Jun 2, 2008; Detroit, MI, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Petr Sykora (17) celebrates his game winning goal with defenseman Ryan Whitney (19) as goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) skates past them during the third overtime period of game five of the Stanley Cup finals against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. The Penguins beat the Red Wings 4-3 in triple overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-Imagn Images
Eighteen years ago today, Petr Sykora called his own shot, scoring one of the most memorable overtime goals in Pittsburgh Penguins history when it comes to the Stanley Cup Final.
It was 2008 and the young Penguins were trying to upset the vaunted Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final.
Pittsburgh was clearly outmatched in the series, losing three of the first four games and facing elimination on the road in Game 5 as Detroit was ready to celebrate their championship in front of their home fans.
The Penguins jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and it looked like things were going their way, but Detroit, as they often did, battled back, erasing that deficit and eventually taking a 3-2 lead in the game.
With the Stanley Cup getting polished and shined and ready to be lifted by Nicklas Lidstrom, Maxine Talbot pressed pause, tying the game at 3-3 with just 35 seconds remaining in regulation.
To overtime the game went. And then a second overtime. And a third overtime.
Detroit continued to pepper the Penguins as Marc-Andre Fleury made 58 saves, keeping the Penguins’ season alive.
And then one of the great moments in Penguins lore happened.
Petr Sykora, who told Pierre McGuire he was going to score, did just that.
What a remarkable goal and what a moment, calling your own shot on that kind of stage.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Manny Malhotra was hired as coach of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
The former Canucks forward takes over for Adam Foote, fired last month after Vancouver finished last in the NHL during his only season behind the bench.
Malhotra becomes the 23rd head coach in franchise history and the latest Canucks player to be promoted by the team as it begins its rebuild.
“Manny and I have been in the battle together before, so I know firsthand what a good teacher, leader, and quality person he is,” general manager Ryan Johnson said in a statement.
The pair previously worked together in the minors with the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks.
“Manny is a great coach who has the right skill set and mentality to help players develop and get better each day,” Johnson said. “We both believe that pressure is a privilege, and learning to become a good pro takes patience, dedication and a ‘be better than yesterday’ mindset.”
Foote was fired on May 19 after the Canucks went 25-49-8 last season. Malhotra immediately emerged as a prime candidate to replace him, with Johnson saying he would sit down with the 46-year-old former NHL player and “talk about the future.”
Malhotra previously served as a development coach and an assistant coach for the Canucks, then spent four seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs before becoming Abbotsford's head coach.
There, he guided the AHL team to a Calder Cup championship during the 2024-25 campaign. The club then missed the playoffs last season as several players dealt with long-term injuries.
It was the way Malhotra led Abbotsford through a challenging year that showed exactly the kind of coach and person he is, Johnson said.
“To see that when you can rely on the foundation of the consistent environment and the coaching through the worst of times and really continue to propel players forward, even though the wins and losses aren’t there, it tells you a lot about him,” he said.
“That entire staff showed that they’re champions based off of not the year before, but of what they did last year, and what people around them took out of a pretty tough season.”
The promotion reunites Malhotra with former teammates Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who were named Vancouver’s co-presidents of hockey operations on May 14.
Malhotra, from Ontario, spent 16 seasons playing in the NHL after getting drafted by the New York Rangers in 1998.
He had 116 goals and 295 points in 991 regular-season games with Vancouver, New York, the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
Malhotra took a puck to the face while playing for the Canucks in March 2011, an injury that left him with limited vision in his left eye. He missed much of the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final that year and was given a reduced role the following season.
“He loves the game and getting to know what makes his players tick, and I am very confident Manny will help us ice a competitive and hard-working team that our fans will be proud of moving forward,” Johnson said.
The Chicago Blackhawks have the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. There are many ways the event could go, depending on who Chicago lands. A lot of it will hinge on who goes in front of them.
One of those teams, the Vancouver Canucks, made a coaching hire that could impact how things go for the Blackhawks at the draft.
Late Monday night, the Canucks made it official: they had hired Manny Malhotra as their new head coach.
WELCOME COACH MANNY!
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have hired Manny Malhotra as the 23rd Head Coach in franchise history.
Of course, Malhotra played 159 games with the Vancouver Canucks during his 991-game NHL career. As a former 7th overall pick by the New York Rangers in 1998, he carved out a nice career as a bottom-six forward.
As a result of his role in the NHL, he learned how to become a winner without being one of the top guys offensively, which helped prepare him to eventually step into coaching. He will work with new GM Ryan Johnson and the newly appointed co-Presidents, Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
How does any of this impact the Chicago Blackhawks draft? Well, one of the prospects projected to go in the top five is Brantford Bulldogs center Caleb Malhotra, Manny's son.
Does hiring Manny make them think twice about taking his son, or does that make them want him more? Depending on what happens with the Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks as the holders of the first two picks, it may not become known until draft night what Vancouver is thinking.
If Caleb ends up with Vancouver, that could create some awkward situations if either he or his father doesn't work out as planned. It could also be an incredible success story involving a father and son.
Connor Bedard is a true center, but they are still trying to figure out Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar positionally. Manny Malhotra would help solve that, as he is a true center coming out of major junior. If he fell to the Blackhawks, he'd be a great fit.
No matter what, Caleb Malhotra won't be in the NHL until the end of next season at the earliest. He is committed to playing at least one season at Boston University, where he will have tremendous success playing under Jay Pandolfo.
If the Leafs take Gavin McKenna, the Sharks take a defenseman (they need a high-end defender in their pipeline badly), and the Canucks end up with the younger Malhotra, that would leave the highly touted Ivar Stenberg for Chicago. The Blackhawks could also end up with one of the top-rated defensemen as well.
Either way, they are getting a great prospect that will need time developing, but this news could certainly impact which one they get.
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On May 28th, the NHL announced the passing of New Jersey Devils legend Claude Lemieux.
A four-time Stanley Cup Champion, he spent six seasons with New Jersey.
The New Jersey Devils organization is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former Devil Claude Lemieux.
A clutch player on the ice and greatly appreciated by Devils' fans off it, Claude's impact in bringing the first-ever Stanley Cup to New Jersey will forever be… pic.twitter.com/kDD9ZMAPOr
Joining the Devils in the 1990-91 season, Lemieux scored 30 goals in 78 games during his first year with the team. After five straight seasons with the team, Lemieux left for the Colorado Avalanche. Returning in 1999-00, he appeared in 70 games, recorded 38 points, and captured his fourth Stanley Cup.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement on Lemieux’s passing.
“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history," Bettman said.
“Lemieux forged his postseason reputation and won the Cup for the first time as a rookie in 1986, when he scored 10 goals in the Playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoffs MVP in 1995, scoring 13 goals in 20 postseason games with the New Jersey Devils. He also was an integral part of Cup-winning teams in Colorado, in 1996, and back with New Jersey in 2000.
“Overall, his teams reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 15 straight seasons; his 234 postseason games played rank sixth in NHL history; and his 80 career Playoff goals rank ninth. In recent years, as a player agent, he has represented some of the top stars in the NHL.
“We send our deepest condolences to Claude’s wife, Deborah, and his four children, Brendan, Claudia, Michael, and Christopher.”
Leading all skaters with 13 goals, Lemieux guided the Devils to their first Stanley Cup.
After the victory, he spoke with NHL.com about the keys to the Devils’ success.
“I think it’s just unbelievable,” Lemieux said to NHL.com. “I look at some of the names on this trophy and on the Stanley Cup, it’s incredible. To be a part of the team that won the first Stanley Cup for the New Jersey Devils, who would have thought it?”
The New Jersey Devils released a statement following the news of Lemieux’s passing.
"The New Jersey Devils organization is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of former Devil Claude Lemieux. Widely respected throughout the NHL, both as a trusted agent and a valued colleague, Claude leaves behind a lasting legacy within our game that he gave so much to. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time."
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 29: Seth Jarvis #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after defeating the Montréal Canadiens 6-1 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 29, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Twenty seasons and 120 playoff games after raising the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2006 — the eighth season after the franchise relocated — the Carolina Hurricanes are back competing for the best trophy in professional sports.
And it couldn’t have come at a better time, nor with a better core. The Hurricanes have tuned out the critics who said there was no chance they would get to this spot, opting instead to play their way and style en route to complete domination.
When the final horn sounded on the Carolina Hurricanes’ 6-1 win on Friday over the Montreal Canadiens to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup against the Vegas Golden Knights, there was almost a sense of relief mixed in with the joy. After seven seasons — that each seemed to have a similar disappointing ending — the wait finally paid off. Carolina’s journey with this core hasn’t always been smooth, but the patience has been worth the wait.
The way last season played out for the Canes would have been considered a success for most teams. Instead, for Carolina, it left a bitter taste.
While the Hurricanes were able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they were once again completely outmatched, losing to the Florida Panthers in five games. The one positive takeaway, at least, was they ended one of the worst — and strangest — playoff streaks in North American sports.
Entering last season’s ECF, the Canes had gone three straight conference finals appearances without winning a single game after being swept in 2009, 2019 and 2023. Then the Florida Panthers, who swept the Canes in 2023, went up 3-0 last season in the ECF to bring the streak to 15 consecutive conference finals games without a win — the longest by five games in NHL history.
The Hurricanes were able to snap the streak after beating the Panthers in Game 4, but their season came to an end unceremoniously in Game 5, bringing their conference finals record to a miserable 1-16 in the ECF since their Stanley Cup win in 2006.
Entering the offseason it was clear something had to be done, but to what extent was the question. After whiffing on landing a big star following the departure of both Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in previous years, many thought Carolina’s core wouldn’t be able to get over the hump.
Instead of making any premature or drastic changes, general manager Eric Tulsky got right to work in the offseason to make the Canes better. Carolina first added K’Andre Miller in a sign-and-trade with the Rangers and then doubled down by signing Nikolaj Ehlers to the ninth biggest UFA contract in total value since 2015.
After enjoying another dominant regular season this year, in which the Hurricanes finished with the second most points in the league and the best record in the Eastern Conference, the real test started in April. The doubts of whether this was the year the Canes would overcome their agonizing Eastern Conference Finals woes still hung above the franchise’s head.
Despite complete domination through the first two rounds, which resulted in an unbeaten record heading into the ECF against the Canadiens, there was a split second where it looked like the pattern would continue when the Canes were destroyed 6-2 in Game 1.
But overtime winners from Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov gave Carolina breathing room and it was smooth sailing from there.
The coffin holding the 19 years filled with conference final misery was officially put in the ground following Carolina’s win over the Canadiens on Friday.
While it feels as if this season has already been a success, it’s far from complete. Any scenario that doesn’t end with a parade in Raleigh and another banner hung in the Lenovo Center might even be deemed a failure of sorts. It’s a simple equation that almost-championship teams never cement themselves quite like the teams that get the job done, for example the 2001-02 Hurricanes team that lost in the Stanley Cup versus the 2005-06 team that won it all.
To get to that level of immortality, the Canes will have to get through the Vegas Golden Knights, who will be without a doubt the toughest test yet.
After firing head coach Bruce Cassidy in late March, the Knights have gone 19-4-1 under new head coach John Tortorella. They just swept the Stanley Cup favorite Colorado Avalanche and are playing their best hockey of the season.
Mitch Marner, who Vegas traded for in the offseason from the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been a revelation so far this postseason. He has 21 points in 16 games to lead the Knights. Not far behind is Jack Eichel — who was a key part of Vegas’ 2023 Stanley Cup win — with 18 points.
Unlike the Senators, Flyers, or Canadiens, the Knights are experienced, physical and have the top end talent to be competitive with the Canes. They’ve also been in this position before with their Stanley Cup win in 2023, something Carolina can’t speak to. Vegas has also been the beneficiary of hot goaltending during the playoffs.
With all that being said, this is the Hurricanes’ series to take. No team has been more consistent and more dominant across the regular season and postseason.
Carolina is the only team since the NHL moved to the four best-of-7 series format in 1987 to enter the Stanley Cup with a 12-1 record. With a sweep, the Hurricanes can become the first team in NHL history to go 16-1 in the playoffs.
First the Hurricanes surmounted their Eastern Conference Final troubles.
Now, the Stanley Cup is only four wins away from coming back to Raleigh for the first time in two adversity-filled decades.
Of course, there are some obvious trade candidates who have high value and who have been discussed for the past couple of years. Defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust are at the top of the list, although it would take a whole lot to pry any of them from Dubas and the Penguins.
However, there are some other names, too, who may be able to fetch a fair bit of value on the trade market. Even if the payout won't come in the form of first-round picks or other high-value assets, they may be able to fetch sneaky good returns for a few of their players — and they can either use those players as leverage in part of a larger trade or use the assets collected to assist in acquiring the young talent they covet.
Dubas needs to be careful and calculated in the trade market this summer, as the team is progressing forward and needs those impact 20-somethings in order to legitimately contend, but they also can't sacrifice too much because they still need to build out from the draft, too, and keep bolstering an already-improving prospect pool.
So, the more assets and draft capital, the better. The more they have, the more expendable some of those assets become, and they can leverage some of it for younger players. And there are a few players who should be able to help them collect on that.
Novak, 29, has one year remaining on his current contract at a cap hit of only $3.5 million. While the stats may not jump out like most other second-line centers in the league - or, at least, that's the role Novak played for most of the 2025-26 season - that doesn't mean he wasn't effective in that role.
With 16 goals and 42 points in 82 games on the season, Novak was right in line with his production during his time with the Nashville Predators, so the consistency is encouraging. But he also developed fantastic chemistry with Egor Chinakhov and Evgeni Malkin, and even if he wasn't showing up on the scoresheet as regularly as the other two, he consistently helped drive offense on that line and did the little things away from the puck and on the forecheck to be a positive impact.
Novak can produce anywhere in a middle-six role, and his versatility is a major plus. Of course, the Penguins could very well just keep him around, but he's someone they might be able to sell high on right now, especially since he's approaching 30. If they can use him as leverage in a trade or the assets collected in a trade to acquire a younger talent with higher upside, it's certainly worth considering.
Unfortunately, the stock on the 6-foot-6, 232-pound Brazeau dipped as the season went on, as he had a scorching start to 2025-26 - registering six goals and 12 points in 12 games during the month of October - before an injury interrupted his season for more than a month.
After that, the production came in bunches, but there were relatively long stretches between with nothing to show for his efforts on the score sheet. He still managed to post 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games, but he found himself a healthy scratch for all but one playoff game.
That said, the 28-year-old showed flashes of potential, as his soft hands and shot deflection ability - particulalry, around the net-front - showcased his puck skills and ability to utilize his frame in tight spaces.
He has a very team-friendly $1.5 million cap hit for next season - pretty good for a 17-goal scorer - so it shouldn't be all that difficult to sell him. The key will be getting a maximum return, so it may serve the Penguins best to see if he can replicate his hot start from last season in 2026-27 — and sell him then.
Now, would it be a substantial risk to deal who was very nearly a perfect defense partner for Erik Karlsson, who enjoyed his best season as a Penguin in 2025-26 and who found his vintage generational form?
Wotherspoon - along with Chinakhov - is the perfect example of a player who had untapped potential in a limited role with the Boston Bruins and maximized that potential with the Penguins. He went from a fringe bottom-pairing blueliner to a top-pairing shutdown defenseman in a year's time, and he's a bargain top-four defenseman at $1 million for next season.
Given what Marcus Pettersson fetched for the Penguins ahead of the 2025 trade deadline - and the fact that prices are even steeper now because of bargain contracts relative to the rising salary cap - it's not unfathomable that Wotherspoon could, potentially, fetch something close to a first-round pick. And this is especially true because the 28-year-old is coming off of a breakout year and has career-high trade value.
Again, dealing him would be a risk if there's no immediate plan to replace him. The Penguins are notably thin on the left side, and aside from Owen Pickering and Jake Livanavage, there's not exactly NHL-upside prospects waiting in the wings, either.
However, depending on his perceived value, it's worth picking up the phone. Even if a first isn't in the cards, another second could do wonders for getting a bigger deal for a young player - perhaps a young defenseman - across the finish line.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are back in their Eastern Conference Final series against the Toronto Marlies after Monday's 5-3 win in Game 3.
WBS needed to win to avoid being in a 0-3 hole and did exactly that, getting goals from five different players.
The Marlies opened the scoring in the first period before Aidan McDonough tied the game for the Penguins with 5:23 remaining in the first frame. Gabe Klassen corralled the loose puck after his original shot was blocked and was able to find McDonough, who tipped the puck into the net.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 1, 2026
WBS took a 2-1 lead early in the second period when McDonough got a shot off from the left wing, and Bill Zonnon was right there to clean up the loose change. It's Zonnon's fourth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) June 2, 2026
The Marlies tied the game late in the middle frame after a puck deflected off Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering's skate and into the net. It was another crazy bounce for a Marlies squad that has gotten all of the bounces to start this series.
WBS rebounded from that bad break in the third period when Ville Koivunen made it a 3-2 game with 12:12 left in the final frame.
Tristan Broz accelerated through the neutral zone and dropped the puck to Koivunen after entering the offensive zone. Koivunen then gave the puck back to Broz, who was below the left circle, before he sent it back to Koivunen, who made no mistake. Koivunen even taunted the Marlies Crowd a little bit during his celebration.
Atley Calvert made it a 4-2 game off a slick feed from McDonough shortly after Koivunen's goal before the Marlies cut it to 4-3 with 51 seconds left. However, Tanner Howe iced the game with an empty-net goal just 15 seconds later to ice the game for the Penguins.
Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov finished the game with 35 saves
It was a well-earned win for the Penguins, and they'll now have a chance to even up the series on Wednesday in Game 4. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
With the 2026 NHL Draft approaching and free agency looming, the Edmonton Oilers face important decisions on several veteran depth pieces who are about to see their respective contracts expire. While the team has clear needs at goaltending and possibly top-six forward, bolstering the bottom-six and defensive depth can't and shouldn't be ignored.
Edmonton has let players leave in the past. In many cases, their decision to overlook what they had in-house didn't turn out well.
To avoid a repeat mistake, here are three players the Oilers should seriously consider bringing back this offseason:
1. Connor Murphy (Defenceman)
Connor Murphy was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2026 trade deadline and quickly became a steady presence on Edmonton’s blue line. The 33-year-old right-shot defenseman brings physicality, strong penalty-killing ability, and reliable top-four minutes.
Why bring him back?
He wants to stay, he's a reliable player, and he fits perfectly alongside a player like Darnell Nurse. As much as Murphy himself can be effective, what some fans like about him even more than his own skill set is that he brings Nurse up to a different level, allowing him to play a style of hockey that better suits him.
At a projected $3.5M–$4M AAV on a short-term deal, Murphy would provide stability without breaking the bank.
2. Jason Dickinson (Centre)
Another mid-season acquisition from Chicago, Dickinson excelled in a shutdown third-line role. An injury in the playoffs was the lone reason fans didn't get to see more of what he can provide for this Oilers roster.
The 31-year-old is a strong defensive forward who wins faceoffs, kills penalties, and provides quiet but effective two-way play. When it wasn't available against the Ducks, it became clear how much the Oilers could have used him in the lineup. Oh, and he's got a solid scoring touch, too. He's a former 22-goal scorer who should signs he maintains that ability.
Why bring him back?
Edmonton’s bottom six took a massive step back this past season. Dickinson proved he can handle tough matchups and help drive better 5-on-5 play. A 2–3 year deal in the $4M-$5M range would be value but not a hefty discount. Something below $4 million would be a no-brainer.
3. Kasperi Kapanen (Winger)
Few have made more out of an opportunity than Kapanen. Picked up off of waivers, not much was expected, but he's proven to be a solid fit, offering speed and scoring ability. There were health issues last season, but when he's in, he's solid. He's expressed a strong interest in returning to the Oilers after playing a depth role in 2025-26.
The 28-year-old Finnish winger can keep up with top players, but is gritty enough to play a bottom-six role if the team is stacked. He has penalty-killing ability and offers secondary scoring that the Oilers desperately need.
Why bring him back?
Kapanen is a low-risk, high-familiarity option. On a one- or two-year deal (likely $1.5M–$2M), he represents excellent value compared to chasing similar players on the open market.
Final Thoughts
Re-signing Murphy, Dickinson, and Kapanen would allow the Oilers to bring back players who more than earned their keep. Letting them walk will lead the Oilers to look for similar options on the free-agent market, bringing back unknown and potentially more expensive assets.
Stan Bowman has some tough calls to make, but these three should be near the top of his “priority” list.
Trading for NHL players is a lot like playing the stock market.
Teams are always on the hunt for depressed assets who, for whatever reason, have underperformed in their current situation but may offer more potential value than the opportunity cost of acquiring them.
A quick glance around the league and several targets immediately come to the forefront. Injuries ravaged Michael Kesselring’s season in Buffalo, and he was frequently made a healthy scratch during the postseason. The hulking defenceman only played one game for the Sabres, logging 4:25 of ice time.
In Anaheim, Olen Zellweger and Mason McTavish were similarly made healthy scratches during the Ducks’ postseason run, the latter of whom has had his name surface in reports within the last week.
Sources indicated to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch that thSenators were actively scouring the market for a top-six forward, and inevitably, the conversation turned to McTavish.
The 23-year-old centre had a relatively disappointing campaign with the Ducks in which he tallied 17 goals and 41 points in 75 regular season games. It was the fourth consecutive season in which McTavish surpassed 40 points, but the campaign represented a down year after he set career highs in goals (22) and points (52) the season prior.
Naturally, McTavish is going to generate extra interest because he was the third overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and he is a local hockey product. His parents moved from Switzerland, where his father, Dale, played professionally, to Carp when McTavish was just eight years old. McTavish would play for the Ottawa Valley Titans and the Pembroke Lumber Kings before being selected fifth overall in the 2019 OHL Draft by the Peterborough Petes.
There is also the connection to Michael Andlauer and Steve Staios. The two acquired Mason McTavish when they ran the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. And, in one of his first moves after becoming the Senators’ general manager, Staios hired Dale McTavish as a pro scout.
Beyond those connections, the idea of adding McTavish to the fold is intriguing on several fronts.
A lot of attention has been paid to the idea that the Senators need a quick winger for centre Tim Stützle. Especially in the playoffs, where every microcosm of the game is magnified, there were instances where it looked like the shifty German centre would attack the opposition’s end with possession, only to look for support and find none.
The NHL Edge data is not particularly flattering of McTavish’s skating ability.
He ranks below the 50th percentile in both his max skating speed and each speed-burst metric. His presence, however, would afford the organization the flexibility to consider using Dylan Cozens on the wing - a position where he flourished alongside Macklin Celebrini and Sidney Crosby at the World Championships. Cozens finished the tournament recording four goals and seven points in 10 games.
His max skating speed of 22.40 miles per hour ranked in the 84th percentile, while his 22+ miles per hour bursts ranked in the 91st percentile. Cozens had a resurgent 2025-26 campaign, scoring 28 goals and 59 points. They represented his highest totals since his breakout 2022-23 season in Buffalo.
Given the opportunity cost required to acquire a more proven scorer, it may benefit the Senators to target McTavish as a second-line centre and elevate an internal option like Cozens.
Perhaps the organization has suspicions that Cozens’ strong play in 2025-26 was primarily driven by the team’s structure and the fact that his most common linemate was Brady Tkachuk. If the physical, shot-generating Tkachuk is moved off Cozens’ wing and there are concerns that the centre will be hampered by that fact, it could make sense to use Cozens on the wing.
McTavish’s underlying metrics are a bit of a mixed bag to this point. Offensively, there are reasons to believe that his offence can play up.
According to HockeyViz, McTavish’s isolated offensive impacts were strong.
Hockeyviz.com
And, when he was on the ice, Anaheim did a significantly better job at generating chances.
Hockeyviz.comHockeyviz.com
The opposite can be said about his defence.
Hockeyviz.comHockeyviz.com
The defensive impacts make sense because the Ducks played a run-and-gun style. They ranked in the top five in shot generation at five-on-five, but gave up almost as many chances as they generated, with the fifth-highest expected goals allowed per 60 in the league.
McTavish played predominantly with rookie Beckett Sennecke and sophomore Cutter Gauthier, so given the team’s structure and the inexperience of his line, it is reasonable to understand why his line gave up its share of scoring chances. Granted, despite that rate, the line still generated 56.55 percent of the shots (CF%), 54.48 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 56.21 percent of the total goals (GF%), and 58.65 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per Evolving-Hockey.
The buy-in from the players in Ottawa under Travis Green’s watch has created strong structure and ushered in impressive underlying metrics for seemingly every player. With McTavish’s competitiveness, the hope would be that he could buy in and be part of the solution. His age would certainly align with the window created by the average age of the Senators’ young core.
His situation is reminiscent of what another high pick, Sam Bennett (fourth overall, 2014), experienced in Calgary. After some mildly productive years, Bennett was dealt, in his age-24 season, to the Florida Panthers for a 2022 sixth-round pick and Emil Heineman, along with a 2022 second-round pick. In Florida, Bennett flourished and became an important cog on two championship teams.
McTavish may not develop into Bennett, but the situations are similar. And for that, I believe there is enough under the hood to explore what it may take to bring the centre to Ottawa. The cost will assuredly be higher than what the Panthers paid for Bennett in 2021, but if the Senators perform their due diligence and find that the projected future value outweighs what they would have to give up now, it would make sense.
And if not McTavish, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Senators expand their search for a top-six forward beyond just wingers. If there is one common theme to Steve Staios and his management group, it is that they are diligent and will explore all of their options to make this group better.
There's certainly no love lost between Ottawa Senators fans and Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher.
So when Gallagher announced to the Montreal media on Monday that his time with the Canadiens was coming to an end, Senators fans likely viewed the moment a little differently than those in Montreal.
For Canadiens fans, Gallagher was the undersized, go-through-a-wall, heart-and-soul player who spent 14 seasons giving everything he had to the organization. Love him or hate him, he carved out an impressive NHL career and clearly wasn't prepared for the emotions that came with admitting his time in Montreal was over.
"I got to do it for 14 years now and it's not lost on me how special it was to call the Bell Centre home,’ Gallagher told the media.” The very first time I stepped foot in this organization, management, coaches, teammates I've had along the years. I can't (say enough good things). There's been ups and downs, but I don't have a single regret.
“It's pretty clear, I'll be kind of moving on here, but you know, I'm incredibly, incredibly..."
With that, Gallagher got emotional.
Gallagher still has a year left on his contract, which pays him $6.5 million. The 34-year-old is coming off his least productive season as a pro, recording 23 points in 77 games. While the Canadiens enjoyed a lengthy playoff run, Gallagher appeared in just three games, scoring one goal.
Whether his next step is a trade, buyout, or retirement remains to be seen. What isn't in doubt is that Gallagher leaves behind a memorable legacy in Montreal.
But in Ottawa, part of his legacy will always be tied to Tim Stützle.
Gallagher famously called out the young Senators star for embellishment following a game in April of 2022. Stützle had taken a knee-on-knee hit from Nick Suzuki and remained down on the ice for about 30 seconds before getting up and finishing the game. Gallagher wasn't impressed.
"You know, there's kids watching," Gallagher said. "We're role models. If I was a teammate of his, I'd tell him to smarten up. You know, it's just not a good look. Very talented player, very good player. He needs to stop laying on the ice. It's embarrassing."
The comments generated headlines across the hockey world and helped fuel an excellent Atlantic Division rivalry.
The irony, at least from Ottawa's perspective, was that Stützle was actually injured on the play. He gutted it out for the rest of that night, but missed the next two games against Nashville and the New York Rangers with a lower-body injury.
Nick Suzuki apologized for the hit, but Gallagher never walked back his take-down of Stützle. D.J. Smith would later say that after Gallagher's comments, he noticed an uptick in players from other teams taking runs at Stutzle.
At the time of the comments, Gallagher was a 30-year-old veteran in the league, while Stützle was 20 and wrapping up his second NHL season. Rather than escalating the situation, Stutzle chose not to react.
"I respect (Gallagher) as a player. Everyone has their own opinion. He's a veteran player. I have my opinion. That's all I want to say about it."
While Senators fans saw an older NHL player unfairly calling out one of the league's emerging young stars, Canadiens fans saw a beloved veteran standing up for what he believed.
Years later, opinions on the incident haven't changed much on either side.
Now, with Gallagher's Montreal career coming to an end, Canadiens fans will remember him as a fiery, buzzsaw player who was more than happy to bleed for the brand. Senators fans will remember him as a pain in the butt and a player they loved to hate.
Either way, Brendan Gallagher made sure nobody was indifferent.
It looks as though it was one-and-done for Eduards Tralmaks and the Detroit Red Wings organization.
Tralmaks, who was signed by the Red Wings last March to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season, has signed a contract in Czechia - but also made it clear that if an opportunity to return to North America presented itself, he would consider it.
(Translated from Latvian)
"I’ll be ready, I have a signed contract in Czechia, however, if an NHL offer comes my way, I can still consider it and go back to the NHL," Tralmaks explained. "This is the month when hockey ends and agent work begins. I think that in a month and a half we’ll see where I’ll be in the future."
🚨 “Būšu godīgs, man ir parakstīts līgums Čehijā, tomēr, ja man parādās NHL piedāvājums, es to tāpat varu izskatīt un braukt atpakaļ uz NHL. Šis ir mēnesis, kad hokejs ir beidzies un sākas aģenta darbs. Domāju, ka pusotra mēneša laikā redzēsim, kur būšu nākotnē,” atzina hokejists… pic.twitter.com/QEwdeRH4PJ
Tralmaks appeared in 64 regular-season games this season for the Grand Rapids Griffins, finishing fourth overall in total team scoring with 26 goals and 16 assists and helping them become the first AHL club in decades to clinch a playoff spot in February.
His 26 goals were second overall on the club behind only John Leonard's 33 goals. He also registered four goals in eight Calder Cup Playoff games.
Before signing with the Red Wings, Tralmaks played with Rytíři Kladno in the Czech Extraliga, and led the club in scoring with 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 total points, which were good for the most of any player in Czechia’s top professional league.
He did have previous experience playing in North America, spending several years with the University of Maine before collecting 41 total points in parts of three seasons with the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
Tralmaks also previously played for the EHL's Boston Jr. Bandits as well as the Chicago Steel of the USHL.
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Carolina, a strong team throughout the post-season, swept both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers before taking down the Montréal Canadiens in five games. This is their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since their championship win in 2006.
Vegas, who defeated the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks in six games, swept the President’s Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final to advance to their third Stanley Cup Final since their inaugural season in 2017–18.
Last year, five former Canucks took part in the Stanley Cup Final, with Nate Schmidt, Jonah Gadjovich, and Roberto Luongo (Advisor) of the Florida Panthers defeating Vasily Podkolzin and Troy Stecher of the Edmonton Oilers in six games.
These are the four former Canucks who will take part in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final.
Jalen Chatfield, Carolina Hurricanes
Chatfield spent less than 20 games with the Canucks, but stuck with the organization in the AHL for four seasons. He signed with Carolina in July of 2021 and has remained with the Hurricanes since. In his first season with Carolina, he won the Calder Cup Championship with their AHL-affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.
During the 2025–26 regular season, Chatfield put together a career-high in assists with 15. He also took on a much larger chunk of minutes, averaging over 20 minutes per game through 72 matchups. The defenceman has already hit career-highs in playoff points and TOI this year, scoring a goal and four assists and averaging 22:12 minutes in 13 post-season games.
Nic Dowd, Vegas Golden Knights
Dowd was a Canuck for less than one full season, skating in only 40 games for Vancouver in 2017–18, before joining the Washington Capitals for nearly eight years. The forward was traded to the Golden Knights ahead of this year’s trade deadline in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman and a 2027 third-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick.
As a staple centre in Vegas’ bottom-six, Dowd has been one of the players that have performed well for the Golden Knights throughout their current playoff run, but has fallen under the radar. The centre has scored three goals and put up an assist in 16 games this post-season, potting two of these goals in his team’s series against the Avalanche.
May 26, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) warms up before a game against the Colorado Avalanche in game four of the Western Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Ben Hutton, Vegas Golden Knights
Hutton was drafted by the Canucks in the fifth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, playing for Vancouver from the 2015–16 season to 2018–19. The defenceman skated with the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and Toronto Maple Leafs before finding a home in Vegas during the 2021–22 season. He hoisted the Stanley Cup as a member of the Vegas team that won the championship in 2023.
So far this post-season, Hutton has played in a total of seven games for Vegas — six against ex-team Anaheim and one against the Avalanche — already five more than his total from the 2023 post-season. The defenceman collected an assist in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final, with this being his first career NHL playoff point.
John Tortorella, Vegas Golden Knights
Tortorella’s time in Vancouver was polarizing, to say the least. The ex-Canucks head coach’s stint in Vancouver lasted through only the 2013–14 season, with Tortorella bringing the Canucks to a record of 36–35–11 during this span of time. Vancouver did not make the post-season during Tortorella’s time as head coach.
When the Golden Knights made the decision to replace head coach Bruce Cassidy with Tortorella at the end of March, many voiced opinions ranging from both concern and praise. Since then, however, Tortorella and the Golden Knights have lost only four post-season games, with Vegas’ record under their new head coach being 19–4–1 dating back to when he was hired.
2026 Stanley Cup Final Schedule:
Game 1: June 2, 5:00 pm PT
Game 2: June 4, 5:00 pm PT
Game 3: June 6, 5:00 pm PT
Game 4: June 9, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 5: June 11, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 6: June 14, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 7: June 17, 5:00 pm PT
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When the New Jersey Devils selected Lenni Hämeenaho with their second-round pick (58th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft, they believed that they were getting a talented player who could be a great contributor at the NHL level.
Through his first year pro in North America, it is obvious that this is the case. Hämeenaho spent part of the 2025-26 season with the Utica Comets and part with the New Jersey Devils.
In the AHL, he had 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points in 37 games played. When he played in the NHL, he had 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points in 37 games. As his role grew, so did his production.
Over the last handful of weeks, Hämeenaho has spent his time playing with Team Finland at the IIHF World Championships. In the end, the Finns won in overtime of the Gold Medal Game to secure a Gold Medal.
To take home the Gold, they defeated Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Team Switzerland. That is three straight seasons in which the Swiss lost the final game, scoring 0 goals all three times.
As heartbreaking as it was for Hischier and Meier, it was pure jubilation for Hämeenaho and his teammates. They play a high-effort, smart game that allows them to be successful no matter what their roster looks like.
This tournament had to be a bit of a confidence booster for Hämeenaho, who had 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points over the 10 games that he played. As a depth player on the team, he played a key role in them getting to the end and winning.
Now, coming off this Gold Medal-winning performance, Hämeenaho should be ready for big things with the New Jersey Devils. He has shown a scoring touch from the wing everywhere he goes, which should play into what the Devils are trying to do.
If he makes the team out of camp, a spot with Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes could be up for grabs, depending on how the off-season goes. Even a spot on the third line with a healthy Cody Glass isn't a bad place to be early in a career.
Confidence is half the battle for a lot of forwards who are expected to provide some level of offensive production, and Hämeenaho has proven that he can do it. If he can bring it with more regularity at the NHL level, he will prove to be a great draft pick.
Coming into 2025-26, New Jersey didn't have a high total of offensive-minded prospects to tout, but Hämeenaho has been a bright spot. He should go into the off-season and then training camp believing that he can help the Devils as they look to get back to the playoffs in 2026-27.
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RALEIGH, N.C.— With the Stanley Cup Final beginning in just over 24 hours, Raleigh, North Carolina, has become the temporary hockey mecca of the world. On Monday, hundreds of journalists, broadcasters, and other media members flocked to the Lenovo Center for the annual pre-Final media availability day.
For the players, this probably all seems like one big distraction that they’re contractually obligated to attend. But this is the third time in the past nine years that the Vegas Golden Knights have been a part of this dance, and they aren’t fazed.
“Well, most of our team is used to it,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella. “A lot of our team has traveled this road and found a way to win. We know what today is. We’ve talked about it, and we’ve baked it in as far as how we handle it. This is no problem for us at all.”
It’s true– most of the team is used to it. Of the 20 players the Golden Knights made available to the media, 11 have played in a Stanley Cup Final. Nine won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights in 2023.
From the top to the bottom of the roster, the Golden Knights are winners. This isn’t groundbreaking news– variations of this phrase have been said thousands of times over the last nine years.
Because of their nature, the Golden Knights have also earned the reputation of being a team in perpetual ‘win-now’ mode. They’ve demonstrated a willingness to mortgage their future for a chance to win in the present, trading countless picks and prospects for players who will aid them in their quest to capture another Stanley Cup.
“The way that our organization was founded as an expansion team, one of the most important things we did was put together our pro scouting staff,” said McCrimmon. “Our amateur staff, who have drafted a lot of good players— and sometimes we trade those players, right?— have enabled us to be able to make some deals where we include players that we’ve drafted previously… That’s been the nature of our staff. We’ve had very close to the same staff in place since day one. We’ve got some great people in our organization, and that’s how we've built our teams.”
Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella is a firm believer in the importance of having the right mindset. He’s repeatedly stated that mental toughness is crucial to winning the most important games, and right now, his team has that in spades.
“They know how to do it,” said head coach John Tortorella. “They have experience. This organization, since its inception, the amount of playoff hockey they’ve played, and the amount of people that are in that room from 2023… They know how to do it.
“I think X’s and O’s are very important in today’s game,” Tortorella continued. “But nothing is more important than a mindset, a mental toughness, and a will that you need in certain situations and in the playoffs. Our guys get it, and I think that’s the major piece of foundation that we have in the organization.”
Over the last decade, no team has enjoyed success more consistently than the Golden Knights. Since their inception in 2017, they lead the league in both postseason wins (74) and games played (122).
“It’s exhilarating to win,” said general manager Kelly McCrimmon. “We’re super proud to be back in the finals for the third time in our nine-year existence. It’s a privilege, and we don’t take it for granted. We work real hard; you have to get lucky along the way at times also. That’s been our objective right from the opening season.”
In a league where only the strong survive, the Vegas Golden Knights have earned the reputation of being a team willing to become stronger by any means necessary. They aren’t shy about adding to their team, whether by means of signing a prize free agent like Alex Pietrangelo or taking a swing at a top trade target as they did with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone.
“We have made a lot of big decisions over our time in the league, and very bold,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged during his Stanley Cup Final media availability. “I always say, to be big or bold is one thing, but you’ve got to make good decisions. And I think that we’ve collectively, through our hockey ops, done a good job of that.”
This year, the Golden Knights’ bold decisions reached a new peak when they relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach with just eight games remaining in the regular season. Kelly McCrimmon brought in John Tortorella to fill that void– a man he’d never even spoken to prior to the coaching change.
The gamble clearly paid off, as the Golden Knights went 7-0-1 down the stretch in the regular season to win their fifth Division Title in nine years. In the postseason, they beat the Utah Mammoth, the Anaheim Ducks, and the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche to advance to the Stanley Cup Final in just 16 games.
But despite the optics, Tortorella claims that he had very little to do with the team’s success. He’s repeatedly referred to himself as a ‘guidance counselor,’ stating that he does little more than nudge the team back onto the path when they’ve lost their way.
“This team knows how to play,” he said during his media availability on Monday. “It’s them. It’s not me or the coaching staff; it’s them.
“They handle themselves so well,” continued Tortorella. “That room self-sustains. That’s why they’re in the finals again this year, and that’s why they won it in 23, and that’s why they’ve been so successful. It’s not coaches being in there. It’s a room self-sustaining, and we’ve got good people doing that.”
Kelly McCrimmon seems to feel differently.
“He’s being really modest,” McCrimmon refuted. “He’s been a really successful coach in the NHL for a long time… I think he’s done a great job of coming in, reading the room, knowing what the team needs, and coaching from that perspective.”
