The Buffalo Sabres practiced at KeyBank Center on Saturday in preparation for their first playoff series since 2011, and had nearly a full complement of players. Sabres Buffalo goalie Alex Lyon took to the ice for the first time in over a week and according to head coach Lindy Ruff, he would be available for the start of the series against the Boston Bruins on Sunday night.
Lyon suffered a lower-body injury at practice in New York prior to their win over the Rangers on April 8 and third-stringer Colten Ellis stepped in for two starts in the final week of the regular season. Ellis also suffered an unspecified injury at the end of the season, but Ruff indicated that both netminders were ready to go.
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was in the home goal during the morning workout, giving a preliminary indication that the big Finn will be the Sabres starter in Game 1.
Ostlund last played in the 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins on March 25 and missed the final three weeks of the season with an upper-body injury, but Ruff was optimistic about the rookie’s chances of returning to the lineup in the near future.
"It's his first day back with us. We're going to get him involved in a little bit of physical contact and see where he's at. He has been skating. We've just been trying to get him to that next level (and) today was that next level," Ruff said. "We'll see how he feels after taking faceoffs and being involved in practice and (he's) definitely a possibility, I don't know for game one, but he is right there knocking on the door now."
Ruff also reacted to the comments of Bruins head coach Marco Sturm, that his club is bigger, stronger, and more physical and that Boston’s game plan is to go after the Sabres.
"That's his take on his team. I have a lot of respect for what our team has done and how we play and the speed we play the game," Ruff said. "They've got a good team. They know who they are, and we know who we are."
The Bruins have been a physical team all season, and will likely be targeting their forechecking on Buffalo’s key players: centers Tage Thompson, Josh Norris, and winger Alex Tuch up front, and Rasmus Dahlin and Bowen Byram on the back end. Boston will likely look to match up veteran Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm against the Sabres top two lines centered by Thompson and Norris, while relying on their heavy forecheck and hard-hitting blueliners Charlie McAvoy to lay the body on Buffalo forwards. The series may come down what playoff series always come down to; special teams and which goaltender will perform better under pressure.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 09: Fans walk by a Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Playoff puck outside of PPG PAINTS Arena before Game Four of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers on May 09, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PITTSBURGH — In a physical, chippy start to the playoffs Saturday night, the Flyers beat the Penguins, 3-2, at PPG Paints Arena.
Travis Sanheim scored the go-ahead goal at the halfway mark of the third period as the Flyers took Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round series with Pittsburgh. The Flyers’ defenseman made a skillful move to split two Penguins and fire home the puck from the slot.
Porter Martone provided important insurance with an absolute snipe. Bryan Rust made it interesting for Pittsburgh with a late goal. However, the Flyers held on, thanks to a key save by Dan Vladar.
Jamie Drysdale opened the scoring past the midway point of the game, but Evgeni Malkin struck later in the second period to make it 1-1.
Rick Tocchet’s club, though, played a strong defensive game and had a terrific third period.
On Malkin’s game-tying goal, the Flyers got stuck in the defensive zone. Vladar made an initial save, but the rebound sprung to Malkin, who fired away from the circle.
But Vladar was his reliable self and the Flyers didn’t give up many quality looks.
Pittsburgh netminder Stuart Skinner was solid, turning away a number of good chances by the Flyers. He had 17 saves on 20 shots.
Sanheim and Martone beat him on sharp shots.
Before that, Skinner stopped Denver Barkey in the third period after the rookie picked off a pass to go the other way.
A little before the halfway mark of the game, Skinner denied an Owen Tippett breakaway after Tyson Foerster made a great stretch pass. But the Flyers struck 58 seconds later when Drysdale scored his first career playoff goal.
Since March 1, the Flyers were tied for the second-most power play goals allowed with 19. But in that span, they were the stingiest defensive team at 5-on-5, giving up a league-low 30 goals.
The Flyers didn’t give Pittsburgh much.
Meanwhile, the Flyers thought they had a power play goal and 1-0 lead in the first period when Christian Dvorak careened toward the net. He ended up barreling into Skinner slightly before the puck crossed the goal line. The officials waved it off immediately and stuck with the call after some consultation.
So, in a simpler way of putting it, the league credited Skinner with the save before Dvorak ran into him, which caused the puck to come loose.
Think about this: Martone was just 2 years old when Sidney Crosby won his first of three Stanley Cup titles. Interestingly, Martone got the chance to see Crosby up close last offseason as teammates on Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
“You could say he’s kind of like your hockey idol when you’re a kid,” Martone said after morning skate. “Win Stanley Cups, captain of Team Canada, he’s kind of the face of the NHL, too. It’s someone who I’ve looked up to as a kid. You see what he has done for the game of hockey. He’s not just a great hockey player, but he’s an even better human, what he does in the community. So it’s going to be exciting to go against him this series.”
Martone played well in his first taste of the playoffs. He made some things happen and didn’t try to do too much. He also shrugged off a so-so start. His goal was a beauty and pretty much sealed the Flyers’ win.
• Led by Sean Couturier and Garnet Hathaway, the Flyers’ fourth line played with a style that’s needed this time of year.
Tocchet relied on that line to start the first and second periods. The veteran group finished its checks and was dependable all night.
• The series picks back up Monday with Game 2 at PPG Paints Arena (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
While Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson didn’t get off to the start he—or the team—had hoped for during the first two months of the 2025–26 campaign, he flipped a switch in December and became arguably the NHL’s top performer at his position.
From December through mid-January, Gibson posted a stellar 16–2 record, along with an impressive .929 save percentage and multiple shutouts.
Unfortunately, he and the Red Wings didn't attain a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs owing to several setbacks in March and April that doomed their chances.
However, Gibson demonstrated that he's capable of being one of the best goaltenders in the NHL.
"I thought it was good," Gibson said on Friday of his adjustment to Detroit from Anaheim. "Obviously, it was a slow start for me personally, but after that, I got back to my game and did what I do."
"I mean, I try and keep it simple and stop the puck and give the team a chance to win," he continued. "I felt like I was able to do that in the second half of the year."
While the Red Wings unraveled in March and early April, there was considerable discussion about whether outside noise was affecting their on-ice performance. Unfortunately for Detroit, this marked the third consecutive season in which they squandered a comfortable playoff cushion and ultimately fell out of the race.
However, Gibson believes that in a hockey-crazed market like Detroit, it's just part of the job.
"I mean, it's part of the job," he said. "No matter where you play, you're going to hear the outside noise, and in a big market like this that is dying to get back to the playoffs, it's kind of expected. So, you just have to play. We put ourselves in this spot, and there's really nobody to blame or be mad at other than ourselves."
"It's a learning lesson, and hopefully we'll use it next year as motivation."
Gibson struggled out of the gate with Detroit, getting pulled in his first start on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens and posting a 5-7-1 record with a 3.59 goals-against average over his first 13 appearances.
But thanks to his hot stretch in December and January, he put himself into conversation for the Vezina Trophy, which goes annually to the NHL's best goaltender.
I think, for whatever reason, it took a little longer to find my game this year," Gibson said. "(I want to) make sure next year to put more emphasis on getting off to a hot start. I've taken pride in that throughout my career, wanting to get off to a good start."
"Unfortunately, it wasn't the case this year, so I'll try to make sure it's different next year."
Gibson has one season remaining on his contract, which carries a $6.4 million cap hit.
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Frederik Andersen made 22 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes opened the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2–0 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Logan Stankoven, who was under the weather the last few days, was obviously feeling much better on Saturday afternoon, leading the way with a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes.
The game started with some early excitement, as for the third time in less than a month, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk squared off in a fight before the opening faceoff against the opposing captain.
After brawling with Anders Lee in a pair of games against the Islanders down the stretch, Tkachuk and Jordan Staal went at it to try and set the tone.
After a tight, defensive struggle in a scoreless first period, Stankoven opened the scoring on what seemed like a harmless shot from the slot that was partially blocked by the stick of Shane Pinto. The deflection slowly dribbled through Linus Ullmark’s legs for the game’s opening goal.
The Senators appeared to tie the game when Andersen made a glove save, and it looked like his trapper may have gone into his own net with the puck. However, replays showed that was not the case.
Carolina got another break on their second goal, credited to Taylor Hall. A shot from the point deflected over top of Ullmark, landing near his skate while he was on his knees, and Hall jammed in the loose puck to make it 2–0.
The Senators caught a break with about 2:30 left in the game. With their goalie pulled, Jalen Chatfield was called for delay of game after sending the puck over the glass, setting up a 6 on 4. The Sens unleashed plenty of shots, but Carolina's D held strong to preserve the win.
"We had a couple of close ones that almost went in and Ully played great," Sens winger Drake Batherson said. "Obviously, anytime you give a team two 5-on-3's you've got to make some saves. Yeah, I just thought we didn't get any breaks, but I thought we played pretty well."
Both teams played well defensively and shorthanded, combining to go 9-0 on the penalty kill.
"I didn't mind our game," head coach Travis Green said. "Pretty tight-checking game. Not a lot of space really for either team. Probably if you look at the numbers, I haven't seen them yet, but they probably deserved to win analytically, and they did."
The style of game and the tight checking was no surprise to Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour.
"Everybody out there was giving it all they had," Brind'Amour said. "And that was what you saw. You explained it perfectly. I mean, there was not a lot of room and everybody was fighting for everything."
Meanwhile, there seems to be no end to the injury troubles on Ottawa's blue line. After a big hit on Seth Jarvis, Artem Zub left the game and did not return. Prior to that, Dennis Gilbert suffered what appeared to be a left shoulder injury after a hit from behind but gutted it out and stayed in the game.
So Carolina leads the best-of-seven 1-0, with Game 2 is Monday night in Raleigh.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Brianne Jenner had a goal and two assists and Jocelyne Larocque had goal and an assist to lead the Ottawa Charge past the New York Sirens 5-1 on Saturday.
Ronja Savolainen, Peyton Hemp and Rebecca Leslie also scored and Gwyneth Phillips stopped 23 shots for the Charge (8-7-1-12). They took a five-point lead on the Sirens and Toronto Sceptres for the fourth and final playoff spot with two games remaining.
Paetyn Levis scored for the Sirens (9-2-3-1) and Kayle Osborne made 24 saves.
New York, which is 0-0-1-7 in its last eight road games, opened the scoring with a power-play goal midway through the first period when Levis took a pass in the slot and beat Philips on the stick side.
With 61 seconds remaining in the period, Jenner attempted to find Leslie in front, but the puck was redirected and went in off Leslie’s shoulder. The play underwent a lengthy review before the call was upheld.
The Charge took the lead at 7:54 of the second period.
Larocque blocked a shot to spark a short-handed rush as Jenner picked up the puck and broke in on Osborne. She gave up a big rebound that Larocque buried for her first of the season.
Just over six minutes later, Hemp won a race for the puck and knocked it free. That allowed Alexa Vasko to take possession and she sent it back to Hemp, who gave the Charge a 3-1 lead.
Ottawa scored a pair of goals in the third to put the game out of reach.
Savolainen scored from just inside the blue line through traffic. Larocque had a shot ring off the crossbar and Jenner buried the rebound.
The Los Angeles Kings are in for a tall task as they're set to face the Presidents Trophy winning Colorado Avalanche in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If the Kings want any chance to knock out the Avalanche, they will need every single player in their lineup to play the best hockey of their careers.
Obviously the star players like Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe will lead the way, the team needs solid production from depth players such as Trevor Moore and Joel Armia.
Drew Doughty will likely lead the Kings defensemen in ice-time but a player like Mikey Anderson must be ready for the task of shutting down Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas.
Trevor Moore, LW
If the Kings are going to stay competitive in this series, they need depth scoring more than just about anything. Trevor Moore seems like the perfect player to provide a clutch goal or two throughout a series.
Last postseason, the 31-year-old proved he has what it takes as he scored two goals, along with two assists for four points in the Kings six-game series against the Edmonton Oilers.
This season, Moore scored 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 69 games played.
Mikey Anderson might be the most underrated player on the Kings roster. The 26-year-old consistently plays over 20 minutes every night while playing alongside Drew Doughty on the Kings top pair.
In his seven-year career, the 26-year-old has never finished a season with a +/- rating over lower than zero. This season, he managed to finish with a +8 rating while playing on a team that has a hard time scoring, as well as facing the opponents top lines night in and night out.
However, his postseason numbers have not been as compelling. in 24 career postseason games Anderson is a -14. It should be taken into consideration that every game he's played in late spring has been against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Kings need Anderson to build off of his past playoff woes in order to shutdown the high flying Avalanche.
Joel Armia's first season as a Los Angeles Kings should be described as a success. He has provided exactly what he was brought in to do. Score 10+ goals and 25+ points while bringing a solid two-way play style to the lineup. In 67 games, the 32-year-old scored 13 goals and 12 assists for 25 points.
While Armia has shown he's a terrific third line winger, he has also proved that he can step up when it matters most. In the 2026 Olympics in February, Armia was arguably Team Finland's best player. In six games in Italy, the Finnish veteran scored three goals and five assists for eight points, while also having a +7 rating.
The winger also brings crucial playoff experience, having played in 49 career postseason games prior to this series. 21 of those 49 games came when Armia and the Montreal Canadiens made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.
Armia and his experience in big moments should prove to be crucial if the Kings are to have any success against the Avalanche.
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DALLAS (AP) — Key defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Quinn Hughes were active for Game 1 of the Western Conference playoff series between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on Saturday after both had missed the end of the regular season for different reasons.
Heiskanen didn't play the last three regular-season games for the Stars because of a lower-body injury in a 5-4 win over Minnesota on April 9.
Hughes, acquired by the Wild from Vancouver in December, missed their last two games dealing with an illness since playing a week ago at Nashville. He didn't travel with the team to Dallas on Thursday, and instead flew on his own Friday.
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said before Saturday's game that some extra days of rest helped Heiskanen, who skated on his own Thursday before practicing Friday. The coach said the defenseman with 63 points (nine goals, 54 assists) would be a full-go for however many minutes.
“It's the time of year he can go,” Gulutzan said.
Hughes, who has 76 points (seven goals, 69 assists) in 74 games overall, also plays a big role for Minnesota.
“I just expect him to come in and do what he does,” Wild coach John Hynes said.
The Golden Knights have the edge in certain areas, but this won’t be an easy matchup. The Mammoth are fast, young, and potent offensively. If the Golden Knights want to avoid a first-round exit, they’ll have to be cautious of these three challenges.
Power Play
The Mammoth struggled on the man advantage to begin the season. At the Olympic Break, their power play ranked 31st in the league, ahead of only the Colorado Avalanche. Since returning from break, however, they boast the 3rd-ranked power play in the league with a 30.0% success rate.
All five players on the top unit— Nick Schmaltz, Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, and Mikhail Sergachev— are dangerous in their own right. Schmaltz and Guenther are the main trigger men with 11 and nine power play goals, respectively. Keller is an elite playmaker, with 27 of his 62 assists coming on the man advantage. And Sergachev recorded 26 of his 49 assists on the power play.
Dylan Guenther
On a team rich with talent, no one is better than Dylan Guenther at putting the puck in the back of the net. He’s the best scorer in this series, and it’s not particularly close. With 40 goals and 73 points in 79 games this season, Guenther has proved to be equally talented as a puck distributor as he is as a shooter.
Guenther can score from anywhere on the ice— he can rip it from distance or bang in a rebound. He’s especially dangerous on the power play, where he scored nine goals and recorded 24 points.
There’s no reason to believe that Guenther’s success is unsustainable— he’s shooting 16.5%, but that’s not terribly higher than his normal shooting percentage. The Golden Knights will need to be very conscious of when and where the young sniper is on the ice.
Depth Scoring
Dylan Guenther is far from the only dangerous player on this Mammoth roster. They, like the Golden Knights, have ten players on their roster with at least 10 goals. Their forwards are fast and skilled, and their defensemen are all capable puck movers.
The Mammoth have a dangerous top line with 83 goals between the three forwards. Apart from the obvious threat of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz is particularly dangerous this season, with a career-high 33 goals. But they’ve also spread the wealth around, with 77 goals on their second line. Logan Cooley scored 24 goals in 54 games this season. And with 48 goals and one JJ Peterka on the third line, the Mammoth have no weak links offensively.
The Golden Knights certainly have their fair share of depth scoring, as well. But Tomáš Hertl, who is the fourth-highest goalscorer on the team, hasn’t scored since March 4th. He has just one goal and six assists in his last 23 games. And on their top line, despite ending the season on a high note, Jack Eichel is still less than two weeks removed from a 13-game stretch where he scored just once.
Juraj Slafkovsky enjoyed a massive breakout season with Montreal, blowing past previous highs while producing 73 points over 82 games.
He enjoyed a lot of success against Tampa Bay, and my Canadiens vs. Lightning predictions expect that to continue in the series opener today.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, April 19.
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 prediction
Who will win Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1?
Lightning: Despite dealing with a ton of injuries all season long, they still won 50 games and finished 32 goals above Montreal in goal differential. They have a better underlying profile, a battle-tested roster, and an advantage in goal. That should shine through.
Canadiens vs Lightning best bet: Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points (-145)
Juraj Slafkovsky had an excellent campaign altogether but was especially effective down the stretch, producing 28 points over 25 games following the Olympics.
It wasn’t as if Slafkovsky had a couple of ceiling performances exaggerate his numbers. He was remarkably consistent, hitting the scoresheet at least once in 18 games — good for a 74% clip.
Slafkovsky faced the Tampa Bay Lightning twice during that stretch and produced multiple points in both meetings. That is nothing new for Slafkovsky, who has points in five of his last six against the Bolts.
Look for Slafkovsky to make an impact in Game 1.
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 same-game parlay
Mike Matheson blocked multiple shots in 60% of his games this season, including the only game played without Noah Dobson. The Montreal Canadiens are likely to be even more reliant on the veteran defenseman with Dobson sidelined.
More usage means more opportunities to block shots, especially against a strong shot-generation team like Tampa Bay.
Jake Guentzel has 43 goals and 73 points through 74 games, always rising to the occasion when the games matter most. He also has points in eight of his last 10 against Montreal, making him a prime target in this matchup.
Canadiens vs Lightning SGP
Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
Mike Matheson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Jake Guentzel Over 0.5 points
Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1 goal scorer pick
Nikita Kucherov (+130)
Nikita Kucherov hasn’t scored in back-to-back playoff series, but a steady dose of Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling certainly had a lot to do with it.
The Canadiens don’t have true shutdown personnel — particularly on the backend — of that level, and head coach Jon Cooper also controls the matchups. That should result in less time against Selke candidate Nick Suzuki, which would help Kucherov’s cause.
Look for Kucherov to put his recent postseason struggles behind him.
Canadiens vs Lightning odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Montreal +155 | Tampa Bay -180
Puck line: Montreal +1.5 (-155) | Tampa Bay -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+115) | Under 6.5 (-135)
Canadiens vs Lightning trend
Juraj Slafkovsky has produced nine points over his last six games against Tampa Bay. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Lightning.
How to watch Canadiens vs Lightning Game 1
Location
Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Puck drop
5:45 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, truTV, CBC
Canadiens vs Lightning 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 Stanley Cup playoffs had barely begun when Staal and Tkachuk went at it, much to the delight of the crowd at the Lenovo Center. While Tkachuk threw some early punches during the brief bout, it was Staal who dragged Tkachuk to the ice.
Both players were assessed major penalties for fighting, leaving the teams without their respective captains to open the postseason just three seconds in.
The Colorado Avalanche swept three head-to-head matchups with the Los Angeles Kings this season, allowing just five goals along the way.
My Kings vs. Avalanche predictions expect the home team to win in convincing fashion again in the series opener.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, April 19.
Kings vs Avalanche Game 1 prediction
Kings vs Avalanche best bet: Avalanche -1.5 (+105)
The Colorado Avalanche ran over the Los Angeles Kings in the regular season, winning all three meetings by multiple goals while beating them 13-5 in aggregate.
That was par for the course for Los Angeles when facing high-end teams, especially defensively.
Los Angeles lost seven of its last 10 games against Top-10 defensive teams, averaging 1.8 goals and 24.9 shots per game. Generating offense was a massive challenge.
It won’t get any easier for them against the Avalanche, who went 15-3-1 with a net goal differential of +1.79 per game following 2+ days of rest.
Kings vs Avalanche Game 1 same-game parlay
Artturi Lehkonen has a strong track record of playoff success, piling up 17 points over his last 20 games. He has a great nose for the net and will go to the dirty areas to produce. That’s especially important when the ice is more contested at this time of year.
On the other side, I’m zeroing in on defenseman Brandt Clarke. He has blocked an average of 3.8 shots over his past 10 games and is facing an Avalanche squad that ranked first in shot attempt rate at home this season.
Kings vs Avalanche SGP
Avalanche -1.5
Artturi Lehkonen Over 0.5 points
Brandt Clarke Over 2.5 blocked shots
Kings vs Avalanche Game 1 goal scorer pick
Nathan MacKinnon (-125)
Nathan MacKinnon led the NHL in goals, shot attempts, and shots on target during the regular season. He was especially productive when well-rested.
He has scored 10 goals over his last nine games working on two days of rest, and five goals spanning four games after having 3+ days of rest.
MacKinnon also found the net in 64% of Colorado’s home wins, and I expect the Avalanche to win decisively here.
Kings vs Avalanche odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Los Angeles +190 | Colorado -230
Puck line: Los Angeles +1.5 (-130) | Colorado -1.5 (+110)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (+100)
Kings vs Avalanche trend
The Avalanche have covered the puck line in five of their last eight games (+4.50 Units / 55% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Kings vs Avalanche Game 1
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT, truTV
Kings 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.
We usually do a phase-by-phase preview, but since we had to wait till game 82 to figure out Colorado’s first-round matchup, we decided to do all three phases of this glorious game and matchup in one fell swoop.
For starters, this matchup definitely has David vs. Goliath vibes, but LA looks like a better team (on paper) than its regular-season result suggests.
We’ve seen eight Presidents’ Trophy-winning teams be eliminated in the first round dating all the way back to 1991, but should the Avalanche and their fans be worried this time around?
The Avalanche swept the season series (3-0) with MacKenzie Blackwood securing two of the three victories, with Scott Wedgewood having one.
Let’s take a deeper look and see what may be cause for concern, or ammo for confidence in round one!
Forwards
The Colorado Avalanche might not have “five, six, seven of the best players in the world,” as LA Kings head coach DJ Smith put it, but I’d wager they have three in Nathan MacKinnon, Marty Necas, and Cale Makar.
The first two listed should give the Colorado Avalanche a decided advantage, although the Kings do have some top-end talent to be aware of.
It’s Anze Kopitar’s last ride, so he and his talent represent a bit of a wild card in this series. Artemis Panarin, or “the bread-man,” is also among the more skilled players in the league.
The overall theme of this group is a capable top line, with some grit and pesky vibes from the rest of the group. LA’s second line is decent, but up against Colorado’s, they may be in over their head.
Be prepared to be frustrated by Joel Armia and Scott Laughton’s physicality and tendency to toe the line of what’s allowed in the playoffs.
Scott Laughton first fight as a Toronto Maple Leaf vs Ridly Greig. Slight edge Laughton I think.
Sidenote. Absolutely embarrassing crowd reaction in Toronto for the fight. Par for the course I guess#GoSensGo#LeafsForever
Speaking of, I imagine the approach will be to be as close to that line as possible, all series as an attempt to slow Colorado’s transition and attack.
It’s a strategy that’s worked in the past, but you have to have the horses to pull it off.
Kings Projected Forwards:
Artemi Panarin — Anze Kopitar — Adrian Kempe| Trevor Moore — Quinton Byfield — Alex Laferriere Joel Armia — Scott Laughton — Jared Wright Mathieu Joseph — Samuel Helenius — Taylor Ward
Avalanche Projected Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin Ross Colton — Nazem Kadri — Nicholas Roy Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor
When you put the two forward groups up next to each other, a couple of things stand out.
My first takeaway is that this healthy version of the Avalanche is super deep, boasts elite talent, and offers plenty of options.
I have no issue with starting with Landeskog on the second line with Nelson and Nichushkin, as he was a great playoff performer last season, even without a full training camp and with limited confidence. This time around, he’s got the legs of a seasoned player again, and every playoff game is one more than most thought Landy would get.
If you do want to inject more scoring into the top six, you can easily swap Kadri, Roy, or Colton with any of the three ahead of them to mix things up.
I’d imagine we see these lines take a different shape when contextualized by each game’s flow.
Colorado’s bottom six could prove the competitive advantage in this one, as the big guns can’t always go, and the Avalanche have plenty of talent on lines three and four.
In fact, the third line of Kelly, Kadri, and Roy has combined for 45 goals this season.
Defenders
The real question with a defensive comparison is how each side will hold up (match-up-wise) against their opposition’s top forwards?
Can Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty hold up against one of the fastest and best lines in hockey in Colorado’s top group?
Will Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci be sheltered effectively, avoid being matched up against Colorado’s top skill, and hold up against the Avalanche’s bottom six I described earlier?
If they try to play a shutdown style, expect a muddy neutral zone and a lot of chip and chase from both sides.
That approach is a slippery slope against a team like the Avalanche, which can establish an early lead and never look back.
I should also mention that Brandt Clarke is bound to be at the top of the list of players Avs fans grow tired of.
Projected Kings Defenders:
Mikey Anderson — Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson — Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin — Cody Ceci
Projected Avalanche Defenders:
Brett Kulak — Cale Makar Devon Toews — Sam Malinski Josh Manson — Brent Burns
The Avalanche have mixed and matched this D core over the last month or so, and while Cale Makar was on the mend, we saw the re-emergence of Devon Toews offensive touch, and the arrival of Sam Malinski’s as well.
Malinski has as many goals since March 24, 2026, as he had in all of his 2024-25 campaign with the Avalanche.
Brent Burns is looking at his best chance to hoist since his time in San Jose with this Avalanche team, so expect his best and brightest.
Josh Manson didn’t play to end the season, so let’s keep an eye on how he looks early in this series.
Brett Kulak will face the Kings in the first round for the third consecutive postseason, and pairing him up with Cale seems smart considering how calm and cool Kulak is.
He can stay home while Cale struts his stuff.
Goaltenders
Interestingly enough, both LA and Colorado will start goalies who have been regarded as back-ups for most of their careers.
There’s no doubt who the fans want between the pipes for Colorado: Scott Wedgewood, who leads the league in SV% (.921) and GAA (2.02) and ranks 4th in wins this season.
Colorado can go with a tandem approach and potentially start Blackwood in game two, but if Wedgewood shows out and bails his team out with a game one win, largely in part to his performance, the Avalanche will ride the hot hand.
It looks like Anton Forsberg will get the net to start things for LA.
Forsberg coincidentally was one of Jared Bednar’s netminders during his time as a head coach and Calder Cup winner with the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters).
If things don’t go well for Anton, Darcy Kuemper is waiting in the wings.
I don’t think I need to talk Avalanche fans into respecting Darcy Kuemper.
We know more than most how good Darcy can be when he’s really on his game.
It’s 1A/1A vs. 1A/1B as I see it.
Shocker: Advantage Avalanche
I’m not exactly going out on a limb here, but the Colorado Avalanche have an advantage on all three fronts of this first-round matchup with the LA Kings.
Rocket Richard, Hart Stanley Cup winning pedigree, the likes of Nathan MacKinnon don’t exactly grow on trees, and it also hardly goes unnoticed. Advantage Avalanche in the forward group because they have the best forward in the world, and he likely wants to get right after the Olympics.
NATHAN MACKINNON IS A ROCKET RICHARD TROPHY WINNER! 🚨
OTTAWA AT CAROLINA: That's easy. Free and Easy Travis Green leads his underdog Sens over uptight and annoying Rod Brind'Amour's Canes. Write this down, please. Carolina will never win a Cup as long as annoying Brindy is coaching! SENS IN 6.
BOSTON AT BUFFALO: The Sabres – from Lucky Lindy down to the stickboy – are possessed. Beantowners are okay and I love Jewish goalie Jeremy Swayman out of Alaska as a Huge plus but Buffalo's Alex, is a Tuch better. How can you beat Tuchy from the fairy tale town of Syracuse, Arizona? BUFF IN 6.
CANADIENS AT TAMPA BAY: Montreal's Martin St. Louis is the sixth best coach in the NHL. Trouble is for the Habs is that The Lightning's Jon Cooper is the best. Period! Maven is a big Jake Guentzel fan, not to mention Braden – you get the POINT. Also, that ex-Rangers who the Blueshirts unloaded, Ryan McDonagh is playing ace hockey. BOLTS IN 6.
PITTSBURGH AT PHILADELPHIA: Now that Pitt's brass has unloaded bum coach Mike Sullivan to the Loserville-On-The-Hudson Rangers, Crosby-Malkin-Letang-Karlsson will put the Swiss Cheese sandwiched Flyers out of their misery, faster than you can say "Philly rhymes with SIlly which is the Broad Street goaltending! PITT IN 4.
The NHL has official announced the date, time and odds for the 2026 Draft Lottery.
This is relevant for the Florida Panthers due to them finishing as the eighth-worst team in the league this season thanks to an injury-filled campaign unlike any the franchise had seen before.
According to the league, the Draft Lottery is set for Tuesday, May 5. A start time has not been announced, but these are generally broadcast prior to the start of that evening’s Stanley Cup Playoff slate.
Once things get going, fans watching the broadcast will see the lottery balls drawn in real time.
There will be two draws held, one for the first overall pick and one for the second overall pick.
Teams can only move up 10 spots in the lottery, so only the eleven-worst teams in the standings have a chance at picking first.
Officially, the Panthers have a 6.0% chance at obtaining the first overall pick.
Depending how the ping pong balls land, Florida will either move up for the first or second overall pick, keep the eighth pick, or get bumped back to ninth or tenth overall.
The consensus number one prospect this year is forward Gavin McKenna, and whoever wins the lottery will be landing a dynamic, NHL-ready star in the making.
For Florida, simply having a first-round pick, let alone one in the top 10, is a massive asset to work with.
Whether they use the pick to select a high-end prospect or entertain trade offers for players who can help at the NHL level immediately, it’s an unexpectedly positive potential boost for a team already expected to be among those competing for a Stanley Cup next season.
Remember, Florida initially traded this pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal that brought Seth Jones to the Panthers, but the pick came with a provision of being protected if it ended up being in the top 10.
The 2026 NHL Draft is set for June 26 and 27 from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
