Category: Ice Hockey

Brad Marchand is once again proving why he's one of the NHL's ultimate premier playoff performers. As an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the question must be asked: Should the Maple Leafs aggressively pursue the veteran player who consistently performs well against them?

At 37 years old, Marchand continues to be an effective producer. While he recorded 23 goals and 28 assists in 71 games split between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers, his playoff performance truly captures the spotlight. He has 63 goals and 92 assists in 176 playoff games and won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011.

In his first playoff run with Florida, Marchand has tallied seven goals and 10 assists in 19 games. He has the ability to push his game to a new level at the most critical points in the playoffs. The Leafs are intimately familiar with this, having lost to Marchand in five consecutive Game 7s. He has consistently frustrated Toronto, not only with his statistics but also through psychological warfare, remaining a mentally disruptive force and clutch performer during high-stakes matchups.

Marchand recently told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that anything is on the table when asked if he would play for a Canadian team. It’s expected there will be numerous suitors at the conclusion of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

'I Grew Up A Leafs Fan': Panthers': Brad Marchand Owns Toronto Again, But Doesn't Believe Fans' Pressure Is JustifiedFlorida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones shook his head, agreeing with Brad Marchand after the veteran forward, who's now ousted the Toronto Maple Leafs from the playoffs on five separate occasions, said the fans beat the pressure into this team.

After Marchand’s team defeated the Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series, the player revealed he was a Leafs fan. It’s clear Marchand likes the big stage.

As Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving looks to “change the DNA” of his team this summer, a player like Marchand would certainly accomplish that goal. One could argue that if Marchand cannot be the force to shake up Toronto’s playoff woes, perhaps nobody (other than possibly Sam Bennett) can. Adding a player with Marchand’s grit, leadership, and playoff experience would undoubtedly benefit the Leafs. With 58 points in 59 career games against Toronto, adding Marchand would epitomize the 'if you can’t beat them, join them' strategy.

With Brendan Shanahan Gone, What Changes For Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving And Coach Craig Berube?Ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs is one of the most important offseasons in the last decade.

But the crucial question is: What would be the cost?

The Leafs’ cap situation

Toronto is well-positioned to pursue a player like Brad Marchand, with a projected $25.71 million in cap space. With Mitch Marner ($10.9 million) likely to hit free agency, and a substantial savings from John Tavares’s $11 million salary cap hit (whether he stays or goes), the Leafs will be able to use that money to add some gritty forwards.

Regardless of Marchand's performance for the remainder of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, age will always be a significant concern. The last time the Leafs committed substantial money and term to a high-quality forward, they were subsequently forced to surrender a first-round pick in a trade to create salary space. This occurred when they signed a then-37-year-old Patrick Marleau to a deal with an average annual value of $6.25 million.

Tanev, Gourde Contracts And Deferred Money Provide A Blueprint For Maple Leafs To Re-Sign John TavaresJohn Tavares wants to stay in Toronto. The former Maple Leafs captain made that clear when speaking to reporters shortly after his team was eliminated in the second round at the hands of the three-time defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers. This desire, coupled with the Maple Leafs' cap constraints, begs the question: How can both sides find common ground? Reportedly, the Maple Leafs would welcome him back, but not at the hefty $11 million per season salary cap hit that came with his first contract in Toronto. Recent contracts signed by other players offer a compelling glimpse into potential solutions.

The key difference between the two players lies in their playoff performance, and that distinction will command a premium for Marchand, who could seek an average annual value of $7.5 to $8 million in a new deal.

Is that too much for Toronto? Perhaps. However, they might commit to a longer term to lower the average annual value, acquire the player, and address the ramifications later, similar to their approach with contracts like Chris Tanev’s six-year, $27 million deal last summer.

Even with available cap space, the Leafs still need to be conscious of how they spend it. Twenty-two-year-old Matthew Knies is due a substantial raise. Finding another center remains a priority for the Leafs, and Sam Bennett could be more expensive than Marchand, strictly based on role and age.

Nothing More Than $7.5M AAV

Ideally, the Leafs would not offer Marchand anything more than two years at $7.5 million in average annual value. If they were to add a third year to lower the AAV, that would make sense, aligning with a deal similar to Marleau’s, especially since all indications suggest Marchand will eventually age out. While he is performing well, you have to look at some of the facts. Beyond his age, Marchand is optimized in Florida by playing on the third line. There has to be a sense of not wanting to overpay for a third-line contributor, particularly one who is nearing the end of his career.

But there's no doubt Marchand would help Toronto next season. Given the club's 'win-now' window,  they could be quite aggressive.

Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach: What He Brings To Toronto's BenchThe Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced on Friday the addition of Derek Lalonde to their coaching staff as an assistant. This move filled a  vacancy on head coach Craig Berube’s staff after associate coach Lane Lambert departed to become the Seattle Kraken’s new bench boss. Spencer Carbery Makes History As First Ex-Maple Leafs Assistant To Win Jack Adams AwardJust over two years ago, Spencer Carbery completed his second season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, he has received the NHL’s top coaching honor. 'Not Always Necessarily The Best Thing': Thriving With Oilers Kasperi Kapanen Reflects On Pressure-Filled Maple Leafs Media ExperienceEdmonton Oilers forward Kasperi Kapanen is among many former Toronto Maple Leafs performing strongly during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and ahead of the Stanley Cup Final, he was asked about his tenure in Toronto.

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When Adam Keefe signed up to play for the Belfast Giants in 2011, he couldn't have imagined how lifechanging that decision was going to be.

He had been hoping to follow in his older brother Sheldon's footsteps and make it to the National Hockey League (NHL), the ultimate goal of every Canadian who laces up the skates.

Sheldon, four years older than Adam, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999 and went on to make his NHL debut the following season, but ultimately his playing career was curtailed because of injury.

"It's hard to get to the NHL and I was lucky enough to play at least some exhibition games and play at that level and get a taste of it," said Adam.

"Ultimately, I fell short and was getting a little tired. I was getting a little older and I wanted to see the world and experience something new.

"With our last name being Keefe, it was always a kind of a bucket list thing to visit the homeland.

"Finally, the opportunity came through a Facebook message from the coach of the Giants, Doug Christiansen. It was my first chance and I jumped on it.

"I thought it would just be a one-year deal and I’d probably go back home and do ultimately what I did here, probably in Toledo."

However, the younger Keefe sibling would never make that trip to Toledo.

He won Elite League in his first season with the Giants and captained the side to another title victory in 2014.

By then he was well established as a leader and a fan favourite, a team-mate that you could rely on to drop the gloves and defend his brothers on the ice.

Keefe's transition to coach in 2017 was a seamless move for the Giants. It kept the line of succession in place, despite no prior experience in the role.

What followed has been the most sustained run of success in the club's twenty-five-year history.

Ten trophies - four league championships, five Challenge Cups and a Play-off title - in six full seasons (two were lost due to Covid-19), including a Grand Slam in 2023.

"I just fell in love with the city and winning and the fans here. Obviously, I met my wife and have two girls, so I'm locked into Northern Ireland.

"It's been a great experience for me and a fun one."

Giants' fans echo mutual support for 'the heartbeat' of the Belfast side and they recently showed their appreciation at Adam‘s testimonial when his number 47 shirt was retired, the ultimate honour for a player.

‘I wasn’t going to mess with him much more’

Sheldon made his first trip to Belfast for the event. Since his playing days came to an end, Adam's older brother made his way up through the coaching ranks all the way back to the NHL.

He was head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019-2024 and has just finished his first season in charge of the New Jersey Devils, leading them to the play-offs.

Sheldon’s first impressions of Belfast have been favourable.

"I love the city, just walking around and being here in the building and getting a feel for the hockey part of it.

"You can see why there's so much passion here for Giants hockey and why Adam fell in love with the city and the team."

Growing up together just outside of Toronto, both Keefe brothers were soon on the hockey pathway.

"I don't know about brotherly rivalry so much," explained Sheldon.

"I mean, there's maybe enough separation with four years that I think I had my way for a lot of the time.

"But it maybe contributed to some of the edge that he ended up developing in playing.

"Certainly, as Adam got older, it was very clear I wasn't going to mess with him much more.

"We were playing hockey, fighting in the basement, competing in the driveway and on the street and he quite often was playing with my friends and having to try to compete."

Adam agreed, "A lot of times it's him and his friends playing street hockey and you're four years younger than those guys.

"You got to work extra hard and sometimes you're going to get knocked down.

"So, if you want to stay in there, you got to learn to fight back and I certainly did that.

"Obviously, he's provided a great example for me and set a very high standard that is difficult to try to keep up with.

"He took care of me through critical years when I was a teenager and set me on a good path.

"Then to follow his career while I was trying to make the NHL, to follow his coaching career and see that he just kind of kept winning right from the time he started.

"Then ultimately to claw his way back to the NHL as a coach becoming one of the youngest coaches in the league and then to coach arguably the biggest hockey club in the world. That's very special."

'His life is all about the hockey'

Adam's success as a coach has come as no surprise to Sheldon. In his words, "life's been all about hockey".

"I think we can both say we would be a little lost without the game.

"If I look at my own transition into coaching, when you maybe first get into it, for me, at least, I didn't know what I was doing at all.

"But you're relying on your competitiveness, your passion for the game, your work ethic, all the things that help you play at a high level, and that gives you a strong foundation.

"I knew Adam was going to commit and be all in on everything that he's doing and while learning and refining any skills that you need as a coach, you're going to have the respect of your players because of everything that you put in to help them and the team.

"He's been an absolute competitor and a guy that will do anything to win for his entire life."

Sheldon has helped Adam out with player recruitment and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Belfast as a playing destination.

"I've followed enough to know the standard of the Elite League and that it just continues to improve and get better and better.

"Seeing the arena and seeing the city and community, it would be a great draw for players to come and get the life experience but still play great hockey.

"As I watch the young kids playing as well, there is lots of excitement about growing the game here too."

Despite enjoying his Testimonial weekend where the Giants once again gave back to the community raising over £109,000 for the Northern Ireland Hospice, the new season is never far from Adam's mind.

"Champions League is right around the corner.

"August is going to come around pretty quick, and nobody cares about last year.”

The scene is shifting to South Florida as the 2026 Stanley Cup Final continues.

So far, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers have put on one hell of a show.

Both teams have picked up an overtime victory so far, with Edmonton earning a comeback 4-3 win in Game 1 and Florida responding with a 5-4 double OT victory two nights later.

Considering the Panthers and Oilers played a series last June that was widely considered one of the best in recent memory, it’s not terribly surprising to see them running it back this year.

Looking back at the opening two games, it was clear that Florida looked and felt much better about playing their style in Game 2 than they did in Game 1.

It’s tough on both teams because they are each trying to impose their will and systems on the other, but at this point, the Panther and Oilers are facing the toughest challenge they have all season.

Lineup-wise, the only potential question for Florida will be whether A.J. Greer slots back onto the fourth line or if Jesper Boqvist continues to replace him.

Despite Game 2 going into double overtime, Boqvist played only 8:41, the fewest minutes of any Panthers player. Linemate Jonah Gadjovich wasn’t far behind at 8:53.

Perhaps Greer back on the line will infuse some confidence in Maurice to deploy them more often.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 3 against Edmonton:

Evan Rodrigues – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov

Scratches: Mackie Samoskevich, Uvis Balinskis, Jesper Boqvist, Nico Sturm, Jaycob Megna

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Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) and Edmonton Oilers defenseman John Klingberg (36) attempt to get the puck during the second period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

The Abbotsford Canucks have eliminated the Texas Stars and advanced to the Calder Cup Finals where they will take on the Charlotte Checkers. 

The Canucks captured the Robert W. Clarke as Western Conference Champions with a 4-2 win in game six.

Goaltender Arturs Silovs continued his fantastic playoff run with a .917 SP, 2.28 GAA, and one shutout in the series, he has a .929 SP, 1.94 GAA, and 12-5 record with five shutouts in the playoffs. He made 23 stops in game six.

There was a bizarre sequence early in the game when Sammy Blais thought he had opened the scoring, during the confusion several players stopped playing and Texas went down the ice and scored.

After scoring his first goal of the playoffs in game five Arshdeep Bains scored twice in game six, he and Linus Karlsson led the team with seven points each in the Conference Finals. 

Jujhar Khaira scored his third of the playoffs before Max Sasson scored his first of the series midway through the third in what ended up being the game winner.

The Canucks' defense core had a stellar series, veteran Christian Wolanin formed a great pairing with Victor Mancini while Guillaume Brisebois continued to perform in all situations. 

In a series that had three overtime games and a 1-0 game Abbotsford showed their comfort under pressure and ability to grind out different types of games. 

RAN AWAY WITH IT🏃@abbycanucks | #CalderCuppic.twitter.com/jHyVMQfFIE

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) June 9, 2025

Despite boasting the two top point scorers of the playoffs in Cameron Hughes (19) and Justin Hryckowian (18) the Stars could not solve the Abbotsford defense. 

Harrison Scott scored his first career professional goal for the Stars in one of their few bright spots in game six. 

Goaltender Magnus Hellberg earned the start after entering the game in relief in game four, he was under fire all game and made 36 saves on 39 shots. 

The Stars had a great campaign and it will be fascinating to see the roster they return with next season as several players are pending free agents or have earned promotions. 

The 87th Calder Cup gets underway on June 13 in North Carolina. 

 Keep an eye on The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks team site for on the ground coverage of the Abbotsford Canucks. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.   

Photo Credit: © Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

It is a longshot that players who go unsigned by NHL clubs after being drafted make any impact. The Buffalo Sabres are one club that found out the hard way that sometimes players fall through the cracks. In 2016, Buffalo selected in the sixth round winger Brandon Hagel from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. After two unspectacular seasons, Hagel went unsigned and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He then scored 102 points as an overager, went to the American Hockey League, worked his way to the NHL, was traded to Tampa Bay in 2022 and three years later is a shoo in to make Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic games. 

There is no way to tell whether history will repeat itself, but after allowing three draft picks rights to expire last week, the Edmonton Oilers quickly jumped on the opportunity and signed 2021 draftee Viljami Marjala to a two-year, entry-level contract. 

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Marjala played for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts after being selected in the fifth round by Buffalo. After another season in Quebec, he returned to his native Finland and split time between the junior level and the Finnish SM-Liiga. In his second season, he scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games for TPS Turku, and last season, the 22-year-old had another good offensive year, tying for his club’s scoring lead with 52 points (8 goals, 44 assists) in 54 games. 

🚨Big goal alert🚨Just another reason why the Sabres should be talking contract with Viljami Marjala soon. He again steps up in the loser-goes-home game to drag TPS into a 2-2 tie with SaiPa. pic.twitter.com/MPt7CEGIXc

— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) March 24, 2025

The Sabres have not done a good job in developing their prospects, as only one player selected in the third round or later in the Kevyn Adams era has played in the NHL. Czech forward Lukas Rousek signed with a SHL club last month, and there is some speculation that 2021 second-rounder Aleksandr Kisakov may return to Russia after playing only 13 games in Rochester last season and that lack of development or opportunity may be a factor in Buffalo being able to bring their prospects to North America in the future. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Former Seattle Kraken forward Karson Kuhlman has signed a one-year contract with SHL team Rögle BK.

The 29-year-old played 39 games with the Kraken, spanning over two seasons. In his time with the Kraken, Kuhlman recorded three goals, eight assists and 11 points. 

Kuhlman hasn't played any NHL games in the last two seasons, playing for the Bridgeport Islanders, the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in 2023-24 and with Lukko in Liiga, Finland's top professional league. In his first season in Finland, the American right winger scored 21 goals and 46 points in 60 games.

Kuhlman is the second former NHL player to sign with Rögle BK in the past few days, joining former Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Freidman. 

“Karson brings a lot of experience, including a season in Europe,” said Rögle sports director Hampus Sjöström. “He is a versatile player who can contribute in all forms of play. He is committed and good at finding pucks around the net.”

Kuhlman won a National Championship with Minnesota Duluth before beginning his NHL career, where he played 147 games, scoring 12 goals and 30 points, splitting his time with the Boston Bruins, Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets. 

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If the Philadelphia Flyers truly want to trade for Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague, they may have to outbid two other NHL teams, including a Metropolitan Division rival, to get the deal over the line.

In a June 5 column for the Toronto Sun, former NHLer Nick Kypreos revealed that both the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins are in pursuit of the Flyers trade target.

"There aren’t many quality UFA defencemen out there, so that makes Nicolas Hague of the Golden Knights a very attractive trade chip if and when Vegas decides to move him because of limited salary cap space," Kypreos wrote. "I’m hearing the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins are hot on the trail to potentially trade for him."

It was previously reported by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman that the Flyers have been connected to Golden Knights trade talks for the 26-year-old Hague, a pending restricted free agent and left-shot defender.

It is worth noting that the Flyers have not made much progress in contract talks with Cam York, also an RFA who could be traded ahead of or offer-sheeted on July 1.

As for the other teams, the Canadiens have $6 million in cap space with only six defensemen on their active roster, including prospect Logan Mailloux and a role player in Arber Xhekaj. David Savard is retiring from the NHL, while Jayden Struble, a left-shot like Hague, is an RFA.

The Penguins, the Flyers' most hated rivals, are in need of left-shots after trading Marcus Pettersson to Vancouver ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

Their left side currently consists of free agency bust Ryan Graves, journeyman Ryan Shea, and prospects Owen Pickering and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Veteran Matt Grzelcyk is a UFA this summer, while P.O. Joseph and Conor Timmins are both RFAs.

Effectively, this is all to say that Kypreos's report tracks, as both the Canadiens and Penguins have a greater need for an addition on defense than the Flyers do, especially on the left side.

Even without York, the Flyers still have Travis Sanheim, Nick Seeler, Egor Zamula, and Emil Andrae to hold down the fort, though it's unclear if new head coach Rick Tocchet will use Sanheim on the right as John Tortorella and Brad Shaw had over the last few seasons.

That being said, if the Flyers want to beat out the Canadiens and Penguins to secure Hague's services and signature, they may have to win a bidding war to do it.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

The pace in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final has made the championship series extremely entertaining to watch.

Both the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers were able to extract a hard-earned victory during the first two games of the series in Alberta, but now the scene shifts to Sunrise for a couple of battles in South Florida.

Despite there being 16 goals scored so far – eight for each team – the defensive play on both sides has been pretty solid.

The physicality has also been heavy and consistent between the Cats and Oilers.

Truly, these teams have treated hockey fans to two spectacular Stanley Cup Final games so far.

That’s not bad considering many have already viewed last year’s epic seven-game Final between Florida and Edmonton as one of the best ever.

But now, after playing those two exhausting, demanding games, both of which went to overtime, the players were given an extra day off while the series moved from central Alberta to southern Florida.

“Both teams will take the two days, gladly,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice.

Recovering from the games is only a part of why the time off will be so valued.

The distance between Sunrise and Edmonton represents the farthest gap between two Stanley Cup Final opponents ever, as we all learned last year.

“I think it's necessary for both teams,” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said of the time off. “I think it's a necessary evil of a six-hour flight and a two-hour time change. You have to have it.”

Ekblad and the Panthers made the cross-continent trip on Saturday, about 12 hours after their thrilling 5-4 double overtime win in Game 2 at Rogers Place.

The majority of the team participated in an optional practice session on Sunday at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale.

“Whether it's a big win or whether it's a tough loss, it's all how you bounce back from it,” said Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. “It's what happens in these two days in between that prepares you for the next game. We take pride in, no matter what happened in that last game, we're going to do what we need to this next couple days to be at our best once that puck drops, and we expect the same out of them as well.”

Included in the group that skated on Sunday was injured forward A.J. Greer, who wore a light blue sweater along with recent healthy scratches Nico Sturm and Mackie Samoskevich.

That would indicate the Panthers aren’t making any roster changes after their win in Game 2, but things could certainly change over the next 24 hours.

We’ll see if Greer remains out of the top 12 when Florida holds a morning skate on Monday ahead of Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena.

Stay tuned.

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Panthers' Sam Bennett Sets New Incredible NHL Record

Photo caption: Jun 6, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) reacts after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game two of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague could be available in a trade this offseason and is beginning to garner plenty of interest, now coming from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens, according to Nick Kypreos.

The Philadelphia Flyerswere the first team linked to Hague, and with three first-round picks in this year's draft, they seem like the best fit. The Canadiens have multiple first-round picks this year as well, and the Penguins have just one, but both teams have the resources to pull off a trade.

With the recent report about Alex Pietrangelo's health coming into question for the 2025-26 season, it might change what General Manager Kelly McCrimmon's plan was for Hague. The 26-year-old was drafted by the Golden Knights in 2017 and made his debut in the 2019-20 season. 

Hague is a pending restricted free agent this offseason and could command a healthy pay raise, which is why the Golden Knights have floated the possibility of trading the 6'6 defender. Reports have stated that they aren't actively looking to move him, but if a team calls, they'll at the very least entertain it. 

"Speaking of Vegas, the Golden Knights have just over $9.6 million in salary cap space and a few decent holes to fill. Word on the street is they are entertaining calls on defenceman Nic Hague, who is set to become a restricted free agent July 1 and is due for a solid paycheck," said Pagnotta in his recent "Start of Silly Season" article.

"Multiple sources indicated this week that Vegas has already started to engage in trade discussions involving Hague, who brings size, accountability and a championship pedigree to any club looking to strengthen their defensive corps. Several teams will be poking around, and this should be something to keep an eye on leading up to Draft weekend."

Tough decisions will need to be made regarding Hague and the organization's pursuit of another star forward.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Corey Perry may have only played one year for the Montreal Canadiens, but he has built friendships that will last a lifetime and taken something else away from the experience. During the 2021 playoffs, the right winger began using teammate Josh Anderson’s sticks, and four years later, in the Stanley Cup final with the Edmonton Oilers, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that the 40-year-old is still using Anderson’s stick.

While the Canadiens didn’t make it to the final, it means that part of their equipment made it. Perry is one of two former Hab players who have reached the Cup final, alongside blueliner Brett Kulak, who was traded to the Oilers back in 2022 in the deal that allowed the Canadiens to select Lane Hutson in the following draft.

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So far in these playoffs, Kulak has produced five points in 18 games, skating alongside Darnell Nurse on the Oilers’ second pairing. There’s no doubt that winning the Stanley Cup for his hometown team would be a dream come true for the 31-year-old defenseman who took some time to establish himself as a regular NHL defenseman.

In the offseason following his trade to Edmonton, Kulak signed a four-year contract with the Alberta outfit, carrying a $2.75 million cap hit. He’s currently playing out the last season of his contract, and a Cup win would be a fairytale ending, whether or not he re-signs with the Oilers for next season.

As for Perry and Anderson’s sticks, it’s their fifth cup final in the last six seasons, and the ageless wonder is still making an impact in the lineup. With sniper Zach Hyman injured and ruled out for the duration of the series, Perry has been asked to step up and is currently riding shotgun on the Oilers’ top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

While he doesn’t necessarily have the speed to keep up with his two linemates, he certainly has the hockey smarts, and on Friday night, he made history, scoring the latest game-tying goal ever in the Stanley Cup final. There were only 18 seconds left on the clock when he scored the goal that sent the game into overtime.

Perry has been clutch so far in this final; he was also at the origin of the game's one game-winning goal when he initiated the play that allowed McDavid to feed Leon Draisaitl for the game-winner with just 31 seconds left in the first period of overtime. In 18 playoffs games, he already has 12 points.

Perry and Kulak will resume their quest for the Cup when the series resumes on Monday night in Florida for Game 3.

Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images

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The NHL announced the results for the Jack Adams Award on Saturday, given annually to "the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success" as voted on by the NHL Broadcasters' Association.

Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery came away with a decisive win, appearing first on 81 of the 103 ballots

The Capitals finished second in the NHL regular season standings for 2024-25 and saw a 20-point improvement in their overall standings this season, after an 11-point improvement the prior year.

In total, 13 NHL coaches received at least one vote — voters selected a first, second and third place coach on each ballot — but Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour was not one of those coaches.

I'm not saying that Brind'Amour should have won the award, as Carbery was a well worthy candidate with how he was able to get the Capitals back to being true contenders, but it does seem like an apparent lack of respect for one of the league's top coaches. 

Despite the Carolina Hurricanes' continued success, appearing in seven straight postseasons and winning at least a round in each as well as another Eastern Conference Final appearance, Brind'Amour was seemingly not given a ton of credit for the team's success by the broadcasters.

Overall, it's been pretty telling how the award has transitioned to more so being about which teams were the most surprising this season as opposed to true coaching effect.

I mean, for one, neither Jon Cooper nor Jared Bednar have ever won a Jack Adams Award despite Tampa Bay and Colorado consistently being two of the top teams in the league year in and year out.

However, both of them still appeared on ballots this season while Brind'Amour did not, despite their teams finishing just three points higher than the Hurricanes.

Finishing three points higher while, might I add, they both have multiple elite and MVP-level players on their teams as well.

Carolina meanwhile has no award finalists, no 40-goal scorers, no player who has even ever broken 100-points. But they do have a great system, full team buy-in and belief, all things I would credit back to the coaching staff.

Again, not saying Brind'Amour should have won by any means, but for him to not even get a single vote of any kind feels just wrong.

'Competing Isn't Enough. We Want To Win': Eric Tulsky, Rod Brind'Amour 2024-25 Exit InterviewsThe Carolina Hurricanes' 2024-25 season came to a close earlier this week as the team lost in five games to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

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New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is facing a crucial question regarding his goaltending tandem for the 2025-26 season. 

With starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom under contract for the 2025-26 season, the organization must decide who the veteran's backup will be.

This past season, the Devils tandem consisted of Markstrom and veteran Jake Allen. 

"We liked our tandem," Fitzgerald said. "We felt it was one of the better tandems in the league. You look at (Allen's) numbers, (they were) very good. His professionalism, the way he interacted with (Markstrom) as the backup, is very important in a tandem. They got along very well."

Allen finished the season with a 13-16-1 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.66 goals-against average. 

In a recent interview with NHL.com, Fitzgerald spoke about Allen, 34, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. 

"As far as goaltending, Jake Allen is one of the better ones on the market," Fitzgerald told NHL.com. "His camp tells me he would like to stay. He really enjoyed his time here. We are trying to figure out what that number is, and then does it work for us?"

Of course, the Devils also have an internal option in 24-year-old Nico Daws.

Daws will enter the final season of a two-year contract with an average annual value of $812,500. For the 2025-26 campaign, he is on a one-way deal at $850,000 at the NHL level. 

Spending most of this past season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets, Daws started four games for the Devils, earning a 3-1-0 record with one shutout. 

This past season wasn't the easiest for Daws. It was a challenging start with the Comets, who kicked things off, losing their first 13 games, and an injury that forced him to take a couple of weeks off after Christmas. 

With all of that now behind him, Daws feels confident about where he is and the lessons he has learned. 

"When you have a start like we did in Utica, it is a lot of mental ups and downs for sure, and just learning how to deal with it and stay composed," Daws explained. "Removing yourself from it and just think, win or lose, you have to be able to get in the net every night with the confidence to win, and I think confidence has been a big thing for me this year. 

"I learned a lot this year mentally."

With New Jersey having several young goaltenders in their pipeline, it could be time to see one of them make the jump to full-time NHLer, and a more confident Daws believes he is up for the task. 

"Obviously, I want to be on this team full-time, and I think I am ready for it," Daws said. "Just going to go into the summer working as hard as I can, have a really good camp, and prove to them that I am ready." 

It will be up to Fitzgerald and his front office to decide whether it is time to promote Daws to an NHL player or run it back with two veterans who served the Devils well in 2024-25.

 Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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American right winger Karson Kuhlman, 29, has signed a one-year contract with Rögle BK, the SHL club announced on Sunday. The signing comes just three days after Rögle announced the signing of former NHL defenseman Mark Friedman.

“Karson brings a lot of experience, including a season in Europe,” said Rögle sports director Hampus Sjöström. “He is a versatile player who can contribute in all forms of play. He is committed and good at finding pucks around the net.”

A graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he captained the team to a national championship in his senior year, Kuhlman was never drafted but signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins in the spring of 2018.

He then spent the next six seasons shuttling between the NHL and AHL for the Bruins, Seattle Kraken, Winnipeg Jets and New York Islanders. He recorded 30 points in 147 NHL games and four points in 17 playoff games.

Last season, Kuhlman played for Lukko in the Finnish Liiga, where he recorded 49 points in 71 regular-season and playoff games and was named Liiga’s player of the month in December.

Rögle has been one of the SHL’s more successful teams over the past five seasons but is coming off a year where it finished seventh in the regular season and was eliminated in the play-in round. In addition to Kuhlman and Friedman, the team also has under contract for 2025-26 former NHLer Fredrik Olofsson.

© James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Former NHL D-Man Mark Friedman Signs Two-Year Deal In Sweden Canadian defenseman Mark Friedman, 29, has signed a two-year contract to play for Rögle BK, the SHL club announced on Thursday.

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft takes place on June 27, and the Vancouver Canucks currently have one pick in each round. Barring any trades, the Canucks will be selecting 15th in the first round, with many suggestions for players to pick already being pitched. In preparation for this year’s draft, we’re taking a look at the past five NHL Entry Drafts that the Canucks have taken part in, as well as where each of their picks have ended up. Last week, we took a look at the Canucks 2021 Draft picks. This week, let’s look back at the 2022 NHL Draft. 

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The 2022 NHL Draft was a strong one for the Canucks. Three of the players picked in this draft made their NHL debuts this season, while one other has suited up for the Abbotsford Canucks. This was the first time that Vancouver selected a player with their first-round pick since 2019. In this draft, they had one pick in every round except for the second. Their 2022 second-round pick went to the Arizona Coyotes as part of the Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland trade that also cost Vancouver their 2021 first-round selection. With the rest of their picks, Vancouver selected Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Elias Pettersson (D), Daimon Gardner, Ty Young, Jackson Dorrington, and Kirill Kudryavstev. 

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, F

When the Canucks selected Lekkerimäki 15th overall in 2022, he automatically became Vancouver’s highest-touted prospect. While he was known to be offensively talented as a whole, the thing that stuck out most was his shot. To this day, Lekkerimäki’s shooting skills have earned him accolades such as MVP of the 2024 World Junior Championship with seven goals in seven games. He spent the season after being drafted with Djurgårdens IF as well as Team Sweden in the 2023 World Juniors. His time with Örebro HK the season after was where he went on a tear, scoring 19 goals and 12 assists in 46 games in his first SHL season. After his time with Örebro, Lekkerimäki joined Abbotsford for their playoff run, beginning the 2024–25 season with them as well. He played in his first NHL game on November 12, 2024 against the Calgary Flames, and scored his first career NHL goal the game after. In his rookie season with the AHL Canucks, he scored 19 goals and nine assists in 36 games. 

Elias Pettersson, D

Pettersson is a great player in his own right, but when Vancouver drafted him 80th overall in 2022, he mainly only garnered attention due to his name. Since then, Pettersson has made a name for himself. He spent two seasons with Örebro HK and two stints with Sweden’s U20 team in the 2023 and 2024 World Juniors. Pettersson also played 34 games for Västerås IK in 2023–24, putting up three goals and 11 assists in this span. He also spent eight regular season games and one playoff game with Abbotsford. Pettersson took massive strides in his first full AHL season this year, earning himself a call-up and a virtually permanent spot in Vancouver’s lineup. He made his NHL debut on January 25 and stayed with the team for nearly the rest of the season. As it stands, he is expected to start the 2025–26 season in the NHL. 

Daimon Gardner, F

Gardner was picked 112th overall in 2022, going to Vancouver in the fourth round of the draft. The 6’4 centre split time with the Omaha Lancers, Warroad High, and Tri-City Storm of the USHL in his draft year. He stuck with the Storm the season after, putting up 12 goals and 30 assists in 46 games. In 2023–24, Gardner embarked on his NCAA career, spending the season with Clarkson University and tallying six points in 29 games. This season, he joined St. Cloud State University for 32 games, nabbing five goals and nine assists. As of today, Gardner remains unsigned by Vancouver. 

Ty Young, G

Vancouver’s fifth-round pick of the 2022 NHL Draft was Ty Young, who they selected 144th overall. While he was picked by Vancouver, this wasn’t the first Canuck organization he’d been a part of. He played for the Calgary Canucks of the AJHL in his draft year, also spending time with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. Young continued his run with the Cougars for another two years, with the 2023–24 season being his most fruitful. Before the season even began, he signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks, keeping him within the organization for at least three years. He started 37 games and registered a GAA of 2.79. This season was his first with Abbotsford, though he ended up splitting his time with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL as well. With the Wings, Young reached a new professional career low in GAA with 2.53. 

Jackson Dorrington, D 

Dorrington was Vancouver’s sixth-round selection in the 2022 Draft, being picked 176th overall. After being drafted, he spent three seasons in the NCAA with Northeastern University, putting up eight goals and 25 assists in the 105 games he played in. Partway through his third season with Northeastern, he was traded by the Canucks to the New York Rangers as part of the J.T. Miller deal. Now a prospect for the Rangers, Dorrington looks to continue his time in the AHL. He played in nine games for New York’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, near the end of the 2024–25 season. During this time, he had a goal and an assist. 

Kirill Kudryavstev, D 

Quite possibly the biggest steal of this draft for Vancouver, Kudryavstev was the team’s final pick of the 2022 Draft, going 208th overall. His draft year was the first of his three-season stint with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. In 202 games, Kudryavstev registered 18 goals and 118 assists, putting up point totals of 45 or higher in each season except his first. Vancouver signed Kudryavstev to his entry-level contract in March of 2023 — as a result, he joined the AHL Canucks for the 2024–25 season. His steady play throughout Abbotsford’s season earned him his first NHL call-up. Kudryavstev made his NHL debut on April 14 against the San Jose Sharks. 

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