On June 14, 1977, the NHL draft was held in Montreal, and while the Montreal Canadiens didn’t hit any home runs in the first round, picking Mark Napier and Norm Dupont, they did find a diamond in the rough with the last pick of the second round, when they called Rod Langway to the stage.
Unfortunately, they would only keep the talented blueliner for four seasons, from 1978-79 to 1981-82, when they traded him to the Washington Capitals. He was part of a four-player package with Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin that netted the Canadiens Rick Green and Ryan Walter. The latter would have one of the best seasons of his career that year, putting up 75 points, but he was never able to replicate the feat. Still, both Green and Walter went on to play big roles in the Canadiens’ 1985-86 Stanley Cup conquest.
Meanwhile, Langway would go on to play 994 NHL games, putting up 329 points, picking up 851 penalty minutes, and finishing with a plus-276 rating. However, after winning a Cup with the Canadiens in 1978-79, he never won another championship. He last played in the NHL in 1992-93, having only played with the Canadiens and the Capitals. However, he wasn’t ready to hang them up yet and spent three seasons in minor leagues (ECHL, IHL, and AHL).
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002 and, unsurprisingly, chose to be inducted in the Capitals' colours, the team he spent 11 seasons with. Langway won two Norris Trophies, was elected to the NHL All-Star Teams three times and took part in six All-Star games.
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights goal scorer predictions for Game 6
Player to score a goal
Odds
Taylor Hall
+335
Seth Jarvis
+215
Jack Eichel
+215
💲Goal scorer parlay
+2000
Goal scorer pick: Taylor Hall +335
Taylor Hall leads the Carolina Hurricanes in this series with 37 shot attempts at 5-on-5 and ranks second to Jordan Staal in scoring chances.
His 5-on-5 prowess is especially important tonight. Refs tend to put whistles away in elimination games, which leads to less special teams and more full-strength hockey.
Hall has been Carolina’s best shot-generator throughout the entire playoffs, and the edge is even more decisive on the road, where Sebastian Aho’s line tends to draw the toughest matchups.
I see value in backing Hall to +310.
Goal scorer pick: Seth Jarvis (+215)
Rod Brind ‘Amour has given Seth Jarvis more ice time than any other forward in this series. He’s playing a lot at 5-on-5, he’s featured on both special teams units, and he is defending leads late.
That kind of usage makes him a scoring threat regardless of the game circumstances. Even if Carolina is conservative while playing from ahead, Jarvis will be among those first over the boards in empty-net situations.
He is also a prime regression candidate. He has converted 47 scoring chances and 6.16 expected goals into just four goals these playoffs.
With Carter Hart struggling to find his game, and Jarvis seeing top-tier usage, he’s someone I want to get behind.
Bet to +200.
Goal scorer pick: Jack Eichel (+215)
Jack Eichel hasn’t scored in the Stanley Cup Final but it’s not for a lack of opportunities. He has taken 25 shot attempts and generated 14 scoring chances, ranking him near the top of the Vegas Golden Knights in both categories.
He also leads the team in offensive zone faceoffs and percentage of draws taken in the offensive zone. John Tortorella is doing his best to put Eichel in good spots to produce.
Eichel has scored on only 4% of his shots in the playoffs after finishing at a 10.38% rate during the regular season.
There's no better time for him to break through than in a do-or-die Game 6. I'd play Eichel to +200.
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights anytime goal parlay
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Aho, 30, was drafted with the 139th pick in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Islanders and played 190 career NHL games with the team from 2017 to 2024, amassing 11 goals and 39 assists for 50 points.
Following the 2023-24 season, he signed a two-year, $1.55 million AAV one-way deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he never suited up in a regular-season game for them.
In 56 regular-season games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins across the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, Aho recorded two goals and 26 assists for 28 points, as well as one assist in 10 playoff games.
Aho's contract with the Lakers will keep him in Sweden through the 2027-28 season.
After a strong end to the 2025-26 season, winds are already in the sails of the Philadelphia Flyers with momentum building throughout the offseason.
A big reason for that momentum, and perhaps even the playoff run, is rookie forward Porter Martone, who joined the Flyers at the NHL level at the very end of the season after a year in the NCAA with Michigan State University.
Martone, 19, is still technically a rookie, which makes him eligible to win the 2027 Calder Trophy.
With five points in 10 playoff games and 10 points in nine regular season games, the Flyers winger's early production has also made him an early favorite to win that Calder Trophy.
On Saturday, The Hockey News published its shortlist of the five leading candidates to be named the NHL's Rookie of the Year next season, and Martone was the very first name on the list.
"The 19-year-old became the youngest player in Flyers history to score in their postseason debut and recorded points in the team’s first three games against the Pittsburgh Penguins," Eric Cruikshank wrote. "This strong first impression solidified Martone as a top-six forward for the Flyers and earned him a spot on Canada’s World Championship roster, where he put up 5 points in 10 games.
"Martone is the prototype for the NHL’s modern power forward, possessing the hands and playmaking to be an offensive threat in space while also using his frame to gain advantages over opponents in tight areas of the ice. . . He likely has the highest goal-scoring upside of the upcoming rookie class and should be one of the pre-season frontrunners for the Calder."
Martone was an instant hit for the Flyers and head coach Rick Tocchet, who opted to use the teenager in the top-six ahead of someone like sophomore starlet Matvei Michkov.
Now that the 2025 No. 6 overall pick knows what the NHL pace is like--and the pace of the Stanley Cup playoffs--the adjustment should be even smoother next season.
Without a doubt, Martone is the top candidate for the 2027 Calder Trophy heading into next season.
It's that time of year again; we are just two weeks away from the 2026 NHL Draft. With the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals getting near the end, the attention will soon turn to the draft, free agency, and then the start of the 2026-27 season.
However, for a team like the Nashville Predators, their focus has been on the draft and the offseason for quite some time. So, let's look at a potential draft target for them. Today, we are going to look at Viggo Björck, the Swedish forward out of Djurgården (SWE J20).
For most, the first thing that stands out is his speed and size. At 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, he is one of the smallest players in the draft, but he's also one of, if not the fastest players. He drives a lot of plays using his speed and typically averages around 20 minutes per night at just 17 years old.
Scouts point out that he has slick passing, great awareness and vision, and isn't afraid to shoot the puck. So, adding him into a young Predators offence alongside the likes of Matthew Wood, Joakim Kemell, and Brady Martin would make them a team to watch in the next few seasons.
Scout's Takes:
Here are some of the scouting reports put out by the most notable scouts/hockey writers in the NHL.
"While his numbers will be nothing to lose your mind over, the fact that Björck played on the first line – often skating in more than 20 minutes a night – as a 17-year-old in one of the top leagues in the world is bonkers. Björck was electric at the World Juniors, showing a high-end blend of hockey sense and raw skill."
- Steven Ellis ~ Daily Faceoff
"Some people will shy away from his size, but Bjorck never shies away from battling in the hard areas of the ice. He plays quick and fast and his three-zone detail has resulted in his coaches at the pro level in Sweden trusting him in all situations."
- Jason Bukala `~ Sportsnet
"Bjorck can play with the puck on a string and make plays as a natural facilitator who has a ton of poise and vision, but he also plays in and out of give-and-gos, will go to the net and finish off plays and has great overall sense on and off the puck. He’s also a quick and fast skater who can play at different paces and challenge both in straight lines and on cuts and turnbacks, even if he’s not a true burner for his size."
- Scott Wheeler ~ The Athletic
Draft Projection
Many 2026 NHL Draft mock drafts have Björck going somewhere in the 6-8 range, with some having him jump into the top five. That said, very few have him falling to number 10, where the Predators pick. Regardless, if he were to fall down to 10, or the Predators could move up in the draft, Björck is a name they should strongly consider calling.
When the Senators make the 32nd overall pick at the NHL Draft in Buffalo on June 26, they'll likely be selecting a player they believe should have gone earlier.
Speaking recently on TSN 1200, Senators head scout Don Boyd said there will likely be a tier of about eight players on their list that could realistically be in play when their turn arrives at the end of the first round.
They think five of their higher-ranked players might drop to 32, and they also have three players ranked 33-35 that they'd be happy with, too. So the Sens are probably confident they'll end up with one of eight or nine specific players.
The Hockey News Wrap Around Show discusses the idea of the Senators going after Vancouver's Jake DeBrusk.
Since we don't have access to the Sens' ranked list of 32, and we don't know who other teams will pick, any reference to this tier of eight players is just speaking in generalities.
However, The Hockey News Draft Preview provides an interesting glimpse at the prospects we project to go in the range Boyd mentioned. To round things out, we even expanded the list to ten players.
So, using our Draft Preview issue rankings from 26 through 35, here's a look at some of the names who could be in play when the Senators are on the clock.
#26 Marcus Nordmark, LW — Djurgårdens IF Jr. (Sweden)
It's hard not to be intrigued by a player who thrives in a best-on-best. Nordmark led Sweden in scoring at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but he's probably one of the most polarizing players in this range. His supporters see a skilled winger with top-six NHL potential thanks to his offensive creativity, but critics wonder why a player with his talent doesn't dominate more consistently. His father, Robert, was a defenseman in the NHL in the late 1980s.
Another player with NHL bloodlines, Maddox is the son of former Montreal Canadiens winger Pierre Dagenais. Maddox enjoyed a breakout season, scoring at a point per game clip and winning the QMJHL award for best pro prospect. Scouts love his shot and saw some games where he was a legitimate power forward. But being that player more consistently will be the challenge next season.
#28 Tobias Trejbal, G — Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
The Czech goalie was named the top goaltender in the USHL after posting a .916 save percentage. Scouts praise his athleticism, size and calm presence in the crease. He's headed for UMass in 2027 and will be a target in this month's CHL import draft.
A year before being draft eligible, Roobroeck scored 41 goals in the OHL last season. Between that and his impressive size, it had people thinking he might be a lottery pick this year. His stats dipped this season due to a season-ending lower-body injury in February. Some scouts see a future power forward with a pro-calibre shot, while others want to see him use his size more and become harder to play against. He's already played three seasons for Niagara and has been able to produce despite that team's ongoing struggles on and off the ice.
The Norwegian winger impressed scouts at the Under-18 World Championship and already has experience in Sweden's top professional league, playing 16 games this season. Evaluators praise his skating, hockey sense and shot. Many see him as one of the safer prospects in this range because he plays a mature, well-rounded game.
At this point in the draft, it's going to be awfully hard to turn down a player in his draft year who just won the WHL scoring title with 108 points. According to one scout, NHL analytics departments are particularly fond of his game. Skeptics wonder how much of his production was helped by playing with his twin brother, Liam, on a loaded Medicine Hat roster, but few question his hockey IQ.
Piiparinen played the entire season in the Finnish men's league, which is certainly a feather in his cap. The biggest question revolves around his offensive ceiling, and a first-round selection needs to be able to deliver at least some of that. But many believe he has the tools to become a reliable NHL defenseman,
Cover only began playing organized hockey five years ago after first excelling in roller hockey. Scouts rave about his athleticism, creativity, and his snap shot is off the charts. Because he is still relatively new to elite-level hockey, many believe he has a lot more room to improve than almost anyone in the draft. And he's already pretty darn good.
#34 Brady Knowling, G — U.S. National Team Development Program
The Boston University commit was chosen to play for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky and the World Juniors. At 6-foot-5, he has all the physical attributes teams look for in a modern NHL goaltender. Scouts have seen him dominate games against top competition and praise his athleticism and competitive level. The concern, as it is for most teenagers at this range, is consistency.
#35 Yegor Shilov, C — Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
Shilov might be the highest-risk, highest-reward player in this group. Scouts praise his offensive instincts, puck skills and ability to create scoring chances. However, concerns about his compete level and play away from the puck appear repeatedly in scouting reports. One evaluator described him as a classic boom-or-bust prospect whose talent could make him a first-round bargain or a disappointment.
* Predictions? Granted, I'm no draft guru by any stretch, but I do like to read up and watch player highlights. If they're still there, it's hard not to like Jaxon Cover (pronounced like clover) or Markus Ruck.
Wearing Sidney Crosby's number 87, Cover's puck skill, fierce snap shot, and fearlessness at the net are pretty crazy, especially for a young man with only five years of organized hockey. The Sens won with Shane Pinto, who didn't play competitive hockey until he was 15.
As for Ruck, again, it's tough to turn down a player in his draft year who just won the WHL scoring title with 108 points.
Of course, the Senators only need two teams ahead of them to see these players the same way.
No matter how it plays out, Boyd says the Senators have identified an eight-player tier they'd be comfortable selecting from, so they'll have plenty of intriguing choices available when their turn arrives in Buffalo.
Last week, Alexander Zharovsky arrived in Montreal and wasted no time starting his on-ice training. On the very next day, he was at the Montreal Canadiens’ training facility in Brossard, and he’s hit the ice every day since then. Habs player development consultant Paul Byron was with him, but no other Canadiens’ player up to this weekend.
On Saturday, Zharovsky’s countryman Ivan Demidov landed back in Montreal, according to his significant other’s Instagram account, and it’s safe to assume that the talented winger will soon hit the ice with his childhood friend.
Not only did he tell the media at the dressing room clearout day that he would train with Zharovsky this Summer, but his work ethic is also second to none, and he’s not the kind to spend a lot of time on the ice. Back in February, when the Canadiens were off during the Olympics and had told players to take a break, he and Lane Hutson ended up skating on an outside rink in Notre-Dame-de-Grace.
While Demidov failed to capture the Calder Trophy because of Matthew Schaefer’s incredible rookie season with the New York Islanders, the soon-to-be sophomore still led all rookies in points with 62 points in 82 games.
If Kent Hughes manages to get a real second-line center to ride along with the youngster next season, we should see a significant increase in production. While Oliver Kapanen did well in the first part of the season, centering him, he struggled after the Olympics break, which no doubt impacted Demidov’s point production.
It will be interesting to see Demidov skate alongside Zharovsky in Brossard in the coming days and, in July, to see how the prospect handles the Canadiens’ development camp, which he will attend for the first time after missing last year’s edition due to visa issues.
Alexander Zharovsky is back on the ice in Brossard today.
What - Game 6 (3-2) When - 8 p.m., Sunday, June 14 Where - T-Mobile Arena; Las Vegas, NV How to Watch - ABC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
The Stanley Cup is in the building.
After a Game 5 win on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes are now just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup and they'll have two cracks at the Cup, starting tonight in Vegas.
The Hurricanes have been firing on all cylinders in the last few games, with all four lines going, the power play being red hot and Brandon Bussi solidifying the net.
Jordan Staal has also put the team on his back with a monstrous Final, and he's put himself right there in the Conn Smythe conversation.
But the series isn't done yet.
The Golden Knights still have a lot of talent (even though they'll be without center William Karlsson) and they're capable of pulling off another two wins, so the Canes are going to have to bring their best game of the season if they want to secure eternal glory.
Streaks
Jordan Staal (6g, 1a) has goals in five straight games.
Sebastian Aho (1g, 4a) has points in four straight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers (1g, 5a) and Shayne Gostisbehere (3a) have points in back-to-back games.
Game Notes
Carolina and Vegas have never met in the postseason before.
This is both team's third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history (CAR - 2002, 2006, 2026; VGK - 2018, 2023, 2026).
William Carrier played for the Golden Knights from 2017-2024, winning the Cup with them in 2023.
Noah Hanifin (2015-2018) and Dylan Coghlan (2022-2024) both played for Carolina.
The Hurricanes went 0-2 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, with both games taking place in October.
All-time, the Canes have a 9-7 record against Vegas.
Key Matchups
Projected Starting Goalies
Brandon Bussi: 2-1; 0.908 Sv%; 2.18 GAA
Carter Hart: 14-7; 0.909 Sv%; 2.59 GAA
Leading Scorers
Goals - Logan Stankoven (11) / Brett Howden (14)
Points - Taylor Hall & Jackson Blake (18) / Mitch Marner (29)
Power Play
Carolina - 18.1% (13/72)
Vegas - 21.3% (13/61)
Penalty Kill
Carolina - 91.2% (62/68)
Vegas - 81.3% (52/64)
Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Jordan Martinook Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Seth Jarvis William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield K'Andre Miller - Sean Walker Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin
Brandon Bussi Frederik Andersen
Injuries and Scratches: Mike Reilly, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Pyotr Kochetkov
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - Tomas Hertl - Mitch Marner Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Mark Stone Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar
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He's recorded 2+ shots on goal in four of five games, and attempted 5+ shots in all of them. Nobody on the team has attempted more shots.
He's playing on the top pairing at 5-on-5 and quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play unit, giving him prime usage to get the job done.
With this being an elimination game, John Tortorella will be even more reliant on his top defenseman. I'd play to -130.
Game 6 Prop #2: Seth Jarvis Over 0.5 points (-140)
Seth Jarvis leads Carolina forwards in time on ice and sits third in expected goals. Carolina has fared very well during his minutes, creating more expected goals and high-danger chances with Jarvis on the ice than any other player.
It has translated to success on the scoreboard — Carolina has scored 10 times with Jarvis on the ice — but only three points for Jarvis. That’s a 30% involvement rate, which is not even half of what he managed over the course of the season.
Look for Jarvis to get back on the scoresheet in Game 6. I'd bet this to -150.
Game 6 Prop #3: Rasmus Andersson Over 1.5 blocks (-180)
Rasmus Andersson is bleeding shots like no other. He's allowed 138 shot attempts at 5-on-5, which is 18 more than the next closest player in the series.
He's played more than all but Theodore and is starting plenty of shifts in the defensive zone. Clearly, that’s making his life difficult.
Andersson blocked multiple shots in four straight games. Playing for their season, Tortorella will be tempted to shorten the bench and sink or swim with his Top-4 defensemen.
Look for Andersson to continue producing blocks and play this to -195.
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When looking at this year's pending UFAs, one player who could make a lot of sense for the Blue Jackets to look to sign is Nashville Predators forward Erik Haula.
Haula may not be the flashiest of players, but he would have the potential to be a solid pickup for the Blue Jackets on a short-term deal. The 35-year-old forward showed this season that he is still capable of providing decent secondary offensive production. Due to this, he could be a solid fit if signed by the Blue Jackets.
Former Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic has announced his retirement from professional hockey through the NHLPA's official X account.
Anytime people who follow the Columbus Blue Jackets hear the name Milan Lucic, they immediately go back to a night in November of 2014, when defenseman Dalton Prout served up a bit of humble pie for the rugged Lucic.
NHL Insider Frank Seravalli has cited The Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James, and confirmed that Dylan Larkin has submitted a three team list for a trade out of Detroit.
The three teams are the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and, to no one's surprise, the Vegas Golden Knights. Shocker, right?
Due to this, in a recent article for The Athletic, Chris Johnston ranked the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) in the NHL. Without much surprise, two notable Columbus Blue Jackets made the cut: Mason Marchment and Boone Jenner.
The Columbus Blue Jackets made a significant move in an attempt to bolster their blue line, acquiring defenseman Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils. In exchange, the Devils received a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
One way that the Blue Jackets should be looking to improve their depth is through the free agent market. One pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who could make a lot of sense for the Blue Jackets to pursue this summer if they hit the market is Los Angeles Kings center Scott Laughton.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley is an interesting potential option for the Blue Jackets to consider.
Back in March, ESPN's Rachel Kryshak reported that Don Waddell told her that "the organization believes Ivanov is ready, and he confirmed his intention to come to North America when his KHL contract expires after this season."
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month that the Blackhawks have made Mikheyev's signing rights available for trade. With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides decent secondary scoring and strong defensive play, the Blue Jackets should consider pursuing him.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski never seems to get the respect he deserves. Even after he was awarded the 2026 Norris Trophy, there were some media and fans who refused to give him his flowers.
The Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed forward James Malatesta to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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Jun 11, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) during the third period in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Stanley Cup will be in the building Sunday night, and for the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes can be the team to skate away with it.
The final game is the toughest to win, and tonight’s battle will be no different. The Vegas Golden Knights will be desperate to force Game 7 and will leave everything they have on the ice.
Below are a few key storylines for tonight’s game.
For Game 5, Vegas head coach John Tortorella decided to stack his lines and lean heavily on his stars.
The Canes responded with their best game of the series, one that was truer to their style of play.
Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone loaded up the top line and spent nearly eight minutes of ice time together during five-on-five play. This was the most ice time among Vegas lines.
Those three had over 20 minutes of ice time during Game 5. In contrast, no Carolina forward had more than 20 minutes of ice time.
With Vegas having the matchup advantage on home ice, will this change Tortorella’s strategy?
The most important factor influencing the Golden Knights’ lineup is the loss of William Karlsson.
A heavy Sean Walker check in Game 5 knocked him out of the game with an upper-body injury, and Tortorella has ruled him out for Game 6, hinting he’s unlikely to return to this series.
Karlsson centered Marner and Brett Howden, one of Vegas’s most productive and relied-upon lines. This combination led all Golden Knights’ lines in five-on-five ice time during the first four games of the series.
Not to mention, Karlsson is a top two-way center and a critical penalty killer.
If Vegas were to make a goaltending switch, it should have been after Game 4. Tortorella announced yesterday that Carter Hart will, once again, start for Vegas. The goalie continued to make history on Thursday by adding to his infamous Stanley Cup Final streak, allowing at least four goals in five straight games.
Via the Associated Press during Tortorella’s media availability on Saturday:
Because I know him, Tortorella said Saturday. I know there’s a better game in him. I’ve seen it throughout the playoffs. Yeah, I think he’s a very good goalie. We’ve got to do a better job around him, too. You can look at the numbers, and you guys (media), that’s what you do. You spit out those numbers, but I’ve got to look at things differently and watch the play going on around him and what type of goals are being scored.
In the battle between Hart and Brandon Bussi, Carolina’s goalie is giving his team the advantage.
In Game 5, Hart had a 2.73 expected goals against while posting -1.27 goals saved above expectation. A major reason for that negative number was that three of the Canes’ goals were considered low danger shots.
Bussi, on the other hand, had a 4.029 expected goals against with a 2.03 goals saved above expectation. Both of Vegas’ goals were considered high danger, and finished the game with a 4.03-3.17 expected goals advantage over Carolina.
From these advanced statistics, there are two points to emphasize in the Hurricanes’ game plan.
First, continue to fire upon Hart. Shots are getting through, and there are still plenty of rebounds available. Carolina did a better job exploiting some of Vegas’ defensive miscues, and a moving Hart has led to some great scoring chances.
Second, the Canes need to further limit high danger opportunities. Although skewed to the third period of Game 5, the Golden Knights did create some quality chances. Expect Vegas to come out firing Sunday night. The Carolina defense must keep Vegas out of those high-danger areas and trust Bussi to take care of the rest. This will be the biggest advantage of the night if the goaltender trends continue.
Since an unsuccessful coach’s challenge late in Game 2 by the Golden Knights, the Hurricanes’ power play converted on half of their opportunities. Throughout the Final, Carolina has outscored Vegas 6-2 on the power play. With Karlsson out, the Knights’ kill is under even more pressure against a rolling Canes’ power play.
Vegas owned the middle frame for four games before Carolina finally answered in Game 5. Whoever controls the long-change period likely controls the night. The Canes do not have to “win” the second period, but they absolutely cannot fall behind while on the road. Positioning, clean exits from the zone, and ensuring no Golden Knight sneaks behind the defense are the keys for the team.
Another key tonight will be the opening 10 minutes. Although the first goal has not predicted the outcomes of the individual games in this series, tonight is different. If the Hurricanes score the first goal of the game, the opposing arena will go quiet, and the Knights will face another obstacle in an elimination game. Carolina must continue to play their game and certainly not sit back with an early lead.
Keep an eye on the announcement of the Carolina starter, although it is expected that Bussi will earn the start. Frederik Andersen skated yesterday and is with the team.
Vegas Golden Knights
Forwards:
Dorofeyev — Eichel — Stone
Howden — Hertl — Marner
Barbashev — Sissons — Saad
Smith — Dowd — Kolesar
Defense:
McNabb — Theodore
Hanifin — Andersson
Lauzon — Coghlan
Goalies: Hart (starter), Hill Scratches: Schmid, R. Smith, Hutton, Megna, Bowman, Korczak Injured: Karlsson (upper body), Rondbjerg (lower body)
In this year's issue, one of the interesting exercises the mothership came up with was a homegrown dream team for each franchise, including the Senators. In a nutshell, among players drafted by Ottawa, it's a list of the best 12 forwards, six defence, and two goalies.
The Hockey News' The Wrap Around show discusses the idea of Ottawa trading for Jake DeBrusk.
THN writer Jared Clinton came up with this list, working only with active players who were drafted by the Sens, regardless of where they play now.
The Homegrown Dream Team (Active)
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Drake Batherson Shane Pinto Ridly Greig Jean-Gabriel Pageau Mark Kastelic Nick Foligno Stefan Noesen Cole Reinhardt
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Thomas Chabot Tyler Kleven Cody Ceci Jacob Bernard-Docker
GOALIES
Joey Daccord Leevi Merilainen
So, as someone who has covered this team since day one, I set out to see if there were any selections I really disagreed with. There were not. I might argue that Curtis Lazar might bump out a Cole Reinhardt or maybe a Stefan Noesen, who never played a game for the Sens, but that would be a big-time splitting of hairs.
So, to complement Jared's list, I thought I'd create the all-time homegrown Senators dream team. Some of the active players stayed on this list, but many did not. They're ranked on what they did for the Sens, in their full careers, and in some cases, the potential they still have.
The Homegrown Dream Team (All-Time)
FORWARDS
Daniel Alfredsson Alexei Yashin Marian Hossa Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Jason Spezza Pavol Demitra Drake Batherson Mike Fisher Shane Pinto
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Chris Phillips Thomas Chabot Anton Volchenkov Tyler Kleven
GOALIES
Ray Emery Brian Elliott
At the moment, it's hard to imagine any player from the past five Senators' drafts ever cracking either of these lists. Players like Carter Yakemchuk, Logan Hensler, Stephen Halliday, and Leevi Merilainen are probably the best bets, but they all have a lot of work to do. The good news is they still have a lot of time.
And who knows? Maybe another challenger or two will emerge from Ottawa's 2026 NHL Draft in a couple of weeks.
While it’s likely that in an ideal world, the Montreal Canadiens would be able to trade their first-round pick to fix one of the team’s existing needs, there’s no guarantee that there will be a deal to be made before the draft. Kent Hughes has always been very active on the draft floor, but he won’t make a move unless he feels it’s the right move. He won’t be desperate to trade the 28th overall pick, and should he end up keeping it, there are a few interesting players likely to go around that draft position that the Habs could consider. This article will focus on one of them: Maddox Dagenais.
Dagenais is an 18-year-old left-shot centerman who was born in the Canadiens’ backyard in Montreal. He was selected first overall at the 2024 Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League draft by the Quebec Remparts. While he didn’t have an easy rookie season in Quebec, being limited to just 26 points in 43 games, he bounced back nicely for his draft year.
This season, he averaged a point per game, registering 62 points in as many games, including 30 goals. He was also assessed 128 penalty minutes, which is hardly surprising, since he is 6-foot-3 and weighs 196 pounds. He has a big frame, and he plays like it. Dagenais is a budding power forward and has good skills at the faceoff dot, winning 51.3% of his draws.
Despite his big frame, he has good speed and mobility, which makes him hard to contain for opponents. He also has a very good shot, making him a constant threat up front. While he can also be a playmaker, he’s better known for his goal scoring and ability to find the shooting lanes, something that the Canadiens lacked in their Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
His defensive game is inconsistent, but his speed allows him to stick to his man quite well. There’s room for improvement, but that’s always the case with young prospects. He projects as a middle-six player at the NHL level and could be the kind of player the Canadiens can use down the line.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella confirmed Karlsson's absence but did not discuss whether he would be available for Game 7 or who would replace him in the lineup on Sunday, June 14 in Las Vegas.
Karlsson has two goals and two assists in the Stanley Cup Final, which the Hurricanes lead 3-2. He has nine points overall in the playoffs.
The Golden Knights forward will miss Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after being injured in Game 5.
Karlsson is a two-way center who kills penalties and gets some power play time. The Hurricanes scored two power-play goals after Karlsson left the game.
"It's obviously a big miss," Vegas forward Mitch Marner told reporters. "He's done a lot of great things for us since he's been back in the lineup, but we've done this all year. We've had a lot of injuries throughout the year, throughout the playoffs. Obviously, it's tough losing Will, but it's next man up mentality."
Hart was one of five players on the 2018 Canadian national junior team who faced trial in 2025 on a sexual assault charge and were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario. Justice Maria Carroccia said she didn't find the accuser's testimony in the 2018 case credible and the prosecution didn't prove its case.
"It's just noise," Hart said of the chants. "Both atmospheres, both buildings have been really loud and a lot of fun to play in. Yeah, just noise."
Hart will make his 22nd start of the playoffs in Game 6. After a stellar first three rounds, he has allowed four goals in every game of the championship series.
"I haven't been at my best in this series," he said. "I'll be better next game and ready to go."
He added: "They've gotten some lucky bounces and there's a few plays where I've got to make more saves but at the end of the day, I prepare the same way just like every other game and I'll be ready to go."
Hart skipped Saturday's optional practice and did some work with goalie coach Sean Burke on a different rink.
He says he feels good after playing every minute of the playoffs.
"As as goaltender, you want to play every game and you want to be ready to go," he said. "I've got a routine that I do and I follow it."
Coach John Tortorella, who knows Hart from their days in Philadelphia, has backed the goalie. When he was asked after the Game 5 loss whether he considered switching to Adin Hill, he said that "could be the stupidest question I've heard."
Tortorella said he has confidence in Hart.
"I know him," he said. "I know there's a better game in him. I've seen it throughout the playoffs. I think he's a very good goalie. We've got to do a better job around him, too."
Taylor Hall
Jack Eichel
