Bruins vs. Sabres first-round playoff preview, schedule and prediction originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres have met eight times in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and these teams have given hockey fans plenty of memorable moments.

Brad Park’s series-winning goal in Game 7 of the 1983 Adams Division Final and Brad May’s thrilling OT goal to eliminate the B’s in the 1993 Adams Division semifinals (with Rick Jeanneret’s legendary call) are just two examples of the thrilling hockey this rivalry can produce.

The latest chapter will be written over the next few weeks when the Atlantic Division champion Sabres battle the Bruins (first wild card team) in a best-of-seven first-round series.

The Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2010 (when they lost to the B’s in Round 1), ending the NHL’s longest postseason drought. The Bruins saw their eight-year playoff appearance streak end last season, but it only took one year for them to be back in the tournament.

Which of these teams has the upper hand in this first-round matchup? Check out our full preview below.

Series schedule

• Game 1 at Buffalo: TBA
• Game 2 at Buffalo: TBA
• Game 3 at Boston: TBA
• Game 4 at Boston: TBA
• Game 5* at Buffalo: TBA
• Game 6* at Boston: TBA
• Game 7* at Buffalo: TBA

*If necessary 

Regular season head-to-head

• Oct. 11 at Boston: Bruins 3-1
• Oct. 30 at Boston: Bruins 4-3 in OT
• Dec. 27 at Buffalo: Sabres 4-1
• March 25 at Buffalo: Bruins 4-3 in OT

Tale of the Tape

Here’s how the Bruins and Sabres compare in several important stats (all from even-strength play, except the power play and penalty kill) from the regular season. NHL rank in parentheses.

Note: The Sabres’ final regular season game is Wednesday, April 15.

The Bruins win the series if…

All four lines contribute.

The Bruins can’t be a top-heavy lineup and expect to beat a Sabres team that has loads of scoring depth.

The Sabres had 13 players score 10-plus goals and 10 players reach 40-plus points. The B’s had 10 players score 10 or more goals and seven players hit 40-plus points.

The Bruins have been a little more reliant on the top of their lineup, specifically David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie, to score goals and create scoring chances for teammates. The B’s don’t need to worry about Pastrnak showing up. He has scored 11 goals with five assists in 21 games over his last three first-round series. He also has scored in each of his last three Game 7s. He has 87 points in 90 career playoff games.

The question is whether the B’s will get enough offensive production from their bottom-six forwards. Before the final two games of the regular season, many of these bottom-six guys hadn’t provided much offense since the Olympic break in February.

The Bruins need two or three of these players to provide a bit of a spark offensively in Round 1. Maybe one of those players is James Hagens, the team’s top prospect, who played well over the final two games of the regular season.

Stepping up in the playoffs is a lot to ask of a 19-year-old rookie, but Hagens has an elite offensive skill set and could make a positive impact scoring-wise, both at even strength and the power play.

The Sabres win the series if…

Buffalo’s PK remains elite.

The key matchup in this series might be the Bruins power play versus the Sabres penalty kill. Both of these teams ranked top 10 in even-strength goals scored. Therefore, an effective power play could be enough to tip the scale in either team’s favor.

The Bruins power play showed tremendous improvement for the first five months of the season and ranked third-best in the league entering the Olympic break. But since the Olympic break, the B’s have converted on just 16.2 percent of their man-advantage situations, which ranked 27th among 32 teams over that span.

The Sabres have a top-tier penalty kill that ranked fourth-best in success rate this season. If that unit can shut down the Bruins power play, Buffalo will have a strong chance to win the series.

Players to watch

Morgan Geekie, left wing, Bruins

Geekie led the Bruins with a career-high 39 goals, and he recently ended a 17-game scoring drought with a hat trick against the Hurricanes on April 7. He has five goals in his last four games.

Can he keep up that pace in Round 1? Is his slump officially over? It’s hard to imagine the Bruins winning this series if Geekie is close to a non-factor offensively.

Charlie McAvoy, defenseman, Bruins

McAvoy took his performance to another level this season with a career-high 61 points (10 goals, 51 assists) in 69 games. He also led the team with 24:28 time on ice per game, while playing the second-most power-play time and most penalty kill time.

McAvoy drives offense at a high rate and shuts down the opposing team’s top forwards. He also sets the tone with crushing hits, and he’s never afraid to put his body on the line to block shots. A huge series for McAvoy would go a long way in helping the Bruins get to Round 2.

Tage Thompson, center, Sabres

Thompson is a force offensively at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. He leads the Sabres with 40 goals and 81 points. He’s also played well against the Bruins in his career with 18 points in 31 career games, including five points in four matchups versus Boston this season.

Thompson has not scored in five of his last six games. Can he engineer a turnaround against the Bruins? The Sabres really need it.

Rasmus Dahlin, defenseman, Sabres

Dahlin is the Sabres captain and one of the best players at his position. You could even make a case he deserves to win the Norris Trophy. Dahlin is an excellent defensive player, he battles, he plays in all situations and he defends against the opponent’s top players. His offensive skill is elite, too, evidenced by his 74 points (sixth-most among all defensemen).

Buffalo’s top pairing of Dahlin and Mattias Samuelsson ranked ninth in goals scored percentage (61.3) among all pairings with 350-plus minutes together, per MoneyPuck.

Dahlin will be asked to create scoring chances and shut down Pastrnak’s line. If he’s successful at both, the Sabres will advance to Round 2.

Goalie breakdown

Jeremy Swayman, Bruins

Even though Swayman has struggled a bit of late, he was one of the best goalies in the league this season and could be a Vezina Trophy finalist. He went 31-18-4 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.76 GAA. He ranked No. 2 in both goals saved above expected (26.4) and wins above replacement (4.40), per MoneyPuck. Swayman is the No. 1 reason why the Bruins made it back to the playoffs.

He is the best and most experienced goalie in this series. The last time we saw Swayman in the playoffs was 2024 when he posted a league-best .933 save percentage in 13 games through two rounds. He dominated the Toronto Maple Leafs in his most recent first-round series.

Swayman played a lot down the stretch, but overall he had a normal No. 1 goalie workload of 54 starts.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Sabres

Luukkonen and Alex Lyon both played really well for the Sabres this season and helped Buffalo rank eighth in even-strength save percentage. Lyon has been dealing with a lower body injury and hasn’t played since April 4.

Luukkonen has played six of the last eight games and put up better stats than Lyon this season, so he could get the start in Game 1. Luukkonen tallied an impressive .910 save percentage and a 2.52 GAA in 36 appearances. But unlike Swayman, Luukkonen has zero playoff experience.

How will he handle the pressure of the postseason? Luukkonen did play well against the B’s this season, earning a 1-0-1 record and a .907 save percentage in two starts.

Prediction

Bruins in six games.

There’s no doubt the Sabres have a ton of talent and depth. Buffalo having home-ice advantage is meaningful as well, and the atmosphere at KeyBank Center for the Sabres’ first playoff series in 16 years will be electric.

Boston’s advantage in postseason experience and goaltending is a huge factor, though. Swayman was arguably the league’s top netminder this season, and we’ve seen him play at a very high level in the playoffs before. The Bruins’ two best skaters — David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy — have a combined 181 career playoff appearances.

This will be a very intense, physical and exciting series. If the Bruins steal one of the first two games, they should be in good shape.

Flyers' kids put on nice show to deliver win in regular-season finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers had to like what they saw from their youngsters Tuesday night in a 4-2, regular-season finale win over the Canadiens at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Porter Martone, Oliver Bonk, Matvei Michkov and Alex Bump provided the team’s goals. All four players are 22 years old or younger. Martone, Bonk and Michkov were first-round picks.

“It just kind of shows the growth and the youth movement here,” Martone said. “What we’ve got in the prospect pool and down in the AHL in Lehigh and the players contributing up here in the NHL. It’s awesome to see that youth, but that youth doesn’t grow without the veterans in this room and what they do to help us get to the NHL.”

Bonk and Hunter McDonald each made their NHL debut and had an assist.

A night after clinching their first playoff berth since 2020, the Flyers rested 10 of their regulars.

Rick Tocchet’s club will head into the postseason with 18 wins over its last 25 games.

The Flyers finished 43-27-12. They made a 22-point jump from last season, when they finished tied with the Bruins for the Eastern Conference’s worst record (33-39-10).

The Flyers swept the Canadiens (48-24-10) in their three-game regular-season series. They won the first two matchups in Montreal.

• It was a strong showing from the Flyers’ kids.

Bonk made it 2-0 in the first period when he uncorked one. The righty-shot blueliner celebrated with a big fist pump.

“I’m just trying get better every single day, a little bit better,” Bonk said. “I definitely can say I’ve taken some strides since I was practicing here, but there’s still a lot to do. Definitely happy with the result today, though.”

McDonald made a good read and hit to keep the puck in the offensive zone before Bonk’s goal. The 6-foot-4 defenseman had a plus-3 rating.

“That’s what I want to bring to this team and this league,” McDonald said. “Obviously I can keep getting better out there, but I think I showcased [my game].”

Fans also got their first look at David Jiricek in a Flyers jersey. The 22-year-old defenseman came to the Flyers in the Bobby Brink trade. He went scoreless, but he did show his powerful shot in the second period.

Martone continued to impress. He has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in nine games with the Flyers. He assisted Bump’s goal, which gave the Flyers third-period insurance.

Bump is a legit shooter. His ability to find the back of the net has been promising.

“I said to [president of hockey operations Keith Jones] after the game, ‘Man, I’ve got to get this guy in the lineup somehow,'” Tocchet said. “He’s going to get in; we’ve just got to figure when. But I really enjoyed his game tonight.”

• Samuel Ersson converted 27 saves on 29 shots.

The 26-year-old was super reliable after the Olympic break, giving the Flyers six wins in seven starts.

“I think the whole team, we put on a good run during that time,” Ersson said. “That was huge. It felt like we almost played the playoffs up until this point. Every game was so huge for us. I think we’ve got a lot of good feelings, good confidence, we’ve got some momentum going in here.”

The Flyers never trailed in this one. Montreal twice cut the deficit to one, but the Flyers responded each time.

Ersson made a sharp glove save on Oliver Kapanen a little over halfway through the third period to keep the Flyers in front.

“I’ve noticed since the break, he really looked big in the net, calmer,” Tocchet said. “I think he’s worked on not only the physical aspect of his game, but the mental.”

Canadiens netminder Jakub Dobes stopped 21 of the Flyers’ 25 shots.

• Michkov had two assists to go along with his goal.

“Mich had a terrific game,” Tocchet said.

The 21-year-old winger ended the regular season with 20 goals and 51 points. That’s a real positive considering how everything went before the break in February.

“I think he’s just getting information and he’s starting to understand it and apply it,” Tocchet said. “I think early on, he maybe didn’t understand it as much and maybe got frustrated. … I think the communication’s a lot better, too, with the language barrier and stuff like that. It’s helping.”

The Flyers were 11-0-0 this season when Michkov recorded a multi-point game. No doubt he is an X-factor in these playoffs.

• The Flyers now get set for a first-round matchup with the Penguins.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off Saturday. We’ll see if that’s when the Flyers and Penguins get underway in Pittsburgh. The schedule has not yet been announced.

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With nothing left in the standings to play for, the Detroit Red Wings traveled to the Sunshine State for their two final games of the 2025-26 NHL regular season.

In their penultimate game of the campaign, they suffered a 4-3 overtime setback against the Tampa Bay Lightning after Nikita Kucherov scored just 27 seconds into the extra session.

The Red Wings, who trailed 3-1 at the beginning of the third period, rallied with goals from Marco Kasper and Alex DeBrincat, but despite outshooting the host Lightning, they weren't able to pick up the winning goal. 

Not only did Detroit outshoot Tampa Bay, but they also refused to lie down and stop competing, which head coach Todd McLellan noticed. 

"I thought they were prepared and willing to play from minute one on through, and if it wasn't there, I don't think you'd see us come back," McLellan said. "I give them credit for competing hard and playing to the end." 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Even though Monday's game against the Lightning and their regular season finale against the Florida Panthers both mean nothing in the standings, McLellan gave the club credit for playing hard rather than mailing it in with nothing left to play for. 

"I'm not gonna sit here and say the guys were all full of piss and vinegar early in the morning; it is what it is right now," said McLellan. "You have to play out the schedule, and there's always concern our guys will play safe, but they were real competitive and I give them credit for that.

"When you're in the thick of it, and you're playing for your lives, the intensity is different, and the pressure is different," he continued. "But when you're done, and you have six periods of hockey left, it changes quickly."

The Red Wings will face the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in their 82nd and final game of their centennial campaign. 

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The Athletic's Scott Wheeler released his latest top 100 NHL-affiliated prospects list, and six Philadelphia Flyers prospects made the cut. 

Porter Martone, Oliver Bonk, Jack Nesbitt, Jett Luchanko, David Jiricek, and Denver Barkey were all featured in Wheeler's rankings.

Martone was given the No. 2 spot in Wheeler's rankings, and it makes sense when noting that he has the tools to become a star power forward in the NHL. The 19-year-old forward has three goals and eight points in games since joining the Flyers. 

Bonk was ranked at the No. 65 spot. The 21-year-old defenseman has had a solid first year with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, posting six goals and 19 points in 44 games. It is what helped him land a call-up to Philly's NHL roster for their season finale. 

Nesbitt was ranked at the No. 80 spot in Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 first-round pick had another good year in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires, recording 25 goals and 58 points in 55 games. 

Luchanko was given the No. 81 spot and had another solid regular season in the OHL this year. In 38 games split between the Guelph Storm and the Brantford Bulldogs, he recorded seven goals and 43 points. 

Jiricek was right after Nesbitt and Luchanko at the No. 83 spot. The right-shot defenseman has had trouble cementing himself as a full-time NHL defenseman, but has thrived with the Phantoms since being acquired by the Flyers at the deadline. In 13 games with the Phantoms, he has two goals and 13 points. 

As for Barkey, he just made the cut at the No. 91 spot. The 20-year-old forward has shown promise during his first NHL season with the Flyers this campaign, as he has five goals and 17 points in 42 games. He also had seven goals and 16 points in 26 AHL games this season with Lehigh Valley. 

There may only be a couple of games left in the 2025–26 season for the Vancouver Canucks, but this doesn’t mean they’re excused from any arising injury issues. Evander Kane has yet to play since Vancouver’s game on April 4 against the Utah Mammoth, and it appears the forward will remain out until the end of the season. 

“He’s not going to play unless we get walloped with some injuries. So we’re going to keep going with the group we have,” Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said after Vancouver’s morning skate on Tuesday ahead of their matchup against the Los Angeles Kings in their final home game of the season.  

Kane’s recent appearances in Vancouver’s lineup have been sporadic. The forward skated in enough games to put him at the 1000th NHL-game mark on March 30 against the Vegas Golden Knights, but did not play again until the 4th due to injury. Against the Mammoth on home-ice, Vancouver celebrated Kane’s career-milestone. He has not played in a game since then. 

With Kane’s current contract up at the end of the season, the forward will become a UFA by the start of July unless the Canucks opt to sign him to an extension. Through 71 games played this season, the forward has scored 13 goals and 18 assists. 

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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When the 2025-26 NHL season ends, the Florida Panthers will have two Group 6 UFAs, center Cole Schwindt and winger Nolan Foote, according to PuckPedia.

To qualify as a Group 6 UFA, a player must be 25 years old by June 30, have an expiring contract, and a skater must have played less than 80 career NHL games, while a goaltender must play less than 28 games with more than 30 minutes of ice time.

Finally, they must have at least three professional seasons, which is any time spent in the NHL, AHL, or ECHL. 

For Schwindt, he’ll turn 25 years old on April 25, and even if he plays in the last game of the season, he’ll only hit 78 career games. Schwindt would have likely hit the 80-game threshold if he hadn’t sustained multiple long-term injuries this season.

As for Foote, he’s played just 41 career NHL games, scoring seven goals and 10 points. Foote has played just 11 games this year, scoring one goal. 

Foote joined the Panthers organization in the off-season, signing a two-way deal after spending five seasons with the New Jersey Devils. 

Due to Schwindt and Foote becoming UFAs, they’ll be free to sign with any NHL team on July 1, and the Panthers won’t receive any compensation for it, as they would if they were tendered qualifying offers as RFAs.

The Panthers coaching staff spoke highly of Schwindt throughout the season, and the only reason Schwindt was ever taken out of the lineup was due to injuries. The Panthers seem very inclined to bring back Schwindt on an NHL contract, while Foote could return on another two-way deal. 

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The Florida Panthers have one game remaining in their 2025-26 season.

Unlike the past several years, there will be no appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Panthers this spring, no push for a third straight championship.

Thanks to an injury-filled season unlike any the team had seen, Florida is instead wrapping up their regular campaign with an eye toward the future.

That’s because the Panthers’ 2026 first-round pick, which Florida included in the 2025 Trade Deadline deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that brought Seth Jones to the Cats, is top-10 protected.

When the dust settles on the regular season in a couple days and the NHL holds its annual Draft Lottery soon after, if Florida’s top selection remains in the top 10, they will retain the pick and instead send their 2027 first rounder to Chicago.

Entering play Tuesday, the Panthers hold the seventh-worst record in the NHL with one game remaining.

Florida can finish no lower than sixth-worst and no higher than tenth-worst, depending on how things play out with the Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and in the Panthers’ finale on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings.

If they finish no better than eighth-worst, the Panthers are guaranteed to keep their pick, but if they finish in ninth-or-tenth-worst, Florida will have to wait to see how things shake out in the Draft Lottery.

Since two draws are held, one for the first overall selection and one for the second pick, it’s possible for two teams to move up and potentially bump the Panthers out of the top ten.

For fans wondering which teams to root for, it’s as simple as hoping the teams around Florida in the stands all collect as many points as possible.

On Tuesday, that would mean hoping Winnipeg wins in Utah and that St. Louis beats the Penguins at home.

Wednesday, aside from Florida hosting Detroit, the Sharks will be in Chicago and Seattle plays in Vegas. Then on Thursday, the final day of the regular season, St. Louis is in Utah, Winnipeg hosts the Sharks and Seattle plays in Colorado.

We’ll have to wait and see how things play out for the Panthers, but it’s looking like they have a fairly decent chance at retaining their first-round pick.

Stay tuned.

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Photo caption: Apr 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches from the bench against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Winnipeg Jets may not have any hope left at a playoff spot, but a spot in the NHL Draft Lottery is now up for grabs for the 2024-25 Presidents' Trophy winners.

On Monday night, the Jets were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but just 20-some-odd hours later they will return to work in Utah for a test against the postseason-bound Mammoth.

Currently sitting tied for 24th in the league with St. Louis and Florida, the Jets have the eighth best odds of landing the No. 1 overall selection at this year's NHL Draft Lottery set for May 5.

With two games left to play, valuable drafting odds remain up in the air. The Jets can climb as high as 86 points with two more wins, or remain at 82 points, which would effectively be Winnipeg's second-worst season on record since returning to Manitoba.

Being the second half of a back-to-back, the Jets did not skate on Tuesday, so the forward lines and defence groupings will remain a mystery until closer to puck drop.

The goaltender of record for Winnipeg will be Eric Comrie, as Connor Hellebuyck will get his first night off in months. It is expected that the team will ice a similar lineup to that of the group of 18 players that suited up on Monday in Vegas.

Winnipeg Jets expected line combinations for Tuesday, April 14 at Utah:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi

Perfetti-Lowry-Lambert

Koepke-Toews-Rosén

Niederreiter-Yager-Chibrikov

Nyquist

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Miller

Fleury-Bryson

Heinola

Hellebuyck

The Colorado Avalanche wrap up their final road trip of the 2025–26 regular season Tuesday night in Calgary, closing out a season series they’ve controlled from start to finish.

Colorado has taken both previous meetings, including a lopsided 9–2 win on March 30 and a more measured 3–1 result on April 9, and arrives at Scotiabank Saddledome riding a tight, defense-first stretch at the right time of year.

Grinding Out Wins Without Bednar

Their latest outing offered a snapshot of that formula.

Colorado edged the Edmonton Oilers 2–1 in a shootout Monday at Rogers Place, leaning heavily on Scott Wedgewood, who turned aside 30 of 31 shots. Nathan MacKinnon delivered the decisive moment, scoring the shootout winner after Valeri Nichushkin and Martin Nečas also converted.

Wedgewood’s calm presence was the backbone of the win, particularly as Edmonton pushed late and into the shootout.

“He was rock solid all the way through… it’s a continuation of what he’s done throughout the season,” assistant coach Dave Hakstol told The Hockey News postgame, reinforcing just how steady Wedgewood has been during this late push.

The night also carried personal significance for Brock Nelson, who skated in his 1,000th NHL game, marking the milestone in a tightly contested win that reflected the kind of hockey Colorado has leaned on down the stretch.

Sam Malinski accounted for Colorado’s lone regulation goal, finishing a Nicolas Roy feed from the left circle midway through the second period. Edmonton’s only response came off the stick of Connor McDavid later in the frame, but the Avalanche locked things down from there—killing off every Oilers power play and allowing little in the way of second chances.

That defensive commitment has quietly become one of Colorado’s defining traits down the stretch. Since April 4, they’ve allowed just 1.50 goals per game—the best mark in the league over that span—while also owning the NHL’s top penalty kill at 84.3 percent.

Still, the team continues to operate under unusual circumstances behind the bench.

Head coach Jared Bednar remains away from the club as he recovers from facial fractures and a corneal abrasion suffered in a recent game against Vegas. In his absence, Nolan Pratt and Hakstol have taken over bench duties, guiding the Avalanche through this final stretch of the regular season with a steady hand.

MacKinnon Driving The Push

Offensively, the story remains familiar.

MacKinnon continues to drive everything. His 52 goals lead the NHL, and his 126 points place him firmly among the league’s elite. Nečas isn’t far behind in overall production, sitting at 99 points, while contributions from players like Malinski have added unexpected depth—particularly from the blue line, where his recent scoring surge has stood out.

Calgary, meanwhile, enters Tuesday’s matchup coming off a 4–1 win over Utah. Matt Coronato and Connor Zary struck early to set the tone, while Mikael Backlund and Brayden Pachal extended the lead in the third period. The Flames have leaned on a balanced attack at home, with Coronato leading the team in points and Morgan Frost pacing them in goals.

Historically, the matchup has been competitive. In 136 regular-season meetings, Colorado holds a 68-54-8-6 edge, and the two teams last met in the playoffs in 2019, when the Avalanche dispatched Calgary in five games.

But this version of Colorado looks different—tighter defensively, confident in goal, and still powered by one of the most dynamic players in the sport.

With one final road test before the postseason, the Avalanche aren’t just trying to complete a season sweep. They’re sharpening the identity that could carry them into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.

The disappointment that was the finality of MSU hockey this season has still not taken its root to the depth of where my disappointment lingers. While we are glad we weren’t forced into throwing up again as Ann Arbor celebrated another title, we did get to sit in our misery and watch Porter Martone score goals for the Flyers. With that being said, here’s a quick update on the comings and goings of MSU hockey players and the massive roster overhaul that will be taking place in East Lansing.

First, let us congratulate some award winners. First team All-American nods go to Trey Augustine, Porter Martone and second team, Charlie Stramel. Martone is the first freshman in school history with the honor and Augustine secured his second. Adam Nightingale was also announced as the head coach of the 2027 U.S. National Junior Team for the World Junior Championships. 

Of course we have our outgoing seniors. Tiernan and Travis Shoudy, Dolan Gilbert, Daniel Russell, Charlie Stramel and Matt Basgall. Gilbert has entered the transfer portal and looks to play as a 5th year senior somewhere. Now that the portal is open, let’s see who’s in, who’s out, who’s where in MSU hockey.

DEPARTURES

Tiernan Shoudy

Signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 2026-2027 and signed with the Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the rest of 2025-2026.

Daniel Russell

Signed with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Matt Basgall

Signed with San Diego Gulls, AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks.

Porter Martone

Signed with the Philadelphia Flyers and is already scoring goals.

Trey Augustine

Signed with Grand Rapids Griffins, the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.

Maxim Strbak

Signed with the Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres and joins former teammates Red Savage and Jagger Joshua.

Charlie Stramel

Signed with the Minnesota Wild. He is out for the remainder of this season with a broken ankle.

Colin Ralph

Signed with the Springfield Thunderbirds, the AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.

Melvin Strahl

Transfer Portal to Minnesota. This implies that the freshman Joshua Ravensbergen was set to get the majority of playing time in East Lansing.

Austin Baker

Transfer Portal to Miami of Ohio

Nathan Mackie

Entered the Transfer Portal 

ARRIVALS

Cullen Potter

Potter has committed to MSU after two seasons at Arizona State. Potter is a center who is very quick. Here is an in-depth highlight reel prior to the 2025 NHL Draft where he was drafted by Calgary. This past season he had 12 goals and 26 points in 24 games. 

What are your thoughts TOC on the comings and goings? Minnesota has already had a successful portal haul, Michigan seems to be staying strong and Wisconsin has added. What are your wishes for MSU hockey? Are the Spartans keeping up? Let’s discuss in the comments and we’ll continue to update with any new news.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will play their final game of the regular season against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. The Penguins will be looking to finish off the regular season with a win before they kick off their first round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers. 

The Penguins have now called up one of their depth forwards from the AHL ahead of their season finale against the Blues.

The Penguins have announced that they have recalled forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

Harvey-Pinard has not played in a game for Pittsburgh this season. Instead, he has spent all of this campaign in the AHL with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he has recorded 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points in 64 games. This is after he had five goals and 19 points in 40 games last season with the Laval Rocket.

In 84 career NHL games over four seasons, Harvey-Pinard has recorded 17 goals, 14 assists, and 31 points. This includes when he set career highs with 14 goals and 20 points in 34 games with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2022-23 season. 

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The 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds have fluctuated wildly throughout the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The latest Conn Smythe Trophy odds see Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes players dominating, which makes sense given their commanding first-round series wins. However, big names like Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov can still be found in the Top 10.

🏆 2026 Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Player
Nathan MacKinnon	+550
Frederik Andersen	+1000
Cale Makar	+1300
Connor McDavid	+1350
Scott Wedgewood	+1600
Sebastian Aho	+1700
Brandon Hagel	+1800
Logan Stankoven	+2000
Nikita Kucherov	+2250

Odds as of 4-27.

img alt="Get a first bet encore up to $800 — no BET99 promo code needed" width="100%" loading="lazy" src="https://img.covers.com/editorial/2026/bet99round1boost.jpeg"Any Canadian team to reach the Second Round of the playoffs is boosted to +100.
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Conn Smythe Trophy odds analysis

The Stanley Cup odds currently go through Colorado in the West, followed by Carolina in the East. That's why Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon remains atop the board, with teammates Cale Makar and Scott Wedgewood in close pursuit.

Frederik Andersen, Sebastian Aho, and Logan Stankoven are all representing the Hurricanes in the Top 10.

Sandwiched amongst these fearsome foes is Connor McDavid, who led the league with 138 points and won this award two years ago (despite his team losing in the Stanley Cup Final).

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📈 Conn Smythe Trophy trends

• There have only been five players to win the Conn Smythe without winning the Stanley Cup.
• Skaters have won the Conn Smythe over a goalie 74% of the time.
• There have been seven repeat winners of the Conn Smythe since its establishment.
• Only one player has won the Conn Smythe more than twice. Patrick Roy won it three times.

📜 Conn Smythe Trophy history

A quick look at recent NHL Conn Smythe Trophy winners and the teams they played for.

Season	Player	Team
2024-25	Sam Bennett	Florida Panthers
2023-24	Connor McDavid	Edmonton Oilers
2022-23	Jonathan Marchessault	Vegas Golden Knights
2021-22	Cale Makar	Colorado Avalanche
2020-21	Andrei Vasilevskiy	Tampa Bay Lightning
2019-20	Victor Hedman	Tampa Bay Lightning
2018-19	Ryan O'Reilly	St. Louis Blues
2017-18	Alex Ovechkin	Washington Capitals
2016-17	Sidney Crosby	Pittsburgh Penguins
2015-16	Sidney Crosby	Pittsburgh Penguins
2014-15	Duncan Keith	Chicago Blackhawks
2013-14	Justin Williams	Los Angeles Kings
2012-13	Patrick Kane	Chicago Blackhawks
2011-12	Jonathan Quick	Los Angeles Kings
2010-11	Tim Thomas	Boston Bruins
2009-10	Jonathan Toews	Chicago Blackhawks
2008-09	Evgeni Malkin	Pittsburgh Penguins
2007-08	Henrik Zetterberg	Detroit Red Wings
2006-07	Scott Niedermayer	Anaheim Ducks
2005-06	Cam Ward	Carolina Hurricanes
2003-04	Brad Richards	Tampa Bay Lightning

Understanding Conn Smythe Trophy odds

Sportsbooks will post Conn Smythe Trophy odds as early as the beginning of the playoffs. These NHL futures are constantly adjusted throughout the postseason depending on how well players perform as well as their team success. Sportsbooks will also adjust the NHL awards odds based on handle and liability to certain players.

Conn Smythe Trophy odds will usually look like this:

• Nathan MacKinnon +290

This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to win $290 if MacKinnon takes home the Conn Smythe Trophy. If it's close to the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs and a player has stood out as the obvious MVP of the series they might have a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds like this: 

• Connor McDavid -175

This means that if you bet on McDavid to win the Conn Smythe Trophy, you would have needed to bet $175 to profit $100.

All of the odds listed above are in American format, but if you prefer decimal or fractional odds, simply plug them into our odds converter tool.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The NHL Draft Lottery is slated to take place on May 5, in what will be a critical night for the New York Rangers. 

With one game remaining for the Rangers this season, they currently slot 30th in the NHL’s standings with 75 points, only ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. 

That means the Blueshirts have the third-best odds to land the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. 

As it stands right now, the Rangers have a 11.5% chance to get the first pick, 11.2% chance to get the second pick, 7.8% chance to get the third pick, 39.7% to get the fourth pick, and 29.8% chance to get the fifth pick. 

“Of course I have interest,” Mike Sullivan said of the draft lottery. “But I just don’t think right now with where we’re at — I’m immersed in this daily endeavor of trying to do my very best to help this team continue to move forward. 

“And it starts with trying to instill the right habits and trying to hold the group accountable to a certain standard — a standard that we want to be proud of. And it starts with attitude, effort, energy, things of that nature. I’m trying to help us get better, and that’s where all my energy is right now. There’ll be a time for (draft conversation). It’s not now.”

Jonathan Quick Recounts Last Career NHL Game As A ‘Special’ NightThe New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a>’ 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday night marked the last game of Jonathan Quick’s 19-year illustrious NHL career.&nbsp;

The Rangers had won five out of six games before most recently losing three games in a row, ultimately helping them increase their odds of landing a higher pick in this year’s draft. 

Despite clinching last place in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers can still leapfrog the Calgary Flames in the overall standings.

It’s now confirmed; the Montreal Canadiens will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The two teams met four times this season, and each won twice. Montreal won the last two meetings but was outscored 13-11 in the season series.

As of now, it’s unknown whether the series will start in Montreal or Tampa Bay, since both teams could finish second in the Atlantic Division. What we do know, however, is that if the series starts in Tampa, it will kick off on Sunday because the Benchmark International Arena is unavailable on Saturday night due to a concert. Since the NHL has already announced that the playoffs will kick off on Saturday, if Montreal were to get home-ice advantage, the duel could start then. On the Bell Centre events page, game 1 is provisionally scheduled for Monday but is still listed as TBD. We’ll get confirmation once all games have been played.

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What we do know, however, is that both teams have some question marks about their defense corps. For the Canadiens, it’s the status of Noah Dobson, and to a lesser extent, that of Alexandre Carrier, that is a cause for concern. Carrier has started skating again but did not accompany the team in its last road trip of the season, while Dobson will be reevaluated about halfway through the first round. Given the fact that the Canadiens don’t have much depth when it comes to right-shot defensemen, this could be an issue.

As for the Lightning, they have been without ace blueliner and captain Victor Hedman since March 25, when he took an official leave of absence from the team. No further details have been revealed, and the date of his return remains unknown. While he has been limited to 33 games this season because of various injuries and has only put up 17 points while playing less than he has in the past (18:52 TOI compared to 23:05 TOI last season), he remains a key leader for the team and one who has valuable experience in the postseason (120 points in 170 games). The former Norris Trophy winner guided the Bolts to two Stanley Cups in 2019-20 and in 2020-21, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy after their first triumph.

Both teams have a high-octane offense; Tampa has scored 284 goals this season and ranks fourth in the league, while the Canadiens have 277. That works out to 3.51 goals-per-game for the Bolts and to 3.42 goals-per-game for the Habs. Tampa has three players in the top 40 scorers in the league: Nikita Kucherov, who has 130 points in 75 games, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the league with 134 points; Jake Guentzel, who has 88 points; and Brandon Hagel, who has 74 points.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens have four players in the top 40 scorers in the league: captain Nick Suzuki, who’s fifth in the league with 101 points, sniper Cole Caufield, who, just like Guentzel, has 88 points; defenseman Lane Hutson, who has 78 points; and power forward Juraj Slafkovsky, who sneaks in the top 40 with 73 points.

While this will be a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, the Canadiens are a completely different side from what they were five years ago. Back then, they had put all their chips on phenomenal goaltending by Carey Price and big, punishing defensemen. Now, the Canadiens play an exciting brand of hockey led by former Tampa Bay star forward-turned-coach Martin St-Louis.

In 2021, Montreal lost the final in five games, being outscored 17-8. Back then, the Canadiens’ top scorer was Tyler Toffoli with 44 points in 52 games, while the league leader, Connor McDavid, had 105 points in 56 games. A young Suzuki, playing his sophomore season, had 41 points in 56 games. Needless to say, the Canadiens have a much stronger offense this time around.

In net, Andrei Vasilevskiy is still the man to beat. He leads all goaltenders with a 2.31 goals-against average, has a .912 save percentage, and a 39-15-4 record on the season. In the playoffs, he’s 67-50-0 with a .918 SV and a 2.45 GAA. Back in 2021, he was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner and a real thorn in the Canadiens’ side.

Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes will be the Canadiens’ number one when the puck drops on the series. The 24-year -old has a 29-9-4 record on the season with a 2.75 GAA and a .903 SV. He’s 1-2-0 in the playoffs, with a 2.91 GAA and a .881 SV, his only experience having been last year’s first-round series against the Washington Capitals, when he replaced Samuel Montembeault when he went down with an injury. Jacob Fowler will be waiting in the wings if Dobes Falters. 

This promises to be an exciting series, pitting one of the youngest teams in the league (the Canadiens are now second to the Chicago Blackhawks, who have an average age of 25.04 years old, while Montreal’s is 25.63 years old) against one of the oldest ones with an average age of 29.37 years old. Furthermore, there were 126 penalty minutes the last time the two teams faced off; there is already a lot of animosity between them.

Interestingly, behind the bench, St-Louis will take on the man who was his last coach when he played for the Bolts, Jon Cooper. Over the years, the former lawyer has coached 155 playoff games, winning 88 and losing 67, for a .568 winning percentage. Meanwhile, St-Louis has only won a single playoff game behind the bench and will face a big challenge. If Tampa gets home-ice advantage, Cooper will also have the last change to start the series, which would complicate matters even further for St-Louis.

Buckle up, Habs fans, this is going to be a wild one!

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The New York Islanders' top prospect and 2025 first-round pick (No. 16), Victor Eklund, will be making his NHL debut on Tuesday night in the team's final game of the season.

The forward joined the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League following the conclusion of his season with Djurgårdens IF in Sweden, but with New York out of a playoff spot, head coach Pete DeBoer will get an early look at the 19-year-old forward before heading into a long offseason filled with pending roster decisions.

Eklund chats with #Isles Captain Anders Lee ahead of debut: pic.twitter.com/8a9WKwaAjd

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) April 14, 2026

The Islanders will be taking on the Carolina Hurricanes in their season finale, with DeBoer facing off against a familiar face in Logan Stankoven.

Stankoven played under DeBoer for parts of two seasons when the two were with the Dallas Stars, and DeBoer drew a comparison between Stankoven and Eklund ahead of the matchup:

“I‘ve watched a little bit. I remember the draft reports. I obviously have seen the brother play. Listen, everyone’s looking for speed, skill, and tenacity. And I think those would probably be three of the four or five things you’d use to describe him," DeBoer said.

"So, we got a similar guy on the other side tonight, in Logan Stakoven, who I  had in Dallas, s far as stature and the way he plays, and how hard he plays. So, I think if we get a version of that, that’s a, that’s a really good player.”

Eklund, who is 5-foot-11, and Stankoven, who is 5-foot-8, are both on the smaller side.

At 23 years old, Stankoven has 216 total career NHL games under his belt, overcoming his size by being aggressive on the forecheck, keeping his feet moving, and fighting for every loose puck.

Even on nights when he does not find the scoresheet, he makes an impact in all three zones and offers both an underrated goal-scoring ability and the ability to make clean reads and passes with the puck.

Eklund plays a very similar game, using his stick and elusiveness to find prime positioning in puck battles, and also his skating and poise to find an open teammate or clear the zone.

Stankoven has set career highs in goals (21), assists (22), and points (43) this season, but his offensive ceiling has yet to be hit, especially in his part-time transition from wing to center.

Given his professional experience, Eklund projects as a higher-ceiling forward than Stankoven while playing a similar style, potentially landing the Islanders a long-term top-six winger.

Eklund skated on the first line alongside Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom at morning skate, and it is expected he will be given ample ice time against Carolina. 

It is believed, much like Calum Ritchie this season, that Eklund will be given a chance to make the Islanders' NHL roster out of the preseason.

Puck drop between the Islanders and Hurricanes is set for 7:00 P.M. EST at UBS Arena.