NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2026

by | May 4, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2026

The Canadiens advance to the second round, the Avalanche draw first blood in their second-round series against the Wild, the Maple Leafs hire Mats Sundin and John Chayka, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SUNDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Montreal Canadiens nipped the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 to win Game 7 of their first-round series to advance to the second round. Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored, and Jakub Dobes made 28 saves for the Canadiens, who set a playoff record for the fewest shots on goal (nine!) in a playoff win. Dominic James netted the only goal for the Lightning.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (NHL Images).

The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round starting on Wednesday, May 6, in Buffalo.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That was perhaps the ugliest performance by a winning team in a Game 7 situation that I’ve ever seen. It’s certainly the ugliest I’ve seen by the Canadiens, and I’ve been watching them since 1971.

The Canadiens were the better team for most of this series, but the Lightning dominated them in this contest. Dobes was the difference with a goaltending performance that ranks among the very best in franchise history. Their blueline got a boost with the return of Noah Dobson, who’d miss the first six games with an injured thumb.

Luck was also on the Canadiens’ side in this game. Both goals were flukes, with Suzuki’s puck tip deflecting off Lightning defenseman JJ Moser, and Newhook’s whack at a bouncing puck going into the net off the pants of Bolts goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Nevertheless, the Canadiens’ skill, speed, hard work, and physical play during the first six games put them in a position to win Game 7. It wasn’t pretty, and the bounces went their way, but Dobes’ goaltending got them over the finish line and into the second round for the first time in five years.

The Colorado Avalanche drew first blood in their second-round series with the Minnesota Wild with a 9-6 victory in Game 1. Cale Makar scored twice and collected an assist, Devon Toews had a goal and three assists, Nathan MacKinnon tallied a goal and two assists, and Martin Necas collected three assists for the Avalanche, who blew an early 3-0 lead before finally pulling away for the win in the third period. Quinn Hughes had a goal and two assists for the Wild. Game 2 of this series is Tuesday, May 5, in Denver.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was ’80s night in Denver, as this resembled one of those high-scoring postseason tilts from 40 years ago. The Avalanche seemed on the verge of rolling to an easy win, but the Wild pushed back, with the score knotted at 5-5 after two periods. Hughes’ performance moved him into first place among this year’s postseason scorers with 11 points.

This high-scoring game was entertaining, but don’t expect to see more like this as this series goes on. Both clubs will likely improve their defensive play after this.

Both teams were missing key players from their lineup. Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson remains sidelined with an upper-body injury. Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek and blueliner Jonas Brodin will miss the first two games of this series with lower-body injuries.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired former captain Mats Sundin as vice president of hockey operations and former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka as their new GM. A press conference to officially announce their hiring is expected to be held on Monday.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: These hirings have elicited largely negative reactions from some pundits and Leafs fans on social media. Most of the negativity is aimed at Chayka, who had an underwhelming record with the Coyotes before re-signing in 2020 and being suspended by the league for one year for attempting to pursue job opportunities with other teams while still employed by the Coyotes.

Maybe Sundin and Chayka will have better luck in their roles than their predecessors over the past 20 years, but most of the club’s critics aren’t giving them the benefit of the doubt. It will be interesting to see what they’ve got in store for this franchise.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin will represent the team at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday. The Canucks hold the best odds of winning the first-overall pick, something they’ve never had before.

SPORTSNET: Speaking of the Canucks, they interviewed former Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion for their vacant general manager position.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Looking forward to reaction from our Senators fans in the comments section about this story. However, that doesn’t mean Dorion is getting the job. Unlike the Maple Leafs, the Canucks have cast a wide net in their search for a new general manager, speaking with several former NHL general managers and assistant GMs.

BUFFALO HOCKEY BEAT: Sabres centers Sam Carrick and Noah Ostlund will be sidelined for their upcoming second-round series against the Canadiens.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers have fired the coaching staff of their AHL affiliate in Hartford.










Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – May 3, 2026

In the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup: big changes could be coming to the Oilers, the Stars must decide if they’ll re-sign Jason Robertson, and the latest on the Predators.

COULD SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BE COMING FOR THE OILERS?

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson believes Oilers owner Daryl Katz won’t be happy about his club’s early postseason exit. He believes Katz will be asking questions, evaluating, and perhaps assessing blame somewhere.

Matheson also thinks the Oilers are on the clock as team captain Connor McDavid’s two-year contract extension starts on July 1. He wondered whether general manager Stan Bowman would attempt to trade Darnell Nurse, who carries a $9.25 million annual salary-cap hit.

Bowman must also decide which of his six pending unrestricted free-agent forwards (Jason Dickinson, Kasperi Kapanen, Jack Roslovic, Adam Henrique, Curtis Lazar, and Max Jones) he’ll keep. He faces the same decision with defenseman Connor Murphy and goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bowman told the media on Saturday that next season’s roster won’t be the same as this season’s. Making those changes, however, won’t be easy given their salary-cap restrictions and limited trade capital.

Matheson also wondered if head coach Kris Knoblauch’s job is safe. He starts a three-year contract next season, which he earned after coaching the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Knoblauch didn’t become a bad coach this season. He had to make do with the lineup provided to him by Bowman, which included shaky goaltending, a weakened blueline, and limited support depth for the top forwards. Firing him won’t improve the roster.

Kurt Leavins dismissed any trade rumors about McDavid as baseless clickbait. “But until Connor says he is leaving, I will assume that he’s all in.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McDavid made it clear that he wants to win and wants to do so in Edmonton. He declined to say whether he would finish his upcoming two-year contract extension with the Oilers, which is bound to keep the rumors flowing.

Like Auston Matthews with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brady Tkachuk with the Ottawa Senators, McDavid will be returning with the Oilers for next season. However, the Oilers’ performance in 2026-27 could determine his plans for the following season and beyond.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (NHL Images).

Leavins believes the Oilers must find the right way to convince Darnell Nurse to waive his no-movement clause. “And this assessment needs to be equal parts management and player. Nurse needs to accept that the status quo is not on. And the fans need to be aware that you will not replace him for free.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Even if Nurse agrees to waive his no-movement clause, interested clubs will likely insist on the Oilers retaining part of his $9.25 million average annual value through 2029-30. Failing that, they might have to add a draft pick or prospect in the deal to convince the acquiring club to take on his full cap hit, or take back a bad contract in return.

THE ATHLETIC: Allan Mitchell wondered what plans Bowman has in store to improve the Oilers during the offseason.

He wondered if Bowman might attempt to acquire goaltender Filip Gustavsson from the Minnesota Wild, or pursue a young netminder such as Sebastian Cossa or Trey Augustine of the Detroit Red Wings. They could also target clubs carrying two goalies worthy of starting roles.

Mitchell suggested Nurse could be used in a package deal for a goalie or to acquire a veteran goal scorer to replace Roslovic.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Gustavsson is in the final year of his current contract, which has a full no-movement clause. His six-year extension also contains an NMC. He might be willing to waive it if it appears he’s lost the starter’s job to Jesper Wallstedt, but there’s no certainty that he’d want to come to Edmonton.

Mitchell finished his piece with some hard truth for Oilers fans. “What’s sad about these Oilers is that they’ve grown old without winning a damn thing. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but that’s the truth.”

WHAT WILL THE STARS DO WITH JASON ROBERTSON?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos believes the biggest question facing the Stars this offseason is whether they’ll sign Jason Robertson to a contract extension.

The 26-year-old winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. He’s coming off a standout performance, tying Wyatt Johnston with a team-high 45 goals and sitting first among his teammates with 96 points. He was also their most consistent scorer during the Stars’ short series against the Minnesota Wild.

All signs point to the Stars re-signing Robertson. However, Assimakopoulos believes they might not get away with paying him less than the $12 million annually that they’re paying winger Mikko Rantanen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I agree with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who believes the Stars have little choice but to re-sign Robertson to a lucrative long-term contract. Since his full rookie season in 2020-21, he’s been their leading scorer with 213 goals and 276 assists for 489 points in 453 regular-season games, along with a team-leading 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points in 62 playoff contests.

It’s going to be an expensive signing. He has a good case to make as much as Rantanen, and will easily get that amount with another NHL club if the Stars are dumb enough to trade him away or let him depart next summer as a UFA. And yes, it would be dumb to part with a scorer who produces at Robertson’s level. The Stars would have a difficult time replacing him.

The Stars only have around $11 million in cap space for next season. Re-signing Robertson, even for less than $12 million, means having to make a cost-cutting trade or two. It will also make it difficult to re-sign fellow RFA Mavrik Bourque, who also has arbitration rights.

THE LATEST PREDATORS SPECULATION

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty recently proposed three bold moves for whoever replaces Barry Trotz as GM of the Nashville Predators this summer.

One possibility is buying out the contract of unhappy winger Jonathan Marchessault. A trade would be ideal, but few teams will be interested in a 35-year-old winger with declining production carrying a $5.5 million AAV for the next three years. A buyout would save the Predators $1.2 million next season, $2.3 million in each of the following two seasons, followed by a manageable cap hit of $961K annually for the final three years.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buying out Marchessault seems more likely, assuming the Predators have their new GM in place before the buyout period in late June. They could still try to trade him, perhaps by retaining a portion of his cap hit.

Daugherty also suggested attempting to acquire Philadelphia Flyers sophomore winger Matvei Michkov and trying to sign Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson to an offer sheet.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Michkov struggled in his sophomore season, which was his first under head coach Rick Tocchet. That’s sparked speculation that the Flyers could trade him, but I don’t see them giving up on the promising Michkov because of one bad season.

Signing Robertson to an offer sheet would certainly be a bold move. However, he’d first have to want to sign one, and there’s no certainty that he’d be open to doing so. The Stars could also take him to arbitration, or he could file to do so, making him ineligible to receive an offer sheet.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

by | May 3, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2026

The Hurricanes defeat the Flyers in the opening game of their second-round series, the schedule for the second round is released, the latest on the Oilers, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes winger Logan Stankoven scored twice to lead his club over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round playoff series. Frederik Andersen had a 19-save shutout, and Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flyers played better in the third period, but it was all Hurricanes in the first period and most of the second. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet admitted his team wasn’t mentally prepared for this contest. He believes they were still riding the emotional high of making the playoffs and winning their first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven (NHL Images)

Carolina’s second line of Stankoven, Blake, and Taylor Hall remains a scoring force in this postseason.

Stankoven is tied with Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel for this postseason’s goal-scoring lead with six goals. He’s also set a franchise record with a five-game playoff goal-scoring streak. Four of his six goals were series-openers.

Carolina winger Nikolaj Ehlers returned to action after a lower-body injury sidelined him from Game 4 of the Hurricanes’ first-round series with the Ottawa Senators. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin remained out of their roster as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Flyers forward Owen Tippett missed this contest with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

NHL.COM: The schedule for the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was released.

Game 1 of the series between the Hurricanes and Flyers began Saturday. Game 2 will be on Monday, May 4, in Carolina.

The opening game of the series between the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche will be on Sunday, May 3, in Colorado. Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is questionable for Game 1 of this series with a lower-body injury.

Game 1 of the series between the Anaheim Ducks and the Vegas Golden Knights begins on Monday, May 4, in Las Vegas.

The Buffalo Sabres will face the Montreal Canadiens or the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 1 of that series begins on Wednesday, May 6, in Buffalo. The Canadiens and Lightning face off in Game 7 in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers center Leon Draisaitl was frank about his club’s performance and his concern about their future. Speaking with the media on Saturday, Draisaitl said he felt the Oilers “are not trending in the right direction,” adding that they’ve taken “big steps backward.” He warned that the Oilers must get a grip on this situation and return to the right direction.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid concurred with Draisaitl’s assessment of the club’s direction. Following their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks, McDavid said he felt the Oilers were “an average team all year.” He said he still felt that way, adding that he and Draisaitl deserve their share of the blame, and that they can all be better and need to improve.

“There’s no doubt everybody knows what we’re trying to do here in Edmonton, and it’s no secret,” McDavid said, referring to their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. “We’re pressing pretty hard, so the patience is obviously worn pretty thin.”

McDavid also shot down trade speculation that surfaced during and after the series against the Ducks. “I want to win, and I want to win here in Edmonton. That’s my focus.”

However, McDavid declined to comment on whether he’ll play out his upcoming two-year contract with the Oilers. “I’m not going to get into all that,” he said. “The only thing that matters is competing for the big trophy. That’s all that matters. And if I feel that’s here, then yeah.”

McDavid also confirmed that he played with an injury during the Ducks series, suffering a fractured bone in his left foot in Game 2.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers GM Stan Bowman acknowledged the club isn’t where they want to be while pointing to the positives from this season, such as the evolution of players Vasily Podkolzin, Matt Savoie, and Josh Samanski.

Nevertheless, the comments from McDavid and Draisaitl are a shot across Bowman’s bow. He’ll face a daunting task attempting to improve the Oilers. I’ll have more about that in the Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hold a press conference on Monday to officially announce the hiring of former team captain Mats Sundin and former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka to join their front office.

It’s been previously reported that the Leafs were interested in hiring Sundin as vice president of hockey operations and Chayka as general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Reports of Sundin and Chayka being the frontrunners for those positions drew a nervous vibe from Leafs Nation. It will be interesting to see what those two have in store for the club during this offseason.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will have an in-person meeting with the league’s department of player safety for slashing Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Game 6 of their first-round series.

THE SPORTING NEWS: Speaking of the Bruins, forward James Hagens is reportedly joining Team USA for the upcoming IIHF World Championship.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a virtual hearing with the department of player safety on Monday for his sucker punch to the head of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker during Game 4 of their first-round series.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers owner Vinnie Viola got his second Kentucky Derby win on Saturday. Viola is a co-owner of Golden Tempo, a 23-1 long shot that won the 152nd running of the Derby at Churchill Downs.

NEW YORK POST: The Rangers promoted assistant director of player development Tanner Glass as their new director of player development.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2026

by | May 2, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 2, 2026

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

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams looked at what Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios must do to take his club to the next level.

Whatever moves Staios makes this summer will either hamper or improve his efforts to sign Brady Tkachuk to an extension next year.

Adams believes Staios must re-sign winger Drake Batherson and defenseman Artem Zub to long-term contract extensions. Both are a year away from UFA eligibility.

Batherson set an NHL record by improving his point tally in each of his first eight NHL seasons, finishing this season with 33 goals and 71 points. That could earn him between $8 million and $9 million annually on the open market. Meanwhile, Zub has formed a solid chemistry with defense partner Jake Sanderson. He’s open to staying in Ottawa, prompting Adams to suggest a six-year extension with an AAV of $6 million.

Blueline Jordan Spence is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, completing a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.5 million. Adams speculated a five-year deal worth $5 million annually might make sense for both sides.

Adams also noted the Senators need a scoring forward, an experienced left-shot defenseman, a backup goaltender, and a fourth-line center. They also need to determine if Claude Giroux intends to return or retire.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Re-signing Batherson, Zub, and Spence are necessities. They have the cap space for 2027-28 to sign the first two to contract extensions. They have $17.3 million in cap space for next season, giving them enough to re-sign Spence and still have enough left for a scoring forward, though it won’t leave much to address their other needs.

Adams believes the Senators have plenty of really good players on their roster, so maybe they can make a quality-for-quality move. That could mean peddling Dylan Cozens or Shane Pinto. Both players lack no-trade protection and carry AAV in excess of $7 million.

THE ATHLETIC: Vincent Z. Mercogliano noted that Tkachuk and Staios denied the trade rumors linking the Senators captain to the New York Rangers. However, until Tkachuk signs a contract extension, the speculation will likely persist.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk (NHL Images).

If the Senators trade Tkachuk, Mercogliano believes the Rangers, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, and Minnesota Wild could be among the suitors. However, the substantial cost of acquiring Tkachuk might not turn the Rangers back into contenders. He believes it’s not worth the cost of selling what’s left of a failing farm system for a quick fix.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will be interesting to see what happens with Tkachuk next summer when he’s eligible to sign a contract extension. If he’s reluctant to sign, the Senators will likely shop him for the best deal available rather than lose him to free agency for nothing in 2028.

A trade to the Rangers could be possible if they’re the only club Tkachuk would waive his no-movement clause for, but that’s not a certainty. And as Mercogliano points out, acquiring Tkachuk could come at the cost of short-circuiting their efforts to retool the roster.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio noted the trade rumors that popped up about Tkachuk. Due to his ties to the St. Louis Blues and the trade speculation about Blues center Robert Thomas, some fans have proposed trading the latter for Tkachuk.

Gaudio doesn’t see that happening. For the Blues to get the most out of Tkachuk, they need a playmaking center like Thomas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those fans are also forgetting that Thomas has a full no-trade clause and has stated his desire to stay in St. Louis. The Blues also set a high asking price, which may have been designed to scare off interested clubs. If Tkachuk joins the Blues, it could be as a free agent in 2028.

WILL THE PENGUINS SHED VETERANS TO ADD MORE YOUTH?

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski believes sweeping changes are necessary for the Penguins despite reaching the playoffs this season. He felt that it wasn’t enough to make the postseason, pointing out that this team isn’t a Stanley Cup contender.

Kingerski felt they must break with their past and focus more on building for the future. He doesn’t see any reason to retain their core of veterans if this season’s performance is the best they can do.

Those forwards include long-time Penguins stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. Others include Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust.

THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe noted the Penguins were largely carried by those veterans this season. He also noted that general manager Kyle Dubas’ efforts to add younger talent have been a mixed bag thus far. Some, such as Ben Kindel, Egor Chinakhov, Elmer Soderblom, and Avery Hayes, have given cause for optimism. Others, such as forward Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, and defenseman Harrison Brunicke, have yet to develop as hoped.

Malkin is UFA-eligible this summer, and there’s no certainty he’ll be back. Letang struggled through most of this season, but he has two more years left on his contract, and they won’t get any cap relief if they buy him out. Pending UFAs Kevin Hayes, Connor Clifton, and Noel Acciari almost certainly won’t be back.

Yohe expects Dubas could spend some money in this summer’s thin UFA market, but expects he’ll focus more on the trade market. The Penguins have interest in 26-year-old Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson. Yohe noted that Dubas has a glut of draft picks, older veterans, and salary-cap space to use as trade bait to add younger talent if any becomes available.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It remains to be seen how much of a break with the past that Dubas is willing to make. He likely wants to retain the 38-year-old Crosby, who’s proven he still has plenty left in the tank. He has a year remaining on his contract and is taking a wait-and-see approach about an extension.

Dubas has seemed reluctant to re-sign Malkin, even though he had a bounce-back performance this season. The 39-year-old center has indicated he’ll sign with another NHL team if he ends up hitting the open market on July 1. Whatever happens to Malkin could affect Crosby’s future in Pittsburgh.

UPDATE ON THE BLUES

THE ATHLETIC: Jeremy Rutherford offered up some offseason predictions for the St. Louis Blues.

Rutherford doesn’t see Robert Thomas going anywhere this summer. He speculated that the Blues might revisit efforts to trade Colton Parayko, but wouldn’t be surprised if he stays in St. Louis.

Jordan Kyrou might be more willing to waive his no-trade clause than Thomas and Parayko. Rutherford believes there’s interest in moving the 27-year-old winger, but doesn’t see it happening unless they’re getting the value of a 40-goal scorer.

Goaltender Jordan Binnington was the subject of trade speculation this season. However, Rutherford believes he’ll play out the final season of his contract with the Blues.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Julian Gaudio listed the Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, and Carolina Hurricanes as potential destinations for Binnington if the Blues attempt to move him this summer.

The Panthers and Hurricanes could need new starting goalies if their current starters (Sergei Bobrovsky and Frederik Andersen) hit the open market this summer. The Oilers will need someone to share the duties with struggling Tristan Jarry.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2026

by | May 2, 2026

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2026

The Sabres and Golden Knights advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Lightning force Game 7 with the Canadiens, the Jack Adams Award nominees are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING FRIDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ACTION

NHL.COM: The Buffalo Sabres picked up their first playoff series win since 2007 by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 6 to win their best-of-seven first-round series four games to two. Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Zach Benson each had two points, Mattias Samuelsson scored the winning goal, and Alex Lyon stopped 25 shots for the Sabres, who await the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens series. David Pastrnak replied for the Bruins.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Buffalo’s speed and scoring depth made the difference in this series against the defensive-minded Bruins. Alex Lyon also stabilized the goaltending for the Sabres, replacing a struggling Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the starter after Game 2 and winning three of the next four games.

Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was ejected from the game late in the third period for slashing Benson after the latter slewfooted him to the ice. Following the game, Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov told reporters he played through a torn MCL suffered during Game 3 of this series.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Vegas Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner scored twice and collected an assist to lead his club to a series-winning 5-1 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series against the Utah Mammoth. Brett Howden extended his goal streak to three games while Carter Hart made 22 saves for the Golden Knights, who took this series in six games and will face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round. Kailer Yamamoto scored for the Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner silenced critics of his playoff performance with a clutch effort in this contest. It was a heartbreaking lopsided loss for the young Mammoth, who had played well through the first five games, but the Golden Knights’ experience and solid defensive play tilted this series in their favor.

The Tampa Bay Lightning nipped the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game 6 of their first-round series, forcing a seventh and deciding game back in Tampa Bay on Sunday. Gage Goncalves scored in overtime while Andrei Vasilevskiy had a 30-save shutout for the Lightning. Jakub Dobes stopped 32 shots for the Canadiens.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This has been the best series of the opening round. This physical, fast-paced, closely contested tilt between these evenly matched teams should be going the distance. Every game has been decided by one goal, with four of them requiring overtime. Each contest could have gone either way.

HEADLINES

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Game 1 of the second-round series between the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes is Saturday in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman Alexander Nikishin are expected to play in Game 1 against the Flyers. Both players were injured during the Hurricanes’ first-round series against the Ottawa Senators.

NHL.COM: Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dan Muse of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year, as voted by the National Broadcasters’ Association.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to three worthy finalists. Cooper has never won this award despite his many years of success with the Lightning. Muse is a finalist in his first-ever season as an NHL head coach. Ruff won the award in 2005-06 during his first tenure with the Sabres.

TRIBLIVE.COM: Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he hasn’t thought about signing a contract extension this summer. The 38-year-old superstar has completed the first season of his two-year contract. “I haven’t thought that far ahead, but we’ll wait and see,” Crosby said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby likely wants to find out what general manager Kyle Dubas’ offseason roster plans will be, and whether they include negotiating an extension.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: Evgeni Malkin said he’ll sign with another NHL team if the Penguins don’t re-sign him this summer. The 39-year-old forward is completing a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how Crosby reacts if his long-time teammate ends up signing elsewhere this summer.

THE ATHLETIC’s Josh Yohe reported Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs was dealing with a knee injury during the first-round series against the Flyers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As Yohe observed, you’d never know Silovs was playing hurt based on his performance in that series.

SPORTSNET: Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen was fined $5,000 for cross-checking Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov in Game 6 of their first-round series on Thursday. The Wild won that game and eliminated the Stars.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The St. Louis Blues signed winger Dylan Holloway to a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $7.75 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holloway signed a two-year offer sheet with the Blues two years ago that went unmatched by the Edmonton Oilers. It was a costly loss for the Oilers, as the speedy 24-year-old winger has been a good fit with the Blues. He netted a career-high 63 points in 77 games last season, and had 51 points this season despite missing 23 games with an ankle injury.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Blackhawks center Connor Bedard won’t be playing for Canada in the upcoming IIHF World Championship. The 20-year-old center is currently rehabbing a shoulder injury.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs had hoped to interview Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois as part of their ongoing search for a new GM. However, the Lightning denied them permission.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: The Devils announced they are parting ways with assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon and senior advisor Chuck Fletcher.

THE ATHLETIC: Jed Ortmeyer is out as the New York Rangers’ director of player development.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2026

by | May 1, 2026

NHL Rumor Mill – May 1, 2026

What’s next for the Oilers and Stars following their postseason eliminations? What’s the latest on the Red Wings? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE OILERS?

THE ATHLETIC: Sean Gentille and Chris Johnston looked at what’s next for the Edmonton Oilers after their first-round elimination by the Anaheim Ducks. They don’t have much time to rebuild back into perennial Stanley Cup contender status. Team captain Connor McDavid will be starting his new two-year contract next season.

League sources claim McDavid remains determined to bring the Oilers to the promised land despite this season’s setback. However, he’ll expect management to deliver on specific roster adjustments this summer.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

Finding a suitable starting goaltender remains a prime issue for the Oilers. Tristan Jarry has two years remaining on his contract, and didn’t imbue any confidence that he can handle the starter’s job. Connor Ingram is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The pickings are slim in this summer’s UFA market. Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues and Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights could be trade candidates, though it’s hard to imagine the latter helping out a division rival.

Forwards Adam Henrique, Jason Dickinson, Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, Curtis Lazar, and defenseman Connor Murphy are also UFA-eligible.

The biggest decision could be what to do with Darnell Nurse. He has four years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $9.25 million and a full no-movement clause. If the Oilers can find a way to trade him, it would free up cap space to address other needs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman faces what could arguably be the biggest challenge of his management career this summer. This club is at a crossroads, and trying to rebuild around the core on the cheap likely won’t work any better than it did this season.

Puckpedia indicates the Oilers have over $16.4 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, with 15 active roster players under contract.

Finding a suitable goaltender will be difficult given the limited talent in the trade and free-agent markets. It’s easy to suggest trading for Binnington or Hill, but they both have 10-team no-trade lists, and there’s no certainty they’ll accept a trade to the Oilers.

Nurse’s contract makes moving him a daunting challenge. Even if he agreed to waive his clause, few teams will be willing to take on his full cap hit. The Oilers would have to retain some of it to facilitate a deal.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan O’Hara believes the Oilers’ collapse raises questions about McDavid’s future and head coach Kris Knoblauch’s job.

If the trade whispers about McDavid were to become reality, O’Hara believes the Los Angeles Kings would make sense.

While the Kings also made an early postseason exit, O’Hara believes their defensive structure and reliable goaltending are things that McDavid hasn’t had in Edmonton, and could make them an enticing destination.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I put no stock into those “whispers” that McDavid wants out. Assuming he did, I don’t see the Kings as a destination.

Like the Oilers, the Kings are at a crossroads, with Anze Kopitar retiring and long-time defenseman Drew Doughty in the twilight of his career. Yes, they play better defense and have better goaltending, but that hasn’t been enough to get them past the first round over the past five years. They also lack the assets to meet what will be a significant asking price for McDavid.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark believes the only concern for the Oilers is how to build up a better roster around superstar Connor McDavid. He acknowledged there are other needs to be addressed, but improving the supporting cast around McDavid is the main concern.

The Oilers will have to accomplish that by finding help at team-friendly prices. One way they could resolve that is move one of their higher-paid players not named McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If they can’t move Nurse (and I doubt that they can without adding a significant sweetener to the deal), trading away any of their other high-salaried guys (Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) would do more harm than good. They could attempt to trade defenseman Jake Walman ($7 million AAV starting next season), but he has a full NMC.

The easier player to move that would free up considerable cap space is Evan Bouchard. He earns an AAV of $10.5 million, lacks no-trade protection, and he would fetch a better return than the aforementioned players. However, moving him would take away their top puck-moving defenseman, leaving them scrambling to find a suitable replacement. Trading Bouchard could also send the wrong signal to McDavid, making the prospect of his early departure more likely.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE STARS?

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Lia Assimakopoulos reports that losing in the first round of the playoffs was never an acceptable outcome for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations like the Stars. They will start again and try to get back to the level they were a year ago.

The roster might have a slightly different look next season. They still have to re-sign winger Jason Robertson, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. They could also have a new team captain if Jamie Benn retires.

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark believes the cost of re-signing Robertson will be expensive, pointing to the expensive deals signed by wingers Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild and Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Adam Proteau wondered if Robertson’s play could price him out of Dallas. The 26-year-old winger had 45 goals and a team-leading 96 points this season, and was second among his teammates in this postseason with eight points in six games.

The Stars have $11.1 million in projected cap space next season. Robertson is coming off a four-year contract with an AAV of $7.75 million, and his next deal will exceed $10 million annually. That could force general manager Jim Nill to make a cost-cutting move or two to free up space to re-sign him.

THE ATHLETIC: Mark Lazerus wondered if Nill will re-sign Robertson or dangle him in the trade market for a return that replenishes their depleted prospect and draft-pick pools.

Like Proteau, Lazerus believes Nill would have to make a salary-dumping deal to re-sign Robertson. He wondered if veteran center Matt Duchene or the oft-injured (but still highly respected) Roope Hintz would become a trade candidate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner is earning an AAV of $12 million on an eight-year contract, while Kapizov will earn $17 million annually when his new contract kicks in next season. Robertson won’t get Kaprizov money, but he could end up in the same neighborhood as Marner.

Hintz would be more valuable than Duchene in the trade market, but both players have full no-movement clauses. Thomas Harley ($10.5 million starting next season) and Wyatt Johnston ($8.4 million) would each fetch significant returns and lack no-trade protection, but Nill isn’t going to move those core players.

THE LATEST ON THE RED WINGS

THE ATHLETIC: Max Bultman looked at some potential offseason free agents and trade targets for the Detroit Red Wings to boost their chances of ending their long playoff drought.

Alex Tuch of the Buffalo Sabres, Mason Marchment of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Anders Lee of the New York Islanders top his list of potential free-agent candidates.

Trade targets could include Buffalo Sabres forwards Josh Norris and Jack Quinn, and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson.

Bultman also looked at which players on the current Red Wings roster are likely to stay and which ones are likely to move. Players with term remaining on their contracts (J.T. Compher, Michael Rasmussen, and Mason Appleton) are potential trade candidates. Pending UFAs James van Riemsdyk, David Perron, and Cam Talbot could move on.