Knights were given the opportunity to appeal the decision in person in the Commissioner’s Office in New York, and they did so on Tuesday ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The league decided to uphold the penalties.
“There is possibility if Vegas is compliant with rules, there could be some addressing of this in the future… but it doesn’t sound like there’s room for draft penalty to be revoked,” wrote Elliotte Friedman following the announcement.
When Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon spoke to the media ahead of the start of the Western Conference Finals, he addressed all of this in his opening statement.
“We were, today, in New York, where we had a hearing with the National Hockey League regarding the events following Game 6,” McCrimmon began. “We missed a great opportunity that night to connect with our fans and share with them the victory of a playoff series. I've always felt, when you win a series, you galvanize the bond with your fan base.
“We missed that opportunity by not having John available to do postgame,” continued McCrimmon. “That’s on John for failing to do that; that’s on me as the general manager of the hockey club. That’s not at the feet of our comms people, who made other arrangements with each of you to accommodate the tight quarters in and around our dressing room postgame. We have no explanation other than to say we were wrong and to assure you that it will not happen again.
“ The league has spoken on the matter,” McCrimmon finished. “We have spoken on the matter. Neither John nor I will be taking any questions on this.”
Make no mistake: the Avalanche are the best team in the league, and on paper they’re the better team in the series. The Golden Knights have a steep hill to climb if they don’t want to get caught in the snowdrift. Here are the three biggest challenges they’ll face as they try to topple the big bad Avs.
1. Center Depth
The Golden Knights are a much stronger team with William Karlsson back in the lineup. However, there’s no denying that the Avalanche have some of, if not the, best center depth in the league. They made a buzzer-beater move for Nazem Kadri at the deadline, which took them from exceptional to elite. Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, and Jack Drury round out the rest of the center corps— they’re so deep down the middle, Nic Roy is slotting in on the wing.
The Avalanche centermen are all 200-foot players who are just as strong on the defensive side of the puck as they are offensively. Brock Nelson was a Selke finalist, and Nathan MacKinnon is no slouch defensively.
2. Offense from Defensemen
Shea Theodore has played like a man possessed through 12 postseason games with four goals, one an overtime game-winner, and nine points. Noah Hanifin, too, has six assists in 12 games. Otherwise, the Golden Knights haven’t gotten much from their defenseman in terms of offense this postseason. Rasmus Andersson has three assists in 12 games, and Kaedan Korczak has one in nine.
Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the world, but he’s far from the only offensively gifted defenseman on the Avalanche roster. Devon Toews, Makar’s Olympic teammate and perpetual d partner, is having himself a postseason with two goals and eight points in nine games.
It’s not just the usual suspects producing for the Avalanche. Sam Malinski, a 27-year-old undrafted free agent out of Lakeville, Minnesota, continues to impress in his elevated role and has a goal and three points in nine games. Brett Kulak is known more for his steady defensive play, but he brings quite a bit to the table offensively… and that’s before his overtime series-clinching goal against the Minnesota Wild.
3. Nathan MacKinnon
I know, I know, I already brushed on MacKinnon when discussing the Avalanche’s center depth. But what he’s doing this postseason is nothing short of remarkable, even by his standards. MacKinnon has seven goals and six assists– all primary– in nine games. He drives the offense both at 5-on-5 and on the power play, as he’s scored three of his seven goals on the man advantage.
But, as it often is with great players, it’s not just the goals and assists that matter when looking at MacKinnon. He’s also drawn six penalties and is 53.7% in the face-off dot. The Avalanche are a force of nature this year, and MacKinnon is more than doing his part to try and help his team get across the finish line. If the Golden Knights can’t contain him, or at least limit his impact, this could be a short series.
Among the top priorities for the Philadelphia Flyers this offseason is going to be finding a competent complement to starting goalie Dan Vladar.
The book is not necessarily closed on incumbent backup goalie Sam Ersson, who is a pending RFA in need of a new contract, but his performances and consistency have only gotten progressively worse during his three years in the NHL with the Flyers.
So, if the Flyers move on from Ersson and let him pursue other opportunities elsewhere, they have two options: sign a goalie from an underwhelming crop of free agents, or trade for one.
Their best choice, for all intents and purposes, is going to be the latter.
One of the first places the Flyers should consider looking is, perhaps surprisingly, Buffalo, where the Sabres have four goalies who could conceivably be NHL regulars, all of whom are under contract for next season.
Established veterans Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon lead the way there, and Colten Ellis, a waiver claim from the St. Louis Blues, made his NHL debut this season, going 8-4-2 in 12 games for the Sabres with a 2.90 GAA, a .903 save percentage, and one shutout.
And then there's Devon Levi, the critically acclaimed but undersized goalie prospect who has yet to gain a foothold on an NHL roster spot for an extended period of time.
The 24-year-old has played 39 NHL games across three seasons, going a modest 17-17-2 with a 3.29 GAA and .894 save percentage.
Comparatively, Ersson, 26, has a 3.01 GAA and a .884 save percentage to go with his 65-50-17 career record.
It's worth noting, too, that Levi's numbers are dragged down by a nine-game stint last season that saw him go 2-7-0 with a 4.12 GAA and .872 save percentage.
And, in fairness to Levi, the Sabres were never particularly good during his time in the NHL and only had things click this season after general manager Kevyn Adams was fired and replaced by Jarmo Kekalainen.
So, heading into his age-25 season, Levi has no path to a roster spot in Buffalo despite having already played 175 professional games in the Sabres organization.
This is where the Flyers step in.
Behind Vladar, the Flyers currently have Aleksei Kolosov, who recently re-signed with the club for one year, and Carson Bjarnason.
It's possible that Kolosov could step in and play a full NHL season as a backup, but the idea of him taking over as the starter in the event of an injury to Vladar is a rather uncomfortable one.
Bjarnason, of course, is still just 20 years old and finished his first professional season, which came with an ECHL stint with the Reading Royals.
Longtime NHL media maven Jeff Marek recently claimed that things are "over" between Levi and the Sabres, so, all things considered, a huge opportunity would be waiting for him in Philadelphia.
The price to acquire the goalie prospect can't be that high, given that the Sabres have no leverage with three goalies clearly ahead of him in the pecking order, and Levi comes with only a one-year commitment at an $812.5k cap hit if things don't work out.
Plus, the Flyers could always insure themselves with lower-tier free agent options with experience, such as Matt Murray, Vitek Vanecek, and even old friend Cam Talbot, heading into training camp and the preseason.
If things really do work out for the Flyers and the franchise finally catches a break, Levi will have realized his potential as a starting-caliber NHL goalie, which would help form a robust tandem with Vladar.
The time is now for Levi, who is running out of runway to crack an NHL roster after a promising start to his pro career.
We can be certain that the 24-year-old will be extra motivated heading into a contract year after being cast aside, and the Flyers have had great success targeting such players in the recent past, including Vladar himself.
The Grand Rapids Griffins have no choice but to win three straight games against the Chicago Wolves, who lead the AHL Central Division Finals two games to none and can close things out on Tuesday night.
And the physical intensity has picked up in the first period of play, culminating in an on-ice melee following a dirty hit from behind on forward Amadeus Lombardi, who was already down in a vulnerable position, by Wolves defenseman Charles Legault.
Immediately, forward Carter Mazur, who scored for the Griffins earlier in the period, stepped in and began doling out some physical punishment to Legault as a scrum ensued.
Meanwhile, Lombardi was clearly shaken up and very slow to recover.
Insanely dangerous and dirty play. Hitting Lombardi as he’s already down sliding into the boards mazur steps up for him nice to see. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/J4OZZgoSu6
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) May 20, 2026
Lombardi, who was taken by the Detroit Red Wings with the 113th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, has three assists in seven AHL postseason games this spring after having tallied 16 goals with 26 assists in 47 regular season contests this season.
Mazur, who got in several games of NHL experience under his belt in Detroit this season, has scored five goals for the Griffins in the postseason so far.
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The team confirmed Tuesday that Keefe will be back, while goaltending coach Dave Rogalski has been fired and assistant Sergei Brylin is being reassigned to another position.
Keefe recently completed his second season behind the bench for New Jersey, which parted ways with longtime GM Tom Fitzgerald and missed the playoffs. The Devils made it last year, losing in the first round to Carolina without top player Jack Hughes, who was sidelined by shoulder surgery.
Mehta is sticking with Keefe and making coaching staff changes while also overhauling the front office. He hired Braden Birch to be one of his assistants after they worked together with Florida and were part of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. He decided not to renew the contracts of executives Chuck Fletcher and Dan MacKinnon.
A former head coach of the Florida Panthers is weighing in on the Brady Tkachuk rumors.
Doug MacLean was the second coach in Panthers history.
He led the team to their first two appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1996 and 1997, including a surprising trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.
After being asked about several topics, MacLean was wrapping up his guest hit when he quickly pivoted to include one additional conversation point regarding Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk.
“One final thing,” MacLean began. “Think about this. Everybody's trying to get in the top ten (at the NHL Draft). Florida has the ninth pick in the Draft. Where is Brady Tkachuk going to want to go? Think about this. The ninth pick of the draft, the top ten guys are great players. Florida will never have another top 10 pick for two or three years. This is the time when you've got to move on Florida. You pick up a couple of quality players, you pick up the ninth pick, and you know Brady wants to go to Florida. You know he's gonna probably go there within two years. Two years is the magic number. The two playoff series. I wouldn't be surprised that Brady Tkachuk is in Florida at the Draft."
Earlier during the offseason, it was reported that the Senators could explore trading Tkachuk sometime this summer.
The 26-year-old forward has two years remaining on his current contract that comes with an average annual value (AAV) of just over $8.2 million.
With the NHL Draft Lottery now behind us, we know that the Panthers hold the ninth overall selection at next month’s Draft.
It’s the first time Florida has held a first-round pick since 2021, when they selected Mackie Samoskevich 24th overall, and the last one they own until 2029.
If the Senators are open to trading Tkachuk, who would be in complete control of any deal as his contract includes a full no-movement clause, it makes sense that he would list Florida as a preferred destination.
Brady’s older brother, Matthew Tkachuk, is locked into a long-term deal with the Panthers, and the team is poised to contend for the Stanley Cup for the foreseeable future.
Photo captions: Jan 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) looks for the puck during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche are one game away from reclaiming the summit of the Western Conference, but they may have to take the first step without their best defenseman.
A Quiet Absence Speaks Volumes
Cale Makar did not take the ice Tuesday, one day before Colorado opens the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena — and in a sport where practices before pivotal games carry outsized meaning, his absence was impossible to ignore.
Martin Necas speaks following practice on Tuesday.
He was the only Avalanche player who didn't skate. Head coach Jared Bednar, appearing alongside general manager Chris MacFarland at a joint news conference, tried to tamp down concern. "No, not yet," he said when asked whether Makar's absence worried him.
Jared Bednar was asked if he was concerned about Cale Makar not being on the ice today for practice.
The qualification "not yet" did just enough to keep the door open on uncertainty.
Makar has been listed day-to-day since missing Saturday and Sunday practices, nursing what appears to be a shoulder ailment he sustained during the second-round series against Minnesota. The moment of injury was hard to miss: midway through the third period of Game 5 against the Wild, Makar absorbed a check, immediately grabbed his right arm, and skated straight to the locker room.
He'd been reaching for that same spot and consulting trainers throughout the game before that. He did return to the ice a few minutes later, but the image lingered. A hip issue has also factored into his availability this spring, a detail that only muddies the picture further. Through nine playoff games, Makar has posted five points — numbers that undersell how thoroughly he controls games from the back end.
Wednesday morning's skate will be the real tell.
Good News Everywhere Else
The injury report elsewhere was decidedly more encouraging. Defensemen Brent Burns, Sam Malinski and Josh Manson — along with forward Artturi Lehkonen — all returned to the ice Tuesday after missing time during the layoff between rounds, per Denver Sports reporter Will Petersen. Bednar stopped short of formally clearing any of them, but their presence at practice speaks for itself.
That depth will matter regardless of Makar's status. Colorado has been nearly flawless through two rounds — going 8-1 with a sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and a brisk five-game dismissal of the Wild.
The NHL's best regular-season team is back in the conference final for the first time since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2022, and Wednesday night at Ball Arena feels like the beginning of something. Puck drop is at 6 p.m.
DENVER (AP) — The NHL Coaches’ Association said Tuesday it is closely monitoring the situation involving Bruce Cassidy amid reports that the Vegas Golden Knights have denied multiple teams permission to speak with him about working for them.
Cassidy was fired in late March and is still under contract through next season, so anyone wishing to interview him must get permission from the Golden Knights, according to league rules.
“It is our position that coaches who remain under contract, but are no longer working for their club, should not be prevented from pursuing other employment opportunities,” the Coaches' Association said in a statement. "It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy. The situation is still unfolding, but our priority is to protect the interests of our members in this type of circumstance.
Vegas has reportedly not allowed Pacific Division rivals Edmonton and Los Angeles to talk to Cassidy when asked since their seasons ended. Word of the Oilers' interest in Cassidy leaked last week before they fired Kris Knoblauch following a first-round playoff exit.
It was not clear if teams in the Eastern Conference or elsewhere in the West sought or received permission to interview him.
Cassidy, who turns 61 on Wednesday, guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023, helped Boston reach the final in 2019 and won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year in the pandemic shortened '19-20 season. He was an assistant on Canada's staff at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Vegas is in the West final against Colorado, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon and coach John Tortorella are set to speak to reporters in Denver later Tuesday ahead of Game 1 at the Avalanche on Wednesday night.
The 2024-25 offseason for the Kings was a busy one, as they made 5 big signings last year to improve their roster: Joel Armia, Cody Ceci, Brian Dumoulin, Corey Perry, and Anton Forsberg. While Perry was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline, the other 4 players remained with the team. But looking at Cody Ceci and Brian Dumoulin, their signings may not have been necessary had the Kings not traded away Jordan Spence and lost Vladislav Gavrikov to free agency.
Jordan Spence
Jordan Spence was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2025 3rd-round pick and a 2026 6th-round pick. The reason Spence was traded was that He may not have been a top-6 defenseman for the Kings, especially given the Kings' focus on Brandt Clarke. Jordan Spence found himself on the outside looking in, which prompted his trade.
Jordan Spence, in his first season with the Ottawa Senators, played in 73 games, scoring 7 goals, registering 24 assists for 31 points, while averaging 18 minutes of ice time. Near the end of the season, the Ottawa Senators were dealing with injuries throughout their defence, and Spence stepped up for them. In the playoffs, Spence played nearly 40 minutes, showing that he is more than capable of being a reliable defenseman.
Vladislav Gavrikov
The other defenseman the Kings lost was Valdislav Gavrikov, as he signed with the New York Rangers in free agency. The Kings wanted to keep Gavrikov and were interested in signing him to a long-term deal, but unfortunately, they were unable to, and he signed a 7-year, $49 million deal with the Rangers.
In his first season with the Rangers, Gavrikov played in all 82 games, scoring a career-high 14 goals and tallying 21 assists for 35 points. While the Kings wanted to keep him for his ability to play on both the left and right sides, they were unable to retain him.
Replacing Spence and Gavrikov
The Kings' losing both Spence and Gavrikov created holes in their defence, as they really only had a top-4 group that consisted of Andersen, Doughty, Edmundson, and Clarke. So on July 1st 2025, the Kings' general manager, Ken Holland, would sign 2 defensemen to become the 3rd pairing. He would sign Cody Ceci to a 4-year, $18 million deal and Brian Dumoulin to a 3-year, $12 million deal.
These signings for the Kings were viewed negatively, as Holland signed 2 older defensemen to multi-year deals that included 10-team no-move clauses, meaning that if they wanted to trade either Ceci or Dumoulin, they would have to pick teams that those players left out of their 10-team no-trade lists.
The Impact of the Kings Future
While the Kings were one of the better defensive teams in the NHL, the reason these signings have hurt the future of the Kings organization is that, had the Kings been able to sign Gavrikov and keep Spence, their defensive core would look much stronger than it is now.
Another problem with the signing of Ceci and Dumoulin is that Jordan Spence is 25 and Vladislav Gavrikov is 30, whereas Ceci is 32 and Dumoulin is 34. With the Kings already having a mix of young and older defensemen on their roster, signing Ceci and Dumoulin only made the team older.
The Kings have a mix of young and older players on the roster, and they need to keep getting younger. After losing Anze Kopitar to retirement and with Drew Doughty having a few seasons left, the Kings cannot rely on Ceci and Dumoulin to be the future of the team. Had the Kings been able to keep Spence and Gavrikov, their defence roster could have looked like:
Andersen-Doughty
Gavrikov-Clarke
Edmundson-Spence
While the problem between Spence and the Kings was over playing time, had they been able to sort that out, this defensive core would be a very strong one the Kings could rely on when needed, thanks to the combination of veterans and youth in the lineup.
Overall, while this defence core is seemingly better than what the Kings are today, the likelihood of this lineup ever truly existing was low due to contract and playing-time disputes. Had the Kings figured it out, they could have been in a much better position going forward.
On Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks announced that they had relieved Adam Foote of his head coaching duties along with his staff.
Thank you Adam Foote, Scott Young, Kevin Dean, and Brett McLean for everything you gave to the Vancouver Canucks. We are grateful for your leadership and dedication. pic.twitter.com/Fo5r7sJwCh
This marked the third head coach to be fired since the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular season, with the Toronto Maple Leafs firing Craig Berube after their GM change, and the Edmonton Oilers letting go of Kris Knoblauch.
It also marked the sixth coach to be fired since the calendar changed over to 2026.
With 40 games to go in the regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets fired Dean Evason.
With eight games to go in the regular season, the Vegas Golden Knights fired Bruce Cassidy.
And with four games to go, the New York Islanders fired head coach Patrick Roy.
The difference between the Islanders' situation and the rest of the hirings that came after the firing is who they hired.
The Blue Jackets got Rick Bowness out of retirement. The Golden Knights got John Tortorella, but only for the remainder of the season, as of now.
The Islanders got Pete DeBoer, who would have been the top choice on the market this summer, had he made it there. That's the biggest reason why general manager Mathieu Darche didn't wait until season's end to make a coaching change.
"Guys like Pete DeBoer don't stay on the market very long," Darche said. "His pedigree, I mean, he went to five of the last six conference finals. He's had success everywhere he's been. He's a very structured coach. I know with Hockey Canada, I've got a lot of friends on that group, he was in charge of the (defensive)-zone structure, of the (defensemen) and a lot of the systems. So, at this time, I think it's what we need moving forward."
Would DeBoer have loved to coach Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers or Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs if given the change?
As the owl says in the famous Tootsie Roll commercial, "The world may never know."
All the Islanders know is that they got their guy, someone they hope can lead the Islanders back into the playoffs after missing the last two postseasons.
Just days before the NHL trade deadline, reports revealed that the Buffalo Sabres were willing to match the St. Louis Blues’ high asking price for veteran defenseman Colton Parayko.
The deal ultimately fell through when Parayko exercised his no-trade clause to decline the trade. Parayko went on to finish the season with the Blues and formed a steady partnership with rookie Theo Lindstein.
Although Parayko wasn’t traded during the season, some insiders have indicated that the Blues could revisit Parayko trade discussions in the off-season.
Parayko just completed the fourth year of the eight-year, $6.5 million AAV contract he signed with the Blues. The 33-year-old will have the no-trade clause on his contract until the end of the 2027-28 season, after which it will become a modified 15-team no-trade clause.
While Parayko has the right to decline a trade, the Blues can still attempt to move him to a team he might be willing to go to.
A recent report from TSN’s Bruce Garrioch indicates that the Ottawa Senators could be one of those teams that make a push to acquire him.
That won’t be easy for the Senators, or any team interested in acquiring Parayko, as Garrioch reports that the Blues are asking for a high-end prospect and a first-round pick.
Parayko brings a skill set that very few players in the NHL can match. Standing 6-foot-6, Parayko is a solid defender, capable of using his size to protect the front of the net. Additionally, he moves well enough to defend the rush and move the puck fairly efficiently.
But Parayko also brings a wealth of experience from playing at the highest level. Parayko has skated in 800 NHL games, won a Stanley Cup in 2019, and recently represented Canada at the Olympics and the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Parayko has been a leader on the Blues for quite some time now, and could be a candidate to take the captaincy if soon-to-be-GM Alexander Steen elects to keep him on the roster.
Whatever happens with Parayko, all that is for certain is that he will help whatever team he ends up with. Whether he stays with the Blues as they attempt to regroup and make the playoffs in the coming years, or joins a Stanley Cup contender. Either an NHL club is better off having Parayko than not.
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are searching for their next head coach after Craig Berube's dismissal on May 13.
Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy remains to be seen as the No. 1 coaching candidate available. To the point where the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings have sought permission to speak to Cassidy.
However, the Golden Knights have withheld permission for those two teams to contact him. Part of that could be related to those teams being division rivals to Vegas.
As for the Maple Leafs, a recent report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman seems to imply that Vegas, to this point, has not denied a permission request from Toronto.
"Vegas is not inclined to give permission to Edmonton or LA. We will see about Toronto," Friedman reported on X.
Even though the Golden Knights fired Cassidy in March, he still has one more year on his contract with the organization. So, even if he's been dismissed, Vegas still have the contractual rights.
Cassidy stood behind Vegas' bench for just shy of four regular seasons and coached the team through three post-seasons. He won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in his first year coaching them in 2022-23.
He also helped the Knights to two Pacific Division titles. This past campaign would've marked a third occasion, but John Tortorella replaced Cassidy with eight games left in the year, finishing the regular season for Vegas.
When Maple Leafs GM John Chayka faced the media following his decision to fire Berube, he revealed that the organization's search for a new head coach will be vast. Some days later, reports suggested that Toronto would be looking for a "fresh" candidate rather than a veteran bench boss in the coaching carousel.
Regardless of the probability of a Maple Leafs and Cassidy marriage, the Golden Knights have not denied any requests from Toronto's brass.
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