VOORHEES, N.J. — Trevor Zegras was asked about the four teams in NHL history that have come back from a 3-0 playoff series deficit.
He wanted to talk about his team, about the comeback the Flyers have made just to be one of the eight teams still remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“I think a big thing for us this year is that 3.8 percent number,” Zegras said Friday. “I bet not a lot of people, maybe not a lot of people in this [media] room, would have pegged us to be in the second round of the NHL playoffs. We have life, we have opportunity. It’s 3-0, but we’re still here, we’re still playing.”
Back on March 18, the Flyers had a 3.8 percent to make the playoffs, according to MoneyPuck.com. They’ve had that number featured on a team shirt for the playoffs. Now they need to really dig into their belief to dig out of a hole. They trail the Hurricanes 3-0 in this best-of-seven second-round matchup.
This young Flyers team will face its first elimination game Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena (6 p.m. ET/TNT).
“We’ve been dead before, we’ve climbed out of it, we’ve played a lot of playoff games the last two, three months,” Rick Tocchet said. “And now it’s a must-win, this is a do-or-die. How do you go into this game making these guys play relaxed, but also play desperate? I don’t like the word desperate that much; I like the word determined. Can we be more determined tomorrow night? Yeah, I think we can.”
“We know what it’s like to be up 3-0, that feeling when a team wins one game and then wins another game and kind of how the locker room tightens up,” Zegras said.
The Flyers were able to fend off the Penguins with an eke-it-out, 1-0 overtime win in Game 6. It set up a second-round date with Carolina, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes are still unbeaten in these playoffs after taking the first three games from the Flyers.
“When you’re up 3-0, you feel like, almost in a sense, the series should be over, you just want it be done,” Zegras said. “I think if we can go out and get one tomorrow, they’ll tighten up a little bit. They’re 7-0, haven’t lost in the postseason yet. … We’ve got to do a job to make it as hard as possible tomorrow.”
A huge key for the Flyers will be giving Frederik Andersen a more arduous outing. The Carolina netminder had to make just 18 saves Thursday night in Game 3 as the Flyers lost, 4-1.
“I think there are things we can do against Andersen,” Tocchet said. “Listen, this guy’s playing great, but I think there’s something we can do tactically. Not his weakness, but one of his things that maybe he’s not as good at, I think we can do better at. We discussed it again today. Can we apply it tomorrow? We’ll see.”
Andersen has held the Flyers to just three goals in the series.
“He’s feeling it, so we’ve got to do something different,” Nick Seeler said. “Change the angle, try to get a few more shots on net. I think we had 19 last game. Obviously put a little bit more pressure on him, getting to the net and having our anchors there. Tomorrow’s huge for us and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
The Flyers will hope it’s not their last challenge.
“We’ve shown a ton of fight all season,” Zegras said. “We’ve got a lot of belief and confidence in the room.”
The finalists for the Hart Trophy are out, and the three NHL players could add another MVP award to their trophy case.
Previous winners (listed alphabetically) Nikita Kucherov (Tanpa Bay LIghtning), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) were announced as this year's finalists. McDavid is a three-time winner and Kucherov and MacKinnon won once previously.
They were the three top scorers in the league in 2025-26 and MacKinnon also led the league in goals. The winner will be announced later.
Here's what to know about the Hart Trophy (voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association), including projected winner and who was snubbed:
Hart Trophy finalists
Nikita Kucherov, RW, Tampa Bay Lightning: Kucherov finished second in the NHL with 130 points in 76 games – 42 points more than his closest teammate as the Lightning clinched their ninth conseucite playoff berth. Kucherov’s 42-point edge was the second-largest gap between a team’s top two scorers in 2025-26. He previously won the Hart in 2019.
Nathan MacKinnon:, Colorado Avalanche: MacKinnon led the NHL with 53 goals in 80 games to win his first career Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy. He led the Avalanche (55‑16‑11) to a franchise-record 121-point season. He previously won the award in 2024.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oiers: He led the NHL with 138 points in 82 games to earn his sixth career Art Ross Trophy, tied for the second-most in league history, and guided the Oilers to their seventh consecutive playoff appearance. McDavid previously won the award in 2017, 2021 and 2023.
Who win the Hart Trophy?
Hard to say. All are worthy candidates. MacKinnon could have the edge because of the goal title and Avalanche having the league's best record.
Hart Trophy snub
San Jose's Macklin Celebrini set a team scoring record, finished fourth in points and had the Sharks in the playoff hunt after last-place finishes the previous two seasons. He was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) as voted on by fellow players. But falling short of the playoffs probably cost him votes.
NHL awards finalists announcement schedule
Tuesday, April 28:Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player): Macklin Celebrini, Nikita Kucherov, Connor McDavid.
Wednesday, April 29:Vezina Trophy (goaltender): Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, Andrei Vasilevskiy
This season marks the first time the Sabres have advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since they advanced to the 2007 Eastern Conference Final. The Sabres have earned three playoff series victories over the Canadiens in franchise history. Buffalo last faced Montreal in the playoffs in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, a series in which the Sabres won four games to none. The Sabres also defeated the Canadiens three games to none in the 1983 Adams Division Semifinals and four games to two in the 1975 Semifinals.
Entering this series, Buffalo’s most recent playoff victory over Montreal was on May 14, 1998 (3-1). Donald Audette, Matthew Barnaby and Miroslav Satan each scored and Dominik Hasek stopped 37 of 38 Canadiens shots in the series-clinching game. Buffalo has allowed two or fewer goals in five consecutive games (seven goals against), tied for the longest such streak by the Sabres in the playoffs all-time. The Sabres last did so from April 25 to May 4, 2007 (nine goals against). Buffalo’s seven goals allowed in this five-game span are tied for the fewest by the Sabres in any five-game playoff span all-time (April 8 to 16, 1980). A win tonight would give Buffalo six consecutive playoff wins over Montreal, tied for the longest playoff winning streak by the Sabres against the Canadiens all-time (May 6, 1975 to April 5, 1990).
The Sabres are the only team in NHL history to record multiple playoff winning streaks of five or more games against the Canadiens. Boston (April 29, 1991 to April 16, 1994; six games), NY Rangers (April 21, 1996 to May 19, 2014; six games) and Philadelphia (April 26, 2008 to May 18, 2010; six games) are the only other NHL teams to defeat Montreal in six straight playoff meetings.
In his last four games, Zach Benson has posted five points (2+3), including two points in back-to-back contests. Benson (0+2 in Game 1) became the first NHL skater age 20 or younger to record multiple points in consecutive playoff games since Bowen Byram from May 23 to 25, 2022 with Colorado (two games; 0+4). He was the first NHL forward to accomplish that feat since Mitch Marner from April 14 to 16, 2018 (two games; 1+3). A multi-point performance tonight would make Benson the first NHL skater age 20 or younger to record multiple points in three or more consecutive playoff games since Patrick Kane from April 27 to May 2, 2009 (three games; 4+2). He would join Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky (twice), Kane and Don Maloney as the only NHL skaters age 20 or younger to do so at least once. An assist tonight would make Benson the first Sabres skater age 20 or younger to record a three-game assist streak in the playoffs since Kevin Haller from April 7 to 11, 1991 (0+4).
Alex Lyon has allowed seven total goals in six appearances in the playoffs, the fewest goals allowed in any six-game span in the playoffs by a Sabres goaltender all-time. It is the first time a goaltender has allowed seven or fewer goals in their first six playoff games with a team since Carter Hart from August 2 to 18, 2020 with Philadelphia (7). Lyon has posted a .950 save percentage in his first six appearances in the playoffs, trailing only Dominik Hasek (April 22 to May 8, 1998, .951; April 21 to May 9, 1999, .953) for the best mark by a Sabres goaltender in any six-game span in the playoffs. It is the best save percentage by a Sabres goaltender in their first six playoff appearances with Buffalo alltime.
Bowen Byram has recorded six points (4+2) in seven playoff games thus far. • His four goals are the most by a Sabres defenseman in any seven-game span in the playoffs since Mike Ramsey from April 9 to 22, 1983 (four goals). Byram is one goal away from recording the most goals by a Sabres defenseman in a single playoff year all-time.
Peyton Krebs has registered six points (2+4) in seven playoff games thus far and his plus-7 rating through the team’s first seven playoff games is tied with Byram and Alex Tuch for the team lead. Krebs and Tuch are the first Sabres forwards since Chris Drury (plus-8) and Derek Roy (plus-9) to record a plus/minus of plus-7 or better in any seven-game playoff span. It is the best plus/minus by a Sabres forward in their first seven playoff games of a season since Miroslav Satan from April 21 to June 8, 1999 (plus-7).
Alex Tuch has posted seven points (4+3) in the playoffs. He leads all Sabres skaters in goals and is tied with Tage Thompson for the team lead in points. With a point tonight, Tuch and/or Thompson would become the first Sabres skater(s) to register eight or more points in their first eight playoff games with Buffalo since Daniel Briere (3+8), Tim Connolly (5+6), Chris Drury (4+6), Mike Grier (3+5) and Derek Roy (3+5) all did so from April 22 to May 8, 2006.
Tage Thompson has registered four assists in his last four games. An assist in tonight’s game would make Thompson the first Sabres forward to record five or more assists in any five-game span in the playoffs since Dainius Zubrus from April 12 to 20, 2007 (5).
In his last four games, Josh Doan has registered five points (2+3), including at least one point in each of his last two contests. Doan would join Thompson (three games; April 26 to May 1; 0+4) and Owen Power (four games; April 19 to 26; 0+4) as the only Sabres skaters with assist streaks of three or more games in the playoffs with an assist tonight.
Rasmus Dahlin has tallied three points (1+2) in his last three games. Entering play on Thursday and among all NHL defensemen with at least 50 minutes of time on ice at 5-on-5 in the playoffs, Dahlin ranks first in expected goals for percentage (69.22). Among those defensemen, Dahlin ranked second in scoring chances for percentage (68.18) and high-danger chances for percentage (65.91).
The Philadelphia Flyers have had the worst power play in the NHL for three of the last four seasons, and now it has single-handedly cost them a crucial playoff game at home. Things can't continue this way.
In 2023-24, the Flyers had the 32nd-ranked power play. Then Matvei Michkov came over and led the team, tied with Travis Konecny in both categories, in power play goals and assists. They still finished 2024-25 with the 30th-ranked power play.
After that disappointment, Flyers general manager Danny Briere went out and added the uber-talented Trevor Zegras via trade, and he racked up 23 power play points with Konecny and Michkov chipping in 14 and 12, respectively.
Michkov, despite remaining similarly productive in drastically reduced ice time, has been separated from Konecny on Zegras for much of the season.
Together, that trio has played just 55:15 together on the power play this season, while Zegras and Konecny without Michkov have played 113:97, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Now, while the numbers do not indicate that they generate more chances as a trio (relatively the same, but with more chances against), it does tell us that head coach Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff saw something they didn't like and completely abandoned it.
The same was true when Michkov started the season on a line with Sean Couturier and Konecny, which lasted a total of 60 minutes, and when Couturier was a top-six center only to be reduced to a fourth-line center.
The Flyers are predisposed to outright turning their backs on things that aren't working, rather than fixing them.
They changed coaching staffs and they added players, and yet the result remains the same year after year. How can this be?
It's worth noting, too, that the power play quarterback has been a constant revolving door.
There has been little to no continuity with Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Rasmus Ristolainen, Travis Sanheim, Emil Andrae, and even Egor Zamula getting opportunities at various points in time over the last few seasons.
It's the only position the Flyers have not addressed on the power play, and it's a position all the best teams in the NHL have elite options for.
Tocchet admitted Thursday night after Game 3 that the Flyers are using players on the power play that would not ordinarily be playing power play minutes.
Michkov, sitting on the two-defenseman second unit, took a back seat to Tyson Foerster, who has no points in nine playoff games, Christian Dvorak, and Denver Barkey.
Nine players saw more power play ice time than the former No. 7 overall pick.
Waiting in the wings is defenseman David Jiricek, who was acquired for Bobby Brink at the NHL trade deadline.
Jiricek, 22, is a former top draft pick himself with a booming shot and strong passing chops.
But, does he have to earn his power play time with good defending, something that's completely unrelated? Would it be unfair to the Flyers players who have been with the team all year and got them to this point? Can they trust him to not turn the puck over, even though the idea is to let your talent go out there and score?
To successfully answer these questions, the Flyers must change their philosophies behind the power play, whether it's wingers playing their weak sides instead of strong sides, their personnel (Michkov), or risk assessment.
Macklin Celebrini returns to Canada's men's hockey team for the world championship tournament (May 15-31 in Switzerland), three months after leading the Milan Cortina Olympics in goals at age 19.
The Canadian roster for worlds also includes 2014 Olympic gold medalist forward John Tavares and more past NHL All-Stars — forwards Mathew Barzal, Ryan O'Reilly and Mark Scheifele, defensemen Evan Bouchard and Morgan Rielly and goalie Cam Talbot.
Celebrini, the first teenager to play for a Canada men's Olympic hockey team in the NHL participation era, will play at a second consecutive worlds.
In 2025, he was the youngest NHL player at worlds as Canada exited in the quarterfinals.
Then in Milan, he scored a tournament-leading five goals and had 10 points, second only to teammate Connor McDavid, as Canada took silver to the U.S.
Celebrini, the No. 1 overall 2024 NHL Draft pick by the San Jose Sharks, ranked fourth in the NHL in points this season with 115. The Sharks missed the playoffs.
World championships take place during the Stanley Cup playoffs, so players whose NHL teams are still alive do not participate at worlds.
Meet the 2️⃣3️⃣ players who will wear the at #MensWorlds!
The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the top 20 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the summer. Two Buffalo Sabres were among the players ranked: Alex Tuch and Logan Stanley.
Tuch was given the No. 3 spot on Johnston's rankings. The only two players who were ranked ahead of him were Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Rasmus Andersson.
When looking at how well Tuch has played this season, it is not surprising to see him be named among the best pending UFAs. In 79 regular-season games for the Sabres this year, he had 33 goals, 33 assists, and 66 points. He has also been continuing to make an impact during the playoffs, as he has four goals and seven points in seven games.
With Tuch continuing to stay hot and being the NHL's top pending UFA forward, he is undoubtedly setting himself to land a big payday. This remains the case whether he re-signs with the Sabres or goes elsewhere.
As for Stanley, he was given the No. 14 spot on Johnston's rankings. When noting that the 27-year-old defenseman had a career year at the right time, it is understandable that he has been named a top pending UFA.
Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 76 regular-season games this year split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres. He also had 110 hits and 128 penalty minutes, so there is no question that the 6-foot-7 defenseman's toughness adds to his appeal as well.
After losing the first game of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres 4-2, the Montreal Canadiens need to bounce back and do what they did in the first round: find a way to win on the road. Given Lindy Ruff’s coaching style, it should be less of a challenge than it was against the Tampa Bay Lightning when Jon Cooper was hell-bent on keeping Anthony Cirelli stuck to Nick Suzuki.
Martin St-Louis didn’t seem worried at all when he spoke to the media on Thursday. The coach said he was at the helm of a confident group that has a short-term memory and knows how to move on from a loss. They always bounced back from a defeat against Tampa, and that served them well, but they’ve put themselves in a situation where alternating wins and losses won’t work by losing the first game of the series.
On Thursday, even though the Habs had an optional skate, Cole Caufield spent over an hour on the ice, working on his shot. The sniper knows his team is counting on him, and it’s obvious that he’s desperate to find the back of the net.
If the Sabres had an impeccable record historically in the first game of a series, it’s not the case for the second game. Buffalo is 12-29 in Game 2 over the years for a .293 win percentage, although they are 7-10 (.412) when the game is played at home. However, their record is much better when they lead 1-0 in the series; they’re 15-11 overall (.577) and 9-3 (.750) when the series started at home.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens have done well historically in the second game of a series with an 82-44 record for a .651 winning percentage. When the game is played on the road, they are 24-23 (.511). However, those numbers plummet when they are trailing 1-0; overall, they have a 17-33 (.340) record, and it’s even lower on the road, where they are 9-23 (.281).
Caufield is not the only player who will be looking to bounce back in this second game. Lane Hutson, who had his worst game of the playoffs on Wednesday, will be looking for redemption in Game 2. As for the defense corps, it will have to do a better job in front of Jakub Dobes so he can see shots coming. It will be interesting to see if St-Louis decides to make any changes to his lineup. The Canadiens looked like they were getting used to the Sabres’ style of play in the third period when they dominated 11-1 in shots, but they were unable to score on Alex Lyon.
To get a better result, they’ll have to take the Sabres’ goalie’s line of sight away by putting bodies in front of the net. Of course, that’s easier said than done with Buffalo having such a big-bodied blue line that will work hard to clear the front of the net, but if the Habs battle hard enough, those big bodies will also get in Lyon’s line of sight.
Despite having good advanced stats numbers, the second line didn’t find the scoresheet, and Montreal desperately needs some offense from its top six. Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook could do with a more offensive center on their line. Jake Evans is a good player, but he lacks a finishing touch. If the Canadiens manage to get the win tonight, they’ll come back to Montreal having won home-ice advantage, but that’s not an easy task.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on HBO MAX, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Jean Hebert and Trevor Hanson are set to officiate, while Ryan Daisy and Shandor Alphonso will be the linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will finally head back to Montreal and get ready for Game 3, which is scheduled at 7:00 PM on Sunday night.
The Western Conference Semifinals shift to Orange County tonight as the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks meet in Game 3.
My Golden Knights vs. Ducks player props are eyeing Leo Carlsson to flourish, along with Jack Eichel and Chris Kreider.
Read more in my Golden Knights vs. Ducks predictions and NHL picks for Friday, May 8.
Best Golden Knights vs Ducks props for Game 3
Player
Pick
Leo Carlsson
Over 3.5 SOG
+110
Jack Eichel
Over 0.5 assists
-140
Chris Kreider
Over 0.5 assists
+175
Game 3 Prop #1: Leo Carlsson Over 3.5 SOG
+110 at BET99
Leo Carlsson continues to do his thing in these playoffs for the Anaheim Ducks. He’s notched nine points in only eight games played, and the youngster has cashed the Over in SOG in seven of eight in the postseason.
Carlsson put four pucks on net in Games 1 and 2, and he found the back of the net in Game 2 as the Ducks walked away with a victory. In three home games in the playoffs, Carlsson is averaging 3.33 SOG.
Game 3 Prop #2: Jack Eichel Over 0.5 assists
-140 at BET99
Jack Eichel had an impressive 63 helpers during the regular season, and he’s added another nine in the playoffs, serving as one of the Vegas Golden Knights’ top playmakers. Eichel set up his team’s lone goal in Game 2.
The American has hit the Over in helpers in four of his last five contests, and he’s already grabbed five assists in only three road games in the playoffs.
Game 3 Prop #3: Chris Kreider Over 0.5 assists
+175 at BET99
The Ducks got production from Chris Kreider in Game 2 as he set up one of their two goals. The winger has compiled five helpers in the postseason and three in his last three contests. Kreider notched two helpers in the series-clincher against the Edmonton Oilers at home.
In fact, he’s hit the Over in assists in two of three games at the Honda Center in the playoffs, and 21 of his 28 regular-season helpers were on home ice.
Playing on the top line with lethal finishers like Carlsson and Troy Terry, he has a really high chance of tallying another assist in Game 3.
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The Anaheim Ducks are two games into the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a spot not many predicted them to be in at the start of the 2025-26 season. They will bring a 1-1 series back to Orange County, where they’ll host the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday evening.
The Ducks’ path to the playoffs has been long and winding, but the personnel that has them where they are is only eclipsed in confusion by the personnel that hasn’t.
Exactly a year ago, the Ducks hired Joel Quenneville as their next head coach. In attendance at his introductory press conference were Ducks players Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano, and Ryan Strome.
The latter two surprisingly had an extremely difficult time carving a role out for themselves on the Ducks depth chart in 2025-26 after playing such prominent roles over the previous three seasons for the organization.
Strome entered the season with an oblique injury that cost him the first 15 games of the season for Anaheim. He only suited up for 33 games after the injury and scored just nine points (3-6=9). He was moved to the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline in exchange for a seventh-round pick.
Vatrano, like Strome, had difficulty impacting games from lower in the Ducks’ lineup for the first half of the season. He sustained a shoulder injury in late December and took some time away from the team due to personal reasons.
He played very little down the stretch of the regular season, often serving as a healthy scratch, in a greatly limited role, and finished with nine points (5-4=9) in 50 games. Vatrano is in the first year of a three-year, $18 million contract extension that, due to deferred salary, carries an AAV of $4.57 million.
Another Ducks player who has struggled mightily this season is young, talented forward Mason McTavish. McTavish endured an extended contract negotiation after coming off his ELC that lasted well into Ducks training camp.
The two sides agreed to terms on a six-year contract with a $7 million AAV, but McTavish missed roughly half of camp, setting him back when it came to learning the intricacies of a new system, a new coaching staff, and several new players. He finished the regular season with a career-low 41 points (17-24=41) in 75 games and was healthy scratched a couple of times late in the year.
Surprisingly, defenseman Ian Moore has been a staple of the fourth line, playing right wing, for the latter part of the season and was a fixture in that position in the Ducks’ opening-round six-game series win over the Edmonton Oilers.
Through the Ducks’ first eight games of the playoffs, Vatrano has yet to suit up, serving as a healthy scratch.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Ducks lost Game 1 of each of their series, and just like he did in the first round, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville made a last-minute lineup adjustment after running through morning skate and warmups with a seemingly set lineup for Game 2.
In the first round, it was a simple swap of first and third-line left wingers, Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier. In the second round, the adjustment was far more dramatic.
Again, after running through typical line rushes, Quenneville scratched Ian Moore and Mason McTavish in favor of physical forward Ross Johnston and high-motor, versatile forward Jansen Harkins.
“It’s never easy. Never an easy decision,” Quenneville said after Game 1. “It’s not punishment, it’s that we want to have more troops in this series. We think we’re going to need everybody. That was basically the reason.”
The Ducks won Game 2 by a score of 3-1, and Quenneville typically doesn’t change a winning lineup unless injury or outside circumstances dictate.
Vatrano was signed to his contract extension on Jan. 5, 2025, and McTavish signed his on Sept. 27, 2025. At the time of their signings, both players were seen as important pieces of the Ducks’ present and future. Less than 18 months later, they’re healthy scratches in the second round of the playoffs, the organization’s most important games in nine years.
The duo represents $13 million in actual annual money and an annual cap hit of $11.57 million; a lot of money was sitting in the press box for Game 1 and projects to be in Game 2 as well. Questions about their futures with the Ducks franchise moving forward are, and will likely remain, understandably in question.
Though Vatrano’s contract seems unappetizing for opposing teams coming off the year he had in 2025-26, in the three prior seasons, he scored 22, 37, and 21 goals for the Ducks. He’s 32 years old and has two years left on his contract.
The Ducks were able to move on from Strome, who was outscored by Vatrano in his first three seasons with the Ducks and had a higher cap hit, at the deadline, without having to retain. A limited free agent class could drive a team to inquire about Vatrano, and the Ducks likely wouldn’t have to part with assets or retain to move on from him.
If the Ducks intend to move on from him, McTavish’s trade value likely isn’t close to what it was at this time last year. However, his combination of youth (23 years old), size, skill, previous success, and lingering draft pedigree likely indicates it may not be completely diminished.
There is some precedent in this scenario. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek previously moved on from Trevor Zegras when his value was at its lowest. While the trade brought back Ryan Poehling to join the roster, Eric Nilson at the 2025 Draft, and another 4th round pick on the way, it’s fair to question the timing of the deal, as seemingly more could have been had if Zegras had played any amount of games under Quenneville or Verbeek had simply waited until free agency was over and teams were more desperate to add.
This upcoming summer became far more interesting when it comes to the future of the Ducks organization, as they’ll have several high-profile decisions to make, whether that be the projected big-money extensions for Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, extensions for RFA blueliners Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, potentially re-signing veterans Radko Gudas, John Carlson, and Jacob Trouba, and now the futures of Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish.
For the Ducks at this present moment, their focus is presumably narrowed on the current task at hand: success in their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
It can be assumed that the second the Ducks’ season is over, Verbeek will be one of the busier GMs in the NHL, as he aims to further build on this season’s success and flesh out the roster on their journey to becoming a perennial Cup-contending team for the foreseeable future.
The Ducks’ contending window is now fully open, and a multitude of high-profile decisions are on the ever-nearing horizon.
Early in the morning on Friday, it was announced by Metallurg of the KHL that Roman Kantserov would terminate his contract in an effort to come to North America to play in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kantserov had one of the best seasons by a 21-year-old (or younger) in the KHL. He led the league with 36 goals in 63 games while also showing off his ability to be tenacious and strong on every single shift he takes.
It is unclear what positions Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar will play in 2026-27, but Kantserov is sure to play on the wing in the top six alongside one of them or Connor Bedard. Right away, thanks to his ability to score in bunches, it should be an improved group simply based on his addition alone.
The Blackhawks selected Kantserov in the second round (44th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft. Now they have convinced him to leave his KHL squad to pursue opportunities in the world's best hockey league.
Kantserov will turn 22 just ahead of the 2026-27 season, so he fits in perfectly with his future teammates, who are all young and ready to take a step in their development.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Stanley Cup playoffs can change a team. The high stakes and the frenzied crowds annually inspire hockey players who can handle them to ever-higher levels of grit, guile and greatness.
The Anaheim Ducks are the latest young team growing and thriving under the weight of its first taste of postseason pressure.
Although they ended their franchise’s seven-year playoff drought, the Ducks were not a good defensive team during the regular season, too often settling for indifferent backchecking and mediocre goaltending that frequently didn’t hurt them because of their offensive excellence. Anaheim allowed the fourth-most goals in the NHL, easily the most given up by any playoff team, before surrendering 21 goals to similarly wide-open Edmonton in the first round.
But when the Ducks had to protect a 2-0 lead over the playoff-tested Vegas Golden Knights with less than seven minutes left in Game 2 of the second round, they showed how much the postseason means.
During one frantic goalmouth scramble, three penalty-killing Ducks dived to the ice to block multiple shots — Mikael Granlund even made one block with an outstretched toe — while goalie Lukas Dostal went side to side with extraordinary desperation, jokingly saying he was “playing more soccer goalie than hockey goalie out there.”
The extra playoff exertion was palpable, and their teammates on the bench leaped to their feet in excitement. Anaheim hung on for a 3-1 win, evening the series and adding another layer of experiential bedrock to the foundation of a young team that intends to be in Stanley Cup contention for years to come.
“A lot of us are going through it together for the first time ... and the whole experience is just bringing us closer together,” Ducks forward Troy Terry said. “I think what you’re seeing, we can feel in our room, just how much we’re coming together at this time of year. Whether it’s a blocked shot, a goal, whatever it is, you can feel the closeness. All of us have just been so hungry for this opportunity. We were all well aware of what it would take to be successful in the playoffs, but you never really know until you get in these positions.”
The playoffs resume with the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Buffalo Sabres before Anaheim hosts Vegas in Game 3.
Much of the Golden Knights’ core has been together for years, building the camaraderie and accountability necessary to give its best effort in the postseason.
This is all new to the Ducks, and they’re embracing it. Anaheim only has allowed four goals in two games by Vegas, and they include an empty-netter in Game 1 and a meaningless power-play goal with 5.6 seconds left in Game 2.
“I know this team had some growing pains we had to go through, but all year long we said, ‘I just can’t wait to get to the playoffs so we can see just how good these guys can be,’” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Across the board, I would have to say for sure we’re playing the best hockey we’ve shown all year.”
Anaheim went 3-0 at Honda Center in the first round against the Oilers. Orange County fans haven’t seen hockey in May since 2017, when the Ducks made the Western Conference finals.
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
When/Where to Watch: Game 2, Friday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT, HBO MAX).
Despite some lapses, the Buffalo Sabres played to their speedy, up-tempo attacking identity in winning Game 1 against Montreal.
It’s the Canadiens’ turn to rediscover their identity while adapting to a different-styled foe following a 4-2 loss.
However resilient and capable Montreal was in the first round while grinding out a seven-game win over the slower, heavier and tight-checking Tampa Bay Lightning, the Canadiens need to switch gears against Buffalo.
“I can’t say that I learned anything yesterday, but I will tell you that I know we can play with them,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “We’re just going to have to do some things a bit better.”
A better start would help, as the Sabres built a 2-0 lead in the first period. Although Montreal outshot Buffalo 11-1 in the third period, most of them came from the perimeter.
Otherwise, the outcome -- from the Canadiens’ perspective -- was decided on a few unfortunate breaks.
Defenseman Lane Hutson fell and coughed up the puck in a turnover that led to Buffalo’s opening goal. Mike Matheson’s clearing attempt was then batted down by Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod, setting up Bowen Byram’s goal that made it 4-1 midway through the second period.
“It’s a little bit different, but we know what to expect now,” forward Cole Caufield said in comparing Tampa and Buffalo.
After scoring a team-leading 51 goals in the regular season, Caufield placed the emphasis on himself to regain his touch amid a four-game point drought.
“As a whole, not where I want it to be. I expect more out of myself, and my teammates do too,” he said. “Just trying to get better every game and just trying to make a difference.”
Montreal has yet to win or lose two straight this postseason, and it’s coming off a series against Tampa Bay in which all seven games were decided by one goal — including four in regulation.
The Sabres also believe they can be better following an outing in which they were limited to a playoff-low 16 shots.
“Some of our puck decisions, I thought, weren’t up to the level that we had,” coach Lindy Ruff said, noting a four-day break between games might have played a factor.
“I hate to say rust — but you haven’t been up and running, your game tempo isn’t quite there,” he added. “Some of our puck decisions led to opportunities, what I call giving up free offense. It wasn’t from lack of effort.”
It’s go time for the Montreal Canadiens after losing the series opener to the Buffalo Sabres, and the two Atlantic Division foes go toe-to-toe at the KeyBank Center for Game 2 on Friday, May 8.
My top Canadiens vs. Sabres NHL players props and NHL picks have you covered for the action and are headlined by Montreal winger Ivan Demidov.
Best Canadiens vs Sabres props for Game 2
Player
Pick
Ivan Demidov
Over 0.5 points
-110
Alex Lyon
Over 2.5 goals against
+100
Conor Timmins
Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110
Game 2 Prop #1: Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
-110 at BET99
Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov was solid in Game 1, and we’re landing a good price on the uber-talented scorer to mark the scoresheet again tonight.
Perhaps, even more importantly, Demidov is a go-to puck distributor on the No. 1 power-play unit and has averaged 4:52 of ice time with the man advantage this postseason.
After all, he posted respective .906 and 0.380 marks across 36 regular-season games.
The Canadiens were also incredibly resilient in Round 1 and bounced back with three or more goals following two of their three losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I also value the Habs continuing to push in Game 1 in the third period by posting a 64.7 CF% at 5-on-5 and overall 61.4 xGF%.
Game 2 Prop #3: Conor Timmins Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110 at BET99
Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins’ ice time has increased in five consecutive games, and most importantly, he’s jumping the boards with the No. 1 penalty-kill unit and paces the club in blocked shots while shorthanded.
The Montreal Canadiens are going to have a push back in Game 2, as well, so I’m anticipating the Habs funnelling more pucks to the net.
Montreal has also drawn 44 penalties across eight postseason games while averaging a healthy 6:11 of power-play time per game.
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Not only did the Bruins not get the Maple Leafs’ first-round pick to complete the Brandon Carlo trade from 2025, Toronto actually won the lottery and will pick No. 1 overall. The Leafs now have the opportunity to draft top prospect Gavin McKenna, who could be an elite forward for a long time.
The Bruins will eventually get a first-round pick from the Maple Leafs as part of the Carlo trade, but it won’t be until 2027 or 2028.
The B’s do have their own first-round pick, though. The draft order after the lottery is not yet final, but Boston’s first-rounder should be in the low-20s.
What positions do the Bruins need to upgrade with their 2026 first-round selection? The blue line is one specific area that must be bolstered in the very near future.
If you were to make a list of the Bruins’ top 10 prospects, it would be hard to put any defenseman on there. Maybe Frederic Brunet would be No. 9 or No. 10, but you could easily put a forward or two ahead of him. Simply put, there are no top-tier defenseman prospects in Boston’s system right now.
The Bruins have made three first-round picks and three second-round picks over the last five drafts, and only one of those selections was a defenseman — Liam Pettersson from Sweden in Round 2 last year. The Bruins prioritized upgrading at center the last couple years, which was absolutely the right move given their lack of high-end talent at that position following Patrice Bergeron’s retirement in 2023.
Now it’s time to switch it up a bit, if possible. The 2026 draft class is loaded with exciting defenseman prospects, but most of them are going to be off the board in the first 15 or so picks. That’s one reason why it was pretty disappointing for the Bruins to not land the Maple Leafs’ 2026 first-rounder.
If there aren’t any defenseman worth taking in the early 20s when the Bruins are on the clock in Round 1, then they should just take the best player available. The Bruins’ propsect pool has improved a lot in just the last year, but it’s not in a place where the team should be drafting for need if there are much better players available at other positions.
Which players should the Bruins target with their first-round pick? Here’s a roundup of mock drafts after this week’s Draft Lottery.
“Hextall isn’t a sexy, flashy, offensive first-rounder, but he’s well-liked and well-respected around the USHL and NHL, and widely viewed as a first-rounder for a lot of the same reasons Command is: a heavy stick, pro habits and details, position, etc. He’s got some big backers, and I could see the Bruins being interested in him as a potential future middle-six center behind James Hagens. I think he goes in the 20s or early 30s somewhere.”
“Preston would be a great pick here. Preston’s strong showing at the U-18s helped Preston boost his stock in a big way. He finished with six points in five games while being one of the team’s top all-around offensive threats. He was a puck-possession machine, and he consistently got the puck into high-danger areas.
“Preston is an undeniably talented player who could become a top-six threat down the line. Preston has a remarkable shot and often wastes no time firing in the back of the net from the slot. His shot looks NHL-ready right now.”
“Hurlbert’s vision and offensive instincts are unquestionably high-end; he finished the WHL regular season with 97 points in 68 games and added 3 more points in 4 playoff games. Play away from the puck was a concern, but the back half of the season looked much better.
“The main concern for Hurlbert is whether his offensive game can translate to higher levels of play. Improving physicality and poise under pressure would go a long way toward reassuring us of that. The NCAA environment could be a good place to push those elements of his game this fall.”
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 12 : Nico Hischier #13 of the New Jersey Devils warms up before the NHL regular season game against the Ottawa Senators at the Prudential Center on April 12, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
Who might the Devils be able to acquire using the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft? A look at some names to consider: [New Jersey Hockey Now]
Hockey Links
Norris finalists:
The James Norris Memorial Trophy finalists are in! 🏆 #NHLAwards
The trophy is presented annually to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-around ability at the position. pic.twitter.com/krWLsUybFh
A look at each of the lottery teams and the case for each of them trading their pick ahead of the draft: [The Athletic ($)]
A look at some of the underrated performers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs thus far: [The Hockey News]
“Wedgewood, now on the Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche and holding a 2-0 series lead against the Minnesota Wild, has emerged as one of the best stories of these playoffs. Over the past decade, the 33-year-old has gone from an AHL-NHL tweener to someone who looked like a career backup to a starter on one of the best regular-season teams in NHL history. Through it all, he has impressed those around him by maintaining the same outgoing, charming demeanor.” [The Athletic ($)]
“Mikko Rantanen sustained a torn MCL in his knee during the Olympics, an injury that Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill says kept their standout forward from being himself the rest of the season.” [Associated Press]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have plenty of promising prospects in their system. One of them is goaltender Sergei Murashov, as he has the potential to blossom into a very good NHL goaltender.
Murashov played in first five NHL games this season with Pittsburgh, where he had a 1-1-2 record, an .897 save percentage, and a 2.56 goals-against average. This included him recording a 21-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 16.
Murashov was excellent down in the AHL this regular-season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In 38 games with the AHL club, he had a 24-9-4 record, a .919 save percentage, a 2.20 goals-against average, and four shutouts. He also has a .920 save percentage in three playoff games this spring.
With how well Murashov has been performing at the AHL level, there is no question that he is a prime breakout candidate to watch next season. There is a very good chance that the 22-year-old goaltender will get more opportunities at the NHL level with Pittsburgh next season, and he certainly has the potential to take advantage of it.
It will be interesting to see if Murashov can hit a new level for the Penguins next season. When looking at how well he continues to play, it is hard to bet against him.
Leo Carlsson
Jack Eichel
Ivan Demidov
Alex Lyon