The Buffalo Sabres' magical season came to an end with their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. While the Sabres ended up being eliminated in the second round, there is no question that they had a successful year.
Now, the Sabres are entering a big off-season. There is a real chance that some of their players from this year's roster won't be back next season. Due to this, let's look at three Sabres that may have played their final games with the Atlantic Division club.
Logan Stanley
After a career year, Logan Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and set to land a nice raise over his current $1.25 million AAV. However, when noting that the Sabres already having a lot of left-shot defensemen and Stanley was scratched multiple times during the playoffs, it would not be surprising if the Sabres let him leave through free agency this summer.
Luke Schenn
After being acquired by the Sabres from the Jets at the deadline, Luke Schenn played in just four regular-season games and two playoff games for Buffalo. With this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Sabres did not re-sign the 36-year-old defenseman this summer.
Tanner Pearson
Tanner Pearson is another trade deadline acquisition who likely won't be back with the Sabres next season. The 33-year-old forward did not play for the Sabres during the playoffs and played in just four regular-season games for them after being acquired from the Jets. With the Sabres having plenty of forward depth, the veteran winger likely won't be re-signed.
After a despicable effort in Game 6 at the Bell Centre, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to bounce back in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres. Martin St-Louis’ men were looking to deliver a better performance than they had in their last Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While they had come away with the win, they had only managed to get nine shots on goal. After making no lineup changes in the first six games of the series, Montreal’s bench boss elected to replace Joe Veleno with Oliver Kapanen, who hadn’t played since Game 4 of the first-round.
A Strong Start
The Habs had only scored first once in the series, and in the last two games, their top line had committed a turnover early on to hand the Sabres the lead on a silver platter. In this crucial game, the coach elected to change things up, starting the defensively responsible Jake Evans alongside Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov.
Not only did the Canadiens not concede early on, but they also opened the score before the clock hit five minutes. Kaiden Guhle fed Phillip Danault on the doorstep, and the veteran made no mistake. It was the blueliner’s sixth assist of the playoffs, and is third in a Game 7. 10 minutes later, on the power play, Zachary Bolduc doubled the Habs’ lead and quieted the Buffalo crowd. After 20 minutes, the Canadiens had a 2-0 lead and 11 shots, two more than they did in the entire final game against Tampa.
Two-Sided Coin
Once again in this game, Jakub Dobes was a key player for the Canadiens, making several key saves and being aggressive and proactive in and around the net. While most of the time that has served him well, he was partly responsible for the Sabres’ first goal when he harpooned the puck as Beck Malenstyn was coming from behind the net, and it bounced right to Mattias Samuelsson in the slot. The defenseman launched a shot that bounced off Jordan Greenway, bringing Buffalo back within one.
That being said, the goaltender must have felt like he needed to lend a hand as the Canadiens were stuck in their zone for an extended period of time for a second shift in a row. In that second frame, Dobes faced 14 Buffalo shots and stopped them all but one, which is why he was all smiles heading back to the room. The Canadiens have got to do something about the way they tend to let their opponent take over once they have the lead; they have to match their desperation and urgency, even if they feel like they are in the driver’s seat. It’s cost them dearly in Game 6 and led to a complete unravelling.
The third period wasn’t kind to Dobes; he was hit in the head by Jason Zucker's shoulder in the crease after making a desperate save, and there was no call. Granted, the Canadiens’ netminder might have tried to sell it too hard, but if that’s what the referee thought, he should have called the goalie interference and the embellishment. Shortly after that play, Rasmus Dahlin tied up the game, going upstairs near post on the Czech netminder.
If Cole Caufield has earned his Mr. Saturday Night nickname, Alex Newhook is slowly but surely working on getting the Mr. Game 7 moniker. After sealing the deal in Game 7 against the Lightning, it was the Newfoundlander who found the back of the net in overtime on Monday night. He’s the only player on the Canadiens’ roster with a Stanley Cup ring, and it shows.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
While he had only two shots on goal, he made seven attempts over nearly 72 minutes and landed three hits. Full marks to Alexandre Carrier for the good first pass and to Jake Evans for driving to the net and screening Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
One shouldn’t forget about Dobes, however. He stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced for a .949 save percentage and, as unbelievable as it may sound, his save percentage was even better in the seventh game against Tampa when he made 28 saves on 29 shots for a .966 SV.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
14 games are a lot of action for a goaltender in the playoffs, but when asked if he was getting tired after the game, he smiled and replied that he could easily play 40 more games. That will be music to the Canadiens’ fans’ ears as he’ll have at least another four to play in. Dobes also sent his thanks to Buffalo’s fans, saying he loves being the villain and how they were calling his name.
Montreal will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Final. While the Habs just went through two hard-fought seven games series, the Canes have swept both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on their way to a fourth Conference Final since 2018-2019. However, they are 1-12 in the third round in that timespan. They had also reached the Conference Final back in 2008-2009, and lost to the Penguins in four games.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division)
Denver; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Avalanche -196, Golden Knights +163; over/under is 6
STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Avalanche host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Vegas Golden Knights to start the Western Conference finals. The teams meet Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Avalanche went 2-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 11, the Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with two goals.
Colorado has a 31-9-6 record in home games and a 55-16-11 record overall. The Avalanche have a 54-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas is 23-16-8 in road games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 45-7-11 when scoring at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brock Nelson has scored 33 goals with 32 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Dorofeyev has nine goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen: day to day (upper-body), Brent Burns: day to day (undisclosed), Cale Makar: day to day (undisclosed), Sam Malinski: day to day (upper-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (upper-body), Mark Stone: day to day (lower-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
May 10, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook (15) celebrates with teammate defenseman Lane Hutson (48) after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabresduring the first period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook scored his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason, this time 11:22 into overtime in the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Newhook drove up the left wing and as he approached the circle snapped a shot through a screen that beat goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen inside the far post. Newhook also scored the decisive goal, breaking a 1-1 tie 11:07 into the third period, in Game 7 of Montreal’s first-round series win over Tampa Bay.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Newhook said of scoring back-to-back Game 7 winners. “It’s fun. It’s why you play the game. I think we played well enough to win, so we’re looking forward now.”
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens and Jakub Dobes finished with 37 saves.
Rasmus Dahlin forced overtime by tying the game 6:27 into the third period. Jordan Greenway also scored. Luukkonen finished with 22 saves.
The Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where they’ll face the well-rested Hurricanes in a series set to open at Carolina on Thursday. The Hurricanes have swept each of their first two series, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9.
The Canadiens continue their upward trajectory a year after being eliminated in the first round by Washington.
“We’re a confident group,” Newhook said. “We’ve added some pieces, and I think everyone’s kind of come together to play together and play their role to the best of their ability this far in playoffs. We’ve got to keep it rolling.”
Buffalo dropped to 1-7 in Game 7, including 1-3 in overtime.
The Sabres enter their offseason following a breakout year in which they won their first Atlantic Division title and ended an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo’s turnaround began in early December, when the team went from last in the East standings to finish second by going 39-9-5 over its final 53 games.
The Sabres’ first-round win over Boston was their first since 2007, and the team returns a young and talented group that reflects a promising future in Buffalo.
Trailing 2-0, the Sabres cut Montreal’s lead 13:19 into the second period when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot grazed off Greenway and into the open left side past a screened Dobes. Dahlin then tied it after being set up by Owen Power to the left of the Montreal net, and fired a shot in before Dobes could get across.
Game 7 followed the series script in which each of the opening goals have been scored within the first seven minutes.
For only the second time, though, it was the Canadiens scoring first 4:30 in. Danault was parked in front and had Kaiden Guhle’s shot from the left circle deflect in off his skate.
Bolduc followed 10 minutes later with a one-timer from the right circle in which he beat Luukkonen high on the short side. Captain Nick Suzuki set up the goal with a cross-ice feed from the far corner.
Buffalo waited 15 years to host a Game 7 like this again, only to watch its dream season end in stunned silence as the Montreal Canadiens escaped KeyBank Center with a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime victory Monday night.
Alex Newhook buried the winner 11:22 into overtime as the Canadiens survived another punishing playoff battle, eliminating the Buffalo Sabres in dramatic fashion and punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
ALEX NEWHOOK WINS IT IN OVERTIME 🚨🚨🚨
THAT'S HIS 2ND GAME 7 SERIES CLINCHING GOAL OF THESE PLAYOFFS AND THE HABS MOVE ON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yazHgkRdkP
The Canadiens, now an astonishing 6-0 following losses in these playoffs, will open the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday in Raleigh against a Carolina team that still hasn’t tasted defeat this postseason.
Montreal Survives Another Heavyweight Fight
For nearly three hours, the game felt like a tug-of-war between Buffalo’s relentless pressure and Montreal’s refusal to crack.
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc scored in regulation for the Canadiens, who once again leaned on resilience more than dominance. Montreal has now played 14 playoff games in 30 days, yet somehow continues to look composed in the moments where lesser teams unravel.
The early portion of Game 7 belonged to Montreal. The Canadiens accomplished the most important task imaginable for a road team facing elimination: silence the building before the crowd could fully ignite.
Danault opened the scoring midway through the first period after a strong forecheck forced a Buffalo turnover deep in its own zone. Later in the frame, Bolduc capitalized on the power play to stretch the lead to 2-0, abruptly draining the energy from a nervous KeyBank Center crowd.
But the Sabres never stopped pushing.
Buffalo tilted the ice for long stretches of the second period, overwhelming Montreal territorially and forcing Jakub Dobeš into a series of game-saving stops. Jordan Greenway finally cut the deficit in half on a deflection goal after wave after wave of Sabres pressure, and by the time the third period arrived, momentum had fully shifted.
When Rasmus Dahlin blasted home the tying goal just over six minutes into the third, the arena erupted back to life and the Canadiens suddenly looked vulnerable again.
They just didn’t stay vulnerable for long.
Dobeš Rebounds When Montreal Needed Him Most
There was legitimate uncertainty surrounding Jakub Dobeš entering the game after he was pulled in Game 6 following a six-goal collapse.
Instead of folding under that pressure, the rookie netminder delivered another defining postseason performance.
Dobeš turned aside 37 shots and repeatedly rescued Montreal during Buffalo’s most dangerous stretches. His sprawling second-period robbery on Tage Thompson from point-blank range may have been the save that ultimately changed the outcome of the series.
While Buffalo controlled much of the possession battle and generated extended offensive-zone pressure, Dobeš consistently prevented the game from spiraling away from Montreal.
At the other end, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was sharp as well, stopping 22 shots and keeping the Sabres alive with multiple breakaway saves and several key stops on Cole Caufield early in the game. Both goaltenders entered the night carrying questions. Both answered them emphatically.
But only one got the final save.
Buffalo’s Breakthrough Season Ends In Heartbreak
The cruelty of Game 7 hockey is that one bounce can erase months of progress.
For Buffalo, the loss will sting deeply because this season represented so much more than one playoff run. The Sabres captured the Atlantic Division title, snapped a 15-year postseason drought, and reintroduced meaningful spring hockey to a city desperate for it.
Still, the ending will linger.
The Sabres finished just 2-5 at home during the playoffs, an almost impossible statistic to explain considering how dominant they looked on the road throughout the postseason. Across this series, the visiting team won five of seven games, further emphasizing how strange and volatile the matchup became.
Dahlin was magnificent in defeat, continuing a postseason that felt like a national arrival for the Buffalo captain. After recording five points in Game 6, he dominated stretches of Game 7 as well, driving play whenever he stepped on the ice and delivering the third-period equalizer that briefly seemed destined to become a franchise-defining moment.
Instead, it became another painful chapter in Buffalo’s long postseason history.
Now difficult offseason questions await the organization. Head coach Lindy Ruff is without a contract beyond this season, while top-six winger Alex Tuch is also approaching an uncertain future.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens keep moving.
Montreal entered the playoffs as the youngest team in the field. Now, after surviving consecutive seven-game wars, the youngest team to reach the conference final since the 1993 Canadiens is suddenly four wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Two former members of the Vancouver Canucks have officially been eliminated after the Montréal Canadiens won Game 7 of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 3–2 in overtime. With ex-Canucks Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn eliminated by the Canadiens, Jalen Chatfield of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nic Dowd and Ben Hutton of the Vegas Golden Knights are now the only former Canucks who currently remain in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Buffalo and Montréal made their second-round series an exciting one, being the only duo in the bracket to play in seven games — the Colorado Avalanche and Golden Knights advanced in five and six games respectively, while the Hurricanes completed their second sweep of the post-season. There was never a point in their series in which Buffalo or Montréal led by more than a game.
The Canadiens made things close in Game 6, looking as though they would eliminate the Sabres after putting three goals past Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon during the first period. However, the Sabres roared back to win by a score of 8–3, forcing the series back to Buffalo. Montréal took a quick 2–0 lead in the first period of Game 7, though Buffalo stormed back to tie things at two apiece. During overtime, however, it was Canadiens forward Alex Newhook who beat Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to win the series for his team.
The only former Canuck to take part in this series was Luke Schenn, who the Sabres acquired at the trade deadline alongside fellow defenceman Logan Stanley. Schenn, who has now taken part in eight different post-season and won two Stanley Cups, skated in two games for Buffalo against Montréal. Throughout this span, he averaged 7:33 minutes played per game.
May 18, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save on Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (17) during the second period in game seven of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
While Schenn was the only former Canuck to actually play in this series, he’s not the only one listed to Buffalo’s roster. Tanner Pearson, who spent nearly five seasons with the Canucks, was also acquired by the Sabres at this year’s trade deadline. Though he did skate in four regular-season games with Buffalo, he didn’t end up making his playoff debut for the Sabres.
With their series win, the Canadiens will now face a high-powered Hurricanes team that has swept both of their past two opponents — the Ottawa Senators in the first-round, and the Philadelphia Flyers in the second. Carolina, despite often impressing in the first two rounds of the post-season, has not made it past the Eastern Conference Final since winning the Stanley Cup back in 2006.
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There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of the Vegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2: Pavel Dorofeyev scored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 28:Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT). David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of the first overtime to cut the Bruins' series deficit to 3-2.
April 27:Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (OT). Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of the first overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT). Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tie the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1: Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2: J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2: Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3: Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
5 - Corey Perry, Lightning
4 - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL record for one postseason)
3 - Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Rebecca Leslie scored the winning goal with 56 seconds left on Monday night to give the Ottawa Charge a 2-1 win over the Montreal Victoire to force a Game 4 in the best-of-five Walter Cup Final.
The Victoire, with two overtime wins on home ice, lead the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday in Ottawa.
Leslie found Sarah Wozniewicz's rebound and fired it through traffic to beat Ann-Renee Desbiens, who made 26 saves.
Montreal challenged the goal for a missed stoppage in play but after a lengthy review the goal stood, sending the playoff record crowd of 16,894 into a frenzy.
Trailing 1-0 Ottawa tied the game when Peyton Hemp picked up a loose puck and beat a sprawled out Desbiens for her first of the postseason with 5:30 remaining in the third period.
Montreal opened the scoring at 7:32 of the third when Maureen Murphy rifled a shot off the back boards and Hayley Scamurra picked up the rebound and beat Gwyneth Philips, who stopped 27 shots.
Ottawa started the third on the power play but generated just one shot.
The teams exchanged chances minutes later with Hemp trying to beat Desbiens at the side of the net and then Montreal’s Kaitlin Willoughby trying to beat Philips from in close.
“I know that the third (win) is going to be the hardest,” the Montreal Victoire coach said after her team took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Walter Cup Finals. “That’s what we’re focused on right now. The girls are allowed to be happy until the puck drop of the Habs tonight and then we move on.”
The Walter Cup trophy was in the house for Game 3 of the best-of-five series and nearly six minutes away from being hauled out for the Montreal Victoire. But with their backs against the wall, the Ottawa Charge staged a late-game comeback, scoring two goals in the final 5:30 of regulation to beat Montreal 2-1 and stay alive.
For nearly 50 minutes, the game was deadlocked 0-0 as goalies Ann-Renée Desbiens and Gwyneth Philips turned over 40 shots aside.
But just moments after Ottawa killed off a third Montreal power play, Montreal forward Hayley Scamurra carried the puck up the middle of the ice, dished to Maureen Murphy and drove to the net, where Murphy’s shot bounced right off the end boards and onto Scamurra’s stick. Known as a reliable defensive forward, Scamurra jumped on the puck before Philips could finish her slide through the crease and banged home the opening goal.
Seven minutes later, Ottawa rookie forward Peyton Hemp tied the game with her first goal of the playoffs. Rebecce Leslie scored the game-winner with just 54 seconds remaining in regulation — her league-leading fourth of the playoffs.
The deafening crowd of 16,894 at Canadian Tire Centre was the largest of any PWHL playoff game. Game 4 will return to CTC on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET).
There are currently just four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and they'll collide in the Western Conference Final with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
First, the Colorado Avalanche earned a trip to the Conference Final with a series victory over the Minnesota Wild, which took them just five games. The Avalanche have two former members of the Sharks organization in their ranks, both of which are still chasing their first Stanley Cup.
Defenseman Brent Burns spent over a decade in the Bay Area, appearing in 798 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored 172 goals and 594 points, the fifth most in franchise history. He also had a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Despite a two-decade long career in the NHL, Burns has never lifted the Cup but perhaps he can be the modern-day version of Ray Bourque if Colorado are able to go all the way this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood's hunt for the Stanley Cup has been much shorter. He's in his ninth NHL season, and he's in his first full season as a member of the Avalanche after being traded there by the Sharks last spring.
Blackwood has appeared in just three playoff games for the Avalanche, as Scott Wedgewood has established himself as Jared Bednar's first choice in net.
The Avalanche will be across the ice from the notorious Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games to advance to the Conference Final, stirring up controversy in the process, which cost their head coach John Tortorella quite a bit of money while also resulting in the organization losing a second round draft pick.
Much like Colorado, the Golden Knights have two former members of the Sharks organization on their roster.
Long-time fan favorite Tomas Hertl requested a trade out of San Jose to chase down a Stanley Cup and now the opportunity to win the grandest trophy in hockey is right in front of him. Age hasn't been kind to the now 32-year-old forward, but he's still been helpful for the Golden Knights.
Like Burns, Hertl spent over a decade in the Bay Area, playing in 712 games for the Sharks. He scored 218 goals, the fifth most in franchise history, and 484 points, the sixth most in franchise history.
Goaltender Adin Hill is also on the Golden Knights roster, but despite being in the first year of a sizeable new contract, he has yet to appear in a game during the postseason as the team has opted to start Carter Hart.
One pair of San Jose Sharks alumni will make a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, it's just a matter of which duo it'll be.
The Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs almost a month ago, but they remain in the news thanks to the speculation and rumors surrounding the search of the 29th Head Coach in franchise history.
With the Playoffs still in high gear, the rumors are nothing more than speculation and insiders sharing what they have heard. Hiring a new bench boss is a long process that absolutely has to be done correctly.
The Kings have been linked to some notable names including current interim coach D.J. Smith and the recently fired Bruce Cassidy. And now entering the mix is former Vancouver Canuck and current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach, Manny Malhotra.
According the NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Kings are likely to move on from DJ Smith and head in a younger direction, and he then mentioned Malhotra's name specifically.
David Pagnotta: Re Kings: I [can't] imagine a scenario where DJ Smith is the head coach next season; are they gonna look young...like a Manny Malhotra - Leafs Morning Take (4/22)
Los Angeles isn't the only team expected to be interested in the former Canucks assistant. The Toronto Maple Leafs have also reportedly expressed interest in hiring the 46-year-old fresh off of firing Craig Berube, who could also be an option for the Kings job. But based on Pagnotta's comments that seems unlikely at this moment in time.
Malholtra's Coaching Experience
After retiring as a player in 2016, Malhotra joined the Canucks coaching staff as an Assistant Coach where he served behind the bench until 2020 before he joined the Maple Leafs in the same role.
Malhotra spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Leafs before he was hired to be the bench boss by the Abbotsford Canucks, making yet another return to the Canucks organization,
His time in Abbotsford was perhaps the most up-and-down two years a team has ever. In 2024-25, Malhotra led his squad to a 44-24-4 record in the regular season before marching their way to a Calder Cup Championship. However, in 2025-26 his Canucks finished with a 28-37-7 record which of course had them missing the postseason.
Now, the former 16-year NHL veteran finds himself in the midst of the yearly head coaching cycle with a real chance of landing a job.
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A third Ottawa Senators prospect has advanced to play in the Memorial Cup.
Goalie Lucas Beckman and the Chicoutimi Saguenéens won the QMJHL title on Sunday with a 5-1 over the Moncton Wildcats. The Sags took the series in six games and Beckman was excellent.
The 18-year-old was chosen by Ottawa in the fourth round last year, 97th overall, and said last summer his goal this season was to be the best goalie in the Q. He's certainly in that discussion, posting a record of 16-4 in these playoffs with a 1.98 GAA and .918 save percentage.
THN Ottawa's Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss the Senators backup goalie position.
The Sags probably entered Sunday's game feeling like a team of destiny. In Game 5, with the series tied at 2, they fell behind 4-0 before storming back to defeat the Wildcats 7-6 and grab a 3-2 series lead.
The title was a special one for Chicoutimi and their fans, who hadn't won it all in 32 years. Now they'll try to win a Memorial Cup, something they've never done in their 53-year history.
As QMJHL representatives, they'll face the host Kelowna Rockets, the WHL’s Everett Silvertips and the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. Beckman will be facing two opponents who may soon be his AHL or NHL teammates. Sens prospects Luke Ellinas and defenseman Matthew Andonovski will be suiting up for the Rangers.
Outgoing Moncton was represented by big Finnish defenseman Eerik Wallenius, a 2024 Senators draft pick (5th round, 136), who had 10 points in 21 playoff games.
Nice moment in the handshake line between the two Sens prospects in this series, Beckman and Eerik Wallenius pic.twitter.com/zUONDOyn5U
All three Senators prospects in the Memorial Cup have signed their entry-level contracts with Ottawa. Beckman just signed his last month. Wallenius still has a couple of years before he has to sign his.
The Memorial Cup starts Friday with Kitchener facing host Kelowna. Chicoutimi will play Everett on Saturday.
Less than two months ago, the Vegas Golden Knights were in danger of falling out of the playoff picture. Now, they’re four wins away from competing for a Stanley Cup.
“It’s been quite a year,” said Jack Eichel. “At times, it’s been trying. There’s also been a lot of highs; there’s been a lot of really great moments. I think that’s the beauty of our game.
“That’s the beauty of the playoffs and this time of year,” Eichel continued. “You can be just okay for a while. But if you find something and grab onto a little bit of belief, and the room starts to see confidence, you can start piecing your game together, and good things can happen.
“When you get in, anything can happen,” finished Eichel. “Down the stretch in the regular season, we won some games and started to feel a bit better about ourselves, and we were able to take a little bit of that into the playoffs. It’s been great. And so much credit to the guys in the room– I feel like we’ve just stuck it out and tried to play good hockey as much as we can. We stuck together as a group, and I think those things go a long way.”
Despite not being in Vegas for the whole year, the trade deadline acquisitions experienced enough of the roller coaster that was the 2025-26 season to appreciate just how far this team has come.
“You hear about the things they went through this year,” said forward Cole Smith. “Personally, too, just being on a different team, the highs and lows there, the highs and lows of being traded and coming to a great spot, and now I have the chance of my career to play for something here. It’s been a great opportunity, and the excitement level is as high as it can get.
“[The excitement level] should be as high as it can be, because there are only four teams left at this time. It’s an honor to be here– we’re one series away from playing for a Stanley Cup,” finished Smith. “There are only so many chances in your career you get to go after a championship. I want to make the most of it and play my best.”
The Colorado Avalanche will be the Golden Knights’ most challenging opponent to date. It’s not often that the Golden Knights enter a series as a heavy underdog, but they’re not fazed.
“It doesn’t really matter to me,” said Jack Eichel. “They had a really good regular season, and they’ve been playing good hockey; we feel like we’ve been playing good hockey. What it comes down to is, the team that plays better and executes better is probably going to win. We just want to go out there and play our best.”
The Avalanche won the President’s Trophy as the team with the best regular season, finishing with a record of 55-16-11. They went 1-1-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season.
“They’re a great team, so it’ll be a great challenge,” said Cole Smith. “But we’re also a great team, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
“We’re looking forward to a great series, and we’re going to be ready to play,” agreed Pavel Dorofeyev.
Tonight the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will write the final chapter in what has been an exciting, back-and-forth series.
Let's take a look at three strong Canadiens vs. Sabres goal scorer prediction candidates with my NHL picks for Monday, May 18, highlighted by Cole Caufield.
Canadiens vs Sabres goal scorer predictions for Game 7
Player to score a goal
Odds
Juraj Slafkovsky
+215
Alex Tuch
+215
Cole Caufield
+150
💲Goal scorer parlay: Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Tuch, Cole Caufield
+1300
Goal scorer pick: Juraj Slafkovsky (+215)
Juraj Skafkovsky ranks second on the Montreal Canadiens with 3.13 expected goals, and nobody on the team has generated more high-danger opportunities.
Of the six Canadiens with 1.7 xG or more, Slafkovsky is the only one without multiple goals.
He proved this season how efficient he can be at finishing plays off around the net, scoring 30 times while converting at a very healthy 16.8% clip.
Compare that to this series, where he has converted on just 5.26% of his shots. That is the lowest rate among Montreal's Top 9 forwards in shots on goal in the second round.
The Buffalo Sabres have the worst team SV% of any side still playing, and Slafkovsky remains a likely candidate to take advantage.
Goal scorer pick: Alex Tuch (+215)
Alex Tuch has been everywhere in this series. He leads the Sabres in shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and has played more than any other forward on the roster.
He's generated breakaways, slot chances, rebound opportunities, and absolutely nothing has gone in for him. To say that is abnormal is an understatement.
Tuch converted on 16.92% of his shots during the regular season and has posted a 16.50 SH% or better in three of the past four years. He is an excellent and opportunistic finisher.
Jack Quinn was going through a similar dry spell for the Sabres and broke out in a big way, scoring two goals in a blowout Game 6 victory.
Tuch will have chances to do the same against Jakub Dobes, who has allowed 12 goals over his last three games and has started to look human.
Goal scorer pick: Cole Caufield (+150)
Remember when Cole Caufield couldn't buy a goal? He flipped that script in a hurry and is suddenly red-hot.
The NHL's second-leading goal scorer has found the back of the net in three of the past four games, and leads all Canadiens in scoring chances this series with 22 through six games.
He's averaged 6.2 shot attempts over his past five games after recording five or fewer four times in the five-game segment prior.
The uptick in volume makes him very dangerous, especially given Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen's leaky play. He ranks last among remaining goaltenders in Goals Saved Above Expected during the playoffs and has found himself in and out of the net as a result.
If he's not at the top of the game, Caufield will take advantage.
Canadiens vs Sabres anytime goal parlay (+1300)
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.
A quick update on the Florida Panthers goaltending situation as the Stanley Cup Playoffs move into the conference finals.
We know that as of now, the Panthers do not have any NHL goaltenders under contract for the upcoming season.
Longtime starting netminder Sergei Bobrovsky is an unrestricted free agent now that the seven-year, $70 million contract he signed with Florida back in 2019 has expired.
Bobrovsky, who will be 38 on Opening Night, is reportedly looking for a decent-sized payday on what will likely be his final contract in the NHL.
During his seven seasons in South Florida, Bobrovsky led the Panthers to the playoffs in six of those years, backstopping the Cats to three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances from 2023 to 2025 and back-to-back championships during the two latter trips.
He’s beloved in the locker room, with many of his teammates coming to bat for him during the past several months when the topic of his expiring contract came up, often expressing their feelings about his importance to the team and how crucial he is to their future success.
“We can’t lose him,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said following Florida’s final regular season game last month. “He’s our guy. He’s gonna get us back to where we want to be. The most important piece of our team the last few years, what he’s done. It’s just the character, the work ethic, the drive. He sets the tone, whether it’s off ice or on ice. I don’t care what age he is, he is the backbone of this team. If we’re gonna get back there, we’re probably gonna need him.”
That begs the question that if Bobrovsky is such a team-first guy, wouldn’t he fall in line with what every other Panthers player who signed a term contract has done before him?
Go down the list…every player who has agreed to an extension with the Panthers has signed a team-friendly deal for less than what they likely would’ve been offered on the open market.
Despite his age, Bobrovsky would still likely fetch a pretty penny if he wanted to test the free agent waters and see what kind of bidding war he could start up.
That’s a big if, though.
Bobrovsky enjoys living in South Florida and reportedly wants to stay there. It’s where he and his wife have welcomed their first two children in recent years, becoming more ingrained in the community and enjoying all the perks living in a tropical climate has to offer.
Should it continue to play out that Bobrovsky is seeking a bigger payday than what the Panthers are looking to hand out, it would make sense that Florida General Manager Bill Zito and his staff explore other potential options to backstop the Cup contending Cats.
One of those options could be one of the top goaltenders in the world.
Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck made it clear during his exit interview with the media that he was not pleased, calling his team’s performance last season unacceptable and saying things had to change if they were going to become elite.
Hellebuyck has won quite a few hockey games during his 11 seasons in the NHL, including three Vezina Trophies; in 2020, 2024 and 2025.
He’ll be 33 on opening night (his birthday is Tuesday, actually), and has five years remaining on his current contract that pays an average annual value (AAV) of $8.5 million.
Now if any team is equipped to evaluate an aging goaltender, you would think it’s the Panthers.
So where does that leave us?
Well, the main questions from a Florida perspective are whether Hellebuyck is looking for an exit from Winnipeg and, if so, would the Panthers be interested in exploring a trade.
The Hellebuyck element of that proposition is still yet to be known.
As for the Panthers’ side, THN Florida has learned that the team has had internal discussions regarding acquiring the veteran goaltender, and that should it turn out Hellebuyck is available, interest would be high in obtaining his services.
To be fair, none of that should be Earth-shattering information.
The Panthers currently have a need for goaltending so it makes sense they would be on top of exploring all the best possible options.
It’s called due diligence.
We’ll see how things play out between the Panthers and Bobrovsky’s camp in the coming weeks, and if the temperature cools on the Hellebuyck situation in Winnipeg.
NHL Insider David Pagnotta recently reported that there has been increasing chatter around the league regarding Hellebuyck’s availability.
“There are a lot of people around the league now that are starting to talk, and there is some speculation within the league that there may be an opportunity, there may be a play to make for Connor Hellebuyck,” Pagnotta said Friday on the DFO Rundown Insider Edition with Irfaan Gaffar. “He’s got full control. The Jets have to do nothing. I’m not saying the Jets are trying to trade him, that’s not the case. They love him and they want to keep him there for the duration of his contract; they want to win with him.”
Pagnotta went to say that there are teams around the league who believe there may be an opportunity to explore a possible trade, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Jets will feel the same way if and when those calls come in.
Winnipeg is one season removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy and has a roster full of talent, so unless Hellebuyck wants out, it would make sense that they would want to continue pushing for a Stanley Cup while adding to the core that they’ve built, not taking away a massive piece.
So yeah, there are a lot of moving parts, and we’re only discussing two goaltenders.
There is a lot that can happen between now, the NHL Draft at the end of the next month, and free agency which begins a few days later on July 1.
Photo captions: Jan 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) looks for the puck during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
Apr 9, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) looks on during the second period against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)
OTTAWA – Kori Cheverie saw Monday night coming.
Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Tuch