“I know that the third (win) is going to be the hardest,” the Montreal Victoire coach said after her team took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Walter Cup Finals. “That’s what we’re focused on right now. The girls are allowed to be happy until the puck drop of the Habs tonight and then we move on.”
The Walter Cup trophy was in the house for Game 3 of the best-of-five series and nearly six minutes away from being hauled out for the Montreal Victoire. But with their backs against the wall, the Ottawa Charge staged a late-game comeback, scoring two goals in the final 5:30 of regulation to beat Montreal 2-1 and stay alive.
For nearly 50 minutes, the game was deadlocked 0-0 as goalies Ann-Renée Desbiens and Gwyneth Philips turned over 40 shots aside.
But just moments after Ottawa killed off a third Montreal power play, Montreal forward Hayley Scamurra carried the puck up the middle of the ice, dished to Maureen Murphy and drove to the net, where Murphy’s shot bounced right off the end boards and onto Scamurra’s stick. Known as a reliable defensive forward, Scamurra jumped on the puck before Philips could finish her slide through the crease and banged home the opening goal.
Seven minutes later, Ottawa rookie forward Peyton Hemp tied the game with her first goal of the playoffs. Rebecce Leslie scored the game-winner with just 54 seconds remaining in regulation — her league-leading fourth of the playoffs.
The deafening crowd of 16,894 at Canadian Tire Centre was the largest of any PWHL playoff game. Game 4 will return to CTC on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET).
There are currently just four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and they'll collide in the Western Conference Final with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
First, the Colorado Avalanche earned a trip to the Conference Final with a series victory over the Minnesota Wild, which took them just five games. The Avalanche have two former members of the Sharks organization in their ranks, both of which are still chasing their first Stanley Cup.
Defenseman Brent Burns spent over a decade in the Bay Area, appearing in 798 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored 172 goals and 594 points, the fifth most in franchise history. He also had a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Despite a two-decade long career in the NHL, Burns has never lifted the Cup but perhaps he can be the modern-day version of Ray Bourque if Colorado are able to go all the way this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood's hunt for the Stanley Cup has been much shorter. He's in his ninth NHL season, and he's in his first full season as a member of the Avalanche after being traded there by the Sharks last spring.
Blackwood has appeared in just three playoff games for the Avalanche, as Scott Wedgewood has established himself as Jared Bednar's first choice in net.
The Avalanche will be across the ice from the notorious Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games to advance to the Conference Final, stirring up controversy in the process, which cost their head coach John Tortorella quite a bit of money while also resulting in the organization losing a second round draft pick.
Much like Colorado, the Golden Knights have two former members of the Sharks organization on their roster.
Long-time fan favorite Tomas Hertl requested a trade out of San Jose to chase down a Stanley Cup and now the opportunity to win the grandest trophy in hockey is right in front of him. Age hasn't been kind to the now 32-year-old forward, but he's still been helpful for the Golden Knights.
Like Burns, Hertl spent over a decade in the Bay Area, playing in 712 games for the Sharks. He scored 218 goals, the fifth most in franchise history, and 484 points, the sixth most in franchise history.
Goaltender Adin Hill is also on the Golden Knights roster, but despite being in the first year of a sizeable new contract, he has yet to appear in a game during the postseason as the team has opted to start Carter Hart.
One pair of San Jose Sharks alumni will make a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, it's just a matter of which duo it'll be.
The Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs almost a month ago, but they remain in the news thanks to the speculation and rumors surrounding the search of the 29th Head Coach in franchise history.
With the Playoffs still in high gear, the rumors are nothing more than speculation and insiders sharing what they have heard. Hiring a new bench boss is a long process that absolutely has to be done correctly.
The Kings have been linked to some notable names including current interim coach D.J. Smith and the recently fired Bruce Cassidy. And now entering the mix is former Vancouver Canuck and current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach, Manny Malhotra.
According the NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Kings are likely to move on from DJ Smith and head in a younger direction, and he then mentioned Malhotra's name specifically.
David Pagnotta: Re Kings: I [can't] imagine a scenario where DJ Smith is the head coach next season; are they gonna look young...like a Manny Malhotra - Leafs Morning Take (4/22)
Los Angeles isn't the only team expected to be interested in the former Canucks assistant. The Toronto Maple Leafs have also reportedly expressed interest in hiring the 46-year-old fresh off of firing Craig Berube, who could also be an option for the Kings job. But based on Pagnotta's comments that seems unlikely at this moment in time.
Malholtra's Coaching Experience
After retiring as a player in 2016, Malhotra joined the Canucks coaching staff as an Assistant Coach where he served behind the bench until 2020 before he joined the Maple Leafs in the same role.
Malhotra spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Leafs before he was hired to be the bench boss by the Abbotsford Canucks, making yet another return to the Canucks organization,
His time in Abbotsford was perhaps the most up-and-down two years a team has ever. In 2024-25, Malhotra led his squad to a 44-24-4 record in the regular season before marching their way to a Calder Cup Championship. However, in 2025-26 his Canucks finished with a 28-37-7 record which of course had them missing the postseason.
Now, the former 16-year NHL veteran finds himself in the midst of the yearly head coaching cycle with a real chance of landing a job.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
A third Ottawa Senators prospect has advanced to play in the Memorial Cup.
Goalie Lucas Beckman and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens won the QMJHL title on Sunday with a 5-1 over the Moncton Wildcats. The Sags took the series in six games and Beckman was excellent.
The 18-year-old was chosen by Ottawa in the fourth round last year, 97th overall, and said last summer his goal this season was to be the best goalie in the Q. He's certainly in that discussion, posting a record of 16-4 in these playoffs with a 1.98 GAA and .918 save percentage.
THN Ottawa's Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss the Senators backup goalie position.
The Sags probably entered Sunday's game feeling like a team of destiny. In Game 5, with the series tied at 2, they fell behind 4-0 before storming back to defeat the Wildcats 7-6 and grab a 3-2 series lead.
The title was a special one for Chicoutimi and their fans, who hadn't won it all in 32 years. Now they'll try to win a Memorial Cup, something they've never done in their 53-year history.
As QMJHL representatives, they'll face the host Kelowna Rockets, the WHL’s Everett Silvertips and the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. Beckman will be facing two opponents who may soon be his AHL or NHL teammates. Sens prospects Luke Ellinas and defenseman Matthew Andonovski will be suiting up for the Rangers.
Outgoing Moncton was represented by big Finnish defenseman Eerik Wallenius, a 2024 Senators draft pick (5th round, 136), who had 10 points in 21 playoff games.
Nice moment in the handshake line between the two Sens prospects in this series, Beckman and Eerik Wallenius pic.twitter.com/zUONDOyn5U
All three Senators prospects in the Memorial Cup have signed their entry-level contracts with Ottawa. Beckman just signed his last month. Wallenius still has a couple of years before he has to sign his.
The Memorial Cup starts Friday with Kitchener facing host Kelowna. Chicoutimi will play Everett on Saturday.
Less than two months ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were in danger of falling out of the playoff picture. Now, they’re four wins away from competing for a Stanley Cup.
“It’s been quite a year,” said Jack Eichel. “At times, it’s been trying. There’s also been a lot of highs; there’s been a lot of really great moments. I think that’s the beauty of our game.
“That’s the beauty of the playoffs and this time of year,” Eichel continued. “You can be just okay for a while. But if you find something and grab onto a little bit of belief, and the room starts to see confidence, you can start piecing your game together, and good things can happen.
“When you get in, anything can happen,” finished Eichel. “Down the stretch in the regular season, we won some games and started to feel a bit better about ourselves, and we were able to take a little bit of that into the playoffs. It’s been great. And so much credit to the guys in the room– I feel like we’ve just stuck it out and tried to play good hockey as much as we can. We stuck together as a group, and I think those things go a long way.”
Despite not being in Vegas for the whole year, the trade deadline acquisitions experienced enough of the roller coaster that was the 2025-26 season to appreciate just how far this team has come.
“You hear about the things they went through this year,” said forward Cole Smith. “Personally, too, just being on a different team, the highs and lows there, the highs and lows of being traded and coming to a great spot, and now I have the chance of my career to play for something here. It’s been a great opportunity, and the excitement level is as high as it can get.
“[The excitement level] should be as high as it can be, because there are only four teams left at this time. It’s an honor to be here– we’re one series away from playing for a Stanley Cup,” finished Smith. “There are only so many chances in your career you get to go after a championship. I want to make the most of it and play my best.”
The Colorado Avalanche will be the Golden Knights’ most challenging opponent to date. It’s not often that the Golden Knights enter a series as a heavy underdog, but they’re not fazed.
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” said Jack Eichel. “They had a really good regular season, and they’ve been playing good hockey; we feel like we’ve been playing good hockey. What it comes down to is, the team that plays better and executes better is probably going to win. We just want to go out there and play our best.”
The Avalanche won the President’s Trophy as the team with the best regular season, finishing with a record of 55-16-11. They went 1-1-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season.
“They’re a great team, so it’ll be a great challenge,” said Cole Smith. “But we’re also a great team, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
“We’re looking forward to a great series, and we’re going to be ready to play,” agreed Pavel Dorofeyev.
Tonight the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will write the final chapter in what has been an exciting, back-and-forth series.
Let's take a look at three strong Canadiens vs. Sabres goal scorer prediction candidates with my NHL picks for Monday, May 18, highlighted by Cole Caufield.
Canadiens vs Sabres goal scorer predictions for Game 7
Player to score a goal
Odds
Juraj Slafkovsky
+215
Alex Tuch
+215
Cole Caufield
+150
💲Goal scorer parlay: Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Tuch, Cole Caufield
+1300
Goal scorer pick: Juraj Slafkovsky (+215)
Juraj Skafkovsky ranks second on the Montreal Canadiens with 3.13 expected goals, and nobody on the team has generated more high-danger opportunities.
Of the six Canadiens with 1.7 xG or more, Slafkovsky is the only one without multiple goals.
He proved this season how efficient he can be at finishing plays off around the net, scoring 30 times while converting at a very healthy 16.8% clip.
Compare that to this series, where he has converted on just 5.26% of his shots. That is the lowest rate among Montreal's Top 9 forwards in shots on goal in the second round.
The Buffalo Sabres have the worst team SV% of any side still playing, and Slafkovsky remains a likely candidate to take advantage.
Goal scorer pick: Alex Tuch (+215)
Alex Tuch has been everywhere in this series. He leads the Sabres in shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and has played more than any other forward on the roster.
He's generated breakaways, slot chances, rebound opportunities, and absolutely nothing has gone in for him. To say that is abnormal is an understatement.
Tuch converted on 16.92% of his shots during the regular season and has posted a 16.50 SH% or better in three of the past four years. He is an excellent and opportunistic finisher.
Jack Quinn was going through a similar dry spell for the Sabres and broke out in a big way, scoring two goals in a blowout Game 6 victory.
Tuch will have chances to do the same against Jakub Dobes, who has allowed 12 goals over his last three games and has started to look human.
Goal scorer pick: Cole Caufield (+150)
Remember when Cole Caufield couldn't buy a goal? He flipped that script in a hurry and is suddenly red-hot.
The NHL's second-leading goal scorer has found the back of the net in three of the past four games, and leads all Canadiens in scoring chances this series with 22 through six games.
He's averaged 6.2 shot attempts over his past five games after recording five or fewer four times in the five-game segment prior.
The uptick in volume makes him very dangerous, especially given Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen's leaky play. He ranks last among remaining goaltenders in Goals Saved Above Expected during the playoffs and has found himself in and out of the net as a result.
If he's not at the top of the game, Caufield will take advantage.
Canadiens vs Sabres anytime goal parlay (+1300)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
A quick update on the Florida Panthers goaltending situation as the Stanley Cup Playoffs move into the conference finals.
We know that as of now, the Panthers do not have any NHL goaltenders under contract for the upcoming season.
Longtime starting netminder Sergei Bobrovsky is an unrestricted free agent now that the seven-year, $70 million contract he signed with Florida back in 2019 has expired.
Bobrovsky, who will be 38 on Opening Night, is reportedly looking for a decent-sized payday on what will likely be his final contract in the NHL.
During his seven seasons in South Florida, Bobrovsky led the Panthers to the playoffs in six of those years, backstopping the Cats to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2023 to 2025 and back-to-back championships during the two latter trips.
He’s beloved in the locker room, with many of his teammates coming to bat for him during the past several months when the topic of his expiring contract came up, often expressing their feelings about his importance to the team and how crucial he is to their future success.
“We can’t lose him,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said following Florida’s final regular season game last month. “He’s our guy. He’s gonna get us back to where we want to be. The most important piece of our team the last few years, what he’s done. It’s just the character, the work ethic, the drive. He sets the tone, whether it’s off ice or on ice. I don’t care what age he is, he is the backbone of this team. If we’re gonna get back there, we’re probably gonna need him.”
That begs the question that if Bobrovsky is such a team-first guy, wouldn’t he fall in line with what every other Panthers player who signed a term contract has done before him?
Go down the list…every player who has agreed to an extension with the Panthers has signed a team-friendly deal for less than what they likely would’ve been offered on the open market.
Despite his age, Bobrovsky would still likely fetch a pretty penny if he wanted to test the free agent waters and see what kind of bidding war he could start up.
That’s a big if, though.
Bobrovsky enjoys living in South Florida and reportedly wants to stay there. It’s where he and his wife have welcomed their first two children in recent years, becoming more ingrained in the community and enjoying all the perks living in a tropical climate has to offer.
Should it continue to play out that Bobrovsky is seeking a bigger payday than what the Panthers are looking to hand out, it would make sense that Florida General Manager Bill Zito and his staff explore other potential options to backstop the Cup contending Cats.
One of those options could be one of the top goaltenders in the world.
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck made it clear during his exit interview with the media that he was not pleased, calling his team’s performance last season unacceptable and saying things had to change if they were going to become elite.
Hellebuyck has won quite a few hockey games during his 11 seasons in the NHL, including three Vezina Trophies; in 2020, 2024 and 2025.
He’ll be 33 on opening night (his birthday is Tuesday, actually), and has five years remaining on his current contract that pays an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.
Now if any team is equipped to evaluate an aging goaltender, you would think it’s the Panthers.
So where does that leave us?
Well, the main questions from a Florida perspective are whether Hellebuyck is looking for an exit from Winnipeg and, if so, would the Panthers be interested in exploring a trade.
The Hellebuyck element of that proposition is still yet to be known.
As for the Panthers’ side, THN Florida has learned that the team has had internal discussions regarding acquiring the veteran goaltender, and that should it turn out Hellebuyck is available, interest would be high in obtaining his services.
To be fair, none of that should be Earth-shattering information.
The Panthers currently have a need for goaltending so it makes sense they would be on top of exploring all the best possible options.
It’s called due diligence.
We’ll see how things play out between the Panthers and Bobrovsky’s camp in the coming weeks, and if the temperature cools on the Hellebuyck situation in Winnipeg.
NHL Insider David Pagnotta recently reported that there has been increasing chatter around the league regarding Hellebuyck’s availability.
“There are a lot of people around the league now that are starting to talk, and there is some speculation within the league that there may be an opportunity, there may be a play to make for Connor Hellebuyck,” Pagnotta said Friday on the DFO Rundown Insider Edition with Irfaan Gaffar. “He’s got full control. The Jets have to do nothing. I’m not saying the Jets are trying to trade him, that’s not the case. They love him and they want to keep him there for the duration of his contract; they want to win with him.”
Pagnotta went to say that there are teams around the league who believe there may be an opportunity to explore a possible trade, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Jets will feel the same way if and when those calls come in.
Winnipeg is one season removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy and has a roster full of talent, so unless Hellebuyck wants out, it would make sense that they would want to continue pushing for a Stanley Cup while adding to the core that they’ve built, not taking away a massive piece.
So yeah, there are a lot of moving parts, and we’re only discussing two goaltenders.
There is a lot that can happen between now, the NHL Draft at the end of the next month, and free agency which begins a few days later on July 1.
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)
Apr 9, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) looks on during the second period against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
Nicolas Roy spent six seasons building a life in Las Vegas. A Stanley Cup championship. Deep playoff runs. Friendships that still matter. But when the puck drops Wednesday night at Ball Arena, none of that carries much weight anymore — because the former Golden Knight now stands directly in Vegas’ path to another Final.
The Colorado Avalanche forward will open the Western Conference Final against the franchise where he became a trusted playoff piece, and while the memories remain, the loyalties are temporarily shelved.
“Just how it goes,” Roy said as Colorado prepared for Game 1 against Vegas. “The excitement’s already pretty high.”
From Surprise Trade To Colorado Fit
Roy’s offseason exit from Vegas came suddenly.
The 29-year-old was dealt to Toronto in last summer’s blockbuster trade that sent Mitch Marner to the Golden Knights, a move Roy admitted caught him off guard.
“As a player, you expect (a trade like this) more at the deadline than right there in the middle of the summer,” said Roy, who’s currently renting out his Las Vegas home to a Golden Knights player. “But again, you never know. It’s part of the business. It can happen at any given day. I just got surprised a little by it.”
Marner has delivered exactly what Vegas hoped for, leading the club with 18 playoff points — seven goals and 11 assists — through series victories over Utah and Anaheim.
Roy’s stay in Toronto, meanwhile, didn’t last long.
After recording five goals and 15 assists in 59 games with the Maple Leafs, he was moved again at the March 5 deadline, this time to Colorado in exchange for draft picks.
The transition could have been awkward. Instead, it’s looked seamless.
Roy has quietly become one of Colorado’s most dependable depth forwards during this postseason, contributing three goals and three assists through the opening two rounds while fitting naturally into Jared Bednar’s structure.
“All the other guys here made it so easy from the first day,” Roy said. “The coaches did a good job with me, of letting me know how to play the system. The guys talk to me a lot on the ice as well.”
Bednar said the Avalanche coaching staff revisited plenty of film from Roy’s Vegas tenure — including the Golden Knights’ 2023 Stanley Cup run — to better understand how to maximize his game.
“We tried to figure out how we would deploy him, and could we get him back to playing as well or better than he did in Vegas. Because he was a highly effective player for them,” Bednar said. “The one thing that I’ve been impressed with is his patience with the puck. He never throws the puck away. ... He's got a lot of patience for a guy with the production that he has.”
That patience already produced one massive moment for Colorado.
Roy scored the overtime winner in Game 2 of the Avalanche’s first-round sweep over the Los Angeles Kings, marking the second playoff OT goal of his career.
“I’m in a great situation right now,” said Roy, a 2015 fourth-round pick by Carolina who appeared in just seven games with the Hurricanes before eventually finding his footing in Vegas. “Just trying to keep doing my best.”
Inside Knowledge, No Extra Emotion
If anyone inside Colorado’s locker room understands Vegas’ tendencies, systems, and habits, it’s Roy.
Even with John Tortorella replacing Bruce Cassidy behind the bench, much of the Golden Knights’ identity remains familiar to him. So do the players — from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel to longtime linemate Keegan Kolesar.
“Obviously, I know their system and I know a little bit their player tendencies, as they know mine," Roy said. “I don’t think it’s a big advantage. The game is just so fast, you don’t want to overthink, you just want to play your game.”
Roy remembers all too well what Vegas did to Colorado in 2021, when the Golden Knights stormed back from a 2-0 series deficit in the second round to eliminate the Avalanche in six games.
This time, though, the perspective has changed.
Now he’s wearing burgundy and blue instead of gold.
And standing four wins away from another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.
The Colorado Avalanche are looking to continue their winning ways.
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, Nathan MacKinnon and co. handily took down the LA Kings and Minnesota Wild, coming out on top in eight of their nine games.
Next up, they’ll face their greatest challenge in the Western Conference Finals when they take on Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner’s Vegas Golden Knights.
If you’d like to be there for this cutthroat series that determines who advances to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals, tickets are available for all seven potential games.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one game at Denver’s Ball Arena was $175 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices for games at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena start at $160 including fees.
Home ice advantage will be crucial in this series, too.
“In the 2025-26 regular season, Colorado and Vegas faced off three times, with the road team winning each game,” Daily Faceoff reported. “The Avs won 4-2 in Vegas on Halloween Night, before prevailing 6-5 in a shootout two days after Christmas; Vegas won 3-2 in Colorado on April 11 off of an overtime goal by Jack Eichel.”
However, it should be noted that this is a brand-new Golden Knights team.
With eight games remaining before the end of the year, Vegas axed Head Coach Bruce Cassidy and brought in John Tortorella, who led the club to a 7-0-1 record to close the campaign.
Since then, they’ve ousted the resilient Utah Mammoth and competitive Anaheim Ducks behind wizard-like play from Marner.
Pundits favor Colorado in this series — CBS Sports wrote that they’re “expecting the Avs to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in five years” — but anything is possible especially with Marner hoping to win his first trophy.
Don’t miss this one. We smell a blockbuster series.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights 2026 NHL Western Conference Finals below.
Colorado Avalanche playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Avalanche Western Conference Finals home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
Colorado Avalanche home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Wednesday, May 20
$175(including fees)
Game 2 Friday, May 22
$220(including fees)
Game 5 Thursday, May 28
$261(including fees)
Game 7 Monday, June 1
$471(including fees)
Vegas Golden Knights playoff home game tickets
All Vegas Golden Knights playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available at the T-Mobile Arena can be found below.
Vegas Golden Knights home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Sunday, May 24
$208(including fees)
Game 4 Tuesday, May 26
$160(including fees)
Game 6 Saturday, May 30
$274(including fees)
How to watch the Avalanche vs. Golden Knights on TV
Fans hoping to catch MacKinnon and Marner throw down on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on ABC, ESPN and TNT.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NHL playoff schedule
Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
Now a veteran of more than 50 NHL playoff games, Jack Eichel does not think the approach should be any different the deeper he and the Vegas Golden Knights venture into the postseason.
“We know we need to be better, and you want to continue to elevate your game both individually and as a team the further you go,” Eichel said. “That’s our goal.”
Easier said than done. Big boy hockey has arrived in the third round, with three of the top five favorites still playing in the conference finals. Vegas faces league-best Colorado in the West, while unbeaten beast-of-the-East Carolina gets the winner of Game 7 between Buffalo and Montreal.
Western Conference final: Colorado vs. Vegas
Game 1: Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Favorite: Colorado (2-5)
The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy for the best regular season and spent 156 consecutive days atop the NHL standings since Nov. 1, the longest run in four decades. They swept Los Angeles in the first round and beat Minnesota in five games, rallying to put the Wild away in overtime after falling behind 3-0 on the road.
Now, the difficulty level rachets up.
“I would expect Colorado’s stiffest challenge is going to come here in this next series because Vegas has been around the block,” former player and coach-turned-TNT analyst Ed Olczyk said. “They’ve got an experienced coach. They’re getting goaltending that they didn’t get for a lot of the regular season.”
Backstopped by Carter Hart and led by Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights are in the West final for the fourth time in their nine years of existence. It’s their first under coach John Tortorella, who took over in late March and oversaw a 7-0-1 run to finish the season and more success in the playoffs.
“We feel really good about ourselves,” Tortorella said. “In playoffs, it’s not just the X’s and O’s and all. It’s how you feel, and the confidence level you have. I think we’re in a good spot.”
Colorado counterpart Jared Bednar is not worried about how his players will handle the spotlight getting brighter. The Avalanche are four years removed from their 2022 Stanley Cup run, while Vegas won it in ’23.
“We have the exact same expectations as Vegas does,” Bednar said. “We have very similar experience, too: probably close to half the roster winning a Stanley Cup a couple years ago, no success since, and here we are facing each other. So, pressure on us is no different than the pressure on them.”
On the injury front, Vegas captain Mark Stone has been out since leaving Game 3 against Anaheim with an undisclosed injury. Avalanche star Cale Makar has been dealing with an apparent right arm or shoulder injury while fellow defenseman Sam Malinski and forward Artturi Lehkonen missed time late in the Minnesota series.
Eastern Conference final: Carolina vs. Buffalo or Montreal
Game 1: Thursday, 8 p.m. ET (TNT, TruTV)
Favorite: Carolina (4-11)
The Hurricanes are the first team to sweep through the first two rounds since the NHL went to four best-of-seven series in 1987. Their gift is 11 full days off before starting the East final.
“Obviously that’s not great,” Olczyk said. “That’s not ideal, but you’d rather have that than play back-to-back seven-game series and probably having guys being taped up to just get out there.”
Carolina captain Jordan Staal feels the same way, shrugging of the concern about rust and saying, “If anyone in the league was in a playoff series and they had the opportunity to win in four or seven, they would pick four.”
One more victory would tie the 1985 Edmonton Oilers for the longest winning streak to start a playoffs.
With back-to-back champion Florida not making it after injuries derailed the Panthers’ season and other perennial contenders like Toronto and Tampa Bay out of the way, the sea has parted for the Hurricanes to get over the hump. They’ve won at least a round in each of Rod Brind’Amour’s eight years as coach but have not yet reached the Stanley Cup Final.
“They’re perfect — no blemishes,” Olczyk said, pointing to the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and strong scoring depth as contributing factors. “I felt that it was them: It was Carolina and everybody else. And could they do it when they were the favorites and when the path was opened, could they take advantage? And they have taken full advantage.”
Whoever comes out on top between the Sabres and Canadiens will have a quick turnaround from Game 7 to playing in Raleigh 72 hours later. Montreal last reached the third round in 2021 when divisional playoffs were in place to get through pandemic border restrictions, while Buffalo has not gotten this far since consecutive trips to the East final in 2006-07.
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 16: Carolina Hurricanes mascot Stormy is seen prior to the NWSL match between North Carolina Courage and Chicago Stars FC at First Horizon Stadium on May 16, 2026 in Cary, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/NWSL via Getty Images) | NWSL via Getty Images
It’s been a long time since the Carolina Hurricanes played hockey, and they have to wait even longer. The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres play in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals on Monday night, with Carolina waiting for the winner to kick off the next series on Thursday.
The winner of that Game 7 will have two days of rest before beginning the Eastern Conference Finals — the Hurricanes will have had 12.
A bizarre, problematic twist to the NHL Playoff schedule has led to the greatest rest disparity in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nobody has had 12 games of rest before, and it happened because of the bracket’s construction. The NHL has long operated on the idea that nobody should be able to easily sweep a series, let along two back-to-back. What the Canes are doing hasn’t been seen since the 1980s, and it just so happens at the time where the other side of the Eastern conference draw has been a total crapshoot. It took seven games for the Canadiens to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres needed six to beat the Bruins in the opening round — now they have gone to seven against each other in this series. Meanwhile the Hurricanes wen 4-0 against the Senators, then 4-0 against the Flyers to reach this spot.
The result is that Carolina has played nearly half less games as anyone left in the East, and the fewest in the playoffs. It’s a blessing in terms of getting healthy, being rested, and entering the Eastern Conference Finals at 100-percent, but it remains to be seen if the rest could come back to bite the team by interrupting their rhythm. That’s a significant worry, and as dominant as the Canes have seemed, there are also some very real worries.
Thus far the team hasn’t seen a lot of production out of its top line. Svechnikov/Aho/Jarvis have been solid, but once again seem to be falling into that all-too-common Carolina trope of stars disappearing in the playoffs. The Hurricanes’ power play has been atrocious as well, 5-for-27 these playoffs after being 24.9% on the season. They’re won on the back of speed, power, and their forecheck — but have yet to be tested in a multi-goal deficit, and still have significant questions in net with Freddie Andersen playing phenomentally well, but being far from a safe bet after a down season in Raleigh.
That makes this upcoming Eastern Conference Final an each way bet, and a litmus test on the NHL’s scheduling. There’s no good result to what will happen next. If Carolina comes out and dominates then opposing fans will cry foul of the amount of rest the Canes got in the lead up to this series, if Carolina gets bodied early in the series it will be an indictment on them having too much rest to stay hot in the playoffs. Sprinkle in the drama of this destined to be another Southern hockey vs. legacy cold-weather city matchup and there will be plenty of angst in the ECF.
Embrace chaos, because it’s coming on Thursday night.
The Chicago Blackhawks have now had two good seasons of Ilya Mikheyev in their lineup. He played 80 games in 2024-25 and 77 games in 2025-26, meaning he was available for almost every match on the schedule.
In those games, he had a total of 38 goals, 32 assists, and 70 points as a bottom-six forward who was awarded almost no power-play time. 0 of those 70 points came with the man advantage.
With that said, 4 of those goals and 2 of those assists have come shorthanded. As a defensive player, Mikheyev has established himself as one of the best penalty killers in the entire NHL. Chicago's overall PK has been great, and he's a huge part of it. He defends well and creates a decent amount of offense at even strength as well.
Mikheyev is a pending unrestricted free agent. He was the only one that Kyle Davidson didn't trade away at the deadline. There was no can't-miss deal presented to him, and he does like the idea of returning Mikheyev to help the rebuild take the next step. At 31 years old, he has some really good NHL years ahead.
The report around the deadline was that they did try to get an extension, but it never happened.
On Monday, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman had an update on "32 Thoughts: The Podcast". According to Friedman's report, Mikheyev's negotiating rights have been placed on the trade block.
"I guess it was let known across the league that Chicago probably isn't going to be able to sign Ilya Mikheyev," Friedman said. "His rights are available if any team wants to talk to him in advance of free agency."
Once Mikheyev is traded, that team can sign him ahead of him hitting free agency on July 1st, which is the advantage to acquiring him now instead of waiting. He is probably not getting the max amount of years from anyone, but being the only team that can negotiate with him for a few months may be worth it to someone.
The Blackhawks wouldn't get a significant return for his rights, but anything would be better than losing him for nothing after keeping him at the regular-season trade deadline.
32 Thoughts Monday morning playoff preview, news & interview pod. Not reported in it, but heard this morning: Oilers have permission to talk to Craig Berube.
Today's guest is Henrik Sedin. Great answers to terrible questions.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres meet in a winner-take-all Game 7 in the second round of the NHL playoffs. The Sabres forced Game 7 with an 8-3 victory in Game 6. The winner will advance to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals.
How to watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
Romano will join Tomas Poletin, whose ticket was already secured since Kelowna is the host of this year’s four-team tournament. The fun kicks off Friday.
Other Islanders items:
Matthew Schaefer thanked the fans for his incredible Calder-winning season and Long Island love story. [NHL]
And he celebrated by visiting kids at Cohen’s Medical Center, because he’s Matthew Schaefer. [Isles]
Gross: Schaefer loves the Island, and the feeling is mutual. [Newsday]
Islanders Anxiety: On the Calder, surgery for Ryan Pulock, Josh Bailey HOF, and overdue Selke consideration for Brock Nelson. [LHH]
Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman discuss their growing bond…for the Islanders and for Team Sweden. [Isles]
Here’s a running list of how those two are doing at the Worlds, as well as Danny “The Next” Nelson. [Isles]
Nelson isn’t signed yet, as he’s returning to Notre Dame for one more year and the chance to play with two brothers. The Isles invited the elder, Henry, to development camp. [THN]
Elsewhere
Monday night playoff action: Game 7 for a pair of upstarts, Canadiens vs. Sabres. Buffalo dominated Montreal while coming back (and switching goalies again) in Game 6. Now the pressure’s on…whomever.
The Canadiens hope they don’t lay an egg again. [NHL]
The Sabres claim to be unphased by the goalie carousel. [Sportsnet]
The Avalanche are healthy and rested as they prepare to meet the Knights Who Say We Don’t Talk To The Press. [NHL]
The Oilers have permission to speak with former Leafs coach Craig Berube. [Sportsnet]
The Leafs have also parted with long time cap guru Brandon Pridham. [Sportsnet]
The NHL got tired of John Tortorella and Vegas skirting media commitments, fined him $100,000 and made them forfeit a second-round pick. [Yahoo]
DENVER, COLORADO - NOVEMBER 27: Devon Toews #7 of the Colorado Avalanche advances the puck against Shea Theodore #27 of the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime at Ball Arena on November 27, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the final four teams set, the matchups become even more magnified. As the Colorado Avalanche are set to take on the Vegas Golden Knights to earn a ticket into the Stanley Cup finals, here is a closer look at whose defense is stout enough to win a championship.
Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Extra: Nick Blankenburg, Jack Ahcan, Alex Gagne?
To end the regular season head coach Jared Bednar experimented with his defense testing out Brett Kulak on the top pair with Cale Makar and then Devon Toews on the second pair. That’s mostly been reversed as the trusty duo of Toews-Makar has played an extraordinary amount of minutes this postseason and have had great success at 61.50% of the expected goals together. Toews leads the Avalanche defense core with eight points and Makar hasn’t been quite as productive with five points, though four are goals.
For the rest of Colorado’s defense pairings it has been pretty mix-and-match especially due to the injuries. First to Josh Manson and then when he returned in Game 4 of the Wild series suddenly Sam Malinski was a surprise scratch with an upper-body injury. Brent Burns and Josh Manson played a lot together in the regular season and Brett Kulak saw the most time with Sam Malinski through the first seven playoff games, which are seemingly the ideal pairings.
With practice resuming ahead of the Vegas series, all eyes have been on the collection of Avalanche defensemen at practice, or lack thereof. Cale Makar only skates in games at this point, as expected. Now Brent Burns is suddenly absent and both Josh Manson and Sam Malinski have been limited in skates. Most, if not all four, should be available for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals according to Bednar. Still, there appears to be plans in case one of the aforementioned defenseman can’t suit up as Jack Ahcan was never sent back to the AHL and Colorado Eagles rookie Alex Gagne was a recent practice participant despite never having played in the NHL. This Avalanche defense core has already been stretched thin with just one absence the dominoes are set to tumble.
Vegas Golden Knights
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton – Dylan Coghlan
Extra: Kaedan Korczak; Injured: Jeremy Lauzon
The big story on defense for the Golden Knights was the one-game suspension to Brayden McNabb but he’s expected back in the lineup for round three. Colorado fans know well of McNabb’s physical reputation and ill-advised hits but he’s grown into a large role with Vegas as part of their top pairing. He is also the top penalty killer for Vegas and scored shorthanded in the Anaheim series.
As the other portion of Vegas’ top pairing, Shea Theodore is also their leader on defense with nine points and four goals. He is the top power play quarterback and has scored a goal and three assists on the man advantage. Together with McNabb expect to see Theodore play a lot against Colorado’s top forwards.
On the second pair for Vegas is a due of defensemen for Vegas both acquired in trades from the Calgary Flames, first Noah Hanifin in 2024 and Rasmus Andersson just recently in January of this year. Hanifin has been the more productive one with six assists but both chip in on occasion. Even as a second pair these two play well over 20 minutes a night and figure to do so in this upcoming series with Colorado.
Veterans Dylan Coghlan and Ben Hutton round out the depth with 25-year-old graduated former prospect Kaedan Korczak filling in as needed. Another depth option, Jeremy Lauzon has been sidelined since early May after taking a puck to the head. All will have their hands full containing Colorado moving forward.
Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Tuch
