The New York Islanders will be looking to add this summer, both up front for scoring and on the right side of their defense.
Often, the easiest way to add to the roster in the summer is through the July 1 Free-Agent Frenzy.
It's no secret the Islanders could covet the top available players like Alex Tuch and Darren Raddysh, but it's very rare to land the top guy on the board for any team in the NHL.
Instead, the second wave of players usually is where most of the NHL gets its business done, including the Islanders.
The Islanders have been competitive in the free-agent market the last two years for forwards, most notably with Brock Boeser this past July 1.
Instead, Boeser extended at the very last minute with the Vancouver Canucks.
The #Isles were closer than many realize to landing Brock Boeser in free agency.
The Islanders tried to improve their roster, signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal that did not pan out as hoped, ultimately trading him to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Brayden Schenn trade.
The year before, 2024, the Islanders' ambitions were hidden in the famed Lou Lamoriello Cone of Silence, but it's likely they'd have had major interest in the likes of Steven Stamkos, the top UFA.
Instead, he signed with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators.
The Islanders then turned around and signed Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal that has not panned out as hoped. They will be looking hard to move the player off the roster this summer.
Both Drouin and Duclair were clear adds to the middle-six of the Islanders, with hopes they could even be a fit on New York's top line alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, before the latter returned to center.
The Islanders need a clear top-line winger, not another stop-gap winger, especially with Victor Eklund looking like a strong bet to be a day-one NHLer next season.
If the Islanders do wish to improve the forward group, the best way to do so this summer could be via trade, with one target being Eklund's older brother, William.
San Jose jumping to No. 2 overall may have opened the door for something bigger.
The #FutureIsTeal also own the No. 20 pick, have a loaded young forward group, and still badly need defense.
This year's forward free agency class behind Tuch is an extremely thin class.
In recent days, the Islanders have been linked with Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson, 33, had a great year in Boston, scoring 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games, skating on Boston's second line.
Arvidsson then scored two goals in three playoff games before suffering a season-ending broken rib and punctured lung early in Game 4.
On paper, adding Arvidsson's 25 goals (a pace of 29.7 goals over a full 82 games) could make sense for the Islanders.
It's also only the second time in the last six seasons that Arvidsson has scored that many goals. He scored 26 in 2022-23. Then he played only 18 games in 2023-24, dealing with major injuries.
In 2024-25 with the Edmonton Oilers, Arvidsson scored 15 goals and 27 points in 62 games.
Aside from this past season (2025-26) and the 2022-23 season, Arvidsson has been hampered by injuries and a lack of consistent production.
If that sounds familiar, it's similar to the way Drouin and Duclair were described before signing with the Islanders.
It's not a mistake the Islanders can afford to make for a third-straight summer.
When the Philadelphia Flyers inevitably sign starting goalie Dan Vladar to a contract extension, the new deal will come with some sticker shock. That is to be expected with the goalie market the way it is these days.
Vladar, 28, bet on himself last summer when he signed a two-year, $6.7 million ($3.35 million AAV) contract with the Flyers, parlaying some boilerplate seasons with the Calgary Flames into an opportunity to become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.
The Czech netminder did that in 2025-26, going 29-14-7 in 52 games for the Flyers while posting a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Notably, Vladar's 52 games played were greater than his 2023-24 (20) and 2024-25 (30) totals with the Flames combined. For the Flyers, the signing was, admittedly, a bit of a risk, but it paid off.
Now, once July 1 arrives, the Flyers can move to extend the backbone of their team, and while we all expect that to happen, the deliberation focuses more on how long the new contract is for, and how much it will pay.
You can expect it to be something like five years and $25- to $30 million (between $5- and $6 million AAV).
That seems rich for an older goalie coming off a career year, right? Well, it is, and that is also invariably going to be the market for him and any other established goalie held in high regard by an organization.
For recent precedent, we can look to the Vancouver Canucks, who are just one year removed from having Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet behind their bench.
On Feb. 21, 2025, while Tocchet was still with the team, the Canucks signed backup goalie Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5 million ($4.5 million AAV) deal with the Finn admirably filling in for an ailing Thatcher Demko.
Last season, Lankinen finished the year 25-15-10 in 51 games, posting a 2.62 GAA and .902 save percentage in an expanded role.
In his previous two seasons with the Nashville Predators, Lankinen had played a combined 43 regular season games. See the similarities?
An easy counterargument against the Lankinen comparison would be that Lankinen was a paltry 11-27-5 this past season with a 3.70 GAA and .875 save percentage, but no religious or spiritual deity is saving what was the 2025-26 Canucks, who finished last in the NHL by a comfortable 14-point margin.
The Flyers, like the Canucks when they signed Lankinen, are in no position to mess about with their future in goal. Demko's injury issues have, obviously, proven to be problematic, while the Flyers just suffered through two dire seasons at the expense of their goaltending before Vladar came along.
If Vladar pulls in a contract that exceeds $20 million, as he very well should, he'll be making a bit less than a good starter would be elsewhere in the NHL.
In a few years, when the salary cap goes up, the 28-year-old will probably just be making decent money to be an upper-tier backup, which the Flyers should hope he will be.
By extending Vladar, the Flyers, quite literally, buy themselves more time to patiently develop goalie prospects like Aleksei Kolosov, Egor Zavragin, Carson Bjarnason, and any other netminders they may select in 2026 and future drafts.
There is a price to pay, just as there was with Christian Dvorak, Owen Tippett, and Travis Konecny, but the Flyers are in no position to do otherwise.
For Vladar, the next contract will be a well-earned raise that rewards him for all the work he put in to address the weaknesses in his game and become a better goalie.
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 9: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck in front of Olen Zellweger #51 of the Anaheim Ducks at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 9, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The dust is still settling on the Penguins’ season. Kyle Dubas gave his end of season press conference last week and the team will be mostly inactive until the end of June. They might have the occasional re-signing, like recent moves to bring back Connor Dewar and Ilya Solovyov in the short-term but the rhythm of the season will be mostly quiet for a while longer.
Nothing, however, stops the rumors and whispers about. The recently eliminated Anaheim Ducks were a natural talking point for national reporters like Elliotte Friedman to discuss.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Ducks: They have players who are in and out of the lineup that intrigue other people, Mason McTavish; Olen Zellweger; [Verbeek's] gonna have options here – 32 Thoughts (5/15)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 17, 2026
The Penguins and Ducks have been frequent trading partners in the recent past and are natural enough fits since they reside in different conferences. It also seems like that for whatever reason Anaheim often has at least rumors of player availability, like with defenseman Pavel Mintyukov last season. That talk died down permanently after Mintyukov eventually found his way into Anaheim’s top-four and became a focal point of their team.
The talk these days has shifted to situate around McTavish and Zellweger.
Neither are Egor Chinakhov cases where the team that drafted that player is going to cut bait for a relatively low price of a couple of non-first round draft picks. As Friedman notes, there will be significant interest around the league should either one of them move into the realm of serious trade consideration.
That status alone might be enough to chase a team like Pittsburgh away either voluntarily if they don’t want to meet the price set, or perhaps involuntarily if Anaheim is simply receiving better offers from other teams than what the Pens have to give themselves.
However, at this point, both McTavish and Zellweger would be matches and fits for the Penguins. Their reasonable young center depth chart is basically Ben Kindel and nothing else at this point, though Bill Zonnon has been doing well in the AHL playoffs in his very first pro action. (Zonnon is also playing on the fourth line there, any hopes for an accelerated turn into a full-time NHL player in the very immediate future might be a little too hopeful in timing).
While McTavish fits a need, his status as a former No. 3 overall pick in 2021 and a player who has produced four straight 40+ point seasons in the NHL while barely scratching the surface of meeting his potential might be a stretch for the Pens to reasonably acquire.
That could make Zellweger, or 22-year old Tristan Luneau who played almost all of 2025-26 in the AHL, more precise, realistic options for Pittsburgh. Both are left handed defensemen, where the pipeline of talent within the organization at that position is even more lacking than center. A smooth-skating player like Zellweger who can operate in the offensive zone (scoring seven goals and getting 22 points last season) fits the mold of the style that Kyle Dubas has sought in the past.
The other big question would be if the Pens have what Anaheim might be interested in at this point of their evolution into a playoff team. The Ducks did trade their first round pick away, even though they probably wouldn’t be looking to move a lot of ready or near-ready talent to reload with a prospect, it might make some sense that they would be interested in getting a spot in the 2026 first round considering that they currently don’t have a pick there. On the flip side, whether or not the Pens would move a first round pick for NHL ready talent remains a question to be answered.
This time of year there’s not much more besides wondering at this point. Given Dubas’s nature and history it’s a good bet he’ll be active to at least get the information needed to see if there’s a deal to be struck that both sides would act on. Anaheim and Pittsburgh have long been linked to various degrees in rumors and trades, we’ll have to see this summer if another chapter gets added to that history.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save during the first period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Artūrs Šilovs Born: March 22, 2001 (25 years old) Height: 6’4” Weight: 208 pounds Hometown: Riga, Latvia Catches: Left Draft: 2019, Vancouver Canucks (Sixth round, No. 156 overall) 2025-26 Statistics: 39 games played (38 starts), 19-12-8 record, 3.07 GAA, .888 SV%. Playoffs: 3 GP (3 starts), 2-1 record, 1.52 GAA, .939 SV%. Contract Status: Pending restricted free agent on July 1, completed a two-year, $1.7 million contract ($850,000 cap hit)
Šilovs was an NHL rookie who saw the most ice time of any Penguins goaltender in 2025-26, remaining a regular member of the rotation whether it was Tristan Jarry, Sergei Murashov or Stuart Skinner on the other side of the tandem.
Story of the Season
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acquired Šilovs amid a flurry of free agency moves last July by sending former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-rounder to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Penguins have acquired goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Šilovs, who had never made more than nine starts in a season during his tenure with the Canucks, went on to make his debut on opening night of the 2025-26 season.
He took advantage of getting the nod over Jarry by recording his first career regular-season shutout of his career.
Šilovs spent the first two and a half months of the season trading starts with either Jarry or Murashov, right up until the Penguins traded Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for a package including Skinner on Dec. 12.
Skinner and Šilovs spent the rest of the regular season mostly alternating starts. Skinner got the nod for the start of the postseason, although the Penguins ultimately turned to Šilovs after falling into an 0-3 first-round deficit to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Šilovs posted three strong postseason performances to help the Penguins push the series to Game 6 before the team’s elimination 1-0 overtime loss.
The netminder told reporters in his exit interviews he had been playing through a knee injury for the last three to four weeks of the regular season.
HDSV%: .800 HDGAA: 1.40 GSAA: -6.74 Shots Against/60: 27.13 Saves/60: 24.22 HD Shots Against/60: 7.02 HD Saves/60: 5.62 Rush Attempts Against/60: 0.9 Rebound Attempts Against/60: 5.35 Average shot distance: 33.92 feet Average goal distance: 21.36 feet
Both Šilovs and Skinner struggled this season when faced with shots from dangerous areas, a task given to them fairly often amid the Penguins’ defense collapses. Those two netminders ranked 34th and 33rd, respectively, in high-danger save percentage out of 42 goaltenders who played at least 1,500 minutes last season.
It’s impossible to talk about Šilovs’ season without talking about his .409 save percentage in shootouts. The Penguins lost eight of them with him in net.
Šilovs remains a work in progress as far as WAR metrics go. His save percentage in the bottom right corner is starting to catch up to the expected, which is a good sign. It’ll be interesting in the future if he can draw out strong performances and boost his quality and excellent starts and bring down the totals of what is considered ‘bad’.
Šilovs has an interesting breakdown by zones. According to the NHL Edge data, he struggled in high danger moments but then again he had to face his fair share of them in front of a defense that struggled at times. Šilovs was at his best from mid-zone shots, especially to his right side (.943 save%), which came in handy since that location was the area the second highest amount of shots he faced came from (116 saves, 123 shots).
Goals in the NHL are often times the result of going to the net, being stronger in that situation is an opportunity for improvement. Šilovs gave up 64 goals from the high danger zones on 285 shots, had he been able to give a league average performance (.811%) that would have meant 10 fewer goals allowed on the season. That alone would have lowered his season GAA from 3.07 to 2.74 (a difference of being 41st place as he was, up to 25th) and raised his save percentage from .888% to .898%. Whether that comes from his performance, help from defense or a combination of both is a growth area that player and team should strive for next season.
When you talk Šilovs, you have to mention his small but impressive sample in the playoffs for Games 4-6. He raised his game across virtually all areas, save for that fateful shot from the right point that ended the Pens’ season courtesy of traffic in front of the net. While you couldn’t expect this type of performance over the long haul, it’s data to support the narrative that Šilovs is capable of playing his best games in the moments that matter the most – a growing trend in his young career.
Is Murashov ready for regular-season NHL action after shining in the AHL last season? If so, does Šilovs return next season?
Should Šilovs return, will he be able to improve on his numbers from last season and get closer to the ceiling he showed this postseason he’s capable of reaching?
Šilovs capped off the campaign with a strong playoff run, but some of his numbers down the stretch of the regular-season were less than ideal.
Examples: Šilovs went a nine-game stretch without posting a save percentage over .900 from Nov. 21 to Jan . 4 (3.8 goals against average over that span).
He allowed at least four goals against in seven of his last 11 appearances of the season (.850 save percentage, 3.6 goals against average over the stretch). It should be noted that, according to Šilovs’ exit interviews, he would have been playing through a knee injury around that time.
Can stronger defensive play and improvements from Šilovs help limit those stretches in a second season as a regular starter? How much was Šilovs’ injury impacting him down the stretch?
What Dubas feels those answers are could impact what the goaltending rotation looks like next season in Pittsburgh.
Ideal 2026-27
Šilovs is a 25-year-old with a relatively limited sample size of regular-season action (56 career starts) and time to potentially improve in high-danger situations.
An ideal 2026-27 for the Penguins could look like Murashov taking the next step toward the AHL with a stronger Šilovs as his tandem partner should Skinner walk in unrestricted free agency.
Bottom line
Šilovs’ best stretch of the season came when it mattered most. His strong play helped the Penguins win two elimination contests to push the Flyers to Game 6.
This isn’t the first strong playoff run of Šilovs’ young career. He also made 10 playoff starts while helping the Canucks come within one win of the Western Conference Finals in 2024, and he was named Calder Cup MVP after leading the Canucks’ AHL affiliate to a title in 2025.
Šilovs’ ability to step up in the clutch could help make his case for the Penguins to re-sign him this offseason.
Final Grade
B
Šilovs struggled at times to limit scoring, especially when faced with high-danger chances or shootouts, during the regular season. He also helped the Penguins make the playoffs in his first season as an NHL starter, and he was a key reason his team exited the postseason with two wins under their belts.
What grade do you think Šilovs earned in his first season with the Penguins ahead of his upcoming restricted free agency?
The Buffalo Sabres' magical season came to an end with their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. While the Sabres ended up being eliminated in the second round, there is no question that they had a successful year.
Now, the Sabres are entering a big off-season. There is a real chance that some of their players from this year's roster won't be back next season. Due to this, let's look at three Sabres that may have played their final games with the Atlantic Division club.
Logan Stanley
After a career year, Logan Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and set to land a nice raise over his current $1.25 million AAV. However, when noting that the Sabres already having a lot of left-shot defensemen and Stanley was scratched multiple times during the playoffs, it would not be surprising if the Sabres let him leave through free agency this summer.
Luke Schenn
After being acquired by the Sabres from the Jets at the deadline, Luke Schenn played in just four regular-season games and two playoff games for Buffalo. With this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Sabres did not re-sign the 36-year-old defenseman this summer.
Tanner Pearson
Tanner Pearson is another trade deadline acquisition who likely won't be back with the Sabres next season. The 33-year-old forward did not play for the Sabres during the playoffs and played in just four regular-season games for them after being acquired from the Jets. With the Sabres having plenty of forward depth, the veteran winger likely won't be re-signed.
After a despicable effort in Game 6 at the Bell Centre, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to bounce back in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres. Martin St-Louis’ men were looking to deliver a better performance than they had in their last Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While they had come away with the win, they had only managed to get nine shots on goal. After making no lineup changes in the first six games of the series, Montreal’s bench boss elected to replace Joe Veleno with Oliver Kapanen, who hadn’t played since Game 4 of the first-round.
A Strong Start
The Habs had only scored first once in the series, and in the last two games, their top line had committed a turnover early on to hand the Sabres the lead on a silver platter. In this crucial game, the coach elected to change things up, starting the defensively responsible Jake Evans alongside Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov.
Not only did the Canadiens not concede early on, but they also opened the score before the clock hit five minutes. Kaiden Guhle fed Phillip Danault on the doorstep, and the veteran made no mistake. It was the blueliner’s sixth assist of the playoffs, and is third in a Game 7. 10 minutes later, on the power play, Zachary Bolduc doubled the Habs’ lead and quieted the Buffalo crowd. After 20 minutes, the Canadiens had a 2-0 lead and 11 shots, two more than they did in the entire final game against Tampa.
Two-Sided Coin
Once again in this game, Jakub Dobes was a key player for the Canadiens, making several key saves and being aggressive and proactive in and around the net. While most of the time that has served him well, he was partly responsible for the Sabres’ first goal when he harpooned the puck as Beck Malenstyn was coming from behind the net, and it bounced right to Mattias Samuelsson in the slot. The defenseman launched a shot that bounced off Jordan Greenway, bringing Buffalo back within one.
That being said, the goaltender must have felt like he needed to lend a hand as the Canadiens were stuck in their zone for an extended period of time for a second shift in a row. In that second frame, Dobes faced 14 Buffalo shots and stopped them all but one, which is why he was all smiles heading back to the room. The Canadiens have got to do something about the way they tend to let their opponent take over once they have the lead; they have to match their desperation and urgency, even if they feel like they are in the driver’s seat. It’s cost them dearly in Game 6 and led to a complete unravelling.
The third period wasn’t kind to Dobes; he was hit in the head by Jason Zucker's shoulder in the crease after making a desperate save, and there was no call. Granted, the Canadiens’ netminder might have tried to sell it too hard, but if that’s what the referee thought, he should have called the goalie interference and the embellishment. Shortly after that play, Rasmus Dahlin tied up the game, going upstairs near post on the Czech netminder.
If Cole Caufield has earned his Mr. Saturday Night nickname, Alex Newhook is slowly but surely working on getting the Mr. Game 7 moniker. After sealing the deal in Game 7 against the Lightning, it was the Newfoundlander who found the back of the net in overtime on Monday night. He’s the only player on the Canadiens’ roster with a Stanley Cup ring, and it shows.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
While he had only two shots on goal, he made seven attempts over nearly 72 minutes and landed three hits. Full marks to Alexandre Carrier for the good first pass and to Jake Evans for driving to the net and screening Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
One shouldn’t forget about Dobes, however. He stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced for a .949 save percentage and, as unbelievable as it may sound, his save percentage was even better in the seventh game against Tampa when he made 28 saves on 29 shots for a .966 SV.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
14 games are a lot of action for a goaltender in the playoffs, but when asked if he was getting tired after the game, he smiled and replied that he could easily play 40 more games. That will be music to the Canadiens’ fans’ ears as he’ll have at least another four to play in. Dobes also sent his thanks to Buffalo’s fans, saying he loves being the villain and how they were calling his name.
Montreal will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Final. While the Habs just went through two hard-fought seven games series, the Canes have swept both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on their way to a fourth Conference Final since 2018-2019. However, they are 1-12 in the third round in that timespan. They had also reached the Conference Final back in 2008-2009, and lost to the Penguins in four games.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Colorado Avalanche (55-16-11, in the Central Division)
Denver; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Avalanche -196, Golden Knights +163; over/under is 6
STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Avalanche host series opener
BOTTOM LINE: The Colorado Avalanche host the Vegas Golden Knights to start the Western Conference finals. The teams meet Saturday for the fourth time this season. The Avalanche went 2-1 against the Golden Knights during the regular season. In their last regular season matchup on April 11, the Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights with two goals.
Colorado has a 31-9-6 record in home games and a 55-16-11 record overall. The Avalanche have a 54-6-6 record in games they score three or more goals.
Vegas is 23-16-8 in road games and 39-26-17 overall. The Golden Knights have gone 45-7-11 when scoring at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brock Nelson has scored 33 goals with 32 assists for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon has seven goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mark Stone has 28 goals and 44 assists for the Golden Knights. Dorofeyev has nine goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Avalanche: 9-1-0, averaging 3.9 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and eight penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.7 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
INJURIES: Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen: day to day (upper-body), Brent Burns: day to day (undisclosed), Cale Makar: day to day (undisclosed), Sam Malinski: day to day (upper-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (upper-body), Mark Stone: day to day (lower-body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
May 10, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Alex Newhook (15) celebrates with teammate defenseman Lane Hutson (48) after scoring a goal against the Buffalo Sabresduring the first period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook scored his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason, this time 11:22 into overtime in the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
Newhook drove up the left wing and as he approached the circle snapped a shot through a screen that beat goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen inside the far post. Newhook also scored the decisive goal, breaking a 1-1 tie 11:07 into the third period, in Game 7 of Montreal’s first-round series win over Tampa Bay.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Newhook said of scoring back-to-back Game 7 winners. “It’s fun. It’s why you play the game. I think we played well enough to win, so we’re looking forward now.”
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc also scored for the Canadiens and Jakub Dobes finished with 37 saves.
Rasmus Dahlin forced overtime by tying the game 6:27 into the third period. Jordan Greenway also scored. Luukkonen finished with 22 saves.
The Canadiens advance to the Eastern Conference finals, where they’ll face the well-rested Hurricanes in a series set to open at Carolina on Thursday. The Hurricanes have swept each of their first two series, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9.
The Canadiens continue their upward trajectory a year after being eliminated in the first round by Washington.
“We’re a confident group,” Newhook said. “We’ve added some pieces, and I think everyone’s kind of come together to play together and play their role to the best of their ability this far in playoffs. We’ve got to keep it rolling.”
Buffalo dropped to 1-7 in Game 7, including 1-3 in overtime.
The Sabres enter their offseason following a breakout year in which they won their first Atlantic Division title and ended an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought. Buffalo’s turnaround began in early December, when the team went from last in the East standings to finish second by going 39-9-5 over its final 53 games.
The Sabres’ first-round win over Boston was their first since 2007, and the team returns a young and talented group that reflects a promising future in Buffalo.
Trailing 2-0, the Sabres cut Montreal’s lead 13:19 into the second period when Mattias Samuelsson’s shot grazed off Greenway and into the open left side past a screened Dobes. Dahlin then tied it after being set up by Owen Power to the left of the Montreal net, and fired a shot in before Dobes could get across.
Game 7 followed the series script in which each of the opening goals have been scored within the first seven minutes.
For only the second time, though, it was the Canadiens scoring first 4:30 in. Danault was parked in front and had Kaiden Guhle’s shot from the left circle deflect in off his skate.
Bolduc followed 10 minutes later with a one-timer from the right circle in which he beat Luukkonen high on the short side. Captain Nick Suzuki set up the goal with a cross-ice feed from the far corner.
Buffalo waited 15 years to host a Game 7 like this again, only to watch its dream season end in stunned silence as the Montreal Canadiens escaped KeyBank Center with a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime victory Monday night.
Alex Newhook buried the winner 11:22 into overtime as the Canadiens survived another punishing playoff battle, eliminating the Buffalo Sabres in dramatic fashion and punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
ALEX NEWHOOK WINS IT IN OVERTIME 🚨🚨🚨
THAT'S HIS 2ND GAME 7 SERIES CLINCHING GOAL OF THESE PLAYOFFS AND THE HABS MOVE ON 🤯 pic.twitter.com/yazHgkRdkP
The Canadiens, now an astonishing 6-0 following losses in these playoffs, will open the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday in Raleigh against a Carolina team that still hasn’t tasted defeat this postseason.
Montreal Survives Another Heavyweight Fight
For nearly three hours, the game felt like a tug-of-war between Buffalo’s relentless pressure and Montreal’s refusal to crack.
Phillip Danault and Zachary Bolduc scored in regulation for the Canadiens, who once again leaned on resilience more than dominance. Montreal has now played 14 playoff games in 30 days, yet somehow continues to look composed in the moments where lesser teams unravel.
The early portion of Game 7 belonged to Montreal. The Canadiens accomplished the most important task imaginable for a road team facing elimination: silence the building before the crowd could fully ignite.
Danault opened the scoring midway through the first period after a strong forecheck forced a Buffalo turnover deep in its own zone. Later in the frame, Bolduc capitalized on the power play to stretch the lead to 2-0, abruptly draining the energy from a nervous KeyBank Center crowd.
But the Sabres never stopped pushing.
Buffalo tilted the ice for long stretches of the second period, overwhelming Montreal territorially and forcing Jakub Dobeš into a series of game-saving stops. Jordan Greenway finally cut the deficit in half on a deflection goal after wave after wave of Sabres pressure, and by the time the third period arrived, momentum had fully shifted.
When Rasmus Dahlin blasted home the tying goal just over six minutes into the third, the arena erupted back to life and the Canadiens suddenly looked vulnerable again.
They just didn’t stay vulnerable for long.
Dobeš Rebounds When Montreal Needed Him Most
There was legitimate uncertainty surrounding Jakub Dobeš entering the game after he was pulled in Game 6 following a six-goal collapse.
Instead of folding under that pressure, the rookie netminder delivered another defining postseason performance.
Dobeš turned aside 37 shots and repeatedly rescued Montreal during Buffalo’s most dangerous stretches. His sprawling second-period robbery on Tage Thompson from point-blank range may have been the save that ultimately changed the outcome of the series.
While Buffalo controlled much of the possession battle and generated extended offensive-zone pressure, Dobeš consistently prevented the game from spiraling away from Montreal.
At the other end, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was sharp as well, stopping 22 shots and keeping the Sabres alive with multiple breakaway saves and several key stops on Cole Caufield early in the game. Both goaltenders entered the night carrying questions. Both answered them emphatically.
But only one got the final save.
Buffalo’s Breakthrough Season Ends In Heartbreak
The cruelty of Game 7 hockey is that one bounce can erase months of progress.
For Buffalo, the loss will sting deeply because this season represented so much more than one playoff run. The Sabres captured the Atlantic Division title, snapped a 15-year postseason drought, and reintroduced meaningful spring hockey to a city desperate for it.
Still, the ending will linger.
The Sabres finished just 2-5 at home during the playoffs, an almost impossible statistic to explain considering how dominant they looked on the road throughout the postseason. Across this series, the visiting team won five of seven games, further emphasizing how strange and volatile the matchup became.
Dahlin was magnificent in defeat, continuing a postseason that felt like a national arrival for the Buffalo captain. After recording five points in Game 6, he dominated stretches of Game 7 as well, driving play whenever he stepped on the ice and delivering the third-period equalizer that briefly seemed destined to become a franchise-defining moment.
Instead, it became another painful chapter in Buffalo’s long postseason history.
Now difficult offseason questions await the organization. Head coach Lindy Ruff is without a contract beyond this season, while top-six winger Alex Tuch is also approaching an uncertain future.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens keep moving.
Montreal entered the playoffs as the youngest team in the field. Now, after surviving consecutive seven-game wars, the youngest team to reach the conference final since the 1993 Canadiens is suddenly four wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Two former members of the Vancouver Canucks have officially been eliminated after the Montréal Canadiens won Game 7 of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres by a score of 3–2 in overtime. With ex-Canucks Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn eliminated by the Canadiens, Jalen Chatfield of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nic Dowd and Ben Hutton of the Vegas Golden Knights are now the only former Canucks who currently remain in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Buffalo and Montréal made their second-round series an exciting one, being the only duo in the bracket to play in seven games — the Colorado Avalanche and Golden Knights advanced in five and six games respectively, while the Hurricanes completed their second sweep of the post-season. There was never a point in their series in which Buffalo or Montréal led by more than a game.
The Canadiens made things close in Game 6, looking as though they would eliminate the Sabres after putting three goals past Buffalo goaltender Alex Lyon during the first period. However, the Sabres roared back to win by a score of 8–3, forcing the series back to Buffalo. Montréal took a quick 2–0 lead in the first period of Game 7, though Buffalo stormed back to tie things at two apiece. During overtime, however, it was Canadiens forward Alex Newhook who beat Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to win the series for his team.
The only former Canuck to take part in this series was Luke Schenn, who the Sabres acquired at the trade deadline alongside fellow defenceman Logan Stanley. Schenn, who has now taken part in eight different post-season and won two Stanley Cups, skated in two games for Buffalo against Montréal. Throughout this span, he averaged 7:33 minutes played per game.
May 18, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save on Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (17) during the second period in game seven of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
While Schenn was the only former Canuck to actually play in this series, he’s not the only one listed to Buffalo’s roster. Tanner Pearson, who spent nearly five seasons with the Canucks, was also acquired by the Sabres at this year’s trade deadline. Though he did skate in four regular-season games with Buffalo, he didn’t end up making his playoff debut for the Sabres.
With their series win, the Canadiens will now face a high-powered Hurricanes team that has swept both of their past two opponents — the Ottawa Senators in the first-round, and the Philadelphia Flyers in the second. Carolina, despite often impressing in the first two rounds of the post-season, has not made it past the Eastern Conference Final since winning the Stanley Cup back in 2006.
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There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts after five minutes of scoreless overtime play. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of the Vegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2: Pavel Dorofeyev scored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 28:Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT). David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of the first overtime to cut the Bruins' series deficit to 3-2.
April 27:Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (OT). Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of the first overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT). Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tie the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1: Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2: J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2: Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3: Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
Which players in 2026 postseason have the most playoff overtime goals?
5 - Corey Perry, Lightning
4 - Leon Draisaitl, Oilers (all in 2025 playoffs, an NHL record for one postseason)
3 - Brayden Point, Lightning; Jordan Staal, Hurricanes; Anze Kopitar, Kings; Artemi Panarin, Kings; Matt Duchene, Stars
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Rebecca Leslie scored the winning goal with 56 seconds left on Monday night to give the Ottawa Charge a 2-1 win over the Montreal Victoire to force a Game 4 in the best-of-five Walter Cup Final.
The Victoire, with two overtime wins on home ice, lead the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday in Ottawa.
Leslie found Sarah Wozniewicz's rebound and fired it through traffic to beat Ann-Renee Desbiens, who made 26 saves.
Montreal challenged the goal for a missed stoppage in play but after a lengthy review the goal stood, sending the playoff record crowd of 16,894 into a frenzy.
Trailing 1-0 Ottawa tied the game when Peyton Hemp picked up a loose puck and beat a sprawled out Desbiens for her first of the postseason with 5:30 remaining in the third period.
Montreal opened the scoring at 7:32 of the third when Maureen Murphy rifled a shot off the back boards and Hayley Scamurra picked up the rebound and beat Gwyneth Philips, who stopped 27 shots.
Ottawa started the third on the power play but generated just one shot.
The teams exchanged chances minutes later with Hemp trying to beat Desbiens at the side of the net and then Montreal’s Kaitlin Willoughby trying to beat Philips from in close.
“I know that the third (win) is going to be the hardest,” the Montreal Victoire coach said after her team took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Walter Cup Finals. “That’s what we’re focused on right now. The girls are allowed to be happy until the puck drop of the Habs tonight and then we move on.”
The Walter Cup trophy was in the house for Game 3 of the best-of-five series and nearly six minutes away from being hauled out for the Montreal Victoire. But with their backs against the wall, the Ottawa Charge staged a late-game comeback, scoring two goals in the final 5:30 of regulation to beat Montreal 2-1 and stay alive.
For nearly 50 minutes, the game was deadlocked 0-0 as goalies Ann-Renée Desbiens and Gwyneth Philips turned over 40 shots aside.
But just moments after Ottawa killed off a third Montreal power play, Montreal forward Hayley Scamurra carried the puck up the middle of the ice, dished to Maureen Murphy and drove to the net, where Murphy’s shot bounced right off the end boards and onto Scamurra’s stick. Known as a reliable defensive forward, Scamurra jumped on the puck before Philips could finish her slide through the crease and banged home the opening goal.
Seven minutes later, Ottawa rookie forward Peyton Hemp tied the game with her first goal of the playoffs. Rebecce Leslie scored the game-winner with just 54 seconds remaining in regulation — her league-leading fourth of the playoffs.
The deafening crowd of 16,894 at Canadian Tire Centre was the largest of any PWHL playoff game. Game 4 will return to CTC on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET).
There are currently just four former members of the San Jose Sharks organization remaining in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and they'll collide in the Western Conference Final with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line.
First, the Colorado Avalanche earned a trip to the Conference Final with a series victory over the Minnesota Wild, which took them just five games. The Avalanche have two former members of the Sharks organization in their ranks, both of which are still chasing their first Stanley Cup.
Defenseman Brent Burns spent over a decade in the Bay Area, appearing in 798 games for the Sharks. During that time, he scored 172 goals and 594 points, the fifth most in franchise history. He also had a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Despite a two-decade long career in the NHL, Burns has never lifted the Cup but perhaps he can be the modern-day version of Ray Bourque if Colorado are able to go all the way this season.
Mackenzie Blackwood's hunt for the Stanley Cup has been much shorter. He's in his ninth NHL season, and he's in his first full season as a member of the Avalanche after being traded there by the Sharks last spring.
Blackwood has appeared in just three playoff games for the Avalanche, as Scott Wedgewood has established himself as Jared Bednar's first choice in net.
The Avalanche will be across the ice from the notorious Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games to advance to the Conference Final, stirring up controversy in the process, which cost their head coach John Tortorella quite a bit of money while also resulting in the organization losing a second round draft pick.
Much like Colorado, the Golden Knights have two former members of the Sharks organization on their roster.
Long-time fan favorite Tomas Hertl requested a trade out of San Jose to chase down a Stanley Cup and now the opportunity to win the grandest trophy in hockey is right in front of him. Age hasn't been kind to the now 32-year-old forward, but he's still been helpful for the Golden Knights.
Like Burns, Hertl spent over a decade in the Bay Area, playing in 712 games for the Sharks. He scored 218 goals, the fifth most in franchise history, and 484 points, the sixth most in franchise history.
Goaltender Adin Hill is also on the Golden Knights roster, but despite being in the first year of a sizeable new contract, he has yet to appear in a game during the postseason as the team has opted to start Carter Hart.
One pair of San Jose Sharks alumni will make a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, it's just a matter of which duo it'll be.
The Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs almost a month ago, but they remain in the news thanks to the speculation and rumors surrounding the search of the 29th Head Coach in franchise history.
With the Playoffs still in high gear, the rumors are nothing more than speculation and insiders sharing what they have heard. Hiring a new bench boss is a long process that absolutely has to be done correctly.
The Kings have been linked to some notable names including current interim coach D.J. Smith and the recently fired Bruce Cassidy. And now entering the mix is former Vancouver Canuck and current Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach, Manny Malhotra.
According the NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Kings are likely to move on from DJ Smith and head in a younger direction, and he then mentioned Malhotra's name specifically.
David Pagnotta: Re Kings: I [can't] imagine a scenario where DJ Smith is the head coach next season; are they gonna look young...like a Manny Malhotra - Leafs Morning Take (4/22)
Los Angeles isn't the only team expected to be interested in the former Canucks assistant. The Toronto Maple Leafs have also reportedly expressed interest in hiring the 46-year-old fresh off of firing Craig Berube, who could also be an option for the Kings job. But based on Pagnotta's comments that seems unlikely at this moment in time.
Malholtra's Coaching Experience
After retiring as a player in 2016, Malhotra joined the Canucks coaching staff as an Assistant Coach where he served behind the bench until 2020 before he joined the Maple Leafs in the same role.
Malhotra spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Leafs before he was hired to be the bench boss by the Abbotsford Canucks, making yet another return to the Canucks organization,
His time in Abbotsford was perhaps the most up-and-down two years a team has ever. In 2024-25, Malhotra led his squad to a 44-24-4 record in the regular season before marching their way to a Calder Cup Championship. However, in 2025-26 his Canucks finished with a 28-37-7 record which of course had them missing the postseason.
Now, the former 16-year NHL veteran finds himself in the midst of the yearly head coaching cycle with a real chance of landing a job.
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OTTAWA – Kori Cheverie saw Monday night coming.