The city of Ottawa is no stranger to Stanley Cup wins.
The original Senators won the Cup on 11 occasions, but unfortunately, everyone who witnessed those Cup and their ensuing parades is now gone. Next season will be the 100th anniversary of Ottawa's last Cup win.
Montreal counts all the Cups they won in that era because they never went away. Ottawa's 11 Cup wins are rarely talked about because when the depression hit, we had to dip out for a quick 58-year absence from the league.
While the original Senators were a dynasty, the modern-day Sens haven't been nearly as successful. But they have had their great moments all the same.
They've been to three conference finals in their history, but advanced only once. That year was 2007, and as long as we're dabbling in nostalgia, today marks the 19th anniversary of the only game they've ever won in a modern-day Stanley Cup Final.
Put another way, while the ancient Sens were running out of ways to celebrate championships, June 2, 2007, was the closest the new era has ever been to winning it all.
We won't spend a lot of time on a game recap. You probably vaguely recall what happened. Scotiabank Place, going crazy. The Pizza Line. Ray Emery. Lyndon Slewidge in his prime. A Senators team that needed just five games to win each of their three series to that point. And that crazy long nine-day layoff after the Conference Final.
The Senators were down 2-0 after losing the first two games in Anaheim and returned home to host the first Cup Final game in Ontario in 40 years. If you take that as a gratuitous jab at the Leafs, then that's entirely your business.
In fairness, it had been 80 years since Ottawa had hosted a Cup Final game.
The Senators won the game 5-3, and the winning goal was scored late in the second period by Dean McAmmond. With the score tied at 3, McAmmond banked a shot in off Chris Pronger, probably Anaheim's best and certainly the most intimidating player.
If only something had happened that would have taken Pronger completely out of that series... Oh, wait, it did.
Early in the third period, McAmmond skated up the middle and took a shot from distance, and in a clear targeting of the head, Pronger stepped up and smashed his elbow and forearm into his head. McAmmond was immediately knocked out and slid along the ice for 30 feet before finally coming to a rest in the corner of the ice near the boards.
Today, Pronger would not only be ejected and out of the series, but he'd likely be missing games the next season as well. In 2007, he not only stayed in the game but there was no penalty. The league did suspend him later, but only for one game.
At least he learned his lesson. The following season, Pronger got an eight-game suspension for stomping on the leg of Vancouver forward Ryan Kesler.
Anaheim would go on to win the next two games and the Stanley Cup.
While the Pronger hit did take a little of the shine off the Game 3 Cup Final victory, that entire run was such an exciting time.
No, the Stanley Cup never came to Ottawa, not in the modern era. Not yet.
But on June 2, 2007, for a few hours, it sure felt like it might.
Ahead of Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced new details for the 2027 All-Star Game at UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders.
Following the success of the league's return to best-on-best international hockey, the marquee event will build on that momentum with a three-on-three tournament.
The event will feature five teams of nations, including the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. The fifth team will be comprised of players from the rest of the world. This comes after the league's return to the Olympics this past February and the Four Nations Faceoff last season.
The format of the event will remain similar to previous years. The weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 5, with the return of NHL All-Star Skills, which will highlight the league's young stars. Ten players aged 25-or-under will compete in events including fastest skater, hardest shot, stick handling, one-timers, passing and accuracy shooting.
Players will earn points on placement in each event, with the top four advancing into a shootout against one of four goalies participating in the event. The top two players in the shootout will advance to a final obstacle course to decide the winner.
The game itself will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, with 11-player rosters that will be mostly decided by fan vote. The NHL Players' Association will pick one forward, defenseman and goalie for each team after fan voting concludes. After a round robin tournament, the top two teams will advance to a 10-minute championship game.
Next season marks the second time the Islanders will host the All-Star Game and first time since 1983. Fans can sign up for more information on the event at the league's website.
The Vancouver Canucks have their new head coach. On Monday, the organization announced that Manny Malhotra would be promoted from the AHL and become the 23rd head coach in franchise history. The move was not unexpected, as Malhotra's name was the only one being reported since the Canucks parted with Adam Foote on May 19.
With Malhotra hired, one of the questions that Johnson faced in his media availability revolved around using the third overall pick to select Manny's son Caleb. The 18-year-old is considered one of, if not the top center available in the 2026 NHL Draft, with some mock drafts linking him to Vancouver. When asked about a potential conflict, Johnson made it clear that he has already spoken to Malhotra about the club potentially drafting his son.
"In the initial discussion with Manny on this position, it was just very clear that each component and decisions and hirings or drafting, none would impact the other based on any certain type scenario," said Johnson. "I mean that in the sense of I had to be very honest and clear with Manny that I want him as the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks. The Vancouver Canucks also sit in a position that his son is possible in where he sits and where the evaluating has gone on through the year with our group that there is a possibility. At what percent I can't tell you, but that the Vancouver Canucks select Caleb. I wanted to make sure that we weren't sitting there on June 20 and Manny was in a spot where he said, hey, RJ, I really wish I would have known that was a scenario, or I really wish there was just a little bit more clarity when we had the initial discussions that this might be a possibility. So I wanted to make sure that he had time to talk with his wife and with his family, understanding that that would be a possible scenario, and that there was no hesitation on him moving forward and taking this position. I felt I owed him that to have that conversation."
Johnson, along with members of the Canucks organization, is currently in Buffalo for the NHL Scouting Combine. The annual event is an opportunity for teams to not only talk with prospects but also see how they measure up in a variety of physical tests. Johnson is using this week to evaluate all prospects, which will help the organization make the best decision once Vancouver is on the clock.
"In regard to the draft, we're going through the process, and obviously decisions still being made. We're at the combine here, going through interviews. We'll have more meetings with our amateur staff that's done an outstanding job getting to know these players, and we'll make our decisions based off of who the best player available is when we pick. There's not going to be an outside influence changing who that might be."
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for June 26 and 27 in Buffalo. The Canucks have 10 picks, including two in the first round. The last time Vancouver selected third, they picked Henrik Sedin, who would go on to a Hall of Fame career before becoming the organization's Co-President of Hockey Operations alongside his brother Daniel.
Caleb Malhotra at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge (Photo Credit: Jenn Pierce/CHL)
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.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 20: Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes faces off against William Karlsson #71 of the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena on October 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
It wasn’t the finals as predicted but here we are with the Vegas Golden Knights set to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. This sets up as a very evenly matched series which should go the distance.
Oddly enough Vegas and Carolina haven’t played each other since October with the Golden Knights taking the victory both of those meetings which took place at the very beginning of the season. Now both are set to face-off for the ultimate prize battle-tested and relatively healthy as they have the bulk of their rosters available for this series.
Vegas Golden Knights
It’s a star studded group for Western Conference victors Vegas as Mitch Marner leads the NHL with 21 points and Jack Eichel is next with 18 points. Both young sniper Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the NHL with 10 goals a piece.
Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Tomas Hertl — Colton Sissons — Mark Stone
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Kaedan Korczak — Dylan Coghlan
Carter Hart
Adin Hill
Carolina Hurricanes
The representatives from the Eastern Conference, Carolina are also getting contributions from all over their lineup as Taylor Hall leads with 16 points and Logan Stankoven has nine goals to his name. Carolina is attempting to make history with the fewest games needed to win the Stanley Cup (18) as they only have lost one game thus far through three rounds.
The Nashville Predators have found their new general manager.
As my colleague Jack Williams alluded to in an earlier report, the Predators had permission to speak with Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland. However, since that report, they have officially announced that he has been hired to lead the organization.
The Predators needed a fresh voice to help guide them into the next era of Predators hockey. With Barry Trotz leaving the organization, they landed one of the top candidates available, which should help them navigate what could be a pivotal stretch for the franchise.
For McFarland, this is a step up from his previous role with the Avalanche. At the same time, it comes with a different set of challenges. He now has the opportunity to oversee an entire organization and, assuming ownership is on board, will have the freedom to make the moves he believes are necessary.
It is safe to say he is excited about the opportunity. In the press release, he had this to say:
"My wife Chandra and I, together with our children, are grateful to Bill and Crissy Haslam and the entire Nashville Predators family for this opportunity," MacFarland said. "We also thank everyone at the Avalanche, including Joe Sakic and the Kroenke family, for their support in pursuing this position with the Predators. I believe Nashville will be a great fit for me. "I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly. My goal here is to build a winner, working with (owner) Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future."
-
McFarland took over as general manager of the Avalanche in 2022 and enjoyed plenty of success during his tenure. That included the 2025-26 season, which ultimately ended in a surprising sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Now, his focus shifts to Nashville, where he will look to address several areas of need and could explore moving some contracts this summer.
It should be an interesting offseason in Nashville, especially with McFarland now at the helm. Throughout his career, he has shown that he is willing to make bold moves when he believes they will improve his team.
The Montreal Canadiens had a successful 2025-26 season and should be looking to boost their roster this summer because of it. One of their biggest needs is another right-shot defenseman who can play top-four minutes.
The trade market is one way that the Canadiens could look to improve their blueline. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL right now, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen stands out as an interesting potential option for the Habs.
Leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman mentioned that he believed the Canadiens had interest in Ristolainen. With this, it would not necessarily be surprising if the Habs kicked tires on the big Flyers defenseman this summer.
If the Canadiens acquired Ristolainen, he could work on their second pairing with Lane Hutson. He would also give the Canadiens a clear option for their penalty kill due to his shutdown ability and improved defensive play.
Ristolainen has a $5.1 million cap hit until the end of next season. Overall, this is a reasonable cap hit for what he provides, and he would have the potential to be a nice addition to Montreal's roster.
In 44 games this season with the Flyers, Ristolainen recorded one goal, 14 points, 48 hits, 63 blocks, and a plus-10 rating.
DENVER — The Nashville Predators are bringing in Chris MacFarland of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche to serve as their president of hockey operations/general manager.
The Predators announced the hiring of MacFarland. He takes over for Barry Trotz, who will step into an advisory role with the organization after announcing earlier this season that he was retiring from the GM role.
MacFarland finished his fourth season as general manager of the Avalanche, where the team he helped assemble turned in the NHL’s best record before being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. MacFarland is a finalist for general manager of the year, along with Minnesota’s Bill Guerin and Anaheim’s Pat Verbeek.
The 56-year-old MacFarland spent 11 seasons with the Avalanche, learning under the direction of current team president and Hall of Famer Joe Sakic. MacFarland was promoted to GM soon after the Avalanche won the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Nashville has missed the playoffs three of the past four seasons after a stretch of eight straight postseason berths, which included the 2017 Western Conference championship.
“We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam said in a statement. “He turned out to be a perfect fit for us — just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward.”
MacFarland inherits a team that rallied from last in the NHL on Dec. 8 to a wild-card spot with 10 games to play only to be eliminated in the 81st game of the season. He has a solid core that includes goaltender Juuse Saros, captain Roman Josi and forward Filip Forsberg. Coach Andrew Brunette has gone 115-108-23 at Nashville with slow starts in each of his three seasons.
“I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly,” MacFarland said. “My goal here is to build a winner. ... I am excited about our future.”
MacFarland is known for his ability to make deals. This season, he bolstered the Avalanche around the trade deadline by acquiring Nazem Kadri, Brett Kulak, Nicolas Roy and Nick Blankenburg. The team’s 121 points were the most in franchise history. The Avalanche cruised through the first two rounds, going 8-1, before their high-scoring offense was neutralized by the Golden Knights.
“Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship,” said Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. “This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family.”
Sakic will fill in as GM of the Avalanche for the “foreseeable future,” Kroenke said. Sakic is the only person in NHL history to capture a Stanley Cup title as a captain (1996, 2001) and GM (2022) with the same organization.
“We are confident in Joe’s leadership and that we will continue to build upon our recent success as we seek to bring another Cup back to Colorado,” Kroenke said.
One decision facing the Avalanche may be the status of Jared Bednar, the all-time winningest coach in franchise history who’s about to enter the final season of his contract. The Avalanche have been to the postseason nine straight seasons under Bednar, with one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s not easy to win in this league,” Bednar said after being eliminated by Vegas. “It’s not easy through the regular season and in the playoffs it can become more and more difficult as you move on.
“The closer you get, the more hope you have that you can accomplish (winning a title). And when you don’t, it’s hard to deal with.”
Gustafsson might lack some of the high-end offensive instincts and abilities that Smits has, but Gustafsson is a year younger and a bruising defender who skates very well for a player with a 6-foot-4 frame.
Like Smits, Gustafsson would fit in very nicely within the Panthers organization. The Panthers coaching staff and management value size on their blueline, highlighted by Seth Jones (6-foot-4), Aaron Ekblad (6-foot-4), and Niko Mikkola (6-foot-6). Even Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are listed at 6-foot-1.
Gustafsson is still just 17 years old and is far from NHL-ready, but with patience, scouts believe Gustafsson could become a very solid top-four defender.
The 2025-26 season saw Gustafsson play most of the campaign with HV71 in the SHL, where he notched three assists in 27 games. With HV71’s U-20 team, he scored four goals and 12 points in 19 games, flashing the offensive upside he possesses.
At the recent U-18s, Gustaffson recorded a goal and five points in six games, leading all Swedish defenders in points and ranking fifth on the team.
Anything he brings offensively is a bonus to his stout defensive game. Indeed, he uses his mobility to move the puck, but, more importantly, he uses it for gap control and to pick off passes. Whether it’s while pinching in the offensive zone or attempting to cut down passes in the neutral zone, Gustaffson reads the play well and is quick to react.
In his own end, he has an active stick that knocks pucks off his opponents’ sticks, but his best trait is how he uses his body. Gustaffson shows no fear using his body to separate players from the puck. Whether it’s along the boards, while defending the front of his net, or when opponents are trying to find open spaces, Gustaffson does an excellent job of being physically involved.
If Gustaffson’s offensive game improves, mainly his shot and passing vision, there is possible top-pairing potential in the Swede’s game, but his defensive game is a safe bet for a middle-pairing defender.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
A year after finishing second for the award to Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar in 2025, Werenski put together another outstanding season for the Blue Jackets that pushed him into the top spot among voters in the Professional Hockey Writers Association over Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar and Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
"I think the biggest thing for me last year, being a finalist, is I wanted to prove to not only myself, but to everyone, that last season wasn’t a fluke and I could do it again," Werenski said. "I felt like I always had the talent, but in terms of my full game, I felt like last year was ... really my first breakout year, and I wanted to prove to myself that it wasn't just a one-off."
Mission accomplished.
"Obviously, we fell short of our ultimate goal, which was making the playoffs, but we made strides, and I definitely proved that it wasn’t just a fluke, and it wasn’t just a one-year thing and I can play at that level, and I can be in the conversation with those great defensemen," Werenski said. "Really proud of it."
The Norris Trophy voting tabulations were announced June 2 by the NHL, which released the news along with a video of Werenski getting the Trophy in a surprise visit from a camera crew June 24 while he and his wife, Odette, hosted a family get together with their newborn son, Hudson.
"I think the only people who knew were Odette and my brother [Brad], so just seeing my parents' reaction, everyone that was over, that’s the best part about it all is how surprised they were," Werenski said. "I definitely, maybe, thought something was coming, but like I said, until you actually see that it's here, and you hear the words, 'You're the Norris winner,' it's just in your mind. It's just a thought."
Werenski is the first Blue Jackets defenseman and sixth American-born player to win the Norris Trophy, joining Rod Langway, Chris Chelios, Brian Leetch, Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes. He trains with Hughes in Detroit during offseasons, and they became even closer while leading the U.S. to an Olympic gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Hughes won the Norris Trophy in 2024.
"He just kept telling me all year, like, ‘This is yours to lose,’ and, ‘Go for it,’ and it gave me a ton of confidence," Werenski said. "So, I thought that was cool that I'm going to be up there with my peers and guys I've played against and guys that have pushed me to be better."
Older names included on the trophy left an impression, too, including former Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris winner. Werenski, who's from the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, grew up watching Lidstrom play. Now, their names are linked forever on the same trophy.
"One of the first names I looked for was Nick Lidstrom," Werenski said. "It’s not hard to find because he’s on there seven times, but that's probably the one that I really looked for right away. I grew up watching him, obviously, being from Detroit. I knew how special a player he was, and to win it once is an incredible feeling, but to do what he did is ... it’s insane."
He doesn't turn 29 until July, and he's become an elite offensive defenseman. His defensive play certainly factored into finishing first, but Werenski's unique offensive acumen is what put him over the top with 81 points on 22 goals and 59 assists in 75 games. Leading the Blue Jackets in scoring for the second consecutive season as a defenseman swayed enough voters to complete a memorable 16-month span.
Despite the Blue Jackets stumbling from playoff contention, he helped the U.S. win gold on a play he sparked in overtime of the gold medal game, stealing the puck from Canadian superstar Nathan MacKinnon and sending a pass to Hughes' brother, Jack, for the golden goal in a 2-1 victory.
Months earlier, Werenski also helped the U.S. break a long championship drought in May 2025 at the men’s world championships in Stockholm, Sweden, giving him two international gold medals playing for the U.S. in less than a year's time. Prior to that, he also helped the U.S. win a silver medal at the NHL's inaugural 2025 Four Nations Face-Off.
During each gold medal celebration, Werenski made sure to honor deceased former Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau along with his U.S. teammates, displaying his No. 13 jersey each time and taking it a step further in the Olympic celebration by carrying two of Gaudreau’s three young children onto the ice for the team's victory photo.
Three months later, Werenski became a father for the first time when Odette gave birth to Hudson. Now, on top of those career and life milestones, Werenski is the first Blue Jackets defensemen to win the Norris Trophy and a first-time recipient of the award, which is named after James E. Norris, a longtime Red Wings owner.
"You know, I think if you look back to [2025] world championships, even as far [back] as [Four Nations] two seasons ago, it’s been an awesome year and a half for me," Werenski said. "It’s a long list of accomplishments, and you know, I wouldn't be here without a great support system, and a great family and great friends, and this just caps off a really great two seasons for me, and I feel very honored. I feel very blessed."
Since the Jackets selected him eighth overall in 2015, Werenski has matured into a homegrown superstar and now the NHL’s top defenseman. That’s why former GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who drafted him, made Werenski the Blue Jackets’ top defenseman and highest-paid player July 29, 2021, by signing him to a six-year contract worth $59.5 million.
That deal, which has two seasons left, was announced about a month after Kekalainen traded Werenski’s former defense partner, Seth Jones, to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jackets received an enticing return package that allowed them to draft forward Cole Sillinger 12th overall in 2021 and defenseman David Jiricek sixth overall in 2022, but the deal also made Werenski their top defenseman.
Aside from injuries that limited his availability for two years (2021-2023), Werenski has capitalized on the opportunity to play a huge role. In the past two seasons combined, he ranks second among all NHL defensemen in points [163], third in goals [45], fifth in assists [118], first in shots [558] and second in ice time [26:41].
He also tops every all-time defensive scoring record for the Blue Jackets by sitting first in points [465], goals [135], assists [330] and power-play goals [29] while also leading in games played [642] by defensemen.
Unlike many of his blue-line peers around the NHL, though, Werenski has skated with numerous partners on the Blue Jackets’ top defensive pairing since Jones left. The past two years, it's been Dante Fabbro for most of 2024-25 followed by a combination of Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, Denton Mateychuk and Fabbro this past season.
Unfazed by the rotation, Werenski plugged along for another remarkable campaign that finished with a coveted NHL trophy. He's not done, either. Far from it.
"I don’t want to stop here," Werenski said. "I feel like the second you get complacent is the second you get passed up, and I want to keep playing for a long time. I want to play for my son, for my family. There’s so much motivation out there, and I still haven’t won the ultimate goal, which is the Stanley Cup. I really haven’t played in the playoffs or had much success in the playoffs, ever, so there's more motivation than ever for me to be even better next season to try and play in the playoffs."
Carolina is the epitome of continuity, returning to the Final for the first time since 2006 under the steady, long-term vision of head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Conversely, Vegas pulled off a stunning mid-season pivot, replacing head coach Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella with just eight games left in the regular season. The gutsy gamble has unlocked a highly physical, locked-in version of the Golden Knights.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: what to know
When: June 2, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Lenovo Center (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Channel: ABC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The series continues on Thursday with Game 2.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes Game 1 start time
Game 1of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Golden Knights and Hurricanes is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET tonight (June 2).
How to watch Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Stanley Cup Finals for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching sports live for free thanks to its five day free trial and the number of sports channels included in packages. We recommend the premium Choice plan, which includes ABC among its 90+ live channels. Right now, you can get $30 off your first month after the free trial is up.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NHL games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
We got word that the Colorado Avalanche granted the Nashville Predators permission to speak with Chris MacFarland about the Predators’ General Manager position. That news quickly led to the announcement of his hiring and his move on from the Avalanche organization.
CMac, thank you for 11 seasons of hard work and dedication to our organization and for helping bring another Stanley Cup to Colorado.
The former GM in Colorado just so happens to be proven and beloved Avalanche legend Joe Sakic, who will now resume the duties he held for the Avalanche from 2014 to 2021.
It looks like Joe Sakic will resume his GM duties in Colorado for the “foreseeable future.” #GoAvsGo
Sakic was promoted to President of Hockey Operations in 2022, at which time Chris MacFarland was promoted to GM of the Avalanche. He and Sakic worked together to build the 2022 Cup champion and every Avs team since then.
After Colorado’s untimely and unexpected elimination from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, fans and pundits looked to see what changes would result from the collapse.
Well, we have an answer: Chris MacFarland out, Sakic back in, and we have word that the Avalanche will not be moving on from Jared Bednar.
Also, about Colorado: there is word Jared Bednar is staying as the Avalanche’s coach
Now, I’m not going to pretend I have been a fan of every single move we’ve seen MacFarland make over his tenure in Colorado, but I will say he did plenty to prove that any team in the league would do well to secure his services.
He successfully re-vamped an Avalanche crease that was costing the team dearly, leveraged Mikko Rantanen for a 100-point scorer that’s signed into the future, and a depth centerman that could be a focal part of the bottom six for years to come.
Most impressively, he helped Sakic form the stacked 2022 Stanley Cup Champion team.
I would argue the “cup window” pressured MacFarland into short-sighted dealings, and where I see his shortcomings, I really see the risk side of a high-risk/high-reward strategy.
Most fans and pundits agree with the philosophy because you can’t waste Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar’s prime to develop younger, less proven talent.
Announcing the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award finalists… 🏆 #NHLAwards
This award is presented annually to recognize the work of the top general manager in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/2Z45rPNabJ
When Joe Sakic got the GM gig in 2014, fellow Avs legend Patrick Roy was the head coach of a team with budding superstar talent in Nathan MacKinnon, but Roy’s time as head coach was stained by a sophomore slump for MacK and an older, less successful group in 2015. That, along with issues with roster control and management, led to Roy’s leaving in 2016 just ahead of training camp.
When the Avalanche looked for a replacement, Joe Sakic chose Jared Bednar, who many viewed as a shoo-in for the gig as soon as Roy left. With little time to get prepared, Bednar’s Colorado Avalanche stumbled out of the gate.
Many viewed Bednar’s hiring as a huge risk as he had zero NHL coaching experience at the time, but had won at every level below.
When Bednar’s Avalanche only amassed 48 points in Colorado’s worst regular season ever, Joe Sakic gave Bednar a vote of confidence in the following quote for the Denver Post.
“As I told you last time, there is no thought otherwise. He’s coming back… I like the way Jared handles himself. He didn’t make excuses. He came to work every day.”
We all know what happened after that, but I’ll sum it up: Jared Bednar won a cup at the NHL level and is the Avalanche’s all-time winningest head coach.
Needless to say, if Sakic is back behind the GM’s desk, Jared Bednar is still his guy.
The Nashville Predators have hired Chris MacFarland to be their president of hockey operations and general manager, luring him away from their Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche.
MacFarland, who has spent the past 11 seasons with the Avalanche, will take over the duties performed by general manager Barry Trotz. Trotz announced his retirement on Feb. 2, but will stay on with the Predators in an advisory role.
In a news release, Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said that MacFarland was one of their main targets throughout the search. The Avalanche were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals on May 26.
"We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates," Haslam said. "But all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris (MacFarland). He turned out to be a perfect fit for us, just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."
MacFarland, 56, has been with Colorado since 2015, when he was named assistant general manager. In 2022, he took over the general manager position from Joe Sakic, who was elevated to president of hockey operations.
Sakic will move back the general manager role at least through the start of free agency.
While MacFarland was with Colorado, the Avalanche built a loaded roster that includes Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar. MacFarland is directly credited with signing MacKinnon to an eight-year deal in 2022, but he also worked alongside Sakic during the Avalanche's rebuild era — an era that developed MacKinnon into a superstar and the drafting of Makar in 2017.
MacFarland also oversaw several key trades, including sending Matt Duchene to Ottawa in 2018 in exchange for three draft picks and defenseman Samuel Girard in a three-team deal.
Colorado's success the past decade is undeniable. After finishing in last place in the league in 2017, the Avalanche have made the playoffs nine consecutive seasons (2018-2026) and won the Stanley Cup in 2022. This season, they won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the league. Accurately assigning credit for that success is difficult, but MacFarland had a role during all of it.
Prior to his time in Colorado, MacFarland was director of hockey operations and assistant general manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets for 14 seasons (2000 to 2015).
According to the Avalanche website, MacFarland has "worked in nearly every facet of the organization including scouting at the professional and amateur level, player contract negotiations, salary cap management and arbitration, collective bargaining agreement administration, budgeting and team scheduling issues."
A New York native, MacFarland played hockey at Pace University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business in 1992 and a law degree in 1998. He began his career as an intern in the NHL’s New York office in 1993-94 and also worked in the NHL's productions office.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 12-4 and an average save percentage of .924 in 16 games this postseason.
Freddie Anderson starts in goal for the Hurricanes. Anderson has a record of 12-1, three shutouts, and an average save percentage of .931 in 13 games this postseason.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Mark Stone
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook
William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders: Freddie Anderson / Brandon Bussi
Special Teams
VGK power play: 23.9%, 4th
VGK penalty kill: 87.5%, 5th
Hurricanes power play: 12.5%, 13th
Hurricanes penalty kill: 92.5%, 2nd
Game Notes
The Golden Knights are 14-11 in Game 1s in franchise history. They have won both Game 1s during their two Stanley Cup Final appearances.
Historically, teams that take a 1-0 series lead go on to win 70.3% of the time.
The Golden Knights won both games against the Hurricanes during the regular season and outscored Carolina 10-4.
Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A).
Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the league with ten postseason goals.
Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 16.
During Media Day on Monday, head coach John Tortorella reiterated that the most important thing for a player to have is the right mindset. He says that the Golden Knights have mental toughness, and that’s why they’re winners.
Colorado’s front office is heading into a familiar-looking transition point, as Chris MacFarland moves on from the Avalanche after more than a decade with the organization to take over hockey operations in Nashville.
Nashville Makes Its Move
The Nashville Predators officially named MacFarland their new president of hockey operations and general manager on Tuesday, filling the most important vacancy in their organization with one of the NHL’s most experienced executives.
MacFarland leaves Colorado after 11 years with the club, including the past several seasons as general manager following Joe Sakic’s transition to president of hockey operations after the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup win.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, MacFarland had conversations with Predators owner Bill Haslam on Monday after being given permission by Colorado to speak with Nashville.
“We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Haslam said in a statement. “We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates, but all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris. He turned out to be a perfect fit for us — just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."
Nashville had been searching for a permanent hockey operations leader since Barry Trotz stepped away from the general manager role in February.
Colorado Turns The Page Internally
Back in Denver, the Avalanche confirmed that Joe Sakic will step back into general manager duties “for the foreseeable future,” covering key upcoming moments like the NHL Draft and the start of free agency.
Avalanche owner Josh Kroenke expressed gratitude for MacFarland’s long run with the organization and the role he played in shaping the current roster core.
"Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship. This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family. We wish him and his family all the best in Nashville."
MacFarland officially took over as GM in 2022 and helped maintain Colorado’s status as a consistent contender. The Avalanche reached the playoffs in every season of his tenure as general manager, including a Presidents’ Trophy campaign this year. That season ultimately ended in disappointment with a sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
Now in Nashville, MacFarland steps into a situation that has been aggressive but inconsistent. The Predators fell just short of the playoffs this season despite major offseason swings, including the additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.
“I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly," MacFarland said in a statement. "My goal here is to build a winner, working with Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future.”
With the move, Nashville completes its search for a top executive, while Colorado stays the course with a familiar structure under Sakic heading into a crucial offseason.
Senators Summer: Could Mason McTavish Be The Next Sam Bennett Story?With size, skill, and local ties, perhaps Mason McTavish is a player who could stabilize the Senators' top-six forward group. 
