Former Vancouver Canucks forward and Hall-of-Famer Mats Sundin has officially been hired for a front-office role.
Sundin, longtime Toronto Maple Leafs captain from 1997–98 to 2007–08, was announced as the Maple Leafs’ senior executive advisor of hockey operations on Sunday afternoon. Alongside his announcement was the news that former Arizona Coyotes General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, John Chayka, would be joining the Maple Leafs as GM.
This news comes around the same time that the Canucks take part in their own search for a new General Manager, during which many Maple Leafs candidates had also been linked to the Canucks. Names such as Boston Bruins Assistant General Manager Evan Gold were also reported to be in consideration for the Maple Leafs’ role as well as Vancouver’s.
While known primarily for his time with Toronto, Sundin also spent 41 games as a member of the Canucks during the 2008–09 season. Vancouver signed him to a one-year deal worth $5.626M back on December 18, 2008. Though his tenure was short, the forward scored nine goals and 19 assists in his time with the Canucks, while also putting up three goals and five assists in eight post-season games. Most notably, he scored the shootout winner in his return to Toronto, helping the Canucks win the game by a score of 3–2.
With Sundin and Chayka now hired, the Maple Leafs are now off the board when it comes to open GM positions in the NHL.
Jan 28, 2009; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Canucks center Mats Sundin (13) in action against the Nashville Predators at General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC. The Thrashers beat the Canucks 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Logan Stankoven has been one of the stars of the playoffs, recording seven points and 23 shots on goal through five games.
My Flyers vs. Hurricanes predictionssee Stankoven having another productive showing in Game 2.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for Monday, May 4.
UPDATE: Added a goal scorer prediction for tonight.
Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 2 prediction
Flyers vs Hurricanes best bet: Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 shots on goal (-125)
Logan Stankoven has turned it up a couple of notches in the playoffs. He's averaged 4.6 shots on goal while clearing this line in all five games. Stankoven had at least four shots in four of five, often getting the job done with room to spare.
He’s been even more productive on home soil, producing 5.3 shots on 7.7 attempts through three games in Carolina.
What’s especially impressive is that the bulk of his games came against Ottawa, an even stingier shot suppression team than Philadelphia.
There’s no reason to expect a dip in Game 2.
Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 2 same-game parlay
Stankoven has points in all five playoff games thus far, including multi-point efforts in two of three home dates. He's getting easier matchups on home soil and, clearly, taking advantage of it.
Taylor Hall is a natural fit to round out the parlay. He has eight points through five playoff games and is attached to the hip of Stankoven, playing together at both 5-on-5 and on the man advantage.
Nobody has come up with an answer for this duo.
Flyers vs Hurricanes SGP
Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 shots on goal
Logan Stankoven Over 0.5 points
Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points
Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 2 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+175)
Andrei Svechknikov has generated 32 shot attempts, 20 scoring chances, and 2.46 through five playoff games but is yet to find the back of the net.
He shot 15% during the regular season and converted 28 xG into 31 goals so this drought shouldn’t last much longer.
Carolina has won nine of the last 10 games against Philadelphia. Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Flyers vs Hurricanes Game 2
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Monday, May 4, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Flyers vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 02: Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates the win against the Philadelphia Flyers after Game One of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 02, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Believe it or not, Logan Stankoven has yet to be named the Carolina Hurricanes “Player of the Game” for Canes Country in these playoffs. I’m fixing that right now.
He only led the team in notching goals in round one and scored first in the first three games, tying NHL records for that. But his teammates did so well we had to look somewhere else.
Not so for Saturday night. He not only scored the first goal of the game again, this time off a nice tip of a Mike Reilly shot, he scored again later in the game giving him a total of six goals in the five playoff games so far this postseason.
Talk about being hot, Stankoven now has a 13 game point streak going back to the final eight games of the regular season. He certainly picked the right time to be hot.
The center opened the scoring just 1:31 into the game with his tip. Later in the period, Jackson Blake made a beautiful move and guided the puck behind goalie, Dan Vladar.
The center scored again in the second period after Andrei Svechnikov broke up a play and got the puck to Seth Jarvis who found Stankoven wide open cross ice. The youngster made no mistake as he beat Vladar bar down to make it 3-0 to virtually end the game in Carolina.
Not only did he score his two goals, in just 13 minutes of play he also led the team with 5 shots on goal and had a 64% winning percentage in the faceoff circle. (7 of 11).
Honorable mention goes to Fred Andersen, who notched his second shutout in these playoffs. Usually a shutout earns you a “player of the game” shout out, but he had a inactive game for much of it. Through two periods the Flyers only had nine shots on goal. They picked up a lot of offensive zone time and shots when they had a two man advantage late in the game and finished with 19 for the game.
K’Andre Miller continues to shine for Carolina. He made the defensive play of the game when he caught up to Garnet Hathaway who broke free when he got out of the penalty box. Miller dove on the ice and with his long reach, used his stick to knock away the puck from Hathaway before the Flyer could get a shot on goal. The defenseman avoided taking a penalty and also did not slide into his goalie on the perfect play.
Mike Reilly also played well as he substituted for Alexander Nikishin. A decent 7th defenseman is something the Hurricanes missed dearly last year.
———————————
In other news, we will be publishing the new thread for the “Canes Country Pick’em Contest” after the Lightning/Canadiens game tonight. I will leave it open until Carolina’s 7 P.M. start time on Monday night. Hopefully that gives everyone who wants to participate a proper chance. Two second round opening games will be completed by then but everyone is on equal footing so I believe this is the best way to go.
Finally, our own Al Hood was a repeat guest on Adam Gold’s YouTube channel after last night’s game. You can check that out next.
Last share-in case you missed me with Adam Gold and you want to see a few of my many caps. https://t.co/BS6ZKaKiUx
The Montreal Canadiens are about to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh and final game of a series that has been insanely entertaining. Martin St-Louis’ men have been able to hold their own against Jon Cooper’s battle-tested side, but not because of the usual suspects. Everyone has chipped in for the Canadiens, and while Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky have managed to get five, four, and three points respectively, they’ve been muzzled at even strength.
However, it has been even harder for Russian rookie Ivan Demidov. The 20-year-old only has one point, an assist. It’s not that he hasn’t been trying, but the intensity and physicality of the playoffs haven’t been easy to handle for the youngster.
In Game 6, it felt like he had a breakthrough. He was much more visible on the ice and had eight attempts on goal. Five of those shots found their way to Andrei Vasilevvskiy’s net, and he came painfully close to giving the Canadiens the lead, but the veteran netminder had the last laugh.
Judging by the look on his face after that couple of saves, he must have had nightmares about that since Friday night. To make matters even worse, he was called for goaltender interference late in the game, a call that was generally considered questionable by the hockey world. Thankfully for him, the Canadiens were able to kill the penalty, but they still lost the game, setting up the stage for a seventh and final game between the two teams.
Even if Demidov must have been frustrated after Game 6, it felt like he had taken a step forward in that game and was getting the hang of playoff hockey. If he can come up with the same kind of effort for Game 7, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were key to a Canadiens’ win.
The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning close out their series in Game 7, while the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild begin the second round tonight with Game 1.
My NHL player props highlight Brandon Hagel, Matt Boldy, and Lane Hutson.
Keep reading my NHL picks for Sunday, May 3, for the full analysis.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Hagel anytime goal
+150
Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
-140
Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
+100
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Our best NHL player props for Sunday, May 3
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Brandon Hagel anytime goal
+150 at BET99
Brandon Hagel has been an offensive force this series with six goals in six games, and at least one tally in each of the first four contests. The Tampa Bay Lightning forward is also getting tons of opportunities, ranking second on the team in ice time per game (25:21).
Tampa Bay’s power play is converting at just 15.4%, but the Lightning are getting plenty of chances. In fact, their 26 power-play opportunities are the most in the NHL this postseason.
Hagel has two goals with the man advantage and could add another tonight.
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CBC, TNT
Prop #2: Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
-140 at BET99
The Minnesota Wild are in for a tough battle against the Colorado Avalanche, but they proved they could hang with the NHL’s top teams in the first round.
The Stars were among the league’s stingiest teams during the regular season, but Matt Boldy racked up 33 shots in six games during their series.
Boldy logged Over 3.5 shots in every contest vs. Dallas, and cleared it in each of his last three meetings vs. Colorado this season.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT
Prop #3: Lane Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
+100 at BET99
Lane Hutson has been the best defenseman on either team this series, generating a ton of offense from the back end for the Montreal Canadiens.
Hutson’s 14 shots are tied for second on Montreal, while his 39 attempts lead the team by far. Hutson has logged Over 1.5 shots in four of six outings while skating over 28 minutes per game.
The Habs blueliner will come out flying in tonight’s must-win contest, and he’ll fire at least two pucks on net in Game 7.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Ducks center Leo Carlsson (l.) celebrates his empty-net goal with Chris Kreider (20) during their Game 6 win over the Oilers on April 30, 2026.
The scene from inside the Honda Center on Thursday said it all. There was the fist pump from goaltender Lukas Dostal. The sea of orange-clad fans, scattered across the seats, descending into a frenzy as the horn sounded and Game 6 — a 5-2 win to secure a first-round series win — ended. The dozen-plus Ducks flipping over the boards and gliding across the ice, starting a celebration absent from the franchise for nearly a decade.
“Unreal,” Dostal, who backstopped all four wins over the Oilers, told reporters from his locker room stall postgame, and that really was a fitting word to describe the statement they’d just made. Edmonton had advanced to the past two Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers possess one of the game’s most dynamic players in Connor McDavid. But they ran into the buzz saw of the Western Conference, the Ducks suddenly relevant again well ahead of schedule. The last time Anaheim won a playoff series, Ryan Getzlaf was captain and topped 70 points for the final time in his career — back in the 2017 tournament, near the end of a stretch that included nine postseason berths in 12 years and one Stanley Cup.
So much has changed since then. A rebuild sucked the life out of Anaheim for so long. In many ways, a season like this would’ve certainly seemed unreal back in July. But behind a blend of veterans and youth on the roster, and with a controversial head coach behind the bench, the Ducks will start their series against the Golden Knights — whom they defeated in all three regular-season matchups — next week as one of eight teams left standing. They sit 12 wins from the second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Ducks center Leo Carlsson (l.) celebrates his empty-net goal with Chris Kreider (20) during their Game 6 win over the Oilers on April 30, 2026. AP
“We’ve got a taste of playoff hockey,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville told reporters after securing a spot in the conference semifinals, according to NHL.com. “Now, we get to experience another round, and I think this is healthy for us. … You don’t know how they’re going to play, but you’re certainly excited about what the upside is.”
The pieces that carried the Ducks in the opening round captured their balanced foundation. Defenseman Jackson LaCombe, 25 and a former second-round pick, led them with nine points, including one goal. Cutter Gauthier led Anaheim in goals against Edmonton with four, just as the No. 5-overall pick in 2022 — acquired from the Flyers in January 2024 after refusing to sign in Philadelphia out of college — did during the regular season (41 goals) too. Leo Carlsson, 21, added three goals against Edmonton. Beckett Sennecke, 20 and the No. 3-overall pick in 2024, chipped in a goal during his first taste of the postseason too.
“A lot of us young guys are learning a lot as we go along, and I thought we got better throughout the series,” LaCombe told reporters after the Edmonton series, according to The Associated Press. “It means a lot for us.”
And then there were the veterans. Troy Terry, the longest-tenured Duck at nine seasons who has seen it all, collected three goals. Chris Kreider, the longtime Rangers star shipped to Anaheim in the offseason when they overhauled their core, added one goal and five points. The Ducks also have Alex Killorn — who won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Lightning — and veteran defenseman Jacob Trouba too.
But even with all those pieces, both brimming with potential and already established, the Ducks were still an unpredictable team. They finished third in the Pacific Division with 92 points — eight wins and 12 points better than 2024-25 — but lost eight of 10 games to close the season. They only had four players with 20 or more goals during the regular season. And at the macro level, they’d hired and fired three different coaches since their last postseason appearance in 2018.
In the offseason, the Ducks hired Quenneville, who was previously banned and then reinstated by the NHL for how he handled the Blackhawks’ sexual assault scandal while coaching in Chicago, as head coach in a controversial decision met with plenty of backlash. They brought in centers Mikael Granlund and Ryan Poehling via free agency and trade, respectively. They added veteran defenseman John Carlson from the Capitals in a shocking deal at the deadline too.
Ducks players celebrate after defeating the Oilers on April 30, 2026. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“It’s been a long time,” Terry told reporters recently, according to NHL.com. “We’ve had fans that have been super loyal. They’ve always showed up for us. They deserved this. A lot of us live in the Newport [Beach] area and, all of a sudden, you’re seeing cars with Ducks flags everywhere. You really start to see what this means to Orange County.”
And for at least two more nights, a scene familiar to Game 6 will unfold inside Honda Center. There will be the orange. The sellout crowd. Maybe a fist pump or two too. That’s what happens during a hockey revival, when an assortment of defensemen and forwards and goaltenders slowly capture the attention of a fan base and — with each dose of magic along the way — simply, and defiantly, refuse to let go.
The Vancouver Canucks are sending two Hall of Famers to represent the organization at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery. According to a report from Patrick Johnston of Postmedia, Daniel and Henrik Sedin will be the Canucks representatives at this year's draft lottery. The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 4:00 pm PT.
Vancouver enters the draft lottery with the best odds at first overall. The organization has never selected first, but has made multiple selections in the top three in its history. Daniel and Henrik are two examples of top three picks, as they were selected second and third overall in 1999.
As for the odds, the Canucks have a 25.5% chance of selecting first overall. This comes after Vancouver finished 32nd in the NHL with a 25-49-8 record. This year's draft does not have a consensus first-overall pick, as most draft boards are split between Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg.
The 2026 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 26-27, 2026, in Buffalo. The Canucks currently have 10 picks, including four in the first two rounds. The last time Vancouver held two first-round picks was in 2014, when they selected Jake Virtanen sixth overall and Jared McCann 24th.
Feb 12, 2020; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Twin brothers Daniel Sedin (22) and Henrik Sedin (33) of Sweden speak while being honored in a ceremony held prior to a game between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Contract Status - Unrestricted Free Agent on July 1.
Games Played - 82 - Played all 82 games for the 5th time in his career.
Goals - 20 - He scored 20 goals in a season for only the third time in his career (25 in 2023-24 with Boston & 21 in 2015-16 with Minnesota). He had 7 power play goals which tied his career high.
Assists - 38 - He tied his career high in assists that he set in 2017.
Points - 58 - Finished just two points shy of his career high set in 22-23 with Boston. Up from 35 in 2024-25.
Contract Status - Going into year two of a 6-year contract signed in 2025.
Games Played - 61- Down from 82 the previous season. He had two stretches where he was injured, including the final eight games after breaking his hand in a fight.
Goals - 15 - Was on a 20 goal pace, but due to missed games, he finished three shy of his career high.
Assists - 11 - Would've set a career high with 15 assists if not for the missed games.
Points - 26 - Olivier was on pace to hit 35 points.
Contract Status - Going into year 2 of a 7-year contract signed in the summer of 2025.
Games Played - 82 - He played 82 games for the 4th straight season, and 7th time in his career. In three seasons with the CBJ, he's never missed a game.
Goals - 9 - His 9 goals were tied for the 3rd highest of his career.
Assists - 22 - His 22 assists are the third highest of his CBJ career, and 5th highest of his career.
Points - 31 - 5th highest points total of his career, and third highest in his CBJ tenure.
Forwards Grégory Hofmann and Calvin Thürkauf will most likely end up playing in the tournament.
Hofmann played 24 games for Columbus back in 2021-22 and had 7 points. He currently plays for EV Zug of the Swiss National League. He did not play in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
While the series between the Stars and Wild is currently tied up, Duchene is doing all he can to help Dallas. In four games so far this postseason for the Stars, Duchene has recorded two goals, five assists, and seven points. With this, there is no question that the former Blue Jackets forward is on fire right now.
In five games for the Penguins so far this postseason, Chinakhov has zero points and a minus-4 rating. He has also had zero shots in each of his last two games.
At the 1:06 mark of the third period, Texier scored the Canadiens' game-winning goal. It was a nice goal for the former Blue Jackets forward, too, as he beat Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy on the rush with an excellent snapshot.
According to Elite Prospects European Scout Honza Zoufal, Stanislav Svozil, who was drafted 69th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, is in talks with HC Kometa Brno, which plays in the Czech Extraliga. Svozil's contract will expire at the end of the season, making him a restricted free agent.
Ceulemans was drafted 25th overall in 2021 by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. The thought when he was drafted was that after college and a year or two in the AHL, he would be ready to go. Unfortunately, Ceulemans ended up being a victim of Kekäläinen's swing for the fence trades of Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson, more specifically, Severson.
One specific area that the Blue Jackets could look to improve is their top six. When looking at their roster, one specific need they have is another high-impact winger.
Due to this, if Alex Tuch ends up testing the free-agent market instead of re-signing with the Buffalo Sabres this off-season, the Blue Jackets should strongly consider making a push for him.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2025, where the CBJ will most likely pick 14 or 15.
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The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche open their second-round NHL playoff series on Sunday. The Wild beat the Dallas Stars 4-2 in the first round while the Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings. The Colorado Avalanche are favored with a -194 moneyline compared to the Minnesota Wild's +161. The over/under for the matchup is set at 5.5 goals.
How to watch Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche
The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning face off in Game 7 to determine the winner of their first-round playoff series. The Lightning forced Game 7 with a 1-0 victory in OT on Friday. The combined score of the previous six games is 14-14 and all of the six games were decided by a single goal. The Lightning are favored with a -161 moneyline compared to the Montreal Canadiens' +135.
How to watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 02: Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck for a goal against Nick Seeler #24 and goalie Dan Vladar #80 of the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 02, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Cato Cataldo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Good morning, everyone. With the first round just about completed (there is one game to be played as of this writing), it is time to make an update to our Stanley Cup Playoffs Open Post. You can see the original post here, but let’s dive into the new matchups.
Carolina Hurricanes (M1/1) vs. the Philadelphia Flyers (M3/8)
I could not imagine a more lopsided matchup in the playoffs than the one right here, which should have been a first-round series. Despite the Hurricanes coming off a long rest, the Flyers looked lost against them in Game One, generating only 10 shots at five-on-five with 0.81 expected goals, per Natural Stat Trick. If that is a sign of things to come for the Flyers, they are doomed to lose in four or five games. Of course, there were concerns that Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin would miss some time in the series, but they were ready for Carolina’s 3-0 shutout in Game One.
Philadelphia’s only hope this series is getting the performance of a lifetime out of Dan Vladar. He had a surprisingly good regular season with a .906 save percentage (career high) in 52 games (career high by 22 games). Even with his three-goal loss last night, he still has a .928 save percentage in seven games these Playoffs. But I simply do not believe the lineup optimization to beat Rod Brind’Amour’s Hurricanes. They can thank Stuart Skinner for getting them this far, but they’re facing a machine now.
Buffalo Sabres (A1/2) vs. TBD (Lightning or Canadiens)
The Buffalo Sabres continued their long-awaited resurgence by bouncing the Boston Bruins in the First Round. Head Coach Lindy Ruff has continued to get the best out of Buffalo’s offensive stars, with each of Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson sitting at a point-per-game or better through six games, along with Bowen Byram and Peyton Krebs. Alex Lyon has been outstanding in net with a .955 save percentage and 1.14 goals against average in four starts and five games. With Buffalo winning their series over Boston pretty comfortably, Ruff has not even had to change the usual deployment of his players. Rasmus Dahlin leads the team in average ice time at 24:11 per night, which is dead-even with his regular season average. Guys like Thompson and Tuch have only added a minute or two per night, so they should all be pretty fresh for Round Two.
We will see tonight who of the Lightning or Canadiens move on to face them. Either way, it will be tough to beat Buffalo in a Best of Seven.
The Western Conference Matchups
Colorado Avalanche (C1/1) vs. Minnesota Wild (C3/3)
It’s an absolute joke that this is a second round matchup. The Central Division desperately needs to be split up if this is going to keep happening. Send the Avalanche to the Pacific, and give Vegas or Utah to the Central. One of the Vegas Golden Knights or the Anaheim Ducks are destined for the Conference Finals because of this extremely dumb format. In my eyes, this is close to being an informal Western Conference Finals.
The Minnesota Wild are not the deepest team at forward, but they have some excellent wingers in Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Mats Zuccarello. Brock Faber has been excellent on defense, and Quinn Hughes is currently the best defenseman in the league. The big question here is how long they can hold up. Unlike the Buffalo Sabres, these guys basically play the entire game. Faber and Hughes are over 30 minutes per night from Round One. Boldy is at 25:14, Kaprizov at 24:40, and Joel Eriksson Ek at 23:44. Jesper Wallstedt has continued his excellence with a .924 save percentage. As long as none of those guys fall apart this series, they have a chance to upend Colorado, especially if Quinn Hughes has more performances like his Game 7 in Dallas.
The Colorado Avalanche, on the other hand, are one of the deepest teams in the league at forward. They swept the Kings without breaking much of a sweat, and their players should all be very rested. None of their guys have been close to playing as many minutes as the top guys in Minnesota. And why would they? It often feels like anyone on that team can score a big goal. Running Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Nazem Kadri, and Jack Drury down the middle, with Gabriel Landeskog and Nicolas Roy also available to take shifts at center, the Avalanche have two teams’ worth of centers on their roster. Add on a great defense led by Cale Makar, with a Hall of Famer in Brent Burns eating his competition alive on the third pairing, it’s not hard to see how former Devil Scott Wedgewood had a .950 save percentage in four games against a team like Los Angeles. They have to turn it up a bit now, but they have an advantage.
Vegas Golden Knights (P1/4) vs. Anaheim Ducks (P3/6)
The Vegas Golden Knights handled the Utah Mammoth in six games, largely driven by that top line of Ivan Barbashev, Jack Eichel, and Pavel Dorofeyev and the second line of Mitch Marner, Brett Howden, and Mark Stone. Tomas Hertl, relegated to third-line duty, has not been too impactful so far. But even if Vegas is not as deep as they once were up front, their top scorers and their top two defensive pairings can easily carry them to the Conference Finals. Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin have brought some production through six, though newcomer Rasmus Andersson has not yet found his offensive stride in Vegas. We’ll see if Carter Hart can hold up his end of the bargain.
The Anaheim Ducks certainly caught Edmonton at a good time. They do have a good young core in Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson, and Cutter Gauthier along with older scorers in Mikael Granlund, Troy Terry, Alex Killorn, and Chris Krieder. They have a decent top end of the roster, but their defense and goaltending has generally been awful. Winning round one with an .876 team save percentage, I have to wonder if Ville Husso starts taking games from Lukas Dostal this series. The Ducks were certainly benefactors of a lot of loser points and overtime wins this regular season, and I think they go the way of the Flyers here by being knocked out by more of a machine in Vegas.
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The Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks will take their Pacific Division rivalry to a new level, as they'll meet in the postseason for the first time.
Here's a glance inside the numbers and what the Golden Knights are up against with this series:
REGULAR-SEASON SERIES
Nov. 28: Ducks 4-3 OT in Vegas
Nov. 22: Ducks 4-3 OT in Anaheim
Feb. 1: Ducks 4-3 in Anaheim
ALL-TIME SERIES NUMBERS
RECORD: Golden Knights lead 27-8-3
GOALS: Golden Knights 134, Ducks 87
RECORD (in Vegas): Knights lead 15-3-1
GOALS (in Vegas): Golden Knights 65, Ducks 36
RECORD (in Anaheim): Knights lead 12-5-2
GOALS (in Anaheim): Golden Knights 69, Ducks 51
DUCKS STRENGTHS
Elite young core that has finally matured and established itself to play with cohesiveness. From Trevor Zegras' creativity and assertiveness, Mason McTavish's toughness and scoring prowess, Leo Carlsson's eagerness at center and Jamie Drysdale strength at the blue line. Anaheim becomes a dangerous team when the game opens up. We tend to see execution when the Ducks get quick exits from the defensive zone with a strong rush attack through the neutral zone. Their young legs are fluid, and there is a high IQ among this group that plays well together. They've also done a good job at creating odd-man rush opportunities. Compared to recent seasons, the Ducks look much more confident on offense, with more structured zone entries rather than a dump-and-chase strategy. They're getting better puck movement in the offensive zone with more players willing and able to shoot instead of over-passing. This is a team that rarely feels passive anymore, as they take control of games and play with pace and aggression. And if they're down early, they don’t go quietly in games, knowing they have the personnel that can swing momentum quickly with effort and pressure. When they’re rolling, the Ducks can score in bunches.
DUCKS WEAKNESSES
Even with its young talent emerging, Anaheim's scoring could become volatile against the veteran Knights. The Ducks may experience stretches where they look explosive, but could find themselves in long dry spells where production drops hard. It's the same inconsistency that has plagued this team for years and could rear its ugly head in this series. The question is whether or not the Ducks will get consistency with their secondary scoring, beyond their top forwards. If the top line slows down, the offense might stall. And, on defense, this team has been known to struggle against fast transition teams. Anaheim's defensive-zone coverage can break down under pressure, as opponents have been able to generate high-danger chances during sustained shifts. The penalty kill has also been a problem this season, ranking near the bottom of the league at different points this season. The Ducks' over-aggressive pressure can lead to breakdowns, and opponents tend to generate good looks on the power play.
SCHEDULE (all times pacific)
1. Monday, May 4, 6:30 p.m., Las Vegas, NV
2. Wednesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m., Las Vegas, NV
3. Friday, May 8, 6:30 p.m, Anaheim, CA
4. Sunday, May 10, 6:30 p.m., Anaheim, CA
*5. Tuesday, May 12 TBD, Las Vegas, NV
*6. Thursday, May 14 TBD, Anaheim, CA
*7. Saturday, May 16, Las Vegas, NV
* if necessary
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Honda Center.
The Colorado Avalanche sent the Kings packing in four games, and Cale Makar is rested ahead of tonight's opening salvo against the Minnesota Wild.
My Wild vs. Avalanche predictionsexpect Makar to pick up where he left off as an elite shot-maker.
Let’s break it all down with my NHL picks for Sunday, May 3.
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight and a Nathan MacKinnon goal-scorer prop.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction
Who will win Wild vs Avalanche Game 1?
Colorado: The Colorado Avalanche led the NHL with a 64% goal share at 5-on-5 when playing on home ice. Their speed and skill are almost impossible for teams to slow down at altitude, and they’re very well rested after making quick work of Los Angeles in the first round.
Wild vs Avalanche best bet: Cale Makar Over 3.5 shots (+130)
Cale Makar generated a ton of volume against the Minnesota Wild during the regular season, piling up 45 attempts over four meetings.
That's no coincidence. The Wild allowed the second-most shots to defensemen over the course of the year, and that's held true in the playoffs.
Top defenseman Miro Heiskanen had a field day, averaging 3.5 shots on goal and leading the Stars in shot attempts — and he’s not nearly as strong a shot-generator as Makar.
Makar has also done his best work at home come playoff time, producing 3.8 shots and 9.3 attempts over his last 10 in Colorado.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 same-game parlay
Makar led the Avalanche in time on ice during the opening round. Given his elite talents, it should be no surprise he was also on for more scoring chances and expected goals than any player on the roster.
He has his hand in everything offensively, and his chances of hitting the scoresheet only grow if the shot volume is there.
For Minnesota, it’s hard not to get excited about Matt Boldy’s shooting. He averaged 5.5 shots on goal in the first round, and the Avalanche have allowed the third-most shots to wingers in these playoffs.
Wild vs Avalanche SGP
Cale Makar Over 3.5 shots
Cale Makar Over 0.5 points
Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots
Wild vs Avalanche Game 1 goal scorer pick
Nathan MacKinnon (-115)
Sometimes the boring pick is the right one, and I think that’s the case here.
Nathan MacKinnon averaged 0.80 goals per game following two days of rest this year and scored five goals over five games when having at least three days off in between games.
He is lethal at any point, but his goal scoring ramps up even further when the tank is full.
Wild vs Avalanche odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Wild +150 | Avalanche -175
Puck Line: Wild +1.5| Avalanche -1.5
Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5
Wild vs Avalanche trend
Nathan MacKinnon has scored in seven of his past 10 games against Minnesota.Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Wild vs Avalanche Game 1
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Wild vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Hurricanes and the Colorado Avalanche swept their first round opponents and Carolina made it five wins in a row with a victory against the Philadelphia Flyers in the teams' second round opener.
The Avalanche might have a tougher time in their second round series because the Minnesota Wild are among the best teams in the league.
Here are USA TODAY Sports' predictions for who advances to the conference finals (the Sabres series prediction will be provided once their opponent is known):
Mike Brehm: Hurricanes in 5. The Flyers are better than the Ottawa Senators, but the Hurricanes are much better than the Pittsburgh Penguins. Philadelphia will avoid a sweep, but the Hurricanes play too aggressively and too well defensively for the Flyers to get more than one win.
Jace Evans: Hurricanes in 5. The Flyers could find a way to muck things up, and goalie Dan Vladar — coming off a sterling first round — could always steal a game. But the Canes are just a cut above this Flyers squad. Too deep and too talented to bow out vs. a team that has probably overachieved.
Kevin Skiver: Hurricanes in 6. Underestimate the Flyers at your own peril. I did. Philadelphia came out and completely handled the Penguins, digging a 3-0 hole for Pittsburgh to bury itself in. But the Hurricanes are coming off a dominant showing against the Senators, rested and playing some of their best hockey. The Flyers put up a better fight, but ultimately Carolina sends Philly to a very hopeful offseason.
Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild
Mike Brehm: Avalanche in 7. This will be the best series of the second round and perhaps the playoffs with Minnesota's Quinn Hughes and Colorado's Cale Makar showing why they have won Norris trophies. There's tons of talent on the top lines and both teams beefed up their forward depth at the deadline. This evenly matched series might just come down to home-ice advantage in Game 7.
Jace Evans: Avalanche in 6. Let the rest vs. rust debate begin! For this series, I lean on the side of rest. Minnesota is certainly battled-hardened after dispatching the Stars, but this Colorado core is championship tested. I don't think the Avs will be caught flat-footed at the outset of this series.
Kevin Skiver: Wild in 7. The Wild are rewarded for an impressive win over a Central Division foe with … an even tougher Central Division foe. The Avs dispatched the Kings with ease, but the Wild are scorching hot right now and Quinn Hughes looks like one of the best players remaining in this postseason. Like the series before, this one is kind of a coin flip on paper. But the Wild seem to be playing with weighted coins.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Anaheim Ducks
Mike Brehm: Golden Knights in 6. The Ducks seemed to score at will against the Oilers but coach John Tortorella has the Golden Knights playing better defensively. Vegas' penalty kill is superior to Anaheim's. The Golden Knights' core is more experienced, too.
Jace Evans: Golden Knights in 6. My Western Conference champion pick came down to a battle between the Golden Knights and Oilers. I went with the Oilers. Whoops! The Ducks were flat-out better and are a fascinating team, with young high-level talent buoyed by a collection of seasoned veterans (a few holding championship rings). The Golden Knights, the 2023 champions, are plenty seasoned themselves and their big guns showed up in the first round. I think that collective keeps it rolling.
Kevin Skiver: Golden Knights in 5. Shoutout to the Ducks, who did something their Highway Series rivals have struggled with so mightily: beating the Oilers in the first round. Anaheim looked really impressive in the first round, but Vegas has completely reformed itself with John Tortorella behind the bench. Losing momentum in the playoffs seemed like a distinct possibility. But against an upstart Utah team, it seems like the Golden Knights are only picking up steam.
For the seventh and final time in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round, fans of the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning are waking up with one thought on their minds: can their team prevail in what has been an incredible series? There can only be one winner, and there’s never been a better example that the NHL’s playoff system is flawed. These two teams should never have met in the first round.
Tonight’s tilt will be the 202nd Game 7 in NHL history, and 118 times the home team has claimed the win, while the visitors have been victorious only 83 times, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for the Canadiens. However, Martin St-Louis’ men have been the third-best road team in the league this season, claiming 24 of their 48 wins away from the Bell Centre and two of their three wins in this series away from home.
75% of the time, the team that scored first in a Game 7 has won the game: 151 wins and only 50 losses for the team that took the lead. In this current series between the Habs and the Bolts, five times out of six, the team that scored first won the game. It has never been more important to be ready right from puck drop.
The Lightning has played 10 Game 7s in its history and has won seven times, for a .700 winning percentage. When the ultimate game has been played at home, their record is 4-1. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have featured in 24 Game 7s and have a 15-9 record, for a .625 winning percentage. On the road, their record stands at 7-6 for a .538 winning percentage. With a win, the Canadiens would tie the Boston Bruins for most Game 7 wins in league history with 16.
23 of the players involved in this series have played in at least one Game 7 before; 13 play for Tampa Bay and 10 for Montreal. Only two Canadiens’ players have featured in more than one Game 7: Brendan Gallagher and Phillip Danault.
Six Canadiens players featured in the team’s last Game 7 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021: Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Danault, Gallagher, Nick Suzuki, and Jake Evans. However, the player who scored the game-winning goal then, Corey Perry, now plays for the opponent.
Jakub Dobes will become the sixth Habs rookie goaltender to play a Game 7, joining an elite group formed of Carey Price, Patrick Roy, Steve Penney, Ken Dryden and Jacques Plante.
Meanwhile, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who completely shut the door on the Canadiens in Game 6, has played four Game 7s in his career and has a 2-2 record and could become just the third active goaltender, after Sergei Bobrovsky and Jake Oettinger, to record at least three wins in this kind of winner-take-all game.
Behind the bench, Jon Cooper could become the first bench boss in league history to win five Game 7s with the same franchise. The Bolts’ coach has a 4-2 record in these circumstances and could therefore break the tie he’s in with Bob Hartley, Tommy Ivan, Claude Julien and Darryl Sutter. As for Martin St-Louis, he has never been at the helm of a team in a Game 7, but he has a 6-2 record as a player and therefore knows what they are like.
According to multiple sources, Noah Dobson will play his first game in this series tonight, which brings the question of who will come out of the lineup for the Canadiens. Although Arber Xhekaj has made a couple of mistakes in Game 6, the physicality he brings to the game might give him the edge over Jayden Struble, especially since the Lightning’s players are starting to feel the pain of the physical toll of this series.
Montreal will not hold a morning skate today, but will hold a media availability around 11:00 AM. The chances of getting any lineup updates then are slim to none. Wes McCauley and Chris Rooney are set to officiate, while Scott Cherrey and Matt MacPherson will be the linemen. The game is set for 6:00 PM, and you can catch it on The Spot, HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Should the Canadiens come out on top, they would take on the Buffalo Sabres in the second round, with the series kicking off on Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the KeyBank Center.
Buckle up, Habs fans, you should be in for quite a ride.
Hagel anytime goal
Boldy Over 3.5 shots on goal
Hutson Over 1.5 shots on goal
