It'd be foolish to pretend that the Toronto Maple Leafs would consider drafting anyone other than Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg with the first overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL draft.

However, with all the prospect analysts across the hockey community, sometimes there are different conclusions and opinions.

That's the case with The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked defenseman Chase Reid No. 1 in a prospects tier ranking.

It's an unpopular opinion, and Pronman admitted that himself. But that doesn't diminish Reid's potential to be a top defenseman in the NHL, and the Maple Leafs have needed a player like that for quite some time.

In fact, the last two defensemen that the Maple Leafs have selected in the top 10 of a draft were Morgan Rielly in 2012 and Luke Schenn in 2008.

Reid, a Chesterfield, Mich., native, has spent the past couple of seasons in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He had impressive campaigns in each of those seasons, posting at least 40 points.

This past year, Reid recorded 18 goals, finishing fifth in the OHL in that category among defensemen, and 48 points in 45 appearances for the Greyhounds. He led Sault Ste. Marie blueliners in scoring, and tied for the team lead in plus-minus with a plus-27 rating.

Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Gavin McKennaThe Toronto Maple Leafs are privileged to own the first-overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL draft. With debate as to who they should select with that pick, here is the case for Gavin McKenna

The right-handed defenseman helped push the Greyhounds to the second round of the OHL playoffs, putting up three goals and six points in 10 post-season contests. 

They earned a 4-1 series win over the London Knights in the first round, but later fell to the eventual OHL champions, the Kitchener Rangers, in five games the following round.

Reid also made an appearance at the World Junior Championship for Team USA, scoring two goals and four points in five games.

Pronman compared Reid's style of play to Florida Panthers D-man Seth Jones and rated his hockey sense, compete, and shot as above average.

Maple Leafs 2026 NHL Draft Pick: The Case For Ivar StenbergIt's not guaranteed that Gavin McKenna will be selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the first overall pick. Swedish star Ivar Stenberg has proven to many that he would be just as great a pick as anyone to lead the 2026 NHL draft.

"Reid is a talented defenseman with a lot of offensive tools," Pronman wrote. "He has the speed, hands, vision and shot to generate chances and be a leading scorer for an NHL team.

"Reid isn't overly physical, but he works hard enough and makes plenty of stops due to his reach, feet and compete level even while playing an aggressive style of play offensively," Pronman wrote.

He also added that Reid is projected to be a major minute-muncher in the NHL and someone who can run a team's top power-play unit from the point.

Furthermore, the 6-foot-2 blueliner is ranked No. 2 for North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He's committed to Michigan State University, meaning he'll be playing in the NCAA next season.

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While the Senators’ 2020 draft class is remembered for producing name brands like Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Ridly Greig and Tyler Kleven, one under-the-radar member of that group just put together the best professional season of his career in Belleville.

Philippe Daoust had plenty to feel good about in 2025-26, putting up career highs in games played (63), goals (14), assists (36), and points (50).

It was his best pro season in all categories by a country mile, more than doubling his previous personal bests in goals, assists, and points.

He finished fifth on Belleville’s team scoring list and gave himself a legitimate shot at getting back onto an NHL contract for next season and beyond after spending this past year on an AHL deal.

The Barrie, Ontario native developed excellent chemistry alongside linemates Xavier Bourgault and Arthur Kaliyev on what he describes as one of the best lines in the AHL. But he also emerged as one of the team’s leaders in a young dressing room. His efforts were recognized by the team when he was named Belleville’s 2025-26 Coaches’ Choice Award winner.

The last time Daoust hit 50 points was in tier 2 junior, playing for the French River Rapids in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.

“Yeah, it's good,” Daoust told Belleville play-by-play man David Foote in a B-Sens YouTube interview. “Obviously, a little bit of a bump up, points-wise, than the year before. Yeah, I felt good and just happy I stayed healthy this year.”

After several injury-interrupted seasons early in his pro career, Daoust said consistency helped him finally find his game.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Daoust said. “I think, you know, you try not to think about it too much. I had some pretty rough past years, but the last few years have been good to me, and I think I've developed my game quite a bit, and obviously, that's just by me playing a lot of hockey.

“So I'm just glad to be back out there consistently and helping the team contribute.”

Selected 158th overall by Ottawa in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, this season wasn’t just his strongest statement as a prospect, it was probably his first. 

But the next challenge is a new deal. After seeing his NHL contract expire, Daoust says it would be nice to land an NHL deal this summer.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Daoust said. “I think it was a little bit of a 'prove it' year for me. So I think I did well and kind of opened some eyes up there. I just play my game, try to just stay steady and consistent, and I think I did that this year.

“I’m ready to have another big year next year.”

For a player who entered the season well off Ottawa's future radar, Phillippe Daoust may have finally forced his way back into the discussion as an NHL prospect, if not here, then somewhere else.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This story was originally published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. Click on the latest headlines below to read the latest stories there:

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While Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was a big part of the reason why Rob Brind’Amour’s men swept their first two series, he has been having difficulties against the Montreal Canadiens in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final.

On Saturday night, the Canadiens had only 12 shots on goal through 60 minutes, yet they managed to beat Andersen twice to force overtime. Before the start of round three, the netminder had a .950 save percentage in the Cane’s eight wins. In two games against the Canadiens, however, he has struggled. In Game 1, he gave up five goals on 21 shots for a .762 SV. In Game 2, he surrendered two goals on just 12 shots for a .833 SV.

Did Star Canadiens Defenseman Suffer An Injury On Scary Play In OT?
Canadiens Lose To Hurricanes, Who Were The Better Team On The Night
Canadiens Goalie Makes Another NHL Trade Board

Clearly, he’s not doing as well as he was in the first two rounds, and the Canadiens have to capitalize on that. It won’t be easy to do if the Habs don’t shoot more often. Martin St-Louis’ men tend to go for quality over quantity when it comes to shots, but they may want to reconsider in this series.

The more shots they put on net, the better their odds of beating Andersen, who’s clearly doubting himself. On at least three occasions on Saturday night, the Canes’ netminder checked behind himself after making a save, clearly wondering if the puck got past him.

Granted, taking a lot of shots against Carolina is easier said than done, but that’s an adjustment Martin St-Louis and his coaching staff have got to make in this series. Making the most of Andersen’s shaky play will be key if the Canadiens are to get through to the Stanley Cup Final.

Despite Andersen having two difficult games to start the series, it would be surprising to see Rod Brind’Amour go with his backup for Game 3, but if the trend continues, he may just do so, and the Canadiens have to strike fast.

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NEWS & NOTES

2026 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: John KlingbergKlingberg just finished a one-year deal with San Jose that paid him $4,000,000.

Target: John Klingberg - Defense - 34 Years Old - 12 Years of Experience

Klingberg was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 5th round of the 2010 NHL Draft. After his time in Dallas, he signed with Anaheim in 2022. Since then, he's been with a different club every season. He went from the Ducks to the Wild in a trade on March 3, 2023. He then signed in Toronto in 2023, Edmonton in 2024, and then last season with San Jose. 

Blue Jackets Urged To Sign Sabres Star In Free AgencyShould the Blue Jackets look to make a big splash and sign Alex Tuch this summer?

In a recent article for The Athletic, Aaron Portzline argued that the Blue Jackets should try to bring in Alex Tuch if he hits the free-agent market this summer and if they end up losing Mason Marchment or Boone Jenner.   

Blue Jackets Have Free-Agent Target To Consider In Sharks DefenderThe Blue Jackets should consider pursuing this Sharks defenseman if he hits the free-agent market this summer.

This year's free agent class has some interesting potential options for the Blue Jackets to consider. One specific pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who stands out as an interesting potential target for the Blue Jackets is San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

Is Mason Marchment's Time Over In Columbus?Marchment was undrafted out of Uxbridge, Ontario. He was traded to the CBJ on December 19, 2025.

Much like Coyle, he could probably get a few more bucks and term in Columbus, should he want to stay. But does he want to stay? He seemed to thrive in Columbus after having a not-so-good time in Seattle. At media day after the season, though, Marchment sounded noncommittal and said he would let his agent and Waddell get something done if something came up. 

2026 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Teddy BluegerBlueger comes from the same town in Latvia as current Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins, Riga.

Target: Teddy Blueger - Center - 31 Years Old - 8 Years of Experience 

Teddy Blueger was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2nd round of the 2012 NHL Draft. After spending five years in Pittsburgh, he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights on March 1, 2023, to help them with their Stanley Cup run. That summer, he signed with Vancouver, where he scored 23 goals in three seasons. 

REPORT: Ivan Fedotov Leaves Cleveland For RussiaThe Athletic's Aaron Portzline reported today, and THN Columbus confirmed, that Cleveland Monsters goalie Ivan Fedotov has left Cleveland and has returned to his home country of Russia. 

The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reported today, and THN Columbus confirmed, that Cleveland Monsters goalie Ivan Fedotov has left Cleveland and has returned to his home country of Russia. 

The reason for his return is due to an undisclosed injury. He is currently not listed on the roster. 

2 Blue Jackets Featured On New Trade BoardCould the Blue Jackets look to trade these two players over the summer?

Hockey 24/7's Frank Seravalli released his latest trade board for the 2026 NHL off-season. Two Columbus Blue Jackets were featured on it, as forward Kent Johnson and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made the cut.  

2026 Columbus Blue Jackets Potential Free Agent Targets: Bobby McMannMcMann was undrafted out of Wainwright, Alberta, Canada, and played four years at Colgate University.

Target: Bobby McMann - Center - 30 Years Old - 4 Years of Experience 

Bobby McCann went undrafted and made his NHL debut during the 2023-24 season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. McMann played four years at Colgate University before signing as a free agent with Toronto on April 29, 2022. He was traded to the Seattle Kraken on March 6, 2026. 

DRAFT PROSPECTS

CBJ Draft Day Targets: J.P. HurlbertHurlbert has been compared to Brock Boeser.

Target: J.P. Hurlbert - Allen, TX, USA

Height/Weight: 5'11.75" - 183bs. 

2026 Team: Univ. of Michigan - NCAA

Position: Right Shot Forward

2025-26 Stats With Kamloops Blazers of the WHL: 42g-55a-97 pts in 68 games. He also played 18 games of international play and had 33 points. 

THN Ranking: 11th - Kennedy, 41th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 12th among North American Skaters

CBJ Draft Day Targets: Malte GustafssonMalte Gustafsson is widely compared to NHL defensemen Kaiden Guhle and Braden Schneider.

Target: Malte Gustafsson - Väckelsång, SWE

Height/Weight: 6'4.25" - 200bs. 

2026 Team: HV71 - SHL

Position: Left Shot Defenseman

2025-26 Stats With HV71: He had 3 points in 27 games in Swedens top league. With HV71 U20, he had 12 points in 19 games. 

THN Ranking: 19th - Kennedy, 6th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 7th among International Skaters

CBJ Draft Day Targets: Tynan LawrenceLawrence has been compared to Sebastian Aho, Nick Suzuki, and Dylan Larkin.

Target: Tynan Lawrence - Fredericton, NB, CAN

Height/Weight: 6'0.5" - 185 lbs. 

2026 Team: Boston University 

Position: Left Shot Center

2025-26 Stats With Muskegon Lumberjacks and Boston University: He had 17 points in 13 games with Muskegon, and 7 points in 18 games as a freshman at BU.

THN Ranking: 8th - Kennedy, 4th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 7th among North American Skaters

CBJ Draft Day Targets: Daxon RudolphRudolph has been compared to Aaron Ekblad and Brock Faber.

Target: Daxon Rudolph - Lacombe, AB, CAN

Height/Weight: 6'2" - 202 lbs. 

2026 Team:  Prince Albert Raiders - WHL  

Position: Right Shot Defense

2025-26 Stats With Prince Albert Raiders: He had 28 goals, 58 assists, and 78 points in 68 games. He also had 27 points in 19 playoff games. 

THN Ranking: 9th - Kennedy, 54th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 5th among North American Skaters

CBJ Draft Day Targets: Juho PiiparinenPiiparinen has been compared to Brock Faber, Aaron Ekblad, and Chris Tanev.

Target: Juho Piiparinen - Lahti, FIN

Height/Weight: 6'1" - 201 lbs. 

2026 Team: Tappara - LIIGA

Position: Right Shot Defense

2025-26 Stats With Tappara: He had 3 points in 29 games. For U20 Tappara, he had 13 points in 15 games. 

THN Ranking: 24th - Kennedy, 25th - Ferrari

NHL Central Scouting: Ranked 6th among International Skaters. 

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Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.    

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Shea Theodore has piled up the shots in Vegas, going Over his 1.5 total in eight of the past 10 home games.

My Avalanche vs. Golden Knights props and NHL picks expect the volume to remain strong in Game 3.

Be sure to also read our Avalanche vs. Golden Knights predictions for Sunday, May 24.

Best Avalanche vs Golden Knights props for Game 3

Game 3 Prop #1: Martin Necas Over 0.5 assists (-115)

Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog rank first and second on the Colorado Avalanche in scoring chances during the playoffs and in this series.

MacKinnon is a high-volume shooter who will spray from all over the offensive zone, whereas Landeskog takes more of a quality over quantity approach at the net-front.

Somebody needs to get those scoring threats the puck, and that is a job Martin Necas has done admirably all playoffs — he leads the team in assists and primary assists.

I'm backing him to add to his total in Game 3, and see value in doing so up to -125.

Game 3 Prop #2: Shea Theodore Over 1.5 shots (-150)

Shea Theodore has attempted shots at a consistently healthy rate during the playoffs, recording at least four in 10 of his last 11 games — including the first two of this series.

He has a remarkably strong track record when taking four or more shot attempts. Theodore has cleared 1.5 shots on goal in 74% of his games hitting that benchmark, and 84% on home soil.

He generates a lot of his volume from the right point, and the Avalanche ranked 24th in defending that shooting zone this season. I'm backing Theodore to take advantage and would bet to -170.

Game 3 Prop #3: Noah Hanifin Over 1.5 blocked shots (-150)

Noah Hanifin has mostly paired with Rasmus Andersson since the latter was acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights. They've largely been used in a defensive role, starting plenty of shifts in their own zone.

Hanifin's blocked shot output has spiked in kind. He has blocked multiple shots in 61% of his home games since the trade, a far cry from the 30% prior.

Hanifin recorded at least two blocks in 13 of his last 19 in Vegas and seven of his past nine. I like him to fill the shooting lanes against a desperate Avalanche team, and would bet it up to -170.

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The Vegas Golden Knights will try to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals in Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche. The Golden Knights won the series’ first two games in Denver. Games 3 and 4 are in Las Vegas. The Avalanche are favored in Game 4 with a -145 moneyline compared to the Vegas Golden Knights' +121.

How to watch Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights

• Date: Sunday, May 24

• Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

• Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV

• TV Channels: ESPN, Spor, CBC, TVAS

• Live Stream:ESPN+ | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Vegas Golden Knights +1.5

• Moneyline: Vegas Golden Knights +121 (43.3%) / Colorado Avalanche -145 (56.7%)

• Over/Under: 5.5

The 2025-26 season was a successful one for Philadelphia Flyers prospect Alex Bump. The 22-year-old forward played in his first 17 career NHL games this campaign, where he had five goals and nine points. He also played in six playoff games for Philadelphia, where he scored two goals. 

Overall, Bump showed plenty of promise during his first chance on the Flyers' roster. He also played well while in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season, posting 11 goals and 26 points in 36 games. With this, there is a lot to like about the 2022 fifth-round pick's play so far. 

However, now that Bump has gotten a taste of NHL action and has finished his first full professional season split between the NHL and AHL, it is clear that he is a prime breakout candidate to watch next season for the Flyers. 

The potential for Bump to emerge as a key part of the Flyers' forward group is there, and it would not be surprising if he takes another big step in the right direction next season because of it. He is one of the Flyers' most promising prospects, and it is going to be interesting to see if he can hit a new level in 2026-27. 

The Buffalo Sabres are entering this off-season with multiple important players due for new contracts, like Alex Tuch, Zach Benson, and Peyton Krebs. With this, the Sabres will have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster.

The Sabres may need to free up some cap space if they want to keep all of their top players this summer. Because of this, let's look at a few players who have the potential to be dealt this summer. 

Jordan Greenway 

If the Sabres want to free up some cap space, they could look to move a forward like Jordan Greenway. While his physicality makes him a nice part of the Sabres' bottom six, his $4 million cap hit is expensive for his role. In 40 games this season, he had one goal, five assists, and 57 hits. 

Michael Kesselring 

Michael Kesselring is a pending restricted free agent the Sabres could look to deal. The fit was simply not there this season for Kesselring and the Sabres, and he was scratched often during the playoffs. In 34 games this season for Buffalo, he had zero goals and two assists. He also played in just one playoff game. 

Devon Levi 

Devon Levi has been in the rumor mill often already now that the Sabres' playoff run is over. With the Sabres having multiple goalies ahead of him on their depth chart, there simply isn't a path for Levi on Buffalo's roster right now. Due to this, it would make sense if they moved him this off-season and gave him a much-needed fresh start.

The Montreal Canadiens managed to force overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night despite the home team dominating the game. Martin St-Louis’ men were just one goal away from taking a 2-0 lead back home to Montreal, but in the end, it wasn’t to be. If the coach didn’t go all out for the win with his forward selection early in extra time, he did have standout defenseman Lane Hutson out early, and the choice might have backfired.

As Hutson was retrieving a puck by the boards deep in the zone, Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall came in for a hit, but his knee caught Hutson’s knee before the defenseman fell to the ice. The look on the blueliner’s face as he got up and went back to the bench was quite telling; he didn’t like the hit, and he was visibly in some discomfort, slamming the door of the bench shut.

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Losing Hutson’s mobility and offensive instinct would be disastrous for the Canadiens. The defenseman is second on the team in points (and 10th overall in the league) with 14 in 16 games, and while he hasn’t been on the scoreboard in the first two games against Carolina, he’s still been a force for the Habs.

While the blueliner is quite shifty on the ice and often manages to elude hits, he took the full force of the Hall hit, and the point of contact is a worry. On top of being a minute muncher, he quarterbacks the Canadiens' first power-play units and is called upon on the penalty kill. The Michigan native is a jack of all trades for the Habs, and his loss could equate to that of Cale Makar for the Colorado Avalanche.

The Canadiens will not be practicing today, but there will be a media availability at the team’s hotel at 10:00 AM. Hopefully, we will get some information on Hutson’s status then.

Edit: St-Louis confirms Hutson is fine.

Lane Hutson wasn’t happy after Taylor Hall stuck out his knee on a hit along the boards during OT pic.twitter.com/43zFbRFbP2

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) May 24, 2026

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Two former members of the Vancouver Canucks have taken big steps in their respective post-NHL careers, both of which centre around industries in the arts sector. 

Aaron Volpatti, who spent nearly three years with the Canucks from the 2010–11 season to 2012–13, released his first country music song on Friday. Titled “A Beer A Day,” the song features sharp strums of a guitar and the occasional rattle of a tambourine. 

Music isn’t the only field Volpatti has explored since retiring from the NHL due to injury after stints with the Canucks and the Washington Capitals. The forward released his bookFighter: Defying the NHL Odds back in 2022, detailing his journey to the NHL after sustaining fatal burns in a tragic incident. 

Volpatti wasn’t the only Canuck to have revealed a neat detail about their post-NHL career this weekend, however. In an article by Kevin Forsyth ofPenticton Western News, former Canucks goaltender Richard Brodeur revealed that he will be taking the next step in his painting career by opening an art gallery. 

Brodeur’s painting journey has been fairly well-documented in previous years, with the former goaltender visiting various towns and cities around BC to showcase his art. Now, Brodeur’s art will have a permanent home at Gallery 35, located in Parksville on Vancouver Island. The gallery is set to open later next week, on May 30. 

On the ice, Brodeur spent eight seasons with the Canucks, including taking part in Vancouver’s first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1982. He finished his time with the Canucks with an overall record of 126–173–62, including a career-best 21 wins in 1982–83. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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If the Philadelphia Flyers are going to block one of their prospects on defense, they may as well lean in and make a big-ticket signing to truly justify it.

Much has been made about the availability of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh, who is set to hit the free agent market after scoring 70 points in 73 games for the Stanley Cup contender this year.

The problems with Raddysh, though, are that he will turn 31 in February and has enjoyed his NHL success with the benefit of playing on an already-established power play that features talents like Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel, and Brandon Hagel.

Raddysh is a good player, to be clear, but there are risks that might make the Flyers averse to a big-money signing there.

Elsewhere on the free agent market, though, will be Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who nobody seems to be talking about at all.

Andersson, 29, is on the older side as well, but has been doing it for longer on Calgary Flames teams that were both good and, well, not good at all.

The Swede can be a power play quarterback if needed, too, scoring three goals and 40 total power play points between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with the Flames.

Despite being a relatively average 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Andersson plays with some nastiness, and while he does come with his warts, is in the upper-echelon of offensive defensemen around the NHL.

The point totals don't reflect that, but he generates tons of chances for himself and others, uses his legs effectively to transport the puck

As for the warts, though, we can look at JFresh Hockey's HockeyStats.com, which visualizes all of AllThreeZones's microstats for us.

Andersson struggles quite a bit in his own end at times; he ranks in the ninth percentile in pass exits, and he's even worse defending the rush with a third-percentile placement in prevention of possession zone entries.

Andersson does almost everything else at a high-to-elite level, and when we consider that both he and current Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim have been deployed as pseudo-No. 1 defensemen, putting those together as a pair becomes an attractive idea.

Undoubtedly, whether it's Raddysh or Andersson, the Flyers will have to make room for a newcomer, trading defense for offense and more than likely moving on from Rasmus Ristolainen.

That's a risk they will have to take in order to reach the next step in their rebuild, though.

Fortunately, they stumbled upon Dan Vladar, who will certainly sign a lucrative contract extension with the Flyers at some point in the near future.

And, speaking of Vladar, the Flyers' emerging vocal leader in the locker room and on the ice can help make an Andersson signing possible.

Vladar, of course, played with Andersson on the Calgary Flames for four seasons from 2021 to 2025.

It's worth noting that Garnet Hathaway is another secret agent the Flyers could have working for them, as he played with Andersson on the Flames and AHL Stockton Heat from 2016 to 2019.

Lately, it's become more and more known how appealing a destination the Philadelphia Flyers are for other players, and few on the team could speak to that more right now than Vladar and Hathaway, who always have nothing but good things to say about the team, the city, the fans, and the organization.

All signs point to the Flyers making a splash this offseason, be it through trade or free agency, but Andersson should certainly be in the mix with some Flyers connections and a productive NHL career through various circumstances under his belt.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to emulate what the Vegas Golden Knights did on Friday night and take a 2-0 lead on the road. If the Canes appeared rusty in the first period of Game 1, it wasn’t the case in Game 2.

Rod Brind’Amour’s men got out of the gate in a hurry and displayed the full extent of their relentless brand of forecheck, which seemed to take the Canadiens by surprise a bit.

Fast And Furious First

The first frame was played at high speed; at times, it looked as if the Hurricanes had five Speedy Gonzaleses on the ice. After 20 minutes, Carolina had 14 hits to the Canadiens’ seven, despite having much of the puck possession. The Canes also dominated in the faceoff department, winning 64% of their draws and leading in shots 7-2. Still, the period ended on a 1-1 tie.

There were a couple of cautionary tales on the ice for Juraj Slafkovsky. Early on, he passed the puck right in front of Jakub Dobes’ net, and it was nearly intercepted. Then, in the dying seconds, he made yet another no-look back pass that led to a two-on-one odd-man rush. Luckily for the power forward, there was no damage done, but he must play a smarter game.

For all the Canes’ possession, though, they only manage to score once, and it was on a weak shot that deflected to get past Dobes. The kind of goal a goalie hates because it’s not going in at high speed, but there was nothing he could do. Josh Anderson tied up the score less than 10 minutes later on yet another great Phillip Danault play.

Being Disciplined

Referees do not tend to call a lot of penalties in the playoffs. Still, when they do call one, they tend to even things out at the first opportunity they get, which is exactly what happened in the first frame when Jayden Struble was given a roughing penalty for taking down Andrei Svechnikov after the whistle. The Canes player went down easy, but that’s to be expected in the playoffs.

Dobes also got an interference call for interfering with Mark Jankowski as he was going around the net, but the Canes had been pressuring the Habs, and that was just the goalie trying to land a hand. His play around the net in these playoffs has been highly useful for the Habs, but that was his fourth penalty of the postseason. The rookie netminder displayed nerves of steel when a stick got stuck in his skate, and he managed to calmly thread it out, without play being stopped, as if it was just business as usual.

William Carrier's stick got caught in Jakub Dobes' pad strap, and Dobes had to play with it stuck to him for a bit 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/D0roUC6oTz

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 24, 2026

Alexandre Texier took the worst penalty in the dying seconds of the middle frame. After Nick Suzuki missed a golden opportunity to score the equalizer, the Frenchman was given two minutes for slashing K’Andre Miller, but it could have been worse. The move was reminiscent of a Brad Marchand play on Alexei Emelin back in the day, not the kind of Marchand move you want to draw inspiration from.

Playing The Game That’s In Front Of You

The Canadiens did manage to tie the game at 2-2 before the end of the third frame once again through Anderson, but they didn’t last long in overtime. Montreal tried to keep up its momentum by attacking at the start of overtime, but they weren’t doing it the right way.

The fourth line, made up of Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, and Oliver Kapanen, had possession and was about to enter the offensive zone. Instead of putting the puck in deep, Kapanen rushed his play, which Jalen Chatfield intercepted. He sent the attack the other way, catching the Canadiens off guard as Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson were on their way to the bench to change. It was a two-on-two, but Dobson didn’t have the speed necessary to close down Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored his second of the game. It’s worth mentioning that his first goal was a fantastic individual effort on which he beat both Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson.

EHLERS CALLS GAME 🚨

HE POTS 2 GOALS TO HELP THE CANES WIN GAME 2!!!! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/XzZXMQm97q

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 24, 2026

After the game, Martin St-Louis was asked about having his fourth line on the ice early in overtime. Why are you asking me that? To which the journalist replied that he was asking because it was early and the fourth line was on, St-Louis gave him a Shane Wright-worthy stare before saying, “Yeah, they were there.” It will be interesting to see if Kapanen’s mistake costs him his spot in the lineup. We’ve seen the coach stand by Dach when it was his mistake that cost the game.

While the result will be disappointing for the Canadiens, they can take solace from the fact that the Hurricanes brought their A-game in this second duel, and they weren’t blown away. Montreal still took them to overtime and is coming back to town with a 1-1 tie, having taken home-ice advantage away. Game 4 is set for Monday night at 8:00, and it promises to be an interesting evening at the Bell Centre.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. There are a lot of players for them to consider there, depending on what the three teams ahead of them (Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, & Vancouver Canucks) decide to do. 

If all of the players that the Blackhawks truly want within that top four are already off the board, there is a different direction they can take. Plenty of prospects with similar ceilings will be available in the back half of the top ten. The Blackhawks could gain another asset by trading down 5-8 slots. 

There will be a handful of players drafted later in the first round who end up being standouts. Are the Blackhawks willing to take a risk like that to gain in the long term? One of these five players may be worth the gamble: 

Viggo Bjork

Viggo Bjork is one of those players who may end up being drafted higher than anyone thought, but he is not touted the way that his countryman, Ivar Stenberg, is. Perhaps he should be. At best, he’s still likely to be just the fourth or fifth forward selected, and there are a handful of defensemen to go in the top ten as well. If the Blackhawks wanted Bjork after seeing his SHL, World Junior, and World Championships performances, they probably can’t go down too far. 

Ethan Belchetz

Ethan Belchetz had a strong point per game type of season with the Windsor Spitfires in 2025-26, which set him up to be a mid-first round pick in the NHL Draft. He will challenge himself by playing college hockey with Michigan State in 2026-27, which will be great for his development as a winger with aspirations of making it to the NHL. If Chicago moved back to draft a player like him, you’d think that they vision him playing wing alongside one of their current young centers. 

Oscar Hemming

Oscar Hemming is a highly skilled Finnish-born player who had an interesting season. He came over during the 2025-26 season to play 19 games with Boston College, and he’s set to play the full season there next year. Should the Blackhawks select a player like Hemming, they’d be getting a forward who may end up being a center one day. It’s always good to have forwards who can play multiple positions in the organization. 

Wyatt Cullen

Wyatt Cullen is the son of former NHL player Matt Cullen, who had a long career playing big roles on good teams. The younger Wyatt may be even more skilled at this stage of the development. After playing a significant role in the United States National Team Development Program, Cullen is ready for the next stage. For him, it will be the University of Minnesota after being drafted somewhere in the middle of the NHL Draft’s first round. By adding him, the Blackhawks would continue their run of drafting fast players who can create offense at will with their speed. 

Tynan Lawrence

For a while, Tynan Lawrence of Boston University was in the conversation for the second overall pick. His stock has recently fallen just a little bit, but he will still be selected in the top-15. With the Blackhawks looking for more scoring down the middle, Lawrence is someone to think about if trading down is their mindset.

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There was a bit of a dirty play that went down as the second period came to a close in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens.

As the horn sounded, Montreal forward Alexandre Texier looked over at  Hurricanes defenseman K'Andre Miller and intentionally speared him in the groin.

Texier only given TWO MINUTES for slashing K’Andre Miller at end of 2nd period.

Clearly is a spear - which should result in an automatic match penalty pic.twitter.com/KJVcF1llS7

— NHL Review (@nhl_review) May 24, 2026

Normally, per the NHL rulebook, that action should have automatically resulted in a five-minute major and a match penalty to Texier, however the Game 2 officials (Gord Dwyer and Kelly Sutherland) reviewed the play for a major and actually downgraded it to a two-minute minor for slashing instead, something Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour vehemently disagreed with.

"Clearly that's a spear," Brind'Amour said. "There's not a person that can tell you that it wasn't. Played the game long enough to know that when you look at a guy and... [gestures a spearing motion]. That's a spear."

It doesn't really get more egregious than what Texier, who you can clearly see on video turns to make sure he's gets Miller right where he wants to, did, so I have no idea how the officials simply let it go.

I guess they didn't want to influence a close game, but that's just a play you cannot let happen.

Hopefully the Department of Player Safety takes a look at it, but knowing them, it's hard to believe that they'll actually take a proper stance on anything when it actually comes to player safety and upholding the rulebook.

'We Can Start The Series Over Now': Nikolaj Ehlers, Jalen Chatfield, Jaccob Slavin, Frederik Andersen, Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski On Game 2 OT WinNikolaj Ehlers’ overtime heroics powered Carolina to a gritty Game 2 victory. Go inside the locker room as the Hurricanes break down their relentless pursuit and series-tying win.

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For the first time in 12 years, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins are headed to the the AHL Eastern Conference Final in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

And, to punch their ticket, they gave a statement performance on Saturday.

In a winner-take-all Game 5, the WBS Penguins dominated the Springfield Thunderbirds, putting up a final score of 8-1 after failing to clinch in a 2-0 loss on Thursday. Forwards Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, and Rafael Harvey-Pinard each had two goals for the Penguins, while netminder Sergei Murashov was impressive yet again, stopping 26 of 27 Springfield shots against to improve his Calder Cup Playoff save percentage to a whopping .943. 

After failing to generate much of anything Thursday, WBS was ready from the jump. Broz kicked things off with his first goal of the contest a tick less than four minutes into the first period, driving the net and putting away a top-shelf backhand to make it 1-0. Then, less than four minutes later, Broz and Harrison Brunicke used their wheels to create a two-on-one opportunity. Broz slid a perfect pass over to Brunicke breaking through the middle then down the right side, and he also went top-shelf - hitting the water bottle in the process - to give WBS the early 2-0 lead.

Top shelf for Brozer!! pic.twitter.com/NAMESi1jx1

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 23, 2026

Bruno keeps us hot! pic.twitter.com/tglHIaKrTp

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 23, 2026

And the Penguins just kept piling on. During the game's first power play - awarded to WBS later in the first - Broz rifled one home from the slot to tack on, and Harvey-Pinard scored WBS's fourth goal with 21 seconds remaining in the first period to chase Springfield starting goaltender Georgii Romanov from the game.

WELCOME BACK HP pic.twitter.com/kNnF2opg6P

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 23, 2026

Atley Calvert registered the lone tally in the second period, and Ville Koivunen added on another power play goal almost three minutes into the third period to make it 6-0. Akil Thomas did score one for Springfield, but that was only four minutes before Harvey-Pinard scored on the empty net to make it 7-1.

They didn't just stop there, though. Koivunen pounced on a rebound around the goal crease for his second of the game and WBS's eighth of the game just past the midway point of the final frame, and the WBS Penguins were able to ride off into the sunset with the decisive 8-1 win.

Ville tucks it away!! pic.twitter.com/H5V0xe2j3l

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 24, 2026

Here are three takeaways from this one:

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1. Broz continues to prove he's a big-game player

Even if players like Bill Zonnon, Brunicke, and Murashov are commanding a lot of the attention from this year's run with WBS, Broz has quietly been, arguably, their best player. 

He leads the team with three goals and nine points in the nine playoff contests they've played in, and he's been centering a third line with Mikhail Ilyin and Koivunen. He's logging tough minutes on the penalty kill and contributing to the first power play unit, and he's showing his prowess in all three zones. 

BROZER NETS HIS SECOND OF THE NIGHT pic.twitter.com/g4gLZAYMTa

— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 23, 2026

But, above all, he's still showing his knack for the clutch. Remember when he scored those two different overtime goals for the University of Denver in their 2024 National Championship run? Well, he certainly showed up in an important game Saturday, and his team reaped the benefits. 

If not for injuries, he would have earned a more extended look at the NHL level next season. Broz is a legitimately good hockey player, and he should get that shot in 2026-27.

Penguins' First-Round Pick Proving He Belongs In NHL Sooner Rather Than LaterBill Zonnon, 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for the Pittsburgh Penguins, is making an impression in his first taste of professional hockey.

2. That said, let's not forget Murashov and Brunicke

Well, hey, what else can you say about two of those guys named before Broz?

Murashov, 21, has been dominant in these playoffs. Granted, he didn't need to exert himself super hard in this one, but he's made saves when it has mattered, and he's started every game for the Penguins. He has a 1.74 goals-against average to go along with that .943 save percentage. 

This guy is quick, athletic, and knows how to slow down the moment, and it will be surprising if he's not at the NHL level next season. 

Prospect Tradeability Tiers: What Young Penguins' Talent Could Be Leveraged In The Trade Market?With Pittsburgh Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas seemingly open for business as far as the trade market, what prospects are most likely to be leveraged as part of a package for NHL talent?

As for Brunicke? Next to Broz, I think he's been the team's best player in this tournament, and it's not as if he's been with this team all season long. He stepped in after the Kamloops Blazers fell in their playoffs, and since then, he's logged top-pairing minutes with Alex Alexeyev, he's the quarterback of the first power play unit, and he's one of the first defensemen called up for the penalty kill and in key defensive situations. 

He has grown substantially from his brief NHL stop early in the 2025-26 season, and at times, completely takes over the game. It may take some time for him to fully find his game at the NHL level, but the Penguins sure do have a talent in Brunicke.

Harrison Brunicke with the Superman celebration after putting #WBSPens up 2-0.

The 20-year-old defender has been on a whole other level since re-joining this team, just dominating in all three zones.@InsideAHLHockeypic.twitter.com/19396aqSYk

— Tony Androckitis* (@TonyAndrock) May 23, 2026

3. This team - like its NHL parent club - is riddled with depth

When your fourth line consists of Zonnon - who had three goals in this series in what was his professional debut - centering Aidan McDonough and Calvert, you're probably in pretty good shape. And that's not to mention the third line of Broz, Ilyin, and Koivunen again, which has probably been their strongest line through these Calder Cup Playoffs. 

This is the deepest team WBS has had in years, and it's from top-to-bottom across positions. There is still a lot of work ahead if they want to reach the pinnacle of a Calder Cup Championship, but what they showed Saturday is that they're going to be a difficult problem to deal with for whoever between the Toronto Marlies and Cleveland Monsters gets them in the Eastern Conference Final.

5 Penguins' Prospects Most Likely To Make NHL Roster Out Of Training CampThe Pittsburgh Penguins should have some interesting decisions to make in terms of their NHL roster next season - and their top prospects will be a big part of that.

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