The puzzle pieces of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2026 draft capital are finally locking into place.
Following the Buffalo Sabres’ heartbreaking Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the draft order for the non-finalist postseason teams has officially crystallized. For the Maple Leafs, Buffalo’s elimination confirms exactly when they will be making their second selection of the summer: locking them into the 59th overall pick.
If the path to acquiring that selection sounds complicated, that’s because it is.
The Maple Leafs originally acquired the asset from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the return package for forward Scott Laughton back in March. Originally structured as a 2026 third-round pick, the asset included a conditional trigger: if the Kings qualified for the 2026 postseason, the pick would automatically upgrade to the Sabres’ second-rounder. Los Angeles held the Sabres’ natural second-round pick via a previous transaction, that specific selection has now been diverted to Toronto.
When determining the NHL Draft order, the league operates backwards from the postseason results. The Stanley Cup champion picks 32nd, the runner-up picks 31st, and the conference finalists fill out spots 29 and 30 based on regular-season records. From there, the remaining 12 playoff teams are ordered by their regular-season point totals. With Buffalo bowed out in the second round, their regular-season finish officially locks their slot at No. 59.
For a Maple Leafs front office trying to restock an incredibly bare prospect cupboard, securing a concrete second-round asset can help.
Going into this season, Toronto’s draft pick outlook was bleak, to say the least. Trade deadline deals in 2025 saw management ship away their own consecutive first-round picks to the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers in desperate pushes for a deep playoff run.
But fortunes change quickly in the National Hockey League. Thanks to a monumental stroke of luck at the NHL Draft Lottery earlier this month, where the Leafs defied the odds and jumped from the No. 5 spot to the No. 1 overall position, Toronto is suddenly anchored by a potential franchise-altering first-round prize.
Now, with Buffalo’s finalized 58th pick safely in their back pocket, the Leafs possess two swings in the top 60. It may not completely fix a depleted prospect pipeline overnight, but it gives management some much-needed flexibility when the draft floor opens in June.
Montreal Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis is normally pretty even-keeled, but on Monday night, after his young Habs eliminated the Buffalo Sabres in overtime, the former NHLer was visibly emotive. When Alex Newhook scored the game-winning goal, the coach, after shaking hands with his assistants and the rest of the Canadiens’ staff behind the bench, headed on the ice and walked over towards the opponent’s net slowly. Looking to the heavens, the coach looked like he was soaking in the moment.
After shaking hands with the Sabres at center ice and celebrating the win with his players in the room, the man in charge headed to the podium to speak to the media. After a few routine questions, RDS Francois Gagnon asked St-Louis what that moment was about, and the coach said with watery eyes and a voice that was cracking:
I spoke to my mother a lot during overtime…That’s really what it was.
The coach lost his mother during the 2013-14 playoffs, to a heart attack, a sudden death that nobody saw coming at the age of 63. Back then, he was still a player and his team, the New York Rangers, was playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round of the playoffs.
The Blueshirts moved on to the third round, where they faced the Habs. That allowed him and his team to attend the funeral, just like the Canadiens also did back then. The Rangers then eliminated the Sainte-Flanelle to move on to the Stanley Cup Final, but in Game 4 of that series against the Habs, the man who would later coach them scored an overtime game-winner. If his late mother had a hand in the Habs’ elimination back in 2014, she made up for it on Monday night when she helped her son through a stressful overtime win.
The Montreal Canadiens are moving on, but they shouldn't expect the entirety of Canadian hockey fans to be joining them.
Following a thrilling, emotional Game 7 overtime victory against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens have officially punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final. Standing in their way are the rested and ruthless Carolina Hurricanes, with Game 1 set to puck-drop in Raleigh this Thursday.
But before the players even hit the ice, the off-ice psychological warfare has already begun.
The Hurricanes, who have built a notorious reputation for their sharp-witted and snarky social media presence, wasted no time taking to X (formerly Twitter) to roll out the welcome mat for a specific demographic: Toronto Maple Leafs fans. Knowing full well the deep-seated, historic animosity between the Leafs and Habs, Carolina openly invited displaced Toronto fans to jump on the Hurricanes’ bandwagon for the upcoming round.
It touches on a fierce, annual debate across the hockey landscape. As the lone Canadian franchise remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Montreal technically carries the torch for a country that hasn't seen the Cup cross its border since the Canadiens last won it in 1993. Yet, the concept of "Canada's Team" remains highly polarized; asking a die-hard Leafs fan to cheer for Montreal is a bridge too far for most.
If Montreal wants to keep defying the odds, they certainly have history on their side. The Habs are the first NHL team to win their first two playoff series in Game 7s on the road during a single postseason since the 2014 Los Angeles Kings—a squad that famously dispatched the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks en route to a Stanley Cup championship. Furthermore, this current Montreal group is the youngest team to advance to a conference final since that legendary 1993 Canadiens roster. In an eerie statistical coincidence, both squads featured an identical average age of just 25.8.
The Montreal Canadiens are the youngest NHL team to advance to the conference final since the 1993 #habs, per @NHLPR.
But the Hurricanes are their own statistical juggernaut. Carolina has been sitting on their latest social media post for ten days, waiting out the break after a dominant sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers. They are the first team to skate to a perfect 8-0 start in the playoffs since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers, another historic powerhouse that went on to hoist Lord Stanley’s mug.
Something has to give in this series. But whether you are wearing Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge, or begrudgingly donning Hurricanes red, one thing is guaranteed: the battle on social media will be just as entertaining as the war on the ice.
May 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) looks on during the third period against the Minnesota Wild in game two of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
We’ve looked at the forwards and the defense; now, we’ll examine the final and, as some may argue, the most critical position for both the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights: goaltending.
Colorado Avalanche
Projected Starter: Scott Wedgewood
Projected Backup: Mackenzie Blackwood
The tandem effort of Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood powered the Avalanche to the top of the NHL for the near entirety of the NHL regular season. Still, it’s been Scott Wedgewood who has emerged as Jared Bednar’s go-to netminder for the Avs’ 2026 playoff run. Wedgewood, who’s had a storybook year as one-half of the Jennings Trophy-winning duo for Colorado, has put together an impressive, albeit small, body of work. On the eve of his first Western Conference Final as a starter, Wedgewood’s 2.21 goals against average and .914 save percentage rank seventh and sixth, respectively, among playoff goaltenders. His only blemish was the 5-1 loss in Game Three to Minnesota, which snapped a six-game consecutive win streak that stretched over a first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and halfway through the second round against the Minnesota Wild.
Love this view of Scott Wedgewood after the Avalanche’s epic comeback and OT win. He didn’t allow a goal for his 44 minutes on the ice. pic.twitter.com/GcYjYAYb4S
Not bad for a goaltender who never started in a playoff game before.
The solid play of Wedgewood has limited Blackwood to relief duties to this point in the Avs playoff run. To his credit, Blackwood provided stability in a critical Game Four, stopping 19 of 22 shots to put the Avs in position to eliminate Minnesota two nights later. Unfortunately, a flaccid first period by the Avs in Game Five spelled an early exit for Blackwood. Still, a vastly improved effort by the Avs—and seven saves by the returning Wedgewood—led to the eventual knockout blow in overtime. Without Blackwood’s solid play in Minnesota, things could have played out much differently. Even though he got the hook in Game Five, his efforts in Game Four played a pivotal role in the Avs’ success in the second round.
Thanks to the Avs making quick work of their opponents, Wedgewood’s 435 minutes of game time puts him at ninth overall among playoff goaltenders. However, two other active goaltenders, Montréal’s Jakub Dobeš and Vegas’ Carter Hart (more on him later) have played more postseason minutes. Despite playing fewer games than Hart through two rounds, the reduced workload could favor Wedgewood and the Avs if this series goes the distance.
Scott Wedgewood takes the net to start the second after Mackenzie Blackwood allowed 3 goals on 13 shots 👀 pic.twitter.com/fC8qFv0wTV
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 14, 2026
With only one postseason loss and an incredible comeback win to close out Minnesota, Wedgewood certainly shouldn’t be lacking in confidence heading into this series against Vegas. Wedgewood is undefeated on Ball Arena in postseason play, and both of his regular-season victories over Vegas—including another remarkable 6-5 comeback win—took place at T-Mobile Arena. Should he stumble, the Avs have the option to go to Blackwood for that opportunity to reset.
Just don’t expect the reset to last for very long.
Vegas Golden Knights
Projected Starter: Carter Hart
Projected Backup: Adin Hill
When Vegas succeeded Colorado as Stanley Cup champions in 2023, they did so off an incredible run by Adin Hill. Three years later, injuries limited Hill to twenty-seven regular-season games, and controversial free-agent signee Carter Hart has since guided Vegas into the playoffs. Hart’s signing back in October certainly raised eyebrows, but his postseason play has paid dividends for a franchise that leans into controversy rather than shying away from it.
Hart has started all twelve playoff games for Vegas and is tied with Dobeš and Carolina’s Frederik Anderson for the lead in playoff wins (8). Having defeated both Utah and Anaheim in consecutive six-game series, Hart has compiled an 8-4 record as he makes his first appearance in a Western Conference Final. His 2.37 goals against average and .917 save percentage are eighth and fifth, respectively, among playoff goaltenders. Going head-to-head by these numbers, Hart fares slightly worse than Wedgewood when it comes to GAA, but owns a slightly better save percentage.
Hart’s 322 total saves also rank second to Dobeš (363) among playoff goaltenders. While this certainly is an impressively high number, the problem is that it is an impressively high number: while Wedgewood’s 171 total saves—eighth among playoff goaltenders—can be attributed to playing fewer games through two rounds, Hart’s total also points to seeing an average of just over 29 shots per game. With Colorado averaging over 31 shots on goal per game in these playoffs, Hart will continue to stay busy in this series. Staying busy hasn’t been an issue for Hart (yet), as his 758 minutes of playing time trails only Dobeš among playoff goaltenders (858).
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 15, 2026
Despite the high save volume, Hart didn’t get off to the best start in the first round. He gave up nineteen goals against Utah—including four goals in three consecutive games—compared to the six goals allowed by Wedgewood in Colorado’s first-round sweep of Los Angeles. He improved through the second round, however, limiting Anaheim to two goals or less in each of his wins. Despite allowing twelve total goals in the series against Anaheim, this figure bests both Wedgewood and Blackwood’s seventeen allowed goals against Minnesota.
Hill, who last played on April 9 (a 4-3 shootout decision over Seattle), could be pressed into service should Hart struggle against the potent Colorado offense. If Vegas is forced to roll the dice on Hill, it wouldn’t be the worst gamble to turn back to the goaltender who backstopped them to their first championship. Hill has met the pressure of the moment before, and already knows the expectations to meet that moment again.
Stepping into that moment, especially against the playoff juggernaut that is the Colorado Avalanche, isn’t for the faint-hearted.
The Montreal Canadiens have made it to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7. Alex Newhook scored the overtime winner for the Habs, and they will be facing off against the Carolina Hurricanes because of it.
Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes is a major reason for the Original Six club advancing to the Eastern Conference Final. This is because the 24-year-old goaltender had an excellent Game 7 for Montreal.
Dobes stepped up in a major way against Buffalo in Game 7, as he stopped 37 out of 39 Sabres shots he faced. The Sabres may have generated more chances than the Canadiens in Game 7, but Dobes shut the door for Montreal.
Dobes putting together a great Game 7 like this came after he struggled in Game 6. The 2020 fifth-round pick allowed six goals on 33 shots against the Sabres in Game 6 before being pulled. With this, the Canadiens needed a bounce-back game from Dobes, and he provided them with just that.
Dobes ability to bounce back after a loss has been a constant theme this post-season, and he is becoming a clutch goaltender because of it. In 14 games now this post-season, he has an 8-6 record, a 2.52 goals-against average, and a .910 save percentage.
Dobes will now be looking to keep this kind of play up against a very good Hurricanes team. While the undefeated Hurricanes will be a tough challenge for the Canadiens, the Habs have already beaten two very good teams in the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sabres this post-season.
The Hockey News has opened its full archive to subscribers, giving fans access to 76 years of hockey history, feature stories, and unforgettable moments. In the latest issue, we rank the NHL’s top 100 players, with Winnipeg Jets standout defenseman Josh Morrissey coming in No. 34th overall. Here is a free preview featuring players ranked 32 through 36.
Subscribe today to see where other standout Winnipeg players, including Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor landed on the list, explore the complete top 100 rankings, and dive into the full THN Archives
Top 100 NHL Players: 32-36 - Apr. 17 2026 - Vol. 79 Issue 10
32 TAGE THOMPSON
POS: C | AGE: 28 | LY: 65
Thompson might be one of the NHL’s skinniest players, but he has one of the heaviest shots. He’s not Alex Ovechkin, but his snipe from the left circle on the power play is just as feared as Ovi’s. His long reach is an asset in both defending and protecting the puck, and his quick release makes him dangerous in the scoring areas.
33 MATTHEW SCHAEFER
POS: D | AGE: 18 | LY: N/A
Every superlative has already been used on the rookie defenseman, who is a lock for the Calder thanks to an exceptional two-way game and incredible skating. So how about this? With eight games in hand, Schaefer passed fellow Islanders No. 1 pick John Tavares – a center – on New York’s rookie-points leaderboard.
34 JOSH MORRISSEY
POS: D | AGE: 31 | LY: 23
Morrissey doesn’t have next-level flash or dominant physical attributes, but his smarts separate him from the pack. His presence is metronomic in Winnipeg; he makes the entire Jets on-ice operation truly tick. He passed Dustin Byfuglien to become the highest-scoring D-man in franchise history with an OT-winner in March.
35 COLE CAUFIELD
POS: LW | AGE: 25 | LY: 66
Some guys feast on empty calories. Caufield is not one of those guys. His 29 go-ahead goals led the league, as did his five overtime goals. The NHL is a better place when the Canadiens have a 50-goal scorer in their lineup, and Caufield did just that when he scored in a winning effort against Tampa Bay on April 9.
36 FILIP GUSTAVSSON
POS: G | AGE: 27 | LY: 74
Outside of Minnesota, Gustavsson is underrated. Aside from 2023-24, a rare blemish on his record, he has shown he has a rare attribute among keepers: consistency. Among goalies to play 100 games over the past two seasons, only Andrei Vasilevskiy and Connor Hellebuyck have better save percentages than Gustavsson
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 below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The New York Islanders will be looking to add this summer, both up front for scoring and on the right side of their defense.
Often, the easiest way to add to the roster in the summer is through the July 1 Free-Agent Frenzy.
It's no secret the Islanders could covet the top available players like Alex Tuch and Darren Raddysh, but it's very rare to land the top guy on the board for any team in the NHL.
Instead, the second wave of players usually is where most of the NHL gets its business done, including the Islanders.
The Islanders have been competitive in the free-agent market the last two years for forwards, most notably with Brock Boeser this past July 1.
Instead, Boeser extended at the very last minute with the Vancouver Canucks.
The #Isles were closer than many realize to landing Brock Boeser in free agency.
The Islanders tried to improve their roster, signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal that did not pan out as hoped, ultimately trading him to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Brayden Schenn trade.
The year before, 2024, the Islanders' ambitions were hidden in the famed Lou Lamoriello Cone of Silence, but it's likely they'd have had major interest in the likes of Steven Stamkos, the top UFA.
Instead, he signed with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators.
The Islanders then turned around and signed Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal that has not panned out as hoped. They will be looking hard to move the player off the roster this summer.
Both Drouin and Duclair were clear adds to the middle-six of the Islanders, with hopes they could even be a fit on New York's top line alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, before the latter returned to center.
The Islanders need a clear top-line winger, not another stop-gap winger, especially with Victor Eklund looking like a strong bet to be a day-one NHLer next season.
If the Islanders do wish to improve the forward group, the best way to do so this summer could be via trade, with one target being Eklund's older brother, William.
San Jose jumping to No. 2 overall may have opened the door for something bigger.
The #FutureIsTeal also own the No. 20 pick, have a loaded young forward group, and still badly need defense.
This year's forward free agency class behind Tuch is an extremely thin class.
In recent days, the Islanders have been linked with Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson, 33, had a great year in Boston, scoring 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games, skating on Boston's second line.
Arvidsson then scored two goals in three playoff games before suffering a season-ending broken rib and punctured lung early in Game 4.
On paper, adding Arvidsson's 25 goals (a pace of 29.7 goals over a full 82 games) could make sense for the Islanders.
It's also only the second time in the last six seasons that Arvidsson has scored that many goals. He scored 26 in 2022-23. Then he played only 18 games in 2023-24, dealing with major injuries.
In 2024-25 with the Edmonton Oilers, Arvidsson scored 15 goals and 27 points in 62 games.
Aside from this past season (2025-26) and the 2022-23 season, Arvidsson has been hampered by injuries and a lack of consistent production.
If that sounds familiar, it's similar to the way Drouin and Duclair were described before signing with the Islanders.
It's not a mistake the Islanders can afford to make for a third-straight summer.
When the Philadelphia Flyers inevitably sign starting goalie Dan Vladar to a contract extension, the new deal will come with some sticker shock. That is to be expected with the goalie market the way it is these days.
Vladar, 28, bet on himself last summer when he signed a two-year, $6.7 million ($3.35 million AAV) contract with the Flyers, parlaying some boilerplate seasons with the Calgary Flames into an opportunity to become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.
The Czech netminder did that in 2025-26, going 29-14-7 in 52 games for the Flyers while posting a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Notably, Vladar's 52 games played were greater than his 2023-24 (20) and 2024-25 (30) totals with the Flames combined. For the Flyers, the signing was, admittedly, a bit of a risk, but it paid off.
Now, once July 1 arrives, the Flyers can move to extend the backbone of their team, and while we all expect that to happen, the deliberation focuses more on how long the new contract is for, and how much it will pay.
You can expect it to be something like five years and $25- to $30 million (between $5- and $6 million AAV).
That seems rich for an older goalie coming off a career year, right? Well, it is, and that is also invariably going to be the market for him and any other established goalie held in high regard by an organization.
For recent precedent, we can look to the Vancouver Canucks, who are just one year removed from having Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet behind their bench.
On Feb. 21, 2025, while Tocchet was still with the team, the Canucks signed backup goalie Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5 million ($4.5 million AAV) deal with the Finn admirably filling in for an ailing Thatcher Demko.
Last season, Lankinen finished the year 25-15-10 in 51 games, posting a 2.62 GAA and .902 save percentage in an expanded role.
In his previous two seasons with the Nashville Predators, Lankinen had played a combined 43 regular season games. See the similarities?
An easy counterargument against the Lankinen comparison would be that Lankinen was a paltry 11-27-5 this past season with a 3.70 GAA and .875 save percentage, but no religious or spiritual deity is saving what was the 2025-26 Canucks, who finished last in the NHL by a comfortable 14-point margin.
The Flyers, like the Canucks when they signed Lankinen, are in no position to mess about with their future in goal. Demko's injury issues have, obviously, proven to be problematic, while the Flyers just suffered through two dire seasons at the expense of their goaltending before Vladar came along.
If Vladar pulls in a contract that exceeds $20 million, as he very well should, he'll be making a bit less than a good starter would be elsewhere in the NHL.
In a few years, when the salary cap goes up, the 28-year-old will probably just be making decent money to be an upper-tier backup, which the Flyers should hope he will be.
By extending Vladar, the Flyers, quite literally, buy themselves more time to patiently develop goalie prospects like Aleksei Kolosov, Egor Zavragin, Carson Bjarnason, and any other netminders they may select in 2026 and future drafts.
There is a price to pay, just as there was with Christian Dvorak, Owen Tippett, and Travis Konecny, but the Flyers are in no position to do otherwise.
For Vladar, the next contract will be a well-earned raise that rewards him for all the work he put in to address the weaknesses in his game and become a better goalie.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 9: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck in front of Olen Zellweger #51 of the Anaheim Ducks at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 9, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The dust is still settling on the Penguins’ season. Kyle Dubas gave his end of season press conference last week and the team will be mostly inactive until the end of June. They might have the occasional re-signing, like recent moves to bring back Connor Dewar and Ilya Solovyov in the short-term but the rhythm of the season will be mostly quiet for a while longer.
Nothing, however, stops the rumors and whispers about. The recently eliminated Anaheim Ducks were a natural talking point for national reporters like Elliotte Friedman to discuss.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Ducks: They have players who are in and out of the lineup that intrigue other people, Mason McTavish; Olen Zellweger; [Verbeek's] gonna have options here – 32 Thoughts (5/15)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 17, 2026
The Penguins and Ducks have been frequent trading partners in the recent past and are natural enough fits since they reside in different conferences. It also seems like that for whatever reason Anaheim often has at least rumors of player availability, like with defenseman Pavel Mintyukov last season. That talk died down permanently after Mintyukov eventually found his way into Anaheim’s top-four and became a focal point of their team.
The talk these days has shifted to situate around McTavish and Zellweger.
Neither are Egor Chinakhov cases where the team that drafted that player is going to cut bait for a relatively low price of a couple of non-first round draft picks. As Friedman notes, there will be significant interest around the league should either one of them move into the realm of serious trade consideration.
That status alone might be enough to chase a team like Pittsburgh away either voluntarily if they don’t want to meet the price set, or perhaps involuntarily if Anaheim is simply receiving better offers from other teams than what the Pens have to give themselves.
However, at this point, both McTavish and Zellweger would be matches and fits for the Penguins. Their reasonable young center depth chart is basically Ben Kindel and nothing else at this point, though Bill Zonnon has been doing well in the AHL playoffs in his very first pro action. (Zonnon is also playing on the fourth line there, any hopes for an accelerated turn into a full-time NHL player in the very immediate future might be a little too hopeful in timing).
While McTavish fits a need, his status as a former No. 3 overall pick in 2021 and a player who has produced four straight 40+ point seasons in the NHL while barely scratching the surface of meeting his potential might be a stretch for the Pens to reasonably acquire.
That could make Zellweger, or 22-year old Tristan Luneau who played almost all of 2025-26 in the AHL, more precise, realistic options for Pittsburgh. Both are left handed defensemen, where the pipeline of talent within the organization at that position is even more lacking than center. A smooth-skating player like Zellweger who can operate in the offensive zone (scoring seven goals and getting 22 points last season) fits the mold of the style that Kyle Dubas has sought in the past.
The other big question would be if the Pens have what Anaheim might be interested in at this point of their evolution into a playoff team. The Ducks did trade their first round pick away, even though they probably wouldn’t be looking to move a lot of ready or near-ready talent to reload with a prospect, it might make some sense that they would be interested in getting a spot in the 2026 first round considering that they currently don’t have a pick there. On the flip side, whether or not the Pens would move a first round pick for NHL ready talent remains a question to be answered.
This time of year there’s not much more besides wondering at this point. Given Dubas’s nature and history it’s a good bet he’ll be active to at least get the information needed to see if there’s a deal to be struck that both sides would act on. Anaheim and Pittsburgh have long been linked to various degrees in rumors and trades, we’ll have to see this summer if another chapter gets added to that history.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save during the first period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Artūrs Šilovs Born: March 22, 2001 (25 years old) Height: 6’4” Weight: 208 pounds Hometown: Riga, Latvia Catches: Left Draft: 2019, Vancouver Canucks (Sixth round, No. 156 overall) 2025-26 Statistics: 39 games played (38 starts), 19-12-8 record, 3.07 GAA, .888 SV%. Playoffs: 3 GP (3 starts), 2-1 record, 1.52 GAA, .939 SV%. Contract Status: Pending restricted free agent on July 1, completed a two-year, $1.7 million contract ($850,000 cap hit)
Šilovs was an NHL rookie who saw the most ice time of any Penguins goaltender in 2025-26, remaining a regular member of the rotation whether it was Tristan Jarry, Sergei Murashov or Stuart Skinner on the other side of the tandem.
Story of the Season
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acquired Šilovs amid a flurry of free agency moves last July by sending former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-rounder to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Penguins have acquired goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Šilovs, who had never made more than nine starts in a season during his tenure with the Canucks, went on to make his debut on opening night of the 2025-26 season.
He took advantage of getting the nod over Jarry by recording his first career regular-season shutout of his career.
Šilovs spent the first two and a half months of the season trading starts with either Jarry or Murashov, right up until the Penguins traded Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for a package including Skinner on Dec. 12.
Skinner and Šilovs spent the rest of the regular season mostly alternating starts. Skinner got the nod for the start of the postseason, although the Penguins ultimately turned to Šilovs after falling into an 0-3 first-round deficit to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Šilovs posted three strong postseason performances to help the Penguins push the series to Game 6 before the team’s elimination 1-0 overtime loss.
The netminder told reporters in his exit interviews he had been playing through a knee injury for the last three to four weeks of the regular season.
HDSV%: .800 HDGAA: 1.40 GSAA: -6.74 Shots Against/60: 27.13 Saves/60: 24.22 HD Shots Against/60: 7.02 HD Saves/60: 5.62 Rush Attempts Against/60: 0.9 Rebound Attempts Against/60: 5.35 Average shot distance: 33.92 feet Average goal distance: 21.36 feet
Both Šilovs and Skinner struggled this season when faced with shots from dangerous areas, a task given to them fairly often amid the Penguins’ defense collapses. Those two netminders ranked 34th and 33rd, respectively, in high-danger save percentage out of 42 goaltenders who played at least 1,500 minutes last season.
It’s impossible to talk about Šilovs’ season without talking about his .409 save percentage in shootouts. The Penguins lost eight of them with him in net.
Šilovs remains a work in progress as far as WAR metrics go. His save percentage in the bottom right corner is starting to catch up to the expected, which is a good sign. It’ll be interesting in the future if he can draw out strong performances and boost his quality and excellent starts and bring down the totals of what is considered ‘bad’.
Šilovs has an interesting breakdown by zones. According to the NHL Edge data, he struggled in high danger moments but then again he had to face his fair share of them in front of a defense that struggled at times. Šilovs was at his best from mid-zone shots, especially to his right side (.943 save%), which came in handy since that location was the area the second highest amount of shots he faced came from (116 saves, 123 shots).
Goals in the NHL are often times the result of going to the net, being stronger in that situation is an opportunity for improvement. Šilovs gave up 64 goals from the high danger zones on 285 shots, had he been able to give a league average performance (.811%) that would have meant 10 fewer goals allowed on the season. That alone would have lowered his season GAA from 3.07 to 2.74 (a difference of being 41st place as he was, up to 25th) and raised his save percentage from .888% to .898%. Whether that comes from his performance, help from defense or a combination of both is a growth area that player and team should strive for next season.
When you talk Šilovs, you have to mention his small but impressive sample in the playoffs for Games 4-6. He raised his game across virtually all areas, save for that fateful shot from the right point that ended the Pens’ season courtesy of traffic in front of the net. While you couldn’t expect this type of performance over the long haul, it’s data to support the narrative that Šilovs is capable of playing his best games in the moments that matter the most – a growing trend in his young career.
Is Murashov ready for regular-season NHL action after shining in the AHL last season? If so, does Šilovs return next season?
Should Šilovs return, will he be able to improve on his numbers from last season and get closer to the ceiling he showed this postseason he’s capable of reaching?
Šilovs capped off the campaign with a strong playoff run, but some of his numbers down the stretch of the regular-season were less than ideal.
Examples: Šilovs went a nine-game stretch without posting a save percentage over .900 from Nov. 21 to Jan . 4 (3.8 goals against average over that span).
He allowed at least four goals against in seven of his last 11 appearances of the season (.850 save percentage, 3.6 goals against average over the stretch). It should be noted that, according to Šilovs’ exit interviews, he would have been playing through a knee injury around that time.
Can stronger defensive play and improvements from Šilovs help limit those stretches in a second season as a regular starter? How much was Šilovs’ injury impacting him down the stretch?
What Dubas feels those answers are could impact what the goaltending rotation looks like next season in Pittsburgh.
Ideal 2026-27
Šilovs is a 25-year-old with a relatively limited sample size of regular-season action (56 career starts) and time to potentially improve in high-danger situations.
An ideal 2026-27 for the Penguins could look like Murashov taking the next step toward the AHL with a stronger Šilovs as his tandem partner should Skinner walk in unrestricted free agency.
Bottom line
Šilovs’ best stretch of the season came when it mattered most. His strong play helped the Penguins win two elimination contests to push the Flyers to Game 6.
This isn’t the first strong playoff run of Šilovs’ young career. He also made 10 playoff starts while helping the Canucks come within one win of the Western Conference Finals in 2024, and he was named Calder Cup MVP after leading the Canucks’ AHL affiliate to a title in 2025.
Šilovs’ ability to step up in the clutch could help make his case for the Penguins to re-sign him this offseason.
Final Grade
B
Šilovs struggled at times to limit scoring, especially when faced with high-danger chances or shootouts, during the regular season. He also helped the Penguins make the playoffs in his first season as an NHL starter, and he was a key reason his team exited the postseason with two wins under their belts.
What grade do you think Šilovs earned in his first season with the Penguins ahead of his upcoming restricted free agency?
The Buffalo Sabres' magical season came to an end with their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. While the Sabres ended up being eliminated in the second round, there is no question that they had a successful year.
Now, the Sabres are entering a big off-season. There is a real chance that some of their players from this year's roster won't be back next season. Due to this, let's look at three Sabres that may have played their final games with the Atlantic Division club.
Logan Stanley
After a career year, Logan Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and set to land a nice raise over his current $1.25 million AAV. However, when noting that the Sabres already having a lot of left-shot defensemen and Stanley was scratched multiple times during the playoffs, it would not be surprising if the Sabres let him leave through free agency this summer.
Luke Schenn
After being acquired by the Sabres from the Jets at the deadline, Luke Schenn played in just four regular-season games and two playoff games for Buffalo. With this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Sabres did not re-sign the 36-year-old defenseman this summer.
Tanner Pearson
Tanner Pearson is another trade deadline acquisition who likely won't be back with the Sabres next season. The 33-year-old forward did not play for the Sabres during the playoffs and played in just four regular-season games for them after being acquired from the Jets. With the Sabres having plenty of forward depth, the veteran winger likely won't be re-signed.
After a despicable effort in Game 6 at the Bell Centre, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to bounce back in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres. Martin St-Louis’ men were looking to deliver a better performance than they had in their last Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While they had come away with the win, they had only managed to get nine shots on goal. After making no lineup changes in the first six games of the series, Montreal’s bench boss elected to replace Joe Veleno with Oliver Kapanen, who hadn’t played since Game 4 of the first-round.
A Strong Start
The Habs had only scored first once in the series, and in the last two games, their top line had committed a turnover early on to hand the Sabres the lead on a silver platter. In this crucial game, the coach elected to change things up, starting the defensively responsible Jake Evans alongside Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov.
Not only did the Canadiens not concede early on, but they also opened the score before the clock hit five minutes. Kaiden Guhle fed Phillip Danault on the doorstep, and the veteran made no mistake. It was the blueliner’s sixth assist of the playoffs, and is third in a Game 7. 10 minutes later, on the power play, Zachary Bolduc doubled the Habs’ lead and quieted the Buffalo crowd. After 20 minutes, the Canadiens had a 2-0 lead and 11 shots, two more than they did in the entire final game against Tampa.
Two-Sided Coin
Once again in this game, Jakub Dobes was a key player for the Canadiens, making several key saves and being aggressive and proactive in and around the net. While most of the time that has served him well, he was partly responsible for the Sabres’ first goal when he harpooned the puck as Beck Malenstyn was coming from behind the net, and it bounced right to Mattias Samuelsson in the slot. The defenseman launched a shot that bounced off Jordan Greenway, bringing Buffalo back within one.
That being said, the goaltender must have felt like he needed to lend a hand as the Canadiens were stuck in their zone for an extended period of time for a second shift in a row. In that second frame, Dobes faced 14 Buffalo shots and stopped them all but one, which is why he was all smiles heading back to the room. The Canadiens have got to do something about the way they tend to let their opponent take over once they have the lead; they have to match their desperation and urgency, even if they feel like they are in the driver’s seat. It’s cost them dearly in Game 6 and led to a complete unravelling.
The third period wasn’t kind to Dobes; he was hit in the head by Jason Zucker's shoulder in the crease after making a desperate save, and there was no call. Granted, the Canadiens’ netminder might have tried to sell it too hard, but if that’s what the referee thought, he should have called the goalie interference and the embellishment. Shortly after that play, Rasmus Dahlin tied up the game, going upstairs near post on the Czech netminder.
If Cole Caufield has earned his Mr. Saturday Night nickname, Alex Newhook is slowly but surely working on getting the Mr. Game 7 moniker. After sealing the deal in Game 7 against the Lightning, it was the Newfoundlander who found the back of the net in overtime on Monday night. He’s the only player on the Canadiens’ roster with a Stanley Cup ring, and it shows.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
While he had only two shots on goal, he made seven attempts over nearly 72 minutes and landed three hits. Full marks to Alexandre Carrier for the good first pass and to Jake Evans for driving to the net and screening Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
One shouldn’t forget about Dobes, however. He stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced for a .949 save percentage and, as unbelievable as it may sound, his save percentage was even better in the seventh game against Tampa when he made 28 saves on 29 shots for a .966 SV.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
14 games are a lot of action for a goaltender in the playoffs, but when asked if he was getting tired after the game, he smiled and replied that he could easily play 40 more games. That will be music to the Canadiens’ fans’ ears as he’ll have at least another four to play in. Dobes also sent his thanks to Buffalo’s fans, saying he loves being the villain and how they were calling his name.
Montreal will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Final. While the Habs just went through two hard-fought seven games series, the Canes have swept both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on their way to a fourth Conference Final since 2018-2019. However, they are 1-12 in the third round in that timespan. They had also reached the Conference Final back in 2008-2009, and lost to the Penguins in four games.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division)
Denver; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Avalanche -196, Golden Knights +163; over/under is 6
STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Avalanche host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Vegas Golden Knights to start the Western Conference finals. The teams meet Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Avalanche went 2-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 11, the Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with two goals.
Colorado has a 31-9-6 record in home games and a 55-16-11 record overall. The Avalanche have a 54-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas is 23-16-8 in road games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 45-7-11 when scoring at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brock Nelson has scored 33 goals with 32 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Dorofeyev has nine goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen: day to day (upper-body), Brent Burns: day to day (undisclosed), Cale Makar: day to day (undisclosed), Sam Malinski: day to day (upper-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (upper-body), Mark Stone: day to day (lower-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
May 10, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook (15) celebrates with teammate defenseman Lane Hutson (48) after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabresduring the first period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook scored his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason, this time 11:22 into overtime in the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Newhook drove up the left wing and as he approached the circle snapped a shot through a screen that beat goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen inside the far post. Newhook also scored the decisive goal, breaking a 1-1 tie 11:07 into the third period, in Game 7 of Montreal’s first-round series win over Tampa Bay.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Newhook said of scoring back-to-back Game 7 winners. “It’s fun. It’s why you play the game. I think we played well enough to win, so we’re looking forward now.”
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens and Jakub Dobes finished with 37 saves.
Rasmus Dahlin forced overtime by tying the game 6:27 into the third period. Jordan Greenway also scored. Luukkonen finished with 22 saves.
The Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where they’ll face the well-rested Hurricanes in a series set to open at Carolina on Thursday. The Hurricanes have swept each of their first two series, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9.
The Canadiens continue their upward trajectory a year after being eliminated in the first round by Washington.
“We’re a confident group,” Newhook said. “We’ve added some pieces, and I think everyone’s kind of come together to play together and play their role to the best of their ability this far in playoffs. We’ve got to keep it rolling.”
Buffalo dropped to 1-7 in Game 7, including 1-3 in overtime.
The Sabres enter their offseason following a breakout year in which they won their first Atlantic Division title and ended an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo’s turnaround began in early December, when the team went from last in the East standings to finish second by going 39-9-5 over its final 53 games.
The Sabres’ first-round win over Boston was their first since 2007, and the team returns a young and talented group that reflects a promising future in Buffalo.
Trailing 2-0, the Sabres cut Montreal’s lead 13:19 into the second period when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot grazed off Greenway and into the open left side past a screened Dobes. Dahlin then tied it after being set up by Owen Power to the left of the Montreal net, and fired a shot in before Dobes could get across.
Game 7 followed the series script in which each of the opening goals have been scored within the first seven minutes.
For only the second time, though, it was the Canadiens scoring first 4:30 in. Danault was parked in front and had Kaiden Guhle’s shot from the left circle deflect in off his skate.
Bolduc followed 10 minutes later with a one-timer from the right circle in which he beat Luukkonen high on the short side. Captain Nick Suzuki set up the goal with a cross-ice feed from the far corner.
Buffalo waited 15 years to host a Game 7 like this again, only to watch its dream season end in stunned silence as the Montreal Canadiens escaped KeyBank Center with a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime victory Monday night.
Alex Newhook buried the winner 11:22 into overtime as the Canadiens survived another punishing playoff battle, eliminating the Buffalo Sabres in dramatic fashion and punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
ALEX NEWHOOK WINS IT IN OVERTIME 🚨🚨🚨
THAT'S HIS 2ND GAME 7 SERIES CLINCHING GOAL OF THESE PLAYOFFS AND THE HABS MOVE ON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yazHgkRdkP
The Canadiens, now an astonishing 6-0 following losses in these playoffs, will open the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday in Raleigh against a Carolina team that still hasn’t tasted defeat this postseason.
Montreal Survives Another Heavyweight Fight
For nearly three hours, the game felt like a tug-of-war between Buffalo’s relentless pressure and Montreal’s refusal to crack.
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc scored in regulation for the Canadiens, who once again leaned on resilience more than dominance. Montreal has now played 14 playoff games in 30 days, yet somehow continues to look composed in the moments where lesser teams unravel.
The early portion of Game 7 belonged to Montreal. The Canadiens accomplished the most important task imaginable for a road team facing elimination: silence the building before the crowd could fully ignite.
Danault opened the scoring midway through the first period after a strong forecheck forced a Buffalo turnover deep in its own zone. Later in the frame, Bolduc capitalized on the power play to stretch the lead to 2-0, abruptly draining the energy from a nervous KeyBank Center crowd.
But the Sabres never stopped pushing.
Buffalo tilted the ice for long stretches of the second period, overwhelming Montreal territorially and forcing Jakub Dobeš into a series of game-saving stops. Jordan Greenway finally cut the deficit in half on a deflection goal after wave after wave of Sabres pressure, and by the time the third period arrived, momentum had fully shifted.
When Rasmus Dahlin blasted home the tying goal just over six minutes into the third, the arena erupted back to life and the Canadiens suddenly looked vulnerable again.
They just didn’t stay vulnerable for long.
Dobeš Rebounds When Montreal Needed Him Most
There was legitimate uncertainty surrounding Jakub Dobeš entering the game after he was pulled in Game 6 following a six-goal collapse.
Instead of folding under that pressure, the rookie netminder delivered another defining postseason performance.
Dobeš turned aside 37 shots and repeatedly rescued Montreal during Buffalo’s most dangerous stretches. His sprawling second-period robbery on Tage Thompson from point-blank range may have been the save that ultimately changed the outcome of the series.
While Buffalo controlled much of the possession battle and generated extended offensive-zone pressure, Dobeš consistently prevented the game from spiraling away from Montreal.
At the other end, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was sharp as well, stopping 22 shots and keeping the Sabres alive with multiple breakaway saves and several key stops on Cole Caufield early in the game. Both goaltenders entered the night carrying questions. Both answered them emphatically.
But only one got the final save.
Buffalo’s Breakthrough Season Ends In Heartbreak
The cruelty of Game 7 hockey is that one bounce can erase months of progress.
For Buffalo, the loss will sting deeply because this season represented so much more than one playoff run. The Sabres captured the Atlantic Division title, snapped a 15-year postseason drought, and reintroduced meaningful spring hockey to a city desperate for it.
Still, the ending will linger.
The Sabres finished just 2-5 at home during the playoffs, an almost impossible statistic to explain considering how dominant they looked on the road throughout the postseason. Across this series, the visiting team won five of seven games, further emphasizing how strange and volatile the matchup became.
Dahlin was magnificent in defeat, continuing a postseason that felt like a national arrival for the Buffalo captain. After recording five points in Game 6, he dominated stretches of Game 7 as well, driving play whenever he stepped on the ice and delivering the third-period equalizer that briefly seemed destined to become a franchise-defining moment.
Instead, it became another painful chapter in Buffalo’s long postseason history.
Now difficult offseason questions await the organization. Head coach Lindy Ruff is without a contract beyond this season, while top-six winger Alex Tuch is also approaching an uncertain future.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens keep moving.
Montreal entered the playoffs as the youngest team in the field. Now, after surviving consecutive seven-game wars, the youngest team to reach the conference final since the 1993 Canadiens is suddenly four wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
