Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been named the NHL’s 2025-26 recipient of both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award, the league announced Tuesday, capping a season that marked one of the most remarkable returns in recent NHL memory.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the player who best represents “qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” according to the NHL. The Messier Award, selected solely by Hall of Famer Mark Messier, goes to the player who best “exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season.”

Taken together, the two honors underline just how significant Landeskog’s season truly was—both in his return to full-time play and in how he carried himself through it.

After winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, Landeskog missed three consecutive regular seasons due to lingering complications from a skate-blade cut over his right knee suffered in the 2020 bubble. The injury led to a long rehabilitation process that included four surgeries, most notably a cartilage transplant in May 2023.

Gabriel Landeskog was certainly not expecting a second award to appear when he sat down for this interview! 🏆

Watch as Landeskog's family surprises him with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for the way he exemplified perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.… pic.twitter.com/AsaxY7hpgc

— NHL (@NHL) June 9, 2026

He eventually worked his way back through a conditioning stint with the AHL Colorado Eagles in April 2025, before returning to NHL action in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in five games during Colorado’s first-round loss to Dallas.

This season, Landeskog returned to the regular-season lineup for the first time since 2021-22 and played 60 games, finishing with 14 goals and 35 points. He followed that with a strong playoff run, adding six goals in 13 games as the Avalanche reached the Western Conference Final, where they were swept by the Vegas Golden Knights.

The season, however, was far from smooth.

In early January, Landeskog broke several ribs after catching an edge against the Florida Panthers on January 4 and crashing into the net. He missed the final 14 games before the Olympic break while recovering, but still returned in time to represent Sweden at the Milan Olympics.

Later in the season came another setback on March 6, when he was struck in the groin area on a shot during a sequence involving teammate Cale Makar. Landeskog later described the moment bluntly as hitting him “the nuts.” He underwent surgery and returned several weeks later, closing out the year in the lineup.

Despite the injuries, his impact when available was undeniable. Colorado went 45-7-8 with Landeskog in the lineup compared to 10-9-3 without him.

After being named a Masterton finalist again this year, Landeskog spoke candidly about the recognition but made it clear his perspective on the journey was unchanged.

“It’s humbling and a great honor and there’ve been amazing players with incredible stories and perseverance that have been nominated or accepted the award,” he said last month. “But for me and what I’ve gone through, it’s just so far beyond what anybody else is going to be able to label it or not. Whether I win the Masterton or not, it doesn’t change anything for me. … For me the ultimate prize I’ve already won, and that’s to continue working and getting to play hockey.”

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and Winnipeg Jets forward Jonathan Toews were the other Masterton finalists.

Landeskog, who has spent his entire 12-year NHL career in Colorado, became the first player in franchise history to win either award. After everything he’s been through—multiple surgeries, long absences, and an uncertain return path—the dual honors serve less as a surprise and more as confirmation of what his season already showed: when he’s on the ice, he still sets the standard for leadership and perseverance in Colorado.

Although the Florida Panthers’ 2025-26 season was filled with injuries and led to them missing the playoffs, there were some upsides. 

With players like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell missing extended periods of time, it allowed players like Cole Reinhardt, Cole Schwindt, and Sandis Vilmanis to earn advanced roles in the Panthers bottom six.

Additionally, it allowed players like Jesper Boqvist, A.J. Greer and Evan Rodrigues to move up in the lineup.

As we enter the 2026 off-season, the Panthers’ top nine, barring any trades or free-agent moves, feels pretty solidified.

Down the middle, it will see Aleksander Barkov man the top line, with Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett centering the middle six. On the left wing, it will be Carter Verhaeghe, Eetu Luostarinen, and, if re-signed, Mackie Samoskevich, with Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, and Brad Marchand skating on the right wing. 

That leaves just three roster spots on the fourth line with several players more than deserving of earning a spot.

To begin, it seems like Greer is all but done in Florida. He’s expected to hit the UFA market, and while that doesn’t rule out re-signing, teams will likely be eager to offer him a contract the Panthers can’t match. 

With Greer out of the picture, that leaves the Panthers with Rodrigues, Boqvist, Vilmanis, Schwindt, Reinhardt, and Jonah Gadjovich. Veteran center Tomas Nosek is a UFA, but he remains a possibility on the fourth line. Of the six players mentioned, Schwindt is the only player in need of a contract, but he is a pending RFA, so the Panthers own his rights. 

So that leads us to the question: who should start the season on the fourth line? Each player has a case, so let’s mull it over.

Dylan Larkin Has Panthers On Short List Of Potential Trade Partners, But What Would Florida Have To Give Up?As Detroit’s captain seeks a fresh start, the Panthers’ ninth overall pick becomes a vital chip in potentially acquiring the elite center.

Rodrigues is the most experienced player in the group and has shown the versatility to play up and down the lineup. He’s been a part of the Stanley Cup-winning teams and has earned every right to start the season in the lineup. 

Vilmanis is a young, physical winger with a nice scoring touch. He demonstrated plenty of excellent traits in his 19 games with the Panthers, but his performances in the AHL, Olympics, and World Championships truly showed everything he brings to the table. A homegrown talent who is just 22 years old makes a lot of sense to keep in the lineup.

Schwindt earned the trust of Paul Maurice very quickly, as he had with the Vegas Golden Knights and Bruce Cassidy previously. He’s a defensively responsible center with a solid physical frame.

Panthers Have Eight Arbitration Eligible PlayersHeading into the 2026 off-season, the Florida Panthers have eight players who are eligible for arbitration.

Reinhardt and Boqvist bring very similar elements. They are both speedy left-handed winger who look to push the pace. Reinhardt had a strong showing with the Panthers at the end of the season, scoring six goals and eight points in 15 games. As for Boqvist, his offensive numbers were underwhelming, notching just four goals and 13 points in 73 games, but he has the versatility to move to the middle of the ice and play a safe game for the Panthers.

Finally, Gadjovich had his season derailed by a major injury. After just 10 games, Gadjovich went down with an injury and never returned to the lineup. Gadjovich plays a different game from the players already mentioned. While they bring speed and skill, Gadjovich is a hard-nosed player looking to mix it up physically as often as he can. He won’t ever light it up offensively or surprise you with a game-changing play, but he plays his role and does so efficiently. 

Luke Kunin and Nosek remain options to be re-signed, but after a difficult first season with the Panthers for Kunin, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them go their separate ways. As for Nosek, injuries hampered his season, and at 33 years old, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Panthers go in a different direction. 

Should Panthers' Sandis Vilmanis Be A Full-Time NHL Player In 2026-27?Following a successful 2025-26 season that was split between the NHL and AHL, the question that arises is where Florida Panthers winger Sandis Vilmanis should play next season.

An NHL team is allowed to carry 23 players on its roster. Forwards take 12, defensemen occupy six, and two are taken by goaltenders, leaving three healthy scratch spots. Of the six players mentioned, only Vilmanis is waiver-exempt, which likely means he’s destined to start the season in the AHL, even if he is more than deserving of being on the opening-night roster. 

If the fourth line is a combination of Reinhardt, Rodrigues, and Gadjovich, Boqvist and Schwindt would start the season as healthy scratches, likely alongside another defenseman, such as Donovan Sebrango. 

It will be a tough decision for coach Paul Maurice, but having too much depth is never a bad thing. 

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In terms of Islanders news, we are in that quiet before the draft and free agency storm while the Stanley Cup final plays itself out. Could this be the best final ever? I’ve actually heard a few people say that after three games. They’ve certainly been eventful and exciting thus far, so here’s hoping Carolina evens the series in Game 4 to make it a best-of-three.

Meanwhile, NHL teams continue to do what they do, hiring established names to coach them to their next firing.

NHL News

• Debating whether the Hurricanes should stick with Brandon Bussi after the lefty came on in relief for the 0-4 comeback that ended in a double-OT loss on a fluke goal. [NHL]
• The Wild extended some guy by the name of Michael McCarron to an Engvallian six-year deal for $20 million. [NHL]
• Peter Laviolette rides again: the well-traveled coach will now helm the L.A. Kings. [NHL]
• But wait, there’s more! Barred from accessing Bruce Cassidy (for now?), the Oilers are apparently set to hire Mike Babcock to help push Connor McDavid out the door. (No but seriously, this move reportedly has the team’s “leadership group” support.) [Sportsnet]
• Ray Ratto: Babcock is proof no one is too weird to coach in the NHL, “an inward facing phenomenon along the lines of the Hapsburg dynasty.” [Defector]
• Speaking of the Oil, poor Darnell Nurse was never going to live up to that contract; now it seems his team agrees. [Sportsnet]
• We can out-outside-the-box you! The Leafs want to interview Joe Pavelski for their coaching job. [Sportsnet]
• SHOCKING NEWS: Milan Lucic wasn’t already retired. [Sportsnet]
• Here’s a ranking of 100 draft prospects that you should be mad about the Islanders selecting/passing over. [Sportsnet]

Former New York Islanders head coach Pete Laviolette has been hired as the next head coach of the Los Angeles Kings:

Welcome to LA, Peter! 👏

We have named Peter Laviolette as the club’s 32nd head coach in franchise history, it was announced today by Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland.

📲 https://t.co/DOPWIsk18D#GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/YZroLqgxpg

— LA Kings (@LAKings) June 9, 2026

Laviolette, who coached the Islanders from 2001-2003, was relieved of his duties as New York Rangers head coach following the 2024-25 season after a two-year stint on Broadway. 

He reunites with Artemi Panarin in Los Angeles. 

This will be the first time in Laviolette's 23-year coaching career that he is behind the bench for a Pacific Division team. 

While the Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs this season, they are still retooling. Because of this, it is very important for them to hit with their first-round pick this year. 

In his latest 2026 NHL mock draft for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler predicted that the Penguins would select center Ilia Morozov with their first-round pick later this month.

With the Penguins' centers getting older, it would make sense if the Penguins took a chance on a big center like Morozov with their first-round pick this year. The potential for him to emerge as a solid NHL forward is there, and he could be a nice part of Pittsburgh's top six later down the road. 

Morozov just completed his freshman year with Miami University, and it was a solid campaign for the 6-foot-3 center. In 36 games this season, he posted eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points. This is after he had 11 goals and 22 points in 59 games for the Tri-City Storm of the USHL during the 2024-25 season.

Overall, Morozov has been showing clear signs of improvement with his development. Due to this, it would be understandable if the Penguins added him to their prospect pool if he is still available for the taking when they are on the clock. 

The Chicago Blackhawks currently have the fourth-overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. With the Blackhawks having another pick in the top five, there is no question that they are facing a big decision on who to select with it.

In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Scott Wheeler had the Blackhawks taking left-shot defenseman Carson Carels with their fourth-overall pick if Ivar Stenberg is not available when they are on the clock. 

With the Blackhawks needing help on the left side of their blueline, it would make a lot of sense if they picked Carels with their fourth-overall selection. He would give them a left-shot defenseman who has the potential to emerge as a top-pairing blueliner at the NHL level later down the road. 

Carels just had himself a very good season in the WHL with the Prince George Cougars, and the truth is in his stats. In 58 games this campaign with the WHL squad, he posted 20 goals, 53 assists, and 74 points. With numbers like these, it is clear that the 6-foot-2 defenseman has plenty of offensive upside, which certainly adds to his appeal. 

It will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks end up taking Carels with their fourth-overall pick this summer. If they do, he would be a nice addition to their prospect pool. 

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft. In it, he predicted the entire first round.

When it came to the Montreal Canadiens, Wheeler predicted that the Canadiens will select left winger Adam Novotny with their first-round pick. 

Novotny is an interesting prospect heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-1 forward demonstrated plenty of promise this season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Peterborough Petes, so he would be a nice pickup for the Habs if selected.

In 58 games this season with the Petes, Novotny recorded 34 goals, 31 assists, and 65 points. With numbers like these, the big winger showed that he is capable of putting the puck in the net, which certainly adds to his appeal. 

The potential for Novotny to blossom into an impactful NHL forward is there, so it would make sense if the Canadiens ended up selecting him in the first round this year. This is especially so when noting that they could use more depth on the wing. 

It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens end up selecting Novotny from here. The fit looks strong on paper. 

When you're an interim head coach in the NHL, it's not a great sign to be a month and a half into your offseason with the word interim still attached to your title, hanging around like a bad party guest.

DJ Smith was the Senators' head coach for four and a half seasons (2019-2023) and had hoped to land the Los Angeles Kings head coaching job full-time for this fall. 

"That's a question for Ken (Holland)," Smith said shortly after the Kings lost in round one. "All I know is, as a coach and as a coaching staff, is your team prepared? Are they detailed? And do they show up every night in the answer to that question? Yes, they did, under me.

"Ken's been around a long time. He's won Stanley Cups; he's one of the best in the business. He's a Hall of Fame general manager. He's gonna make that decision. So that's not up to me to decide. I know I did my absolute best."

Apparently, that wasn't enough. On Tuesday, the Kings hired Peter Laviolette for his seventh tour of NHL duty.

The 61-year-old has been a head coach for 1,594 career games with the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders. He won a Cup with Carolina in 2006 and made it to the final with the 2010 Flyers and 2017 Predators.

Until now, Smith had a chance to end the ex-Senators coaching curse. Instead, he will remain part of a 22-year run of head coaches who left the Senators organization and never found another NHL head coaching job elsewhere.

The last one to do so on a non-interim basis was Jacques Martin. He was fired in 2004, then found head coaching jobs in Florida and Montreal.

Since Martin parted company with the Sens the first time, the Sens' list of head coaches who've come and gone includes Bryan Murray, John Paddock, Craig Hartsburg, Cory Clouston, Paul MacLean, Dave Cameron, Guy Boucher, Marc Crawford and, of course, Smith.

Murray stayed with the Senators, moving away from coaching to take the club's GM job. However, everyone else on the list left the organization, continued to pursue their coaching careers, but never again became a full-time NHL head coach.

After leaving Ottawa:

Paddock coached nine more years in junior, the AHL, and as an NHL assistant. His final year was with Regina, coaching Connor Bedard.

Hartsburg coached for seven more seasons in junior as a head coach and an NHL assistant. His swan song was 2015-16 with Columbus, where he was let go when John Tortorella took over, as he inevitably does everywhere.

Clouston coached three more years in junior, the last in 2015 with Prince Albert. After he was fired, little did the Senators know he'd coach Mark Stone, a prized future asset, the following season in Brandon.

MacLean got work as an NHL assistant for a bit and now makes the odd appearance as a TSN Sens analyst.

Dave Cameron has coached for the last seven seasons, been an NHL assistant, a head coach in Austria, and, for the last five years, the head coach of the Ottawa 67s. He just signed a two-year extension.

Since his firing, Guy Boucher has only coached for one year at a top level as an assistant with Toronto, then one year as a KHL head coach.

Crawford coached for four more seasons as an assistant in Chicago then worked for a while as a head coach in Switzerland.

And with a clearing of his throat, Smith rounds out the list.

There's no word yet on the immediate future of Smith. He may return to his spot as a Kings' assistant, but it's certainly true that, more often than not, new head coaches like to handpick their own guys.

And so the curse of the ex-Senators' head coaches continues.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Sens Rewind: The Senators Prospect Who Vanished From Training Camp Without Telling AnyoneIn 2015, the Senators suspended prospect Mikael Wikstrand after he completely disappeared from their training camp without telling anyone.

Three nights ago, Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes contained just about everything. First there were not one but two disallowed Vegas goals, then four straight tallies which actually counted for Vegas including a Mitch Marner natural hat trick and also a missed penalty shot from him. It seemed like an easy victory was on deck for the Golden Knights but Carolina scored three goals in just over 30 seconds plus one nearly at the buzzer to tie the game 4-4. It took until the second overtime for Shea Theodore to bounce a puck off the end boards to give Vegas the 5-4 victory and 2-1 series lead.

All that in just one game! What will Game 4 have in store? Will Carolina tie the series 2-2 or will Vegas take a commanding 3-1 lead?

This wild Stanley Cup Final is back on tonight with Game 4 here in Las Vegas.

The story and stats, 3 things to watch, lineups, status report and more:https://t.co/yp8VetYgps

— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) June 9, 2026

Vegas Golden Knights

After the hat trick and four-point performance in Game 3, the Conn Smythe is now Mitch Marner’s to lose as he now leads the postseason leaderboard with 28 points. Vegas also survived a scare with defenseman Brayden McNabb getting dozens of stitches to the nose after taking a puck to the face and he should be in the lineup again tonight.

Projected Lineup

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons — Mark Stone

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson 

Dylan Coghlan — Jeremy Lauzon

Carter Hart

Adin Hill

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes tested their 6-0 overtime record and came up a bit short in Game 3. Their ability to stage a comeback is impressive but they need to stop digging out of holes. If they could score earlier in games that would help their cause. After backup goaltender Brandon Bussi nearly saved the day in relief in Game 3 will Carolina turn to him to start Game 4? The team was mum on the issue at morning skate.

Projected Lineup

Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook

William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson

Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin

Frederik Andersen

Brandon Bussi

Follow along in the comments below!

When it comes to the Philadelphia Flyers' prospect pool, something that is not discussed nearly often enough is the lack of long-term goaltending depth.

Fortunately, with Dan Vladar emerging as a legitimate NHL starting goalie, the Flyers won't have to worry too much about the present day, but the future is still blurry.

While the book isn't closed on him yet, Aleksei Kolosov does not appear to have a clear path to a future with the Flyers at the NHL level, and Carson Bjarnason, in his first full season as a pro player, struggled after a decent start in the AHL.

That leaves the Flyers with the promising but enigmatic Egor Zavragin, who was just traded to a new KHL team and is set to sign a one-year contract extension overseas.

In the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flyers had plenty of opportunities to draft top-tier talents with their spare first- and second-round picks, but those selections were instead allocated to produce Jack Nesbitt, Shane Vansaghi, Jack Murtagh, and Carter Amico.

Top goaltending prospects they could have gotten instead include Joshua Ravensbergen, Semyon Frolov, Alexei Medvedev, and Jack Ivankovic.

Heading into the 2026 NHL Draft, the goalie class looks a bit weaker than normal, though the Flyers still have plenty of options to consider.

Chief among those is USHL Youngstown Phantoms goalie Tobias Trejbal, ranked 34th overall in the class by EliteProspects and compared to Dan Vladar.

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Trejbal, 18, is a hulking 6-foot-5, right-catching goalie who would be the first of his kind in Philadelphia since Steve Mason (or Mike McKenna, or Cal Petersen...)

The Czech netminder is an above-average athlete who is already well refined for his age and experience, though, as is the case with many big, athletic goalies, his reads and play tracking will need to continue to improve.

But, from the Flyers' perspective, if that's all they feel really need to work on with Trejbal, then he's a slam-dunk selection if Philadelphia trades back in the first round or moves up to the top of the second.

Oh, and this excerpt from Daily Faceoff's Steven Ellis from his NHL Draft Combine notebook on Trejbal was exceptional:

“I remember Montreal asked me some weird questions," Trejbal said.

"Like, 'If you were in the Sahara and there were two guys, one had a bottle of water and the other had a baseball bat. What would you do?' So, their guy told me, 'I have a wife at home. I have kids at homes like, are you gonna really kill me?’ I said, 'Yeah, your family is at home. They’re safe, and I have my whole life in front of me, and I want to play in NHL, so I will smack you with the baseball bat.'"

On the topic of projects, WHL Medicine Hat Tigers goalie Carter Casey, like Bjarnason, is a superb athlete playing in the Western league, though he isn't very refined at all.

But, with Kolosov, Bjarnason, and Vladar holding things down for now, the Flyers can afford to be patient with someone like the 18-year-old Casey.

Casey could be a riskier investment early in the second round, but the Flyers, who own the 53rd overall pick, could easily justify that chance.

Also in the WHL is Harrison Boettiger of the Kelowna Rockets, who is more of an average athlete but a master of positioning himself and being where he needs to be to make any kind of save.

Flyers Make Egregious Mistake in New NHL Mock DraftPhiladelphia Flyers fans will hate the team's selection in the latest NHL mock draft.

Boettiger would be a safer, lower-ceiling option for the Flyers than the other two, and some teams might value that more than others.

Where the Flyers are, I would put Boettiger below Trejbal and Casey.

Because the Flyers don't have fourth- or fifth-round picks, we'll jump lower down the list, where we find another Czech goalie in Michal Orsulak.

A righty like Trejbal, Orsulak is massive at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, and went 24-4-4 with the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders to the tune of a .907 save percentage, 2.22 GAA, and four shutouts.

Orsulak was actually ranked above Trejbal and Casey by NHL Central Scouting, placing second in their North American goalie rankings behind only Brady Knowling.

EliteProspects is a bit lower on the 18-year-old, as he is unranked on their 2026 draft guide, so we can expect some variance in where he goes later this month.

Anywhere between the third and fifth rounds is a good spot for Orsulak, who has plenty of potential worthy of tempting the Flyers to trade up or invest early.

One last goalie that everyone seems to have forgotten about, and is certainly worth following towards the end of the draft, is Latvian netminder Linards Feldbergs.

You may remember Feldbergs as the goalie who dominated for a poor Latvia team at the 2025 U20 World Juniors, where he went 2-3-0 with a 3.13 GAA but a jaw-dropping .929 save percentage.

The 20-year-old over-ager has put up numbers everywhere he's gone, and his playoff numbers with the QMJHL Sherbrooke Phoenix and USHL Sioux Falls Stampede only further prove that he steps up when the lights get brighter.

Feldbergs is committed to the NCAA's Merrimack College for the 2026-27 season, and while no major colleges or NHL teams have given him a shot, his athleticism, resolve, and lunch-pail mentality should be enough to put him on the Flyers' radar late in the draft.

For a remarkable stretch of the season, Nathan MacKinnon wasn't just leading the NHL's scoring race—he was threatening to accomplish something hockey hadn't witnessed since the 1990s.

A Start That Put the League on Notice

The Colorado Avalanche endured a disappointing finish after being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights, but the abrupt playoff exit shouldn't overshadow what MacKinnon accomplished over 82 games.

In the opening months of the season, there was legitimate belief that the Avalanche superstar could become the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1996 to capture the NHL's elusive Triple Crown by leading the league in goals, assists, and total points.

The numbers made the conversation impossible to ignore.

Across back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks in early November, MacKinnon produced one of the most dominant offensive displays of the season, exploding for four goals and five assists for nine points.

Colorado steamrolled Edmonton 9-1 before escaping Vancouver with a 5-4 overtime victory, and MacKinnon was the driving force behind both performances, creating offense seemingly every shift.

At that point, he sat atop the NHL with 14 goals and 29 points. The only category separating him from a true Triple Crown pace was assists, where his 15 helpers ranked tied for sixth. Evgeni Malkin led the league with 18 assists, Connor McDavid had 17, while three players—including Cale Makar—were tied with 16.

His early production projected to an astonishing 72 goals, 77 assists, and 149 points, numbers rarely associated with the modern NHL.

Elite Production From Start to Finish

While MacKinnon's pace inevitably cooled after the Olympic break, his final résumé remained nothing short of spectacular.

He finished the season with 52 goals and 74 assists for 127 points, earning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer while posting the second-highest point total of his career.

His offensive brilliance is obvious, but MacKinnon's value extends far beyond the scoresheet.

He forces opposing defenses into uncomfortable situations with his speed and relentless attack mentality, often turning routine rushes into scoring chances. His competitiveness has become one of the defining characteristics of Colorado's identity, setting the standard for the rest of the roster every night.

Even during the Avalanche's disappointing playoff run, MacKinnon continued to deliver, recording 15 points and seven goals in 13 games. When he exited Game 4 against Vegas because of injury, Colorado's offense immediately lost much of its explosiveness, highlighting just how irreplaceable he has become.

The Dogg

There is little left for MacKinnon to prove on an individual level.

A Triple Crown ultimately slipped away, but the pursuit itself underscored just how dominant he was throughout the season, and he once again established himself among the NHL’s premier players.

Colorado enters another pivotal offseason with questions throughout the roster and changes in the front office, yet the franchise's outlook remains remarkably simple.

As long as Nathan MacKinnon is leading the charge, the Avalanche will continue to enter every season with legitimate Stanley Cup expectations—and few players in hockey give a team a better chance to chase them.

Last offseason, Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes was a busy man, acquiring a right-shot defenseman from the New York Islanders in Noah Dobson and sending Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues for help up front in the form of Zachary Bolduc. This summer promises to be more of the same as the young Habs are still in need of reinforcements to be real Stanley Cup contenders.

The playoffs have exposed a few needs for the Canadiens: a second-line center, some depth on defense that Martin St-Louis actually trusts and a real top-four right-shot defenseman who would allow Lane Hutson to play on his natural side. Right-shot defensemen are not easy to come by; it took Montreal some time to acquire Dobson, and now, there still seems to be a need. David Reibacher is a right-shot defenseman, but it remains to be seen if he’ll truly be top-four material.

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The Blues have a right-shot defenseman that they were willing to move and actually tried to move in early March in Colton Parayko, but he has a full no-trade clause and refused to waive it to join the Buffalo Sabres. It’s easy to understand why. While the Sabres were on an unbelievable run this season and were heading for the postseason, they hadn’t been to the spring dance in 14 years, and players often ask out of town. Would the 33-year-old defenseman be willing to go to Montreal? It’s a possibility that cannot be ruled out.

The Canadiens have just made it to the third round of the playoffs; they have a great young core of stars signed to very reasonable deals who intend to stick together for a long time and win more than a single cup, as per Ivan Demidov. Furthermore, they are coached by Martin St-Louis, who’s a big selling point given how well he gets on with his players and how great a player he was in his heyday. Perhaps the veteran defenseman would also like the opportunity to be paired with a budding star like Lane Hutson.

Parayko has a $6.5 million cap hit, but for what he brings to the table, that’s more than reasonable. This season, he saw his point production halve, putting up only 18 points in 77 games compared to 36 in 64 games, which may be part of why St. Louis would like to move on. Still, he’s a really big body at six-foot-six and 228 pounds, and he plays like it as well. He landed 95 hits (he would have been seventh on the Habs) and blocked 172 shots this past season (he would have been second in that respect with the Habs).

He’s a stable presence on the blueline, one with plenty of experience and leadership, and the arrival of the Blues’ alternate captain could help make up for the fact that the Canadiens will, in all likelihood, be losing Brendan Gallagher this offseason. Sure, he’s not as fast as he once was, but the truth of the matter is, Hutson has speed for two, and the way he controls the puck makes being his partner a pretty cushy job, even for a defenseman who is getting older. The four years left on his contract could also allow Reinbacher to take some time to develop and play a full season, hopefully without any injury. Alexandre Carrier only has one year left on his deal and could make way for Reinbacher next year as the Austrian progressively goes up the Canadiens’ depth chart.

Of course, there’s still the matter of what the Blues would ask from the Habs, but it’s at the very least a proposition worth exploring.

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Andersen or Bussi?

The goalie question is one that’s been lurking under the surface ever since the puck dropped for Round 1, Game 1 on April 18th. In each series it had been expected that the regular season savior Brandon Bussi would make an appearance. Frederik Andersen, however, did what you want a goalie to do and just seized control of the net. You could absolutely argue that Bussi should have had at least one appearance during one of the other series, but as they say in the Hangover, you never walk away from the table when you’re on a heater.

Unfortunately over the first three games, that heater has ended. Bob discussed it yesterday in the post linked above—by the raw numbers Andersen has just not been good and any time six pucks get past you in one period you can make all the excuses in the world, it’s not going to win you games. What is also easy to see with your own eyes is that despite not playing in a real game for over two months, Bussi came in and the team was able to tie the game in the third. He was exactly what that team needed, and honestly the goal to end the game wasn’t a real shot—just a very fluky bounce on a random push back attempt.

Thus we are now at the point of wondering who’ll be manning the crease. Fans thought they may have had a clue when the Canes came out for practice on Monday to this set up:

Of course it turns out that Brind’Amour is just messing with all of us.

Honestly, why not have fun with it? History tells us it’ll be Andersen but with a shorter leash. Then again the man who is supposedly stubborn had lines blended so wildly on Saturday to get the team to storm back, it is possible he recognizes for the team to play better defense, it has to be Bussi in net.

You think Bussi is going to give you any sort of lead? Think again.

Brandon Bussi says he hasn’t been told if he’s starting Game 4 or not.

“You guys know Rod’s our coach right?”

He laughed and said media might have better luck finding out than he does. pic.twitter.com/3jNIB0QaO1

— Travon Miles (@TrayABC11) June 8, 2026

Seriously, it is nice to see after how intense the first three games have been, there does seem to still be a sense of humor with this team. It’s a good thing because it’s only a 2-1 deficit the Canes are looking at, yet it feels worse in a lot of ways due to the three and four goal deficits that the Canes have had to overcome the last two games. Lost in all of the intensity of this is the fact that the goalie for the Golden Knights hasn’t exactly shone that brightly, either. Three goals in 39 seconds is something no goalie wants on their resume, and giving up significant leads in back-to-back games would normally have a team thinking about their strategy, too. But, because Vegas is up, no one is really talking about pulling him for Aiden Hill.

It does point to the biggest frustration for Carolina and one that should also give fans the most hope—Carolina has yet to play anything close to a complete game this series, and if they are able to the chances they can go on a run are high. The question, of course, is are they having trouble because they just can’t get out of their own heads or is Vegas just responsible for it? It’s probably a little of both, complete with one team reaching this level for the first time as a unit while the other has a lot of folks with recent experience.

The other question going into tonight was on William Carrier, who left early in Game 3. However, as everyone noted Carrier was on the ice and practicing with his usual line mates, and with the way Brind’Amour does things it means he’s playing. Also note K’Andre Miller out on the ice, as Ray Ferraro erroneously reported that he didn’t take a shift during the second overtime. Miller didn’t miss a shift then, but no one ever really corrected Ferraro.

On the Vegas side there’s a little more intrigue as neither Noah Hanifin nor Brayden McNabb took the ice for the Vegas Golden Knights’ public practice yesterday. For McNabb it’s doubtful he’ll miss a game after playing Saturday, so it’s likely it was just a move to try and limit his contact as he has to play with the full face cage. Hanifin is interesting if only because it’s clear he’s hurting, and the need to take a practice off could speak to just the level of injury he’s dealing with even though he’s probably playing.

Someone who is absolutely playing—the current Conn Smythe favorite Mitch Marner. The performance on Saturday may have sealed the award for him whether Vegas wins or loses, and either way the Hurricanes are going to have to try to account for him better. Does Carolina try to clog things defensively a little bit more, or sit back a little bit more to prevent his breakout ability? Does that open up the offense for the rest of Veags?

Perhaps the biggest question—after three ridiculous games do we have yet another classic brewing for tonight? The stakes are tighter as a Carolina win turns this into a best-of-three series with the Canes having home ice, while a Vegas win means the Stanley Cup will be back in Lenovo Thursday Night as the Golden Knights would be one win away.

As for how to watch—if you don’t have a ticket to tonight’s watch party at Lenovo, you’re now out of luck unless someone will transfer a ticket to you. If you have a ticket, a word of advice from someone there on Saturday night who had a blast—have a plan. The folks at the arena are treating this like a game with traffic control, full security, and everything staffed, but getting a seat is basically like an 1800’s land grab. All three levels are open, and every seat is general admission. If your plan is to get there at about 6:30, line up, and easily get your seat you are in for a surprise. People are lining up early to get their first choice, so account for rush hour traffic, and know what direction you’re headed for when you go through the door.

Inside, all the concessions should be open, at regular season prices, and be mindful the line for people to get the Stanley Cup patch on their jersey will be long, wrapping around half of the concourse. The game day staff put on an outstanding show, complete with pregame videos, siren sounders, entertainment during the commercials, and Stormy. During action, peep at the ice and you’re going to notice the live player dots that mirror the action on the screen.

If you aren’t going to be at Lenovo or another watch party, here’s how you can catch the action:

Time: 8 PM Eastern

TV: ABC with Sean McDonough handling play-by-play, Ray Ferraro between the benches for color, Emily Kaplan handling off-ice interviews, and Dave Jackson providing the officiating view. Note that The Point pregame show with Steve Levy, PK Subban, Mark Messier, and Erik Johnson will be on ESPN2 starting at 6 PM as ESPN has WNBA coverage.

Streaming Video: The ESPN App has the main feed, a skycast alt feed, ASL feed, and a Spanish feed.

Radio: Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy call the action. The pregame Storm Watch with Adam Gold on 99.9 The Fan starts at 7 PM and runs for 60 minutes. At 8 PM the Hurricanes Radio Network (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570). You will also be able stream this call through 99.9 on your smart device, app, or the Carolina Hurricanes app—and it’s not geolocked.

Odds (per Fanduel): Hurricanes -110 Moneyline, Puckline Hurricanes +1.5 at -280/Golden Knights -110 Moneyline, Puckline -1.5 at +220, O/U 5.5 (-130 Over/+106 Under)

Former Stanley Cup champion Milan Lucic announced his retirement on Sunday, hanging up his skates after 17 seasons. Calgary Flames fans will remember Lucic as one of the few players ever traded from their provincial rival, the Edmonton Oilers.

Milan Lucic has announced his retirement from professional hockey.

From Vancouver, British Columbia, Milan played junior hockey with his hometown Vancouver Giants of the WHL beginning in the 2004-05 season. Milan was selected by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the 2006… pic.twitter.com/4F62rLtPEE

— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) June 8, 2026

After nine seasons with the Boston Bruins, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2011, Lucic went to Los Angeles for one year before signing a blockbuster deal with the Oilers in 2016. During his first season in the Alberta capital, Lucic scored 23 goals and never duplicated that production again, leading to a trade to Calgary for James Neal on July 19, 2019.

The official trade was Lucic and a conditional third-round pick (Kirill Kirsanov) for Neal. 

At 31 when he made his Flames debut, Lucic tallied eight goals and 20 points, finishing with a minus-6 rating, as the team's 11th highest scorer. The following season, Lucic collected 10 goals, finishing 8th in scoring with 23 points in 56 games, with a minus-8 rating.

On a Pacific Division-winning club in 2021-22, Lucic had the second-worst plus/minus rating on the team at minus-9, collecting 10 goals and 21 points in all 82 games. In his final campaign with the Flames, 2022-23, Lucic once again posted the second-worst plus/minus at minus-13 and had only seven goals and 19 points in 77 games. 

In 283 games with Calgary, Lucic compiled a stat line that included 35 goals and 48 assists for 83 points and a minus-36 rating, with 227 penalty minutes. 

The native of Vancouver, BC, debuted with the Bruins at 19, in 2007-08, and became a one-time 30-goal scorer in 2010-11, the same year he'd win his only Stanley Cup title. Known as a power forward who loved to hit and score big goals, Lucic scored more than 20 goals on five occasions and reached double digits in at least 10 seasons.

Overall, the 38-year-old finished with 1,177 NHL games, 233 goals, 586 points, 1,301 penalty minutes, and 3,275 hits. According to NHL.com statistics, Lucic's 3,275 hits rank fifth among players during his time in the league (2007-2024).

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The Vancouver Canucks have won the Stanley Cup. 

Well, not exactly. 

It's the Stanley Pup that Vancouver managed to secure earlier this week. The puppy-themed tournament pits adorable, adoptable puppies from Brandywine Valley SPCA against one-another in a game of 'who can put the ball in the net first'. NHL stars and celebrities alike come together in support of dog adoption. 

Last week, it was revealed that the Canucks' representative at the Stanley Cup would be none-other than Zeev Boop-Em, with the pup taking part as a member of the Pacific Division alongside Macklin Celewienie of the San Jose Sharks, Evan Boucharf of the Edmonton Oilers, and Cutter Go-Fetcher of the Anaheim Ducks. 

During the high-stakes competition that aired on June 8, it was the Pacific Division pups that took home the 2026 Stanley Pup. En route to the win, they took down the Central Division by a score of 6-5, as well as the Metropolitan Division by 6-5 in the championship game. The Metropolitan Division advanced to the championship with a 5-4 win against the Atlantic. 

The Pacific Division managed to erase a 5-3 deficit during their first game of the competition, with Jack Eich-Howl of the Vegas Golden Knights scoring the game-winner with guidance from actor Keenan Thompson. 

In the championship game, the Pacific got off to an early 2-0 lead thanks to Jaden Snorts of the Seattle Kraken and Devin Collie of the Calgary Flames. Logan Chompson of the Washington Capitals scored to bring the Metropolitan Division within one goal before Matthew Schae-Furry of the New York Islanders tied it up at two apiece. Bone Jenner of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Artemi Paw-Narin of the Los Angeles Kings brought the score up to three per team. Owen Nip-It of the Philadelphia Flyers scored twice to make it 5-3, but goals from Collie and Eich-Howl (2) put the game back in the Pacific's favour, securing the win. 

Nearly every puppy who took part in this week's tournament has since been adopted. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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