NEW YORK (AP) — Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman, the league announced Tuesday.
Werenski was second in points at the position with 81 on 22 goals and 59 assists. It’s the first time he has won the award in his career.
The 28-year-old was first on 113 ballots in voting by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Colorado’s Cale Makar was second, Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin third and Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard fourth.
RALEIGH, N.C. — A few days in early March 2025 changed the course of the NHL. Mitch Marner was at the epicenter of it.
Marner was nearing the end of his contract with Toronto, and all signs pointed to him not re-signing. Carolina had just acquired fellow pending free agent Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in a three-way trade in late January, and after several weeks it also was clear that would not be a long-term relationship.
The Maple Leafs and Hurricanes discussed the possibility of a Marner-for-Rantanen swap. Marner held the keys with his full no-movement clause, and he preferred staying put and seeing out one more run with the team that drafted him, then went on to choose Vegas, going to the Golden Knights in a sign and trade in late June before hitting the open market.
Marner’s decision caused a domino effect that led Vegas and Carolina to this stage, where they’ll now meet in the Stanley Cup Final. The Hurricanes pivoted to sending Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven — one of their best players during this run — along with a pick they then used to trade for K’Andre Miller last summer, in the process saving the salary cap space needed to sign top free agent Nikolaj Ehlers.
The Golden Knights got Marner, who leads all scorers in the playoffs and left no doubt why the Hurricanes were interested. Asked what the team liked, general manager Eric Tulsky declined comment because Marner is under contract with another team.
“I can answer that one,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “What don’t you like about him?”
‘What if?’ is not on Marner’s mind
When speculation was building last spring about Marner potentially being involved in a trade for Rantanen, it wasn’t just a question of hockey. Marner’s wife, Stephanie, was pregnant with the couple’s first child. Marner is from the Toronto area.
The Leafs reached the second round before blowing a 2-0 series lead to defending and eventual back-to-back champion Florida. The Hurricanes lost in five games to the Panthers in the East final, still missing something.
This season, Marner was a point-a-game player. He has seven goals and 14 assists for a playoff-high 21 points.
“Mitch is playing with tremendous confidence,” GM Kelly McCrimmon said. “I think he’s really savoring the moment.”
Marner credited the coaching staff for putting him in positions to succeed and teammates for finishing scoring chances. Wearing a Vegas hoodie on Cup final media day, he insists he’s not thinking about the alternate reality of playing for Carolina instead.
“No, I’m not a guy that lives in the past,” Marner said. “I’m in the present. I’m here in the moment.”
The Hurricanes pivoted perfectly
Tulsky was referring to Rantanen when he said of taking chances, “Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there.” Trading Martin Necas to the Avalanche for Rantanen did not work out, though getting veteran winger Taylor Hall from Chicago in the same deal certainly has.
The pursuit of Marner fits in the same category, but plan B worked out swimmingly. Stankoven has been a difference-maker for Carolina centering the second line of Hall and Jackson Blake and is showing why he was the centerpiece of the return from the Stars for Rantanen.
Had Marner wanted to go to Carolina, Stankoven still could be with Dallas. Instead, he had to grapple with the strange feeling of getting traded.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Stankoven said. “Everything kind of happens for a reason. Obviously, Dallas got their player, and I just want to become the best version of myself here in Carolina. Just how welcoming everyone has been here, the fans, my teammates, I absolutely love the city and couldn’t be happier that I was able to sign long term here.”
The same day Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48 million contract, Tulsky used one of the first-round picks from the Rantanen trade to acquire Miller from the New York Rangers and sign him long term. By the end of the week, Ehlers chose Carolina among several intriguing suitors.
Miller has thrived with the change of scenery, and Ehlers has, along with Stankoven, given the Hurricanes the offensive finish they lacked in several playoff runs that ended before the final.
“(Ehlers) adds things to it that aren’t what we would ask a lot of players to do,” Tulsky said. “Having that kind of ability on the team — someone who could just create scoring chances out of thin air — it always makes you more dangerous.”
A new lead as emerged in the Nashville Predators' general manager search as the Colorado Avalanche have given GM Chris MacFarland permission to speak to the Predators.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Tuesday that MacFarland met face-to-face with Predators owner Bill Haslam and the goal is for the Predators to close the deal quickly.
Rumors about MacFarland's interest in Nashville have swirled for weeks, some suggesting that he is being interviewed for the President of Hockey Operations position and not the GM job.
He joined the Avalanche organization back in 2015 as an assistant general manager after serving in the same role with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2007 to 2015. From 2013 to 2015 he also served as the general manager of the Springfield Falcons, Columbus's AHL affiliate.
MacFarland took over the general manager role in July 2022, following the Avalanche's Stanley Cup championship and Joe Sakic's move to become President of Hockey Operations.
Since taking over the role, Colorado has placed in the top three in the Central Division for the last four seasons, winning the division twice. This season, Colorado posted a 55-16-11 record to win their second President's Trophy in the six seasons.
It was stunned by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals, getting swept.
The Avalanche have put together a talent squad that's included the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brock Nelson, Martin Necas, and former Predators Nick Blankenburg and Scott Wedgewood.
In February, GM Barry Trotz announced that he'd be retiring as soon as a replacement had been found, with the search commencing immediately.
Trotz has remained the GM through the rest of the 2025-26 season and nearing the start of the NHL Draft at the end of this month.
The Nashville Predators own the 10th overall pick in the upcoming draft, which will be held in Buffalo on June 26.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 01: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes speaks to the media during Media Day ahead of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center on June 01, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And so it begins….
Game day has finally arrived and the Las Vegas Golden Knights are in town to take on the Carolina Hurricanes for game one of the Stanley Cup Final.
After an expansive “Media Day” yesterday, there are tons of interviews and articles to go through. I won’t even try to list them all but you can check with your normal sources.
There is one narrative I would like to discuss here though. “The Hurricanes had an easier path to the Final than Las Vegas did”.
First of all, when you have the best regular season record in the East, you should have an easier path. You have done it the old fashioned way, “you’ve earned it!“ But let’s take a look at each team’s opponents.
Carolina beat the Ottawa Senators, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Montreal Canadiens.
The Sens finished with 99 points, the Flyers 98, and the Habs with 106 for a total of 303 regular season points earned.
Vegas defeated Utah, 92 points, Anaheim, 92 points, and the Avs 121 points, (though the Avs were without the 100% use of some of their best players). The total of these regular season points is 305 points.
There does not seem to be much difference in these totals, so that narrative should be put aside.
Bottom line, things will be settled on the ice.
The Hurricanes are on one of their best runs ever. Not only are they 12-1 in the playoffs, they had a 7-1-1 record at the end of the season giving them a 19-2-1 record in their last 22 games.
The Canes have not changed their lines throughout the postseason, (except for a few midgame tweaks). Most recently, they once again skated:
Jarvis – Aho- Svechnikov
Hall – Stankoven – Blake
Martinook – Staal- Ehlers
Carrier – Jankowski – Robinson
Miller – Walker
Slavin – Chatfield
Nikishin – Gostisbehere
Andersen
The knock that many experts put on the Hurricanes is that they do not have a true “superstar”. They have several good players though!
The Knights are not lacking for superstars.
Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel are bonafide with Mark Stone not far behind. They also have some dangerous complimentary players such as Ivan Barbeshev, Pavel Dorofeyev, and William Karlsson.
According to the Daily Faceoff, their lines should look like the following:
There are some tough matchups here, no arguing about that. It will be an interesting series.
A lot will come down to Carolina goalie, Frederik Andersen.
The Hurricanes have announced that they will have watch parties outside the arena for those unable to get tickets as well as watch parties inside the arena for away games.
——-
‘CANES TO HOST STANLEY CUP FINAL WATCH PARTIES
Tickets to attend road game watch parties at Lenovo Center are $10
RALEIGH, NC – Brian Fork, Chief Executive Officer of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team will host Hurricanes Watch Parties at Lenovo Center for Games 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 during the Stanley Cup Final.
For home games, the team will set up screens on the South Plaza of Lenovo Center for fans who don’t have tickets to the game. The Watch Party for Game 1 will feature a pregame concert from Brothers Osborne at 5:30 p.m. Food and beverage options will be available for purchase on-site and restrooms will be present. Outside food and beverages, chairs, weapons and illegal substances are not permitted. No ticket is required for the Hurricanes Watch party, but fans wishing to park on-site must pay to do so at this link. In addition to the Lenovo Center event, the Downtown Raleigh Alliance and the City of Raleigh are hosting Official Carolina Hurricanes Watch Parties at Moore Square.
Hurricanes Watch Parties for away games will allow fans to watch Games 3, 4 and 6 on the videoboard inside Lenovo Center. Selected discounted concession items will be available for purchase. Tickets to the away game Hurricanes Watch Parties are $10, with all proceeds benefiting the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation. Tickets can be purchased by the general public starting at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and Season Ticket Members are eligible for a presale at 1:00 p.m. Parking for Hurricanes Watch Parties will be free for away games. The Game 3 watch party is presented by Moxie Pest Control.
———
Game Time: 8 P.M.
Television: ABC; SN, CBC, TVAS
Radio: 99.9 The Fan with Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy
Game odds according to FanDuel: Canes -154, Knights +128
It will be a quiet opening night at the NHL Draft for the Detroit Red Wings, sitting without a first-round selection after shipping that pick to San Jose as part of the trade deadline deal that brought offensive defenseman Justin Faulk to Detroit.
The 18-year-old defender spent the 2025-26 season with his hometown Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and put together an impressive campaign, posting seven goals and 44 assists for 51 points with a plus-five rating across 67 games.
Scouts consistently point to his skating as his defining attribute, calling him one of the best movers in the entire draft class. At six feet two and 181 pounds, he already carries a frame that projects well at the next level.
Next season, Macbeath will take his game to the NCAA with a commitment to the University of Denver, one of the premier programs in all of college hockey. Denver has won three national championships over the last five years, and the program recruits with the same scrutiny an NHL team applies to its draft board.
The selection speaks for itself as a testament to how highly regarded Macbeath is across the hockey world, and Denver gives him the ideal stage to sharpen his game before making the jump to the professional ranks. His draft rankings reflect that same range of opinion, sitting as high as 29th overall on TSN's Craig Button's board and as low as 65th on Elite Prospects.
The number that matters most for Detroit, though, is the consolidated Elite Prospects ranking of 46th, which lands almost exactly on their pick at 47th overall. Should Macbeath slip even slightly on draft night, the Red Wings could be perfectly positioned to add him.
Macbeath would enter a pipeline that already includes Axel Sandin-Pellikka, a player with a similarly skilled and mobile profile and would also give him an opportunity to learn from NHL offensive defenseman in Justin Faulk directly, who has shown what top end production from the blueline looks like over his 16 NHL seasons.
Adding another offensively gifted blueliner of Macbeath's caliber at 47th overall would go a long way toward making that trade feel even more worthwhile in the long run.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
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.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Speaking on the eve of the Stanley Cup Final, goaltender Carter Hart said he has learned and grown a lot since signing with the Vegas Golden Knights after he and four other players were reinstated by the NHL following their acquittals in the Hockey Canada sexual assault case.
Hart is in the spotlight now in large part because he is the only one of the five players to sign a contract in the league. He addressed the situation after joining the Golden Knights in October but has spoken only about hockey since.
He was asked on Cup Final media day about comments he made in the fall and how he has learned and grown since then.
“I’ve been able to meet a lot of good people in the community,” Hart said. “I think the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation has done a really good job of making it easy for me to integrate into the community and meet a lot of cool people. Just really fortunate to be here in Vegas. It’s a great culture of people. Like I said, I’ve met a lot of cool people and just very fortunate to be here in Las Vegas and with this group.”
Hart’s session was ended after his answer. General manager Kelly McCrimmon, who chose to sign Hart to a two-year, $4 million contract, was asked about the thought process and took issue with the notion that the 27-year-old goalie came with baggage.
“We went through a lengthy process of due diligence with Carter,” McCrimmon said. “Carter is a really good person. He’s ingrained himself in our community. He’s a player that I’ve known a long time, long prior to him becoming an NHL player. Playing very well. Obviously a big part of how our team is at this point that we’re at today, and he’s fit in seamlessly with his teammates.”
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes opened the NHL playoffs with a shutout and just kept smothering opponents, swarming in absolute refusal to yield time or space to puck handlers.
The Vegas Golden Knights simply got better with each round until locking up the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in a shocking sweep of a team that romped through the regular season.
Now they turn their lockdown sights on each other for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup.
“It’s the Stanley Cup Final, it’s going to be a defense-first game,” Vegas defenseman Dylan Coghlan said. “If you don’t have that mentality, then it’s not going to go in your favor.”
The best-of-seven series, which opens at Carolina, pairs an Eastern Conference champion that finished second in the regular season behind Colorado against a Western Conference champion that elevated its game the longer the playoffs wore on.
Sure, offense captures fan imagination with plays like Vegas’ Mitch Marner scoring on a between-the-legs breakaway goal against Anaheim or the net-finding heat coming off Carolina’s Logan Stankoven-centered second line featuring Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake line since the playoffs started in April.
But these are teams that take just as much joy in grinding opposing offenses into the ice, whether its pressuring relentlessly to win puck battles along the boards or selling out in a desperate attempt to block shots. Goaltenders Frederik Andersen of Carolina and Carter Hart of Vegas have been steady in net, helped by the supreme efforts going on in front of them.
Vegas has allowed just 10 goals in its last six games as it chases a second championship in four seasons. The Hurricanes have given up two or fewer goals in 12 of 13 playoff games, back in the final for the first time since winning it in 2006.
“I think we’re just kind of all on the same page right now,” Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker said. “It’s a team effort to be so solid defensively. We’re definitely aggressive, but it’s full five-man effort.”
The Golden Knights took off after the late-season firing of Bruce Cassidy to hire John Tortorella as coach, but there also were March trade moves to add forwards Cole Smith and Nic Dowd to bolster the fourth line by getting bigger and stronger while also helping the penalty kill. They battled through six-game series against both Utah and Anaheim before taking on the Avs, led by high-end skill in Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas.
The Avalanche led the NHL by averaging 3.63 goals per game in the regular season. But the Golden Knights gave up nothing easy and never let the high-flying Avs find a sweet-skating groove. The Avs managed just seven goals in four games.
“I just think as a five-man unit, when you’re playing MacKinnon and Necas, some really high-skilled players, it can’t be 1-on-1 situations, it’s not one guy to get it done,” Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore said. “It’s making sure guys are back, making sure you’re playing the right way.”
The Hurricanes are 12-1 in the playoffs, sweeping both Ottawa and Philadelphia while allowing just five goals in each of those two rounds. Then came a 6-2 loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the East final, a result that in hindsight turned out to be a blip for a team coming off the longest between-rounds playoff break in more than a century.
That performance left coach Rod Brind’Amour befuddled with Carolina’s aggressive-forechecking style repeatedly surrendering clean breakouts and multiple breakaways with the Canadiens skating unchecked through the neutral zone. Brind’Amour didn’t have the team practice the next day, opting instead to go over the film of all those breakdowns.
Carolina responded by allowing five goals in the four consecutive wins that followed — the last two coming by a 10-1 combined score.
“It was just understanding where our lapses were and obviously video doesn’t lie,” Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “Sometimes you can really nitpick stuff on video, but it was pretty obvious what our lapses were in that game. So really it was just making sure we were staying above the puck, making sure that we were forechecking the right way.
“Everyone has their own job to do while they’re out there, but we work as a five-man unit, so making sure you’re doing your job. And that’s what I think you saw moving forward.”
When it came to the Buffalo Sabres, Pronman predicted that the Atlantic Division club would select right winger Casey Mutryn with the 25th overall pick of the draft.
Mutryn would certainly be an interesting prospect for the Sabres to add to their system. The Norwell, Massachusetts native has the potential to become an impactful power forward at the NHL level, so it would be understandable if Buffalo had him on their radar at this year's draft.
Mutryn appeared in 62 games this season with the U.S. National Team Development Program, where he posted 18 goals, 28 assists, 46 points, and 89 penalty minutes. With numbers like these, the 6-foot-3 winger has shown promise.
If the Sabres selected Mutryn, he would likely need a few years of development before making the jump to the NHL. While this is the case, he would still be a nice addition to the Sabres' prospect pool as they enter their Stanley Cup window.
It will be interesting to see if the Sabres end up taking Mutryn with their first-round pick, but the fit looks good on paper.
It is shaping up to be a busy summer for Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Winnipeg Jets management team as the organization looks to rebound from a disappointing campaign that saw the club miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
After making several high-profile moves last offseason, including the additions of veteran forwards Gustav Nyquist and Jonathan Toews, Winnipeg failed to achieve the level of success the organization had envisioned. The underwhelming results have prompted the Jets to take a different approach heading into the summer, with changes potentially coming not only to the roster but also within the front office.
According to Winnipeg Free Press reporter Mike McIntyre, the Jets may already be working on their first significant move of the offseason. McIntyre recently reported that discussions are underway with former NHL captain Shane Doan regarding a potential management role with the organization.
Doan, one of the most respected figures in hockey circles, enjoyed a legendary 21-year NHL career, spending the vast majority of it with the Arizona Coyotes franchise. Following his retirement, he successfully transitioned into executive work, joining the Coyotes in 2020 as Director of Hockey Administration and Chief Hockey Development Officer.
The longtime NHL veteran remained with Arizona until 2023 before accepting a position with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a special assistant to the general manager. However, that chapter recently came to an end as Doan and the Maple Leafs mutually agreed to part ways following the organization's recent front-office restructuring.
Beyond his NHL executive experience, Doan has also maintained strong ties to the game through ownership of the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. He became part-owner of the franchise in 2007 and continues to be involved with the organization today.
For the Jets, adding a respected hockey mind such as Doan could provide a fresh perspective at a critical time for the franchise. Winnipeg has consistently fielded competitive teams in recent years but has struggled to take the next step toward becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
Should a deal come together, Doan would bring decades of playing experience, leadership, and a growing executive résumé to a Jets organization searching for answers after a frustrating season.
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.
What was previously just a report is now confirmed: the Colorado Avalanche have given the Nashville Predators permission to talk to Chris MacFarland, per multiple NHL insiders.
The biggest what-if in this scenario is: what do the Nashville Predators plan to talk to MacFarland about? The easiest answer, and the one many have linked to the recent reporting, is that they want MacFarland to fill their new GM position and potentially the President of Hockey Operations role.
The Avalanche currently have that position filled by Joe Sakic, so if the Avalanche really want MacFarland to stay, the only hope they have is for him to stay on his own accord and not take the Predators' offer for any reason. There is no other position they can upgrade him to, like they did when they initially gave him the GM role and promoted Sakic.
Teams are allowed to talk to other management and staff, and in most cases, this signals that a change in scenery is on the way, but nothing is confirmed until an initial report is sent out. It would be a massive upgrade for MacFarland and give credit to the work he has done with the Avalanche, but will he take the position?
What if he doesn’t like/agree with some of the topics presented to him by the Predators? He would be jumping from a team with Stanley Cup aspirations to a team that is currently in a shake-up of its entire management staff and is trying to find direction.
The question is whether he wants to continue with the Avalanche and try to win another Stanley Cup, or take on the pressure and challenge of helping the Predators rebuild or retool into a Stanley Cup contender.
The Chicago Blackhawks came in 31st place this season. They had the 2nd best odds of winning the draft lottery and fell to fourth. It wasn't an ideal year for those reasons, but there was some significant development that took place for certain players on the team.
Now, the team is focused on what they need to do in order to start coming out of their current rebuild, which began as we know it in 2022.
In the meantime, there are a couple of former Blackhawks who will be competing in the Stanley Cup Final starting on Tuesday night. Last week, the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes clinched their berths in the Final as the Western Conference and Eastern Conference champions, respectively.
There is one former Blackhawk who will play in every game unless he gets seriously hurt, and one who may or may not draw in depending on how things shake out for his team.
Taylor Hall - Carolina Hurricanes
The Chicago Blackhawks had Taylor Hall on their team for parts of two seasons. The idea behind acquiring the former Hart Trophy winner was that he'd be a great wingman for Connor Bedard. After all, Hall had lots of experience helping first overall picks get their feet wet in the NHL.
Hall's first season in Chicago was mostly missed due to injury. He only played in 10 games during 2023-24. In 2024-25, he played 46 games with Chicago before being traded to the Hurricanes. It was clear that he wanted a chance to win during the late stages of his career.
Now, he's in the Stanley Cup Final, and he's been one of the key pieces for a Carolina team that's been looking to get over the hump for years.
With his 16 points in 13 playoff games, he is tied for third in postseason scoring and leading the Hurricanes. The two NHL players he's tied with have already been eliminated: Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens.
If the Hurricanes win the Cup, he has a legitimate chance to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the Playoffs.
Hall's line with Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven has been Carolina's most dominant, scoring roughly half of their even-strength goals since the playoffs began, and that is something to watch out for heading into the series.
Against the Golden Knights, there will be more chess-style matchups for the Hurricanes to deal with, and that is where Hall's line can make them even more dangerous if they stay as dominant as they've been since mid-April.
Brandon Saad - Vegas Golden Knights
Everyone in Chicago remembers Brandon Saad. He was a major part of the Blackhawks winning their second and third of three Stanley Cups in the 2010s.
Now, in the later years of his career, Saad has a mixed role with the Golden Knights. He still has a high-end motor, but their roster is so deep that they don't need him every night.
During the regular season, he played in 49 games for Vegas while scoring 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points. When they have injuries or inconsistencies amongst their forwards, he's a great veteran to plug and play.
Saad didn't play against the Utah Mammoth in the first round, but he suited up for three games against the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. In the Western Conference Finals, he played in two of their four games as they swept the Colorado Avalanche.
Four of Saad's five playoff appearances have come on the road, which could play into Vegas' matchup strategy, or it could just be a coincidence.
If Vegas wins the Cup, Saad's name will go on it for the third time no matter how much he plays in this series because he played in over half of their regular season games.
Other Notes
Jaycob Megna also played 44 games for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2023-24 season. He played only four games with the Vegas Golden Knights this season and is a black ace in the playoffs for them this year.
If the Knights win, that would mean that Megna was a black ace on the Stanley Cup champion for the second year in a row, as he was a part of the Florida Panthers organization in 2024-25.
Hall and Saad's team can be seen fighting for the Stanley Cup in Game One on Tuesday night. On ABC, the festivities will kick off at 7 PM CT.
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 on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
On Sunday night, the Kitchener Rangers left Kelowna with the Memorial Cup after beating the Everett Silvertips 6-2 in the final. Amongst the winners was a Montreal Canadiens prospect, right-shot defenseman Andrew MacNiel. The soon-to-be 19-year-old is a defensive defenseman who was drafted in the sixth round by Montreal at the 2025 draft.
Through 10 playoff games, the 6-foot-2 and 170-pound blueliner put up two points, both goals, including one game-winner. He finished the postseason with a plus-two rating and four penalty minutes. At the Memorial Cup tournament, he made the headlines with a no-holds-barred fight against Silvertips’ Jaxsin Vaughan on May 25, a spirited tilt which ended in a draw.
In the regular season, the blueliner put up seven points in 48 games and was assessed 47 penalty minutes. MacNiel plays a rugged game and needs to learn to land his hits on the right side of legality.
The tough guy has a heart of gold, though. During the playoffs, he set up a fundraiser called Andrew’s Ambition for cancer research, through which he pledged to donate $2 for every blocked shot. On May 25th, the initiative had raised over $50,000 dollars, obliterating its $10,000 goal.
Of course, MacNiel still has a long way to go before he can skate in the NHL, but he has an interesting mix of skill and brings a lot of physicality to his game, something the Canadiens are rather light on, especially if Arber Xhekaj isn’t there in the long term.
Pavel Dorofeyev enters the Stanley Cup Final at the top of his game, tallying nine points over his last eight appearances while posting remarkably strong underlying numbers.
That's why he headlines my Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes props and NHL picks for the series opener in Carolina.
Best Golden Knights vs Hurricanes props for Game 1
Player
Pick
Pavel Dorofeyev
Over 0.5 points
-120
Noah Hanifin
Over 1.5 blocks
-150
Sean Walker
Over 1.5 shots
-125
Game 1 Prop #1: Pavel Dorofeyev Over 0.5 points (-120)
Pavel Dorofeyev has taken off since being promoted to the top line alongside Jack Eichel. He has averaged an ultra-efficient 3.53 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play while generating expected goals at an elite clip.
Dorofeyev is also a big threat on the man advantage, where he leads the Vegas Golden Knights in goals and shots during the playoffs.
He is an exceptional shooter and generates plenty of looks. He will really test Frederik Andersen, who is riding a high now but posted a highly underwhelming .874 save percentage during the regular season.
Expect Dorofeyev to hit the scoresheet in Game 1.
Betable to -130.
Game 1 Prop #2: Noah Hanifin Over 1.5 blocks (-150)
The Carolina Hurricanes ranked second in shot attempt rate during the regular season and led the way in the playoffs.
Their shot-generating efficiency creates numerous block opportunities, and Noah Hanifin is a prime beneficiary.
His pairing is being spoonfed defensive zone starts and allowing shot attempts at a higher clip than either of Vegas’ other pairings.
Hanifin averaged 2.3 blocks per game against Top-5 teams in shot volume this year, and 2.6 on the road.
Back him to block a couple up to -170.
Game 1 Prop #3: Sean Walker Over 1.5 shots (-125)
Sean Walker had a very strong shooting season, going Over 1.5 shots in 65% of his games.
That includes two Overs against the Golden Knights, in which he attempted 6+ shots in both games while combining for six shots on goal.
Walker is primed to pick up where he left off. The bulk of his volume comes from the right point, and Vegas ranked 30th in shots allowed from that area this season.
He has seen more offensive zone starts than any other Hurricanes defenseman in the playoffs, leading to extra looks at the net.
Playable to -135.
img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 with the BET99 promo code COVERSNHL" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/promo-articles/bet99nhlcreative2526.jpeg"Get a first bet encore up to $800 with BET99 bonus code COVERSNHL. (not available in Ontario)
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.
Malhotra is a highly sought-after coach around the league, and the Maple Leafs weren't the only team that was likely interested in acquiring his services behind their NHL bench.
Vancouver's latest hire has spent the past two seasons coaching in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, the American League affiliate of Vancouver. His time as a head coach in the minors is where he really earned his recognition.
In his first campaign in Abbotsford, Malhotra led the AHL Canucks to a Calder Cup championship. That 2024-25 AHL title put Malhotra on the map as a real candidate to coach in the NHL, and that has come to fruition, with Vancouver winning that race with a sensible internal hire.
It's not out of the ordinary for Calder Cup-winning coaches to be noticed by NHL teams and eventually get hired by one.
Looking at the history of coaches who became AHL champions, Ryan Warsofsky, Sheldon Keefe, Jared Bednar, Jeff Blashill, and Jon Cooper, all won the Calder Cup in the last 14 years, and are NHL coaches. Malhotra is now a part of that list.
Malhotra's links to Toronto don't end at the passing possibility of the Leafs hiring him as their next bench boss, as he was a part of their coaching staff in the past.
From 2020-21 to 2023-24, Malhotra was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs, serving alongside Keefe for four seasons.
See more of The Hockey News on Google — Save us as Preferred Source
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.
Carolina's young forwards have quietly become some of the most dangerous chance-generators in the playoffs, creating value in the goal-scorer market heading into Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
My Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes goal scorer props will focus on Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, with Pavel Dorofeyev also included.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes goal scorer predictions for Tuesday
Player to score a goal
Odds
Logan Stankoven
+220
Jackson Blake
+245
Pavel Dorofeyev
+220
Goal scorer parlay
+1500
Goal scorer pick: Logan Stankoven (+220)
Logan Stankoven is flourishing in these playoffs with nine goals in just 13 games, but the underlying metrics suggest the production is no fluke.
His 4.1 individual expected goals rank third on the Carolina Hurricanes behind only Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, while he also sits third on the team in high-danger chances created per 60 minutes (17.98).
Carolina is also controlling 67.8% of shots on goal with Stankoven on the ice at 5-on-5, highlighting his ability to drive offensive-zone pressure. He registered 11 shots across the final two games of the Eastern Conference Final and scored in both contests.
I'll play this pick to +180.
Goal scorer pick: Jackson Blake (+245)
Jackson Blake is right up there with Stankoven in production. The Hurricanes forward leads the team with 5.43 individual expected goals this postseason, highlighting the quality of chances he's generating.
Blake has also recorded 48 individual Fenwick attempts, trailing only Stankoven, which speaks to his ability to consistently create offense.
The underlying numbers support the production. Blake leads Carolina in high-danger chances per 60 minutes (18.97), while his 20% shooting percentage shows he's capitalized on those opportunities, scoring five goals on 25 shots on net.
I'll play this pick to +200.
Goal scorer pick: Pavel Dorofeyev (+220)
Pavel Dorofeyev's 10 playoff goals are supported by strong chance generation, as his 6.07 individual expected goals rank among the Vegas Golden Knights' leaders. However, he's also outperformed that expected total by nearly four goals, highlighting how efficient he's been around the net.
The winger leads the Golden Knights with 63 individual Fenwick attempts and has put 42 shots on target in just 16 games. He's also generating dangerous looks consistently, posting a 15.85 HDCF/60 rate during the postseason.
Dorofeyev's role has grown as well, with his ice time increasing over the last three games. With confidence high and his offensive opportunities continuing to pile up, expect him to remain a focal point of Vegas' attack in Game 1.
I'll play this pick to +200.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes anytime goal parlay
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.
Pavel Dorofeyev
Sean Walker
