The Pittsburgh Penguins took a nice step in the right direction this season by making the playoffs. Now, they will be looking to build off that next season.
One player who should be watched incredibly closely on the Penguins next campaign is forward Rutger McGroarty. The 22-year-old forward is one of the Penguins' top breakout candidates heading into next season, and it would not be surprising if he takes a big step in development because of it.
McGroarty showed clear signs of progress this season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 30 games with the AHL squad, he recorded 10 goals and 34 points. This is after he had 14 goals and 39 points but in 60 games for the AHL club during the 2024-25 season.
With this, the Penguins will now be hoping that McGroarty can tap into his potential more next season on their NHL roster. The 2022 first-round pick posted three goals and six points in 24 games this season for Pittsburgh, so it will be interesting to see how much he improves his offense next year in the NHL.
There is a lot to like about McGroarty's game, and it would be huge for the Penguins if he has that big breakout year.
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired defenseman David Jiricek from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Bobby Brink on trade deadline day. The move was understandable, as the Flyers need help on their blueline and had a surplus of NHL-caliber wingers. As a result, they are now hoping that Jiricek can become a solid part of their blueline as he continues to develop.
Jiricek undoubtedly showed promise in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after being acquired by the Flyers. In 15 games with the Phantoms following the move, he recorded two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points. Now, the Flyers will be hoping that he can translate some of his play with the Phantoms this campaign over to next season on their NHL roster.
When noting that Jiricek is still only 22 years old and has good upside, there is no question that he is a breakout candidate to watch for next season. The 2022 sixth-overall pick has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL defenseman, and it will be interesting to see if he can take that next step with the Flyers in 2026-27 from here.
In 85 career NHL games split between the Columbus Blue Jackets, Wild, and Flyers, Jiricek has recorded two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points.
The Montreal Canadiens might have failed to take a 3-1 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, but that wasn’t because of Alex Newhook. The speedy winger has goals in four of the last five games, and he was the one who first got the Habs on the scoreboard in their 3-2 defeat.
Earlier in the series, Tage Thompson said that everything he touched turned to crap. Newhook is experiencing the exact opposite; it seems like everything he touches turns to gold. With a pair of goals in Games 2 and 3, he became the first Canadiens player since Mark Recchi in 1997 to score multiple goals in consecutive playoff games.
In the same span, Ivan Demidov has also gathered three assists, which will go a long way to making the young Russian more confident. The rookie has struggled to make an impact in these playoffs; he’s yet to find the back of the net, so having someone on his line who can at least complete his plays is essential.
As for Jake Evans, four of his five assists this postseason have come in the last three games while playing with Newhook and Demidov. There’s no doubt that Evans is not in the right chair; he’s not a second-line center, but it works well for the Canadiens, and they have to roll with it for now.
On Tuesday night, Newhook had five shots on goal and seven attempts on net while landing three hits on the forecheck. He’s the only Canadiens player to sport a Stanley Cup ring, he knows what it takes to earn the right to lift Lord Stanley’s mug, and he’s leading by example on the ice.
If some still thought Kent Hughes paid a high price to land Newhook in a deal with the Colorado Avalanche when he sent a first-round pick, a second-round pick and Gianni Fairbrother to Denver, they have quieted down lately. The winger still has another year on his contract, but if he can keep playing as he has all season (in the 42 games he played) and in these playoffs, he could end up being with the Canadiens for a long time.
I’m not crying you’re crying. | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer was surprised by his family — and his adopted family, the Martins — during a Good Morning America TV performance with the Calder Trophy on Wednesday.
That the 18-year-old phenom took the prize for the NHL’s best rookie in 2025-26 is no surprise; but the way the news was delivered was a poignant, touching moment for a kid who’s been through a lot and turned his story into an example and inspiration for children facing similar heartache. Watch his reaction, and his dad reminding him this is a good day, in the tweet below:
#Isles Matthew Schaefer on @GMA just now was emotional as he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy surrounded by his family, friends and the Martin family.
The vote to award Schaefer the top spot was reportedly unanimous: all 198 voters listed him at the top of their ballot. That’s a historic achievement not seen in three decades.
#Isles Matthew Schaefer at 18 years, 223 days is youngest ever winner of Calder Trophy, one day younger than Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon in 2014. He’s also the first unanimous recipient since Teemu Selanne (original Winnipeg Jets) in 1993.
Schaefer is the sixth Islander to win the Calder Memorial Trophy, joining Mat Barzal (2018), Bryan Berard (1997), Mike Bossy (1978), Bryan Trottier (1976), and Denis Potvin (1974). He is also the 13th first-overall pick to be awarded the Calder and just the fourth defenseman to do so, joining Aaron Ekblad (2015), Berard and Potvin. Notably, three of those four defensemen played for the Islanders. Schaefer is the eighth player to win the award in their 18-year-old season. At 18 years, 223 days on the final day of the regular season, Schaefer is the youngest Calder Trophy winner in NHL history.
Schaefer had a record-breaking rookie campaign in which he registered 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) over 82 games. He tied Brian Leetch’s record for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. Schaefer also set NHL records for the most points by an 18-year-old defenseman, average time on ice by an 18-year-old skater (24:41) and the most overtime points (4) by a teenage defenseman. He added another notable milestone on March 24, logging 31:59 of ice time, the most in a single game by any NHL teenager since the statistic began being tracked.
Among his historic accomplishments, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach both 20 goals and 50 points in a season. He is the first rookie defenseman to lead his draft class to the 20-goal mark and is one of just four rookie defenders ever to reach that milestone. Schaefer is also the youngest player in league history to score an overtime goal and the youngest blueliner to record a power-play goal, game-winning goal, multi-goal game and to have a point in his NHL debut.
The Hamilton, Ontario native led all rookies in average time on ice, power-play goals (8), and shots on goal (222), while tying for first in goals and overtime goals (2). He ranked second in power-play points (18), third in assists and points, tied for third in game-winning goals (4) and fifth in plus/minus rating (+13). Among NHL defensemen, Schaefer finished second in goals and shots on goal, tied for second in power-play goals and ranked ninth in takeaways (38). He led the Islanders in TOI, plus/minus rating and power-play goals, tied for the team lead in overtime goals and ranked second in goals, assists and points.
Schaefer led all NHL defensemen with 38 penalties drawn and was second overall behind Connor McDavid (56). His drawn penalties were the most by a rookie defenseman since P.K. Subban (40) in 2010-11.
Within the Islanders’ record books, Schaefer set franchise highs for the most goals, points, power-play goals, overtime goals and game-winning goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. He became the fifth rookie – and third rookie defenseman – in franchise history to appear in all 82 games and was one of four Islanders skaters to play a full schedule this season. His 23 goals were the sixth-most in a single campaign by an Islanders blueliner and the most since Hall-of-Famer Denis Potvin in 1981-82, while his plus/minus rating was also the best by an Islanders rookie defenseman since the 1992-93 season.
Pretty, pretty good.
My goodness, we’re going to have some fun watching this kid play for hopefully a very long time.
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Artyom Levshunov out of Michigan State as the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Since then, he has been developing as one of the top prospects in the organization.
Levshunov started his pro career in the AHL during the 2024-25 season before making his NHL debut in the second half. In 2025-26, he played the entire campaign in Chicago with his NHL mates.
In 68 games played, Levshunov had 2 goals and 22 assists for 24 points. He trailed only Louis Crevier among team leaders by a defenseman. Crevier had 25 points in 78 games, so Levshunov had a better points-per-game percentage.
Where things went poorly for Levshunov was decision-making in all three zones, and his ability to defend as a whole leaves a lot to be desired. +/- is a lousy stat compared to some of the newer metrics available, but being -41 (the worst mark in the NHL) is never a great sign.
Ahead of the Olympic break, the Blackhawks put Levshunov on a new development program. Instead of sending him back to the Rockford IceHogs, they scratched him but let him stay with the NHL team so he could focus on certain areas of development.
Levshunov played better once he returned to the post-Olympic break lineup, but there is still a lot of work that needs to take place.
The most important thing the Blackhawks can do at this stage is not to come to any conclusions about his future as an NHL player. No, he didn't start off the way that Matthew Schaefer or Lane Hutson did to begin their NHL careers, but not every highly touted rookie defenseman is on the same pace.
There is always going to be the "Ivan Demidov" people, but there is nothing Levshunov can do to change their minds. The Blackhawks must focus on getting the player they have to his full potential.
Are the Blackhawks doomed if he becomes a solid middle-pair defender instead of a star? Absolutely not. They are still looking for that franchise number one, but there will be other opportunities down the line. Getting Levshunov to a good baseline is the focus right now without overreacting to his first 86 career NHL games.
There were moments during the 2025-26 season that flashed a bit of Levshunov's brilliance. He has good vision and skills with the puck. When he makes the right choice on what to do with it or how to defend an attacking player, it works well.
They took him second overall, so they are going to continue working with him in an attempt to make him a solid every-day NHL contributor. There are plenty of players who make great careers out of that, despite where they are drafted.
The Florida Panthers would draft Aaron Ekblad first overall in 2012 over and over again. He never turned into a Norris Trophy-caliber superstar, but he was a solid anchor on their blue line during some incredible runs.
Levshunov still may become a superstar, but the goal is to build a winning team, and he has the tools to be a part of that.
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The Buffalo Sabres evened their best-of-seven series with the Montreal Canadiens with a 3-2 victory at the Bell Centre on Tuesday, but it was likely not the blueprint that head coach Lindy Ruff wanted to follow. The Sabres repeated their undisciplined ways from Game 3, giving the Habs seven power plays, but Buffalo’s penalty killing and the goaltending of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen kept the game within range.
The fortunate bounce of a stanchion on a Tage Thompson shoot-in tied the game in the second period, and Zach Benson’s game-winner on the power-play early in third stood up, as Luukkonen made 12 of his 29 saves in the contest.
Buffalo went mostly with five defensemen on the night, as veteran Luke Schenn played only 7:04 in the contest, while rookie Konsta Helenius played close to 13 minutes and nearly scored twice, hitting the post and getting robbed by Montreal’s Jakub Dobes.
Head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media on Wednesday morning in Montreal, before the club boarded a flight for Buffalo.
Your thoughts on Game 4?
It was pretty good game. Thought we came out great. I thought we lost a lot of momentum on some questionable calls (and) thought we could have got some calls ourselves. We didn't, but we battled through all that and ended up winning the game.
Sabres - Canadiens Might Be Won By Who Has Better Play From Their Depth Forwards
Did you see any trends in the penalties that your team is taking?
I know Montreal's got a good power play, but I think they're going down easy……I think it's part of the playoffs. It is just how important a power play can be. So you get a stick on somebody, you got to be careful with your sticks. You know if they have a chance to make the play look worse than it is. They're going to. It's playoff hockey. Every team in this league does it, and it's an understanding that keep your stick off them. I mean the little push that (Tage) Thompson gave their player, I don't think that's called the regular season, but in the playoffs, it's called, so tell our guys not to do it.
What's your message to your team about maintaining composure?
We'll meet tomorrow morning, and just talk about what to expect. You can look at any series, Montreal's last series was win-a-game, lose-a-game. So you get pretty used to it. For us, a little bit of the same. You went to Boston, won a couple but then lost (and) had to go back to Boston again to win a game. You have to balance the victories and you have to be ready to reset and flush out the losses.
What do you think made Helenius ready for such a high-pressured debut in Game 4?
I think the experience he had with us earlier in the year, his experience and the great job that (Michael) Leone and his crew have done with him in Rochester to get ready to play. I watched all his D zone. A lot of times you have to teach a young player to stay in position support the puck. I thought he did a great job. He skated on pucks. He supported our breakouts really well. And I think that starts in the minors with all the people that are working with him. So they deserve a lot of credit.
Whenever a season ends for an organization, it is always intriguing to learn about the decisions and pursuits that were otherwise unavailable while the team was still playing.
General manager Steve Staios and his management group are very conscientious about leaks and the flow of information out of the organization. Management likes to keep its cards close to its chest, but from time to time, however, details emerge that provide insight into what the organization was trying to do.
The Ottawa Senators’ general manager has admitted that he has used the NHL trade deadline as an opportunity to lay groundwork for the offseason. The organization reportedly engaged in trade conversations regarding Linus Ullmark at the 2024 NHL trade deadline, which eventually culminated in a trade during the Stanley Cup Final.
The Sens Nation Podcast discusses the Senators' offseason need to find a solid backup goalie capable of playing 35 games.
Will defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen be the latest player that the Senators kicked tires on at the deadline, who is targeted in the offseason?
On the Ray and Dregs Podcast, Darren Dreger revealed that trade conversations with the Philadelphia Flyers had progressed pretty far.
“I know that Steve Staios was fairly down the road in negotiations in acquiring Ristolainen at the trade deadline,” Dreger disclosed. “But, Philadelphia just knew what they had. I don't think they believed, or were convinced that they were going to be as good as they were late in the season, and now we're seeing them in the playoffs.
“But, they knew it. They know what they have in the quality of Rasmus Ristolainen. So that's a pretty clear indication of what Staios and Ottawa were trying to acquire: a proven defenseman.”
The 31-year-old Ristolainen is a right-shot, who is best characterized as a defensive defenceman. He played in 44 games for the Flyers this season, recording a modest one goal and 14 points.
The Finnish defenceman missed the first 31 games of the regular season following triceps surgery in October. He would miss another six games later in the season with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
The Senators’ interest in Ristolainen is not surprising given the team’s situation on the back end.
Nick Jensen, who spent most of the season playing a top-four role alongside Thomas Chabot, got hurt. And, as an unrestricted free agent this July, he is not expected to return to the organization.
Artem Zub, arguably the team’s best defensive defenceman, is about to enter the last year of his contract.
Jordan Spence was a revelation, logging minutes alongside Tyler Kleven on the third pairing before Jensen’s injury allowed Spence to ascend the lineup. In all honesty, that was a move that should have been warranted earlier, given the disparity in their performances.
And finally, although Nikolas Matinpalo emerged as a viable defensive depth option, his struggles to move the puck well limited his effectiveness on the ice.
Assuming Dreger’s report is true, the pursuit of Ristolainen makes sense and would stylistically fit with what the Senators are trying to do.
After acquiring Warren Foegele at the deadline and having recently signed Stephen Halliday to a two-year extension, the Senators have four lines of depth at forward. On the blue line, however, there is room for an upgrade.
The defenceman has one year left on his contract that carries an average annual value of $5.1 million. Ristolainen will actually earn just $4 million in base salary next season.
Listed at 6’4” and 220 lbs, Ristolainen is a big and agile defenceman who averaged 21:23 of ice time playing against the opposition’s best offensive players. His skating and size allow him to step up and close in the neutral zone, which fits the aggressive, pressuring style the Senators play.
Panned in the early stages of his career while playing for a hopelessly woeful Buffalo Sabres squad, Ristolainen has improved markedly over the last few seasons in Philadelphia.
Hockeyviz.com
His isolated defensive impacts have grown substantially.
Hockeyviz.com
Although Carter Yakemchuk appeared in a handful of games this season for the parent club and showcased his offensive aptitude, another year of AHL development may benefit his defensive growth.
Acquiring a veteran like Ristolainen would give the organization more depth and the flexibility to bring Yakemchuk along slowly, without risking rushing his development. A similar acquisition would also allow head coach Travis Green to balance his pairings, matching puck movers with traditional archetypal defenders who take care of their own end first.
Whether Staios and the Senators circle back in the summer remains to be seen, but his reported interest at the deadline offers valuable insight into what we can expect from the team.
By Graeme Nichols The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
On this day in 2022, the Florida Panthers did something they had not accomplished in nearly 30 years.
They won a playoff series.
The early days of the Panthers franchise were pretty solid.
They were the most successful expansion team (at the time) following their inaugural season in 1993-94 and went to the Stanley Cup Final during only their third year of existence.
After that, however, things started going downhill.
Florida reached the playoffs in 1997, losing to the New York Rangers in five games, and then again in 2000, getting swept out of the first round by the New Jersey Devils.
Then came what Panthers fans like to refer to as the dark ages.
Florida went 12 seasons without reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finally qualifying for the big dance during a fun 2011-12 season that again ended with a first-round defeat at the hands of the Devils. At least this time the Panthers pushed the series to an exhilarating seventh game on home ice.
But alas, Florida has still not won a playoff series since the ’96 conference finals.
Another opportunity came during 2016, but again the Cats were ousted in the first round, this time in six games by the New York Islanders (Trocheck was tripped). Three of Florida’s four defeats in that series came during overtime, with the final two losses happening in double OT.
A 2019 COVID bubble postseason appearance ended in a four-game loss to the Islanders in what was a best-of-5 qualifying round, and then the following year Florida was knocked out in six games by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Then came the 2021-22 season.
That year, the Panthers were firing on all cylinders.
The high-flying Cats led the NHL in goals, were the league’s best team on home ice and won the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy.
Surely, this was the year that they would finally end their streak of postseason futility.
Even after a surprising loss in Game 1 to the Washington Capitals, Florida still felt good about their team and their chances.
Those good vibes started to dissipate after the Panthers were trounced 6-1 in Game 3, again falling behind in the best-of-7 series.
That’s when Carter Verhaeghe decided to take matters into his own hands.
Verhaeghe scored twice in Florida’s comeback Game 4 victory, including the overtime winner, sending the series back to Sunrise knotted at two.
Game 5 started out disastrous for the Panthers, falling behind 3-0 by the 3:38 mark of the second period.
Then, Verhaeghe happened again.
He scored Florida’s first goal less than three minutes after the Capitals went up by three, then assisted on goals by Patric Hornqvist and Sam Reinhart, sending the game into the second intermission all tied up.
Verhaeghe finished off an odd-man rush with Panthers captain Sasha Barkov to give Florida their first lead of Game 5 early in the second period, then assisted on a third period tally by Claude Giroux to seal the deal.
For those not keeping track, that’s four goals and seven points in two games for Verhaeghe.
And no, he still wasn’t done there.
The series shifted back to DC for Game 6, with Florida having an opportunity to win their first playoff series in 26 years.
Once again, the Panthers would need to come from behind, trailing 1-0 during the second period and 2-1 early in the third.
Giroux tied the game about midway through the period, with Verhaeghe picking up an assist, and Florida actually led a late lead after a goal by Barkov with just over five minutes to go.
T.J. Oshie’s sixth goal of the series tied the score at three with 1:03 to go, sending the game to overtime.
That’s where Verhaeghe gave the Panthers franchise its biggest postseason moment in decades.
Just two minutes and 46 seconds into the overtime session and with Florida cycling in the Caps’ zone, Verhaeghe came flying down the slot and accepted a pass out of the corner from Giroux.
Verhaeghe took the pass off his skate, directing the puck toward his stick blade, and in one motion sent a backhand shot that went over Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov and into the net.
Wow.
They actually did it.
Looking back from current time in 2026, that game and that series feels like it happened so long ago.
While the Panthers didn’t make much of a run after beating the Caps, losing to Tampa Bay in a four-game sweep in round two, Florida got a taste of what it took to find success in the playoffs.
Panthers General Manager Bill Zito made some major moves that summer, trading for Matthew Tkachuk and hiring Paul Maurice as the team’s next head coach, changing the squad from a chance-trading, end-to-end rush team to a gritty, forechecking, defensively frustrating group that has been a nightmare for opponents to face during the postseason.
Three Stanley Cup Final appearances and two championships later, it would seem that Zito pushed the correct buttons.
Still, looking back at the series against the Capitals and Verhaeghe’s amazing few games, it’s nice to take a moment and remember how good that felt.
Little did we know, the Panthers were just getting started.
Photo catpion: May 13, 2022; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) scores the game-winning goal on Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) in overtime in game six of the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. The Panthers won the series 4-2. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
The 18-year-old became the face of the Islanders franchise and helped them make a playoff push before falling short in the final couple of weeks of the regular season. He received all 198 first-place Calder votes.
Montreal’s Ivan Demidov was second and Anaheim’s Bennett Sennecke third in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
The San Jose Sharks were on a tight deadline to sign forward Carson Wetsch to an entry-level contract, as his rights were set to expire on June 1, but Mike Grier was able to get it done.
The captain of the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League, Wetsch is preparing to participate in this year's Memorial Cup but he had to file some paperwork before the tournament kicked off later this month.
As the Sharks' third round draft pick in 2024, Wetsch had the opportunity to re-enter the NHL Entry Draft this June if he didn't reach an agreement with the Sharks. Instead, the 20-year-old winger opted to sign and will remain a member of the Sharks organization.
Wetsch's offensive production took a major step forward this season, his first in Kelowna. He registered a career-high 72 points in 65 games while scoring 22 goals, which, ironically, was his lowest total since his first season in the WHL.
Known for his physical style of play and getting toward the net to create scoring chances from the dirty areas of the ice, Wetsch projects to be an effective bottom-six forward at the NHL level whenever his time comes. As a 20 year old, Wetsch will most likely join the Sharks' American Hockey League affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, next season where he could potentially fill a top-six role if needed.
Wetsch's Kelowna Rockets qualified for the 2026 Memorial Cup as the host team for this year's event, which will start on May 21st. Currently, the only other team that has locked in a place in the Memorial Cup are the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, who won their league title on Tuesday night.
New York Islanders forward Matthew Schaefer has won the Calder Trophy, awarded to the rookie of the year:
#Isles Matthew Schaefer on @GMA just now was emotional as he was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy surrounded by his family, friends at the Martin family.
“Schaefer is the sixth Islander to win the Calder Memorial Trophy, joining Mat Barzal (2018), Bryan Berard (1997), Mike Bossy (1978), Bryan Trottier (1976), and Denis Potvin (1974). He is also the 13th first-overall pick to be awarded the Calder and just the fourth defenseman to do so, joining Aaron Ekblad (2015), Berard and Potvin. Notably, three of those four defensemen played for the Islanders. Schaefer is the eighth player to win the award in their 18-year-old season. At 18 years, 223 days on the final day of the regular season, Schaefer is the youngest Calder Trophy winner in NHL history.
Schaefer had a record-breaking rookie campaign in which he registered 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) over 82 games. He tied Brian Leetch’s record for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. Schaefer also set NHL records for the most points by an 18-year-old defenseman, average time on ice by an 18-year-old skater (24:41) and the most overtime points (4) by a teenage defenseman. He added another notable milestone on March 24, logging 31:59 of ice time, the most in a single game by any NHL teenager since the statistic began being tracked.
Among his historic accomplishments, Schaefer became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to reach both 20 goals and 50 points in a season. He is the first rookie defenseman to lead his draft class to the 20-goal mark and is one of just four rookie defenders ever to reach that milestone. Schaefer is also the youngest player in league history to score an overtime goal and the youngest blueliner to record a power-play goal, game-winning goal, multi-goal game and to have a point in his NHL debut.
The Hamilton, Ontario native led all rookies in average time on ice, power-play goals (8), and shots on goal (222), while tying for first in goals and overtime goals (2). He ranked second in power-play points (18), third in assists and points, tied for third in game-winning goals (4) and fifth in plus/minus rating (+13). Among NHL defensemen, Schaefer finished second in goals and shots on goal, tied for second in power-play goals and ranked ninth in takeaways (38). He led the Islanders in TOI, plus/minus rating and power-play goals, tied for the team lead in overtime goals and ranked second in goals, assists and points.
Schaefer led all NHL defensemen with 38 penalties drawn and was second overall behind Connor McDavid (56). His drawn penalties were the most by a rookie defenseman since P.K. Subban (40) in 2010-11.
Within the Islanders’ record books, Schaefer set franchise highs for the most goals, points, power-play goals, overtime goals and game-winning goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. He became the fifth rookie – and third rookie defenseman – in franchise history to appear in all 82 games and was one of four Islanders skaters to play a full schedule this season. His 23 goals were the sixth-most in a single campaign by an Islanders blueliner and the most since Hall-of-Famer Denis Potvin in 1981-82, while his plus/minus rating was also the best by an Islanders rookie defenseman since the 1992-93 season.
Schaefer earned league recognition by being named “First Star” for the period ending March 1 after posting five points (4G, 1A) and a +5 rating over three games. He was also selected “Rookie of the Month” for October after recording eight points (3G, 5A) in 11 games, highlighted by a six-game point streak to open his career.
The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will play a pivotal Game 5 at the KeyBank Center on Thursday, May 13.
My top Canadiens vs. Sabres predictions and NHL picks call for a high-scoring bout in Buffalo.
Canadiens vs Sabres Game 5 prediction
Canadiens vs Sabres best bet: Over 5.5 (-125)
The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres scored six or more goals in the first three games of Round 2, and I’m anticipating the increased workload continuing to catch up with Habs No. 1 Jakub Dobes.
He’s started 12 consecutive games dating back to the regular season, and his previous high was four straight starts. Dobes sporting a ho-hum .895 SV% in Round 2 after posting a .923 mark in the opening round reinforces the mileage is taking a toll.
Additionally, Sabres starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen posted a .909 SV% with 0.311 goals saved above expected (GSAx) per 60 minutes during the regular season, so I’m anticipating his play to also dip after turning away 28 of 30 shots with 1.62 GSAx in Game 4.
Canadiens vs Sabres Game 5 same-game parlay
Montreal turning to Jake Evans between Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook has paid off, with the trio pacing the Habs in Corsi For percentage and expected goals at 5-on-5 — combining for 12 points in the series. Demidov and Newhook have also both individually marked the scoresheet in three of the four Round 2 games.
The Buffalo Sabres have covered the puck line in 10 of their last 15 games (+7.55 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Sabres.
How to watch Canadiens vs Sabres Game 5
Location
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Date
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, TNT
Canadiens vs Sabres latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It's been said time and time again that the Colorado Avalanche prospect pool is pretty thin. Many scouting outlets rank the pool among the league's lowest, and it makes sense. Many, if not all, of the Avalanche's top prospects or high-round picks have been traded to help the current team compete for a Stanley Cup, which has resulted in them drafting in the later rounds and hoping to find a gem in the rough.
At the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Avalanche made nine selections from rounds two to seven, the most since the 2007 Entry Draft. The sections are already showing some promise and have helped the team in some ways. Ilya Nabokov looks like the goalie of the future. Will Zellers was traded for Charlie Coyle, who was flipped for Gavin Brindley. Max Curran was a part of the massive trade for Nazem Kadri.
Though there was one prospect I wanted to keep an eye on, Christian Humphreys, out of the U.S. National U18 Team in the NTDP. What started as a rough initial step into the NCAA turned into a stepping stone into the OHL, and with a new look and growing confidence, his return to the NCAA and what he can truly bring to the Avalanche franchise.
First Steps Into The OHL
During his first season with the Kitchener Rangers, I had the opportunity to talk with him about his transition from the NCAA to the OHL, the mental toll it took on him, and any impacts it had on how he plays the game. It impacted him a ton, and it showed on the score sheet, with only one point in his first ten games. Add on less ice time; he knew that if he wanted to continue to grow as a player, he needed to do what was best for him, and that meant signing an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
“Yeah, I mean obviously the deadline was a part of it…it’s hard whenever you’re a player, and you’re playing good hockey, and you’re not getting rewarded for it, it’s frustrating. And I think for me there’d be games where I’d play really well, and I’m still only getting eight minutes a night, and you’re kind of sitting there as a player, what more do I need to do? And obviously, a little bit in the season, I had talks with my family about it, and I was like, hey, maybe this isn’t the best option for me… , but I think just the opportunity when it presented itself, it was hard to say no.”
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The transfer showed immediately, in his first 14 games with the team, he already had four goals and 12 assists for 16 points. He applauds the work ethic and ease of transition his teammates showed when he was introduced into the lineup and worked on integrating his skills and talents into their system.
“Yeah, I think for me the biggest part is they’re just letting me be who I am. Obviously, the second I got here, the guys were phenomenal. I mean I can’t really put into words how great they were and the second I stepped in the locker room, they’re so happy to have me and the culture here is, you can’t really describe it. I mean all the guys are so close, and we have such a special group this year and I think just playing wise, even talking to coaches, they’re just letting me play…I just stepped in here, and they’re like, obviously on the defensive side we’re going to teach you some pointers and stuff, and it’s great. And whenever I get in the offensive side, they’re just letting me be who I am, so I can’t really thank them enough.”
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Humphreys finished the season with 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points, helping the Rangers finish second in the Midwest Division, second in the Western Conference, and into the playoffs. Despite a strong run against the Flint Firebirds and upsetting the Windsor Spitfires, they would be swept by the eventual OHL champions, the London Knights. He would finish with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 13 playoff games.
Elevating His Game And Then Some
This past season for Humphreys and the Rangers was one to remember for both him and the team. Finishing with 27 goals and 58 assists (fifth most in the OHL) for 85 points (10th most in the OHL), he helped the Rangers not only finish first in the Midwest Division but first in the Western Conference, missing out first in the league by five points to the Brantford Bulldogs.
He, along with Jack Pridham (Blackhawks), Cameron Reid (Predators), Sam O'Reilly (Lightning), and Luca Romano (Islanders), were a few NHL prospects to help lead this team into the playoffs, and they did not disappoint.
The Rangers went on a tear against anyone who came in infront of their path towards the finals, beating the Saginaw Spirit, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and the Windsor Spitfires, all in five games, leading to their eventual championship matchup against the Barrie Colts, who just pulled off a massive upset against the Brantford Bulldogs in seven games.
That didn't stop the Rangers from continuing their warpath and eventually sweeping the Colts to secure the OHL Championship, their fifth in franchise history. Humphreys finished with nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points, including the game-winning goal to secure the OHL championship. He finished in points only behind Dylan Edwards (25) and playoff MVP O'Reilly, who had 28.
Humphreys and Kitchener will now represent the OHL in the Memorial Cup, which begins in Kelowna on May 22.
Take Two In The NCAA
With the season over and a championship under his name, its time to return back where it all started, the NCAA. It was announced that he has commitment to join the University of Minnesota next season.
Now the Gophers had a pretty disappointing past season, finishing with a record of 11-21-3, their most losses in a season since the 1997-98 season. Though this could be good for Humphreys, he can help anchor a team that had a rough last season and be a driving force to help them bounce back into the playoffs.
He's joining a group that includes Mace'o Phillips (Flames 2025 3rd round draft pick), Tanner Henricks (Blue Jackets 2024 4th round pick), Tarin Smith (Ducks 2024 3rd round pick), and potentially many more talented prospects.
It's hard to tell what a prospect can really do for your organization. You want to see what they did in the minors carry over into the NHL and help your team win, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. It's "easier" for first- and second-round picks, but expecting a seventh-round pick to slot into an NHL lineup and help produce is a lot to ask.
Humphreys is only 20, so there is still quite some time to grow and develop his skills but this past season with the Rangers really turned some heads and showed what talent is really has. If he can continue that in the NCAA with Minnesota, I hope that can lead to him signing his ELC and continuing to grow as a player in the AHL and one day in the NHL.
2026 Top 100 Prospects - Feb. 27 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 8 - Brian Costello
IT’S ONLY THROUGH THE assistance of NHL head scouts, directors of player personnel and GMs that The Hockey News is able to provide readers a comprehensive list of the top 10 prospects within each organization and a ranking of the top 100 from that large collection of 320 prospects.
Team scouts offer us guidance on NHL-affiliated prospects who have the highest forecasted ceilings five to 10 years out. We then ask a panel of these scouts to rank the top 60 from a list of the 32 top 10s. The scouts’ rankings are added up to form the overall top 100, and, in some cases, a team’s top-10 list is adjusted based on the data from the top 100.
As you would expect, rebuilding teams often have far more than the average 3.13 prospects per team within the top 100, and current contenders typically only have one or two – or even none.
We start this project in mid-January after the World Junior Championship while NHL teams are in the midst of their winter scouting meetings. At that point, we draw a line in the sand about who’s a prospect and who’s an NHLer. In some cases, those scenarios change. That’s why names such as Sam Rinzel, Isaac Howard, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Gabe Perreault, Nick Lardis and Hunter Brzustewicz are listed as prospects, even though they’ve broken through as NHLers over the past month or two. Meanwhile, Michael Misa (San Jose) and Zayne Parekh (Calgary) haven’t played in the junior ranks all season (other than the WJC), but we decided early on that they should be listed as prospects since injuries kept them from establishing themselves as NHLers the first few months of the season.
Each player’s top-100 rank from last year is in parentheses, while unranked players are denoted as “NR.” Prospects drafted in 2025 are denoted as “NEW.”
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
It's nearly the completion of a changing of the guard for the Maple Leafs, with Keith Pelley remaining as president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MPSE). Pelley, who is known to be close to Berube, left the decision to retain or move on from the coach to new GM John Chayka, who will now undergo a coaching search while awaiting the NHL entry draft and either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg on June 26.
Berube – who went 84-62-18 with the Leafs in his two seasons and missed the playoffs this year after a second-round exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers in this first season – becomes the latest coach to exit a beleaguered franchise. As Mitch Marner continues to find success with the Golden Knights and Auston Matthews' future in Toronto remains clouded, Toronto is looking for a spark. It hasn't made a conference finals since 2002 and, of course, hasn't hoisted Lord Stanley's Cup since 1967.
Toronto, however, found luck in this year's lottery when it drew the No. 1 overall pick, jumping four spots to do so. Now, with Chayka at the helm, who will be the coach to reap the benefits of that good fortune? Here are four candidates who could be next in line in Toronto, which promises to be one of the most intriguing coaching searches this offseason.
Bruce Cassidy (470-254-9-96 career record, one Stanley Cup)
The first option on this list seems like the most obvious pick in the world. Bruce Cassidy to the Maple Leafs to at least hit the ground running in the McKenna/Stenberg era makes a lot of sense. He won a Stanley Cup in his first season in Vegas, but was relieved of his duties in favor of John Tortorella this year (Cassidy interestingly played winger Marner at center this season, and Vegas is playing some of its best hockey under Tortorella).
Cassidy has an abrasive coaching style, and his middling playoff record may be a turnoff for a fanbase that is sick of not only early exits, but heartbreaking ones at that. But if the Leafs can land Cassidy, they'll have an established coach with a high floor. The biggest red tape might be the Golden Knights themselves. Vegas reportedly blocked Cassidy from interviewing with the Oilers. If it continues to do so, Toronto may have its hand forced in looking elsewhere.
Bruce Boudreau (617-342-128, no Stanley Cups)
This is a longshot and a stopgap solution, before anyone gets mad.
The Maple Leafs seem to desperately need a culture shift within the organization, and that's what Bruce Boudreau does. He won't win you a Cup, but he'll build a cohesive team with a strong locker room. The Leafs last season had no fight in them, and it has shown time and time again. The team is going into a rebuild it didn't ask for with the No. 1 overall pick, and whether it's McKenna or Stenberg, the rebuild has to start somewhere.
Boudreau is 71 years old and hasn't coached since 2023, so there are hurdles here as well. But for a franchise seeking an identity, the Toronto native could be a Band-Aid. If Chayka and the Toronto faithful are willing to wait.
David Carle (no NHL experience)
The Denver Pioneers' bench leader has become a bit of a white whale for NHL teams. A two-time NCAA national champion, Carle was heavily sought after by the Chicago Blackhawks last year but withdrew his name from consideration. Perhaps the prestige of Toronto could draw him in, but with an even more unstable front office, it's a hard sell.
To humor the possibility, however, Carle's relentlessly positive coaching attitude would be refreshing in a league that lacks creativity in its hires. He recently compared McKenna to the Lightning's Nikita Kucherov, incredibly high praise. Is it realistic? Probably not. Is it worth a phone call? Every single time.
John Gruden (no NHL experience)
No, not that Gruden.
The Maple Leafs promoted former blue-liner John Gruden to coach the Toronto Marlies in 2023, and the organization has seemingly been enamored with him and the job he's done. The former OHL champion won the J. Ross Robertson Cup in neighboring Hamilton, and is in the midst of the Calder Cup Playoffs with a semifinal series against the Cleveland Monsters.
Whether the Leafs think Gruden is ready to make the jump is up for debate, but he is undoubtedly part of their long-term plans. Like Carle, it would introduce someone fresh to the NHL coaching mix. As the Montreal Canadiens thrive with Martin St. Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning remain perennial contenders with Jon Cooper, that may be more enticing than going with the old guard options.
