PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 01: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins jumps into the bench with his teammates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals in the 2nd period during the 2011 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic at Heinz Field on January 1, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The NHL will have what they’re calling ‘Hometown Remix’ alternate jerseys for their teams next year. In essence (and in classic NHL style) it’s taking ideas from other leagues and making it their own. The MLB has City Connect and the NBA has City Edition jerseys they break out from time to time.
Based on recent leaks of the Florida and NYI jerseys, we might expect something loud for the Penguins.
⚠️ REPORT: Details emerge of rumored NHL “Hometown Remix” jersey program, set to launch in September for 2026-27, via @icethetics.
The collection features #Isles fisherman look + #FlaPanthers **pink** sweater + other jersey color details
The news might not be welcome and popular for the Penguins, who reportedly are getting a design in navy blue. Exact details or a mock up of the jerseys have not yet been released or leaked.
Navy blue is a natural in franchise history, given the team wore various versions of that color from the team’s inception in 1967 until the colors were changed in early 1980. The concept of navy blue jerseys has been a controversial one since its last use starting at the 2011 Winter Classic where Sidney Crosby was injured. Later in that season, Evgeni Malkin tore his knee wearing the dark blue jerseys and they were phased out of the regular rotation in quick order due to association with those events.
It remains to be seen for the Pens on just what their hometown remixes will look like. It could be something simple and tasteful like what the team wore in the late 1970’s. Given the leaked jerseys so far, it doesn’t look like those adjectives are the objective for these loud, festive type of jerseys.
Something to keep in mind as the summer rolls along, we’ll have to see how it goes. This concept may well go the way of the 2021-22 ‘reverse retro’ jersey that was worn a few times and then fortunately never seen again, but the NHL season is expanding to 84-games next year and to help keep things fresh and no doubt make some more money in merchandise sales, we know something new is coming down the pike soon for the Penguins to occasionally wear next year.
Missing on draft selections is the primary reason the Philadelphia Flyers have had to rebuild for so long, and even recently, they still can't seem to get things right.
The last four years, in particular, have been uneven for the Flyers when it comes to first-round picks.
Cutter Gauthier would have been a great draft choice in 2022... if he actually remained with the Flyers, and Matvei Michkov and Oliver Bonk were chosen after him in 2023.
In 2024, the Flyers picked Jett Luchanko, and in 2025, they scooped up Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt.
The Nesbitt and Luchanko selections were especially head-scratchers, and the Luchanko one has not aged well so far. At least, not when you look at Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius, the Finnish center everyone expected the Flyers to draft.
Helenius, 20, has been playing professional hockey since the 2022-23 season, and he certainly plays like he has that experience.
In his second full season in North America, Helenius scored 63 points in 63 games for the AHL Rochester Americans and added two goals and an assist in three Calder Cup playoff games.
The 2024 14th overall pick also got a taste of some NHL action, playing in nine regular season games for the Sabres, scoring a goal, three assists, and four points. Oh, and he also chipped in two goals in four playoff games.
— Built in Buffalo (@BuiltInBuffalo_) May 30, 2026
Having already played 79 games this season between the AHL, NHL, and AHL and NHL playoffs, Helenius went back for more, joining Finland at the 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship in Switzerland upon the end of his season here.
Well, in five games, Helenius has two goals, three assists, and five points, finding the score sheet in all but one game in the tournament thus far.
The 20-year-old helped the underdog Finns sink a loaded Canada team in the seminfinals on Saturday night, potting the game-winning goal in a stunning 4-2 win over Macklin Celebrini, Sidney Crosby, Porter Martone, and more. Helenius was also +3 in that game.
In contrast, Luchanko, 19, has played 25 professional games between the Flyers and Lehigh Valley Phantoms and has yet to score a goal, despite his nine assists at the AHL level.
The Flyers' 2024 13th overall pick hasn't exactly lit up the OHL, either, scoring 74 points in 68 games in his draft year, 56 points in 46 games last year, and 43 points in 38 games this year, not including just seven points in 15 playoff games with the Brantford Bulldogs.
Luchanko scored just seven goals in the OHL this year, and his 43 points in 38 games ranked 33rd in the league amongst all draft year +2 players, which includes 13 undrafted players.
Luchanko will turn pro this fall and begin turning the page on an unconvincing end to his junior career, but it has to be hard for Flyers fans to see Helenius in the Stanley Cup playoffs and World Championship and feel good about the team's drafting.
Time will ultimately tell the story, but Helenius is looking more and more like yet another one who got away from the Flyers.
The Hockey News released its list of the Top 100 NHL players this season in April, and four Montreal Canadiens have made the list. Earlier, we covered Juraj Slafkovsky, who’s 94th on the list, Nick Suzuki, who landed in the 48th spot, Cole Caufield, who landed in 35th place, and we now look at the Habs’ highest-ranked player: Lane Hutson.
The sophomore defenseman lands in 26th place, just behind Jack Hughes, who grabs 25th place. While Hutson makes the ranking because of his incredible offensive flair, the list also mentions the young blueliner’s improved defensive play.
Not only did Hutson put up 78 points this season, but he also finished the season with a plus-36 rating. Last year, he had recorded 66 points and ended his rookie year with a minus-two rating.
What’s really impressive in his play, though, is the way he will backcheck like a man possessed when he turns the puck over. While some players look to the heavens and lament their bad luck when they turn the puck over, Hutson immediately shifts to defense mode and looks like he’s flying on the ice. Even when he ends up behind the opponent’s net after a shot attempt, he’s still one of the first players back in the defensive zone.
His love of the game and work ethic haven’t gone down one bit in his second season. He’s always first on the ice, whether it’s for a full practice or for an optional one, and the team still needs to tell him to take a day off once in a while.
By signing an eight-year contract at an $8.850 million cap hit, he has proven just how committed he is to this team. He accepted a contract that is cheaper than Noah Dobson’s, and the matter was settled quite quickly. Of course, he didn’t have much leverage since he wouldn’t have been eligible for an offer sheet, but there’s no doubt that he could have held out for more money. That’s not what the 22-year-old is about; he’s about playing the game he loves and winning with the team that put faith in him and drafted him despite his small stature. The 62nd overall pick at the 2022 draft has been an absolute steal on the draft floor, and he still is at that cap hit.
Johnston, posting on X on Saturday, May 30, reported the family will donate the brain of the four-time Stanley Cup champion to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center "for research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury."
Johnston reported Lemieux's family made the decision with a desire to improve the lives of others.
"'The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusion should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis,'" Johnston's post, which includes a statement from the family, reads.
The Palm County Medical Examiner's Office told USA TODAY Sports in response to an open records request that "all public records you have requested for Claude Lemieux are exempt from public records as specified under SB 474 - FS 406.135. (2) (c)."
The Floridastatute cited by the Palm County Medical Examiner’s Office was enacted in 2024 and exempts photos, videos, audio recordings and autopsy reports related to suicide victims from general public records requests.
There have been several studies on the possible connection with suicide and CTE. A 2021 study conducted by a group of scientists from Switzerland, Italy and other countries surveyed the effects of CTE on boxers, hockey players and football players.
"Progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms resulting from CTE could lead to suicidal ideation (SI) and eventually suicidal behaviour (SB), especially the more severe forms of SB such as medical serious suicide attempt (SA) and completed suicide," the study said. "For example, CTE was confirmed in post-mortem examinations of over 100 former National Football League players and it was hypothesized that suicide in four of them could have resulted from CTE-induced behavioural changes, but it is difficult to make a direct connection in these cases."
Red Wings Will Rule - June 19, 1998 - Vol. 51, Issue 37 - Bob McKenzie
Here’s a little something for Washington Capitals’ coach Ron Wilson to pin on his team’s bulletin board: The Capitals will not win the Stanley Cup. In fact, they’ll be lucky to win a game against the Detroit Red Wings in this year’s final.
There, we said it and Wilson, the master motivator and one of the most colorful characters in the game today, will eat it up.
Fine, if we could put Wayne Gretizky’s Los Angeles Kings into the 1993 Cup final-something about Gretzky skating like he had “a piano on his back"-we have no problem providing some added inspiration for the Caps in their first-ever Cup final appearance.
Besides, the Capitals need all the help they can get to compete against a team as talented and driven as Scotty Bowman’s Red Wings.
The only thing that stands in the way of this being an utter mismatch is Washington netminder Olie Kol-zig, who enters the Cup final as the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Kolzig, not Dominik Hasek, had been the NHL’s best playoff netminder this spring. Kolzig was consistent, something Hasek wasn’t, and brilliant, too. He had a goals-against average of 1.69 and save percentage of .946, both league leaders.
Heading into the final, the Caps had a 12-5 playoff record. They were outshot in 14 of those 17 games and often by a wide margin.
But it’s one thing to play sloppy hockey against the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres and have your goaltender bail you out. It is quite another, however, to do it against the Wings, who may not be as thoroughly dominant as they were a year ago, but are still a force with which to be reckoned.
The key to Red Wing success is depth and balance. Players such as Brendan Shanahan and Sergei Fedorov can misfire for a whole series, but Detroit’s depth was still good enough to beat the Dallas Stars, the NHL’s regular season titlist, in six games.
The Wings have four lines that can check and score: Steve Yzerman between Brent Gilchrist and Darren McCarty; Igor Larionov between Shanahan and Martin Lapointe; Fedorov between Tomas Holmstrom and Slava Kozlov; and the grind line of Kris Draper between Kirk Maltby and Joey Kocur, with Doug Brown ready to step into any role on any line. And Bowman mixes and matches his lines better than anyone in the game.
On the blueline, the almost error free pair of Nicklas Lidström and Larry Murphy lead the way. The Wings rely a little too much on the thirtysomething pair of Bob Rouse and Jamie Macoun, but if they could get the job done against the physically punishing Stars, they’ll get it done against the Capitals. Rookie Anders Eriksson and aged veteran Slava Fetisov comprise the third set with Dmitri Mironov and Aaron Ward providing the depth.
Certainly, after giving up longshot goals in Game 3 against the Phoenix Coyotes (Jeremy Roenick), Game 4 against the St. Louis Blues (Al Macln-nis) and Game 5 against Dallas (Jamie Langenbrunner), Wings’ netminder Chris Osgood has something to prove. But he has shown tremendous resilience in these playoffs. While Washington has an edge over Detroit in goal, it’s not as wide as Osgood’s detractors would have you believe.
Entering the final, Osgood rated at the Wings’ No. 2 candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy. The leading contender was captain Yzerman, for his complete game approach. Lid-ström, and to a lesser degree, Fedorov also rate some consideration, pending how they perform in the final.
No one should suggest the Caps aren’t full value for their first appearance in the final. If the Wings don’t show them respect, the Caps can jump up and bite them, especially if Kolzig remains true to form.
Wilson has two good offensive lines: Andrei Nikolishin between Peter Bondra and rookie star-in-waiting Richard Zednik; and savvy veteran Adam Oates between the recycled, but useful Brian Bellows and scoring hero Joey Juneau. And he got good mileage from a grinding line of Dale Hunter between Craig Berube and Chris Simon and a utility unit of Esa Tikkanen between Kelly Miller and Mike Eagles, with Michal Pivonka (bruised shoulder) and Todd Krygier (sprained knee) possibly available.
That fourth line for the Caps may find itself mismatched against any one of the Detroit lines.
The Hockey News’ scouting report (see opposite page) suggests the Detroit forwards have a significant edge in two categories-speed and competitiveness.
It’s true the Washington defense corps is, generally speaking, more mobile than Detroit’s, but what those numbers don’t reveal is how much the Caps rely on so few.
Mark Tinordi and Calle Johansson, the top pair, play a ton, as do stay-at-home Joe Reekie and offensive threat Sergei Gonchar, who often sees more than 30 minutes. The tandem of Brendan Witt and Phil Housley doesn’t play a lot, only 10 to 12 minutes some games. If it does play more against Detroit, the Wings will take advantage.
The flip side, though, is that it’s difficult to shut down Detroit using primarily four defensemen.
The Wings aren’t a particularly punishing team, but the pressure they exert with speed and puck control should break down a Washington defense that hasn’t been tested to this degree.
Another Capital weakness is their play along the boards. They got away with some sloppy efforts against Boston, Ottawa and Buffalo, three teams that simply don’t play with the same tenacity and consistency as the Wings. Enter THN’s Scouting Report and the Wings’ decided edge in spirit (competitiveness).
According to other NHL teams’ playoff scouting reports, the Caps will often leave their No. 1 power play unit, headed by Oates, on for 90 seconds. The Wings’ speedy and aggressive penalty killers could also take advantage of that.
But breaking down a series on paper is always easier than doing it on the ice. There is the Kolzig factor for the Wings to consider and the fact that the Caps are prohibitive underdogs will create a nothing-to-lose mindset that should permit Washington to play a relaxed, pressure-free game.
That said, it’s clear the Wings have better personnel than the Capitals. The Caps have good experience but so, too, do the Wings.
In each of the past three Cup finals, we’ve been shocked by four-game sweeps by the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche and Detroit, respectively. If it happens this year, there’ll be no surprise.
THN’s pre-playoff Stanley Cup pick was Detroit. We see no reason to change it.
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The Chicago Blackhawks announced the death of Dennis Hull on Saturday, May 30. He was 81 years old.
The five-time All-Star left winger was the brother of Hall of Famer Bobby Hull and recorded 298 regular-season goals in the Windy City. He also was a member of Team Canada when they beat the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series.
“The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dennis Hull earlier this morning," Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said in a statement. "Dennis enjoyed a distinguished career built on his scoring ability and consistency, leaving lasting contributions not only to the Blackhawks franchise, but to the game itself.
"Known around the league for his immense skill, toughness and intelligence, Dennis was as dominant on the ice as he was beloved off it. He often drew on his sharp wit and sense of humor to keep the locker room loose, while his warmth and humility made everyone he met feel welcome.
"On behalf of the Wirtz family and the entire Blackhawks organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dennis’s family, friends and teammates, and the many fans who adored him."
Dennis' nephew, Bart, also shared the news of his passing on Instagram. A cause of death has not been revealed at the time of publication.
Dennis, who was known as the "Silver Jet," played 13 of his 14 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, who signed him ahead of the 1964-1965 season after a stint with the St. Catharines Black Hawks, an amateur team in Ontario, Canada.
He played eight of those with Bobby, the "Golden Jet," who died in 2023 at age 84. Chicago made the playoffs all but once while Dennis was on the team, including reaching the Stanley Cup Final three times, which they lost each time. He finished his career with one season with the Detroit Red Wings.
On Saturday, with a heavy heart, the Chicago Blackhawks announced the passing of long-time great Dennis Hull. At 81 years old, Hull leaves behind a legacy that few could match both on and off the ice.
Hull played for the Blackhawks for 13 seasons, and then finished off his NHL career with one as a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
Eight of those 13 seasons with Chicago were spent playing with his brother, the legendary Bobby Hull. Dennis wasn't the Hall of Fame legend that his brother Bobby was, but he was still a high-level difference-maker.
In 904 games with Chicago, Hull had 298 goals, 342 assists, and 640 points. In his final year with the Red Wings, he had five goals, so he did eclipse the 300-goal plateau.
Dennis was a five-time all-star, including the season (1972-73) in which he had a career-high 90 points. Like his brother, Dennis was a great goal scorer. He had 20 or more 7 times, and 30 or more four times. He even reached 40 goals once in 1970-71.
Blackhawks Chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz made a statement on Dennis Hull's passing:
"The Chicago Blackhawks are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dennis Hull earlier this morning. Dennis enjoyed a distinguished career built on his scoring ability and consistency, leaving lasting contributions not only to the Blackhawks franchise but to the game itself.
Known around the league for his immense skill, toughness, and intelligence, Dennis was as dominant on the ice as he was beloved off it. He often drew on his sharp wit and sense of humor to keep the locker room loose, while his warmth and humility made everyone he met feel welcome.
On behalf of the Wirtz family and the entire Blackhawks organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Dennis’s family, friends, and teammates, and the many fans who adored him."
on behalf of the Wirtz family and Chicago Blackhawks organization, we mourn the passing of Dennis Hull❤️
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
CHICAGO (AP) — Dennis Hull, the two-way NHL forward who starred alongside superstar older brother Bobby Hull with the Chicago Blackhawks and helped Canada win the 1972 Summit Series, died Friday night, according to brother Garry. He was 81.
Nephew Bart Hull confirmed Hull's death on social media Saturday, and the Blackhawks followed that with a statement from owner Danny Wirtz. No other details were available.
Hull played 13 of 14 seasons in the league with Chicago before one final year with the Detroit Red Wings. He appeared in five All-Star Games and was voted a second-team NHL All-Star in 1972-73.
"Dennis enjoyed a distinguished career built on his scoring ability and consistency, leaving lasting contributions not only to the Blackhawks franchise but to the game itself," Wirtz said. “Known around the league for his immense skill, toughness and intelligence, Dennis was as dominant on the ice as he was beloved off it. He often drew on his sharp wit and sense of humor to keep the locker room loose, while his warmth and humility made everyone he met feel welcome.”
While brother Bobby was excluded from playing for Canada against the Soviet Union in '72 because he was in the World Hockey Association, Dennis went and had two goals and two assists in four games, playing on a line with New York Rangers stars Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert.
Hull had 303 goals and 351 assists for 654 points in 959 regular-season NHL games. He had another 67 points in 104 games in the playoffs, during an era Chicago came close but never won the Stanley Cup.
Bobby Hull, the Hall of Famer known as the “Golden Jet,” died at 84 in January 2023.
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This story has been changed to correct the first name of the Blackhawks owner to Danny.
Even with the Buffalo Sabres officially out of the postseason picture after a six-game series loss to the Montreal Canadiens, one of their youngest rising talents has continued to build momentum in a way that feels increasingly impossible to ignore.
That storyline is Konsta Helenius, who has taken what was a brief but eye-opening NHL introduction and turned it into a full-blown statement across both the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the international stage at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Even though Buffalo’s postseason ended in disappointment with a six-game series loss to the Montreal Canadiens, Helenius finished the matchup with 2 goals in 4 playoff games, showing he wasn’t just along for the ride. He had already quietly posted 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points across 9 regular-season NHL games, hinting early that the ceiling might be far higher than originally expected.
A Playoff Cameo That Turned Into A Statement
When head coach Lindy Ruff made the decision to insert Helenius into the lineup for Game 4 against Montreal, it came with real weight behind it. The Sabres were trying to stay alive in a tight series, and the move also carried the added risk of burning a year of his entry-level contract. It wasn’t a casual look—it was a trust fall in a pressure situation.
Helenius didn’t flinch.
Across his four playoff appearances, he scored twice, looked increasingly comfortable with the pace, and finished with a +1 rating. More than the numbers, though, it was the way he played—direct, confident, and unafraid of contact or tempo. Even as Buffalo ultimately bowed out in six games, Helenius left the kind of impression that lingers well beyond the final horn.
From NHL Ice To International Pressure Cooker
If his playoff stint turned heads, his work at the World Championship has only reinforced the idea that he’s trending in the right direction.
On the international stage, Helenius has carried that same confidence into meaningful minutes for Finland, helping push the team into the final with a 4–2 semifinal win over Canada. And it wasn’t a soft matchup by any measure—Finland had to deal with a loaded Canadian roster featuring Sidney Crosby, Macklin Celebrini, Robert Thomas, and Morgan Rielly Sidney Crosby Macklin Celebrini Robert Thomas Morgan Rielly.
The defining moment came in the second period of a 2–2 game, when Helenius found space behind the defense, created separation in tight quarters, and slipped the puck five-hole to break the tie. It was the kind of finish that reflects not just skill, but composure under pressure.
Through five tournament games, he now sits at two goals and three assists, and only Aleksander Barkov has matched his distinction of recording both a goal and an assist in the semifinal for Finland.
The Sky Is The Limit In Buffalo’s Long-Term Picture
For the Sabres, the bigger picture is starting to come into focus quickly. Helenius’ brief NHL sample already showed production with 1 goal and 3 assists in 9 regular-season games, followed by a playoff stretch where he added 2 more goals in 4 appearances. Add in what he’s doing internationally, and the trajectory is becoming harder to downplay.
There are still decisions to be made in Buffalo this offseason, but one of the cleaner ones might already be in front of them. Helenius hasn’t just looked ready for more NHL games—he’s looked like he belongs in them. And at this stage, with every new performance stacking on top of the last, the phrase that keeps coming up around him feels less like hype and more like reality: the sky is the limit.
A towering figure of playoff-era NHL hockey, Claude Lemieux is being remembered through a more complicated emotional lens in the aftermath of his death, as friends and colleagues describe the quiet burdens he may have carried away from the spotlight.
A Legacy Shadowed By Internal Struggles
Réjean Tremblay, a longtime Montreal hockey columnist and close friend of Lemieux for more than 30 years, suggested in an interview published Saturday that unresolved feelings tied to recognition and legacy weighed heavily on the former NHL forward.
“He always lived this as an injustice, a heavy burden to bear,” Réjean Tremblay, Montreal hockey columnist and friend who knew Lemieux for 30 years, told The New York Post in an interview published on Saturday, May 30, claiming that the late hockey star was “deeply sensitive to rejection” and, as a result, never got over the fact that he wasn’t inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame following his 2009 retirement.
“The sense of rejection ran deeper than one might have imagined,” Tremblay further claimed. “He took it very hard.”
The NHL legend was found dead on Thursday, May 28, by one of his three sons. He was 60. His death was later ruled a suicide.
Final Appearances, Reflections, And A Shifting Perspective
In the months leading up to his passing, Lemieux made several public appearances that now stand out in a different light to those reflecting on his final chapter.
On December 11, Lemieux attended the Panthers-Avalanche game at Ball arena where the organization honored its 1996 Stanley Cup-winning team, a group he played a key role on during his years in Denver. During the event, he briefly spoke with reporters and reflected on the evolution of the modern NHL, expressing appreciation for the league’s increased focus on player safety. He noted that today’s game was "cleaner” than during his playing days, when frequent on-ice fights and physical confrontations were a defining part of the sport.
“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game Players in hockey history,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. Lemieux — who played for 21 seasons in the NHL between 1983 and 2009 — is survived by his wife, Deborah, daughter Claudia, and sons Brendan, Christopher and Michael.
“I love you dad! My son [Luc’s] favorite person is going to watch from above for a while,” Lemieux’s son Brendan wrote via Instagram, breaking his silence in the wake of his father’s shocking death. “We will see you.”
The NHL star’s death came just three days after he made an emotional appearance at Game 3 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday, May 25, where he served as a torchbearer prior to puck drop. Lemieux played for Montreal from 1983 to 1990 and was a part of the 1986 Stanley Cup team alongside Patrick Roy.
“It’s possible that surge of love, that wave of love on Monday evening, triggered an emotion that was too intense,” Tremblay claimed to The New York Post, citing other friends of Lemieux, per the outlet. “It might have reawakened old pains, old suffering.”
Colombe Lacroix, another close friend of the hockey star who was reportedly at the scene with the surviving family on Thursday, per The New York Post, said Lemieux had been “going through a difficult time” and was allegedly “depressed” prior to his death.
“They didn’t expect that at all,” she added of the player’s death by suicide. “They never saw it coming. It’s so devastating, everyone is upside down.”
The widow of former Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix, who became close with Lemieux and his wife during his years in Colorado from 1995 to 1999, recalled a final personal moment shared with the former forward.
“I held Claude in my arms, and I said thank you for being there for me,” she told The New York Post on Saturday. “He left our world too soon and I hope he’s in a better palace and that he’s happy.”
Jared Bednar suddenly finds himself at the center of speculation, and if the Colorado Avalanche decide to make a change, half of Canada could be lining up to bring him home.
Silence From Colorado Continues
Bednar remains under contract with the Colorado Avalanche for one more season, yet his future has become one of the biggest unanswered questions of the NHL offseason.
Under normal circumstances, extending the longest-tenured coach in franchise history would feel like a formality. Bednar delivered a Stanley Cup championship in 2022, guided Colorado to a Presidents' Trophy this season, and has consistently kept the Avalanche among the league's elite contenders.
But playoff exits change the conversation.
Colorado entered the postseason with legitimate championship expectations before suffering a stunning sweep at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final. The manner of the defeat has fueled debate about whether the organization needs a new voice behind the bench.
As of Friday afternoon, the Avalanche had yet to publicly address Bednar's status. No season-ending media availability has been announced, and the organization continues to operate in silence.
That uncertainty has only intensified the speculation.
Canada Could Be Waiting
If Colorado ultimately decides to move on, Bednar likely wouldn't spend much time unemployed.
The veteran coach has built one of the strongest résumés in hockey over the last decade, making him an immediate target for teams searching for leadership and stability.
According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, two Canadian franchises are already worth watching.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers would both be "very curious" if Bednar hit the market.
Pagnotta made those comments during an appearance on the "Morning Cuppa Hockey" podcast with Jonny Lazarus and Colby Cohen.
The timing is notable.
There is a reason the coaching carousel has slowed. The Maple Leafs and Oilers remain without permanent replacements, and the possibility of Bednar becoming available could be enough to keep both organizations from pulling the trigger on another candidate.
If the Avalanche do make the difficult choice to move on, Canada could very well attempt to bring one of the game's premier coaches back north of the border.
For now, however, all eyes remain on Colorado.
The longer the Avalanche stay quiet, the more people wonder whether Bednar's future is already being decided behind closed doors.
When future hockey historians look back at the 2025-26 New York Islanders, they'll see a team that faded down the stretch and missed the playoffs after a promising start.
They'll also see that the Carolina Hurricanes have an outsized role in this particular Islanders season, with countless major events for the Islanders coming against or as a result of the Hurricanes.
The Islanders only played Carolina three times this season, and went 0-3-0 along the way, completely swept.
The first meeting came all the way back on October 30, when the Hurricanes trounced the Islanders 6-2, an ugly mark.
Matthew Schaefer scored his third of the season that night, the lone bright spot in an otherwise tough loss.
That meeting was relatively quiet and does not carry too much significance.
Then came the April meetings.
The Islanders faced Carolina twice in their final five games of the season. First, they took on the Hurricanes in Raleigh on April 4, then the regular season finale took place in UBS Arena against the Hurricanes.
The Islanders entered April 4 with a three-game losing streak and fading chances at the playoffs. They desperately needed two points to keep themselves afloat.
Then, the Hurricanes dismantled the Islanders in overall play.
Despite 1-0 and 2-1 leads for the Islanders in the first two periods, the Hurricanes decimated the Islanders.
Carolina outshot the Islanders 13-4 in the first period. The Hurricanes outshot the Islanders 18-2 in the second period.
After two periods, the shots on goal were 31-6 for Carolina, but the score only read 3-2.
24 seconds into the third, Seth Jarvis made it 4-2, and that was it.
The Hurricanes' dismantling of the Islanders was the final nail in the coffin for the Roy era on Long Island.
It's fitting that the Islanders' final game of the season then came against Carolina, with DeBoer's first three games behind him.
With the Islanders officially eliminated from the playoffs, DeBoer publicly stated he wanted to see some future players for the Islanders come get their chance in the season finale.
Victor Eklund, the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut against the Hurricanes, notching his first-career point on a power play.
Eklund made a beautiful seam pass to Mathew Barzal, who then found Bo Horvat in front for a tap-in goal.
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson looked at five players in the NHL who could be bought out during the off-season. Among the players discussed was Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher.
"The Canadiens have over $10.9 million in cap space for next season. Buying out Gallagher's final season would free up an additional $2.7 million to put toward bolstering their roster. It won't be a popular move among Habs fans, but it might be better for him and the team if he no longer fits in their plans," Richardson wrote.
If the Canadiens bought out Gallagher, it would undoubtedly be a significant move. After all, the 34-year-old winger has spent the entirety of his 14-year career with the Canadiens.
Yet, at the same time, the Canadiens are entering the off-season with some roster needs to address and not a ton of cap space to work with. Due to this, Gallagher being viewed as a potential buyout candidate heading into the summer is understandable. This is especially so when noting that his $6.5 million cap hit is expensive for his current role and what he provides at this stage in his career.
Gallagher appeared in 77 games this season with the Canadiens, where he recorded seven goals, 23 points, and 98 hits. He also played in three games for the Habs during the playoffs, scoring one goal. He was scratched for all of Montreal's series against both the Buffalo Sabres and the Carolina Hurricanes.
However, given all that Gallagher has provided for the Canadiens, it would also be understandable if they gave him the chance to try to have a bounce-back year for them in 2026-27. Keep in mind, just back during the 2024-25 season, Gallagher had 21 goals and 38 points in 82 games.
Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see what the Canadiens end up doing with Gallagher this off-season.
The backup goalie market in the NHL is always a carousel, and the Philadelphia Flyers may find themselves interested in the latest name to hitch a ride on it.
This year's free agent class at the goalie position is actually quite poor, with Stuart Skinner being the clear best option and Connor Ingram, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Daniil Tarasov right behind him.
But, with backup goalie Sam Ersson's performances only worsening over time, and after three consecutive seasons at or below a .890 save percentage, the Flyers can't afford to run it back with him anymore.
The trade market is a natural, but slightly less affordable, alternative to free agency, and the Flyers would be wise to look for some deals and take advantage of other teams' situations.
One such example of this is the Montreal Canadiens, who saw incumbent starter Sam Montembeault cede his role to breakout star Jakub Dobes, then lose a lineup spot altogether to top prospect Jacob Fowler.
Montembeault, 29, stumbled to a 10-8-4 record, a 3.43 GAA, and .872 save percentage this season, with the latter comfortably being a career-worst mark.
So, while Montembeault wasn't much better than Ersson and his 14-11-5 record, 3.12 GAA, and .870 save percentage this past season, he does have a track record of being a productive rotational goalie.
In his three previous seasons with the Canadiens, Montembeault was 63-58-19 with a 3.08 GAA and .902 save percentage.
Unspectacular, to be clear, but an upgrade on Ersson's 65-50-17 career record, 3.01 GAA, and .884 save percentage.
Even if he is just an average goalie, Montembeault would be a serviceable stopgap to play low-pressure minutes behind starting Flyers goalie Dan Vladar in a less volatile media market.
The 6-foot-3 netminder can handle starting duties adequately if called upon, as evidenced by his 2024-25 campaign with the Canadiens, and he would certainly benefit from a change of scenery after the way this past year went.
That relationship is over, and there isn't really a path back to the Canadiens with better, younger options like Dobes and Fowler earning their keep.
If the Flyers can take advantage of the Canadiens' lack of leverage and pry Montembeault out of Montreal at a low cost, it would only continue the trend of the organization making smart, buy-low moves on proven NHLers.
Montembeault has one year remaining on his contract at a $3.15 million cap hit.
The Hockey News released its list of the Top 100 NHL players this season in April, and four Montreal Canadiens have made the list. Earlier, we covered Juraj Slafkovsky, who’s 94th on the list, and Nick Suzuki, who landed in the 48th spot. Now, we’ll take a look at Cole Caufield, who landed in 35th place.
The sniper’s rank on the list is largely based on his knack to not only score goals but score important goals. This season, he led the league in both go-ahead goals with 29 and overtime goals with 5. While that’s a huge part of what makes Caufield a great player, it should also be mentioned that his defensive game has also improved by leaps and bounds.
Under Martin St-Louis, the diminutive winger has become a much more complete player. He’s developed good instincts on the forecheck, and while he doesn’t have the size to throw his body around much, he does have the speed and the active stick needed to cause headaches to other teams.
While Caufield doesn’t wear a letter on his jersey, he is still one of the leaders of this team. Not only does he lead by example on the ice, but he’s also a lively presence in the room and everywhere around the team. He’s got a contagious enthusiasm for the game, and the Habs brass can always count on him to lighten the mood and help the team move on from a tough loss.
Montreal’s 15th overall pick at the 2019 NHL draft, Caufield has now played 368 regular-season games in which he has put up 307 points. In the playoffs, he has skated in 44 games, picking up 29 points along the way. The sniper is under contract with the team until the end of the 2030-31 season with a $7.785 million cap hit. There’s no denying that he will play a big role for this Montreal team and for a long time.
