“What a crazy but cool moment!! Thank you all for singing along,” Clune, a finalist on Season 19 of “The Voice,” wrote on Instagram.
“We have the best fans ever!” she added in a separate message.
With Buffalo situated right near the Canadian border, the Canadian national anthem is always sung before Sabres games in addition to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” even if the visiting team is not based in Canada.
Sabres anthem singer Cami Clune looks at the microphone as it cuts out during “O Canada” on April 28, 2026. X/Sportsnet
“And this is the sole reason I know the Canadian national anthem by ,” tennis star Jessica Pegula, the daughter of Sabres owner Terry Pegula, wrote on X in response to video of the moment, using a heart-hands emoji to indicate she knows the song by heart.
Sabres fans have finally had something to cheer about this season as they snapped a 14-year playoff drought, winning 50 games en route to an Atlantic Division title.
Things did not go their way Tuesday night with a chance to advance, however, as they fell to the Bruins 2-1 in overtime. Buffalo leads the first-round series 3-2 with Game 6 set for Friday night in Boston.
Rasmus Dahlin’s power-play goal 3:35 into the first period gave the Sabres 1-0 lead. Elias Lindholm tied it for the Bruins in the second period.
David Pastrnak scored the winner 9:14 into overtime to keep Boston’s season alive.
Buffalo hasn’t won a playoff series in 19 years. They reached their second consecutive Eastern Conference Final in 2007 after defeating the Islanders and Rangers in the first and second rounds, respectively, before losing to the Senators in five games.
Apr 28, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins right wing David Pastrnak (88) takes a shot on goal during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig/Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. — When Hampus Lindholm got the puck inside Boston’s blue line after teammate Fraser Minten broke up the Buffalo Sabres’ rush, and the Bruins defenseman knew immediately who to look for.
Sure enough, there was David Pastrnak already heading toward Buffalo’s zone.
Set up by Lindholm, Pastrnak scored on a breakaway 9:14 into overtime, and the Bruins avoided elimination with a 2-1 win in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
“He’s pretty special when it comes to those opportunities, too, so it was fun to see it go in,” Lindholm said.
Pastrnak said the chemistry he has with Lindholm is a result of them being neighbors.
“We always call it the neighbor connection,” Pastrnak said. “Seems like anytime he has the puck and I have an opening, I have the confidence that he’s gonna find me.”
The series shifts back to Boston for Game 6, with Buffalo still seeking to clinch its first playoff series victory since eliminating the New York Rangers in six games of a 2007 second-round series. The Sabres are in the playoffs only for the third time since, and after snapping an NHL record 14-season playoff drought this year.
Elias Lindholm also scored for Boston which overcame a 1-0 deficit. Jeremy Swayman stopped 25 shots, including foiling Jason Zucker set up in front 3:30 into the extra period.
Rasmus Dahlin scored for Buffalo and Alex Lyon stopped 27 shots.
“He’s always lurking,” Lyon said of Pastrnak, whom the goalie robbed on several chances. “Obviously, he’s one of the best players in the league,” Lyon added of a player who reached the 100-point mark for a fourth straight season. “It’s just one play at the end from a really good player. That’s usually how these things go. And now it’s just incumbent on us to move forward.”
The Sabres were caught up ice, and the Bruins jumped into making a line change, with Pastrnak coming off the bench as the turnover occurred.
Accepting Lindholm’s pass in stride as he crossed Buffalo’s blue line, Pastrnak drove in on net a step ahead of Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson. He faked cutting across the front and nearly lost his balance before slipping the puck inside the right post.
“He always gets it done. And what a nice finish from him,” coach Marco Sturm said of the 12th-year player. “I’m just very happy because this guy puts a lot of pressure on himself and he wants to be the difference. And today he was.”
The goal was the 41st of Pastrnak’s playoff career, and second in overtime. He scored Boston’s last overtime goal, also coming in an elimination game, to seal the Bruins’ 2-1 win over Toronto in Game 7 of their 2024 first-round series.
Lindholm tied it 9:24 into the second period after his bad-angle shot bounced into the slot. Lindholm got to the loose puck first and, with his back to the net, spun around and fired in a low shot through a crowd.
Dahlin opened the scoring at 3:35 with his first playoff goal, and Buffalo’s first power-play goal in nearly a month. Driving up the left wing, Zucker’s initial pass attempt was blocked before recovering the puck and feeding Dahlin for a one-timer in the right circle.
The Sabres had gone 0-of-17 with the man advantage this series, and entered the playoffs failing to convert 22 straight chances, dating to a 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on March 31.
The Bruins played without second-line forward Viktor Arvidsson, who was hurt in the first period of Game 4.
Buffalo lost rookie forward Noah Ostlund to a lower-body injury in the first period.
Coach Lindy Ruff didn’t reveal what the injury was, but said, “it doesn’t look good.” Ostlund had just returned to the lineup from an upper-body injury in Game 3, in which he had a goal and assist.
The Bruins have won back-to-back outings in Buffalo after squandering a 2-0 lead in the final 7:58 of a 4-3 loss in Game 1. The Sabres won both outings in Buffalo, and were coming off a 6-1 win.
“We’re in a good spot. We should be ready for the next one,” Dahlin said. “It’s a tight game and stuff happens, so we’re ready for going to Boston.”
Another night, another loaded slate on the ice, and my NHL player props have you covered for all three games on Wednesday, April 29.
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy headlines my NHL picks in a pivotal Game 5 tilt against the Montreal Canadiens to begin tonight’s action.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Vasilevskiy Over 22.5 saves
-105
Drysdale Over 1.5 shots on goal
-110
Sergachev Over 1.5 shots on goal
-140
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Our best NHL player props for Wednesday, April 29
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Andrei Vasilevskiy Over 22.5 saves
-105 at BET99
The Montreal Canadiens being held to just 18 shots on home ice in Game 4 is bulletin-board material if you ask me, so I’m fully expecting a heightened emphasis from the Habs to shoot more tonight. Especially considering Montreal has attempted the fewest shots per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 this postseason.
So, while we haven’t seen the best from Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy yet, he sports a .917 save percentage across 124 postseason games and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2021.
Drysdale’s 22 shot attempts for the series also rank third on the Flyers, and he quarterbacks the No. 2 power-play unit while averaging a healthy 20:15 of ice time per game.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT, Sportsnet 360
Prop #3: Mikhail Sergachev Over 1.5 shots on goal
-140 at BET99
Utah Mammoth No. 1 defenseman Mikhail Sergachev is living on the ice, with a series-high 104:27 logged, and he’s second on the club in shot attempts with 22. So, when I saw that the Russian blueliner has only converted three into shots on goal (13.6%), this was an easy click.
Sergachev recorded two or more SOG in 47 of his 78 regular-season games, while converting his attempts into shots at a 43.3% rate.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Chicago Blackhawks ended the season as the youngest in the National Hockey League. Part of that was because of the youth they had on their blue line after the trade deadline.
Chicago’s defense doesn’t have a front-runner to be the future number one guy, but there are a couple of guys in the mix. They are also deep when it comes to players under the age of 24 who are capable of making an impact right now.
Throughout the season, some veterans played big minutes before the deadline, allowing the youth to be eased in.
This is every defender who skated for Chicago at some point in 2025-26, graded against their expectations:
Louis Crevier: A
Coming into the season, nobody thought that Louis Crevier was going to be an everyday defenseman. Not only did he do that, but he was the most important every single night. Crevier ended up dressing in 78 games out of 82, which is excellent for a guy who came in as the seventh defenseman.
In those 78 games, Crevier had 7 goals and 18 assists for 25 points, which led all blue-liners on the team.
Creivier admitted that even he didn't expect this, but he will also work to continue getting better in all three zones while putting extra emphasis on being a steady defender. This might be the most unexpected A-grade for any player at any position, but he's firmly a part of the future now.
Artyom Levshunov: C
Artyom Levshunov might be the hardest player, at any position, to evaluate in the entire organization. He has all of the skills in the world, and he has put them on display a lot, but he also makes mistakes from time to time that simply can't happen.
He trailed Crevier by one point for the team lead with 10 fewer games played, but nobody would ever think that he was the best defender on the team this year.
In the final four games leading up to the Olympics, the Blackhawks put Levshunov on a development plan that held him out of the lineup without sending him down to the AHL. He simply had to work on his skills in practice with the big club.
Once he was inserted back into the lineup, he played much better. Overall, he gets a C-grade for his up-and-down season, but he has much loftier goals for 2026-27.
Alex Vlasic: C
Overall, Alex Vlasic had a tough year by his standards. He didn't get much power-play time, he wasn't a high-end player at even strength, and he left a lot to be desired by the end of the season.
The fact is, however, that you're a great player at the base if this is your "tough year". Vlasic only had two goals and 19 assists for 21 points in 81 games played, but his role isn't to produce points as much, and it may never be.
Vlasic gets a C-grade for simply being a solid player this year; he just doesn't get anything better because you can't say he took a step. Expect somewhat of a bounce-back in 2026-27 if the team around him is significantly better.
Wyatt Kaiser: A
Wyatt Kaiser, like Louis Crevier, was unexpectedly a top defenseman on the team. With the way he played this year, Kaiser might officially be a part of the long-term core. That gets you an A-grade alone.
He was sensational and may only get better. Kaiser didn’t get power play time, despite displaying some offensive skills from time to time, but he was used a lot as a top penalty killer on the team. Every winning team has a defender like Kaiser, who should be a staple on the blue line for a long time.
Sam Rinzel: C
Sam Rinzel did not have the season he wanted, and he would tell you that. When camp began, few players on the blue line had the same level of hype as he did.
The start of the season was rough for him, though, and eventually he had a stint in the AHL. Without ever complaining about it, the rookie took it in stride as an opportunity to develop further.
Eventually, he came back and stayed. There is still another level for him to get to, but the end of the season got him back up to a C-grade.
Connor Murphy: B
Connor Murphy was traded to the Edmonton Oilers at the deadline, which put an emphasis on how impactful he was as a Chicago Blackhawks defenseman over the years.
They never won like they wanted to with him, but he helped them transition from the former core to the new core. The interesting stat that floated around when he was traded was that he played for the Blackhawks longer than Marian Hossa.
As far as this season, he didn’t impress with big offensive numbers, but he was a steady contributor on a team that wasn’t going anywhere. The young kids, especially on defense, loved having him around as a mentor, so for that, he gets a B-grade.
Matt Grzelcyk: C
The Blackhawks brought Matt Grzelcyk in on a PTO during training camp, and he earned a spot as a veteran on the team. With a solid NHL tenure surrounded by some of the legends of the game, he was perfect for the young group.
He didn’t have a big offensive season, and his time in that type of role never truly existed the way it has for him in the past, but he gave an honest effort in every game he played.
Grzelcyk was in the lineup in almost every match until the end of the year when he got hurt. His future in the NHL is uncertain, but a C-grade is good for him this year, as that’s exactly what was expected of him.
Kevin Korchinski: C
Kevin Korchinski was drafted 7th overall, so the organization is being patient with him. He was brought in as an offensive-minded defenseman who may have some deficiencies in his own end, but the juice hasn’t been worth the squeeze in terms of point producing.
Other young players have passed him by at his biggest strength, so he has a hill to climb after only seeing constant NHL time in the final month.
Ethan Del Mastro: C
Ethan Del Mastro didn’t play with the NHL club as much as he would have hoped, but he did get a look towards the end of the season.
There are players ahead of him on the depth chart, but he is certainly a C-grade replacement option for the organization. Being so young, Del Mastro has time to develop into an everyday contributor, but he must keep working.
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"My theory is his title — should this happen, and they're trying to make it happen — is going to be vice president of hockey operations, that's my theory," Friedman reported. "It took some time, and it took some convincing, but I think they're now actually negotiating with him to do it."
Sundin has been around the Maple Leafs more often over the last few years, ever since the club went to Stockholm, Sweden, for the NHL's Global Series in Nov. 2023. The 55-year-old was a guest at Maple Leafs training camp in the fall of 2024 and returned to Toronto when Auston Matthews broke his franchise goals record in January.
According to Friedman, Sundin wasn't brought in through the search firm, which the Maple Leafs hired for the head of hockey operations search. Potential candidates were also reportedly asked about the potential of working with Sundin, Friedman said.
The Maple Leafs began the search for a new head of hockey ops after firing general manager Brad Treliving on Mar. 30. MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) president and CEO Keith Pelley said the next hire would have to be data-centric.
Pelley and co. have been going through the interview process over the last few weeks, and by the sounds of it, if Sundin takes a role within the club, there's only one person fit to become Toronto's next GM.
"I think that's come down to John Chayka and Scott White," said Friedman, "and if Sundin does take the job, I think it's going to be Chayka (as the GM of the Maple Leafs). If something happens here, and it doesn't occur, I don't know where this is all going to go. I don't know what the backup plan is.
"But as it stands right now, I'm under the impression that it's going to be Sundin and Chayka, and they just have to close the deal. Nothing is done until it's done. But that's what I believe is going on."
Friedman added that bringing Sundin in will also help restore what it means to wear the Maple Leafs' crest. He said that many in the organization felt "that the pride in wearing the jersey had fallen."
The Maple Leafs finished second-last in the Eastern Conference and fifth-last in the NHL, missing the postseason for the first time since 2016. Because of where they finished in the standings, though, they could have a shot at a top-five draft pick.
The NHL Draft Lottery goes down on May 5, and the Maple Leafs have an 8.5 percent chance of landing the first overall pick. Let's see if Toronto makes any management hires before then.
The Flyers return home for Game 6, again looking for that decisive fourth win.
“We know the fourth game is the toughest one, you’ve got to close them out,” Denver Barkey said after an optional morning skate. “We know they’re going to put their best foot forward. They’ve got some experienced guys, guys that have been through this, have won Cups. They know what it takes.
“I think we just got away from what was working and have got to get back to executing our systems — just what was working for a 60-minute game.”
When leading a series 3-2, the Flyers have an all-time record of 19-2 in those series. They’ve never blown a 3-0 series lead. The Penguins are trying to become just the fifth team in NHL history to win a series when down 3-0.
Game 6 puck drop is scheduled for around 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET with an hour-long Flyers Pregame Live.
Here are some updates and visuals from Wednesday and the last few days.
After the Flyers' Game 5 loss, Rick Tocchet talked about the courage it takes to make a play in order to close out a series. He said it's OK to make a play.
Garnet Hathaway, Emil Andrae and Oliver Bonk were still on the ice late, so looks like they could be the scratches. Matvei Michkov definitely appears to be coming back into lineup. https://t.co/VQ40Rlv3mx
"I think we still just have a great opportunity ahead of us here tomorrow. We're still in a good spot, still up in the series and have a chance to close out at home."
Back in December, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Egor Chinakhov to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was no secret that the 25-year-old winger wanted a change of scenery, and the fresh start in Pittsburgh certainly has benefited him.
In 43 regular-season games with the Penguins following the trade, Chinakhov had 18 goals, 18 assists, and 36 points. With numbers like these, the former Blue Jackets first-round pick has cemented himself as a key part of the Penguins' roster.
However, Chinakhov has gone cold so far during the playoffs for the Penguins.
In five games for the Penguins so far this postseason, Chinakhov has zero points and a minus-4 rating. He has also had zero shots in each of his last two games.
With this, there is no question that Chinakhov will be looking to break the ice for the Penguins in their Game 6 matchup against the Flyers. Given how well he performed for the Penguins following being traded by the Blue Jackets, he certainly has the potential to break out of his slump.
Chinakhov was selected by the Blue Jackets with the 21st overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 204 games over five seasons with the Blue Jackets, he had 37 goals, 40 assists, 77 points, and 195 hits.
The Chicago Blackhawks may not be in the playoffs this spring, but many of their former players are currently competing for the Stanley Cup. Yet, two specific former Blackhawks have been among the NHL's top playoff performers early on: Brandon Hagel and Taylor Hall.
Hagel has been on a fantastic run with the Lightning so far, as he has a playoff-leading six goals and has one assist in four games. He has scored at least one goal in each of the Lightning's first four games, which included him scoring twice in the Lightning's Game 4 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
As for Hall, he was one of the big reasons behind the Carolina Hurricanes sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round. Hall turned back the clock in Carolina's series against the Senators, as he had two goals, five assists, and seven points in just four games.
It will now be interesting to see how these two former Blackhawks forwards perform as the playoffs carry on. They have clearly been playing some great hockey early on.
Five former members of the Vancouver Canucks were on the verge of elimination on Tuesday night heading into their respective Game 5 matchups. In a surprising but exciting twist, all five have extended their post-season by at least one extra game.
The first players to successfully evade elimination were Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins, who were down 3-1 in their first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres. They kept it close throughout Tuesday's Game 5 matchup as well, with this game going to overtime after Lindholm tied things up for Boston around halfway through the game. David Pastrňák ultimately scored the overtime winner, keeping the Bruins in the series for at least one more matchup.
Next up on the list of near-elimination saves were Vasily Podkolzin, Jason Dickinson, and Curtis Lazar of the Edmonton Oilers. Their first-round opponent, the Anaheim Ducks, managed to win three-straight to give themselves a 3-1 series lead by Tuesday night. However, the Oilers showed up big-time by defeating the Ducks by a score of 4-1. Podkolzin made his mark in this game by scoring the opening goal for Edmonton.
Lindholm and Zadorov, as well as Podkolzin, Dickinson, and Lazar will now set their sights on winning their respective Game 6 matchups to bring their series' to sudden-death for both teams. The Oilers will play in their next game on Thursday, April 30 at 7:00 pm PT, while the Bruins will play on Friday, May 1 at 4:30 pm PT.
Apr 28, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Elias Lindholm (28) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Buffalo Sabres in game five of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars by a 4-2 final score in Game 5. With this, the Wild now have a 3-2 series lead over the Stars and need only one more win to advance to the second round.
A former Montreal Canadiens first-round pick certainly played a role in the Wild's overtime winner, as Michael McCarron scored the game-winning goal for Minnesota.
At the 7:47 mark of the third period, McCarron gave the Wild a 3-1 lead with a nice goal. After skating hard to get a loose puck, the former Canadiens forward beat Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger five-hole.
With this clutch performance, McCarron now has two goals and a plus-1 rating in five games for the Wild this postseason. The former Canadiens forward has proven to be a nice addition to the Wild's roster, and this big moment in Game 5 only proves that.
McCarron was selected by the Canadiens in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft with the 25th overall pick. In 69 games over three seasons with the Habs, McCarron had two goals, six assists, eight points, 110 penalty minutes, and 185 hits.
The 2025-26 season for the New Jersey Devils is in the books, and the time has come to shift our attention from what’s going on on the ice to off the ice.
New general manager Sunny Mehta has plenty of business to handle this summer as he inherits a talented, but flawed roster from Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils have several restricted free agents that need to be addressed, and in the first part of our annual series where we profile the pending RFAs and UFAs on the roster, we will begin with Arseny Gritsyuk.
Who is Arseny Gritsyuk?
Arseny Gritsyuk is a 25 year old winger who was drafted in the 5th round way back in 2019. The former 129th overall selection was one of Ray Shero’s final draft picks as an NHL general manager.
Like many Russian prospects before him, Gritsyuk continued his development in his homeland, playing for clubs such as Omskie Yastreby, Izhevsk Izhstal Ustinov, and Novokuznetsk Metallurg before winding up with Omsk Avangard of the KHL for three seasons. While there, he represented the Russian Olympic Committee in the Olympics in 2022, winning a silver medal. He would play two more seasons with SKA St. Petersburg before finally making his way to the NHL prior to the 2025-26 season. He scored 68 goals and added 84 assists in 216 KHL games over five seasons.
Gritsyuk is represented by agent Shumi Babaev of the Shumi Agency. According to PuckPedia, he has 4 other NHL clients aside from Gritsyuk, with the most notable ones being Penguins winger Yegor Chinakhov and Avalanche center (and former Devils draft selection) Zakhar Bardakov among them.
What has Gritsyuk done as a Devil?
Gritsyuk has only played one season in New Jersey, but its safe to say he’s made a good first impression and he’s someone Devils fans want to see more of moving forward.
Gritsyuk started out this season on the Devils fourth line, but with his responsible two-way play, high hockey IQ, and a sometimes lethal shot, he gradually earned more ice time. He eventually settled into a third line role for the majority of the season and earned ice time on the second power play unit.
After tallying a few assists over his first few NHL games, Gritsyuk scored his first career NHL goal in the Devils 4-1 win over the Wild back on October 22. And it was a snipe.
Unfortunately for Gritsyuk, he was like many Devils players this season who just went ice cold offensively in the middle of the campaign. He did rebound post-Olympic break with 4 goals and 4 assists before a shoulder injury ended his season. All in all, he finished his rookie campaign with 13 goals and 18 assists in 66 games. His 31 points placed him 13th among all rookies, and while he won’t win the Calder Trophy, he may wind up earning a few down ballot votes as recognition for the campaign he had.
Now that the season is in the rear-view mirror though and looking back on it, I think there’s a lot to like when it comes to Gritsyuk’s game. He’s a much better defensive forward than I think anyone could’ve hoped for. He’s a good skater. He gets in there on the forecheck. And of course, he has one of the better shots on the team.
He also now has a season’s worth of NHL experience under his belt, which is key. We know what his floor is. He can carve out a role as a defensively responsible bottom six winger who can drive offense. But I think he’s versatile enough as a player where he could play anywhere in the lineup and not look out of place. He got some time with Jack Hughes post-Olympics and looked fine, but I could see him fitting in with Nico Hischier as his wingman as well. Chris alluded to this when he said Gritsyuk deserved a bigger role, and I think one could argue he was just as good as Timo Meier or Dawson Mercer were this past season, if not better.
Gritsyuk’s ELC concluded at the end of this Devils season. He will have arbitration rights as a pending RFA, assuming the Devils qualify him (spoiler alert: they will). The Devils will maintain his NHL rights until he becomes eligible for UFA following the 2027-28 season.
What will Gritsyuk do going forward?
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are a lot of unknowns moving forward.
We don’t know if Sheldon Keefe will be back as the coach, nor do we know who Sunny Mehta is planning on keeping from the roster he inherited. We also don’t know how Mehta will value Gritsyuk, as we just have the one NHL season under his belt to go off of. And even assuming Gritsyuk is back, what will his role be? Will he be shoehorned into the Top Six? Will he continue his third line role alongside Cody Glass? Can he earn more time on the power play unit?
That said, I could see Gritsyuk being better in his second full NHL season now that he’s been around the league once. He’s now familiar with the speed at which the NHL game is played. He knows he’ll have to get stronger to get to those tougher areas of the ice more consistently. The defensive game is already there for him, but the next step for him as a goal scorer will be picking up on those little nuances and creating separation to get his shot off.
I don’t know what his ceiling will ultimately be as an NHL player, but I do think he has the potential to be a Top-Six caliber winger who scores 20-25 goals a season and contributes around 50 points.
Who are Gritsyuk’s comparables and what is his value?
My natural inclination was to compare Gritsyuk’s rookie NHL season to the rookie season of other players who played multiple seasons in Russia and debuted in their 20s. But I also don’t think you can really compare Gritsyuk to Kirill Kaprizov or Artemi Panarin. Both of them had significantly better rookie campaigns than Gritsyuk did, and both have stood the test of time as elite-level NHL wingers. I’d be thrilled if Gritsyuk was half the offensive force that they are.
The next player that came to mind was a former Devils draft pick out of Belarus that we should all be familiar with in Yegor Sharangovich. But it’s another imperfect comparison.
Yes, they do share some similarities as players. Sharangovich is a little taller but they have similar frames as players. They both possess what can be termed a lethal shot. And when their shot is going well, they can pump in goals as a reliable source of secondary offense.
But I view Gritsyuk as more of a complete two-way forward, despite Sharangovich regularly seeing time on a penalty killing unit. I also view Sharangovich as a player who almost has to be shooting well above expected to have positive value in your lineup. Calgary gave him 5 years and $5.75M after a 31 goal season where he shot over 17%, but he has struggled enough the last two years where that contract doesn’t look like the greatest investment after the fact.
Part of why I bring up Sharangovich as a potential comp though is the contract he signed in between that deal and the $2M AAV for 2 year deal he signed out of his ELC. As a 25 year old, he signed a $3.10M AAV deal for 2 years shortly after being traded to Calgary in 2023. Sharangovich would’ve been eligible for UFA at the end of that deal but Calgary moved to sign him to an extension after his career year and buy out five UFA years. I do think that $3.10M AAV is in line with Gritsyuk’s production at that age, and even accounting for the growing cap ceiling and inflation, it makes his AFP analytics projection of $3.55M for 2 years on a bridge seem reasonable.
I did struggle to come up with other comparables for Gritsyuk though, so I decided to reach out to Chris and see what he thought and he threw out a few interesting names. He noted that Gritsyuk had similar scoring rates to Alex Tuch and Adrian Kempe at the same age. Both of those players obviously had far more NHL experience through their age 25 season than Gritsyuk does, but they also both found another level and developed into top line scoring wingers. He also mentioned Jake DeBrusk, but that would be the opposite end of the spectrum as he’s never really proven to be anything more than a 20-ish goal, 40-ish point winger.
After tallying 52 points with the Golden Knights in 18-19. Tuch signed a long-term deal for $4.75M AAV over 7 years. That deal has proven to be an exceptional value as he has three 30+ goal seasons in Buffalo and is set up nicely to cash in as THE premier free agent of this year’s class on July 1.
Kempe is finishing up 4 year deal worth $5.5M AAV that he signed after his breakout season in 21-22 when he scored 35 goals with the Kings. He has since signed a new deal with the Kings to bypass free agency, extending for $10.63M AAV over the next 8 seasons.
DeBrusk signed a series of bridge deals with the Bruins, beginning with a 2-year, $3.68M AAV deal after a 35 point campaign in 2019-20. He followed that up with another 2-year deal, this time for $4M. DeBrusk cashed in on a long-term deal with the Vancouver Canucks when he hit free agency in 2024.
I’ve rattled off a bunch of names, but I don’t think there’s a perfect comp unfortunately. His fellow countrymen in Panarin and Kaprizov are simply better players, and just because guys like Tuch and Kempe have similar scoring rates doesn’t mean they’re similar players. But I did want to cover a wide base of guys with similar numbers and what they ultimately received.
What would I do with Gritsyuk and what do I think the Devils will do?
According to AFP analytics, Gritsyuk is projected for either a 2-year bridge deal worth $3.55M AAV or a 5-year longer-term deal worth $6.58M AAV.
On the surface, both of those projections might seem a little high given Gritsyuk’s lack of experience. But I’m also still operating of the mindset that yesterday’s prices should be today’s prices and that’s not the case. The cap is continuing to increase and contracts that might’ve been good 2 years ago might not be today. I can’t blame Gritsyuk for looking to cash in when athletes only get so many opportunities to do so. The proverbial pie is getting bigger and he wants his fair slice of it.
I’m not sure I love the idea of a long-term deal though given his relatively small track record. Especially at a time where the Devils simply don’t have a ton of salary cap flexibility. I’m not saying they should get rid of Gritsyuk but the cap is something to consider, especially if he doesn’t take those next steps in his development. And I think if I were Gritsyuk, I wouldn’t want to sign long-term yet if I think I have much more to give as a player.
I think the approach that might make the most sense for now is something similar to what the Flames did with Sharangovich. A bridge that locks in his AAV for the next two years, and if he has a good season in 2026-27, we can talk about a longer-term deal next summer when we have a better idea of who the player is.
We don’t know how Sunny Mehta will manage the salary cap, but I can’t imagine that he’s going to be on board with paying so many guys market rate like Fitzgerald did before him. Then again, given the aforementioned salary cap situation, Mehta might be content to get Gritsyuk locked in at as low an AAV as possible for the next two seasons while money is tight and worry about 2028 when it gets here. Especially if he has any grandeurs of completing the Hughes triforce next summer or trying to land another big fish on top of a potential Nico Hischier extension.
I do wonder if one potential option that makes sense for the Devils is to try to meet Gritsyuk somewhere in the middle with a 3 or 4 year deal in the $5.5M AAV range that buys out one year or two of his UFA years. The reason I bring that up is because we’re seeing more and more players sign shorter-term deals. Not only does it keep pressure on the team to put a winner around them, but it gives the player an opportunity to test the market again sooner at a time where the salary cap ceiling is exploding. Gritsyuk could sign a 4 year deal this summer and still be in a position to sign a long-term deal when he’s 29 and there’s a larger body of work and more proof of concept with him. Like I said, I don’t think it makes a ton of sense for Gritsyuk to want to max out on term right now.
With cap space at a premium though, I think the most likely move is a bridge. My contract prediction is 2 years at $3.5M AAV.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his game winning overtime goal against the Buffalo Sabres in Game Five of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 28, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. Boston won, 2-1. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
After a pummeling on home ice in Game 4, Bruins fans headed into last night’s elimination game in Buffalo hoping for, if nothing else, some pride, some effort, and a team that would show up, rather than go out with a whimper.
They got that and more, as the Bruins recovered from an early one-goal deficit to beat Buffalo, 2-1, via a David Pastrnak breakaway goal midway through overtime.
The goal was Pastrnak’s second of the series and the second playoff OT goal of his career.
Jeremy Swayman was the reason the Bruins even had a kick at the can in OT, as he made 28 saves, including eight in the third period and four in OT, to earn the win.
Elias Lindholm scored the other goal for the B’s, a game-tying goal 9:24 into the second period.
This was a tightly played game throughout, a completely different showing from Game 4, as the Bruins still struggled with Buffalo’s forecheck at times but managed to not completely implode in their own zone.
Buffalo started the scoring 3:35 into the game, with Rasmus Dahlin finishing a beautiful Jason Zucker pass on the power play to make it 1-0 Sabres.
That would remain the score until 9:24 into the second period, when Lindholm collected a loose puck in the slot and beat Alex Lyon with the ol’ “turn and shoot” to make it a 1-1 game.
Swayman played a huge role in keeping the game tied through the rest of the second and third periods, making a number of big stop — including this doorstep save on Tage Thompson.
Pastrnak did an excellent job avoiding going offside, staying on by THISMUCH:
Bruins win, 2-1!
Game notes
The lopsidedness of Game 4 was always a bit of an outlier, but the Bruins deserve a lot of credit for a bounce-back effort on Tuesday. It would have been relatively easy to let your standards slip after a deflating home loss, but the Bruins showed up.
We’ve been saying “I’m not sure how sustainable this is” all season, but tonight’s game followed a season-long formula for the Bruins: take your chances when they come and hope Swayman can come up big when called upon. This wasn’t a “Bruins have no business being in it, Swayman stole the game” night, but he made some huge saves to both keep it a one-goal game and to keep the game tied down the stretch.
Looking at the screenshot above, you can see that the linesman is about 15 feet behind that play, so I give him credit for calling that onside live. I’m not sure how you make that judgment at full speed. Very fast eyeballs.
Marat Khusnutdinov, who had a very solid game overall, played a huge role in Pastrnak’s OT winner. His decision to attack Peyton Krebs as he crossed the blue line not only caused the turnover that led to the goal, but prevented what looked like it would have been a hashmarks-in breakaway for Buffalo, as you could see where Krebs was looking with the puck.
The Bruins briefly had a “did we win?” moment earlier in OT, when Sean Kuraly poked the puck out from Lyon and into the net. The whistle technically didn’t go until after the puck went in, but the referees ruled that the play was dead. It looks like it ended up being the right call, but it was close.
The giveaways stat is always kind of a toss-up, but the NHL’s scorekeepers credit the B’s with having one fewer giveaway than Buffalo (21 vs. 22). The B’s also outhit the Sabres 43-27 and won the face-off battle handily, 60%-40%.
The Bruins came up empty on the power play again tonight, going 0-for-3. That included a pretty big opportunity five minutes into the third period, but all’s well that ends well, I guess.
Sturm leaned heavily on Pavel Zacha and Pastrnak tonight, with the Czechs skating 24:19 and 25:15, respectively. Those totals were second and third highest among all skaters on the B’s, only behind Charlie McAvoy’s 26:24.
The NHL announced after the game that Friday’s Game 6 will begin at 7:30 at TD Garden.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - FEBRUARY 25: Tyson Foerster #71 of the Philadelphia Flyers battles for the puck along the boards against Erik Karlsson #65 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Philadelphia Flyers (3-2) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-3) in Game 6 of the best of seven series
When: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports Philadelphia, nationally on TNT and truTV, streaming on HBO Max
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins need to win tonight in order to extend the series to a winner-takes-all Game 7, which would take place Saturday in Pittsburgh at a time to be determined.
Opponent Track: The Flyers are looking to snap their losing streak after dropping two straight. The home team is still one win away from earning the chance to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.
Hidden Stat: Just 12 percent of NHL teams that have gone down 0-3 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series have gone on to force a Game 6.
Series results of a best-of-7 series in Stanley Cup playoff history where a team took a 3-0 series lead:
🏒 131 won in 4 games 🏒 58 won in 5 games 🏒 16 won in 6 games 🏒 6 won in Game 7 🏒 4 lost the series pic.twitter.com/iZQ3Qqe5pD
Travis Konecny – Christian Dvorak – Porter Martone
Denver Barkey – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Alex Bump – Noah Cates – Tyson Foerster
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
DEFENSEMEN
Travis Sanheim / Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York / Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler / Emil Andrae
Goalies: Dan Vladar and Samuel Ersson
Potential scratches: Matvei Michkov (?), Oliver Bonk (?), Helge Grans, David Jiricek, Garrett Wilson, Nikita Grebenkin, Oscar Eklind, Noah Juulsen, Hunter McDonald, Jacob Gaucher, Carl Grundstrom, Aleksei Kolosov, Carson Bjarnason
Defenseman Emil Andrae, who missed time after suffering an injury in Game 1, returned to the third pairing in Game 5 in place of Noah Juulsen.
The Flyers scratched Matvei Michkov ahead of Game 5 in favor of Alex Bump, who celebrated his return to the lineup by scoring one of Philadelphia’s two goals.
If Michkov draws back into the lineup tonight, it sounds like it won’t be in place of Tyson Foerster, who has been held without a point this series. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday the Flyers would “try to stick with” Foerster.
“It’s just not him; we’ve got some other guys there that we need a little bit more from,” Tocchet said Tuesday. “But it is tough, hitting the wall, to be able to play at that pace and all that sort of stuff, maybe he has hit the wall a little bit. But 24 hours or 36 hours off, reset your brain, all that stuff can do wonders for the guy.”
There could still be some changes coming to the lineup. Tocchet said the Flyers have been discussing potentially slotting 21-year-old Oliver Bonk, who has one game of regular-season experience at the NHL level, in for Game 6.
When asked if Pens’ ability to adjust to the Flyers’ defense in Games 4 and 5 had impacted his game plan going forward, Tocchet said his emphasis ahead of Game 6 would be not on changing his team’s structure but on encouraging players’ “determination” to get the puck.
“They’ve adjusted. I’ve got to give their staff and their players credit. But there’s some stuff there that we’re not doing, that we can expose them,” Tocchet said Tuesday about the Pens. “And I’m not going to get into that part, but there’s a lot of skating and wanting the puck. There’s got to be a little bit more want and determination, and you’ll get pucks.
“I don’t think, me personally, it’s X and O’s. I think it’s determination, on some of these players, to wanting that puck.”
And now for the Pens
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Anthony Mantha
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari
DEFENSEMEN
Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kris Letang
Ryan Shea / Ilya Solovyov
Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner
Potential Scratches: Connor Clifton, Justin Brazeau, Kevin Hayes, Ryan Graves, Jack St. Ivany, Sergei Murashov
IR: Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones (season-ending shoulder surgery)
The Penguins canceled practice Tuesday, so the first look at any changes to the lineup will come before tonight’s game.
Elmer Soderblom’s goal on Monday seems like a good indication he’ll be back in the lineup for Game 6, which could mean Justin Brazeau will remain out.
Another positive in Game 5 was the Penguins’ fourth line. Goalscorer Connor Dewar, when asked Monday whether he felt the momentum in the series had shifted, answered: “We’re just fighting to stay together. Every win is a few more days together, so that’s the way I’m thinking about it.”
Connor Dewar after Game 5 win: “We’re just fighting to stay together. Every win is a few more days together.”
He scored his second goal in as many games. Said the Penguins are playing faster and more direct with their season on the line.
From Pens PR: Arturs Silovs is the first Penguins goaltender since Frank Pietrangelo in 1991 to win his first two playoff starts while facing elimination both times.
Kris Letang also joined Silovs in history as the first defenseman since 1971 to score back-to-back Stanley Cup playoff game winners when his team was facing elimination, per Pens PR.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Travis Konecny #a11 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins exchange words after their match in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers defeated the Penguins 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your Pens Points for this Wednesday morning…
Are you hyped for Game 6 tonight? How’s this for a stat on the Penguins’ resilience? The Penguins have already beaten the odds by forcing a Game 6 after trailing the Flyers 3-0. Eighty-seven percent of NHL teams in that position never make it that far. While Pittsburgh still faces a steep climb, the pressure has shifted to Philadelphia as the Penguins try to become just the fifth team in league history to complete a comeback from a 0-3 deficit. [PensBurgh]
The Penguins’ power play remains unfinished and inconsistent, with coaches and players still trying to build chemistry and improve execution despite having a strong group of talent on the ice. [Trib Live]
Former Penguins forward Dominik Uher (there’s a ‘Remember a guy.’) has signed a two-year contract with Lowen Frankfurt of Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga. [Trib Live]
Unlike the Penguins’ chaotic 2012 comeback attempt against the Flyers, this year’s team needs sharper starts and early leads to have a real chance of completing the monumental feat. [Trib Live]
Veterans Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby have recently helped drive Pittsburgh’s push, with Letang scoring consecutive game-winning goals (even if one was a stroke of luck) and Crosby contributing key offense and late-game leadership. [Penguins]
Pittsburgh’s fourth line of Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte, and Noel Acciari has rediscovered its chemistry after injuries disrupted the trio late in the season. [Penguins]
News and notes from around the NHL…
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov have been named the finalists for the 2025-26 Ted Lindsay Award. [Sportsnet]
Fans in attendance at Buffalo’s KeyBank Center joined together to finish the pregame rendition of “O Canada” before Game 5 on Tuesday night after anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone cut out. [NHL]
There is still no definitive timetable for Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman’s return to the lineup after he left the team March 25 for personal reasons. However, all signs indicate that the 35-year-old is making steady progress toward that eventual return. [NHL]
In the NHL playoffs Tuesday night, the two trailing teams won to extend their series, while Minnesota broke the 2-2 tie to pull ahead of Dallas, 3-2. But before that, a bit of Islanders fodder…
Islanders News
In the latest Islanders Anxiety, Dan and Mike talk about the Bridgeport finale, some extra season thoughts, upcoming schedule and more. [LHH]
They also reference this, a must-read sign-off from Michael Fornabaio, who covered so much Sound Tigers history and kept us entertained the whole time. Really missed his coverage the last several seasons. You can’t properly cover minor pro hockey without a Slap Shot sense of humor, and he had that in spades. [MFornabaio]
Two of the bigger holes this past season — the season-ending injuries to Kyle Palmieri and Alex Romanov — will theoretically fill themselves with their returns. But coming back from major injuries is not always a straight line. [Post]
Simon Holmstrom, Emil Heineman and Mat Barzal will represent their countries at the World Championship. [THN]
The Islanders will host the next All-Star Game, and of course Gary Bettman says travel to the arena and parking is improving and great. [Newsday]
NHL Playoffs
The Bruins extend their series in Buffalo with a dramatic OT win on a David Pastrnak breakaway where he just barely stayed(?) on side. [NHL]
The Oilers woke up and dominated the Ducks, extending that series at 3-2. [NHL]
And Kirill Kaprizov picked up three points as the Wild pushed the Stars to the brink in Dallas. [NHL]
Remembering John Garrett, goalie, good guy and longtime Canucks announcer. [Sportsnet]
With mouth-breathing attention seekers like Paul Bissonnette saying Brady Tkachuk is as good as gone this summer, rumors will persist until the Senators captain’s next extension. [Sportsnet]
Bruce Cassidy appeared on TNT to reflect on getting fired by Vegas with eight games left. [Sportsnet]
Tonight, someone will take a 3-2 lead in the Lightning-Canadiens series, while the Penguins will look to make the Flyers reaaaly uncomfortable in their effort to erase the 0-3 deficit.
pic.twitter.com/0q6HeLTCZ8
Vasilevskiy Over 22.5 saves
Drysdale Over 1.5 shots on goal
Sergachev Over 1.5 shots on goal
