The Nashville Predators have found their new general manager.
As my colleague Jack Williams alluded to in an earlier report, the Predators had permission to speak with Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland. However, since that report, they have officially announced that he has been hired to lead the organization.
The Predators needed a fresh voice to help guide them into the next era of Predators hockey. With Barry Trotz leaving the organization, they landed one of the top candidates available, which should help them navigate what could be a pivotal stretch for the franchise.
For McFarland, this is a step up from his previous role with the Avalanche. At the same time, it comes with a different set of challenges. He now has the opportunity to oversee an entire organization and, assuming ownership is on board, will have the freedom to make the moves he believes are necessary.
It is safe to say he is excited about the opportunity. In the press release, he had this to say:
"My wife Chandra and I, together with our children, are grateful to Bill and Crissy Haslam and the entire Nashville Predators family for this opportunity," MacFarland said. "We also thank everyone at the Avalanche, including Joe Sakic and the Kroenke family, for their support in pursuing this position with the Predators. I believe Nashville will be a great fit for me. "I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly. My goal here is to build a winner, working with (owner) Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future."
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McFarland took over as general manager of the Avalanche in 2022 and enjoyed plenty of success during his tenure. That included the 2025-26 season, which ultimately ended in a surprising sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. Now, his focus shifts to Nashville, where he will look to address several areas of need and could explore moving some contracts this summer.
It should be an interesting offseason in Nashville, especially with McFarland now at the helm. Throughout his career, he has shown that he is willing to make bold moves when he believes they will improve his team.
The Montreal Canadiens had a successful 2025-26 season and should be looking to boost their roster this summer because of it. One of their biggest needs is another right-shot defenseman who can play top-four minutes.
The trade market is one way that the Canadiens could look to improve their blueline. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL right now, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen stands out as an interesting potential option for the Habs.
Leading up to the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman mentioned that he believed the Canadiens had interest in Ristolainen. With this, it would not necessarily be surprising if the Habs kicked tires on the big Flyers defenseman this summer.
If the Canadiens acquired Ristolainen, he could work on their second pairing with Lane Hutson. He would also give the Canadiens a clear option for their penalty kill due to his shutdown ability and improved defensive play.
Ristolainen has a $5.1 million cap hit until the end of next season. Overall, this is a reasonable cap hit for what he provides, and he would have the potential to be a nice addition to Montreal's roster.
In 44 games this season with the Flyers, Ristolainen recorded one goal, 14 points, 48 hits, 63 blocks, and a plus-10 rating.
DENVER — The Nashville Predators are bringing in Chris MacFarland of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche to serve as their president of hockey operations/general manager.
The Predators announced the hiring of MacFarland. He takes over for Barry Trotz, who will step into an advisory role with the organization after announcing earlier this season that he was retiring from the GM role.
MacFarland finished his fourth season as general manager of the Avalanche, where the team he helped assemble turned in the NHL’s best record before being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. MacFarland is a finalist for general manager of the year, along with Minnesota’s Bill Guerin and Anaheim’s Pat Verbeek.
The 56-year-old MacFarland spent 11 seasons with the Avalanche, learning under the direction of current team president and Hall of Famer Joe Sakic. MacFarland was promoted to GM soon after the Avalanche won the 2022 Stanley Cup.
Nashville has missed the playoffs three of the past four seasons after a stretch of eight straight postseason berths, which included the 2017 Western Conference championship.
“We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam said in a statement. “He turned out to be a perfect fit for us — just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward.”
MacFarland inherits a team that rallied from last in the NHL on Dec. 8 to a wild-card spot with 10 games to play only to be eliminated in the 81st game of the season. He has a solid core that includes goaltender Juuse Saros, captain Roman Josi and forward Filip Forsberg. Coach Andrew Brunette has gone 115-108-23 at Nashville with slow starts in each of his three seasons.
“I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly,” MacFarland said. “My goal here is to build a winner. ... I am excited about our future.”
MacFarland is known for his ability to make deals. This season, he bolstered the Avalanche around the trade deadline by acquiring Nazem Kadri, Brett Kulak, Nicolas Roy and Nick Blankenburg. The team’s 121 points were the most in franchise history. The Avalanche cruised through the first two rounds, going 8-1, before their high-scoring offense was neutralized by the Golden Knights.
“Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship,” said Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. “This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family.”
Sakic will fill in as GM of the Avalanche for the “foreseeable future,” Kroenke said. Sakic is the only person in NHL history to capture a Stanley Cup title as a captain (1996, 2001) and GM (2022) with the same organization.
“We are confident in Joe’s leadership and that we will continue to build upon our recent success as we seek to bring another Cup back to Colorado,” Kroenke said.
One decision facing the Avalanche may be the status of Jared Bednar, the all-time winningest coach in franchise history who’s about to enter the final season of his contract. The Avalanche have been to the postseason nine straight seasons under Bednar, with one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
“It’s not easy to win in this league,” Bednar said after being eliminated by Vegas. “It’s not easy through the regular season and in the playoffs it can become more and more difficult as you move on.
“The closer you get, the more hope you have that you can accomplish (winning a title). And when you don’t, it’s hard to deal with.”
Gustafsson might lack some of the high-end offensive instincts and abilities that Smits has, but Gustafsson is a year younger and a bruising defender who skates very well for a player with a 6-foot-4 frame.
Like Smits, Gustafsson would fit in very nicely within the Panthers organization. The Panthers coaching staff and management value size on their blueline, highlighted by Seth Jones (6-foot-4), Aaron Ekblad (6-foot-4), and Niko Mikkola (6-foot-6). Even Gustav Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are listed at 6-foot-1.
Gustafsson is still just 17 years old and is far from NHL-ready, but with patience, scouts believe Gustafsson could become a very solid top-four defender.
The 2025-26 season saw Gustafsson play most of the campaign with HV71 in the SHL, where he notched three assists in 27 games. With HV71’s U-20 team, he scored four goals and 12 points in 19 games, flashing the offensive upside he possesses.
At the recent U-18s, Gustaffson recorded a goal and five points in six games, leading all Swedish defenders in points and ranking fifth on the team.
Anything he brings offensively is a bonus to his stout defensive game. Indeed, he uses his mobility to move the puck, but, more importantly, he uses it for gap control and to pick off passes. Whether it’s while pinching in the offensive zone or attempting to cut down passes in the neutral zone, Gustaffson reads the play well and is quick to react.
In his own end, he has an active stick that knocks pucks off his opponents’ sticks, but his best trait is how he uses his body. Gustaffson shows no fear using his body to separate players from the puck. Whether it’s along the boards, while defending the front of his net, or when opponents are trying to find open spaces, Gustaffson does an excellent job of being physically involved.
If Gustaffson’s offensive game improves, mainly his shot and passing vision, there is possible top-pairing potential in the Swede’s game, but his defensive game is a safe bet for a middle-pairing defender.
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A year after finishing second for the award to Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar in 2025, Werenski put together another outstanding season for the Blue Jackets that pushed him into the top spot among voters in the Professional Hockey Writers Association over Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar and Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
"I think the biggest thing for me last year, being a finalist, is I wanted to prove to not only myself, but to everyone, that last season wasn’t a fluke and I could do it again," Werenski said. "I felt like I always had the talent, but in terms of my full game, I felt like last year was ... really my first breakout year, and I wanted to prove to myself that it wasn't just a one-off."
Mission accomplished.
"Obviously, we fell short of our ultimate goal, which was making the playoffs, but we made strides, and I definitely proved that it wasn’t just a fluke, and it wasn’t just a one-year thing and I can play at that level, and I can be in the conversation with those great defensemen," Werenski said. "Really proud of it."
The Norris Trophy voting tabulations were announced June 2 by the NHL, which released the news along with a video of Werenski getting the Trophy in a surprise visit from a camera crew June 24 while he and his wife, Odette, hosted a family get together with their newborn son, Hudson.
"I think the only people who knew were Odette and my brother [Brad], so just seeing my parents' reaction, everyone that was over, that’s the best part about it all is how surprised they were," Werenski said. "I definitely, maybe, thought something was coming, but like I said, until you actually see that it's here, and you hear the words, 'You're the Norris winner,' it's just in your mind. It's just a thought."
Werenski is the first Blue Jackets defenseman and sixth American-born player to win the Norris Trophy, joining Rod Langway, Chris Chelios, Brian Leetch, Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes. He trains with Hughes in Detroit during offseasons, and they became even closer while leading the U.S. to an Olympic gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Hughes won the Norris Trophy in 2024.
"He just kept telling me all year, like, ‘This is yours to lose,’ and, ‘Go for it,’ and it gave me a ton of confidence," Werenski said. "So, I thought that was cool that I'm going to be up there with my peers and guys I've played against and guys that have pushed me to be better."
Older names included on the trophy left an impression, too, including former Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, a seven-time Norris winner. Werenski, who's from the Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, grew up watching Lidstrom play. Now, their names are linked forever on the same trophy.
"One of the first names I looked for was Nick Lidstrom," Werenski said. "It’s not hard to find because he’s on there seven times, but that's probably the one that I really looked for right away. I grew up watching him, obviously, being from Detroit. I knew how special a player he was, and to win it once is an incredible feeling, but to do what he did is ... it’s insane."
He doesn't turn 29 until July, and he's become an elite offensive defenseman. His defensive play certainly factored into finishing first, but Werenski's unique offensive acumen is what put him over the top with 81 points on 22 goals and 59 assists in 75 games. Leading the Blue Jackets in scoring for the second consecutive season as a defenseman swayed enough voters to complete a memorable 16-month span.
Despite the Blue Jackets stumbling from playoff contention, he helped the U.S. win gold on a play he sparked in overtime of the gold medal game, stealing the puck from Canadian superstar Nathan MacKinnon and sending a pass to Hughes' brother, Jack, for the golden goal in a 2-1 victory.
Months earlier, Werenski also helped the U.S. break a long championship drought in May 2025 at the men’s world championships in Stockholm, Sweden, giving him two international gold medals playing for the U.S. in less than a year's time. Prior to that, he also helped the U.S. win a silver medal at the NHL's inaugural 2025 Four Nations Face-Off.
During each gold medal celebration, Werenski made sure to honor deceased former Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau along with his U.S. teammates, displaying his No. 13 jersey each time and taking it a step further in the Olympic celebration by carrying two of Gaudreau’s three young children onto the ice for the team's victory photo.
Three months later, Werenski became a father for the first time when Odette gave birth to Hudson. Now, on top of those career and life milestones, Werenski is the first Blue Jackets defensemen to win the Norris Trophy and a first-time recipient of the award, which is named after James E. Norris, a longtime Red Wings owner.
"You know, I think if you look back to [2025] world championships, even as far [back] as [Four Nations] two seasons ago, it’s been an awesome year and a half for me," Werenski said. "It’s a long list of accomplishments, and you know, I wouldn't be here without a great support system, and a great family and great friends, and this just caps off a really great two seasons for me, and I feel very honored. I feel very blessed."
Since the Jackets selected him eighth overall in 2015, Werenski has matured into a homegrown superstar and now the NHL’s top defenseman. That’s why former GM Jarmo Kekalainen, who drafted him, made Werenski the Blue Jackets’ top defenseman and highest-paid player July 29, 2021, by signing him to a six-year contract worth $59.5 million.
That deal, which has two seasons left, was announced about a month after Kekalainen traded Werenski’s former defense partner, Seth Jones, to the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jackets received an enticing return package that allowed them to draft forward Cole Sillinger 12th overall in 2021 and defenseman David Jiricek sixth overall in 2022, but the deal also made Werenski their top defenseman.
Aside from injuries that limited his availability for two years (2021-2023), Werenski has capitalized on the opportunity to play a huge role. In the past two seasons combined, he ranks second among all NHL defensemen in points [163], third in goals [45], fifth in assists [118], first in shots [558] and second in ice time [26:41].
He also tops every all-time defensive scoring record for the Blue Jackets by sitting first in points [465], goals [135], assists [330] and power-play goals [29] while also leading in games played [642] by defensemen.
Unlike many of his blue-line peers around the NHL, though, Werenski has skated with numerous partners on the Blue Jackets’ top defensive pairing since Jones left. The past two years, it's been Dante Fabbro for most of 2024-25 followed by a combination of Damon Severson, Ivan Provorov, Denton Mateychuk and Fabbro this past season.
Unfazed by the rotation, Werenski plugged along for another remarkable campaign that finished with a coveted NHL trophy. He's not done, either. Far from it.
"I don’t want to stop here," Werenski said. "I feel like the second you get complacent is the second you get passed up, and I want to keep playing for a long time. I want to play for my son, for my family. There’s so much motivation out there, and I still haven’t won the ultimate goal, which is the Stanley Cup. I really haven’t played in the playoffs or had much success in the playoffs, ever, so there's more motivation than ever for me to be even better next season to try and play in the playoffs."
Carolina is the epitome of continuity, returning to the Final for the first time since 2006 under the steady, long-term vision of head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Conversely, Vegas pulled off a stunning mid-season pivot, replacing head coach Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella with just eight games left in the regular season. The gutsy gamble has unlocked a highly physical, locked-in version of the Golden Knights.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes: what to know
When: June 2, 8 p.m. ET
Where: Lenovo Center (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Channel: ABC
Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)
The series continues on Thursday with Game 2.
Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes Game 1 start time
Game 1of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Golden Knights and Hurricanes is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET tonight (June 2).
How to watch Golden Knights vs. Hurricanes for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the Stanley Cup Finals for free.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for watching sports live for free thanks to its five day free trial and the number of sports channels included in packages. We recommend the premium Choice plan, which includes ABC among its 90+ live channels. Right now, you can get $30 off your first month after the free trial is up.
TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE
Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NHL games; its Select plan includes ABC and starts at $19.99/month.
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
We got word that the Colorado Avalanche granted the Nashville Predators permission to speak with Chris MacFarland about the Predators’ General Manager position. That news quickly led to the announcement of his hiring and his move on from the Avalanche organization.
CMac, thank you for 11 seasons of hard work and dedication to our organization and for helping bring another Stanley Cup to Colorado.
The former GM in Colorado just so happens to be proven and beloved Avalanche legend Joe Sakic, who will now resume the duties he held for the Avalanche from 2014 to 2021.
It looks like Joe Sakic will resume his GM duties in Colorado for the “foreseeable future.” #GoAvsGo
Sakic was promoted to President of Hockey Operations in 2022, at which time Chris MacFarland was promoted to GM of the Avalanche. He and Sakic worked together to build the 2022 Cup champion and every Avs team since then.
After Colorado’s untimely and unexpected elimination from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, fans and pundits looked to see what changes would result from the collapse.
Well, we have an answer: Chris MacFarland out, Sakic back in, and we have word that the Avalanche will not be moving on from Jared Bednar.
Also, about Colorado: there is word Jared Bednar is staying as the Avalanche’s coach
Now, I’m not going to pretend I have been a fan of every single move we’ve seen MacFarland make over his tenure in Colorado, but I will say he did plenty to prove that any team in the league would do well to secure his services.
He successfully re-vamped an Avalanche crease that was costing the team dearly, leveraged Mikko Rantanen for a 100-point scorer that’s signed into the future, and a depth centerman that could be a focal part of the bottom six for years to come.
Most impressively, he helped Sakic form the stacked 2022 Stanley Cup Champion team.
I would argue the “cup window” pressured MacFarland into short-sighted dealings, and where I see his shortcomings, I really see the risk side of a high-risk/high-reward strategy.
Most fans and pundits agree with the philosophy because you can’t waste Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar’s prime to develop younger, less proven talent.
Announcing the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award finalists… 🏆 #NHLAwards
This award is presented annually to recognize the work of the top general manager in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/2Z45rPNabJ
When Joe Sakic got the GM gig in 2014, fellow Avs legend Patrick Roy was the head coach of a team with budding superstar talent in Nathan MacKinnon, but Roy’s time as head coach was stained by a sophomore slump for MacK and an older, less successful group in 2015. That, along with issues with roster control and management, led to Roy’s leaving in 2016 just ahead of training camp.
When the Avalanche looked for a replacement, Joe Sakic chose Jared Bednar, who many viewed as a shoo-in for the gig as soon as Roy left. With little time to get prepared, Bednar’s Colorado Avalanche stumbled out of the gate.
Many viewed Bednar’s hiring as a huge risk as he had zero NHL coaching experience at the time, but had won at every level below.
When Bednar’s Avalanche only amassed 48 points in Colorado’s worst regular season ever, Joe Sakic gave Bednar a vote of confidence in the following quote for the Denver Post.
“As I told you last time, there is no thought otherwise. He’s coming back… I like the way Jared handles himself. He didn’t make excuses. He came to work every day.”
We all know what happened after that, but I’ll sum it up: Jared Bednar won a cup at the NHL level and is the Avalanche’s all-time winningest head coach.
Needless to say, if Sakic is back behind the GM’s desk, Jared Bednar is still his guy.
The Nashville Predators have hired Chris MacFarland to be their president of hockey operations and general manager, luring him away from their Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche.
MacFarland, who has spent the past 11 seasons with the Avalanche, will take over the duties performed by general manager Barry Trotz. Trotz announced his retirement on Feb. 2, but will stay on with the Predators in an advisory role.
In a news release, Predators majority owner Bill Haslam said that MacFarland was one of their main targets throughout the search. The Avalanche were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals on May 26.
"We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates," Haslam said. "But all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris (MacFarland). He turned out to be a perfect fit for us, just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."
MacFarland, 56, has been with Colorado since 2015, when he was named assistant general manager. In 2022, he took over the general manager position from Joe Sakic, who was elevated to president of hockey operations.
Sakic will move back the general manager role at least through the start of free agency.
While MacFarland was with Colorado, the Avalanche built a loaded roster that includes Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon and two-time Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar. MacFarland is directly credited with signing MacKinnon to an eight-year deal in 2022, but he also worked alongside Sakic during the Avalanche's rebuild era — an era that developed MacKinnon into a superstar and the drafting of Makar in 2017.
MacFarland also oversaw several key trades, including sending Matt Duchene to Ottawa in 2018 in exchange for three draft picks and defenseman Samuel Girard in a three-team deal.
Colorado's success the past decade is undeniable. After finishing in last place in the league in 2017, the Avalanche have made the playoffs nine consecutive seasons (2018-2026) and won the Stanley Cup in 2022. This season, they won the Presidents' Trophy with the best record in the league. Accurately assigning credit for that success is difficult, but MacFarland had a role during all of it.
Prior to his time in Colorado, MacFarland was director of hockey operations and assistant general manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets for 14 seasons (2000 to 2015).
According to the Avalanche website, MacFarland has "worked in nearly every facet of the organization including scouting at the professional and amateur level, player contract negotiations, salary cap management and arbitration, collective bargaining agreement administration, budgeting and team scheduling issues."
A New York native, MacFarland played hockey at Pace University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business in 1992 and a law degree in 1998. He began his career as an intern in the NHL’s New York office in 1993-94 and also worked in the NHL's productions office.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 12-4 and an average save percentage of .924 in 16 games this postseason.
Freddie Anderson starts in goal for the Hurricanes. Anderson has a record of 12-1, three shutouts, and an average save percentage of .931 in 13 games this postseason.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Mark Stone
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook
William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders: Freddie Anderson / Brandon Bussi
Special Teams
VGK power play: 23.9%, 4th
VGK penalty kill: 87.5%, 5th
Hurricanes power play: 12.5%, 13th
Hurricanes penalty kill: 92.5%, 2nd
Game Notes
The Golden Knights are 14-11 in Game 1s in franchise history. They have won both Game 1s during their two Stanley Cup Final appearances.
Historically, teams that take a 1-0 series lead go on to win 70.3% of the time.
The Golden Knights won both games against the Hurricanes during the regular season and outscored Carolina 10-4.
Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A).
Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the league with ten postseason goals.
Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 16.
During Media Day on Monday, head coach John Tortorella reiterated that the most important thing for a player to have is the right mindset. He says that the Golden Knights have mental toughness, and that’s why they’re winners.
Colorado’s front office is heading into a familiar-looking transition point, as Chris MacFarland moves on from the Avalanche after more than a decade with the organization to take over hockey operations in Nashville.
Nashville Makes Its Move
The Nashville Predators officially named MacFarland their new president of hockey operations and general manager on Tuesday, filling the most important vacancy in their organization with one of the NHL’s most experienced executives.
MacFarland leaves Colorado after 11 years with the club, including the past several seasons as general manager following Joe Sakic’s transition to president of hockey operations after the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup win.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, MacFarland had conversations with Predators owner Bill Haslam on Monday after being given permission by Colorado to speak with Nashville.
“We could not be more pleased that Chris has elected to join the Predators organization and lead our hockey operations group,” Haslam said in a statement. “We conducted an exhaustive search and were able to meet with several very qualified and impressive candidates, but all along, we were hopeful to interview Chris. He turned out to be a perfect fit for us — just what we were looking for to lead our organization moving forward."
Nashville had been searching for a permanent hockey operations leader since Barry Trotz stepped away from the general manager role in February.
Colorado Turns The Page Internally
Back in Denver, the Avalanche confirmed that Joe Sakic will step back into general manager duties “for the foreseeable future,” covering key upcoming moments like the NHL Draft and the start of free agency.
Avalanche owner Josh Kroenke expressed gratitude for MacFarland’s long run with the organization and the role he played in shaping the current roster core.
"Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship. This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family. We wish him and his family all the best in Nashville."
MacFarland officially took over as GM in 2022 and helped maintain Colorado’s status as a consistent contender. The Avalanche reached the playoffs in every season of his tenure as general manager, including a Presidents’ Trophy campaign this year. That season ultimately ended in disappointment with a sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.
Now in Nashville, MacFarland steps into a situation that has been aggressive but inconsistent. The Predators fell just short of the playoffs this season despite major offseason swings, including the additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.
“I know this is a proud organization with a solid track record of putting together teams that the fans of Smashville support wholeheartedly," MacFarland said in a statement. "My goal here is to build a winner, working with Bill Haslam, Sean Henry and our hockey operations staff and players to put a team on the ice that will compete for the Stanley Cup. I am excited about our future.”
With the move, Nashville completes its search for a top executive, while Colorado stays the course with a familiar structure under Sakic heading into a crucial offseason.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes begin their quest for hockey's ultimate prize when they meet in Game 1 tonight at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.
With both teams just four wins away from lifting the Stanley Cup, puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET as our Covers experts break down their top NHL picks and predictions for the series opener.
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Todd Cordell's expert pick: Pavel Dorofeyev Over 0.5 points
Price: -120 at BET99
Pavel Dorofeyev has taken off since being promoted to the top line alongside Jack Eichel. He has averaged an ultra-efficient 3.53 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play while generating expected goals at an elite clip.
Dorofeyev is also a big threat on the man advantage, where he leads the Vegas Golden Knights in goals and shots during the playoffs.
He is an exceptional shooter and generates plenty of looks. He will really test Frederik Andersen, who is riding a high now but posted a highly underwhelming .874 save percentage during the regular season.
Expect Dorofeyev to hit the scoresheet in Game 1.
Betable to -130.
Todd Cordell's expert pick: Jackson Blake Over 0.5 points
Price: -135 at BET99
The Noah Hanifin - Rasmus Andersson pairing has lost their 5-on-5 minutes on the scoreboard and controlled just 41.20% of the expected goals share, ranking them 16th out of 17 pairings to log 100+ minutes in the playoffs.
John Tortorella is giving them a lot of defensive zone starts, which doesn’t make life easy, but they’re still struggling to limit chances and keep the puck out.
Jackson Blake leads the Carolina Hurricanes in offensive zone start percentage (89.57%), expected goals, and time on ice at 5-on-5. He is the most likely candidate to take advantage. Play to -150.
Quinn Allen's expert pick: Logan Stankoven to score
Price: +220 at BET99
Logan Stankoven is flourishing in these playoffs with nine goals in just 13 games, but the underlying metrics suggest the production is no fluke.
His 4.1 individual expected goals rank third on the Carolina Hurricanes behind only Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, while he also sits third on the team in high-danger chances created per 60 minutes (17.98).
Carolina is also controlling 67.8% of shots on goal with Stankoven on the ice at 5-on-5, highlighting his ability to drive offensive-zone pressure. He registered 11 shots across the final two games of the Eastern Conference Final and scored in both contests.
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The Montreal Canadiens are one of the most exciting teams in the NHL. They not only made it to the Eastern Conference Final this year but also have plenty of promising prospects in their system. Florian Xhekaj is among them, as the 21-year-old forward has the potential to emerge as an impactful NHL forward.
Xhekaj appeared in his first five career NHL games this season with the Canadiens, where he recorded an assist, seven penalty minutes, and nine hits. Down in the AHL with the Laval Rocket this season, he had 17 goals, 29 points, and 182 penalty minutes in 64 games. This is after he had 24 goals, 35 points, and 175 penalty minutes in 69 games for Laval in 2024-25.
Overall, Xhekaj has shown promise at the AHL level. Because of this, the 6-foot-3 forward is a breakout candidate to watch for the 2026-27 season. It would not be surprising in the slightest if the young forward takes another step forward in his development and cements himself a spot in the Canadiens' bottom six because of it.
Xhekaj's toughness and grit are hard to ignore, but he has also shown at the AHL level that he has a bit of a scoring touch. It will be interesting to see if he can translate this kind of play over to the NHL next season with Montreal, but it is hard not to feel optimistic about his future with the club.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Rod Brind’Amour knows the exact moment he realized the Carolina Hurricanes could be Stanley Cup contenders.
“Eight years ago,” he said. That was when Brind’Amour took over as coach, beginning a journey of making the playoffs every year and falling short of the final each time until now.
The Vegas Golden Knights were born nine years ago, but from the time they pillaged the rest of the NHL in the expansion draft through this spring, they have set championship expectations. They made the final in their inaugural season and won it all in 2023. Their third visit to the Cup Final perhaps is their most surprising.
This Vegas-Carolina final almost is a decade in the making for a pair of teams in non-traditional markets that have become powerhouses. The collision course brought them to this moment, a best-of-seven series that begins with Game 1.
“It’s for all the marbles,” Golden Knights forward Cole Smith said. “Just the way they play, they play a really fast game. So do we. It’s going to be a really great series.”
Brind’Amour has been a Carolina constant
The Hurricanes won their only Stanley Cup championship in 2006, when Brind’Amour was their captain. He played 9 1/2 seasons for them and spent seven more as an assistant before getting named coach in 2018. He has been a part of 98 of Carolina’s 100 playoff victories since the franchise formerly known as the Whalers moved from Hartford in ’97.
“Roddy’s been at the helm of it the whole time and just establishing the culture that we do have here,” said defenseman Jaccob Slavin, now in his 11th season with the team. “It’s been building and building and we’ve been close and knocking at the door. I think we finally just have the right personnel, the right commitment, the right buy-in because our game really hasn’t changed.”
Slavin, captain Jordan Staal, grinder Jordan Martinook and center Sebastian Aho have been together since the time Brind’Amour got promoted, and wingers Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis and goaltender Frederik Andersen got added the well-established core along the way. The Hurricanes won at least one series every year but had never strung together three in a row.
“We’ve been trying really hard for eight years, and it’s not anybody’s fault,” Martinook said. “It’s just we’ve fallen short.”
What has been different for the Hurricanes
Logan Stankoven, acquired at the trade deadline last year when Mikko Rantanen was sent to Dallas six weeks after Carolina got him from Colorado, has thrived at center on the second line between Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake. Stankoven leads the team with nine goals.
Hall, who came from Chicago in that initial three-way trade with Rantanen, tops the Hurricanes with 16 points. Nikolaj Ehlers, signed last summer as a free agent, had a monster Game 2 of the East final after they lost the series opener, including scoring the overtime winner.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything special to get this group (here),” Ehlers said. “This group was ready for it.”
Carolina is 12-1 this playoffs, the fewest losses to get to the final since 1983. Brind’Amour feels like this is where his team has belonged for a long time but still has unfinished business.
“I don’t think we have broken through,” Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to win. I know everyone makes a lot about getting this far, but nobody’s going to remember who comes in second.”
The Golden Knights were winners from the start
Vegas came in second during its inaugural season when no one expected the expansion team to be any good. The Golden Knights went all the way to the final before losing to Washington in five games.
“Set the tone right away,” said center William Karlsson, one of the three original so-called “Misfits” who are still around from the beginning. “That came out of nowhere.”
First general manager George McPhee plucking Karlsson, defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb and winger Reilly Smith — back after a year and a half absence — from other teams put Vegas in position to succeed. Smart selections in the draft, free agent signings and trades by McPhee and now-GM Kelly McCrimmon established a standard of winning at all costs.
“It’s what you want to be as an athlete,” McNabb said. “You want to be on a team that does that.”
In came Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Ivan Barbashev and Alex Pietrangelo, and the Knights won the Cup in their sixth season. They’ve only missed the playoffs once.
What has been different for the Golden Knights
Pietrangelo’s career-ending injury opened space to deal for Mitch Marner on June 30. Marner leads all scorers in the playoffs with 21 points, succeeding at a time of year that he never did in nearly a decade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I think our team is deeper and a better team than what he had played on in Toronto,” McCrimmon said. “Not that Toronto didn’t have real good teams, but you have to have that depth throughout your roster because to go through three rounds or ultimately, hopefully, four rounds, everybody’s got to take their turn.”
Pavel Dorofeyev has been a breakout star on that front, and he and teammate Brett Howden are tied for the most postseason goals with 10 apiece. Karlsson returned in the second round after missing the previous six months with an undisclosed injury.
Goaltender Carter Hart, a controversial signing last fall after he and four other Hockey Canada junior players were acquitted of sexual assault, has rounded into form. Hart stopped 118 of 125 shots in a West final sweep of Colorado.
And, most notably, Vegas has won 19 of 24 games since McCrimmon fired coach Bruce Cassidy in late March and hired John Tortorella, whom he had never met or spoken with before.
“We asked ourselves, ‘Who can come in and give us that kind of a bump?’” McCrimmon said. “John was the guy that we really felt strongly could do that.”
RALEIGH, N.C. — On the eve of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes, one of the general managers involved laid out his thinking when making roster moves.
“We want to be aggressive off the ice,” the GM said. “When you have a chance to add really high-end players, we never want to miss out on it.”
While the Golden Knights under Kelly McCrimmon deservedly have earned their reputation for going after every high-end player available, that sentiment came from Carolina’s Eric Tulsky, whose team generally has been considered far more selective.
The Hurricanes have taken bigger leaps since Tulsky took over two years ago, but his challenge has been finding particular players who fit coach Rod Brind’Amour’s demanding style. The Golden Knights have added one big star after another, in the name of trying to win it all for a second time in less than a decade of existence.
One approach will end with hoisting the Cup.
“It probably should be more fun than we appreciate in the moment,” McCrimmon said. “We have made a lot of big decisions over our time in the league — very bold. I always say that to be big or bold is one thing. You’ve got to make good decisions, and I think that we’ve collectively through our hockey ops have done a good job of that. It’s exhilarating to win.”
Building the Hurricanes
Six Carolina players were drafted and developed, including No. 1 defenseman Jaccob Slavin, top-line forwards Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and young building-block winger Jackson Blake.
Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen was a free-agent signing, and second-liners Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven were acquired in trades. Tulsky, a Harvard graduate with a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, worked under previous GM Don Waddell and pieced the rest of the puzzle together himself.
McCrimmon pointed to Waddell as a positive influence and complimented his counterpart for smart draft picks and trades.
“They’ve consistently been building their team, and they’ve done it different ways,” McCrimmon said. “Looking at it from the outside, they’ve been aggressive in their way of doing that. They have an idea what they want it to look like, the type of players that their organization will make good use of and they go out and get those guys.”
Sometimes those guys do not fit. One of the big gambles Tulsky made came in January 2025 when he gave up young forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury in a three-way trade that landed the Hurricanes big winger Mikko Rantanen and the veteran Hall.
Rantanen was not interested in re-signing, so Tulsky explored options and flipped him to Dallas for young Logan Stankoven and picks.
“Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there,” Tulsky said. “One of the strengths of our organization is we’re not afraid to take those swings, but we’re confident that if we just keep staying aggressive, some will work out, some won’t (and) we’ll end up ahead of where we would be if we just stayed passive the whole time.”
Stankoven, free-agent signing Nikolaj Ehlers and other additions like Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski have fit Brind’Amour’s mold like a glove. Tulsky was a hockey blogger before moving into management and he thinks analytically but also credits his staff for talent evaluation to play for this coach.
“We’ve really focused on finding people who fit the way we want to play,” Tulsky said. “We ask players to play a very distinctive style, and our scouts have done a great job finding players who can come in and look their best playing the way Rod needs them to play.”
Building the Golden Knights
From the start, Vegas was built to win. Original GM George McPhee aced the expansion draft, from picking players from the other 30 teams in the league to making side deals that brought even more talent into the fold.
The initial bunch delivered an unexpected trip to the final during the club’s inaugural season in 2017-18, with goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury the backbone of a group that included forwards William Karlsson and Reilly Smith and defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb. Karlsson, Theodore and McNabb have been around the entire time, and Smith returned after a brief absence.
Along the way, McPhee and McCrimmon never shied away from making big moves. They made trades for Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Noah Hanifin, signed Alex Pietrangelo and made a sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner.
“We appreciate how George and Kelly operate,” McNabb said. “They’re always trying to build a winning team, and they’ve done a great job for the nine years.”
The Golden Knights have made the playoffs in eight of them, won the Cup in 2023 and consistently been championship contenders.
“It’s a privilege,” McCrimmon said. “We don’t take it for granted. We work real hard. You have to get lucky along the way at times, also. That’s kind of been our objective right from the opening season.”
McNabb said McCrimmon is doing his job. There are no complaints from players about Vegas going big-game shopping all the time.
“I don’t know if he’s in on every player, but he’s trying to make the team better and that’s what you want and you appreciate,” McNabb said. “You want to be on a team that’s trying to get better and have the best team going into playoffs and performing in playoffs.”
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Pavel Dorofeyev over 0.5 points
Jackson Blake over 0.5 points