Category: Ice Hockey

We have looked at bounce back candidates.

We have looked at potential regression candidates.

Now it is time to look at some of the Pittsburgh Penguins young players that could break out in a big way for the 2026-27 season.

The candidates are mostly obvious, but how high should we be setting the ceiling?

Let’s dig into it a little bit,

Ben Kindel

The most encouraging development for the Penguins during the 2025-26 season was the emergence and rapid development of center Ben Kindel. From the moment he arrived in training camp and started to play in the preseason there was obvious reason for excitement and optimism. And then he delivered on that far sooner than anticipated by not only making the team as an 18-year-old in his draft year, and not only sticking around for the entire season and playoffs, but also making a sizable impact.

He was not a passenger.

He was one of the drivers of the team’s success for a good chunk of the season.

He did have some moments where he ran into a rookie wall, especially later on, but that is to be expected for a player that age going through that sort of grind for the first time.

At the very least, he looks like an NHL player. The question is what his long-term upside is, including in his second season.

To try and get an idea I pulled up comparable rookie seasons over the past 20 years. The criteria: 18-year-old forwards in their rookie season, scoring between 12 and 25 goals, and finishing with between 25 and 40 points. It eliminates the 18-year-olds like Sidney Crosby and Macklin Celebrini that were clearly on a different level, as well as the players that did not stick around long enough to contribute or simply did not contribute as much as Kindel did.

The comparable results were: Andrei Svechnikov, Cole Sillinger, Valeri Nichushkin and Evander Kane.

Kindel, Svechnikov and Nichushkin were the only ones that also exceeded a better than 50 percent shot attempt share in their rookie seasons, indicating an ability to drive possession.

It’s not exactly a big group of players to draw many conclusions or comparables from, which also kind of highlights how rare of a season it was for Kindel.

Svechnikov took a huge step forward in year two. Kane took a small step forward offensively. Nchushkin was limited to just eight games in his second season and took a few years to become an outstanding second-line winger. Sillinger took a massive step backwards and has not really taken a major step forward ever since.

It’s also not really an apples-to-apples comparison across the board because Svechnikov, Nichushkin and Kane are all wingers, while Kindel and Sillinger are the only centers on the list.

The ideal scenario here would be a Svechnikov-like jump offensively. But I am not sure he has Svechnikov’s shot, even if he might have the two-way game.

Sillinger is the example you do not want him to follow, but I also think his rookie year was significantly better and more well-rounded than Sillinger’s. Sillinger didn’t push play to the same degree that Kindel did and received slightly more favorable situations and matchups.

Kindel’s not likely to be a franchise-level player or star-level player. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be a really good, really important long-term piece. The sort of jump he takes next season will give us more insight into what that upside can be.

Harrison Brunicke

Brunicke’s 2025-26 season did not follow the path many people expected, getting playing time in the NHL, WHL and AHL. There’s been some concern that the Penguins didn’t really help his development this season by jumping him all around to three different levels, and having him sit for most of the first half of the season while they made a decision on him, but I’m not sure I agree with that take.

At the end of the day he is going to play more hockey games this season than he did in each of the previous two seasons.

He has also received a significant taste of pro hockey, including at the NHL level, and held his own as a 19-year-old.

He just wasn’t ready for full-time NHL action at that point. It’s okay. It happens.

He has been especially strong since getting an opportunity to play at Wilkes-Barre, including in the playoffs.

President of Hockey Operations/general manager Kyle Dubas has already made it clear that improving the team’s defensive play is going to be a huge priority this offseason, and I can’t think of a better place to start looking for that than internally with a player like Brunicke, even if it does not happen from the very start of the season.

Honestly, he checks every box for what the Penguins should be looking for on next year’s roster and would add youth, skating and a potential long-term defensive solution. He’s been a highly touted prospect from the moment he was drafted and has impressed at every step in the process.

They need somebody to emerge as a long-term piece on defense. Next year could be the start for him.

Sergei Murashov

There is not a young player in the organization that can change the Penguins’ timeline for contention more than Murashov.

I do not say that to put more pressure on the kid or raise expectations around him, but just to point out the reality of the situation and his position.

The Penguins farm system has improved significantly over the past few years in terms of depth and potential NHL players. But it is still lacking that one dude that can be a top-tier player. If Murashov reaches his ceiling, he could be that top-tier player. And given that he plays the most impactful position on the ice, and the one that can change an entire season for a team, he could be the most significant player they have.

That is what goalies do.

But goalies are also maddening, volatile beasts that can surprise in the best and worst ways. There are maybe five established goalies in the NHL that you should feel confident in from one year to the next. Or even within the same season.

Young goalies with no NHL track record are even more volatile and unpredictable.

The good news: Murashov looks NHL ready, at least in the sense that he has nothing left to prove in the AHL. He has dominated for two years down there, and entering play on Monday has a .938 save percentage this postseason in his first six games. He is almost certainly going to be in the goalie rotation next season with a chance to make a difference. I imagine there will be some rocky moments at times, but there is also the potential for a major contribution.

If they get back to the playoffs next season, my guess is he would be a big reason why.

Bill Zonnon

If you go back to the 2025 NHL Draft, the one Penguins player taken in the first round that seemed to get the most consistent praise for his game, and for being NHL-ready, wasn’t actually Ben Kindel, but instead Bill Zonnon. He’s been a favorite of prospect watchers all year and has received high-praise for his work ethic, two-way play and hockey IQ. He has done nothing but back all of that up on the ice in both the QMJHL and AHL. When it comes to the latter, he showed up having already learned the system on his own and was ready to be plopped into the lineup.

He then scored two goals in his first two games.

I don’t know if he will make the roster next season right out of training camp, but I could see a scenario in the middle of the season where he gets an opportunity and never returns to Wilkes-Barre.

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The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will close out a thrilling, high-scoring series tonight at KeyBank Center.

I'm eying both captains – and top line winger Juraj Slafkovsky – to make an impact with my Canadiens vs. Sabres props and NHL picks.

Be sure to read our full Canadiens vs. Sabres predictions on Monday, May 18.

Best Canadiens vs Sabres props for Game 7

Game 7 Prop #1: Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points

-150 at BET99

Juraj Slafkovsky is having a productive series, with six points through six games. What’s impressive is that he has managed strong outputs while scoring only once on 3.13 expected goals and 21 chances. He’s deserving of better. 

Open ice will be hard to come by in a Game 7, with every puck hotly contested in a meat-and-potatoes style of game. Slafkovsky’s ability to get to the net and operate in tight spaces will serve him well.

Game 7 Prop #2: Rasmus Dahlin Over 2.5 shots

-170 at BET99

Rasmus Dahlin is a one-man shooting gallery for the Buffalo Sabres. He has generated 3+ shots in eight of the last nine games and five straight in Buffalo. 

He’s been more productive at home, especially in this series. Dahlin combined for 12 shots on 21 attempts through three home dates, a stark contrast to the eight on 11 he mustered up over three games in Montreal.

Nobody on the Sabres has generated more attempts or shots than Dahlin at home. Likely to play 25+ minutes in Game 7, the volume should remain quite strong.

Game 7 Prop #3: Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists

-135 at BET99

Cole Caufield leads the Montreal Canadiens with 22 scoring chances against Buffalo, and right behind him is Slafkovsky at 21.

What do those two have in common? They're centered by Nick Suzuki at 5-on-5 as well as on the power play.

Suzuki is the best facilitator the Canadiens have up front and, clearly, he's helping create plenty of looks for his linemates. Given how much of the offense runs through Suzuki and the talented finishers on his wing, he's as likely as anybody to pick up a helper.

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After the Toronto Maple Leafs decided to move in a direction on the coaching front and let go of Craig Berube on Wednesday, he is technically on the market to join a new team, despite having two more years on his contract.

On Monday morning, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the Edmonton Oilers have been granted permission from the Maple Leafs to speak to Berube.

The Oilers' head-coaching role is also vacant, as they fired Kris Knoblauch one day after the Leafs fired Berube.

Knoblauch was Edmonton's bench boss for three seasons, hired in November 2023. He led the Oilers to two straight trips to the Stanley Cup final, but also a first-round exit to the Anaheim Ducks in this past campaign.

As for Berube, he coached the Maple Leafs for two whole seasons.

In his first year, Berube was able to push Toronto to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs, which is the furthest the Buds have gone in the post-season for quite some time.

On This Day: Maple Leafs Suffer Franchise-Altering Game 7 Defeat To Panthers In 2025 Stanley Cup PlayoffsPlenty has changed over the course of a year for the Toronto Maple Leafs. But on this day last year, the Maple Leafs experienced a franchise-altering defeat to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In his second year, the team's direction started to change course. The Leafs went from 52 wins and Atlantic Division champions in 2024-25, to 32 wins and finishing at the bottom of the division one year later.

Outside of Berube's contributions in Toronto, he was a Stanley Cup champion in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues, and the following year, they finished first in the Central Division, albeit after playing 71 games due to COVID-19 ending the regular season early.

Maple Leafs Fire Head Coach Craig Berube And What's NextBerube had two more seasons remaining on his contract but it's clear the Leafs needed a new voice.

TSN's Edmonton reporter, Ryan Rishaug, reported that "a formal interview with Berube is expected after some initial conversation" between him and Oilers GM Stan Bowman.

In terms of Leafs GM John Chayka and his search for a new bench boss, on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman name-dropped Jay Woodcroft, David Carle and Manny Malhotra as three candidates that could be in the mix, or had initial conversations.

He further noted that Toronto's search will be very broad, and that it's too early to tell what kind of coach will be coming in.

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Colorado Avalanche News

• That painful night in Dallas still fuels this Avalanche team: ‘You never totally get over it’. [Denver Post]

• Avalanche finding ‘emotional balance’ ahead of Western Final. [NHL]
• Avs head coach Jared Bednar thinks all players will be available for Game 1. [Denver Sports]
• ICYMI: Round Three Forwards Preview, [MHH]

News Around the League

• Sidney Crosby’s decision to play at worlds surprised Team Canada leaders. [Toronto Sun]
• Gigantic Oilers goalie prospect crushing it in playoffs, but is his NHL path blocked? [Edmonton Journal]
• Game 6 couldn’t have gone much worse for the Canadiens. The Sabres score seven unanswered goals in a commanding 8-3 win to force a deciding game. [Montreal Gazette]
• Wild vets Brodin, Eriksson Ek each had broken foot that kept them out of playoff series loss to Avs. [TSN]
• Sunday Overreactions: Wild need clarity from Hughes as soon as possible. [Sportsnet]
• A list of suspensions and fines issued so far during the 2026 playoffs. [The Hockey News]
• Golden Knights lose pick and coach John Tortorella is fined for boxing out media. [ESPN]

This offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers will be spending the bulk of their finances re-signing their own free agents, rather than those coming from other teams.

Established core players like Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are pending restricted free agents in need of new contracts, and it's possible the Flyers retain the likes of Nikita Grebenkin (upper-body), Sam Ersson, and Emil Andrae.

The Flyers already re-signed Aleksei Kolosov, so that is one piece of relevant business done for the summer. Now, they won't have to worry about AHL goaltending for the 2026-27 season.

As for the names above, though, their contracts are going to be less straightforward than Kolosov's one-year deal worth $850k.

In regards to Zegras and Drysdale specifically, those two players are going to be the talk of town in terms of contract value and length.

We can all expect the Flyers' exciting duo to sign for another couple of years, though what a "couple of years" means depends on the person.

NHL analytics mavens Evolving-Hockey have made their widely anticipated contract projections for the 2026 offseason available, and we can reference their data model to see what kind of contracts we can expect for all the Flyers' free agents.

To establish some precedent, Evolving-Hockey projected Kolosov's most likely contract to be two years for $866.5k. The Belarusian was assessed to have a 48% chance to sign for two years, and a 42% chance to sign for one. So, they were pretty close to the mark on this one.

At the time of this writing, Zegras is given a 23% chance to re-up with the Flyers for four years, which Evolving-Hockey predicts to come with a $7.589 million annual cap hit.

Notably, their model also gives Zegras a 19% chance to sign for five and eight years, and those lengths would then carry cap hits of $7.919 or $9.654 million, respectively.

Personally, I would expect Zegras and the Flyers meet somewhere in the middle, like seven years and $8.5 million annually, give or take.

The 25-year-old could sign almost any deal, though, and it would be a big win for Philadelphia. Anything that keeps him an important piece of the future is a success.

However, the Flyers will have a smaller margin for error with Drysdale's next deal, especially given that this past season was the best, and objectively the only good, season of his NHL career.

The 24-year-old defenseman's most likely contract comes in at five years and a $6.155 million annual cap hit, which will certainly carry some sticker shock.

A number in the $5 million range would be more reasonable for Drysdale, though Evolving-Hockey's model says the Flyers will have to offer between two and four years to get the price down to that level.

As it stands for the other relevant pieces, Ersson is projected to land a two-year, $2.762 million AAV contract if he re-signs with the Flyers, which seems unlikely at this stage.

Andrae and Grebenkin are given whopping 56% and 58% chances to land two-year extensions themselves, accompanied by modest cap hits of $1.462 and $1.127 million, respectively.

Grebenkin's is just about what I personally expected, though a one-year deal feels like the smartest move for Andrae.

He only has a 16% chance to sign one of those, but he is no longer waivers-exempt and won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2029.

If Andrae does remain with the Flyers, it would be surprising if it was for more than a season, even with the team's lack of left-shot defensemen coming up through the pipeline.

The Flyers will have a ton of cap space this summer with Kevin Hayes, Cam Atkinson, and Scott Laughton all coming off the books, so it will be interesting to see how aggressive they get with re-signing their own players as well as with targeting new ones.

The date May 18 this year marks Victoria Day for most provinces and all of Canada's territories. This day last year, however, consisted of a franchise-altering result for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That result was when the Florida Panthers came to town for Game 7 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With hope from Leafs fans that Toronto was going to see the third round of the post-season for the first time since 2002, the Panthers steamrolled the Maple Leafs with a 6-1 scoreline.

That humiliating loss for Toronto at Scotiabank Arena turned out to be more than just a defeat or elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. What came to fruition in the aftermath of that loss changed the immediate future of the organization.

What many will remember from that night is that, in addition to being the Maple Leafs' final contest of the campaign, it turned out to be the end of Mitch Marner's tenure in Toronto - and it wasn't memorable in a good way.

In the final moments of that game, fans began to boo Marner whenever he got control of the puck. They would also throw jerseys and garbage onto the ice during play.

Were Toronto Maple Leafs Fans and Pundits Wrong About Mitch Marner?Freed from the suffocating weight of Toronto's expectations, Mitch Marner is doing in Vegas what Leafs Nation spent a decade insisting he never could, leading the NHL in playoff scoring and forcing an uncomfortable reckoning with the narrative that defined his time in blue and white.

This loss marked the seventh straight Game 7 that the Maple Leafs dropped dating back to the 2012-13 post-season.

Florida would go on to win its second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games. The Maple Leafs were actually the toughest series that the Panthers had in those playoffs in terms of the length of the series.

Nonetheless, there were a couple of changes to the team in that off-season, highlighted by the departure of Marner, who was signed and traded to the Vegas Golden Knights just one day before free agency kicked in.

Marner's departure marked the end of an era. For the previous nine seasons, Marner, along with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, were the team's top players. But with a third of that trio now gone, the Maple Leafs were always going to be a different team going into the next campaign.

'I Wish I Had A Recording': Former Maple Leaf Kurtis Gabriel Shares Experience Hanging Out at John Tavares' CottageKurtis Gabriel, who spent one season with the Toronto Maple Leafs' organization, shared a story about spending time at John Tavares' cottage in the summer of 2021. He referenced former Leafs such as Jason Spezza, Michael Bunting, Jake Muzzin and Wayne Simmonds.

Still with the off-season additions of Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Nicolas Roy - who arrived with the Marner deal - the difference was glaring, and not in a positive way.

Toronto ended up missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years and became a lottery-winning franchise for the first time since the Leafs drafted Matthews in 2016.

That Game 7 loss to the Panthers isn't solely responsible for the downfall of the 2025-26 regular season, of course. But it certainly played a role in the organization's trajectory.

Now, exactly one year later, Brendan Shanahan, Brad Treliving, Craig Berube, and some other members of the front office are no longer a part of the franchise.

At any rate, May 18, 2025 was certainly a day for Leafs fans to remember, for all the wrong reasons.

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Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

“Everybody knows the Hughes brothers want to play together. Maybe Jack wants to come to Minnesota now to join forces with Quinn rather than wait or have it the other way around. It would be complicated, though, because it’s hard to believe Jack would leave their youngest brother, Luke, behind with the New Jersey Devils. That may be why, per league sources, the Wild made a pitch to former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald to acquire Luke this past season.” [The Athletic ($)]

“While he’s still young enough to improve, it stands to reason Nemec may not be looked at as a long-term core piece by Mehta. If that’s the case, here are a few landing spots that could make sense:” [Infernal Access ($)]

What should the Devils do about Dougie Hamilton?

Hockey Links

Hurricanes have had a long break:

The Carolina Hurricanes will have 12 days off between games, the longest layoff in NHL playoff history 🤯

By the time the Eastern Conference Final begins, Carolina will have played just eight games in 36 days. pic.twitter.com/GaAWqsRszz

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 17, 2026

Quinn Hughes on the idea of resigning in Minnesota: “I can say that I really like it here. I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it’s a special group. Would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have in the room and just the people we have in the room. A lot of trust with Billy, as well, and love (coach John Hynes) and (associate coach Jack Capuano) and the coaching staff.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The Vegas Golden Knights have been stripped of their second-round pick in this year’s draft, with coach John Tortorella also receiving a $100,000 fine, for ‘flagrant violations’ of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoff media regulations, the league announced Friday.” [ESPN]

“It’s safe to say the ‘Yzerplan’ has not worked out. And as the Detroit Red Wings enter a critical off-season, they need to change up their methods, even if that doesn’t include Steve Yzerman.” [The Hockey News]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Eighteen years ago today, the Pittsburgh Penguins punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1992.

The Penguins, full of a mix of youth and grizzly veterans, had made their return to the postseason a year prior, quickly dispatched in five games by the Ottawa Senators.

Now a year later, Pittsburgh had seemed to have learned a lot from their loss, storming through the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-0 sweep of the Ottawa Senators and a 4-1 series win against the New York Rangers.

Up next were the Penguins’ cross-state rivals from Philadelphia, but the series shifted heavily towards Pittsburgh from the start.

The Flyers held off being eliminated in Game 4, but all things went Pittsburgh’s way in Game 5 at the Mellon Arena.

Ryan Malone scored twice along with goals from Evgeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Jordan Staal, and Pascal Dupuis as the Penguins cruised to the Stanley Cup Final with a 6-0 win.

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Sabres -122, Canadiens +102; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 3-3

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Buffalo Sabres in game seven of the second round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Saturday for the 11th time this season. The Sabres won 8-3 in the last meeting. Jack Quinn led the Sabres with two goals.

Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall and 23-10-5 against the Atlantic Division. The Sabres are seventh in the league serving 9.7 penalty minutes per game.

Montreal has a 23-13-3 record in Atlantic Division games and a 48-24-10 record overall. The Canadiens have a 49-9-9 record when scoring at least three goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has scored 40 goals with 41 assists for the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin has three goals and nine assists over the last 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has 10 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging 3.5 goals, 5.8 assists, 5.3 penalties and 14.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-4-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.3 assists, 6.1 penalties and 19 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Stan Bowman might need to find a starting goaltender this summer, but the UFA market has looked him dead in the eyes and shrugged.

This year's free agent market could've been one for the ages. Stars like Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov were all eligible for UFA status. Then they all signed extensions, and what was once a promising class became one of the weakest in years. Nowhere is that more apparent than in net.

Sergei Bobrovsky is the biggest name potentially available, a two-time Vezina winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion who has certainly become one of the more interesting storylines of the summer. But he's 37, the Panthers may still re-sign him, and even if he hits the market, he's not going to be a long-term answer for anyone.

Edmonton Oilers And They're Purpose At The WorldsFor the first time in years, the IIHF World Championship opened with <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers">Edmonton Oilers</a> players on the ice.&nbsp;

Cam Talbot is also expected to reach free agency, but turns 39 on July 5. Frederik Andersen, who has been in and out of the lineup in Carolina for two seasons, is another name that might surface.

So: a 37-year-old coming off a down year, a 39-year-old, and a 36-year-old whose body has made his retirement decision for him twice already. For a team that needs its goaltender to carry a real workload next October, this is not exactly a buyer's market.

There is, however, one intriguing option. A 27-year-old pending UFA with two Stanley Cup Final appearances on his résumé, a .902 career save percentage, and a cap hit that won't break the bank. A guy who knows Rogers Place, knows the dressing room, knows how to play behind McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Former-Oiler Releases Serious Statement On Legal Battles With Ex-WifeEvander Kane breaks his silence on years of alleged stalking and career sabotage, vowing aggressive legal retaliation against those complicit in his ex's relentless campaign of harassment.

His name is Stuart Skinner. You may have heard of him.

Skinner split his season between Edmonton and Pittsburgh after the mid-December trade, posting an .891 save percentage with the Edmonton Oilers and .885 with the Penguins. Nearly identical numbers on two very different rosters.

Pittsburgh isn't expected to bring him back, with younger options like Arturs Silovs and Sergei Murashov in the pipeline. He's projected to command somewhere in the $3.8 million range on his next deal.

Golden Knights Drama Has To Take Potential Coach Off Oilers RadarJohn Tortorella’s media defiance cost Vegas a draft pick, signaling a volatility the Oilers must avoid while searching for a leader to handle their elite superstars.

The circular nature of it all is almost poetic. Bowman traded Skinner away in December to acquire Tristan Jarry, a move that did not go well for anyone involved. Jarry had an .858 save percentage in 19 games with the Oilers and started just once in the playoffs. Now Jarry is still owed $5.375 million a year for two more seasons, Skinner is a free agent, and Edmonton is back at square one.

Could Bowman actually re-sign the goalie he traded away six months ago? Stranger things have happened, though not many. The optics would be awkward. The price would be modest. And in a market this thin, modest and available might be the best offer on the table.

Insider: Optics Be Damned, Oilers Determined New Coaching Approach Was CriticalStan Bowman is zeroing in on Bruce Cassidy to instill a strict, demanding culture that challenges Edmonton’s superstars and pushes the roster toward a championship.

Skinner has always said he has no regrets about his time in Edmonton. Whether he'd want to come back is a separate question. Whether Bowman has the nerve to ask is another one entirely.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

The Rangers have two new role models to copy in their hopes for retool-rebuild-renaissance: the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.

Originally picked by The Hockey News Yearbook to finish seventh in the Atlantic Division, the Sabres could make it to the Conference Final with a win in Game Seven tomorrow night.

Their stunning – and it was STUNNING – second half rush was fueled by speed up and down the line, excellent leadership by captain Rasmus Dahlin and Lindy Ruff's sag coaching. 

Not much difference with the Habs led by the equally astute Marty St. Louis except for goaltending. The difference last night was between the pipes. Buffalo has it and the Canadiens can't rely on their trio of rubber-stoppers.

By contrast, the Rangers have the goaltending and not much else!

One of the Philadelphia Flyers' top objectives this off-season should be to add another impactful defenseman. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Boston Bruins blueliner Mason Lohrei stands out as an interesting potential option. 

Questions about Lohrei's future in Boston came up often during this season, and it should carry over to the summer. The 6-foot-5 defenseman notably was scratched by the Bruins multiple times during the playoffs and simply could use a change of scenery. With the Flyers needing an offensive defenseman, he would be an intriguing buy-low target for them to consider. 

If the Flyers acquired Lohrei, he could compete for a spot in their top four due to his ability to play both the left and the right side. However, even if he played on their bottom pairing and was often used on their power play, he would have the potential to provide the Flyers' blueline with a real boost. 

Lohrei appeared in 73 games this season with the Bruins, where he recorded seven goals, 26 points, and a plus-17 rating. This is after he had five goals and 33 points in 77 games with the Bruins in 2024-25. Overall, the 25-year-old defenseman has shown that he has the potential to produce decent offense from the point.

Yet, with Lohrei still being young, it is fair to wonder if he could hit a new level if given a change of scenery. Perhaps joining an exciting team on the rise, like the Flyers, could help him do just that. 

Game 6 was a nightmare for the Montreal Canadiens, as they fell to the Buffalo Sabres by an 8-3 final score. While this is the case, the Canadiens now have the opportunity to get their revenge against the Sabres in Game 7. 

If the Canadiens pull things back together and win Game 7 against the Sabres, Jakub Dobes would join some elite company. 

According to NHL Public Relations, Dobes would join Ken Dryden, Carey Price, Patrick Roy, and Jaroslav Halak as the only Canadiens goalies with multiple Game 7 wins in their franchise history. 

This would undoubtedly be a major accomplishment for Dobes in what has been a strong post-season for the 24-year-old netminder. Despite having a tough start in Game 6, he still has a .906 save percentage and a 2.59 goals-against average in 13 games this post-season. 

It will now be interesting to see if Dobes can lead the Canadiens to a victory in Game 7 from here. 

The Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens by an 8-3 final score in Game 6. With this, the Sabres have kept their playoff run alive and have forced Game 7. 

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker contributed to the Sabres' victory, as he had a strong game for the Atlantic Division club in Game 6. 

Zucker scored a goal and recorded an assist in the Sabres' Game 6 victory over the Canadiens, and both were important moments.

With the Sabres down 3-1 in the first period, Zucker scored to cut the Canadiens' lead to 3-2. This was the first of seven unanswered goals scored by the Sabres, so Zucker's goal undoubtedly helped spark Buffalo's dominance in Game 6. 

Zucker's assist in Game 6 was also important, as it was the primary one on Konsta Helenius' second-period goal that gave the Sabres a 5-3 win. 

With this clutch game, Zucker now has two goals and four points in 12 playoff games so far this spring. This is after the former Penguins forward had 24 goals and 45 points in 62 games for the Sabres this regular-season.