RALEIGH, N.C. — The Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes looks even in a lot of ways, with very little margin for error.
Vegas has won 12 of 16 games in the playoffs, including a sweep of Colorado in the West final, while Carolina has taken 12 of 13. They’ve allowed the third-fewest and fewest goals against, respectively, while each scoring more than three goals a game.
So, what will make the difference in a series between NHL powerhouses? Look no further than special teams.
Stifling penalty kills
The Hurricanes’ penalty kill is clicking along at a 92.5% success rate, allowing four goals and scoring once shorthanded.
“Carolina’s been an elite penalty-killing team for years now and that’s part of their identity and that comes from their puck pressure and their sticks, their discipline — all that kind of stuff,” goaltender-turned-NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider said. “Vegas will have its work cut out for itself.”
Vegas has been elite itself. The Golden Knights allowed six power-play goals through three rounds and scored four times short-handed.
Brayden McNabb, who has been around since the team’s inaugural season in 2017-18, has been a key cog of that, logging more than 45 total minutes of ice time on the kill. Three other huge pieces are players general manager Kelly McCrimmon brought in midseason.
Goaltender Carter Hart, whose presence alone has been scrutinized, has stopped 64 of 70 shots while an opponent is on the power play. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson, acquired before the Olympic break, and center Nic Dowd, an addition on the eve of the trade deadline, along with McNabb have been among the first guys over the boards on the penalty kill.
It has been old reliable for the Hurricanes, with defensive defenseman Jaccob Slavin skating over 56 minutes short-handed. Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team plays with a particular structure all the time, and this is where it is most effective as long as the three or four guys on the ice in front of goalie Frederik Andersen are on the same page.
Polarizing power plays
Vegas’ power play has scored 11 times in 46 opportunities, good for 24%. Captain Mark Stone and winger Pavel Dorofeyev have four apiece, while centers Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl each have six power-play assists.
“I find the Vegas power play to be more threatening,” Schneider said. “Can Carolina quiet Vegas’ power play and force them 5 on 5 in order to beat them?”
The better question is can Carolina’s power play keep up? It is 7 of 56 in the playoffs, a 12.5% rate that has gotten the job done against Ottawa, Philadelphia and Montreal.
Vegas, as Brind’Amour said, is “a different animal.”
“Carolina’s got a good power play, don’t get me wrong, but I think that could be a bit of a wash and Carolina’s going to have to try to generate more 5-on-5 offense than rely on their power play like Vegas should,” Schneider said.
What to expect
Given these teams’ ability to put the puck in the net at even strength, there will be an emphasis on discipline. Stay out of the box and play 5 on 5, where the Golden Knights have scored 34 goals and the Hurricanes 30.
Vegas has averaged a little under four minor penalties a game to Carolina’s five. That makes every power play even more valuable, with much of the games becoming a test of two teams with demanding coaches who don’t let a lot of the details slip.
“They play the right way,” Slavin said. “They play a very similar style to us. It’s going to be who can do it better and who can stay on it longer? But it’s going to be an awesome series.”
The St. Louis Blues have signed goaltender Will Cranley to a one-year, two-way contract extension, Blues president of hockey operations and GM Doug Armstrong announced today.
The 24-year-old was a 2020 sixth-round pick of the Blues and has spent the past three seasons bouncing between the ECHL and the AHL, and was set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1.
The 2025-26 season was Cranley’s best season to date. In the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he posted a respectable .892 save percentage in 10 games, while in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades, he recorded a .915 SP in 18 games. He had previously never posted a save percentage above .900 in either the ECHL or AHL.
His AHL career numbers show a .890 SP in 13 games and a .896 SP in 74 ECHL games.
Prior to joining the Blues organization, Cranley was a netminder in the OHL, where he posted a .881 SP in 117 career games across five seasons.
While his numbers have never been eye-catching and often look rather disappointing, Cranley boasts a 6-foot-4 frame and is still quite young for a goaltender. He may never make it to the NHL, but organizational depth in the minor leagues is valuable, and retaining homegrown talent in that role is a necessity.
Cranley’s contract will see him paid $850,000 at the NHL level, with a minor league salary of $95,000, according to Puckpedia. Due to his age and lack of NHL experience, Cranley will become a Group 6 RFA at the end of the 2026-27 season.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — A big smile filled Rod Brind’Amour’s face after he and the Carolina Hurricanes finally reached the Stanley Cup Final, busting through the roadblock that stopped them so many times in his first eight seasons as coach.
“Oh really? That’s surprising,” captain Jordan Staal said. “Just kidding.”
Across the country hours earlier, John Tortorella refused to answer a question about what he was like 22 years ago when he coached Tampa Bay to the Cup. The following day, he was in no mood to compare himself to Brind’Amour.
“No nostalgia, and I’m not talking about the other team,” Tortorella said.
Gruff in that setting, Tortorella is more understanding with Vegas Golden Knights players as their coach, and while he and Brind’Amour differ in age and experience levels, their similarities run far deeper. They are demanding and believe in a lot of the old-school elements of hockey that lead to success in the playoffs.
“John Tortorella, you have to block shots: If you’re not blocking the shot, you will not play,” said Mike Rupp, who played for Tortorella with the New York Rangers from 2011-13. “He doesn’t care who you are. You will not play. It’s the first thing he’ll tell you. I guarantee that the first thing Torts said is ‘You will block shots.’ I’m sure Rod would say the same thing.”
Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin has been around for Brind’Amour’s entire tenure and won Olympic gold with Tortorella on the U.S. coaching staff. That experience gave him a small glimpse of why players he talks to rave about Tortorella.
“Torts was an assistant coach there, so he was fairly quiet, so I don’t know his fully coaching style,” Slavin said. “But I do know he’s passionate about the game. He loves his players.”
Rod Brind’Amour
Two decades ago, Brind’Amour captained Carolina to the Stanley Cup. He played there four more seasons before hanging up his skates in 2010 and worked seven years as an assistant before getting promoted to head coach in 2018.
The Hurricanes have made the playoffs all eight seasons with Brind’Amour in charge and won at least a round every time. This is the furthest they’ve gotten since the ’06 Cup run.
“Roddy’s been unbelievable,” Staal said. “Talk about a guy that will never give up and will always stay with it. It’s been such a pleasure to play in front of him.”
It is not always a pleasure to play Brind’Amour’s style, which relies on being relentless, predictable and pressuring opponents. Not everyone fits the mold, which resembles the way the now 55-year-old conducted himself on the ice over 1,600 NHL games as a two-way center with faceoff prowess.
“Carolina plays to Rod Brind’Amour’s identity,” said retired goaltender Cory Schneider, who like Rupp is now at NHL Network. “He’s got their attention. It’s easy to tune a guy out. Playing that way is not fun all the time. It’s not easy. And these guys still do it for him, so I think that’s a great sign that his message isn’t growing stale and that they still buy in to what he’s preaching.”
John Tortorella
Tortorella is 67 and running a bench for a sixth NHL team. He is only two months into coaching the Golden Knights after the abrupt firing of Bruce Cassidy in late March.
They reeled off seven of eight wins to finish the regular season, with players saying Tortorella helped get their swagger back. Tortorella is enjoying working under general manager Kelly McCrimmon and for owner Bill Foley.
“How lucky am I?” Tortorella said. “Came to know the players better now, found a way to get through the three rounds and now playing for the Stanley Cup, just, I shake myself sometime. I’ve certainly pinched myself. When I wasn’t coaching when the season started to what the second half of the year has brought, I can’t thank the people enough that has given me an opportunity.”
Ray Ferraro, now an ESPN analyst after playing more than 1,300 games from 1984-2002, likened Tortorella’s evolution to parenting. Tortorella has adapted to modern players and what they need.
“I don’t know why anybody would think John would coach the same way as he did in Tampa,” Ferraro said. “The players today, the younger people want to know why. They just told us, ‘Go stand there,’ and you’d be like, ‘I don’t even really know what I’m doing here.’ But that’s what you would do because that’s what you were told. And now there’s so much more detail in the way that the game is coached, and part of that detail is the why.”
Joined by Sean Cuthbert of Hockey Night New York, Mike and Dan run down some topics from around the entire Islanders organization, and discuss the upcoming Stanley Cup final.
While the Islanders have been mostly quiet – aside from one two-way contract and the letting go of yet another power play coach – there has been news from the team’s affiliates. The AHL’s Hamilton Hammers have a new logo that looks perfectly focus grouped and a new coach who we could have sworn was still playing somewhere in the NHL still. Meanwhile, there’s a new ECHL affiliate playing in the tri-state area in the Trenton Ironhawks that have NJ-resident Dan interested (assuming he can get their name right). We also discuss the leak of a Hometown Remix jersey that gets a range of feelings from all of us, some news about captain Anders Lee’s contract talks and Matthew Schaefer’s appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. We close the first half by paying tribute to Claude Lemieux, who passed away last week at the age of 60.
In the second half, we focus in on the Stanley Cup final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes. None of us are pulling for the Canes, who have owned the Islanders for years, or really the Knights, who are the NHL’s preeminent villains. What we really want to see is Vegas’s Mitch Marner win the Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, which would be very, very painful for many, many Maple Leafs fans and give us a ton of content for new editions of Master Leaf Theatre.
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In just their third year of existence, the Florida Panthers did something pretty remarkable.
Led by a grizzled group of veterans and a hot goaltender, the Panthers went on an incredible run during their first ever playoff appearance.
Florida took down the Boston Bruins in just five games to open their playoff run, but then shocked the league when they knocked out the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in six.
The Panthers then found themselves facing off against Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final.
When the series began, the Panthers had some momentum at their back after winning three straight games to close out the Flyers in round two.
Florida used that to their advantage, stunning the Penguins in their home barn and taking Game 1 by a 5-1 final score.
The Penguins went on to win three of the next four games, including a 3-0 victory over Florida in Game 5 at The Igloo.
With the backs against the wall and facing elimination for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Florida found a way to scratch and claw their way to victory in Game 6.
During a back-and-forth third period, the packed Miami Arena broke into a frenzy when Rob Neidermayer banged home a Terry Carkner rebound right off an offensive zone draw, breaking a 3-3 tie with 6:02 to go.
The 4-3 score would hold up, sending the series to a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Pittsburgh.
On that night, June 1, 1996, the Panthers sent shockwaves across the NHL by advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in just their third season.
Unlike in each of the past five games, Florida never trailed during Game 7.
Cats forward Mike Hough put the Panthers on the scoreboard first, finishing off a nice passing play on a 2-on-1 with rookie defenseman Robert Svehla.
That’s how the score remained until the third period, when a shot by Peter Nedved with Pittsburgh on the power play got past John Vanbiesbrouck just 83 seconds into the final frame, tying the score at one.
Just under five minutes later, Florida forward Tom Fitzgerald carried the puck through the neutral zone and, just as he crossed over the Penguins blue line, wound up and fired a slapshot that somehow eluded Pens goalie Tom Barrasso and went into the top of the net.
The surprising goal suddenly put the Panthers in the driver’s seat, and from that point on, they did a good job of limiting the high-powered Penguins offensive opportunities for much of the remainder of the game.
Eventually, Florida did get an insurance goal.
With Bill Lindsay leading the Panthers on a 2-on-1 from their own blue line, the wise winger went wide with the puck, allowing linemate Johan Garpenlov plenty of space in the Penguins zone to set up for a shot.
Eventually, Lindsay slid the puck to Garpenlov, who wound up and fired a one-timer that went off Barrasso’s stick and up in the air, landing over the goal line with just 2:37 to go.
That ignited a celebration that, for many of us at the time, didn’t seem real.
Now for those wondering, the Panthers did touch the Prince of Wales Trophy that night.
Regardless of your feelings on superstitions, it’s a fact that Florida is 0-2 at the Stanley Cup Final after touching the trophy and 2-0 in the Final when keeping a respectful distance.
Getting back to the point at hand, Happy June First, Panthers fans!
Beating the Pens in a Game 7 at the Igloo was a truly extraordinary feat.
For those old enough, I hope you all take a moment to remember where you were and how you felt on this day 30 years ago.
Photo caption: Unknown date, 1996; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Mario Lemieux (66) in action against Florida Panthers forward Johan Garpenlov (29) during the 1996-97 season at Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images
ST CATHARINES, CANADA - MARCH 5: Nikita Klepov #98 of the Saginaw Spirit carries the puck against the Niagara IceDogs during the first period at Meridian Centre on March 5, 2026 in St Catharines, Canada. (Photo by John E. Sokolowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We continue our profile series on 2026 NHL draft prospects today with a look at Nikita Klepov. As the headline states, Klepov is a highly-talented playmaker with elite skill when the puck is on his stick. After bulldozing the OHL this past season, Klepov has set himself up to be drafted very high in this year’s entry draft. Might the Devils be interested in Klepov when they’re on the clock? Let’s dive in and try and determine just that.
Who Is Nikita Klepov?
Nikita Klepov was born on June 27, 2008, making him a relatively young player in this draft. Despite his Russian heritage, and despite growing up in Russia, Klepov was actually born in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to Elite Prospects. Klepov is a lefty-shooting winger, and is listed at 6’0”, 181 pounds.
Per his page on Elite Prospects, Klepov does not have much in the way of trackable numbers from his days playing in Russia. However, Klepov moved to the United States ahead of the 2023-24 hockey season, where he played for the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Knights program for two seasons. In his first taste of North American hockey, Klepov absolutely laid waste to the U15 level while playing for the Knights, posting a bewildering 31 goals and 72 total points in 22 games played. The things you see at the youth level. The next season, 2024-25, saw Klepov make the jump to the USHL, playing for the Sioux City Muskateers. He came way back down to earth thanks to that step up in competition, but Klepov still put up a respectable 12 goals and 31 points in 59 games. He followed this up with a goal and two points in five playoff contests.
This past season was where Klepov really made his move up draft boards. He entered the OHL, playing for the Saginaw Spirit, and in his first year playing at the top level of Canadian junior hockey, Klepov led the entire OHL in scoring with 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games. Saginaw only played four postseason contests this season, but Klepov held up his end of the bargain, posting a goal and five points in those matches.
Klepov has built a track record of production ranging from solid to outrageous over his youth career. And this track record was enough to land him an offer from Michigan State to play in their program. Klepov accepted, so he will continue to play hockey in Lansing come autumn time.
Where Is Klepov Ranked?
#8 by NHL Central Scouting (North American players)
#13 by Sportsnet (Bukala)
#15 by Sportsnet (Constantino)
#16 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
#19 by Daily Faceoff
#20 by TSN (Button)
#21 by McKeen’s Hockey
#25 by THN (Kennedy)
#29 by Smaht Scouting
#44 by The Athletic (Pronman)
What Others Have To Say About Klepov
The first scouting report we’ll look at is from Sam Constantino of Sportsnet. Constantino is among the highest on Klepov in the public sphere, ranking him 15th overall. Here’s what he had to say about the young man:
Klepov is fantastic with the puck on his stick, especially on the power play. He’s ultra-creative and exhibits patience when making plays. He uses elite puck skills along with sneaky-quick feet to buy himself time and space while opening up lanes to release shots, or find others in better areas of the ice. Although he finished just shy of 100 points, Klepov led the entire OHL with 97 points, a rarity for a first-year player in the league.
Get used to hearing about Klepov’s puck skills and offensive hockey sense.
Next, we’ll go to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who has Klepov just behind where Constantino does at 16th overall. Here’s part of his blurb on Klepov:
He sees the ice at a very high level as a passer and has legit power-play skill, blending little fakes and hesitations into his handles to throw defenders off his scent. He also skates well enough, though I wouldn’t call him fast, and creates a ton of entries and high-danger looks with his craft on the puck…it was really positive to see him go to scoring areas, compete and finish more plays for himself at five-on-five this season (he was among the OHL’s leaders in shot and chance creation) instead of defaulting to out-wide playmaking. And while he’s not the most physical player and there are times when I’d like to see him reach in a little less, he doesn’t give up on plays when there’s a puck to be won, he does compete, and he has good sense defensively.
Another scout that is completely sold on Klepov’s playmaking and puck skills. Here we also see mention of his skating, which Wheeler seems to say is about average, though perhaps with above-average shiftiness.
Next, here’s Smaht Scouting, who are lower on Klepov than Constantino or Wheeler, placing him at 29th overall:
Nikita Klepov is a skilled, offense-minded winger whose game is built around puck protection, vision and creativity, but whose skating limitations significantly shape his projection. His stride is noticeably clunky, with poor lower-body connection and balance issues that limit his speed and make him vulnerable in transition, particularly through the neutral zone. To his credit, Klepov is aware of these deficiencies and plays around them well, using strong puck protection, intelligent first touches under pressure, and quick puck movement to get himself into workable space rather than relying on foot speed. In the offensive zone he’s versatile and dangerous, capable of creating from the half wall, drifting off puck to find shooting lanes, or planting himself at the net front, and he flashes high-end vision through his passing in transition and breaking down defensive structures with his passing in the offensive zone. However, his effectiveness drops sharply against heavy, physical pressure, as seen in a game against Windsor, where he struggled to evade forechecks or separate from defenders and found himself continuously knocked off the puck by physical defenders when attempting to create off the rush. While his effort level defensively is solid and his offensive instincts are clear, Klepov remains a space-dependent creator with a nasty shot from distance who can punish teams when given time but currently lacks the skating base to consistently generate that space on his own. Assuming the skating gets better he projects as a solid scoring option in the middle-six who could be a passenger on a top-6 scoring line.
That’s pretty all-encompassing. It’s worth noting how down on Klepov’s skating they are compared to Constantino and Wheeler. Devils fan might also take Klepov off their boards just for the bit about him wilting against “heavy, phyisical pressure” alone. Still, Smaht Scouting does say that Klepov has enough self-awareness and effort to overcome his perceived lack of skating ability, and they also heap a ton of praise on him for his offensive talent and puck skills. We also see another mention (the first coming from Wheeler) of his defensive game, which seems to be solid but far from high-end.
Finally, let’s take a look at the biggest outlier on our list: The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who has Klepov down at 44th overall on his big board. Whereas most everyone else has Klepov in the mid- to late-first round, Pronman has him ranked in the middle of the second round. Here was his breakdown of Klepov:
Klepov is a highly skilled and intelligent winger. He has the ability to run a pro power play and make difficult plays consistently at the next level. He’s a solid skater who can generate chances with pace. His effort level is fine, although he’s not that physically imposing and can be pushed to the outside. He’s talented, with NHL power play and scoring ability, but I’m not sold that his talent is special enough for his average athleticism and effort level to be a full-time player, although he’s on the bubble.
He also graded his skating, hockey sense, and compete as “Average” while grading his puck skills and shot as “Above Average”.
Scouting The Tape
We’ll start with a shift-by-shift video of one of Klepov’s postseason games from this past spring, courtesy of the Youtube channel Prospect Shifts:
We’ll also include a highlight video of some of Klepov’s most impressive plays of the 2025-26 season from Youtube channel HSD Prospects:
My Opinion And Final Thoughts
I can see why Klepov is a tantalizing prospect to many. To my admittedly very amateur eye, he does seem to have an advanced offensive game. Some of the moves he pulls off are great, and the hockey IQ he flashes is genuinely elite. It’s hard not to dream on him becoming the next great scoring winger in the NHL.
I also do see a level of skating that, while not bad per se, needs some work. I do see a heavy stride that could potentially limit him at the next level. And while I do see him actively engaging physically and staying active on the defensive end, it seems to me that it’s more effort than production. In other words, even though I give Klepov credit for putting effort into the less glamourous side of the game, that effort isn’t enough to make him a truly top level defensive winger. But his willingness to grind defensively and in the physical side of the game gives me hope that, in the right hands, he can develop into a good defensive winger someday.
In the end, I’m not quite sure I’d want the Devils to use their 12th overall pick on Klepov if he is available at that slot. The offensive game is strong, and this organization is in desperate need of more offensive talent, but there are enough holes in his game and questions about projectability that make me want to go in a different direction with a pick that high. Now, if he happens to be there when the Devils make their next pick in the second round? Then I’m sprinting up to the podium to make the pick.
Now that I’ve had my say, let’s hear what you think. What do you make of Nikita Klepov? Are you as excited about his offensive talent as other scouts seem to be? If he’s there at 12, would you want the Devils to take him? As always, thanks for reading!
Former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Thomas Vanek was officially inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Vanek was traded to Columbus by Vancouver for Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen, February 26, 2018, to help Columbus with their playoff run that season.
Vanek played in 19 games for the CBJ, scoring 7 goals and totaling 15 points, and having a plus-9 rating. He played 6 games in the first round of the playoffs and had two points.
In the summer of 2018, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings, where he would play in 64 games, and then end his career in the NHL.
Vanek also played for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, and the Vancouver Canucks.
The Austrian native played in various international tournaments for his home country. He played in the World Juniors, World Championships, Olympics, and other various tournaments for the Austrians.
Congrats to Thomas Vanek on his induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
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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In a recent article for ESPN, Rachel Krysak discussed multiple young players who could use a change of scenery. A Buffalo Sabres goaltender was among the players listed, as Devon Levi made the cut.
With Levi dropping to the fourth spot on the Sabres' goalie depth chart and not making an appearance at the NHL level this season, it is certainly fair to argue that he could use a fresh start. There is simply not a path for him to make the jump to the Sabres' roster right now, so it would make sense if the Sabres gave him another opportunity elsewhere.
With Levi being a young goalie with good upside, it is possible that the Sabres could use him in a trade package to land a player who would help them immediately. The 24-year-old goalie was once considered Buffalo's top prospect, after all. Furthermore, with the free-agent market being weak this year when it comes to goalies, that could also lead to interest being high in Levi.
Levi appeared in 52 AHL games this season with the Rochester Americans, posting a 23-20-9 record, a .904 save percentage, a 2.83 goals-against average, and three shutouts. This is after he had a 25-13-4 record, a 2.20 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and seven shutouts in 2024-25 with Rochester.
In 39 career NHL games with the Sabres, Levi has a 17-17-2 record, an .894 save percentage, and a 3.29 goals-against average.
Drafting and developing has often been the best and most cost effective way to build a true Stanley Cup contender, especially in the salary cap era (2005-06 to present).
The Chicago Blackhawks won three Stanley Cup titles after drafting franchise cornerstone players such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. The Pittsburgh Penguins won three titles after drafting Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang.
The Tampa Bay Lightning won two championships after drafting Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat and Victor Hedman.
There are several other examples, too.
This season’s Stanley Cup finalists — the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes — have taken the complete opposite approach to roster construction.
Let’s breakdown some crazy numbers and notes from both of their active rosters ahead of Tuesday night’s Game 1 in Carolina:
The Golden Knights’ Game 1 lineup likely won’t have a single player they drafted in the first round. The Hurricanes have two of their own first-round picks (Andre Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis) on their roster.
Andre Svechnikov (Carolina) is the only player drafted by one of these teams in the top five. Other players, such as Jack Eichel (Vegas), were top-five picks, but they were drafted by other teams.
Sixteen of Vegas’ players, including many of its best players (Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Mark Stone, Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, Rasmus Andersson, etc.) were acquired via trade.
Seven Hurricanes players, including Taylor Hall, captain Jordan Staal, K’Andre Miller and Logan Stankoven, were acquired via trade.
Only two of the Golden Knights’ players — Pavel Dorofeyev and Kaedan Korczak — were drafted by Vegas. Just six of the Hurricanes’ players — Svechnikov, Jarvis, Jackson Blake, Sebastian Aho, Alexander Nikishin and Jaccob Slavin — were drafted by Carolina.
Both starting goalies — Carter Hart (Vegas) and Frederik Andersen (Carolina) — were free agent signings.
Veteran sportswriter Adam Gretz made a great graphic that highlights these two rosters:
How the Stanley Cup Final teams were built.
Only two players selected by either team in the first round. Only one top-5 pick (Svechnikov at No. 2… and oddly enough, Carolina only had the 11th-worst record that year. Big lottery luck). pic.twitter.com/egOKWs3QTm
The Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup team was built heavily on trades, too. The Panthers acquired Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand and Seth Jones in separate trades.
It’s true, to some degree, that the Golden Knights are a bit of a unique case. They greatly benefited from the expansion draft process. They also operate in the state of Nevada, which has zero state income tax, and that’s helpful in terms of signing players to team-friendly contracts. But their overall approach of not overpaying in free agency and making super aggressive (but also smart) trades has been fascinating to watch over the last eight years.
Is there a lesson or a blueprint the Bruins can follow here?
Yes, actually.
Trades are an effective way to build a team. This method of roster construction does carry plenty of risk, especially if you’re trading away first- and second-round picks at a high rate. But if you have good pro scouts and can identify players who will fit your team and can be extended long term (if necessary), it’s possible to build a perennial contender through the trade market.
Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Golden Knights got Jack Eichel and Mark Stone via trades.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney has generally done a good job in his role since taking over in 2015. Drafting and developing has been a challenge for the entire organization during his tenure, though. It’s gotten better in recent years, but overall, the Bruins have not done a good job building through the draft.
Trades are a different story. Sweeney is awesome at making deals. He has won nearly every trade he’s made as Bruins GM, and many of them were home runs. It doesn’t matter if he was a buyer or seller — he almost always knocks it out of the park.
If a team is looking to build a winning roster via trades, Sweeney is a great guy to have in charge. And if you look at the Bruins’ current situation, they absolutely should consider being super aggressive in the trade market this summer.
Why is that?
For starters, the free agent market is pretty weak. Alex Tuch is the only legit top-six forward available. Rasmus Andersson and Darryn Raddysh are the only legit top-four defensemen available, and giving an expensive long-term deal to either player would be a risk considering they’re both 29 years old.
The Bruins have the No. 23 pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. They did not get lucky in the draft lottery and won’t get a first-round pick from the Maple Leafs to complete the Brandon Carlo trade until 2027 or 2028.
That leaves the trade market. And for the first time in a long while, the Bruins are loaded with quality assets to dangle.
They have five first-round picks in the next three drafts. They own all their second-round picks, too. They have several super talented prospects such as James Hagens, Dean Letourneau and Will Zellers. NHLers such as Casey Mittelstadt and Mason Lohrei have value, too.
The Bruins desperately need more high-end talent. They have only one elite forward in David Pastrnak. Every true Cup contender has at least two or three of those players. The B’s have a legit No. 1 defenseman in Charlie McAvoy, but the depth and talent behind him (especially on the right side of the blue line) is not great. The B’s have a great goalie in Jeremy Swayman. That’s one position that doesn’t require substantial improvement.
Boston hasn’t been able to find a real No. 1 center, or even a legit top-six center, since Patrice Bergeon and David Krejci both retired in 2023. Elias Lindholm was supposed to be that kind of player when he signed a seven-year, $54.25 million deal in 2024 free agency, but he has played well below expectations so far. Maybe Hagens becomes a No. 1 center in the near future, but even if that scenario did play out, trading for another top-six center should still be a priority.
The bottom line is the trade market is by far the best way for the Bruins to add the premium talent they need.
Which players could they target? Last week, we looked at seven players the Bruins should consider pursuing, including top-six forwards Robert Thomas, Jason Robertson and Mason McTavish, as well as defensemen Owen Zellweger and Simon Nemec.
Robertson is a 45-goal scorer at left wing and only 26 years old. He would take significant pressure off of Pastrnak. Thomas is a legit No. 1 center and an elite playmaker. He might be a little unrealistic as a target given the crazy high asking price. McTavish might be a less expensive option if he became available.
Zellweger and Nemec are two highly talented young defensemen who could benefit greatly from a change of scenery and/or a larger role.
The Bruins have a good core. Pastrnak, McAvoy and Swayman are franchise pillars. Pavel Zacha was a 30-goal scorer. Morgan Geekie is a very good goal scorer, too. Hampus Lindholm, when healthy, is a solid second-pairing defenseman. Fraser Minten could be a strong two-way center for many years. Hagens has enormous potential.
James Hagens, C, 19 years old
Fraser Minten, C, 21
Morgan Geekie, LW, 27
Jeremy Swayman, G, 27
Charlie McAvoy, D, 28
Pavel Zacha, C/W, 29
David Pastrnak, RW, 29
Elias Lindholm, C, 31
Nikita Zadorov, D, 31
Hampus Lindholm, D, 32
Viktor Arvidsson, LW, 33 (UFA this summer)
There’s a lot to like about the Bruins’ roster. But the lack of elite talent was glaringly obvious during the playoffs, and until that issue gets addressed, the Bruins will likely be a first-round exit kind of team.
The best place for them to make immediate and massive roster additions is the trade market, which is why Sweeney needs to be aggressive this summer.
DENVER, CO - FEBRUARY 26: Colorado Avalanche Alumnus, Claude Lemieux meets with the media prior to the 2016 Coors Light Stadium Series Alumni Game at the Four Seasons Hotel on February 26, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
On Claude Lemieux
NHL legend Claude Lemieux’s family donates his brain to CTE research. “No conclusions should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis,” the family’s statement said. [Montreal Gazette]
Frederik Andersen issues a personal statement on Claude Lemieux. [Carolina Hurricanes]
Martin Brodeur pays tribute to friend and former teammate Claude Lemieux. [Sportsnet]
Claude Lemieux made a career of being there when it mattered. [Toronto Star]
Former NHL player Claude Lemieux passes away at age 60. [TSN]
Avalanche lost Western Conference Final. The Cale Makar injury, offensive issues amount factors. Lackluster power play, inability to hold leads also reasons for elimination. [NHL]
Former NHL star Dennis Hull dead at age 81. [Toronto Sun]
Buffalo’s Konsta Helenius scores the golden goal for Finland at the World Championship, Norway defeats Canada to capture the bronze. [ProHockeyRumors]
The Philadelphia Flyers may not possess the high draft pick needed to help them evolve from a playoff hopeful to a Stanley Cup contender, but they do have a path to trading for one.
After a wildly disappointing season, for their standards, in 2025-26, the Winnipeg Jets own the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, and given the amount of stars they have in their prime years, they may feel obligated to turn such a high pick into an immediate contributor instead of a prospect.
According to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, that's exactly what they could do, particularly at the forward position.
The Flyers are in no position to offer any kind of center, but they do have a plethora of wingers to offer to the Jets, as well as draft capital, which can be flipped for that center after taking a winger from Philadelphia.
Players like Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett, whose 10-team no-trade list kicks in on July 1, make the most sense, though the Flyers may consider Tippett, a former No. 10 pick himself, more valuable than the eighth pick at this time.
In any case, though, the Flyers have more wingers than spots to give, and one or more will eventually have to find a home elsewhere in the NHL.
Provided the Flyers can trade a winger, another roster player, and the 21st overall pick for the eighth overall pick, it would mean a great deal to the rebuild.
The Flyers, of course, need a top-tier center prospect, and with the No. 8 pick, could find themselves in a position to choose between the likes of Tynan Lawrence and Viggo Bjorck.
On defense, 6-foot-4 lefty Malte Gustafsson is an option that can't be ignored, too.
The Jets trading their first-round pick at all will likely depend on how desperate they are, knowing their core is ageing but feeling some pressure to start looking towards the future.
A good number of teams in the NHL, such as the Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers themselves, the Minnesota Wild, the Chicago Blackhawks, and more are looking for top-six centers, and the Jets throwing out a top-10 pick for a few second-liners is likely the only way they can definitively outbid the competition.
If the Flyers are truly committed to stockpiling young, high-skill assets, they will do what they can to make this deal happen by leveraging their cupboard of wingers and draft picks.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Simon Nemec #17 of the New Jersey Devils reacts during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Is there a case to be made for keeping Dougie Hamilton? “He may not be at his pinnacle anymore, but he is a high-end blueliner nonetheless, and, if given the deployment he has had throughout his career, he should be a 50+ point-getter despite the possibility of him playing on the second power-play unit. Sunny Mehta and the Devils sure seem headed to make the right call in keeping No. 7 around.” [Infernal Access]
“In what is conventionally regarded as a weak free agent class, there are three names in particular that the Devils should be keen on if they’re looking to add a third-pair caliber puck-mover in the stead of one of Hamilton or Nemec.” [Devils’ Advocates]
Marty talks here about Claude Lemieux:
"He had such a big heart." ❤️
Martin Brodeur joins the broadcast to chat about the life of teammate and longtime friend Claude Lemieux 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/Q0JOSylmjW
Stan Fischler remembers Claude Lemieux: “If there ever was a New Jersey Devil who deserved the nickname ‘Mister Clutch’ it was Claude Lemieux.” [Devils NHL]
On the Simon Nemec situation: “Perhaps the middle-ground solution would be a cheaper bridge deal, projected at a $4.5 million AAV over two years. You could then try trading Hamilton and elevate Nemec into a surefire top-four opportunity and see what he’s got. On the other hand, if the Devils don’t believe he’ll reach his long-term ceiling (especially defensively), there’s strong merit to the idea of leveraging Nemec as a trade chip while his stock around the league is still high to land the high-end, top-six forward the club needs.” [The Athletic ($)]
Hockey Links
A nightmare Stanley Cup Final if you ask me:
Here’s how both teams in this year’s Stanley Cup Final stack up to one another 👀📊
“Any time a team falls short of expectations, the finger-pointing will inevitably start, and usually that begins with the head coach. Jared Bednar is the second-longest tenured coach in the National Hockey League and guided the Avs to a Cup just a few years ago, but some are wondering if the team needs a new voice after this spring’s disappointment.” [Sportsnet]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 17: Jordan Staal #11 of the Carolina Hurricanes faces off against Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at Lenovo Center on January 17, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The stage is set for the 2026 Stanley Cup now that only Vegas and Carolina remain.
The Hurricanes bulled into the final by dropping Montreal in five games in the Eastern Conference Final. Carolina spotted the Canadiens the first game following a 12-day layoff in between series. Once the Canes got back in with the program, it was just a matter of time until they folded up the Habs based on the domination. Goalie Jakub Dobes put up a heck of a fight to keep some of the games close, by the end there was nothing more he could do to stop the mismatch from ending in a one-sided result.
On the other side of the bracket out west, the process wasn’t as one-sided but the results were perhaps even more shocking for the Golden Knights to sweep away the regular season champ Colorado Avalanche. Vegas won one-goal contests in Games 1-3 (until late empty net goals sealed the deal) and then jumped up 2-0 in Game 4 and held onto win 2-1. Game 3 was probably their finest moment, erasing a 3-0 deficit and coming back to score five unanswered goals to shock Colorado all the way out of it. (In a way, the Avs conference final appearance mirrored the Penguins in ‘13 against the Bruins. A couple close games didn’t go their way, then before they knew what happened the hole got so deep there was no way out).
Vegas sweeps Colorado 4-0
The Knights got better and better as the series went on, outchancing the Avs 46-36 in the final two games.
Three different models see this ultimately this matchup with the exact same result on a 56-44 split in favor of the Hurricanes. It’s hard to argue against the 12-1 path they’ve cut through the Eastern Conference. The gambling market is in close step with that analysis, the Knights at +130 to win is an implied probability of 43.5% (Carolina’s line of -155 is at 60%. That math doesn’t add up to 100%, because no matter what happens the house always wins).
That sounds like a good baseline to think about when trying to predict or analyze this one. Both teams obviously have reason to be confident heading into the final round of the playoffs, either is capable of winning four more games if the next few days/weeks go the right way. The Hurricanes are probably a marginally stronger side on paper, with home ice advantage to boot. Games, of course, won’t be decided on paper so they’ll play them to see what happens.
One area to watch – and potentially challenge previous results – will be what happens with the power play for Vegas. The Golden Knights have a 23.6% power play (2nd best in the playoffs for teams that won a round). That’s going to have to be a difference-maker and will have quite the challenge. Carolina has the penalty kill working to the tune of four goals allowed this playoff on 53 chances (92.5%) and beyond that are yielding 4v5 expected goal rates per 60 in the 3.7-4.2 range in their first three series. By contrast, the Vegas power play has 8.71 actual goals/60 on the power play this playoff to show the stark difference of this strength-on-strength area.
That will put an onus on Mitch Marner (seven power play points this playoff) and Jack Eichel (6 PPP) to create something that can hit the back of the net to throw the games off schedule for what Carolina has been doing this spring. The stars have to shine bright at this time of year, and with how stingy the Hurricanes have been that will be a huge telling point for just how much of a chance the slight underdogs have to make noise.
Both teams have been excellent late when they have a lead, Carolina is 7-0 in the playoffs when leading going into the second intermission, Vegas is 8-0. The Hurricanes have scored first in a shocking 11 out of their 13 games, and are 10-1 when they do take that first lead. The first goal has been important for Vegas, they’re 7-1 in playoff games when they strike first, but still an impressive 5-3 when they trail 1-0.
That too could be a crucial piece of information; the Hurricanes aren’t used to giving up goals while shorthanded and they’re not used to falling behind. Vegas has more experience in terms of dealing with adversity to get to this point, starting with the fact they only won 39 regular season games, had a late coaching change and have had to be in a clawing/survival type of mode for quite a while.
The question becomes is Carolina able to perform so well that they don’t even have to figure out how to deal with falling behind in a game or series? Or can Vegas take advantage of planting some seeds of doubts and putting the Canes in an unaccustomed tough spot?
We’ll shake up the ball a little and say that the Hurricanes won’t cruise to the championship, though there’s a decent possibility that they will. All of their lines are clicking, including the impressive second line of Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake that’s helped push Nik Ehlers into the ‘Phil Kessel type of ’third’ liner’ territory. Carolina is built to suppress their opponents, the missing piece for them has seemingly been found to get enough production to make it count. That means we’ll say that Jordan Staal gets a successful trip back to the SCF, his first since being with the Penguins in 2009.
While the Montreal Canadiens’ defense was much better than last season, it is still plagued by a few big question marks. Kaiden Guhle playing Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final despite being obviously injured was just the latest evidence that Martin St-Louis doesn’t really trust Arber Xhekaj. The fact that Lane Hutson played the entirety of the playoffs on his off-side is further proof that the Canadiens still need a right-shot defenseman, even if it’s only a depth one. There’s also the fact that neither Xhekaj nor Jayden Struble can establish themselves as regulars, which is also a concern.
Xhekaj is the only defenseman who needs a new contract for this upcoming season; he’s an RFA with arbitration rights. His qualifying offer stands at 1.3 million, and there’s no doubt that the Canadiens will qualify him. However, it’s far from certain that he will still be in Montreal when the next season starts.
While the gritty defenseman brings a physical element his teammates can't, St-Louis has shown time and again that he doesn’t really like that side of play, and that even if Xhekaj has adapted to the coach’s preferred style, the bench boss doesn’t really trust him. In his last game, number 72 spent less than two minutes on the ice. On a Stanley Cup-winning team, no defenseman spends so little time on the ice. It’s not sustainable for the other five defensemen to shoulder an increased workload because the coach essentially only trusts them.
Dylan McIlrath lays a BIG hit on Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj comes FLYING in to take exception 😳👊 pic.twitter.com/UBH7G85Fr1
If the coach isn’t going to use him, it may be tempting for Kent Hughes to use him in a deal to fill another organizational need. Despite not playing that much, there is little doubt that there would be interest in him on the market; his toughness would be attractive to many teams.
The Canadiens also need a right-shot defenseman. While Hutson has proven that he can play on his off-side if needed, that’s not putting him in the best position to succeed. It would make sense for the Habs to get another right-shot defenseman. Of course, they do have David Reinbacher in their system, but the fifth overall pick at the 2023 draft has been dealing with so many injuries that his development has been affected. Will he be ready to make the jump in the NHL this coming season? It remains to be seen.
While prospect Bryce Pickford has been dominant in the WHL this year, it doesn’t guarantee that his game could eventually translate to the NHL. We’ll get a better idea of what he can really do when he plays in the AHL in 2026-27.
There are also some question marks around Guhle. The defenseman has had a roller-coaster season, with just as many highs and lows. When he’s at his best, he’s a great part of the team, but consistency is an issue. Furthermore, he’s also often injured, and it’s hard to build a team around a piece that will only be there part-time. If the Canadiens do decide to hang on to the defensive defenseman, they have to plan for safe backup options. A seventh defenseman who won’t be a liability on the ice and will be able to shoulder the load when the Albertan is sidelined. Adam Engstrom is knocking on the door, but he doesn’t have the physicality Guhle has.
It’s June! It must be Stanley Cup Final season. That’ll kick off tomorrow with the Hurricanes and Knights. And check back later this morning for the latest Islanders Anxiety podcast, with Sean Cuthbert joining Dan and Mike.
Islanders News
The Islanders named former NHL defenseman and successful OHL coach Jay McKee to lead their AHL affiliate in Hamilton. [Isles]
And at the NHL level, Pete DeBoer feels “ahead of the curve” for next season since he was able to join and see the team before the end of this past season. [Isles]
The latest Weird Islanders podcast covered a murderer’s row of mostly forgotten, short-time goalies. [LHH]
Reviewing the many Long Island-roots NHL players from this season and playoffs. [News]
Elsewhere
Rod Brind’Amour demands a consistent brand of Hurricanes berserker hockey and he’s fortunate to have dressing room leaders who make sure new players follow along. [NHL]
And after his “low point” in Buffalo, Jack Eichel is feeling grateful for a shot at a second Cup just a few months after getting an Olympic gold. [NHL]
Frederik Andersen, one of Claude Lemieux’s first clients once he became an agent, reflected on the ice after advancing to the finals 48 hours after Lemieux’s death. [Post]
At the Worlds, Canada missed out on bronze by losing to…Norway? [Sportsnet]
Bob Frid-Imagn Images
