Buffalo fans waited 15 years for playoff hockey, only to discover many of them can’t realistically afford to be there.

Playoff Shock

For years, the Sabres positioned themselves as one of the few affordable nights out in professional sports. According to a recent study by Action Network, Buffalo ranked as the cheapest NHL experience for a family of four during the regular season, with an average total cost of just $457.32 at KeyBank Center. In a league where some franchises charge well over $1,000 for a single game night, Buffalo appeared to understand its market better than most.

But the moment playoff hockey finally returned, that image disappeared almost overnight.

After asking fans to endure one of the longest playoff droughts in modern professional sports, the Sabres suddenly shifted from “family affordable” to premium pricing. Fans who stayed loyal through losing seasons were met with immediate sticker shock once postseason tickets became available.

Multiple fans online reported upper-level playoff seats starting around $120 to $150 before fees, while lower-bowl prices quickly climbed toward $500 per ticket on resale sites. For a city that prides itself on being blue-collar and deeply connected to its hockey culture, the reaction was swift.

And honestly, it’s hard not to understand why.

A Blue-Collar Fanbase Hits Its Breaking Point

These are fans who sat through multiple rebuilds, watched games surrounded by empty seats, and still kept buying jerseys and supporting the team in the hope that meaningful hockey would eventually return. Buffalo remained loyal through coaching changes, front-office shakeups, and years of disappointment because people believed the payoff would someday come.

Playoff hockey was supposed to feel like a reward.

Instead, for many families, it became another reminder that live sports are increasingly becoming inaccessible to the very people who care the most.

And when you compare Buffalo’s prices to other playoff markets, the frustration only grows. One circulating graphic on social media showed Sabres playoff ticket prices dramatically higher than teams like the Edmonton Oilers and even the Montreal Canadiens — one of hockey’s most historic Original Six franchises. That’s where many fans feel the disconnect begins.

NHL Playoff ticket prices…

Those Buffalo Sabres tickets😳🤯

(Photo via @superfinn23) pic.twitter.com/Lbj5Uq8wPd

— Everything Hockey (@EHClothing) April 16, 2026

If you think I'm misleading you, take a look for yourself. This is insanity.

Buffalo is not a massive corporate market overflowing with luxury buyers. It’s a passionate hockey city built on working-class fans. Pricing ordinary people out of the building risks creating an atmosphere where the most loyal supporters are replaced by whoever can simply afford the experience.

What makes the situation sting even more is that the Sabres clearly understand affordability matters in Buffalo. The regular-season numbers prove it. They marketed accessibility because they knew it resonated with the fanbase. But the moment demand surged, so did the prices.

Fans online described standard tickets disappearing within minutes before resale listings flooded the market. Others questioned why a team that struggled to consistently fill seats for years suddenly began operating like a luxury product the second it became relevant again.

There’s a difference between normal playoff pricing and outright gouging. Nobody expects postseason tickets to cost the same as a random Tuesday night game in January. But when the NHL’s cheapest regular-season experience suddenly becomes inaccessible the moment the games actually matter, criticism is fair.

Buffalo fans spent over a decade waiting for this moment.

A lot of them are now watching from home instead — and honestly, that may be the smarter financial decision. A beer in your own fridge costs a fraction of arena prices, and the couch doesn’t come with hundreds of dollars in ticket fees attached. More importantly, fans shouldn’t feel punished financially for wanting to celebrate the return of meaningful hockey in their city.

Buffalo, you deserve better.

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The Countdown - Mar. 20 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 9 - Jared Clinton

THERE ARE GREY-BEARDED springtime warriors – and then there’s Corey Perry.

For the past 20 years, Perry has been a playoff fixture. Debuting in the post-season in 2006 as a member of the Ducks, he helped Anaheim to a Stanley Cup the following season. Since then, only three campaigns have passed without Perry in the post-season conversation.

In recent years, in particular, Perry has become a focal point. He’s been to the Cup final – on the losing side – in five of the past six seasons. What began with surprising runs to consecutive finals with the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens turned into a failed attempt at helping the Tampa Bay Lightning three-peat in 2022 before back-to-back heartbreaks with the Edmonton Oilers.

Last spring, he surpassed Mark Messier for third on the all-time playoff games played ledger, and Perry’s 237 playoff games are tops among active players. Put another way: Perry has seen more playoff action than the totality of the Philadelphia Flyers’ roster. However, he will still need at least two more playoff runs if he hopes to chase down Hall of Famers Chris Chelios (266) and Nicklas Lidstrom (263) on the all-time list.

Still, Perry’s playoff resume is padded enough that simply acquiring him helped the Lightning leap into the second spot on our Countdown, which explores the collective playoff experience on the roster of each NHL club.

*All totals are based on NHL rosters as of March 9 and include players on LTIR who have or might play this season

1 FLORIDA PANTHERS

1,510 GAMES PLAYED

Ten Cats were present for all three Cup final runs, totalling 659 games. They alone would rank 20th on this list.

2 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

1,506 GAMES PLAYED

Ryan McDonagh and Victor Hedman have 366 games. The rest of the ‘D’? 115. There’s a chasm in experience.

3 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

1,336 GAMES PLAYED

He’s a forgotten man, but Brandon Saad sits above all but three Golden Knights with 111 career post-season outings.

4 DALLAS STARS

1,313 GAMES PLAYED

Sauna culture is strong in Dallas. Among active Finns, Stars have four of the five most tenured playoff performers.

5 COLORADO AVALANCHE

1,276 GAMES PLAYED

At 135 games, no active player has more playoff experience without a Cup ring than beloved blueliner Brent Burns.

6 CAROLINA HURRICANES

1,184 GAMES PLAYED

Jordan Staal leads in playoff games. Surprisingly, next in line isn’t a top talent but depth guy William Carrier.

7 EDMONTON OILERS

1,161 GAMES PLAYED

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and ‘RNH’ have played in every single Oilers playoff game since 2016-17.

8 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

1,102 GAMES PLAYED

A deep run could see Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin cross the 200-game mark. Unlikely, but it’s not impossible.

9 MINNESOTA WILD

975 GAMES PLAYED

Marcus Johansson and Vladimir Tarasenko have more individual playoff games than Wild do as a franchise.

10 NEW YORK ISLANDERS

948 GAMES PLAYED

The rapid turnaround has been guided by Matthew Schaefer. He’ll be among a few Isles making playoff debuts.

11 WINNIPEG JETS

940 GAMES PLAYED

Stark reminder that experience isn’t everything. Veteran-laden Jets took nosedive after 2025 Presidents’ Trophy.

12 LOS ANGELES KINGS

887 GAMES PLAYED

Caught between buying and selling, Kings exited the deadline with a more inexperienced outfit than they had prior.

13 SEATTLE KRAKEN

813 GAMES PLAYED

Collective push up the rankings could be in the offing, as Kraken battle for franchise’s second trip to post-season.

14 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

812 GAMES PLAYED

On a star-studded roster, bottom-six plugger Calle Jarnkrok is the Leafs’ clubhouse leader in playoff appearances.

15 SAN JOSE SHARKS

770 GAMES PLAYED

Of the 24 players on the roster post-deadline, exactly half have never seen a second of big-league playoff action.

16 NASHVILLE PREDATORS

769 GAMES PLAYED

Other than Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, no Preds skater has played more than eight playoff games with Nashville.

17 ANAHEIM DUCKS

686 GAMES PLAYED

The stunning deadline addition of John Carlson boosted the back end and gave Ducks title-winning experience.

18 DETROIT RED WINGS

678 GAMES PLAYED

The lone homegrown Red Wing with playoff games to his name is Dylan Larkin. He played five in 2016.

19 WASHINGTON CAPITALS

665 GAMES PLAYED

Ryan Leonard had only celebrated his third birthday by the time Alex Ovechkin played his first post-season game.

20 NEW YORK RANGERS

654 GAMES PLAYED

Pending reset and possible off-season clear out could see Rangers move a great number of battle-tested talents.

21 BOSTON BRUINS

651 GAMES PLAYED

Franchise has had 13 players reach 100 playoff games. Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak will be next to hit mark.

22 NEW JERSEY DEVILS

631 GAMES PLAYED

The current core – Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Hughes brothers – has combined to play merely 56 playoff games.

23 UTAH MAMMOTH

597 GAMES PLAYED

Utah overjoyed with MacKenzie Weegar acquisition, but Mammoth lost 65 games of playoff experience in the deal.

24 OTTAWA SENATORS

539 GAMES PLAYED

For a dozen Sens, their lone playoff experience is last year’s six-game first-round defeat at hands of rival Leafs.

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

25 ST. LOUIS BLUES

539 GAMES PLAYED

Are Blues primed to plummet down this list? As talk of teardown persists, vultures circle St. Louis’ top talents.

26 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

532 GAMES PLAYED

Charlie Coyle debuted 12 years after the Jackets. He’s played three times as many playoff games as the franchise.

27 MONTREAL CANADIENS

472 GAMES PLAYED

With Phillip Danault returning, six of the Habs’ skaters were present for the stunning run to bubble final in 2021.

28 CALGARY FLAMES

457 GAMES PLAYED

Whether you call it a retool, rebuild or ‘rebiggle,’ the message is clear: Calgary plans to overhaul roster to right the ship.

29 VANCOUVER CANUCKS

418 GAMES PLAYED

Hard to believe Elias Pettersson’s playoff resume is just 30 games. The question is: will he play another in Vancouver?

30 BUFFALO SABRES

387 GAMES PLAYED

Last Sabres draft picks to skate in playoff games for Buffalo? Tyler Myers, now 36, and recent retiree Tyler Ennis.

31 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

372 GAMES PLAYED

Though Teuvo Teravainen won a Cup as a Hawk, the bulk of his post-season play came during his time in Carolina.

32 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

208 GAMES PLAYED

The franchise’s reset is such that waiver-wire add Luke Glendening, at 50 games, is the most playoff-tested Flyer.

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Dylan Holloway made his debut on the international level a good one.

The St. Louis Blues winger, who recently signed a contract extension that will average $7.75 million per season over five years, scored for Canada at the IIHF World Championship in a 5-3 win over Sweden in Switzerland on Friday.

Holloway, 24, gave Canada a 3-2 lead in the second period on a short side wrister from the high slot after Sweden had tied the game after falling behind 2-0:

What a shot by Holloway! 🤩

Quel tir de Holloway! 🤩#MensWorlds | #MondialMasculinpic.twitter.com/KIMxxLAyaB

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 15, 2026

Holloway, who skated on a line with Blues Stanley Cup champion and Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly, who also scored, and Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets), finished the game with three shots on goal and a plus-1 in 12:35 of ice time.

Blues center Robert Thomas assisted on Canada's first goal scored by John Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs) in the first period:

Tavares gets us on the board! 🚨

Tavares nous inscrit au pointage! 🚨#MensWorlds | #MondialMasculinpic.twitter.com/cMLPAX4Pv4

— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 15, 2026

Thomas, who centered a line with Tavares and Dylan Cozens (Ottawa Senators), played 12:27 and was a plus-1 with two shots on goal.

Oskar Sundqvist was Sweden's third line center and played 16:24 with a shot on goal and a munis-2.

Love Harenstam, a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, was the extra goalie and did not suit up.

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The Montreal Canadiens can advance to Round 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win over the Buffalo Sabres tonight.

My top Sabres vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks expect Montreal star Lane Hutson to play a pivotal role in sending Buffalo packing in Game 6 on Saturday, May 16.

Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET from the Bell Centre in Montreal, with the game airing on Sportsnet and ABC.

Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6 prediction tonight

Who will win Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6?

Canadiens: The Canadiens have flipped the script and posted a 55.2 expected goals percentage to outscore the Sabres 19-9 in the past three games, and Montreal has also been better on both special teams. 

With Buffalo searching for answers between the pipes, I’m expecting the Habs to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.

Sabres vs Canadiens best bet: Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots (-125)

Montreal Canadiens star defenseman Lane Hutson has been held to just a pair of shots despite recording 11 attempts over the past three games, and that 18.2% conversion rate is miles behind his 38.3% mark through the first nine games of the postseason.

In addition to Hutson’s overall 66 attempts pacing the club during the playoffs, his 44 offensive-zone starts and 51.0 Corsi for percentage at five-on-five also lead the Habs.

With Montreal having the last-change advantage on home ice, I’m anticipating head coach Martin St. Louis to find even more opportunities to deploy his go-to defenseman in prime offensive situations.

Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6 same-game parlay

The Buffalo Sabres sport a discouraging .860 team SV% in Round 2, and I have no confidence in either Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen or Alex Lyon delivering in Game 6.

Montreal has also been the better team on both special teams, while outscoring Buffalo 19-9 and generating 55.2% of the expected goals percentage the past three games.

Turning to rising Montreal star Ivan Demidov, he’s marked the scoresheet in four of the past five games with a 58.7 xGF% at five-on-five for the series. 

Sabres vs Canadiens SGP

• Canadiens moneyline
• Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
• Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots

Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6 goal scorer pick

Juraj Slafkovsky (+190)

With just a single goal and a 3.7 shooting percentage across his past 11 games, Canadiens winger Juraj Slafkovsky is ripe to find the back of the net in Game 6.

In addition to the obvious positive regression coming to his SH%, Slafkovsky has also paced the Habs with 5.08 expected goals, 35 scoring chances, and 18 high-danger scoring chances during the 11-game stretch.

Sabres vs Canadiens odds for Game 6 tonight

• Moneyline: Sabres +130 | Canadiens -150
• Puck Line: Sabres +1.5 (-190) | Canadiens -1.5 (+160)
• Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)

Sabres vs Canadiens trend

Montreal has won 17 of its last 25 games (+8.10 Units / 26% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Sabres vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Sabres vs Canadiens Game 6

Sabres vs Canadiens 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.

With three of the final four teams locked in for the 2026 Conference Finals, the NHL has released tentative schedules for the upcoming round.

The Hurricanes are currently awaiting the winner between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, but they know that they'll either start on Tuesday or Thursday depending on if that series ends in six games or seven.

The Canadiens currently lead the series 3-2 and if they win again on Saturday, here's how the Eastern Conference Final will play out:

Game 1: Tuesday, May 19 (Lenovo Center)
Game 2: Thursday, May 21 (Lenovo Center)
Game 3: Saturday, May 23 (Bell Centre)
Game 4: Monday, May 25 (Bell Centre)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 27(Lenovo Center)
Game 6: Friday, May 29 (Bell Centre)
Game 7: Sunday, May 31 (Lenovo Center)

However, if Buffalo forces a Game 7, then this is how the schedule will go, regardless of which team advances:

Game 1: Thursday, May 21 (Lenovo Center)
Game 2: Saturday, May 23 (Lenovo Center)
Game 3: Monday, May 25 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 4: Wednesday, May 27 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 5: Friday, May 29 (Lenovo Center)
Game 6: Sunday, May 31 (Bell Centre/KeyBank Center)
Game 7: Tuesday, June 2 (Lenovo Center)

No start times gave been decided yet and the broadcast will be exclusively carried by TNT (truTV, HBO MAX) in the U.S. and on Sportsnet, CBC and TVAS in Canada.

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The Las Vegas Golden Knights are moving on to the Western Conference Finals where they run head-first into the Colorado Avalanche blender. Still, we shouldn’t let the future distract us from the fact that Mitch Marner didn’t just have the best goal of these Stanley Cup Playoffs, but one of the greatest goals of all time.

MITCHELL MARNER ARE YOU KIDDING?!

Undisputed GOAL OF THE PLAYOFFS 😵😮‍💨 https://t.co/aS9VEBjXZjpic.twitter.com/PmYo8ikEat

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 15, 2026

This is simply anotherworldly level of skill with the puck work. Not only does Marner have Lacombe draped all over him while he’s on the way to the net, but he has the wherewithal to skate backwards, get low in his stance — and then, well, he becomes a magician. Marner fakes stick side, takes the puck between his legs to go glove side, and dekes between his friggin’ legs to avoid Lacombe and slot the puck in behind the goalie’s legs.

It’s an incredible representation of hockey’s duality. One second you’ll have the bruising, the fights, the angst of it all — then the next one of the prettiest things you’ll see in any sport.

Manon Rhéaume has been hired as general manager of the PWHL’s new expansion franchise in Detroit, the league announced on Friday.

The 54-year-old former Canadian national team goaltender is a two-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist and one of the most influential figures in women’s hockey history.

Rhéaume is the only woman to have ever played in the NHL, suiting up in preseason exhibition games in 1992 and 1993 for the Tampa Bay Lightning. She also became the first woman to have her own hockey card in 1992.

Her role in the PWHL marks a new chapter, and Rhéaume’s first in women’s pro hockey.

“Manon is a pioneer whose impact on the game extends far beyond the ice,” said Jayna Hefford, the PWHL’s executive vice president of hockey operations. “She brings an unmatched hockey resume, a championship mindset, and a lifelong commitment to growing the women’s game.

“Her experience at every level of hockey, combined with her leadership and vision, makes her the perfect person to lead PWHL Detroit into its inaugural season.”

Rhéaume spent the last four seasons in hockey operations with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and has worked with the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club for 11 years, providing mentorship, development and leadership for girl hockey players in the Detroit area.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to join the PWHL and help build something special in Detroit,” Rhéaume said. “This city has such a deep hockey tradition, and the passion for hockey here is truly special.

“The growth of women’s hockey has been incredible to watch, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape the future of the sport alongside the PWHL. I can’t wait to get started and build a team that Detroit fans will be proud of.”

The PWHL announced last week that it would expand to Detroit for the 2026-27 season, with additional expansion teams in Las Vegas and Hamilton revealed Wednesday. PWHL Detroit will play at Little Caesars Arena, home of the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and the NBA’s Detroit Pistons.

Rhéaume will assemble PWHL Detroit’s inaugural 2026-27 roster through the league’s expansion roster-building process and via the 2026 PWHL Draft, which will be hosted at Detroit’s Fox Theatre on June 17.

The PWHL Players Association sent its members a guide to the expansion roster-building process that included multiple signing windows and no traditional expansion draft. In Friday’s news release, the league said: “All phases of the comprehensive roster building process will be finalized and announced by the league in the coming weeks.”

The expansion process, laid out by the PWHLPA document, is tentatively set to begin May 28.

Following the league’s announcement of Rhéaume, Dominique DiDia of CAA Sports was also named general manager for PWHL Las Vegas.

“Dominique brings a unique combination of experience as a player, hockey executive, and advocate for the women’s game,” said Hefford. “She understands the evolving landscape of women’s hockey and has a strong vision for building a team and culture that reflects both the ambition of the PWHL and the energy of the Las Vegas market. We’re excited to have her leading this next chapter for our league.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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With the Toronto Maple Leafs officially moving on from coach Craig Berube on Wednesday, GM John Chayka and the rest of the organization's brass will search for a new bench boss.

Former Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy has been regarded as the No. 1 candidate available to coach next season.

However, on Friday's episode of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman shared that he doesn't believe Cassidy will be the most likely candidate to be named the Maple Leafs' 42nd head coach in franchise history.

"I do think (Toronto will) reach out to talk to Cassidy," Friedman said. "But… I'd say it's extremely unlikely he's going to end up being the guy in Toronto."

The NHL insider continued to describe what the Maple Leafs organization may be looking into in terms of who their next bench boss will be.

"I do think they are prepared to go fresh," he said.

TSN's Darren Dreger made the same report on Thursday evening on OverDrive. Dreger said that Toronto's next hire could be in the realm of someone who is "young and relatively inexperienced from a professional perspective."

Report: Maple Leafs 'Have Some Interest' In Rangers Center Vincent TrocheckThe Toronto Maple Leafs are interested in New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, according to a report from Darren Dreger on Thursday.

One candidate that fits the criteria of a young, inexperienced, fresh face is AHL Abbotsford Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra. Along with Malhotra, Friedman listed a couple of other new faces who could be considered.

"I think Malhotra, very legitimate candidate," he said. "I think Woodcroft, potentially a candidate. I do think, if David Carle wanted to talk to them, I think he would be a candidate, and there's going to be others."

He also mentioned Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden as someone who is having success, leading his team to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs and winning Game 1 against the Cleveland Monsters.

But as for Cassidy, and what seems like any well-known veteran bench boss, reports indicate that won't be the path the Maple Leafs go down in this off-season.

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While there haven’t been many surprises in the NHL Trophy finalists announced over the course of the last 10 days, I was shocked to see that Montreal Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes wasn’t a finalist for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award. Not that Bill Guerin, Pat Verbeek and Chris MacFarland are not worthy finalists, but it’s hard to imagine what the Montreal Canadiens GM could have done better in the 2025-26 season.

The executive started his summer with a slam dunk, finally acquiring a top-pairing right-shot defenseman at the draft in a deal with the New York Islanders. He had to sacrifice his two first-round picks in the process, but he made another trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to move up in the second round and get the 34th overall pick. With that pick, he drafted Alexander Zharovsky, the player Montreal wanted in the first round.

Canadiens Must Start As They Mean To Go On
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Is It Time For A Few Lineup Changes For The Canadiens?

Then, on July 1st, he sent right-shot defenseman Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues in return for Zachary Bolduc, a good young player to bring some much-needed depth up front and make some room on the blueline for other prospects.

A few days into the regular season, he signed star blueliner Lane Hutson to an eight-year contract with an $8,850,000 team-friendly cap hit, especially considering how the cap is set to go up in the coming years. That contract will soon become a steal for the Canadiens.

Five weeks later, he smelt a good opportunity when Alexandre Texier’s contract with the Blues was terminated, roughly 10 days after the Canadiens had lost Alex Newhook to an injury. Pleased with the early return on his $1 million investment, the GM signed him to a two-year contract extension on January 14, with a $2.5 million cap hit. The Frenchman finished the season with 20 points in 43 games and has proven more than capable of providing depth scoring in the playoffs.

Just before the Christmas trade freeze, Hughes went out and acquired veteran center Phillip Danault in return for a second-round pick. The Quebecer was struggling with the Los Angeles Kings, but Hughes figured he could use a fresh start at home. He finished the season with 12 points in 45 games, but he has proven invaluable to the Canadiens at the faceoff dot with a 56.2 winning percentage in the regular season. During the playoffs, he has recorded 3 assists in 11 games and maintained a 59.9% success rate on draws.

With those two acquisitions, the GM bolstered his roster and gave it some much-needed depth, even causing respected veteran Brendan Gallagher to be a healthy scratch at the tail end of the season and in the playoffs. A tough decision, but one Martin St-Louis had to make.

Perhaps Hughes’ candidacy was weakened by the fact that he didn’t get any reinforcements at the trade deadline, but the truth of the matter is that he had already gotten some earlier in the season.

Finally, the fact that the young Habs are in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs just four years into their rebuild speaks to how well this team has been put together. Voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives and media at the conclusion of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is why the playoff run should have had an impact. However, the three finalists’ teams have also made it to the second round, which might have helped their own candidacy. I’m looking forward to the winner’s announcement to see how the voting went.

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Good morning, hockey folks! So, the Ducks got cooked, the Habs are one “W” from rounding out our 2026 NHL final four, and the PWHL finals opened with some OT heroics. The 100th edition of Red Light 🚨 is here.

Let’s go.

Conference Finals Loom

We’re getting awfully close to knowing what Round 3 will look like now, so much so that the schedule has already been released. Let’s get you caught up on what you might have missed last night.

Golden Knights 5, Ducks 1

Vegas wins series 4-2

My goodness, Mitch Marner. I know the plucky young Ducks have been playing with some newfound swagger all season, but did you really need to end their fun while stealing their soul, Shang Tsung style, with a move this crushing?

Marner was dancing around the Honda Center ice all night, putting up a goal and an assist early in what unfortunately became a bit of a laugher. The former Maple Leaf extended his NHL postseason scoring lead to three points with 18 in 12 games, and he’s now through to the conference final for the first time in his career. But the champions of the Pacific Division Pillow Fight will have their hands full with the powerhouse Avalanche.

Hey, full marks to the Golden Marners for making it look relatively easy so far, but forgive the rest of the hockey world for some skepticism that they can give Colorado a real push after the unevenness of 13th-place Vegas’ season. (Counterpoint: All three meetings between them were very tight during the regular season, with two going to overtime. So … maybe?)

That series begins Wednesday in Denver. It could be the first game of Round 3, depending on what happens in Game 6 over in the East.

More:

The Golden Knights have reached the NHL’s final four for the fifth time in nine seasons, the most of any team since 2017.

Vegas’ “swagger” is definitely back.

Despite the loss, the Ducks made remarkable progress this season.

Canadiens 6, Sabres 3

Montreal leads series 3-2

We need at least one Game 7 in this round, don’t we? This feels like the series to deliver it. (Especially given how, you know, all the other series are already over. Plus, we already had series end in a sweep, five games and six games, so seven completes the set.)

Buffalo jumped to a 3-2 lead 10 minutes into Game 5, getting the Sabres’ home crowd and its beer sabres, uh, jumping. But the Habs responded with four unanswered goals, including rookie Ivan “The Demigod” Demidov’s first-ever playoff tally to close the scoring on the power play.

Now, all the pressure is on the Sabres, who will have to find a way to win in the Bell Centre madhouse in a do-or-die Game 6 tomorrow. They’ve got a big question in net, too, after a rough night for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was pulled for Alex Lyon.

That said, the Sabres have proven people wrong all year; now’s the time to show what they’re made of after a special season.

So much to learn from this one:

Habs coach Martin St. Louis was rewarded for sticking with Jakub Dobeš, who allowed goals on three straight shots but stopped all 32 after that.

Electric young talents Lane Hutson and Demidov are the center of Canadiens’ present (and future) success.

St. Louis and Sabres coach Lindy Ruff have differing approaches to NHL playoff mind games. Fascinating.

Alex Tuch and Buffalo’s other top players let the Sabres down.

PWHL Finals

Victoire 3, Charge 2 (OT)

Montreal leads series 1-0

Montreal hockey fans certainly have a lot to cheer about right now.

Their Abby Roque was the hero in Game 1 of the Walter Cup Finals, scoring her second of the night in overtime to cap a dramatic comeback after the Victoire tied the score with 2.1 seconds left in regulation.

Poor Ottawa needs to memory-wipe this one as quickly as it can — this series is only best-of-five.

Hailey Salvian was in Laval last night with the scoop as Game 2 goes tomorrow. The good news is that it’s an afternoon game, so fans can make it a PWHL-NHL doubleheader.

Newsplosion

Firings, hirings, endings

As more teams are eliminated, the headlines only grow outside the playoffs.

Yesterday, there was the second bloodletting for a Canadian team in two days, with the reeling Oilers firing coach Kris Knoblauch. (ICYMI: The Maple Leafs fired Craig Berube on Wednesday.)

Awkwardly, the Knoblauch news came after it was reported the Oilers had inquired about the availability of former Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, which sources say is never a great sign for someone’s job security. But who should they hire?

Elsewhere, the last-place and third-pick-owning Canucks unveiled their new brain trust: Club legends and twin brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin as, I’m guessing, the first-ever co-presidents of hockey ops (which I’m told the kids are calling CoPoHos), and Ryan Johnson as GM.

The vibes seemed remarkably good coming out of that presser — even the Sad Club Commish was impressed — so we’ll allow Vancouver a rare win to celebrate, even if that’s a crew fairly low on front-office experience.

Meanwhile, the postmortems keep rolling in for teams that have been wiped out of the playoffs … and one that didn’t even make them.

Mike Russo and Joe Smith break down what will be a tough summer for the Wild as they try to join the ranks of true contenders after a five-game humbling at the hands of the Avs. I often feel like one of the hardest things to do in the NHL is to go from good to great; that’s the real challenge facing GM Bill Guerin with his club because good doesn’t win Cups.

Speaking of which: Do the Flyers need to make a big swing now to take the next step? Or should Danny Brière keep preaching patience?

In other tough calls in Pennsylvania news: Penguins GM Kyle Dubas likely has to make a few and break some old-guy hearts.

Reading this, I’m not sure any fanbase is angrier than the Rangers’ right now. Can you blame them?

💡 MirTrivia Question

What a run for Jakub Dobeš this postseason. After last night, the Habs netminder is now up to seven wins, tied for fifth-most for a rookie goalie in a single playoffs in the salary-cap era.

Can you name the four rookie goalies ahead of him?

(Hint: Three won the Stanley Cup. And the fourth was eliminated in the conference finals by one of those rookies who won it all.)

Answers at the bottom.

Coast to Coast

🏒 Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini, who has played just two NHL seasons, will remain captain of Team Canada at the worlds, even with 38-year-old Sidney Crosby, who has played 21 NHL seasons, on hand. I wonder if he’ll make Crosby pick up pucks.

👏 Good stuff here from other NHL legends on Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer’s historic season. What a lovely story he was all year; check out his appearance on “GMA” earlier this week to see what I’m talking about. Here’s hoping he gets to show what he can do in the playoffs next season.

💸 The Blackhawks signed the KHL’s leading goal scorer to an entry-level deal. Can Roman Kantserov, the first 21-year-old to lead the league in goals since Kirill Kaprizov in 2018-19, make an immediate impact in the NHL?

✅ Our latest Stanley Cup contender checklist focuses on the Flames, who need just about everything except a goalie right now.

😱 I wrote a thingy that includes this shocking stat: Just one goalie in the top 19 in salary this season started a game in Round 2. So, is this success of cheaper, tandem goalies a trend or a blip?

📰 Missing Sean McIndoe’s whimsy? Read this.

🎤 In the latest “The Athletic Hockey Show,” our crew was joined by Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky, who hasn’t had anything to do for a while as his team awaits an opponent. Plus, the Oilers coaching carousel, PWHL final talk and the inevitable Avs. Watch/listen here.

MirTrivia Answer

So, who are the four rookies with more than Dobeš’ seven wins in a cap-era postseason? The three goalies who won the Cup as freshmen are:

Cam Ward, Carolina, 2005-06: 15 wins

Matt Murray, Pittsburgh, 2015-16: 15 wins

Jordan Binnington, St. Louis, 2018-19: 16 wins

(Yes, somehow Binnington was a rookie seven years ago. Now he’s old. NHL timelines are unforgiving.)

The fourth goalie, who lost to one of the above? It was Ryan Miller with the Sabres, who faced Ward in a very memorable matchup. At the time, it was the first conference final between rookie goalies since 1981.

Miller ended his run with 11 wins, the most he would ever get in a postseason.

How are we doing? We’d love to hear from you. Email your feedback, questions or comments to redlight@theathletic.com.

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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

NHL, Women's Hockey, NHL Highlights, Red Light, Women's hockey

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Along with Lighthouse Hockey’s Jenny Berman, we remember Kieffer Bellows, whose moments of fun in with the Islanders were few and far between.

Kieffer Bellows had everything you’d want in an NHL prospect: a famous name and family lineage in hockey, high praise from prospect watchers, a tantalizing shot and a history of showing up in big moments. But as the years stretched on, from college teams to junior teams to the minors to cups of coffee with the Islanders, it seemed less and less likely that Bellows would turn into what fans hoped he would be. Despite an AHL hot streak and couple of cool goals in the big league, he was eventually lost on waivers without much of a peep. We’re not mad, just disappointed that he turned from a can’t-miss-prospect into a winger who couldn’t skate (especially since the Islanders already had a few on the roster…).

Jenny takes us through her history with Bellows, including some very insightful observations about this entire era of Islanders hockey and how she felt a connection with the player over, of all things, Pokémon. We remember his strange and really unfortunate career that continues in Europe, make the Hall of Fame case for his dad Brian, and lament how we all have those prospects we want to see work out, even as it gets more and more evident that they won’t.

Thanks again to Jenny for joining us twice this season. Due to various factors, this has been waiting a long time to come out but it’s always treat to remember this time period and she was the perfect guest to walk us through it.

WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL

• Kieffer’s father, of course, was former All Star Brian Bellows, who was, according to some, the best.
• After a very good year with the US National Development Program, the Islanders took Bellows 19th overall in the 2016 Entry Draft. He was called by Bob McKenzie the, “best pure goal scorer in the draft outside of Patrik Laine.”
• He certainly made that pick seem like a good one when he played a heroic role in Team USA’s gold medal-winning World Junior Tournament..
• Later, Bellows left BU for Portland of the WHL, where he had a 41-goal, 74-point season.
• In 2019-20, Bellows went on a scoring tear in the AHL and earned his first call up.
• His first NHL goal, scored at Barclays Center, was a thing of beauty. He scored twice in that win over LA.

• He was also capable of doing stuff like this. And this. Too bad he didn’t do it often enough.
• Despite some fun, scattered moments, Bellows was never able to crack Barry Trotz’s veteran-packed lineup. That doesn’t mean the coach wasn’t a fan, even after he violated the AHL’s performance enhancing substances policy.
• All the ups and downs finally came to a head in October of 2022, when Bellows was picked up off waivers by the Flyers.
• After short stints in Philly and in Nashville, Bellows signed with Brynas of the SHL last summer.

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What makes a “Weird Islander?”

We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:

• Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
• Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they have signed goaltender Aleksei Kolosov to a one-year, $850,000 contract extension.

Kolosov appeared in four games this season with the Flyers, where he had a 0-2-0 record, an .830 save percentage, and a 4.00 goals-against average.

The 24-year-old goaltender also played in 38 games this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he posted a 15-21-2 record, a 2.98 goals-against average, and an .895 save percentage.

Kolosov was selected by the Flyers with the 78th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. In 21 career NHL games over two seasons with the Flyers, he has recorded a 5-11-1 record, an .863 save percentage, and a 3.64 goals-against average. 

Kolosov will now be looking to compete for a spot on the Flyers' NHL roster next season after earning this new contract. 

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The superlatives used to describe Jaromir Jagr's unfathomable pro hockey career will run out one day – but not soon.

How do you put into context Jagr's incredible body of work? The man has appeared in at least four professional games every season since 1988; he was a Stanley Cup teammate of a guy (Gordie Roberts) who was once teammates with Gordie Howe.  

And atop the list of incredible facts and stats, there's this: Per SB Nation, this year's Western Conference Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights guarantees that a former Jagr teammate will appear in a Stanley Cup final for a 46th consecutive season.

Don't believe us? Here's the proof:

Jaromir Jagr Stanley Cup finals teammate streak (1980-2026)

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Need a few other crazy Jagr facts? We have your fix:

• Jagr is the second-highest scorer in NHL history – and that doesn't include the 463 professional points he has amassed outside the NHL.
• Jagr's 1990 draft class is one of the most impressive in history, with 15 of the 21 first-round picks spending at least 12 seasons in the NHL.
• Jagr's first NHL goal came October 7, 1990 – four days before the start of Season 2 of "The Simpsons"
• Martin Brodeur was the last active player from Jagr's 1990 draft class aside from Jagr; Brodeur retired in 2015.

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.

After the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs began with an infusion of new teams that hadn't experienced postseason hockey in a long time, with some even winning a series, the third round is here with some of the usual suspects left standing.

Carolina is back in the Eastern Conference final for a third time in four years and fifth time during the Hurricanes' streak of eight consecutive playoff appearances under coach Rod Brind'Amour. Next up is Buffalo or Montreal.

Vegas is back in the West final for a fourth time in the franchise’s not-even-decade-long existence. Starting Wednesday, the Golden Knights face Colorado, with the Avalanche getting this far for the first time since their Cup run in 2022.

There will be a new champion and no three-peat after the Florida Panthers were derailed by injuries following three consecutive trips to the final. Both finalists will be new after Edmonton got knocked out by the Ducks.

What’s happened so far

WESTERN CONFERENCE: The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche swept Los Angeles and beat Minnesota in five games, while Vegas got through by beating Utah and Anaheim in six.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:Carolina swept Ottawa and Philadelphia and is the only undefeated team left. Buffalo beat Boston and Montreal defeated Tampa Bay, with the Sabres and Canadiens then putting on a fun second-round series.

The matchups

The top three teams in each of the four divisions make the playoffs. The other four spots go to the next two highest-placed teams in each conference, regardless of division.

The teams with the best record in each conference open against the wild-card team with the worst record; the other wild card plays the other division winner. Teams that finish second and third in their division play each other in the bracket headed by their respective division winner, so the first-round matchups had some rivalry-style games. The second round thus carries an even higher prospect of division opponents matching up ahead of the conference finals.

All four rounds of the playoffs are best-of-seven; the first team to 16 victories wins the Stanley Cup.

East

— Carolina vs. Buffalo or Montreal, Game 1 Tuesday or Thursday night

West

— Colorado vs. Vegas, Game 1 Wednesday night

The favorites

Colorado is the favorite at a little over even money, followed by Carolina.

How to watch

Every playoff game will be nationally televised in the U.S on an ESPN or Turner network. The NHL schedule is here and a streaming guide is here. Much of TNT’s coverage, which includes the Stanley Cup Final, will be simulcast on truTV and available on Max’s B/R Sports Add-On. In Canada, games will be showcased on Sportsnet and CBC.

After three rounds of best-of-seven series, the final starts in early June. If the final goes the distance, Game 7 could go as late as June 21.

What to know

WEST: The Colorado Avalanche look like a wagon, after being the league's best team since October. Nathan MacKinnon has been a man on a mission, especially after missing a wide-open net in the Olympic gold-medal game when he and Canada lost to the U.S. in overtime. He's surrounded by talent, including all-world defenseman Cale Makar, and in net, career backup Scott Wedgewood has been a revelation.

Grizzled, old-school, no-nonsense John Tortorella took over coaching the Vegas Golden Knights in late March, and they've been rolling since. Mitch Marner, who was maligned for a lack of playoff success during his lengthy time in Toronto, has been arguably the best player around.

EAST: The Carolina Hurricanes are 8-0, getting dominant goaltending from 36-year-old Frederik Andersen and do-it-all play from 2018 league MVP Taylor Hall. They now hope to break through after so many disappointing playoff exits.

After snapping the NHL’s longest postseason drought at 14 years in style, the Sabres handled the Bruins in a back-and-forth series to set up a matchup with Montreal. The Canadiens are Canada's last hope to end the nation's 33-year Cup drought dating to them winning it in 1993.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

In the Montreal Canadiens’ 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, there were many heroes. Jakub Dobes bounced back after a shaky start, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky put up three points each, Cole Caufield found the back of the net at even-strength, and Ivan Demidov finally scored. Another performance was largely undetected: Phillipe Danault’s.

Some might have noticed that he missed a golden opportunity to score a big goal when the puck got to him in the slot, but he largely made up for it. Not only did he provide two assists on two of the first three goals, but he had a fantastic night at the faceoff dot.

Nobody took more faceoffs for the Habs in that game than Danault. The Quebecer took a total of 18 draws and won 14 of them for a 77.8% success rate. When Kent Hughes decided to acquire the struggling center from the Los Angeles Kings before the Christmas roster freeze, he didn’t do it to increase offensive production; he did it because he was fully aware of how important winning draws can be.

In the Canadiens two other wins over the Sabres, the centerman had a 66.7% success rate in the faceoff department. He took 15 draws in Montreal’s 5-1 win in Game 2 and nine in the Habs 6-2 win in Game 3.

To add: Danault Faceoffs: 13-2 (87%) so far.

ALSO - coming into tonight no line has been matched against Thompson/Tuch/Krebs more than Danault’s at 5on5

Shots 10-3 MTL
Goals 1-0 MTL
xGF 83.8% for Habs

He’s lookin like the star shutdown machine he was in 2021.

Been… https://t.co/OLTzrPw1UJ

— Jackie Redmond (@Jackie_Redmond) May 15, 2026

The Victoriaville native has played a key role for the Canadiens all through the first two rounds, not only because of how good he is in the faceoff department, but also because of his responsible two-way play. After 12 games, he averages 16:13, has won 61.9% of his faceoffs, has five points (all assists), and a plus-six rating, on top of playing big minutes on the penalty kill.

Phillip Danault saves a sure goal! Wow.

#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/zV6ExgEoJq

— Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) May 2, 2026

When the Canadiens are protecting a lead, Martin St-Louis often sends the 33-year-old veteran center onto the ice with Nick Suzuki, giving him two centers to take draws. If the linemen kick one out, the other one can take charge. Whichever way you look at it, Danault’s acquisition by Kent Hughes was a masterstroke; he has been more than worth the second-round pick he cost.

Phil Danault pushing pucks back on Faceoffs while making key plays, going to the net creating chaos. Two assists on Montreal goals tonight. #MultiPointGame#Unsung#HeartAndSoulpic.twitter.com/W9OcHG8Jpk

— Allan Walsh🏒 (@walsha) May 15, 2026

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