Last week, Alexander Zharovsky arrived in Montreal and wasted no time starting his on-ice training. On the very next day, he was at the Montreal Canadiens’ training facility in Brossard, and he’s hit the ice every day since then. Habs player development consultant Paul Byron was with him, but no other Canadiens’ player up to this weekend.
On Saturday, Zharovsky’s countryman Ivan Demidov landed back in Montreal, according to his significant other’s Instagram account, and it’s safe to assume that the talented winger will soon hit the ice with his childhood friend.
Not only did he tell the media at the dressing room clearout day that he would train with Zharovsky this Summer, but his work ethic is also second to none, and he’s not the kind to spend a lot of time on the ice. Back in February, when the Canadiens were off during the Olympics and had told players to take a break, he and Lane Hutson ended up skating on an outside rink in Notre-Dame-de-Grace.
While Demidov failed to capture the Calder Trophy because of Matthew Schaefer’s incredible rookie season with the New York Islanders, the soon-to-be sophomore still led all rookies in points with 62 points in 82 games.
If Kent Hughes manages to get a real second-line center to ride along with the youngster next season, we should see a significant increase in production. While Oliver Kapanen did well in the first part of the season, centering him, he struggled after the Olympics break, which no doubt impacted Demidov’s point production.
It will be interesting to see Demidov skate alongside Zharovsky in Brossard in the coming days and, in July, to see how the prospect handles the Canadiens’ development camp, which he will attend for the first time after missing last year’s edition due to visa issues.
Alexander Zharovsky is back on the ice in Brossard today.
What - Game 6 (3-2) When - 8 p.m., Sunday, June 14 Where - T-Mobile Arena; Las Vegas, NV How to Watch - ABC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
The Stanley Cup is in the building.
After a Game 5 win on Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes are now just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup and they'll have two cracks at the Cup, starting tonight in Vegas.
The Hurricanes have been firing on all cylinders in the last few games, with all four lines going, the power play being red hot and Brandon Bussi solidifying the net.
Jordan Staal has also put the team on his back with a monstrous Final, and he's put himself right there in the Conn Smythe conversation.
But the series isn't done yet.
The Golden Knights still have a lot of talent (even though they'll be without center William Karlsson) and they're capable of pulling off another two wins, so the Canes are going to have to bring their best game of the season if they want to secure eternal glory.
Streaks
Jordan Staal (6g, 1a) has goals in five straight games.
Sebastian Aho (1g, 4a) has points in four straight games.
Nikolaj Ehlers (1g, 5a) and Shayne Gostisbehere (3a) have points in back-to-back games.
Game Notes
Carolina and Vegas have never met in the postseason before.
This is both team's third trip to the Stanley Cup Final in franchise history (CAR - 2002, 2006, 2026; VGK - 2018, 2023, 2026).
William Carrier played for the Golden Knights from 2017-2024, winning the Cup with them in 2023.
Noah Hanifin (2015-2018) and Dylan Coghlan (2022-2024) both played for Carolina.
The Hurricanes went 0-2 against the Golden Knights in the regular season, with both games taking place in October.
All-time, the Canes have a 9-7 record against Vegas.
Key Matchups
Projected Starting Goalies
Brandon Bussi: 2-1; 0.908 Sv%; 2.18 GAA
Carter Hart: 14-7; 0.909 Sv%; 2.59 GAA
Leading Scorers
Goals - Logan Stankoven (11) / Brett Howden (14)
Points - Taylor Hall & Jackson Blake (18) / Mitch Marner (29)
Power Play
Carolina - 18.1% (13/72)
Vegas - 21.3% (13/61)
Penalty Kill
Carolina - 91.2% (62/68)
Vegas - 81.3% (52/64)
Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Jordan Martinook Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake Nikolaj Ehlers - Jordan Staal - Seth Jarvis William Carrier - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson
Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield K'Andre Miller - Sean Walker Shayne Gostisbehere - Alexander Nikishin
Brandon Bussi Frederik Andersen
Injuries and Scratches: Mike Reilly, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Pyotr Kochetkov
Golden Knights Projected Lineup
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - Tomas Hertl - Mitch Marner Brandon Saad - Colton Sissons - Mark Stone Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar
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He's recorded 2+ shots on goal in four of five games, and attempted 5+ shots in all of them. Nobody on the team has attempted more shots.
He's playing on the top pairing at 5-on-5 and quarterbacking the No. 1 power-play unit, giving him prime usage to get the job done.
With this being an elimination game, John Tortorella will be even more reliant on his top defenseman. I'd play to -130.
Game 6 Prop #2: Seth Jarvis Over 0.5 points (-140)
Seth Jarvis leads Carolina forwards in time on ice and sits third in expected goals. Carolina has fared very well during his minutes, creating more expected goals and high-danger chances with Jarvis on the ice than any other player.
It has translated to success on the scoreboard — Carolina has scored 10 times with Jarvis on the ice — but only three points for Jarvis. That’s a 30% involvement rate, which is not even half of what he managed over the course of the season.
Look for Jarvis to get back on the scoresheet in Game 6. I'd bet this to -150.
Game 6 Prop #3: Rasmus Andersson Over 1.5 blocks (-180)
Rasmus Andersson is bleeding shots like no other. He's allowed 138 shot attempts at 5-on-5, which is 18 more than the next closest player in the series.
He's played more than all but Theodore and is starting plenty of shifts in the defensive zone. Clearly, that’s making his life difficult.
Andersson blocked multiple shots in four straight games. Playing for their season, Tortorella will be tempted to shorten the bench and sink or swim with his Top-4 defensemen.
Look for Andersson to continue producing blocks and play this to -195.
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When looking at this year's pending UFAs, one player who could make a lot of sense for the Blue Jackets to look to sign is Nashville Predators forward Erik Haula.
Haula may not be the flashiest of players, but he would have the potential to be a solid pickup for the Blue Jackets on a short-term deal. The 35-year-old forward showed this season that he is still capable of providing decent secondary offensive production. Due to this, he could be a solid fit if signed by the Blue Jackets.
Former Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic has announced his retirement from professional hockey through the NHLPA's official X account.
Anytime people who follow the Columbus Blue Jackets hear the name Milan Lucic, they immediately go back to a night in November of 2014, when defenseman Dalton Prout served up a bit of humble pie for the rugged Lucic.
NHL Insider Frank Seravalli has cited The Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James, and confirmed that Dylan Larkin has submitted a three team list for a trade out of Detroit.
The three teams are the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, and, to no one's surprise, the Vegas Golden Knights. Shocker, right?
Due to this, in a recent article for The Athletic, Chris Johnston ranked the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) in the NHL. Without much surprise, two notable Columbus Blue Jackets made the cut: Mason Marchment and Boone Jenner.
The Columbus Blue Jackets made a significant move in an attempt to bolster their blue line, acquiring defenseman Damon Severson from the New Jersey Devils. In exchange, the Devils received a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
One way that the Blue Jackets should be looking to improve their depth is through the free agent market. One pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who could make a lot of sense for the Blue Jackets to pursue this summer if they hit the market is Los Angeles Kings center Scott Laughton.
When looking at this year's pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs), Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley is an interesting potential option for the Blue Jackets to consider.
Back in March, ESPN's Rachel Kryshak reported that Don Waddell told her that "the organization believes Ivanov is ready, and he confirmed his intention to come to North America when his KHL contract expires after this season."
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month that the Blackhawks have made Mikheyev's signing rights available for trade. With Mikheyev being a solid top-nine forward who provides decent secondary scoring and strong defensive play, the Blue Jackets should consider pursuing him.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski never seems to get the respect he deserves. Even after he was awarded the 2026 Norris Trophy, there were some media and fans who refused to give him his flowers.
The Blue Jackets have announced that they have signed forward James Malatesta to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
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Jun 11, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) makes a save against Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) during the third period in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Stanley Cup will be in the building Sunday night, and for the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes can be the team to skate away with it.
The final game is the toughest to win, and tonight’s battle will be no different. The Vegas Golden Knights will be desperate to force Game 7 and will leave everything they have on the ice.
Below are a few key storylines for tonight’s game.
For Game 5, Vegas head coach John Tortorella decided to stack his lines and lean heavily on his stars.
The Canes responded with their best game of the series, one that was truer to their style of play.
Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone loaded up the top line and spent nearly eight minutes of ice time together during five-on-five play. This was the most ice time among Vegas lines.
Those three had over 20 minutes of ice time during Game 5. In contrast, no Carolina forward had more than 20 minutes of ice time.
With Vegas having the matchup advantage on home ice, will this change Tortorella’s strategy?
The most important factor influencing the Golden Knights’ lineup is the loss of William Karlsson.
A heavy Sean Walker check in Game 5 knocked him out of the game with an upper-body injury, and Tortorella has ruled him out for Game 6, hinting he’s unlikely to return to this series.
Karlsson centered Marner and Brett Howden, one of Vegas’s most productive and relied-upon lines. This combination led all Golden Knights’ lines in five-on-five ice time during the first four games of the series.
Not to mention, Karlsson is a top two-way center and a critical penalty killer.
If Vegas were to make a goaltending switch, it should have been after Game 4. Tortorella announced yesterday that Carter Hart will, once again, start for Vegas. The goalie continued to make history on Thursday by adding to his infamous Stanley Cup Final streak, allowing at least four goals in five straight games.
Via the Associated Press during Tortorella’s media availability on Saturday:
Because I know him, Tortorella said Saturday. I know there’s a better game in him. I’ve seen it throughout the playoffs. Yeah, I think he’s a very good goalie. We’ve got to do a better job around him, too. You can look at the numbers, and you guys (media), that’s what you do. You spit out those numbers, but I’ve got to look at things differently and watch the play going on around him and what type of goals are being scored.
In the battle between Hart and Brandon Bussi, Carolina’s goalie is giving his team the advantage.
In Game 5, Hart had a 2.73 expected goals against while posting -1.27 goals saved above expectation. A major reason for that negative number was that three of the Canes’ goals were considered low danger shots.
Bussi, on the other hand, had a 4.029 expected goals against with a 2.03 goals saved above expectation. Both of Vegas’ goals were considered high danger, and finished the game with a 4.03-3.17 expected goals advantage over Carolina.
From these advanced statistics, there are two points to emphasize in the Hurricanes’ game plan.
First, continue to fire upon Hart. Shots are getting through, and there are still plenty of rebounds available. Carolina did a better job exploiting some of Vegas’ defensive miscues, and a moving Hart has led to some great scoring chances.
Second, the Canes need to further limit high danger opportunities. Although skewed to the third period of Game 5, the Golden Knights did create some quality chances. Expect Vegas to come out firing Sunday night. The Carolina defense must keep Vegas out of those high-danger areas and trust Bussi to take care of the rest. This will be the biggest advantage of the night if the goaltender trends continue.
Since an unsuccessful coach’s challenge late in Game 2 by the Golden Knights, the Hurricanes’ power play converted on half of their opportunities. Throughout the Final, Carolina has outscored Vegas 6-2 on the power play. With Karlsson out, the Knights’ kill is under even more pressure against a rolling Canes’ power play.
Vegas owned the middle frame for four games before Carolina finally answered in Game 5. Whoever controls the long-change period likely controls the night. The Canes do not have to “win” the second period, but they absolutely cannot fall behind while on the road. Positioning, clean exits from the zone, and ensuring no Golden Knight sneaks behind the defense are the keys for the team.
Another key tonight will be the opening 10 minutes. Although the first goal has not predicted the outcomes of the individual games in this series, tonight is different. If the Hurricanes score the first goal of the game, the opposing arena will go quiet, and the Knights will face another obstacle in an elimination game. Carolina must continue to play their game and certainly not sit back with an early lead.
Keep an eye on the announcement of the Carolina starter, although it is expected that Bussi will earn the start. Frederik Andersen skated yesterday and is with the team.
Vegas Golden Knights
Forwards:
Dorofeyev — Eichel — Stone
Howden — Hertl — Marner
Barbashev — Sissons — Saad
Smith — Dowd — Kolesar
Defense:
McNabb — Theodore
Hanifin — Andersson
Lauzon — Coghlan
Goalies: Hart (starter), Hill Scratches: Schmid, R. Smith, Hutton, Megna, Bowman, Korczak Injured: Karlsson (upper body), Rondbjerg (lower body)
In this year's issue, one of the interesting exercises the mothership came up with was a homegrown dream team for each franchise, including the Senators. In a nutshell, among players drafted by Ottawa, it's a list of the best 12 forwards, six defence, and two goalies.
The Hockey News' The Wrap Around show discusses the idea of Ottawa trading for Jake DeBrusk.
THN writer Jared Clinton came up with this list, working only with active players who were drafted by the Sens, regardless of where they play now.
The Homegrown Dream Team (Active)
FORWARDS
Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Drake Batherson Shane Pinto Ridly Greig Jean-Gabriel Pageau Mark Kastelic Nick Foligno Stefan Noesen Cole Reinhardt
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Thomas Chabot Tyler Kleven Cody Ceci Jacob Bernard-Docker
GOALIES
Joey Daccord Leevi Merilainen
So, as someone who has covered this team since day one, I set out to see if there were any selections I really disagreed with. There were not. I might argue that Curtis Lazar might bump out a Cole Reinhardt or maybe a Stefan Noesen, who never played a game for the Sens, but that would be a big-time splitting of hairs.
So, to complement Jared's list, I thought I'd create the all-time homegrown Senators dream team. Some of the active players stayed on this list, but many did not. They're ranked on what they did for the Sens, in their full careers, and in some cases, the potential they still have.
The Homegrown Dream Team (All-Time)
FORWARDS
Daniel Alfredsson Alexei Yashin Marian Hossa Brady Tkachuk Mika Zibanejad Tim Stutzle Mark Stone Jason Spezza Pavol Demitra Drake Batherson Mike Fisher Shane Pinto
DEFENSEMEN
Jake Sanderson Erik Karlsson Chris Phillips Thomas Chabot Anton Volchenkov Tyler Kleven
GOALIES
Ray Emery Brian Elliott
At the moment, it's hard to imagine any player from the past five Senators' drafts ever cracking either of these lists. Players like Carter Yakemchuk, Logan Hensler, Stephen Halliday, and Leevi Merilainen are probably the best bets, but they all have a lot of work to do. The good news is they still have a lot of time.
And who knows? Maybe another challenger or two will emerge from Ottawa's 2026 NHL Draft in a couple of weeks.
While it’s likely that in an ideal world, the Montreal Canadiens would be able to trade their first-round pick to fix one of the team’s existing needs, there’s no guarantee that there will be a deal to be made before the draft. Kent Hughes has always been very active on the draft floor, but he won’t make a move unless he feels it’s the right move. He won’t be desperate to trade the 28th overall pick, and should he end up keeping it, there are a few interesting players likely to go around that draft position that the Habs could consider. This article will focus on one of them: Maddox Dagenais.
Dagenais is an 18-year-old left-shot centerman who was born in the Canadiens’ backyard in Montreal. He was selected first overall at the 2024 Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League draft by the Quebec Remparts. While he didn’t have an easy rookie season in Quebec, being limited to just 26 points in 43 games, he bounced back nicely for his draft year.
This season, he averaged a point per game, registering 62 points in as many games, including 30 goals. He was also assessed 128 penalty minutes, which is hardly surprising, since he is 6-foot-3 and weighs 196 pounds. He has a big frame, and he plays like it. Dagenais is a budding power forward and has good skills at the faceoff dot, winning 51.3% of his draws.
Despite his big frame, he has good speed and mobility, which makes him hard to contain for opponents. He also has a very good shot, making him a constant threat up front. While he can also be a playmaker, he’s better known for his goal scoring and ability to find the shooting lanes, something that the Canadiens lacked in their Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
His defensive game is inconsistent, but his speed allows him to stick to his man quite well. There’s room for improvement, but that’s always the case with young prospects. He projects as a middle-six player at the NHL level and could be the kind of player the Canadiens can use down the line.
Golden Knights coach John Tortorella confirmed Karlsson's absence but did not discuss whether he would be available for Game 7 or who would replace him in the lineup on Sunday, June 14 in Las Vegas.
Karlsson has two goals and two assists in the Stanley Cup Final, which the Hurricanes lead 3-2. He has nine points overall in the playoffs.
The Golden Knights forward will miss Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after being injured in Game 5.
Karlsson is a two-way center who kills penalties and gets some power play time. The Hurricanes scored two power-play goals after Karlsson left the game.
"It's obviously a big miss," Vegas forward Mitch Marner told reporters. "He's done a lot of great things for us since he's been back in the lineup, but we've done this all year. We've had a lot of injuries throughout the year, throughout the playoffs. Obviously, it's tough losing Will, but it's next man up mentality."
Hart was one of five players on the 2018 Canadian national junior team who faced trial in 2025 on a sexual assault charge and were found not guilty by a judge in London, Ontario. Justice Maria Carroccia said she didn't find the accuser's testimony in the 2018 case credible and the prosecution didn't prove its case.
"It's just noise," Hart said of the chants. "Both atmospheres, both buildings have been really loud and a lot of fun to play in. Yeah, just noise."
Hart will make his 22nd start of the playoffs in Game 6. After a stellar first three rounds, he has allowed four goals in every game of the championship series.
"I haven't been at my best in this series," he said. "I'll be better next game and ready to go."
He added: "They've gotten some lucky bounces and there's a few plays where I've got to make more saves but at the end of the day, I prepare the same way just like every other game and I'll be ready to go."
Hart skipped Saturday's optional practice and did some work with goalie coach Sean Burke on a different rink.
He says he feels good after playing every minute of the playoffs.
"As as goaltender, you want to play every game and you want to be ready to go," he said. "I've got a routine that I do and I follow it."
Coach John Tortorella, who knows Hart from their days in Philadelphia, has backed the goalie. When he was asked after the Game 5 loss whether he considered switching to Adin Hill, he said that "could be the stupidest question I've heard."
Tortorella said he has confidence in Hart.
"I know him," he said. "I know there's a better game in him. I've seen it throughout the playoffs. I think he's a very good goalie. We've got to do a better job around him, too."
When Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are sitting in the middle of their prime years, it's only natural to wonder whether the answer lies in another blockbuster. Morgan Riely's name gets tossed around. We've all heard Jason Robertson's grumblings. Every unhappy star around the league eventually finds themselves wearing orange and blue on social media.
Reality tends to be less glamorous.
Winning teams aren't always built by buying high.
Quite often, they're built by identifying good players before everyone else remembers how good they are.
Florida didn't acquire Sam Reinhart after his 57-goal season.
Vegas didn't trade for Jack Eichel after he became a Conn Smythe candidate.
Colorado landed Devon Toews before the rest of the league realized just how valuable he was.
The best swings aren't always the biggest ones.
Sometimes they're the smartest.
Which raises an interesting question for Stan Bowman.
Instead of chasing stars whose value has never been higher, what if Edmonton spent this summer looking for players who come with talent, upside and a few question marks attached?
Players whose current teams might be wondering if they're worth the trouble.
Players whose best hockey may still be ahead of them.
Take Owen Tippett.
Philadelphia's rebuild hasn't exactly gone according to plan, and while Tippett remains one of the fastest and most dangerous shooters in the league, consistency has never quite followed. There are stretches where he looks like a future 40-goal scorer, followed by stretches where he disappears for weeks.
It also sounds like the kind of player Connor McDavid has made a career out of elevating.
JJ Peterka falls into a similar category.
Buffalo's inability to turn talent into Cups has become one of the NHL's greatest jokes, and while Peterka's offensive gifts are obvious, there have been whispers for years that a change might benefit both the player and the organization.
But if the Sabres eventually decide that the fit isn't perfect, Edmonton should be among the first teams calling.
Then there's Mason McTavish.
Admittedly, this one requires a little imagination.
Anaheim would have to do something strange. The Ducks would need to convince themselves that their young centre isn't a long-term fit, something that seems unlikely today.
Nobody thought Matthew Tkachuk would leave Calgary.
Nobody expected Jack Eichel to become available.
And if Anaheim ever gets weird, Stan Bowman should be listening, because power forwards who score, hit and play with an edge aren't exactly growing on trees.
Dawson Mercer might be the most realistic name on the list.
New Jersey has money committed everywhere and several difficult decisions looming. Mercer's numbers haven't exploded, but his versatility and work ethic would fit beautifully on a contender.
Very few teams want to pay the price that comes with one.
The Oilers know that reality better than most.
They don't possess endless cap space. Their prospect pool has been thinned out. A shocking first-round exit to Anaheim has increased the pressure, but it hasn't magically created the assets required to win every bidding war.
The Montreal Canadiens are going to be a team to watch this off-season. After making it to the Eastern Conference Final this year, the Canadiens should be looking to add to their roster.
The Canadiens have a few roster needs heading into the off-season. One of them is a top-four right-shot defenseman.
The trade market has an interesting potential option to consider in Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring.
Kesseling has been the subject of trade rumors since the end of the season. This is because the big right-shot defenseman has become the odd man out on the Sabres' blueline. This was made clear when the Sabres only played him in one playoff game this spring.
Kesselring was also never able to get things together this season with the Sabres, too. He only played in 34 regular-season games this year for the Sabres, where he had just two assists. While it was a tough year, he is a prime bounce-back candidate, and a defenseman who the Canadiens should consider taking a flier on.
Kesselring has shown in the past that he can be an impactful top-four defenseman when playing at his best. Just back in 2024-25 with Utah, the 6-foot-5 blueliner set career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games. He also had five goals and 21 points in 65 games for the Arizona Coyotes during the 203-24 season. With this, it is certainly fair to wonder if he could bounce back if given a fresh start on a team like the Canadiens.
Kesselring's age also adds to his appeal, as he is entering his prime years at 26 years old. With this, he could be a good fit on a Canadiens club that is on the rise if he bounced back.
It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens make a push for Kesselring this summer. He could be a good player for them to take a chance on if he is made available by the Sabres.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 11: Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour cheers on his players in the locker room after winning Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-2 at Lenovo Center on June 11, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Rod Brind’Amour isn’t the type to take credit, but it’s time that he gets some.
A lot can be said for why the Carolina Hurricanes currently hold a 3-2 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, and are now just one game from winning the franchise’s second ever Stanley Cup — the first in 20 years. But there might not be a bigger reason than the one behind the benches, where Brind’Amour has seemingly coached the best series of his career and gave the Canes a big advantage.
The Hurricanes’ 4-2 win on Thursday night over the Knights wasn’t just the result of the power play finding its rhythm, Carolina’s stars finally joining the party or having the right man in net — it was a display of coaching ingenuity on one side against a fleet of desperate coaching decisions on the other.
Heading into the locker room after the second period of Game 3, the Hurricanes found themselves down 4-0 after a four-goal period onslaught from the Knights, which included Mitch Marner scoring the fastest hat-trick in Stanley Cup Final history.
Up until that point, the Canes had probably been outplayed for six of the eight periods in the series. The easy thing would’ve been to roll over. Instead, whatever Brind’Amour said during the intermission must have worked. His adjustments certainly did. Brind’Amour pulled Frederik Andersen — who had been arguably the best goaltender in the playoffs — in exchange for Brandon Bussi, who had never played in a playoff game. He switched the lines that the Canes had run for most of the season and all the playoffs, choosing to adapt on the fly.
As a result, Carolina stormed back to tie the game. After a crazy bounce in double overtime gave the Knights the win, there was little panic from the Canes after such an emotional defeat.
Leading up to Game 4, all the talk was about who the Canes would start in net. While it seemed as if Bussi should be the answer, there were questions surrounding whether giving a goaltender his first start in a pivotal, must-win game of the Stanley Cup Finals was the right move. Some even questioned Brind’Amour’s stubbornness and whether he would even be open to starting Bussi. But Brind’Amour didn’t flinch. He went all in and gave Bussi the nod in goal.
And for the first time all series, it felt as if Carolina finally controlled the majority of the game. Bussi went on to make 18 saves, including ones that Andersen hadn’t consistently made during the series. On top of the successful goalie change, the newly minted line of Ehlers-Staal-Jarvis ended up scoring the game winning goal.
In Game 5, the adjustments were even more apparent. Bussi once again played well while the different line combinations worked. Jordan Martinook, who was moved up to play with Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho — who have both struggled recently — played a pivotal role in Aho’s first even strength, non-empty net goal since the second game of the playoffs.
Maybe more eye opening has been the difference in coaching between Brind’Amour and John Tortorella. With Carter Hart struggling this entire series in net for the Knights, Tortorella has refused to take him out, unlike how the Canes pulled Andersen.
When Carolina opted to switch their lines, Tortorella chose to do the same. And unlike when Brind’Amour did it, the move has backfired on Vegas. Switching up Marner’s line that had been elite all postseason, as well as messing up the Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev connection, has failed.
No one’s talked about it, but the biggest advantage that the Carolina Hurricanes have had during the Stanley Cup has been coaching. Brind’Amour has simply outcoached Tortorella.
From a numbers standpoint, the Canes have also slightly adjusted their style of hockey. It’s been less about throwing every puck on net and more about generating high quality chances — something that is crucial when facing a goaltender like Hart, who was on the top of his game entering the finals.
In the first three playoff series, Carolina averaged 33.7 shots and 3.2 goals per game. This series, the shots are down almost six to 28 per game, but the goals have increased to 4.2.
Of the 21 total playoff series coached under Brind’Amour, this is the fourth lowest in terms of shots per game. Yet, it’s the second highest scoring series in goals per game.
It’s clear that the Canes had to adjust how they faced this Vegas team, which they did courtesy of Brind’Amour. Those adjustments have worked and have been a major reason as to why the Canes are leading the series.
If coaches were eligible for the Conn Smythe, Brind’Amour would have an argument.
For all the critics that have spouted for years that Brind’Amour’s man-to-man defensive system paired with an overly aggressive forecheck can’t win it all, close your eyes. For all those that have believed, hold on. It’s happening.
As the Edmonton Oilers kick the tires on hiring Mike Babcock as their next head coach, their interest has not only touched off an NHL investigation, but it's also sparked a series of player anecdotes, both old and new, about Babcock's poor behaviour over the years.
Former Senators defenseman Jason York shared a doozy this week.
In 2002, York had established himself as an NHL regular. He had played the previous five years as a full-timer in Ottawa, and after his trade to Anaheim, he played another full season under Bryan Murray and was the Mighty Ducks' second-leading scorer among defensemen.
The Hockey News' The Wrap Around discussed the idea of Jake DeBrusk as a fit in Ottawa.
The following season, when Murray became the Ducks' GM, Mike Babcock was given his first NHL head coaching job. He had been coaching Anaheim's minor-league team in Cincinnati, and before he'd coached even a single game, his mind games began.
Running his first NHL training camp, Babcock suddenly separated York and teammates Denny Lambert and German Titov from the rest of the Ducks' team and made them skate on their own with no coach or goalie through most of training camp.
"He put us all in the room with the minor league guys," York recalled this week on the Coming in Hot podcast. "As soon as I saw that, I went right into Babcock's office. And this is what I don't like. He lied to my face.
"He said, 'Yorky, don't worry about it. The guys respect you. I need to get their attention. So I'm just doing this to make sure that everybody knows there's going to be change. You're one of my guys, you're going to be in the top four. Don't worry about it.'
"So that's what I don't like, instead of saying, 'Hey, you're not part of the plans, we're going to be getting rid of you. We're probably going to send you down because you're not a fit here.' Fine, then you get ahead of it, right? But this went on for two weeks."
York didn't end up in the top four in Anaheim that season. He started the year in the American Hockey League before being traded to Nashville, while Titov and Lambert never played again in the NHL.
York felt like it unnecessarily devalued his stock as a player, which was proven by what Anaheim got for him in a trade with the Predators. York still remembers the call from his agent, Pat Morris, who had just gotten off the phone with Nashville assistant GM Ray Shero.
"Pat was like, 'Nashville's calling, and they're wondering what's wrong with you? Like, what happened? Did you do something? Did you get caught for curfew? Are you bad in the room? Are you a bad seed?
"And Pat's like, 'No.' So Nashville ended up getting me (in a trade) for a dollar bill. I was like the bet from the movie Trading Places."
York says that, years later, he confronted Babcock, who blamed everything on Bryan Murray.
"Then I sat down with Bryan about it, and Bryan said it was all Babs' idea to do it. And I believe Bryan over him. But I'm not bitter about it anymore. What are you going to do? For me, it's just this. You can do whatever you want, to some extent, especially back then as a coach.
"But just be honest. Don't lie."
York played as a full-timer the next two seasons in Nashville before the lockout hit.
His negative experience with Babcock is one of several making the rounds as the Edmonton Oilers try to bring him in as their new head coach. The 63-year-old's behaviour didn't fly back in the day, but for some reason, the Oilers see him as their answer seven years after he coached his last game.
What's probably not being talked about enough is Babcock's lack of recent playoff success, which is the biggest part of the puzzle the Oilers are looking to solve.
Babcock's recent playoff record:
2012 DET - 1-4 2013 DET - 7-7 2014 DET - 1-4 2015 DET - 3-4 2016 TOR - Out 2017 TOR - 2-4 2018 TOR - 3-4 2019 TOR - 3-4 2020-2026 - Didn't coach
Unless Babcock has managed to undergo some kind of extreme makeover, it sure doesn't seem like the juice is worth the squeeze.
The postmortem on the Colorado Avalanche’s playoff sweep quickly turned to injuries — but that storyline may not be holding up as strongly as first believed, especially around Cale Makar.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman’s status for the start of next season could be uncertain.
“I’ve heard his injury is pretty significant,” Friedman said on his podcast. “And I know some people have been wondering, will he be ready for the start of next year? I guess we’ll find all that out, but I just don’t think that that’s the reason here. I think it’s more of an excuse than anything else.”
After Makar was seen attending a Colorado Eagles playoff game without a sling or any visible signs of a serious injury, speculation naturally followed about whether the severity of the reported issue had been overstated.
There is no definitive way to confirm that either way, but Joe Sakic offered some clarity Thursday at Family Sports, pushing back on any concern about lingering health issues heading into next season. He said the organization expects a fully healthy group when training camp opens.
“Everybody is going to be at training camp and 100%,” Sakic said. “Nobody going to miss any time.”
That doesn’t mean the Avalanche weren’t dealing with real injuries during the series against Vegas. Artturi Lehkonen, Sam Malinski, Brent Burns, Nathan MacKinnon and Makar were all managing something in some capacity, which, at this point in the season, is more standard reality than exception around the league.
Makar, meanwhile, finished the postseason with five points in 11 games after a 79-point regular season — a playoff total that matched the lowest production of his career in any postseason run, including years in which Colorado exited in the opening round.
It’s the part of hockey that rarely gets romanticized — the stretch where everyone is playing through something, and excuses only carry so much weight after the final whistle. Much like a fighter stepping into a world title bout after a punishing camp, there’s rarely such a thing as perfect health in late spring. And once the result is decided, explanations tend to land hollow.
The reality is the Avalanche were beaten — cleanly — by a Vegas team that neutralized their speed, clogged their lanes, and punished mistakes with ruthless efficiency, which is exactly how the Golden Knights are built to operate.
As Sakic noted Thursday, it was four games, and a rough four games at that. But it doesn’t erase what came before. Colorado still finished the regular season with a Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top team, a distinction that matters even if it doesn’t soften playoff disappointment. The last club to win both the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season remains the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks.
And in today’s playoff structure — where elite teams often collide early and the path to June feels more like survival than progression — it increasingly becomes a last-man-standing tournament. Right now, that’s exactly where the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes find themselves, preparing for Game 6 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
For Colorado, though, it's time to reset, recharge, and let the sting fade just enough to start the process all over again.
The Buffalo Sabres have some decisions to make when it comes to their roster this off-season. With the Sabres having limited cap space and multiple players with expired contracts, there is a good chance that they will be moving on from some players.
One Sabres pending restricted free agent (RFA) who very well could not be back next season is defenseman Michael Kesselring. The 26-year-old defenseman was notably scratched for all but one game for the Sabres during the playoffs. He was also limited to only 34 regular-season games this season due to injury trouble, where he had zero points, two assists, and 50 penalty minutes.
With the Sabres having more important players to re-sign, it would not be surprising if they listened to trade offers for Kesselring this off-season. He has already been the subject of trade rumors this summer because of it.
While Kesselring had a tough season for the Sabres in 2025-26, he has the potential to generate a lot of interest this off-season. NHL clubs are always on the hunt for big right-shot defenseman, and the 6-foot-5 Kesselring certainly fits that description.
Kesselring's past success also adds to his appeal. During the 2024-25 season with Utah, he posted career highs with seven goals, 22 assists, and 29 points in 82 games. This was after he had five goals and 21 points in 65 games for the Arizona Coyotes during the 2023-24 campaign.
When noting that Kesselring has shown in the past that he can work as a second-pairing defenseman and is only 26 years old, the Sabres should not have a hard time finding a trading partner for him. It will be interesting to see if Kesselring gets moved this off-season from here.
Shea Theodore 
Seth Jarvis
