The Montreal Canadiens are facing off against the Buffalo Sabres in Game 4 on Tuesday. The Habs will be looking to stay hot after winning each of their last two games against Buffalo in a dominating fashion.
With the Canadiens having the Sabres' number right now, Buffalo is understandably making some notable changes to their roster in Game 4. Konsta Helenius and Luke Schenn will be in the lineup for the Sabres, while Sam Carrick and Logan Stanley are being scratched.
The Sabres will also be going with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as their starting goalie over Alex Lyon.
Helenius is the Sabres' best prospect, so it is notable that he will be playing in Game 4. In his first nine NHL games this season with Buffalo, the 2024 first-round pick recorded one goal and four points.
Seeing Schenn entering the lineup for the Sabres is definitely notable as well. The 36-year-old blueliner has yet to play a game this post-season for the Sabres, but will now be getting his first chance to in Game 4.
Seeing the Sabres make a change between the pipes is not necessarily surprising. Lyon allowed five goals on 36 shots against the Canadiens in Game 3, so Luukkonen will now be looking to help the Sabres get things back on track.
The teams last clashed on Sunday for Game 4. The Ducks scored first, and the Golden Knights spent the rest of the night chasing the game. They scored a 6-on-5 goal to cut Anaheim’s lead to one, but ultimately fell 4-3.
Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 6-4 and an average save percentage of .908 in ten games this postseason.
Lukáš Dostál starts in goal for the Ducks. Dostál has a record of 6-4 and an average save percentage of .874 in ten games this postseason.
Mark Stone, who exited Game 3 with a lower-body injury after playing just 4:24, has been officially ruled OUT for Tuesday’s game against the Ducks.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev
Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner
Brandon Saad — Tomáš Hertl — Colton Sissons
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Ben Hutton — Dylan Coghlan
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Ducks Lines
Chris Kreider — Leo Carlsson — Troy Terry
Alex Killorn — Mikael Granlund — Beckett Sennecke
Mason McTavish — Ryan Poehling — Cutter Gauthier
Ross Johnston — Tim Washe — Jeffrey Viel
Defense
Jackson LaCombe — Jacob Trouba
Pavel Mintyukov — John Carlson
Tyson Hinds — Radko Gudas
Goaltenders: Lukáš Dostál / Ville Husso
Special Teams
VGK power play: 21.9%, 5th
VGK penalty kill: 90.3%, 4th
Ducks power play: 32.3%, 2nd
Ducks penalty kill: 73.1%, 14th
Game Notes
The Golden Knights are 9-8 in Game 5s in their franchise history.
Tonight’s game could decide the fate of the Golden Knights’ season. Historically, teams that take a 3-2 series lead go on to win 79.8% of the time.
Mitch Marner is on an absolute tear right now. He has six goals and 12 points in his last five games, and is the postseason leader in scoring with 16 points.
Brett Howden’s second-period goal in Game 4 pushed him into sole possession of the lead in that category with seven.
Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 12.
The Golden Knights’ penalty kill gave up two goals in Game 4 after allowing just one goal on their last 27 kills.
After a season filled with injuries and no playoff appearance, the Florida Panthers enter the 2026 off-season looking to recharge and come back healthier.
Despite that, GM Bill Zito will have his hands full with the Panthers’ goaltending situation and with decisions on several pending restricted free agents. Outside of Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer, the Panthers’ UFA class is rather small, but their RFA class features players they’ll likely hope to keep around.
The first step is tendering qualifying offers to these RFAs. Typically, the deadline to do so is 5 p.m. EST on June 30.
With all that covered, we’ll take a look at which four RFAs the Panthers should extend this off-season.
Mackie Samoskevich, RW
Besides Anton Lundell, no other Panthers player under the age of 25 has more experience than Mackie Samoskevich. His rookie season in 2024-25 was impressive, posting 15 goals and 31 points in 72 games in limited ice time.
In 2025-26, expectations for the 23-year-old grew, and he failed to live up to them. With injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk to start the season, Samoskevich has the opportunity to move up the line and produce alongside skilled Panthers forwards.
He struggled greatly, and his shooting percentage was a disaster. He finished the season with 12 goals and 32 points in 77 games.
Heading into the 2026-27 season, the Panthers appear to still have plenty of faith in the speedy winger, but time is running out. While Samoskevich can still turn into a strong NHL winger with the Panthers organization, he could be used as a major trade piece for a goaltender if needed.
Outside of Sandis Vilmanis, no AHL call-up was as impressive as Mike Benning was late in the season.
The 24-year-old finished the AHL campaign with eight goals and 31 points in 57 games, while also adding two goals and six points in 18 games. While in the NHL, Benning showed he could handle big minutes, as he recorded three games of ice time over 20 minutes.
Although the Panthers’ blueline for next season appears full, Benning, alongside the next names on this list, will likely compete to be the seventh defenseman. Benning might be on the smaller side, but his skating and puckhandling make up for those deficiencies.
Donovan Sebrango was a waiver wire pickup for the Panthers during the 2025-26 season, and he proved to be effective. Sebrango skated in 40 games with the Panthers this past season and showed he can be relied on as a third-pairing defender when needed.
Sebrango doesn’t bring the possible offense Benning brings, but he stands 6-foot-2 and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around.
The 24-year-old is a safe option the Panthers would like to keep around.
Tobias Bjornfot remains an interesting case. Drafted 22nd overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2019, Bjornfot has recorded 153 games of NHL experience and has done an adequate job in the NHL, especially with the Panthers, but has never been able to lock down a full-time role.
This past season, Bjornfot skated in 19 NHL games with the Panthers, and that number would have likely been higher if he hadn’t suffered an injury later in the season.
Like Sebrango, Bjornfot is a steady option on the third pairing, and at 25 years old, he’s experienced enough to understand his role.
In addition to Samoskevich, Benning, Sebrango, and Bjornfot, the Panthers have Wilmer Skoog, Ben Steeves, Mikulas Horvoka, Evan Nause, and Cooper Black listed as RFAs.
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This season marks the first time the Sabres have advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since they advanced to the 2007 Eastern Conference Final. The Sabres have earned three playoff series victories over the Canadiens in franchise history.
Buffalo last faced Montreal in the playoffs in the 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, a series in which the Sabres won four games to none. The Sabres also defeated the Canadiens three games to none in the 1983 Adams Division Semifinals and four games to two in the 1975 Semifinals.
In his last four games, Zach Benson has registered five points (2+3).
Peyton Krebs’ plus-5 rating is tied with Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad from April 22 to May 10, 2006 for the second-best mark by a Sabres forward in the first nine games of their playoff career. Matthew Barnaby (plus-6; May 8, 1993 to May 5, 1997) is the only Buffalo forward who has recorded a better plus/minus in their first nine playoff games.
In his last six games, Josh Doan has registered seven points (2+5), including at least one assist in each of his last four contests. An assist tonight would make Doan the first Sabres skater since Tim Connolly from April 30 to May 10, 2006 (five games; 0+6) to register an assist streak of five or more games in the playoffs. He would become one of six Buffalo skaters (Briere, Dale Hawerchuk, Pat LaFontaine, Gilbert Perreault, Alexei Zhitnik) to record an assist streak of five or more games in the playoffs at least one time.
Tage Thompson has tallied nine points (3+6) in nine playoff games thus far, including five points (1+4) in his last five games. Thompson’s three multi-point games in the playoffs are the most among all Sabres skaters. He is the first Sabres skater to record at least one point per game through the first nine playoff games of their career since Tim Connolly from (April 22, 2006 to April 12, 2007; 5+7). Thompson and Derek Roy (April 22 to May 10, 2006; 3+6) are the only Buffalo skaters to do so in a single playoff year.
In his last five games, Rasmus Dahlin has posted five points (2+3).
Bowen Byram has recorded four goals in the playoffs and is one goal away from recording the most goals by a Sabres defenseman in a single playoff year all-time.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek speaks to the media after being named a finalist for the 2025-26 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.
In a season where the Ducks' expectations were to make the playoffs, they've done that, and then some. At one point, the Ducks were top of the Pacific Division, gearing up for their first division title since 2016-17. But several bad spells in the latter stages of the season relegated them to finishing third in the Pacific, setting up a first round matchup with the defending Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers.
The general media didn't give Anaheim much of a fighting chance. Who could blame them? Anaheim had not been able to demonstrate that they could defense well on a consistent basis, ending the season with the 29th-worst goals against ranking. None of their goaltenders finished the season with a save percentage over .900.
But for as much as the Ducks had defensive woes, so too did the Oilers. The Ducks had shown during the regular season that they had no issues putting the puck in the net. During their six-game series with the Oilers, they scored 26 goals, with eight of those coming on the power play (in 16 power play opportunities).
Apr 28, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Anaheim Ducks celebrate after a goal scored by forward Alex Killorn (17) during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
The drivers of the Ducks' first playoff run in eight years have been acquisitions made by general manager Pat Verbeek, who was hired in February 2022 after the previous general manager Bob Murray has resigned.
On Tuesday, Verbeek was named as one of the three finalists for the 2025-26 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. The other two finalists were the Minnesota Wild's Bill Guerin and the Colorado Avalanche's Chris MacFarland. Voting for this award was conducted among the NHL general managers and a panel of League executives and media at the conclusion of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It's easy to see why Verbeek was named one of the finalists, especially after watching their first round series against the Oilers. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn performed well against the Oilers. All of these players were acquired by Verbeek, whether through the draft, trade or free agency. Summer trade acquisition Ryan Poehling scored four goals against the Oilers, including the Game 4 overtime winner.
Trade deadline acquisition John Carlson has been a dependable force on the backend, paired with Pavel Mintyukov and creating a reliable second defensive pair that head coach Joel Quenneville can deploy behind Jackson LaCombe and Jacob Trouba. Speaking of Trouba, he was acquired in December 2024 by Verbeek from the New York Rangers. So too was Chris Kreider, who arrived in Anaheim this past June via trade. Kreider was one of six Ducks this season with 50+ points while Trouba has taken the mantle of shutdown defender alongside LaCombe.
May 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba (65) warms up before the start of game two against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Let's not forget midseason trade acquisition Jeff Viel, whose introduction to the team kicked off with a bang. Two goals and three points in his first four games raised several eyebrows and while the scoring eventually regressed, Viel's impact has been felt in the playoffs. His goal in Game 3 against the Oilers gave the Ducks some much-needed insurance after Connor McDavid drew the Oilers within one and his goal in the third period of Game 4 brought the Ducks even, setting the scene for Poehling's overtime winner. His two assists in the series against Vegas have come at crucial times, setting up Beckett Sennecke for the opener in Game 3 and providing Granlund with the (at the time) go-ahead goal in Game 4.
"We have a lot of scouts who do their job, and they do it well," Verbeek said. "I watched him play against us early in the season and I thought he had a pretty good game against us when we played in Boston. He was on a what I call a fourth line-grind line and I thought he did a good job. We saw him in the minors with his skill level and his doggedness to get in on the forecheck, to finish checks. We saw all of that stuff. He's a quiet, tough customer. He's always been there for his teammates, which I love. He's starting to feel really comfortable with our group, with our system. He's been kind of a pleasant surprise for us, but we've seen some of the things that he's showing now in the minors. He looks like he's just gained confidence to be able to do it at the NHL level now."
20-year-old Sennecke is currently on a three-game goal streak, providing plenty of offense against Vegas after being held to just a single point in the Ducks' series against Edmonton. Two of Sennecke's goals have come right in front of the net, a testament to his willingness to get to the dirty areas. His selection by Verbeek at third overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft may have been surprising for many (including Sennecke himself), but the dividends of that pick are already beginning to pay off. The decision to keep Sennecke in the NHL full-time this season has been a boon for the Ducks, who likely would not have made the playoffs without his contributions.
"I think this award really is an organizational award," Verbeek said of his nomination. "You can look at our coaching staff, you look at our coaching staff in San Diego, you look at our development people. You talk to all our scouts, whether professional or amateur. Everybody has had a hand in this scenario. I think that's kind of how I view it, just as a complete organization."
This year, for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens have outdone themselves for the opening montage before every game. The video, the music, the lighting effect, and both mascots playing the drums are all great, but the real stroke of genius is to have one alumnus carry the torch in the arena to set the ice alight figuratively. So far, we’ve seen Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Chris Nilan, and Kirk Muller do the honors. The identity of the torchbearer for the next game has now become a hot topic in town, and everyone is venturing their guess.
It’s being talked about, written about and of course, debated by fans online. Everyone has their opinion about who should be next. The Canadiens have a very rich history, and there are plenty of big names to choose from, but I think there should be one mandatory requirement: having won the Stanley Cup.
The passing of the torch is all about the continuity of the organization’s winning ways; it’s about players from the past passing it on to today’s players so that they can hold it high as they continue their quest towards the ultimate objective: the Stanley Cup. An extract of the poem In Flanders Field by John McCrae has been displayed in the Canadiens’ dressing room since 1952:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, but since the expansion era, it’s been harder to win the Holy Grail. Montreal hasn’t lifted the ultimate symbol of hockey supremacy since 1993. Winning the Cup is a big deal; not everyone does it. As the young Canadiens attempt to earn their way into the exclusive Stanley Cup winners' club, they should draw inspiration from the players who made it.
It’s nothing against Carey Price, Saku Koivu, Shea Weber or P.K. Subban; they played a role in the storied franchise’s history, but they fell short of the ultimate goal. It’s not like the organization is short of past winners to choose from: Patrick Roy, Guy Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse, Stephane Richer, Chris Chelios, Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson, Shayne Corson, Claude Lemieux, Rick Green, Sergio Momesso, Patrice Brisebois, Mike Keane, Eric Desjardins, Brian Skrudland, the list could go on and on.
The one exception I think would be acceptable is Elise Beliveau representing her late great husband, Jean Beliveau, who captured 10 Cups as a player and seven more as an executive with the Habs. They didn’t go that way for Mother’s Day, so I highly doubt they will.
We’ll know in just a few more hours who will be the torchbearer for Game 4, but whoever it is, you can be sure that the debates will start shortly after the end of that match as to who should do it next, whether it is for Game 6 or for a third-round series.
Well, Pittsburgh Penguins' fans who were worried about the status of longtime star forward Evgeni Malkin's contract negotiations with the organization can breathe a little sigh of relief.
During his season-ending press conference on Tuesday, Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas provided an update on where he and the organization stand as far as bringing Malkin, who turns 40 this summer, back next season. The 20-year NHL veteran, who has spent every season with the Penguins, is a pending unrestricted free agent.
"We’ve had [discussions]. Obviously, we had a great exit interview with Evgeni directly," Dubas said. "Then, subsequently, we’ve had continued discussions with he and his representative, J.P. Barry. The season that he’s had, where we’re at, where we’re going, I don’t look at our younger players and think that they’ve done enough to have a view that he’s blocking anybody out in that regard.
"We would love to have him back. We'll just continue to work with J.P. on it. That’s as clear as I can be.”
Dubas also went on to talk about Malkin's season and how great he has been for so long, emphasizing how his breaks in play may have actually served to benefit him this season. And he also mentioned the chemistry that Malkin built with Egor Chinakhov and center Tommy Novak after he returned from injury in December.
"Every time he came back from being out, he played his best hockey, we felt," Dubas said. "I think that’s one thing to it. The other part is he shifted away from center after the injury in December onto the wing. I thought he and Tommy and Egor Chinakhov there - especially during that stretch - right away had great chemistry. I think it helped reduce some of the load on him, as well.
"I think all of those factors play into it but in the end, he’s one of the great players of all time and as everyone here knows, is very proud. All of those things played into him having the season that he did.”
If unsigned prior to Jul. 1, Malkin will hit free agency, but Dubas continues to communicate with Malkin's camp. He had 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games for the Penguins this season as well as two goals and three points in six playoff games.
The Philadelphia Flyers had Owen Tippett available, albeit at less than 100%, for the entire first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then, he dubiously sat out all of the second round, despite skating with the team.
On Tuesday, Tippett and the Flyers came forward with a statement explaining the circumstances of the injuries, and full marks to Tippett for dealing with this like a true pro.
On top of Tippett playing through a sports hernia, as revealed officially in the statement, the 27-year-old also revealed that he attempted to come back and play through some internal bleeding, though he was unable to do so safely.
Here's the full statement from Tippett and the Flyers:
"I was unable to return for the second round series vs. Carolina Hurricanes due to an internal bleeding issue that I sustained during the first round series vs. Pittsburgh.
"Following a series of medical evaluations, treatments, and rehabilitation under the care of the Flyers medical team, I am making progress and feeling better each day. Despite being cleared to travel and skate with the team at certain practices, things did not progress at a pace that I hoped for or would allow me to safely continue playing.
"I am beyond proud of what our team has accomplished this season and truly moved by the tremendous support of the fans.
"I want to sincerely thank everyone for that support -- both personally for me and my family, as well as our entire medical and performance staff.
"I am confident for a full recovery and look forward to returning for training camp in September and an exciting year ahead for this organization."
The Flyers winger shared at his exit interview later Tuesday that he is not yet certain if he'll need surgery, which is always a good sign he'll be good to go for training camp.
If Tippett's injuries were more severe, that determination would be easier to come to and would likely take place sooner, all things considered.
As exit interviews progress, the Flyers will have more to share on other injured players, like Rodrigo Abols, Tyson Foerster, Christian Dvorak, and Nikita Grebenkin, now that Tippett has pulled back the curtain on his own situation.
Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger speaks to the media after their morning skate at T-Mobile Arena.
It's now a best of three as the Ducks and Golden Knights enter Game 5 of the series tied at two wins apiece. The Ducks responded well to a slow start in Game 3, scoring first in Game 4 and never relinquishing the lead.
“Better start,” Chris Kreider said of their Game 4 approach. “I think we got through the neutral zone, got pucks behind them, and then turned.”
“We want to make sure that we're ready from the start,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said. “They're a good starting team. They're good with the lead. I thought we did a good job of scoring early last game and not giving (the lead) up. When I say giving it up, not letting them get it. So we'll try to emphasize the importance of tonight's start and expect rising to the next challenge of another battle."
May 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks face off against Vegas Golden Knights during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Mason McTavish was re-inserted into the lineup for Game 4 after being a healthy scratch in Games 2 and 3. Though he didn't record a point, his line of Ryan Poehling and Cutter Gauthier was among the best, analytically, in Game 4. Gauthier recorded three assists, with two of them coming on the power play.
"He's been awesome," Gauthier said of McTavish after Game 4. "Throughout these playoffs, he's just been a player who keeps his head down and just works really hard. Definitely a heartbeat of our line with me and Poehls. Tonight, I thought he played a great game, getting on the inside, getting in front of the goalie's eyes, making life difficult for the defensemen. He didn't get on the scoresheet, but it definitely doesn't go unnoticed."
"Played great," Kreider said. "Tenacious, hard on pucks. (He) wanted to have an impact on the game and he did, so it was great."
"I thought he had a heck of a game," Quenneville said. "I really liked his attitude coming into the game. Not easy for him not to be in the lineup and then play the way he did, (it) shows character. He wanted to be a big part of it and he was in a lot of ways. Not just power play, but I thought he played a real solid game."
May 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (23) during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
Defenseman Radko Gudas was a game-time decision for Game 4, but did not play. Quenneville said that Gudas is out for Game 5 as well. Troy Terry will play in Game 5 despite missing the morning skate, though that's been the norm during this playoff run.
With Gudas out, Olen Zellweger and Ian Moore will once again slot in as the third defensive pair. Both Zellweger and Moore were inserted into the lineup for Game 4, with Tyson Hinds being a healthy scratch. Moore scored Anaheim's fourth goal, which ended up being the game-winner. Zellweger had the primary assist on the goal.
"We read off each other well," Zellweger said of his partnership with Moore. "I thought we worked together well. Just playing those situations right and giving the team stability defensively. And then when we get the opportunities, being confident, jumping in the play."
Mark Stone, who left Game 3 early in the first period with a lower-body injury, will not be in the lineup for the Golden Knights once again. Brandon Saad will play in his second consecutive game after entering the lineup for Stone in Game 4.
Ducks Projected Lines
Chris Kreider - Leo Carlsson - Troy Terry Alex Killorn - Mikael Granlund - Beckett Sennecke Mason McTavish - Ryan Poehling - Cutter Gauthier Ross Johnston - Tim Washe - Jeff Viel
Jackson LaCombe - Jacob Trouba Pavel Mintyukov - John Carlson Olen Zellweger - Ian Moore
Lukáš Dostál (confirmed)
Golden Knights Projected Lines
Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Pavel Dorofeyev Brett Howden - William Karlsson - Mitch Marner Brandon Saad - Tomáš Hertl - Colton Sissons Cole Smith - Nic Dowd - Keegan Kolesar
UPDATE: Added a prediction for who will win tonight.
Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 prediction
Who will win Wild vs Avalanche Game 5?
Avalanche: The Avalanche are very clearly the better team. They have out-chanced the Wild by 26 and out-scored them by five while controlling a lot of the play. Expect them to close out the series on home ice, where they are 30-9-6, including the playoffs.
Wild vs Avalanche best bet: Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots (-170)
Nathan MacKinnon is averaging 8.3 shot attempts per game in this series and has cleared 3.5 shots in three of four. That's par for the course against the Minnesota Wild, whom he has enjoyed unfathomable success against.
MacKinnon has generated four or more shots in eight of the last nine vs. Minnesota. That includes eight and nine shots on goal performances in the two regular-season meetings down the stretch.
Cale Makar was on the ice for more shots and chances than anybody over the last three games. He picked up zero points despite the Colorado Avalanche scoring six times. Almost everything runs through him, and he plays a ton of minutes, so the lack of scoring involvement is not going to continue.
Matt Boldy is averaging 4.3 shots on 8.4 attempts during the playoffs. He is Minnesota's go-to shooter and will be firing from anywhere and everywhere with Minnesota's season on the line.
Wild vs Avalanche SGP
Nathan MacKinnon Over 3.5 shots
Cale Makar Over 0.5 points
Matt Boldy Over 3.5 shots
Wild vs Avalanche Game 5 goal scorer pick
Gabriel Landeskog (+190)
MacKinnon and Nazem Kadri are the only Avalanche players with more scoring chances against the Wild. Gabriel Landeskog is getting plenty of good looks around the net-front, and could continue to get extra usage on the top line with Artturi Lehkonen banged up.
The Avalanche have hit the moneyline in 12 of their last 14 games (+9.35 units, 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Wild vs Avalanche Game 5
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Puck drop
8 p.m. ET
TV
TNT
Wild vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Top Philadelphia Flyers rookie Porter Martone has had a rollercoaster of a season, making the leap from the OHL to the NCAA, then the NCAA to the NHL, and then partaking in the Stanley Cup playoffs
He isn't giving himself a rest just yet.
On Tuesday, during exit interviews, Martone, 19, revealed that he will playing in the upcoming IIHF Men's World Championships for Canada, which was confirmed by Hockey Canada shortly thereafter.
New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer, who notably has never missed a regular season game in his NHL career, will be joining Martone as the new additions to the roster.
You may recall that Martone played two games for Canada at the World Championships last year, lining up alongside now-Flyers teammates Travis Konecny and Tyson Foerster.
Their glowing reviews of the youngster helped convince the Flyers to make him their No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Martone finished his first abbreviated season in the NHL with four goals, six assists, and 10 points in nine regular season games, as well as two goals, three assists, and five points in 10 playoff games.
Altogether, 15 points in 19 games for a rookie with no prior professional experience.
At the time of this writing, Martone is the only Flyers representative for the upcoming World Championships, which begin on Friday, May 15, and run to May 31.
Other notable players heading to Worlds include Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Macklin Celebrini, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier, Mat Barzal, Robert Thomas, John Tavares, Roman Josi, and J.J. Moser.
It's just another tournament for Martone to set his sights on winning, and with a good chunk of big names attending, more opportunity for development and competition for the Flyers' youngster.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The NHL announced today that Minnesota Wild Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin is a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award.
The award has been presented annually since 2009-10 to the general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season.
It is voted on by the League's general managers and a panel of NHL executives and print and broadcast media after the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This is the first time Guerin has been named a finalist for this award.
Guerin, in his seventh season with Minnesota, had the Wild seventh in the NHL in points during the regular season and has advanced to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015.
He acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes in a trade with Vancouver on Dec. 12 and added several veterans to the roster at the NHL Trade deadline including forwards Bobby Brink, Nick Foligno and Michael McCarron and defenseman Jeff Petry. The team also added forward Nico Sturm from free agency.
His moves helped the Wild make the second round for the first time in 11 years and is now a finalist for the GM of the year award. Well deserved.
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The Professional Women’s Hockey League is headed for Las Vegas, a source briefed on the situation confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
The league is expected to announce Vegas as the home of the PWHL’s 10th franchise Wednesday afternoon, and an invitation was recently distributed by Foley Entertainment Group, which owns the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, touting an announcement. Vegas will be the second of what could be four expansion teams for the 2026-27 season; PWHL Detroit was announced last week.
“You’re invited to join us for a historic Las Vegas sports announcement,” the invite, which was sent to youth hockey teams in the area and obtained by The Athletic, said. “This event will bring together our sports and hockey community, recognizing our city’s passion and spirit, while celebrating the future of the sport in our city with a look ahead at what’s to come.”
While Foley Entertainment Group might be involved with the team in some capacity, the league itself operates under a single-entity ownership model. Mark Walter — the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers — and his wife, Kimbra, own the PWHL and all of its teams, a difference from other major pro sports leagues such as the NHL, NFL and MLB.
A PWHL team in Vegas would likely play at T-Mobile Arena, home of the Golden Knights, which has a capacity of 17,500 for hockey and one of the best atmospheres in the NHL. There’s also Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev., home to the AHL Henderson Silver Knights. However, a 5,567-seat arena is likely too small for the PWHL, which averaged 9,304 fans per game during its record-breaking 2025-26 regular season.
Las Vegas has quickly become a hub for major professional sports. After the NHL’s Golden Knights — led by owner Bill Foley — broke the seal on Las Vegas as a professional sports market in 2017, other leagues quickly followed suit. The WNBA Aces relocated from San Antonio in 2018; the NFL’s Raiders moved from Oakland for the 2020 season; MLB’s Athletics, also formerly in Oakland, plan to open a ballpark in 2028; and the NBA in March approved exploration of placing an expansion team in the city for the 2028-29 season.
The Aces have become a dynasty franchise in Vegas, winning three league titles in four years. In March, the organization announced it was the first WNBA team to sell out season ticket allotments for three consecutive seasons. The Aces play at Michelob ULTRA Arena and have drawn big crowds for select games hosted at T-Mobile. In July 2024, the Aces played against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever in front of 20,366 fans — the largest regular-season crowd at a WNBA game since 1999.
Vegas has also become a premier destination for NHL players, which was on display yet again this summer when the Golden Knights landed Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.
“Players don’t want to leave,” Foley said in a July interview with The Athletic’s Jesse Granger. “Once they get here, and they see our facilities and where we play, and they see the way we take care of our players, scouts and coaches, and how everyone is all in, they don’t want to leave.”
PWHL Las Vegas and Detroit will join the original six markets of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York and Minnesota and the league’s first expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver.
San Jose, Calif., and Hamilton, Ont., have also emerged in recent weeks as two of the league’s other prime options to reach 12 teams for next season, according to chatter in league circles.
Teams in Las Vegas and another western market, along with another in the east, would make the league more geographically balanced, potentially placing four franchises in the West, two in the Midwest (Detroit and Minnesota) and six in the East. Having that kind of footprint might also allow the PWHL to split into two conferences and potentially four divisions; PWHL executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer told the Associated Press the league is exploring the idea.
Selecting expansion markets has been a fluid process for league executives, who have spent months working through the available options.
“There is a line of cities eager to have us there, whether it’s for a couple Takeover Tour games or for a full-time team,” Stan Kasten, the president of the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and a PWHL advisory board member, said last month. “We’re going to have news about that in the next few weeks.”
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Florida Panthers play-by-play voice Steve Goldstein has been keeping busy.
Over the past several years, the Panthers have been a mainstay during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, keeping Goldstein occupied calling games with the team during the first round and hosting broadcasts on TV and inside Amerant Bank Arena during the Cats’ postseason runs.
This year, an injury-decimated season kept the Panthers out of the playoffs.
If you’re thinking that meant Goldstein would have a little more time off, you are sorely mistaken.
Once Florida’s season ended, Goldstein was tapped by Sports USA owner and executive producer Larry Kahn to be a voice on the network as the Stanley Cup Playoffs got started.
Kahn was clearly a fan of Goldstein’s work after previously asking Goldie to call the 2026 Winter Classic for Sports USA.
While it’s probably safe to assume that he’d rather be calling Panthers games, Goldie is also a lifelong hockey nerd who knows better than to pass up a chance at calling the best playoffs in all of sports.
“Of course, it would be awesome to still be calling Panthers games during the playoffs, but you know they’ll be back,” he said. “It’s great to have this opportunity.”
In the weeks since the postseason began, to say Goldie has been calling a lot of hockey in a bunch of different places would be an understatement. Let’s just hope he’s collecting frequent flyer miles.
So far, Goldstein has called games in Dallas, Boston, Los Angeles, Tampa, Las Vegas, Anaheim and soon, Denver, handling the majority of playoff games Sports USA has broadcast.
He’s crisscrossed the country, calling four different first-round series and so far, both of the Western Conference semifinals, while sprinkling in a stop in Boone, North Carolina for his son Kyle’s graduation From Appalachian State University.
Goldie’s postseason started in Texas, calling Game 1 between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on Saturday, April 18. A few days later he called Game 3 between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins in Boston, then followed that up with Game 4 of the series between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings in LA three nights after that.
But it wasn’t until after calling Games 5 and 7 of the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa that things really kicked into high gear for Goldstein.
After calling the Canadiens’ impressive Game 7 victory in Tampa on Sunday, May 3, he flew home Monday and was back on a flight out west to Las Vegas on Tuesday.
He called Game 2 between the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday, May 6, and then Thursday he was heading back east to North Carolina for his son’s graduation from Appalachian State.
A late-night flight home on Friday had Goldie walking into his home around 1 a.m., just in time to re-pack and head right back to the airport for a 1 p.m. Saturday flight back across the country to Anaheim for Sunday’s Game 4 between the Ducks and Golden Knights.
The following day, which was Monday, he was on a relatively shorter flight from Anaheim to Denver, where he actually gets to chill for a couple days before calling Game 5 between the Wild and Avalanche on Wednesday.
After that, he’ll fly to Anaheim on Thursday to call Game 6 between the Ducks and Golden Knights that night, and from there it’s TBD.
It’s possible he goes to Vegas if that series goes seven games. Or if the Sabres and Canadiens series extends to a sixth game, Goldie could be heading up to the hockey mecca of Montreal for that one.
After this round is over, look for Goldie to be working one of the conference finals.
Even with all the miles and hotels, Goldstein said he’s having a blast calling playoff hockey and visiting with with all the friends he’s made along the way.
That includes former Panthers like Radko Gudas, who Goldie caught up with after a recent morning skate in Anaheim.
Gudas is a genuinely good guy who was a fan and media favorite during his time with Florida, so hearing that the two dads took some time to reminisce and chat about what their kids are up to came as no surprise.
Goldie has also been blessed with an all-star group of analysts to work alongside in the broadcast booth this postseason.
While surely nobody compares to the great Randy Moller, Goldstein has called games with Kings TV analyst Jim Fox, Bruins analyst Billy Jaffe, Utah Mammoth color man Nick Olczyk and analyst for the New York Rangers Dave Maloney.
Panthers fans can universally agree that they’ve got one of the best play-by-play voices and hockey personalities in the game.
Despite the Cats missing out on the playoffs this year, it’s nice that Florida’s official voice is still out there doing his thing.
For fans wondering how and where they can hear Goldie’s calls, Sports USA games can be found on Sirius XM and various local radio stations throughout the county, as well as online at SportsUSA.live.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Evgeni Malkin might get his wish to stay in Pittsburgh after all.
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Tuesday the club would “love” to have the three-time Stanley Cup-winning forward back for a 21st season next winter.
Malkin is scheduled to become a free agent for the first time in his career in July and turns 40 in August. The Russian star is coming off a solid bounce-back year, finishing with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games.
The future Hall of Famer said after Pittsburgh's first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia that he plans to play in the NHL next season and would prefer to do it with the only franchise he's ever known. Dubas had been vague most of the year about Malkin's future, but sounded more optimistic a couple of weeks removed from the Penguins' first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.
“He's a special player,” Dubas said of Malkin.
Dubas pointed to Malkin's resiliency during an eventful year in which he missed 20 games because of injury and five more because of suspension as proof that Malkin remains an effective player on a team that returned to the postseason following a three-year absence.
Each time Malkin's season threatened to derail, he returned with what Dubas described as “renewed energy.”
Dubas pointed out that no player in Pittsburgh's improved prospect pool appears poised to take on Malkin's role as a top offensive option.
“I don’t think he’s blocking anybody," Dubas said. “We would love to have him back.”
Malkin and longtime running mates Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have spent two decades playing alongside each other, the longest three teammates have played together in major North American sports history.
While Dubas knows that run will likely end during his tenure, he also allowed that what the trio has is special. Letang remains under contract for two more seasons. Crosby, the only player in NHL history to average a point a game for 21 straight years, is eligible for an extension in July.
Dubas added that while the team as a whole took a significant step forward under first-year head coach Dan Muse, there remains work to be done regardless of who is on the roster when the Penguins report for training camp in September.
“We're still well short of where we aspire to be,” Dubas said.
Dubas praised the Flyers for “getting to their game” early in the first-round series, and while the Penguins eventually found their footing, it was too late. He added that it's clear by watching some of the teams still in the playoffs that the gap between where Pittsburgh is and the top contenders is still significant.
“We have a long way to go,” he said. “I don’t kid myself with that.”
The Professional Women’s Hockey League is headed for Las Vegas, a source briefed on the situation confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.