Category: NHL

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The 2025-26 NHL Season has officially concluded with the Carolina Hurricanes winning their first Stanley Cup since 2006. 

Now that the offseason has arrived, one of the main storylines in the coming days and weeks leading up to the 2026 Draft is the future of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin. 

Larkin, who has played only five Stanley Cup Playoff games in his NHL career, which began in 2015, requested a trade from Detroit earlier this month after the club missed the postseason for the 10th year in a row, which is now the longest active drought. 

Is Detroit any closer to finding a taker for Larkin? According to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, who initially reported Larkin's trade request, an offer may be on the table for GM STeve Yzerman. 

While speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Friedman indicated that he believes not only is there "groundwork" of a deal being built, but that the Red Wings may also have already received an offer from the Florida Panthers, who were one of three teams on Larkin's initial trade request list. 

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"I definitely think the action has started on Larkin," Friedman said. "I think that teams have contacted Yzerman, and I think - I believe Florida has made an offer. So, I mean, we'll see. I think there's action going on out there, there's no question. There's talk going on right now, and I don't know if anything gets done. Like, it's tough." 

"Vegas and Carolina, they're two teams who like to deal, but they're like, 'Yeah, we don't need any trade rumors about us right now.' But I definitely think there's groundwork and conversations being done out there." 

According to reports led by Detroit Free Press beat writer Helene St. James, the three teams on Larkin's trade list included the Panthers along with the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, all of whom feature one or more of his teammates from the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. 

Would Dylan Larkin Accept A Trade To The West Coast? The Detroit Red Wings could very well be trading away captain Dylan Larkin before long - would a deal to the West Coast make sense?

The Panthers hold the No. 9 overall selection in the upcoming NHL Draft, which could be dangled as bait for Larkin. As of now, the Red Wings do not have a first-round selection after having traded it in March to the St. Louis Blues as part of the package to acquire Justin Faulk. 

Forward Anton Lundell, who has 89 combined points over the last two seasons, has also been suggested as a potential trade piece Florida could offer. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks have a big decision to make with their fourth-overall pick. This year's draft class has many interesting options, and the Blackhawks will be looking to land a future star with their first-rounder.

The Athletic recently released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where multiple of their writers predicted the entire first round. When it came to the Blackhawks' fourth-overall pick, Scott Powers had Chicago select defenseman Chase Reid. 

Reid showed great promise this season in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds, as he posted 18 goals, 30 assists, and 48 points in 45 games. This is after he had seven goals and 40 points in 39 games with the Greyhounds during the 2024-25 season. With numbers like these, it is clear that he has a lot of skill. 

The potential for Reid to emerge as a star defenseman in the NHL is there, so it would make sense if the Blackhawks went with him as their fourth-overall pick. This is especially so if players Ivar Stenberg, Caleb Malhorta, and projected first-overall pick Gavin McKenna get selected before the Blackhawks are on the clock.

However, the Blackhawks also have two exciting right-shot defensemen in Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov, so it would also be understandable if Chicago pursued a left-shot defenseman with their first-round pick. If they do want a left-shot defenseman, Carson Carels and Alberts Smits are the top options available this year. 

Nevertheless, Reid would still be a great pickup for the Blackhawks' system is selected. He has the tools to become a high-impact two-way defenseman in the NHL, so let's see if he ends up being Chicago's selection.  

The Athletic released its latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft. Several of their writers predicted the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

When it came to the Montreal Canadiens' first-round pick, Arpon Basu predicted that the Habs would select forward Nikita Klepov this year. 

Klepov would be a very fascinating prospect for the Canadiens to add to their system. The 17-year-old winger just had a dominant season in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit, posting 37 goals, 60 assists, and 97 points in 67 games. His 97 points were the most in the entire OHL this season, so it is clear that the young winger has a ton of offensive potential. 

Klepov would have the potential to be an outstanding fit on a Canadiens club that is full of skilled players. He has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward later down the road, so he could be worth taking a gamble on if he is available when the Habs are on the clock.

However, given how strong of a season Klepov just had, it would also not be surprising in the slightest if he is already selected when it is time for the Canadiens to pick. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front, but if Klepov is available, the Canadiens should strongly consider picking him. 

When the Carolina Hurricanes celebrated with the Stanley Cup, did you notice that somewhere between the hugs, the champagne and the endless shots of Rod Brind'Amour hoisting the most prized trophy in sports, Carolina had something Edmonton didn't?

Besides the cup, oobviously.

Carolina had just climbed to the top of the totem pole without possessing the kind of individual talent that usually dominates social media posts, magazine covers and debates over who the best player in the world happens to be.

They didn't have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, or anyone as close to that level of talent.

And yet there they were, the last team standing.

That fact is both encouraging and instructive for the Edmonton Oilers.

Fans in Edmonton are fortunate enough to watch two generational talents every night, but here has always been something a little unfair about the expectations that accompany them, as though McDavid and Draisaitl are supposed to drag every weakness, bad line and defensive breakdown across the finish line by themselves.

Oilers Should Hope the Hellebuyck "Noise" Gets LouderAs trade rumors swirl around Winnipeg’s elite netminder, Edmonton must aggressively pursue Connor Hellebuyck to solidify their crease and maximize the McDavid-Draisaitl championship window.

That's not how teams win the Stanley Cup.

And, frankly, it shouldn't be.

Carolina's stars are excellent players. Sebastian Aho is one of the league's most underrated centres. Seth Jarvis has blossomed into a terrific winger. Jaccob Slavin remains one of the finest defensive defencemen in hockey. Frederik Andersen gave them quality goaltending when it mattered most.

But let's be honest, nobody is confusing that group with the sheer star power Edmonton possesses.

The Hurricanes didn't win because one player put the franchise on his back.

Worth the Wait: Ex-Oilers Star Taylor Hall Wins a Stanley Cup With the HurricanesSixteen seasons after his debut with the Oilers, the former top pick hoisted the Stanley Cup, netting the championship-winning goal to cap a dominant playoff run with Carolina.

They won because there were no passengers. Their stars had helped. Their third line mattered. Their defence contributed. Their penalty kill mattered. Their fourth line mattered.

Everybody pushed in the same direction.

Which is why some of the conversations that surface after every disappointing season in Edmonton have always felt a little strange.

Somewhere along the way, Oil Country began treating Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl less like stars and more like solutions.

Are The Oilers One Goalie Away? Or Is That Too Simple?Every summer in <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton</a> fans demand a goalie.

Power play struggling? They'll fix it.

Goaltending becoming shaky? They'll outscore the problem.

Third line disappearing? They'll play 25 minutes.

Defence making life difficult? They'll generate enough offence to overcome it.

Those are wonderful players.

They're not miracle workers.

The Goalie Edmonton Wanted Is Available… AgainAs New Jersey gauges trade interest in Jacob Markstrom, the Oilers face a familiar crossroads with the elite netminder who once slipped through their fingers in free agency.

Wayne Gretzky had Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Sidney Crosby had Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Nathan MacKinnon has Cale Makar.

Nobody wins alone. And that's the lesson Stan Bowman should take from what Carolina just accomplished.

Not that Edmonton needs fewer stars. Quite the opposite. The Oilers should wake up every morning thankful they employ McDavid and Draisaitl because players like that simply don't come around very often.

The challenge isn't finding another Connor McDavid.

Good luck with that.

Forget the Superstars, Edmonton's Next Star Might Come With Questions AttachedEvery summer, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Oilers</a> fans dream big.

The challenge is finding Edmonton's version of Seth Jarvis. Or Jordan Martinook. Or Jaccob Slavin. Or the players who quietly turn good teams into great ones without attracting much attention along the way.

Carolina's Stanley Cup run wasn't powered by superstars overwhelming other teams every night.

It was powered by depth, and structure, and everyone understanding their role and doing it exceptionally well.

That should be the most comforting part for Edmonton fans.

The Oilers don't need Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to become something more.

Insider Believes Babcock Likely To Be Cleared To Coach By NHLAs investigators look into Mike Babcock's past, one NHL insider suggests the veteran bench boss may soon return to the bench, potentially clearing a path to join the Edmonton Oilers.

How much better could they realistically be?

What they need is a roster that asks less of them. Less pressure with fewer minutes and more support. More nights where two points from McDavid and Draisaitl feel like a luxury instead of a necessity.

Because as Carolina proved last night, Stanley Cups aren't necessarily won by the team with the biggest names.

If Mike Babcock Falls Through, Where Do The Oilers Go From Here?Should the latest investigation into Mike Babcock ultimately prevent him from becoming the next head coach of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers">Edmonton Oilers</a>, the organization could find itself in a remarkably awkward position, one that would leave people searching for answers while trying to explain how a process that began with such urgency became so messy.

Sometimes they're won by the team that asks the least from them.

That's the lesson worth remembering in Edmonton.

Having superstars is a gift, but expecting them to be the team is asking far too much.

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The Athletic released their latest 2026 NHL Mock Draft, where several of their writers predicted the first round. When it came to the Philadelphia Flyers' first-round pick, Kevin Kurz predicted that the Flyers would select center Maddox Dagenais.

Dagenais would be a fascinating prospect for the Flyers to add to their system. The 6-foot-4 center has the potential to become an impactful player in the NHL and would give the Flyers another promising center prospect, which is a need. 

Dagenais just had a strong season in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts. In 62 games with the QMJHL club, the Montreal native posted 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points. This is after he had 12 goals and 26 points in 43 games with the Remparts during the 2024-25 season.

Overall, Dagenais has shown promise at the junior level and could be some consideration if he is available when the Flyers are on the clock. However, when noting that he is a big center with good upside, it is certainly possible that another club could take him before it is the Flyers' turn to select. 

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Flyers end up making Dagenais their first-round pick at the draft this year. The fit looks strong on paper. 

For the second time in their careers, former San Jose Sharks forwards Tomas Hertl and Joel Ward were defeated in the Stanley Cup Final while members of the same organization. 

The Vegas Golden Knights were defeated 3-0 on home ice by the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night, which clinched the Hurricanes their second-ever Stanley Cup, winning the series 4-2. 

Hertl gave everything he had in a bid to finally win the trophy that has eluded him throughout his entire career, but it wasn't enough. He scored two goals, including the game-winner in Game 1, and totaled four points in the six-game series against Carolina. 

Meanwhile, Ward was doing the same behind the bench, serving as one of John Tortorella's assistant coaches. 

Both players were members of the 2015-16 Sharks team that made it to the Stanley Cup Final, only to be defeated by Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sharks alumnus Adin Hill was also on the Golden Knights roster, but was sitting on the sideline as Tortorella stuck with Carter Hart despite his massive struggles during the series. Unlike the other two though, Hill has already won a Stanley Cup, getting to lift the trophy following the 2022-23 season when he went on a tremendous run during the playoffs.

Both Hertl and Ward will have to wait at least another season to lift the Cup. Hertl is running out of time to do so during his playing career, but Ward is just starting out as a coach, so he has plenty of time.

On Monday, the Winnipeg Jets locked up a key piece of their organizational depth, re-signing forward Walker Duehr to a two-year, two-way contract carrying a $875,000 cap hit.

The deal keeps the 28-year-old in the Jets system through the foreseeable future and rewards a player who has quietly carved out a reliable role as one of the more productive forwards on the Manitoba Moose roster.

Duehr did get a brief look at the NHL level this past season, suiting up for three games with the Jets without registering a point. The bulk of his year was spent where he has consistently proven his value, in the AHL, where he put together a solid campaign of 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points across 62 games with the Moose.

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota native has taken a well-travelled road to get to this point. After playing college hockey at Minnesota State Mankato, Duehr broke into professional hockey with the Calgary Flames organization, going on to appear in 84 NHL games across four seasons while recording 19 points.

DUEHR DOING DUEHR THINGS! pic.twitter.com/rpOIFLFa8x

— Manitoba Moose (@ManitobaMoose) November 16, 2025

He was a more consistent presence with the AHL Calgary Wranglers during that stretch before being dealt to the San Jose Sharks ahead of the 2024-25 season. With San Jose, he played eight games at the NHL level while spending the majority of his time with the AHL's San Jose Barracuda before eventually finding his way to Winnipeg.

His AHL resume now stands at 59 goals and 53 assists for 112 points over 205 contests, numbers that reflect a player who has found his level and thrived within it. Duehr profiles as a flexible, dependable depth forward who brings the kind of professionalism and versatility that AHL rosters are built around. While a regular NHL role may not be in the cards, he remains a legitimate call-up option should injuries create openings on the main club.

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The San Jose Sharks are going to have to do quite a bit of work to make themselves Stanley Cup contenders in the near future, that's no secret at this point. Oddsmakers clearly agree, as BetMGM's odds for the 2027 Stanley Cup winner placed the Sharks 20th out of 32 teams, on par with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Penguins at +6000.

Considering the Penguins made the playoffs last season, being on equal footing with them is a step in the right direction for the Sharks. With that being said, the lowest rated Western Conference playoff team from last season is the Los Angeles Kings with a +3500, meaning the odds aren't in the Sharks' favor when it comes to even making the playoffs.

The five teams with the best odds to win the Stanley Cup next season are, unsurprisingly, the Colorado Avalanche (+700), Carolina Hurricanes (+750), Vegas Golden Knights (+1000), Edmonton Oilers (+1100), and the Florida Panthers (+1100).

Once the Sharks prove that they have what it takes to make it to the playoffs, it likely won't take long to see their odds move toward the best in the NHL. With that being said, Mike Grier has a lot of work to do to reach that stage.

The 2025-26 NHL season officially ended on Sunday night when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.

Carolina took out the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, capped off by their 3-0 victory at T-Mobile Arena in Game 6.

Backstopping the Hurricanes to their shutout victory in the clinching game was goaltender Brandon Bussi.

With Bussi’s name going on the Stanley Cup later this summer, it will continue an interesting streak of success for someone in South Florida.

That’s because before he arrived in Carolina, Bussi was actually signed by Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito prior to the season.

When Florida tried to sneak Bussi to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers, Carolina quickly pounced and claimed the talented netminder.

Clearly it proved to be a great move, between Bussi’s historic regular season success to his amazing performance with the Stanley Cup on the line.

But it doesn’t change the fact that Zito can now say that he’s signed a player who went on to win the Stanley Cup in the same season three years in a row.

Sure, two of those years it was his own team winning the Cup, but that’s what makes extending the streak so interesting.

Now, Zito can continue that streak if the Panthers get back to the business of winning championships next season...or if he signs a player who ends up being claimed by or traded to the eventual Stanley Cup champs. 

For those wondering, here is the list of players Zito has signed who went on to win the Stanley Cup in the same season.

2023-24: Evan Rodrigues, Niko Mikkola, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Anthony Stolarz, Kevin Stenlund, Dmitry Kulikov, Jonah Gadjovich

2024-25: A.J. Greer, Nate Schmidt, Tomas Nosek, Jesper Boqvist

2025-26: Brandon Bussi

Will Zito, and seemingly the Panthers, be able to add to this list and extend the streak to a fourth straight year?

Time will tell.

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Photo caption: Sep 24, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Daniil Tarasov (40) and goaltender Brandon Bussi (30) celebrate their victory against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

On Saturday, the Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade, as the Panthers sent forward Oliver Okuliar to the Penguins in exchange for defenseman Emil Pieniniemi.

Okuliar is a 26-year-old Slovakian winger who spent the 2025-26 season playing in the SHL with Skelleftea AIK. Okuliar posted 15 goals and 29 points in 46 games. The year prior, Okuliar played in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers, scoring a respectable 19 goals and 41 points in 69 games. 

Okuliar was headed into the off-season as an unrestricted free agent, and it was believed the Panthers were uninterested in re-signing him. Okuliar has signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Penguins. 

While the Panthers move on from the former undrafted forward, they've acquired a 21-year-old defender.

Pieniniemi was a 2023 third-round pick of the Penguins who made his North American professional debut this season. Plenty of internal controversy surrounded Pieniniemi, who, after his OHL campaign ended last season, refused to report to the Wheeling Nailers, the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate.

Eventually, the Finnish defender would join Wheeling this year, where he scored six goals and 11 points in 26 games. In the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pieniniemi scored one goal and totaled three points in nine games.

OFFICIAL: Penguins, Newest Trade Acquisition Finalize Contract For 2026-27 SeasonThe Pittsburgh Penguins' newest forward addition - previously an unsigned RFA - is joining the organization next season despite being under contract in the SHL.

Pieniniemi is a two-way defender with a history of offensive upside. In 2024-25, Pieniniemi scored 10 goals and 60 points in 60 games with the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL. Additionally, he notched two goals and three points in six games en route to silver medal with Team Finland at the world juniors. 

At just 21 years of age, this move is good business for GM Bill Zito and the Panthers front office. They move on from a player who didn’t have a future with the organization in favor of a younger player who could one day work his way onto the NHL roster. 

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After back-to-back Stanley Cup Final rounds in 2024 and 2025 featuring the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, there was a new look in the 2026 NHL playoffs with the Carolina Hurricanes facing the Vegas Golden Knights for the championship.

Now that the Hurricanes have defeated the Golden Knights in six games to win their first championship in 20 years, what are the chances of a reprise next season? Both teams are deep and experienced, so it's not out of the question.

Here's a look at the decisions that await the champion Hurricanes and the runner-up Golden Knights during the offseason:

What's next for the Carolina Hurricanes?

Biggest decision:What to do with Frederik Andersen? He's an unrestricted free agent and Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov are signed for three years and one year, respectively. Andersen just completed his fifth year with the Hurricanes. He had a middling regular season and Bussi outplayed him for most of the campaign.

But coach Rod Brind'Amour started Andersen in the playoffs, and he was outstanding. The coach rode him until Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, pulling him in the second intermission with the team trailing 4-0 in an eventual 5-4 double-overtime loss. Bussi won three in a row, including a shutout in the clincher.

Andersen was dealing with an injury and has had injury issues in his career. So has Kochetkov. Could the Hurricanes bring back Andersen on a short-term deal as insurance?

Pending free agents: In addition to Andersen, Nicolas Deslauriers and Mike Reilly are unrestricted. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin is a restricted free agent.

Outlook: Most of the team is signed long term, and players have won the Stanley Cup and reached the conference finals the past two seasons. Bussi is a goalie on the rise. No reason the Hurricanes shouldn't have another playoff run.

What's next for the Vegas Golden Knights?

Biggest question: Does John Tortorella come back? He replaced Bruce Cassidy with eight games left in the regular season and you can't argue with the results. He steadied the team to keep it in a playoff position, then won three rounds. But he cost the team a second-round pick when he skipped a postgame news conference.

Tortorella said Sunday he wasn't thinking yet of his future, saying he needed to absorb the Game 6 loss. But he called Golden Knights players "real pros" and the team a "first-class organization." He added: "I want to coach and to jump into this with this gang, I feel so fortunate."

Pending free agents: Their list is lengthy. Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, Cole Smith and Colton Sissons at forward, plus Rasmus Andersson, Jeremy Lauzon, Dylan Coghlan and Ben Hutton on defense. The Golden Knights made a big midseason trade for Andersson, but he didn't have a strong final. There could be turnover in this group, especially with restricted free agent Pavel Dorofeyev due a big raise.

Outlook: The Golden Knights have a strong core and are aggressive going after big-name players. They should remain the class of the Pacific Division, even as the younger teams improve. Their sweep of the Colorado Avalanche was aided by injuries to Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon, which isn't likely to happen again. But Vegas will remain motivated after winning the Cup in 2023 and getting close this year.

"We’re a team that everyone loves to hate," captain Mark Stone said. "That fuels our fire and it’s going to fuel our fire moving forward."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricanes, Golden Knights offseason outlooks: Could they be back?

With the 2025-26 season now complete, BETMGM has released betting odds for who will hoist the Stanley Cup in 2027. Among the favourites are the Colorado Avalanche and the 2026 Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. As for the Vancouver Canucks, they are way down the list and hold the 32nd-best odds of lifting the Stanley Cup next year. 

As of June 15, 2026, Vancouver's betting odds to win the 2027 Stanley Cup are 501.00. This means that if a $1.00 CDN bet was placed and the Canucks won the Cup, the payout would be $501.00 CDN. There is significant separation between Vancouver and the rest of the league, as the Calgary Flames, who have the 31st-best odds, are set at 301.00. 

The Canucks are projected to finish near the bottom of the standings for the 2026-27 season. Vancouver is currently in a rebuild, with most fans in the market hoping the Canucks can win the first overall pick next year and draft Landon DuPont first overall. This season, Vancouver finished 32nd in the NHL, but lost the 2026 Draft Lottery twice and will pick third overall later this month. 

*Note: This article is not betting advice but rather provides information on what bets are available.  

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

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It’s almost a tradition in the NHL that when a team wins the Stanley Cup, other general managers take notes and try to emulate the latest champions’ recipe. That’s how the Tampa Bay Lightning decided to adapt a more robust style of play after being eliminated twice by the much tougher Florida Panthers two years in a row, for instance. Don’t expect the Montreal Canadiens to do that, though. When Kent Hughes was appointed as the Habs’ GM back in January 2022, he was quite clear: he had a plan, and he was going to stick to it.

The good news, however, is that the Canadiens won’t have to imitate the Canes; there are already many similarities between the two teams. Perhaps the most obvious one is that both teams are led by relatively young coaches who have been in their players’ shoes and were once hard-working, highly successful players. It allows them to be closer to their players and to call them out when the effort level isn’t there. They may not do it publicly, but they are comfortable enough to speak to their players and “tell them their truth,” as Martin St-Louis would say. Although Rod Brind’Amour did it very publicly after the first game of the Eastern Conference against the Habs, calling Jacob Slavin’s game the worst he had ever seen him play.

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The second similarity between the two clubs is their sound financial structure. No team has ever won a Stanley Cup with a player earning over $10 million per season. The Panthers won twice with Sergei Bobrovsky, who had a $10M cap hit, but that’s as far as it went. Winning teams have enough money to go around. Their stars don’t break the bank with no regard to how the organization will be able to surround them with the right pieces to win. The Canes’ top earners are Sebastian Aho ($9.75 M) and Nikolaj Ehlers ($8.5 M). The two highest-paid players on the Vegas Golden Knights? Jack Eichel ($13.5 M) and Mitch Marner ($12 M).

In Montreal, Hughes has been very savvy in contract negotiations. He made a big splash with the Noah Dobson trade last season and managed to keep the former New York Islanders’ blueliner’s cap hit at $9.5 M, before managing to sign Lane Hutson to a very team-friendly $8.85 M per season. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky are all signed long-term with cap hits lower than $8 M per season. Mike Matheson ($6 M) and Kaiden Guhle ($5.55 M) also have very reasonable contracts, and as veteran contracts start to expire (Josh Anderson) or be moved (Brendan Gallagher), Hughes will have money to work with to add key pieces to his roster because he has talked his players into leaving money on the table for the greater good.

It will be interesting to see whether Hughes can sell the idea to Ivan Demidov this summer. It sure sounded like the Russian winger was receptive on dressing-room clear-out day when he said he had spoken to Hutson and they both agreed it was important to sign long-term, because Montreal is building a team with the potential to win multiple Cups in the years to come.

The third similarity between the Habs and the Canes is in the way they play. The coaches do not tolerate any passengers, and both want their players to fully commit to playing both sides of the puck. As soon as they lose the puck, the switch in their head goes from attack to defense in a matter of seconds, and they apply an intense forecheck. Of course, Carolina showed that it had mastered that style of play much better than the young Canadiens have, but it takes time, and that’s perfectly normal.

Finally, both teams succeeded in the playoffs because they showed real team effort. Neither first line stole the show; Aho and Andrei Svechnikov had 12 and 11 points, respectively, in 19 games. Suzuki and Caufield had 16 and 13 in the same number of games. In the playoffs, you need all 20 guys pulling together in the same direction; it doesn’t matter whose name is on the scoresheet. What matters are the names that get engraved on the Cup at the end of the playoffs, and on there, there’s no mention of the points they got or the salary they took home; it’s about one single team: a team’s triumph.

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With the first overall pick of the 2026 NHL draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have no choice but to take the best player available, which is also the method that GM John Chayka will be using going into the draft.

With left winger Gavin McKenna sitting at the top of several rankings and mock drafts, and not far behind him is left winger Ivar Stenberg, chances are the Maple Leafs are taking a forward with the first pick of the draft.

However, with their 60th pick, coming in the second round, there is an opportunity to still select a great defenseman. That's something the organization lacked for many years.

With that in mind, here is the case to select defenseman Brek Liske, who is ranked 60th in the consolidated rankings of eliteprospects.com.

Liske, 18, is coming off his second full season in the WHL for the Everett Silvertips. He's become an important D-man for the Silvertips, often paired with projected 2027 first overall pick Landon DuPont on the back end.

The right-handed shot blueliner played 52 regular-season games for Everett, scoring seven goals and 24 points. Liske also registered a respectable plus-36 in the campaign, finishing sixth on the Silvertips in that category.

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His production and performance in the regular season were fairly standard, but instrumental for the Silvertips to finish atop the standings. However, Liske was a different animal when it came to the WHL post-season.

The Beausejour, Man., native was a star for Everett in the playoffs, recording four goals and 17 points in 18 games en route to a WHL championship. Liske finished fifth in team scoring for the post-season, but another impressive stat is that the D-man completed the playoff campaign with the greatest plus-minus rating in the league at a plus-25.

While he wasn't exactly the superstar of the Silvertips, he was still a key contributor in an important role alongside DuPont. His role on Everett is similar to a Brent Seabrook next to a Duncan Keith - he's not the flashiest, but as a two-way defenseman, he gets the job done in pretty much all situations.

Liske didn't generate a point in five games at the Memorial Cup, earning a plus-three at the tournament. But he showed a sign of growth and promise in Everett's WHL playoff campaign.

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Before this past year, Liske had his rookie season with the Silvertips, putting up two goals and 11 points in 66 appearances. That was followed by a one-point playoff campaign across 13 post-season contests.

Before that, in 2023-24, he played for Northern Alberta Xtreme at the U-18 level in the CSSHL. He scored 11 goals and 32 points in 27 outings. Following that campaign, he joined the Silvertips, who drafted him 10th overall in the 2023 draft, and played six games split evenly between regular season and playoffs. He didn't score in that post-season, but put up a goal and an assist in his three appearances of the regular season.

NHL Central Scouting has listed Liske 44th among North American skaters and the 12th-best defenseman of that same ranking. Central Scouting recorded the youngster at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds.

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