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After blowing a three-goal lead, the Colorado Avalanche are on the verge of being swept by the Vegas Golden Knights.

We saw eight players score in Vegas' 5-3 win on Sunday — including Mark Stone — and my Avalanche vs. Golden Knights goal scorer predictions expect him to strike again tonight.

For more NHL picks, be sure to also check out our Avalanche vs. Golden Knights predictions for May 26.

Avalanche vs Golden Knights goal scorer predictions for Game 4

Goal scorer pick: Mark Stone (+280)

Mark Stone scored his fourth goal of the 2026 postseason after two weeks off.

The 34-year-old winger's excellent play around the net allows him to cause trouble up front, especially on the power play.

In Game 3, Stone spent 4:25 of ice time on the man advantage, and the Vegas Golden Knights were able to generate seven scoring chances and five high-danger chances.

Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner can control the puck and find Stone for easy tap-ins, while his elite positioning also creates chances for him to knock in loose pucks off saves.

The Golden Knights' man advantage has scored in two of three games in the series, and the veteran's heavy involvement on PP1 has me betting this at +280 with confidence. Anything down to +250 is a go for me.

Goal scorer pick: Gabriel Landeskog (+220)

I desperately wanted to take Nathan MacKinnon at +105, but after missing the morning skate, I am pivoting to the Colorado Avalanche's captain, Gabriel Landeskog, who was highly active on Sunday.

Landeskog scored his second goal of the series on six shots in Game 3, and the Avs dominated while he was on the ice. In 24:04 of ice time, Colorado outshot Vegas 17-4 and had 21 scoring chances for compared to eight against.

The captain also sported a 66.67% Corsi For percentage (CF%), including 58.62% at 5-on-5.

His strong play at even strength is important to highlight, as the Avalanche have been downright ass on the man advantage. Landeskog is tilting the ice whenever he plays, and I would play this down to +200.

Goal scorer pick: Brett Howden (+305)

This is purely a price play for me. Brett Howden scored his 10th goal of the postseason in Game 3 — albeit an empty netter — but I still think +305 is a misprice we can take advantage of.

Brett Howden pairs nicely on the second line with William Karlsson and Mitch Marner, with the trio sporting a 53.33% CF% in 9:49 of 5-on-5 in Game 3. 

Howden played just over 12 minutes at 5-on-5 in his last outing, and the Golden Knights had four high-danger chances while giving up zero.

His elite 60% face-off percentage has the Knights relying on him defensively just as much as they do offensively, which puts him in situations like penalty kills — and the final minutes of the game with an empty net just begging to be scored on.

Howden doesn't shoot often, but his 37% shooting percentage in the playoffs proves that even when the volume is low, his efficiency is there. I would play this down to +275.

Avalanche vs Golden Knights anytime goal parlay

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With NHL free agency about one month away, the rumors are already swirling on what kind of blockbuster trades we can expect to happen this offseason.

According to Pierre LeBrun, writer and sportscaster for the Sports Network, reported that the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, and Montreal Canadiens are among several teams that will be interested in Nico Hischier if he becomes available in this summer’s trade market.

The Kings, Wild, and Canadiens would be among the clubs that will be interested if Hischier becomes available in this summer’s trade market.

However, Pierre LeBrun believes an extension is the more likely outcome, though the discussions are at “an early and delicate stage”.

— The Mug NHL (@TheMugNHL) May 26, 2026

While Lebrun reported that an extension remains as the most likely outcome for Hischier to remain with the New Jersey Devils, there is still a possibility that he will hit the trade market, which would create one of the biggest offseason storylines if he gets moved. 

For years now, the Los Angeles Kings have searched for a solution down the middle to solve their center position. With Anze Kopitar retiring, there are still question marks about who will take the mantle and become the next captain of the Kings organization. 

NEW for @TheAthletic, Nico Hischier’s future, NHL coaching carousel, Bo Byram, Claude Giroux and more in Rumblings ! ⤵️https://t.co/XpnXRoxdHU

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 26, 2026

Hischier in a Kings uniform will instantly change that conversation. The 27-year-old Devils captain has quickly developed into one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. Known for his leadership and offensive consistency, Hischier represents the exact type of player the Kings have been searching for in line with their organizational identity. 

The Swiss hockey star finished this season with 28 goals, 38 assists, and 66 points playing all 82 games. Hischier has consistently stayed healthy every season, averaging 70 games played over the last five seasons, but it hasn't translated into wins. 

In nine seasons, Hischier has qualified for the playoffs just three times and won only one playoff series, in the 2022-23 season. The Devils, as a franchise, have struggled to stay consistent throughout Hischier's tenure with the team, currently sitting as just an average or good team, despite being loaded with top-tier offensive talent.

When healthy, players like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier form one of the most dangerous and skilled offensive cores in the NHL.

But outside of their top lines, the team's depth and bottom-six forwards have frequently struggled to consistently generate offense or control play.

If Hischier wants a change of scenario, instead of constantly running it back with the same team and roster and remaining average at best, the Kings should put all the chips on the table for a potential trade this summer. 

Now, there is no rumored package or deal that LA can offer New Jersey to acquire Hischier, but it will likely include some of their young talent and multiple draft picks that New Jersey can use to build for their future. 

Hischier signed a seven-year contract with the New Jersey Devils, carrying an average annual value of $7,250,000 million in the 2020-21 season and will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, which will have him as an unrestricted free agent. 

If no trade or contract extension happens, LA can wait until the summer of 2027 to pursue him as a free agent, but the risk is that Hischer may be interested in signing with the Kings or taking his talents elsewhere, where he feels he has a better chance of winning.

No matter what happens with Hischier this offseason, if he becomes available for a trade, the Kings have no choice but to pull the trigger and make a serious call to go all out for the star center.  

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K’Andre Miller has seemed to tap into his potential with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Selected by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, the potential was always there. 

Given his 6-foot-5 frame and impressive skating abilities on top of his defensive skill set, the Rangers hoped Miller could blossom into a sure-fire top-four defenseman. 

Despite showing flashes of what he was capable of as a defenseman and once being considered to be a cornerstone on the blueline for the Rangers, Miller’s inconsistent play over his five seasons in New York scared the front office away from giving him a long-term commitment.

When Miller was set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025, the Rangers opted to send Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sign-and-trade deal that included a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, and Scott Morrow.

The Hurricanes went ahead and signed Miller to an eight-year, $60 million contract, which was deemed to be a risky move at the time, given some of his inconsistencies and flaws that held him back with the Blueshirts. 

However, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky and head coach Rod Brind'Amour had a vision for how they planned to utilize Miller in their system, and credit to them, that vision came to fruition. 

The 26-year-old defenseman stepped into a top-four defensive role for the Hurricanes this season while playing valuable minutes on both the power play and penalty kill, showing how well-rounded his game truly is if properly utilized. 

Averaging a career-high 22:14 minutes per game, Miller has certainly wiped away some concerns about his leaky defensive game with the Rangers, proving his capabilities to mold into a shutdown defenseman. 

“He’s been great from Day 1,” Brind’Amour said via The Athletic. “Seemed to just fit in seamlessly. I mean, he has the physical attributes. He’s a great athlete. That’s what you see in those plays. That’s just athletic ability. There’s no scheme or anything. … He’s got reach and he can skate, and that’s what we’ve seen all year.”

Through the Hurricanes’ playoff run thus far, Miller leads all defensemen on the team with seven points, while his 24:02 minutes per game are the most amongst all Carolina players.

“He’s an explosive skater,” Tulsky said. “We ask our defensemen to really gap up and close out, and that ability to get a strong first push and get into a guy faster than he expects, coupled with the reach that he has and his ability to recover with his stick when he gets a little bit caught, it makes him very effective in the way we ask our defensemen to play.”

The Colorado Avalanche looked like a team hanging by a thread after Game 3, but the return of Nathan MacKinnon for Game 4 suddenly gives Colorado a pulse again.

Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday morning that MacKinnon will suit up despite suffering a frightening knee injury during Saturday night’s 5-3 collapse against the Vegas Golden Knights. Multiple sources also informed The Hockey News on Monday evening that MacKinnon’s X-rays came back completely clear, an encouraging development for an Avalanche team facing elimination.

Colorado still has uncertainty elsewhere in the lineup, however, as Valeri Nichushkin remains a game-time decision after exiting Game 3 late.

“I think we’ll be able to use him (normally),” Bednar told reporters. “He’s feeling a lot better today. We’ll see when he gets on the ice tonight and what the game brings, but he’s feeling pretty good today and feels like he’ll be ready to go.”

MacKinnon Avoids Disaster As Avalanche Search For Life

The injury sequence involving MacKinnon immediately sent panic through bench and fan base.

Midway through the second period of Game 3, the Avalanche superstar dropped to the ice in agony after blocking a shot from Shea Theodore off the outside of his right knee. MacKinnon stayed down for several seconds before finally managing to limp off under his own power while Ball Arena fell silent.

For a brief stretch, it looked like Colorado’s season — and perhaps its summer — had taken an even darker turn.

MacKinnon missed the remainder of the second period and the opening portion of the third while receiving treatment. Although he eventually returned, his usage was noticeably limited. Most of his late-game ice time came during power plays or with the net empty as Colorado desperately tried to erase another devastating loss.

The Avalanche have already been battered physically throughout this playoff run. Cale Makar missed the opening two games of the Western Conference Final with an upper-body injury, while both Sam Malinski and Artturi Lehkonen entered the Vegas series still working their way back from injuries suffered against the Minnesota Wild.

Nichushkin’s situation only added to the concern. The power forward barely saw the ice after the midway point of Game 3 and did not play during the final 22 minutes of regulation.

Now, facing a 3-0 series deficit, Colorado is searching for anything capable of shifting momentum.

Avalanche Turn To Blackwood In Critical Game 4

Bednar is also making a significant change in goal.

Mackenzie Blackwood will start Game 4 in place of Scott Wedgewood, marking Blackwood’s first start since the opening round against the Wild. Wedgewood had largely taken control of the crease late in the regular season and carried that momentum into the playoffs, including an outstanding performance during Colorado’s sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.

But with the Avalanche now staring down elimination, Bednar believes a different look could help reset the group mentally.

“I think Mackenzie’s the type of guy and goalie that plays better when he’s loose and confident and he’s been doing the work to make sure that he’s ready and prepared,” Bednar said. “It’s not a desperation move. It’s just … you’ve got to make a change and see if something else works for me. We felt confident in both these guys all year long. I felt like (Wedgewood) kind of earned the net in (Games) 1 and 2 and we gave him the shot in (Game) 3 and we didn’t get it done. It’s not on him, either. It’s on our team.

“We’re just looking for (Blackwood) to come in and play to the best of his ability and be loose and have fun. The whole team’s kind of in that mode right now, and I think if you can do that, you might see the best of him.”

That mindset may be Colorado’s only option left.

The Avalanche are wounded, frustrated, and suddenly out of room for mistakes — but with MacKinnon cleared to play and Blackwood stepping into the spotlight, they at least have one more chance to stop this series from slipping away completely.

Former St. Louis Blues third-round pick Leo Loof will leave the organization and return to Finland to play for Ilves, the team announced on Tuesday. 

Loof's contract has expired, and he was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. 

Prior to signing his entry-level contract with the Blues, Loof played for Ilves, where he scored eight goals and 26 points in 103 games as a defenseman across two seasons. 

Upon signing with the Blues, Loof was sent to play in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In three seasons, the 24-year-old scored two goals and 30 points in 168 games. 

This past season, Loof played in 47 regular-season games but did not dress for any of the 12 post-season games. 

Standing 6-foot-1, Loof exits the organization with no NHL experience and ultimately, in disappointing fashion. While Loof was never known for his offensive game, that facet never improved, and his defense was never as stout as it needed to be to earn a shutdown role.

St. Louis Blues Have Seven RFAs This Off-SeasonThe St. Louis Blues will have seven restricted free agents this off-season, highlighted by Jonatan Berggren and Matthew Kessel.

Drafted in the third round (88th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft, Loof will now join an Ilves team that finished in fourth place in the Liiga season. Ilves lost to Tappara, the eventual Liiga winners, in the semifinals before losing to SaiPa in a one-game third-place game. 

In addition to adding Loof, Ilves has also signed goaltender Christoffer Rifalk, defenseman Tony Sund, and forwards Aleks Haatanen, Topias Hynninen, Jan-Mikael Järvinen, Benjamin Korhonen, and Jaakko Lantta.

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The Colorado Avalanche will have star Nathan MacKinnon in the lineup on Tuesday, May 26, as they try to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights.

MacKinnon was injured while blocking a shot in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals and was limited for the remainder of the game, a 5-3 loss in which the Avalanche blew a 3-0 lead.

Coach Jared Bednar told reporters on Tuesday that MacKinnon would play. However, he indicated forward Valeri Nichushkin is a game-time decision. "We'll see," he said.

Bednar is also making a goalie change, announcing Mackenzie Blackwood as the starter. Scott Wedgewood had started the first three games of the series.

"If he's loose and confident and playing his game, I think he has the ability to not only win us games, but steal us games," Bednar said of Blackwood.

The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a victory.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nathan MacKinnon injury update: Latest news on Avalanche star

The Islanders signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. 

Foudy, who has spent almost all of his time under contract with the Isles in the AHL, appeared in just one NHL game last season, the final contest of the 2025-26 campaign against the Hurricanes on April 14. 

“I’ve watched Foudy since junior. His speed is always the first thing that pops. And everybody’s looking for speed,” head coach Pete DeBoer said when the team called Foudy up.

“Again, there’s late bloomers all the time. There’s always guys that get it a little bit later than others. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna hit on all those guys. And it might be one out of 10. If you can get that one out of 10 guy that is that late bloomer, that took a little bit longer, that becomes a really effective NHL player, a lot of teams have them, that’s a big bonus for an organization. I think it’s important to keep those guys on your radar.”

Having played for three different NHL organizations in his career, Foudy has collected 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) through 105 games. 

He’s played 230 contests across two AHL campaigns with Bridgeport, posting 46 goals and 46 assists. 

The 26-year-old set an AHL career high in power-play goals this past season with five, while also recording six game-winners.

His 47 points were also ranked second on Bridgeport, behind only Adam Beckman (51 points). 

The Pittsburgh Penguins are keeping the Big Three together after signing center Evgeni Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million contract.

Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang have been together for 20 seasons, a record in professional sports. They won Stanley Cups titles in 2009, 2016 and 2017.

Crosby has another year left on his contract and Letang is signed for three more years. Malkin, who turns 40 this summer, was drafted second overall in 2004, a year before Crosby went first overall.

Malkin ranks in the top three in team history in all major statistical categories, including games played (1,269, second), goals (533, third), assists (874, third), points (1,407, third), power-play goals (187, third), game-winning goals (89, second) and overtime goals (14, second).

He dealt with injuries and a suspension last season, but was still a point-per-game player with 61 points in 56 games.

The Penguins surprisingly made the playoffs this season but were knocked out in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers. Malkin had two goals and an assist in six games in that series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penguins' Evgeni Malkin signs one-year contract

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The Carolina Hurricanes will look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead back home with a Game 4 win over the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Wednesday, May 27.

My top Hurricanes vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks expect the offensive floodgates to open with the total going Over the number.

Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4 prediction

Hurricanes vs Canadiens best bet: Over 5.5 (-115)

The Montreal Canadiens have 34 shots and 5.09 expected goals since the opening period of Game 1, and they need to start pushing more offensively to keep pace because the Carolina Hurricanes have 78 shots and 10.73 xGF to more than double them.

A more aggressive Montreal attack leaves the Habs defensively vulnerable, which will also position Jakub Dobes to be all the more susceptible to the pending statistical correction to his unsustainable 3.63 goals saved above expected during the series.

So, with Carolina starter Frederik Andersen allowing -2.65 GSAx with a confidence-shattering .804 save percentage, I’m anticipating the total soaring Over the number in Game 4 and would bet it to -125.

Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4 same-game parlay

The Montreal top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky has been on the ice for just 1.72 goals and 1.94 expected goals per 60 minutes the past two games after posting eye-popping 4.06 and 5.0 marks through 15 games to start the postseason.

As a result, I’m targeting Caufield to snap out of a mini-scoring funk consisting of just a single goal across the past five games despite recording a team-high eight high-danger scoring chances.

Additionally, while Suzuki has put up a solid 1.9 assists per 60 minutes in the playoffs, he’s still lagging below his elite 2.53 mark during the regular season.  

Hurricanes vs Canadiens SGP

• Over 5.5
• Cole Caufield anytime goal
• Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 assists

Hurricanes vs Canadiens odds for Game 4

• Moneyline: Carolina -155 | Montreal +130
• Puck Line: Carolina -1.5 (+170) | Montreal +1.5 (-210)
• Over/Under: Over 5.05 (-115) | Under 5.5 (-105)

Hurricanes vs Canadiens trend

The Carolina Hurricanes have won 20 of their last 25 games (+13.50 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Hurricanes vs. Canadiens.

How to watch Hurricanes vs Canadiens Game 4

Hurricanes vs Canadiens latest injuries

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The NHL has hit the business end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with just four teams remaining. The Eastern Conference Finals is entering its fourth game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, with Carolina leading 2-1. The West sees the Colorado Avalanche trying to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights, who are leading 3-0.

That’s the top-down view, but if you haven’t been keeping up with the NHL postseason so far, but want to dive in, let’s go a little deeper into these four remaining teams, as well as discuss the broader theme of the playoffs so far.

Eastern Conference

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have been the most consistent team in the playoffs with an overall record of 10-1, built on the back of their lane-clogging defense and suffocating forecheck. It’s also fair to say they’ve been one of the least-tested teams in the postseason thanks to back-to-back series against the Senators and Flyers to kick off their run.

On paper this team has every tool needed to hoist the cup, but they have two glaring issues right now:

Firstly is in net, where veteran Freddie Andersen has been extremely unreliable in the ECF. In three games he’s allowed 10 goals on 47 shots, an abysmal save percentage of 0.787% — not all of that is on Andersen, with Carolina having defensive breakdowns in every goal allowed, but a playoff-caliber netminder shouldn’t let in as many easy goals as he has.

The second issue is that the Hurricanes’ top line really hasn’t separated itself to prove it can be a cup-winning unit. Andrei Svechnikov/Sebastian Aho/Seth Jarvis have had a lot of opportunities, but not a lot of results. They need this top line to pick up their play in order to really feel like a team that can go all the way.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has re-emerged this season to become an exciting and young team, with legitimate Stanley Cup potential in the future. I say, “in the future,” because the ECF thus far has proven there’s still a lot to work on for the Habs. Their free-flowing offense based on long outlet passes to the wings is a beautiful tactic, but it’s too predictable and one-note. It caught Carolina off guard in Game 1, but they’ve since adjusted to allow only 25 shots in two games, after Montreal had 22 shots in Game 1 alone.

The team needs more toughness, both up front and on the blue line — which can come with time. The real story of the postseason for Montreal has been the breakout performance of rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš, who is cementing himself as an absolute phenom. Without Dobeš in goal the Canadiens would have likely allowed five or six more goals in this series, and the rookie legitimately looks like a future Vezina-caliber tender.

This series is far from over with Carolina really struggling to get quality opportunities because of Dobeš, while also having extreme goaltending issues of their own. Montreal is fast, skilled, and if they can crack the code to breaking through the Canes’ defense then they will cause problems.

The rest of the East …

The Canadiens went through the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the East to reach this point. They proved their mettle against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, both of whom were outclassed. Meanwhile the Hurricanes had an easier route through the Metropolitan division, but showed why they were the top team in the Eastern Conference this season.

Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs were the runaway favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year on the back of an astounding regular season that saw the team finish at 55-16-11 to win the Presidents’ Cup — but everything is going wrong. A late-season injury to phenom defenseman Cale Makar carried into the playoffs, and his absence is really showing in the Western Conference Finals.

Without Makar at full strength, the shape of Colorado falls apart, both offensively and defensively. You can see the void on the ice, and problematically other players haven’t stepped up. Martin Necas has largely disappeared this postseason, and with him playing poorly we’ve see Nathan McKinnon suffer as well.

Call it the Presidents’ Cup Curse, but this doesn’t look anything like the Avalanche team which bodied the league during the regular season, then beat the Stars and Wild. Colorado is out of gas, and down 3-0 against the Knights means it’s almost assured they will go home.

Vegas Golden Knights

Full credit to the Knights, because they really looked nothing like a cup team until they installed John Tortarella as head coach late in the season. This team is an entirely different animal with Torts on the bench, and their veteran experience paired with star power have made them a team to watch.

One of the biggest benefactors of the new coaching scheme has been Mitch Marner, who was the Knights’ big free agent signing last summer. Initially, he struggled to find his footing in Vegas, but in the postseason he has 21 points in 15 games — earning every cent of his big money contract.

This is a team that is really difficult to put in a box. They were so average during the regular season it’s tough to ignore, but so good now that it can’t be overlooked. Now they’re taking it to Colorado in the Western Conference Finals to give themselves a legitimate shot to win it all.

The rest of the West …

This was a similar story to the East where the Avalanche went thought the toughest competition inside the conference, while the Golden Knights got an easy road. If you see people complaining about the playoff structure in the NHL then the west is the best reason why, because the Avs had to play the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams in the West just to reach the conference finals, despite being the best team in the conference — while Vegas drew No. 6 and No. 7 ranked teams, while finishing 5th in the division.

Stanley Cup Finals prediction

The Golden Knights should close out against the Avalanche, while I believe the Hurricanes will need six games to put away Montreal. This sets us up for Vegas vs. Carolina in the Stanley Cup Finals.

It’s been a tremendous run for the Golden Knights, but Carolina is the toughest team in these playoffs. Their defense alone makes them nearly impenetrable, and no team has solved it so far.

Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, 4-2

After a spring of anticipation and high anxiety among an entire fanbase, the wait is finally over.

On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and GM/POHO Kyle Dubas announced that they have signed 39-year-old forward Evgeni Malkin to a one-year, $5.5 million extension, a pay cut from his previous $6.1 million average annual value. The deal runs through the end of the 2026-27 season, which will be Malkin's age 40 season and his 21st in the NHL.  

The extension includes hefty bonuses, which include a $500,000 games-played bonus, a $1 million bonus if the Penguins contend for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026-27, and a $500,000 bonus for every round won in the playoffs.

Built on great moments, with even more to come.@PensInsideScoop has more: https://t.co/QCplprvaHopic.twitter.com/lJP1k3Kppz

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 26, 2026

"We look forward to Geno continuing to provide great moments for the city of Pittsburgh, while helping us return the Penguins to Stanley Cup contention through his play on the ice and his leadership off the ice," Dubas said in a statement from Penguins PR.

During the 2025-26 season, the 6-foot-5, 213-pound Malkin recorded 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games - his first time above the point-per-game threshold since 2022-23 - and helped Pittsburgh secure its first playoff berth in four years. He had two goals and three points in six playoff games with the Penguins this season.

Malkin’s contract could go up to $9M if he hits all bonuses:

There is $500K in games-played available

$1M for playoff qualification

$500K per playoff round won https://t.co/cmX4Wcmbnr

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 26, 2026

Malkin currently ranks 23rd on the NHL's all-time scoring list (1,407 points), and he needs just 14 more points to surpass Adam Oates enter the top-20. He also has 533 goals - tied with Frank Mahovlich for 36th all-time - and would enter the top-30 with 24 more goals. He is also second all-time in both categories only to Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin for Russian-born players. 

Over the course of his NHL career, Malkin also has 183 points in 183 playoff games, which is second among active players and behind only teammate Sidney Crosby at 206 points. He is also only one of six active players to have hit the 500-goal plateau.

After the Malkin extension, the Penguins still have $37.04 million in cap space currently available for the 2026-27 season.

IIHF World Championship: Crosby Earns Assist In Canada's Win Over SlovakiaSidney Crosby and Team Canada continued their dominance at the IIHF World Championship with another win on Sunday to keep them undefeated.

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The New York Islanders announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way deal:

#Isles announce that they have signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract.

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) May 26, 2026

After recording 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 70 games for the Bridgeport Islanders 2024-25, his first season as part of the Islanders organization, Foudy set career highs across the baord in season two. 

In 60 games, Foudy scored 26 goals with 21 assists for 47 points, before being held pointeas in two postseason games.  

Expect Foudy's deal to have an AAV of around $850,000 at the NHL level, the new NHL league minimum after making league minimum ($775,000) this past season. 

The speedy forward was one of two players to get recalled for Game No. 82 of the season, after the Islanders were eliminated, officially, in Game No. 81. 

He recorded one shot on goal in 11:17 TOI alongside Ondrej Palat and Casey Cizikas on the Islanders fourth line. 

Foudy, who did play two games for the Islanders in 2024-25, has 105 games of NHL experience, recording seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points, averaging 11:55 minutes per game. 

Expect Foudy to get a real opportunity to make this team come the fall.

On Tuesday, the Vegas Golden Knights look to do the unthinkable and complete the sweep against the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

Puck drop is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. PST. 

In Game 3, the Avalanche broke the ice early and took a 3-0 lead by the end of the first. The Golden Knights came out swinging to start the second, and tied the game before the period ended. Vegas took the lead in the third, and held on to complete the comeback and take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Final.

Carter Hart starts in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart has a record of 11-4 and an average save percentage of .923 in 15 games this postseason. 

On the brink of elimination, the Avalanche are making a change in goal. They’ll turn to Mackenzie Blackwood, who has a record of 1-0 and an average save percentage of .873 in three games this postseason.

Golden Knights Lines

Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Pavel Dorofeyev

Brett Howden — William Karlsson — Mitch Marner

Colton Sissons — Tomáš Hertl — Mark Stone

Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Keegan Kolesar

Defense

Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore

Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson

Kaedan Korczak — Dylan Coghlan

Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill

Avalanche Lines

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Gabriel Landeskog

Nazem Kadri — Brock Nelson — Martin Nečas 

Ross Colton — Nicolas Roy — Valeri Nichushkin

Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Logan O’Connor

Defense

Devon Toews — Cale Makar

Brett Kulak — Sam Malinski

Josh Manson — Brent Burns 

Goaltenders: Mackenzie Blackwood / Scott Wedgewood 

Special Teams

VGK power play: 25.0%, 4th

VGK penalty kill: 87.2%, 5th

Avalanche power play: 21.2%, 6th

Avalanche penalty kill: 78.9%, 11th

Game Notes

The Golden Knights are 11-9 in Game 4s in franchise history.

Historically, teams that take a 3-0 series lead go on to win 98.2% of the time. 

Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in scoring with 21 points (7G, 14A). 

Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden lead the league with ten postseason goals. On Sunday, Howden became the sixth player in Golden Knights franchise history to record double-digit goals in one postseason. 

Jack Eichel leads the league in assists this postseason with 16.

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella had just one thing to say about his team following the miraculous Game 3 comeback. In his own words, that was a game where they “showed some balls.”

How to Watch 

TV: ESPN

Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

After some news trickled out that negotiations were undergoing earlier today, the Penguins announced a finalized contract extension for Evgeni Malkin for next season.

ANOTHER YEAR OF MALKAMANIA 🔥

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 26, 2026

From the team:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Evgeni Malkin to a one-year contract extension, it was announced today by President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.

The deal runs through the 2026-27 campaign and carries an average annual value of $5.5 million.

A three-time Stanley Cup Champion (2009, ’16, ’17), Malkin has played all 20 of his NHL seasons with the Penguins, where he ranks in the top-three in team history in all major statistical categories including games played (1,269, 2nd), goals (533, 3rd), assists (874, 3rd), points (1,407, 3rd), power-play goals (187, 3rd), game-winning goals (89, 2nd) and overtime goals (14, 2nd). Only Sidney Crosby (21) has played more seasons in a Penguins sweater.

The seven-time NHL All-Star has won a plethora of individual awards, including two Art Ross Trophies (2009, ’12) awarded to the NHL’s regular-season scoring leader, one Hart Trophy (2012) awarded to the league MVP, one Ted Lindsay Award (2012) given to the “most outstanding player”, one Calder Trophy (2007) awarded to the league’s rookie of the year as well as one Conn Smythe Trophy (2009) given to the NHL’s playoff MVP. Malkin, who became the 48^th player to score 500 goals in NHL history in 2024, was also voted Penguins Team MVP by his fellow teammates on five separate occasions.

Some of Malkin’s most iconic performances have come in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 6-foot-5, 213-pound forward was instrumental to the team’s 2009 Stanley Cup Championship run where he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy after posting a league-best 36 points (14G-22A). In doing so, he became the fourth-youngest Conn Smythe winner in NHL history at 22 years, 10 months. Malkin also led the NHL in playoff scoring during the 2017 postseason, recording 28 points (10G-18A) in 25 games en route to his third Stanley Cup. Malkin ranks 12th in all-time NHL postseason scoring with 183 points (69G-114A) in 183 playoff games while only Crosby (206) has more playoff points in franchise history than Malkin.

The 39-year old Malkin is one of just 40 players in NHL history to eclipse the 100-point plateau three times or more (2008, ’09, ’12), and is one of just eight active players to do so. The 50-goal scorer (2012) has averaged a point per game or better in 16 of his 20 seasons, a mark that only four players have accomplished in NHL history. Since entering the league in 2006-07, Malkin ranks fourth in the NHL in goals (533) and third in assists (874) and points (1,407).

Malkin, a native of Magnitogorsk, Russia, is one of the most accomplished Russian players in NHL history. He is one of just four Russian-born players all-time (Igor Larionov, Sergei Fedorov, Sergei Brylin) to win three Stanley Cup Championships, and his 1.11 points-per-game average is the fourth-highest in league history among his countrymen. Only Alex Ovechkin (1,687) has more points than Malkin among Russian-born NHLers. He has also represented Russia on the international stage on multiple occasions including three Olympic Winter Games (2006, ’10, ’14), eight World Championships (2005, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’12, ’14, ’15, ’19), three World Junior Championships (2004, ’05, ’06), two World Under-18 Junior Championships (2003, ’04) and one World Cup of Hockey (2016).

Malkin was originally drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round (2nd overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft.

The contract has a $5.5 million base salary with potentially more money available in the form of bonuses. Malkin also will have his usual no movement clause in effect.

While Evgeni Malkin's #pens extension is worth $5.5 million guaranteed, sources say he can also earn:

** $500,000 in games played bonuses
** $1M if #pens qualify for the playoffs
** $500,000 for each playoff round won

Malkin's new contract includes a no-movement clause

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 26, 2026

Some more details indicate the games played metrics can be hit when Malkin appears in 42 and then 63 games. Malkin played in 56 games in 2025-26 due to injury and suspension, and 68 games in 2024-25. Prior to that he had appeared in all 82 games in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

#LetsGoPens sign 39 y/o Evgeni Malkin to a 1 yr $5.5M cap hit, 9M AAV contract

$2.5M Salary
$3M Signing Bonus
$3.5M Performance Bonus

PB: $250K at each of 42 and 63 GP, $1M for playoffs, $500K for each round win

Full NMC

Rep'd by JP Barry @CAAHockeyhttps://t.co/PrVnh4B8AI

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) May 26, 2026

The Carolina Hurricanes have taken a 2-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final after a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.

But before they won the game, they nearly lost it as it looked initially like they had fallen into a 3-2 hole midway through the third period.

After some extended zone time by the Canadiens, Noah Dobson tried to thread a pass across the slot and a diving Nikolaj Ehlers accidently deflected it into his own net.

DOBSON SCORES IT AND BLOWS THE ROOF OFF THIS PLACE 🔥🚨

Being reviewed for offsides tho.... pic.twitter.com/NIbRoGyW5J

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 26, 2026

It looked like the Hurricanes were going to let a game in which they controlled slip away, but Carolina challenged the play for offside.

After review, it was determined that Cole Caufield had just barely entered the zone ahead of the puck, bringing the goal back and setting the stage for the Hurricanes to eventually win the game.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour credited his staff and their prior experience after the game for getting the call right.

"All teams, they're on it," Brind'Amour said. "As soon as an entry goes in, they're already buzzing you if it's close, but I give credit to [Video Coach Chris Huffine] because that's a bit of a tricky one because are you dragging it in and all that. We obviously went through that with Jordo already, which helped us be real confident that that was going to be offside. They did a great job there. Obviously that's a huge point in the game."

Goal was overturned due to Jordan Staal having possession but NOT control of the puck before he crosses the line.

Looking at this, I'm not sure how you can say that he did not have control of the puck.#OTTvsCAR#SoundTheSiren#GoSensGo#NHLPlayoffspic.twitter.com/b0SWF4k4yT

— Jason Drolet 🔴⚫️ (@jason_drolet) April 21, 2026

In Game 2 of the first round series against the Ottawa Senators, the Hurricanes themselves had a goal called back for offside as Jordan Staal was deemed to have not had control of the puck on a close play entering the zone.

It was seeing how that play was ruled by the league that gave the Canes the confidence they needed to make the call to challenge the play in Game 3.

"That was an interesting point in the game," said Taylor Hall "In the end, it's offside, so shouldn't have really even turned into a play. It's nice that they got it right and that was a nice break for us. We felt like we had control of the game and you have to make sure that we win those ones and we ended up doing that."

Is Carolina's Top Line Finally Heating Up?After a quiet postseason, the Canes' top line finally ignited in Game 3, delivering an overtime winner that could signal a shift for Carolina best players.

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