One of hockey's most anticipated spectacles is about to become one of the hottest tickets of the year, as fans will soon get their first opportunity to witness the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche collide beneath the open sky.
Tickets for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah will officially go on sale Tuesday, June 16, giving fans the chance to secure seats for the outdoor showdown scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 31.
Sales begin at 10 a.m. MT through Ticketmaster, the NHL's official ticketing partner, with tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Purchasing through Ticketmaster guarantees buyers receive the seats they select through Ticketmaster.com or the Ticketmaster app.
The New Year's Eve showcase will mark a historic milestone for the Mammoth franchise, which is set to make its outdoor debut during just its third NHL season. The event also brings one of the league's newest clubs onto one of its biggest stages, creating another chapter in the NHL's continued expansion of marquee outdoor events.
Colorado enters the game with previous experience under the elements, having appeared in three regular-season outdoor contests and posting a 1-2-0 record.
The Avalanche first took part in the 2016 Stadium Series at Denver's Coors Field, falling 5-3 to the Detroit Red Wings before a crowd of more than 50,000. Four years later, they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Los Angeles Kings at Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs during the 2020 Stadium Series.
Their lone outdoor victory came in memorable fashion at the 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe, where Colorado defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 against one of the most picturesque backdrops the league has ever showcased.
With Utah making franchise history and Colorado looking to add another signature outdoor win, the Winter Classic promises to deliver one of the NHL's premier events to Salt Lake City for the first time.
Fans looking for additional Winter Classic updates or historical information on NHL outdoor games can also visit the league's official resources ahead of what is expected to be one of the season's signature attractions.
It was just under a week ago that a stunning report from NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman was released, in which he indicated Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade.
The reported request set off a flurry of reactions from across the Detroit sports scene as well as the rest of the NHL, especially after Larkin's alleged trade list including a mere three clubs.
So far, neither Larkin nor the Red Wings/GM Steve Yzerman has commented on the ongoing drama between the two sides. And just days later, a report surfaced that Larkin and Yzerman aren't in regular contact with one another, adding another layer of complexity to the already delicate situation.
But now, former Red Wings forward Darren McCarty, who won the Stanley Cup four times with the club during his career, is weighing in on the situation.
"I automatically think about the guys who persevered, right? The guys in St. Louis, (Aleksander) Barkov in Florida," McCarty said via Woodward Sports. "That's a great example. Ovi (Alex Ovechkin). I don't understand. Obviously, he's got his reasons, but when you bring up the fact that they haven't talked in a year and there's contention and stuff like this, what do I always say? You're either in, or in the way. So you're definitely in the way."
Detroit Red Wings Legend Darren McCarty reacts to the Dylan Larkin trade request. pic.twitter.com/l9tRQCkrEY
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) June 9, 2026
McCarty concluded by saying he believes the situation will ultimately result in a better outcome for the Red Wings organization.
"We can put blame on this and that, but I don't want a guy, no matter if you're the top guy or the bottom guy, I don't want you here. This, I believe, will be one of the best things to happen to the Red Wings organization."
This is an extremely unusual situation in the history of the Red Wings, and there's no telling when the next domino is going to fall.
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Kings new head coach Peter Laviolette tours the locker room at the team's training facility in El Segundo. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
When Kings’ new head coach Peter Laviolette took a tour around the Los Angeles area, he thought he was only going to get a one-bedroom home with a view of the water. His children, though, piped in: “Make sure you get a four-bedroom,” Laviolette remembered his three children saying.
During Laviolette’s time away from the sport, the 61-year-old traveled to Scotland and watched his son play in the East Coast Hockey League. The time away has given Laviolette time to rethink his coaching, and after 30 years of coaching, including 23 as a head coach in the NHL, he’s bringing a trident approach to reshape culture and win games. Centering a hockey family is one part.
“For me, there’s three real important pieces,” Laviolette said. “First, build a family inside the locker room, inside the organization. Secondly, to really work to try and build the culture to get players and organizations to think about the choices they make and how that can affect the culture. And then the third part is the actual game on the ice, just making sure that every day from the start of training camp we work at the game.”
Los Angeles hired Laviolette to a three-year contract after he spent a year away from the sport. Laviolette’s coaching experience stretches 1,594 games, the ninth-highest career total, with six teams: the Capitals, Flyers, Islanders, Hurricanes and Predators. Most recently, he was fired by the Rangers in 2025 after two years with the team.
His postseason success might be the biggest draw for the Kings, who have seen middling success in the years since their second Stanley Cup title in 2014. Los Angeles made the playoffs each year since the 2021-22 season, but the team did not advance past the first round.
Meanwhile, Laviolette is only the fourth coach in hockey to lead three teams to the Stanley Cup Final. He last won with Carolina in 2006, but he earned two President’s Trophies in 2017-18 and 2023-24 with the Predators and the Rangers.
Kings general manager Ken Holland, left, and Peter Laviolette pose for a photo during the new coach's introductory news conference Wednesday at the team's training facility in El Segundo. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Still, Laviolette, despite his track record of first-year turnarounds, is joining a team in flux. The Kings fired coach Jim Hiller after the Olympic break. Interim coach D.J Smith helped guide the team to an 11-6-6 finish, aided in part by a trade for Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, whom Laviolette has also coached.
“I had a really good relationship with Artemi in New York,” Laviolette said. “He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever coached, and I’m really happy to get to work with him again. He’s an amazing talent.”
Using the winger to go on the prowl is one of the small changes Laviolette plans to bring. The Kings have historically prioritized defense in a league that has shifted to attacking. Los Angeles fell to 30th in goals per game last season (2.68), the first time the Kings averaged fewer than three goals since the 2021-22 season. The team was also 28th in power-play percentage at 17%. Laviolette acknowledged that Los Angeles needed to change, highlighting that an attack-forward mindset has been a keystone of his coaching.
“I don’t think it should be irresponsible to defense,” he said. “But through my experiences, and even just watching the playoffs right now, this is an attack-oriented game, and you have to be willing to move.”
Where does Panarin fit?
“He has the ability to be a game-breaker and a difference-maker,” Laviolette said. “He’s not just a goal scorer. He’s not just a playmaker. He’s elusive. He’s shifty.”
The goal for next season is to score 250 times, according to Kings’ vice president and general manager Ken Holland. The team scored 220 last season.
“We’ve got to get back to scoring more goals,” Holland said. “Part of that’s going to be personnel driven, part of that’s going to be probably style‑of‑play driven, mentality, and certainly the head coach has a lot to do with it.”
As Laviolette meets current staffers and decides whom to bring in, Holland is managing the phones to reach out to assistant coaches and players. Smith has definitively moved on. Phil Housley, whom Laviolette described as an “excellent coach,” could be another potential candidate. Housley worked with Laviolette as one of the Rangers’ assistant coaches between 2023 and 2025.
Still, it’s hard to say the Kings will be a Cup contender with Laviolette. His teams tend to dramatically decline two or three seasons after his hiring. He struggles to develop younger players, instead relying on veterans to carry the weight. Laviolette will have to amplify players like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke, each a talented 23-year-old with high ceilings.
The Kings’ success will rest in how well Los Angeles adapts to Laviolette’s coaching trident. The veteran coach, to his credit, projected confidence.
“When you put those three things together,” he said. “You can really become an unstoppable force.”
The fallout continues from last week's explosive report that Dylan Larkin has requested a trade from the Detroit Red Wings.
He's reportedly submitted a list of teams that he'd be willing to accept a trade to, but the options greatly narrow GM Steve Yzerman's chances of getting a fair return. Larkin's list included the Vegas Golden Knights, the Florida Panthers, and the Minnesota Wild.
Having such a confined list of teams that have only so many assets that they'd be able to offer up in return greatly complicates things on Detroit's end.
But now, there's a new development in the ongoing saga. According to top NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun, Yzerman has approached Larkin's agent Pat Brisson with a request to expand the three-team trade list, which would give him additional options to facilitate the best deal possible.
"Yzerman went back to Brisson and asked to expand their original list of three teams, and my sense is that Brisson was receptive to that to some degree," LeBrun reported on Wednesday. "So I don’t think we’re just dealing with the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers anymore."
LeBrun continued by saying that he believes the Dallas Stars, led by former Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill, have "absolutely" checked in while also suggesting that Michigan native and pending unsigned RFA Jason Robertson could be an option.
"Secondly, regardless of being on the list or not, all kinds of teams have called to see what’s what, many of them interested in getting involved," LeBrun wrote. "That’s given Brisson and Larkin more to think about. For example, the Dallas Stars have absolutely checked in. They haven’t extended restricted free agent Jason Robertson yet, although those contract discussions continue. Food for thought if an extension doesn’t get done in due time."
An acquisition of Robertson's RFA rights in return for Larkin, along with a new extension for him in Detroit, would be a major haul for the Red Wings. Robertson, who is from Northville, has scored 40 or more goals three times since 2021, including 45 goals scored this season.
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In continuation of our draft prospect profiles, today, we’ll be looking at a 6-foot-3, two-way defenseman in Daxon Rudolph.
To start this series, we first reviewed Alberts Smits’ game, claiming he is the most NHL-ready defenseman in the draft. Following Smits was Malte Gustafsson, a physical defensive defenseman with a 6-foot-4 frame.
Rudolph has a slightly different profile from Smits and Gustafsson. Rudolph brings a bit more finesse. He is a quick thinker and moves the puck on the breakout better than almost any player in this draft. Offensively, he isn’t afraid to jump into the play on the rush or cycle.
While his offensive game receives most of the praise, he is a sturdy defender who showcased his all-around game in the WHL playoffs recently.
In the WHL this season with the Prince Albert Raiders, the 2023 WHL first overall pick scored 28 goals and 78 points in 68 games. Both categories ranked third among defensemen in the WHL, trailing Bryce Pickford and Jonas Woo, both of whom played for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Rudolph’s regular season was outstanding, but he took his game to another level in the playoffs, as the Raiders lost in the WHL finals. Rudolph tied for the league lead in points during the post-season, recording nine goals and 27 points in 19 games.
With his track record as a first overall pick in the WHL, as well as his outstanding point production from the blueline, it feels almost odd to see him projected in some cases to fall outside the top 10, but skating deficiencies are why defenders like Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Smits, and Keaton Verhoeff have been ranked ahead of him. While there is a chance he falls outside the top 10 and past the Panthers, there’s a chance he is selected before then by a team like the Seattle Kraken or the Winnipeg Jets.
The 18-year-old Rudolph is an incredibly smart player. He sees the game well on both sides of the puck. His vision allows him to make plays in the offensive zone and break up plays in the defensive zone.
With the puck in the o-zone, Rudolph is a threat to connect on give-and-gos, slide into the play unguarded, and rifle a heavy shot. In his own end with the puck, Rudolph makes heads-up passes and uses his feet to navigate forecheckers. While the concern is that it might not translate to the NHL, at the junior level he is more than capable of making those plays with his feet.
The native of Lacombe, Alta., will make the big jump to the NCAA next season, joining the mighty University of Denver. Despite the loaded blueline, Rudolph is expected to be the leader of the backend and bring the program back to the National Championship.
Rudolph was brought out to dinner by the Panthers, suggesting that, at the very least, the organization is interested in him. If Rudolph’s skating improves, we could be one of, if not the best, defensemen in the draft. It’s a big if, but Rudolph still possesses many traits that will make him a successful NHL player.
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Life is good if you’re a fan of the Florida Panthers these days.
Back-to-back championships, three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and a roster built to continue contending for years to come will have that effect.
But while the 2020s have been the best decade, by far, of Panthers hockey, there was a massive gap in franchise success that ran from the late 90s until Florida’s newfound string of success.
For those who remember, the Panthers were actually a success story in their earliest of seasons.
Florida completed its inaugural 1993-94 campaign as the NHL’s most successful expansion franchise, setting league records for wins and points by a first-year franchise.
In each of their first two seasons, the Panthers missed qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs by a single point, which was unheard of for a team still in its infancy.
It was in year three that the Panthers really put their stamp on the NHL, reaching the playoffs as a four-seed and taking down the top two teams in the Eastern Conference en route to a shocking appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
The gritty, underdog Panthers were turning heads, reaching the mecca of the sport despite fielding a roster with no superstars to speak of, just a grizzled group of hard-working veterans and a talented, young players still cutting their teeth at that high of a level.
Unfortunately for Florida, the Stanley Cup Final did not go particularly well for them, as they were dropped in four straight games by the Colorado Avalanche.
Still, the Panthers did not go out without one hell of a fight.
With their backs against the wall, Florida would not give in to the high-powered Avalanche, holding them scoreless well into multiple overtime sessions.
Finally, at the 4:31 mark of the third overtime, Avs defenseman Uwe Krupp beat Panthers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck with a long slapshot to the blocker side.
The defeat was crushing, but at the end of the day, it was still extremely cool that the third-year Panthers were receiving the consideration and respect rarely offered to a franchise so young.
Also, the game itself was epic.
Watching Vanbiesbrouck and Patrick Roy go save-for-save with the Stanley Cup on the line was pure cinema.
Check out some of the vintage action in the videos below:
Photo caption: June 1996; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy (33) and forward Valeri Kamensky (13) in action against Florida Panthers forward Rob Niedermayer (44) during the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals at Miami Arena. (RVR Photos-Imagn Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 09: Jordan Staal #11 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores a goal against Colton Sissons #10 and Carter Hart #79 of the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period of Game Four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena on June 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In what could be considered a must-win game for the Carolina Hurricanes, heroes, new and old, emerged.
Brandon Bussi, making his first career playoff start in Game 4, turned away 18 of 21 shots to earn the victory. He is the third goalie in the expansion era to make his first career playoff start in the Stanley Cup Final, joining Andrei Vasilevskiy and Jussi Markkanen. Bussi joined a more exclusive club by becoming the third goalie in NHL history to win that first career playoff start in a Stanley Cup Final.
Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, and Taylor Hall each returned to the scoresheet and were the best line on the ice. Stankoven and Blake’s goals during the first 3:28 minutes of the game were the Hurricanes’ second-fastest two goals to start a playoff game.
But once again, Jordan Staal was the center of this epic chapter of Hurricanes and hockey history.
The Captain scored twice, including the eventual game-winner with 13:28 to play in regulation. Carolina’s 5-3 victory over Vegas evens the series at two games apiece and returns home-ice advantage to the Canes.
Staal’s first period goal was another history-maker. He is the first player in 44 years, and the fourth player in the expansion era, to score a goal in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final. Staal’s four-game goal streak is tied for the second-longest in franchise history, trailing Stankoven’s record-setting five-game goal streak earlier in the playoffs.
Staal’s first of the game came on the power play. Much has been said about the size of the Golden Knights, and Staal winning the battle out front demonstrates just how important it is that the big man is on the man advantage. The Canes now have power play goals in three straight games.
True to the pattern of this series, Vegas roared back in the second period, scoring twice to knot the game at 3-3 heading into the third. But for the third straight game, Carolina found another gear after the second intermission.
The decisive sequence came with less than seven minutes in the third. After Vegas turned the puck over on a botched breakout, Seth Jarvis was alone in the slot, had a backhander stopped by Carter Hart, and battled to retrieve his own rebound behind the net versus four Golden Knights. Jarvis worked the puck free to Nikolaj Ehlers, who poked it across the slot to a falling Staal. With a desperate reach, the Captain lifted the puck over Hart’s glove and into the net for what would be the eventual game-winner.
This goal will be in the Carolina highlight reel from now until eternity. Staal’s determination and desperation epitomized the Canes’ effort for most of the game.
Of course, Staal was not just a factor on the scoresheet. The Hurricanes dominated in the faceoff circle, holding a 57-43 advantage over the Golden Knights. Staal won 12 of 16 faceoffs, with his 75 percent win rate leading all centers in the game.
Staal was matched up against Ivan Barbashev and Jack Eichel for much of the game, and each failed to tally a point.
Perhaps Staal’s only blemish was in the process of a line change during Vegas’s first goal. The Golden Knights did not convert on any of their three power plays, of which Staal was on the kill for each.
Here’s what Sebastian Aho said about Staal on Wednesday morning before departing Las Vegas. Via NHL.com:
In our room, he’s always had his spotlight. He does so much for us. We all know in our room how big of a player he is for us. He’s taken a lot of draws, he’s killing all the penalties, he’s very hard to play against. It’s just his presence; he’s obviously our leader, our captain, and he’s so big. Obviously, now he gets more attention probably from [the media], but like I said, he does so much for us, and he has always gotten that attention from us.
The Hurricanes flew back to Raleigh on Wednesday to prepare for Game 5, set for Thursday, June 11, at 8:00 p.m. at the Lenovo Center.
It looks like Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has a big summer ahead. He’ll no doubt be monitoring the market for a second-line center and for another right-shot defenseman, but the Habs could use some depth and grit up front. While the Canadiens weren’t as outmatched physically in the last playoffs as they were by the Washington Capitals in the 2024-25 playoffs, it was still obvious that Montreal could use some sandpaper.
Josh Anderson showed he can bring that, but he’ll be entering the last year of his contract when the puck drops on the next season, and he’s already 32. Zach Bolduc could also step up in that department, but that might not be enough. However, there’s one player who will reportedly be a free agent on July 1 that Hughes should consider pursuing: A.J. Greer.
Of course, the fact that he was born and raised in Joliette doesn’t hurt, but it’s really his style of play that makes him an ideal target for the Canadiens. He’s 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, he’s got a big body, and he knows how to use it. In 2025-26, he landed 203 hits, and the season before, 222. He’s not just big, he plays like it as well, and if someone wants to drop the gloves, he’s not opposed to answering the bell. He’s not the best fighter, but he can handle himself.
Furthermore, he’s also found a bit of a scoring touch last season, putting up 32 points in 78 games, almost doubling his 2024-25 output, which stood at 17 points in 81 games. The increase in production might have been a one-off, or he could be coming into his own as a player; we won’t know until he skates in the next season.
Greer also has a Stanley Cup ring, acquired in his first season with the Florida Panthers, and that’s the kind of experience that can come in handy on a young team that includes only one Cup champion among its players (Alex Newhook). Last season, Greer only had an $850,000 cap hit, but given his performance, he’ll be looking for a significant raise. Thanks to Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild, who just gave Michael McCarron a six-year deal with a $3.3 million cap hit after a 17-point season (and a full no-move clause for the first three years), he could be looking for a lot of cash.
There’s no telling what his demands will be, but Hughes at least must throw his hat into the ring and make him an offer. After the Canadiens’ impressive run in the playoffs, and given the fact that he’s from Montreal, Greer may be willing to listen to join the team he used to come watch as a kid, even emptying his bank account once to attend a game when he only had $200 left…now he could fill it up nicely by actually playing in front of friends and family.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the first overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL draft, and that will be the highlight of the occasion. Along with that No. 1 selection, Toronto also has the 60th pick in the draft, which will come in the second round.
This 60th overall pick comes from Toronto's Scott Laughton trade to the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings had the Buffalo Sabres' second-round pick from previous deals. And with the Sabres' elimination in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Maple Leafs fall to the 60th pick.
Looking at the different mock drafts and opinions of draft experts, there are a number of players that are projected to be selected around the 60th selection.
Vanhanen is coming off an excellent first year in the WHL with the Everett Silvertips. The Finnish 18-year-old was a top performer for the Silvertips all season long.
In the WHL regular season, he led his team in assists (66) and points (87). In addition to that production, he provided 21 goals on the year, too, tied for fourth on the team in that category. He scored more points than teammates Carter Bear, who was selected 13th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2025, and projected No. 1 pick for 2027, defenseman Landon DuPont.
Vanhanen's scoring touch didn't stop in the regular season. In the WHL playoffs, he finished with 24 points in 18 contests, finishing second on the team in scoring for the post-season, and in goals with 12 tallies.
He was a big piece to Everett winning its first-ever Ed Chynoweth Cup as champions of the WHL, along with the franchise's first trip to the Memorial Cup, which was in Kelowna, B.C., this year.
Vanhanen was strong yet again at the Memorial Cup, finishing second in the tournament in scoring with four goals and four assists for eight points in five games for the Silvertips.
The Silvertips weren't able to lift the holy grail above their heads, but they did advance to the final against the Kitchener Rangers, losing 6-2 in that contest.
Nonetheless, Vanhanen has proven to be one of the best players on a very successful team this past year, who finished atop the regular-season standings of the WHL, playoff champions, and Memorial Cup finalists.
With that, he also put up six assists in seven games at the 2026 World Junior Championship for a Finland team that finished fourth in the competition.
Before joining the Silvertips last season, Vanhanen played junior hockey in Finland, representing HIFK's U-20 team. In 42 games in the 2024-25 campaign, Vanhanen scored 17 goals and 47 points. He also made five appearances for HIFK in Liiga, but didn't register a point among the pros.
Vanhanen is listed at 5-foot-11 by NHL Central Scouting and has been labelled as an excellent playmaker.
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The St. Louis Blues tried several players in their bottom six last season, especially on their fourth line, but the feeling was that no one truly locked down a role.
Heading into the 2026 off-season, finding players who can solidify that fourth line is a must, and a new report from The Athletic indicates that the player could come from within the organization.
According to The Athletic’s Jim Rutherford, he was told there is a “strong chance” the Blues will sign Dillon Dube to an NHL deal this off-season to play down the middle of the ice. The 27-year-old was signed to a professional tryout in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he excelled.
Dube played as the first-line center for the Thunderbirds this season, posting 20 goals and 37 points in 46 games. He then added five goals and eight points in 12 post-season games.
The fourth line was a glaring weakness for the Blues this season, as Oskar Sundqvist, Alexey Toropchenko, Nathan Walker, and Jack Finley never truly emerged as must-play players.
If Dube can join the lineup and bring speed, physicality and chip in offensively when needed, there is a role for him to earn and lock down.
Although Dube hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2023-24 season, he was a second-round pick (56th overall) of the Calgary Flames in 2016. In his NHL career, Dube has posted 57 goals and 127 points in 325 games across six seasons.
While no contract has been finalized, and this is the first we are hearing of news involving Dube, this is a move that works for both sides. The Blues shore up their fourth-line center role with a player who plays a responsible game, and Dube receives the opportunity to play in the NHL again for the first time since the Team Canada world juniors sexual assault case.
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That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Juho Piiparinen
Position: Defenseman Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 204 Shoots: Right Team: Tappara
Scouting report
The 17-year-old is a proficient defender, one you can trust and rely on to keep the puck out of your net.
He stays within himself with calculated reads and execution. He knows the right play can sometimes be better than the outstanding play. And when he’s in his own end, he’ll lock things down.
“He’s heavy, he’s hard, he’s smart, he’s effective and he doesn’t try to be anything but that,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “I’ve watched Juho for a couple of years now and I watch a guy that doesn’t make mistakes.”
Playing against men in Liiga, Finland’s top pro league, Piiparinen didn’t have a goal this season through 29 games. He recorded three assists, 46 shots and a plus-6 rating.
The age and strength of his competition definitely factored into his offensive numbers. But Piiparinen is not a guy that will light up the box score. At the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship, he had an assist, four shots and a plus-6 rating in four games for Team Finland.
“Is he going to produce tons of points? No, I don’t think he will,” Button said. “But you cannot be a good offensive team unless you’ve got guys that can make plays under pressure in the defensive zone, get the puck moving the other way, get the puck into the hands of the right players at the right times. I think he has got such unbelievable maturity to his game at a young age.”
“He knows who he is, he knows what he is,” Button said. “In the offensive zone, he’ll play on the power play. But he’s a thinker, he knows, ‘OK, I’ve got to get the puck in these spots.’ He doesn’t try to be a catalyst specifically; he tries to be somebody that’s a cog in the wheel. I love him.”
Button likened Piiparinen’s defensive-minded approach to Rasmus Ristolainen. After being drafted eighth overall in 2013 by the Sabres, Ristolainen was given an all-situation role at an early age.
“They asked him to be a big-time point producer, big shot and everything,” Button said. “I think Rick Tocchet, what he did with Rasmus this year, the way that Rasmus played in the regular season and the playoffs, I think it’s almost like Rasmus just said, ‘I can just be myself, I don’t have to be this big offensive guy.’ And he was incredibly effective.”
(Matt Krohn/USA Today Images)
Fit with Flyers
Players like Piiparinen are valuable pieces to a team’s back end. But at No. 21, it would be understandable if the Flyers wanted a defensemen with more offensive upside.
The Flyers have recently made an effort to replenish their system with some bigger, right-handed blueliners in David Jiricek, Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill and Carter Amico. So Piiparinen probably isn’t the ideal fit or need.
But there’s absolutely some intrigue with Piiparinen, who already plays like a pro before the age of 18.
It is no secret at this point that the Philadelphia Flyers don't need more wingers, at least on their current NHL roster.
Their prospect pool, however, might be a different story, so long as the value adds up for the Flyers when they go to pick at 21st overall later this month.
In the NHL, because players are so young when they get drafted, it can take non-blue chip prospects anywhere from two to five years to start contributing.
Well, five years from now, Owen Tippett will be 32, Travis Konecny will be 34, and Tyson Foerster will be 29. Their replacement(s), if drafted by the Flyers, will be 23.
We all know that the Flyers badly need a center and a left-shot defenseman, but they have no incentive to force a pick, especially at center, with middle-six potential players like Jett Luchanko, Jack Nesbitt, Matthew Gard, Heikki Ruohonen, and Jack Berglund already in the fold.
Instead, the Flyers must remain patient, even after a successful season, and go for the best value, whether that's at winger, goalie, or otherwise.
Some players worth keeping an eye on include power forwards Maddox Dagenais and Oscar Hemming, the dynamic Nikita Klepov, and CHL sniper Liam Ruck (and twin brother Markus Ruck).
Dagenais, a center/winger hybrid, looks set to become a winger full-time at the next level, and his combo of size (6-foot-4), speed, and skill will make him an alluring choice for NHL teams.
The Flyers, especially, have a penchant for targeting these types of players, and Dagenais could one day be a logical successor to Tippett.
The Ruck brothers fit the vibe the Flyers are building in Philadelphia, and while Liam is probably one or two rounds better than Markus, they may go closer than that.
Those two, paired with a Porter Martone or Matvei Michkov, could be extremely interesting as a trio if their development goes well.
As for Klepov, he's extremely skilled, but his skating is closer to average. The Michigan State commit will come from the same collegiate pipeline as Flyers prospects Martone and Shane Vansaghi, and that will boost his case.
The OHL scoring champion is a workhorse, too, and could be a prolific add to the Flyers when paired with more or similarly-skilled players.
I also wanted to touch on Hemming, a beastly Finn who played in the NCAA for Boston College this past season, scoring a goal, seven assists, and eight points in 19 games.
The 18-year-old is extremely quick going north-south for the 6-foot-4 size at his age, and he uses that size as a weapon at both ends of the ice.
The agility needs work, and some teams will frown upon that more than others, but the Flyers have shown a willingness to tackle such weaknesses in the past.
A No. 1 center is clearly a priority, but these kinds of talents at Pick 21? The Flyers can't get greedy like they did with the Luchanko and Nesbitt picks the last two drafts.
The NHL Players’ Association has asked the league to investigate Mike Babcock’s ill-fated tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets before Edmonton or any other NHL team can hire him as coach, two people with knowledge of the discussions said.
The request followed reports that the Oilers expressed interest in hiring Babcock. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the talks were private.
It was not clear whether the league had resumed or restarted an investigation of the veteran coach who has drawn criticism in recent years for his approach with players. All coaching hires are subject to league approval.
Babcock resigned from the Blue Jackets in September 2023, less than three months after taking the job. At the time, Babcock’s requests for personal photos from players in an attempt to get to know them drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
“Our players deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace,” NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh said then. “Unfortunately, that was not the case in Columbus. The club’s decision to move forward with a new head coach is the appropriate course of action.”
The union reviewed the situation, but the NHL dropped its planned investigation of the situation when Babcock stepped down.
Babcock, who turned 63 on April 29, has not coached a game in the league since being fired by Toronto 23 games into the 2019-20 season. He coached Detroit to the Stanley Cup in 2008, reached the final with the Red Wings in ’09 and Anaheim in ’03, and helped Canada win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Once considered one of the best in the profession, former players have spoken out about Babcock’s old-school tendencies that some say can be considered bullying.
A report surfaced after the Maple Leafs fired Babcock that he had asked a player to share his ranking of teammates from hardest- to least-hardest working and then shared that with the rest of the group. Former Red Wings player Johan Franzen told a Swedish outlet that Babcock was the worst person he had ever met and said at one point he was terrified to go to the rink.
The Oilers are looking for a replacement for Kris Knoblauch after firing him following their first-round playoff exit, despite back-to-back trips to the final before that. They asked Vegas for permission to speak to recently fired coach Bruce Cassidy, but the Golden Knights rejected that request because he remains under contract through next season.
The NHL Coaches’ Association expressed dissatisfaction over the matter. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Vegas was not in violation of any rules for denying permission.
“We don’t find it unreasonable because we’re allowing it to happen,” he said. “I do think Vegas is clearly within their contractual rights to do what they’re doing.”
The 2026 Stanley Cup Final is tied 2-2, and Game 5 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes is set for Thursday, June 11 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.
All eyes will be on Carolina rookie goalie Brandon Bussi, and he headlines my top Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks for this potential series-swinging matchup.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes Game 5 prediction
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes best bet: Brandon Bussi Over 21.5 saves (+100)
While the Vegas Golden Knights have been on the losing end of the five-on-five possession battle with a 42.0 Corsi For percentage, they’ve consistently pushed back, and their 47.5% shot share paints a far clearer picture of how the series has played out through four games.
As a result, I’m anticipating the Golden Knights showing up on time and with an emphasis on testing Carolina Hurricanes rookie goalie Brandon Bussi in Game 5.
Bussi has only faced 22.76 shots per 60 minutes since taking over the crease in Game 3, and Vegas has recorded 25.2 shots per 60 this postseason, so a slight uptick from the Golden Knights is all it will take for Bussi to clear this low total.
I recommend this Over down to -110 odds.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes Game 5 same-game parlay
The Hurricanes have flipped this series in their favor the past three games with an overall 54.9 expected goals percentage, in addition to a dominant 57.3 CF% at 5-on-5. Additionally, Golden Knights No. 1 Carter Hart has struggled to the tune of an .861 save percentage with 3.86 goals allowed below expected.
Puck Line: Golden Knights +1.5 (-190) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes trend
The Hurricanes have covered the puck line in 12 of their last 20 games (+8.00 Units / 31% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Hurricanes Game 5
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes latest injuries
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