Sylvain Rodrigue was hired by the Wild on Monday as the Director of Goaltending.
Rodrigue, 52, will work with the organization's goalie coaches in both the NHL and American Hockey League (AHL) while assisting in amateur and professional player evaluation and working with drafted and signed goaltenders in a development capacity.
He joins the Wild after most recently working two seasons (2024-26) in the Florida Panthers organization as a goaltending coach for the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).
The native of Montreal, Quebec, Rodrigue previously spent 11 seasons (2013-24) holding various roles within the Oilers organization, including goaltending consultant, goaltending development coach, and assistant goaltending coach, as well as serving as goaltending coach for the Bakersfield Condors, the team's AHL affiliate.
He played four seasons in the QMJHL and recorded a 4.38 goals-against average (GAA) and a .863 save percentage (SV%) in 167 career games.
In the last two seasons, the Wild rank first in the NHL in save percentage. Under Rodrigue, the Panthers rank 27th.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno has received this season's King Clancy Memorial Trophy for leadership and service, the NHL announced Thursday.
The award is presented annually to the player who “best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community,” according to the league's qualifications.
Each team nominates a player for the award, which is determined by a selection committee headed by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and including former King Clancy Memorial Trophy winners. Clancy, the namesake of the award, was a longtime player, referee, coach and manager who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.
Foligno was recently presented the trophy in a surprise appearance at the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota by his older brother and current teammate, Nick Foligno, who won it himself in 2017. They established the Janis Foligno Foundation in memory of their mother, who died of breast cancer in 2009, and have been active in fundraising for breast cancer research.
The NHL will donate $25,000 to the foundation as part of the award to Foligno, who last month finished his 15th season in the league, including the last nine with Minnesota. He played his first six years for Buffalo.
Previous Wild players to win the award were defenseman Matt Dumba (2020) and forward Jason Zucker (2019).
At 32, Tomas Hertl knows there won't be that many more chances at a Stanley Cup.
Thus, he's making the most of his second chance.
Hertl hasn't stopped thinking about hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup since the first time he made it to Final.
That was in 2016, when the San Jose Sharks won the Western Conference but lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Cup Final.
And for Hertl, it was even more of a disappointment since his time was cut short in the series due to an injury.
The following year the Sharks lost to the Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final in six games, then it was another trip to the conference final and a loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Last season, in his first playoff run with the Golden Knights, it was another exit from the conference final, as the Edmonton Oilers ended things.
Hertl said after his game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, he's making the most of his second-chance opportunity.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
"Obviously, you don't waste it," he said on the postgame broadcast. "It's still a lot of game(s) left, (but) it's a great start (to) the series."
After a wild back-and-forth affair on Tuesday, it was Hertl's shot from the slot that put Vegas ahead late in the third period.
The Golden Knights' 5-4 win marked the first time in 56 games that a road team that trailed by multiple goals in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final came back to steal the win.
"It was awesome," Hertl said. "The building buzzing. Obviously, we didn't have the greatest start, but it's kind of been our story all season, but we never give up.
"We just a team, it doesn't matter, we up or down, we just keep playing. We come strong in the second and the third and turn it around and big win in the first game."
After failing to score in 29 straight games, 20 in the regular season and nine in the playoffs, the 32-year-old from Czechia has four goals in the team's last eight games, two of them being game-winners in comeback victories.
"I haven’t coached him for long, and a lot of those games weren’t that good," Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. "I think he’s grown. He never stopped working. I thought there were some major struggles in his game, but he never stopped working at his game.
"It’s just great timing, just to try to balance our lineup. He has given us some very important minutes."
"It's been our story all season, we never give up." 👏
Hertl knows how important everyone's role is, with so much at stake, which is why he's tried to stay focused with the task at hand.
That included Tuesday night pregame, when the Stanley Cup was brough onto the ice, and he avoided looking at it.
"I try to put head down and don't think about it because it's ultimate goal and chasing for a long time," Hertl said. "I have second shot in my career."
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates scoring during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center.
The annual NHL draft combine is underway in Buffalo this week, featuring some of the future stars we'll see in the NHL.
NHL teams will get official measurements of plenty of 2026 draft-eligible players, such as Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Chase Reid, Caleb Malhorta and Keaton Verhoeff, and will also have the opportunity to speak with them and see them participate in physical tests.
The scouting combine takes place at the KeyBank Center and LECOM HarborCenter. The NHL draft, which is set for June 26 and 27, will also take place in Buffalo.
NHL Draft Combine Schedule
Throughout the week, team management staff and scouts from around the NHL will have the opportunity to talk with prospects.
On Thursday and Friday, there are four fitness tests that happen, which are not open to the media: Y-balance, grip strength, isokinetic squat strength, and aerobic fitness.
On Friday, top prospects will be asked questions in media scrums during the afternoon.
Saturday is fitness testing day, followed by a media availability for all the participants. On top of measuring standing height and wingspan, Saturday's testing will evaluate musculoskeletal fitness and anaerobic fitness.
Welcome to the Gavin McKenna show!
The Hockey News' 2026 Draft Preview • Top 100 prospects • In-depth scouting reports • Feature stories on McKenna, Stenberg, Verhoeff, Carels and more!
Although many of the tests will still be run, there are some changes.
The pro agility test will remain, along with the bench press, pull-ups, horizontal jump, force plate vertical jump, grip strength, and the Wingate cycle ergometer test. The classic VO2 max aerobic tests will also be conducted.
The new tests that will be conducted in 2026 are the isokinetic squat test and the 10-meter sprint. This will allow teams to see how these players use their lower bodies during the test.
The isokinetic squat test will measure lower-body strength, as it requires the player to squat using specialized machinery that controls movement speed. As the player pushes against the machine, the equipment matches their force, maintaining a constant speed throughout the full range of motion. Controlling the speed allows the prospect to generate maximal force throughout the motion.
The 10-meter sprint will measure a player's acceleration and speed, as its short distance will force the players to push off hard from a standstill. Each player gets two tries with about a minute in between, and the faster time will be reported.
Although the combine can be a great indicator of the physical traits players have developed or lack, it's not the be-all and end-all.
In the past, Sam Bennett or Casey Mittelstadt failed to do a single pull-up at the combine, but both players have gone on to have long NHL careers. In other cases, we've seen players impress at the combine but fail to make the NHL.
Since 2015, the five players with the most pull-ups all took part in the 2022 scouting combine:
1. Jack Hughes (Los Angeles, 51st overall in 2022): 19 pull-ups
T-2. Lane Hutson (Montreal, 62nd in
’22): 18 pull-ups
T-2. Jake Karabela (Washington, 149th in ’22), 18 pull-ups
T-4. Julian Lutz (Arizona, 43rd in ’22), 17 pull-ups
T-4. Matthew Poitras (Boston, 54th in ’22), 17 pull-ups
Of that top five, only Hutson and Poitras have played NHL games so far, and the latter spent most of this season in the AHL. Hutson, meanwhile, has the third-most career points by players drafted in 2022, with 146 in 166 games. He also leads the class in career points per game among those who played at least five games, with 0.88.
In the agility test, we've seen outstanding times since results were published online in 2014, highlighted by Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Easton Cowan. He set the combine record in 2023 with a time of 4.07 seconds. Anaheim Ducks prospect Stian Solberg ranks second with a time of 4.10.
The most recent record set was by Pittsburgh Penguins prospect William Horcoff in 2025. He set the record for the longest horizontal jump, at 124.80 inches.
Although most tests haven't been tracked online as long, the longest-standing combine record is Sean Farmer's 196.9-pound grip strength result in 1995.
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The Buffalo Sabres are entering the summer with several pending free agents. Due to this, there is a chance that we could see a few of their players not back on the team next season.
Because of this, let's look at four Sabres pending UFAs who may not be back in Buffalo in 2025-26.
Luke Schenn
The Sabres brought in Luke Schenn at the deadline for more defensive depth. He was not used often by Buffalo, as he played in just four regular-season games and two playoff games for the Sabres. With the Sabres having more notable players due for contracts this summer, there is a good chance that the 36-year-old Schenn won't be back.
Logan Stanley
It would not be surprising if Logan Stanley decided to test the market this summer. The 6-foot-7 defenseman had a career year, posting new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 73 games. With this, he will certainly be getting a raise, but it seems likely it won't be from Buffalo.
Tanner Pearson
Tanner Pearson is another Sabres pending UFA who might not be back next season. He had two assists in four games after being acquired by the Sabres ahead of the deadline and did not make a playoff appearance for Buffalo.
Alex Tuch
There is certainly a good chance that Alex Tuch will re-sign with the Sabres. However, until that comes to fruition, questions about his future in Buffalo will continue to come up. Tuch is in a position to ask for a major payday as the NHL's top pending UFA forward. Will the Sabres be willing to pay the price, or will the Syracuse, New York native sign elsewhere?
The Stanley Cup Final continues tonight as the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Game 2 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.
Vegas struck first in the series and now has a chance to take a commanding 2-0 lead before the action shifts back to Nevada. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will look to defend home ice and avoid falling into a deep hole against a Golden Knights team that has lost just once this postseason.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET as our Covers experts break down their top NHL picks and predictions for tonight's showdown.
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Neil Parker's expert pick: Frederik Andersen Over 21.5 saves
He finished with just 18 saves after being nothing short of spectacular throughout the postseason with a high-end .920 save percentage, 1.65 GAA, and .560 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes.
Carolina was also vulnerable for stretches of the series opener, and in particular, the Vegas Golden Knights dominated the second period with a 73.3% overall shot share.
Vegas isn’t going to go prolonged stretches without generating offense, and Andersen isn’t going to post a .783 SV% with -1.73 goals saved above expected again in Game 2, so there is an easy path to this Over.
I’d play this prop confidently to -115.
Todd Cordell's expert pick: Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points
Price: -115 at BET99
Taylor Hall didn’t hit the scoresheet in Game 1, but there were a lot of good signs under the hood.
Carolina won the shot attempt battle 17-7 and out-chanced Vegas 7-4 during his 5-on-5 minutes.
His power play also generated four shot attempts and three chances in the same amount of time Carolina’s No. 1 unit created one. They saw a 50-50 split in usage — not many second units get that kind of run.
On paper, Jack Eichel hasn't scored much in these playoffs, finding the back of the net just twice in 17 games. However, the underlying numbers suggest he's been far more dangerous than that production indicates.
Eichel owns 5.93 individual expected goals, one of the highest marks on the Vegas Golden Knights, and he's recorded eight shots on goal across his last three road games.
The veteran has also generated 67 individual Fenwick attempts during the postseason, trailing only Pavel Dorofeyev on Vegas. Eichel continues to create offense at a high level, and the Golden Knights are producing 15.15 high-danger chances per 60 minutes with him on the ice. If those opportunities continue, he's a strong candidate to break through in Game 2.
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.
As players and coaches continue to move around the NHL carousel, the Philadelphia Flyers keep managing to find a way to be at the center of it all.
This time, with former Flyers head coach Craig Berube getting the boot by the Toronto Maple Leafs, another ex-Flyers bench boss could be stepping in to replace him.
According to TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger, former Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette will be one of the candidates to become the next Maple Leafs head coach, in addition to legendary goalie and, more recently, ex-Islanders head coach Patrick Roy.
Laviolette, 61, last coached in the 2024-25 season for the New York Rangers, guiding the team to a disappointing 39-36-7 record on the heels of a 55-24-4, Presidents' Trophy-winning campaign in 2023-24.
If hired by the Maple Leafs, Laviolette would be kicking off his latest escapade in the NHL Eastern Conference.
The veteran bench boss has previously coached the Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Flyers, and Rangers to varying degrees of success.
Laviolette led the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup win in 2006 and brought the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, but has seen much less success since, reaching the Final just once in the last 15 years.
In five years with the Flyers, Laviolette was 145-98-29 with a 23-22 record in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
In any case, the Maple Leafs coaching search is worth monitoring to the Flyers because they own Toronto's 2027 (or 2028, in a rare event) first-round pick, and you can bet they will be one of the teams in on superstar center Auston Matthews if the ceiling falls out there.
Laviolette is just two years removed from a Presidents' Trophy with the Rangers and has as good a track record of making the playoffs of just about anyone out there, which could very well bring down how high the Flyers' pick from the Maple Leafs ends up being.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
The Flyers have only five picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Maddox Dagenais
Position: Center Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 196 Shoots: Left Team: Quebec
Scouting report
Dagenais can really rip the puck.
He possesses an advanced shot to go along with an NHL frame. His release is high end and the accuracy is there. He had two hat tricks and 30 goals over 62 games this season for Quebec in the QMJHL.
“He has got really good shooting hands,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He understands how to put goaltenders back on their heels with that shot.”
The 18-year-old was a point-per-game player. He was second on the Remparts with 62 points, behind only Flyers prospect Nathan Quinn, who had 73 in 58 games.
In the second round of the playoffs, Dagenais was shut down by eventual champion Chicoutimi. He went scoreless in four games with a minus-7 rating. He had three goals and three assists in Quebec’s first-round series, which went seven games.
“I think he’s a better winger,” Button said. “I see him as a winger, I see him as a shooter, I see him as somebody that can really shoot the puck. I see him as more of a goal-scoring type of winger; I don’t see him as a center. He has got size, he drives inside, he gets the puck and he has got really good hands.”
“He’s not a great skater,” Button said. “His skating has improved, but skating isn’t the hallmark of his game. He’s smart, he’s competitive, he has got really good hands, goal-scoring hands. But that’s a lot of skating you’ve got to do as a center. I don’t see that in his profile. I see him as a shooting, goal-scoring winger.”
(Dale Preston/Getty Images)
Fit with Flyers
If the Flyers like Dagenais, they probably would love if he could play down the middle at the next level.
Center is a premium position and one of need for the organization. Meanwhile, the Flyers already have a large crop of young wingers, led by Martone and Matvei Michkov. Part of the reason they traded Bobby Brink was because of all the youth on the wing.
The Flyers will draft the best player available at No. 21, but a true center would be ideal if they take a forward.
Dagenais’ size and shooting ability should intrigue the Flyers. They’ve wanted to get bigger and add more goal scoring. Dagenais could help in both aspects.
The 2025-26 hockey season was an adjustment for Calvin de Haan.
After a lengthy NHL career that began as a first-round pick of the New York Islanders, the 35-year-old defenseman played in Sweden's top league this season with Rögle BK Angelholm. They went all the way to the final last month, before falling to the champs, Skellefteå AIK.
Sweden was de Haan's fallback position this season because after 679 NHL games with six teams, the phone stopped ringing. So he opted for a contract to play in Europe for the first time.
Looking back, his very brief time with the New York Rangers last year probably didn't help his cause.
After Colorado traded de Haan last March, the Rangers immediately used him for three games, and he wasn't on the ice for a single goal against. It was a 4-0 win over Nashville, a 4-0 win over the Islanders, and a 3-2 overtime loss to Washington.
It was a fabulous start for de Haan, who had just come from playoff-bound Colorado, where he had played 44 games.
But in reality, his fabulous start was also the end.
For some reason, head coach Peter Laviolette, who was a month away from being fired by the Rangers, made de Haan a healthy scratch for the rest of the season (20 games).
Near the end of that stretch, de Haan finally voiced his displeasure to the media.
According to New York Post writer Mollie Walker, de Haan walked past reporters and commented on how it’s all finally over. "He said something to the effect of, ‘How about the way I’ve been treated here? It’s f****d.’"
The veteran NHL player had every right to be upset, but his comments made headlines and might have served as a red flag to NHL teams who might otherwise have seen him as a depth option for this season.
But that's old news, water under the bridge.
While speaking this week on the Coming in Hot podcast with Brent Wallace and former Senator Jason York, de Haan talked about how he enjoyed his first season of hockey on a different continent. His team made the final, and he had great respect for the level of play.
When Wallace asked if he had ever wanted to play for the Senators, de Haan says he would have been all over that, including this season.
"In the past, I'd probably say even this past summer, probably three or four summers (in all), coming off my deal with Chicago there, I was trying to sign in Ottawa for years, and it just never came to fruition, unfortunately. Would have loved to (play there).
"I was a Sens fan growing up. I grew up watching Yorkie and those early 2000s teams. I think all the way to 2008, there was a pretty solid run of Sens hockey there. And those teams could have won Cups."
So why didn't things come together? It would appear that Pierre Dorion and now Steve Staios simply didn't see it as a fit.
"I think it was just, you know, they were looking for something else. But I would have loved it."
De Haan is also loving his new hockey chapter in Sweden, though, and unlike his last NHL stop, his new team's bosses love him back. He signed a one-year deal with Rögle BK last summer, and it wasn't long before they wanted more.
They signed the Manotick resident to a two-year extension in November.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Only three players have been around for all nine seasons of the Vegas Golden Knights. This is the third trip to the Stanley Cup Final for William Karlsson, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb, and the thrill still is there.
“It’s the same feeling as Year 1,” Karlsson said.
That one ended in defeat, but it set the perennial expectations at championship or bust, and Vegas hoisted the Cup in Year 6 in 2023. Eager for another parade on the Las Vegas Strip, the original Golden Knights wasted no time making an early impact in Game 1 at Carolina.
Karlsson and Theodore each scored, and McNabb had the first three-assist performance of his NHL career in the 5-4 victory in Game 1. The Golden Knights leaned on their longest-tenured players to erase another multigoal deficit and will keep relying on them.
“They’re calm,” said coach John Tortorella, who only has been in charge since late March. “The foundation of our team, the guts of our team, has been through this before. ... Those guys kind of lead the way by not panicking. They don’t say much, they just play, and I think other people follow behind them. I think that’s so important this time of year.”
William Karlsson returning has changed everything
One reason the Golden Knights did not look this dominant during the regular season was Karlsson’s lengthy absence because of an undisclosed injury. He was out from early November until the start of the second round.
“I learned not to take anything for granted,” Karlsson said. “It wasn’t always just a straight line. Some minor setbacks. But I always have the mind to come back for playoffs, and I’m very happy to be able to be a part of it.”
Karlsson getting back allowed Mitch Marner to shift to his more natural right wing from center. Karlsson has six points and Marner 15 in the 11 games since.
“It’s super fun to play hockey, and I’m happy to be getting a lot of minutes and help the team,” Karlsson said.
Shea Theodore has stepped up when needed
The Golden Knights went into the season with a giant void on their blue line, with No. 1 defenseman Alex Pietrangelo unlikely to play again because of a chronic hip injury. Former coach Bruce Cassidy said during the ’23 title run that he knew Pietrangelo was good but came to appreciate the do-everything, all-around game up close.
Theodore stepped into that role in Pietrangelo’s absence.
“Shea’s game this season has just added a completely different layer than what we were used to because he’s always been a great puck-mover, always been a very good offensive defenseman,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “Shea has become a penalty killer. He never killed penalties prior at all. He’s on the ice when it’s 6 on 5 against, where in the past he would not have been. And I’m really proud of him, to be honest with you. I think he’s really grown into it.”
Tortorella praised Theodore for bouncing back in Game 1 after getting “spanked” on Carolina’s opening goal 25 seconds in.
“It doesn’t bother him, and he probably plays one of the better games,” Tortorella said. “He just played. I think it’s a really good lesson for all of us to see.”
Theodore not only scored Vegas’ first goal after falling behind 2-0 but delivered a textbook shot-pass to Brett Howden for a goal in the third period.
“His vision is unbelievable,” said Howden, whose 11 goals leads the postseason. “He wasn’t even looking at me, but I feel like he knew that I was going there and he made an unbelievable pass there. I just had to chip it in.”
Brayden McNabb flashes unusual offensive touch
McNabb has been a solid defender in the league for more than a decade. Keeping the puck out of the net, while guarding and hitting opponents, is his primary job. He doubled his assist total this postseason in Game 1, after having just three in 15 games over the first three rounds. Theodore cracked, “He’s an offensive guy.”
“My partner did most of the work on all of them, really,” McNabb said, crediting Theodore. “But, yeah, the guys made great plays, and it’s nice to chip in offensively when I can.”
Vegas has brought in plenty of talent since its overachieving inaugural season, including captain Mark Stone, top center Jack Eichel and Marner. But there is still a deep reverence for the original Golden Knights, including Reilly Smith, who was traded and reacquired and had been playing until Karlsson returned.
“They mean everything,” Howden said. “They’re the ones that built this team from the ground up. They built a culture here, starting from the top down. But those guys were here from the start, and they lead the way. They’re unbelievable leaders in the room.”
"I met with his agent, Neil Sheehy, here this week," Darche told NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "I said at the end of the year I'd love for Anders to play his 1,000th game with the Islanders, but it has to work for us and for him. He's earned the right to look at options where he is in his career.
"We're planning ahead, so I still hope we can get a deal done. It's not there yet, and we'll keep working at it till July 1."
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Vegas Golden Knights were up one, down to a frantic 5.6 seconds left to secure Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes won a faceoff in the Vegas zone, with Logan Stankoven passing to Alexander Nikishin up top for a one-timer from a young defenseman known for his hard shot. But Mitch Marner jumped in the path of the blast and blocked the puck with the inside of his left knee, a painful stop that ultimately closed the door on Carolina.
It epitomized the edge, precision and killer instinct that these Golden Knights are playing with as they try to win the Cup for a second time in four years. After winning twice on the road to start a shocking sweep of Colorado in the West final, they now have a chance to do the same against the team that finished second to the Avalanche in the regular season.
“To me that’s common sense,” coach John Tortorella said. “You win one, you want to win the next one. You don’t want to let any momentum slip away.”
When Vegas went into Colorado and won Game 1 last round, Tortorella and his players brushed off stealing home-ice advantage, making it clear they were there for more instead of being content with a split.
The same goes now after a 5-4 win at Carolina, with Tortorella noting afterward, “Momentum swings happen quickly.”
That particularly can be true when playing a team that went 12-1 through three rounds to secure its first shot at the Cup in two decades, coming after years of building in an eight-year playoff run before finally punching through its East final roadblock.
The Hurricanes’ only loss before Game 1 had come with a rusty start in Game 1 of the East final against Montreal after going 11 days between rounds, the longest playoff break in more than a century. And they pounced on Vegas with an opening-minute goal en route to a 2-0 first-period lead.
Yet the Golden Knights — who rallied from a three-goal deficit in Game 3 against the Avalanche — have an opportunity to hand the Hurricanes more losses in a week than they had the rest of the playoffs combined, largely by sticking together and sticking to their game.
“If you start to change and you start to chase the game, usually it doesn’t go so well for you,” captain Mark Stone said. “We have done a really good job of just sticking to the way we play and not taking too much unnecessary risks, and we were able to get ourselves back in the game.”
Game 1 offered another chapter in Vegas’ march that began with a late-season coaching change by firing Bruce Cassidy to hire Tortorella. The Golden Knights have won 20 of 25 games since, and seem to be getting better in every playoff round with a roster featuring tested talent from that 2023 title with players like Jack Eichel, Brett Howden, William Karlsson, Stone, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb.
They regrouped from a 2-1 deficit in Round 1 by winning a pair of overtime games before closing out Utah in six games. They beat Anaheim in six, winning the last two. Then came the sweep of Colorado, with the high-powered Avalanche managing seven goals in four games after leading the league in scoring (3.63).
Against Carolina, the Golden Knights gave up a goal to Nikolaj Ehlers on the rush just 25 seconds in, then another to Ehlers on a breakaway for the 2-0 lead.
But Vegas pushed back with three unanswered goals to silence a hostile crowd. They also twice responded when the Hurricanes tied the score, the last coming with Tomas Hertl taking a backhand pass from Colton Sissons and beating Frederik Andersen from the slot with 3:24 left.
Then came Marner’s final stop, when he jumped in front of Nikishin’s shot — it registered 89.6 miles per hour, according to NHL EDGE — to knock the puck off its laser-line trajectory toward Carter Hart in the crease.
“I don’t think it’s anything special,” Tortorella said of the block. “I think that’s part of playing defense, especially at this time of year.”
Regardless, the effort had multiple Vegas players going straight to Marner at the horn to hug him with a seventh straight playoff win secured — and the chance for more.
“I think the way they think the game, you can see it,” said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, who captained Carolina to its lone Cup title in 2006. “They’re not making plays when they don’t have to, and they don’t turn pucks over. It’s out of their end, it’s through the neutral zone. if there’s no space, they’re putting it behind you, and they’re just staying above it, and they’re doing it right.”
RALEIGH, N.C. — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour expressed no regret over his decision not to challenge the Vegas Golden Knights’ first goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final before his team lost 5-4.
Brind’Amour said he never really came close to challenging because he was not confident the on-ice officials and NHL’s situation room would see enough to wave it off for goaltender interference. Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar had a skate in the crease, but replays did not clearly show him impeding goalie Frederik Andersen’s ability to stop the shot by defenseman Shea Theodore, which banked in off the left shin pad of Hurricanes winger Eric Robinson.
“(Kolesar) was in the crease initially, and then he came out of it and then the shot goes off our guy,” Brind’Amour said. “It doesn’t really impact the goal. There’s too many variables there that are saying, ‘Nope, nope, nope.’”
Carolina led 2-0 on goals by Nikolaj Ehlers before Vegas got on the board to make it 2-1 with 6:32 left in the first period. The punishment for a failed challenge is a 2-minute penalty, so the Golden Knights would have gone on the power play after cutting their deficit in half.
Despite having a penalty kill that has allowed just four power play goals on 56 opportunities in the playoffs, a success rate of 92.9%, Brind’Amour and his staff did not want to take the risk.
“I think what I’ve seen — in the playoffs certainly — is if they’re more 50-50, they’re counting the goals now,” Brind’Amour said. “So, that was kind of our decision on that.”
Colton Sissons’ Game 1-winning pass
Tomas Hertl’s go-ahead goal with 3:24 left in regulation had the Golden Knights still talking the day after, largely because of how Colton Sissons assisted on it with a perfect backhander.
“Sick pass,” teammate Rasmus Andersson said. “It’s a nasty pass.”
It looked like a no-look feed, but Sissons insisted he saw Hertl and said confidently, “I knew where he was.” Fourth-liner Nic Dowd was in awe but not surprised.
“Yeah, that was nice: probably one of the nicer passes I’ve seen in a long time,” Dowd said. “It was a high-level play, and then he put it into a puck-sized hole. It was a perfect play.”
Late-bloomer Jalen Chatfield enjoys this chance
Jalen Chatfield went undrafted, spent years in the minors and was 26 by the time he became a full-time NHL player. Now 30, the unheralded Carolina defenseman is in the final for the first time in his career and not taking it for granted.
“It’s just life,” Chatfield said. “It’s been a journey. I just stuck with it. Had a lot of ups and downs in my career, but everything I’ve gone through, I’ve gone through for a reason and I’ve learned a lot. It’s helped me grow as a person and as a player and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Brind’Amour did not know him before they were in the same organization together but now appreciates Chatfield grinding it out to get to this point.
“We had a couple of years watching him in the minors and just kind of just gradually get better and better,” Brind’Amour said. “You root for guys like that. Really, everything they have now, they’ve worked for and I think he’s still getting better. It’s gratifying to watch a kid put in the work and then have it pay off.”
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes goal scorer predictions for Game 2
Player to score a goal
Odds
Jack Eichel
+230
Nikolaj Ehlers
+205
Brett Howden
+310
💲Goal scorer parlay
+2000
Goal scorer pick: Jack Eichel (+230)
On paper, Jack Eichel hasn't scored much in these playoffs, finding the back of the net just twice in 17 games. However, the underlying numbers suggest he's been far more dangerous than that production indicates.
Eichel owns 5.93 individual expected goals, one of the highest marks on the Vegas Golden Knights, and he's recorded eight shots on goal across his last three road games.
The veteran has also generated 67 individual Fenwick attempts during the postseason, trailing only Pavel Dorofeyev on Vegas. Eichel continues to create offense at a high level, and the Golden Knights are producing 15.15 high-danger chances per 60 minutes with him on the ice. If those opportunities continue, he's a strong candidate to break through in Game 2.
I'll play this pick up to +200.
Goal scorer pick: Nikolaj Ehlers (+205)
Nikolaj Ehlers capitalized on his opportunities in Game 1, putting both of his shots on target in the back of the net. The winger now has six goals this postseason, but the underlying numbers suggest the production is no fluke. Ehlers owns 4.02 individual expected goals through 13 playoff appearances while generating 56 individual Fenwick attempts.
He's also consistently finding dangerous areas of the ice, posting 14.21 high-danger chances per 60 minutes during the postseason. Ehlers has been especially clinical at Lenovo Center, where five of his six playoff goals have come. If the Carolina Hurricanes continue generating quality scoring chances, Ehlers should remain a key offensive threat.
I'll play this pick up to +180.
Goal scorer pick: Brett Howden (+310)
Brett Howden continued his strong postseason in Game 1, finding the back of the net for his 11th goal of the playoffs. While the Golden Knights forward has outperformed his 4.82 individual expected goals, the underlying chance generation remains solid.
Howden is second on Vegas with 21 individual high-danger scoring chances and owns a 10.59 HDCF/60 rate during the postseason.
The veteran has consistently found dangerous scoring areas throughout the playoffs, and his Game 1 goal suggests that trend isn't slowing down.
I'd play this pick up to +280.
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes anytime goal parlay
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The St. Louis Blues have signed forwards Zach Dean and Dylan Peterson to one-year, two-way contracts.
Both Dean and Peterson were pending RFAs, but the Blues made quick work of re-signing them before they had to give them qualifying offers.
Dean was acquired by St. Louis in the trade that sent Ivan Barbashev to the Vegas Golden Knights. Dean was originally a first-round pick (30th overall) by the Golden Knights in the 2021 NHL draft.
Although Dean is a rapid skater with good hands and passing vision, he hasn’t been able to translate it to the professional level. In his final QMJHL season in 2022-23, Dean posted 33 goals and 70 points in 50 games, before adding 10 goals and 26 points in 13 playoff games.
In his first season with the Blues, Dean featured in nine NHL games but failed to record a point. Since then, the 23-year-old hasn’t received a call-up. At the moment, Dean’s greatest flaw is availability. He played just 11 AHL games in 2024-25 and just 36 games this season.
In those 36 games, Dean recorded four goals and 14 points. Dean missed a large chunk of the start of the season after being placed in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. His 2025-26 season did not begin until the start of 2026.
The Blues are hoping for a healthy season from Dean next year, which will hopefully get his game back on track and allow him to begin working his way back to the NHL roster.
Dean’s contract will carry an $850,000 AAV in the NHL, and he’ll be paid $95,000 in the minors. When his one-year contract concludes, Dean will remain a restricted free agent, according to Puckpedia.
As for Peterson, the 24-year-old completed his second season with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL, scoring 12 goals and 24 points in 57 games.
Standing 6-foot-4, the 2020 third-round pick (86th overall) of the Blues brings valuable size to the Thunderbirds’ lineup. While it hasn’t really translated to high-end production in the AHL, Peterson is still young, and they hope he continues to trend in the right direction.
With Dean and Peterson re-signed, the Thunderbirds should be a Calder Cup-contending threat once again next season.
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Frederik Andersen Over 21.5 saves
Jack Eichel anytime goal
