NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2026

by | May 9, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 9, 2026

What options do the Sharks, Jets, Panthers, Devils, and Penguins have with their first-round picks in this year’s draft? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus wondered what the San Jose Sharks might do with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft.

The lack of quality depth in this summer’s unrestricted free agent market could create more activity in the trade market.

Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson (NHL Images).

Lazerus mused over whether the Dallas Stars might be willing to part with Jason Robertson for the Sharks’ first-rounder. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. If unable to re-sign Robertson, swapping him for the second-overall pick would give the Stars the chance to replenish their prospect pool.

If Robertson isn’t available, Lazerus suggested looking into the availability of St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas or Toronto Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies. He also wondered if Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse might be available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman would be thrilled to get the second-overall pick in this year’s draft for Nurse. However, the latter has a full no-movement clause, and his declining performance won’t make him enticing for the Sharks.

SPORTSNET: Ryan Dixon believes Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff must consider all his options with his first-round pick (eighth overall) in this year’s draft.

It’s rare for a top-10 draft pick to be moved ahead of the draft. However, the Jets have a long-running need for a reliable second-line center. Given their high aspirations to become a Stanley Cup contender, it would make sense to see what their pick might fetch in this summer’s trade market.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dixon expects Cheveldayoff to retain that pick and use it to select a promising young player who could help the Jets down the road. Still, one has to believe that he would be intrigued if he got a solid offer for that pick.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: George Richards pondered the possibility of the Panthers using their first-round pick (ninth overall) to bolster their current roster.

Richards reports there’s speculation that Panthers GM Bill Zito could use that pick as trade capital. He pointed out that Zito has traded every first-round pick since selecting Mackie Samoskevich in 2021. The Panthers won’t have another first-rounder again until 2029.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers remain in “win-now” mode and could move that pick for an established player who would provide an immediate, significant boost to their roster. However, Richards would not be surprised if Zito retains that pick. He envisioned a scenario in which the Panthers GM bundles his first-rounder with a couple of second-rounders to move up in the draft order.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols believes the Devils should use their 2026 first-rounder (12th overall) to pursue a scoring forward. Their 2.76 goals-per-game average ranked 27th overall this season.

Nicholls’ suggested trade targets include Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, and Alex DeBrincat of the Detroit Red Wings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kyrou might be the only player on this list who might be available in this summer’s trade market. However, that depends on whether he’ll waive his full no-trade clause.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Kelsey Surmacz wondered if this would be the summer when the Pittsburgh Penguins would trade their first-round pick. They hold the 22nd-overall pick, which they could use as a trade chip to add a young NHL-ready player.

Surmacz noted that there are some opportunities in this summer’s trade market. She believes the Dallas Stars will find a way to re-sign RFA winger Jason Robertson, but that could expose other high-upside players such as defenseman Thomas Harley or center Mavrik Bourque.

There’s uncertainty about Auston Matthews’ future with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Even if he’s unavailable, Matthew Knies or Nick Robertson might be trade possibilities.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bourque and Nick Robertson seem more likely to be available than Harley or Knies. Regardless, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas could be open to moving his first-rounder if a suitable young player becomes obtainable in this summer’s trade market.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2026

by | May 9, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2026

Mitch Marner nets a hat trick as the Golden Knights regain the series lead over the Ducks, the Canadiens defeat the Sabres to tie their second-round series, the Hart Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Mitch Marner’s first NHL postseason hat trick powered the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of their second-round series. Marner finished with four points while Brett Howden and Shea Theodore each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Knights, who hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Beckett Sennecke and Chris Kreider scored for the Ducks, who pulled starting goalie Lukas Dostal following the first period after he gave up three goals on eight shots.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Game 4 of this series is Sunday in Anaheim at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is silencing critics of his playoff performances during his years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He currently leads all scorers with 13 points. Meanwhile, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left this game after suffering a lower-body injury during the first period. There was no post-game update regarding his status.

The Ducks’ power play was a crucial factor in their first-round elimination of the Edmonton Oilers. However, they’ve been held scoreless by the Golden Knights’ penalty killers through the first three games of this series.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 in Game 2 of their second-round series. Alex Newhook scored twice, Mike Matheson netted what proved to be the winning goal, and Jakub Dobes stopped 28 shots for the Canadiens as they tied the series at a game apiece. Zach Benson replied for the Sabres.

This series shifts to Montreal for the next two games, with Game 3 on Sunday at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the Canadiens’ best game of this postseason. The lessons they learned in their first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning were on display in this contest. They did a superb job shutting down the Sabres’ scorers, especially on the power play. The Habs also dominated in the faceoff circle.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid are this year’s finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy. This award is given annually to the player voted most valuable to his team by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are previous winners of the Hart. McDavid has taken home the award three times, Kucherov won in 2018-19, and MacKinnon was the winner in 2023-24.

McDavid will likely win it again this year. My vote (if I had one) would’ve been for Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks. The sophomore center kept his rebuilding club in the playoff chase until the final two weeks of the regular season. Maybe Celebrini would’ve gotten a nod had the Sharks qualified for the postseason. Don’t be shocked if he’s a Hart finalist next season.

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille profiled Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, 37, who continues to be the club’s leader, conscience, and defensive backbone as they attempt to sweep their second straight series in this postseason. The Hurricanes hold a 3-0 series lead over the Philadelphia Flyers and can wrap it up in Game 4 on Saturday.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers forward Trevor Zegras believes his underdog club can avoid being swept by the Hurricanes and win this series. He pointed out how they overcame the odds and confounded the experts to qualify for the postseason and eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins from the first round.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild need better goaltending and penalty killing if they hope to overcome a 2-0 series deficit to defeat the Colorado Avalanche in their second-round series. Games 3 and 4 of this series will be in front of the Wild’s fans in Minnesota.

COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson travelled with his teammates to Minnesota for Game 3. He’s missed the last three games with an upper-body injury.

THE ATHLETIC: Chicago Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard is poised to receive a lucrative long-term contract. The 20-year-old center is coming off his entry-level contract. He lacks arbitration rights, but his status as the Blackhawks’ franchise player gives him considerable leverage in contract discussions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bedard could try for the league’s maximum average annual value ($20.8 million), but I doubt he’ll go that high with his asking price. Given his value to the Blackhawks, he could end up with around $15.5 million annually.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: New York Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock has undergone shoulder surgery. He’s expected to be ready for training camp in September.

HOCKEY 24/7: Canada released its preliminary roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championship. Notable stars include San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas, Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares, and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

by | May 8, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2026

Check out the latest on the Oilers, Senators, and Bruins in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE BIG CHANGES COMING FOR THE OILERS?

SPORTSNET: NHL insider Frank Seravalli believes changes are coming for the Edmonton Oilers this summer. He doesn’t know if those changes will occur on the backs of listening to their superstars (Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), but he felt that management “heard them loud and clear”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid and Draisaitl were publicly critical of the Oilers’ performance this season. McDavid felt the club was “average with high expectations”, and Draisaitl said they took significant steps backward this season.

Seravalli believes head coach Kris Knoblauch and his staff will be sent packing. He also felt there would be changes in the front office and wondered how the Oilers would go about rejigging their roster.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

He mused about whether they can find a team willing to take defenseman Darnell Nurse off their hands and what type of sweetener would have to be included in the deal. They must also find a goaltender.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nurse must agree to waive his no-movement clause. If he does, it’ll likely be for a limited number of teams, most of whom will want the Oilers to retain part of his $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit, or take back a toxic contract, or package Nurse with a high draft pick or a top prospect.

Finding a goaltender will also be a daunting challenge. There are netminders available in free agency, but they’re either starters who are past their prime or backup goalies. The Oilers need a reliable starter, which could send them into the trade market, but the pickings there will also be slim.

WILL THE SENATORS PURSUE A FORWARD THROUGH TRADE OR FREE AGENCY?

OTTAWA SUN: In a recent mailbag segment, Callum Fraser was asked what it would take for the Senators to add a top-six winger to center Tim Stutzle’s line.

Fraser doesn’t see the Senators dangling top prospect Carter Yakemchuk. Prospect defenseman Lance Hensler’s stock is lower than Ottawa would like right now, and they don’t have a high first-rounder to leverage, plus that pick isn’t movable until it becomes a prospect. That means they’ll have to move a roster player or two.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That roster player could be Dylan Cozens, who lacks no-trade protection. However, he carries an AAV of $7.1 million. Rival clubs would love to land Shane Pinto. He’s starting a new long-term deal in July with an AAV of $7.5 million, but the Senators might be reluctant to part with him.

Fabian Zetterlund could be another trade candidate. He has a more affordable $4.275 million AAV, but he’s struggled to regain his 24-goal career-best performance of 2023-24.

The Senators could also turn to the free-agent market to add more depth among their forward lines. Potential UFA options could include A.J. Greer, Mason Marchment, Ilya Mikheyev, Erik Haula, and Jack Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchment would provide physicality, which would take part of the burden off team captain Brady Tkachuk. He’s put up decent offensive numbers over the past three seasons, but he also takes costly penalties. Roslovic is a three-time 20-plus goal scorer, but his production tends to be streaky.

COULD THE BRUINS MOVE A DEFENSEMAN?

THE ATHLETIC: Fluto Shinzawa reports the Boston Bruins have all but two of their roster defensemen under contract for next season. Andrew Peeke is UFA-eligible on July 1, while Jordan Harris is a restricted free agent.

However, that doesn’t mean that all of those blueliners under contract will be back next season.

Shinzawa believes Mason Lohrei has an uncertain future in Boston. GM Don Sweeney praised the 25-year-old blueliner’s improvement alongside Hampus Lindholm. However, he finished the season as a healthy scratch.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lohrei might be packaged in a trade deal to bring in a player who can address other roster needs.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2026

by | May 8, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 8, 2026

The Hurricanes push the Flyers to the brink of elimination, the Norris Trophy finalists are announced, and the latest on Cole Caufield, Jason Robertson, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Carolina Hurricanes took a commanding 3-0 lead in their second-round series with the Philadelphia Flyers following their 4-1 victory in Game 3. Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and an assist while Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Martinook each had two assists for the Hurricanes, who can complete the sweep during Game 4 on Saturday at 6 pm ET. Trevor Zegras replied for the Flyers.

Carolina Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes are poised to sweep their second straight series in this postseason. This is a deeper, more determined club compared to the recent past.

The Flyers’ performance has improved since their lopsided loss in Game 1. However, they are still struggling to contain Carolina’s offensive depth and to break through the Hurricanes’ defense, especially on the power play. Frederik Andersen continues to provide superb goaltending for the Hurricanes.

NHL.COM: Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets are the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy as this season’s top defenseman, as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Werenski is considered the favorite to win the Norris, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Makar wins it for the third time. This is the sixth straight season that the Avalanche blueliner has been a finalist for this award.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield acknowledged that his production in this postseason is not where it needs to be. A 51-goal scorer in the regular season, the 25-year-old Caufield has only scored once thus far, and that came on the power play.

Caufield said he expects more of himself and will continue to try to improve. He insists that he hasn’t lost confidence in his scoring ability. “There’s no worries here,” Caufield said. “I’m just going to try and continue to work harder.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canadiens’ first line of Caufield, center Nick Suzuki, and winger Juraj Slafkovsky were mostly contained in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning, especially at even strength. However, they could have better luck in this series against the Sabres, as they had more scoring chances in Game 1 than in most of their games against the Lightning.

A Montreal pundit suggested the 5-foot-8, 175-pound Caufield might not be cut out for the playoffs, but a quick peek at his previous playoff stats indicates otherwise. In the 2021 playoffs, when Caufield still hadn’t played in his first full rookie season, he was third among their scorers with 12 points in 20 games, including four goals and nine even-strength points. Last year, he had a team-leading three goals in five games and ranked second with four points, half of which came at 5-on-5.

THE ATHLETIC: The second-round series between the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights is tied at one apiece. However, Jesse Granger believes the Golden Knights’ struggles to keep up with the speedy Ducks are a real concern that could tilt the series in the latter’s favor.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars general manager Jim Nill has made signing Jason Robertson to a contract extension his top priority. The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, completing a four-year deal with an average annual value of $7.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Nill hopes to get Robertson signed “sooner than later”, but that will be an expensive undertaking. He could seek a long-term deal comparable to teammate Mikko Rantanen’s eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million AAV). Meanwhile, the Stars have just over $11 million in projected salary-cap space for 2026-27.

Speaking of Rantanen, he tore his MCL during the Winter Olympics playing for Finland. He was sidelined for a month, but the injury still hampered his performance during the Stars’ first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Rantanen will not require surgery to repair the injury.

DAILY FACEOFF: Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov is healthy, thriving, and looking forward to chasing a gold medal with Finland in the upcoming IIHF World Championship. Barkov missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a knee injury in training camp last September.

TSN: Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll are part of Team USA’s preliminary roster for the 2026 World Championship. Detroit Red Wings defenseman Justin Faulk, Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley, Washington Capitals forward Ryan Leonard, and Boston Bruins center James Hagens are among the notables who are also on that roster.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins signed forward Connor Dewar to a two-year contract extension ($2.25 million AAV) and defenseman Ilya Solovyov to a one-year deal worth $850,000.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

by | May 7, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 7, 2026

Who could the Oilers pursue in this summer’s trade market? What could the Sharks do with the second-overall pick in this year’s draft? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHO COULD THE OILERS TARGET IN THIS SUMMER’S TRADE MARKET?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson wondered how the Oilers would resolve their goaltending situation.

Struggling starter Tristan Jarry has two more seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5.385 million. Backup goalies Connor Ingram and Calvin Pickard are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Ingram could be an affordable re-signing for the Oilers.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (NHL Images).

Matheson believes it would be difficult for the Oilers to move Jarry unless they include a high draft pick in the deal or take a bad contract in return. If they do move on from Jarry, Matheson suggested Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild, or Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights as trade targets.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It wouldn’t hurt to inquire into the availability of those goaltenders. However, it sounds like Binnington will be back with the Blues next season. Gustavsson has a full no-movement clause and could be unwilling to play for the Oilers. Hill has a 10-team no-trade list, but he also carries an AAV ($6.25 million) that would be too expensive for the Oilers to carry, especially if they’re looking at improving other areas of their roster.

Matheson’s colleague, David Staples, mentioned Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggesting the Oilers could stick with Jarry but could also make a trade with an NHL team that has deep prospect goalie depth.

Stauffer mentioned an Eastern Conference team that has “four pretty good goaltenders in their system right now.” He declined to name the team, but Staples believes he was referring to the Detroit Red Wings, listing prospect netminders Sebastian Cossa, Trey Augustine, Michal Postava, and Carter Gylander.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Staple that Stauffer was likely referring to the Red Wings. They might not part with Cossa or Augustine, but Postava and Gylander could be available. I’d love to see the feedback from Red Wings fans on this. Feel free to weigh in on this in the comments section.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell suggested some potential trade targets for the Oilers this season. He suggested targeting Colorado Avalanche netminder Mackenzie Blackwood, who has been outplayed this season by Scott Wedgewood.

Mitchell also suggested some options to improve the Oilers offense. He proposed looking into the availability of St. Louis Blues winger Jordan Kyrou and Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Blackwood would be an interesting alternative if Binnington, Gustavsson, or Hill were unavailable to the Oilers. He’s in the first season of a five-year contract with an AAV of $5.25 million and a six-team no-trade list. Blackwood might be easier to obtain, but his cap hit could still be a concern.

Kyrou and Tippett have frequently appeared in trade rumors this season. Of the two, Kyrou would be more expensive ($8.125 million AAV) and probably unobtainable given his full no-trade clause.

Tippett is more affordable (but still expensive) at $6.2 million annually, and perhaps easier to obtain as his 10-team no-trade clause doesn’t begin until July 1. However, the Flyers seem reluctant to part with him.

THE MERCURY NEWS: Curtis Pashelka examined the options facing the San Jose Sharks after they landed the second-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs take winger Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick, the Sharks could select forward Ivar Stenberg, a high-end center such as Caleb Malhotra, or a defenseman like Chase Reid or Keaton Verhoeff.

With the Sharks hoping to challenge for a playoff berth next season, general manager Mike Grier could shop that pick for more immediate roster help. Grier is open to moving that pick, but Pashelka believes his asking price will be steep.

Pashelka suggested Grier could also retain the No. 1 pick, select a winger like Stenberg, and peddle winger William Eklund, who lacks no-trade protection in his contract.

Grier could hang onto the pick and get another high-end talent in the draft. It could be the last time for a while that they’ll be this high in the draft order again.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Sheng Peng reports it’s no secret that the Sharks must upgrade their defense corps this summer.

Veteran Dmitry Orlov and 19-year-old Sam Dickinson are the only Sharks blueliners under contract for next season. Restricted free agent Shakir Mukhamadullin could be back, as could a pending unrestricted free agent such as Mario Ferraro or Vincent Desharnais.

Peng suggested Grier could attempt to add a defenseman via this summer’s UFA market, since it wouldn’t cost any of his promising young players.

Options could include Darryn Raddysh of the Tampa Bay Lightning, John Carlson and Jacob Trouba of the Anaheim Ducks, and Rasmus Andersson of the Vegas Golden Knights.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Andersson will likely be re-signing with the Golden Knights. It’s believed they’re waiting until July 1, when they will be cap-compliant, to announce the signing.

Grier could also test the trade market. Potential targets could include Simon Nemec of the New Jersey Devils, Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks, Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers, Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dougie Hamilton of the Devils.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If the Devils can move Hamilton, they’ll likely re-sign Nemec. Hamilton reportedly rejected a trade to the Sharks last summer, so it’s unlikely he’ll have changed his mind. The Canucks will likely hang onto Hronek.

Nurse and Rielly are veteran blueliners in decline. They might improve with a change of scenery, but that could be an expensive gamble not worth taking.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2026

by | May 7, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2026

The Sabres take the opening game of their series with the Canadiens, the Ducks even their series with the Golden Knights, the Selke Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Early goals by Josh Doan and Ryan McLeod powered the Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Doan and McLeod each finished with two points, Jordan Greenway tallied the game-winner, Zach Benson collected two assists, and Alex Lyon stopped 26 shots for the Sabres. Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach replied for the Canadiens. Game 2 of this series is on Friday in Buffalo at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres did an excellent job capitalizing on the Canadiens’ early mistakes in this game. Benson is emerging as a reliable playoff performer for the Sabres.

The Canadiens had difficulty at times adjusting to the Sabres’ speed and offensive play after coming off a tight-checking series with the Tampa Bay Lightning. They’re still not getting even-strength offense from their top line of Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (NHL Images)

The Anaheim Ducks tied their series with the Vegas Golden Knights at a game apiece with a 3-1 win in Game 2. Lukas Dostal made 21 saves while Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson, and Jansen Harkins scored for the Ducks. Mark Stone tallied in the final seconds for the Golden Knights. The series shifts to Anaheim for Games 3 and 4.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks used their speed at both ends of the ice to bounce back from their Game 1 loss. They also did a good job killing off five penalties. Dostal shook off his shaky performance in the opening game and was solid throughout this contest.

NHL.COM: Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, and Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens are the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league’s top defensive forward as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three are worthy candidates. Suzuki is considered the favorite to win the award this season.

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the NHL officially informed teams that the salary cap for 2026-27 will be $104 million. That is an increase of $8.5 million over this season’s $95.5 million cap.

The salary cap minimum will be $76.9 million, and the midpoint $90.4 million. The maximum salary for individual contracts will be $20.8 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The league is confirming its 2026-27 cap projection from last year. The cap for 2027-28 is projected to reach $113.5 million.

This will provide teams with another significant annual boost to the salary-cap payroll. However, not every club will spend to that ceiling. Some clubs (usually the rebuilding ones) will be closer to the cap floor.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: A lower-body injury will sideline Flyers center Noah Cates for the remainder of his club’s second-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes. Cates suffered the injury during Game 2.

Flyers center Christian Dvorak is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

RATINGS.ORG: Marco D’Amico reports University of Michigan center Adam Valentini could be a sleeper pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 5’9”, 190-pounder had 27 points in 40 games this season.

Valentini, 18, is projected to be selected in the second round or later. His speed, two-way play, and work ethic have Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato comparing him to Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand.