Don't look now, but John Tortorella is becoming a legitimate option for the Edmonton Oilers as the team's next head coach in 2026-27.

Hired with just eight games remaining on the Golden Knights' regular season schedule, Tortorella has come into Vegas and done nothing short of hitting a home run with a team that was already headed to the playoffs, but wasn't really seen as a legitimate Cup contender. That "non-contender" just swept the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in four games to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. 

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What's so interesting about that? Well, Torts doesn't have a job commitment for next season and his contract expires on June 30th. Even more fascinating is that the Golden Knights, despite their succes with Tortorella behind the bench, might go a different route next season. 

Elliotte Friedman noted on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast that he’s still of the belief that Vegas had no intentions of keeping Tortorella beyond this playoff run. Ryan Craig, who is the head coach for the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League, was pegged as the favorite to take over behind the bench.

Perhaps this run will change the way Vegas sees things playing out, but if they choose not to pivot their thinking and Tortorella is a one-and-done, expect the Edmonton Oilers to seek a chance to talk to Torts about the coaching position. 

Just a few weeks ago, most would have called any theory linking Tortorella to the Edmonton unlikely. Since then, Bruce Cassidy has been unavailable for an interview and he may not ever be given permission. Torts has strung together and impressive run with Vegas, making sure everyone is reminded that he's got the magic touch, as polarizing as he can be.

Friedman said, “What do you do here? Tortorella’s contract is up on June 30th. If Vegas isn’t extending him, we know Edmonton is waiting.” He added, “Maybe it’s not the Oilers, but somebody’s going to be looking at this and saying ‘Hey, if Vegas doesn’t want him, we’ll gladly take him.”

Should Vegas' Success Under Tortorella Shift Oilers Thinking About Cassidy?Vegas’ sudden resurgence under John Tortorella raises red flags for Edmonton. As the Oilers wait on their top target, one scribe argues the Golden Knights’ turnaround suggests Cassidy might have lost the room.

The NHL insider has a point. Torts is not everyone's cup of tea, but you can't deny his effectiveness in short bursts. For Edmonton, that's what this team needs. It's not about the long game for the Oilers. They want to win and they need to do it now. Their window is closing and the person they hire to coach a team that has elite stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl -- but also a group that doesn't have the greatest depth -- must find another gear. Tortorella can potentially get that out of this group. 

And, Vegas, unless they re-sign him, can't do anything to stop it after June 30th.

Kyle Bukauskas added, “I wonder if it’s more so teams in a similar situation to Vegas and definitely in win now mode as opposed to one that’s in a different stage of their cycle because it’s pretty clear right now at this stage of Tortorella’s career, coaching teams in that mode seems to line up with his style and philosophies.”

If Tortorella isn't offered the keys to the car in Vegas after this run, you can bet a team will jump on the chance to hire him while he's hot. Why not Edmonton?

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The Montreal Canadiens have lost the last two games, a first in these playoffs. If they were to lose a third consecutive game against the Carolina Hurricanes, they would find themselves in too deep a hole to climb out of. On Tuesday, Martin St-Louis understandably decided to keep his men off the ice. At this stage, they’ve seen more than enough action. It was time to look back on the last two games, reflect, and react.

Flushing away the defeat when there’s nothing you can learn from them makes sense, but after the last two games, there was plenty to learn from. There’s no doubt the coach and his assistants have been busy in the video room, dissecting the Hurricanes' play and passing that knowledge on to the players. Still, ultimately, it’s up to the players to execute and follow the instructions.

Canadiens’ Suzuki Must Lead The Way
Former Canadiens Blueliner On The Lesson A Legend Taught Him
Hutson Took The Blame For The Canadiens’ Overtime Loss

Historically, the team that leads 2-1 in a best-of-seven series has won it 69% of the time (402-180), so the odds aren’t favorable to Montreal right now, but those are just odds. Carolina has an 11-10 (.524) record in Game 4 while playing on the road, while the Canadiens have a 19-29 (.396) record in Game 4 playing at home. Down 2-1 in a series, Montreal hasn’t fared well historically; they are 8-21 (.276) overall and 6-11 (.353) when they started the series on the road.

If the Canadiens are to come out on top in Game 4, they’ll have to find a way to overcome the Hurricanes' forecheck and be able to execute good zone exits. In Game 3, they struggled to even get to the red line, which cannot happen tonight. The Habs have got to make their reads faster and make the right decisions in a split second. Entering the zone in possession has been a challenge, so it’s time to put the puck in deep, in the right area and come in at speed to retrieve it. In Game 3, Josh Anderson surprised Frederik Andersen while playing the puck behind the net and dispossessed him. That’s what Montreal needs to do more often, not just on the goalie but on their defensemen as well.

On Wednesday, goaltender Jakub Dobes is turning 25; the best gift his teammates could give him is some offensive support. The Czech netminder has been great in this series and has multiplied the important saves, but it’s not up to him to score the goals. He did get an assist on the game-tying goal on Monday, but that’s as far as it can go for him.

Whichever way you look at it, the Sainte-Flanelle’s forwards have got to step up. None of them found the back of the net on Monday, and that’s rarely a recipe for success. It’s not like they’ve never been able to produce against the Canes. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov all had five points in three games in the regular season against Carolina, and they all got on the scoresheet in Game 1.

It might be time for St-Louis to mix up his lines to spread his attack around. Putting Slafkovsky on the second line with Alex Newhook and Demidov could be an interesting combination. Putting another big body on the first line to fill the power forward’s spot would make sense. Zach Bolduc could be an interesting candidate. He brings speed, and he’s not afraid to throw his body around; he could be good in puck retrieval to feed Suzuki and Caufield.

At this stage, much is about having confidence and the right attitude. Montreal must come out strong and show Carolina that they won’t let them rule the game on Wednesday night. They must push back right away and show that they are still alive and kicking.

It will be interesting to see who the Canadiens use as a torchbearer tonight. So far, Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Chris Nilan, Kirk Muller, Guy Carbonneau, Larry Robinson and Claude Lemieux have fired up the crowd ahead of the game.

Just like Monday, the duel is set for 8:00 PM, and you can catch it on CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, and HBO MAX. Chris Rooney and Graham Skilliter will be officiating, while Ryan Daisy and Devin Berg will be the linemen. Now that the Vegas Golden Knights have swept the Colorado Avalanche, John Tortorella’s team will no doubt be paying attention to proceedings as they prepare for the Stanley Cup Final.

Just like the Habs, the referees will have to be better tonight. They weren’t responsible for the Canadiens’ loss in Game 3, but their performance left a lot to be desired with missed calls on both sides. A blatant trip on Lane Hutson went uncalled in overtime, and minutes later, Montreal should have been called for too-many-men, but they let that go as well. Two wrongs do not make a right, and it would be refreshing if the referees' work could go unnoticed tonight, as it should.

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The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens will square off for the fourth time in the Eastern Conference Final at Bell Centre on Wednesday night, as they Canes will look to push the Habs to the brink while Montreal will try to even the series heading back to Raleigh for Game 5.

The Hurricanes have successfully shaken off a humiliatingly bad performance in Game 1 that left us all to wonder if the issues plaguing them in the third round were more intrinsic than a result of playing historically strong Florida Panther teams perfectly built to beat them.

Nikolaj Ehlers’ overtime heroics in Game 2 followed by those of Andrei Svechnikov in Game 3 have made this unquestionably the most successful season the franchise has had since 2006, and a sixth-straight road playoff win on Wednesday would have them one win away from a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

These wins have not come easily, even as the territorial dominance that delivered them has. The Canadiens have mustered just 25 shots total across the past eight periods of play, and there is no reason to believe a reversal in the flow of the game and puck possession is coming on Wednesday.

That means Frederik Andersen, who will certainly have the crease again, will have to be sharp and ready for the few high-danger chances Montreal will inevitably generate, as they remain lethal on the counter-attack and have the high-end talent to win a game on the power play if given enough man advantages.

Carolina will have to play another disciplined game and continue to lean on Montreal by playing physically and tilting the ice. If goaltender Jakub Dobes slips even a little bit, the Hurricanes could ride an early 2-0 edge to a blowout win that would likely break the Canadiens’ spirit.

But through six meetings between the teams this year, Carolina has proven unable to muster such a result. We still have not seen the Hurricanes deliver a true A-plus performance this postseason, especially offensively.

Is one coming tonight, or will Montreal be able to dig deep and do enough to get the series back even? The Vegas Golden Knights are through in the Western Conference and awaiting a Stanley Cup Final opponent. How long will they be waiting?

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Here’s how to check out the action…

Time: 8:00 PM EST

TV/Streaming: TNT/TruTV/HBO Max

Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Odds: Hurricanes -150 ML, Hurricanes -1.5 +172, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Kyle Dubas has a busy offseason ahead for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and when it comes to potential returning players Egor Chinakhov is probably going to be near the top of the list. Now that Evgeni Malkin is officially re-signed, Chinakhov probably jumps to the top of the list.

Chinakhov was a mid-season addition from the Columbus Blue Jackets, arriving in Pittsburgh with enormous talent but inconsistent results. Things simply did not work out for him in Columbus, and the Penguins were there to roll the dice on him, sending two draft picks and Danton Heinen the other way.

It turned out to be one of the best, most impactful moves that Dubas made in what was already a fantastic year for him.

Immediately upon his arrival in Pittsburgh, Chinakhov started to play like the top-line winger the Blue Jackets had hoped he would be.

He scored 18 goals with 18 assists (36 total points) in 43 games with the Penguins, bringing his full-season total to 21 goals, 21 assists and 42 total points across both teams.

It was his performance with the Penguins that opened the most eyes and put him on the map.

While he struggled to generate offense in the playoffs, his play in the second half of the regular season at least made him a must-keep player for the upcoming season. Especially given how good he showed himself to be away from the puck and as a playmaker. He was not just a one-trick pony ripping wrist shots and feasting on a high shooting percentage. He made the people around him better and made plays all over the ice.

Now the Penguins have to figure out a new contract for him given that he is set to be a restricted free agent. The Penguins have more salary cap space than any other team in the NHL this offseason, so money is not going to be an issue. It is just a matter of how much money it is going to take and what that contract is eventually going to look like.

I have some ideas.

I went back over the past 10 years and tried to pick out some comparable players and situations to get a sense of what those deals have looked like.

I was not only trying to find players at a similar age and production level to what Chinakhov has done, but also players that were facing a similar contract situation. What I mean by that is, players that are restricted free agents, but have already signed at least one bridge deal as an RFA. In other words: Not players coming off an entry-level contract.

Here are some of the players that I found:

Player	Games Played At Signing	Career Goals At Signing	Goals/Game	Career Points At Signing	Points/Game	RFA Year Goals	RFA Year Points	Contract	Percentage Of Salary Cap
Jared McCann	427	93	.218	205	.480	27	50	5 years $25 million ($5.0)	6.06
Casey Mittelstadt	357	66	.185	196	.549	18	57	3 years $17.25 million ($5.75)	6.53
Joel Eriksson Ek	266	43	.162	96	.361	19	30	8 years $42 million ($5.25)	6.44
Artturi Lehkonen	412	80	.194	158	.383	19	38	5 years $22.5 million ($4.5)	5.45
Pavel Buchnevich	301	79	.262	195	.648	20	48	4 years $28 million ($5.8)	7.12
Egor Chinakhov	247	55	.223	113	.457	21	42	?	?

In terms of production and age, I am not sure these numbers are that far off. Maybe you want to argue that Chinakhov’s upside is a little higher than some of these guys, but how much is that worth in a contract negotiation? Do the Penguins want to gamble and go longer-term? Does Chinakhov want to gamble on himself and take a shorter-term deal in the hopes he can prove his second half wasn’t a fluke and try to cash in on the open market in a year or two?

But in terms of dollars and cap space, these guys signed contracts that were all between 5.4 and 7.1 percent of the salary cap.

In terms of this year’s cap, you are looking at a range of $5.6 million on the low end and $7.4 million on the high end.

Given that Chinakhov is coming off a bridge contract that paid him $2.1 million, and given the season he had, and given the rise in the salary cap, none of that seems totally unreasonable.

Three years, $20 million?

Four years $26-$28 million?

Does something like that interest you?

In some ways it is a tough situation. You want to keep him. You want to believe in what you saw in the second half, and there is good reason to do so. But there is still a mystery on what his upside and consistent level of production is going to be.

Either way somebody here is going to be taking a gamble. Either the Penguins on signing a player that is still a bit of an unknown, or Chinakhov betting (or not betting) on himself.

Back in 2020, during their rebuild, the Ottawa Senators famously held three picks in the first round of the NHL Draft. But it wasn’t the first time Ottawa had three first-round selections, nor was it their first rebuild.

This year’s NHL Draft marks the 15th anniversary of the 2011 Draft, when the Senators also owned three first-round picks. Before we look back at how those selections turned out, let’s dig into the The Hockey News archives and revisit how people viewed the Senators at the time, leading into that draft.

The team was being run by general manager Bryan Murray, who had just hired Paul MacLean as the club’s new head coach.

From The Hockey News Archive, June 2011

SWINGING SENATORS

A TEAM THAT CAME within three wins of the Stanley Cup four years ago has completely bottomed out. Now the Ottawa Senators must set about reclaiming their perch as one of the most consistent performers in hockey by developing the young players in their system and making good on the bundle of draft picks they’ve collected.

SHORT-TERM NEEDS: Firm direction and a truckload of patience, two essential elements in pulling off a rebuild. Goaltending had been a black hole for the Sens before pending UFA Craig Anderson brought some hope to the cause via a mid-February trade, but the real optimism rests with 19-year-old Swedish protégé Robin Lehner.

LONG-TERM NEEDS: Daniel Alfredsson is the all-time face of the franchise, but he’ll turn 39 halfway through next season. Jason Spezza is a big, wonderfully talented center, but he has yet to assume the mantle of go-to guy. This team desperately needs high-quality forwards and it will get a chance to draft some with 12 total picks in 2011, including five in the first two rounds.

CAP SITUATION: The great purge of 2010-11 has left the team with almost $17 million in cap space for next season, which can be put to some good use adding scoring depth to a team that finished 29th in offense.

IN THE SYSTEM 2011-12: A cluster of forwards, Zack Smith, Bobby Butler, Erik Condra, Colin Greening, Jim O’Brien, got NHL playing time with all the bodies cleared out of Ottawa. They’ll get a shot to prove they’re legit big-leaguers next fall, as will towering blueliner Jared Cowen. 2012-13: Top prospect David Rundblad already plays against men in Sweden and fellow D-man Patrick Wiercioch will be close after another year in the AHL.

DRAFT TENDENCIES: Until this season, trading picks away. The Sens had just four total selections last year, the same paltry total they had in 2007. As demonstrated by the void of tantalizing forwards, Ottawa’s recent hits tend to be with D-men and goalies. - R.D.

Also from the Draft Preview in The Hockey News from 2011, let's take a look at how the THN rankings shaped up with the Senators’ actual first round draft class at 6, 21, and 24.

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (THN Rank: 1) — Edmonton Oilers
2. Gabriel Landeskog (THN Rank: 3) — Colorado Avalanche
3. Jonathan Huberdeau (THN Rank: 5) — Florida Panthers
4. Adam Larsson (THN Rank: 2) — New Jersey Devils
5. Ryan Strome (THN Rank: 6) — New York Islanders
6. Mika Zibanejad (THN Rank: 11) — Ottawa Senators
7. Mark Scheifele (THN Rank: 41) — Winnipeg Jets
8. Sean Couturier (THN Rank: 4) — Philadelphia Flyers
9. Dougie Hamilton (THN Rank: 10) — Boston Bruins
10. Jonas Brodin (THN Rank: 22) — Minnesota Wild
11. Duncan Siemens (THN Rank: 12) — Colorado Avalanche
12. Ryan Murphy (THN Rank: 7) — Carolina Hurricanes
13. Sven Bartschi (THN Rank: 8) — Calgary Flames
14. Jamie Oleksiak (THN Rank: 17) — Dallas Stars
15. J.T. Miller (THN Rank: 59) — New York Rangers
16. Joel Armia (THN Rank: 15) — Buffalo Sabres
17. Nathan Beaulieu (THN Rank: 18) — Montreal Canadiens
18. Mark McNeill (THN Rank: 16) — Chicago Blackhawks
19. Oscar Klefbom (THN Rank: 37) — Edmonton Oilers
20. Connor Murphy (THN Rank: 55) — Phoenix Coyotes
21. Stefan Noesen (THN Rank: 39) — Ottawa Senators
22. Tyler Biggs (THN Rank: 20) — Toronto Maple Leafs
23. Joe Morrow (THN Rank: 34) — Pittsburgh Penguins
24. Matt Puempel (THN Rank: 21) — Ottawa Senators
25. Stuart Percy (THN Rank: 70) — Toronto Maple Leafs
26. Phillip Danault (THN Rank: 31) — Chicago Blackhawks
27. Vladislav Namestnikov ((THN Rank: 36) — Tampa Bay Lightning
28. Zack Phillips (THN Rank: 9) — Minnesota Wild
29. Nicklas Jensen (THN Rank: 19) — Vancouver Canucks
30. Rickard Rakell (THN Rank: 25) — Anaheim Ducks

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In 2020, the Senators held the third, fifth, and 28th overall selections and came away with Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, and Ridly Greig.

It didn’t go quite as well in 2011, partly because the picks weren’t nearly as high. Ottawa selected sixth, 21st, and 24th overall.

The Senators did fairly well with their first pick, selecting Swedish center Mika Zibanejad sixth overall.

Five years after his draft day, and 281 games with the Senators, Ottawa traded Zibanejad to the New York Rangers, where he eventually blossomed into a star on Broadway.

In hindsight, Mark Scheifele, taken one pick later by the Winnipeg Jets, would probably have been the slightly better choice, but not by a ton. The pick was fine. The lack of patience with the player was not. Zibanejad has gone on to better things as a core piece of the Rangers over the past decade, hitting 1000 games this season. 

Things began to thin out once the first round reached the half way point and can you can see based on pre-draft rankings, how unpredictable it became. 

At 21st overall, the Senators selected Stefan Noesen, which was considered a bit of a reach according to The Hockey News, which had him ranked 39th. Noesen didn’t last long in Ottawa, and never played here, as he was later included in the 2013 trade that brought Bobby Ryan over from the Anaheim Ducks.

Noesen took a long time to establish himself as an NHL player, but over the past four seasons he has become a dependable forward. This season, however, was largely a write off. Injuries limited the New Jersey Devils winger to just seven points in 38 games. The year before, he had reached career highs hitting the 20 goal, 40 point mark for the first time.

Finally, at 24th overall, the Senators selected Matt Puempel, whom The Hockey News had ranked 21st. After being drafted, Puempel spent two more seasons in the OHL and nearly two more years with the Binghamton Senators before beginning to get NHL opportunities.

Over parts of three seasons with Ottawa, Puempel played 52 games, but never came close to recapturing his junior scoring touch. In November 2016, the Senators placed him on waivers and he was claimed by the Rangers.

One month later, he enjoyed probably the highlight of his NHL career, recording a hat trick in a Rangers win over Arizona. But that proved to be the peak of his time in the league.

After several seasons overseas in Sweden and Germany, Puempel announced his retirement from pro hockey last month. He has since become the head coach and general manager of the Essex 73's in the PCJHL near his hometown of Windsor, Ontario.

Matt Puempel (@mpuempel) has announced his retirement from professional hockey.

After two stellar seasons with the Peterborough Petes, including OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year honours in 2010, Matt was selected by the Ottawa @Senators in the first round of the 2011 @NHL Entry… pic.twitter.com/owoWeCE7hP

— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) April 18, 2026

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

Report: Senators Winger Claude Giroux Makes His Decision On Playing Next SeasonAccording to Pierre LeBrun, the veteran forward has committed to a 19th NHL season. With free agency looming July 1st, now it's up to the Senators.

The Columbus Blue Jackets found out where they would land in the upcoming NHL Draft, and to no one's surprise, they didn't win the lottery. For the second straight year, they will pick #14, and for the second straight year, they might actually get lucky. 

Welcome to draft speculation season, where we will talk about all the potential draft targets for the CBJ. Could someone fall to them at #14, or will they reach for a player who is projected to be lower? Who know, but it's fun to speculate.

So, here we go. 

Target: Caleb Malhotra - Toronto, ON, CAN

Height/Weight: 6'1.75" - 185 lbs. 

2026 Team: Boston University - NCAA

Position: Left Shot Forward

2025-26 Stats With The Brantford Bulldogs of The OHL: 84 points in 67 games. He also had 26 points in 15 playoff games. 

THN Ranking: 5th - Kennedy; 15th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 6th among North American Skaters.

What Scouts Have Seen

• Elite Hockey IQ & Playmaking - Malhotra’s greatest attribute is his advanced mind for the game. Scouts consistently praise his high-end spatial awareness, patience, and puck-manipulation skills. He is highly deceptive, frequently freezing defenders with shoulder fakes, posture shifts, and eye manipulation before slicing open defenses with precise passes. He controls the pace of play, slowing it down to his liking and excelling under intense pressure. 
• Complete 200-Foot Game - Unlike many high-scoring junior players, Malhotra operates as a reliable, detailed defensive presence. He is comfortable matching up against opponents’ top lines in a shutdown role, winning hard puck battles in the dirty areas, and taking care of his own zone with structured stick detail. His combination of effort and defensive responsibility has drawn favorable style comparisons to Jonathan Toews from some talent evaluators.
• Power & Playoff Driver - Malhotra’s stock soared in the second half of the year. When games grew tighter in the OHL playoffs, he took over Brantford's offense as a dual-threat asset, using an increasingly accurate shot to complement his primary pass-first instinct. He has a relentless motor and constantly driving attacks toward the inside of the ice.

Weaknesses & Areas for Development

• Physical Strength: While he possesses an ideal 6'2" frame, he is still relatively lean and needs to add muscle mass to compete with NHL-sized centers.
• Shot Power: While accurate, his release does not yet carry elite velocity and will require mechanical refinement as he matures.
• Skating Mechanics: Though he has good top-end elusive speed, his overall stride is a work in progress and can still look a bit rigid.

What Scouts Are Saying

DobberProspects - "Caleb Malhotra has NHL bloodlines; he is the son of former NHL player Manny Malhotra, and he is showing that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Caleb has been a standout player for the Brantford Bulldogs early in the 2025-26 season, showcasing his abilities across the entire 200 feet of the ice surface with sound defense and high-energy offense. He is a high-end two-way centre who looks to hear his name called on the first day of the 2026 NHL Draft."

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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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On Tuesday night, the Colorado Avalanche were eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. 

Colorado's elimination does have an impact on the New York Islanders, given that they traded the 2026 first-round pick they acquired from the Avalanche in the Brock Nelson deal to the St. Louis Blues in their 2026 NHL Trade Deadline deal for Brayden Schenn. 

At the time, that pick wasn't known, but now we know it will be No. 29. 

Here are the last 10 players to be selected with the 29th overall pick:

2025: Mason West — Chicago Blackhawks

2024: Emil Hemming — Dallas Stars

2023: Theo Lindstein — St. Louis Blues

2022: Maveric Lamoureux — Arizona Coyotes

2021: Chaz Lucius — Winnipeg Jets

2020: Brendan Brisson — Vegas Golden Knights

2019: Brayden Tracey — Anaheim Ducks

2018: Rasmus Sandin — Toronto Maple Leafs

2017: Henri Jokiharju — Chicago Blackhawks

2016: Trent Frederic — Boston Bruins

Does this change the way you view the Schenn deal?

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

On a potential Nico Hischier contract extension: “All things being equal, it would appear an extension is the most likely outcome, but things are at an early and delicate stage.” [The Athletic ($)]

“Hischier will be 28 before playing a game on a new deal and he has made 22 playoff appearances. Of course he wants to hear the roadmap to more success. There’s no denying the team has an excellent core, which he is aware of, and Mehta’s winning pedigree should have Hischier confident the front office can make the right moves. I don’t envision this negotiation being much of a struggle, and expect the captain to sign a lucrative extension before reporting to training camp in September.” [Infernal Access]

“Trading Nemec may make the most sense because if he returns to the Devils and struggles as he has the last two seasons, his trade value will plummet. And with the Devils needing some scoring help, Nemec may be their best trade asset. We’ll see what GM Sunny Mehta and the Devils decide to do.” [Devils on the Rush]

Hockey Links

The Golden Knights are on to the Stanley Cup Final:

ANOTHER SHOWTIME ON THE STRIP!!! 🤩

The @GoldenKnights are heading to the #StanleyCup Final!

Presented by @NavyFederalpic.twitter.com/tQYfAv7iiW

— NHL (@NHL) May 27, 2026

The Hurricanes take Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final:

CAROLINA TAKES GAME 3 🔴⚫ #StanleyCup

Game 4 between the @Canes and @CanadiensMTL is Wednesday at 8p ET on @NHL_On_TNT, @Sportsnet, & @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/fF0TE5PanA

— NHL (@NHL) May 26, 2026

Evgeni Malkin will return to the Penguins:

Evgeni Malkin is returning to the Penguins for his 21st season with the team. He’s signing a one-year, $5.5M extension.

(per @reporterchris) pic.twitter.com/vDwb6jvwli

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 26, 2026

A look at the top remaining free agents in this summer’s class: [Sportsnet]

“Maple Leafs forward Max Domi is out indefinitely after complications arose during an offseason surgery. Toronto announced the news Monday and shared that Domi — who played through his undisclosed ailment during the 2025-26 regular season — will continue to work with the club’s medical staff until being reevaluated ahead of training camp in September.” [ESPN]

“Veteran forward Claude Giroux is looking to come back for a 20th NHL season this fall, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports. Giroux is a pending unrestricted free agent after spending the past four years with the Ottawa Senators. He said after Ottawa’s first-round playoff exit last month he would need time to weigh his future, but it appears he’s not ready to hang up his skates just yet.” [TSN]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Just over a year after being fired by the Philadelphia Flyers, John Tortorella has already done several things many thought impossible.

Tortorella, 67, hopped out of the ESPN booth and behind the bench, taking over for Bruce Cassidy as head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The result was a 7-0-1 finish to the regular season, and now a scintillating run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

At the time of Tortorella's hiring by the Golden Knights, many were concerned about the fit with former Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, given the public's general view of Marner as a "soft" player who ran from the spotlight.

Instead, Marner is the playoffs' leading scorer with seven goals, 14 assists, and 21 points in just 16 games, with teammate Jack Eichel right behind with his 18 points in 16 games.

One Potential Flyers Free Agent Target Nobody Is Talking AboutThe Philadelphia Flyers should have star defenseman Rasmus Andersson on their NHL free agency shortlist this summer.

Even in Philadelphia with the Flyers, Tortorella made things work with Matvei Michkov, even if there were battles and benchings along the way.

In Vegas, Tortorella has also been reunited with former Flyers goalie Carter Hart, whose sudden departure to tend to the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case in 2024 was something Tortorella pointed to as the team crumbled in the months that followed.

After being found not guilty of the sexual assault charge and serving a suspension levied by the NHL, Hart has returned to form under his old Flyers coach, leading all goalies who have played past the first round with a .924 save percentage and a 12-4-0 record.

Now in the Stanley Cup Final, Tortorella, Hart, and the Golden Knights await the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens series.

One week ago, the Colorado Avalanche looked like they were cruising toward another deep playoff run. Now they’re heading home earlier than anyone expected after getting swept out of the Western Conference Final by the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Avalanche fell 2-1 in Game 4 on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, completing a four-game series win for Vegas that few people saw coming given how the playoffs started for Colorado.

This was supposed to be the year Colorado pushed all the way. They opened the season on an incredible 31-2-7 run, rolled through the first two rounds of the playoffs, and entered this series as one of the clear favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Instead, everything came apart in just over a week.

Vegas, meanwhile, found its rhythm at exactly the right time. A team that was fighting just to stay in the playoff picture late in the regular season ended up completely controlling the series and punching its ticket back to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Game

It was a cautious start by both teams but Vegas got on the board first as Mark Stone got behind the defense just under five minutes into the game. It was one of their first shots on goal and Mackenzie Blackwood settled into the net from that point forward. Still, Vegas took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission after a fairly balanced first period.

In the second the Avalanche couldn’t get much going and fired only six shots on goal despite earning a power play and then controlling play for a little while after. Vegas also didn’t score and had a power play themselves. A 1-0 Vegas lead wasn’t insurmountable at that point after 40 minutes of play.

The third period was a continuation of the first but both teams weren’t generating much offense. Vegas got the crucial second goal, though from Coke Smith. From that point on they could lock down the game. Gabe Landeskog gave Colorado a glimmer of hope with three minutes to go and cut the lead but they never could find the equalizer. A sweep, a completely collapse and a final 2-1 loss.

A Series That Got Away From Colorado Fast

Game 4 summed up the series pretty well. Vegas struck early when Mark Stone got behind the defense and scored on a breakaway just a few minutes into the first period.

Colorado goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, making his first start of the series, kept things from getting out of hand early. He made several big saves and was probably the reason the game stayed close as long as it did. This series was never about goaltending, though.

But offensively, Colorado just never really found its footing.

There were long stretches where the Avalanche couldn’t generate much of anything. At one point, they went nearly 30 minutes of game time with just one shot on goal. For a team that’s built around speed and scoring, that’s a tough stat to explain.

Injuries, Pressure, and a Quiet Offensive Struggle

It’s worth noting the Avalanche weren’t at full strength. Nathan MacKinnon played through an injury he picked up in Game 3, and Valeri Nichushkin was out after getting hurt earlier in the series. Other key players like Cale Makar and Artturi Lehkonen also weren’t at 100%.

Still, even with that context, this was a tough series for Colorado’s offense overall.

They weren’t able to consistently break through Vegas’ defensive structure, which clogged up the middle of the ice and made it hard to create clean chances. That part isn’t surprising — Vegas has been doing that to teams all postseason — but the extent of the struggle definitely was.

And honestly, the overall effort in Game 4 will be hard to ignore. For a team with this much talent, it just wasn’t there often enough when it mattered.

A Painful Finish to a Promising Season

The Avalanche had built a reputation this season for being nearly unbeatable in certain situations. Before Game 2 of this series, they were 45-0 when leading after two periods. Before Game 3, they were 52-0 when leading by multiple goals.

But those numbers didn’t matter once the series got away from them.

Game by game, Vegas chipped away at their confidence. Colorado had leads slip away, momentum disappear, and eventually just couldn’t recover.

Last year ended in heartbreak too, but this year feels different — more abrupt, more complete, and harder to explain.

Blow it all up. No one should feel safe after this historic embarrassment.

Is it finally time for Tomas Hertl to raise the Stanley Cup? It's certainly a possibility, as his Vegas Golden Knights punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night when they completed a sweep of the President's Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche.

Hertl isn't the only former Shark on the hunt though, as former Sharks winger Joel Ward, an assistant coach for the Golden Knights, is also looking for his first championship. Neither one were able to raise the prestigious trophy in San Jose, now they'll have the opportunity to do so with one of their greatest rivals. 

As a 32-year-old center with a long injury history, Hertl is running out of opportunities to etch his name on the grandest trophy in hockey. He's halfway through a massive contract that he signed with the Sharks back in 2022 and his name has been in trade rumors ever since he arrived in Sin City. 

Ward, on the other hand, never had the chance to win the Stanley Cup during his playing career. He retired as a member of the Sharks organization following the 2017-18 season, just a couple of seasons after the team in teal came up just short and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final. 

By eliminating the Avalanche, the Golden Knights did crush a pair of former Sharks' Stanley Cup dreams though. Both Brent Burns and Mackenzie Blackwood will have to wait at least one more season to raise the trophy. 

A change of scenery has benefitted former Nashville Predators forward Cole Smith, forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon as the trio will play in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche, 2-1, on Tuesday to sweep their way to their third Stanley Cup Finals appearance in nine seasons. 

Smith scored the game-winning goal with 5:45 left in the game, tipping in a shot from Dylan Coghlan for his third goal of the playoffs. 

Sissons and Lauzon were traded to the Golden Knights in late June for defenseman Nicolas Hague and a 2027 third-round draft pick, which was later upgraded to a second-round selection after Vegas advanced to the Western Conference Finals. 

Smith was dealt at the trade deadline in March for a 2028 third-round pick and defenseman Christoffer Sedoff. 

VEGAS HAS SOME BREATHING ROOM AS COLE SMITH SCORES WITH 5:45 TO GO, KNIGHTS UP 2 😱🚨 pic.twitter.com/lMlnaJ2l5G

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 27, 2026

Sissons has six points (two goals and four assists) in 15 playoff games, and Lauzon has played in six games. Smith has four points (two goals and two assists) in 15 games. 

While this will be Smith and Lauzon's first trip to the finals, Sissons will return for the first time since 2017, when the Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins and fell in six games.

In the run to the finals, Sissons had 12 points (six goals and six assists) in 22 games. 

The Golden Knights have been seen as the winner of the trade with the Predators. Hague played 62 games with the Predators this season, scoring 15 points (three goals and 12 assists) and having a plus/minus of minus-10. 

Nashville also signed Jonathan Marchessault out of free agency in 2024, who had been with the Golden Knights for seven seasons. Since joining the Predators, Marchessault's play has declined, recording 31 points (12 goals and 19 assists) in 62 games this past season. 

The Golden Knights will await the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals is TBD. 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights sweep Colorado Avalanche in Western Conference final, advance to Stanley Cup Final.

After some speculation, the Pittsburgh Penguins made it official on Tuesday, re-signing franchise icon Evgeni Malkin to a one-year deal. 

Malkin's contract has an average annual value of $5.5 million, but it is structured really well. According to Pierre LeBrun, he has a $2.5M salary, a $3M signing bonus, $500K in games-played bonuses, a $1M bonus if the Penguins make the playoffs next year, and an extra $500K per playoff round won bonus.

Malkin could make up to $9M if everything goes perfectly next season. 

This contract was a long time coming, especially after Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas told the media earlier this month that the team would "love" to have him back. 

"We would love to have him back. We just continue to work with J.P. on it. That’s as clear as I can be," Dubas said during his end-of-season presser on May. 12. 

The two sides worked for the next couple of weeks before announcing the news on Tuesday afternoon. 

"We look forward to Geno continuing to provide great moments for the city of Pittsburgh, while helping us return the Penguins to Stanley Cup contention through his play on the ice and his leadership off the ice," Dubas said in a statement on Tuesday.

It has always made so much sense to bring Malkin back for next season, especially after the season he just had. He finished with 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games before recording three points in six playoff games. This was his first point-per-game season since the 2022-23 season, when he compiled 27 goals and 83 points in 82 games.

There's no way the Penguins were going to replace his production from last year in free agency, given how poor this year's class is expected to be. The best free agent available is Alex Tuch, and he's going to sign for too much money and too long a term. 

Malkin will also get a full season to play with Egor Chinakhov after the two played together in the second half of the regular season. They showed instant chemistry on the second line and read off one another super well. 

You can also say the same about Tommy Novak's chemistry with Malkin. Malkin hinted during the 2025 offseason that he wanted to play with Novak in the 2025-26 season, and he got his wish, playing with him in numerous games. 

To take it a step further, the Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin line was together for 30 games and played 222:55 at 5v5 this season. When that line was on the ice, the Penguins had a +5 goal differential, 51.8% of the expected goal share, 52.8% of the scoring chances, and 52.1% of the high-danger chances.

There's a good chance that the Penguins go right back to that line when the 2026-27 season starts in October, which brings me to my next point. Malkin played on the wing for a lot of this past season and looked rather comfortable there. He can still play center if needed, but he was excellent after Penguins head coach Dan Muse moved him to the wing. That flexibility is super important. 

BREAKING: Penguins Ink Evgeni Malkin To One-Year ExtensionAfter a long period of anticipation, Pittsburgh finally signed the 39-year-old franchise legend for another NHL season.

Malkin also isn't blocking anyone on this roster. Do the Penguins have some young forwards coming? Yes, but they are players who will be pushing for some of the bottom-six spots. I see Avery Hayes filling Noel Acciari's role for next season, while Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, and even Tristan Broz will be pushing for spots on the third and fourth lines. None of them is ready for a top-six role, yet. 

Dubas will still be able to accomplish his goal of getting younger and getting those difference-making players in their mid-to-late 20s while still having Malkin on the roster. He's not preventing any of that, especially since this upcoming season might be his final one in the NHL. 

This deal was one of the biggest slam dunks in the history of slam dunks, and now, the Penguins can turn their attention to other matters, including a new deal for Chinakhov. He's set to be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Penguins are expected to bring him back. 

(Data via Natural Stat Trick).

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