Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman has revealed what kept him off the ice for the last part of the NHL regular season and the playoffs, acknowledging in a statement released by the team that he "made a decision to step away and focus on my mental health."
"I've always believed that being a leader means doing what's best for the team," Hedman said in a statement issued on Tuesday, May 5. "In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be."
The standout defenseman last played in a game for Tampa Bay on March 19. Over his 17 seasons in the NHL, all with the Lightning, he has played 1,164 games, tallying 172 goals and 639 assists for 811 points.
A nine-time All-Star and 2018 Norris Trophy winner, the 35-year-old Hedman also captured the Conn Smythe Trophy when he led the Lightning to a 2020 Stanley Cup title.
"Wearing this jersey – and serving as captain – is the greatest responsibility of my professional life. That responsibility doesn’t only apply on the ice," Hedman said. "Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health. It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one."
The Chicago Blackhawks wanted to give Connor Bedard a handful of experienced veterans to play with when they selected him first overall in 2023. One of those players was Taylor Hall, who had an accomplished career up to that point.
Hall was coming off a couple of strong years with the Boston Bruins, including their 65-win, record-breaking season. He was a middle-six forward on that team, but he has a Hart Trophy on his mantle from his time with the New Jersey Devils.
Throughout his career, Hall has also dealt with some injuries. When he first arrived in Chicago, he sustained his worst one to date just 10 games into the 2023-24 season. That kept him out for the rest of that season, and he still wasn’t 100 percent right when he returned the following year.
During the 2024-25 season, Hall was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in a package that involved Mikko Rantanen. This move potentially saved his career. His 9 goals and 9 assists for 18 points in 31 games to end that season with Carolina didn’t exactly light the world on fire, but it was better than the pace he was on with Chicago (9 goals, 15 assists, 24 points in 46 games).
By the time Hall got to the 2025-26 season, he was healthy and ready to go. He also had a full training camp in Rod Brind’Amour’s system, which takes time to get used to. His great skating, even at the age of 34, is perfect for that man-on-man style that they play.
During the regular season, Hall was a great middle-six forward once again. He is no longer the former number one overall pick/Hart Trophy caliber player, but his 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points in 80 games were just what the Hurricanes needed from him.
In the postseason, Hall has been better than serviceable. He has simply been one of Carolina’s best players. Skating on a line with Jackson Blake and Logan Stankoven, they are the biggest reason that they haven’t lost a game yet (6-0).
Entering Game 2 of their second-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, Hall had 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points in the five games. As a secondary scorer at this stage of his career, that’s excellent production at the most important time of year.
After going down 2-0 to the Flyers in Game 2, the Hurricanes came all the way back to tie it, and they needed a hero in overtime. Taylor Hall became that hero when he beat Dan Vladar at 18:54 of the first OT period. His first career overtime goal in the playoffs put his team within two wins of another conference final appearance.
"It was a gritty goal," Hall said. "I didn't do a very good job of attacking tonight. I got that puck, and I wanted to get to the middle of the ice as much as I could. I got a shot off, got the rebound, that was an overtime goal for sure."
Going first overall and winning the Hart Trophy are Hall’s best hockey moments, but he hasn’t scored a goal like this in the NHL until now. This is a well-deserved opportunity for a guy who has had plenty of ups and downs through his career to date.
Late in regulation, the Hurricanes were fighting to get the game to overtime after tying it up. Hall was on the ice, and he was asked about the big play he made to block Noah Cates from possibly setting up the game-winner with seconds remaining.
"I might have over-back-checked on that and come too deep in my zone," Hall said. "As soon as he got the puck, I just wanted to challenge him. I kind of went rogue hockey goalie there for a second. Anyone on our team is going to sell out to try and block that if the situation comes. It was my turn."
Hall's offense has been a staple ever since he came into the league. To be a winner in the NHL, however, you must do what it takes in every situation. For Hall, he did that in all three zones in Game 2.
The Blackhawks did Hall a big favor not only by trading him away from yet another losing situation in his career, but also by getting him to a team like Carolina that will get the most out of his abilities at his age.
Carolina's 2-0 edge in the series is headed to Philadelphia, where the fans there will see it as "far from over". If they can get through, they will play the winner of the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final.
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As the NHL’s second round gets off and running, don’t overlook the OHL finals, which will feature a couple of prospects who could be parts of the Islanders’ future.
Meanwhile, post-season post-mortems continue in Canada’s top self-loathing hockey capitals.
Islanders News
In a reflective Islanders Anxiety episode, Dan and Mike ponder missed opportunities and see the Oilers with Connor McDavid as a cautionary tale. [LHH]
Prospect Report: We’ve got an OHL finals clash with Luca Romano and Kashawn Aitcheson after Aitcheson’s Barrie Colts completed a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. [Isles | OHL]
R.I.P. John Sterling, a broadcasting legend and the ‘70s voice of the Isles. [Isles]
Ryan Bowness has been heavy in the running for the Canucks GM gig. [THN]
Reminder that the NHL Draft Lottery is Tuesday night. [NHL]
The Oilers’ stars say the whole franchise needs to be better. [Sportsnet] Spector…interprets. [Sportsnet]
Not instilling any confidence, GM Stan Bowman said “we have to evaluate that” about the goaltending. “Looking for improvement for sure.” [Sportsnet]
Justin Bourne takes a “maybe it won’t be so bad” look at the Leafs hiring John Chayka as GM. [Sportsnet]
But they are putting Mats Sundin front and center as a face of the franchise. [NHL]
There’s gotta be some bad blood out there about Chayka, as the league already had to check into (and clear him of) complaints of tampering with other teams’ front-office personnel. [Sportsnet]
Unconvincing former Senators GM Pierre Dorion has interviewed for the opening in Vancouver. (Also on the list, as noted above: Ryan Bowness of the Isles.) [Sportsnet]
Playoff injuries: Connor McDavid played through a broken bone in his foot, and Roope Hintz never appeared for Dallas due to a double tear in his hamstring. [Sportsnet]
Victor Hedman’s absence was to tend to mental health. [Sportsnet]
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman revealed Tuesday that his absence in the final weeks of the season was caused by a need to address his mental health.
Hedman, in a statement released by the Lightning, did not provide specifics about what he has been dealing with. He didn't play in Tampa Bay's final 22 games of the season, including the seven playoff matchups in a first-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
Hedman, 35, had been around the team in recent weeks, even taking part in some skates. But the defenseman's last game was in mid-March.
“Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health,” Hedman said. "It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
“I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.”
Hedman missed significant time earlier in the season with an elbow injury that required surgery in December. He returned before the Olympics and played for Sweden until tweaking something in pregame warmups before the quarterfinal against the U.S., which kept him from participating.
He told reporters at Tampa Bay's exit-interview day that he leaned on best friend and former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, as well as Ottawa goaltender Linus Ullmark, who also spent time away from the Senators to address his mental health.
He played in only 33 games this season, by far the fewest of his career, because of the injury and this subsequent absence.
Hedman thanked his teammates, the Lightning organization, his family and his therapist for their support and said he’s “in a much better place today.”
“This is something that exists in our game more than people see,” Hedman said. “If this moment helps make it easier for others to take care of themselves when they need to, that matters.”
After what has felt like months of waiting, the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is officially here. Heading into the lottery, the Vancouver Canucks have the best odds of landing first overall for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. It is safe to say that there is plenty of excitement in the market as the Canucks have never selected first overall.
While Vancouver finished 32nd overall, that does not guarantee they will win first overall. In fact, they have a better statistical chance of falling to third rather than winning the draft lottery. Below is a quick explanation of how the lottery works and what needs to happen for the Canucks to win.
Only the bottom 11 teams are eligible to win the first overall slot. This is because teams can only move up a total of 10 spots. Below are the 11 teams and their odds of winning the first overall pick.
Vancouver Canucks 18.5%
Chicago Blackhawks 13.5%
New York Rangers 11.5%
Calgary Flames 9.5%
Toronto Maple Leafs (conditional to BOS) 8.5%
Seattle Kraken 7.5%
Winnipeg Jets 6.5%
Florida Panthers 6.0%
San Jose Sharks 5.0%
Nashville Predators 3.5%
St. Louis Blues 3.0%
New Jersey Devils 2.5%
New York Islanders 2.0%
Columbus Blue Jackets 1.5%
St. Louis Blues 0.5%
Washington Capitals 0.5%
The draft lottery consists of two drawings. As per the NHL, "The first draw locks in the No. 1 pick (and potentially another pick). The second draw determines the rest of the order. If the winner of the first draw wins the second draw, there is a redraw."
As for the draw itself, there are 1,000 eligible combinations. Vancouver has been assigned 185 combinations. Below is a list of the Canucks winning combinations.
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for May 5, 2026 at 4:00 pm PT. The event will be broadcast on Sportsnet. After the event is complete, the NHL will be posting a video of the draw on YouTube.
Photo Credit: @Canucks on "X"
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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On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders and the other 15 teams that missed the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs will take part in the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.
The Islanders, who won the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery with just 3.5% odds (they selected future Calder-Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer), finished this season with the 13th-best odds to win the lottery at 2.0%.
While the Islanders could win the lottery, that wouldn't mean they'd select first overall for a second straight draft. Per the rules, a lottery team can only move up at most 10 spots.
That means that the Islanders' "winning the lottery" would mean they'd select third overall. That would also mean that the Vancouver Canucks, who have the best odds at 18.5%, would win the lottery.
The Islanders will either pick third overall, 13th, 14th or 15th. The latter two occur if two teams behind them jump.
Here are the Islanders' lucky numbers, per team statistician Eric Hornick, with 20 total combinations that would give the Islanders the third pick:
1 2 5 6
1 2 5 11
1 3 4 13
1 5 7 9
1 5 11 12
1 6 7 11
2 3 7 13
2 3 12 13
2 9 12 13
2 12 13 14
3 6 13 14
3 8 12 14
3 10 11 14
4 5 8 11
4 5 8 14
4 6 9 14
5 7 10 14
6 11 13 14
7 9 13 14
8 9 10 14
As you can see, and as Hornick makes clear in his Draft Lottery "The Skinny", the number 14 is incredibly common, appearing 10 times.
Per Hornick, the odds of the Islanders winning the lottery at 3.5% and then 2.0% in consecutive years are 1 in 1,428.
So, you are saying there's a chance?
You can tune in and watch the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery live from NHL Network in Secaucus on ESPN, Sportsnet, and TVA at 7 PM ET.
The National Hockey League is going to conduct a lottery on Tuesday evening to decide who will make the first and second overall picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Every pick after will be in reverse order of the standings, except for the teams that make it to the final four, who will pick 28th-31st. The Ottawa Senators will pick 32nd as a punishment handed down by the league for an infraction made involving a no-trade clause.
Ottawa originally had to forfeit one first-round pick from 2024, 2025, or 2026. Their pick was given back to them in 2026, but it must stay at 32 no matter what. It stems from a trade involving Evgenii Dadonov, where Ottawa wasn’t forthright about his no-trade list.
Blackhawks Odds
The Chicago Blackhawks finished in 31st place out of 32. That means they have the second-best odds of winning the lottery and securing the first overall pick at 13.5 percent. They have a 14.1 percent chance of winning the second lottery, which will retain the second overall pick for them.
There is a 30.7 percent chance they fall one spot to third, and a 41.7 percent chance they fall two spots to fourth. They can go no further down than that. No matter what, this will be the fourth straight year that they make a top-four draft pick.
Top Prospects
Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg are the consensus top two picks in the drafts. Both of them are forwards who bring a different element to their game. Each of them will be part of their new team’s core going forward.
In the tier below them is another forward in Caleb Malhotra. There are also three defensemen, Keaton Verhoeff, Carson Carels, and Chase Reid, who are all possible top-five picks. There are always going to be varying opinions, but these young men stick out as the likely top prospects unless someone reaches.
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Tuesday night in New Jersey, the NHL will host its annual Draft Lottery, where we find out the order of the first 16 picks for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
In what has been of the more surprising developments of the 2025-26 season, the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers are one of the teams in the thick of the lottery race.
An injury-plagued season unlike any seen before caused the Panthers to miss the playoffs for the first time in seven years, dropping a team that is expected to contend for the Cup again next season right in the thick of the mix for the number one overall selection.
When the dust settled on the regular season, Florida held the eighth-worst record in the NHL.
That gave the Panthers a 6% chance at landing the first overall selection.
The way the NHL Draft Lottery works is a very interesting process.
Here is how the NHL breaks it down:
“There are four balls numbered 1 to 14 and 1,001 possible four-number combinations. One combination is designated as a redraw (11, 12, 13, 14), allowing the NHL to divide by 1,000 among the 16 teams that did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Based on the final NHL regular-season standings and the draft lottery odds determined by the Board of Governors, each team receives an allotment of randomly assigned four-number combinations. Essentially, the lower you finish, the more lottery tickets you receive.”
The NHL Draft Lottery actually consists of two separate draws; one for the first overall pick and one for the rest of the draft order.
A team can only move up a total of 10 spots, so only the bottom-11 teams are eligible to move up to first overall.
For Florida, that means they have the possibility of ending up with the first, second, eighth, ninth or tenth overall selection.
The Panthers will receive the first or second pick if they win either draw, but they’ll get bumped back to ninth or tenth if one or two teams below them win one or both of the draws.
In their history, Florida has actually won the Draft Lottery three times.
They won in both 2002 and 2003 but traded down each time. In 2014, Florida again won the Lottery and selected Aaron Ekblad with the first overall pick.
This year, whoever lands the top pick is expected to select elite forward Gavin McKenna, though Swedish star winger Ivar Stenberg is also under consideration by some for first overall.
Regardless of where Florida lands in the draft order, it will be interesting to see what the Panthers end up doing with their pick.
With Florida seemingly in win-now mode for the foreseeable future, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Panthers General Manager Bill Zito explore trading the high-end asset for a player or players who can contribute to the team immediately.
The NHL Draft Lottery will air at 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN.
Photo caption: Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general view of the draft board after the first overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
After a day off in Tampa Bay on Monday, the Montreal Canadiens will practice in Florida before making their way to the state of New York for the first duel of their series with the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
While the Habs needed seven games to get past the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Sabres only needed six games to get past the Boston Bruins in their first-round series. Only two of their games were decided by a single goal, and only one needed extra time. Buffalo outscored Boston 20-12, while Montreal edged Tampa by a single goal,16-15. A single goal decided every single game in the Habs-Bolts series, and four games were decided in overtime.
Buffalo had the worst power play efficiency in the first round, only scoring one man-advantage marker in 24 opportunities for a 4.2% success rate. Meanwhile, the Canadiens had a 19.2% efficiency, scoring five goals on 26 opportunities, although three of their goals came in the first game. The Sabres fared much better on the penalty kill, only allowing two goals in 16 opportunities for 87.5%. As for the Canadiens, they gave up five power-play goals on 29 opportunities for a 82.8% efficiency.
In net, Jakub Dobes was between the posts for the Canadiens’ seven games, but the situation wasn’t as stable for the Sabres. Buffalo started the series with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who won the first game, but he was pulled from the second game after surrendering four goals on 20 shots. Alex Lyon took over, and Luukkonen rode the pine for the rest of the series. In five games, Lyon had a 1.14 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage.
Up front, Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch lead the charge with seven points each, followed by Peyton Krebs with six. The Sabres also benefited from a lot of offensive support from the blueline, with Bowen Byram notching five points, while Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin both had four. Meanwhile, the Canadiens were led by Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson, who had six points each, followed by Cole Caufield, Kaiden Guhle, Zachary Bolduc and Alexandre Texier, all of whom had four.
This series will mark the eighth time the Canadiens and the Sabres have met in the postseason and the first time since the Conference Semifinal in 1998. Back then, the Sabres had become the third team in NHL history to sweep the Canadiens. However, the Habs have won four of the seven series so far, and they also swept the Sabres once en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 1993.
The Sabres finished the season with 109 points, three more than the Canadiens, but the two teams split their four regular-season matchups. Montreal won 4-2 in October and at the end of January, while the Sabres won two games of their own, 5-3 and 4-2, in the span of a week in January. It’s worth noting that Dobes was in the net for both of the Canadiens’ wins, while Colton Ellis and Luukkonen backstopped the Sabres to their two wins.
While the Canadiens’ top line struggled to make a mark at even strength in the first round against Tampa Bay, they should fare better against Buffalo. Despite having a solid defense, the Sabres do not have the same kind of defensive forward as the Lightning does. Furthermore, in the four regular-season duels, Suzuki put up eight points while Caufield had six. Meanwhile, Thompson led the Sabres with seven points, followed by Noah Ostlund, who had four.
The series will kick off on Wednesday night in Buffalo, with Game 2 on Friday night. The series will then move to Montreal for Game 3, which will take place on Sunday, May 10, while Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.
The chance for the Nashville Predators to land the No. 1 overall pick is slim, but not zero.
Entering Tuesday night's NHL Draft Lottery, which will be broadcast at 6 p.m. CST on ESPN, the Predators have a 3.5% chance to land the coveted first selection in the NHL Draft on June 26.
The winner will more than likely select Canadian phenom Gavin McKenna, who has held the attention of the hockey world for nearly two seasons now.
After amassing 129 points (41 goals and 88 assists) in 56 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers during the 2024-25 season, McKenna made the switch to the NCAA this season, playing with Penn State.
Taking a slight dip in production, McKenna still recorded 51 points (15 goals and 36 assists) in 35 games, helping the Nittany Lions reach NCAA Regional Semifinals.
The jump from the 10th-best odds to the No. 1 overall selection has happened before, as the New York Islanders had the same exact odds as the Predators do this season at 3.5% going into the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery.
So you're saying there's a chance 👀
Join us for our 2026 NHL Draft Lottery party on Tuesday at the BetMGM Sports Lounge, where you can play your luck at winning exclusive #Preds prizes! Party starts at 5:30pm CT. pic.twitter.com/lvvbvKUPwt
They'd win and select defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who is a favorite to win the Calder Trophy this season.
If the Predators don't wind up with the No. 1 overall pick, their highest odds are to stay at 10th, with a 73.3% chance of selecting there.
The Vancouver Canucks currently have the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick at 25.5%, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks with 13.5%.
If the Predators were to win the lottery, it'd be the first time in franchise history they'd select at first overall and the fourth time they've selected inside the top 5. Those previous top-five picks are David Legwand (2nd overall in 1998), Seth Jones (4th overall in 2013), and Brady Martin (5th overall in 2025).
The Nashville Predators have 35 out of 1,000 unique four-digit number combinations going into this lottery. If one of these combinations is selected, they will win the lottery.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) wait on the bench to take a shift during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Whatever decision that Kyle Dubas and the Penguins make about the status of Evgeni Malkin could be the most important or telling one of the whole offseason. Bring back the 40-year old player and that sets a pretty clear course to try and make the 2026-27 season look a lot like this past year where a scrappy underdog team will be led by legends and try to see how far they can go. If the team decides against bringing Malkin back, that could signal a change in direction and possibly more of a rebuild mode to get younger and focus on the longer-term.
Two recent takes caught our eye; a case for why the Penguins should move on by Noah Hiles at the PG and the opposite side of the coin by Joe Starkey at the Trib. Let’s see who makes a better case.
The fact that he is no longer vintage Malkin hardly makes him a liability. He’s also one of the best bargains in the NHL. His cap hit of $6.1 million ranked a laughable 169th among all players and 98th among forwards, according to spotrac.com.
To review:
Cap hit among forwards: 98th
Points per game among all players: 22nd.
The Penguins have had plenty of stars. Malkin is a franchise legend — one of the four greatest Penguins of all-time (third on my list, behind Mario Lemieux and Crosby). His number will surely be retired. He is beloved inside and outside of the locker room. He can still play. He won’t break the bank.
And quite conveniently, he just put a definitive timeline on how long he wants to play. In speaking with reporters at locker-cleanout day Friday, Malkin said, “I want to play one more year in the NHL.”
There you have it. One more year. Surely, you don’t want to see him spend that year in a Washington Capitals jersey (or worse), do you?
…
Meanwhile, so much of his career has been spent in Crosby’s shadow, which has been largely a blessing because it took the focus off Malkin. Next year, however, much of the focus should be on Malkin. And it should mean something, too, that Crosby wants him back.
…
What’s the worst that can happen? Malkin underperforms? His one-year cap hit of $6 million or so won’t exactly bankrupt the franchise. It’ll be OK.
Hopefully, Dubas does the right thing here. If not, the Hoffman family should, assuming the sale goes through.
The great Evgeni Malkin deserves a farewell tour.
Most arguments for Malkin return can center around either sentimentality or the practical nature that he had a very strong season last year. It makes a lot of sense, the Pens almost surely can get Malkin for relatively cheap next year. It would be difficult to find a 50+ point player for a one-year commitment at like $4-6 million dollars. (Pittsburgh did find one such player in Anthony Mantha, but that kind of output is much more the exception than the rule for that class of player).
Starkey lays out a good case. Players who have given 20 years, 1400+ points, two scoring titles, an MVP and three Stanley Cups to a franchise deserve to be treated with respect and deference. If that player wants to play for one more year, maybe they should get that, right?
Not so according to the other take.
Parting ways with Evgeni Malkin won’t be easy for anyone. For fans and players alike, it will be tough to see him in another uniform. Yet, when considering everything at hand, it seems like the best option.
It’s not unreasonable to believe he can replicate similar production next year. If the Penguins are able to retain Malkin while also adding another younger, more dynamic scorer, perhaps keeping him makes sense. His veteran prowess provides value, and he seems open toward embracing a lesser role.
But even still, it’s worth wondering if the money required to bring Malkin back couldn’t be better spent elsewhere.
Should Dubas want to drastically revamp the roster, this offseason is the time for that to happen
…
The Penguins would be better off letting the 2025-26 season be Malkin’s last in Pittsburgh. As someone who grew up in the area, who fell in love with sports when Malkin was in the thick of his prime, I’m well aware that this opinion will rub some the wrong way.
I understand the connection he holds with the fans. I myself still get goosebumps when hearing the crowd’s roar as he, the last player out of the room, makes his way to the ice just before the national anthem. He’s provided countless happy memories for Penguins fans, and it’s not wrong to hope for more.
However, when it comes to Malkin’s departure, it would be better to be a year early than a year late. The Penguins are already stuck with one franchise hero that’s well past his prime. Kris Letang has become more of a liability than an asset. It’s only a matter of time before Malkin’s game also plummets to that level, and the Penguins can’t afford to have two roster spots filled due to nostalgia.
The problems with this take are two-fold. For starters, the Penguins enter the offseason with about $45 million in cap space. Resigning Malkin won’t or shouldn’t hinder the Pens from revamping the roster as much as they are able to do so. The team had between $11-13 million cap space in 2025-26, they’re very likely to have at least that much room for 2026-27 as well. Whether or not they keep or part ways with Malkin, the financial aspect carries minimum significance.
The other issue is one of projection that Malkin’s game will ‘plummet’. 2026-27 might not be a ‘year too late’ it could potentially be right on time for a final campaign. Malkin was the team’s fifth leading scorer, and tied with Sidney Crosby for first in points per game. Those numbers would likely decline somewhat next season, though it’s an unsupported leap to project disaster.
Anyone is allowed a preference and an opinion, though it’s only the stance of Dubas that counts. It remains to be seen which path he will take. At breakdown day Malkin didn’t appear very confident he would be back next season, which indicates that Dubas hasn’t become particularly serious yet in reaching out to take care of the contract. On the whole, Dubas surely wants to get younger and steer the Penguins into their next era. However, 12 months ago it was looking like young players such as Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen would be ready for featured roles in the NHL in 2026-27. That no longer appears to be the case, the Pens got a big surprise from Ben Kindel’s emergence but they don’t really have a major youth movement impending on the NHL horizon.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 8: Ryan Shea #5 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with Arturs Silovs #37 following a 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to switch into offseason mode as the Pittsburgh Penguins have a busy summer ahead as they look to continue to retool and build off the success of the 2025-26 season that saw them return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. There is plenty of work for Kyle Dubas to attend to and that work starts now as his team evaluates free agents, explore possible trade options, and prepare for the NHL Draft.
Pens Points…
With the Penguins out of the playoffs, all attentions turns to the offseason and what Kyle Dubas has plans to keep retooling the team back into a true contender. There are many avenues Dubas can pick this offseason, which should make him a busy man throughout the summer. [Pensburgh]
One of the many questions to answered this summer for Kyle Dubas and his staff will be which pending free agents to resign and which to let go. Among those pending free agents is defenseman Ryan Shea who put himself in line for a big pay day with his play this season. [Trib Live]
Shea is just one of a handful of players who the Penguins will need to make decisions on this summer. The biggest name among the group is obviously Evgeni Malkin, but Geno is far from the only player without a contract the Penguins could bring back for another run. [The Hockey News]
Two years ago, the Penguins signed Sebastian Aho as a free agent, but not the Aho who immediately comes to mind when you hear the name. Signed to be a depth defenseman in the Penguins system, Aho did not appear in a single NHL game in his two seasons in the organization. [Trib Live]
Second round action is now underway in the Stanley Cup playoffs with three of the four series already through Game 1 with just Montreal/Buffalo waiting to begin. Carolina looks to have already overmatched Philadelphia while Minnesota and Colorado should be great hockey theater. [Pensburgh]
NHL News and Notes…
Remember when we all thought the biggest event of the spring for the Penguins was going to be waiting to see how high they were picking in the 2026 NHL Draft? While the Penguins will not be taking part, 16 other teams will learn their draft fate tonight at the NHL Draft Lottery. [NHL]
NHL Award nominations roll on this week with the Bill Masterson finalists being announced on Monday. Rasmus Dahlin, Gabe Landeskog, and Jonathan Toews will vie for the Masterson trophy this season after comeback seasons from all three. [NHL]
The immediate and long-term future of the Boston Bruins could be greatly improved if the ping-pong balls fall their way in Tuesday night’s 2026 NHL Draft Lottery at 7 p.m. ET.
The Bruins exceeded expectations in 2025-26 with a 100-point regular season and a wild card playoff berth. Despite losing to the Buffalo Sabres in a six-game first-round series, the B’s could still end up with a lottery pick in the upcoming draft.
That’s because they own the Toronto Maple Leafs’ top-five protected 2026 first-round pick, which was acquired as part of the Brandon Carlo trade from the 2025 trade deadline. The B’s also got center Fraser Minten and a 2025 fourth-round pick in that trade.
The Leafs finished with the fifth-worst record in the league this season and have an 8.5 percent chance of winning the lottery as a result. If their 2026 first-rounder lands in the top five,the Leafs keep it. In that scenario, the Bruins would get Toronto’s 2027 or 2028 first-rounder instead. (More detailed pick conditions here).
If the Leafs’ pick ends up being outside the top five, the Bruins get it to complete the Carlo trade.
So, what are the chances the B’s get the pick this year? Boston has a 58.2 percent chance of getting it.
Here are the Maple Leafs’ draft pick odds, per Tankathon:
No. 1 pick: 8.5 percent (stays with Leafs)
No. 2: 8.6 percent (stays with Leafs)
No. 3: 0.3 percent (stays with Leafs)
No. 4: N/A
No. 5: 24.5 percent (stays with Leafs)
No. 6: 44 percent (conveys to Boston)
No. 7: 14.2 percent (conveys to Boston)
The Bruins need at least one team to leapfrog the Leafs in order to get Toronto’s pick. The Bruins had the fifth-best odds to win the lottery last season and two teams (Islanders and Mammoth) jumped over them, so it’s possible. Teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots in the lottery.
Getting the No. 6 or No. 7 pick would be a massive boost to the Bruins’ collection of assets. The 2026 draft has a lot of high-end defenseman prospects, and that’s one area of the Bruins’ prospect pool that needs significant improvement.
The Bruins have a bunch of exciting forward prospects, most notably James Hagens, Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers and Will Moore, among others. They don’t have a top-tier defenseman prospect, and they need one with Hampus Lindholm (32) and Nikita Zadorov (31) on the wrong side of age 30.
The Bruins also could use the No. 6 or No. 7 pick as a trade chip to pursue an impact player. They desperately need another elite forward — preferably a center — to take some of the scoring burden off David Pastrnak. Trading for top-six forwards is tough, but having a top-7 pick is a nice asset to dangle.
Even if the Maple Leafs keep their pick, the Bruins will still get a first-rounder from Toronto eventually. The Carlo trade has been a massive win regardless of when this pick conveys.
But when you look at the ages of the Bruins’ core players, getting this pick now would easily be the most ideal scenario:
Morgan Geekie, LW, 27 years old
Jeremy Swayman, G, 27
Charlie McAvoy, D, 28
Pavel Zacha, C/W, 29
David Pastrnak, RW, 29
Elias Lindholm, C, 31
Nikita Zadorov, D, 31
Hampus Lindholm, D, 32
Viktor Arvidsson, LW, 33 (UFA this summer)
The Bruins have owned the Maple Leafs on and off the ice for a long time. Toronto hasn’t won a playoff series against Boston since 1959, and the Leafs have made a bunch of awful trades with the B’s.
The Maple Leafs are due for some luck in this rivalry. And given the state of their franchise, they very badly need this pick. It should make for a thrilling lottery Tuesday night.
Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)
Buffalo, New York; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Sabres -130, Canadiens +109; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Sabres host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens to start the Eastern Conference second round. The teams meet Saturday for the fifth time this season. The teams tied the regular season series 2-2. In their last regular season meeting on Feb. 31, the Canadiens won 4-2.
Buffalo has a 20-7-5 record in Atlantic Division games and a 50-23-9 record overall. The Sabres have an 18-5-5 record in games they score one or more power-play goals.
Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 20-10-3 record against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens are fifth in NHL play serving 10.4 penalty minutes per game.
TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Doan has scored 26 goals with 26 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has seven goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
Nicholas Suzuki has 29 goals and 72 assists for the Canadiens. Josh Anderson has scored three goals with one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.2 assists, 4.7 penalties and 11.3 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.6 assists, 5.6 penalties and 11.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -159, Ducks +134; over/under is 6.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 1-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Monday for the fifth time this season. The Golden Knights won the previous meeting 3-1.
Vegas is 39-26-17 overall with a 16-5-6 record against the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights have a 42-6-11 record in games they score three or more goals.
Anaheim is 43-33-6 overall with a 19-13-1 record in Pacific Division games. The Ducks have given up 288 goals while scoring 265 for a -23 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has scored 27 goals with 63 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and one assist over the past 10 games.
Cutter Gauthier has 41 goals and 28 assists for the Ducks. Troy Terry has four goals and five assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 8-2-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.3 assists, four penalties and 8.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Ducks: 5-4-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.4 assists, 3.2 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: day to day (undisclosed).
Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
