NEW YORK (AP) — Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP, the second such honor of his career after also winning the Hart in 2019.
The league announced the news Thursday prior to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Kucherov led all players with 1.71 points a game on 44 goals and 86 assists. With 130 points, he ranked second to only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who had 138.
McDavid was a close second by 10 points in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon was third and San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini fourth.
Kucherov had 42 more points than his next-closest teammate, Jake Guentzel. He was third in Hart Trophy voting a year ago and second in 2023-24.
Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP for the second time, adding to his team's awards haul.
Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 130 points in 76 games - a league-best 1.71 points per game - as the Lightning clinched their ninth consecutive playoff berth and finished second in the Atlantic Division. He had 42 more points than his closest teammate, the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26 after the San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini.
He edged fellow finalists Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) in a vote by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He beat McDavid by 10 points.
Kucherov led the league in scoring the past two seasons and was a finalist both times. He won the award in 2018-19.
Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (Vezina Trophy) and coach Jon Cooper (Jack Adams Award) also received NHL honors this season.
Other NHL awards winners
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player): Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid
Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 09: Logan Stankoven #22 celebrates a first period goal with Jaccob Slavin #74 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Now with the series tied 2-2, this Stanley Cup Final series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes can go anywhere. Will Carolina have the upper hand with momentum coming home or will Vegas continue to score goals at will?
In another game of back and forth action, Carolina lost the lead and then completed the comeback in a 5-3 Game 4 victory. Jordan Staal scored two goals including the game winner. Vegas got their team leading 14th goal from Brett Howden but it wasn’t enough as Carolina squeezed out the win in the third period.
We're all tied up heading into Game 5… Who's taking the series lead? 👀
Mitch Marner continues to lap the field in production with 29 points, nine more than his closest teammate. Are we seeing another Conn Smythe resume built regardless if the team ultimately wins or loses?
Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons — Mark Stone
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Dylan Coghlan — Jeremy Lauzon
Carter Hart
Adin Hill
Carolina Hurricanes
The storyline for the home team is their move to Brandon Bussi in net. He started Game 4 and that is expected to continue tonight in Game 5. Another wild turn of events is that Frederik Andersen hasn’t been on the ice and isn’t dressing as a backup. The assumption is he’s nursing an injury now and Pyotr Kochetkov is next in line should anything happen to Bussi.
While the ongoing drama between Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings regarding his future with the club continues to sort itself out, another question on the minds of Red Wings fans is regarding the status of prospect goaltender Sebastian Cossa.
Cossa, whom the Red Wings selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft, still has only a single game of NHL experience under his belt, which came in December 2024.
He had a tremendous regular season for the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2025-26, but found himself outplayed by Michal Postava down the stretch, and watching from the bench in the Calder Cup Playoffs as Postava started every game.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, whom they selected five picks after Cossa, helped lead his club to a first-round Stanley Cup Playoff upset of the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Quarterfinal.
Additionally, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes, whom the club selected in the fifth round (136th overall) in 2020, has now been the club's starter two straight seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the latter of which resulted in a berth in the Eastern Conference Final.
While making an appearance on the "Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer" podcast, Cossa's agent Gerry Johannson, who works with The Sports Corporation player agency, was asked when he believes his client will finally get his breakthrough.
"Is Sebastian Cossa chomping at the bit to see what he could do and get an opportunity like Wallsted and like Dobes did?" asked Stauffer.
"That's really when in our business, that's where the rubber hits the road," Johansson responded. "We know Sebastian Cossa is a very, very good goalie. He's certainly on par with Wallstedt and Dobes, and (St. Louis Blues goaltender) Joel Hofer is another one of our guys; he's developed really nicely.
"But in our business, nothing is equal," he continued. "Everybody has a different opportunity and different challenges, and the timing is different. You have to stay patient, but there's no question in our mind that Cossa is top shelf. He's as good as any of these young guys out there.
Yeah, something is going to happen, and he will get his opportunity. Not sure how exactly, but we'll worry about that later. But it's going to happen."
Stauffer then asked Johansson if he's in regular contact with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman regarding his client, who is a pending restricted free agent, and he answered in the affirmative.
"Yep, talked to Steve," he said. "He's a restricted free agent too, so there's no huge rush. But we've had regular contact with Steve.....we've definitely had good chats with Steve, and we'll continue to.
But on a separate note, the kid's a good goalie, a really good player, and a great kid. He's going to get his opportunities; it's just a matter of when, and it's going to be soon."
This season with the Griffins, Cossa went 26-8-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
He is no longer waiver exempt, and would almost certainly be claimed by another club if he were to be made available.
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On Thursday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse has requested a trade and has provided the Pacific Division club with three to five teams he is willing to waive his no-movement clause for.
In a recent article for The Fourth Period, David Pagnotta reported that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are among the clubs that Nurse is willing to accept a trade to.
"As per sources, TFP has learned the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings are two teams he would be willing to sign off for, and the connections seem clear as to why," Pagnotta wrote.
Nurse reportedly being willing to accept a trade to the Penguins is definitely interesting. The 31-year-old defenseman would have the potential to provide the Penguins' left side with a boost if acquired and could work well in their top four.
Nurse would be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired, as he has a $9.25 million cap hit until the end of the 2029-30 season. That is both a lot of money and term for the veteran defenseman, so there would certainly be risk in the Penguins acquiring him.
However, with the Penguins needing some help on the left side of their blueline, perhaps a Nurse deal could make sense if Edmonton is willing to retain some salary and the cost to acquire him is not high. Despite his expensive deal, he is a solid top-four defenseman and could be a nice veteran for the Penguins to have around. However, there would also be less risky defensemen for the Penguins to bring in to improve their left side.
In 82 games this season with the Oilers, Nurse recorded seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points.
Jun 9, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) makes a save against Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) during the 3rd period in game four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
RALEIGH, N.C. — Carolina Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall figures his team has played all season for the opportunity that now awaits in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Hurricanes host the Vegas Golden Knights in Thursday night’s Game 5, with the best-of-seven series even at 2-2. The Hurricanes won Game 4 on the road to retake home-ice advantage, which would include next Wednesday’s Game 7 if the series goes the distance.
Game 6 is Sunday in Las Vegas and will provide the first opportunity for a Cup-clinching win.
‘We’re excited to be at home,” Hall said. “I think our game has been trending in the right direction all series long, doing a lot of really good things. We feel like we’re an in-shape team. We can go as long as this needs to go. The fact we had three short series to start with, we’re confident in where we’re at.”
Home ice hasn’t mattered much in a series in which the only reliable element is its unpredictability. It’s made for an epic finale with nightly blown multi-goal leads, wild swings and close finishes — perfect for fans packed into buzzing arenas and TV viewers but leading to what Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour has described as intensely stressful nights behind the bench.
As Vegas coach John Tortorella said Wednesday: “I don’t think anybody expected this.”
It’s come in a series that was expected to be a defense-first battle but has instead seen 33 goals through four games (8.3 per game), making life tricky for each team’s goaltenders.
Carolina started veteran Frederik Andersen after he had led them in a 12-1 run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but pulled him in the third period of Game 3 with the Hurricanes down 4-0 before rallying in what ended as a double-overtime loss. Brandon Bussi played well in relief, then got the start in Game 4 with Brind’Amour saying Andersen — who didn’t dress out — needed a break.
Brind’Amour wouldn’t specify a Game 5 starter beyond saying everyone is available.
As for Vegas, Carter Hart has become the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games yet two of them were wins. Tortorella said he had no concerns about Hart’s play “at all.”
This Stanley Cup Final has offered a perfect companion to what’s going in the other major American pro sports championship series taking place. On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks rallied from 29 down to stun the San Antonio Spurs in the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history to take a 3-1 series lead.
“I wanted to go to bed,” Tortorella said of watching the comeback. “But when they got it down to 15, you knew something stupid was going to happen. I’m just basically saying the same stupid stuff’s happened in our series.”
There were many great moments from the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 season. One of them was the arrival of top prospect Konsta Helenius, as the 20-year-old forward showed that he can already make an impact in the NHL when given the chance.
Helenius appeared in his first career NHL regular-season games, where he had one goal and four points. He also played in four playoff games for the Sabres this spring, where he posted two goals and a plus-1 rating. With this, the 2024 first-round pick showed plenty of promising with the Sabres this campaign, and he is a prime breakout candidate to watch heading into the 2026-27 season.
When looking at how well Helenius played in the AHL this season, too, it is hard not to be excited about his future with the Sabres. In 63 games this campaign with the Rochester Americans, the skilled forward posted 21 goals, 42 assists, and 63 points. This is after he had 14 goals and 35 points in 65 games during the 2024-25 season with Rochester, so he has taken a major step forward in his development.
With Helenius being only 20 years old and already putting up numbers like this in the AHL, the Sabres could really have something special in him. The potential for him to emerge as the Sabres' next big star is there, as he has the skill and offensive talent to be a high-impact forward in the NHL.
It is going to be fascinating to see how Helenius continues to develop his game from here.
Seven players currently under contract with the Vancouver Canucks organization are set to hit restricted free-agency pending any upcoming extensions. Only two of these seven played in NHL games for Vancouver this season, while four are eligible for arbitration come negotiation time.
This year, NHL teams are required to extend qualifying offers to their RFAs by June 29, only a couple of days after the 2026 NHL Draft. That means if Vancouver wants to keep any of these seven players, they’ll need to provide them with a qualifying offer that cannot be signed before July 1.
Here are the Canucks’ seven RFAs heading into the 2026 off-season.
Three Canucks RFAs Are Older Than 25
Pierre-Olivier Joseph (26):
Previous Contract: $775k x 1yr
Six-year NHL veteran who has yet to play in a full 82-game season. Scored a goal and five assists in 31 games with Vancouver this season in a depth-defenceman role. Signed a one-year deal with Vancouver in 2025. Arbitration eligible.
Nils Åman (26):
Previous Contract: $825k x 2yrs
Signed with Vancouver in 2022 and has consistently played in at least one game at the NHL level since. Went scoreless in two games with Vancouver this season but led the Abbotsford Canucks in scoring with six goals and 35 assists in 55 games. Arbitration eligible.
Cole Clayton (26):
Previous Contract: $775k x 1yr
Right-shot defenceman acquired by Vancouver via trade with the San Jose Sharks. Put together two goals and five assists in 33 games with Abbotsford and six assists in 32 games with the San Jose Barracuda. Played all throughout Abbotsford’s lineup. Arbitration eligible.
Two Recent Trade Acquisitions Are Up For New Contracts
Jayden Grubbe (23):
Previous Contract: $867k x 3yrs (ELC)
2021 third-round pick acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Scored a goal in two games with Abbotsford as well as seven goals and 12 assists in 28 games with the Fort Wayne Komets in the ECHL. Former captain of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels.
Jack Thompson (24):
Previous Contract: $800k x 1yr
Right-shot defenceman also acquired from San Jose via trade. Averaged near a point per game in 14 games with Abbotsford (three goals, 10 assists) and put up three goals and nine assists with the Barracuda. Arbitration eligible.
Two Highly-Anticipated RFAs Who Are Awaiting Their NHL Debuts
Chase Stillman (23):
Previous Contract: $863k x 3yrs (ELC)
2021 first-round pick acquired via trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Missed most of the 2025–26 season due to injury but scored three goals and six assists in 24 games played with Abbotsford. Won OHL championship with the Peterborough Petes in 2022–23.
Danila Klimovich (23):
Previous Contract: $833k x 3yrs (ELC)
Five-year AHL veteran drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft. Scored 18 goals and 16 assists in 63 games in 2025–26. Currently tied with Linus Karlsson for Abbotsford’s franchise lead in career goals scored with 70.
A Look At The 2026–27 Season RFAs
Forwards: Ty Mueller, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Liam Öhgren, Aatu Räty (arbitration-eligible), Ilya Safonov, Anrī Ravinskis (arbitration-eligible)
Defence: Zeev Buium, Elias Pettersson, Kirill Kudryavtsev
Goaltenders: Aku Koskenvuo, Ty Young
Apr 2, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Aman (88) during pre game warm up against the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images
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This whole Stanley Cup Final has been thrilling, and Game 4 was no different. When the teams met on Tuesday, the Hurricanes led by two on two separate occasions; the Golden Knights rallied and tied the game in the second period. In the third, Jordan Staal put the Hurricanes ahead with his fifth goal of the series, and the Golden Knights fell 5-3 after Nikolaj Ehlers hit the empty net.
Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 14-6 and an average save percentage of .912 in 20 games this postseason.
The Hurricanes have not announced a starting goaltender, but all signs point to Brandon Bussi starting between the pipes for the second straight game. Bussi had a record of 1-0 and an average save percentage of .900 in two games played this postseason.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Pavel Dorofeyev
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Hurricanes Lines
Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Jordan Martinook
William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders: Brandon Bussi / Pyotr Kochetkov
Special Teams
VGK power play: 20.7%, 5th
VGK penalty kill: 83.1%, 8th
Hurricanes power play: 16.4%, 11th
Hurricanes penalty kill: 92.3%, 2nd
Game Notes
The Golden Knights are 10-9 in Game 5s in franchise history. They have won both Game 5s they have played this postseason.
Historically, teams that take a 3-2 series lead go on to win 79.9% of the time.
The Golden Knights have never lost a series when they win Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead.
Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 29 points (10 G, 19 A). He is also the postseason leader in assists with 19.
Brett Howden leads the league with 14 postseason goals. His second-period tally in Game 4 set a new Golden Knights franchise record for goals in a single postseason.
Shea Theodore leads all defensemen in scoring this postseason with 17 points (6G, 11A).
The Golden Knights have a 7-3 record on the road this postseason; the Hurricanes are 7-2 at home.
The Blues have veterans like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Pavel Buchnevich, Colton Parayko, Cam Fowler, and Jordan Binnington, but they also have youngsters like Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud, Jake Neighbours, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Justin Carbonneau, Philip Broberg, Theo Lindstein and Adam Jiricek.
They have to decide whether to lean into their youth and let them develop, or remain competitive by adding veterans.
Based on most reports and the tone used by Doug Armstrong and Alexander Steen, the Blues are trending towards a youth movement.
With that set to occur, today we are going to look at three Blues players who may have played their final game with the organization.
Oskar Sundqvist, C
Oskar Sundqvist has had two separate stints with the Blues, but his most recent stint has been disappointing. Sundqvist was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings during the 2021-22 season and didn’t return until the 2023-24 season. Prior to being traded, Sundqvist was a difference-maker in the bottom six, using his size and his two-way game to be effective.
He was able to chip in offensively when needed and was vital to their success during the 2019 Stanley Cup win.
Upon returning, Sundqvist hasn’t really been able to factor into any team success. In three seasons, he’s scored just 17 goals and 58 points in 190 games. But more importantly, he hasn’t been as potent defensively.
It’s time for the two to go their separate ways, and whether Sundqvist finds another home in the NHL or returns to Sweden is undetermined.
Outside the 2025-26 season, Jordan Kyrou has been a consistent producer for the Blues, but the team has been waiting for him to take his game to another level, and he just hasn’t done it.
His defensive game has taken strides, particularly in the past two seasons, receiving Selke Trophy votes in both campaigns. But the Blues have felt they needed to part ways for several years now, and after an 18-goal, 46-point campaign, it looks like the writing is on the wall for Kyrou.
No doubt there will be plenty of suitors for Kyrou, and if he truly has played his final game with the organization, he leaves as a mature player who has shown he can be consistent.
Jordan Binnington and the Blues’ story is a great example of how each path to the NHL is different, but also that it’s a harsh business.
Binnington’s ascension during the 2018-19 season from AHL netminder to Stanley Cup-winning goaltender is a feel-good story, but now, heading into the 2026 season, Binnington has lost that level with the Blues, and at 32 years old, it’s time to move on.
Joel Hofer stole the crease from Binnington after Binnington posted career-worst numbers in 2025-26. Due to his reputation and strong performances with Team Canada at recent best-on-best tournaments, Binnington still has high trade value that the Blues must cash in on.
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From New York to Los Angeles, Peter Laviolette and Artemi Panarin are reuniting.
Laviolette was hired by the Los Angeles Kings this week as their head coach, joining Panarin, who was traded from the New York Rangers to the Kings in February.
Under Laviolette’s coaching with the Rangers, Panarin experienced his best statistical season in 2023-24, recording 49 goals, 71 assists, and 120 points.
In Laviolette’s system, Panarin was the focal point of the offense, playing a major top-six and power-play role, serving as the main puck handler.
Laviolette had only positive things to say about Panarin during his introductory press conference with the Kings on Wednesday.
“He's an extremely talented person,” Laviolette said of Panarin. “Some people, I think, have elite skills and I think he has elite skills. We just had a relationship where, I think it's important to get to know people and work at that - and I'm going to work hard to do that here with all the players and all the staff inside of the Kings family - but he also has the ability to be a game-breaker and a difference-maker.
“He's not just a goalscorer, he's not just a playmaker, he's elusive, he's shifty, he can change a game on any given night I'm really excited to work with him again. I loved working with him in New York and now I get that opportunity again.”
The Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference Final during Laviolette’s first season in New York, but the Blueshirts missed the playoffs the following season, which ultimately cost Laviolette his job.
The 61-year-old coach spent the 2025-26 campaign without a coaching job, but was in the mix for a number of head coaching vacancies, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, before he was hired by the Kings.
“Peter builds relationships, he creates a positive culture, he’s a motivator and he’s a winner,” Kings general manager Ken Holland said. “He’s the seventh-winningest coach in the history of the NHL and he’s taken three teams to the Stanley Cup Final……
“I talked to a lot of people that have worked with Lavy and everyone was very, very positive about what he could bring to the LA Kings. When you look at his resume, all of the teams that he’s been with and the impact that he’s had on those teams, the first couple of years, right off the bat. Pro hockey is hard to win at and he’s done a lot of winning.”
The Colorado Avalanche just finished their end-of-season media availability with General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic and KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kronke. They spoke for just over 20 minutes with the media and answered questions about this past season and what's coming next. Here is what they had to say.
Coaching Staff Is Here To Stay
Opening the press conference, the first question he asked was about Jared Bednar and the coaching staff. He confirmed that Bednar and the entire staff will remain with the team, as they are under contract, so that no changes will be made.
Sakic says Bednar "shouldn't be worried" about being in the last year of his deal. Though he follows up, saying there isn't an extension and that getting to one isn't a priority right now.
Sakic follows up on the comment about Bednar and his importance to the team:
"He has the confidence of the players, it's clear from players and staff that he's the right guy, they love playing for him. He's not just the coach; he's the voice of the organization, players really like him, and I'm going with the players.”
The other major talking point raised near the end of the conference was the addition of Dave Hakstol and his role with the power play. It was a topic of conversation throughout the season, given how limited the production was, especially considering the amount of talent on both units and the failure to make any changes to the deployment to see if that could help spark a fire and increase its production.
Sakic made it clear that he shares everyone else's frustration with the power play, but they made a change at the end of last season, and he feels it improved when the team re-acquired Kadri. He also emphasized that the team appreciates Dave Hakstol’s work.
The good news is that Sakic did comment on the lack of production. While many might have wanted Hakstol gone and a change implemented, the only way is up from last season. At the same time, it's not great that the team finished with a power-play percentage of 17.1% on the season, the sixth-lowest in the NHL.
I agree with Sakic that, with the addition of Kadri, the power play did look better after the trade deadline and in the playoffs, but it's not an excuse that it should have taken that long to improve.
How The Roster Is Going To Look Moving Forward
Sakic touched on the season overall and noted that, while many might see it as a disappointment, the team played well and set records across the board, yet still failed to win a Stanley Cup. Though he talked about how it was “overall an incredibly fun year,” and while he and the team are disappointed in how it ended, there shouldn't be any panic about making massive changes, and he says this roster has a “2-to-3-year window”.
Though he knows that this team is going to do everything to get better, as he reiterates, “We're going to look at all options to get better.”
With key free agents like Brett Kulak and Jack Drury, keeping these players will be important to the team, but exploring trades will be necessary given how tight they are on cap space.
Both Sakic and Kroenke have made it clear that judging an incredible season by the last week is an extreme approach. While everyone is expecting this team to win a Stanley Cup, he credited the Vegas Golden Knights for playing really well against the Avalanche. He didn’t want to bring up any excuses, but he did reiterate how the injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon drastically altered Colorado's chances at beating Vegas.
The biggest point about the roster was Cale Makar and his eligibility for a contract extension this summer. Sakic confidently talked about how important Makar is to the team and that “Cale is going to finish his career here.” He hopes to have an extension signed this summer and has already begun discussions with his agent.
Heading into next season, Sakic expected everyone to be at training camp at “100%”. This is welcoming, though, without concern, as they didn't list any specific injuries the team was dealing with, especially those involving Makar and MacKinnon and how banged up they were.
While this might not have been what many wanted or expected to hear this afternoon, it's a clear, concise point from Sakic and Kronke that the team will continue to operate as it did last season. No major or drastic changes, but they do expect greatness from one another and know that the fans and media do too. It will be interesting to see what moves they pull in this free agency to make this team any better than it was last season.
After two seasons with the Calgary Wranglers, Czechia native Martin Frk appears headed to the KHL, with online reports indicating that the former 30-goal scorer has agreed to terms with the Shanghai Dragons.
Initially drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (49th overall) in 2012, Frk has skated in 124 NHL games, but has forged a stellar career in the AHL, with 224 goals and 437 points in 536 games.
Since returning to North America after spending the 2023-24 season in the Swiss NL, Frk has been with the Wranglers, serving as an alternate captain last season. In 143 games with Calgary, he tallied 57 goals and 120 points with 132 penalty minutes.
Now 32, Frk has won a QMJHL championship, a Memorial Cup, a Calder Cup, and is a one-time AHL Second Team All-Star.
He made his NHL debut on Oct. 18, 2016, as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, before rejoining the Red Wings in 2017, and playing his last NHL game on Mar. 19, 2022, as a member of the Los Angeles Kings.
In the AHL, Frk is a six-time 20-goal scorer, reaching a career high of 40 with the Ontario Reign in 2021-22. He was recently a member of the Wranglers, signed by Craig Conroy to a one-year, $775k deal.
Last year, the Wranglers missed the Calder Cup playoffs, finishing last in the AHL's Pacific Division with a 23-34-10-5 record. Meanwhile, the Dragons finished ninth in the KHL's Western Conference with a 16-35-5-12 record and did not produce a 30-goal scorer.
LOS ANGELES – The Kings have signed forward Martin Chromiak to a one-year deal. It is a two-way contract with an AAV of $850,000.
At 23 years old, Chromiak recorded his best season with 28 goals and 28 assists in the AHL. He showed improvement each year with the Ontario Reign, which is why the Kings should consider calling him up to the NHL.
This next season, Chromiak could make his first ever appearance in the NHL. Although he was the leader for the Reign, there would likely be a different role in play for the Kings should he impress the team out of training camp.
The leading scorer from the Reign will not be required to dictate the Kings’ offense but is required not to harm it. Los Angeles was one of the best teams in limiting giveaways and could be an adjustment at the NHL level for Chromiak.
Last season, the Kings had 44.65% giveaways in the defensive zone and ranked the fourth fewest in the league. Chromiak blends in well since he is skilled at controlling the puck and setting up the offense.
While the Kings were elite at limiting turnovers, they also struggled with playmaking. Los Angeles were one of the worst playmaking teams as they ranked 29th in total assists last season.
However, Chromiak’s playmaking ability is considered his greatest strength as a player. Having a depth player that can make the right passes could drastically improve the offense and, with the potential departure of Andrei Kuzmenko, he could fill that void at a much cheaper price.
We've signed Martin Chromiak to a one-year, two-way contract! ✍️
As many strengths Chromiak has as a player, his most useful asset will be his physicality. This is certainly fitting, with the foreshadowed up-tempo, physical system that lies ahead with head coach Peter Laviolette coming onboard.
From the three of the past four teams Laviolette has coached in his first year, the team was top 10 in percentage of hits given. The Flyers were 52.03% in 2010, the Capitals were 53.85% in 2021 and the Rangers 54.21% in 2024.
Since Coach Laviolette lives and breathes a physical system, Chromiak will have to match that physicality. He has a good size, being 6’0 and 190 pounds, but in a depth role potentially available, he must be willing to up the ante without being able to sacrifice too much of his offensive ability.
A call-up usually consists of having that extra body on the ice to provide fresh legs. Yet, Chromiak could be a long-term option to complement the system’s strengths and limit the weaknesses.
Chromiak blends in with the Kings’ strengths due to excellent puck control and ability to lay the body, often crafty with his skating angles. On the other hand, he also can provide a bit of a solution to Los Angeles’ playmaking depth.
A skilled young player seems to be a phrase that feels distasteful with the crop of youth that has come and gone in the wake of the Rob Blake era. It might not be as sour as it is sweet, as Chromiak could provide a renewed youth push for the Kings in 2027. When training camp gets underway in a few months, he’ll be ready to make more than just an impression, but a roster spot.
The Montreal Canadiens have a few roster needs to address this summer. One of them is the right side of their blueline, as they could use another right-shot top-four defenseman.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Rasmus Andersson stands out as a prime potential option for the Canadiens to consider pursuing.
While there is certainly a good chance that Andersson ends up re-signing with the Vegas Golden Knights, the possibility of him testing free agency should not be ruled out. If he does, he would be one of the best players available, so it would make sense if he wanted to see what offers were out there. If Andersson does hit the market, the Canadiens would be wise to pursue him.
If the Canadiens signed Andersson, he would be a nice addition to their second pairing. He would also give them another defenseman who works in all situations, which undoubtedly adds to his appeal.
Andersson is coming off a strong regular-season, too, as he posted 17 goals, 47 points, and 149 blocks in 81 games split between the Calgary Flames and Golden Knights. He has also been solid for the Golden Knights this post-season, as he has six assists and a plus-4 rating in 20 games. With numbers like these, he would be a nice pickup for a Canadiens club that needs another high-impact blueliner.
Nevertheless, if Andersson hits the market, it will be interesting to see if the Habs end up being one of the teams that target him. He would be a strong pickup for a Canadiens club that is entering its Stanley Cup window.
