The Chicago Blackhawks are entering the 2026 NHL offseason as a team to watch very closely. While they have plenty of promising young prospects in their system, they should not be afraid to bring in proven NHL talent this summer as well.
The Blackhawks' biggest need during the offseason is to bring in at least one proven top-six winger. Connor Bedard could use more help around him, and one player who stands out as a perfect target for Chicago is Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies.
The Blackhawks' interest in Knies is no secret, as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last month that they were one of the teams that targeted him leading up to the trade deadline. With the Blackhawks still in need of top-six help, bringing in a player like Knies would be huge for them.
At just 23 years old, Knies would be a perfect fit on a rebuilding Blackhawks team that is looking to take that next step. This is especially so when noting that he would be far more than a rental for the Blackhawks if acquired. This is because he is signed until the end of the 2030-31 season, where he has a $7.75 million cap hit.
Knies' offensive skill could make him thrive playing with a star center like Bedard. His stats this season show how impactful he can be, as he had 23 goals and 66 points in 79 games for the Maple Leafs. The 6-foot-3 winger also made an impact with his physicality, posting 152 hits.
Ultimately, with the Blackhawks needing another star in their lineup, Knies is exactly the kind of young and proven forward that they should be kicking tires on again if Toronto makes him available.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - MARCH 25: Viktor Arvidsson #71 of the Boston Bruins scores a second period goal against Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on March 25, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The playoffs are officially here, folks!
Well, technically they started yesterday elsewhere in the NHL, but for our purposes, today’s the day.
The Celtics kicked off their postseason at TD Garden earlier today, and hopefully that game went well—I’m putting this together on Saturday, so I hope the future is nice.
Anyways, all of the waiting and “tales of the tape” and “they have the edge here” is just about over.
It’ll be nice to enjoy some playoff hockey after a year away, and by “enjoy,” we all know that means “be in a constant state of anxiety for at least a week.”
The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us, and The Hockey Show is pumped!
This week, THS co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork, along with producer Ethan Budowski, previewed the eight first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series’ that will begin on Saturday.
They also discussed the fiery comments of a pair of NHL head coaches, Carolina’s Rick Bowness and Detroit’s Todd McLellan, who had some very hard comments for the way their respective teams performed during their season finale’s last week.
Joining this week’s show to discuss playoff matchups and the Florida Panthers’ season ending was Florida’s radio analyst and former player Billy Lindsay.
In addition to previewing the first-round matchups and giving his darkhorse favorites, Billy also talked about the future of the Panthers, what the team may do with their 2026 first-round pick and how the team has maintained such a strong culture despite enduring a very challenging season.
This week’s wins and fails included some interesting moves by Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, a player being dragged out of a goal crease during an OHL Playoff game, a couple of great moments from last week’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, and a great move by the New Jersey Devils hiring former Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta as the team’s next general manager.
You can see the full show and interview in the videos below:
For the eighth time in nine seasons, the Vegas Golden Knights are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They’ll start the first round against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:22 p.m. PST.
Carter Hart will start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hart had a record of 11-3-3 and an average save percentage of .891 in 18 games during the regular season.
Karel Vejmelka starts in net for the Mammoth. Vejmelka had a record of 38-20-3 and an average save percentage of .897 in 64 games during the regular season.
Golden Knights Lines
Mitch Marner — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Ivan Barbashev — Brett Howden — Pavel Dorofeyev
Reilly Smith — Tomáš Hertl — Keegan Kolesar
Cole Smith — Nic Dowd — Colton Sissons
Defense
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Rasmus Andersson
Jeremy Lauzon — Kaedan Korczak
Goaltenders: Carter Hart / Adin Hill
Mammoth Lines
Clayton Keller — Nick Schmaltz — Lawson Crouse
Kailer Yamamoto — Logan Cooley — Dylan Guenther
JJ Peterka — Alex Kerfoot — Michael Carcone
Liam O’Brien — Kevin Stenlund — Brandon Tanev
Defense
Mikhail Sergachev — MacKenzie Weegar
Nate Schmidt — John Marino
Ian Cole — Sean Durzi
Goaltenders: Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Vaněček
Special Teams (Regular Season)
VGK power play: 24.6%, 6th
VGK penalty kill: 81.4%, 7th
Mammoth power play: 20.0%, 18th
Mammoth penalty kill: 78.1%, 19th
Game Notes
In the regular season series, the Golden Knights won the first meeting by a score of 4-1. The Mammoth won the next two, 5-1 and 4-0, respectively.
This will be the first playoff series between the Golden Knights and the Mammoth. The Golden Knights have the edge in certain areas, but the young, hungry Mammoth will pose a unique challenge.
In 12 career Game 1s, Mitch Marner has five goals and 13 points.
Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights in scoring this season with 27 goals and 90 points in 74 games. Eichel has two goals and six points in six regular season games against the Mammoth.
Clayton Keller led the Mammoth in scoring this season with 26 goals and 88 points in 82 games. Keller has 10 goals and 26 points in 34 career games against the Golden Knights.
The Golden Knights went 20-12-9 at home this season; the Mammoth were 21-17-3 on the road.
How to Watch
TV: Vegas 34, ESPN
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340, Deportes Vegas 1460
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Nick Lardis in the third round, 67th overall, in the 2023 NHL Draft. He then became a prolific goal scorer in the OHL with the Brantford Bulldogs.
In his final season with Brantford, Lardis scored 71 goals in 65 games played. This was a massive jump from the 29 goals he had one year prior. When the 71-goal season ended, it was clear that Lardis had a knack for finding the back of the net, but would it translate to pro hockey?
Lardis started this season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, and he was one of their best rookies. In 35 AHL games, Lardis scored 18 goals. He also had two stints in the NHL, totaling 41 games, exactly half of the regular season.
In those 41 games, Lardis scored 10 goals. A 20-goal pace as a 20-year-old rookie, one who was selected in the third round, is excellent. His ability to score has followed him at every level. He won’t score 70 in the NHL, but becoming a solid contributor to their middle six is an incredible ceiling. His first year was outstanding for his development.
"I think I learned a lot,” Lardis said. “Not just on the ice, but also on how to be a pro off the ice. I think that's important. There are a lot of great leaders here, and even in Rockford, too, when I was down there. They showed me the ropes a little bit and how to be a consistent pro hockey player. I thought that was big, too."
Lardis knows that he has what it takes to be a great goal-scorer. He is ready to learn from this season and apply what he learns to his future. He also soaked in what he might need to do to improve as the years go by.
"I think a big thing for me in my first pro year is learning,” Lardis said. “I think there are a lot of little details that [Blashill] wants me and the other guys to improve on. I think for this summer, my overall strength, I want to be a lot stronger and win more puck battles next year, just making sure I'm winning a lot of battles and improving my strengths."
Being a double-digit goal scorer in 41 games played as a rookie is telling. As of now, it is hard to argue that he isn’t a top young goal-scoring player in the organization. That start to his career should give him the confidence to come in next year knowing for a fact he should be on the team. Once the games begin, he doesn’t have to wonder if he belongs because of his totals from the previous year.
"It helps, for sure,” Lardis said of reaching the 10-goal plateau, giving him more confidence. “But, I'm not going to think about it too much, honestly. I still believe in myself that I can be a great goal scorer in this league. It helps with confidence going into the summer. But next year, I'll have bigger goals. It just motivates me more to want to get more than 10 next year.”
Is Lardis a lock to make the team out of camp? That’s a lot to assume, but he will definitely be on the inside track coming into the preseason because of what he accomplished in his first year pro.
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When it comes to their trajectory, the Vancouver Canucks are in an interesting situation. On one hand, their potential is bolstered by a crop of talented young players all in their early 20s. On the flip side, their supposed ‘veterans’ are, for the most part, still slightly under 30, though the younger ‘veterans’ all have a good chunk of NHL games under their belt.
Max Sasson is one of a couple players who don’t quite fit into either of the two categories. While the 25-year-old did play in 29 games with the Canucks last year, he spent the majority of his time with the Abbotsford Canucks and played a key role in the team’s Calder Cup run back in June. The 2025–26 season was his first full stint in the NHL, during which he put up 13 goals — tied for sixth-most on the team — and six assists in 66 games. Having said that, since the start of the 2024–25 season, Sasson has played in some of the most games of all current Canucks; 162 in both the NHL and AHL.
A full off-season to properly rest and train will go a long way for him personally, Sasson explained during Friday’s end-of-season media availability.
“Last summer, I got home on July 1, and I was back here like August 20-something. So using this full off-season to obviously, you hear the answers that train and which obviously, 100%, I’m going to use this to be more mobile. I think there’s areas of my game that I can clean up with my wall play, my puck touches. I also think I can transform myself with this long off-season into more of a, I say NHL third-line body, where you’re not getting pushed off the puck as easy.”
One distinct characteristic of Sasson’s game through his first two NHL seasons has been the speed he can exhibit while cutting into the O-zone. It’s something that, despite being so noticeable, the forward believes he can still work on for the coming season.
“I want to continue to work on my speed. I don’t think you can ever be fast enough.”
Sasson’s speed went on full-display towards the back-end of the season, when he was moved to wing after playing mostly at centre. This slight shift in position is something that the forward isn’t entirely opposed to as his career progresses — if anything, he’s intrigued by it.
“I played a little bit of it last year here, but for the majority of my three seasons, I’ve been a centre, but yeah, I think I have embraced it. And I think there are chances for me to use more of my speed, especially maybe not having to work as hard in the D-zone, and maybe using my energy to push the pace up-ice and getting more foot races. Do I see that as a path forward? Honestly, I feel comfortable with both. However, I think in the second half, the majority of games were at the wing, and I think I proved that I probably can be a pretty good winger in this league.”
Jan 19, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Max Sasson (63) skates against the New York Islanders in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The mental side of the game is another part that Sasson is planning on working on during the off-season. Keeping focus on what’s going on internally is something that, he admitted, he has noticed more at the NHL level.
“I feel a lot of times that when guys are thinking a lot, and they have a lot going through their mind, you can see it on the ice. And when a guy’s playing free and playing with confidence, it’s very noticeable.”
Despite picking out a few things he’s hoping to work on this off-season, Sasson acknowledges that everyone on the team needs to put in the work in order for the team to keep themselves on the path to future success. Sure, Vancouver may be in the rebuilding stage of their process, but as Sasson said, that shouldn’t stop them from coming into training camp with a healthy level of compete.
“No player in here is thinking rebuild. We’re all going to train our butts off this summer and come into camp and try to compete for a playoff spot. But when you hear rebuild, I think you can think of some excitement and look around the league at some of the teams that have done it. And you know, you see Willy (Willander), you see Zeev, you see Öhgy (Öhgren), you see all these really young players. That should be exciting for fans to see, because the potential is endless with these guys. I think when, if [a rebuild]’s done right, you can be one of the best teams in the league.”
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Josh Manson wasted no time setting the tone, flipping the switch on his physical game early and delivering a crushing reverse hit on Scott Laughton that sent the longtime Flyer sprawling to the ice in a heap. It was the kind of jolt that instantly raised the temperature inside the building.
Momentum briefly tilted Colorado’s way midway through the period when Los Angeles forward Jared Wright was whistled for slashing Gabriel Landeskog at 10:54, handing the Avalanche their first power play of both the afternoon and the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite a few controlled entries and some perimeter movement, Colorado couldn’t crack through, and the Kings’ penalty kill held firm.
13 minutes in, the game remained locked in a tight, scoreless battle, with the Avalanche holding a slight 5–3 edge in shots. By the end of the opening frame, nothing had changed on the scoreboard—still 0–0—but Colorado carried a bit more of the play, outshooting Los Angeles 9–5 while establishing an early physical and technical edge.
Second Period
The second period opened with an unintentional bit of comedy. Kings defenseman Brian Dumoulin was still jawing at the officials after a whistle, clearly frustrated as he picked himself up off the ice. But when the replay hit the jumbotron, the crowd got the punchline—Dumoulin hadn’t been taken down by an Avalanche player at all. It was his own teammate who sent him tumbling, taking the edge off his argument in a hurry.
Colorado got another opportunity to seize momentum at 3:05 when Mathieu Joseph was called for interference on Jack Drury, handing the Avalanche their second power play. There was a little more bite this time—some net-front hacks, a couple of dangerous looks—but the finish still wasn’t there. The Avs slipped to 0-for-2, and you could feel a bit of frustration starting to creep in.
For Dumoulin, the period only got worse. Just over six minutes in, he went down awkwardly and stayed there, clearly in discomfort. After a pause, he needed help getting off the ice, favoring his lower body. It looked serious in the moment, though he would later return—an early scare in what had already been a rough stretch for him.
Then came the kind of sequence that leaves everyone shaking their heads.
In what felt like the latest installment of “What Exactly Is Goaltender Interference?”, Drury was tripped by Drew Doughty and sent crashing into Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg just as Logan O’Connor fired the puck into the net. The Avalanche celebrated what looked like a 1–0 lead—but the officials immediately waved it off. No goal. Interference.
Colorado challenged, hoping for a different outcome, but the ruling stood after review. Instead of a lead, the Avalanche found themselves shorthanded with a delay-of-game penalty. Confusion turned into frustration in a matter of seconds.
The chaos didn’t stop there. With 9:36 remaining, Artemi Panarin found himself staring at a wide-open net at the top of the crease, but in a split-second defensive play, Sam Malinski lifted his stick just enough to throw off the shot, sending it wide at the last possible moment.
Ten seconds later, the Avalanche were right back on the power play after Quinton Byfield tripped Nathan MacKinnon. It felt like another chance to finally break through—but it evaporated almost instantly. Just 41 seconds in, Martin Nečas was whistled for holding, and the ice tilted back to even strength.
Finally, the breakthrough came—and this one left no doubt.
With 4:31 to go in the period, MacKinnon threaded a slick pass to Artturi Lehkonen, who drove into space and snapped a shot past the outstretched right leg of Forsberg. Clean. Clinical. No debate this time.
After all the chaos, controversy, and missed chances, Colorado had its lead—1–0, and one that actually stuck.
At the end of 40 minutes of play, the Avalanche held a 1-0 lead with a 22-17 advantage in shots on goal.
Third Period
This time, it counted for Logan O'Connor. After taking a pass from Jack Drury, the hard-charging Av skated hard down the right wing, skated past a defender, and ripped a top shelf wrister that beat Forsberg and gave Colorado a 2-0 lead.
Strategy and coaching decisions are a big factor when the playoffs roll around, and line-matching plays a crucial role in taking advantage of your opponent.
As massive underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Kings and interim head coach D.J. Smith will need to take line-matching seriously and give it careful consideration.
Offensively, the Avalanche's top-three forward lines can really inflict damage. With Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas on the top line, Brock Nelson on line No. 2, and Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog listed on the third line, Los Angeles will need to spread out its defensive expertise.
So Smith should be asking himself, 'Who will be matching up with MacKinnon, Nelson and Kadri?' Luckily for the Kings, especially the centers on the team, they thrive in a shutdown assignment.
Colorado's top-three centers are met with Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar, Quinton Byfield, and newcomer Scott Laughton.
Laughton will likely get the assignment of looking after Kadri when the two third lines meet on the ice. Kadri and Laughton both share a nasty and physical edge to their individual games, which could create a fiery matchup.
More importantly, Laughton excels in the defensive side of the game, particularly in the faceoff dot and on the penalty kill. Among players who take faceoffs regularly, Laughton leads the team in faceoff percentage at 59.4 percent.
That just leaves two-time Selke Trophy winner Kopitar and Byfield to supervise MacKinnon and Nelson.
Based on overall defensive talent, Kopitar would have the edge on Byfield with the aforementioned awards and legacy that the Kings captain has imposed.
However, there's a little more to it when dealing with the Rocket Richard Trophy winner and Hart Trophy candidate, MacKinnon. And one of MacKinnon's biggest assets is speed, which would make Byfield a sensible matchup for the Avalanche superstar center.
Byfield has proven to be not only one of the best skaters on the Kings but in the entire NHL. According to NHL Edge, Byfield is in the 98th percentile in speed bursts over 20 mph and skating distance. He's also ranked in the 89th percentile for max skating speed, reaching 23.16 mph against the Chicago Blackhawks back in December.
Furthermore, next to Byfield are Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere, who are both very strong skaters. That'll be key when MacKinnon is likely paired with Necas on the top line, also a speedster who reached 100 points for the first time in his career this past regular season.
Nathan MacKinnon (Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)
That leaves an appropriate matchup of Kopitar's line going up against Nelson's line. Kopitar and Nelson are a bit slower and are aging, with Kopitar being 38 years old and Nelson being 34.
Aside from the idea of shutting down the opposition, putting Kopitar's line with Artemi Panarin and Adrian Kempe on his flanks could benefit the Kings offensively. Reports say that Nelson is joined by Valeri Nichushkin, who is a strong offensive player but not known for his two-way game, and Parker Kelly, who has spent most of the year on Colorado's bottom six.
In the end, the home team's coach will have the upper hand in terms of getting the matchup they like, but it's always fascinating to see specific assignments.
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The Kings are taking on the Avalanche for their first game of the 2025-26 NHL Playoffs. The Kings have made the playoffs in their past 5 seasons, and the previous 4 have featured them facing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. But this season is different, as the Kings are taking on the President's Trophy winners. Puck drop is scheduled for 3:00 P.M Eastern time.
Here are the projected Avalanche lines for game 1:
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Martin Necas
Parker Kelly - Brock Nelson - Valeri Nichushkin
Gabriel Landeskog - Nazem Kadri - Nicolas Roy
Joel Kiviranta - Jack Drury - Logan O’Connor
Brett Kulak - Cale Makar
Devon Toews - Sam Malinski
Josh Manson - Brent Burns
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood
Line Changes and Injuries
The Kings' interim coach said that Malott, Turoctte and Kuzmenko are all available for the first round, but only Malott is expected to play in game 1. For the Avalanche, Kadri, who missed 4 games due to a finger injury, and Manson, who missed 2 games with an undisclosed injury, are both expected to play today. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar also said that he would not reveal lineup decisions, including his starting goaltender.
Key Factors
The Kings have done the hard part by making the playoffs, and now they have to prove they deserve to be there. They face the best team in the NHL. The Kings will have to get all of their players at their best, especially the offensive duo of Panarin and Kempe.
While today is only game 1, it is still very important for the Kings to set the tone, and if they can steal a game on the road, that could be extremely impactful later in the series.
While the Avalanche have not released a true starting goaltender, it looks like the Kings will start Anton Forsberg in game 1, and this feels like the right call, as Forsberg has won 4 of his last 5 starts for the Kings.
Overall, the Kings can flip the series on its head with a win tonight. Game 1 between the Kings and the Avalanche starts at 3:00 P.M. Eastern Time, and the Kings are looking to go up 1-0 after today.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The time has arrived as the Buffalo Sabres get set to play in their first playoff games in 15 years. You can immediately feel the vibe as an outsider when you cross the border into the Queen City and see the 'GO SABRES' signs with makeshift Stanley Cups, as the fanbase gets ready to scratch a long-standing playoff itch.
For Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, the priority is managing emotions for the many players on his roster who have no experience with playoff hockey. While he doesn’t want his players doing something reckless that will lead to penalty trouble, he wants them to feed off the local energy.
“I'm hoping that we are amped up because it will be electric,” Ruff said. “It will be a totally different feeling for sure. I'm looking forward to how our guys are going to react to it. We've talked about the energy we need to bring and how we need to play. I anticipate them being ready to do it”.
There’s immense excitement throughout the city. When the Sabres last went to the postseason, the KeyBank Center was known as the HSBC Arena. Back then, the facility stood among many vacant parking lots that have since been developed. LECOM Harborcenter, the team’s official practice facility, had not yet been built.
Current owner Terry Pegula had only recently purchased the team at that time, and much of the modern development around the Sabres’ home did not exist. This includes the Canalside area around the building, which is expected to be packed with fans watching the game from outside the arena. The demand for entry is historic; as of Sunday morning, the lowest-priced ticket for Game 1 was $450 USD—by far the most expensive "get-in" price of any opening home game in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
While Ruff was the coach the last time the club made the playoffs, the management structure around him has changed significantly. A mid-season change at general manager from Kevyn Adams to Jarmo Kekäläinen seemingly sparked the club’s fortune. The team transformed from a struggling 14-14-5 squad tied for last in the Eastern Conference into the winners of the Atlantic Division.
Simply getting to the "dance" is a milestone, but expectations remain high. The Sabres haven’t won a playoff round since 2007, and rolling over for their opponent, the Boston Bruins, won’t be accepted by a rabid fanbase eager for a return to glory.
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs have officially begun. The Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, and Philadelphia Flyers have already won Game 1 of their respective series’ so far, with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montréal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins, and Utah Mammoth and Vegas Golden Knights set to begin their series’ today. The Hockey News - Vancouver Canucks Site Editors have put together their predictions for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: here are our picks.
Which Goaltender Will Have The Strongest Post-Season?
AK: Frederik Andersen
IC: Frederik Andersen
Which Former Canuck Will Have The Best Performance?
AK: Jalen Chatfield
IC: Vasily Podkolzin
Jan 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) gets the shot away past Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Back before the season started, the Marvel movie star vowed he'd jump into Lake Erie come playoff time if the Sabres made it. Sure enough, the Sabres not only made the playoffs, they gained the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed with 109 points.
So on the eve of Buffalo's playoff opener, it was time for Russell to make good.
Braving 40-degree temperatures − along with colleagues from Lake Hour, the canned cocktail company he founded − Russell took a big chug and then took the plunge.
His father and fellow actor Kurt Russell (who has a hockey connection of his own after starring in the movie "Miracle") offered his congratulations.
"I like an underdog story always, first of all, number one," Russell told Buffalo TV station WIVB. "Number two, the Sabres right now this year have represented like what hockey is to me, which is like hard work, nose to the grindstone, don’t give up when everybody’s doubting you."
Hmmm. Sounds a lot like the plot to "Miracle." And we all know how that turned out at the 1980 Olympics in nearby (well, 300 miles or so ...) Lake Placid, New York.
Blue Jackets forward Charlie Coyle played a role in Columbus' clutch win over the Flyers, as he scored two goals in the contest. With this, there is no question that he helped the Blue Jackets pick up this much-needed victory.
For the second straight season, the Carolina Hurricanes have played a part in eliminating the Columbus Blue Jackets from the Stanley Cup Playoffs just one day before their last regular-season game.
Mathieu Olivier has been an outstanding fit on the Columbus Blue Jackets' roster since his arrival to the team during the 2022-23 season. It is exactly why he earned a six-year, $18 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets last March.
Boone Jenner (13) scored the only goal for the Blue Jackets in the season finale, as they were dumped by Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
Jet Greaves stopped 19 of 21 Caps shots, including 7 while shorthanded in the loss. Greaves played a really good game, but the rest of his teammates seemed to pack it in for the season.
Kirill Marchenko - 27 - He finished the 2025-26 season leading the team in goals for the third-straight season (tied in 2024-25), while also ranking second in points as well as third in assists. He is only the second player in franchise history to score 20-plus goals in their first four seasons with the club (R.J. Umberger).
Adam Fantilli - 24 - Took a slight step down in goals as he had 31 last season.
Zach Werenski - 22 - Werenski led league defensemen in even strength goals. and had 4 power play goals.
Charlie Coyle - 20 - He scored 20 goals in a season for only the third time in his career (25 in 2023-24 with Boston & 21 in 2015-16 with Minnesota). He had 7 power play goals.
Mason Marchment - 19 - Scored 15 after being traded to Columbus. His 19 are the second highest of his career. He had 3 power play goals.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will re-sign head coach Rock Bowness to a new contract. The deal is for next season. With him coming back and having a shortened preseason with the team, can he take this team to the next level? Stay Tuned!
Following the 2026 NHL trade deadline, The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported that the Columbus Blue Jackets were among the teams that targeted forward Bobby McMann before he was traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Seattle Kraken.
One of the positives is the injury situation. For the most part, the team stayed relatively healthy throughout the season. The problem was the timing of the injuries. Damon Severson and Mathieu Olivier's late-season injuries seemed to slow the CBJ to a crawl.
The Blue Jackets finished with 218 man-games lost. In 2024-25, they had 309, 563 in 23-24, and 541 in 22-23.
There are 22 different players on the playoff teams this season. All teams except the Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks, and Philadelphia Flyers have ex-Jackets on their rosters. Many others work in the various front offices, but we'll stick to players today.
Boone Jenner (12), Charlie Coyle (19,20-PPG), Kirill Marchenko (27-GWG), and Sean Monahan (13) powered the Blue Jackets' offense in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Mason Marchment (19) and Adam Fantilli (24) scored the only goals in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. Jet Greaves made 19 saves in the loss.
The Columbus Blue Jackets' Stanley Cup Playoff hopes are officially on life support. For the second year in a row, the CBJ will go down to the wire and will most likely be eliminated. It's not officially over, but it's close.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, 2025, where the CBJ will most likely pick 14 or 15.
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That trio only spent 45 minutes together in the regular season, but the returns were undeniably good. Vegas controlled 67% of the shot attempts, 75% of the expected goals, and 78% of the scoring chances with them on the ice at 5-on-5.
Marner is very pass-happy, and both Stone and Eichel scored more goals, making it natural for Marner to focus on creating for others rather than himself.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 1 same-game parlay
Jack Eichel regained his scoring touch at the end of the season, scoring in two of his final three games to help the Golden Knights claim top spot in the Pacific Division.
Skating with two heady playmakers in Marner and Stone, he should have plenty of opportunities to put his dangerous shot to use.
We’ll round out the parlay backing Vegas on the moneyline. They are 7-0-1 under Tortorella with exceptional underlying metrics to boot. They have a stronger profile, more high-end talent, and home ice. If the goaltending is close to average, they should win.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights SGP
Mitch Marner Over 0.5 points
Jack Eichel anytime goal
Golden Knights moneyline
Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 1 goal scorer pick
Dylan Guenther (+180)
Dylan Guenther enters the playoffs in fine form, having scored six goals over his last nine games. He is a clinical finisher who doesn’t need a bevy of chances to find the net. That’s especially true in this matchup. The Golden Knights ranked 27th in team save percentage, and goaltending has the potential to be their Achilles heel.
Mammoth vs Golden Knights odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Mammoth +130 | Golden Knights -150
Puck Line: Mammoth +1.5 (-200) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+165)
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Mammoth vs Golden Knights trend
Mitch Marner recorded at least one assist in 56% of his home games this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Mammoth vs. Golden Knights.
How to watch Mammoth vs Golden Knights Game 1
Location
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Date
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Mammoth vs Golden Knights latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
After what seemed like a never-ending wait, the puck will drop on game 1 of the Montreal Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. This is only the fifth series between the two sides, and Martin St-Louis’ men have a 1-3 record against their host in playoff series (2004, 2014, 2015, 2021). The Canadiens’ sole series win over the Bolts came in 2014, when Montreal swept Tampa, which was without its number one goaltender at the time, Ben Bishop.
Of course, everyone remembers the last series between the two sides, the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, which the Bolts won 4-1, outscoring the Habs 17-8. They certainly weren’t without their number one goaltender then, as Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year. In their four-series matchup, the Bolts have outscored the Canadiens 58-42, but this will be the first playoff series for this new iteration of the Canadiens, built first and foremost around the offensive talent of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson.
The teams have split the honors of their 4-game season series, with Tampa winning the first two games in December and Montreal winning the last two in March and April. Tampa outscored the Canadiens 12-11 in the season series (the sixth goal in their 6-5 win doesn’t count as it was a shootout win). Interestingly, the Bolts have scored four goals in each period while the Canadiens have scored seven of their 11 goals in the third frame.
Overall, Tampa has a 16-23 record in Game 1 for a .410-win percentage, but their home record in the first game of a series stands at 8-13 for a .381-win percentage. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have a 75-50 record in Game 1 for a .600-win percentage, but when Game 1 is on the road, it’s a lot more complicated for the Habs, who have a 13-32 record for a lowly .289 win percentage.
The young Canadiens obviously do not have much experience in the playoffs, Brendan Gallagher is the most experienced player at Martin St-Louis’ disposal with 76 postseason games to his name, in which he gathered 33 points. 15 of those games were played against Tampa, during which he picked up nine points. Phillip Danault has played in 62 playoff games, scoring 28 points in the process, which includes only five games against the Bolts in which he could only muster one point. Josh Anderson wraps up the Canadiens’ top-three in playoff experience with 48 games across which he picked up 15 points. Only 9 of those games were against Tampa, but he still scored 4 points against them.
As for Suzuki, he has 37 games of playoff experience in which he gathered 25 points. He’s obviously only faced Tampa five times in the postseason, and had three points in those five duels. As for Caufield, he has played in 25 playoff games, picking up 16 points, including seven goals. However, none of his seven goals came against the Lightning; in five duels, he could only muster three assists.
Meanwhile, the Bolts have a wealth of experience. Corey Perry has 237 playoff games to his name, the fourth-highest total in NHL history. He’s also picked up 141 points in the postseason. This will, however, be his first time playing against the Canadiens in the playoffs. Ryan McDonagh has played 196 playoff games and picked up 68 points in the process. Unlike Perry, he has plenty of postseason experience against Montreal. He has faced the Canadiens 17 times, picking up 15 points in the process. Victor Hedman, who’s currently not playing but should still be around the team according to Cooper, has played 170 playoff games and picked up 120 points in the process. 15 of those games were against Montreal, and he gathered eight points.
As for Nikita Kucherov, he has appeared in 152 playoff games, putting up 171 points; he’s the Bolts’ highest postseason scorer. In 13 playoff games against the Habs, he’s put up 13 points. Montreal will also need to keep a close eye on Jake Guentzel, who has 73 points in 74 playoff games and three points in four postseason duels with the Habs.
In net, Vasilevskiy is hands-down the most experienced masked man in the series with 120 playoff appearances, including 67 wins with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. Six of those games were against Montreal, and his stats are even better against the Habs; he’s got a 1.95 GAA and a .934 SV.
Meanwhile, Jakub Dobes has only played parts of three postseason games, winning one. He has a 2.91 GAA and a .881 SV. None of those games were against the Bolts, since he only faced the Washington Capitals in the playoffs. As for Jacob Fowler, this will be his first NHL playoff series, but last season in the AHL, he played eight postseason games, went 3-3, posted a 2.48 GAA, and a .902 SV%.
Clearly, the Canadiens are the underdogs in this meeting, but they are still much more prepared to face this challenge than they were last year against Washington. The game is set for 5:45 PM, and you can catch it on The Spot, HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Jake Brenk and Francois St-Laurent are set to officiate, while Shandor Alphonso and Julien Fournier will be the linemen.
