OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs compete for a loose ball during the second quarter in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Western Conference Finals started with a bang Monday night as the San Antonio Spurs took out the Oklahoma City Thunder, 122-115 in double overtime.
Mason Plumlee did not get off the bench again, but he’s 36 now and his role is limited: he’s a reliable big man for spot duty as needed. His career is winding down, but he’s not going to do stupid things if called upon.
As for Jared McCain, he got 18 minutes, scored 7 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist.
On Tuesday, Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers open the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks.
The New York Islanders will be looking to add this summer, both up front for scoring and on the right side of their defense.
Often, the easiest way to add to the roster in the summer is through the July 1 Free-Agent Frenzy.
It's no secret the Islanders could covet the top available players like Alex Tuch and Darren Raddysh, but it's very rare to land the top guy on the board for any team in the NHL.
Instead, the second wave of players usually is where most of the NHL gets its business done, including the Islanders.
The Islanders have been competitive in the free-agent market the last two years for forwards, most notably with Brock Boeser this past July 1.
Instead, Boeser extended at the very last minute with the Vancouver Canucks.
The #Isles were closer than many realize to landing Brock Boeser in free agency.
The Islanders tried to improve their roster, signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal that did not pan out as hoped, ultimately trading him to the St. Louis Blues as part of the Brayden Schenn trade.
The year before, 2024, the Islanders' ambitions were hidden in the famed Lou Lamoriello Cone of Silence, but it's likely they'd have had major interest in the likes of Steven Stamkos, the top UFA.
Instead, he signed with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators.
The Islanders then turned around and signed Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal that has not panned out as hoped. They will be looking hard to move the player off the roster this summer.
Both Drouin and Duclair were clear adds to the middle-six of the Islanders, with hopes they could even be a fit on New York's top line alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, before the latter returned to center.
The Islanders need a clear top-line winger, not another stop-gap winger, especially with Victor Eklund looking like a strong bet to be a day-one NHLer next season.
If the Islanders do wish to improve the forward group, the best way to do so this summer could be via trade, with one target being Eklund's older brother, William.
San Jose jumping to No. 2 overall may have opened the door for something bigger.
The #FutureIsTeal also own the No. 20 pick, have a loaded young forward group, and still badly need defense.
This year's forward free agency class behind Tuch is an extremely thin class.
In recent days, the Islanders have been linked with Boston Bruins forward Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson, 33, had a great year in Boston, scoring 25 goals and 54 points in 69 games, skating on Boston's second line.
Arvidsson then scored two goals in three playoff games before suffering a season-ending broken rib and punctured lung early in Game 4.
On paper, adding Arvidsson's 25 goals (a pace of 29.7 goals over a full 82 games) could make sense for the Islanders.
It's also only the second time in the last six seasons that Arvidsson has scored that many goals. He scored 26 in 2022-23. Then he played only 18 games in 2023-24, dealing with major injuries.
In 2024-25 with the Edmonton Oilers, Arvidsson scored 15 goals and 27 points in 62 games.
Aside from this past season (2025-26) and the 2022-23 season, Arvidsson has been hampered by injuries and a lack of consistent production.
If that sounds familiar, it's similar to the way Drouin and Duclair were described before signing with the Islanders.
It's not a mistake the Islanders can afford to make for a third-straight summer.
It didn’t take long for the Minnesota Timberwolves roster to change going into the offseason.
Wolves veteran guard Joe Ingles announced that he is signing with Melbourne United in the NBL, returning to his native Australia after a 12-year stint in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic and the past two seasons in Minnesota.
“To return to where my professional career began almost 20 years ago is something I don’t take for granted.
“So much has happened since then, but Melbourne has always felt like home.
“We’re really excited to reconnect with the community here, and to be closer to family and friends again. After so many years overseas, that part means a lot to us.”
While Ingles did not play much for the Wolves during his tenure with the team, he was a valuable veteran for a group on the rise. During the season, Jaylen Clark spoke to Ingles’ importance of being one of the last players on the roster.
Jaylen Clark on Joe Ingles importance to the Wolves, as Ingles is kicking a ball at the TV monitors and screaming in the background
“He’ll say whatever, he don’t really care. He’s like positive in a messed up way(laughs) I don’t know how to say it. Like he always tells you what… pic.twitter.com/JNN1g1rp1m
That speaks to why the Wolves brought Ingles back last summer despite hardly playing in his first season with the team.
With Ingles gone, it opens up a spot on the roster for a younger player, possibly Enrique Freeman or Rocco Zikarsky from the two-way slots, or the Wolves could bring in another veteran to occupy a veteran minimum deal.
Canis Hoopus community, what do you make of Ingles’ departure? Who should the Wolves bring on board in free agency to fill his spot? Chime off in the comments section below.
When the Philadelphia Flyers inevitably sign starting goalie Dan Vladar to a contract extension, the new deal will come with some sticker shock. That is to be expected with the goalie market the way it is these days.
Vladar, 28, bet on himself last summer when he signed a two-year, $6.7 million ($3.35 million AAV) contract with the Flyers, parlaying some boilerplate seasons with the Calgary Flames into an opportunity to become a No. 1 goalie in the NHL.
The Czech netminder did that in 2025-26, going 29-14-7 in 52 games for the Flyers while posting a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Notably, Vladar's 52 games played were greater than his 2023-24 (20) and 2024-25 (30) totals with the Flames combined. For the Flyers, the signing was, admittedly, a bit of a risk, but it paid off.
Now, once July 1 arrives, the Flyers can move to extend the backbone of their team, and while we all expect that to happen, the deliberation focuses more on how long the new contract is for, and how much it will pay.
You can expect it to be something like five years and $25- to $30 million (between $5- and $6 million AAV).
That seems rich for an older goalie coming off a career year, right? Well, it is, and that is also invariably going to be the market for him and any other established goalie held in high regard by an organization.
For recent precedent, we can look to the Vancouver Canucks, who are just one year removed from having Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet behind their bench.
On Feb. 21, 2025, while Tocchet was still with the team, the Canucks signed backup goalie Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5 million ($4.5 million AAV) deal with the Finn admirably filling in for an ailing Thatcher Demko.
Last season, Lankinen finished the year 25-15-10 in 51 games, posting a 2.62 GAA and .902 save percentage in an expanded role.
In his previous two seasons with the Nashville Predators, Lankinen had played a combined 43 regular season games. See the similarities?
An easy counterargument against the Lankinen comparison would be that Lankinen was a paltry 11-27-5 this past season with a 3.70 GAA and .875 save percentage, but no religious or spiritual deity is saving what was the 2025-26 Canucks, who finished last in the NHL by a comfortable 14-point margin.
The Flyers, like the Canucks when they signed Lankinen, are in no position to mess about with their future in goal. Demko's injury issues have, obviously, proven to be problematic, while the Flyers just suffered through two dire seasons at the expense of their goaltending before Vladar came along.
If Vladar pulls in a contract that exceeds $20 million, as he very well should, he'll be making a bit less than a good starter would be elsewhere in the NHL.
In a few years, when the salary cap goes up, the 28-year-old will probably just be making decent money to be an upper-tier backup, which the Flyers should hope he will be.
By extending Vladar, the Flyers, quite literally, buy themselves more time to patiently develop goalie prospects like Aleksei Kolosov, Egor Zavragin, Carson Bjarnason, and any other netminders they may select in 2026 and future drafts.
There is a price to pay, just as there was with Christian Dvorak, Owen Tippett, and Travis Konecny, but the Flyers are in no position to do otherwise.
For Vladar, the next contract will be a well-earned raise that rewards him for all the work he put in to address the weaknesses in his game and become a better goalie.
May 18, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates with San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime against during game one of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Just before the tip off of Game 1 Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City crowd was treated to their super star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receiving his MVP trophy. At the other end of the court, Victor Wembanyama was warming up. The question on the minds of many was exactly what Wemby’s response would be.
In a thrilling double-overtime Spurs victory, the question was answered. Wembanyama tallied a 41-point, 24 rebound game. Comparatively, SGA put up a 24-point game, starting slow with only four points in the first half.
This was the Thunder’s first loss of the postseason. Not something they are used to, but then this wasn’t their usual game.
In fact, if not for the hot shooting of Alex Caruso’s 31-point night, the Thunder spent the evening on the outside looking in. At the end of the third quarter, Caruso and Jalen Williams, in his first game since contracting a hamstring injury, owned nearly half of the Thunder’s scoring output.
The game took its toll as the five starters all tallied more than 40 minutes apiece. Vassell had 51 while Wemby and Castle each played 49.
The Spurs led most of the game, and though the Thunder looked out of sorts, they remained within striking distance throughout. Toward the end of regulation, the momentum shifted slightly giving the Thunder a brief lead.
If not for Wemby’s timely 3-point shot, there might not have a second overtime.
Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals takes place on Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. Expect the Thunder to play with some desperation. Expect they will smooth the rough edges of their Game 1 performance.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs (37) makes a save during the first period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Artūrs Šilovs Born: March 22, 2001 (25 years old) Height: 6’4” Weight: 208 pounds Hometown: Riga, Latvia Catches: Left Draft: 2019, Vancouver Canucks (Sixth round, No. 156 overall) 2025-26 Statistics: 39 games played (38 starts), 19-12-8 record, 3.07 GAA, .888 SV%. Playoffs: 3 GP (3 starts), 2-1 record, 1.52 GAA, .939 SV%. Contract Status: Pending restricted free agent on July 1, completed a two-year, $1.7 million contract ($850,000 cap hit)
Šilovs was an NHL rookie who saw the most ice time of any Penguins goaltender in 2025-26, remaining a regular member of the rotation whether it was Tristan Jarry, Sergei Murashov or Stuart Skinner on the other side of the tandem.
Story of the Season
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas acquired Šilovs amid a flurry of free agency moves last July by sending former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-rounder to the Vancouver Canucks.
The Penguins have acquired goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Šilovs, who had never made more than nine starts in a season during his tenure with the Canucks, went on to make his debut on opening night of the 2025-26 season.
He took advantage of getting the nod over Jarry by recording his first career regular-season shutout of his career.
Šilovs spent the first two and a half months of the season trading starts with either Jarry or Murashov, right up until the Penguins traded Jarry to the Edmonton Oilers for a package including Skinner on Dec. 12.
Skinner and Šilovs spent the rest of the regular season mostly alternating starts. Skinner got the nod for the start of the postseason, although the Penguins ultimately turned to Šilovs after falling into an 0-3 first-round deficit to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Šilovs posted three strong postseason performances to help the Penguins push the series to Game 6 before the team’s elimination 1-0 overtime loss.
The netminder told reporters in his exit interviews he had been playing through a knee injury for the last three to four weeks of the regular season.
HDSV%: .800 HDGAA: 1.40 GSAA: -6.74 Shots Against/60: 27.13 Saves/60: 24.22 HD Shots Against/60: 7.02 HD Saves/60: 5.62 Rush Attempts Against/60: 0.9 Rebound Attempts Against/60: 5.35 Average shot distance: 33.92 feet Average goal distance: 21.36 feet
Both Šilovs and Skinner struggled this season when faced with shots from dangerous areas, a task given to them fairly often amid the Penguins’ defense collapses. Those two netminders ranked 34th and 33rd, respectively, in high-danger save percentage out of 42 goaltenders who played at least 1,500 minutes last season.
It’s impossible to talk about Šilovs’ season without talking about his .409 save percentage in shootouts. The Penguins lost eight of them with him in net.
Šilovs remains a work in progress as far as WAR metrics go. His save percentage in the bottom right corner is starting to catch up to the expected, which is a good sign. It’ll be interesting in the future if he can draw out strong performances and boost his quality and excellent starts and bring down the totals of what is considered ‘bad’.
Šilovs has an interesting breakdown by zones. According to the NHL Edge data, he struggled in high danger moments but then again he had to face his fair share of them in front of a defense that struggled at times. Šilovs was at his best from mid-zone shots, especially to his right side (.943 save%), which came in handy since that location was the area the second highest amount of shots he faced came from (116 saves, 123 shots).
Goals in the NHL are often times the result of going to the net, being stronger in that situation is an opportunity for improvement. Šilovs gave up 64 goals from the high danger zones on 285 shots, had he been able to give a league average performance (.811%) that would have meant 10 fewer goals allowed on the season. That alone would have lowered his season GAA from 3.07 to 2.74 (a difference of being 41st place as he was, up to 25th) and raised his save percentage from .888% to .898%. Whether that comes from his performance, help from defense or a combination of both is a growth area that player and team should strive for next season.
When you talk Šilovs, you have to mention his small but impressive sample in the playoffs for Games 4-6. He raised his game across virtually all areas, save for that fateful shot from the right point that ended the Pens’ season courtesy of traffic in front of the net. While you couldn’t expect this type of performance over the long haul, it’s data to support the narrative that Šilovs is capable of playing his best games in the moments that matter the most – a growing trend in his young career.
Is Murashov ready for regular-season NHL action after shining in the AHL last season? If so, does Šilovs return next season?
Should Šilovs return, will he be able to improve on his numbers from last season and get closer to the ceiling he showed this postseason he’s capable of reaching?
Šilovs capped off the campaign with a strong playoff run, but some of his numbers down the stretch of the regular-season were less than ideal.
Examples: Šilovs went a nine-game stretch without posting a save percentage over .900 from Nov. 21 to Jan . 4 (3.8 goals against average over that span).
He allowed at least four goals against in seven of his last 11 appearances of the season (.850 save percentage, 3.6 goals against average over the stretch). It should be noted that, according to Šilovs’ exit interviews, he would have been playing through a knee injury around that time.
Can stronger defensive play and improvements from Šilovs help limit those stretches in a second season as a regular starter? How much was Šilovs’ injury impacting him down the stretch?
What Dubas feels those answers are could impact what the goaltending rotation looks like next season in Pittsburgh.
Ideal 2026-27
Šilovs is a 25-year-old with a relatively limited sample size of regular-season action (56 career starts) and time to potentially improve in high-danger situations.
An ideal 2026-27 for the Penguins could look like Murashov taking the next step toward the AHL with a stronger Šilovs as his tandem partner should Skinner walk in unrestricted free agency.
Bottom line
Šilovs’ best stretch of the season came when it mattered most. His strong play helped the Penguins win two elimination contests to push the Flyers to Game 6.
This isn’t the first strong playoff run of Šilovs’ young career. He also made 10 playoff starts while helping the Canucks come within one win of the Western Conference Finals in 2024, and he was named Calder Cup MVP after leading the Canucks’ AHL affiliate to a title in 2025.
Šilovs’ ability to step up in the clutch could help make his case for the Penguins to re-sign him this offseason.
Final Grade
B
Šilovs struggled at times to limit scoring, especially when faced with high-danger chances or shootouts, during the regular season. He also helped the Penguins make the playoffs in his first season as an NHL starter, and he was a key reason his team exited the postseason with two wins under their belts.
What grade do you think Šilovs earned in his first season with the Penguins ahead of his upcoming restricted free agency?
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 9: Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck in front of Olen Zellweger #51 of the Anaheim Ducks at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 9, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The dust is still settling on the Penguins’ season. Kyle Dubas gave his end of season press conference last week and the team will be mostly inactive until the end of June. They might have the occasional re-signing, like recent moves to bring back Connor Dewar and Ilya Solovyov in the short-term but the rhythm of the season will be mostly quiet for a while longer.
Nothing, however, stops the rumors and whispers about. The recently eliminated Anaheim Ducks were a natural talking point for national reporters like Elliotte Friedman to discuss.
Elliotte Friedman: Re Ducks: They have players who are in and out of the lineup that intrigue other people, Mason McTavish; Olen Zellweger; [Verbeek's] gonna have options here – 32 Thoughts (5/15)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 17, 2026
The Penguins and Ducks have been frequent trading partners in the recent past and are natural enough fits since they reside in different conferences. It also seems like that for whatever reason Anaheim often has at least rumors of player availability, like with defenseman Pavel Mintyukov last season. That talk died down permanently after Mintyukov eventually found his way into Anaheim’s top-four and became a focal point of their team.
The talk these days has shifted to situate around McTavish and Zellweger.
Neither are Egor Chinakhov cases where the team that drafted that player is going to cut bait for a relatively low price of a couple of non-first round draft picks. As Friedman notes, there will be significant interest around the league should either one of them move into the realm of serious trade consideration.
That status alone might be enough to chase a team like Pittsburgh away either voluntarily if they don’t want to meet the price set, or perhaps involuntarily if Anaheim is simply receiving better offers from other teams than what the Pens have to give themselves.
However, at this point, both McTavish and Zellweger would be matches and fits for the Penguins. Their reasonable young center depth chart is basically Ben Kindel and nothing else at this point, though Bill Zonnon has been doing well in the AHL playoffs in his very first pro action. (Zonnon is also playing on the fourth line there, any hopes for an accelerated turn into a full-time NHL player in the very immediate future might be a little too hopeful in timing).
While McTavish fits a need, his status as a former No. 3 overall pick in 2021 and a player who has produced four straight 40+ point seasons in the NHL while barely scratching the surface of meeting his potential might be a stretch for the Pens to reasonably acquire.
That could make Zellweger, or 22-year old Tristan Luneau who played almost all of 2025-26 in the AHL, more precise, realistic options for Pittsburgh. Both are left handed defensemen, where the pipeline of talent within the organization at that position is even more lacking than center. A smooth-skating player like Zellweger who can operate in the offensive zone (scoring seven goals and getting 22 points last season) fits the mold of the style that Kyle Dubas has sought in the past.
The other big question would be if the Pens have what Anaheim might be interested in at this point of their evolution into a playoff team. The Ducks did trade their first round pick away, even though they probably wouldn’t be looking to move a lot of ready or near-ready talent to reload with a prospect, it might make some sense that they would be interested in getting a spot in the 2026 first round considering that they currently don’t have a pick there. On the flip side, whether or not the Pens would move a first round pick for NHL ready talent remains a question to be answered.
This time of year there’s not much more besides wondering at this point. Given Dubas’s nature and history it’s a good bet he’ll be active to at least get the information needed to see if there’s a deal to be struck that both sides would act on. Anaheim and Pittsburgh have long been linked to various degrees in rumors and trades, we’ll have to see this summer if another chapter gets added to that history.
The Buffalo Sabres' magical season came to an end with their Game 7 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens. While the Sabres ended up being eliminated in the second round, there is no question that they had a successful year.
Now, the Sabres are entering a big off-season. There is a real chance that some of their players from this year's roster won't be back next season. Due to this, let's look at three Sabres that may have played their final games with the Atlantic Division club.
Logan Stanley
After a career year, Logan Stanley is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and set to land a nice raise over his current $1.25 million AAV. However, when noting that the Sabres already having a lot of left-shot defensemen and Stanley was scratched multiple times during the playoffs, it would not be surprising if the Sabres let him leave through free agency this summer.
Luke Schenn
After being acquired by the Sabres from the Jets at the deadline, Luke Schenn played in just four regular-season games and two playoff games for Buffalo. With this, it would not be particularly surprising if the Sabres did not re-sign the 36-year-old defenseman this summer.
Tanner Pearson
Tanner Pearson is another trade deadline acquisition who likely won't be back with the Sabres next season. The 33-year-old forward did not play for the Sabres during the playoffs and played in just four regular-season games for them after being acquired from the Jets. With the Sabres having plenty of forward depth, the veteran winger likely won't be re-signed.
After a despicable effort in Game 6 at the Bell Centre, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to bounce back in Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres. Martin St-Louis’ men were looking to deliver a better performance than they had in their last Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. While they had come away with the win, they had only managed to get nine shots on goal. After making no lineup changes in the first six games of the series, Montreal’s bench boss elected to replace Joe Veleno with Oliver Kapanen, who hadn’t played since Game 4 of the first-round.
A Strong Start
The Habs had only scored first once in the series, and in the last two games, their top line had committed a turnover early on to hand the Sabres the lead on a silver platter. In this crucial game, the coach elected to change things up, starting the defensively responsible Jake Evans alongside Alex Newhook and Ivan Demidov.
Not only did the Canadiens not concede early on, but they also opened the score before the clock hit five minutes. Kaiden Guhle fed Phillip Danault on the doorstep, and the veteran made no mistake. It was the blueliner’s sixth assist of the playoffs, and is third in a Game 7. 10 minutes later, on the power play, Zachary Bolduc doubled the Habs’ lead and quieted the Buffalo crowd. After 20 minutes, the Canadiens had a 2-0 lead and 11 shots, two more than they did in the entire final game against Tampa.
Two-Sided Coin
Once again in this game, Jakub Dobes was a key player for the Canadiens, making several key saves and being aggressive and proactive in and around the net. While most of the time that has served him well, he was partly responsible for the Sabres’ first goal when he harpooned the puck as Beck Malenstyn was coming from behind the net, and it bounced right to Mattias Samuelsson in the slot. The defenseman launched a shot that bounced off Jordan Greenway, bringing Buffalo back within one.
That being said, the goaltender must have felt like he needed to lend a hand as the Canadiens were stuck in their zone for an extended period of time for a second shift in a row. In that second frame, Dobes faced 14 Buffalo shots and stopped them all but one, which is why he was all smiles heading back to the room. The Canadiens have got to do something about the way they tend to let their opponent take over once they have the lead; they have to match their desperation and urgency, even if they feel like they are in the driver’s seat. It’s cost them dearly in Game 6 and led to a complete unravelling.
The third period wasn’t kind to Dobes; he was hit in the head by Jason Zucker's shoulder in the crease after making a desperate save, and there was no call. Granted, the Canadiens’ netminder might have tried to sell it too hard, but if that’s what the referee thought, he should have called the goalie interference and the embellishment. Shortly after that play, Rasmus Dahlin tied up the game, going upstairs near post on the Czech netminder.
If Cole Caufield has earned his Mr. Saturday Night nickname, Alex Newhook is slowly but surely working on getting the Mr. Game 7 moniker. After sealing the deal in Game 7 against the Lightning, it was the Newfoundlander who found the back of the net in overtime on Monday night. He’s the only player on the Canadiens’ roster with a Stanley Cup ring, and it shows.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
While he had only two shots on goal, he made seven attempts over nearly 72 minutes and landed three hits. Full marks to Alexandre Carrier for the good first pass and to Jake Evans for driving to the net and screening Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
One shouldn’t forget about Dobes, however. He stopped 37 of the 39 shots he faced for a .949 save percentage and, as unbelievable as it may sound, his save percentage was even better in the seventh game against Tampa when he made 28 saves on 29 shots for a .966 SV.
— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2026
14 games are a lot of action for a goaltender in the playoffs, but when asked if he was getting tired after the game, he smiled and replied that he could easily play 40 more games. That will be music to the Canadiens’ fans’ ears as he’ll have at least another four to play in. Dobes also sent his thanks to Buffalo’s fans, saying he loves being the villain and how they were calling his name.
Montreal will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Conference Final. While the Habs just went through two hard-fought seven games series, the Canes have swept both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on their way to a fourth Conference Final since 2018-2019. However, they are 1-12 in the third round in that timespan. They had also reached the Conference Final back in 2008-2009, and lost to the Penguins in four games.
When Victor Wembanyama pulled up from a step inside the logo Monday night, delivering a Steph Curry-esque 3-pointer in Oklahoma City that sent Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals to the first of two riveting overtimes, we did two things.
1) We let out an audible groan, resigned to the fact that this 7-foot-4 alien (and San Antonio’s young core) could dominate the league for the foreseeable future, with the championship-minted Thunder perhaps the only real obstacle in their path; and 2) We reached for our keyboard and started pecking out this story.
Because in that moment, what had already been painfully obvious throughout these playoffs crystalized a little bit more:
The Celtics have some real work to do.
The 2026 NBA playoffs have been filled with sobering reminders that the pathway back to true title contention is further than it might have seemed, especially during the tail end of Boston’s vibes-filled regular season.
As everyone takes inventory of the Celtics’ season and what pathway they choose to navigate next, we keep flashing back to Brad Stevens’ end-of-the-year press conference, when he noted the Celtics were 3-11 against what many would consider the five other top seeds between the conferences (Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Detroit, New York and Denver).
It would be very easy for the Celtics to convince themselves that minor tweaks — along with a healthier Jayson Tatum — might be enough to keep them among the East favorites next season. And that might be true. But then you watch Game 1 of the West Finals, and it simply feels like Oklahoma City and San Antonio are in a different stratosphere than the rest of the league at this moment.
And the sobering reality is that neither of those teams is likely coming back to Earth any time soon.
Wembanyama originates from another planet and seemingly has no intention of acclimating to this one. The Thunder have an absurd amount of picks that will allow them to either restock amid rising roster costs, or make the sort of big-swing move that can help them win an arms race with San Antonio.
The Celtics went 0-2 against the Spurs, although Jaylen Brown’s absurd ejection didn’t aid their cause in the second meeting. Boston’s win over the streaking Thunder in late March gave hope that a fully healthy Celtics team might fare better against elite competition in the playoffs. Alas, a 1-3 regular-season mark against New York suggested that Boston still had work to do to simply navigate Round 2. If they had gotten that far.
But they didn’t. They lost Game 7 on their home court for the second time in four seasons, this time in Round 1. And some of the optimism gathered over a tantalizingly fun and overachieving regular season was diminished.
We’ll temper all that by noting that any roster helmed by Tatum and Brown has a legitimate chance to get to the title stage. When surrounded by the right pieces, the Jays have delivered the Celtics to the championship round in two of the previous four seasons. There is no denying the success of that tandem.
But Stevens has routinely noted how the north star in Boston is always a championship banner. Just being good enough to get to the title stage isn’t enough.
So how do the Celtics get there? We’ll spend so much of the offseason pondering all the various paths. But for much of the regular season, it was fair to wonder if internal development combined with a healthier Tatum might be enough to boost Boston’s title potential.
Now? We’re not so sure. The Sixers series exposed a bit of Boston’s weaknesses in a way the regular season masked. Stevens and his front-office staff must at least examine bolder decisions this offseason. That’s why everyone from Brown to Derrick White to Sam Hauser will dance in trade rumors this summer.
The last time Boston’s season ended in disappointment with a Game 7 loss at TD Garden, Stevens made the bold decisions to shake up the core, sending out both Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III but bringing back the key pieces of Boston’s 2024 title run in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
This team doesn’t have quite as much freedom to spend like it did that year, but it might soon. One more year under the luxury tax could reset repeater penalties and allow Stevens to splurge big in the summer of 2027.
The question is whether anyone wants to wait that long.
Therein lies the challenge for Stevens. Watching Wembanyama put up 41 points and 24 rebounds is just another reminder of how the Celtics need to fortify their frontcourt. Watching the way the Thunder and Spurs relentless defend and contest shots is another reminder that Boston’s offense needs to be even more efficient despite all the regular-season success.
Stevens noted how the Celtics have to improve their margin for error. It was far too slim this year. A healthier Tatum will stretch it out a bit. But Monday’s West Finals was a harsh reminder that there’s still plenty of work to be done to stretch that margin to a place that teams like San Antonio and Oklahoma City reside.
Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies guard Zoom Diallo (5) celebrates his team’s win against the Southern California Trojans at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
Mark Pope lost a lot of goodwill with certain media members after closing up shop after a bad season.
I, for one, appreciated the approach from Pope. Mark Pope put his head down this offseason, opting to skip the press conferences in favor of securing pieces like Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins. But as the roster comes together, not everyone is sold on Kentucky’s new backcourt, just ask Fran Fraschilla.
I think it made no sense to go on KSR or pop up and have a press conference in the middle of recruiting. Put your head down and get to work. Kentucky is down an assistant as is. And they have 2 expiring next month, a 20-minute media session isn’t going to do much.
To his credit, Pope responded directly to fan questions on Twitter, and we gained some insight into his summer plans and how he feels others have used Kentucky in recruiting wars. But it was done only once the roster was mainly done, and while I believe there are issues (lack of perimeter shooting being chief among them), the roster is a solid, capable bunch of players who will need to come together quickly and make a team.
Last year’s team was unable to do that, partly because of injuries, and partly because the pieces just didn’t fit. Pope grabbed two point guards in Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins to avoid the same situation that happened the last two seasons. And they have remarkably similar games.
Both excel in driving, both turn it over a little too much, both are really consistent at finishing at the rim, neither really excels in setting up teammates, but both are solid in doing so. It turns out Fran Fraschilla is not a believer.
When discussing Washington star Hannes Steinbach’s NBA Draft spot, NBA analyst Nick Heintzman (and his 100ush followers) said, “Hannes Steinbach really helped himself at the combine. Established that he has enough size and athleticism to play the 4 or the 5. Has many avenues to succeed in the league. Was held back by awful Washington guards. I might have him T10.”
Heintzman clarified his stance by saying, “Thanks, Fran. To be clear, my point was that Steinbach’s offensive environment/guard play at Washington didn’t do him many favors, particularly in terms of getting him the ball in advantageous situations. Steinbach was often left to create offense through the glass, hustle plays, and transition pushes off rebounds. Zoom’s assist rate was strong, and I haven’t formed a firm opinion yet on how he’ll fare in a different context at Kentucky.”
That’s fair; no one can predict exactly how each player is going to respond in a new environment. It’s an educated guess. Fraschilla, though, added:
I watched them play in person. I love Hannes and I love Coach Sprinkle. Injuries certainly affected their team’s outcome. Diallo is a nice middle of the SEC guard. Kindest way to say it.
Comparing Zoom Diallo to last year’s SEC guard crop
Zoom Diallo had a good jump from his freshman to sophomore year at Washington. He averaged:
-15 points (48 percent from the floor, 31 percent from 3) -4 assists, 2 turnovers -4 rebounds a night
Now let’s look at the SEC point guards of last year:
Darius Acuff, Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Labaron Philon, and Tyler Tanner all scored and assisted more, so that puts 4 above him. But from there, it’s really pick your poison.
Meechie Johnson shot more and worse, Xaivian Lee shot worse and scored less while assisting nearly the same. So at worst, if he had the same season as last year, and everyone around him did as well, he probably sits no worse than 5th or 6th in the SEC.
I am a big believer in Zoom’s offensive game. He is built like a tank and can get to the free-throw line early and often. I do worry that his 3-point shot reverts to his freshman form (18 percent), and the turnovers scare me a bit. But if he can take a few steps forward in shooting and passing, he will be one of the best point guards in the SEC next year IMO.
He definitely isn’t middle of the pack unless he reverts big time. It’s just another example of hitting Mark Pope and Kentucky when they are down.
Will the Cats be able to respond on the court next season? Well, that’s the question. Looking at each position, I think Kentucky has more natural talent than it did last season. But there are question marks, as there will be with any team. It will definitely be a big help if Milan Momcilovic decides to become a Cat.
Let’s see how they look over the summer. But it doesn’t look like the media firestorm is slowing down anytime soon.
While Fran Fraschilla might see Diallo as “middle of the pack,” the stats suggest a player with a much higher ceiling, provided Pope can maximize his ability.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees walks back to the dugout after being relieved in the seventh inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Friday, May 15, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Yankees’ 2-7 road trip left a sour taste in all our mouths, the club following up a stellar stretch of play with a frustrating week and a half that saw a number of bullpen blowups and close losses. New York now trails the Rays by three games in the AL East despite pacing the American League in run differential, ERA, wRC+, and a host of other measures.
These periods of time are grating, but they happen to every team, even good ones, over the course of the season. As we wait for the Yankees to pull out of this current skid, let’s try and focus on the positives and ask: what has been the most positive development so far in 2026?
I think there are two obvious choices that will pop first into everyone’s heads, those being the play of Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler. Rice enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign, but every last piece of underlying data we had available to us from Rice’s first two seasons suggested that he was capable of even more. This year has been proof of concept, Rice leading the majors in wRC+. For almost every team in baseball, there’d be no question that a player like Rice, in his prime, blossoming into one of the finest players in the league would be the best development of the early season.
And yet, it’s possible to argue that Schlittler’s ascension is not only the most positive development of the Yankees’ season, but of any team’s campaign thus far. Somewhat similar to Rice, Schlittler had a great 2025 that hinted at even greater promise, and just like Rice, Schlittler has fulfilled that promise and then some. He’s been the AL’s best pitcher so far and, even if it’s still early, is the current favorite to take home the Cy Young award. A year ago, many Yankee fans wouldn’t have even known Schlittler’s name; now, he is the premier name to watch in the Junior Circuit.
In truth, the most positive development of this season probably has to come down to one of these two, but I do want to highlight some other positive things we’ve seen this year that were far from guarantees. It might seem strange to note Aaron Judge here, with Judge’s metronomic excellence take for granted at this point, but the fact that at age-34 he’s still producing a 172 wRC+ even while slightly underperforming some of his underlying numbers, and while also just feeling like he hasn’t even really gotten going yet, has to qualify as a positive. And, though he has yet to debut in the majors and thus we can’t yet say anything all that definitive, the fact that Gerrit Cole has progressed has far through his rehab both healthy and flashing elite velo is also a nice development for this Yankees club. Just like Judge, Cole is at an age where precipitous physical decline could be around the corner at any moment. The fact that the team’s two superstar veteran cornerstones have not fallen off an athletic cliff yet is a positive that can’t be taken for granted at this point in their careers.
What do you think? What’s been the most positive development so far out of these 2026 Yankees?
On the site today, we’ll get Michael’s recap of the week that was down on the farm for the Yankees, while Matt sums up Monday night’s American League action. Josh will wonder whether the Yankees’ apparent sense of urgency early this season will translate to the trade market, Peter’s At-bat of the Week features some good work from Anthony Volpe (!), while Jonathan profiles Gil McDougald, one of the driving forces behind the Yankees’ 1950’s dynasty.
On the 553rd Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including MSG’s plans to separate the New York Knicks and New York Rangers into independent publicly-traded companies.
MSG Sports on Monday filed a Form 10 Registration Statement with the SEC, the latest step in its plan to spin off its NHL team from its NBA team. The push comes amid an open question about how the public markets value both franchises. MSG Sports, which currently houses both teams and their minor league affiliates, has a market cap of about $8.5 billion, while Sportico values the Knicks and Rangers alone at a combined $13.5 billion.
The hosts also debate what this might mean for the future of the two franchises. This restructuring would make it easier to take on minority investment in either team. It also might also make it easier to sell the Knicks or the Rangers, and a change to the federal tax code is impacting one team a lot more than the other.
Next, the hosts talk about a work stoppage on the Long Island Rail Road, the country’s largest commuter rail system. The shutdown started on the weekend of a Mets-Yankees subway series, and with the Knicks set to host Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night. They discuss how much added leverage the unions may receive via frustrated sports fans.
Next they talk about the potential relocation of Gotham FC, which is in advanced talks to move from New Jersey to the new NYCFC stadium in Queens in 2028. It’s a move that will impact many Gotham fans, and could be a nod toward the continued expansion of the league.
They close by talking about the upheaval in youth and college hockey.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
Victor Wembanyama made no secret of it: He wanted to win the Most Valuable Player award. He made his case to the media, based on his defensive impact and scoring.
Then, before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, he got to watch Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get handed that MVP trophy by Adam Silver.
"(Wembanyama is) competitive. If you're a competitor and you see another competitor get rewarded with what you want... we all get motivated by different things," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "As a competitive person, that would be my approach and perspective."
For the next 58 minutes on the court after the award was handed out, Wembanyama made the case that it's time to pass him the torch — not the MVP trophy, but the mythical "best player in the world" award. He lifted his young team to a double OT win, 122-115, and a 1-0 series lead. "The best player in the f****** world," Spurs guard Stephon Castle said of Wembanyama in an interview on NBC.
For the past few years, the conventional wisdom has been that Denver's Nikola Jokic is the best player walking the face of the earth — and with good reason, we've never seen a player like him. However, in the last couple of seasons, Gilgeous-Alexander has staked his claim for that mythical award: Two MVP awards, an NBA title, a Finals Most Valuable Player, and SGA has been a better defender, too.
Wembanyama took over that narrative with one epic game on Monday night.
He scored 41 points on 14-of-25 shooting, grabbed 24 rebounds, blocked three shots and either altered or made Thunder players reconsider taking a shot more times than we could count. Wembanyama made just one 3-pointer all game, but there wouldn't have been a second OT without his shot from the logo.
WEMBY PULLS UP FROM THE PARKING LOT TO TIE THE GAME! WHAT A SHOT!!!
In the second overtime, Wembanyama got a second wind, scoring 9 points, blocking a shot, and just taking over the game. Wembanyama was clearly the best player on the court. Did seeing the MVP trophy get handed out motivate the 22-year-old Frenchman?
"I've still got a lot to learn," Wembanyama said, via the Associated Press. "And I want to get that trophy many times in my career."
So is Wembanyama the best player in the world?
"The world is 8 billion people," Wembanyama said. "That's 8 billion opinions."
Wembanyama made his statement in a game where Gilgeous-Alexander did not look like an MVP much of the night. The San Antonio defense bottled him up. The Spurs learned from the Lakers' relative success in the last round and double-teamed SGA, forcing him to give up the ball. The result was that through three quarters Monday night, SGA had just 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
The problem for the Thunder was that when the Lakers did that, other players like Ajay Mitchell and Chet Holmgren stepped up. On Monday, Holmgren and Mitchel combined for 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting. The only other Thunder player who stepped up was Alex Caruso, who had 31 on the night, plus made a number of critical defensive plays. Gilgeous-Alexander did better when the game got tight, stepping up in the fourth quarter and two overtimes with 14 points and six assists on 4-of-13 shooting.
In that same window, Wembanyama was just better — 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting with 11 rebounds and two blocks. Wembanyama was the best player on the floor and San Antonio now leads the series 1-0 — if the Spurs just win only their home games the rest of the playoffs, they will be NBA champions. However all that plays out, Wembanyama has made his statement — he's the best player in the world. Right now. At age 22, while he is still experimenting on the court and figuring everything out.
