The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning close out their series in Game 7, while the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild begin the second round tonight with Game 1.
My NHL player props highlight Brandon Hagel, Matt Boldy, and Lane Hutson.
Keep reading my NHL picks for Sunday, May 3, for the full analysis.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Hagel anytime goal
+150
Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
-140
Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
+100
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Our best NHL player props for Sunday, May 3
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Brandon Hagel anytime goal
+150 at BET99
Brandon Hagel has been an offensive force this series with six goals in six games, and at least one tally in each of the first four contests. The Tampa Bay Lightning forward is also getting tons of opportunities, ranking second on the team in ice time per game (25:21).
Tampa Bay’s power play is converting at just 15.4%, but the Lightning are getting plenty of chances. In fact, their 26 power-play opportunities are the most in the NHL this postseason.
Hagel has two goals with the man advantage and could add another tonight.
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBC, TNT
Prop #2: Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
-140 at BET99
The Minnesota Wild are in for a tough battle against the Colorado Avalanche, but they proved they could hang with the NHL’s top teams in the first round.
The Stars were among the league’s stingiest teams during the regular season, but Matt Boldy racked up 33 shots in six games during their series.
Boldy logged Over 3.5 shots in every contest vs. Dallas, and cleared it in each of his last three meetings vs. Colorado this season.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT
Prop #3: Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
+100 at BET99
Lane Hutson has been the best defenseman on either team this series, generating a ton of offense from the back end for the Montreal Canadiens.
Hutson’s 14 shots are tied for second on Montreal, while his 39 attempts lead the team by far. Hutson has logged Over 1.5 shots in four of six outings while skating over 28 minutes per game.
The Habs blueliner will come out flying in tonight’s must-win contest, and he’ll fire at least two pucks on net in Game 7.
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.
The Vancouver Canucks are sending two Hall of Famers to represent the organization at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. According to a report from Patrick Johnston of Postmedia, Daniel and Henrik Sedin will be the Canucks representatives at this year's draft lottery. The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 4:00 pm PT.
Vancouver enters the draft lottery with the best odds at first overall. The organization has never selected first, but has made multiple selections in the top three in its history. Daniel and Henrik are two examples of top three picks, as they were selected second and third overall in 1999.
As for the odds, the Canucks have a 25.5% chance of selecting first overall. This comes after Vancouver finished 32nd in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record. This year's draft does not have a consensus first-overall pick, as most draft boards are split between Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg.
The 2026 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 26-27, 2026, in Buffalo. The Canucks currently have 10 picks, including four in the first two rounds. The last time Vancouver held two first-round picks was in 2014, when they selected Jake Virtanen sixth overall and Jared McCann 24th.
Feb 12, 2020; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Twin brothers Daniel Sedin (22) and Henrik Sedin (33) of Sweden speak while being honored in a ceremony held prior to a game between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Contract Status - Unrestricted Free Agent on July 1.
Games Played - 82 - Played all 82 games for the 5th time in his career.
Goals - 20 - He scored 20 goals in a season for only the third time in his career (25 in 2023-24 with Boston & 21 in 2015-16 with Minnesota). He had 7 power play goals which tied his career high.
Assists - 38 - He tied his career high in assists that he set in 2017.
Points - 58 - Finished just two points shy of his career high set in 22-23 with Boston. Up from 35 in 2024-25.
Contract Status - Going into year two of a 6-year contract signed in 2025.
Games Played - 61- Down from 82 the previous season. He had two stretches where he was injured, including the final eight games after breaking his hand in a fight.
Goals - 15 - Was on a 20 goal pace, but due to missed games, he finished three shy of his career high.
Assists - 11 - Would've set a career high with 15 assists if not for the missed games.
Points - 26 - Olivier was on pace to hit 35 points.
Contract Status - Going into year 2 of a 7-year contract signed in the summer of 2025.
Games Played - 82 - He played 82 games for the 4th straight season, and 7th time in his career. In three seasons with the CBJ, he's never missed a game.
Goals - 9 - His 9 goals were tied for the 3rd highest of his career.
Assists - 22 - His 22 assists are the third highest of his CBJ career, and 5th highest of his career.
Points - 31 - 5th highest points total of his career, and third highest in his CBJ tenure.
Forwards Grégory Hofmann and Calvin Thürkauf will most likely end up playing in the tournament.
Hofmann played 24 games for Columbus back in 2021-22 and had 7 points. He currently plays for EV Zug of the Swiss National League. He did not play in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
While the series between the Stars and Wild is currently tied up, Duchene is doing all he can to help Dallas. In four games so far this postseason for the Stars, Duchene has recorded two goals, five assists, and seven points. With this, there is no question that the former Blue Jackets forward is on fire right now.
In five games for the Penguins so far this postseason, Chinakhov has zero points and a minus-4 rating. He has also had zero shots in each of his last two games.
At the 1:06 mark of the third period, Texier scored the Canadiens' game-winning goal. It was a nice goal for the former Blue Jackets forward, too, as he beat Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy on the rush with an excellent snapshot.
According to Elite Prospects European Scout Honza Zoufal, Stanislav Svozil, who was drafted 69th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, is in talks with HC Kometa Brno, which plays in the Czech Extraliga. Svozil's contract will expire at the end of the season, making him a restricted free agent.
Ceulemans was drafted 25th overall in 2021 by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. The thought when he was drafted was that after college and a year or two in the AHL, he would be ready to go. Unfortunately, Ceulemans ended up being a victim of Kekäläinen's swing for the fence trades of Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, more specifically, Severson.
One specific area that the Blue Jackets could look to improve is their top six. When looking at their roster, one specific need they have is another high-impact winger.
Due to this, if Alex Tuch ends up testing the free-agent market instead of re-signing with the Buffalo Sabres this off-season, the Blue Jackets should strongly consider making a push for him.
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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The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche open their second-round NHL playoff series on Sunday. The Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 in the first round while the Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings. The Colorado Avalanche are favored with a -194 moneyline compared to the Minnesota Wild's +161. The over/under for the matchup is set at 5.5 goals.
How to watch Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning face off in Game 7 to determine the winner of their first-round playoff series. The Lightning forced Game 7 with a 1-0 victory in OT on Friday. The combined score of the previous six games is 14-14 and all of the six games were decided by a single goal. The Lightning are favored with a -161 moneyline compared to the Montreal Canadiens' +135.
How to watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 02: Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck for a goal against Nick Seeler #24 and goalie Dan Vladar #80 of the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 02, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Good morning, everyone. With the first round just about completed (there is one game to be played as of this writing), it is time to make an update to our Stanley Cup Playoffs Open Post. You can see the original post here, but let’s dive into the new matchups.
Carolina Hurricanes (M1/1) vs. the Philadelphia Flyers (M3/8)
I could not imagine a more lopsided matchup in the playoffs than the one right here, which should have been a first-round series. Despite the Hurricanes coming off a long rest, the Flyers looked lost against them in Game One, generating only 10 shots at five-on-five with 0.81 expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick. If that is a sign of things to come for the Flyers, they are doomed to lose in four or five games. Of course, there were concerns that Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin would miss some time in the series, but they were ready for Carolina’s 3-0 shutout in Game One.
Philadelphia’s only hope this series is getting the performance of a lifetime out of Dan Vladar. He had a surprisingly good regular season with a .906 save percentage (career high) in 52 games (career high by 22 games). Even with his three-goal loss last night, he still has a .928 save percentage in seven games these Playoffs. But I simply do not believe the lineup optimization to beat Rod Brind’Amour’s Hurricanes. They can thank Stuart Skinner for getting them this far, but they’re facing a machine now.
Buffalo Sabres (A1/2) vs. TBD (Lightning or Canadiens)
The Buffalo Sabres continued their long-awaited resurgence by bouncing the Boston Bruins in the First Round. Head Coach Lindy Ruff has continued to get the best out of Buffalo’s offensive stars, with each of Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson sitting at a point-per-game or better through six games, along with Bowen Byram and Peyton Krebs. Alex Lyon has been outstanding in net with a .955 save percentage and 1.14 goals against average in four starts and five games. With Buffalo winning their series over Boston pretty comfortably, Ruff has not even had to change the usual deployment of his players. Rasmus Dahlin leads the team in average ice time at 24:11 per night, which is dead-even with his regular season average. Guys like Thompson and Tuch have only added a minute or two per night, so they should all be pretty fresh for Round Two.
We will see tonight who of the Lightning or Canadiens move on to face them. Either way, it will be tough to beat Buffalo in a Best of Seven.
The Western Conference Matchups
Colorado Avalanche (C1/1) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3/3)
It’s an absolute joke that this is a second round matchup. The Central Division desperately needs to be split up if this is going to keep happening. Send the Avalanche to the Pacific, and give Vegas or Utah to the Central. One of the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks are destined for the Conference Finals because of this extremely dumb format. In my eyes, this is close to being an informal Western Conference Finals.
The Minnesota Wild are not the deepest team at forward, but they have some excellent wingers in Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Mats Zuccarello. Brock Faber has been excellent on defense, and Quinn Hughes is currently the best defenseman in the league. The big question here is how long they can hold up. Unlike the Buffalo Sabres, these guys basically play the entire game. Faber and Hughes are over 30 minutes per night from Round One. Boldy is at 25:14, Kaprizov at 24:40, and Joel Eriksson Ek at 23:44. Jesper Wallstedt has continued his excellence with a .924 save percentage. As long as none of those guys fall apart this series, they have a chance to upend Colorado, especially if Quinn Hughes has more performances like his Game 7 in Dallas.
The Colorado Avalanche, on the other hand, are one of the deepest teams in the league at forward. They swept the Kings without breaking much of a sweat, and their players should all be very rested. None of their guys have been close to playing as many minutes as the top guys in Minnesota. And why would they? It often feels like anyone on that team can score a big goal. Running Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, and Jack Drury down the middle, with Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy also available to take shifts at center, the Avalanche have two teams’ worth of centers on their roster. Add on a great defense led by Cale Makar, with a Hall of Famer in Brent Burns eating his competition alive on the third pairing, it’s not hard to see how former Devil Scott Wedgewood had a .950 save percentage in four games against a team like Los Angeles. They have to turn it up a bit now, but they have an advantage.
Vegas Golden Knights (P1/4) vs. Anaheim Ducks (P3/6)
The Vegas Golden Knights handled the Utah Mammoth in six games, largely driven by that top line of Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Pavel Dorofeyev and the second line of Mitch Marner, Brett Howden, and Mark Stone. Tomas Hertl, relegated to third-line duty, has not been too impactful so far. But even if Vegas is not as deep as they once were up front, their top scorers and their top two defensive pairings can easily carry them to the Conference Finals. Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin have brought some production through six, though newcomer Rasmus Andersson has not yet found his offensive stride in Vegas. We’ll see if Carter Hart can hold up his end of the bargain.
The Anaheim Ducks certainly caught Edmonton at a good time. They do have a good young core in Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson, and Cutter Gauthier along with older scorers in Mikael Granlund, Troy Terry, Alex Killorn, and Chris Krieder. They have a decent top end of the roster, but their defense and goaltending has generally been awful. Winning round one with an .876 team save percentage, I have to wonder if Ville Husso starts taking games from Lukas Dostal this series. The Ducks were certainly benefactors of a lot of loser points and overtime wins this regular season, and I think they go the way of the Flyers here by being knocked out by more of a machine in Vegas.
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The Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks will take their Pacific Division rivalry to a new level, as they'll meet in the postseason for the first time.
Here's a glance inside the numbers and what the Golden Knights are up against with this series:
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES
Nov. 28: Ducks 4-3 OT in Vegas
Nov. 22: Ducks 4-3 OT in Anaheim
Feb. 1: Ducks 4-3 in Anaheim
ALL-TIME SERIES NUMBERS
RECORD: Golden Knights lead 27-8-3
GOALS: Golden Knights 134, Ducks 87
RECORD (in Vegas): Knights lead 15-3-1
GOALS (in Vegas): Golden Knights 65, Ducks 36
RECORD (in Anaheim): Knights lead 12-5-2
GOALS (in Anaheim): Golden Knights 69, Ducks 51
DUCKS STRENGTHS
Elite young core that has finally matured and established itself to play with cohesiveness. From Trevor Zegras' creativity and assertiveness, Mason McTavish's toughness and scoring prowess, Leo Carlsson's eagerness at center and Jamie Drysdale strength at the blue line. Anaheim becomes a dangerous team when the game opens up. We tend to see execution when the Ducks get quick exits from the defensive zone with a strong rush attack through the neutral zone. Their young legs are fluid, and there is a high IQ among this group that plays well together. They've also done a good job at creating odd-man rush opportunities. Compared to recent seasons, the Ducks look much more confident on offense, with more structured zone entries rather than a dump-and-chase strategy. They're getting better puck movement in the offensive zone with more players willing and able to shoot instead of over-passing. This is a team that rarely feels passive anymore, as they take control of games and play with pace and aggression. And if they're down early, they don’t go quietly in games, knowing they have the personnel that can swing momentum quickly with effort and pressure. When they’re rolling, the Ducks can score in bunches.
DUCKS WEAKNESSES
Even with its young talent emerging, Anaheim's scoring could become volatile against the veteran Knights. The Ducks may experience stretches where they look explosive, but could find themselves in long dry spells where production drops hard. It's the same inconsistency that has plagued this team for years and could rear its ugly head in this series. The question is whether or not the Ducks will get consistency with their secondary scoring, beyond their top forwards. If the top line slows down, the offense might stall. And, on defense, this team has been known to struggle against fast transition teams. Anaheim's defensive-zone coverage can break down under pressure, as opponents have been able to generate high-danger chances during sustained shifts. The penalty kill has also been a problem this season, ranking near the bottom of the league at different points this season. The Ducks' over-aggressive pressure can lead to breakdowns, and opponents tend to generate good looks on the power play.
SCHEDULE (all times pacific)
1. Monday, May 4, 6:30 p.m., Las Vegas, NV
2. Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m., Las Vegas, NV
3. Friday, May 8, 6:30 p.m, Anaheim, CA
4. Sunday, May 10, 6:30 p.m., Anaheim, CA
*5. Tuesday, May 12 TBD, Las Vegas, NV
*6. Thursday, May 14 TBD, Anaheim, CA
*7. Saturday, May 16, Las Vegas, NV
* if necessary
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Honda Center.
Cale Makar finished tied for the team lead in shot attempts and shots on goal during the first round of the playoffs.
My Wild vs. Avalanche predictionssee Makar picking up where he left off against a team that has bled shots to defensemen all year.
Let’s break it all down with my NHL picks for Sunday, May 3.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction
Wild vs Avalanche best bet: Cale Makar Over 3.5 shots (+130)
Cale Makar generated a ton of volume against the Minnesota Wild during the regular season, piling up 45 attempts over four meetings.
That's no coincidence. The Wild allowed the second-most shots to defensemen over the course of the year, and that's held true in the playoffs.
Top defenseman Miro Heiskanen had a field day, averaging 3.5 shots on goal and leading the Stars in shot attempts — and he’s not nearly as strong a shot-generator as Makar.
Makar has also done his best work at home come playoff time, producing 3.8 shots and 9.3 attempts over his last 10 in Colorado.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 same-game parlay
Makar led the Colorado Avalanche in time on ice during the opening round. Given his elite talents, it should be no surprise he was also on for more scoring chances and expected goals than any player on the roster.
He has his hand in everything offensively, and his chances of hitting the scoresheet only grow if the shot volume is there.
For Minnesota, it’s hard not to get excited about Matt Boldy’s shooting. He averaged 5.5 shots on goal in the first round, and the Avalanche have allowed the third-most shots to wingers in these playoffs.
Wild vs Avalanche SGP
Cale Makar Over 3.5 shots
Cale Makar Over 0.5 points
Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots
Wild vs Avalanche odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Wild +150 | Avalanche -175
Puck Line: Wild +1.5| Avalanche -1.5
Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5
Wild vs Avalanche trend
Nathan MacKinnon has scored in seven of his past 10 games against Minnesota.Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Wild vs Avalanche Game 1
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Wild vs Avalanche latest injuries
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.
The Hurricanes and the Colorado Avalanche swept their first round opponents and Carolina made it five wins in a row with a victory against the Philadelphia Flyers in the teams' second round opener.
The Avalanche might have a tougher time in their second round series because the Minnesota Wild are among the best teams in the league.
Here are USA TODAY Sports' predictions for who advances to the conference finals (the Sabres series prediction will be provided once their opponent is known):
Mike Brehm: Hurricanes in 5. The Flyers are better than the Ottawa Senators, but the Hurricanes are much better than the Pittsburgh Penguins. Philadelphia will avoid a sweep, but the Hurricanes play too aggressively and too well defensively for the Flyers to get more than one win.
Jace Evans: Hurricanes in 5. The Flyers could find a way to muck things up, and goalie Dan Vladar — coming off a sterling first round — could always steal a game. But the Canes are just a cut above this Flyers squad. Too deep and too talented to bow out vs. a team that has probably overachieved.
Kevin Skiver: Hurricanes in 6. Underestimate the Flyers at your own peril. I did. Philadelphia came out and completely handled the Penguins, digging a 3-0 hole for Pittsburgh to bury itself in. But the Hurricanes are coming off a dominant showing against the Senators, rested and playing some of their best hockey. The Flyers put up a better fight, but ultimately Carolina sends Philly to a very hopeful offseason.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild
Mike Brehm: Avalanche in 7. This will be the best series of the second round and perhaps the playoffs with Minnesota's Quinn Hughes and Colorado's Cale Makar showing why they have won Norris trophies. There's tons of talent on the top lines and both teams beefed up their forward depth at the deadline. This evenly matched series might just come down to home-ice advantage in Game 7.
Jace Evans: Avalanche in 6. Let the rest vs. rust debate begin! For this series, I lean on the side of rest. Minnesota is certainly battled-hardened after dispatching the Stars, but this Colorado core is championship tested. I don't think the Avs will be caught flat-footed at the outset of this series.
Kevin Skiver: Wild in 7. The Wild are rewarded for an impressive win over a Central Division foe with … an even tougher Central Division foe. The Avs dispatched the Kings with ease, but the Wild are scorching hot right now and Quinn Hughes looks like one of the best players remaining in this postseason. Like the series before, this one is kind of a coin flip on paper. But the Wild seem to be playing with weighted coins.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks
Mike Brehm: Golden Knights in 6. The Ducks seemed to score at will against the Oilers but coach John Tortorella has the Golden Knights playing better defensively. Vegas' penalty kill is superior to Anaheim's. The Golden Knights' core is more experienced, too.
Jace Evans: Golden Knights in 6. My Western Conference champion pick came down to a battle between the Golden Knights and Oilers. I went with the Oilers. Whoops! The Ducks were flat-out better and are a fascinating team, with young high-level talent buoyed by a collection of seasoned veterans (a few holding championship rings). The Golden Knights, the 2023 champions, are plenty seasoned themselves and their big guns showed up in the first round. I think that collective keeps it rolling.
Kevin Skiver: Golden Knights in 5. Shoutout to the Ducks, who did something their Highway Series rivals have struggled with so mightily: beating the Oilers in the first round. Anaheim looked really impressive in the first round, but Vegas has completely reformed itself with John Tortorella behind the bench. Losing momentum in the playoffs seemed like a distinct possibility. But against an upstart Utah team, it seems like the Golden Knights are only picking up steam.
For the seventh and final time in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round, fans of the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning are waking up with one thought on their minds: can their team prevail in what has been an incredible series? There can only be one winner, and there’s never been a better example that the NHL’s playoff system is flawed. These two teams should never have met in the first round.
Tonight’s tilt will be the 202nd Game 7 in NHL history, and 118 times the home team has claimed the win, while the visitors have been victorious only 83 times, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for the Canadiens. However, Martin St-Louis’ men have been the third-best road team in the league this season, claiming 24 of their 48 wins away from the Bell Centre and two of their three wins in this series away from home.
75% of the time, the team that scored first in a Game 7 has won the game: 151 wins and only 50 losses for the team that took the lead. In this current series between the Habs and the Bolts, five times out of six, the team that scored first won the game. It has never been more important to be ready right from puck drop.
The Lightning has played 10 Game 7s in its history and has won seven times, for a .700 winning percentage. When the ultimate game has been played at home, their record is 4-1. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have featured in 24 Game 7s and have a 15-9 record, for a .625 winning percentage. On the road, their record stands at 7-6 for a .538 winning percentage. With a win, the Canadiens would tie the Boston Bruins for most Game 7 wins in league history with 16.
23 of the players involved in this series have played in at least one Game 7 before; 13 play for Tampa Bay and 10 for Montreal. Only two Canadiens’ players have featured in more than one Game 7: Brendan Gallagher and Phillip Danault.
Six Canadiens players featured in the team’s last Game 7 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021: Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Danault, Gallagher, Nick Suzuki, and Jake Evans. However, the player who scored the game-winning goal then, Corey Perry, now plays for the opponent.
Jakub Dobes will become the sixth Habs rookie goaltender to play a Game 7, joining an elite group formed of Carey Price, Patrick Roy, Steve Penney, Ken Dryden and Jacques Plante.
Meanwhile, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who completely shut the door on the Canadiens in Game 6, has played four Game 7s in his career and has a 2-2 record and could become just the third active goaltender, after Sergei Bobrovsky and Jake Oettinger, to record at least three wins in this kind of winner-take-all game.
Behind the bench, Jon Cooper could become the first bench boss in league history to win five Game 7s with the same franchise. The Bolts’ coach has a 4-2 record in these circumstances and could therefore break the tie he’s in with Bob Hartley, Tommy Ivan, Claude Julien and Darryl Sutter. As for Martin St-Louis, he has never been at the helm of a team in a Game 7, but he has a 6-2 record as a player and therefore knows what they are like.
According to multiple sources, Noah Dobson will play his first game in this series tonight, which brings the question of who will come out of the lineup for the Canadiens. Although Arber Xhekaj has made a couple of mistakes in Game 6, the physicality he brings to the game might give him the edge over Jayden Struble, especially since the Lightning’s players are starting to feel the pain of the physical toll of this series.
Montreal will not hold a morning skate today, but will hold a media availability around 11:00 AM. The chances of getting any lineup updates then are slim to none. Wes McCauley and Chris Rooney are set to officiate, while Scott Cherrey and Matt MacPherson will be the linemen. The game is set for 6:00 PM, and you can catch it on The Spot, HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Should the Canadiens come out on top, they would take on the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, with the series kicking off on Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the KeyBank Center.
Buckle up, Habs fans, you should be in for quite a ride.
The Toronto Maple Leafs could unveil their new management as soon as Monday.
According to Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, the Maple Leafs are expected to have a press conference on Monday to announce the hiring of Mats Sundin and John Chayka to run the organization.
Expect the Maple Leafs to have a press conference Monday to announce the executive team of Mats Sundin and John Chayka to run the hockey club.
If this does occur, it will end weeks of speculation about Sundin and Chayka being the team's top options. Sundin would reportedly come into the fold as the vice president of hockey operations, while Chayka would act as general manager.
Sundin hasn't worked in a management role with an NHL club since retiring in 2009, but has reportedly followed the Maple Leafs closely as of late.
The Hall of Famer and former Toronto captain has been around the team, though, as a guest at training camp in the fall of 2024, and he returned to the city in January when Auston Matthews broke his franchise goals record.
Chayka hasn't had an NHL gig since he was GM of the Arizona Coyotes, from 2016 to 2020.
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs also requested to speak with Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois, but were not granted permission. The Lightning are still in the playoffs, with a do-or-die Game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday night.
If the Maple Leafs do end up holding a press conference on Monday, it'll be one day before the NHL's Draft Lottery. Toronto has the fifth-best odds at landing the first overall pick at 8.5 percent.
However, if their pick falls outside the top five, the Boston Bruins will be awarded the selection due to the conditions on the pick when Toronto acquired Brandon Carlo at the trade deadline in March 2025.
It remains unknown what other changes could occur within the Maple Leafs organization beyond the hirings of Sundin and Chayka.
Unknowingly or not, the Philadelphia Flyers walked into an ambush in Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.
Reaching Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs is no small feat for the little-engine-that-could Flyers, but things only get harder with each round.
The group looked spent by the end of the first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins and were perhaps fortunate to leave Xfinity Mobile Arena as victors via Cam York's hail-mary goal from long range.
All three Hurricanes goals in Saturday night's 3-0 Game 1 loss were more than preventable, but as head coach Rick Tocchet told traveling media after the game, the Flyers looked "mentally unprepared" for the vicious Hurricanes.
On Logan Stankoven's first goal, Matvei Michkov tried to beat the Hurricanes' pressure with a backhand pass to Travis Sanheim in his own zone. That got intercepted with ease, and the ensuing shot from the point was tipped for the goal.
The second goal was equally silly, as Michkov lunged at Jackson Blake in the neutral zone, despite having a 2-on-1 numbers advantage defending with Sanheim.
Both Flyers were caught flat-footed, and Blake skated onwards to backhand past Dan Vladar, who should have made a comfortable save but failed to do so.
Lastly, for the dagger, Stankoven converted on a steal by Seth Jarvis, who hounded Noah Juulsen down in his own zone to force a turnover.
Juulsen has never been known for his prowess with the puck, but it has become a glaring issue in recent games. The Flyers may be better suited giving those minutes to Emil Andrae or David Jiricek, especially if the Hurricanes keep winning.
A late flurry from the Flyers helped make things look manageable, but the game was lost inside the first 40 minutes, when they recorded just nine shots on goal to Carolina's 21.
They were out-classed from start to finish, and all Rod Brind'Amour's crew needed to do was play on cruise control for the final frame.
Looking at the Flyers, the main concern that everyone saw coming was how they would deal with the Hurricanes' pressure game and aggressive forecheck setup.
The Flyers are a team comprised of young players and vets, many of whom are playing in the postseason for the first time in a long time, if they ever had at all.
This Hurricanes team makes the playoffs every year, and while they obviously have not won when it mattered to reach the Stanley Cup Final, they are objectively a contender. The Flyers are not.
Right now, we're seeing a winded Flyers team that has already squandered one of the four losses they can take before being bounced from the postseason.
Owen Tippett didn't play, and Michkov, Porter Martone, and Tyson Foerster are all going through growing pains in their dry spells.
It would be good for this group to steal at least one or two games from the Hurricanes, but they haven't shown signs of being capable of that just yet.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 12: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during a game against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The game drew extra attention from fans, because it could be Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin's final NHL game in Washington. (Photo by Peter W. Stevenson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Sidney Crosby is under contract next season in 2026-27 to play for the Penguins. What comes after that will have to be determined at a later date.
“Just wait and see,” Crosby said on Friday about his future status during exit interviews. “I haven’t thought that far ahead, but we’ll just wait and see.”
That matches his approach from recently, Crosby waited two and a half months in the summer of 2024 to sign a two-year contract extension with the Penguins that covered 2025-26 and 2026-27. He will be turning 40 years old shortly after this deal ends.
Whether or not we see a 40+ year old Crosby playing in the NHL in 2027-28 is a bridge that the forward hasn’t come close to crossing yet this soon after a season comes to an end. Crosby finished his 21st season in Pittsburgh, 22 is coming up next year. Year 23 isn’t assured, though it isn’t ruled out at this point either.
Crosby would be eligible to officially sign another extension for 2027-28 starting in just a couple of months on July 1st of this year. It doesn’t sound like the long-time Pittsburgh captain is in any hurry to make that decision one year ahead of time.
One positive for this off-season is there won’t be any rumors or wishful thinking out of Canada to stir up trade rumors, being as the Penguins made the playoffs and at least held out enough promise to making coming back to Pittsburgh a foregone conclusion in 2026-27 to potentially finish out his illustrious career wearing the only NHL jersey he’s ever known.
Despite suffering two injuries to each leg since February, Crosby proclaimed himself to be in good shape and dismissed questions about the possibility of undergoing surgery this summer.
“I’m going to have discussions [Friday] and talk to doctors and things like that,” Crosby said. “I feel pretty good.”
At this point, he likely doesn’t have a firm answer about long long he will continue playing in the NHL. For anything beyond next season, we’ll likely have a long time to “wait” before we “see”.
Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, in the Atlantic Division)
Tampa, Florida; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lightning -159, Canadiens +134; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Series tied 3-3
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Tampa Bay Lightning in game seven of the first round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Friday for the 11th time this season. The Lightning won 1-0 in overtime in the previous matchup.
Tampa Bay has a 19-10-3 record in Atlantic Division games and a 50-26-6 record overall. The Lightning have a +57 scoring differential, with 286 total goals scored and 229 allowed.
Montreal is 48-24-10 overall and 19-10-3 against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens are seventh in league play with 279 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Kucherov has scored 44 goals with 86 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has three goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has one goal and nine assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 5-3-2, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.9 assists, 6.7 penalties and 17.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 6.7 penalties and 16.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Lightning: Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: out (upper-body).
Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2025-26 season came to a close after a disappointing first-round Stanley Cup Playoff loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, things down on the farm are alive and well as far as the post-season is concerned.
And one of their affiliates punched their ticket to the second round on Saturday.
In a double-overtime thriller, the Wheeling Nailers - ECHL affiliate of the Penguins - beat the Reading Royals, 1-0, in Game 5, and advanced to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Forward Nolan Renwick scored the OT winner, which came a little more than seven minutes into the second overtime period, to put away the ECHL affiliate of the Flyers.
— xy-Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) May 3, 2026
Goaltender Taylor Gauthier - who served as the Penguins' emergency backup goalie during home games in the first round of the NHL playoffs - made 41 saves and earned his third shutout of the series. He is up to a .974 save percentage in these playoffs.
With the shutout, he tied an ECHL record for the fewest number of goals given up in a five-game series, and his three playoff shutouts are the most in franchise history.
Wheeling will meet the winner of the Maine Mariner and Adirondack Thunder series in the North Division Final, which will start on May 8 in Wheeling.
Hagel anytime goal
Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
