RALEIGH, N.C. — Nikolaj Ehlers got loose up the center of the ice and popped the puck past Jakub Dobes at 3:29 of overtime to lift the Carolina Hurricanes past the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night to level the Eastern Conference Final at one game apiece.
Ehlers scored twice for the Eastern Conference’s top seed, the first with a highlight-reel individual effort in the second period against two Montreal defenders.
And when the game went to OT, the guy the Hurricanes landed as a sought-after free agent carried them to the finish line.
Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, while Josh Anderson scored twice for Montreal.
There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of the Vegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2: Pavel Dorofeyev scored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 28:Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT). David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of the first overtime to cut the Bruins' series deficit to 3-2.
April 27:Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (OT). Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of the first overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT). Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tie the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1: Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2: J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2: Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3: Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
5 - Corey Perry, Lightning
4 - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL record for one postseason)
3 - Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars
Meet The Talented Mr. Zetterberg: February 7, 2006 - Volume 59, Issue 20
DETROIT – Henrik Zetterberg knew the big test was coming, so he wasn’t surprised or startled when Darren McCarty took a run at him during his first scrimmage with the Detroit Red Wings.
And he wasn’t particularly alarmed when McCarty ran him again…and again…and again.
The new kid arrived in Hockeytown with a mighty reputation and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Red Wings – McCarty in particular – wanted to test his mettle. The kid, 21 at the time, passed the test. Talk about an initiation into the NHL.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” says Red Wings veteran Brendan Shanahan.
“I remember when he first arrived here for training camp, they weren’t sure how he would handle the physicality of the NHL, so Darren ran him a few times in our pre-season camp. It didn’t change the way he played. I remember Mac saying to me, ‘Not only is this kid tough, he’s pretty solid.’ I think he knocked the wind out of Mac.”
Considered by many to be the best player not in the NHL the season before he joined the Wings, Zetterberg might now be aptly described as the best player in the NHL that nobody knows. A shy, laid-back individual, Zetterberg has quietly become Detroit’s most dominant player. But if you don’t follow the Wings – or better yet, play on a line with him, you probably wouldn’t know him to pass him on the street.
Sitting in a cozy lunch room next to the team’s dressing room, the walls adorned with action shots of Detroit stars from the past, the humble Zetterberg says he was aware he’d be tested by his new teammates when he arrived in 2002.
They wanted to know, did he have the jam to play with the big boys? Or would he wilt when the going got tough?
“In the first couple of red-and-white games, (McCarty) took a few runs at me,” recalls Zetterberg, his Bon Jovi-like locks strategically tussled to make him look more like a rock star than a professional athlete. “I heard before I came over here that it was going to be tough, so I was prepared. I didn’t hit him back or slash him; I just kept playing.
“After camp, (McCarty) came to me and told me he was instructed to hit me. He told me he was impressed with how I handled it.”
At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Zetterberg is not an imposing physical specimen. Standing next to him you can’t help but wonder how he survives in the NHL’s trenches. The answer is easy: speed and finesse. When he straps on his skates and takes control of the puck, he’s a force, able to make jaw-dropping moves while flying at full speed.
Zetterberg’s game is based on skill and determination and he simply refuses to be outworked.
“When I first got here, I was amazed at how many times he’d split the defense,” says defenseman Mathieu Schneider. “He takes such quick strides through the neutral zone. He’s a tremendous player. There are no weak parts to his game.”
Adds Steve Yzerman: “He stood out pretty quickly. Not so much for the flashy stuff, but for his allaround play. He is great defensively and he’s a pretty good positional player. Along the boards, he’s really good with the puck.”
Zetterberg took his first strides toward becoming an NHL star when he was two years old. In his hometown of Njurunda, a community of about 100,000 located four hours north of Stockholm, his dad, Goran, strapped a pair of blades to his son’s winter boots and watched as young Henrik negotiated a frozen pond.
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If you're a lover of player prop bets, look no further than Golden Knights star center Jack Eichel in Game 3.
Eichel loves a good homecoming, especially in the playoffs.
Since arriving in Vegas, the all-world forward has registered at least one point in eight of the 10 home playoff games that followed a road contest.
The Golden Knights lead the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche 2-0 after taking Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Final in Denver. Games 3 and 4 are in Las Vegas on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively, and Eichel already has three points in the first two games (1 goal, 2 assists).
As part of Vegas' three-goal comeback in the third period of Friday's 3-1 win, Eichel scored the game-tying goal and assisted Ivan Barbashev on the game-winner.
This is Eichel's 10th career playoff series - all with Vegas - and in 54 postseason games, he's got 12 goals and 49 assists.
More specifically, in those 10 home playoff games where the Knights returned from the road, Eichel has 15 points (2 goals, 13 assists), again, registering at least one point in eight of those contests.
Eichel has been instrumental in helping the Knights move two wins away from their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in nine seasons, and six wins from their second championship.
The 29-year-old has 18 points this postseason, with two goals and 16 assists, registering at least one point in 11 of the team's 14 games.
"Phenomenal," Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin said of Eichel. "I mean, he’s such a good 200-foot player, but man, some of the offensive things he can do with the puck, how smart he is, how patient he is.
"He steps up at big moments. That’s what you need out of your best players."
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9), right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) and defenseman Kaedan Korczak (6) celebrate a third-period goal against the Colorado Avalanche in game two of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena.
Earlier this week, the Washington Capitals announced that they have signed former San Jose Sharks defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract extension. Liljegren's new contract carries an average annual value of $3.25 million, which is a $250,000 raise from his prior contract.
Liljegren's time in San Jose began when he was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs, who selected him in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, in exchange for Matt Benning and two draft picks in October 2024.
Across two partial seasons in San Jose, Liljegren appeared in 110 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored seven goals and registered a total of 28 points while being a -32.
The Sharks then traded Liljegren to the Capitals ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline this spring, receiving a fourth round draft pick in return for the 27-year-old defenseman.
After being traded to Washington, the Kristianstad, Sweden native played in just four games for the Capitals often serving as a spare player in case of injury. Moving forward, he is expected to play a much more important role for the Capitals though. At this time, Liljegren is one of just three NHL-caliber right-handed defensemen under contract with the Capitals for next season, with Matt Roy and Dylan McIlrath being the others.
It’s the fights we had along the way… | Getty Images
It’s Memorial Day weekend in the United States, the impetus for barbecue and such. But the playoffs march on with Carolina-Montreal Game 2 Saturday and Colorado-Vegas Game 3 Sunday…
Islanders News
Tracking Danny Nelson at the Worlds for Team USA. [THN]
In a summer of affiliation shuffles, the Isles ECHL affiliate will now be in Trenton. [Isles]
Officially now, the Islanders announced that their relocated AHL affiliate in Hamilton shall be named the Hammers. [Isles] At this time, a friend shall lose a friend’s hammer…:
Elsewhere
The Avalanche are in an 0-2 hole heading to Vegas, both games missing Cale Makar. [NHL]
The (consecutive) long layoffs are a thing for the Avalanche and Hurricanes. Ex-NHLer Craig Johnson discusses. [NHL]
A dozen years since he and the Canucks parted, Mike Gillis ‘wasn’t the right fit’ for the Leafs, or vice versa. [Sportsnet]
The Knights’ ruthlessness in management may be the new model for the NHL. [Sportsnet]
For the first time this postseason, the Carolina Hurricanes have to find a way to respond.
The Hurricanes suffered their first playoff loss of the season, falling 6-2 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 on Thursday night.
It's an unfamiliar situation for the 2026 Carolina Hurricanes, who became the first team in the modern era to sweep back-to-back rounds, but it's one that isn't too uncommon for the franchise.
In seven trips to the Eastern Conference Final, the Canes have never won the opening game.
Twice they've responded in Game 2, ultimately winning the series in both instances, but four other times they've proceeded to lose in either four or five.
But the past is the past and the team can't be too bogged down worrying about what's already happened.
Yes, they have to make sure that those glaring mistakes they made in Game 1 don't happen again, but they more so just have to focus on coming out of the gate the right way in Game 2.
"No one likes to lose, so everyone comes back ready to roll for the next game," said captain Jordan Staal. "At this time of year, obviously every game is massive. We know how much more this one is going to be and we're going to have to be ready to roll."
"We know we have a lot more to give," said Taylor Hall. "You don't want to let things slide and so whether we win or lose in Game 2, we have to play our game and to our identity and let that come through for 60 minutes. That's our focus for Game 2 and let the cards fall where they do."
Carolina is where they are for a reason. They're a good team. One with a strong identity, good players and a solid foundation.
It isn't often that they have a game like they did, but it's even rarer for it to happen twice in a row.
In the regular season, Carolina was 22-7-0 coming off of a loss, which was the best rate in the entire NHL.
The #Canes were 22-7-0 (.759 P%) following a loss of any kind during the regular season, the highest points percentage in the NHL in that scenario. pic.twitter.com/jm6BThjo0a
"We've been relentless all year and faced adversity throughout the year and we've always been able to bounce back," said Jalen Chatfield. "We have a lot of good leadership in here. As a man to each other, we know what we're capable of and we're going to play to that standard next game."
While the game's opening 12 minutes were obviously a disaster, the Hurricanes did manage to show a glimpse of their game in the second period.
After they stopped the bleeding and regrouped, the Canes outchanced Montreal 34-13 and had a 17-6 edge in scoring chances.
"It's pretty clear the disparity between the first and second periods there," said Eric Robinson. "That's our game and our room knows that's kind of how we have to start tonight."
That's the kind of game Carolina is going to need to play from the get go if they want to beat the Canadiens and they're confident that they can get to that game.
"The first period wasn't our best, but I thought we played a good second period," said Andrei Svechnikov. "We were dominating them and that's what we're going to do tonight."
It's imperative that the Hurricanes find a way to get back in the win column on Saturday, else it's going to be a really tough series to get back into.
"We're trying to win a hockey game tonight," said Sebastian Aho. "That's the main goal, our only goal, honestly."
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The Western Conference Final is something worth paying attention to for Philadelphia Flyers fans, and it isn't because they have draft positioning on the line from owning another team's draft pick.
Instead, it's that two high-profile former Flyers are succeeding with the Vegas Golden Knights under the brightest of spotlights.
Head coach John Tortorella, who was fired by the Flyers just 14 months ago, jumped from the ESPN studio to Sin City to replace Bruce Cassidy, who was cast aside by the Golden Knights.
A 7-0-0 run under Tortorella earned Vegas a playoff spot, and after knocking down the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks, the Golden Knights are within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final.
A Western Conference Final matchup with the vaunted, high-octane Colorado Avalanche was thought to be a nightmare, but Tortorella and the Golden Knights have jumped out to a 2-0 series lead against a Cale Makar-less Avalanche team.
Even without Makar, the Avalanche, led by Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, still pose a massive threat offensively.
Despite that, former Flyers goalie Carter Hart, who was let go by the Flyers when the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case was gearing up in 2024, has been up to the task.
After being found not guilty of sexual assault stemming from that case, and after serving a suspension imposed by the NHL, Hart had a mostly unimpressive return to the ice for Vegas, finishing the regular season with a .891 save percentage despite a strong 11-3-3 record overall.
The playoffs, though? For the ex-Flyers netminder, that's been a different story altogether.
Hart, 27, has won each of his last four playoff starts, stopping 130 of 136 shots, posting a .956 save percentage, and a stellar 1.47 GAA.
Hart was 9-5-0 in the playoffs for the Flyers back in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs, dropping two shutouts to the tune of a 2.23 GAA and .926 save percentage.
With his recent surge, Hart is 10-4-0 for the Golden Knights with a 2.25 GAA and .924 save percentage overall.
Now, Tortorella and Hart are within two wins of reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
Montreal Canadiens’ rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes has a perfect record this season against the Carolina Hurricanes. He beat them three times in the regular season and once again in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.
In those four games, the Czech netminder has a .923 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average. Dobes has been a formidable force for the Canadiens in this postseason. He’s currently first in goals saved above expected with 11,9 and has been particularly impressive on the road, where he now has seven wins.
With Thursday night’s win, Dobes caught up to Steve Penney for most wins by a rookie netminder in one postseason with the Canadiens; both have nine wins. There are only two masked men in Habs history with more wins as a rookie goalie in one postseason: Ken Dryden with 12 and Patrick Roy with 15. Both won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe trophy.
Thursday’s win was also the 10th playoff win of Dobes’ career, and he became just the 15th rookie netminder in league history to reach the double-digit mark, and the fifth to do it with the Canadiens after Jacques Plante (14), Dryden (14), Penney (15), and Roy (15).
More importantly, with another standout performance against the Hurricanes, the young goaltender could turn up the pressure on veteran goalie Frederik Anderson. The 36-year-old has struggled against the Canadiens this year, and that, coupled with his losing record in the third round, may be starting to weigh heavily on his mind. At this stage of the playoffs, any psychological advantage you can get over your opponent is a big plus.
In the second round, against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens managed to make Lindy Ruff juggle with his goaltenders, which is not great for a team’s confidence. Ruff went from Alex Lyon to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, then back to Lyon, and finally back to UPL. Having some consistency in net is huge for a team’s confidence in the playoffs.
Based on the comments of Buffalo Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen earlier this week, the club is satisfied with their three-headed goaltending monster of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, and Colten Ellis, but there has been speculation that the Sabres could be looking for an upgrade between the pipes this summer, based on the inconsistent performance of Luukkonen and Lyon in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"They're all real good people, real good teammates, real good pros. I think Lindy touched on it too, that they pushed each other, they supported each other, they challenged each other, they had fun. All of them want to probably play more games, but that's great." Kekalainen said. "It's internal competition, and we'll be better off at some point. We may have to change that, but I think it's worked great so far, and it's been the strength of our team. We had Ellis go in a few times and play incredible games, Lyon and (Luukkonen), they played the most of the games and had good seasons."
The Sabres have less than $13 million in cap space entering the off-season, but do have an organization chock full of young prospects and their 2026 first round pick, which could make pursuing a goalie a realistic possibility.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff gets a two-year contract extension
Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff speculated this week on an appearance on WGR 550 that it might be the time for the Sabres to take a big swing at a top goalie, such as Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, but a deal for the Olympic gold medal, Vezina, and Hart Trophy winner would be extremely costly, even if the 33-year-old netminder asked to be moved. Other possibilities could be two-time Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky, but as an unrestricted free agent, he would require a hefty price tag.
Another name that has been speculated about in connection with clubs in search of goaltending help is Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at a $6 million cap hit, and based on the exodus that included veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk prior to the trade deadline and rumors involving the Sabres and Blues regarding defenseman Colton Parayko and Robert Thomas, the club under new St. Louis GM Alex Steen appears to be entering a potential rebuild.
Luukkonen has three more years left on a five-year extension signed in 2024 at $4.75 million per season. The 27-year-old has a five-team no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1 and could be attractive as part of a deal for another goalie or from another club looking for help between the pipes. Lyon ($1.5 million), Ellis ($850,000) and minor leaguer Devon Levi ($812,500) are all under contract through next season.
The Montreal Canadiens will look to go up 2-0 on the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Canadiens won Game 1 6-2. The Hurricanes are favored with a -207 moneyline compared to the Canadiens' +171.
How to watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Avery Hayes took a nice step in the right direction with his development this season. The 5-foot-10 forward appeared in his first 16 NHL games with Pittsburgh this season, where he recorded five goals, 12 penalty minutes, and 23 hits. This included him scoring two goals in his final NHL game of the season with Pittsburgh.
Hayes earned his first look on Pittsburgh's roster this season, as he was excellent in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 42 games with the AHL club this campaign, he recorded 24 goals, 15 assists, 39 points, and a plus-10 rating. With this, he showed clear signs of improvement and has created more excitement about his future because of it.
Due to how well Hayes played this season, it is clear that he is a breakout candidate to watch on the Penguins next season. The Westland, Michigan native has the tools to emerge as a full-time NHL player, and it would not be surprising if he taps into his offensive potential a bit more next season.
If Hayes can break out next season, it would be big for a Penguins club that is looking to continue to trend in the right direction. It will be fascinating to see if he can do just that from here.
MacKinnon hit the net on 58.66% of his attempts during the regular season, and 46% over the first two rounds. He's sitting at 33% against Vegas, a low number that is not going to sustain itself.
MacKinnon leads the Colorado Avalanche in offensive zone starts this series, putting him in favorable situations to generate shots.
I like him to fire away in essentially a must-win Game 3, and would play the Over up to -160.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights Game 3 same-game parlay
The Avalanche hold edges in attempts, shots, chances, and high-danger looks. They've scored on 4% of their shots, Vegas has scored on 13%, and that's the difference.
Cale Makar's injury definitely factors in, but Colorado was the highest-scoring team in the league during the regular season, and both of their goaltenders drastically out-performed Carter Hart.
The tide should turn if the Avalanche continue to generate the bulk of the chances, which is to be expected with their backs up against the wall.
Eight of the last nine Avalanche games have featured 6+ goals, and shooting regression should help push this one Over.
Avalanche vs Golden Knights SGP
Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots on goal
Avalanche moneyline
Over 5.5
Avalanche vs Golden Knights odds for Game 3
Moneyline: Avalanche -135 | Golden Knights +115
Puck Line: Avalanche -1.5 (+180) | Golden Knights +1.5 (-220)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Avalanche vs Golden Knights trend
MacKinnon has recorded 4+ shots in 11 of his last 14 games against Vegas. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Avalanche vs Golden Knights Game 3
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, Sportsnet
Avalanche vs Golden Knights 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 Buffalo Sabres are entering the off-season with some big decisions to make. One of them is with Alex Tuch, as the 30-year-old forward is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA).
If the Sabres are unable to re-sign Tuch and he tests the free-agent market, the Sabres will undoubtedly need to add another forward to their roster. Due to this, let's look at two pending UFAs the Sabres could pivot to if Tuch does not sign an extension with Buffalo.
Bobby McMann, Seattle Kraken
Bobby McMann could be an interesting target for the Sabres to pursue if Tuch ends up not re-signing. The 29-year-old just had a strong season split between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Seattle Kraken. In 78 games, he recorded 29 goals, 46 points, and 165 hits. With numbers like these, he could be a good energy player for the Sabres to add to their top nine.
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Could the Sabres finally bring Patrick Kane home to Buffalo? If the 37-year-old winger ends up not re-signing with the Detroit Red Wings, he could be a player worth bringing in on a one-year deal. His best days are behind him, but he is still an impactful offensive contributor. In 67 games this season with Detroit, he posted 16 goals and 57 points. With numbers like these, the three-time Stanley Cup champion could be a nice pickup for Buffalo.
Former Senators head coach Dave Cameron will be back for another OHL tour of duty.
After signing a two-year extension this week, Cameron, who's 67, will continue to be the 67's head coach for a 6th and 7th season, which will surely give some of our readers an excuse to resurrect the nonsensical "6-7" internet meme for a day or two.
Under Cameron this season, Ottawa had a fine year with 47 wins and 100 points but they ran into an equally good Barrie Colts team in the second round, losing in five games.
"Your best chance for success is the people you work for," Cameron said. "I can't say enough about the organization here in Ottawa and the staff with Jan, Norm and Paul (GM Jan Egert, and assistant coaches Norm Milley and Paul Stoykewych). It's just been a real pleasure to work (here). And throw on top of that, knock on wood, I've been blessed with good health and energy."
Cameron was asked by 67's play-by-play man Kenny Walls how long he wants to keep coaching for.
"Yeah, obviously, when you've been at it as long as I have, the discussion about when you're going to retire is something you do annually," Cameron said. "So, for me, your challenge when you're coaching at the OHL level is your energy level.
"Because I'm at the point where I'm not ready to do anything half-heartedly. And the big thing in that is you have to have good energy, and I love getting up in the mornings. I love going to the rink. I love hockey."
Those are three pretty solid reasons to return.
That love of hockey goes back to his playing days, growing up in PEI, where Cameron won a spot on his hometown University of PEI hockey team. There, he caught the attention of the New York Islanders, who took him in the 8th round of the 1978 draft.
In 1981, the Islanders traded Cameron and Bob Lorimer to the Colorado Rockies for the Rockies' first-round pick in 1983, and the Islanders used it to select some guy named Pat Lafontaine. Cameron spent the 1981-82 season with the Rockies and then two more after they moved to New Jersey and became the Devils.
As for Cameron's coaching path, it's taken him from PEI Junior B to the Colonial Hockey League, the OHL, AHL, NHL, and a two-year stop in Austria.
His NHL coaching experience lies primarily with the Senators, and that connection began all the way back in 2001.
That was the year Eugene Melnyk bought the team Cameron was coaching, the OHL's Toronto St. Michael's Majors. Cameron stayed in the role for another three seasons.
A year after Melnyk bought the Senators in 2003, Cameron shifted to Binghamton to run the Sens AHL bench for three seasons. In 2007, he moved back to Melnyk's OHL team, now called the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, and spent four seasons there.
When the Sens hired Paul MacLean as their head coach, Cameron got his first NHL coaching work as MacLean's assistant in 2011-12, which was also the season Melnyk sold his OHL team.
When MacLean was fired mid-season, three and a half years later, Cameron got the job and guided the Senators to the playoffs that season via the famous Hamburglar Run.
Apr 7, 2016; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators head coach Dave Cameron speaks with his players leading into the last minute of play in the third period against the Florida Panthers at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Senators defeated the Panthers 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
As he did with so many good people in this town, Melnyk then threw a grenade on his relationship with Cameron the following year.
The volatile owner didn't just fire Cameron in 2016; he told the media a few weeks before that one of Cameron's opening night lineup decisions was "stupid." Cameron's firing was the first official act of Pierre Dorion, who had taken over as GM a few days earlier.
"It was hurtful," Cameron said about Melnyk's comments. "I didn't think there was any need for it. I felt like I was fired for three weeks, every day,"
But that was ten years ago, now water under the bridge. And as Dave Cameron begins to think about a 16th season as a coach in the league, life in the OHL today suits him just fine.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
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