This year, for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens have outdone themselves for the opening montage before every game. The video, the music, the lighting effect, and both mascots playing the drums are all great, but the real stroke of genius is to have one alumnus carry the torch in the arena to set the ice alight figuratively. So far, we’ve seen Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Chris Nilan, and Kirk Muller do the honors. The identity of the torchbearer for the next game has now become a hot topic in town, and everyone is venturing their guess.

Incomparable #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/aG9Wj2847K

— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) April 24, 2026

It’s being talked about, written about and of course, debated by fans online. Everyone has their opinion about who should be next. The Canadiens have a very rich history, and there are plenty of big names to choose from, but I think there should be one mandatory requirement: having won the Stanley Cup.

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The passing of the torch is all about the continuity of the organization’s winning ways; it’s about players from the past passing it on to today’s players so that they can hold it high as they continue their quest towards the ultimate objective: the Stanley Cup. An extract of the poem In Flanders Field by John McCrae has been displayed in the Canadiens’ dressing room since 1952:

                                                  To you from failing hands we throw

                                                  The torch; be yours to hold it high.

The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, but since the expansion era, it’s been harder to win the Holy Grail. Montreal hasn’t lifted the ultimate symbol of hockey supremacy since 1993. Winning the Cup is a big deal; not everyone does it. As the young Canadiens attempt to earn their way into the exclusive Stanley Cup winners' club, they should draw inspiration from the players who made it.

It’s nothing against Carey Price, Saku Koivu, Shea Weber or P.K. Subban; they played a role in the storied franchise’s history, but they fell short of the ultimate goal. It’s not like the organization is short of past winners to choose from: Patrick Roy, Guy Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse, Stephane Richer, Chris Chelios, Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson, Shayne Corson, Claude Lemieux, Rick Green, Sergio Momesso, Patrice Brisebois, Mike Keane, Eric Desjardins, Brian Skrudland, the list could go on and on.

The one exception I think would be acceptable is Elise Beliveau representing her late great husband, Jean Beliveau, who captured 10 Cups as a player and seven more as an executive with the Habs. They didn’t go that way for Mother’s Day, so I highly doubt they will.

We’ll know in just a few more hours who will be the torchbearer for Game 4, but whoever it is, you can be sure that the debates will start shortly after the end of that match as to who should do it next, whether it is for Game 6 or for a third-round series.

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Well, Pittsburgh Penguins' fans who were worried about the status of longtime star forward Evgeni Malkin's contract negotiations with the organization can breathe a little sigh of relief. 

During his season-ending press conference on Tuesday, Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas provided an update on where he and the organization stand as far as bringing Malkin, who turns 40 this summer, back next season. The 20-year NHL veteran, who has spent every season with the Penguins, is a pending unrestricted free agent. 

Many fans were concerned about the Penguins wanting to go younger and allow Malkin to walk. But, it seems as though Dubas would love to keep him around. 

"We’ve had [discussions]. Obviously, we had a great exit interview with Evgeni directly," Dubas said. "Then, subsequently, we’ve had continued discussions with he and his representative, J.P. Barry. The season that he’s had, where we’re at, where we’re going, I don’t look at our younger players and think that they’ve done enough to have a view that he’s blocking anybody out in that regard.

"We would love to have him back. We'll just continue to work with J.P. on it. That’s as clear as I can be.”

Dubas also went on to talk about Malkin's season and how great he has been for so long, emphasizing how his breaks in play may have actually served to benefit him this season. And he also mentioned the chemistry that Malkin built with Egor Chinakhov and center Tommy Novak after he returned from injury in December.

Why The Evgeni Malkin Decision Should Be EasyEvgeni Malkin is set to be a UFA this summer, but it should be an easy decision to bring him back.

"Every time he came back from being out, he played his best hockey, we felt," Dubas said. "I think that’s one thing to it. The other part is he shifted away from center after the injury in December onto the wing. I thought he and Tommy and Egor Chinakhov there - especially during that stretch - right away had great chemistry. I think it helped reduce some of the load on him, as well.

"I think all of those factors play into it but in the end, he’s one of the great players of all time and as everyone here knows, is very proud. All of those things played into him having the season that he did.”

If unsigned prior to Jul. 1, Malkin will hit free agency, but Dubas continues to communicate with Malkin's camp. He had 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games for the Penguins this season as well as two goals and three points in six playoff games. 

Analyzing The Penguins' Rebuild: Are The Penguins Close To Sustainable Contention?The Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs for the first time in four years in 2026, and GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has emphasized that he wants his team to be a sustainable Stanley Cup contender. So, how close are Dubas and the Penguins?

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The Philadelphia Flyers had Owen Tippett available, albeit at less than 100%, for the entire first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then, he dubiously sat out all of the second round, despite skating with the team.

On Tuesday, Tippett and the Flyers came forward with a statement explaining the circumstances of the injuries, and full marks to Tippett for dealing with this like a true pro.

On top of Tippett playing through a sports hernia, as revealed officially in the statement, the 27-year-old also revealed that he attempted to come back and play through some internal bleeding, though he was unable to do so safely.

Here's the full statement from Tippett and the Flyers:

"I was unable to return for the second round series vs. Carolina Hurricanes due to an internal bleeding issue that I sustained during the first round series vs. Pittsburgh.

"Following a series of medical evaluations, treatments, and rehabilitation under the care of the Flyers medical team, I am making progress and feeling better each day. Despite being cleared to travel and skate with the team at certain practices, things did not progress at a pace that I hoped for or would allow me to safely continue playing.

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"I am beyond proud of what our team has accomplished this season and truly moved by the tremendous support of the fans.

"I want to sincerely thank everyone for that support -- both personally for me and my family, as well as our entire medical and performance staff.

"I am confident for a full recovery and look forward to returning for training camp in September and an exciting year ahead for this organization."

The Flyers winger shared at his exit interview later Tuesday that he is not yet certain if he'll need surgery, which is always a good sign he'll be good to go for training camp.

If Tippett's injuries were more severe, that determination would be easier to come to and would likely take place sooner, all things considered.

As exit interviews progress, the Flyers will have more to share on other injured players, like Rodrigo Abols, Tyson Foerster, Christian Dvorak, and Nikita Grebenkin, now that Tippett has pulled back the curtain on his own situation.

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It's now a best of three as the Ducks and Golden Knights enter Game 5 of the series tied at two wins apiece. The Ducks responded well to a slow start in Game 3, scoring first in Game 4 and never relinquishing the lead.

“Better start,” Chris Kreider said of their Game 4 approach. “I think we got through the neutral zone, got pucks behind them, and then turned.”

“We want to make sure that we're ready from the start,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “They're a good starting team. They're good with the lead. I thought we did a good job of scoring early last game and not giving (the lead) up. When I say giving it up, not letting them get it. So we'll try to emphasize the importance of tonight's start and expect rising to the next challenge of another battle."

Mason McTavish was re-inserted into the lineup for Game 4 after being a healthy scratch in Games 2 and 3. Though he didn't record a point, his line of Ryan Poehling and Cutter Gauthier was among the best, analytically, in Game 4. Gauthier recorded three assists, with two of them coming on the power play.

"He's been awesome," Gauthier said of McTavish after Game 4. "Throughout these playoffs, he's just been a player who keeps his head down and just works really hard. Definitely a heartbeat of our line with me and Poehls. Tonight, I thought he played a great game, getting on the inside, getting in front of the goalie's eyes, making life difficult for the defensemen. He didn't get on the scoresheet, but it definitely doesn't go unnoticed."

"Played great," Kreider said. "Tenacious, hard on pucks. (He) wanted to have an impact on the game and he did, so it was great."

"I thought he had a heck of a game," Quenneville said. "I really liked his attitude coming into the game. Not easy for him not to be in the lineup and then play the way he did, (it) shows character. He wanted to be a big part of it and he was in a lot of ways. Not just power play, but I thought he played a real solid game."

Defenseman Radko Gudas was a game-time decision for Game 4, but did not play. Quenneville said that Gudas is out for Game 5 as well. Troy Terry will play in Game 5 despite missing the morning skate, though that's been the norm during this playoff run.

With Gudas out, Olen Zellweger and Ian Moore will once again slot in as the third defensive pair. Both Zellweger and Moore were inserted into the lineup for Game 4, with Tyson Hinds being a healthy scratch. Moore scored Anaheim's fourth goal, which ended up being the game-winner. Zellweger had the primary assist on the goal.

"We read off each other well," Zellweger said of his partnership with Moore. "I thought we worked together well. Just playing those situations right and giving the team stability defensively. And then when we get the opportunities, being confident, jumping in the play."

Mark Stone, who left Game 3 early in the first period with a lower-body injury, will not be in the lineup for the Golden Knights once again. Brandon Saad will play in his second consecutive game after entering the lineup for Stone in Game 4.

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Ducks Projected Lines

Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry
Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke
Mason McTavish - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier
Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jeff Viel

Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson
Olen Zellweger - Ian Moore

Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)

Golden Knights Projected Lines

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner
Brandon Saad - Tomáš Hertl - Colton Sissons
Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar

Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton - Dylan Coghlan

Carter Hart (confirmed)

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The Minnesota Wild bled shots to centers all season long, and that has continued in the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche.

My Wild vs. Avalanche predictions expect superstar Nathan MacKinnon to take full advantage of this favorable matchup in Game 5.

Let's take a closer look at my NHL picks for Wednesday, May 13.

Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 prediction

Wild vs Avalanche best bet: Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots (-170)

Nathan MacKinnon is averaging 8.3 shot attempts per game in this series and has cleared 3.5 shots in three of four. That's par for the course against the Minnesota Wild, whom he has enjoyed unfathomable success against.

MacKinnon has generated four or more shots in eight of the last nine vs. Minnesota. That includes eight and nine shots on goal performances in the two regular-season meetings down the stretch.

This sort of success should be expected. The Wild allowed the fourth-most shots to centers this season, and have given up more than anybody during the playoffs.

Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 same-game parlay

Cale Makar was on the ice for more shots and chances than anybody over the last three games. He picked up zero points despite the Colorado Avalanche scoring six times. Almost everything runs through him, and he plays a ton of minutes, so the lack of scoring involvement is not going to continue.

Matt Boldy is averaging 4.3 shots on 8.4 attempts during the playoffs. He is Minnesota's go-to shooter and will be firing from anywhere and everywhere with Minnesota's season on the line.

Wild vs Avalanche SGP

• Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots
• Cale Makar Over 0.5 points 
• Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots

Wild vs Avalanche odds for Game 5

• Moneyline: Wild +160 | Avalanche -190
• Puck Line: Wild +1.5 (-145) | Avalanche -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (115)

Wild vs Avalanche trend

The Colorado Avalanche have hit the moneyline in 12 of their last 14 games (+9.35 units, 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Avalanche.

How to watch Wild vs Avalanche Game 5

Wild vs Avalanche latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Top Philadelphia Flyers rookie Porter Martone has had a rollercoaster of a season, making the leap from the OHL to the NCAA, then the NCAA to the NHL, and then partaking in the Stanley Cup playoffs

He isn't giving himself a rest just yet.

On Tuesday, during exit interviews, Martone, 19, revealed that he will playing in the upcoming IIHF Men's World Championships for Canada, which was confirmed by Hockey Canada shortly thereafter.

New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer, who notably has never missed a regular season game in his NHL career, will be joining Martone as the new additions to the roster.

You may recall that Martone played two games for Canada at the World Championships last year, lining up alongside now-Flyers teammates Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster.

Their glowing reviews of the youngster helped convince the Flyers to make him their No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Martone finished his first abbreviated season in the NHL with four goals, six assists, and 10 points in nine regular season games, as well as two goals, three assists, and five points in 10 playoff games.

Flyers Must Avoid This Trap in NHL Free AgencyThe Philadelphia Flyers must be careful and not get greedy overpaying for a player like Darren Raddysh in NHL free agency.

Altogether, 15 points in 19 games for a rookie with no prior professional experience.

At the time of this writing, Martone is the only Flyers representative for the upcoming World Championships, which begin on Friday, May 15, and run to May 31.

Other notable players heading to Worlds include Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Macklin Celebrini, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Mat Barzal, Robert Thomas, John Tavares, Roman Josi, and J.J. Moser.

It's just another tournament for Martone to set his sights on winning, and with a good chunk of big names attending, more opportunity for development and competition for the Flyers' youngster.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The NHL announced today that Minnesota Wild Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin is a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.

The award has been presented annually since 2009-10 to the general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season.

It is voted on by the League's general managers and a panel of NHL executives and print and broadcast media after the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This is the first time Guerin has been named a finalist for this award.

Guerin, in his seventh season with Minnesota, had the Wild seventh in the NHL in points during the regular season and has advanced to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015.

He acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes in a trade with Vancouver on Dec. 12 and added several veterans to the roster at the NHL Trade deadline including forwards Bobby Brink, Nick Foligno and Michael McCarron and defenseman Jeff Petry. The team also added forward Nico Sturm from free agency.

His moves helped the Wild make the second round for the first time in 11 years and is now a finalist for the GM of the year award. Well deserved.

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The Professional Women’s Hockey League is headed for Las Vegas, a source briefed on the situation confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.

The league is expected to announce Vegas as the home of the PWHL’s 10th franchise Wednesday afternoon, and an invitation was recently distributed by Foley Entertainment Group, which owns the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, touting an announcement. Vegas will be the second of what could be four expansion teams for the 2026-27 season; PWHL Detroit was announced last week.

“You’re invited to join us for a historic Las Vegas sports announcement,” the invite, which was sent to youth hockey teams in the area and obtained by The Athletic, said. “This event will bring together our sports and hockey community, recognizing our city’s passion and spirit, while celebrating the future of the sport in our city with a look ahead at what’s to come.”

While Foley Entertainment Group might be involved with the team in some capacity, the league itself operates under a single-entity ownership model. Mark Walter — the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers — and his wife, Kimbra, own the PWHL and all of its teams, a difference from other major pro sports leagues such as the NHL, NFL and MLB.

A PWHL team in Vegas would likely play at T-Mobile Arena, home of the Golden Knights, which has a capacity of 17,500 for hockey and one of the best atmospheres in the NHL. There’s also Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., home to the AHL Henderson Silver Knights. However, a 5,567-seat arena is likely too small for the PWHL, which averaged 9,304 fans per game during its record-breaking 2025-26 regular season. 

Las Vegas has quickly become a hub for major professional sports. After the NHL’s Golden Knights — led by owner Bill Foley — broke the seal on Las Vegas as a professional sports market in 2017, other leagues quickly followed suit. The WNBA Aces relocated from San Antonio in 2018; the NFL’s Raiders moved from Oakland for the 2020 season; MLB’s Athletics, also formerly in Oakland, plan to open a ballpark in 2028; and the NBA in March approved exploration of placing an expansion team in the city for the 2028-29 season.

The Aces have become a dynasty franchise in Vegas, winning three league titles in four years. In March, the organization announced it was the first WNBA team to sell out season ticket allotments for three consecutive seasons. The Aces play at Michelob ULTRA Arena and have drawn big crowds for select games hosted at T-Mobile. In July 2024, the Aces played against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever in front of 20,366 fans — the largest regular-season crowd at a WNBA game since 1999.

Vegas has also become a premier destination for NHL players, which was on display yet again this summer when the Golden Knights landed Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Players don’t want to leave,” Foley said in a July interview with The Athletic’s Jesse Granger. “Once they get here, and they see our facilities and where we play, and they see the way we take care of our players, scouts and coaches, and how everyone is all in, they don’t want to leave.”

PWHL Las Vegas and Detroit will join the original six markets of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York and Minnesota and the league’s first expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver.

San Jose, Calif., and Hamilton, Ont., have also emerged in recent weeks as two of the league’s other prime options to reach 12 teams for next season, according to chatter in league circles.

Teams in Las Vegas and another western market, along with another in the east, would make the league more geographically balanced, potentially placing four franchises in the West, two in the Midwest (Detroit and Minnesota) and six in the East. Having that kind of footprint might also allow the PWHL to split into two conferences and potentially four divisions; PWHL executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer told the Associated Press the league is exploring the idea.

Selecting expansion markets has been a fluid process for league executives, who have spent months working through the available options.

“There is a line of cities eager to have us there, whether it’s for a couple Takeover Tour games or for a full-time team,” Stan Kasten, the president of the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and a PWHL advisory board member, said last month. “We’re going to have news about that in the next few weeks.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Sceptres, Minnesota Frost, Vancouver Goldeneyes, New York Sirens, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Seattle Torrent, Boston Fleet, NHL, Sports Business, Women's Hockey

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Florida Panthers play-by-play voice Steve Goldstein has been keeping busy.

Over the past several years, the Panthers have been a mainstay during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, keeping Goldstein occupied calling games with the team during the first round and hosting broadcasts on TV and inside Amerant Bank Arena during the Cats’ postseason runs.

This year, an injury-decimated season kept the Panthers out of the playoffs.

If you’re thinking that meant Goldstein would have a little more time off, you are sorely mistaken.

Once Florida’s season ended, Goldstein was tapped by Sports USA owner and executive producer Larry Kahn to be a voice on the network as the Stanley Cup Playoffs got started.

Kahn was clearly a fan of Goldstein’s work after previously asking Goldie to call the 2026 Winter Classic for Sports USA.

While it’s probably safe to assume that he’d rather be calling Panthers games, Goldie is also a lifelong hockey nerd who knows better than to pass up a chance at calling the best playoffs in all of sports.

“Of course, it would be awesome to still be calling Panthers games during the playoffs, but you know they’ll be back,” he said. “It’s great to have this opportunity.”

In the weeks since the postseason began, to say Goldie has been calling a lot of hockey in a bunch of different places would be an understatement. Let’s just hope he’s collecting frequent flyer miles.

So far, Goldstein has called games in Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, Tampa, Las Vegas, Anaheim and soon, Denver, handling the majority of playoff games Sports USA has broadcast.

He’s crisscrossed the country, calling four different first-round series and so far, both of the Western Conference semifinals, while sprinkling in a stop in Boone, North Carolina for his son Kyle’s graduation From Appalachian State University.

Goldie’s postseason started in Texas, calling Game 1 between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on Saturday, April 18. A few days later he called Game 3 between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins in Boston, then followed that up with Game 4 of the series between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings in LA three nights after that.

But it wasn’t until after calling Games 5 and 7 of the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa that things really kicked into high gear for Goldstein.

After calling the Canadiens’ impressive Game 7 victory in Tampa on Sunday, May 3, he flew home Monday and was back on a flight out west to Las Vegas on Tuesday.

He called Game 2 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, May 6, and then Thursday he was heading back east to North Carolina for his son’s graduation from Appalachian State.

A late-night flight home on Friday had Goldie walking into his home around 1 a.m., just in time to re-pack and head right back to the airport for a 1 p.m. Saturday flight back across the country to Anaheim for Sunday’s Game 4 between the Ducks and Golden Knights.

The following day, which was Monday, he was on a relatively shorter flight from Anaheim to Denver, where he actually gets to chill for a couple days before calling Game 5 between the Wild and Avalanche on Wednesday.

After that, he’ll fly to Anaheim on Thursday to call Game 6 between the Ducks and Golden Knights that night, and from there it’s TBD.

It’s possible he goes to Vegas if that series goes seven games. Or if the Sabres and Canadiens series extends to a sixth game, Goldie could be heading up to the hockey mecca of Montreal for that one.

After this round is over, look for Goldie to be working one of the conference finals.

Even with all the miles and hotels, Goldstein said he’s having a blast calling playoff hockey and visiting with with all the friends he’s made along the way.

That includes former Panthers like Radko Gudas, who Goldie caught up with after a recent morning skate in Anaheim.

Gudas is a genuinely good guy who was a fan and media favorite during his time with Florida, so hearing that the two dads took some time to reminisce and chat about what their kids are up to came as no surprise.

Goldie has also been blessed with an all-star group of analysts to work alongside in the broadcast booth this postseason.

While surely nobody compares to the great Randy Moller, Goldstein has called games with Kings TV analyst Jim Fox, Bruins analyst Billy Jaffe, Utah Mammoth color man Nick Olczyk and analyst for the New York Rangers Dave Maloney.

Panthers fans can universally agree that they’ve got one of the best play-by-play voices and hockey personalities in the game.

Despite the Cats missing out on the playoffs this year, it’s nice that Florida’s official voice is still out there doing his thing.

For fans wondering how and where they can hear Goldie’s calls, Sports USA games can be found on Sirius XM and various local radio stations throughout the county, as well as online at SportsUSA.live.

Keep up the great work, Goldie!

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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin might get his wish to stay in Pittsburgh after all.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Tuesday the club would “love” to have the three-time Stanley Cup-winning forward back for a 21st season next winter.

Malkin is scheduled to become a free agent for the first time in his career in July and turns 40 in August. The Russian star is coming off a solid bounce-back year, finishing with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games.

The future Hall of Famer said after Pittsburgh's first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia that he plans to play in the NHL next season and would prefer to do it with the only franchise he's ever known. Dubas had been vague most of the year about Malkin's future, but sounded more optimistic a couple of weeks removed from the Penguins' first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

“He's a special player,” Dubas said of Malkin.

Dubas pointed to Malkin's resiliency during an eventful year in which he missed 20 games because of injury and five more because of suspension as proof that Malkin remains an effective player on a team that returned to the postseason following a three-year absence.

Each time Malkin's season threatened to derail, he returned with what Dubas described as “renewed energy.”

Dubas pointed out that no player in Pittsburgh's improved prospect pool appears poised to take on Malkin's role as a top offensive option.

“I don’t think he’s blocking anybody," Dubas said. “We would love to have him back.”

Malkin and longtime running mates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have spent two decades playing alongside each other, the longest three teammates have played together in major North American sports history.

While Dubas knows that run will likely end during his tenure, he also allowed that what the trio has is special. Letang remains under contract for two more seasons. Crosby, the only player in NHL history to average a point a game for 21 straight years, is eligible for an extension in July.

Dubas added that while the team as a whole took a significant step forward under first-year head coach Dan Muse, there remains work to be done regardless of who is on the roster when the Penguins report for training camp in September.

“We're still well short of where we aspire to be,” Dubas said.

Dubas praised the Flyers for “getting to their game” early in the first-round series, and while the Penguins eventually found their footing, it was too late. He added that it's clear by watching some of the teams still in the playoffs that the gap between where Pittsburgh is and the top contenders is still significant.

“We have a long way to go,” he said. “I don’t kid myself with that.”

___

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager/president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas met with the media on Tuesday for his end-of-season press conference, and he discussed a wide range of significant topics.

At the top of the list: Evgeni Malkin’s future with the Penguins, where the Penguins currently stand in the NHL with the progress they made this season, and what they need to do next in order to get where they want to be.

Also, speaking of Dubas, the finalists for the NHL’s general manager of the year award were announced on Tuesday and Dubas was not among the top-three vote-getters. There are a lot of people in hockey that simply do not like him. This seems to be pretty significant confirmation of that, because that result just seems weird.

But that is another discussion for another day.

Let’s get into the big topics as it relates to the Penguins.

On the Evgeni Malkin situation

Dubas gave the best possible answer that he could have possibly given here.

He praised Malkin, understands his place in the history of the franchise and the league, said all of the right things about him, acknowledged that he is not blocking anybody if he returns, and flat out said “we would love to have him back.”

Also said he had a great exit interview with him and that he is still talking to Malkin’s agent to make the contract work.

My takeaway on this: He is either doing really good PR for himself in the event that Malkin leaves, or a new contract is inevitable.

I feel like the latter is probably the most likely.

But you can’t really rule out the former. Dubas isn’t dumb. He knows how to deal with the media and how to play the game publicly. By shifting the onus onto Malkin he positioned himself to say, “hey, we wanted him back, it just didn’t work.” He might still very well want to move on, but he also knows in doing so that would always be attached to his tenure here, and if it did not work out …. well … that is the kind of thing that can linger.

Now, having said that, I will repeat, Dubas isn’t dumb. He also has to know that playing that sort of PR game with a franchise icon probably won’t go over well with anybody.

So I am still leaning toward the “Malkin will be back next season” side of this.

On where the Penguins are right now

Dubas’ assessment of the 2025-26 Penguins is that they were a good team, and at times flirted with being a “very good” team. But he also acknowledged that while they did make some progress, they were not good enough, and are not anywhere close to being a contender. He even mentioned that while watching the second-round of the playoffs he has openly wondered if they would be able to compete with the top teams in the league.

Kyle Dubas summed up the state of the #LetsGoPens:

"Good team. At times, we flirted with becoming very good. Ultimately, well short of where we aspire to be, and that’s a contender."

Said that falls on him, and he has to continue steering this team towards taking more steps.

— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) May 12, 2026

He has repeatedly said that his goal here is not just about making the playoffs, but building a contender-worthy team that can compete for championships.

In his view, they are clearly not at that level.

That is also not an unfair take. They were good this season. But even as they won more games and got into the playoffs everybody still knew they were at least a step below the likes of Colorado and Carolina.

Dubas specifically referenced the Hurricanes being the class of the division and said at the present time the Penguins are not even close to them.

On what they need to do to get there

Dubas seemed most bothered by how much the Penguins give up defensively, and that has to be a focus before they can get back to the level they want to play at.

That was clearly the Achilles heel of the Penguins all season.

While they finished near the top of the league in pretty much every major offensive category, from goals scored, to power play, to scoring chances to expected goals, they were significantly worse when it came to what they allowed going back the other way.

During 5-on-5 play they were 22nd in goals against, 20th in expected goals against, 23rd in scoring chances against and 22nd in high-danger scoring chances against.

Clearly that is not good enough.

Dubas talks about Penguins as “destination” team for players “with some control over their situation.”

To me, this is the most significant thing that Dubas said on Tuesday, and might indicate the type of players he is going to be looking at this offseason.

He specifically referenced “players in their mid-to-late 20s.”

It does not take a lot of imagination to try and figure out the type of players he might be referencing here when he talks about that age range, and players with “some control” over their situation.

No-trade clauses.

Restricted free agents.

Players that might want out of their current situation.

It also seems to indicate he has little interest in the unrestricted free agent market.

Dubas has been extremely aggressive in roster movement since taking over the Penguins, and it does not require much overthinking to guess that we might be in for a hectic offseason.

The Los Angeles Kings have made the playoffs for 5 straight seasons, and over the last 2 years, the Kings have made major roster changes that, at the time, were made to help the team not only make the playoffs but also to help get them further both within the playoffs and in future seasons to come. But during the time those trades and signings were made, the players, fans, and Kings organization couldn't see just how impactful they were, so looking back 2 years to see the most recent acquisitions and who has changed the Kings the most.

2025-26 Season Acquisitions

During the 2025-26 season, the Kings made multiple trades, bringing in some players and sending others to other teams. The Kings' trades this season both showcased the team's future building while also providing star and depth talent for the short term. 

The biggest trade the Kings made this season was for the biggest player on the trade market. The trade was the Kings trading for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in exchange for Liam Greentree and a conditional 2026 3rd round pick. While the Kings lost one of their top prospects, they gained a player who has been a point per game over the last 9 consecutive seasons. 

Artemi Panarin, after being traded to the Kings, signed a 2-year, $11 million AAV deal with the team. Panarin, since joining the Kings, has played in 26 games, scoring 9 goals, tallying 18 assists for 27 points. In the 4 playoff games he played, he had 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points. 

During the 2026 trade deadline, the Kings traded players to different contenders around the NHL, but they also acquired 2 players. The first was signing forward Mathieu Joseph to a 1 year $900K contract. Joseph played in 12 games for the Kings and did not register any points. 

The second acquisition at the deadline for the Kings was Scott Laughton, who was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional 2026 3rd-round pick. Laughton with the Kings played in 21 games, scoring 5 goals and recording 3 assists for 8 points. The Kings were able to use Laughton as a depth piece and have interest in signing Laughton during the offseason. 

2024-25 Players Acquired 

The Kings during the 2024-25 season made a few moves, and at the trade deadline, they acquired forward Andrei Kuzmenko from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2027 3rd-round pick. In the 2024-25 season, Kuzmenko played in 22 games, registering 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points, and was playing some of his best hockey.

But the 2025-26 season was a setback, as Kuzmenko played only 52 games due to injuries and scratches. In those 52 games, he registered 13 goals, 12 assists for 25 points. While Kuzmenko's points improved, he often found himself a healthy scratch and lacked a set spot in the lineup. Currently, Kuzmenko is set to become a free agent in this upcoming offseason.

The offseason after the 2024-25 season was a busy one for the Kings, as they signed 4 players when free agency opened on July 1st. Those players are Anton Forsberg, Joel Armia, Brian Dumoulin, and Cody Ceci. 

Anton Forsberg signed a 2-year, $2.2 million AAV deal with the Kings and was set to be the Kings' backup goaltender. But fast-forward to the end of the 2025-26 season, and Forsberg was the Kings' starting goalie in the playoffs and has proved to be a strong option in goal heading into next season. 

Joel Armia signed a 2-year, $2.5 million AAV deal, and in his first season with the Kings, he played in 67 games, registering 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points. Armia also represented Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he led the team with 8 points. While being a depth player for the Kings, Armia made a strong impact this season and looks to do the same heading into the next. 

The last 2 players to sign with the Kings were Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci, who, throughout the 2025-26 season, would form the 3rd defensive pairing for the Kings. Brian Dumoulin signed a 3-year $4 million AAV deal and played in all 82 games, scoring 2 goals, tallying 15 assists for 17 points. Ceci would sign a 4-year, $4.5 million deal and also play in all 82 games, scoring 1 goal and tallying 8 assists for 9 points. 

2023-24 Players Acquired 

The 2023-24 season for the Kings, in terms of trades and signings, featured players who have solidified themselves as Kings starting players today. The first player the Kings acquired in the 203-24 offseason was goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who was traded to the Kings from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois. Kuemper would have a Vezina-nominated season the following year, and while in the 2025-26 season, he would take a step back. The Kings now have him and Forsberg to be a strong tandem heading into next season. 

Not long after the Kuemper trade, the Kings traded Carl Grundstrom to the San Jose Sharks for Kyle Burroughs. Burroughs would not play in the 2025-26 season, due to injuries and being the 7th defenseman on the roster. The Kings made 2 signings on July 1st, 2024, signing Jeff Malott and Joel Edmundson. 

Jeff Malott signed a 2-year $775K deal with the Kings. In the 60 combined games Malott has played with the Kings over the last 2 seasons, he has scored 3 goals and has tallied 10 points. Malott is set to become a free agent during the 2026 offseason. 

The last signing for the Kings was Joel Edmundson, who signed a 4-year, $3.8 million AAV deal with the Kings. In the past 2 seasons, Edmundson has proven himself a reliable defenseman for the Kings, playing in 155 games, scoring 8 goals, and recording 43 points. 

Impact on the Kings 

The Kings' recent acquisitions have had a significant impact on their roster. The biggest impacts for the Kings are Kuemper, Panarin, and Edmundson. Darcy Kuemper has proven himself a starter for the Kings, and with the addition of Forsberg, the Kings have a reliable tandem moving forward. The addition of Joel Edmundson to the Kings has given them a reliable defenseman who can play anywhere in the lineup. 

Lastly, while Panarin joined the Kings during March of the 2025-26 season his offensive presence was impactful for the Kings to clinch a playoff birth and heading into next season Panarin will be looked upon to help the Kings offense and with the Kings possibly adding more players during the upcoming offseason the Kings could be a new team come time for the start of the 2026-27 NHL season. 

It was a tough season for the Detroit Red Wings as they aimed to finally snap their playoff drought, but by the time the postseason arrived, they were left watching from home once again. 

After briefly leading the Atlantic Division earlier in the year, Detroit’s season unraveled slowly and painfully, with inconsistency, defensive struggles and a lack of finishing ability ultimately costing them a playoff spot in heartbreaking fashion.

For frustrated Red Wings fans searching for answers, NHL EDGE data provides a clearer picture of what went right and what went disastrously wrong over the course of the regular season.

Offensively, Detroit actually produced at a level that should have translated into far more success. The Red Wings generated 2,316 shots on goal, ranking 11th in the NHL, while their 685 high-danger scoring chances also placed them 11th league-wide. Their underlying possession metrics were respectable as well, posting a plus-0.5 shot-attempt differential that ranked 14th and a plus-0.1 shots-on-goal differential that ranked seventh overall.

Those numbers suggest Detroit frequently controlled play at even strength and created quality opportunities on a nightly basis. The problem was turning those opportunities into goals.

Despite generating offense consistently, the Red Wings scored just 239 goals this season, ranking 22nd in the NHL. Their shooting percentage of 10.3 percent ranked 26th, revealing a team that simply struggled to finish chances when it mattered most. Too often, Detroit outplayed opponents for stretches only to fail to capitalize offensively.

The deeper puck-possession numbers tell an even more concerning story with Detroit spending 42.5 percent of its total ice time in the defensive zone, meanwhile, they spent only 40 percent of their time in the offensive zone, ranking 26th, while their neutral-zone possession time of 17.4 percent ranked 29th.

For a club attempting to establish a controlled, possession-driven identity under its current core, those numbers expose a major weakness. Detroit frequently found itself hemmed into its own zone and struggled to sustain pressure offensively for long stretches.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Red Wings Lose Out On Charlie Coyle As Center Re-Signs With Blue JacketsColumbus secures a reliable two-way veteran with a long-term extension, forcing Detroit to pivot their offseason strategy after missing out on a premier middle-six depth solution.

The Red Wings also weren't the slowest team in the league by any means by lacked top end speed as they recorded a maximum skating speed of just 22.84 MPH this season, ranking dead last among all 32 teams.

Their total number of 22+ MPH speed bursts, just 45, ranked third-worst in the league. In an NHL increasingly dominated by transition offense and explosive skating, Detroit lacked the high-end pace necessary to keep up with other teams. 

Detroit ranked 32nd in total miles skated on the penalty kill at 159.32 miles, while their average of 7.15 miles skated per 60 minutes while shorthanded ranked second-worst in the NHL. Their total movement during penalty-kill situations in individual periods also ranked last league-wide.

Combined with Detroit’s bottom-10 penalty kill ranking this season, the data reinforces what fans often saw with the eye test, a passive unit that struggled to pressure puck carriers or disrupt offensive setups.

On the bright side, Detroit’s power play emerged as one of the team’s strengths, finishing seventh in the NHL in most miles skated during a game on the power play and second in most miles skated during a single period with the man advantage. This was largely because they tied with the Dallas Stars for the seventh-most power play opportunities in the NHL with 248 this season. 

At even strength, the Red Wings also posted respectable skating numbers, ranking ninth in total miles skated and 10th in average miles skated per 60 minutes. While their top-end explosiveness lagged behind the league’s elite teams, their overall work rate remained competitive.

The Red Wings showed they can generate chances, compete territorially at times and create an active power play. But their inability to finish scoring opportunities, sustain offensive-zone possession and match the league’s speed ultimately doomed them when the playoff race tightened.

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With the announcement that the Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed Charlie Coyle to a six-year contract, what does than mean for a Jackets team desperate to make Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Well, for one, they're bringing back a 14-year NHL vet with 1032 NHL games under his belt. Coyle, who spent was brought to the Cannon City via a trade with the Colorado Avalanche in the summer of 2025, put up 58 points last season, and played some of the best hockey of his career. The guy oozed leadership from the minute he got here. 

He's also never missed the NHL playoffs in his career until this past season, and if he was clearly upset with that during his exit interview with the media. Coyle also made it perfectly clear he wanted to come back to Columbus, and guide them to their first playoff berth since 2020. 

So, Coyle has his long term, and possibly last contract of his career, so what now?

Coyle needs to keep up the pace in which he played last season. When Coyle, Mathieu Olivier, and Cole Sillinger scored, or were making plays, this team won. If those three players can play like they did in 2025-26, watch out. 

But what else does Coyle coming mean to the CBJ?

It also means that the long-time Captain Boone Jenner might be on the move. 

Jenner has played every game of his NHL career in Columbus, and is the definition of the city itself. He works hard, and does what he needs to do. It's often said that a plyers best attribute is his availability. In this case, as sad as it may be, that may be Jenner's downfall.  

Boone Jenner has only played 82 games in his career once, back in 2016-17. The closest he's come to that since was 18-19 when he played 77. Since that season, he's played 70 once, 68, and then 67 this past season. Out of 1028 games he could've played, Jenner has only played in 808. 

If Boone Jenner isn't brought back, might they give Charlie Coyle the C? If I had to make a guess, I'd say yes. As I said above, Charlie has leader written all over him. From what he brings on the ice, to what he brings off of it, Coyle is what you want in a professional hockey player. He's also from Massachusetts, so you know he has no issue's with speaking his mind. 

This is a huge deal for Columbus going forward. Young guys love him, and the older players respect him, and value his experience.

Many will point to the term and get scared, but in my opinion, this deal is perfect for this franchise right now. 

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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After defeating a Stanley Cup favorite in the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens have now taken a 2-1 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres, and former St. Louis Blues first-round pick Zachary Bolduc has done his fair share of heavy lifting to do so.

Bolduc’s first season in Montreal was a bit of a letdown. Coming off a 19-goal, 36-point rookie season with the Blues, St. Louis decided to trade the 23-year-old to the Habs in exchange for right-handed defenseman Logan Mailloux.

Bolduc started the season on fire, finding minutes on the top line and top power play unit, but he then hit a cold streak that extended for far too long.

He finished the regular season with just 12 goals and 30 points in 78 games, averaging 13:38 of ice time. But the playoffs have changed things for the former 17th overall pick of the 2021 NHL draft. 

In 10 games, Bolduc has notched two goals and six points despite his minutes shrinking to 11:30. He’s also fired 12 shots on goal, thrown 24 hits, and is a plus-6 in 10 post-season games. The Habs have outscored their opponents 8-2 at 5-on-5 with Bolduc on the ice, and he’s finding ways to be impactful, while also producing as a third liner.

On Sunday, with the Canadiens leading 2-1 in the second period, Bolduc came through with a crucial goal, which proved to be the game-winning goal as the Canadiens defeated the Sabres 6-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. Later in the game, Bolduc was assessed a 10-minute misconduct after receiving a double minor for roughing in the first period and a minor for roughing in the second. 

Revisiting The Logan Mailloux For Zachary Bolduc TradeOne of the surprise off-season trades saw the St. Louis Blues acquire Logan Mailloux from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Zachary Bolduc. Nearing the 50-game mark of the season, we revisit the trade to see who the real winner of the deal was.

There’s been plenty of debate about the Bolduc and Mailloux swap, but as of now, it appears both sides are pleased with the results. Bolduc’s production comes in waves, but he’s carving out a third-line role.

As for Mailloux, he stepped up late in the season, looking far more comfortable at the NHL level. He could be in store for a true breakout season in 2026-27. 

The Canadiens are back in action tonight as they host the Sabres for a critical Game 4. 

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