The Detroit Red Wings had a choice to make this past offseason following the acquisition of goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Petr Mrazek.
Either they re-sign Alex Lyon to another short-term contract and continue rolling forward with three goaltenders on the roster as they had done for much of the previous two seasons, or they could allow veteran Cam Talbot to battle it out with Gibson for the starting role.
They chose the former, and Lyon's time with the club ended. He decided to join his third Atlantic Divison team, signing a two-year, $3 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
While Buffalo's start to the season was inconsistent, they caught fire midway through December and remained one of the NHL's hottest clubs all the way through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, for which they qualified for the first time since 2011.
Lyon, who broke the Buffalo club record by Hall of Famer (and former Red Wing) Dominik Hasek for most consecutive regular-season wins, has posted elite numbers so far in the playoffs.
Lyon, who replaced Ukko-Pekka Lukkonen during their opening round series victory over the Boston Bruins, currently boasts an impressive 1.30 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage through six games, in which he's gone 4-1.
His goals-against average and save percentage are both second overall among NHL playoff goalies behind only Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, who has gone a perfect 7-0.
Lyon has bounced around the NHL throughout his career, having played with both the Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes before joining the Panthers. He was their initial postseason starter in 2023 for what would be the first of three straight trips for the club to the Stanley Cup Final before eventually being replaced by Sergei Bobrovsky.
Following that run, he signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings, and went 35-27-6 across 74 total contests, racking up a 2.96 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.
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There was a lot to get to on this week’s episode of The Hockey Show.
Between the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL Draft Lottery and a couple new hirings in Toronto, co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork had plenty to sink their teeth into.
Joining the show to chat about it all was NHL on ESPN host and play-by-play voice Steve Levy.
The boys got Steve’s take on the situation in Toronto, the overall continuing effort by Canadian teams to re-claim the Stanley Cup, the amazing playoff atmospheres in Montreal and Buffalo, Connor McDavid’s future in Edmonton and lots more.
In addition to current league talk, Steve was also asked about some of his biggest and most memorable calls, including a pair of five overtime Stanley Cup Playoff games.
This week’s wins and fails included an awesome marketing idea at Bell Center, an odd quote by Lightning Head Coach Jon Cooper, a major brain fart by Ducks forward Jackson Lacombe the Buffalo Balde Gang getting a run for their money.
You can check out the full show and interview in the videos below:
The Athletic's Scott Wheeler recently released his first 2026 NHL Mock Draft. With the Canadiens' first-round pick, he had the Habs selecting forward Simas Ignatavicius.
Ignatavicius is a big, 6-foot-3 forward with good upside. The 18-year-old forward spent most of this season with Geneve Servette of Switzerland's National League, where he had seven goals, six assists, 13 points, and 43 penalty minutes in 52 games. He also played in eight Swiss League games for HC Thurgau this season, where he had seven goals and 11 points.
Overall, Ignatavicius has shown promise, and he would have the potential to be a very solid addition to the Canadiens' prospect pool if they drafted him this summer. While the big forward would not be ready for the NHL immediately after his draft year, the potential for him to become an impactful NHL player later down the road is certainly there.
It will be interesting to see who the Canadiens end up taking in the first round at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. However, they, of course, are currently focused on their second round series against the Buffalo Sabres.
Matt Boldy is shooting the lights out in the playoffs, leading all players with 37 shots on goal.
My Avalanche vs. Wild predictions expect the volume to remain strong in what's essentially a must-win Game 3 at home.
Let's break it all down with my NHL picks for Saturday, May 9.
Avalanche vs Wild Game 3 prediction
Avalanche vs Wild best bet: Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal (-135)
Matt Boldy was one of the league's best shot-generators during the regular season, and the Minnesota Wild forward has seen his volume skyrocket further in the playoffs.
Boldy leads all players with 37 shots on goal, good for an average of 4.6 per game. He is averaging nearly nine shot attempts and has recorded at least seven in all eight games. The volume is incredibly consistent.
Now he is back home, where he has gone Over in all three playoff games while attempting double-digit shots in two of them.
Desperate for a win to get back in the series, the Wild will be heavily reliant on their star sniper.
Avalanche vs Wild Game 3 same-game parlay
Boldy has piled up 11 points through eight playoff games and put forth more multi-point performances (three) than zeros (two). He also hit the scoresheet in all three home dates.
If Boldy threatens the net with at least four shots, there is a good chance he will produce.
It's all about Nathan MacKinnon for the Colorado Avalanche. The Wild allowed the fourth most shots to centers this year, and MacKinnon has taken full advantage.
Regular season included, MacKinnon has averaged 5.66 shots on target while going Over 3.5 in all six meetings.
Boldy has eclipsed 3.5 shots in eight of his last 10 home games. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Wild.
How to watch Avalanche vs Wild Game 3
Location
Grand Casino Arena, Saint Paul, MN
Date
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, Sportsnet
Avalanche vs Wild latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final with a Game 4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday, May 9.
My top Hurricanes vs. Flyers predictions and NHL picks call for Carolina to be the first team to win each of its first eight postseason games since the current playoff format was adopted in 1987.
Hurricanes vs Flyers Game 4 prediction
Hurricanes vs Flyers best bet: Hurricanes moneyline (-175)
Carolina has dominated five-on-five possession with a 59.1 Corsi For percentage and has also won the expected goals battle at 55.6% through three games. With the Hurricanes ranking higher in both special teams, my numbers are showing value all the way through to -200.
Philadelphia can’t match the high-end talent or depth jumping the boards for Carolina, and the numbers couldn't paint a clearer picture.
Hurricanes vs Flyers Game 4 same-game parlay
In addition to Andersen’s highlighted strong play, Philly netminder Dan Vladar has been sharp with a .921 SV% and 0.856 GSAx/60. There have also only been 13 goals through three games, and Carolina has played to the Under in six of seven postseason contests.
Carolina has won 16 of its last 20 games (+11.50 Units / 36% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Flyers.
How to watch Hurricanes vs Flyers Game 4
Location
Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Puck drop
6:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, Sportsnet
Hurricanes vs Flyers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Countdown - Apr. 17 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 10 - Jared Clinton
JUST AS TIME MAKES fools of us all, so, too, has Macklin Celebrini.
When the now-San Jose Sharks star was in his pre-draft season, the skinny on the then-Boston University center was that he was a talented player with an exceptional, but not elite, ceiling. Comparisons were drawn to top-line, team-leading pivots rather than true superstars. No one, truly, was using the ‘G’ word – generational – when it came to Celebrini. In The Hockey News’ 2024 Draft Preview, for instance, the comparison used was Elias Pettersson.
Yes, yes. Yuck it up. But the fact of the matter is, there is perhaps no player who has flipped any perceived notion of his upside on its head quite as quickly as Celebrini, who has gone from being mentioned as a franchise centerpiece to an MVP-caliber talent. That his name is floating around the Hart Trophy debate this very season is proof positive of his impact.
What makes Celebrini’s surge to stardom all the more incredible, though, is that he’s done it before he’s even old enough to order an adult beverage. In fact, his 19-year-old season ranks up there with the best ever.
Where does Celebrini’s output rank among the NHL’s greatest baby-faced sensations? In this edition of Countdown, we flip through the history books to find the greatest teen scorers in each NHL franchise’s history.
*All ages are as of Jan. 31 in the corresponding season, as per Hockey-Reference.
1 EDMONTON OILERS
WAYNE GRETZKY, 19 – 137 PTS (1979-80)
Who else? Gretzky’s output is double that of the closest Oilers teen, Jason Arnott, who had 68 points in 1993-94.
2 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
SIDNEY CROSBY, 19 – 120 PTS (2006-07)
Shockingly, both of Crosby’s teen seasons exceed Mario Lemieux’s 100-point best. At 19, ‘Sid the Kid’ won the Hart.
3 LOS ANGELES KINGS
JIMMY CARSON, 19 – 107 PTS (1987-88)
Carson’s great year made him the centerpiece of the infamous Gretzky trade. Sadly, he was out of the NHL by 27.
4 SAN JOSE SHARKS
MACKLIN CELEBRINI, 19 – 115 PTS (2025-26)
Celebrini is smashing a record that he already held. He surpassed Pat Falloon’s 59-point teen total as a rookie.
5 NEW YORK ISLANDERS
BRYAN TROTTIER, 19 – 95 PTS (1975-76)
OK, Trottier has the team record. But Matthew Schaefer is the fifth-highest-scoring teenage blueliner in NHL history.
6 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
STEVEN STAMKOS, 19 – 95 PTS (2009-10)
In 2008, then-Bolts coach Barry Melrose said rookie Stamkos wasn’t ready. The next year, ‘Stammer’ potted 51 goals.
7 CAROLINA HURRICANES
RON FRANCIS, 19 – 90 PTS (1982-83)
Francis has the team’s teen point record, but Sylvain Turgeon set the standard for young-gun goals (40) the following year.
8 DETROIT RED WINGS
STEVE YZERMAN, 19 – 89 PTS (1984-85)
After debuting with a 39-goal, 87-point campaign, ‘Stevie Y’ staked claim as the Wings’ future with sophomore year.
9 BUFFALO SABRES
PIERRE TURGEON, 19 – 88 PTS (1988-89)
Sure, Turgeon takes the cake, but 19-year-old Phil Housley’s 77-point 1983-84 campaign was an all-timer.
10 DALLAS STARS
BRIAN BELLOWS, 19 – 83 PTS (1983-84)
Bellows’ 41 goals are the same as Wyatt Johnston’s rookie point total, which was most by a Stars teenager since 1990.
11 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
EDDIE OLCZYK, 19 – 79 PTS (1985-86)
A dream for hometown hero ‘Eddie O,’ surpassing both 28-goal and 75-point bests by Denis Savard in 1980-81.
12 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
ERIC LINDROS, 19 – 75 PTS (1992-93)
Since Lindros’ 41-goal season as a 19-year-old, only four other teens have managed to reach the 40-goal plateau.
13 COLORADO AVALANCHE
OWEN NOLAN, 19 – 73 PTS (1991-92)
The 1990 draft’s No. 1 pick had just three goals and 13 points as a rookie before exploding for 42 goals as a sophomore.
14 WINNIPEG JETS
PATRIK LAINE, 19 – 70 PTS (2017-18)
Laine’s 44 goals are fifth most by a teen. Coincidentally, Jets 1.0 icon Dale Hawerchuk netted 45 at 18 in 1981-82.
15 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
AUSTON MATTHEWS, 19 – 69 PTS (2016-17)
Prior to Matthews’ brilliant season, Ted Kennedy’s 49-game Original Six Era 54-point mark had stood for 72 years.
16 WASHINGTON CAPITALS
BOBBY CARPENTER, 19 – 69 PTS (1982-83)
An asterisk for Carpenter? The lockout delayed Alex Ovechkin’s NHL debut. At 20, he posted 106 points as a rookie.
17 MINNESOTA WILD
MARIAN GABORIK, 19 – 67 PTS (2001-02)
Gaborik set the benchmark at 18 and surpassed it the next campaign. No teen has scored for Wild since 2013.
18 NEW JERSEY DEVILS
KIRK MULLER, 19 – 66 PTS (1985-86)
Muller was a star upon his NHL arrival. He spent seven years as a Devil but remains franchise’s fourth-highest scorer.
19 BOSTON BRUINS
RAY BOURQUE, 19 – 65 PTS (1979-80)
Bourque won Calder and finished fourth in Norris voting after brilliant debut. He’d go on to win the Norris five times.
20 NEW YORK RANGERS
MIKE ALLISON, 19 – 64 PTS (1980-81)
Only teens to score 30 points for Rangers since Allison: Alex Kovalev (1992-93) and Michael Del Zotto (2009-10).
21 ST. LOUIS BLUES
ROD BRIND’AMOUR, 19 – 61 PTS (1989-90)
Best known as a Cane, Brind’Amour has high-water mark in St. Louis and third-best Blues rookie year ever.
22 VANCOUVER CANUCKS
TREVOR LINDEN, 18 – 59 PTS (1988-89)
Ultimately, Linden’s 30-goal, 59-point rookie year wound up as the sixth-highest-scoring season of his NHL career.
23 CALGARY FLAMES
DAN QUINN, 19 – 58 PTS (1984-85)
Thanks to Quinn and Sean Monahan, Flames legend Jarome Iginla has neither the team’s teen goal nor point record.
24 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
RICK NASH, 19 – 57 PTS (2003-04)
Most lopsided production ever? Nash was first player since 1918 with more than 40 goals and fewer than 20 assists.
25 OTTAWA SENATORS
ALEXANDRE DAIGLE, 18 – 51 PTS (1993-94)
Make your jokes, but Daigle was a threat for Ottawa. He was second in Sens scoring behind Alexei Yashin in 1993-94.
26 MONTREAL CANADIENS
JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY, 19 – 50 PTS (2023-24)
When he netted point No. 41 in 2023-24, Slafkovsky surpassed a total set by Henri Richard nearly 70 years earlier.
27 NASHVILLE PREDATORS
SCOTT HARTNELL, 19 – 41 PTS (2001-02)
Forget chasing Hartnell. The Preds have had just one teenager with a double-digit point total in the 23 seasons since.
28 ANAHEIM DUCKS
CAM FOWLER, 19 – 40 PTS (2010-11)
Of the five best seasons by Ducks teens, three have been by defensemen: Fowler, Jamie Drysdale and Oleg Tverdovsky.
29 FLORIDA PANTHERS
RADEK DVORAK, 19 – 39 PTS (1996-97)
Dvorak gets the nod on points per game and goals, but an 18-year-old Aaron Ekblad also posted 39 points in 2014-15.
30 SEATTLE KRAKEN
MATTY BENIERS, 19 – 9 PTS (2021-22)
Post-college, Beniers burst onto the scene. But his offense has peaked with Calder-winning 57 points in 2022-23.
31 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
N/A – 0 PTS
The youngest Golden Knight to collect a point is Peyton Krebs – 20 years, three months and seven days. Just missed it.
32 UTAH MAMMOTH
N/A – 0 PTS
Logan Cooley’s 44-point season at 19 is in purgatory after the NHL quarantined Arizona’s statistical history.
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Ducks forward Jansen Harkins speaks to the media after their morning skate at Honda Center.
The Ducks come home for Game 3 with the series tied at one apiece. There’s a lingering thought they could have been up 2-0 in the series, much like the previous Edmonton series. But as Ryan Poehling said after Game 1, “If you linger in the past, it’s not going to change. You can’t focus on that. You’ve just go to dictate how you can play next game.”
Ducks goaltender Lukáš Dostál has been terrific through the first two games, coming 6 seconds away from his first Stanley Cup Playoffs shutout. Defensive focus has become a priority for the Ducks, as they adjust to a much more structured opponent in the Golden Knights.
“I thought our team game with a purpose all game long was strong,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after Game 2. “Some of the defensive part of our game was having some good puck shifts, possession-wise, in the offensive zone.”
May 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (98) blocks a shot by Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) during the third period of game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
“I think the attention to defense has been evident, especially in this series,” Ducks forward Troy Terry said. “It’s leading to more possession time. The two teams, there's definitely a lot of differences between how they play and how the games are taking shape. There’s definitely been a lot less rush opportunities against Vegas. They're very structured. They're very good at being above the puck. But that being said, I think our play in the offensive zone and holding onto pucks and not being one and done in the offensive zone and forcing plays and all that, I think (that) has gotten a lot better in this series.”
Ross Johnston and Jansen Harkins were inserted into the lineup for Game 2, with Mason McTavish and Ian Moore coming out. After a flurry of line adjustments, both Johnston and Harkins ultimately settled into fourth line roles on the flanks of Tim Washe. Harkins iced the game with an empty net goal.
“Everyone wants to play in these important games,” Harkins said. “This is the best type of hockey to be playing, so it’s not easy to watch (from the press box). But I think everyone's doing a great job. We played so well in Round 1, just trying to be ready for my chance. Happy I could do a good job last game.”
May 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Jansen Harkins (24) celebrates with center Tim Washe (42) after scoring an empty net goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period of game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
The Golden Knights have killed off 19 consecutive penalties and have killed 24-for-25 penalties this season in the playoffs. The Ducks have had nine power play opportunities against the Golden Knights thus far, including a two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity and nearly seven consecutive minutes of power play time.
“We had some looks and our power play is out there where it's not losing momentum in the game,” Quenneville said. “But whether it’s finish or the fine tuning, certainly, there's a higher difficulty of the pressure coming at us.”
“They make it difficult on you,” Ducks defenseman John Carlson said. “They take care of the good areas of the ice. They're very disciplined in their seams, in their rotations, all that stuff. Just like the regular season, that's some of their greatest strengths. So we’ve got to figure out ways to get the puck where it needs to be to make those plays for us.”
Terry will play in Game 3 despite missing the morning skate. Defenseman Radko Gudas participated in morning skate, but is not expected to play in Game 3.
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Cutter Gauthier Jeff Viel - Ryan Poehling - Beckett Sennecke Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jansen Harkins
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson Tyson Hinds - Drew Helleson
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Golden Knights Projected Lines
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Mark Stone Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner Pavel Dorofeyev - Tomáš Hertl - Keegan Kolesar Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Colton Sissons
The Florida Panthers might be in the market for a new goaltender if Sergei Bobrovsky walks in free agency, and if the Panthers want to make a bold move and solidify their crease, making a trade for Winnipeg Jets and Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck would do just that.
Hellebuyck’s playoff history isn’t too pretty. In his playoff career, he has a .903 save percentage, but his last three playoff appearances have been dreadful. In 2022-23, he posted an .886 SP; in 2023-24, it was .870; and last year, it was a woeful .866.
Although it’s not all bad, his first four playoff appearances saw positive results, including a .922 SP when the Jets went to the Western Conference finals in 2017-18.
While concerns about his playoff performances are reasonable, his regular-season track record is outstanding. Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner, a two-time William M. Jennings trophy winner, and won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2024-25 after posting a .925 save percentage in 63 games while helping the Jets secure the Presidents’ Trophy.
Finally, the last piece of evidence that Hellebuyck is still the best goaltender in the NHL was his dominant performances for Team USA on the international stage. Team Canada dominated Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics final, and likely deserved to lose, but goaltending is part of the sport, and no one does it better than Hellebuyck.
The 32-year-old allowed just one goal, giving the Americans the chance to win in overtime and take gold.
If acquired by the Panthers, Hellebuyck can give the organization a level of goaltending that even Bobrovsky may never have reached, but the issue with acquiring Hellebuyck is the cost in assets and against the salary cap.
To at the very least get the Jets front office interested in listening to offers, the deal would involve the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NHL draft. After that, a deal would involve young players like Mackie Samoskevich and Jack Devine, as well as possibly a veteran like Carter Verhaeghe.
If the deal doesn’t include a veteran who takes up a large chunk of the salary cap, the next issue would be icing a lineup that fits. Hellebuyck’s $8.5-million contract can fit with that lineup, but it does leave them with little space.
The Panthers also need to find a backup goaltender, as Daniil Tarasov is a UFA as well.
Dealing away the ninth overall pick and Samoskevich would indicate that GM Bill Zito is willing to mortgage the future of the franchise to give the current roster another few years of being top Stanley Cup contenders.
While the Panthers would be able to compete for Cups with, say, Jordan Binnington or Filip Gustavsson in their crease, Hellebuyck would make them the most balanced team in hockey and the greatest threat to win the Stanley Cup.
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VOORHEES, N.J. — Trevor Zegras was asked about the four teams in NHL history that have come back from a 3-0 playoff series deficit.
He wanted to talk about his team, about the comeback the Flyers have made just to be one of the eight teams still remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“I think a big thing for us this year is that 3.8 percent number,” Zegras said Friday. “I bet not a lot of people, maybe not a lot of people in this [media] room, would have pegged us to be in the second round of the NHL playoffs. We have life, we have opportunity. It’s 3-0, but we’re still here, we’re still playing.”
Back on March 18, the Flyers had a 3.8 percent to make the playoffs, according to MoneyPuck.com. They’ve had that number featured on a team shirt for the playoffs. Now they need to really dig into their belief to dig out of a hole. They trail the Hurricanes 3-0 in this best-of-seven second-round matchup.
This young Flyers team will face its first elimination game Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena (6 p.m. ET/TNT).
“We’ve been dead before, we’ve climbed out of it, we’ve played a lot of playoff games the last two, three months,” Rick Tocchet said. “And now it’s a must-win, this is a do-or-die. How do you go into this game making these guys play relaxed, but also play desperate? I don’t like the word desperate that much; I like the word determined. Can we be more determined tomorrow night? Yeah, I think we can.”
“We know what it’s like to be up 3-0, that feeling when a team wins one game and then wins another game and kind of how the locker room tightens up,” Zegras said.
The Flyers were able to fend off the Penguins with an eke-it-out, 1-0 overtime win in Game 6. It set up a second-round date with Carolina, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes are still unbeaten in these playoffs after taking the first three games from the Flyers.
“When you’re up 3-0, you feel like, almost in a sense, the series should be over, you just want it be done,” Zegras said. “I think if we can go out and get one tomorrow, they’ll tighten up a little bit. They’re 7-0, haven’t lost in the postseason yet. … We’ve got to do a job to make it as hard as possible tomorrow.”
A huge key for the Flyers will be giving Frederik Andersen a more arduous outing. The Carolina netminder had to make just 18 saves Thursday night in Game 3 as the Flyers lost, 4-1.
“I think there are things we can do against Andersen,” Tocchet said. “Listen, this guy’s playing great, but I think there’s something we can do tactically. Not his weakness, but one of his things that maybe he’s not as good at, I think we can do better at. We discussed it again today. Can we apply it tomorrow? We’ll see.”
Andersen has held the Flyers to just three goals in the series.
“He’s feeling it, so we’ve got to do something different,” Nick Seeler said. “Change the angle, try to get a few more shots on net. I think we had 19 last game. Obviously put a little bit more pressure on him, getting to the net and having our anchors there. Tomorrow’s huge for us and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
The Flyers will hope it’s not their last challenge.
“We’ve shown a ton of fight all season,” Zegras said. “We’ve got a lot of belief and confidence in the room.”
The finalists for the Hart Trophy are out, and the three NHL players could add another MVP award to their trophy case.
Previous winners (listed alphabetically) Nikita Kucherov (Tanpa Bay LIghtning), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) were announced as this year's finalists. McDavid is a three-time winner and Kucherov and MacKinnon won once previously.
They were the three top scorers in the league in 2025-26 and MacKinnon also led the league in goals. The winner will be announced later.
Here's what to know about the Hart Trophy (voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association), including projected winner and who was snubbed:
Hart Trophy finalists
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 130 points in 76 games – 42 points more than his closest teammate as the Lightning clinched their ninth conseucite playoff berth. Kucherov’s 42-point edge was the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26. He previously won the Hart in 2019.
Nathan MacKinnon:, Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon led the NHL with 53 goals in 80 games to win his first career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. He led the Avalanche (55‑16‑11) to a franchise-record 121-point season. He previously won the award in 2024.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oiers: He led the NHL with 138 points in 82 games to earn his sixth career Art Ross Trophy, tied for the second-most in league history, and guided the Oilers to their seventh consecutive playoff appearance. McDavid previously won the award in 2017, 2021 and 2023.
Who win the Hart Trophy?
Hard to say. All are worthy candidates. MacKinnon could have the edge because of the goal title and Avalanche having the league's best record.
Hart Trophy snub
San Jose's Macklin Celebrini set a team scoring record, finished fourth in points and had the Sharks in the playoff hunt after last-place finishes the previous two seasons. He was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) as voted on by fellow players. But falling short of the playoffs probably cost him votes.
NHL awards finalists announcement schedule
Tuesday, April 28:Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player): Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid.
Wednesday, April 29:Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, Andrei Vasilevskiy
This season marks the first time the Sabres have advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since they advanced to the 2007 Eastern Conference Final. The Sabres have earned three playoff series victories over the Canadiens in franchise history. Buffalo last faced Montreal in the playoffs in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, a series in which the Sabres won four games to none. The Sabres also defeated the Canadiens three games to none in the 1983 Adams Division Semifinals and four games to two in the 1975 Semifinals.
Entering this series, Buffalo’s most recent playoff victory over Montreal was on May 14, 1998 (3-1). Donald Audette, Matthew Barnaby and Miroslav Satan each scored and Dominik Hasek stopped 37 of 38 Canadiens shots in the series-clinching game. Buffalo has allowed two or fewer goals in five consecutive games (seven goals against), tied for the longest such streak by the Sabres in the playoffs all-time. The Sabres last did so from April 25 to May 4, 2007 (nine goals against). Buffalo’s seven goals allowed in this five-game span are tied for the fewest by the Sabres in any five-game playoff span all-time (April 8 to 16, 1980). A win tonight would give Buffalo six consecutive playoff wins over Montreal, tied for the longest playoff winning streak by the Sabres against the Canadiens all-time (May 6, 1975 to April 5, 1990).
The Sabres are the only team in NHL history to record multiple playoff winning streaks of five or more games against the Canadiens. Boston (April 29, 1991 to April 16, 1994; six games), NY Rangers (April 21, 1996 to May 19, 2014; six games) and Philadelphia (April 26, 2008 to May 18, 2010; six games) are the only other NHL teams to defeat Montreal in six straight playoff meetings.
In his last four games, Zach Benson has posted five points (2+3), including two points in back-to-back contests. Benson (0+2 in Game 1) became the first NHL skater age 20 or younger to record multiple points in consecutive playoff games since Bowen Byram from May 23 to 25, 2022 with Colorado (two games; 0+4). He was the first NHL forward to accomplish that feat since Mitch Marner from April 14 to 16, 2018 (two games; 1+3). A multi-point performance tonight would make Benson the first NHL skater age 20 or younger to record multiple points in three or more consecutive playoff games since Patrick Kane from April 27 to May 2, 2009 (three games; 4+2). He would join Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky (twice), Kane and Don Maloney as the only NHL skaters age 20 or younger to do so at least once. An assist tonight would make Benson the first Sabres skater age 20 or younger to record a three-game assist streak in the playoffs since Kevin Haller from April 7 to 11, 1991 (0+4).
Alex Lyon has allowed seven total goals in six appearances in the playoffs, the fewest goals allowed in any six-game span in the playoffs by a Sabres goaltender all-time. It is the first time a goaltender has allowed seven or fewer goals in their first six playoff games with a team since Carter Hart from August 2 to 18, 2020 with Philadelphia (7). Lyon has posted a .950 save percentage in his first six appearances in the playoffs, trailing only Dominik Hasek (April 22 to May 8, 1998, .951; April 21 to May 9, 1999, .953) for the best mark by a Sabres goaltender in any six-game span in the playoffs. It is the best save percentage by a Sabres goaltender in their first six playoff appearances with Buffalo alltime.
Bowen Byram has recorded six points (4+2) in seven playoff games thus far. • His four goals are the most by a Sabres defenseman in any seven-game span in the playoffs since Mike Ramsey from April 9 to 22, 1983 (four goals). Byram is one goal away from recording the most goals by a Sabres defenseman in a single playoff year all-time.
Peyton Krebs has registered six points (2+4) in seven playoff games thus far and his plus-7 rating through the team’s first seven playoff games is tied with Byram and Alex Tuch for the team lead. Krebs and Tuch are the first Sabres forwards since Chris Drury (plus-8) and Derek Roy (plus-9) to record a plus/minus of plus-7 or better in any seven-game playoff span. It is the best plus/minus by a Sabres forward in their first seven playoff games of a season since Miroslav Satan from April 21 to June 8, 1999 (plus-7).
Alex Tuch has posted seven points (4+3) in the playoffs. He leads all Sabres skaters in goals and is tied with Tage Thompson for the team lead in points. With a point tonight, Tuch and/or Thompson would become the first Sabres skater(s) to register eight or more points in their first eight playoff games with Buffalo since Daniel Briere (3+8), Tim Connolly (5+6), Chris Drury (4+6), Mike Grier (3+5) and Derek Roy (3+5) all did so from April 22 to May 8, 2006.
Tage Thompson has registered four assists in his last four games. An assist in tonight’s game would make Thompson the first Sabres forward to record five or more assists in any five-game span in the playoffs since Dainius Zubrus from April 12 to 20, 2007 (5).
In his last four games, Josh Doan has registered five points (2+3), including at least one point in each of his last two contests. Doan would join Thompson (three games; April 26 to May 1; 0+4) and Owen Power (four games; April 19 to 26; 0+4) as the only Sabres skaters with assist streaks of three or more games in the playoffs with an assist tonight.
Rasmus Dahlin has tallied three points (1+2) in his last three games. Entering play on Thursday and among all NHL defensemen with at least 50 minutes of time on ice at 5-on-5 in the playoffs, Dahlin ranks first in expected goals for percentage (69.22). Among those defensemen, Dahlin ranked second in scoring chances for percentage (68.18) and high-danger chances for percentage (65.91).
The Philadelphia Flyers have had the worst power play in the NHL for three of the last four seasons, and now it has single-handedly cost them a crucial playoff game at home. Things can't continue this way.
In 2023-24, the Flyers had the 32nd-ranked power play. Then Matvei Michkov came over and led the team, tied with Travis Konecny in both categories, in power play goals and assists. They still finished 2024-25 with the 30th-ranked power play.
After that disappointment, Flyers general manager Danny Briere went out and added the uber-talented Trevor Zegras via trade, and he racked up 23 power play points with Konecny and Michkov chipping in 14 and 12, respectively.
Michkov, despite remaining similarly productive in drastically reduced ice time, has been separated from Konecny on Zegras for much of the season.
Together, that trio has played just 55:15 together on the power play this season, while Zegras and Konecny without Michkov have played 113:97, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Now, while the numbers do not indicate that they generate more chances as a trio (relatively the same, but with more chances against), it does tell us that head coach Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff saw something they didn't like and completely abandoned it.
The same was true when Michkov started the season on a line with Sean Couturier and Konecny, which lasted a total of 60 minutes, and when Couturier was a top-six center only to be reduced to a fourth-line center.
The Flyers are predisposed to outright turning their backs on things that aren't working, rather than fixing them.
They changed coaching staffs and they added players, and yet the result remains the same year after year. How can this be?
It's worth noting, too, that the power play quarterback has been a constant revolving door.
There has been little to no continuity with Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Rasmus Ristolainen, Travis Sanheim, Emil Andrae, and even Egor Zamula getting opportunities at various points in time over the last few seasons.
It's the only position the Flyers have not addressed on the power play, and it's a position all the best teams in the NHL have elite options for.
Tocchet admitted Thursday night after Game 3 that the Flyers are using players on the power play that would not ordinarily be playing power play minutes.
Michkov, sitting on the two-defenseman second unit, took a back seat to Tyson Foerster, who has no points in nine playoff games, Christian Dvorak, and Denver Barkey.
Nine players saw more power play ice time than the former No. 7 overall pick.
Waiting in the wings is defenseman David Jiricek, who was acquired for Bobby Brink at the NHL trade deadline.
Jiricek, 22, is a former top draft pick himself with a booming shot and strong passing chops.
But, does he have to earn his power play time with good defending, something that's completely unrelated? Would it be unfair to the Flyers players who have been with the team all year and got them to this point? Can they trust him to not turn the puck over, even though the idea is to let your talent go out there and score?
To successfully answer these questions, the Flyers must change their philosophies behind the power play, whether it's wingers playing their weak sides instead of strong sides, their personnel (Michkov), or risk assessment.
Macklin Celebrini returns to Canada's men's hockey team for the world championship tournament (May 15-31 in Switzerland), three months after leading the Milan Cortina Olympics in goals at age 19.
The Canadian roster for worlds also includes 2014 Olympic gold medalist forward John Tavares and more past NHL All-Stars — forwards Mathew Barzal, Ryan O'Reilly and Mark Scheifele, defensemen Evan Bouchard and Morgan Rielly and goalie Cam Talbot.
Celebrini, the first teenager to play for a Canada men's Olympic hockey team in the NHL participation era, will play at a second consecutive worlds.
In 2025, he was the youngest NHL player at worlds as Canada exited in the quarterfinals.
Then in Milan, he scored a tournament-leading five goals and had 10 points, second only to teammate Connor McDavid, as Canada took silver to the U.S.
Celebrini, the No. 1 overall 2024 NHL Draft pick by the San Jose Sharks, ranked fourth in the NHL in points this season with 115. The Sharks missed the playoffs.
World championships take place during the Stanley Cup playoffs, so players whose NHL teams are still alive do not participate at worlds.
Meet the 2️⃣3️⃣ players who will wear the at #MensWorlds!
The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the top 20 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the summer. Two Buffalo Sabres were among the players ranked: Alex Tuch and Logan Stanley.
Tuch was given the No. 3 spot on Johnston's rankings. The only two players who were ranked ahead of him were Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Rasmus Andersson.
When looking at how well Tuch has played this season, it is not surprising to see him be named among the best pending UFAs. In 79 regular-season games for the Sabres this year, he had 33 goals, 33 assists, and 66 points. He has also been continuing to make an impact during the playoffs, as he has four goals and seven points in seven games.
With Tuch continuing to stay hot and being the NHL's top pending UFA forward, he is undoubtedly setting himself to land a big payday. This remains the case whether he re-signs with the Sabres or goes elsewhere.
As for Stanley, he was given the No. 14 spot on Johnston's rankings. When noting that the 27-year-old defenseman had a career year at the right time, it is understandable that he has been named a top pending UFA.
Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 76 regular-season games this year split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres. He also had 110 hits and 128 penalty minutes, so there is no question that the 6-foot-7 defenseman's toughness adds to his appeal as well.
After losing the first game of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres 4-2, the Montreal Canadiens need to bounce back and do what they did in the first round: find a way to win on the road. Given Lindy Ruff’s coaching style, it should be less of a challenge than it was against the Tampa Bay Lightning when Jon Cooper was hell-bent on keeping Anthony Cirelli stuck to Nick Suzuki.
Martin St-Louis didn’t seem worried at all when he spoke to the media on Thursday. The coach said he was at the helm of a confident group that has a short-term memory and knows how to move on from a loss. They always bounced back from a defeat against Tampa, and that served them well, but they’ve put themselves in a situation where alternating wins and losses won’t work by losing the first game of the series.
On Thursday, even though the Habs had an optional skate, Cole Caufield spent over an hour on the ice, working on his shot. The sniper knows his team is counting on him, and it’s obvious that he’s desperate to find the back of the net.
If the Sabres had an impeccable record historically in the first game of a series, it’s not the case for the second game. Buffalo is 12-29 in Game 2 over the years for a .293 win percentage, although they are 7-10 (.412) when the game is played at home. However, their record is much better when they lead 1-0 in the series; they’re 15-11 overall (.577) and 9-3 (.750) when the series started at home.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens have done well historically in the second game of a series with an 82-44 record for a .651 winning percentage. When the game is played on the road, they are 24-23 (.511). However, those numbers plummet when they are trailing 1-0; overall, they have a 17-33 (.340) record, and it’s even lower on the road, where they are 9-23 (.281).
Caufield is not the only player who will be looking to bounce back in this second game. Lane Hutson, who had his worst game of the playoffs on Wednesday, will be looking for redemption in Game 2. As for the defense corps, it will have to do a better job in front of Jakub Dobes so he can see shots coming. It will be interesting to see if St-Louis decides to make any changes to his lineup. The Canadiens looked like they were getting used to the Sabres’ style of play in the third period when they dominated 11-1 in shots, but they were unable to score on Alex Lyon.
To get a better result, they’ll have to take the Sabres’ goalie’s line of sight away by putting bodies in front of the net. Of course, that’s easier said than done with Buffalo having such a big-bodied blue line that will work hard to clear the front of the net, but if the Habs battle hard enough, those big bodies will also get in Lyon’s line of sight.
Despite having good advanced stats numbers, the second line didn’t find the scoresheet, and Montreal desperately needs some offense from its top six. Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook could do with a more offensive center on their line. Jake Evans is a good player, but he lacks a finishing touch. If the Canadiens manage to get the win tonight, they’ll come back to Montreal having won home-ice advantage, but that’s not an easy task.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on HBO MAX, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Jean Hebert and Trevor Hanson are set to officiate, while Ryan Daisy and Shandor Alphonso will be the linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will finally head back to Montreal and get ready for Game 3, which is scheduled at 7:00 PM on Sunday night.
