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.
The Buffalo Sabres have to consider themselves extremely fortunate that a great deal of NHL clubs still are hesitant to select undersized players, in spite of their speed and skill set. Such was the case at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, where Connor Bedard went first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. Anaheim selected Leo Carlsson second overall, Columbus chose Adam Fantilli with the third pick, and San Jose snagged Will Smith to complete the center quartet, but that left eight picks before the Sabres selection came up.
While three seasons is not enough to determine whether the eight youngsters selected next are busts or not, there is little doubt that the Sabres are more than happy that winger Zach Benson slipped out of the top 10 and to their pick at 13th overall. It was a complete shock that the diminutive winger made the NHL right out of junior, never went back to the WHL or played a game in the American Hockey League, and after three seasons, the only two players who have played more NHL games has been Bedard and Fantilli.
Here is a quick update of some of the other players selected by the Sabres in 2023:
Anton Wahlberg – C – 39th overall
The 20-year-old came to North America to play with Rochester at the end of the 2024 season and played in the Calder Cup playoff games vs. Syracuse. The 6’4”, 205 lb. forward finished his first full season with the Amerks with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 63 games, but struggled in the playoffs after recovering from illness, going pointless in six games. This season, Wahlberg’s point total was up slightly (38 points in 68 games), but his goal total declined to nine. With the potential loss of veteran forwards Alex Tuch and Beck Malenstyn in free agency, it is possible that the big forward will see some NHL opportunity this season.
Alex Tuch and his contract situation with the Sabres
Maxim Strbak – D – 45th overall
The big right-handed defenseman played for Slovakia in four World Juniors, and signed with the Sabres after his junior year at Michigan State, where the 21-year-old scored 18 points (3 goal, 15 assists) in 37 games. Strbak played two games for the Amerks at the end of the season, and is expected to be a full-time blueliner next season under Michael Leone in Rochester.
Gavin McCarthy – D – 86th overall
A Western New York native who played three seasons for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, McCarthy played two years for Muskegon before heading to Boston University. The 6’2”, 188 lb. blueliner went to the Frozen Four in his freshman year and as a sophomore, had 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 39 games for the Terriers. This season, after posting a career-high 21 points (4 goals, 17 assists) in 36 games, the right-handed blueliner signed his ELC with the Sabres and played five games with Rochester.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Final has yet to even begin, but sportsbooks are offering 2026-27 Stanley Cup odds already!
The Carolina Hurricanes, favored to win it all this year, are at the top of the betting board for the 2027 title as well. Close behind are the Colorado Avalanche, whom many thought were the best in the West this year, only to be upset by the Vegas Golden Knights, who are sixth-choice here.
If you're looking to make some early NHL picks for next season, here's our look at the latest Stanley Cup odds for the 2026-27 season.
2026-27 Stanley Cup odds
Team
Carolina Hurricanes
+650
Colorado Avalanche
+700
Tampa Bay Lightning
+1000
Edmonton Oilers
+1100
Minnesota Wild
+1200
Vegas Golden Knights
+1300
Florida Panthers
+1500
Ottawa Senators
+1500
Dallas Stars
+1700
New Jersey Devils
+2200
Odds as of 5-30.
2026-27 Stanley Cup favorites
Carolina Hurricanes (+650)
The Carolina Hurricanes finally got over their Conference Final curse, making it to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final after faltering in the penultimate round of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
The Hurricanes don't play a "fun" brand of hockey, but players who buy into Rod Brind'Amour's system have found success by the dozen. Just look at K'Andre Miller, who went from a New York Rangers afterthought to an elite blueliner in the span of a year.
Brind'Amour likely bought himself at least one more season behind the bench after making it to the Cup Final at long last. As long as the Canes' system stays intact, they'll always be a threat. And if they win it all in 2026, this +650 price will likely vanish.
Colorado Avalanche (+700)
The Colorado Avalanche looked like a bulldozer heading into the Western Conference Finals, but injuries built up and the Vegas Golden Knights simply overwhelmed them in a series sweep.
The Avs were the darlings of the analytical community this year, at least out West, leading in xGoals% at 5-on-5 and ranking only behind the Hurricanes in Corsi%.
But you don't need to be an egghead to appreciate Nathan MacKinnon, who won the "Rocket" Richard Trophy this year and is coming back for more in 2026-27.
Tampa Bay Lightning (+1000)
The Tampa Bay Lightning feel like a modern-day hockey version of Gregg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs. No matter how old their stars get, they just seem to re-tool and find ways to be a perennial contender.
The Lightning ranked third in Corsi in 2025-26, and fifth in expected goals. Nikita Kucherov (130 points) was his usual brilliant self, while Darren Raddysh was a revelation on defense.
The Avalanche were the victims of some bad injury timing, and a Golden Knights team that got hot at the right time. John Tortorella will likely be back behind the bench for Vegas next year, but how soon will his act wear thin with his players?
I also don't trust the Edmonton Oilers to get back on their feet after a listless end to their 2025-26 campaign.
The Avalanche have the easier road back to the Final compared to the Hurricanes, so they're the (very, very early) selection.
Pick: Avalanche to win 2026-27 Stanley Cup (+700 at FanDuel)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Kevin Bieksa is a three-time Canadian Screen Award winner.
The former Vancouver Canucks defenceman-turned broadcaster won his third consecutive Canadian Screen Award for best Sports Analyst on Friday, May 29.
Bieksa, who also won in 2024 and 2025, was first nominated for the award back in 2021 but lost out to fellow former hockey player and then-Sportsnet analyst Cassie Campbell-Pascall. He was also nominated in 2022, though Toronto Blue Jays analyst Joe Siddall took home the award instead.
A 10-year veteran of the Canucks organization, Bieksa spent the bulk of his NHL career in Vancouver, during five of which he wore an ‘A’ for the team. While known for many moments throughout his career with the Canucks, his most notable moment came during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when he scored ‘the Stanchion goal’ to send Vancouver to the Finals.
Other nominees for this year’s Best Sports Analyst award include Brian Stemmle of CBC Sports Presents, Kia Nurse of Raptors on TSN, and Luke Wilson of SC with Jay Onrait. Blue Jays on Sportsnet’s Dan Shulman also won the award for Best Sports Play-By-Play Announcer, while Hazel Mae was awarded the Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism.
Nov 3, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; During a pre-game on ice presentation prior to a game against the Anaheim Ducks the Vancouver Canucks officially mark Kevin Bieska's retirement from the National Hockey League as a member of the club in his return to Rogers Arena, where he signed a one-day contract with the team. Originally selected by the Canucks in the fifth round, 151st overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, Bieksa spent parts of 12 seasons playing in the Canucks organization, including 10 at the NHL level from 2005-06 to 2014-15. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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In desperate need of power play help and a top-four caliber veteran defenseman, the Philadelphia Flyers will be seeking intermediate-term reinforcements in free agency this offseason.
They can knock out two birds with one stone by signing longtime rival and Washington Capitals legend John Carlson, though he's widely expected to have many suitors around the NHL, including Stanley Cup contenders.
Fortunately for the Flyers, though, the latest from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman tells us Philadelphia should have a legitimate chance at the 36-year-old Stanley Cup champ.
According to Friedman, via the May 22nd episode of his "32 Thoughts" podcast, "there's some thought [Carlson] might want to go back East."
This would make the chances of a reunion with the Anaheim Ducks slim, and virtually rule out a contract anywhere else in the Western Conference given his familiarity with Anaheim compared to those teams.
By extension, the Flyers should be among the favorites to sign Carlson in free agency this summer, especially due to suggestions a return to the Capitals isn't in the cards.
Carlson, 36, scored 14 points in 16 games for the Ducks after being traded, and added another six assists in 12 playoff games.
The 2025-26 season was actually one of Carlson's most productive overall, as the Natick, Mass., native finished with 60 points, including 14 on the power play, in just 71 regular season games.
Just those 14 points alone would have placed Carlson third in scoring amongst Flyers defensemen, behind only Cam York, Travis Sanheim, and Jamie Drysdale, and tied with Rasmus Ristolainen.
Carlson's 14 power play points also would have tied Travis Konecny for second-most among all Flyers, behind only Trevor Zegras's 23.
So, it goes almost without saying that Carlson's 60-point ability and power play prowess are two things the Flyers need and are in the market for.
As long as the Flyers can move Ristolainen at peak value and don't want to rush David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk along, Carlson is certainly the best fit for them, and they have a legitimate chance of getting him now.
On a one- or two-year deal, Carlson is certainly worth an overpay from the Flyers in the region of $9- or $10 million, especially with all the cap space they'll have heading into the offseason.
The Vegas Golden Knights have made it to the Stanley Cup for the third time in nine years.
Standing in the way of their second win in franchise history will be the Carolina Hurricanes, who enter the Final with a remarkable 12-1 playoff record.
Beating the Hurricanes four times will be a challenge. Here are five things the Golden Knights need to do well to make it happen.
Tighten the screws at 5-on-5
The Carolina Hurricanes lead all teams with 3.51 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play during the playoffs, well clear of the Vegas Golden Knights and their output (2.67). That's why the Golden Knights are underdogs at +125 at BET99 to win the Stanley Cup.
The Hurricanes have generated high-danger chances in bulk against each opponent, and that is something the Golden Knights need to crack down on.
While Carter Hart has performed very well in the playoffs, he ranked 66th among 67 eligible goaltenders in 5-on-5 high-danger SV% during the regular season. Vegas can’t test fate.
Score on the power play
The Hurricanes spent almost 90 minutes shorthanded through the first three rounds. They lost those minutes by a 4-1 score line.
Put another way, it has taken 30 minutes for opponents — with the man advantage — to beat the Hurricanes by a goal. That’s the equivalent of 15 power plays, which could account for the majority of a series.
Vegas needs to find a way to be opportunistic on the man advantage, especially given how stingy Carolina is at 5-on-5.
Get out in front
It's difficult to beat the Hurricanes at the best of times. It's almost impossible when falling behind the eight-ball.
Carolina owns a spotless 7-0 record when leading after 20 minutes during the playoffs. The same can be said after 40.
They were otherworldly good when leading after two periods in regular season play, posting a 37-2-2 record.
Their structure and relentless forechecking pressure allow them to get downhill and neutralize possessions before they really get going.
Vegas can’t afford to fall behind and be forced to chase the game.
Keep Marner away from Miller
Mitch Marner leads the Golden Knights with 21 points through 18 games, and he has generated more 5-on-5 scoring chances than anybody on their roster.
John Tortorella would do well to keep him away from K’Andre Miller as much as possible.
Miller has won his minutes by a 16-3 score line while helping the Hurricanes control nearly 65% of the expected goal share.
His positioning, stick work, and defensive instincts have allowed him to completely neutralize top players for the opposing team. The Knights can’t allow that to happen to Marner.
Create off the draw
One area the Golden Knights have a clear edge is in the faceoff circle. They rank fourth during the playoffs in win percentage (53.3%) while the Hurricanes slot 12th with a 47.4% win rate.
Their faceoff prowess should allow them to start with possession more frequently in the offensive zone and on special teams.
That affords extra opportunities to create quick-strike offense before the Hurricanes are fully set and taking up shooting lanes.
Following a disappointing finish to their playoff run, the Montreal Canadiens will quickly shift to offseason business. That means making a move at the goaltending position where they have three goalies and no need for that many. It leaves Samuel Montembeault as the odd goalie out and could lead to trade discussions over the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers have their own goaltending issues to address.
Is there a fit between the two teams? Perhaps.
Frank Seravalli of Hockey 24/7 released his first trade board for the 2026 NHL off-season, and Montembeault is on the list at No. 11. The Oilers have Connor Ingram hitting unrestricted free agency, and not much of an appetite to overpay for him despite a desire to bring him back and a fairly strong season.
The question will be cost.
With Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler being ahead of Montembeault on the Canadiens' depth chart, if the Habs look to move Montembeault this off-season (along with his $3.15 million cap hit) what are they willing to do in order to get that contract off the books? The Canadiens aren't in a cap crunch situation, so they aren't desperate. However, they will have moves they want to make to come from a playoff team that made a good run to a contender that makes that run consistently.
Moving an expensive for a third-string goalie is one way to add to their already strong roster.
For the Oilers, acquiring Montembeault would be about striking while his trade value is low. If they believe the 29-year-old struggles this regular season were an anomaly, -- an .872 save percentage, and a 3.43 goals-against average in 25 games -- they may see him as a better bet as part of a tandem and an upgrade over Ingram and Tristan Jarry. Better yet, if they can find a way to move Jarry, Montembeault and Ingram could be an improvement at a reduced cost.
The risk, however, is real. Montembeault lost his spot on the Canadiens depth chart for a reason. This past season was not his best. Can he get back to the numbers he posted between 2022 and 2025?
In a recent article for ESPN, Rachel Kryshak took a look at multiple young players who could use a fresh start elsewhere. A Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was among the players discussed, as Kevin Korchinski made the cut.
"Another pending RFA who has been passed on the depth chart, Korchinski is an obvious trade candidate for Chicago to use to acquire a skilled forward," Kryshak wrote. "Chicago has more depth on the right side, but Korchinski needs offensive reps to meaningfully impact the game, and that feels out of reach with this franchise."
If the Blackhawks were to trade Korchinski, it would undoubtedly be a notable move. The left-shot defenseman was selected by the Blackhawks with the seventh-overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and is considered one of their most promising prospects. However, he has also had trouble taking that next step and cementing himself as an NHL regular.
If the Blackhawks were to make Korchinski available for trade, it is likely that several teams would love to acquire him. The potential for him to become a top-four offensive defenseman and power-play specialist is there. Furthermore, with Korchinski being only 21 years old, he still has plenty of time to improve.
Yet, with Korchinski being so young and the Blackhawks' left side not being the strongest, it would be understandable if they gave him another chance next season before potentially dealing him.
In 13 games last season with Chicago, Korchinski recorded two assists and a minus-4 rating. He also had two goals and 26 points in 53 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 29: A tribute to Claude Lemieux is displayed on the scoreboard prior to Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup...
Retired NHL star Claude Lemieux died of a broken heart, according to people who knew him.
During his two-decade career, he led the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche to a total of four Stanley Cups and was the ninth best playoff scorer of all time — but he was never inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame after he hung up his skates in 2009.
Lemieux, a “tough guy” on the ice who was known to be deeply sensitive to rejection, never got over being passed over for the top honor, according to his pals.
Lemieux won four Stanley Cups, including two with the Devils in 1995 and 2000. AP Photo/Ron FrehmOutside Claude Lemieux’s business Andros Home following his sudden death, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Zak Bennett for NY Post
“He always lived this as an injustice, a heavy burden to bear,” Rejean Tremblay, a longtime Montreal hockey columnist and insider who knew Lemieux for 30 years, told The Post.
“The sense of rejection ran deeper than one might have imagined. He took it very hard.”
Lemieux could be traumatized by rejection, like the time he was sent down to the minor leagues in 1985 after his first NHL season. He was so devastated, he once told Tremblay, that he smashed his car’s windshield and drove with it broken the 100 miles from Montreal to Sherbrooke, where he refused to stay in the apartment the team rented for him.
The hockey legend hanged himself in the warehouse of his family’s furniture business in Palm Beach County, FL. His body was found shortly after 3:30 a.m. Thursday.
The iconic hockey team where he broke in as an 18-year-old rookie from Gatineau, Quebec, brought him back this past Monday to carry the torch at the Bell Centre – a team tradition – before Game 3 of the NHL conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. He was all smiles, as an adoring crowd of 21,000 people cheered him on.
Lemieux was at Montreal’s Bell Centre Monday night to carry the torch before the game. NHLI via Getty Images
“It’s possible that surge of love, that wave of love on Monday evening, triggered an emotion that was too intense,” Tremblay said, citing NHL friends close to Lemieux.
“It might have reawakened old pains, old suffering.”
Lemieux was all smiles Monday in Montreal as he spoke to fans and reporters. Obtained by the New York PostPals say the four-time Stanley Cup champ, a ‘tough guy’ on ice, was deeply sensitive to rejection, which haunted him. Zak Bennett for NY Post
Lemieux, who died at 60, also went some 10 years without speaking to his children, according to sources — another emotional load that weighed heavy on his heart in the years after his retirement.
“It hurt him tremendously,” said Tremblay.
He had been depressed leading up to his suicide, according to his family, but they had no idea he was planning to take his own life.
“They didn’t expect that at all, they never saw it coming” Colombe Lacroix, a close family friend who was at the scene with the family Thursday, told The Post. “He’s been going through a difficult time, he was depressed.”
Lemieux was honored in Raleigh North Carolina Friday night before Game 5 against Montreal. Getty Images
“It’s so devastating, everyone is upside down,” she said in tears. “Brendan is completely destroyed,” she said of Lemieux’s 30-year-old hockey player son who found his dad’s body.
She said Claude Lemieux saw his own parents for the last time when he was in Montreal this week, and also made a point of bringing his two oldest sons from his first marriage, Michael and Christopher, on the trip.
Lemieux’s body was found in the Andros Home furniture showroom and warehouse in Lake Park, Florida early Thursday. Facebook/AndrosHomeDesignFlowers outside Claude Lemieux’s business Andros Home. Zak Bennett for NY Post
Lacroix, the widow of former Colorado Avalanche general manager and hockey legend Pierre Lacroix, became close with Lemieux and his wife Deborah when Lemieux played for the team between 1995 and 1999. The two couples lived in the same Denver area neighborhood of Columbine, made infamous by the 1999 high school massacre.
She had just moved to Florida, and lived 40 minutes away from the Lemieuxs.
“I held Claude in my arms, and I said thank you for being there for me,” she recounted of the last time she saw her good friend.
Lemieux won the Conn Smythe trophy with the Devils in 1995. NEW YORK POST
“He left our world too soon and I hope he’s in a better place and that he’s happy.”
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had some really good chances to win Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Final series against the Toronto Marlies on Friday night, but it wasn't meant to be.
Game 2 went to overtime before a strange puck bounce found the back of the net, giving the Marlies a 2-1 win and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Michael Pezzetta took a shot from the blue line before WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov and Marlies forward Marc Johnstone tried to get the puck. It was a weird deflection and was originally ruled no goal, but the officials huddled and reversed the call.
It also looked like Murashov was interfered with by Johnstone in the crease.
Here's a look at the play:
Sergei Murashov clearly tangled with Marc Johnstone at the net.
Before that goal, former Penguin Alex Nylander opened the scoring for the Marlies in the first period before Tanner Howe tied the game in the third period. It was a classic Tanner Howe goal as he collected the loose change around the crease and fired the puck home.
Outside of the weird overtime goal, the story of the game was Marlies goaltender Artur Akhtyamov. He was sensational in the net, making 33 saves, some of which were highway robbery. He's been fantastic in the first two games of this series.
Murashov has also been great for the Penguins, but they simply aren't giving him goal support like they were in the first two rounds.
The series will now head to Toronto for Game 3 on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - OCTOBER 04: (L-R) Jake Allen #34 and Jacob Markstrom #25 of the New Jersey Devils sit in their stalls in the locker room prior to the 2024 NHL Global Series-Czechia game between the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres at O2 Arena on October 04, 2024 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
HI!
Hope everyone had a lovely fake Spring and now real Spring so far. Not sure if you are all watching the playoffs, but there have been some fun games and fun young teams. I did not have Vegas beating Colorado in my bracket, let alone sweeping, so definitely pretty shocking. Although I had Ottawa beating Carolina so what do I know.
As annoyed as I am that we are on the outside looking in, stress free playoff hockey can be the next best thing. Ok, I’m lying, it sucks, I cannot believe we are back here again – I’d much rather be a pasty ball of anxiety, ignoring my family and friends, work, life etc. Some of these young fun teams (Utah, Anaheim, Philly etc) got invaluable experience we should’ve gotten the past 2 seasons.
Back to the Devils. There have been a few major themes plaguing this team the past few years: scoring, injuries, and goaltending. Our scoring woes and injuries are interconnected; when your good players get hurt and you have worse players on the ice, those worse players are going to score less. Jack has obviously been the main problem here, but don’t discount how much other injuries affect scoring (Pesce playing playing half a season, Glass and Grits missing time). Goal scoring is the biggest issue this summer and I plan to get more in depth about scoring like I did here once the marketplace for players becomes a little more apparent.
So, that leaves goaltending which I do think can be talked about now to see if there are any viable paths to fix the goaltending. And by “fix the goaltending” I am talking exclusively about Markstrom as Allen is on a great contract and was mostly good in contained deployment. Daws will also be in the mix as an RFA with arb rights, and with his contract status I would be surprised if he isn’t in Utica again next season.
Quick Look at the Future
First, It is instructive to consider how our future goalie pipeline looks, with Yegorov and Malek projected to be good NHLers with Daws as a serviceable backup/1B. Now, obviously you can take “future looks bright in goal” with a grain of salt since Goalies are strange magical creatures and always very difficult to project.
Every goalie drafted in the first two rounds in the 2010s visualized by the primary place they played in each season of their careers so far: pic.twitter.com/Km5i701PTX
Often it takes highly drafted/rated goalies until their D+5 or D+6 year year to pan out as NHL goalies, with the best coming up and staying around the D+4 year: Oettinger, Knight, Vasilevskiy, Gibson. On the other hand you can see the sheer volume of guys that never set foot in the NHL (blue/red) that were high picks and/or never really established themselves in the NHL.
So if I were to guess if there was some sort of plan, it was to run Markstrom/Allen until Yegorov and/or Malek were ready. Or knowing Fitz, he was just going to extend Markstrom until the end of days, who knows if anything was an actual plan. In 2026-27, Jakub Malek will be entering his D+5 year and Mikhail Yegorov will be entering his D+3 year and will be returning to BU for his 3rd season, so we are close or at the “ready” portion of their careers if they are going to pan out. One thing I agree with Jared on, is that that both Daws and Malek should at minimum be qualified, and I would be surprised if either went anywhere.
Also, Environment Matters
I promise at some point I will get to what we could potentially do with goalies. But first, I think it’s also important to understand the environment in front of them. For the most part, goalies are a product of their defensive environment, and how good or bad the structure in front of them will have an outsize effect on the goaltending results.
Below is the 2025-26 season of xGA vs GA per/60 at 5v5 via JFresh’s hockeystats.com. xGA is a great proxy for “how good is this team defensively” since it accumulates and weights all of the chances given up, regardless of goalie. There is a linear correlation between xGA and GA – which is why defensive environment is so important. If your defense can’t prevent chances, you’re gonna get scored on a lot unless you have an all-world goalie (Washington Boston, Islanders) or you can get scored on a lot despite a stingy defense (Ottawa and Vegas).
2025-26 Devils Goaltending: A Retrospective
All of Tim’s fun math aside, we had two very differently performing goalies (I’m not including Daws for this exercise). Of Goalies with 30 or more games played, Markstrom was the 6th worst in terms of GSAA at -11.4 for a full season and -.27 per/60. Jake Allen, on the other hand, was 33rd at +9.8 and +.27 per 60.
Below is how those numbers accumulated by game as visualized by hockeystats.com. I’m including because this site is awesome and I highly recommend playing around in it ($$). I’m also including it to note that a massive chunk of Markstrom’s cumulative -11.4 GSAA came in 2 games: Colorado in October (first game back from his early injury) and the infamous 9-0 Islanders game. Otherwise he was basically break even over the course of the season.
Now before I get dangerously into “defending Markstrom” territory by pointing that out, let’s take a deeper stroll into these numbers. In only 18 of his 44 starts was he positive for GSAA, so basically 60% of his games he was below league average. Further, he gave up 3 or more goals in 28 of those 44 games, and in ONLY 4 of those was he positive for GSAA. If he gets one more save in each of those 24 games (28 minus 4), we are having a different conversation (or no conversation).
Piling on a bit here – when your goalie gives up bad goals at bad times and you’re chasing the game it can be defeating. I am so tired of hearing “he battled” – I don’t want my goalie to battle, I want him to stop pucks. Batting implies it was a struggle, which it often seemed like it was. He gave up the first goal of the game in 24 of his starts, more than half his games, and the devils were 9-14-1 in those games. You can see this in his below goalie card under “quality starts” which is when he had a GSAA above 0. Also, don’t be fooled by the excellent start percentile, he had 2 in total (above 2.0 GSAA). He notoriously overcommits and often is flat out swimming out there – I can’t remember the last time I got so nervous so often for a wrister from the point. Maybe our TBD new goalie coach can have that conversation with him: “hey, you’re too old to rely on athleticism, so use your size more. You’re a giant Viking.”
Further, the most glaring thing about Markstrom is his clear decline, as evidenced by his JFresh card. Take a look at the top right box which is his overall Wins Above Replacement (WAR) trend. Fitz decided 2 more years with this trend line was totally worth an extension. Extrapolating this through his new contract, he will be at -50% WAR by the end of 27-28:
I could also get into his low danger save percentage (26th percentile and 2nd to last) or his average goal distance against (3rd worst, 22.9 feet) but that would really be beating a dead horse.
There are a few ways to get out of Markstrom, and the second buyout window has been laid out here. We can also flat out waive him to the minors – his extension transitions to a modified NTC and is not an NMC starting in 26-27. Also, and while I highly doubt he is tradeable, but he does have a 20-team no-trade list in 2026-27 and a 5-team no-trade list in 2027-28.
Here’s the problem, though. Finding an alternative upgrade that can start 50ish games this offseason could prove extremely challenging. We would obviously have to dig into the UFA/RFA/Trade market which means utilizing precious trade assets or cap space that we don’t have a lot of.
Also of note, I’m largely going to rely on JFresh cards as a snapshot of each goalie below. The “main number,” Proj WAR, is a three year weighted average, and the top right provides a WAR trendline. All percentiles for each stat are how they compare to the league.
Stu Skinner – Honestly, not a terrible idea, he is better than Markstrom and only 25 and can handle the workload. He does come with some baggage, and when it goes badly for him it goes BADLY. However, in Edmonton he was largely a product of his environment and “Darnell Nurse” and he was mediocre at best for Pittsburgh.
Connor Ingram – He’s a backup and while he did take the starter job from Jarry in Edmonton, he is not a guy that can be relied on for 50+ games. I do like his age and potential and he’d be cheap.
Danil Tarasov – Career backup, and could be a possibility and was signed in Florida – basically the only reason I highlighted him amongst the UFA goalies. Every time Florida signed someone I always perked up, but they also signed Vanacek, so there’s that. If I were to guess, Florida basically ran the numbers and determined they could just find a warm body behind Bob for 15-20 games.
There are also a few non-NHL options and admittedly, I had to rely on the ole internet machine for the two below and the summaries are cut and pasted. But if you want to think outside the box, there are two KHL goalies that are regularly reported as the best in the league:
Bilyalov is statistically one of the most efficient goaltenders in KHL history. He set the KHL record for the longest modern shutout streak (316 minutes, 9 seconds) and won the league’s Best Goaltender honors. His high-end .927 career SV% comes over a substantial heavy-workload sample size.
Isayev has been the league’s top lockdown technical goaltender over recent seasons. He carried Lokomotiv to the Gagarin Cup finals behind an elite postseason where he averaged a tiny 1.65 GAA.
RFA Options
Similarly, it is slim pickings for RFA Goalies, and we are entering offer sheet territory here. As I will get into below, we are very light on legitimate trade assets, and coughing up assets and picks where our biggest need is scoring punch may be ill advised – and as Jared wrote here, offer sheets are fun in theory but rarely ever happen. However, Yegorov and Malek are no guarantees and finding a viable long term solution here could, in turn, make one of them a very valuable trade chip.
Trade Options
I’m not bringing up Hellebuyck here, even though there was some offhand mentions of him after the Jets brutal season and they are in limbo moving forward. However, I don’t see a world or a mechanism where the Devils can take a run at him. What I did focus on was teams with crowded creases that will likely need to make decisions on their goalie room.
The other consideration here is our limited assets to actually swing multiple trades and I will scream from the rooftops that we need more scoring help first and foremost. Some of these guys might not need major packages, and a good baseline comp is Logan Thompson who was acquired by the Capitals for 2 3rd rounders from Vegas.
Anthony Stolarz – Stolarz is a popular name around the Devils fanbase, probably heavily influenced by sentimentality as he is NJ born and bred. He is an excellent goalie, but he has a hard time staying healthy and hasn’t made it through a full season – he has had 2 knee surgeries, a brutal concussion, a scary incident after taking a puck to the throat, and a groin injury this past season. He has a 4-year, $3.75MM extension kicking in next season and with Woll and Hildeby signed through 27-28, he is the guy that should fall out as Toronto retools. I would definitely take the risk knowing we have Daws and Malek as call-ups.
Alex Lyon – Lyon has 1 more year at $1.5MM and has shown time and again that he can rise to the occasion. He was the main reason Florida even got into the playoffs 2 seasons ago, and he took over for Lukkonen as the primary starter this season (although he lost the crease in the playoffs). With UPL signed long term, Ellis and Levi waiting in the wings, I can see a world where Lyon is the guy who falls out of the mix. He’s also a bit of a psycho which I enjoy.
Filip Gustavsson – Is Minnesota going to trade out a goalie? Rumors were abound that they have floated Wallstead in multiple trade offers, but he wound up taking over the net in the playoffs, so does that leave the Gus Bus on the outs? He has a 4-year $6.8MM extension that kicks in next season, so making this work would be difficult. Do they want to give the keys to Wallstead, and could we actually give Minnesota our own Swedish Goalie veteran mentor in return with a pick or two?
Sebastian Cossa – Cossa has been recently rumored as available according to several insiders, as the “Yzerplan” is going about as well as the “Fitzplan.” They already have Gibson signed as the starter and I have read that they see Augustine as the better prospect. I would absolutely take a look at him if he is really available. He has done nothing but win and stop pucks:
Devin Cooley – For some reason Cooley doesn’t have a JFresh Card, but he is a rising star in this league, put up a .909 sv pct for an atrocious Calgary team and is currently carrying USA’s D team to the knockout stage at Worlds (.930 sv pct). He has 1 more year at $1.5MM and with Dustin Wolf having 4 more years at $7.5MM, and Calgary in full tear down mode, I can see him getting an opportunity elsewhere.
So, After All That
The goalie market isn’t great from a UFA and RFA perspective, but there are some intriguing trade options. The question then becomes, do we have enough assets to bring in more scoring help AND a goalie upgrade? If Sunny can pull off a Logan Thompson style robbery, I’m all for it but once we get into the 12th overall/Nemec/Mercer territory, I think I more inclined to stand pat for one more year and offload Markstrom after this upcoming season.
One thing I will also point out is the analytics community views goaltending as a means to an end, and not the lynchpin of a team – the best example of this is Carolina. I alluded to it above when talking about environment, there is a major correlation between how good the team in front of a goalie is, and the results that goalie sees with few outlier exceptions. So maybe just play better defense? Get Keefe on the phone, I cracked the code.
How about you, gang? Do we NEED to get out of Markstrom and find anyone else in your opinion? Do any of the above options intrigue you? Anyone on team “play better and our current guys will be fine”? Or are there any other goalies that are on your radar that I missed?
Carolina Hurricanes
Colorado Avalanche
Tampa Bay Lightning
Edmonton Oilers
Minnesota Wild
Vegas Golden Knights
Florida Panthers
Ottawa Senators
Dallas Stars
New Jersey Devils
