Belief, Short Memory Can Help Ducks Beat Golden Knights

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville speaks to the media after their morning skate at T-Mobile Arena.

In Game 3 of the Ducks’ first round matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, Jeff Viel took a cross checking penalty 200 feet from his own net, sending the Oilers to the power play. Connor McDavid would score on the ensuing power play, cutting the Ducks’ lead to one.

“Bad penalty,” Viel said after the game. “Cant take a penalty in the o-zone. I kind of felt bad, especially since they score on (the power play). Huge goal they get back after.”

But Viel would atone for his error, depositing a backhand past Connor Ingram—after some terrific work from Jackson LaCombe—to give Anaheim a much-needed insurance goal with just over three minutes left to play in the third period.

Apr 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (39) defends the goal against Anaheim Ducks left wing Jeffrey Viel (28) during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Apr 24, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (39) defends the goal against Anaheim Ducks left wing Jeffrey Viel (28) during the second period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

In Game 4, Mason McTavish also took an offensive zone penalty, with the Oilers scoring just four seconds into that power play. Viel would score in his second consecutive game 10 minutes later, setting the series up for its first overtime game. Again, a Ducks player would atone for his earlier error, with McTavish proving vital on Ryan Poehling’s overtime winner.

As Oilers forward Trent Frederic attempted to skate the puck out of the defensive zone, McTavish stripped him and sent the puck up to Poehling all in one motion. Poehling’s centering pass to Chris Kreider caromed off Darnell Nurse’s skate and slipped through goaltender Tristan Jarry, barely crossing the goal line. That play gave the Ducks a 3-1 series lead, a momentum swing that put them in the driver’s seat.

“I think that we have ways of whether you get scored on or you make mistakes, we expect it,” head coach Joel Quenneville said. “I think sometimes, you might miss a little of time, you might miss a shift here or there, but you're gonna be out there. 
You're gonna be right back out there. Sometimes, (there) might be some longer absences in that, whether it’s missing a part of a period and after that, you might not play games. But, for the most part, (they should) expect to be out there.

“The guys know that we're going to make mistakes, especially defensively. We’ve been trying to improve that area because we know that we battle back and we have fine ways of putting ourselves back in the game. It’s basically been the way the season has gone all year long. That’s been proven that, hey, we're not out of anything.”

Apr 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks players celebrate after game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks players celebrate after game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“It was pretty stressful in the penalty box,” Viel said. “The confidence from Q for putting me back out there after a tough penalty was a good vote of confidence. Awesome to get rewarded.”

“We’re just gonna make mistakes,” defenseman Jacob Trouba said. “We’re still gonna continue to make mistakes. We’re learning on the fly here, but there’s no quit in the group. There’s no letdown. We believe we can score goals, we believe we can defend well enough, we believe we can win hockey games. I think that’s what it’s all about right now.”

The words ‘believe’ and ‘belief’ have been used heavily by the Ducks throughout this playoff run. Troy Terry stated how proud he was of the team after Game 1 of their series against the Oilers.

“It’s unfortunate, the result of that game, and it's going to be tough to swallow, but we got to put it behind us.” Terry said. “But I I we kind of got our feet under us. We’re into this thing now.”

“We believe in ourselves,” Captain Radko Gudas said. “We’ve been down so many times this year and we keep coming back, so there's a big belief in this group.”

“We just believe in ourselves,” Poehling echoed after his overtime winner in Game 4. “I thought we played great, honestly. 
The whole game just got off to a start where they got a few bounces, but that's the thing about our team. We've done it all year and I think it just teaches you throughout a season that, hey, you're never out of it. And the belief on the bench is something that you truly feel and you go out there with confidence and play. It’s a great way to play hockey.”

Apr 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) and Edmonton Oilers center Colton Dach (34) battle for the puck in the first period of game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Poehling (25) and Edmonton Oilers center Colton Dach (34) battle for the puck in the first period of game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Ducks’ self-belief, coupled with a short memory, will aid them well in a matchup against another team with plenty of playoff experience in Vegas. While the Ducks may have swept the season series, a new face is behind the bench for Vegas after Bruce Cassidy was fired with eight games remaining in the regular season. John Tortorella has the reins for the rest of the season and holds a record of 11-2-1 since becoming the new bench boss.

“Short memory, forget about it,” Cutter Gauthier said of the team’s reaction to their Game 5 loss in Edmonton.” The longer we let it linger, the longer it's going to affect our game. It’s a new day. We have a 3-2 series lead right now, and we have an opportunity to win the series tonight. 
So we're going to do everything we can to try and get that done.”

The best players at keeping a short memory are the goaltenders. Lukáš Dostál’s performances in the first round were quite up to standard, but he saved his best performance for the closeout game, stopping 25 of 27 shots and making plenty of key saves to prevent the Oilers from sending the series to seven games.

“He’s a special goalie,” defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. “He's been huge for us all year, and I think, honestly, that (the goals against) starts on us as players. I think we’ve got to be better. We knew they were gonna have a push when their backs against the wall. He’s been great for us all year, and I think those goals are on us.”

“I can turn the page right away because I don't wanna really dig too much into the past,” Dostál said. “I'm trying to take the positives, trying to take the negatives, always, from the game and just move on.”

The idea of self-belief being the driving factor for top-notch playoff performances may feel a bit whimsical, but the Ducks have shown that they can turn up another gear. Their 2-6-2 stretch to close out the regular season was nowhere to be found in the playoffs as they dispatched the Oilers in six games. They’ll need some of the same self-belief and short memory if they hope to beat the Golden Knights.


Related:

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 1 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/04/26)

Five Key Matchups for the Ducks in the Second Round vs. Golden Knights

Five Anaheim Ducks Storylines Ahead of their Second Round Series vs the Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights' William Karlsson to return on Monday vs. Ducks after missing 6 months with injury

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson will return for Game 1 of the team's second-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks after missing nearly six months with a lower-body injury.

Coach John Tortorella confirmed the news before Monday night's game.

Karlsson was hurt in the first period of Vegas’ 4-3 overtime loss against the Ducks on Nov. 8.

Karlsson had four goals and three assists early in the season before the injury. He had back-to-back 50-point seasons, but finished with only 29 in 53 games last season, when he was sidelined twice because of injuries.

___

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

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 1 – Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/04/26)

Viva Las Vegas, baby. The Ducks have made it to the second round, winning their first playoff series in nine years in their first playoff berth in eight years against the defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.

They find themselves against the Vegas Golden Knights, the first time that these two teams are facing each other in the playoffs. It’s the first time since the Golden Knights’ inaugural season that both teams are in the playoffs.

“They're a good hockey team,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “They’ve got balance, they skate, they're big, they go to the net, they defend pretty well, they play as a group of five in all zones, they seem to be connected. Not a lot of holes. I think that we’ve got to be at our best. We're gonna have to make sure that we start the series (hard). 
Every game's going to be important that we play consistently, we can't give up leads. When I say leads, we can't give up basically chasing a game—like we saw most of the year and in that last round as well—to have success. So, let's make sure our starts are going to be better.”

Feb 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) defends the goal as Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) screens him during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) defends the goal as Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) screens him during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

“Everybody’s really excited,” Mason McTavish said. “We’ve got a great Vegas team we’re gonna be playing, so I'm just excited for that challenge. They’ve got a lot of great players and so do we, so it should be a great series and we're looking forward to it.”

Troy Terry has regularly missed morning skates over the past month or so, but will play in Game 1, per Quenneville. Radko Gudas (lower-body) participated in Monday’s morning skate and could be an option going forward. He has not played since Game 1 of the Oilers series.

Former Duck William Karlsson will return to the lineup for the Golden Knights in Game 1. He had been out since November with a lower-body injury. His re-insertion into the lineup gives the Golden Knights four steady cogs down the middle in Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Karlsson and Nic Dowd.


Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba speaks to the media after their morning skate at T-Mobile Arena.

Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry

Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke

Mason McTavish - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier

Jeff Viel - Tim Washe - Ian Moore

Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba

Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson

Tyson Hinds - Drew Helleson

Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)

Golden Knights Projected Lines

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden - Mitch Marner - Mark Stone

Tomáš Hertl - William Karlsson - Keegan Kolesar

Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Colton Sissons

Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson

Ben Hutton - Kaedan Korczak

Carter Hart (confirmed)

Former Panthers In The Second Round Of NHL Playoffs

The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is complete, and although the Florida Panthers did not participate, several former Panthers players have moved on.

The first round featured several thrilling series, as well as sweeps.

Today, we’ll look at how each former Panthers player fared in the first round and what comes next for them in the second round.

Owen Tippett and Noah Juulsen, Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers pulled off a slight upset over the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the series in six games. The Flyers made a late run into the playoffs and carried that momentum into the playoffs.

Former first-round pick of the Panthers, Owen Tippett, was a force for the Flyers. The 27-year-old only scored one goal and two points, but his speed was a handful for the Penguins to deal with. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury against the Penguins and was held out of the lineup for Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Noah Juulsen played just four games with the Panthers, but he’s become a serviceable third-pairing defender. Juulsen played in four games against the Penguins, failing to record a point and averaging 10:51 of ice time. 

Former Panthers Goaltender Signs Extension With HurricanesFormer Panthers Goaltender Signs Extension With HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes have signed former Florida Panthers goaltender Brandon Bussi to a three-year, $5.7 million contract extension.

Brandon Bussi and Mike Reilly, Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes are rolling. They swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round and started their series against the Flyers with a dominant 3-0 win.

While Brandon Bussi hasn’t played, Frederik Andersen has been the starting netminder for the Hurricanes. He was great for the Hurricanes during the regular season. Bussi was signed to a two-way deal by the Panthers in the off-season, but was claimed off waivers by the Hurricanes in pre-season.

As for Mike Reilly, he played just two games with the Panthers, but he has been an effective defenseman throughout his career. Reilly did not play in the first round, but the 32-year-old notched two assists in Game 1 against the Flyers. 

Samuel Montembeault and Mike Matheson, Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round in Game 7 just last night. Montembeault didn’t dress for any game, as he has been demoted to the third-string netminder. 

The 29-year-old was a third-round pick of the Panthers in 2015, but played just 25 games with the organization. 

Mike Matheson played 299 games with the Panthers, the most of any team in his career, although it will be the Canadiens with whom he’s played the most soon. The 32-year-old has posted some strong offensive seasons in his career, but now he’s used more as a solid second-pairing two-way defender.

The Canadiens are set for a challenging second-round matchup against the Buffalo Sabres.

Alex Lyon has posted a .955 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against average in the playoffs so far. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)
Alex Lyon has posted a .955 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against average in the playoffs so far. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

Alex Lyon, Buffalo Sabres

Alex Lyon is a Panthers hero, and now he’s becoming a Sabres icon. Lyon helped the Panthers make a late push to the playoffs in 2023, and now he’s stepped into the crease in place of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and has dominated. 

The 33-year-old guided the Sabres to three wins, allowing just one goal in each win. He allowed just two goals in his only loss in the playoffs so far. 

Frank Vatrano and Radko Gudas, Anaheim Ducks

Radko Gudas and Frank Vatrano haven’t been a factor in the Anaheim Ducks’ success. If anything, Gudas did the opposite.

In Game 1 against the Edmonton Oilers, Gudas fell over his feet while Mattias Ekholm skated towards him, allowing a clean shot on goal before the Oilers scored on the rebound. Gudas then exited the lineup with an injury and has not returned. The Ducks went on to win four of the next five games.

As for Vatrano, he’s been a healthy scratch for the Ducks. He played five seasons in Florida, but the same issues that plagued him before continue: inconsistency.

Could The Panthers Take Advantage Of The Goaltending Situation In Minnesota?Could The Panthers Take Advantage Of The Goaltending Situation In Minnesota?If the Florida Panthers are in the market for a goaltender this off-season, could they look to take advantage of the situation with the Minnesota Wild?

Vladimir Tarasenko and Jeff Petry, Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild may have been handed the toughest hand in the first round, but they didn’t complain. Rather, they defeated the Dallas Stars in six games and looked more in control than the Stars did.

Vladimir Tarasenko was a bit quiet, but he remains a solid offensive player now in his mid-thirties. Tarasenko wasn’t an incredible producer for the Panthers when they won the Stanley Cup in 2024, but he pitched in when needed. 

As for Petry, he was an off-season signing whom the Panthers traded away at the deadline. The veteran has skated in just one playoff game for the Wild so far. 

The Wild will be in tough against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round, as Game 1 finished 9-6 in a loss for the Wild. 


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Sabres Get Good News About Gritty Forward Before Canadiens Series

The Montreal Canadiens will be facing off against the Buffalo Sabres in the second round after their impressive Game 7 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Now, the Sabres have already gotten some promising news that has the potential to make things a bit more difficult for the Canadiens. 

Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff shared that forward Sam Carrick has been progressing well and could practice with Buffalo on Tuesday. This is after Carrick was initially expected to miss all of the second round. Yet, with Carrick making progress and potentially being ready to practice with the team, there is a real chance that he could end up playing for Buffalo this series after all. 

If Carrick ends up being good to go for the Sabres, it would not be the best news for the Canadiens. While he is not a big-time star, he is a hard-nosed forward who plays a smart defensive game, kills penalties, and has success at the dot. Because of this, he would have the potential to make things more difficult for the Canadiens if he ends up being given the green light to return for Buffalo. 

In 73 games this season split between the New York Rangers and Sabres, Carrick had nine goals, seven assists, 16 points, 65 penalty minutes, and 105 hits. He notably heated up after being traded to the Sabres, though, posting five goals and an assist in 13 games. 

Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Explains NHL Draft Lottery To Martin's Daughters, NHL Fans

Everything changed for the New York Islanders when they won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, selecting then 17-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick.

From living with Matt Martin and his family to breaking so many records, Schaefer has gone quickly from draft prospect to prodigy. 

BREAKING: Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Will Not Play For Team Canada At 2026 World Championships BREAKING: Islanders' Matthew Schaefer Will Not Play For Team Canada At 2026 World Championships Disappointing Olympic snub foreshadows Schaefer's surprising absence from Canada's 2026 World Championship roster.

Schaefer has been tremendous on the ice, and when the cameras are rolling, so it's not a shock that he was back on camera ahead of Tuesday's 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. 

On Monday, the NHL released a video of Schaefer Face-Timing the Martin girls, a skit to explain the draft lottery in a way that everyone can understand:

The Islanders, who won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with just 3.5 percent odds, ended the 2025-26 season with a 2.0% chance of winning the lottery for a second straight season. 

However, per the rules, teams can only move up 10 spots in the lottery, so, while the Islanders technically could win the lottery for a second straight year, winning would just mean they select third overall in Buffalo on June 26 and June 27.  

You can watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, which takes place live from NHL Network's studio in Secaucus, New Jersey, at 7 PM ET on ESPN, Sportnets and TVA. 

Sabres Prepared For The Challenge Of Facing The Canadiens

The Buffalo Sabres were in an unfamiliar position, awaiting the results of a Game 7 contest between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. In spite having a roster littered with Stanley Cup winners and outshooting the Habs 29-9, Alex Newhook’s third period sent the favored Lightning to the golf course early for the fourth straight postseason, and the young Montrealers to the second round for the first time in five seasons. 

"Sometimes playoffs are just about winning the game. It's not how you get it done," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said on Monday. "You've got to find different ways. You watch that game last night. You got a crazy goal. You haven't had a lot of opportunities.....Sometimes it doesn't look real pretty, but you got to find ways to win games in the playoffs, and they found a way to win Game 7." 

The Sabres split their season series with the Canadiens (1-1 at Key Bank Center and 1-1 at the Bell Centre), and were successful at playing effectively on the road in the postseason, winning all three games in Boston, limiting the Bruins to just three goals at TD Garden. That kind of success will be even more difficult to achieve in Montreal, in front of their rabid fanbase. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Is Lindy Ruff the favorite for the Jack Adams?

"I think you (have to) manage to puck well and don't give them the start they want. That'll be a high energy building for sure. Every building in the playoffs is high energy,” Ruff said. “It's one of the great places to play hockey, to be there for a game where (you're) the home team (or) the road team. I couldn't wait when I started my career to play in Montreal, because of the history of that place."

 Ruff provided an update on his injured players on Monday. Center Noah Ostlund suffered a lower-body injury in Game 5 last week and has been ruled out for the second round. He had also indicated that Sam Carrick would be out for Round 2, but on Monday said that the veteran center is feeling further along than he said, and could practice with the club on Tuesday if he gets the go-ahead from the team’s medical staff.  

Justin Danforth, who has been out since mid-October with a broken knee-cap, is working his way back, but Ruff would not rule out him returning if the club goes deeper in the playoffs.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram @MikeInBuffalo

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Jakub Dobes Conn Smythe Trophy Odds 2026: Can Canadiens Goalie Become Long Shot Winner?

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Jakub Dobes, take a bow.

The 24-year-old netminder posted a .923 SV% and 2.04 GAA in the Montreal Canadiens' series win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Next up, the Buffalo Sabres.

We'll take a look at Dobes' Conn Smythe odds and see where he stands among the other elite netminders who've received the honor.

Jakub Dobes Conn Smythe odds entering Round 2

Conn Smythe Odds
Canadiens Jakub Dobes (+3500)
Bet now at img src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/82/bet99_bg.svg" alt="BET99" style="display: block; height: 44px; width: auto; max-width: 160px; object-fit: contain; border-radius: 4px;"

The situation

Jakub Dobes' 35/1 odds put him on the same level as Tage Thompson, Kirill Kaprizov, and Nick Suzuki. The only player who's really done anything remotely close to the Montreal Canadiens' netminder is Kaprizov, and he's staring in the face of the Colorado Avalanche, who're the consensus Stanley Cup odds favorite — already down 1-0.

Dobes and the Canadiens have a difficult but easier task against the Sabres, with books pricing this near a pick' em. If Montreal gets by Buffalo, things don't get any easier.

The Habs will likely face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final and the Colorado Avalanche after that... but let's not pretend like Montreal just took out the Los Angeles Kings.

Dobes outplayed a future Hall of Famer in Andrei Vasilevskiy, and while he's no Carey Price, the team Dobes has in front of him is better than what the Habs gave No. 30 in 2021.

History at a glance

Netminders have won the Conn Smythe Trophy 17 times in NHL history, with Canadiens legend, Patrick Roy, winning it thrice. As for recent history, Vasilevskiy — the goalie who just got bounced — won in 2021 — while Jonathan Quick and Tim Thomas won in 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Here is a breakdown of their stats, and how Dobes stacks up through Round 1:

PlayerGAASV%
Lightning Andrei Vasilevskiy1.90.937
Kings Jonathan Quick1.41.946
Bruins Tim Thomas1.98.940
Canadiens Jakub Dobes2.04.923

Looking at that, the Habs' netminder will need to get that GAA below 2.00 and up his SV% to at least above .935 if history repeats itself. One thing he does have going for him, though, is that no skater has more than six points for Montreal.

Dobes was clearly the best player in bleu, blanc, rouge against the Bolts, which is why only Suzuki currently has the same odds as him. 

I think it's quite clear that the biggest obstacle between the 24-year-old netminder and the Conn Smythe is actually winning the Cup.

Goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere did win in 2003 despite his Ducks falling one game short, but his .945 SV% and 1.62 GAA slots him ahead of every playoff run we just mentioned outside of Quick.

Yes, Dobes was the reason the Canadiens now own the record for fewest shots by a team in a playoff win, but the best path to the Conn Smythe is leading Montreal to their first Cup since 1993.

The conclusion

The Habs are hungry, and the rebuild has clearly paid off. They're about to play a very winnable series against Buffalo, and will then likely take on a Carolina Hurricanes team known for crumbling under the pressure when the going gets tough deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Bet99 currently has Montreal at +950 to win the Cup, which sounds like a great bet to pair with Dobes winning Conn Smythe honors.

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.

NHL draft lottery odds: Canucks hope for first No. 1 pick ever

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs trudge on, much of the NHL has already turned its attention to the future.

Among those teams? The Vancouver Canucks, who are looking for their first ever No. 1 pick in the NHL Entry Draft lottery. As they look to find a new GM to replace Patrik Allvin, who was fired in April, the Canucks look to finally be entering a much-needed rebuild. With 18.5% odds to get the No. 1 overall pick and Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg looking like distinct possibilities, 2026 may give the franchise the jolt it needs.

While the team with best odds to get the No. 1 pick has retained it in three of the past five years, 2025 saw a stunning climb when the New York Islanders jumped from the 10th-best odds to land defenseman Matthew Schaefer first. Behind the Canucks are the Chicago Blackhawks – who landed Connor Bedard No. 1 overall in 2023 – and the New York Rangers, who won the most shocking lottery in NHL history in 2020.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be in their first draft under new GM John Chayka, but could be without a first-round pick. With the fifth-best odds to get the No. 1 overall pick, Toronto has a top-five protected pick that would go to the Boston Bruins if it is No. 6 or lower.

As always, it all comes down to the luck of the draw.

How does the NHL Entry Draft lottery work?

The NHL's lottery system is similar but different to other ping-pong ball-based lottery systems.

While worse records still result in better odds to get drawn and the worst record has better odds than the NBA (18.5% vs 14% tied with the second and third worst teams in the NBA), the NHL only allows teams to move up 10 spots from where they're drawing. With that in mind, only the top 11 teams in odds have a chance to pick No. 1 overall (ending with the Blues this season).

The NHL also draws for the top two teams, meaning two teams could jump in the order (ergo, the Devils could pick No. 2 but not No. 1 from the No. 12 spot in the order). If, for example, the Islanders win the No. 1 pick from 13, they would pick third and Vancouver would retain its No. 1 spot.

When is the 2026 NHL Entry Draft lottery?

The NHL Entry Draft lottery will take place in Secaucus, New Jersey at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. Cord-cutters can watch on the ESPN app with ESPN+ or use Fubo, which offers a free trial.

2026 NHL Entry Draft lottery odds

The Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points) have the best No. 1 pick odds at 18.5%. Behind them are the Blackhawks (29-39-14, 72 points) at 13.5% and the Rangers (34-9-9, 77 points) at 11.5%. Chicago, of course, jumped the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023 to land Bedard, while the Rangers won a unique two-phase lottery in 2020 to get Alex Lafreniere.

Vancouver has never had the No. 1 overall pick.

PositionTeamNo. 1 pick odds
1Vancouver Canucks18.5%
2Chicago Blackhawks13.5%
3New York Rangers11.5%
4Calgary Flames9.5%
5Toronto Maple Leafs (conditional to Boston)8.5%
6Seattle Kraken7.5%
7Winnipeg Jets6.5%
8Florida Panthers6%
9San Jose Sharks5%
10Nashville Predators3.5%
11St. Louis Blues3%
12New Jersey Devils2.5%
13New York Islanders2%
14Columbus Blue Jackets1.5%
15St. Louis Blues (from Detroit)0.5%
16Washington Capitals0.5%

When did potential lottery winners last win the NHL Entry Draft lottery?

Winning the lottery can be a franchise-defining move. Prospects are bright for the Blackhawks with Bedard, Macklin Celebrini has proven to be an elite force for the Sharks, and the Sabres have emerged as a force to reckoned with with Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power as two former No. 1 picks.

Some teams are looking to pick first overall for the first time ever. Here's a look at the last time the potential lottery winners picked first overall, and who they took.

TeamYearPick
Vancouver CanucksNeverN/A
Chicago Blackhawks2023Connor Bedard
New York Rangers2020Alex Lafreniere
Calgary FlamesNeverN/A
Toronto Maple Leafs2016Auston Matthews
Seattle KrakenNeverN/A
Winnipeg Jets2001 (as Atlanta Thrashers)Ilya Kovalchuk
Florida Panthers2014Aaron Ekblad
San Jose Sharks2024Macklin Celebrini
Nashville PredatorsNeverN/A
St. Louis Blues2006Erik Johnson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will win NHL draft lottery? Canucks lead odds, Blackhawks next

Avalanches' Gabriel Landeskog Named Finalist For 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Continuing the NHL awards announcements, today's finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy are: The NHL has announced that, alongside Rasmus Dahlin and Jonathan Toews, Gabriel Landeskog is one of the three finalists for the trophy.

The trophy is handed out to the winner who “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.

This award and others are voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA).

It's been one hell of a season for Landeskog. No matter how hot he is playing, there is always some sort of unfortunate injury that sets him back. It's already hard enough that he had to take two full seasons off while recovering from a surgery that not many hockey players generally have. He is the first NHLer to return after that work, when he started his rehab with the Colorado Eagles and then made his debut during last season's playoffs against the Dallas Stars.

Gabriel Landeskog Set to Play in His First Professional Game Since 2022Gabriel Landeskog Set to Play in His First Professional Game Since 2022<b>Loveland, Colo.</b> - The Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Eagles (AHL) announced this morning that Gabriel Landeskog will dress for the Colorado Eagles in their match tonight against the Henderson Silver Knights. This will be his Eagles debut.

Throw in the groin injury he suffered from Cale Makar when the Avalanche came back from the Olympic break, which kept him from February 25 to March 6. He has two goals and five assists for seven points, with the Avalanche going 5-1-0 in the stretch. Then the “96 miles-per-hour slapshot to the nuts” happened, keeping him out for three weeks.

Despite playing his first regular season in over two years, playing in the Olympics, and dealing with a pretty serious groin injury, he still managed to finish with 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 60 games. His impact on and off the ice is more than just a leadership role; it shows in the statistics. 

Landeskog Overcomes Injury, Ready for 2026 OlympicsLandeskog Overcomes Injury, Ready for 2026 OlympicsAfter fearing he might miss what could be his final Olympic Games, Gabe Landeskog is now ready to chase Olympic gold.

With Landeskog in the lineup, the Avalanche had a record of 45-7-8; when he was out of the lineup, they had a record of 10-9-3. His leadership is much more than just in the locker room and on the practice ice; his knowledge and work ethic make the Avalanche a better, deeper team, and it showed on the ice. Through five playoff games so far, he has two goals and three assists for five points, tied for the third most on the team.

Landeskog's return to the team has been the biggest impact and story of the season. Not having your captain on the ice for the last two seasons hurt, and it showed. It's great to see the immediate impact he made on the team during his return, and it shows how much he means to the team and the league itself.

Avalanche Outlast Wild In 15-Goal Thriller To Take Game 1Avalanche Outlast Wild In 15-Goal Thriller To Take Game 1Colorado leaned on a relentless offensive surge and a multi-point explosion from its stars to outlast Minnesota 9–6 in a chaotic, back-and-forth Game 1 at Ball Arena.

The 2026 Draft Lottery Is Almost Here, And It Means Absolutely Nothing For the Columbus Blue Jackets

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is tomorrow, May 5th, and will air on ESPN at 7 PM Eastern. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are scheduled to pick #14 overall, just like in 2025. Much to the delight of the team and fans, Jackson Smith was an excellent pick after seeing what he did during his freshman season at Penn State. But don't get used to that, because it won't happen every year. The Jackets were slated to pick #13, but "fell" to 14. 

This year it's the same situation. They will pick #14 but will have a 1.5% chance to move up to as high as #4 in the draft. That 1.5% might as well be 0%, because it's not happening. They could actually fall to 15, which will most likely happen. 

Last year, upstart Utah was allowed to move up to 4 from 14, much to the dismay of many other teams. If you subscribe to conspiracy theories, this is your chance to puff out your chest just a little bit. 

The New York Islanders also jumped from 10 to 1 to secure the services of Matthew Schaefer, which again drew the ire of the teams that earned the top overall pick. Again, conspiracy theorists, stand up!

For the last few years, the NHL Draft Lottery has meant something to the Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans. Even though it was almost a given that they would fall in the draft order, they watched and begged for a miracle, which never came. The only miracle came when the Ducks picked Leo Carlsson instead of Adam Fantilli, which allowed the CBJ to pick him at #3. 

Even though fans have suffered through several rough seasons, the NHL hasn't allowed this franchise to profit from its misery. Will that ever change? 

This year will be just like last year, unfortunately. Sadly, it'll just be another day to watch a team win the lottery, who has either already won it in the last couple of years, or it will go to a team that happened to have a bad season randomly. 

So, will you watch the Draft Lottery, or will you be partaking in the Cinco De Mayo celebration? Will you be doing both? Many fans of Columbus will torture themselves and watch as a team like Toronto, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016, win the NHL Lottery. 

Or will it be Florida, which, due to injuries, has the 8th-best odds to win the lottery? Let me remind you that they are the two-time defending cup champs and went to three straight finals.

What about Chicago? Would the NHL allow them to draft yet another generational talent, just three years after Connor Bedard? 

Of course, the CBJ could trade that pick to move up in the draft, or they could trade it to bring in roster-ready players. But that was the case last year, too, and they got absolutely zero traction from it. So, expect them to make the pick. 

Get your popcorn ready if you plan to watch, because someone is going to get their feelings hurt tomorrow.  

Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2025, where the CBJ will most likely pick 14 or 15. 

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Canadiens are heading to the second round of the NHL playoffs after going through a rebuild

TAMPA, Fla. — Martin St. Louis pounded his chest in the locker room, Jakub Dobes received a shaving cream pie in the face from his fellow goalies and the Montreal Canadiens celebrated a long-awaited series victory.

“We’re not leaving,” St. Louis told his players, quoting Leonardo DiCaprio from “The Wolf of Wall Street” movie.

Indeed, the Canadiens are heading to Buffalo for a second-round series after eliminating the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 2-1 victory in Game 7.

It’s the first time Montreal has advanced since losing the Stanley Cup Finals to Tampa Bay in 2021. Game 1 against the Sabres is in Buffalo.

Before shifting attention to the next series, the Canadiens enjoyed their victory following a hard-fought, evenly-contested series that featured seven games decided by one goal and four that went to overtime.

“I feel like you can’t take the player out of me, right?” St. Louis said about his triumphant speech. “I don’t try to be in the locker room a lot. To me, this is their space. It’s their team. It’s not my team. I try and steer them. But every now and then I have my moment with them. I try and pick my spot and a night like tonight, I wanted to be with them and we had some fun.”

Despite being held to just nine shots — the Canadiens are the first team to win a playoff game with fewer than 10 shots on goal since shots were first tracked in the 1959-60 season — Montreal found a way to beat a veteran team that has plenty of experience in big games.

The Canadiens got a couple lucky bounces on goals by Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook. But they would be going home if not for Dobes’ heroics. The rookie goaltender stopped 28 shots and outplayed Andrei Vasilevskiy over the seven games.

“Many times in the season the guys bailed me out and helped me out and I tried to do the same and vice versa,” Dobes said. “Sometimes they don’t play good. Sometimes I don’t play good. They always got my back. I always got theirs. That’s our mentality. We have a really good group, good leaders, good locker room. This wasn’t anything special. I was just trying to keep the guys in it. I was just waiting for them to get going and that’s exactly what happened.”

As for the shaving cream to the face, Dobes said: “Can’t wait for next practice. I’ll have something prepared.”

The Canadiens moved on because they played like the looser team. While the Lightning seemed tight at times — they lost three home games — upstart Montreal is having fun and feeding off their Hockey Hall of Fame coach.

The Canadiens are the only team from Canada still playing in the postseason after Ottawa and Edmonton were already knocked out.

It’s been a long road back here. After losing to the Lightning in the Cup Final, the Canadiens were last in the NHL in 2021-22. They were bottom five in the league the next two seasons before St. Louis led to the playoffs last season only to exit in the first round.

With Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Dobes leading the way, the Canadiens have a shot against Buffalo. The Sabres were the NHL’s best team after Jan. 1 and snapped a 14-year playoff drought with 109 points this season, only three more than Montreal.

“After the Cup Final, there was a lot of tough times and a lot of guys left,” Suzuki said. “We started this rebuild and slowly but surely, drafted some really good players and have an amazing coach. It’s probably faster than a lot of people expected but when you get great players together with a great system and great leadership, things can turn quickly.”

Ducks vs Golden Knights Props & NHL Playoffs Game 1 Best Bets

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The Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights meet in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals tonight, with puck drop scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Arena.

My Ducks vs. Golden Knights player props for the series opener will highlight Jackson LaCombe, Mark Stone, and Leo Carlsson.

Read more for my NHL picks for Monday, May 4. 

Ducks vs Golden Knights props for Game 1

PlayerPickBET99
Ducks Jackson LaCombeOver 0.5 assists-105
Golden Knights Mark StoneOver 0.5 assists+120
Ducks Leo CarlssonOver 2.5 shots on goal-155

Game 1 Prop #1: Jackson LaCombe Over 0.5 assists

-105 at BET99

Jackson LaCombe has been brilliant in these playoffs for the Anaheim Ducks, leading the team with nine points. He’s scored once and tallied eight assists, three of which came with the man advantage. The defenseman is a tremendous playmaker, and I’m eyeing him to keep it rolling in Game 1. 

LaCombe cashed the Over in helpers in five of the six games against the Oilers in the first round. LaCombe also had 48 apples during the regular season, and he compiled two helpers in three meetings with the Vegas Golden Knights.

He's also pacing the team in ice time per game (just under 27 minutes), giving him extra opportunities to be involved when Anaheim lights the lamp.

Game 1 Prop #2: Mark Stone Over 0.5 assists

+120 at BET99

Mark Stone has been his usual productive self in the playoffs, notching five points, including three assists.

The veteran finished with a helper in each of the final two games against the Mammoth. The Ducks may have looked better against the Oilers, but they were 28th in the league this season in goals allowed, and Stone almost always has his hand in the Golden Knights' offense. 

He finished with 28 goals and 45 helpers in 2025-26. Stone only faced Anaheim once, but he was setting up goals left and right, tallying a pair of assists. The 33-year-old also had 27 of his assists this season at T-Mobile Arena in only 31 outings. He’ll produce in Game 1.

Game 1 Prop #3: Leo Carlsson Over 2.5 shots on goal

-155 at BET99

Leo Carlsson averaged 2.75 SOG per game during the season, and he’s upped that production in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Carlsson is averaging an impressive 4.66 shots on target across six contests. While he only finished with two SOG in Game 6 against the Oilers, the other five were a shot frenzy. 

The 21-year-old hit the Over in all of those contests, and he even had 10 SOG in the series opener. Carlsson was also a key chance creator in two regular-season meetings with Vegas, putting six pucks on net. He’s also cashed the Over in three consecutive road games.

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4th straight 1st-round exit leaves the Lightning searching for answers

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning dominated most of Game 7, had triple the scoring opportunities and still found a way to lose.

It’s an early exit for the fourth straight season.

A pair of fluky goals helped the Montreal Canadiens beat the Lightning 2-1, sending Tampa Bay to a familiar first-round exit.

The Lightning played their best game of the series, held the Canadiens to just nine shots and yet are heading on vacation while the Canadiens advance to face the Buffalo Sabres.

Montreal’s first goal bounced off Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and went in. The second was whacked out of the air behind the net, hit goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pad and his backside and went in..

“The hockey gods have been in my corner many, many times. Tonight they were in the other corner,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said.

For a talented team whose standard is hoisting Stanley Cups, nobody has any answers. Since falling two wins short of a three-peat in 2022, Tampa Bay can’t win a series.

“I don’t really have words,” Ryan McDonagh said. “You like a lot about the game. From start to finish, we stuck with our process and our plan. But at the end it doesn’t matter because they had two, we had one. It’s a loss. Credit to them. They grinded and found a way.”

The Lightning just couldn’t get much past rookie goalie Jakub Dobes throughout the series. He made 28 saves in Game 7. Tampa Bay didn’t get enough production from its offensive stars. Nikita Kucherov, who had 130 points in the regular season, still has zero in his career in Game 7s.

“There’s some disbelief in our room that we can play like that and not walk away with anything,” Cooper said about the defensive effort. “We couldn’t have played any better and still it wasn’t good enough. You have to tip your cap to (Canadiens coach) Martin St. Louis, Jakub Dobes and the Montreal Canadiens.”

After tallying 106 points in the regular season and finishing second in the division, the Lightning missed an opportunity to make a run at the Cup.

And, the team could be running out of time together.

Kucherov and Jake Guentzel, the team’s two leading scorers in the regular season, and Vasilevskiy are in their early 30s. McDonagh is 36. Captain Victor Hedman, who hasn’t played since March, is 35.

Darren Raddysh, who is coming off a breakout 70-point season, will be a free agent.

“It sucks. You don’t get any younger that’s for sure,” Brandon Hagel said. “I have one goal on my mind every single year and I just want to win.”

The Lightning have to wait until next year to do that.

Ducks bring speed to challenge the playoff-tested Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS — If the first round of the NHL playoffs played out almost exactly like the opening series a year ago when the Golden Knights eliminated Minnesota in six games, their next opponent is a striking reminder to the one they just vanquished.

The Golden Knights again are the more playoff-seasoned team, but the Anaheim Ducks counter with a faster team interested in more of a track meet when their best-of-seven series opens in Vegas.

Much like the Utah Mammoth, a team Vegas eliminated in six games. The Golden Knights are -210 favorites.

Their playoff experience was crucial against the Mammoth, never panicking even when the Golden Knights had every reason to, trailing in the third period in each of the first five games. They found ways to survive before putting together their most complete game in the 5-1 clincher.

“I think (the experience) only helps the farther you go,” Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “The pressure ramps up as you keep going. A lot of guys in here have had long playoff series and understand what it’s like. Intensity and speed kind of ramp up as the series goes on.”

The Golden Knights have advanced beyond the first round for sixth time in their eight playoff appearances. The 2023 Stanley Cup champions have missed the postseason only once in their nine years as a franchise.

This is the Ducks’ first playoff appearance since 2018, but Vegas captain Mark Stone said that is misleading. Nine players not only appeared in the playoffs before this season, eight have played in conference finals and beyond. Alex Killorn won two Stanley Cups in Tampa Bay and John Carlson was on the Washington team that beat the Golden Knights for the 2018 championship.

“So you still have to be on your toes,” Stone said. “You just have to play good. You’re playing against the same opponent for seven games potentially. Experience helps, but it’s not everything.”

The Ducks certainly aren’t exhibiting a just-happy-to-be-here vibe. That was evident in their six-game series victory over an Edmonton team that played in the past two Cup Final series.

“We didn’t accomplish any goal yet,” Anaheim defenseman Jackson LaCombe said. “We’re kind of playing as underdogs through the whole playoffs here, so we’re just going to keep doing our thing.”

Ducks wing Troy Terry said the focus after dispatching the Oilers didn’t take long to shift to the Golden Knights.

“It’s May, and you guys (media) are still talking to me,” Terry said. “It’s new for me, and it’s new for a lot of us. It’s just exciting to come to the rink.”

Young Ducks rising

LaCombe appeared to signal his arrival as an NHL star in the first round with nine points and shutdown defense against Connor McDavid, but other Anaheim youngsters also had auspicious playoff debuts.

Leo Carlsson scored eight points and thrived in the run-and-gun tempo of the first series, demonstrating his formidable two-way game while centering Anaheim’s top line. The 21-year-old Swede led the Ducks with 28 shots.

Cutter Gauthier kept up the pace from his 41-goal regular season, pumping four past the Oilers – three on the power play with his vicious one-timers from the faceoff circle. The 22-year-old wing had seven points and forced the Oilers to pay inordinate attention to his side of the ice and created opportunities for the likes of linemate Ryan Poehling, who scored four goals.

The other Great One

Golden Knights forward Brett Howden was being interviewed at his locker when teammate Keegan Kolesar yelled out, “Brettsky!”

Howden kept on talking, and even he knows it’s a little much to be compared to Wayne Gretzky.

“(Kolesar) likes to call me whatever he wants to call me,” Howden said with a chuckle. “Only my dad and my mom called me that growing up.”

The Golden Knights are probably done for the season if not for Howden. He scored four goals over the final three games. Two were short-handed, including the Game 5 overtime winner.

Anaheim roots, Vegas heights

The careers of Shea Theodore and William Karlsson will come full circle in this series: Two of the most important players in Golden Knights history began their NHL careers in Anaheim before ex-Ducks general manager Bob Murray foolishly let them go.

Theodore, a first-round pick by Anaheim, was two seasons into his NHL career when Murray traded him to Vegas in 2017 to ensure the Knights would not pick Josh Manson off the Ducks’ unprotected list in the expansion draft. Theodore has been a mainstay on Vegas’ blue line ever since, become the top-scoring defenseman in team history.

Karlsson, a Ducks second-round pick in 2011, still was finding his NHL stride when Murray traded him to Columbus in March 2015 in an inexplicable deal for aging defenseman James Wisniewski, who only played 13 games for Anaheim.

Vegas took Karlsson in the expansion draft two years later, and “Wild Bill” grew into the second-leading scorer in Golden Knights history. He has been sidelined since last November with a lower-body injury, but is back skating in practice and might suit up this in this series.

Special teams could decide it

Both teams made it this far because of their success on special teams.

For the Ducks, that came off the power play, where they converted 50% of their chances against the Oilers. The penalty kill was key for the Golden Knights, in which they were 15 of 16 and even outscored the Mammoth 2-1 on the Utah power play.

“I think it can definitely carry over,” McNabb said of the PK. “It’s been good all year. It’s something we’re going to need.”