The Chicago Blackhawks lost Jack Pridham. He wasn’t going to sign with them, so they traded his rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He didn’t see much of a path to success in the Chicago organization, so he had other ideas.
After the trade was made, it became known that he was going to go to Denver, where he would find tremendous success with a truly elite NCAA program. There, he will attempt to translate his skills to a much tougher system against better opponents, which should better prepare him for the pro game.
It’s a tough loss for the Blackhawks, but they got a third-round pick for him, which is what they paid to select him in the 2024 NHL Draft. It also isn’t going to make or break the organization going forward. Their pipeline will be just fine.
As far as forwards go, they already have Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, and Frank Nazar at the NHL level. All of them are under 22 years old and are only going to get better. They also have high-quality depth players in the form of youth with Nick Lardis, Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, and Sacha Boisvert.
In the pipeline, Roman Kantserov, Vaclav Nestrasil, Marek Vanacker, and AJ Spellacy were all ahead of Pridham on the ranking chart. Guys like Nathan Behm, John Mustard, and Mason West are also in the mix. With all of those players around, Pridham didn’t see a true path to the NHL, and that’s fair.
If the Blackhawks can turn half of those players mentioned into legitimate NHL contributors, the future will remain very bright. Right now, their farm is superior in the league for a reason. Building through the draft has been their philosophy, and sometimes losing players like Pridham comes with that mentality.
Time To Acquire NHL Talent Using Prospects
The Chicago Blackhawks have a lot of great prospects. Clearly, they aren't all going to make it to the NHL on a full-time basis. There isn't enough room.
The prospects mentioned are aware of that reality, hence Jack Pridham's decision not to sign. If they see a path to more success elsewhere, they will take it.
This is a reason for the Blackhawks to start acquiring more NHL-ready talent. They have been a bottom-five team for a handful of years now, and it's time to come out of that.
With all of the youth in the lineup already, they must start experiencing late-season games that are meaningful. Trading prospects for players who will contribute right away will help the front office avoid players deciding to leave, as Pridham did.
Sure, they recouped a third-round pick this time, but they might not be as fortunate next time. Over the summer, especially around the draft and free agency, there will be opportunities for Kyle Davidson to improve the team. Some of these prospects are assets in that quest.
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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired the rights to forward prospect Jack Pridham in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday.
The 20-year-old Pridham was selected by Chicago in the third round of the 2024 draft. He was eligible to re-enter the draft if he didn't sign an entry-level contract with an NHL team or commit to a college by 5 p.m. EDT on Monday.
Tampa Bay said Pridham had committed to play NCAA hockey next season, and the school was “expected to be announced in the coming days.”
The Blackhawks received a third-round selection in the 2027 draft in the deal with the Lightning.
Pridham had 46 goals and 44 assists in 65 games this season with Kitchener in the Ontario Hockey League. He also helped the Rangers win the OHL championship and Memorial Cup.
The Golden Knights have the playoffs' top scorers in Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel and two 10-goal scorers in Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden. Mark Stone is back from an injury. The Hurricanes have the hottest line in the playoffs with Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake. The Sebastian Aho line hasn't broken through yet in the playoffs. If it does, this is a different series, but for now, it hasn't.
Edge: Golden Knights
Defense
The Golden Knights push teams to the outside and block shots. The Hurricanes make it difficult to get out of the zone. Carolina's Jaccob Slavin is one of the best shutdown defensemen in the league. K'Andre Miller was a solid offseason addition who has a league-best +14 plus-minus. Sean Walker is at +13. Hurricanes defensemen have better puck possession numbers than the Golden Knights do. Vegas gets better offensive numbers from the blue line. Shea Theodore (four goals, 11 points) is the top-scoring defenseman in the series, but he also averages 4.12 giveaways per 60 minutes.
Edge: Hurricanes
Goaltending
Carolina's Frederik Andersen gave up eight goals in the two losses in the season series, but Andersen is a changed goalie since the playoffs began. His regular season goals-against average was 3.05 and now it's 1.44. Vegas' Carter Hart, who faces more shots, is at 2.22. Moneypuck.com lists Andersen's goals saved above expected at 11.5, compared with Hart's 7.7. Andersen is motivated to win for his late agent Claude Lemieux, the four-time Stanley Cup winner who died on May 28.
Edge: Hurricanes
Coaching
Vegas' John Tortorella won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004, but he hasn't been back to the final since. Rod Brind'Amour hasn't won a Cup as a coach but did as captain of the Hurricanes in 2006. Tortorella gets kudos for turning around the team after it fired coach Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the season and for sweeping the powerhouse Avalanche in a series involving two comebacks. Brind'Amour gets kudos for his video session after Carolina lost Game 1 to the Canadiens. The Hurricanes emerged in the next game as a different-looking team and dominated Montreal territorially for four games in a row to close out the series.
Edge: Hurricanes
Special teams
The Golden Knights' power play clicks at 23.9%, compared with the Hurricanes' 12.5%. But Carolina have a better penalty kill (92.5%) than the Golden Knights' (87.5%).
With the NHL Draft returning at the end of June, the Detroit Red Wings will be approaching proceedings a little differently than most. Having dealt their first-round selection at the trade deadline, Detroit will not have a pick on day one and will instead turn their full attention to the second round, where their first selection of the draft comes at 47th overall.
It is not a bad position to be in. The second round regularly produces meaningful NHL contributors, and there figures to be no shortage of intriguing options available when Detroit's card goes in.
One name worth watching closely is Markus Ruck, an 18-year-old forward from Osoyoos, British Columbia, who just wrapped up one of the more eye-catching individual seasons in recent Western Hockey League memory.
Playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers this past season, Ruck posted 21 goals and a staggering 87 assists for 108 points in 68 games. Both his assist total and his point total led the entire WHL, with his 87 helpers coming 21 clear of the next closest player in the league.
His 108 points also topped the league by four, with the player directly behind him being his own twin brother, Liam Ruck, in what made for an extraordinary family footnote to the WHL's individual scoring race. Markus carries some question marks at the pro level, primarily around his 168-pound frame, which raises durability and physicality concerns as he steps up in competition.
At six feet tall, there is a reasonable projection that he fills out over time, but NHL teams will weigh that risk when deciding how early to commit. His offensive skillset, however, is difficult to argue with. Elite playmaking ability at this volume and consistency does not come around often.
The draft boards reflect the uncertainty around his ceiling like TSN's Craig Button, who has Ruck ranked as high as 16th overall, while McKeen's Hockey places him 54th, producing a consolidated ranking on Elite Prospects of 45th, which sits almost precisely where Detroit will be selecting. If Ruck slides even slightly on draft day, the Red Wings could find themselves with a straightforward decision.
As for Liam, he carries a consolidated ranking of 34th and is generally considered the hotter commodity on draft boards, with Button placing him as high as tenth overall.
Getting to Liam at 47 would likely not happen and would require Detroit to trade up, making him a more complicated target. But the possibility of landing one half of a brother tandem that dominated the WHL's scoring charts this season is a scenario worth monitoring.
However the board falls, Detroit enters day two of the draft with meaningful ammunition and no shortage of options. The Red Wings have worked hard to build one of the deeper prospect pipelines in the league, and whoever they select at 47th overall figures to add to what is already a very promising foundation.
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For our money, the ice is the hottest place to be this June.
Starting Tuesday, June 2, Sebastian Aho’s dominant Carolina Hurricanes will go skate-to-skate with Mitch Marner’s mighty Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup.
If you want to be there, last-minute tickets are available for all seven potential high-stakes showdowns.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for games at Raleigh, NC’s Lenovo Center — aka the home of the ‘Canes — was $712 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices start at $1,604 including fees for contests at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
Want to go?
Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
Both teams breezed through their respective Conference Finals to advance to this championship round that determines who gets to hoist the NHL’s iconic silver trophy high in the air.
Prior to that, Carolina and Vegas met twice in the regular season. The Golden Knights won both games.
“It’s a different animal. That’s for sure,” Rod Brind’Amour said about playing Vegas. “You can’t get this far without being top-notch, so we know that’s going to be a huge challenge.”
While they’re worried, major sportsbooks DraftKings and FanDuel consider Carolina to be a major favorite coming into the Stanley Cup.
Although this is the first time Aho’s ‘Canes have gotten to the Finals since 2006, they’re projected to be -155 favorites to win the Stanley Cup while Marner and Jack Eichel’s Vegas Golden Knights opened at +130, DraftKings claims.
Still, both teams are streaking. Carolina has come out on top in 12 of their 13 playoff tilts; Vegas is currently riding a six-game win streak.
We can’t wait to see how this series shakes out.
Want Need to be there?
You’re in the right place, Caniacs and Knights faithful.
Our team has everything you need to know and more about the 2026 Stanley Cup between the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights below.
Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup home game ticket prices
A complete calendar including all announced Hurricanes Eastern Conference Finals home game dates at the Lenovo Center and the best prices on tickets are listed below.
Carolina Hurricanes home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Tuesday, June 2
$712(including fees)
Game 2 Thursday, June 4
$964(including fees)
Game 5 Thursday, June 11
$1,717(including fees)
Game 7 Wednesday, June 17
$2,086(including fees)
Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup home game ticket prices
All Vegas Golden Knights playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available at the T-Mobile Arena can be found below.
Vegas Golden Knights home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Saturday, June 6
$1,774(including fees)
Game 4 Tuesday, June 9
$1,604(including fees)
Game 6 Sunday, June 14
$1,635(including fees)
How to watch the Hurricanes and Golden Knights on TV
Fans hoping to catch St. Brind’Amour’s beastly team on the tube can watch all playoff games on ABC in the US or Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
Huge 2026 concerts
Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NHL season?
No worries.
Many of the most exciting acts around will be out and about all summer long. Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
After achieving their seemingly lofty goal, set in the Spring of 2025, to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 2025-26 Anaheim Ducks took it a step further and won their opening round series against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Ducks believe they’ve driven the final nail into the coffin of their long rebuild, and can now be seen as a young, proven, contending franchise for the foreseeable future. Their breakthrough season, exciting young talent that now boasts playoff experience and success, and a market that features a desirable lifestyle, have the potential to render Anaheim a destination for impact players on the move through the trade market or free agency moving forward.
Anaheim made the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and they will likely be setting their sights on an even deeper run in 2026-27. However, they witnessed firsthand what it takes on the ice to win multiple long series in the springtime, as they were defeated by the now Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights in six games.
From a roster construction standpoint, the Ducks have some areas of their depth chart in need of tweaking and/or improving. They have several impact veterans with contracts set to expire every summer for the next three years, and though the prospect cupboard is still somewhat full, there aren’t many obvious internal replacements to fill the projected holes left behind by said veterans.
This year’s free agency class is as thin as it’s ever been, teams are flush with cap space due to the NHL’s now-ever-rising ceiling, and it’s been reported that teams are eyeing “massive” trades this summer. With that said, what holes are currently in the Ducks’ depth chart, and where can general manager Pat Verbeek look to improve his roster in the present, moving forward?
Right Shot Defensemen
Jacob Trouba (32), John Carlson (36), and Radko Gudas (35) will all see their contracts expire on July 1 if extensions are not agreed upon before then. That would leave the Ducks with just Drew Helleson (25), Ian Moore (24), and Tristan Luneau (22) as the only right-shot defensemen under team control with NHL experience.
If the Ducks were to roll with a right side of Helleson, Moore, and Luneau across from Jackson LaCombe (25), Pavel Mintyukov (22), and Olen Zellweger (22), they would boast a talented but vastly inexperienced blueline. For a GM who values experience to insulate his young talent, that potential blueline would likely be quite unappetizing for Verbeek heading into a season where expectations will be amplified.
LaCombe’s emergence as a true #1 defenseman has been a breath of fresh air and was needed for Anaheim’s build to get off the ground. The next step toward LaCombe realizing his potential will be finding him a complementary partner to grow alongside, and together, form an elite defensive pair in the NHL.
Acquiring the long-term Devon Toews to LaCombe’s Cale Makar, the Brayden McNabb to his Shea Theodore, Brock Faber to his Quinn Hughes, etc., will amplify the potential of LaCombe, the blueline, and the entire roster.
To a lesser extent, adding a similar complementary piece to the second pair beside either Zellweger or Mintyukov would also be welcome.
Second Line Center
The Ducks’ lack of center depth and consistency behind Leo Carlsson was exposed during their second-round series against the Golden Knights. Between Mason McTavish sliding to wing (and the press box), Granlund as the interim second-line center, and Ryan Poehling’s promotion to the third line down the stretch of the season, Vegas’ two-way centers like Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Mitch Marner’s cameo down the middle overmatched the Ducks with their 200-foot impact on every line.
Center isn’t as dire a need, as McTavish may return to form, Granlund can perform adequately, and prospect Roger McQueen (10th overall in 2025) could potentially be awarded an audition at some point in 2026-27.
However, if the Ducks intend to make a deeper run in the 2027 Playoffs, beyond the second round, an upgrade in the form of an all-three-zones, impact center to provide secondary scoring and defensive prowess could be necessary to elevate the forward group into that of a contending team.
Top Nine Winger
Every offseason, it seems as if all 32 NHL teams are looking to improve the top of their forward groups and are in the market for top-six wingers. As far as the Ducks are concerned, sophomore Cutter Gauthier (22) and rookie Beckett Sennecke (20) established themselves as two of the NHL’s top young scoring wingers, totaling a combined 129 points in the 82-game regular season and 18 points in the Ducks’ 12-game playoff run.
However, beyond that young, dynamic pair, the Ducks have short and long-term question marks on the wing. Troy Terry (28) is scheduled to undergo hip surgery this offseason, leaving the start to his 2026-27 campaign up in the air.
McTavish’s future with the Ducks has come into question, and if he’s to remain in Anaheim for the foreseeable future, it’s unclear if he’ll transition back to center or remain on the wing, the position he played down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Mikael Granlund (34) has two years remaining on his three-year contract with an AAV of $7 million. He’s a versatile player who can provide an impact anywhere in the top nine, so he can be seen as more of an impact gap-filler during the latter stages of his career.
Frank Vatrano was a staple in the Ducks’ top-six during his first three years in Anaheim, but found himself playing fourth-line minutes for head coach Joel Quenneville and the Ducks in 2025-26 when he did find himself in the lineup. He was healthy scratched for all 12 of the Ducks’ playoff games, and his future with the team is in question as he enters the second year of his three-year contract that carries an AAV of $4.57 million.
Chris Kreider (35) and Alex Killorn (36) will be entering the final year of their deals and may be suited for roles lower in the lineup as the Ducks look to advance further in the 2027 Playoffs than they did this year.
The Ducks still have one of the deepest prospect pipelines in the NHL, which features players of various NHL readiness, including Nikita Nesterenko (24), Sam Colangelo (24), Nico Myatovic (21), Yegor Sidorov (21), Sasha Pastujov (22), among a slew of others.
Though the potential remains that one or several of them break through and become top-six options, the likelihood of it being in 2026-27 is slim. A supplementary proven bridge veteran who more fits the Ducks’ timeline could be a useful addition to a team aiming to truly compete next season and beyond.
Some ancillary needs the Ducks may look to pursue could include an additional backup goaltender and/or more fourth-line depth pieces. Ville Husso is a serviceable backup, but NHL teams are electing to employ three goaltenders with increasing frequency, as injury and volatility are common at the position. The Ducks have multiple internal options from which they can build a fourth line. However, Verbeek has shown a penchant for tinkering with that area of his depth chart.
Stay tuned for articles this week featuring organizational situations around the league Verbeek could look to target were he intent on adding to his roster via the trade market this offseason.
The Winnipeg Jets are staring down one of the more consequential off-seasons in recent franchise memory. After missing the playoffs and enduring a difficult year, the pressure is on general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff to reshape a roster that needs to get back into the postseason conversation quickly.
Central to those decisions will be what the Jets do with the eighth overall pick in the upcoming NHL Draft, with insider reports suggesting Winnipeg could look to move the selection for immediate help rather than banking on a prospect's development timeline.
But if Cheveldayoff opts to stay put and let the board come to him, there are some genuinely exciting possibilities. One of the most talked-about names in this year's class and a player who continues to climb draft rankings heading into the summer is Caleb Malhotra, the 17-year-old center and son of former longtime NHL forward Manny Malhotra.
Malhotra just wrapped up a remarkable debut season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Brantford Bulldogs, helping guide the club to a first-place finish in the regular season while posting 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points across 67 games.
For a first-year OHL player, that kind of production is notable on its own. In the postseason, Malhotra elevated his game entirely, recording 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 15 playoff games as Brantford pushed all the way to the OHL Western Conference Finals before falling to the Barrie Colts in seven games.
The rankings reflect the growing consensus around his talent. Sportsnet's Jason Bukala has him as high as third overall, while Elite Prospects, The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy, Daily Faceoff, McKeen's Hockey and Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino all have the center slotting inside the top five.
There is a scenario, however, where Malhotra slides. Dobber Prospects and The Hockey News' Tony Ferrari both have him outside the top 15, reflecting some disagreement in the scouting community about where exactly his ceiling sits and how quickly he can translate his junior success to the professional level.
That uncertainty is actually what makes the conversation interesting for Winnipeg. If the Jets hold at eight and Malhotra is still on the board, it would represent genuine value on a player many expect to go considerably earlier.
At six feet two and 183 pounds, he already has the frame NHL teams covet at center, and while he is committed to Boston University next season, the trajectory he is on could see him pushing for meaningful NHL time sooner than a typical college development path might suggest.
For a Jets team that needs to win now but cannot afford to ignore the future entirely, a player of Malhotra's caliber offers a compelling middle ground. Whether Cheveldayoff ultimately deals the pick or uses it, the eighth overall selection figures to shape the direction of this franchise for years to come.
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The Athletic's Corey Pronman released his latest 2026 NHL mock draft with June now here. In it, he predicted all 32 picks of the first round.
When it came to the Montreal Canadiens, Pronman had the Habs selecting forward Liam Ruck.
When looking at the numbers Ruck put up this season in the WHL, there is no question that he would be an exciting prospect for the Canadiens to add to their system. The 6-foot winger appeared in 68 games this season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL, where he posted 45 goals, 59 assists, and 104 points. With numbers like these, it is clear that he has a lot of skill.
Ruck has the potential to become a top-six forward in the NHL, so he is the kind of forward prospect who the Canadiens would be wise to consider if he is still available when they are on the clock. There is a lot to like about his game, and he would give them another fascinating scorer in their prospect pool.
Yet, with how well Ruck played this season, there is certainly a chance that he will be selected before the Canadiens have the chance to do so. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes looks even in a lot of ways, with very little margin for error.
Vegas has won 12 of 16 games in the playoffs, including a sweep of Colorado in the West final, while Carolina has taken 12 of 13. They’ve allowed the third-fewest and fewest goals against, respectively, while each scoring more than three goals a game.
So, what will make the difference in a series between NHL powerhouses? Look no further than special teams.
Stifling penalty kills
The Hurricanes’ penalty kill is clicking along at a 92.5% success rate, allowing four goals and scoring once shorthanded.
“Carolina’s been an elite penalty-killing team for years now and that’s part of their identity and that comes from their puck pressure and their sticks, their discipline — all that kind of stuff,” goaltender-turned-NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider said. “Vegas will have its work cut out for itself.”
Vegas has been elite itself. The Golden Knights allowed six power-play goals through three rounds and scored four times short-handed.
Brayden McNabb, who has been around since the team’s inaugural season in 2017-18, has been a key cog of that, logging more than 45 total minutes of ice time on the kill. Three other huge pieces are players general manager Kelly McCrimmon brought in midseason.
Goaltender Carter Hart, whose presence alone has been scrutinized, has stopped 64 of 70 shots while an opponent is on the power play. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson, acquired before the Olympic break, and center Nic Dowd, an addition on the eve of the trade deadline, along with McNabb have been among the first guys over the boards on the penalty kill.
It has been old reliable for the Hurricanes, with defensive defenseman Jaccob Slavin skating over 56 minutes short-handed. Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team plays with a particular structure all the time, and this is where it is most effective as long as the three or four guys on the ice in front of goalie Frederik Andersen are on the same page.
Polarizing power plays
Vegas’ power play has scored 11 times in 46 opportunities, good for 24%. Captain Mark Stone and winger Pavel Dorofeyev have four apiece, while centers Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl each have six power-play assists.
“I find the Vegas power play to be more threatening,” Schneider said. “Can Carolina quiet Vegas’ power play and force them 5 on 5 in order to beat them?”
The better question is can Carolina’s power play keep up? It is 7 of 56 in the playoffs, a 12.5% rate that has gotten the job done against Ottawa, Philadelphia and Montreal.
Vegas, as Brind’Amour said, is “a different animal.”
“Carolina’s got a good power play, don’t get me wrong, but I think that could be a bit of a wash and Carolina’s going to have to try to generate more 5-on-5 offense than rely on their power play like Vegas should,” Schneider said.
What to expect
Given these teams’ ability to put the puck in the net at even strength, there will be an emphasis on discipline. Stay out of the box and play 5 on 5, where the Golden Knights have scored 34 goals and the Hurricanes 30.
Vegas has averaged a little under four minor penalties a game to Carolina’s five. That makes every power play even more valuable, with much of the games becoming a test of two teams with demanding coaches who don’t let a lot of the details slip.
“They play the right way,” Slavin said. “They play a very similar style to us. It’s going to be who can do it better and who can stay on it longer? But it’s going to be an awesome series.”
The St. Louis Blues have signed goaltender Will Cranley to a one-year, two-way contract extension, Blues president of hockey operations and GM Doug Armstrong announced today.
The 24-year-old was a 2020 sixth-round pick of the Blues and has spent the past three seasons bouncing between the ECHL and the AHL, and was set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) on July 1.
The 2025-26 season was Cranley’s best season to date. In the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, he posted a respectable .892 save percentage in 10 games, while in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades, he recorded a .915 SP in 18 games. He had previously never posted a save percentage above .900 in either the ECHL or AHL.
His AHL career numbers show a .890 SP in 13 games and a .896 SP in 74 ECHL games.
Prior to joining the Blues organization, Cranley was a netminder in the OHL, where he posted a .881 SP in 117 career games across five seasons.
While his numbers have never been eye-catching and often look rather disappointing, Cranley boasts a 6-foot-4 frame and is still quite young for a goaltender. He may never make it to the NHL, but organizational depth in the minor leagues is valuable, and retaining homegrown talent in that role is a necessity.
Cranley’s contract will see him paid $850,000 at the NHL level, with a minor league salary of $95,000, according to Puckpedia. Due to his age and lack of NHL experience, Cranley will become a Group 6 RFA at the end of the 2026-27 season.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — A big smile filled Rod Brind’Amour’s face after he and the Carolina Hurricanes finally reached the Stanley Cup Final, busting through the roadblock that stopped them so many times in his first eight seasons as coach.
“Oh really? That’s surprising,” captain Jordan Staal said. “Just kidding.”
Across the country hours earlier, John Tortorella refused to answer a question about what he was like 22 years ago when he coached Tampa Bay to the Cup. The following day, he was in no mood to compare himself to Brind’Amour.
“No nostalgia, and I’m not talking about the other team,” Tortorella said.
Gruff in that setting, Tortorella is more understanding with Vegas Golden Knights players as their coach, and while he and Brind’Amour differ in age and experience levels, their similarities run far deeper. They are demanding and believe in a lot of the old-school elements of hockey that lead to success in the playoffs.
“John Tortorella, you have to block shots: If you’re not blocking the shot, you will not play,” said Mike Rupp, who played for Tortorella with the New York Rangers from 2011-13. “He doesn’t care who you are. You will not play. It’s the first thing he’ll tell you. I guarantee that the first thing Torts said is ‘You will block shots.’ I’m sure Rod would say the same thing.”
Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin has been around for Brind’Amour’s entire tenure and won Olympic gold with Tortorella on the U.S. coaching staff. That experience gave him a small glimpse of why players he talks to rave about Tortorella.
“Torts was an assistant coach there, so he was fairly quiet, so I don’t know his fully coaching style,” Slavin said. “But I do know he’s passionate about the game. He loves his players.”
Rod Brind’Amour
Two decades ago, Brind’Amour captained Carolina to the Stanley Cup. He played there four more seasons before hanging up his skates in 2010 and worked seven years as an assistant before getting promoted to head coach in 2018.
The Hurricanes have made the playoffs all eight seasons with Brind’Amour in charge and won at least a round every time. This is the furthest they’ve gotten since the ’06 Cup run.
“Roddy’s been unbelievable,” Staal said. “Talk about a guy that will never give up and will always stay with it. It’s been such a pleasure to play in front of him.”
It is not always a pleasure to play Brind’Amour’s style, which relies on being relentless, predictable and pressuring opponents. Not everyone fits the mold, which resembles the way the now 55-year-old conducted himself on the ice over 1,600 NHL games as a two-way center with faceoff prowess.
“Carolina plays to Rod Brind’Amour’s identity,” said retired goaltender Cory Schneider, who like Rupp is now at NHL Network. “He’s got their attention. It’s easy to tune a guy out. Playing that way is not fun all the time. It’s not easy. And these guys still do it for him, so I think that’s a great sign that his message isn’t growing stale and that they still buy in to what he’s preaching.”
John Tortorella
Tortorella is 67 and running a bench for a sixth NHL team. He is only two months into coaching the Golden Knights after the abrupt firing of Bruce Cassidy in late March.
They reeled off seven of eight wins to finish the regular season, with players saying Tortorella helped get their swagger back. Tortorella is enjoying working under general manager Kelly McCrimmon and for owner Bill Foley.
“How lucky am I?” Tortorella said. “Came to know the players better now, found a way to get through the three rounds and now playing for the Stanley Cup, just, I shake myself sometime. I’ve certainly pinched myself. When I wasn’t coaching when the season started to what the second half of the year has brought, I can’t thank the people enough that has given me an opportunity.”
Ray Ferraro, now an ESPN analyst after playing more than 1,300 games from 1984-2002, likened Tortorella’s evolution to parenting. Tortorella has adapted to modern players and what they need.
“I don’t know why anybody would think John would coach the same way as he did in Tampa,” Ferraro said. “The players today, the younger people want to know why. They just told us, ‘Go stand there,’ and you’d be like, ‘I don’t even really know what I’m doing here.’ But that’s what you would do because that’s what you were told. And now there’s so much more detail in the way that the game is coached, and part of that detail is the why.”
Joined by Sean Cuthbert of Hockey Night New York, Mike and Dan run down some topics from around the entire Islanders organization, and discuss the upcoming Stanley Cup final.
While the Islanders have been mostly quiet – aside from one two-way contract and the letting go of yet another power play coach – there has been news from the team’s affiliates. The AHL’s Hamilton Hammers have a new logo that looks perfectly focus grouped and a new coach who we could have sworn was still playing somewhere in the NHL still. Meanwhile, there’s a new ECHL affiliate playing in the tri-state area in the Trenton Ironhawks that have NJ-resident Dan interested (assuming he can get their name right). We also discuss the leak of a Hometown Remix jersey that gets a range of feelings from all of us, some news about captain Anders Lee’s contract talks and Matthew Schaefer’s appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. We close the first half by paying tribute to Claude Lemieux, who passed away last week at the age of 60.
In the second half, we focus in on the Stanley Cup final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes. None of us are pulling for the Canes, who have owned the Islanders for years, or really the Knights, who are the NHL’s preeminent villains. What we really want to see is Vegas’s Mitch Marner win the Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, which would be very, very painful for many, many Maple Leafs fans and give us a ton of content for new editions of Master Leaf Theatre.
REFERENCES:
Happy for Schaefer that he was on The Kelly Clarkson Show, sad that he didn’t get to meet Brooke Shields.
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In just their third year of existence, the Florida Panthers did something pretty remarkable.
Led by a grizzled group of veterans and a hot goaltender, the Panthers went on an incredible run during their first ever playoff appearance.
Florida took down the Boston Bruins in just five games to open their playoff run, but then shocked the league when they knocked out the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in six.
The Panthers then found themselves facing off against Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final.
When the series began, the Panthers had some momentum at their back after winning three straight games to close out the Flyers in round two.
Florida used that to their advantage, stunning the Penguins in their home barn and taking Game 1 by a 5-1 final score.
The Penguins went on to win three of the next four games, including a 3-0 victory over Florida in Game 5 at The Igloo.
With the backs against the wall and facing elimination for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Florida found a way to scratch and claw their way to victory in Game 6.
During a back-and-forth third period, the packed Miami Arena broke into a frenzy when Rob Neidermayer banged home a Terry Carkner rebound right off an offensive zone draw, breaking a 3-3 tie with 6:02 to go.
The 4-3 score would hold up, sending the series to a winner-take-all Game 7 back in Pittsburgh.
On that night, June 1, 1996, the Panthers sent shockwaves across the NHL by advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in just their third season.
Unlike in each of the past five games, Florida never trailed during Game 7.
Cats forward Mike Hough put the Panthers on the scoreboard first, finishing off a nice passing play on a 2-on-1 with rookie defenseman Robert Svehla.
That’s how the score remained until the third period, when a shot by Peter Nedved with Pittsburgh on the power play got past John Vanbiesbrouck just 83 seconds into the final frame, tying the score at one.
Just under five minutes later, Florida forward Tom Fitzgerald carried the puck through the neutral zone and, just as he crossed over the Penguins blue line, wound up and fired a slapshot that somehow eluded Pens goalie Tom Barrasso and went into the top of the net.
The surprising goal suddenly put the Panthers in the driver’s seat, and from that point on, they did a good job of limiting the high-powered Penguins offensive opportunities for much of the remainder of the game.
Eventually, Florida did get an insurance goal.
With Bill Lindsay leading the Panthers on a 2-on-1 from their own blue line, the wise winger went wide with the puck, allowing linemate Johan Garpenlov plenty of space in the Penguins zone to set up for a shot.
Eventually, Lindsay slid the puck to Garpenlov, who wound up and fired a one-timer that went off Barrasso’s stick and up in the air, landing over the goal line with just 2:37 to go.
That ignited a celebration that, for many of us at the time, didn’t seem real.
Now for those wondering, the Panthers did touch the Prince of Wales Trophy that night.
Regardless of your feelings on superstitions, it’s a fact that Florida is 0-2 at the Stanley Cup Final after touching the trophy and 2-0 in the Final when keeping a respectful distance.
Getting back to the point at hand, Happy June First, Panthers fans!
Beating the Pens in a Game 7 at the Igloo was a truly extraordinary feat.
For those old enough, I hope you all take a moment to remember where you were and how you felt on this day 30 years ago.
Photo caption: Unknown date, 1996; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Mario Lemieux (66) in action against Florida Panthers forward Johan Garpenlov (29) during the 1996-97 season at Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images
ST CATHARINES, CANADA - MARCH 5: Nikita Klepov #98 of the Saginaw Spirit carries the puck against the Niagara IceDogs during the first period at Meridian Centre on March 5, 2026 in St Catharines, Canada. (Photo by John E. Sokolowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We continue our profile series on 2026 NHL draft prospects today with a look at Nikita Klepov. As the headline states, Klepov is a highly-talented playmaker with elite skill when the puck is on his stick. After bulldozing the OHL this past season, Klepov has set himself up to be drafted very high in this year’s entry draft. Might the Devils be interested in Klepov when they’re on the clock? Let’s dive in and try and determine just that.
Who Is Nikita Klepov?
Nikita Klepov was born on June 27, 2008, making him a relatively young player in this draft. Despite his Russian heritage, and despite growing up in Russia, Klepov was actually born in Deerfield Beach, Florida, according to Elite Prospects. Klepov is a lefty-shooting winger, and is listed at 6’0”, 181 pounds.
Per his page on Elite Prospects, Klepov does not have much in the way of trackable numbers from his days playing in Russia. However, Klepov moved to the United States ahead of the 2023-24 hockey season, where he played for the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Knights program for two seasons. In his first taste of North American hockey, Klepov absolutely laid waste to the U15 level while playing for the Knights, posting a bewildering 31 goals and 72 total points in 22 games played. The things you see at the youth level. The next season, 2024-25, saw Klepov make the jump to the USHL, playing for the Sioux City Muskateers. He came way back down to earth thanks to that step up in competition, but Klepov still put up a respectable 12 goals and 31 points in 59 games. He followed this up with a goal and two points in five playoff contests.
This past season was where Klepov really made his move up draft boards. He entered the OHL, playing for the Saginaw Spirit, and in his first year playing at the top level of Canadian junior hockey, Klepov led the entire OHL in scoring with 97 points (37 goals, 60 assists) in 67 games. Saginaw only played four postseason contests this season, but Klepov held up his end of the bargain, posting a goal and five points in those matches.
Klepov has built a track record of production ranging from solid to outrageous over his youth career. And this track record was enough to land him an offer from Michigan State to play in their program. Klepov accepted, so he will continue to play hockey in Lansing come autumn time.
Where Is Klepov Ranked?
#8 by NHL Central Scouting (North American players)
#13 by Sportsnet (Bukala)
#15 by Sportsnet (Constantino)
#16 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
#19 by Daily Faceoff
#20 by TSN (Button)
#21 by McKeen’s Hockey
#25 by THN (Kennedy)
#29 by Smaht Scouting
#44 by The Athletic (Pronman)
What Others Have To Say About Klepov
The first scouting report we’ll look at is from Sam Constantino of Sportsnet. Constantino is among the highest on Klepov in the public sphere, ranking him 15th overall. Here’s what he had to say about the young man:
Klepov is fantastic with the puck on his stick, especially on the power play. He’s ultra-creative and exhibits patience when making plays. He uses elite puck skills along with sneaky-quick feet to buy himself time and space while opening up lanes to release shots, or find others in better areas of the ice. Although he finished just shy of 100 points, Klepov led the entire OHL with 97 points, a rarity for a first-year player in the league.
Get used to hearing about Klepov’s puck skills and offensive hockey sense.
Next, we’ll go to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who has Klepov just behind where Constantino does at 16th overall. Here’s part of his blurb on Klepov:
He sees the ice at a very high level as a passer and has legit power-play skill, blending little fakes and hesitations into his handles to throw defenders off his scent. He also skates well enough, though I wouldn’t call him fast, and creates a ton of entries and high-danger looks with his craft on the puck…it was really positive to see him go to scoring areas, compete and finish more plays for himself at five-on-five this season (he was among the OHL’s leaders in shot and chance creation) instead of defaulting to out-wide playmaking. And while he’s not the most physical player and there are times when I’d like to see him reach in a little less, he doesn’t give up on plays when there’s a puck to be won, he does compete, and he has good sense defensively.
Another scout that is completely sold on Klepov’s playmaking and puck skills. Here we also see mention of his skating, which Wheeler seems to say is about average, though perhaps with above-average shiftiness.
Next, here’s Smaht Scouting, who are lower on Klepov than Constantino or Wheeler, placing him at 29th overall:
Nikita Klepov is a skilled, offense-minded winger whose game is built around puck protection, vision and creativity, but whose skating limitations significantly shape his projection. His stride is noticeably clunky, with poor lower-body connection and balance issues that limit his speed and make him vulnerable in transition, particularly through the neutral zone. To his credit, Klepov is aware of these deficiencies and plays around them well, using strong puck protection, intelligent first touches under pressure, and quick puck movement to get himself into workable space rather than relying on foot speed. In the offensive zone he’s versatile and dangerous, capable of creating from the half wall, drifting off puck to find shooting lanes, or planting himself at the net front, and he flashes high-end vision through his passing in transition and breaking down defensive structures with his passing in the offensive zone. However, his effectiveness drops sharply against heavy, physical pressure, as seen in a game against Windsor, where he struggled to evade forechecks or separate from defenders and found himself continuously knocked off the puck by physical defenders when attempting to create off the rush. While his effort level defensively is solid and his offensive instincts are clear, Klepov remains a space-dependent creator with a nasty shot from distance who can punish teams when given time but currently lacks the skating base to consistently generate that space on his own. Assuming the skating gets better he projects as a solid scoring option in the middle-six who could be a passenger on a top-6 scoring line.
That’s pretty all-encompassing. It’s worth noting how down on Klepov’s skating they are compared to Constantino and Wheeler. Devils fan might also take Klepov off their boards just for the bit about him wilting against “heavy, phyisical pressure” alone. Still, Smaht Scouting does say that Klepov has enough self-awareness and effort to overcome his perceived lack of skating ability, and they also heap a ton of praise on him for his offensive talent and puck skills. We also see another mention (the first coming from Wheeler) of his defensive game, which seems to be solid but far from high-end.
Finally, let’s take a look at the biggest outlier on our list: The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who has Klepov down at 44th overall on his big board. Whereas most everyone else has Klepov in the mid- to late-first round, Pronman has him ranked in the middle of the second round. Here was his breakdown of Klepov:
Klepov is a highly skilled and intelligent winger. He has the ability to run a pro power play and make difficult plays consistently at the next level. He’s a solid skater who can generate chances with pace. His effort level is fine, although he’s not that physically imposing and can be pushed to the outside. He’s talented, with NHL power play and scoring ability, but I’m not sold that his talent is special enough for his average athleticism and effort level to be a full-time player, although he’s on the bubble.
He also graded his skating, hockey sense, and compete as “Average” while grading his puck skills and shot as “Above Average”.
Scouting The Tape
We’ll start with a shift-by-shift video of one of Klepov’s postseason games from this past spring, courtesy of the Youtube channel Prospect Shifts:
We’ll also include a highlight video of some of Klepov’s most impressive plays of the 2025-26 season from Youtube channel HSD Prospects:
My Opinion And Final Thoughts
I can see why Klepov is a tantalizing prospect to many. To my admittedly very amateur eye, he does seem to have an advanced offensive game. Some of the moves he pulls off are great, and the hockey IQ he flashes is genuinely elite. It’s hard not to dream on him becoming the next great scoring winger in the NHL.
I also do see a level of skating that, while not bad per se, needs some work. I do see a heavy stride that could potentially limit him at the next level. And while I do see him actively engaging physically and staying active on the defensive end, it seems to me that it’s more effort than production. In other words, even though I give Klepov credit for putting effort into the less glamourous side of the game, that effort isn’t enough to make him a truly top level defensive winger. But his willingness to grind defensively and in the physical side of the game gives me hope that, in the right hands, he can develop into a good defensive winger someday.
In the end, I’m not quite sure I’d want the Devils to use their 12th overall pick on Klepov if he is available at that slot. The offensive game is strong, and this organization is in desperate need of more offensive talent, but there are enough holes in his game and questions about projectability that make me want to go in a different direction with a pick that high. Now, if he happens to be there when the Devils make their next pick in the second round? Then I’m sprinting up to the podium to make the pick.
Now that I’ve had my say, let’s hear what you think. What do you make of Nikita Klepov? Are you as excited about his offensive talent as other scouts seem to be? If he’s there at 12, would you want the Devils to take him? As always, thanks for reading!
Former Columbus Blue Jackets forward Thomas Vanek was officially inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on Sunday.
Vanek was traded to Columbus by Vancouver for Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen, February 26, 2018, to help Columbus with their playoff run that season.
Vanek played in 19 games for the CBJ, scoring 7 goals and totaling 15 points, and having a plus-9 rating. He played 6 games in the first round of the playoffs and had two points.
In the summer of 2018, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings, where he would play in 64 games, and then end his career in the NHL.
Vanek also played for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, and the Vancouver Canucks.
The Austrian native played in various international tournaments for his home country. He played in the World Juniors, World Championships, Olympics, and other various tournaments for the Austrians.
Congrats to Thomas Vanek on his induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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