The past thirty years of Avalanche hockey have featured incredible highs, and some very, very dismal lows.

As an avid fan of The Simpsons, I’ve witnessed plenty of “best of times” moments, but also been subjected to a smattering of unpleasant “blursts” of times. In this first of an ongoing off-season series, I take a look back through the past thirty years, highlighting one moment that stands among the best, and comparatively, the worst (or blurst, if you will) each season.

Here are the best and blurst moments from the first five years of Colorado Avalanche history.

1995-1996

The Best: Colorado Captures Stanley Cup #1 (June 10, 1996)

If you were on board for the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, you knew exactly where you were when Colorado Avalanche defenseman Uwe Krupp made history.

At the 4:31 mark of the third overtime in Game Four, Krupp’s blue line shot surprised Florida Panthers goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, cementing a 1-0 victory to complete the sweep and secure the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. The championship, which was the first major professional championship for the state of Colorado, was a storybook ending for the Avalanche’s first season in Denver after relocating from Quebec.

Joe Sakic was named the Conn Smythe trophy winner as playoff MVP, succeeding the late Claude Lemieux, who won the trophy with the New Jersey Devils the previous year. Both Lemieux and goaltender Patrick Roy, acquired through the year by Avs general manager Pierre Lacroix, won their third Stanley Cup championship. Peter Forsberg had a coming out party during the Stanley Cup Final, scoring a hat trick in Game Two en route to the eventual Stanley Cup summit.

There couldn’t be a better best moment for this team to begin its time in the Mile High City.

The Blurst: Uwe Krupp’s Season-Opening Knee Injury (October 5, 1995)

While Krupp’s Cup-clinching goal that night (or early morning) in June was the signature on his Avs tenure, the fact that he was even on the playoff roster is nothing short of remarkable. During the season opener against Detroit, he took a hard hit from Martin LaPointe in the third period, resulting in ACL, MCL, and lateral meniscus tears. Krupp had already registered two assists—including one on that very sequence which set up Valeri Kamensky’s game-winning goal—up to that point in the game.

Krupp missed 76 regular season games before returning on April 6, 1996, in the Avs 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at the Shark Tank. He registered a single assist in the six regular season games he played before setting career highs in playoff points (16), assists (12), and goals (4) during the 1996 playoff run, culminating in the goal that made Avalanche history.

A happy ending saved what was a blurst of a regular season for Krupp.

1996-1997

The Best: Colorado Captures Its First Presidents Trophy

Out to prove that their Stanley Cup victory the previous year was no fluke, the Avs finished the 1996-1997 regular season with 49 wins, 24 losses, and 9 ties, totaling 107 points to claim their first Presidents Trophy in franchise history. The mark surpassed the previous season’s point total (104) and set a franchise record for wins in a regular season. Adam Deadmarsh led all skaters in goals (33), a career high. Peter Forsberg led all skaters in assists (58) and points (86).

The Avs would enter the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the top seed, with home ice on their side for another return to the Stanley Cup Final. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers in the first two rounds before falling in the Western Conference Final to the Detroit Red Wings.

The Blurst: Fight Night at the Joe (March 26, 1997)

You had to know this was coming.

While the loss to Detroit in the 1997 Western Conference Final certainly stung, this game has its own unique sting.

Ever since Claude Lemieux’s blind hit on Kris Draper the previous year, he was marked man when Colorado paid its final regular season visit to Detroit. What unfolded was the perfect storm of fury, fisticuffs, and more than a few goals. Detroit got its long-awaited revenge late in the first period, as Darren McCarty lit the fuse and got his pound of flesh against Lemieux, who refused to engage, at the 18:22 mark.

Absolute carnage ensued in the wake of McCarty’s punch on Lemieux. Both teams would amass eighteen fighting majors apiece—including a wild exchange between goaltenders Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon—and two game misconducts in the first forty minutes alone. To that point, Colorado had the better of Detroit on the scoreboard, nursing a two goal lead early in the third period. That lead eventually evaporated, with Detroit scoring twice in 0:56 to tie the game. Adding insult to (avenge) injury, McCarty tallied the game-winner in overtime.

This game became a rallying cry for fans of the Winged Wheel, and served as the watershed moment for the storied rivalry between both clubs. Detroit would succeed Colorado as Stanley Cup champions in June (and again the following year).

The undisputed blurst of the season.

1997-1998

The Best: The Olympic Stage (February 7-22, 1998)

The 1998 Winter Olympic Games was a groundbreaking event for the NHL. For the first time, professional athletes would be allowed to compete, giving a sizeable advantage to member nations featuring premier talents throughout the League.

Colorado sent nine players to Nagano: Adam Foote (Canada), Patrick Roy (Canada), Joe Sakic (Canada), Jari Kurri (Finland), Uwe Krupp (Germany), Alexei Gusarov (Russia), Valeri Kamensky (Russia), Peter Forsberg (Sweden), and Adam Deadmarsh (USA).

Despite the infusion of professional talent, Canada, Sweden, and the United States all failed to reach medal contention. The Czech Republic, backstopped by Buffalo’s Domink Hasek, won its first (and so far, only) gold medal over Russia. Gusarov and Kamensky would return to Colorado with silver medals, and Kurri with a bronze medal.

Although he would make his NHL debut the following season, Milan Hejduk—drafted by Quebec in 1994—captured Olympic gold as a member of the Czech Republic roster.

The Blurst: Elimination by Edmonton (May 4, 1998)

After handily dispatching Edmonton in five games the previous year, the expectation was that the Avs would breeze past them again. Extended playoff runs had become the standard for a team as deep as the Avs after two consecutive appearances in the Western Conference Final.

Edmonton, however, had other plans.

The Avs had a 1-0 lead going into the third period in Game Five at McNichols Sports Arena. Edmonton scored three unanswered goals to stave off elimination, then proceeded to shut out the Avs in Game Six (a 2-0 decision) and Game Seven (an embarrassing 4-0 decision on home ice).

It’s absolutely baffling that a team loaded with undisputed Hall of Fame talent would go completely cold in 163:40 of playing time for the balance of the series, but somehow, this version of the Avalanche pulled it off.

This blurst cost head coach Marc Crawford his job, as he was replaced by Bob Hartley during the off-season.

1998-1999

The Best: Florida Falls in Forsberg-Fueled Frenzy (March 3, 1999)

Anyone would (rightly) assume that, if Patrick Roy surrendered five goals—including a natural hat trick to a future Hall of Famer—that it just wasn’t the Avs’ night (at best), or that they laid a pretty large egg (at worst).

This game would be a very rare exception.

After Florida’s Scott Mellanby followed up Pavel Bure’s hat trick, things were looking pretty grim for Colorado. The Avs trailed 5-0 at that point, and they were in desperate need of someone, anyone to provide a spark.

That someone was Peter Forsberg.

His first goal of the night would break the shutout late in the second period, and the Avs would score six more goals on goaltender Sean Burke in the third period to pull off a miraculous comeback to defeat Florida by a 7-5 decision. Nine skaters would combine for sixteen(!) points in the third period alone to secure the victory. Forsberg would have six of those third period points—including finishing off his own hat trick—en route to the win, claiming first star of the game honors.

Craig Billington, who replaced Roy for the third period, stopped all eight shots he faced.

Hands down, easily one of the best of regular season bests throughout Avalanche history.

The Blurst: Game 7 vs. Dallas (June 4, 1999)

Spoiler: This won’t be the only time Dallas appears on this list.

After last season’s playoff run got cut short by Edmonton, the Avs returned to the Western Conference Final upon dispatching the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings in the first two rounds. A second trip to the Stanley Cup Final was within reach after the Avs took a 3-2 series lead with a 7-5 victory over Dallas in Game Five at Reunion Arena.

Claude Lemieux opened the scoring for the Avs in Game Six with a late first period goal. Unfortunately, they couldn’t crack Dallas’ trademark brand of boring defensive hockey for the balance of the contest, which Dallas would win by a 4-1 decision. Old friend Mike Keane became the hero in Game Seven for Dallas, scoring two of their four goals against Patrick Roy (amid nauseating repeated chants of, “Eddie’s better!” from the stands).

Joe Sakic would score the only goal for Colorado with just over six minutes left in the game, which was too little too late: Colorado would lose by a score of 4-1 at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup champions*.

(* The asterisk is a blurst of a different kind.)

1999-2000

The Best: The Pepsi Center Era Begins (October 13, 1999)

To this point in Avalanche history, concerns arose whether Ascent Entertainment Group (AEG), owners of the club at the time, could afford to keep the talented roster together. Two years earlier, AEG was hard-pressed to match the front-loaded offer sheet that Joe Sakic had signed with the New York Rangers, but successfully managed to retain his services for the next three seasons. During this time, AEG was also looking to secure an agreement with the City of Denver for a successor to McNichols Sports Arena closer to downtown Denver.

After some tense negotiations—and a timely infusion of cash from the success of Air Force One, which was produced by Beacon Pictures (owned by AEG at the time)—ground finally broke on what would become Pepsi Center. The project was completed at a cost of $197 million dollars, and would secure the revenue needed to keep the nucleus of the roster intact into the new millennium. The arena was completed in time for the 1999-2000 season.

The Avs played their first game in their new home against the Boston Bruins on October 13, 1999. Milan Hejduk scored the first goal in the building’s history during the second period, and Adam Foote provided the game-winning tally late in the third period, securing a 2-1 victory. Patrick Roy stopped 25 of 26 shots, earning first star honors in the contest.

The Blurst: Game 7 vs. Dallas (May 27, 2000)

After losing Game Seven to Dallas the previous season, this year was going to be different, right?

It was, but only different in that the heartbreak was even worse.

Trailing 3-2 in their Western Conference Final series, the Avs seemingly had some momentum after Chris Drury’s game-winner in Game Six sent the series back to Texas. Dallas scored the first three goals of the contest, but third period strikes from Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk set up a tense finish. The Avs threw everything they could at goaltender Ed Belfour, but couldn’t come up with the tying goal as time wound down.

With Patrick Roy pulled for the extra attacker with seconds left on the clock, defenseman Raymond Bourque—traded to Colorado from Boston in the hopes of closing out his career with a Stanley Cup ring—collected a loose puck in the Dallas zone and threw a desperation shot on goal…only to have the puck ricochet off Adam Deadmarsh, bounce off the far post, and roll harmlessly away.

For second straight postseason in a Game Seven, Colorado’s playoff dreams were burst by Dallas.

(Or more appropriately, blurst.)

This loss would serve as the third consecutive Game Seven exit for the Avs, but the pendulum would soon swing back in their favor.

Was there a best (or blurst) from the first five years of Avalanche hockey that was overlooked? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

There's an understanding that, to this point in their search for a new head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs have narrowed down their list of candidates to some degree. 

Not long ago, TSN's Pierre LeBrun provided a report saying the Leafs have entered the second phase of their process in landing their next bench boss, and that phase includes in-person interviews with "about five candidates."

On Thursday, during OverDrive, Darren Dreger guested on the show and added a name to the mix that he believes should be included in this next round of interactions.

"We believe that Dallas Eakins is still in the mix," Dreger said on the show.

To add to the discussion of Eakins being in the mix for the Toronto job, he was spotted with former NHL executive Brian Burke, taking in Game 3 of the AHL's Eastern Conference final between the Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Eakins has a history with the Maple Leafs organization. According to eliteprospects.com, Eakins' first coaching job was as an assistant coach for the Marlies in 2005-06.

For the next two years, he was an assistant coach for the Maple Leafs, followed by a year as the director of player development. In 2009-10, he rejoined the Marlies in the AHL, but this time as a head coach.

Five Serious Remaining Candidates In Race For Maple Leafs Head Coach PositionAfter another head coach came off the Toronto Maple Leafs' list of candidates, here are five serious remaining contenders in the race to become the 42nd bench boss in franchise history.

After four years of leading the Marlies behind the bench and taking that team to the final once in that span, he took his talents to the NHL.

In total, Eakins has been a head coach in the NHL for six years and has been behind the bench in that role across 404 regular-season contests. 

Eakins last coached in the NHL in 2022-23, his fourth year behind the bench with the Anaheim Ducks. He also coached the Edmonton Oilers for two years in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Since then, the 59-year-old has been coaching in Germany for DEL Mannheim. He's coached Mannheim for the past three seasons, losing in the final of this past campaign.

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The Vancouver Canucks have announced that Richard Seeley has been hired as the newest GM of the Abbotsford Canucks. The 47-year-old has spent the last eight years as GM of the Ontario Reign, as has a local connection as he is from Powell River, BC. Not only will Seeley serve as Abbotsford GM, but he will also be an Assistant General Manager with Vancouver. 

Judging the work of an AHL GM is often not easy. The NHL affiliate often assembles the majority of the roster, as they send prospects and young players down to the AHL to develop. The job of an AHL General Manager is focused on ensuring these players improve while also filling out the roster to compete for the Calder Cup. 

During Seeley's time with the Reign, Ontario won over 300 regular-season games. Last year, they won the Pacific Division while setting a new franchise record with 47 wins. The Reign and Canucks met once in the playoffs as Ontario swept Abbotsford in the second round back in 2024.

Several now-NHLers have gone through the Reign since Seeley took over as GM. Those players include Matt Roy, Michael Eyssimont, Gabriel Vilardi, Arthur Kaliyev, Sean Durzi, Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke. While Seeley did not play a part in drafting these players, he was tasked with teaching them how to become pros both on and off the ice. 

It is also important to note that this will be the first time Seeley has the title of NHL Assistant General Manager. While with Ontario, he was not listed as an AGM with the Los Angeles Kings. Being an NHL AGM should present new challenges to Seeley, as his sole focus will no longer be just on the AHL. 

Overall, Seeley has a strong track record in the AHL. The Reign have surpassed the 40-win mark in four of the last five seasons and have finished in the top three in the division in each of the last three years. Ultimately, his tenure will be judged on his work with the AHL Canucks and on whether he can not just build a strong team but also ensure that players are developing properly. 

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.

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few areas on their roster that they should be looking to improve during the summer. Among them is their blueline, as their defensive group could simply use more depth.

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. 

The first thing that immediately stands out about Stanley is his size. The 6-foot-7, 231-pound defenseman would provide the Blue Jackets' defensive group with a hulking defenseman, which is never a bad thing for a team with playoff expectations like the Blue Jackets to have around.

Stanley also showed this season that he is capable of providing some offense from the point in addition to his toughness. In 76 games this season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres, Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points. If he translated this kind of offense over to next season, he would give the Blue Jackets a bit more offensive production from the point, which is needed. 

However, Stanley's biggest impact comes from his gritty style of play. The big blueliner isn't afraid of the physical side of the game, as threw 110 hits and had 128 penalty minutes this season. He would be a good player for the Blue Jackets to have around when the games get tougher and would give them another player to protect their top stars. 

Another appealing factor about Stanley is his age. This is because the Sabres defenseman just turned 28 years old in May and has multiple years left in his prime. With this, he could be a nice long-term fit on a Blue Jackets club that is looking to break out and become real threats in the Eastern Conference. 

If the Blue Jackets signed Stanley, he could fit well on their bottom pairing. He would also give them another option to work with on their penalty kill because of his shutdown ability. 

Overall, if Stanley ends up not re-signing with the Sabres and testing the market, he is one of the defensemen that the Blue Jackets should have on their radar. While he is not a star, he would be a good hard-nosed defenseman for the Blue Jackets to add to their roster. 

In 278 career NHL games over six seasons, Stanley has recorded 14 goals, 48 assists, 62 points, 333 penalty minutes, 351 blocks, 467 hits, and a plus-29 rating. 

Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14. 

 Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Two factions of former Philadelphia Flyers have been pitted against each other in the Stanley Cup Final, but only one end is living up to their end of the bargain so far.

With a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes are in the driver's seat to win their first Stanley Cup in 20 years, taking a 3-2 series lead.

They've managed that on the strength of longtime Flyers nemesis Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain who has scored in each of the first five games of the series, making him the first player to do so since Rocket Richard in 1956

Additionally, Staal's five-game scoring streak is tied for the longest such streak in Stanley Cup Final history.

The wily vet has been historically great for the Canes when it matters most, while a former Flyers goalie at the other end of the ice has been historically terrible.

On Tuesday night, after allowing five goals in a 5-3 loss to the Hurricanes, ex-Flyers netminder Carter Hart became the only goalie in NHL history to allow four or more goals in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final.

Flyers Must Consider Top Goalies in 2026 NHL DraftThe Philadelphia Flyers badly need some new blood in their goalie prospect pool, and the 2026 NHL Draft awaits.

Things only got worse for the 27-year-old on Thursday night, as another four goals by the Hurricanes put his team down in the series for the very first time, extending his historically bad record by one more game.

Hart was a strong playoff performer dating back to his early days with the Flyers, but he's had a save percentage no higher than .879 in his last five starts for the Golden Knights.

As a result, his once-elite numbers this postseason have plummeted to a more average 2.59 GAA and .909 save percentage. Still respectable, but hardly jaw-dropping as they were previously.

At the other end of the ice, the Hurricanes have turned to Brandon Bussi in place of Freddie Andersen; Bussi has now won two straight with Andersen serving as a scratch and not dressing at all.

Former Flyers head coach John Tortorella has one more chance, with or without Hart, to figure it out for Vegas, before the Stanley Cup goes home with Carolina.

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

A Nico thought:

👀 Although talks are ongoing, my speculation is that C Hischier and @NJDevils will land on a medium term contract extension somewhere between
11M- 13M range … #HockeyXpic.twitter.com/UgX43i5Cjj

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) June 11, 2026

Sunny speaks:

“There’s no doubt the 2025-26 season was a disappointment for the New Jersey Devils, but with that should come change, unlike last offseason. New GM Sunny Mehta will likely be busy this summer, as the Devils’ roster has a few holes to address. What should Mehta prioritize via trades and free agency?” [Devils on the Rush]

“The New Jersey Devils need a top-six forward this summer. Not only is Jordan Kyrou a strong candidate, but he’s also a realistic target. The Devils have plenty going for them with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt leading the charge, but their top-six scoring dried up too often last year. Even-strength production was a real sore spot, and it showed in the standings. Bringing in a winger who can generate chances, finish plays, and keep up with that pace would go a long way toward fixing it. Kyrou from the St. Louis Blues keeps coming up as someone who fits that bill pretty cleanly.” [New Jersey Hockey Now]

Hockey Links

The Hurricanes are one win away from the Stanley Cup:

THE CANES ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM THE #STANLEYCUP!!! 😱😱😱

Game 6 between the @Canes and @GoldenKnights is Sunday at 8p ET on ABC, @Sportsnet, & @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/GHTYHbNYui

— NHL (@NHL) June 12, 2026

Nikita Kucherov wins the Hart:

Nikita Kucherov is the Hart Memorial Trophy winner for the second time in his career! 🏆 #NHLAwards

The Hart Trophy is awarded annually to the League MVP. pic.twitter.com/ptDFvqmsMW

— NHL (@NHL) June 11, 2026

“The NHLPA expects a full NHL investigation of coach Mike Babcock before the Edmonton Oilers can hire him, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The investigation would cover Babcock’s time with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023, when he was hired but never coached a game for the team.” [ESPN]

“As the Edmonton Oilers navigate hiring Mike Babcock as head coach, they continue on another path: finding a new home for one of their longest-tenured players, alternate captain Darnell Nurse. Last week, Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported the Oilers would like to trade Nurse, and, according to multiple sources, the defenceman recently went to the organization and said he would like to be traded. He now feels it is time for him to move on.” [Sportsnet]

“There might not be another player in the entire National Hockey League with as unique a resume as Taylor Hall. He won two Memorial Cups in junior and was drafted first overall into the NHL. Eight years later, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. And now, another eight years later, Hall is putting himself firmly in the conversation for the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded each year to the NHL’s playoff MVP.” [Daily Faceoff]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Vitals

Player: Anthony Mantha
Born: Sep 16, 1994
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 240 pounds
Hometown: Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
Shoots: Left
Draft: First round pick (20th overall) in 2013 with Detroit Red Wings
2024-25 Statistics: 81 games played; 33 goals; 31 assists; 64 points; one assist in six playoff games
Contract Status: Impending free agent on July 1, completed a one-year contract

Story of the Season

“It just goes back to all the work I put in last year. I knew I wanted to be a talked-about player this year. That’s the focus and mentality I came in [with].” – Anthony Mantha

Mantha gave that quote after a three-point night where he was named the first star of the game on March 30th, in what was likely the most pivotal single game of the Penguins’ whole season against the NY Islanders. NYI came into the game one point ahead of Pittsburgh in the standings for second place in the Metropolitan Division. After that game, Pittsburgh wouldn’t lose their hold on the second spot the rest of the way. It was fitting that Mantha was a primary reason for the success in that game, his two second period goals changed the score from 3-3 to 5-3, on the way to a decisive 8-3 win. He was a driving force that night as he was pretty much all year long to help elevate the Pens back to the playoffs with a team-high 33 goals and career-best 64 point campaign.

Mantha played like he had something to prove, and he certainly did. An ACL injury in 2024-25 ended his season in November. Months before that, his 2023-24 season ended as a playoff healthy scratch for four-straight games for Vegas – hardly what they or he wanted when he was picked up at the deadline with the intentions of being a quality upgrade. It would be a bit dramatic to say Mantha’s NHL career was on the line based on 2025-26 but its future certainly was hanging in the balance after signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with the Penguins (plus an addition $2 million in potential incentives).

Just about everything Mantha touched in the regular season turned to gold. Often paired with Justin Brazeau, the two monster wingers spent plenty of time being centered by both Evgeni Malkin and Ben Kindel. No matter who was on the ice with them, it worked with Mantha and Brazeau both shattering their previous personal bests in goals, assists and points on a season. Mantha didn’t get to rack up a ton of minutes or time on the first power play but still found ways to make it count in a supporting role.

The negative came in the playoffs, where Mantha disappeared from the scoreboard besides one assist. The team leader in goals was unable to score his first career NHL playoff goal, now lasting 20 total games. The postseason ended up as an unfortunate coda to a brilliant season.

Overall, Mantha’s time in Pittsburgh should be remembered more for nights like that Islanders game and helping the Penguins qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. He was brought on as something of a rehabilitation project and in the end Mantha did something of the same by helping rehabilitate the team in a true win-win outcome for both parties.

Which means this go-round in free agency will be looking a lot different for Mantha. Just as he wanted, he will be talked about this summer in NHL circles in a much different manner than last year.

Monthly Splits

via Yahoo

Mantha’s production hit a big dip in November, but other than that was close to being a point per game player in every other month of the year. Considering his role of playing between 13-16 minutes a night and doing most his damage at even strength, that’s really saying something special to maximize the output on a somewhat limited basis considering most skilled players get a larger role. Mantha’s 26 5v5 goals tied for sixth in the entire NHL with such names as Kucherov, Robertson, Gauthier, Necas and Kempe at the same number.

On these reviews we often touch on the importance of March, when the season was at a critical juncture and one or both of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were out for the majority of the games. Mantha was great in March, and you could also see his hit levels rising to season-highs after low metrics at the beginning of the season for the only month he was credited with 1+ hit per game, showing involvement in many aspects.

Regular season 5v5 advanced stats

Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.

Corsi For%: 48.2 (15th)
Goals For%: 56.6 (6th)
xGF%: 50.7 (12th)
Scoring Chance%: 48.1 (17th)
High Danger Scoring Chance%: 51.3 (14th)
5v5 on-ice shooting%: 13.4 (3rd)
On-ice save%: .898 (10th)
Goals/60: 1.51
Assists/60: 1.32
Points/60: 2.83 (2nd)

There was nothing special about territorial domination for Mantha, there certainly was a lot to write home about for being skilled/opportunistic enough to cash in on chances. Popping a 2+ P/60 is nothing new in Mantha’s career, he’s often put together great stretches in small doses. This year he did it for the duration to a higher level than ever before with that 2.83 P/60 that ranked ninth in the entire NHL (min. 500 minutes).

Charts n’at

Via Advanced Hockey Stats and NHL Edge

Pretty sight to see a natural goal scorer’s work. Mantha’s finishing was off the charts good – he recorded a 21.7% shooting percentage when a typical season for him is in the 11-13% range (although he did shoot a higher percentage once at 5v5 in 2023-24 with Washington, which also happened to be during a contract season…) That might lead to some buyer beware for a potential regression in the future, but his hot streak never cooled off this year.

Mantha found a fit with the Penguins, especially hanging out on a third line and going to work on the rush. Give him a good pass and he knows what to do with the puck at that point.

As a big, strong player Mantha could put some pepper on his shots, seven 90+ mph and 24 80+ shots were well above the norm for forwards. While he shot from all over the place, 24 of his goals came from the high danger area in front of the net, which can help explain the finishing numbers. It becomes easier to score when you’re 6’5, 240 and getting to the front of the net with frequency.

NHL players are really a marvel: a 240-pound person coming off an ACL surgery shouldn’t be able to strap skates to their feet and move as fast as what we see above, yet Mantha did. Mantha is not Connor McDavid or Quinn Hughes out there, but to get a body that big to have that much burst at age-31 with his injury history is seriously impressive. It wasn’t always easy – Mantha’s wife posted a light-hearted Instagram story that showed while she was in the hospital recovering giving birth it was her husband getting a massage therapist come right into her room with a table to work on his back. Whatever it took, Mantha was able to play in the first 81 games of the season before getting to rest during the finale, in doing so capturing all $2.0 million of his available bonus money (which got paid in $200k increments for every 10th game played).

Highlights

THE MANTHA MAGIC CONTINUES 🤩 pic.twitter.com/rOXcmGX8Vq

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 31, 2026

That's 22 goals this season for Anthony Mantha 😤 pic.twitter.com/Yx4Vy2xpTi

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 8, 2026

WE WANT SOME MO.

Anthony Mantha records his fourth multi-point game in the last six 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WuTfO6TjDN

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 31, 2026

That's 20 goals on the season for Anthony Mantha 💪 pic.twitter.com/pVInf4p0sP

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 4, 2026

MAN O-MANTHA.

Anthony Mantha is riding a four-game point streak 💪 pic.twitter.com/zcjzsXzb8q

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 31, 2026

Mo IS the moment ✨ pic.twitter.com/2GUXSY1vft

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 31, 2026

Questions to ponder

While it seems like an answer to the question has been determined, market forces on a thin free agent pool will push Mantha into commanding a multi-year deal at a much higher rate than the $4.5 million total that was earned this season. Getting a $25 million commitment could be considered a somewhat conservative estimate for the windfall in store on July 1. The Pens probably aren’t going to offer that type of money and term to a supporting level 32-year old for the future, no matter how good the past season was. How they will go about replacing the 33 goals and 64 points headed out the door becomes the real question that Kyle Dubas and company will be wrestling with this summer.

Ideal 2026-27

Mantha has bounced around a bit lately, playing for four different teams (Washington, Vegas, Calgary, Pittsburgh) in less than three calendar years of 2024-26. In ideal for him would be to pair that big ol’ incoming contract with some trade protection to finally provide some stability for a player who has only started+finished three consecutive seasons with the same team one time in his career (with Detroit from 2017-20).

Bottom line

Mantha did everything and more than could be expected in the regular season. He likely had what will go down as being his his finest personal season. You never know how redemption opportunities will wind up, it’s very rare to see one work out as well as this one.

PensburghGrade: A

The regular season was unquestionably A+ work (probably even A++). The poor playoff was so bad it leaves enough of an aftertaste to knock a small bit of the superlative off the final grade.

David Reinbacher wasn’t the only young Montreal Canadiens blueliner to make his NHL debut this season; Adam Engstrom did as well, and he even got to spend 15 games with the big club. It wasn’t all that surprising, though, since the 22-year-old Swedish prospect was absolutely dominant in the AHL with the Laval Rocket.

As a result, Engstrom was named to the AHL Top Prospects Team earlier this week. In 45 games with the Rocket, he put up 34 points, including 10 goals, received only 18 penalty minutes and finished his season with a plus-14 rating.

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While Engstrom was only a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2022 draft by the Canadiens, he has developed admirably and raised his stock accordingly. If he were a right-shot defenseman, he likely would have spent the season in Montreal, allowing the Canadiens to play Lane Hutson on his natural side.

Given the fact that the Habs have Hutson, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle on the left side, it’s not hard to imagine that the Canadiens could be tempted to use Engstrom in a deal to address the organizational needs that are the second-line center and a top-four right-shot defenseman. That’s not to say that Engstrom on his own would bring back that kind of return, but he could certainly be part of a package that would.

There’s also a line of thinking that dictates it would make sense for the Habs to part ways with Guhle, not because he’s not a good defenseman, he definitely is, but because of how often he is injured. When the puck drops on the new season, Guhle will be entering the 2nd year of his six-year contract with a $5.5 million cap hit. It’s not too expensive for that kind of punishing defenseman who can, as Cole Caufield so eloquently put it, “bury people.” It becomes expensive, however, if you cannot rely on him for more than 50 games and need a backup plan.

It’s a shame because the Canadiens lack sandpaper and should be adding some rather than discarding it. If the Habs decide to part ways with Guhle and promote Engstrom, he’s certainly not the guy who will bring that element to the lineup. It means that if the return for the trade is a right-shot blueliner, he not only needs to be able to play in the top-four, but he needs to be able to deliver bone-crushing hits as well, making him an even rarer specimen for Kent Hughes to find. 

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So…anybody gonna be in San Antonio Saturday?

What a month this has been for the NHL and NBA finals, each with tremendously entertaining series and, in the Knicks’ case, the chance to make a city explode and unite around a title not seen in half a century.

A cup win for Raleigh or Vegas would be…less impactful, but it will still be the conclusion to a riveting series.

As for us, check back later for an outstanding Weird Islanders episode with former Isles beatwriter Arthur Staple discussing the weird Nino Niederreiter year (and a bonus run-in with Jack Capuano).

Islanders News

• Anders Lee update-non-update: Isles would still like to keep him (but at what cost?) and he’d like to stay (but at what cost?), so the betting is he’ll reach free agency. [LeBrun rumbling at Athletic]
• The Isles have signed Daylan [sic] Kuefler to another two-way deal, this one for two years. [Isles]
• Matthew Schaefer was there for the Knicks’ amazing comeback in Game 4. [THN]

Elsewhere

• The Hurricanes are one win away after a somewhat comfortable (by this series’ standards) Game 5 win at home. [NHL]
• Jordan Staal is the first guy to score in five consecutive Stanley Cup final games in 50 years. [Sportsnet]
• The NHL will further investigate Mike Babcock’s douchebaggery in Columbus, what with Edmonton seeking permission to hire him to kill their team off. [Athletic]
• Speaking of the Oilers, Darnell Nurse says yeah fer sure, you can trade me. [Sportsnet]
• Nikita Kucherov was awarded the Hart Trophy for some reason. [NHL]
• Former Canucks GM Patrik Allvin joins the Kraken as one of several assistant GMs. [Sportsnet]
• Ask a dumb question, spend a thousand words on a dumb non-answer. [Athletic]

Seventeen years ago today, the Pittsburgh Penguins stunned the Detroit Red Wings to win the team’s third Stanley Cup title.

The Penguins were heavy underdogs in the Stanley Cup Final series against the Red Wings, who were the defending champions from the prior year.

Pittsburgh seemed extremely outmatched during stretches of the series, losing all three road games in Detroit, but winning Games 3, 4, and 6 to force a deciding Game 7 back at Joe Louis Arena.

Maxime Talbot opened the scoring early in the second period of the game, beating goaltender Chris Osgood to make it a 1-0 game.

Sidney Crosby left the game with a knee injury, but the Penguins kept pressing on.

Maxime Talbot was the star of the game, scoring a second goal near the midway point of the second period, picking a corner against Osgood to make it 2-0 Pittsburgh.

From there, it seemed like the Penguins were hanging on for dear life.

Jonathan Ericsson got the Red Wings on the board and Niklas Kronwall nearly tied the game, hitting the crossbar with a shot with just over 2 minutes remaining in the contest.

With the Penguins hanging on, Marc-Andre Fleury made a diving save on Nicklas Lidstrom as time was expiring and as time expired, the Penguins were Stanley Cup champions.

Erling Haaland swapped the football pitch for the ice rink as he and his Norway team-mates took in a Stanley Cup match.

The Norway contingent provided lively support for the Carolina Hurricanes in game five of the NHL play-off series against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.

The Manchester City forward, who will make his long-awaited World Cup debut against Iraq on 16 June (23:00 BST), cut a relaxed figure at the Lenovo Centre in Raleigh, waving to the crowd when the Norway team appeared on the scoreboard screen and swinging a Hurricanes rally towel around his head.

Arriving at the game in a grey polo shirt, he was later filmed beaming in a white and red Hurricanes jersey emblazoned with the number nine – the same number he wears for both club and country.

The Hurricanes, targeting their first Stanley Cup crown for 20 years, lead the Golden Knights 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, completing a 4-2 regulation win in game five.

Norway are playing at their first World Cup since 1998 – and their first major tournament since Euro 2000 – and have already made a mark despite not starting their campaign until next Tuesday.

The squad donned authentic Viking dress for an epic send-off photograph by acclaimed British photographer David Yarrow, titled The Vikings Are Coming, and have also paid tribute to their players' roots with a team photo featuring the shirts of their first clubs.

Norway are based in Greensboro, North Carolina – about 80 miles from the Hurricanes' Raleigh home – for the duration of the tournament, with the opportunity to watch the blue riband event of the NHL season coming less than a fortnight after the men's national ice hockey team shocked Canada in overtime to clinch the bronze medal at the World Championships.

After facing Iraq in their World Cup opener in Boston, Norway travel to New Jersey to play Senegal (23 June, 01:00 BST) before returning to Boston for a meeting with France (26 June, 20:00 BST).

• Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor game
• World Cup fixtures and group standings
• How to watch the World Cup on the BBC
• Everything you need to know about the World Cup

RALEIGH, N.C.– The Vegas Golden Knights entered the third period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final in a familiar position: trailing their opponent by multiple goals. But on Thursday, for the first time in a long time, they weren’t able to come back from that multi-goal deficit.

The Golden Knights spent most of the regular season playing from behind. They finished the regular season with 1,965 minutes spent trailing their opponents– second only to the 32nd-place Vancouver Canucks– and still won the Pacific Division. 

This is a veteran team that doesn’t panic and never says die. This is a team that has been able to erase multi-goal deficits at will and emerge triumphant on the other side. But they’ve been playing with fire all year, and they finally got burned.

Now, their season is on the line.

“We’re just gonna get ready for our next game,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella following the 4-2 loss.

Game 6 against the Carolina Hurricanes is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. PST on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

1. Lost in the Wilderness

The Golden Knights losing Game 5 to fall behind 3-2 in the series isn’t great for their hopes of winning the Stanley Cup. However, it’s possible that the final score wasn’t the worst loss the Golden Knights suffered in Game 5. 

At 8:19 in the second period, William Karlsson took a hit from Sean Walker along the boards. It was a seemingly harmless play, a typical, run-of-the-mill check. But Karlsson went to the bench cradling his left arm, spent a few moments talking with the trainers, and headed down the tunnel. He did not return to the game, and ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Karlsson left the arena to seek further medical attention.

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella indirectly provided an update on Karlsson postgame– and it doesn’t sound good.

“He’s an important piece to us,” said Tortorella following the 4-2 loss. “Up the middle of the ice, penalty killer, power play guy. He’s a winner. But having said that– it’s all good stuff– he’s not gonna be with us, probably. We gotta find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy, but as a team.”

2. Shame, Shame, Shame!

Game 5 was a strange game. The Golden Knights fought until the final horn and threatened until the last second. But in many ways, they lost the game nine minutes into the second period.

At 8:56 in the second, Jeremy Lauzon took a dumb penalty. As Logan Stankoven sped towards the corners to try and win a footrace to a loose puck, Lauzon caught him in the stomach with a cross-check and flipped the smaller winger like a sack of baby potatoes. 

The Golden Knights killed it off. But as Lauzon stepped out of the box, Brayden McNabb boarded Jackson Blake and took another penalty. The Hurricanes took the lead a minute into the ensuing power play.

The Hurricanes, who were so sound when playing with the lead before this series, took off and never looked back. They tacked on another before the period ended and extended their lead on the power play halfway through the third.

“We had a really good start,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella following the loss. “We lost momentum when we took back-to-back penalties.”

3. GUA-RAN-TEE!

For the first time in 48 days, the Vegas Golden Knights look vulnerable. For the first time in 48 days, they lost two games in a row. For the first time in 48 days, they are trailing in a series.

John Tortorella isn’t worried.

Following the 4-2 loss, Tortorella sat at the podium and said that his team would be back at the Lenovo Center for Game 7. In fact, he guaranteed it. 

“We’ll be back here,” he said. “We’re just gonna do it in a different order.”

Less than a minute later, he doubled down on his promise.

“I’m gonna leave my clothes here,” Tortorella swore. “That’s for sure. They’ll be in the hotel.”

The Golden Knights have a steep hill to climb, and without William Karlsson in the lineup, that hill becomes even steeper. 

But there was a time when they looked like a one-and-done team. It’s been a while, but the Golden Knights have been down in a series before– and they were without Karlsson’s services then, too. And they certainly weren’t supposed to get past Colorado.

Yes, it’s a steep hill to climb. But they’ve spent two months proving everyone wrong. What’s one more time?

The Vegas Golden Knights lost Game 5 and key forward William Karlsson on Thursday, June 11.

But coach John Tortorella was in form afterward, essentially guaranteeing the Stanley Cup Final would return to Raleigh, North Carolina, for Game 7 and ripping a reporter's question about the goaltending.

"We're going to find a way," he said. "I'm going to leave my clothes here, that's for sure. They'll be in the hotel."

The Carolina Hurricanes won 4-2 as Jordan Staal scored for the fifth game in a row and first-line players Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho broke through with three goals. Brandon Bussi made 23 saves in his second consecutive start since replacing Frederik Andersen at the start of the third period of Game 3.

Tortorella took exception when a reporter asked if he considered replacing Carter Hart with Adin Hill for the start of the third period on Thursday. Hart has given up four goals in every game of the series.

"Oh for Christ - that could be the stupidest question I've heard," he said.

The Golden Knights had some positives with Pavel Dorofeyev scoring twice to end a drought. Jack Eichel had two assists.

But Hart will need to outplay Bussi in Game 6 and the Golden Knights will need to solve the Hurricanes' power play without penalty killer Karlsson for Tortorella's vow to come true.

Jordan Staal ties NHL record with Game 5 goal

Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal's five-game streak in the Stanley Cup Final tied an NHL record and put him in elite company.

He joined Hall of Famers Yvan Cournoyer (1973), Jean Beliveau (1956), Maurice Richard (1951) and Fred "Cyclone" Taylor (1918) with the streak. Staal would pass them if he scores in Game 6 on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Hurricanes coach glad for two-day break

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he's grateful that there are two days off before Game 6 in order to tamp down the excitement about winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup title since 2006.

"I don't think it will be too hard to focus this group," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden Knights' John Tortorella vows Game 7 return, defends goaltender

The Golden Knights are on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup Final after losing Game 5 to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2, on Thursday.

The teams return to Vegas for Game 6 on Sunday, as the Golden Knights look to stave off elimination and force a Game 7, which would be in Raleigh, North Carolina on Wednesday.

Though Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring 6:52 into the game with a power-play goal to give Vegas a 1-0 lead, the Hurricanes answered shortly thereafter to thwart the Knights' energy, as Jordan Staal scored his sixth goal of the series.

Pav's 11th (!!!) goal of the playoffs
🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪🚪 pic.twitter.com/MtMvOk0epj

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 12, 2026

After being outscored 9-1 in the second period through the first four games, the Hurricanes outscored the Knights 2-0 on Thursday to secure a 3-1 lead after two periods, getting goals from Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho.

Svechnikov added a power-play goal in the third, to push Carolina's lead to 4-1 before Dorofeyev scored his second goal a little more than two minutes later to cut the lead in half.

Battlin' pic.twitter.com/uBO5Ov9FXd

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 12, 2026

Carolina goalie Brandon Bussi was in lockdown mode, however, as he stopped 23 shots on the night.

Vegas netminder Carter Hart, who made 20 saves, allowed four goals for the fifth straight game.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) and defenseman K'andre Miller (19) during the third period in game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center.

The Vegas Golden Knights lost more than Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes. They lost a key player.

Golden Knights forward William Karlsson left the Thursday, June 11 game in the second period after absorbing a check from Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker along the boards.

A trainer looked at Karlsson's arm on the bench and Karlsson skated to the dressing room. He didn't return and ABC reported that Karlsson left Lenovo Center to undergo further examination.

Golden Knights coach John Tortorella looked discouraged when the trainer came out to talk to him. He gave a discouraging postgame report on Karlsson's status for the rest of the series.

William Karlsson rentre au vestiaire après cette mise en échec reçue... pic.twitter.com/2RoHCW48lZ

— TVA Sports (@TVASports) June 12, 2026

William Karlsson injury update

Tortorella said he had no update on Karlsson but didn't sound positive about the player's status.

"He's not going to be with us probably," he said. "We've got to find a way to fill that void, not with just one guy but as a team."

Karlsson had two goals and two assists in the Final. He was limited to 14 games in the regular season, but his return late in the regular season was one of several factors that helped the Golden Knights clinch a playoff berth.

"He's an important piece for us," Tortorella said. "Penalty killer. Power play guy. He's a winner."

The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2 after the 4-2 victory and can clinch their first Stanley Cup title since 2006 on Sunday, June 14 in Game 6 at Las Vegas.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: William Karlsson leaves Game 5, 'probably' out for series