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The Florida Panthers did not want to face the prospect of heading back to Edmonton for another deciding Game 7 against the Oilers, and after blowing a three-goal lead in a Game 4 loss on home ice last week, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions dominated Edmonton 5-2 in Game 5 and jumped on the Oilers early in a 5-2 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday to clinch their second straight Cup.

The Panthers had a number of players stand out in their run to the championship, including Sam Bennett – who scored 15 playoff goals and was named the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner – and veteran Brad Marchand, who scored five goals in the Cup Final and an overtime breakaway goal in Game 2, but the hero in the clincher was former Buffalo Sabre Sam Reinhart.  

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Reinhart, who was dealt to Florida in July 2021 for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 first round pick (Jiri Kulich), scored the opening goal less than five minutes into the first period, and then added three more in the second and third period to become the first player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game since Maurice “The Rocket” Richard in 1957. 

Had it not been for Vasily Podkolzin’s late goal to break Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout bid, the former 2014 second overall pick would have scored the game-winning goal in both Panthers Cup-clinching victories. Along with Reinhart, former Sabres Dmitri Kulikov and Evan Rodrigues earned their second straight Cup victory. 

Former Sabre Jeff Skinner was not much of a factor in the Cup Final, going pointless in three games vs. the Panthers, while Evander Kane continued his undisciplined play, earning his sixth minor penalty of the series for a slash on Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and his second misconduct for a swipe at Matthew Tkachuk. Kane finished the series with one goal in six games and 32 penalty minutes.  

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NHL insider believes Detroit Red Wings will work to re-sign Patrick Kane this off-season

The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly interested in bringing back forward Patrick Kane, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger. 

NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) on XDarren Dreger: I believe that the Red Wings would like to extend Patrick Kane, feels like they'll probably get something done - TSN 1050

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

The veteran winger made a significant impact last season with almost 60 points through 72 games at 36 years old. Kane's value as a player coincides with his value as a mentor to up-and-coming forwards like Marco Kasper that will get to play with a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

Bringing back Kane would help the team continue to build chemistry as well as have him continue to give out lessons to young players that could use the advice. 

We can expect a cap hit around $4 million per season as that's what he signed for the Red Wings initially and may include a trade clause of sorts as that's what he asked for in his previous deal. As for term, we could see multiple years as it was a great fit for Kane last season but no more than two seasons seems likely. 

Detroit has roughly $21.3 million in cap space heading into this off-season and has been linked to several big name free agents like Aaron Ekblad and Mitch Marner. Other pending free agents with the Red Wings are Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry and key depth forward Tyler Motte among others. 

The next few weeks may feature some serious roster moves for the Red Wings heading into next season and it sounds like one we can expect is a Kane re-signing.

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Welcome to the off-season. The Wraparound is here to discuss the NHL and more in rapid-fire topics.

Can The Panthers Keep Bennett And Marchand? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Where do the Florida Panthers rank among recent dynasties in the NHL?

3:30 What does the future hold for the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid with his impending free agency in 2026?

6:50 Will the Florida Panthers retain Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett?

10:30 After Mitch Marner’s charity event in Toronto was cancelled, is it all but confirmed that he will be leaving the Maple Leafs?

13:35 What team is the best fit for Jonathan Toews?

15:38 What team that wasn’t involved in the 4 Nations Face-Off could make some noise at the 2026 Olympics?

17:35 Could the Vancouver Canucks move on from Thatcher Demko this summer?

20:20 Is there a scenario where the New York Islanders draft anyone other than Matthew Schaefer?

21:45 How will Roman Josi’s recovery impact Barry Trotz’s off-season priorities?

25:40 Making early predictions for the 2025-26 NHL season

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers became back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 at home, 5-1.

Not only was it Florida's second-straight Cup win, but it was also their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 before besting the Oilers in back-to-back Cup years, and - given that they handily beat a very good Edmonton team in six games despite partaking in their third-straight Final - they may not show any signs of slowing down.

But this near-dynastic force, in a way, all started with a loss in the spring of 2023 by a different NHL team.

No, Florida isn't where they are because of a singular notch in the "L" column by the Pittsburgh Penguins. But, had Pittsburgh won this one game, a lot may have changed for Florida that could have altered their destiny.

On Apr. 11, 2023 - in the penultimate game to their regular season - the Penguins were set to square off against the lowly, rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks on home ice. In order to end up clinching a playoff spot, Pittsburgh simply needed to beat Chicago, one of the league's worst teams. 

And they did not succeed.

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Chicago went up, 1-0, approaching the midway point of the second period on a goal by defenseman Connor Murphy. Then, a little more than five minutes into the third, Penguins veteran forward Evgeni Malkin scored a power play goal to even the score. 

But - five minutes later - Pittsburgh was dealt a double-gut punch. Just past the 10-minute mark of the final frame, Buddy Robinson and Andreas Athanasiou scored back-to-back within 26 seconds to put the Hawks up, 3-1, pretty much sealing the deal. Pittsburgh forward Danton Heinen scored sandwiched between two Chicago empty-net goals by Tyler Johnson and Mackenzie Entwistle, but it was not enough.

Pittsburgh was dealt a course-changing loss, as it, ultimately, led them to miss the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. They also lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 3-2, a few days later, but even if they won that game, the Penguins would have missed.

And the team that squeaked into the postseason instead? The Florida Panthers.

Like Pittsburgh Before Them, The Florida Panthers Are Reinventing The WheelAnyone who has been invested in the National Hockey League over the years knows that, as the seasons pile on, the game evolves.

In the 2021-22 season, the Panthers won the President's Trophy as the best team in the league, but they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning and made a shocking coaching change in the aftermath, hiring Paul Maurice and canning Andrew Brunette.

They also shook up their roster in the offseason of 2022, acquiring and then extending Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames in exchange for star forward Jonathan Huberdeau and top-four defenseman Mackenzie Weegar.

There were a sequence of moves in the following years that made them what they are. But, had they missed the playoffs in 2023 after a President's Trophy-winning season - all because the Penguins beat the lowly Blackhawks - it stands to reason that Florida GM Bill Zito may have made some more impulse moves to shake things up after a near-miss. 

Maybe they would have fired Maurice. Maybe they never go out and get veterans like Brad Marchand, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Seth Jones. There's no telling how their timeline and their roster management would have played out had the Penguins won that game against Chicago.

Every ounce of credit goes to Zito and the Panthers for becoming the machine they are today. More than likely, it was bound to happen eventually, anyway, regardless of what happened in terms of the 2023 postseason.

But the Penguins inadvertently opened the door of opportunity for the Panthers to begin their run at three straight Final appearances when they lost, perhaps, one of the most winnable "must-win" games in franchise history. 

As a result, the Penguins became a cellar dwellar. And the Panthers became a monster.

Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup ChampionsThe Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions.

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Featured image credit: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images

For the second year in a row, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was in the thick of a Stanley Cup celebration as a proud brother. Brady had said at the end of the season he had planned to follow Matthew's playoff run from afar this year, but as the sting of elimination faded, he obviously had a change of heart and wanted to be there for his brother.

Brady was down on the ice on Tuesday night in Sunrise, Florida, once again joining the family to watch Matthew hoist the Stanley Cup with the Panthers, who powered their way to a second straight Cup, taking down the Oilers in six games. 

Brady says he was impressed with how his brother managed to battle through injuries and still be a major factor.

“I mean I just I think it's gonna come out what he's been dealing with, but for him to step up like that... hopefully the next step is winning (Olympic) gold with him,” Brady said in a postgame interview with Darren Pang.

His diagnosis did come out. Matthew revealed he had a been playing with a torn adductor muscle – torn from the bone, no less – along with a "hernia thing" on the same side. 

“He was a mess,” head coach Paul Maurice told NHL.com. “That’s the medical term. He was a mess."

Hearing that relatively rare diagnosis will resonate with Sens fans like ice cubes down their back. Many still remember 2006 when their Stanley Cup hopes were badly derailed by Dominik Hasek's adductor injury suffered at the Olympics that year. 

Brady also powered through his own injuries this season. In fact, both Tkachuk brothers had injury trouble that seemed to begin during the 4 Nations Face-Off and lingered into the post-season. When NHL owners express concern over shutting the league down in February for a fierce, best-on-best, king-of-the-world tournament, this is exactly the kind of thing they're worried about.

The Tkachuks were named this week to the preliminary roster of six players to represent Team USA again this February at the Olympics.

As Brady posed for family photos on the ice, he was more than ready for the championship celebration, even donning a hat from The Elbo Room, the iconic Fort Lauderdale beach bar where the Panthers returned to party with fans for a second straight year.

This time, though, the celebration probably hit a little differently for Brady. Earlier this spring, the Senators made it to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in eight years, a real turning point for the franchise. Ottawa was eliminated in the first round by the Leafs, which was deeply disappointing, but it did mark a huge step in the team's evolution.

“Our end goal is something that isn’t really a pipe dream anymore,” Tkachuk said, as the Senators were cleaning out their lockers for the year.

“We’re going to continue to get better. It’s all about just growing as players, growing as a group and knowing that we want to win the Stanley Cup. Just getting into the playoffs isn’t good enough anymore.”

While this championship moment belonged to his brother once again, Brady’s turn might not be far off, maybe as soon as February at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

And hopefully someday in Ottawa as well.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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The Chicago Blackhawks have the third overall pick. This comes from the 2025 Draft Lottery pushing them back one spot. It is an important asset to the organization. 

With this selection, Chicago has many intriguing options —if they decide to keep it instead of trading it away. 

A new report from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff says that the Blackhawks are listening to offers on this 3rd overall pick. Are they trying to move up? Are they trying to move down? What do they want in return? 

“I do think they want to be active on the trade market,” Seravalli said. “I do think the number 3 overall pick is in play.” 

Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on X"The Chicago Blackhawks are open for business over the next 10 days." @frank_seravalli dives into his earlier report that Chicago is open to trading their third overall pick on the Chicago Lead.

There is a lot to figure out before the draft begins on June 27th. Davidson has done a great job drafting since becoming the full-time general manager of the Blackhawks, so he has earned some trust when it comes to evaluating the entry draft. If he feels that there is more value to trading the selection, he will go should that road with confidence. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The NHL's buyout window will open on June 20, and New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a decision to make. 

Ondrej Palat will make $6 million for the next two seasons before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. 

The 34-year-old played throughout New Jersey's lineup in 2024-25 and began the postseason playing with Justin Dowling and Nathan Bastian. Palat finished this past season with 28 points, including 15 goals, the most he scored in a Devils uniform. 

When playing on the top line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, Palat was credited with doing the little things that allowed the dynamic duo to shine offensively.  

"He creates a lot of space for me and Jack out there," Bratt said. "Takes the job that sometimes is a tough job that fans and other people don't notice on the ice, to create space for players like us."

"He does a really good job of complementing us, going to the net and getting those greasy pucks in the corner, retrieving them for us," Hughes said.

On the ice, Palat's biggest accomplishment with the Devils came in Game 7 when he assisted on the series-winning goal with his relentless forecheck. 

Off the ice, the winger is valued by his teammates and head coach, Sheldon Keefe, who spoke about how valuable the former Stanley Cup champion is. 

"He knows he is an important guy for our group, no matter what happens," said Nico Hischier, who sits next to Palat in the locker room. 

While his on-ice play leaves something to be desired, considering his cap hit, the organization finds value in Palat. With that said, hockey is a business, and Fitzgerald may choose to part ways with his alternate captain.  

The NHL's buyout window will remain open until June 30 at 5:00 PM EST.

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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You know the retort about if your grandmother had wheels, she'd be a bike?

Well, now that the Florida Panthers have won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, there's a lot of that going on with people who are delusional about the Toronto Maple Leafs. And that covers most of their supporters.

Their logic goes that since the Maple Leafs extended the Panthers to seven games in the second round of the playoffs, we can assume that the Leafs are once again very close to being serious Stanley Cup contenders. Heck, they're the second-best team in the NHL, some say.

Pfft. Legitimate Stanley Cup-contending teams don't take a 2-0 lead and enter Game 3 with a 3-1 lead against the Cup champs and fritter it away. And there is no Cup contending team that turns in the effort the Leafs did in Games 5 and 7 on home ice in that series.

Just because you lost to the champs doesn't make you almost as good as they are. The Panthers are the class of the league and they are light years ahead of the Leafs.

Watch today's video column for more, and share your thoughts.

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Former Seattle Kraken defenseman Jaycob Megna took home his first Stanley Cup after the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6.

The 32-year-old didn't play in postseason games this season but recorded eight games during the regular season. The 6'6 defenseman was born in Plantation, FL and signed as a free agent this past offseason. Megna will become an unrestricted free agent on July. 1, available to sign with any NHL team.

Megna was traded to the Kraken by the San Jose Sharks for a 4th-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft before the trade deadline. He played just six games with the Kraken, failing to record a point before the Chicago Blackhawks claimed him off waivers. 

With his Stanley Cup triumph, Megna becomes the first former Kraken player to win the Stanley Cup who played a game with the Kraken. 

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