NHL News

Nikita Kucherov • RW • Lightning

Nikita Kucherov Wins Second Hart Trophy

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has captured the 2025-26 Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. He narrowly beat out Edmonton's Connor McDavid in the voting, finishing 10 points ahead. Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon was third. Kucherov won his second Hart Trophy, having received his first seven years ago. He earned 130 points (44 goals, 86 assists) in 76 games. While McDavid had eight more points, Kucherov's play in 2026 was in a league of its own. He posted 79 points (26 goals, 53 assists) in 41 games since the calendar flipped, with no other player reaching even 70 points. Kucherov isn't getting any younger, but he remains a top-tier fantasy contributor and will go after a fifth consecutive 100-point year next season.

7 days ago

William Karlsson • C • Golden Knights

William Karlsson Produces Multi-Point Performance in Game 4

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson was his squad's only player with multiple points on Tuesday night in Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes, contributing a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss. Karlsson had both points in the second period, helping Vegas to tie the game at three. The Swedish veteran has been anonymous for most of the postseason, but he's averaging a point per game in the Finals. He has found himself centering two scoring machines, skating alongside Brett Howden and Mitch Marner. In total, Karlsson has posted nine points (three goals, six assists) in 14 playoff games since entering the lineup at the start of Round 2.

Jun 10

Mark Stone • RW • Golden Knights

Mark Stone Nets Seventh Career Finals Goal

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone scored his seventh career Finals goal in Tuesday's 5-3 Game 4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Golden Knights captain scored 7:22 into the first period after Carolina had jumped to an early 2-0 lead. Only five active players have scored more goals in the Finals, with Brad Marchand (13) at the top of the pile. Stone has two goals in this year's edition. Since returning from a lower-body injury, Stone has found the back of the net four times in six games, adding one assist. Stone is playing well, which is good news for the Golden Knights, who are chasing the second Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Jun 10

Logan Stankoven • C • Hurricanes

Logan Stankoven Pots Early Goal in Tuesday's Win

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven got the scoring started in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, lighting the lamp just 1:06 into the first period and helping his team to a 5-3 win. This was Stankoven's fifth opening goal of the 2026 playoffs -- only three players in history have had more in a single postseason. While Stankoven went quiet midway through the playoffs, he has looked sharp again in recent weeks and will carry a three-game point streak into Game 5. The 23-year-old leads the Hurricanes in the playoffs with 11 goals and has 15 points in 18 games.

Jun 10

Nikolaj Ehlers • LW • Hurricanes

Nikolaj Ehlers Registers Three Points in Game 4 Win

Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers finished Tuesday's 5-3 Game 4 win over the Vegas Golden Knights with three points, scoring once and dishing out two assists. After setting up Jackson Blake and Jordan Staal for goals, Ehlers scored an empty-netter to seal the win. The Danish veteran returned to the score sheet after finishing the previous two games pointless. However, thanks to his two-goal effort in Game 1, Ehlers is still averaging over a point per game in the Finals. He has tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in four contests. Ehlers has made a mark in the playoffs as a scorer and playmaker, recording seven goals and seven assists in 16 appearances.

Jun 10

Jordan Staal • C • Hurricanes

Jordan Staal Makes History With Another Goal

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal can't stop scoring in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights and has become the first team captain in NHL history to score in each of the first four games of a Finals series. He potted two goals in Tuesday's 5-3 Game 4 victory, including a spectacular game-winner. With 6:32 played in the third period, Staal flicked the puck into the net while falling on his stomach. The Hurricanes captain has been one of the most productive players in the matchup, amassing six points (five goals, one assist) in four games. He's had power-play points in three consecutive games. Overall, Staal has contributed seven goals and four assists in 17 postseason contests.

Jun 10

Gabriel Landeskog • LW • Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog Captures Bill Masterton Trophy And Mark Messier Award

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog has made history as the first player in NHL history to win both the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy and the Mark Messier Leadership Award. The Masterton Trophy is given to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." The Messier Award is presented to the player "who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey." Landeskog missed three regular-season campaigns before making his comeback in 2025-26. He recorded 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 60 games, adding 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 13 postseason outings. His strong playoff showing gives fantasy managers reason to believe Landeskog's scoring will increase next season.

Jun 10

William Carrier • LW • Hurricanes

William Carrier Good to Go Tuesday

Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (upper body) will play in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports. Carrier exited Game 3 with an upper-body injury in the second period, but it looks like he's had enough time in between to shake off the injury. Skating on the fourth line, Carrier has recorded four assists, 13 SOG, and a team-high 79 hits in 16 playoff games. He's had one assist, one SOG, and 13 hits in the Finals.

Jun 9

Brandon Bussi • G • Hurricanes

Brandon Bussi Starts Game 4 Against Golden Knights

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi will be in the net for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. For the first time this postseason, the Hurricanes are starting without Frederik Andersen, who isn't even dressing as a backup. Pyotr Kochetkov will be the other option in the crease if needed. Andersen has been limited to a .815 save percentage in the Finals and missed Monday's practice for maintenance. Bussi, who was tied for the fourth-most wins in the regular season with a 31-6-2 record, made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in relief of Andersen in Game 3 on Saturday. He allowed one goal on 19 SOG and saved one penalty shot.

Jun 9

Michael McCarron • RW • Wild

Wild Re-Sign Michael McCarron to Six-Year Deal

Minnesota Wild center Michael McCarron has agreed to a six-year, $20 million contract extension with the team. The 31-year-old power forward had the option to test free agency this offseason, but he's happy with life in Minnesota. "From my very first step in there to my last, it was a great experience for me, and there was no point in looking elsewhere in free agency," McCarron said. The Wild acquired McCarron from the Nashville Predators in March. He appeared in 20 regular-season games with the team, recording five points (three goals, two assists), 23 SOG, and 40 hits. McCarron has limited fantasy value, but he's a solid bottom-six contributor for the Wild.

Jun 9

Robert Thomas • C • Blues

Robert Thomas Set to Stay in St. Louis

St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas will remain with the team at the start of the next season, Andy Strickland of FanDuel Sports Network reports. Thomas was linked to a trade throughout the 2025-26 campaign, but the team has taken him off the market. The Blues have seen Thomas develop into a point-per-game player, though he struggled with health issues in 2025-26. Across 64 appearances, Thomas produced 25 goals and 39 assists. Thomas has a contract through the 2030-31 season with a cap hit of $8.125 million. Seeing Thomas stay put in St. Louis should be good news for fantasy managers, as he's nailed down a first-line center spot on the team and has been a very productive player when healthy for several years.

Jun 8

Frederik Andersen • G • Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen Misses Practice for Maintenance

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen missed Monday's practice for maintenance. Brandon Bussi was in the starter's crease. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour didn't name his starting goaltender for Tuesday's Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights. Andersen has started all 16 postseason games for Carolina, but he was pulled in Game 3 after allowing four goals with a .750 save percentage. Bussi made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut and had a solid outing with 18 saves and a .947 save percentage in a 5-4 double-overtime loss. Only three netminders won more games than Bussi during the regular season, as he posted a 31-6-2 record. Brind'Amour will have a big decision to make on Tuesday, particularly with Andersen's save percentage at a poor .815 in the Finals.

Jun 8

Connor McDavid • C • Oilers

Connor McDavid Wins Record-Tying Fifth Ted Lindsay Award

Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has once again made history, winning the Ted Lindsay Award for a record-tying fifth time. Formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, the Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually by members of the NHL Players' Association to the league's most outstanding player in the regular season. By winning it for the fifth time, McDavid tied Wayne Gretzky's record. He led the league with 90 assists and 138 points in 82 games. Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks) and Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) finished behind McDavid in the voting. McDavid is also competing with Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) for the NHL's MVP award, the Hart Trophy.

Jun 8

William Carrier • LW • Hurricanes

William Carrier Suffers Upper-Body Injury in Game 3 Versus Golden Knights

Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (upper body) was limited to 6:51 of ice time in Saturday's 5-4 double-overtime defeat against the Vegas Golden Knights. He left the contest in the second period due to an upper-body injury. Carrier is a huge physical presence in the Hurricanes' lineup, averaging 4.9 hits per game in the playoffs. He has chipped in with four assists in 16 games on the offensive end. If Carrier isn't healthy enough to play in Game 4 on Tuesday night, Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad are options to take his place in the lineup.

Jun 7

Sebastian Aho • C • Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho Records Two Assists in Losing Effort

Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho posted two assists in Saturday's 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Aho assisted Taylor Hall at even strength and Andrei Svechnikov on the power play as Carolina erased a four-goal deficit in the third period. While Aho has been quiet in the postseason, he does have three assists in three games against Vegas. Saturday marked only his second multi-point performance of these playoffs. The Finnish star has registered 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 16 postseason outings. In Game 4, he will look to log his first three-game-point streak of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Jun 7

Jordan Staal • C • Hurricanes

Jordan Staal Scores in Third Consecutive Game

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal continued his impressive start to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals with another goal in Saturday's 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. He bagged Carolina's third goal as the team tied the game from a 4-0 deficit in the third period. Staal joined Brad Marchand as the second player aged 37 or older to open the Stanley Cup Finals with a three-game goal streak. On Saturday night, Staal also recorded a power-play assist, giving him four points through the first three games of the Finals. The Hurricanes captain has contributed five goals and four assists in 16 games during the playoffs, averaging 4.8 hits.

Jun 7

Shea Theodore • D • Golden Knights

Shea Theodore Caps Multi-Point Effort With Game-Winning Goal Saturday

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore netted the game-winning goal in Saturday's 5-4 double-overtime victory against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals. He also notched an assist as Vegas grabbed a 2-1 series lead. Theodore scored via a lucky bounce off the board and the skate of Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi 5:38 into the second overtime, becoming the seventh defenseman in NHL history to register multiple overtime goals in a single postseason. In an extraordinary contest, which featured a four-goal comeback by the Hurricanes in the third period, Theodore led all skaters with 39:09 of ice time. This was Theodore's second multi-point effort in the Finals after he had a goal and two assists in Game 1. He has recorded 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 19 postseason appearances.

Jun 7

Tomas Hertl • C • Golden Knights

Tomas Hertl Collects Two Points in Overtime Win

Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl notched a goal and an assist as the team beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in double overtime on Saturday night. Hertl opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 10:26 in the second period. He picked up his assist less than six minutes later when Mitch Marner completed the seventh natural hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history. Hertl took a penalty that cost Vegas Game 2, but he has started the series in impressive form. Through the first three games, Hertl has tallied two goals and two assists. The Czechia forward has totaled 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 19 postseason games.

Jun 7

Mitch Marner • RW • Golden Knights

Mitch Marner Scores Fastest Hat Trick in Finals History

Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner was sensational in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, recording four points in the second period of a 5-4 double-overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes. Marner posted a power-play assist midway through the second frame before netting the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history -- he potted three goals in 6:10. He's the second player in history to register a four-point period in the Finals. Throughout the postseason, Marner has been a scoring machine, notching 28 points in 19 games. No player has managed more playoff points during his first season with a franchise. Seven of Marner's points have come against Carolina.

Jun 7

Auston Matthews • C • Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Confident of Keeping Auston Matthews

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews looks set to stay put this offseason, ESPN's Kristen Shilton reports. Matthews' future has appeared murky after the team missed the playoffs this season, but Toronto's new general manager, John Chayka, expects the star forward to stick around after meeting with him. "What I saw was a happy captain," Chayka said at the NHL scouting combine on Friday. "[Someone] who's got a lot of pride in being the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, someone who wants to win in Toronto, which aligns with how we're thinking about it." Matthews has spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Maple Leafs but hasn't advanced past the second round of the playoffs. He has recently dealt with health issues, posting a career-low 53 points (27 goals, 26 assists) in 60 games this season. Matthews is poised for a strong bounce-back season in 2026-27, and it appears he will be wearing a Maple Leafs uniform.

Jun 6

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