There's an understanding that, to this point in their search for a new head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs have narrowed down their list of candidates to some degree.
Not long ago, TSN's Pierre LeBrun provided a report saying the Leafs have entered the second phase of their process in landing their next bench boss, and that phase includes in-person interviews with "about five candidates."
On Thursday, during OverDrive, Darren Dreger guested on the show and added a name to the mix that he believes should be included in this next round of interactions.
To add to the discussion of Eakins being in the mix for the Toronto job, he was spotted with former NHL executive Brian Burke, taking in Game 3 of the AHL's Eastern Conference final between the Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Eakins has a history with the Maple Leafs organization. According to eliteprospects.com, Eakins' first coaching job was as an assistant coach for the Marlies in 2005-06.
For the next two years, he was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs, followed by a year as the director of player development. In 2009-10, he rejoined the Marlies in the AHL, but this time as a head coach.
After four years of leading the Marlies behind the bench and taking that team to the final once in that span, he took his talents to the NHL.
In total, Eakins has been a head coach in the NHL for six years and has been behind the bench in that role across 404 regular-season contests.
Eakins last coached in the NHL in 2022-23, his fourth year behind the bench with the Anaheim Ducks. He also coached the Edmonton Oilers for two years in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Since then, the 59-year-old has been coaching in Germany for DEL Mannheim. He's coached Mannheim for the past three seasons, losing in the final of this past campaign.
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The Vancouver Canucks have announced that Richard Seeley has been hired as the newest GM of the Abbotsford Canucks. The 47-year-old has spent the last eight years as GM of the Ontario Reign, as has a local connection as he is from Powell River, BC. Not only will Seeley serve as Abbotsford GM, but he will also be an Assistant General Manager with Vancouver.
Judging the work of an AHL GM is often not easy. The NHL affiliate often assembles the majority of the roster, as they send prospects and young players down to the AHL to develop. The job of an AHL General Manager is focused on ensuring these players improve while also filling out the roster to compete for the Calder Cup.
During Seeley's time with the Reign, Ontario won over 300 regular-season games. Last year, they won the Pacific Division while setting a new franchise record with 47 wins. The Reign and Canucks met once in the playoffs as Ontario swept Abbotsford in the second round back in 2024.
Several now-NHLers have gone through the Reign since Seeley took over as GM. Those players include Matt Roy, Michael Eyssimont, Gabriel Vilardi, Arthur Kaliyev, Sean Durzi, Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. While Seeley did not play a part in drafting these players, he was tasked with teaching them how to become pros both on and off the ice.
It is also important to note that this will be the first time Seeley has the title of NHL Assistant General Manager. While with Ontario, he was not listed as an AGM with the Los Angeles Kings. Being an NHL AGM should present new challenges to Seeley, as his sole focus will no longer be just on the AHL.
Overall, Seeley has a strong track record in the AHL. The Reign have surpassed the 40-win mark in four of the last five seasons and have finished in the top three in the division in each of the last three years. Ultimately, his tenure will be judged on his work with the AHL Canucks and on whether he can not just build a strong team but also ensure that players are developing properly.
Abbotsford Canuks (Photo Credit: Kaja Antic/The Hockey News)
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The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few areas on their roster that they should be looking to improve during the summer. Among them is their blueline, as their defensive group could simply use more depth.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley is an interesting potential option for the Blue Jackets to consider.
The first thing that immediately stands out about Stanley is his size. The 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman would provide the Blue Jackets' defensive group with a hulking defenseman, which is never a bad thing for a team with playoff expectations like the Blue Jackets to have around.
Stanley also showed this season that he is capable of providing some offense from the point in addition to his toughness. In 76 games this season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres, Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points. If he translated this kind of offense over to next season, he would give the Blue Jackets a bit more offensive production from the point, which is needed.
However, Stanley's biggest impact comes from his gritty style of play. The big blueliner isn't afraid of the physical side of the game, as threw 110 hits and had 128 penalty minutes this season. He would be a good player for the Blue Jackets to have around when the games get tougher and would give them another player to protect their top stars.
Another appealing factor about Stanley is his age. This is because the Sabres defenseman just turned 28 years old in May and has multiple years left in his prime. With this, he could be a nice long-term fit on a Blue Jackets club that is looking to break out and become real threats in the Eastern Conference.
If the Blue Jackets signed Stanley, he could fit well on their bottom pairing. He would also give them another option to work with on their penalty kill because of his shutdown ability.
Overall, if Stanley ends up not re-signing with the Sabres and testing the market, he is one of the defensemen that the Blue Jackets should have on their radar. While he is not a star, he would be a good hard-nosed defenseman for the Blue Jackets to add to their roster.
In 278 career NHL games over six seasons, Stanley has recorded 14 goals, 48 assists, 62 points, 333 penalty minutes, 351 blocks, 467 hits, and a plus-29 rating.
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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Two factions of former Philadelphia Flyers have been pitted against each other in the Stanley Cup Final, but only one end is living up to their end of the bargain so far.
With a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes are in the driver's seat to win their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, taking a 3-2 series lead.
They've managed that on the strength of longtime Flyers nemesis Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain who has scored in each of the first five games of the series, making him the first player to do so since Rocket Richard in 1956
Additionally, Staal's five-game scoring streak is tied for the longest such streak in Stanley Cup Final history.
The wily vet has been historically great for the Canes when it matters most, while a former Flyers goalie at the other end of the ice has been historically terrible.
On Tuesday night, after allowing five goals in a 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes, ex-Flyers netminder Carter Hart became the only goalie in NHL history to allow four or more goals in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final.
Things only got worse for the 27-year-old on Thursday night, as another four goals by the Hurricanes put his team down in the series for the very first time, extending his historically bad record by one more game.
Hart was a strong playoff performer dating back to his early days with the Flyers, but he's had a save percentage no higher than .879 in his last five starts for the Golden Knights.
As a result, his once-elite numbers this postseason have plummeted to a more average 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage. Still respectable, but hardly jaw-dropping as they were previously.
At the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes have turned to Brandon Bussi in place of Freddie Andersen; Bussi has now won two straight with Andersen serving as a scratch and not dressing at all.
Former Flyers head coach John Tortorella has one more chance, with or without Hart, to figure it out for Vegas, before the Stanley Cup goes home with Carolina.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 14: Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins reacts to scoring a goal in the second period during a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Utah Mammoth at Delta Center on March 14, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Eli Rehmer/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Anthony Mantha Born: Sep 16, 1994 Height: 6’5” Weight: 240 pounds Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec, Canada Shoots: Left Draft: First round pick (20th overall) in 2013 with Detroit Red Wings 2024-25 Statistics: 81 games played; 33 goals; 31 assists; 64 points; one assist in six playoff games Contract Status: Impending free agent on July 1, completed a one-year contract
Story of the Season
“It just goes back to all the work I put in last year. I knew I wanted to be a talked-about player this year. That’s the focus and mentality I came in [with].” – Anthony Mantha
Mantha gave that quote after a three-point night where he was named the first star of the game on March 30th, in what was likely the most pivotal single game of the Penguins’ whole season against the NY Islanders. NYI came into the game one point ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings for second place in the Metropolitan Division. After that game, Pittsburgh wouldn’t lose their hold on the second spot the rest of the way. It was fitting that Mantha was a primary reason for the success in that game, his two second period goals changed the score from 3-3 to 5-3, on the way to a decisive 8-3 win. He was a driving force that night as he was pretty much all year long to help elevate the Pens back to the playoffs with a team-high 33 goals and career-best 64 point campaign.
Mantha played like he had something to prove, and he certainly did. An ACL injury in 2024-25 ended his season in November. Months before that, his 2023-24 season ended as a playoff healthy scratch for four-straight games for Vegas – hardly what they or he wanted when he was picked up at the deadline with the intentions of being a quality upgrade. It would be a bit dramatic to say Mantha’s NHL career was on the line based on 2025-26 but its future certainly was hanging in the balance after signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with the Penguins (plus an addition $2 million in potential incentives).
Just about everything Mantha touched in the regular season turned to gold. Often paired with Justin Brazeau, the two monster wingers spent plenty of time being centered by both Evgeni Malkin and Ben Kindel. No matter who was on the ice with them, it worked with Mantha and Brazeau both shattering their previous personal bests in goals, assists and points on a season. Mantha didn’t get to rack up a ton of minutes or time on the first power play but still found ways to make it count in a supporting role.
The negative came in the playoffs, where Mantha disappeared from the scoreboard besides one assist. The team leader in goals was unable to score his first career NHL playoff goal, now lasting 20 total games. The postseason ended up as an unfortunate coda to a brilliant season.
Overall, Mantha’s time in Pittsburgh should be remembered more for nights like that Islanders game and helping the Penguins qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. He was brought on as something of a rehabilitation project and in the end Mantha did something of the same by helping rehabilitate the team in a true win-win outcome for both parties.
Which means this go-round in free agency will be looking a lot different for Mantha. Just as he wanted, he will be talked about this summer in NHL circles in a much different manner than last year.
Mantha’s production hit a big dip in November, but other than that was close to being a point per game player in every other month of the year. Considering his role of playing between 13-16 minutes a night and doing most his damage at even strength, that’s really saying something special to maximize the output on a somewhat limited basis considering most skilled players get a larger role. Mantha’s 26 5v5 goals tied for sixth in the entire NHL with such names as Kucherov, Robertson, Gauthier, Necas and Kempe at the same number.
On these reviews we often touch on the importance of March, when the season was at a critical juncture and one or both of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were out for the majority of the games. Mantha was great in March, and you could also see his hit levels rising to season-highs after low metrics at the beginning of the season for the only month he was credited with 1+ hit per game, showing involvement in many aspects.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
There was nothing special about territorial domination for Mantha, there certainly was a lot to write home about for being skilled/opportunistic enough to cash in on chances. Popping a 2+ P/60 is nothing new in Mantha’s career, he’s often put together great stretches in small doses. This year he did it for the duration to a higher level than ever before with that 2.83 P/60 that ranked ninth in the entire NHL (min. 500 minutes).
Pretty sight to see a natural goal scorer’s work. Mantha’s finishing was off the charts good – he recorded a 21.7% shooting percentage when a typical season for him is in the 11-13% range (although he did shoot a higher percentage once at 5v5 in 2023-24 with Washington, which also happened to be during a contract season…) That might lead to some buyer beware for a potential regression in the future, but his hot streak never cooled off this year.
Mantha found a fit with the Penguins, especially hanging out on a third line and going to work on the rush. Give him a good pass and he knows what to do with the puck at that point.
As a big, strong player Mantha could put some pepper on his shots, seven 90+ mph and 24 80+ shots were well above the norm for forwards. While he shot from all over the place, 24 of his goals came from the high danger area in front of the net, which can help explain the finishing numbers. It becomes easier to score when you’re 6’5, 240 and getting to the front of the net with frequency.
NHL players are really a marvel: a 240-pound person coming off an ACL surgery shouldn’t be able to strap skates to their feet and move as fast as what we see above, yet Mantha did. Mantha is not Connor McDavid or Quinn Hughes out there, but to get a body that big to have that much burst at age-31 with his injury history is seriously impressive. It wasn’t always easy – Mantha’s wife posted a light-hearted Instagram story that showed while she was in the hospital recovering giving birth it was her husband getting a massage therapist come right into her room with a table to work on his back. Whatever it took, Mantha was able to play in the first 81 games of the season before getting to rest during the finale, in doing so capturing all $2.0 million of his available bonus money (which got paid in $200k increments for every 10th game played).
While it seems like an answer to the question has been determined, market forces on a thin free agent pool will push Mantha into commanding a multi-year deal at a much higher rate than the $4.5 million total that was earned this season. Getting a $25 million commitment could be considered a somewhat conservative estimate for the windfall in store on July 1. The Pens probably aren’t going to offer that type of money and term to a supporting level 32-year old for the future, no matter how good the past season was. How they will go about replacing the 33 goals and 64 points headed out the door becomes the real question that Kyle Dubas and company will be wrestling with this summer.
Ideal 2026-27
Mantha has bounced around a bit lately, playing for four different teams (Washington, Vegas, Calgary, Pittsburgh) in less than three calendar years of 2024-26. In ideal for him would be to pair that big ol’ incoming contract with some trade protection to finally provide some stability for a player who has only started+finished three consecutive seasons with the same team one time in his career (with Detroit from 2017-20).
Bottom line
Mantha did everything and more than could be expected in the regular season. He likely had what will go down as being his his finest personal season. You never know how redemption opportunities will wind up, it’s very rare to see one work out as well as this one.
PensburghGrade: A
The regular season was unquestionably A+ work (probably even A++). The poor playoff was so bad it leaves enough of an aftertaste to knock a small bit of the superlative off the final grade.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils reacts during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Washington Capitals 7-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
A Nico thought:
👀 Although talks are ongoing, my speculation is that C Hischier and @NJDevils will land on a medium term contract extension somewhere between 11M- 13M range … #HockeyXpic.twitter.com/UgX43i5Cjj
“There’s no doubt the 2025-26 season was a disappointment for the New Jersey Devils, but with that should come change, unlike last offseason. New GM Sunny Mehta will likely be busy this summer, as the Devils’ roster has a few holes to address. What should Mehta prioritize via trades and free agency?” [Devils on the Rush]
“The New Jersey Devils need a top-six forward this summer. Not only is Jordan Kyrou a strong candidate, but he’s also a realistic target. The Devils have plenty going for them with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge, but their top-six scoring dried up too often last year. Even-strength production was a real sore spot, and it showed in the standings. Bringing in a winger who can generate chances, finish plays, and keep up with that pace would go a long way toward fixing it. Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues keeps coming up as someone who fits that bill pretty cleanly.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
The Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup:
THE CANES ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM THE #STANLEYCUP!!! 😱😱😱
“The NHLPA expects a full NHL investigation of coach Mike Babcock before the Edmonton Oilers can hire him, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The investigation would cover Babcock’s time with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, when he was hired but never coached a game for the team.” [ESPN]
“As the Edmonton Oilers navigate hiring Mike Babcock as head coach, they continue on another path: finding a new home for one of their longest-tenured players, alternate captain Darnell Nurse. Last week, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported the Oilers would like to trade Nurse, and, according to multiple sources, the defenceman recently went to the organization and said he would like to be traded. He now feels it is time for him to move on.” [Sportsnet]
“There might not be another player in the entire National Hockey League with as unique a resume as Taylor Hall. He won two Memorial Cups in junior and was drafted first overall into the NHL. Eight years later, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. And now, another eight years later, Hall is putting himself firmly in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded each year to the NHL’s playoff MVP.” [Daily Faceoff]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
David Reinbacher wasn’t the only young Montreal Canadiens blueliner to make his NHL debut this season; Adam Engstrom did as well, and he even got to spend 15 games with the big club. It wasn’t all that surprising, though, since the 22-year-old Swedish prospect was absolutely dominant in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.
As a result, Engstrom was named to the AHL Top Prospects Team earlier this week. In 45 games with the Rocket, he put up 34 points, including 10 goals, received only 18 penalty minutes and finished his season with a plus-14 rating.
While Engstrom was only a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2022 draft by the Canadiens, he has developed admirably and raised his stock accordingly. If he were a right-shot defenseman, he likely would have spent the season in Montreal, allowing the Canadiens to play Lane Hutson on his natural side.
Given the fact that the Habs have Hutson, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle on the left side, it’s not hard to imagine that the Canadiens could be tempted to use Engstrom in a deal to address the organizational needs that are the second-line center and a top-four right-shot defenseman. That’s not to say that Engstrom on his own would bring back that kind of return, but he could certainly be part of a package that would.
There’s also a line of thinking that dictates it would make sense for the Habs to part ways with Guhle, not because he’s not a good defenseman, he definitely is, but because of how often he is injured. When the puck drops on the new season, Guhle will be entering the 2nd year of his six-year contract with a $5.5 million cap hit. It’s not too expensive for that kind of punishing defenseman who can, as Cole Caufield so eloquently put it, “bury people.” It becomes expensive, however, if you cannot rely on him for more than 50 games and need a backup plan.
It’s a shame because the Canadiens lack sandpaper and should be adding some rather than discarding it. If the Habs decide to part ways with Guhle and promote Engstrom, he’s certainly not the guy who will bring that element to the lineup. It means that if the return for the trade is a right-shot blueliner, he not only needs to be able to play in the top-four, but he needs to be able to deliver bone-crushing hits as well, making him an even rarer specimen for Kent Hughes to find.
What a month this has been for the NHL and NBA finals, each with tremendously entertaining series and, in the Knicks’ case, the chance to make a city explode and unite around a title not seen in half a century.
A cup win for Raleigh or Vegas would be…less impactful, but it will still be the conclusion to a riveting series.
As for us, check back later for an outstanding Weird Islanders episode with former Isles beatwriter Arthur Staple discussing the weird Nino Niederreiter year (and a bonus run-in with Jack Capuano).
Islanders News
Anders Lee update-non-update: Isles would still like to keep him (but at what cost?) and he’d like to stay (but at what cost?), so the betting is he’ll reach free agency. [LeBrun rumbling at Athletic]
The Isles have signed Daylan [sic] Kuefler to another two-way deal, this one for two years. [Isles]
Matthew Schaefer was there for the Knicks’ amazing comeback in Game 4. [THN]
Elsewhere
The Hurricanes are one win away after a somewhat comfortable (by this series’ standards) Game 5 win at home. [NHL]
Jordan Staal is the first guy to score in five consecutive Stanley Cup final games in 50 years. [Sportsnet]
The NHL will further investigate Mike Babcock’s douchebaggery in Columbus, what with Edmonton seeking permission to hire him to kill their team off. [Athletic]
Speaking of the Oilers, Darnell Nurse says yeah fer sure, you can trade me. [Sportsnet]
Nikita Kucherov was awarded the Hart Trophy for some reason. [NHL]
Former Canucks GM Patrik Allvin joins the Kraken as one of several assistant GMs. [Sportsnet]
Ask a dumb question, spend a thousand words on a dumb non-answer. [Athletic]
DETROIT - JUNE 12: The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 2-1 to win Game Seven and the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Joe Louis Arena on June 12, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Seventeen years ago today, the Pittsburgh Penguins stunned the Detroit Red Wings to win the team’s third Stanley Cup title.
The Penguins were heavy underdogs in the Stanley Cup Final series against the Red Wings, who were the defending champions from the prior year.
Pittsburgh seemed extremely outmatched during stretches of the series, losing all three road games in Detroit, but winning Games 3, 4, and 6 to force a deciding Game 7 back at Joe Louis Arena.
Maxime Talbot opened the scoring early in the second period of the game, beating goaltender Chris Osgood to make it a 1-0 game.
Sidney Crosby left the game with a knee injury, but the Penguins kept pressing on.
Maxime Talbot was the star of the game, scoring a second goal near the midway point of the second period, picking a corner against Osgood to make it 2-0 Pittsburgh.
From there, it seemed like the Penguins were hanging on for dear life.
Jonathan Ericsson got the Red Wings on the board and Niklas Kronwall nearly tied the game, hitting the crossbar with a shot with just over 2 minutes remaining in the contest.
With the Penguins hanging on, Marc-Andre Fleury made a diving save on Nicklas Lidstrom as time was expiring and as time expired, the Penguins were Stanley Cup champions.
Erling Haaland swapped the football pitch for the ice rink as he and his Norway team-mates took in a Stanley Cup match.
The Norway contingent provided lively support for the Carolina Hurricanes in game five of the NHL play-off series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
The Manchester City forward, who will make his long-awaited World Cup debut against Iraq on 16 June (23:00 BST), cut a relaxed figure at the Lenovo Centre in Raleigh, waving to the crowd when the Norway team appeared on the scoreboard screen and swinging a Hurricanes rally towel around his head.
Arriving at the game in a grey polo shirt, he was later filmed beaming in a white and red Hurricanes jersey emblazoned with the number nine – the same number he wears for both club and country.
The Hurricanes, targeting their first Stanley Cup crown for 20 years, lead the Golden Knights 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, completing a 4-2 regulation win in game five.
Norway are playing at their first World Cup since 1998 – and their first major tournament since Euro 2000 – and have already made a mark despite not starting their campaign until next Tuesday.
The squad donned authentic Viking dress for an epic send-off photograph by acclaimed British photographer David Yarrow, titled The Vikings Are Coming, and have also paid tribute to their players' roots with a team photo featuring the shirts of their first clubs.
Norway are based in Greensboro, North Carolina – about 80 miles from the Hurricanes' Raleigh home – for the duration of the tournament, with the opportunity to watch the blue riband event of the NHL season coming less than a fortnight after the men's national ice hockey team shocked Canada in overtime to clinch the bronze medal at the World Championships.
After facing Iraq in their World Cup opener in Boston, Norway travel to New Jersey to play Senegal (23 June, 01:00 BST) before returning to Boston for a meeting with France (26 June, 20:00 BST).
RALEIGH, N.C.– The Vegas Golden Knights entered the third period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final in a familiar position: trailing their opponent by multiple goals. But on Thursday, for the first time in a long time, they weren’t able to come back from that multi-goal deficit.
The Golden Knights spent most of the regular season playing from behind. They finished the regular season with 1,965 minutes spent trailing their opponents– second only to the 32nd-place Vancouver Canucks– and still won the Pacific Division.
This is a veteran team that doesn’t panic and never says die. This is a team that has been able to erase multi-goal deficits at will and emerge triumphant on the other side. But they’ve been playing with fire all year, and they finally got burned.
Now, their season is on the line.
“We’re just gonna get ready for our next game,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella following the 4-2 loss.
Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. PST on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
1. Lost in the Wilderness
The Golden Knights losing Game 5 to fall behind 3-2 in the series isn’t great for their hopes of winning the Stanley Cup. However, it’s possible that the final score wasn’t the worst loss the Golden Knights suffered in Game 5.
At 8:19 in the second period, William Karlsson took a hit from Sean Walker along the boards. It was a seemingly harmless play, a typical, run-of-the-mill check. But Karlsson went to the bench cradling his left arm, spent a few moments talking with the trainers, and headed down the tunnel. He did not return to the game, and ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Karlsson left the arena to seek further medical attention.
Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella indirectly provided an update on Karlsson postgame– and it doesn’t sound good.
“He’s an important piece to us,” said Tortorella following the 4-2 loss. “Up the middle of the ice, penalty killer, power play guy. He’s a winner. But having said that– it’s all good stuff– he’s not gonna be with us, probably. We gotta find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy, but as a team.”
2. Shame, Shame, Shame!
Game 5 was a strange game. The Golden Knights fought until the final horn and threatened until the last second. But in many ways, they lost the game nine minutes into the second period.
At 8:56 in the second, Jeremy Lauzon took a dumb penalty. As Logan Stankoven sped towards the corners to try and win a footrace to a loose puck, Lauzon caught him in the stomach with a cross-check and flipped the smaller winger like a sack of baby potatoes.
The Golden Knights killed it off. But as Lauzon stepped out of the box, Brayden McNabb boarded Jackson Blake and took another penalty. The Hurricanes took the lead a minute into the ensuing power play.
The Hurricanes, who were so sound when playing with the lead before this series, took off and never looked back. They tacked on another before the period ended and extended their lead on the power play halfway through the third.
“We had a really good start,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella following the loss. “We lost momentum when we took back-to-back penalties.”
3. GUA-RAN-TEE!
For the first time in 48 days, the Vegas Golden Knights look vulnerable. For the first time in 48 days, they lost two games in a row. For the first time in 48 days, they are trailing in a series.
John Tortorella isn’t worried.
Following the 4-2 loss, Tortorella sat at the podium and said that his team would be back at the Lenovo Center for Game 7. In fact, he guaranteed it.
“We’ll be back here,” he said. “We’re just gonna do it in a different order.”
Less than a minute later, he doubled down on his promise.
“I’m gonna leave my clothes here,” Tortorella swore. “That’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel.”
The Golden Knights have a steep hill to climb, and without William Karlsson in the lineup, that hill becomes even steeper.
But there was a time when they looked like a one-and-done team. It’s been a while, but the Golden Knights have been down in a series before– and they were without Karlsson’s services then, too. And they certainly weren’t supposed to get past Colorado.
Yes, it’s a steep hill to climb. But they’ve spent two months proving everyone wrong. What’s one more time?
But coach John Tortorella was in form afterward, essentially guaranteeing the Stanley Cup Final would return to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Game 7 and ripping a reporter's question about the goaltending.
"We're going to find a way," he said. "I'm going to leave my clothes here, that's for sure. They'll be in the hotel."
The Carolina Hurricanes won 4-2 as Jordan Staal scored for the fifth game in a row and first-line players Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho broke through with three goals. Brandon Bussi made 23 saves in his second consecutive start since replacing Frederik Andersen at the start of the third period of Game 3.
Tortorella took exception when a reporter asked if he considered replacing Carter Hart with Adin Hill for the start of the third period on Thursday. Hart has given up four goals in every game of the series.
"Oh for Christ - that could be the stupidest question I've heard," he said.
The Golden Knights had some positives with Pavel Dorofeyev scoring twice to end a drought. Jack Eichel had two assists.
But Hart will need to outplay Bussi in Game 6 and the Golden Knights will need to solve the Hurricanes' power play without penalty killer Karlsson for Tortorella's vow to come true.
Jordan Staal ties NHL record with Game 5 goal
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal's five-game streak in the Stanley Cup Final tied an NHL record and put him in elite company.
He joined Hall of Famers Yvan Cournoyer (1973), Jean Beliveau (1956), Maurice Richard (1951) and Fred "Cyclone" Taylor (1918) with the streak. Staal would pass them if he scores in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Hurricanes coach glad for two-day break
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he's grateful that there are two days off before Game 6 in order to tamp down the excitement about winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup title since 2006.
"I don't think it will be too hard to focus this group," he said.
The Golden Knights are on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup Final after losing Game 5 to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, on Thursday.
The teams return to Vegas for Game 6 on Sunday, as the Golden Knights look to stave off elimination and force a Game 7, which would be in Raleigh, North Carolina on Wednesday.
Though Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring 6:52 into the game with a power-play goal to give Vegas a 1-0 lead, the Hurricanes answered shortly thereafter to thwart the Knights' energy, as Jordan Staal scored his sixth goal of the series.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 12, 2026
After being outscored 9-1 in the second period through the first four games, the Hurricanes outscored the Knights 2-0 on Thursday to secure a 3-1 lead after two periods, getting goals from Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho.
Svechnikov added a power-play goal in the third, to push Carolina's lead to 4-1 before Dorofeyev scored his second goal a little more than two minutes later to cut the lead in half.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 12, 2026
Carolina goalie Brandon Bussi was in lockdown mode, however, as he stopped 23 shots on the night.
Vegas netminder Carter Hart, who made 20 saves, allowed four goals for the fifth straight game.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) and defenseman K'andre Miller (19) during the third period in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center.
Golden Knights forward William Karlsson left the Thursday, June 11 game in the second period after absorbing a check from Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker along the boards.
A trainer looked at Karlsson's arm on the bench and Karlsson skated to the dressing room. He didn't return and ABC reported that Karlsson left Lenovo Center to undergo further examination.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella looked discouraged when the trainer came out to talk to him. He gave a discouraging postgame report on Karlsson's status for the rest of the series.
Tortorella said he had no update on Karlsson but didn't sound positive about the player's status.
"He's not going to be with us probably," he said. "We've got to find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy but as a team."
Karlsson had two goals and two assists in the Final. He was limited to 14 games in the regular season, but his return late in the regular season was one of several factors that helped the Golden Knights clinch a playoff berth.
"He's an important piece for us," Tortorella said. "Penalty killer. Power play guy. He's a winner."
The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2 after the 4-2 victory and can clinch their first Stanley Cup title since 2006 on Sunday, June 14 in Game 6 at Las Vegas.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes had spent the NHL playoffs waiting for their power play to get going, along with top-line performers Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho.
And they had spent the first four games of the Stanley Cup Final being outplayed in critical second-period sequences.
On Thursday night, it all came together, aligning to bring the Hurricanes within a victory of winning the Cup.
Andrei Svechnikov (37), Sebastian Aho (20), Sean Walker (26), and K’Andre Miller (19) celebrate after a Carolina goal in the second period of the Hurricanes’ 4-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 11, 2026 in Raleigh, N.C.. AP Photo/Ben McKeown
Svechnikov scored twice and Aho added a second-period goal in a breakout offensive game for both, helping the Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 for a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
“I liked our effort for sure, and I hope we’re getting better,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I think there’s certain areas of our game that are starting to look a lot like we need it to look. But I do think there’s still another level that we’re going to need to get to find that next one.”
Captain Jordan Staal found the net again for the fifth straight game in this series after Vegas had taken a 1-0 first-period lead, while Brandon Bussi finished with 23 saves in his second career postseason start.
Game 6 is Sunday night in Las Vegas, with the Hurricanes playing for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for the first time since Brind’Amour captained them to the title in 2006.
Aho’s goal in the second period marked his first of the series, coming when Sean Walker found him cutting to the left side after Jordan Martinook — swapped with Seth Jarvis to work alongside Aho and Svechnikov on the top line — won a puck battle behind the net on the forecheck.
Then there was Svechnikov, who entered Thursday with four postseason goals before striking twice on the power play. On the first, he whipped the puck past Carter Hart on the right side for a 2-1 lead in the second period.
On the second, he had a short putaway at the post off a sharp feed from Nikolaj Ehlers for a 4-1 lead, one of three assist for Ehlers on the night that included him having two delay-of-game penalties for putting a puck over the glass.
Before those second-period scores, Vegas had outscored Carolina 9-1 in the second period during the series.
Alexander Nikishin checks Vegas’ Colton Sissons (10) during the third period of the Hurricanes’ Game 5 win over the Golden Knights. AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker
And unlike most multi-goal leads in what has been a wild and thrilling series, this one held up with Bussi doing enough to stave off Vegas’ late push to climb back in it.
“It required everything we have,” Staal said on the ESPN broadcast.
Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice for Vegas, finding the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Final sweep of Presidents’ Trophy winner Colorado.
“I thought we were still doing some good things,” Vegas’ Jack Eichel said. “We had chances.”
Vegas goalie Carter Hart and right wing Mark Stone react dejectedly after the Golden Knights’ Game 5 loss to the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh, N.C. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hart entered this one as the first goaltender in Stanley Cup Final history to give up at least four goals in each of the first four games, then did it again to continue a difficult series while finishing with 20 saves.
Asked if he considered swapping to backup Adin Hill, coach John Tortorella responded: “That could be the stupidest question I’ve heard.”
Vegas had twice before been in a 2-2 series in these playoffs, in the first round against Utah and the second round against Anaheim. Both times, the Golden Knights won Game 5 and closed out the series in Game 6.
This time, they’ll have to win on home ice to force the series back to Carolina for a Game 7 on Wednesday night. And they’ll have to take two in a row against a Hurricanes team that hasn’t suffered consecutive losses since mid-January.
Not that Tortorella was fazed.
“We’ll be back here,” he said confidently, saying he would leave his clothes behind at the team’s hotel in expectation of returning to North Carolina.
Vegas played much of the night without center William Karlsson, who was being checked out on the bench for an apparent upper-body injury. Karlsson skated to the tunnel midway through the second period and didn’t return. Tortorella said the center was “not going to be with us, probably” in the coming games.
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