NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 5, 2026
The Hurricanes take a 2-0 series lead over the Flyers, the Golden Knights take Game 1 of their second-round series with the Ducks, the Masterton Trophy finalists are announced, the 2026 Draft Lottery will be held Tuesday evening, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
RECAPPING MONDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES
NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall scored his first NHL overtime playoff goal to give his club a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series. The Flyers took an early 2-0 lead on goals by Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier, but the Hurricanes rallied as Nikolaj Ehlers and Seth Jarvis scored to send the game to overtime. Frederik Andersen stopped 34 shots for the Hurricanes, who hold a 2-0 lead as this series shifts to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4. Dan Vladar made 40 saves for the Flyers.
Carolina Hurricanes winger Taylor Hall (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers had a much better effort in this game compared to the series opener, but they couldn’t build on their lead or shut down Carolina’s offense. Once again, it was the second line of Hall, Jackson Blake, and Logan Stankoven that made the difference for the Hurricanes. Speaking of Stankoven, this was the first game in this postseason that he was held off the score sheet.
Game 3 of this series is Thursday at 8 pm ET.
A controversial tie-breaking goal by Ivan Barbashev gave the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of their second-round series. Barbashev’s goal came moments after a linesman waived off what appeared to be an icing call, infuriating Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville, who pleaded his case with the officials to no avail. Brett Howden extended his goal streak to four games while Mitch Marner had an empty-netter for the Golden Knights. Mikael Granlund replied for the Ducks. Game 2 of this series is on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game saw Golden Knights center William Karlsson’s postseason debut after being sidelined since November with a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon is expected to miss this series with an undisclosed injury suffered during his club’s series-clinching win over the Utah Mammoth last Friday.
HEADLINES
NHL.COM: Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres, Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, and Jonathan Toews of the Winnipeg Jets are the finalists for the 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 6, in real time starting at 7 pm ET at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. It will involve the 16 teams that failed to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, and New York Rangers have the best odds of winning the lottery based on their position in the standings at the end of this season.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team that sits lower in the order can move up 10 places if they win the lottery. However, only those sitting among the top 11 seeds can win the first overall pick.
Last year, the New York Islanders won the lottery despite having the 10th-best odds of doing so. They used that pick to select defenseman Mathieu Schaefer in the 2025 Draft. Schaefer had an immediate positive impact with the Islanders this season and is considered the favorite to win the 2026 Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year.
TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs formally introduced Mats Sundin and John Chayka as their new management team. Sundin is the Leafs new senior executive advisor of hockey operations, while Chayka is their new general manager.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Maple Leafs ownership was already facing criticism from pundits and fans in Leafs Nation for these hirings before the introductions were made.
Sundin is a former captain of the Leafs and among the greatest players in franchise history, but he’s never held a management position before, and his role as a “senior executive advisor” suggests he won’t have a direct role in hockey ops decisions.
Most of the criticism was leveled at Chayka. His checkered past as GM of the Arizona Coyotes has many observers questioning Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment honcho Keith Pelley about the vetting process involved in Chayka’s hiring.
It led to an awkward moment when Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons directly challenged Pelley and Chayka, citing anonymous league sources critical of the latter’s previous experience with the Coyotes. Pelley insisted that the Leafs conducted their due diligence, while Chayka sidestepped questions about his complicated past.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that “at least one team” raised a tampering concern with the league, claiming that employees under contract may have been contacted by the Maple Leafs without proper permission. However, the league looked into the matter and found the complaint to be unsubstantiated. Seravalli stated that a Maple Leafs spokesman declined to comment but acknowledged the interaction with the league.
OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Ridly Greig will miss the first two games of the 2026-27 season for sucker-punching Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker during Game 4 of the first-round series between the two clubs.
D MAGAZINE: Robert Tiffin reports Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen said he tore an oblique muscle during the Apr. 9 regular-season game against the Minnesota Wild. He said the injury was slowly improving with each game, and he expects he’ll be fully healthy over the summer.
BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres center Sam Carrick (upper-body injury) might be available for his club’s upcoming second-round series with the Montreal Canadiens after all. He was initially considered unavailable, but is further along in his recovery than expected.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils forwards Nico Hischier and Timo Meier will play for Switzerland in the upcoming 2026 IIHF World Championship.
DAILY FACEOFF: Former NHL defenseman Korbinian Holzer has retired. He played in 206 NHL games from 2010-11 to 2019-20 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, and Nashville Predators, finishing with six goals and 27 points. Holzer spent the past six seasons playing in Russia, Germany, and Austria.
The mystery of Victor Hedman’s absence is revealed by Hedman:
“Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health. It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.
I’ve been fortunate to have strong support from my family, my teammates and the organization, my therapist and I’m in a much better place today.”
Wow, too bad these things happen at such critical times. Get well Victor!
Thankfully he says he’s getting better. Hopefully he’ll be back to good health by training camp. He’s been one of the games best defensemen for years now.
That was a game the Flyers should have won. TK high & wide on a breakaway? He had not been one of their best players. Not even close.
If the Flyers can make a comeback, it starts with ALL the veterans especially.
Maybe TK needs to sit in MM39’s seat in the rafters for a game or 2.
This Carolina-Philadelphia series is beginning to look eerily like the Caraolina-Ottawa series.
In the first 2 games at home against Ottawa, the Hurricanes won by a SO – 2-0 – followed by a 3-2 win in OT.
In the first 2 games of this series, Carolina won by a SO – 3-0 – followed by a 3-2 win in OT.
Flyers had this game but could not close the deal. Canes took advantage of that mistake!
Marner was the difference in game 1! Big loss for the Leafs gets bigger!
Shhhh, Johnny Z – you’ll rattle some touchy nerves.
👍😁
At least we are not worried about Marner’s golf game!
I get in trouble every time I mention that he was ran out of town.
Toronto St Pats, the only ones who give you grief on that score are the more thin-skinned types whose undying motto is “my team right or wrong” and who only ever want to hear positives and never, ever, what they should hear.
Of course Marner was ”run out of town” as a result of the somewhat locally unique media/fan phenomenon known as “the death of a thousand cuts” which makes their environment “toxic.” For example, following the 2025 playoff exit, he and his family were subjected to (documented) intense harassment which even led to the online revelation of his home address, requiring the necessity for on-site security! Darren Ferris, his agent, described him as “a convenient whipping boy for media and fan frustration.”
And if that sounds familiar, it should. The same thing more or less happened with D-man Larry Murphy who, during his time there from 1995 to1997, also had to endure relentless and often intense and loud fan booing and talk-radio insults, All he did was go elsewhere and eventually play his way into the Hal Of Fame! Then there was Phil Kessell who, in spite of his being a consistent point-per-game player, was also heavily criticized by media and booed mercilessly by fans before being dealt to the Penguins with whom he went on to win two Cups.
Another was Nazem Kadri – although in his case he remained a fan favourite throughout. The reason for his departure was his “intensity” which led to 2 straight playoff suspensions, deemed “very costly” by a now long-departed management structure. They decided to get rid of him rather than try to get him to tone down some of his aggressiveness. He was dealt to Colorado in the summer of 2019 with Calle Rosen and a 2020 3rd-round pick for Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot, and a 2020 6th-rounder. Where his “intensity” helped produce a Cup.
Been reading that Matthew’s isn’t sure he will be back with Leafs ? Must mean he wants out can’t see them saying we’re done with you but who knows with Chayka.
Maybe he needs a long chat with Sundin – their new Senior Executive Advisor Of Hockey Operations.
Then again, as George McGovern once observed “the longer the title, the less important the job.”
Who knows what Matthews is thinking or how patient he is. But he ain’t stupid and has seen first hand what we all see in Toronto from afar.
Plus what are the Leafs thinking? He will be coming off a serious injury, one that he will likely be back from to start the season. But, will he be 100%? Probably not until the 2nd half of the season. These things take a while to fully recover from.
Plus his production has been down 2 years in a row. I’m guessing here, but he had other injuries as well. Flew off to Germany for one of them. Shoulder/back and wrist. And a big part of his game is shooting the puck, maybe the biggest part of his game.
Seems like a guy who has paid the physical price and it has impacted his ability to produce. But what do I know.
So what does that mean for the return when you combine it with a full NMC? So is now the time to have the chat with him and look at making the move, or wait, or try to improve and keep him?
If the Leafs draft in the top 5 then what? What if they win the lotto? If they fall back (here’s hoping!)
If folks are tired of Leaf news dominating the coverage in Canada, just wait, it won’t be less that is for sure.
Interesting times in Leaf land.
Ray, “May you live in interesting times” is a long-used sort of “ironic curse” to wish trouble, chaos, and upheaval upon someone or some entity, often falsely attributed to an ancient Chinese proverb and more likely originating in 19th century British political circles.
Who knows, maybe someone like Harold Ballard pissed off the descendants of Lord Stanley, Lady Byng or Edward VIII, The Prince Of Wales.
Ya George, Ballard was a piece or work wasn’t he?
Can you imagine him in todays media environment? Crazy.
I think the pressure in that town is driving bad decisions. Huge rabid fan base, which drives more intense media coverage, combined with a long cup drought and very little playoff success of late.
Result is a team that can’t be patient, or refuses to because of above. Montreal is a pretty darn intense place to play and they haven’t buckled to the pressure. At least not yet. Sticking to the plan.
Is that because the fans their get it, or that Gorton and Hughes just refuse to cave in to that pressure?
Or is it because ownership lets them? Because they have 20+ cups so they get some grace and trust from the fans?
I dunno, I have way more questions than answers. All I know for sure is that it hasn’t worked and that presser yesterday didn’t inspire confidence.
Maybe Chayka was the only guy who wanted the job?
Nah, somebody else would have. They can pay more than anyone if they want to.
Tulsky was wise to lock up Blake and Stankoven for 8 years at the beginning of the season. They were both in the final year of their contracts. He also signed Taylor Hall for 3 years at $3,166,667. It will cost Carolina about 14.3 million for that line next season.
Well at least the way Carolina is handling the Flyers, I feel less bad about how round one went with Ottawa… even though I do believe the Senators are a better team than Philly.
If the Hurricanes suddenly fell flat in the second round, I would be more ticked off at the Sens.
RB
“I think the pressure in that town is driving bad decisions. Huge rabid fan base, which drives more intense media coverage, combined with a long cup drought and very little playoff success of late.”
Sounds sensible but it’s lipstick on a pig.
You won’t a more rabid fan base than Montreal pumped up over the years with language and politics on top of hockey being a religion.
Heck the Montreal Canadiens are mentioned in religious terms.
The difference is ownership and management, there was one bad owner in Montreal George Gillett who had the team for 8 years.
Fortunately Molson maintained the right of first refusal and bought the team back.
The Molson’s were always good owners and it’s Geoff Molson doing a great job since.
TML was depleted and run down by Harold Ballard, an owner who made every bad hockey decision possible.
Vanilla corporate ownership has owned the TML since then who at least try to put a good team on the ice and has had regular season success while milking every penny and finding “success” in the media cash cow.
you are not wrong. I get so much friction and even anger on the west coast not because I am anti-Habs… but because I quite honestly let people know I do not care at all whether they win or lose.
It’s actually weird haha.
habsfan30: I have to correct your take about George Gillett. He was not a “bad owner”. He bought the club when few were willing to step up and do so. Under his ownership, the club’s finances improved. He was respectful of the team’s history and of its fans. He never meddled in management decisions and didn’t drive players away. During his period of ownership (2001 to 2008), the Canadiens made the playoffs four of the six seasons.
Granted, the Canadiens weren’t great during that period, but they weren’t terrible either. They certainly didn’t go through the lengthy troughs of despair like the Leafs did.
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/george-gillett-jr-helped-turn-canadiens-into-a-billion-dollar-team/
Not sure what you mean by lipstick on a pig HF30.
Guessing what you mean is the pressure is just an excuse, and if so we agree. It’s still a choice after all.
RB,
That’s exactly what I meant.
Lyle,
There are 15 jersey numbers retired and Gillett retired 7 of them. He was a marketing guy milking the franchise for all he could, making the money on the entertainment side, booking out the Bell Centre.
Maybe I’m alone in my thoughts on Gillett but I saw him as a carny, a barker, another carpetbagger like Loria.
You don’t like Gillett, fine. But comparing him to Loria is insulting. Loria destroyed the Expos, deliberately shipping out the star talent, undermining broadcasting negotiations, and setting the club up to be relocated. Gillett did nothing of the sort. As I said before, I improved the team’s finances, and was respectful of the franchise’s history and the fans. The Canadiens also made the playoffs in most of the seasons that he owned them, and never meddled in management’s efforts to build and maintain the roster.