NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL docked the Vegas Golden Knights a second-round pick in next month's draft and fined coach John Tortorella $100,000 on Friday for violating media access rules after their series-clinching Game 6 victory at Anaheim on Thursday night.

Tortorella refused to speak to reporters after Vegas routed the Ducks 5-1 to move on to face Colorado in the Western Conference final. The Golden Knights also did not open their locker room in accordance with league and Players' Association-negotiated regulations.

The NHL in a statement announcing the punishment said the penalties for these “flagrant violations” come after previous warnings were issued to the Golden Knights. The team has been offered the opportunity to appeal to Commissioner Gary Bettman’s office in person at the league’s New York headquarters next week.

“The Golden Knights are aware of today's announcement from the NHL regarding the postgame media availability following Game 6 in Anaheim,” the team said in a statement posted to social media. “The organization will have no further comment.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

The Buffalo Sabres suffered a 6-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 6 of the second round. With this, the Sabres now trail the series 3-2 and are one loss away from being eliminated from the playoffs. 

With the Sabres facing a must-win Game 6, it is clear that they should be rolling with Alex Lyon as their starting goalie for it.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen struggled in Game 5 against the Canadiens, as he allowed five goals on 23 shots before being pulled. With this, the 27-year-old now has a 4.20 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage in four games this post-season.

With the Canadiens figuring out Luukkonen in Game 5, it would be wise for the Sabres to go with Lyon as their Game 6 starter. While Lyon had two tough starts for the Sabres this series against the Canadiens, he showed during Buffalo's series against the Boston Bruins that he is capable of being a major difference-maker when playing at his best.

It will be interesting to see which goalie ends up getting the start for the Sabres against the Canadiens in Game 6 from here. Whether it ends up being Lyon or Luukkonen, the Sabres need to play far better in Game 6 if the hope to keep their playoff run alive. 

On the latest episode of The Hockey Show, discussion about the Stanley Cup Playoffs collided with a panel-wide review of a new, steamy hockey love show that started streaming this week.

Show hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork got into a pair of coach firings that went down in the past few days, as Craig Berube was shown the door in Toronto and Kris Knoblauch was ousted in what appeared to be a very sloppily-handled situation in Edmonton.

They also got into the Vegas Golden Knights eliminating the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and then afterward appearing to ignore their postgame media responsibilities.

Speaking of the Ducks, this week’s guest is an Anaheim die-hard and was at Game 6 at the Honda Center, and that’s comedian Brad Williams.

Brad divulged his thoughts on the Ducks season and his outlook for the team in the coming seasons.

This week’s wins and fails included a heroic effort by Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson to shield an opponent from injury, Jim Nill not being included among GM of the Year finalists for the first time in forever, some experts on pronouncing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s name and the Edmonton Oilers.

Also on this week's show, Rose gave the boys some homework: watching the first episode of Off Campus, the new hockey-love show on Amazon Prime. 

They gave their full review, which you can check out along with this week’s full show and interview in the videos below:

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The Buffalo Sabres lost to the Montreal Canadiens by a 6-3 final score in Game 5. With this, the Sabres are now down 3-2 in their series and are one loss away from their post-season being over.

If the Sabres hope to avoid being eliminated by the Canadiens, they are going to need all of their top players to be on their A-game from here. This undoubtedly includes star winger Alex Tuch, as he has been struggling immensely so far against the Canadiens. 

After posting four goals and three assists in the Sabres' first-round series against the Boston Bruins, Tuch has yet to record a point in five games against the Canadiens. Tuch's lack of offensive production has certainly not been doing the Sabres any favors, and they need him to heat back up immediately with their season on the line. 

When looking at how well Tuch has played over the last several years, he certainly has the potential to bounce back for the Sabres. Keep in mind, this is a forward who had 33 goals and 66 points in 79 games this season and had 36-goal seasons in 2022-23 and 2024-25. With this, the Sabres need the big winger to find his scoring touch again as they prepare for Game 6 against the Habs. 

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Last week, the Professional Women's Hockey League officially announced that Detroit would become the ninth city to host a team, with games to be played at Little Caesars Arena.

This week, they've selected their new general manager, and it happens to be one of the icons of women's hockey.

Manon Rhéaume, the first woman ever to appear in an NHL game, is the new GM of the PWHL women's club. 

In the best hands 🎉

We are proud to welcome Manon Rhéaume - two-time Women’s Worlds gold medalist, Olympic silver medalist, first woman to play in an NHL game AND first woman to sign a professional hockey contract - as our team’s first General Manager!
📰… pic.twitter.com/VF7pstlSEX

— PWHL Detroit (@pwhl__detroit) May 15, 2026

“Manon is a pioneer whose impact on the game extends far beyond the ice,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “She brings an unmatched hockey resume, a championship mindset. (She) has a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game. Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit.”

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join the PWHL and help build something special in Detroit,” Rhéaume said. “This city has such a deep hockey tradition. The passion for hockey here is truly special. The growth of women’s hockey has been incredible to watch. I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of the sport alongside the PWHL. I can’t wait to get started and build a team that Detroit fans will be proud of.”

Major Praise for Little Caesars Arena Emerges During PWHL Detroit Expansion AnnouncementLittle Caesars Arena, which will be the new home of the PWHL's latest expansion franchise in the fall, earned high praise from League executives following the historic announcement on Wednesday.

Rhéaume has spent the last four years with the Los Angeles Kings in their hockey operations department and was also a former analyst on Bally Sports Detroit. She's also spent 11 years with the Little Caesars AAA (LCAAA) Hockey Club.

A former goaltender, she made history with not one but two appearances in NHL preseason action with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992 and 1993. 

The 2026 PWHL Draft will be held four blocks away from Little Ceasars Arena at the Fox Theater. 

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The Montreal Canadiens are currently playing their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. While this is the case, trade speculation over what kind of moves the Habs could make this summer are already starting to come up.

In a recent article for Daily Faceoff, Anthony Di Marco mentioned the Canadiens as a team that could target center Connor Zary this off-season if the Calgary Flames shop him this summer. 

"Zary’s disappointing 27-point season could make him a trade candidate for Conroy, and Zary and would surely be an intriguing piece for a team looking to take a flyer on a young talent in need of a change of scenery," Di Marco wrote. "If he’s moved, the Montreal Canadiens seem like the type of team that would explore this option, much like they have done with Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach and Zachary Bolduc in the past."

With the Canadiens needing help at center, it would make a lot of sense if they took a chance on a former first-round pick like Zary. The 24-year-old forward is still young enough that could he hit a new level, and he has already shown promise at the NHL level in the past.

While Zary is coming off a down 2025-26 season with Calgary, he had 13 goals and 14 assists in just 54 games for Calgary in 2024-25. He also had 14 goals and 34 points in 63 games with the Flames as a rookie in 2023-24. With numbers like these, he has already shown that he can be a solid middle-six forward when playing at his best. With this, he could be a good young player for the Canadiens to take a chance on. 

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens end up making a push for Zary during this summer. He could be a nice fit on their second or third line, and this is especially so when noting that he can play down the middle and on the wing.

A long-time rival of the St. Louis Blues, the Minnesota Wild, reportedly made a strong offer to acquire the Blues’ top player and No. 1 center, Robert Thomas. 

It was no secret that at the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the Blues were willing to listen to offers on most players, including Thomas.

Thomas would have been the major move for the Blues, as no player on their roster would have brought in a better return. While Thomas’ first half of the season was riddled with underwhelming play and injuries, following the trade deadline, Thomas was a different player.

The 26-year-old finished the season with a team-high 25 goals and 64 points in 64 games, but his final 20 games saw him post 12 goals and 27 points. 

If an NHL team were able to pull off a trade for Thomas, they would have reaped the benefits. 

According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, the Wild reportedly offered a package that included goaltender Jesper Wallstedt and center Danila Yurov, but the Blues declined the offer. Russo also believes the Wild could revisit those discussions when Alexander Steen takes over as GM on July 1. 

Why Trading Robert Thomas For Brady Tkachuk Doesn't Make Sense For The BluesBrady Tkachuk hasn’t officially hit the trade market, but he has entered the rumor mill. Due to his ties to the St. Louis Blues and earlier reports about Robert Thomas’ availability, fan-made trade proposals have begun circulating. However, trading Thomas for Tkachuk would be a mistake.

Throughout the season, it was noted that the Utah Mammoth, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings were all interested in acquiring Thomas. Now that the season has concluded, it has been reported that the Ottawa Senators, and now the Wild, were in play for the former 20th overall pick of the 2017 NHL draft. 

In the end, it appears that Thomas will remain with the Blues, at least for now. Thomas still has five seasons on his current eight-year, $8.125-million contract, and he is still the focal point of the Blues’ offense.

He formed a strong trio with Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway down the stretch, and the Blues don’t really have a player who can match Thomas’ production and fill in his role. 

---

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When Danila Klimovich took to the ice on October 16, 2021, he was making history along with his Abbotsford Canucks teammates in a new era of the Canucks’ AHL affiliate. Klimovich scored his first North American professional goal that night at the 8:09 mark of the second period, in an eventual 5-3 loss to Stuart Skinner and the Bakersfield Condors.

Just months earlier, with 93 seconds left in a pivotal game five, Klimovich had scored the championship-clinching goal for the Minsk Zubry (Minsk Bison) in the Belarusian Vysshaya Liga, the second league in the Belarus hockey system. Five years later, Klimovich would be known for his clutch goal-scoring on another continent, with Abbotsford fans declaring him the “Klim Reaper,” a nickname the young winger loves.

“When it came out, I was like, 'Oh my God, it’s pretty cool,” Klimovich told The Hockey News earlier this season. “People call me like that ‘cause it means something. It means that I did something like, well, I do something good.”

Klimovich is one of three players left on the roster from the inaugural Abbotsford season, along with Canucks captain Chase Wouters and defenseman Guillame Brisebois. The 2025-26 campaign was a stark drop off for the club, missing the playoffs despite their 2025 Calder Cup win the previous season. Still, Klimovich, now 23, had 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 63 games, just four points shy of his career high (38) set last season.

He was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, their first pick of that year’s draft due to the earlier Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland trade, which sent the Canucks’ first-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes. Expecting to go later in the draft, Klimovich was at a summer training session when he found out about the Canucks’ selection.

“It was exciting, I got drafted and I didn’t expect me to draft that high in the second round,” Klimovich said, “I was looking at [the draft rankings], and they were like third round. I was practising that summer and I was waiting in the locker room for the third round, and the guys were just yelling at me, like, you got in the second round.

“I was so happy, and then just ran to the cafe, where my father was sitting, and we celebrate together.”

Klimovich hails from the southern Belarusian city of Pinsk and grew up playing in their youth system, playing briefly in the southwestern city of Brest as well before moving north to the capital city of Minsk, joining the national under-17 team. Belarus has had 23 players appear in NHL games, including Canucks goaltender Nikita Tolopilo, though less than half of these players have played over 50 games, meaning a lot of attention also turns to players from their hockey superpower neighbour, Russia.

“I mostly looked at Russian players, like Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Datsyuk, and trying to be more like them,” Klimovich said of his idols growing up, “In Belarus, we had a couple of players, like [Mikhail] Grabovski, who played in Toronto. He was really good.”

Grabovski scored 296 points in 534 NHL games over 10 seasons, appearing with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders. After retiring from playing, Grabovski went on to coach Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, which was affiliated with the Minsk Zubry, where Klimovich had played, as well as the Belarusian national team program.

The 2019-20 season was for making waves for the teenage Klimovich, as he moved up through the junior national system, playing at the under-17, -18, and -20 levels. Across the pond, heads were turning towards the young forward, as he was picked by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL in the 2020 CHL Import Draft. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Klimovich was not able to come to North America at that point, instead staying in Minsk.

In his draft year, Klimovich scored 52 points (28 goals, 24 assists) in 37 regular-season games with Minsk Zubry, along with 14 points (9 goals, 5 assists) in 12 playoff games. Klimovich also appeared with the Belarusian national team, leading the team in scoring with six goals during the under-18 World Junior Championships, including a hat trick against Switzerland, and played three games in the senior World Championships.

Klimovich made the jump to North America a year later, debuting on the continent at the same time as the franchise he joined. He signed an entry-level contract with the Canucks just days after the draft, moving to a new country to pursue his dream at 18.

“I just wanted to play in North America, it’s my dream to play here and stay here, and make my dream come true to be an NHL player.”

Not only was Klimovich entering a new environment, but so was the Canucks organization, with Abbotsford’s inaugural AHL season. It came a decade after the organization’s AHL-affiliated team moved south of the border, after the newly resurrected Winnipeg Jets took over the Manitoba Moose franchise in 2011.

“When I came here at first, people were like so helpful, and like it’s the same stuff now,” Klimovich commented on his first impressions of the new team. “It was bumpy sometimes, but everybody tried their best, and now we’re a great organization.”

Still, there were certain roadblocks for Klimovich entering professional hockey in another country, especially at such a young age. His first season was not as offensively productive as was likely hoped, with 18 points through 62 games, which he improved upon the following year, reaching 29 points in 67 games in his sophomore season. His third year was a further dip, though, appearing in only 24 games due to injury and healthy scratches, earning just four points over the 2023-24 campaign.

“I would say I put more pressure on myself,” Klimovich said of playing up to higher pick expectations. “It’s good to be drafted that high and of course, like everybody expects something from you, like people, fans, and organizations, especially. But you just need to be the player you are and try to develop from that.”

On the transition to playing in North America, he said, “It was hard. Like the first two years, hard with the English barrier, and now I just only start to get into it more like the last two years. I’m getting better in these things, like, I can understand now, and it’s so much easier for me because back then it was just like, all alone.

“And then, yeah, hockey is different. It’s faster, and it’s more physical than Europe. Europe is more like, I’d say, hold this puck, like control more. Here, it’s like physical dump, like go forecheck, backcheck, like more energetic.”

Despite the language barrier, the Canucks forward has grown to fit into the environment in Abbotsford, saying, “I just get this culture pretty quickly, like all the jokes and all the holidays. It’s amazing. I like Canadian everything, pretty much.”

Klimovich also credited his now-wife, Nastassia, with helping him adjust to Canada and stay grounded during the move to North America.

“My girlfriend came, like, six months later, and we got married here, so she helped me a lot. We’re both trying to like, get into the culture together, it’s really helped me.”

The 2024-25 campaign was good for both the player and the team, as Klimovich hit a career high in points with 38, leading the team in goals with 25 during the regular season. In the run to Abbotsford’s run to the Calder Cup last postseason, Klimovich scored four goals, and all were incredibly consequential; the first was the game-winning goal in game one of Pacific Division semifinals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the second was in double overtime of game four of the Western Conference final against the Texas Stars which gave the Canucks a 3-1 series lead, the third was again in double overtime in game one of the finals against the Charlotte Checkers, and the fourth was the tying goal in the second period of the Calder Cup-winning game.

“We won the [Calder] Cup last year, and to be like the first Canucks team to win anything, it’s big. I’m really proud of what we done last year, and now we just need to build that culture for NHL too,” Klimovich commented on the Calder Cup win with Abbotsford, calling it his highlight with the organization. “It was the greatest team. For me just I think all these goals in the Calder Cup finals are really helpful for the team, and were really proud of what we all done. And then like, I scored in the game six in the finals, I think it’s the biggest highlight and we won after [Linus] Karlsson’s goal.”

Klimovich has spent much of his professional and adult life within the Canucks organization and has grown into the player he is now over the last five seasons, leading the Abbotsford franchise in game-winning goals with 15. The 23-year-old right-shot winger is a restricted free agent heading into the offseason, with a qualifying offer of $874,125, as his entry-level contract signed in July 2021 has carried over, and he has yet to appear on Vancouver's ice. Dependent on free agency, preseason outcomes, and impending contract decisions, if the yet-to-be-determined coaching staff wants to promote from within as the organization did for their recent management changes, Klimovich could be an option for a depth forward who is able to score in big moments.

“The Sedins’ work and coaching staff from last year and this year. Like Manny [Malhotra], Harry [Mahesh], Jordan Smith, they’ve been really helpful.” Klimovich said of his influences during his time growing within the organization. “They’ve helped so much to improve my game and improve me as a person. […] I love this culture in Abbotsford, in the Canucks.”

As for what he’s learned over the last five seasons, Klimovich said, “I am still learning to let things go, just better, like quicker. And be more positive, kinda thing. That’s for me is the most because I’m putting, like, pressure on myself and it’s not helping me, so now it’s better.”

And as for advice for his younger self?

“Just stick with it, be positive and have fun. Enjoy the hockey, enjoy the life.”

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Buffalo fans waited 15 years for playoff hockey, only to discover many of them can’t realistically afford to be there.

Playoff Shock

For years, the Sabres positioned themselves as one of the few affordable nights out in professional sports. According to a recent study by Action Network, Buffalo ranked as the cheapest NHL experience for a family of four during the regular season, with an average total cost of just $457.32 at KeyBank Center. In a league where some franchises charge well over $1,000 for a single game night, Buffalo appeared to understand its market better than most.

But the moment playoff hockey finally returned, that image disappeared almost overnight.

After asking fans to endure one of the longest playoff droughts in modern professional sports, the Sabres suddenly shifted from “family affordable” to premium pricing. Fans who stayed loyal through losing seasons were met with immediate sticker shock once postseason tickets became available.

Multiple fans online reported upper-level playoff seats starting around $120 to $150 before fees, while lower-bowl prices quickly climbed toward $500 per ticket on resale sites. For a city that prides itself on being blue-collar and deeply connected to its hockey culture, the reaction was swift.

And honestly, it’s hard not to understand why.

A Blue-Collar Fanbase Hits Its Breaking Point

These are fans who sat through multiple rebuilds, watched games surrounded by empty seats, and still kept buying jerseys and supporting the team in the hope that meaningful hockey would eventually return. Buffalo remained loyal through coaching changes, front-office shakeups, and years of disappointment because people believed the payoff would someday come.

Playoff hockey was supposed to feel like a reward.

Instead, for many families, it became another reminder that live sports are increasingly becoming inaccessible to the very people who care the most.

And when you compare Buffalo’s prices to other playoff markets, the frustration only grows. One circulating graphic on social media showed Sabres playoff ticket prices dramatically higher than teams like the Edmonton Oilers and even the Montreal Canadiens — one of hockey’s most historic Original Six franchises. That’s where many fans feel the disconnect begins.

NHL Playoff ticket prices…

Those Buffalo Sabres tickets😳🤯

(Photo via @superfinn23) pic.twitter.com/Lbj5Uq8wPd

— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) April 16, 2026

If you think I'm misleading you, take a look for yourself. This is insanity.

Buffalo is not a massive corporate market overflowing with luxury buyers. It’s a passionate hockey city built on working-class fans. Pricing ordinary people out of the building risks creating an atmosphere where the most loyal supporters are replaced by whoever can simply afford the experience.

What makes the situation sting even more is that the Sabres clearly understand affordability matters in Buffalo. The regular-season numbers prove it. They marketed accessibility because they knew it resonated with the fanbase. But the moment demand surged, so did the prices.

Fans online described standard tickets disappearing within minutes before resale listings flooded the market. Others questioned why a team that struggled to consistently fill seats for years suddenly began operating like a luxury product the second it became relevant again.

There’s a difference between normal playoff pricing and outright gouging. Nobody expects postseason tickets to cost the same as a random Tuesday night game in January. But when the NHL’s cheapest regular-season experience suddenly becomes inaccessible the moment the games actually matter, criticism is fair.

Buffalo fans spent over a decade waiting for this moment.

A lot of them are now watching from home instead — and honestly, that may be the smarter financial decision. A beer in your own fridge costs a fraction of arena prices, and the couch doesn’t come with hundreds of dollars in ticket fees attached. More importantly, fans shouldn’t feel punished financially for wanting to celebrate the return of meaningful hockey in their city.

Buffalo, you deserve better.

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The Countdown - Mar. 20 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 9 - Jared Clinton

THERE ARE GREY-BEARDED springtime warriors – and then there’s Corey Perry.

For the past 20 years, Perry has been a playoff fixture. Debuting in the post-season in 2006 as a member of the Ducks, he helped Anaheim to a Stanley Cup the following season. Since then, only three campaigns have passed without Perry in the post-season conversation.

In recent years, in particular, Perry has become a focal point. He’s been to the Cup final – on the losing side – in five of the past six seasons. What began with surprising runs to consecutive finals with the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens turned into a failed attempt at helping the Tampa Bay Lightning three-peat in 2022 before back-to-back heartbreaks with the Edmonton Oilers.

Last spring, he surpassed Mark Messier for third on the all-time playoff games played ledger, and Perry’s 237 playoff games are tops among active players. Put another way: Perry has seen more playoff action than the totality of the Philadelphia Flyers’ roster. However, he will still need at least two more playoff runs if he hopes to chase down Hall of Famers Chris Chelios (266) and Nicklas Lidstrom (263) on the all-time list.

Still, Perry’s playoff resume is padded enough that simply acquiring him helped the Lightning leap into the second spot on our Countdown, which explores the collective playoff experience on the roster of each NHL club.

*All totals are based on NHL rosters as of March 9 and include players on LTIR who have or might play this season

1 FLORIDA PANTHERS

1,510 GAMES PLAYED

Ten Cats were present for all three Cup final runs, totalling 659 games. They alone would rank 20th on this list.

2 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

1,506 GAMES PLAYED

Ryan McDonagh and Victor Hedman have 366 games. The rest of the ‘D’? 115. There’s a chasm in experience.

3 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

1,336 GAMES PLAYED

He’s a forgotten man, but Brandon Saad sits above all but three Golden Knights with 111 career post-season outings.

4 DALLAS STARS

1,313 GAMES PLAYED

Sauna culture is strong in Dallas. Among active Finns, Stars have four of the five most tenured playoff performers.

5 COLORADO AVALANCHE

1,276 GAMES PLAYED

At 135 games, no active player has more playoff experience without a Cup ring than beloved blueliner Brent Burns.

6 CAROLINA HURRICANES

1,184 GAMES PLAYED

Jordan Staal leads in playoff games. Surprisingly, next in line isn’t a top talent but depth guy William Carrier.

7 EDMONTON OILERS

1,161 GAMES PLAYED

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and ‘RNH’ have played in every single Oilers playoff game since 2016-17.

8 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

1,102 GAMES PLAYED

A deep run could see Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin cross the 200-game mark. Unlikely, but it’s not impossible.

9 MINNESOTA WILD

975 GAMES PLAYED

Marcus Johansson and Vladimir Tarasenko have more individual playoff games than Wild do as a franchise.

10 NEW YORK ISLANDERS

948 GAMES PLAYED

The rapid turnaround has been guided by Matthew Schaefer. He’ll be among a few Isles making playoff debuts.

11 WINNIPEG JETS

940 GAMES PLAYED

Stark reminder that experience isn’t everything. Veteran-laden Jets took nosedive after 2025 Presidents’ Trophy.

12 LOS ANGELES KINGS

887 GAMES PLAYED

Caught between buying and selling, Kings exited the deadline with a more inexperienced outfit than they had prior.

13 SEATTLE KRAKEN

813 GAMES PLAYED

Collective push up the rankings could be in the offing, as Kraken battle for franchise’s second trip to post-season.

14 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

812 GAMES PLAYED

On a star-studded roster, bottom-six plugger Calle Jarnkrok is the Leafs’ clubhouse leader in playoff appearances.

15 SAN JOSE SHARKS

770 GAMES PLAYED

Of the 24 players on the roster post-deadline, exactly half have never seen a second of big-league playoff action.

16 NASHVILLE PREDATORS

769 GAMES PLAYED

Other than Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, no Preds skater has played more than eight playoff games with Nashville.

17 ANAHEIM DUCKS

686 GAMES PLAYED

The stunning deadline addition of John Carlson boosted the back end and gave Ducks title-winning experience.

18 DETROIT RED WINGS

678 GAMES PLAYED

The lone homegrown Red Wing with playoff games to his name is Dylan Larkin. He played five in 2016.

19 WASHINGTON CAPITALS

665 GAMES PLAYED

Ryan Leonard had only celebrated his third birthday by the time Alex Ovechkin played his first post-season game.

20 NEW YORK RANGERS

654 GAMES PLAYED

Pending reset and possible off-season clear out could see Rangers move a great number of battle-tested talents.

21 BOSTON BRUINS

651 GAMES PLAYED

Franchise has had 13 players reach 100 playoff games. Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak will be next to hit mark.

22 NEW JERSEY DEVILS

631 GAMES PLAYED

The current core – Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Hughes brothers – has combined to play merely 56 playoff games.

23 UTAH MAMMOTH

597 GAMES PLAYED

Utah overjoyed with MacKenzie Weegar acquisition, but Mammoth lost 65 games of playoff experience in the deal.

24 OTTAWA SENATORS

539 GAMES PLAYED

For a dozen Sens, their lone playoff experience is last year’s six-game first-round defeat at hands of rival Leafs.

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25 ST. LOUIS BLUES

539 GAMES PLAYED

Are Blues primed to plummet down this list? As talk of teardown persists, vultures circle St. Louis’ top talents.

26 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

532 GAMES PLAYED

Charlie Coyle debuted 12 years after the Jackets. He’s played three times as many playoff games as the franchise.

27 MONTREAL CANADIENS

472 GAMES PLAYED

With Phillip Danault returning, six of the Habs’ skaters were present for the stunning run to bubble final in 2021.

28 CALGARY FLAMES

457 GAMES PLAYED

Whether you call it a retool, rebuild or ‘rebiggle,’ the message is clear: Calgary plans to overhaul roster to right the ship.

29 VANCOUVER CANUCKS

418 GAMES PLAYED

Hard to believe Elias Pettersson’s playoff resume is just 30 games. The question is: will he play another in Vancouver?

30 BUFFALO SABRES

387 GAMES PLAYED

Last Sabres draft picks to skate in playoff games for Buffalo? Tyler Myers, now 36, and recent retiree Tyler Ennis.

31 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

372 GAMES PLAYED

Though Teuvo Teravainen won a Cup as a Hawk, the bulk of his post-season play came during his time in Carolina.

32 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

208 GAMES PLAYED

The franchise’s reset is such that waiver-wire add Luke Glendening, at 50 games, is the most playoff-tested Flyer.

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Dylan Holloway made his debut on the international level a good one.

The St. Louis Blues winger, who recently signed a contract extension that will average $7.75 million per season over five years, scored for Canada at the IIHF World Championship in a 5-3 win over Sweden in Switzerland on Friday.

Holloway, 24, gave Canada a 3-2 lead in the second period on a short side wrister from the high slot after Sweden had tied the game after falling behind 2-0:

What a shot by Holloway! 🤩

Quel tir de Holloway! 🤩#MensWorlds | #MondialMasculinpic.twitter.com/KIMxxLAyaB

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 15, 2026

Holloway, who skated on a line with Blues Stanley Cup champion and Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly, who also scored, and Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets), finished the game with three shots on goal and a plus-1 in 12:35 of ice time.

Blues center Robert Thomas assisted on Canada's first goal scored by John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) in the first period:

Tavares gets us on the board! 🚨

Tavares nous inscrit au pointage! 🚨#MensWorlds | #MondialMasculinpic.twitter.com/cMLPAX4Pv4

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 15, 2026

Thomas, who centered a line with Tavares and Dylan Cozens (Ottawa Senators), played 12:27 and was a plus-1 with two shots on goal.

Oskar Sundqvist was Sweden's third line center and played 16:24 with a shot on goal and a munis-2.

Love Harenstam, a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, was the extra goalie and did not suit up.

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The Montreal Canadiens can advance to Round 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win over the Buffalo Sabres at Bell Centre on Saturday, May 16.

My top Sabres vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks expect Montreal star Lane Hutson to play a pivotal role in sending Buffalo packing in Game 6.

Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6 prediction

Sabres vs Canadiens best bet: Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots (-125)

Montreal Canadiens star defenseman Lane Hutson has been held to just a pair of shots despite recording 11 attempts over the past three games, and that 18.2% conversion rate is miles behind his 38.3% mark through the first nine games of the postseason.

In addition to Hutson’s overall 66 attempts pacing the club during the playoffs, his 44 offensive-zone starts and 51.0 Corsi for percentage at five-on-five also lead the Habs.

With Montreal having the last-change advantage on home ice, I’m anticipating head coach Martin St. Louis to find even more opportunities to deploy his go-to defenseman in prime offensive situations.

Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6 same-game parlay

The Buffalo Sabres sport a discouraging .860 team SV% in Round 2, and I have no confidence in either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Alex Lyon delivering in Game 6.

Montreal has also been the better team on both special teams while outscoring Buffalo 19-9 and generating 55.2% of the expected goals percentage the past three games.

Turning to rising Montreal star Ivan Demidov, he’s marked the scoresheet in four of the past five games with a 58.7 xGF% at five-on-five for the series. 

Sabres vs Canadiens SGP

• Canadiens moneyline
• Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
• Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots

Sabres vs Canadiens odds for Game 6

• Moneyline: Sabres +130 | Canadiens -150
• Puck Line: Sabres +1.5 (-190) | Canadiens -1.5 (+160)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Sabres vs Canadiens trend

The Canadiens have won 17 of their last 25 games (+8.10 Units / 26% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6

Sabres vs Canadiens latest injuries

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With three of the final four teams locked in for the 2026 Conference Finals, the NHL has released tentative schedules for the upcoming round.

The Hurricanes are currently awaiting the winner between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, but they know that they'll either start on Tuesday or Thursday depending on if that series ends in six games or seven.

The Canadiens currently lead the series 3-2 and if they win again on Saturday, here's how the Eastern Conference Final will play out:

Game 1: Tuesday, May 19 (Lenovo Center)
Game 2: Thursday, May 21 (Lenovo Center)
Game 3: Saturday, May 23 (Bell Centre)
Game 4: Monday, May 25 (Bell Centre)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 27(Lenovo Center)
Game 6: Friday, May 29 (Bell Centre)
Game 7: Sunday, May 31 (Lenovo Center)

However, if Buffalo forces a Game 7, then this is how the schedule will go, regardless of which team advances:

Game 1: Thursday, May 21 (Lenovo Center)
Game 2: Saturday, May 23 (Lenovo Center)
Game 3: Monday, May 25 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 4: Wednesday, May 27 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 5: Friday, May 29 (Lenovo Center)
Game 6: Sunday, May 31 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 7: Tuesday, June 2 (Lenovo Center)

No start times gave been decided yet and the broadcast will be exclusively carried by TNT (truTV, HBO MAX) in the U.S. and on Sportsnet, CBC and TVAS in Canada.

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