Only three former Vancouver Canucks players remain in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Jalen Chatfield of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nic Dowd and Ben Hutton of the Vegas Golden Knights making it past the second round. Four ex-Canucks were eliminated during the second round of the post-season.
Eastern Conference:
Jalen Chatfield, Carolina Hurricanes
Chatfield and the Hurricanes knocked out both a former Canucks player and head coach on their way to the 2026 Eastern Conference Final, eliminating Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Noah Juulsen and head coach Rick Tocchet via series sweep. Chatfield, who played for Vancouver during the 2020–21 season, scored his first goal of this year’s post-season in a 4–1 Game 3 win against the Flyers. Carolina will face the Montréal Canadiens, who knocked out former Canucks and current Buffalo Sabres Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn, in the Eastern Conference Final.
Eastern Conference Final Schedule:
Game 1: May 21, 5:00 pm PT
Game 2: May 23, 4:00 pm PT
Game 3: May 25, 5:00 pm PT
Game 4: May 27, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 5: May 29, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 6: May 31, TBD
*Game 7: June 2, 5:00 pm PT
Western Conference:
Nic Dowd, Ben Hutton, & John Tortorella, Vegas Golden Knights
Dowd, Hutton, and Vegas head coach Tortorella defeated the Anaheim Ducks in six games to advance to the third-round, making them the only former Canucks to be taking part in this year’s Western Conference Final. While Dowd has been in the lineup for Vegas’ entire playoff run, Hutton made his post-season debut in Game 1 of the Golden Knights’ second-round series. Vegas will take on a Colorado Avalanche team that eliminated former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and the Minnesota Wild.
Western Conference Final Schedule:
Game 1: May 20, 5:00 pm PT
Game 2: May 22, 5:00 pm PT
Game 3: May 24, 5:00 pm PT
Game 4: May 26, TBD
*Game 5: May 28, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 6: May 30, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 7: June 1, 5:00 pm PT
May 7, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) skates back to the bench after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the second period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Vingegaard cuts gap on overall leader Eulálio to 27sec
Ganna wins stage 10 in 45min 53sec
Filippo Ganna sailed to an easy victory in stage 10’s individual time trial at the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday,. The pre-race favourite, Jonas Vingegaard, failed in his bid to take the overall lead as Afonso Eulálio battled hard to keep the pink jersey.
No one could come close to Ganna, a time trial specialist who completed the flat, 42km (26-mile) route along the Tuscan coast from Viareggio to Massa in 45min 53sec. Ganna had little to worry about while waiting for confirmation of his eighth Giro stage win – seven of those have come in time trials.
DENVER — Gabriel Landeskog doesn’t need any extra incentive. Being in the Western Conference Final is more than enough for the Colorado Avalanche captain.
If he did, though, memories of the second-round loss to Vegas in 2021 would be a powerful motivator. The Avalanche led that series 2-0 — and were up in the third period of Game 3 — before losing four straight.
It stung then. But that breakdown fueled the Avalanche, too, as they captured the Stanley Cup title the following season. And then the Golden Knights won the Cup the season after that.
“Obviously, it’s the same teams but a lot of turnover,” Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri said ahead of a series that gets under way in Denver. “Obviously, we’re hoping for a different outcome this time.”
Some familiar names remain from the ’21 series that matched the speedy Avalanche against the physical Golden Knights — an apt description of this upcoming series, too.
For Colorado, the lineup back then included Landeskog, Kadri, Cale Makar, Valeri Nichushkin, Devon Toews and Nathan MacKinnon, with coach Jared Bednar on the bench.
For Vegas, there were such players as captain Mark Stone, William Karlsson, Brayden McNabb, Keegan Kolesar, Shea Theodore and Reilly Smith. Avalanche nemesis Pete DeBoer was coaching then for Vegas, now it’s John Tortorella.
Nicolas Roy has switched sides, with Vegas then and Colorado now. Same, in reverse, for Vegas forward Brandon Saad.
“We feel like we have swagger, believe in each other,” Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin said. “It should be a fun test.”
The Golden Knights have caught fire since Tortorella took over when Bruce Cassidy was let go. The team went 7-0-1 down the stretch — including a 3-2 overtime win over Colorado on April 11 — and beat playoff upstarts Utah and Anaheim to advance.
Much like they did with Vegas after the 2021 series, the Avalanche are hoping to parlay the sting of a playoff loss to Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars last season into a positive.
“The buy-in from our guys in both 2022 and this year, it’s at a different level,” said Bednar, whose Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche are 8-1 so far in the postseason. “Because they know what the stakes are.”
The Avalanche have been instilled as a plus-135 to capture the Cup, while the Golden Knights are plus-575.
“It doesn’t matter in this room,” McNabb said of being an underdog. “They’re a good team. We know that. We respect them.”
Familiar territory
The Golden Knights are making their fifth trip to the conference final since their first season in 2017-18. No team in that span has been to more.
“Your approach should always be the same, so I don’t really think a whole lot changes,” center Jack Eichel said. “You want to continue to elevate your game both individually and as a team the further you go.”
Trading places
Roy was dealt by Vegas last summer to Toronto for Mitch Marner. Roy wound up with Colorado in another trade and will be facing the team he helped to the 2023 Stanley Cup title.
“They have a really good lineup. They have depth,” Roy said. “We do as well. So looking forward to it.”
Four months ago, Kadri and Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson were teammates in Calgary. Andersson was traded in January and Kadri in March.
“Pretty crazy,” Kadri said. “It worked out for both of us.”
MacKinnon & Co.
MacKinnon leads the Avalanche this postseason with 13 points (seven goals, six assists). He’s got plenty of help, though, as 17 different players have notched a goal.
“That doesn’t just happen,” Landeskog said. “That’s everybody pulling their weight and everybody doing the best they can to help the team out.”
Dorofeyev heats up late
Both playoff series followed the same kind of pattern for Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev. He went scoreless in the first three games of the opening-round series against Utah before coming through with a goal in Game 4 and a hat trick in Game 5.
Then Dorofeyev had just two assists in the first three games of the second-round series against Anaheim before totaling five goals over the final three games.
“It seems like he’s beginning to be a high-stakes player, scoring big goals at big times,” Tortorella said.
The goaltenders
Colorado has used a combination of Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood in net. Wedgewood is 7-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average in this playoff run, while Blackwood is 1-0 with a 3.20 GAA.
For the Golden Knights, Carter Hart is 8-4 with a 2.37 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
The Montreal Canadiens are off to the Eastern Conference Final after defeating the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the second round.
Alex Newhook was the hero for the Canadiens in this one, as he scored the series-clinching goal in overtime with a nice wrist shot on the rush.
With this overtime winner, Newhook also made some NHL history.
According to NHL Public Relations, Newhook is now just the second player in the history of the NHL to score multiple Game 7 series-clinching goals in the same post-season. The only other player to achieve this was Nathan Horton, who did so with the Boston Bruins back in 2011 during their Stanley Cup championship run.
This achievement shows just how clutch of a player Newhook has become this post-season. The 25-year-old forward is continuing to show the Canadiens that they made the right call acquiring him from the Colorado Avalanche during the 2023 NHL off-season.
With his Game 7 overtime winner against the Sabres, Newhook now has seven goals and nine points in 14 games this post-season for the Canadiens. This included him scoring six goals and recording seven points in the Canadiens' series against Buffalo alone.
With the NHL conference finals set to begin on Wednesday, oddsmakers believe that the Colorado Avalanche are in line to become the next Stanley Cup champions.
The Avalanche lead BetMGM’s Stanley Cup odds board at +135, yet their hoisting the trophy would be a positive outcome for the sportsbook.
Key Takeaways
Only one remaining team, the Canadiens, began the year with odds longer than +1200.
The Canadiens beat the Hurricanes in all three regular-season matchups.
Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is the odds leader and most popular pick to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Stanley Cup Odds
BetMGM
DraftKings
bet365
Colorado Avalanche
+135
+130
+130
Carolina Hurricanes
+175
+170
+165
Vegas Golden Knights
+575
+600
+600
Montreal Canadiens
+600
+700
+650
The Avalanche most recently won the Stanley Cup in the 2021-22 season. They’re down to +135 at BetMGM after opening the season at +800, the third-shortest of all teams and only behind the Edmonton Oilers (+650) and the Florida Panthers (+750).
Colorado continues to appeal to bettors; 17.7% of tickets and 23.7% percent of the money wagered in the Stanley Cup futures market were on the Avalanche, both the leading amounts in their respective categories.
While the Avalanche have been the most popular pick to win the league championship, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t far behind in odds. Sitting at +175 after opening at +900, they have 8.3% of bets (second) and 10.5% of the pot (third) backing them.
While the Avalanche have been the most popular pick to win the league championship, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t far behind in odds. Sitting at +175 after opening at +900, they have 8.3% of bets (second) and 10.5% of the pot (third) backing them.
The two remaining teams — the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens — are much further down the board.
One of those teams, the Knights, has still remained quite popular with bettors. The 2022-23 champions are +575 in odds to win the Stanley Cup after opening the season at +1200. They have 7.3% of wagers (third) and 11% of the money (second) supporting them.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy also has a $100,000 ticket placed at +650 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook riding on the Golden Knights. A win would pay a $750,000 total prize.
The final remaining team is the Canadiens, who are +600 after opening the year at a whopping +8000. Only 10 of the league’s 30 teams had longer odds when players took the ice for the first time last October.
The Canadiens aren’t just fighting the oddsmakers, they’re also fighting the public consensus. Their 4.5% of tickets and 3.6% of the handle are both the lowest of the remaining teams and rank ninth among all teams in both categories.
▪️ Avalanche +135 ▪️ Hurricanes +175 ▪️ Golden Knights +575 ▪️ Canadiens +600@GoldenKnights are the only remaining liability on the future market@Canes are the best outcome
The Golden Knights and the Canadiens are both +200 series underdogs, while the Avalanche and the Hurricanes are both -250 series favorites in the conference finals, per BetMGM sportsbook.
No team has been better in the playoffs than the Hurricanes, who swept the Ottawa Senators and the Philadelphia Flyers in consecutive series. On the flip side, the Canadiens went seven games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres, and needed overtime to grab a win against the Sabres in Game 7 on Monday.
Despite the series odds heavily tilting one way, the Hurricanes lost all three of their regular-season matchups with the Canadiens by an aggregate score of 15-8.
Out west, the Avalanche have only dropped one game in the playoffs, a Game 3 second-round defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. The Knights went six games with both the Utah Mammoth and the Anaheim Ducks, although they won seven of their last nine games on the ice.
The Knights did not have the same luck against their favored opponent as the Canadiens, losing two of three regular-season matchups with the Avalanche. The lone win was the most recent matchup on April 11, which ended in overtime, 3-2.
Conn Smythe odds
With the Avalanche in pole position to win the Stanley Cup, center Nathan MacKinnon is the Conn Smythe Trophy odds leader (+170) and most popular pick for BetMGM users, with 22% of tickets and 27.5% of the handle. Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is second in odds (+400) but far behind in support from bettors, receiving 5.7% of wagers (second) and 8.1% of the pot (third).
The most popular underdog pick is Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner, who is third in odds at +900. He only has 5% of bets, but he also generated 17.6% of the money wagered in this market (second).
If the Edmonton Oilers are holding out hope that the Vegas Golden Knights will eventually decide to let former head coach Bruce Cassidy interview, or that the NHL might step in should Vegas not do so, there is some potentially bad news.
Vegas has not allowed teams like Edmonton or the Los Angeles Kings to interview Cassidy. It's also not known if Toronto has asked. The Golden Knights have withheld and exercised their right to say no while Cassidy remains under contract.
On Frankly Hockey on Monday, NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported the following:
“The league is not going to overrule the Golden Knights here. Contract law and contract language are just that. They, I believe, have a clear stance in the League office that if Vegas wants to go to the mat here and not grant permission for Bruce Cassidy to speak to a division rival, then that is their right to do so, so long as they continue to pay the four and a half million dollars that are owed to Bruce Cassidy for next year.”
He adds, “If that’s the cheque they want to write to not have Bruce Cassidy, they believe, make the Oilers better next year, the league, there’s not much they can do, even if it defies custom and norms.”
Whether related or unrelated, the Oilers have also begun making requests to interview other candidates. Among them is Craig Berube, the former Maple Leafs head coach. It is being reported he would have interest, but there is a lot of pushback in Edmonton amongst the fan base and local media.
All the while, Seravalli is also reporting that the Golden Knights have appealed sanctions for violation of media access policy. Their appeal was heard on Tuesday morning in-person in New York. Servalli notes, "The penalties currently stand as originally assessed. We'll see if Commissioner Bettman decides to reduce upon consideration."
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson was no different than any Montreal hockey fan, increasingly impatient over talk of the team’s promising potential.
Turns out, the future has arrived perhaps a little ahead of schedule, and propelled by forward Alex Newhook’s knack for scoring Game 7 playoff series-clinching goals.
“It means a lot,” Matheson said after Montreal advanced to the Eastern Conference finals courtesy of Newhook’s goal 11:22 into overtime of a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
“For a long time it’s been talking about the rebuild and rebuild. I think as a group we’re a little tired of that whole kind of viewpoint, as if we have to keep being patient and wait, and our time will come,” he said. “So I feel it’s exciting for us and motivating for us to see that we’re at this stage already.”
The win was Montreal’s second in a Game 7 this postseason, with both coming on the road and both decided by Newhook. The second-line forward also scored the tie-breaking goal 11:07 into the third period in Game 7 of Montreal’s 2-1 first-round series-clinching win over Tampa Bay.
Next up are the well-rested Hurricanes in a series that opens at Carolina. The Hurricanes have swept each of their first two rounds, and been off since a 3-2 overtime win against Philadelphia on May 9.
The Canadiens reached the NHL’s semifinal round for the first time since the 2021 COVID-altered playoffs, in which a veteran-laden Montreal team — including captain Shea Weber and goalie Carey Price — beat Vegas before losing to Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final in five games.
Though there are a few holdovers, such as captain Nick Suzuki and linemate Cole Caufield, both now in their mid-20s, this group essentially has been rebuilt from scratch in three-plus seasons under general manager Kent Hughes and coach Martin St. Louis.
Among the newcomers are draft picks such as defenseman Lane Hutson, forwards Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov, and goalie Jakub Dobes. Then there’s the key pieces Hughes acquired through trades, including Newhook, Matheson, Noah Dobson, Alexandre Carrier and Phillip Danault, who is back for a second stint.
“We built it since I’ve been here, and we built it all season long,” said Newhook, who won the Stanley Cup in 2022 with Colorado, and now is in his second season in Montreal. “We’re a confident group. We knew what we were capable of all year. I think we believe that we can keep going and bring this thing all the way.”
Montreal is in the playoffs for just the fourth time in nine years. And the team’s upward trajectory is apparent a year after being knocked out in the first round by Washington, and following a season in which Montreal’s 48 wins and 106 points were the most since 2014-15.
The Canadiens haven’t lost consecutive games since mid-March, and improved their playoff record to 6-0 following a loss.
Dobes, a rookie, has carried the load in goal by starting every playoff game and after going 29-10-4 this season. In two Game 7s, he’s allowed a combined three goals on 68 shots, including a 37-save outing against Buffalo.
And he and the Canadiens bounced back from an 8-3 loss in Game 6.
“We’re used to it,” Dobes said of performing in the clutch. “The Tampa series made us a way better team than before the playoffs. We know how to bounce back. We know what’s the feeling like. So, yeah, it’s just keep getting experience.”
Montreal entered the playoffs with 10 players having previously appeared in a Game 7. The Canadiens now count 20.
“It’s easy to just use the age as a crutch,” said St. Louis, who improved to 2-0 in Game 7s as a coach to go along with 6-2 during his playing days.
“Two years ago, we know that we lacked experience. That doesn’t mean you can’t advance and mature,” he said. “Last year’s experience in the playoffs, what we’re going through right now, you can’t buy that. It’s amazing. I’m so happy for the players to live that.”
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Jon Metler's expert pick: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists
Price: +120 at bet365
Nobody is happier that the Cavaliers won Game 7 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals than Jalen Brunson, because now he gets to face much weaker point-of-attack defense instead of the menace that is Ausar Thompson.
Brunson won’t even need many screens to initiate offense and create shots for his teammates; he can break down this defense off the bounce on his own while also putting significant pressure on the drop coverage of Jarrett Allen, which should create even more potential assist opportunities.
One angle I really love for Game 1 is the scheduling spot: The New York Knicks have had several days off, while the Cavaliers are coming off a grueling seven-game series with only one day of rest. That should also lead to plenty of transition opportunities for Brunson to attack a fatigued Cleveland defense and generate easy assists. This prop is trading at +120, but I price it closer to -145.
Jason Logan's expert pick: Cavaliers 1Q +2
Price: -115 at bet365
The Knicks have been chilling for some time now, having last played on May 10. While that rest edge works in New York’s advantage over the course of the series, it could leave the Knicks flat in the first 12 minutes of Game 1.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, on the other hand, are coming off a do-or-die Game 7 win on Sunday and bring that mentality and momentum into MSG. Cleveland is playing its best basketball, having won four of its last five, while (more importantly) proving it can win on the road in the playoffs.
I’m not sure what the full 48 minutes bring for Cleveland, but I like the Cavs to come out swinging in Game 1 and cover the first-quarter spread.
Joe Osborne's expert pick: Knicks -7
Price: -115 at bet365
The Knicks are in a very similar spot to their Game 1 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, when they caught a visiting team coming off an emotional (and unlikely) Game 7 road win — and rolled to a 39-point victory.
Statistically, New York has been the best team in the playoffs so far, leading the postseason in net rating. Since Game 4 of their first-round series, the Knicks are 7-0 with an absurd average margin of victory of 26.4 points. The long layoff is worth noting, but if any team welcomes it... it's New York, after breaking down physically the past few seasons. This team is fresh and ready to come out aggressively tonight.
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According to multiple reports, the former St. John's guard and 2025 Big East Player of the Year has reportedly agreed to sign with Will Wade and LSU in Baton Rouge for the 2026-27 men's college basketball season.
Luis, who has been out of college basketball for over a year, is currently ineligible to play for the Tigers after he signed a two-way NBA contract with the Utah Jazz and an Exhibit 10 deal with the Boston Celtics after going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-7 guard played for Rick Pitino at St. John's for two seasons and was one of the top guards in the Big East. In his junior season with the Red Storm, Luis led the team to a No. 2 seed in the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament and a Big East Tournament title. He earned a second-team All-American nod after averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Here's what to know on Luis' eligibility status and situation at LSU:
Is RJ Luis eligible to play at LSU?
As things stand right now, no, Luis is not eligible to play for LSU in the 2026-27 season, as he has signed an NBA contract.
Luis also isn’t the first player to navigate this kind of eligibility challenge after giving up his college status and signing an NBA contract, though. The final decision in Charles Bediako’s eligibility case at Alabama offers a meaningful indicator of how Luis’ situation could unfold.
He played in five games for the Crimson Tide before his restraining order was reversed. Due to the wording of Bediako's initial TRO, the NCAA was unable to make Alabama forfeit the games in which Bediako played. The Crimson Tide made the NCAA tournament as a 4-seed, losing to eventual national champion Michigan in the Sweet 16.
According to Sports Illustrated, the NCAA sent out a memo last week to reaffirm its position that it will not reinstate eligibility to those that have "entered an agreement with, competed on or received compensation from" NBA teams.
NCAA eligibility rules for NBA signees
Here is what NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement amid Bediako's eligibility case in December:
"The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract). As schools are increasingly recruiting individuals with international league experience, the NCAA is exercising discretion in applying the actual and necessary expenses bylaw to ensure that prospective student-athletes with experience in American basketball leagues are not at a disadvantage compared to their international counterparts. Rules have long permitted schools to enroll and play individuals with no prior collegiate experience midyear."
Wade has slowly built his roster at LSU after being hired away from North Carolina State on March 26, with all nine of the Tigers' remaining players from their 2025-26 roster entering the transfer portal. The Tigers have since landed Kentucky forward Mouhamed Dioubate, Michigan State guard Divine Ugochukwi, Kansas State guard Abdi Bashir Jr. and UTSA guard Austin Nunez in the transfer portal.
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 25: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game on December 25, 2025 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are four games away from the NBA Finals. Here’s how they can get ‘em.
1. Clean the Glass
Everyone remembers 2023. If you don’t, I’ll quickly remind you.
The Cavs were thumped 4-1 by the New York Knicks in this core’s first playoff run together. Primarily, the Cavs found themselves being thrashed on the offensive glass.
A lot has changed since then.
For starters, the Knicks have traded out some bruising rebounders like Julius Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein, and RJ Barrett for more finesse-oriented players such as Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby. That hasn’t made them a bad rebounding team by any means (they’re still an elite defensive rebounding team), but it’s changed them from being a grit-and-grind squad to a team that relies on skill. They don’t live and die on offensive boards as much as they did in the past.
Cleveland, meanwhile, has made plenty of changes of their own. Both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley have come a long way since taking those lumps and have turned in the best two rounds of their postseason careers. And, players like James Harden and Max Strus give the Cavs a better chance at gang-rebounding than either Darius Garland or Cedi Osman provided back in 2023.
Yeah, like I said, a lot has changed. But some things stay the same. Winning the possession battle will be a key here.
The Knicks rank 5th in offensive rebounding percentage out of 16 teams to reach the playoffs this season. This is still one of their strengths. As for the Cavs, they’re just 14th in defensive rebounding percentage — meaning they’ve been getting beat on the glass for most of the postseason.
That could spell trouble. Though it’s worth noting that Detroit ranked 2nd in offensive rebounding for the season, while Toronto was 13th. The Knicks had a much more favorable route from this perspective, facing the 76ers (10th in offensive rebounding rate) and the Hawks (20th).
The final dose of context here is that Cleveland actually ranks first in offensive rebounding among 16 playoff teams. For all they might give up defensively, they’ve made up for it by pounding the other side of the glass.
The Cavs have grown since their last meeting with the Knicks, and they have since beaten two opponents who are more similar to the ‘23 Knicks than the current New York team is from a stylistic standpoint. Still, all of this will be put to the ultimate test in the ECF.
2. Feed the Bigs
If you think the Cavs are at their best when they feed the bigs, then you and Dan Gilbert are on the same page. Gilbert had dinner with Kenny Atkinson before Game 7 against the Pistons and reminded him of how important Jarrett Allen is to the team’s success.
In other words, Dan is a Fro truther.
I can’t blame him. It’s always felt like ‘Cavalier basketball’ was synonymous with the two bigs dominating on the inside. Allen’s dominant showings in both Game 7s this postseason are a great example of this. The pressure he puts on the rim can break the back of any opponent if the Cavs guards keep them involved.
Obviously, it’s more complicated than this. Opponents can shrink the floor and effectively remove the pick-and-roll from Cleveland if they have the personnel. We saw both Detroit and Toronto succeed at blitzing these actions and keeping the Cavs from consistently tapping into their full potential.
I’m not sure if New York has the bodies to replicate this.
Josh Hart and OG Anunoby are worth worrying about. Mikal Bridges, depending on his screen navigation, can cause problems too. But Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are walking bullseyes. The Cavs have not had two targets more ripe for picking in screening actions.
Towns isn’t mobile enough to switch onto the perimeter. He’s also not the best drop defender in the world, either. Add that Brunson is prone to dying on screens, and the Knicks will be working hard to keep those two from ever being in the same defensive sequence together. The Cavs, of course, will try to make that happen as often as possible.
Above all of this — New York’s rim protection is questionable, at best. Opponents have shot above 70% at the rim in the playoffs versus the Knicks, which is the fourth-highest percentage out of 16 teams. The Cavs, led by Allen and Mobley, are the third-best rim-finishing team in the postseason. This could be a massive advantage for Cleveland in this series.
On the other end, New York is sixth in rim accuracy and first in rim frequency. Meaning, the Cavs will have their hands full, too. Though I think the Allen/Mobley frontcourt is more equipped to handle this than anyone in Atlanta or Philly (with all due respect).
Winning on the glass is one thing. But being the more forceful and impactful frontcourt is another. The Cavs bigs have a chance to own both paints. The more they seize control of the interior, the better chance Cleveland has at reaching the NBA Finals.
3. Donovan Mitchell’s Balance
Our final key could be the biggest one. What version of Donovan Mitchell appears in the ECF?
Mitchell can score in bunches; that much has been proven. He’s had some of the most prolific scoring games in playoff history. But those haven’t always translated to winning. And, that approach hasn’t been sustainable for long playoff runs. Mitchell is more likely to burn bright and quick than he is to go the distance with that score-first mentality.
That’s why the Cavs need him to strike the proper balance between passing and scoring. It all comes down to decision-making.
Mitchell has to make reads on the fly. Is the help overcommitting? Make the right pass, even if it’s not going to lead directly to an assist. Hitting those ‘singles’ and letting the offense flow from there is crucial. Otherwise, things can get jammed up in a hurry.
The Cavs beat Detroit in Game 7 largely behind Mitchell’s processing speed as a passer. This isn’t his greatest strength, but it’s a muscle he’s been able to occasionally flex. He has strong playmaking chops when he makes an effort to act like a point guard. Taking on that role, for long stretches at a time, will ensure the Cavs offense can keep up with anything New York does.
Mitchell’s time to score will come. Every game will have a moment that calls for him to become assertive. In Game 7 versus the Pistons, it was the third quarter when the rim pressure from Cleveland’s bigs, combined with Sam Merrill’s hot shooting, opened the floor for Mitchell to score 15 of his 26 points in the closeout game.
Being process-oriented means making the right play at every turn. That requires patience and a trust that the correct process will eventually break the dam on any given night. Mitchell will have to take this approach if he wants this team to advance to another round.
Neither Dusty May nor the Michigan fanbase have completely ruled out another season of Morez Johnson Jr., whose name remains in the NBA Draft. However, after testing incredibly well at the NBA Combine, and based on various outlets’ draft projections, it feels likely the Wolverines will need to look elsewhere for that final roster spot for the 2026-27 season.
Let’s take a quick look and see where Johnson is at on big boards and mock drafts:
Jonathan Wasserman had this to say on Johnson, whom he compared to the Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart:
“MorezJohnson could have only helped himself at the NBA combine. After measuring 6’9″ barefoot, 250 pounds with a 7’3.5″ wingspan, he surprised with 17-of-25 makes in the three-point star drill, got up for a 39.5″ max vertical and one of the top lane agility times.
NBA teams understand his offensive limitations, but they also value what he does well and believe that physicality, finishing, defensive versatility and motor are sure to translate.
He could wind up earning lottery consideration if he continues to shoot well during workouts.“
Kurt Helin, who has Johnson paired up with the Toronto Raptors at 19, said, “Morez helped his cause at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing a combination of size (6’9″ with an 8’11” reach) and athleticism (a 39-inch vertical leap). He also shot well from 3 at the combine, something he didn’t get to show at Michigan. Johnson is a high-energy player who was one of the locker room leaders of a national champion; he’ll fit in with whatever is being built in Toronto.“
Mark Giannotto has the San Antonio Spurs selecting Johnson at 20. Along with the Oklahoma City Thunder, this feels like an ideal landing spot for Johnson (and anyone really) to develop his skills before transitioning into a more relied-upon player.
Additionally, 247Sports’ Zach Shaw had this to add regarding Johnson’s showing at the NBA Combine:
“A case could be made that Johnson elevated his draft stock more than any other player at the NBA Draft Combine. Scouts likely were impressed by Johnson’s toughness, physicality and aggression on both sides of the court before the combine thanks to his strong season at Michigan, but there aren’t too many players with wingspans greater than 7-foot-3, weighing more than 250 pounds and posting testing results like a 10.59-second lane agility time, a 39-inch vertical leap and 17 of 25 3-pointers. Most of the players who do check those boxes aren’t on rookie contracts, but max ones.”
You could argue that without having a lottery guarantee, Johnson could benefit from another year with May and turn into a surefire lottery selection next summer. But even if he expanded his offensive repertoire and continued to wreak havoc on the glass and the defensive end, he will probably never fit the mold of a No. 1 scorer or upper-echelon draft prospect.
Additionally, consistently landing in the Top 20 of these mocks should make this a relatively easy decision for Johnson and his camp. The overwhelming odds are this point are that Johnson will stay in the draft and leave college basketball on top of the mountain as a national champion.
LAS VEGAS — Mitch Marner isn’t about to start bragging, to express any kind of feelings of vindication in proving wrong those who questioned and even doubted whether he could deliver at this time of year.
There indeed has been magic in Marner’s play as he leads the Vegas Golden Knights into their Western Conference final series that opens at Colorado.
His 18 points led all NHL skaters through Sunday and includes possibly the goal of the year in a 5-1 close-out victory at Anaheim.
This production is what his hometown Maple Leafs expected when Toronto drafted him fourth overall in 2015. While Marner became one of the NHL’s top play-making forwards, he took the brunt of criticism for the Leafs failing to advance beyond the second round.
“I don’t care what anyone says,” Marner said. “I’ve been in the league a long time now, so I’ll focus on what I can control.”
That includes leading the Golden Knights to the NHL’s final four.
“I think the media in Toronto is pretty big and they put a lot of pressure on the players,” Golden Knights wing Ivan Barbashev said. “He’s showing completely different things over here. He’s been scoring and making a lot of plays, so hopefully he stays the same way.”
Vegas never has been afraid to chase big names and it has a locker room full of such players. Acquiring Marner in a sign-and-trade was the splash deal of last year’s offseason, reaching an agreement on an eight-year, $96 million contract.
This postseason is why the Golden Knights pursued him. They followed their 2023 Stanley Cup title team by getting bounced in the first round the following year and the second round last season.
Marner produced two goals and an assist in Game 6 of the opening series to eliminate Utah 5-1. He had a hat trick and an assist to take back home-ice advantage in Game 3 of Round 2 at Anaheim, and ended that series by setting the tone with a goal 1:02 into the Game 6 clincher that few players on the planet could execute.
William Karlsson began by hitting Marner in stride with a perfect stretch pass to spring the breakaway. But with Jackson LaCombe staying with Marner, he fought off the Ducks defenseman, turned his back to the goal and shot the puck between his legs to put Vegas ahead 1-0.
“His IQ is on a different level,” Barbashev said. “He plays defensively and is a 200(-foot) player. He does it all.”
John Tortorella, who became the Golden Knights coach with eight games left in the regular season, sees the same thing about Marner.
“When you’re with him every day, you can see his habits,” Tortorella said. “You can see the little things he does in the game. Other people see his goals and assists, maybe like the goal he scored the other night. I look at the small things. A lot of people don’t realize how the small things turn to bigger things.”
Tortorella, like Bruce Cassidy before him, hasn’t been afraid to use Marner in a number of ways, be it at center or wing, the first line or the second.
When the Golden Knights ran a five-forward power play, Marner was the quarterback at the top. Now with defenseman Shea Theodore in that spot with the top unit, the Golden Knights have deployed Marner down lower to better use his ability to score or help someone else find the back of the net.
“There’s even games where the other team carries the game, and they come out on top because of their patience and play-making ability, and Marner has a lot to do with that,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “Power play, short-handed, five-on-five, he plays all situations and is dangerous in all of them.”
It’s not that Marner didn’t play at a high level in Toronto. He scored a career-high 102 points in the 2024-25 season, one of four times he topped 90.
He also produced 13 points in 13 playoff games last year and 14 points in 11 postseason games two years earlier.
But the Maple Leafs as a team didn’t play up to expectations, and thus the deal to send Marner to Vegas. Now the Golden Knights are a series away from potentially competing in their third Stanley Cup Final in their nine years in the league, and the Maple Leafs failed to reach the playoffs but won the draft lottery.
Maybe there’s another Marner in their future.
“I’ve always believed I’m a good player,” Marner said. “I’m not thinking of anything, just go out there and try to play hockey.”
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The Montreal Canadiens live to see another day.
On Monday, May 18, center Alex Newhook scored in overtime to secure a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in a decisive Game 7. That fateful tally sends the Habs to the Eastern Conference Finals where they’ll face off against Sebastian Aho’s Carolina Hurricanes.
Carolina, who wrapped their sweep of the Flyers way back on May 9, have home ice advantage and will host Games 1 and 2 as well as 5 and 7 — if the series goes that far — at their home Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.
Showdowns at Montreal’s historic Centre Bell are scheduled to go down on:
If you’d like to be there, tickets are available for all three potential games at the Bell Centre.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on tickets for any one Canadiens home contest was $651 including fees on SeatGeek.
Prices start at $218 including fees for games at Raleigh’s Lenovo Center.
This will be the Canadiens’ first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2021 when they took down the Vegas Golden Knights in six. As fans likely recall, they lost in five games to the Lightning after that.
Last year, they fell prey to the Capitals in the first round.
“What we’re going through right now, you can’t buy that,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “It’s amazing. I’m so happy for the players to live that.”
On Carolina’s end, this is their fourth trip to the ECF in the past eight seasons. Only thing is, they’ve yet to get over that hump and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. Adding insult to injury, the Canadiens won all three regular season games against Rod Brind’Amour’s club.
Is this the ‘Canes year? Or will the Habs make a push for their first Stanley Cup victory since 1993?
While we can’t say for certain, we do know the best way to find out is live and in person.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about the Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes 2026 NHL Eastern Conference Finals below.
Montreal Canadiens playoff home game tickets
All Canadiens playoff home game dates at the Bell Centre and the cheapest tickets available can be found here:
Montreal Canadiens home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 3 Monday, May 25
$697(including fees)
Game 4 Wednesday, May 27
$651(including fees)
Game 6 Sunday, May 31
$683(including fees)
Carolina Hurricanes playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Hurricanes Eastern Conference Finals home game dates at the Lenovo Center and the best prices on tickets are listed below.
Buffalo Sabres home game dates
Ticket prices start at
Game 1 Thursday, May 21
$218(including fees)
Game 2 Saturday, May 23
$278(including fees)
Game 5 Friday, May 29
$277(including fees)
Game 7 Tuesday, June 2
$309(including fees)
How to watch the Canadiens and Hurricanes on TV
Fans hoping to catch St. Louis’ stacked squad on the tube can watch all playoff games on TNT and TruTV in the US or Sportsnet and CBC in Canada.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
2026 NHL playoff schedule
Want to keep tabs on how the postseason is shaking out?
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
The Buffalo Sabres were the better club for most of their Game 7 match with the Montreal Canadiens, but in spite of outshooting the Habs 39-25, the Sabres sluggish and tentative first period had them playing catch-up for the rest of the game. Buffalo came back to tie the game in the third period, but midway through the first overtime, Habs playoff hero Alex Newhook scored his seventh goal of the postseason to send Montreal to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 win at KeyBank Center on Monday.
The loss was as devastating for the Sabres as it was filled with jubilation for the Canadiens, as Buffalo was not on the favorable end of a pair of controversial calls. Phillip Danault’s opening goal went off the Habs center’s right skate, but after being reviewed by league, it was not deemed to be directed into the net with a distinct kicking motion. After Rasmus Dahlin tied the game in the third, the Sabres appeared to take the lead, as Jordan Greenway jabbed at the puck under Dobes pads, but the referee blew the play dead just as Greenway knocked the puck loose for linemate Beck Malenstyn to push it over the goal line.
The Sabres THOUGHT they scored the go-ahead goal but Wes McCauley's whistle was blown a SPLIT second before it went in 😵💫 pic.twitter.com/DoORVtzlqu
"I thought it was a little bit of a quick whistle, and because you can always go back and look at those,” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said after the game. But, (I) didn't really get an explanation on it.”
The Sabres had opportunities in overtime, including a Tage Thompson odd-man break where he attempted a toe-drag past the Montreal defenders and Dobes, but a turnover by Dahlin and Thompson at the blueline led to a Montreal counterattack, where Newhook knuckled the puck past Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to end Buffalo’s season.
"I think we said at the start of this series it was going to be two really good teams playing. We had some momentum swings. You get to overtime, we had a couple of really good chances when we had the chances in our hands. Those are the opportunities that you hope you get. We just didn't finish." Ruff said. "We had a couple great opportunities, even in the third, the Helenius toe(drag) glove save that almost went. I think the the ice was fairly tilted, we had a lot of opportunities to make a difference in the game."
Other comments after the game:
Rasmus Dahlin on the game-winning goal:
“That was on me. I can’t do that.”
Dahlin on the overall game:
“We could have scored a few more. (Dobes) made some good saves. It comes down to small things. Today, they got the bounces.”
Dahlin on the emotions of the season ending the way it did:
“It sucks.”
On the tying goal and the set-up by Owen Power:
"Great play by him, it wasn't enough though."
How hard is it to see the season end the way it did:
"It's one shot that decides the whole season, it sucks."
Can you appreciate the success this club had during the season and the fan reaction after the game?
“Not right now. Tomorrow, I will appreciate more things”
Tage Thompson:
"It's tough. I thought we played hard all year to get to this point. I don't think anyone in this room felt like we were done yet. Just disappointed."
“I thought we played a really good game, which makes it even tougher of a taste. Had a lot of chances. (Luukkonen) played great, kept it tight for us, and claw our way back into it, and felt like we had all the momentum, just couldn't score. (I) really thought that was gonna end different.”
"We were feeling good in here, tons of confidence in this room. I think everyone in here felt like this was going to end different, and probably felt like we deserved a little better outcome, but it's the way it goes sometimes, and we just got to unfortunately take that taste with us into the summer and do something about it."
The Sabres players will hold locker cleanout media availabilities on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Ruff and GM Jarmo Kekalainen's availabilities later in the week.
The puzzle pieces of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 2026 draft capital are finally locking into place.
Following the Buffalo Sabres’ heartbreaking Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the draft order for the non-finalist postseason teams has officially crystallized. For the Maple Leafs, Buffalo’s elimination confirms exactly when they will be making their second selection of the summer: locking them into the 59th overall pick.
If the path to acquiring that selection sounds complicated, that’s because it is.
The Maple Leafs originally acquired the asset from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the return package for forward Scott Laughton back in March. Originally structured as a 2026 third-round pick, the asset included a conditional trigger: if the Kings qualified for the 2026 postseason, the pick would automatically upgrade to the Sabres’ second-rounder. Los Angeles held the Sabres’ natural second-round pick via a previous transaction, that specific selection has now been diverted to Toronto.
When determining the NHL Draft order, the league operates backwards from the postseason results. The Stanley Cup champion picks 32nd, the runner-up picks 31st, and the conference finalists fill out spots 29 and 30 based on regular-season records. From there, the remaining 12 playoff teams are ordered by their regular-season point totals. With Buffalo bowed out in the second round, their regular-season finish officially locks their slot at No. 59.
For a Maple Leafs front office trying to restock an incredibly bare prospect cupboard, securing a concrete second-round asset can help.
Going into this season, Toronto’s draft pick outlook was bleak, to say the least. Trade deadline deals in 2025 saw management ship away their own consecutive first-round picks to the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers in desperate pushes for a deep playoff run.
But fortunes change quickly in the National Hockey League. Thanks to a monumental stroke of luck at the NHL Draft Lottery earlier this month, where the Leafs defied the odds and jumped from the No. 5 spot to the No. 1 overall position, Toronto is suddenly anchored by a potential franchise-altering first-round prize.
Now, with Buffalo’s finalized 58th pick safely in their back pocket, the Leafs possess two swings in the top 60. It may not completely fix a depleted prospect pipeline overnight, but it gives management some much-needed flexibility when the draft floor opens in June.
Brunson o6.5 assists
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