NHL News

Brendan Gallagher • RW • Canadiens

Brendan Gallagher to Leave Canadiens This Offseason

Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher has one season remaining on a six-year, $39 million contract, but he doesn't expect to spend it with the team that drafted him in 2010. "It's pretty clear I'll kind of be moving on here," said Gallagher in an emotional exit interview on Monday. Gallagher's contract carries a $6.5 million cap hit, and he hasn't performed up to the required level. This season, the 34-year-old managed just seven goals and 23 points in 77 games. He was a regular healthy scratch in the playoffs, appearing in only three of Montreal's 19 games. Even a change of scenery probably won't help Gallagher reclaim fantasy relevance.

4 hours ago

Patrik Laine • RW • Canadiens

Patrik Laine Looking Forward to Free Agency

Montreal Canadiens winger Patrik Laine will not stay with the team for next season. The Finnish forward ended the season on Injured Reserve despite being ready to play soon after New Year's, indicating he clearly isn't part of the plans in Montreal. "I'm excited to see new opportunities and see where it goes," Laine told reporters in his exit interview on Monday. "We'll see where the wind takes me." Laine is set to end his tenure with the Canadiens after posting just 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in 57 games over two seasons. He has struggled to stay healthy for several years, which has dropped Laine's fantasy value to an all-time low.

4 hours ago

Jeremy Lauzon • D • Golden Knights

Jeremy Lauzon Returns to Action Tuesday

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (upper body) will be back in action on Tuesday in Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals, Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com reports. Lauzon hasn't played since being hit by a puck in Game 6 of Vegas' first-round matchup with the Utah Mammoth. He finished the first round scoreless but had eight blocks and 14. Vegas hopes Lauzon's physicality will be an asset in the Finals. "Good solid positional defenseman," Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said. "Has some bite to him. He was missed." Lauzon is expected to join Dylan Coghlan on the third defensive pairing, with Kaedan Korczak sitting out the action as a healthy scratch.

5 hours ago

Zach Werenski • D • Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski Wins 2025-26 Norris Trophy

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has been announced as the winner of the 2025-26 James Norris Memorial Trophy. The award is presented annually to the NHL's "top defensive player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position." In the voting, Werenski beat Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche) and Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres). Werenski, who became the seventh Blue Jackets player to capture a major NHL award, finished the regular season as the second-highest-scoring defenseman in the league. He tallied 81 points (22 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games, leading Columbus in assists and points. That's now back-to-back 80-point campaigns for Werenski, who has established himself as one of the top fantasy blue-liners.

5 hours ago

Lane Hutson • D • Canadiens

Lane Hutson Posts a Power-Play Assist in Game 5 Loss

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson contributed a power-play assist in Friday's season-ending 6-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He set up Cole Caufield midway through the third period. Hutson was among Montreal's leading scorers throughout the postseason, but the Hurricanes proved too tough a nut to crack for the team. The 22-year-old finishes the playoffs with 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 19 games -- only three blue-liners in franchise history have been more productive in a postseason campaign. Hutson also enjoyed a big regular season, totaling 78 points (12 goals, 66 assists) in 82 outings. He's just two years into his NHL career, and the best is definitely yet to come from Hutson.

3 days ago

Cole Caufield • RW • Canadiens

Cole Caufield Nets a Power-Play Goal in Season-Ending Loss

Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored a third-period power-play goal in Friday's 6-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was too little, too late, as the Canadiens were once again overwhelmed and eliminated in five games. Caufield had a disappointing postseason. He managed only 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 19 games and was limited to three even-strength points. During the regular season, Caufield averaged at least a point per game for the first time in his career, with 51 goals and 37 assists in 81 contests. He became the first Canadiens player in 36 years to score at least 50 regular-season goals, setting a high bar for himself in the next campaign.

3 days ago

Seth Jarvis • C • Hurricanes

Seth Jarvis Closes Out East Finals With Multi-Point Game

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis notched a goal and an assist as the team moved into the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals with a 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night. He assisted Shayne Gostisbehere on the power play late in the second period and scored the final goal of the Eastern Conference Finals in an empty-net situation in the third. Jarvis has been quiet in the postseason, but he gained some momentum against Montreal with four points in five games. Overall, the 24-year-old has posted eight points (three goals, five assists) in 13 playoff games.

3 days ago

Logan Stankoven • C • Hurricanes

Logan Stankoven Notches Three Points in Big Game 5 Win

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven finished Friday's 6-1 Game 5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens with one goal and two assists. His ninth goal of the postseason was the series-clinching marker. Stankoven assisted both of his linemates, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, in the game. The trio has seen a lot of success in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, combining for 43 points. Stankoven has 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in 13 contests. After kicking off the postseason with a five-game goal streak, the 23-year-old has begun building another ahead of the Finals, lighting the lamp in back-to-back games.

3 days ago

Taylor Hall • LW • Hurricanes

Taylor Hall Racks Up Three Points in Series-Clinching Win

Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall was one of the protagonists in a series-clinching 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night, scoring the opening goal and dishing out two assists. The former MVP recorded his second three-point night of the 2026 playoffs. Hall is having the best postseason of his 16-year career, and no player can match his even-strength points tally. 14 of his 16 points have come at even strength. Hall has tallied five goals and 11 assists in 13 contests. Taming Hall in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals should be the Vegas Golden Knights' No. 1 priority.

3 days ago

Frederik Andersen • G • Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen Remains Stellar as Hurricanes Clinch Finals Berth

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen recorded 23 saves with a .958 save percentage in Friday's series-clinching 6-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He was only beaten on a power play midway through the third period. Andersen became the third netminder in NHL history to register 12 wins through his first 13 games in a playoff year. The Danish veteran has been on a spectacular run and will give Carolina a great chance to win the Stanley Cup if he maintains his current level of play. Andersen has a 12-1 record, a 1.41 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage, and three shutouts in the playoffs. Across 11 career appearances against the Vegas Golden Knights, he has gone 5-6-0.

3 days ago

Martin Necas • C • Avalanche

Martin Necas Collects an Assist in Game 4 Loss to Golden Knights

Colorado Avalanche right wing Martin Necas finished Tuesday's 2-1 season-ending loss to the Vegas Golden Knights with an assist. The Avalanche once again struggled to generate offense against Vegas, but finally made a breakthrough late in the third period. Necas and Nazem Kadri set up Gabriel Landeskog for a late consolation goal. It was a strong campaign for Necas, who averaged a point per game in the playoffs after posting a career-high 100 points (38 goals, 62 assists) in 78 regular-season contests. He found a way to elevate his play, an encouraging sign for Colorado, as Necas' eight-year, $92 million contract extension will take effect next season.

6 days ago

Gabriel Landeskog • LW • Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog Scores Only Avalanche Goal in Season-Ending Loss

Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog scored the team's only goal in Tuesday's 2-1 season-ending loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The Avalanche captain ended Carter Hart's shutout bid with 2:03 remaining in regulation. Landeskog finished the Conference Finals with three goals in four games, but many of his teammates struggled, leaving Colorado as the seventh No. 1 seed in history to be swept in a playoff series. In 13 postseason appearances, Landeskog recorded 11 points (six goals, five assists). Compared with the regular season, where he had 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 60 outings, the Swedish veteran took his offensive production to a new level.

6 days ago

Carter Hart • G • Golden Knights

Carter Hart Finishes Series-Clincher With 20 Saves

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart made 20 saves in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. He fell just 2:03 short of becoming the third active netminder to record a shutout in a victory that has given a team a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals. On Tuesday night, Hart picked up his sixth consecutive win. He's been in phenomenal form during the hot streak, producing a .948 save percentage. Over his last 11 outings, Hart has allowed more than two goals only twice. This has helped him to a 12-4 postseason record, and he has registered a 2.22 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.

6 days ago

Dylan Coghlan • D • Golden Knights

Dylan Coghlan Continues Unlikely Success Story

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Dylan Coghlan assisted Cole Smith on the game-winning goal in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. Coghlan has unexpectedly emerged as an important part of Vegas' blue line. After making only three regular-season appearances, he was inserted into the lineup midway through the second-round matchup with Anaheim and has kept his place since. The 28-year-old collected his first career playoff points in the Conference Finals, recording one goal and two assists in four games. Now, Coghlan will get a chance to make an impact in the Stanley Cup Finals and looks to have a strong case to remain in the lineup, even when Jeremy Lauzon (upper body) is cleared to return.

6 days ago

Cole Smith • RW • Golden Knights

Cole Smith Scores Series-Clincher Tuesday Night

Vegas Golden Knights left wing Cole Smith will go down in history as the player whose goal sent the team into the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals. In Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, Smith put Vegas 2-0 up at the 14:15 mark in the third period. The 30-year-old became the sixth undrafted player in the 21st century to score a series-clinching goal that has earned a team a Stanley Cup Finals spot. Smith also popped up with a pair of goals in Round 2 against Utah. Before Tuesday night, he had gone nine consecutive games without a point. Still, the fourth-liner has made a mark during Vegas' playoff run, posting five points (three goals, two assists) and 44 hits in 16 games.

6 days ago

Mark Stone • RW • Golden Knights

Mark Stone Nets Another Goal as Golden Knights Finish Off Avalanche

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone opened the scoring in Tuesday's series-clinching 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche. He gave Vegas the lead just 4:42 into the game, with defensemen Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore recording the assists. After missing the first two games of the series, Stone made a massive impact as the Golden Knights swept Colorado. In two outings, he had two goals and one assist. The Golden Knights captain has been on the score sheet in each of his last four appearances and is close to averaging a point per game in the playoffs. Stone has tallied five goals and five assists through 11 games.

6 days ago

Claude Giroux • RW • Senators

Claude Giroux Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign

Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux is ready to continue his NHL career, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports. "I was told Monday that the 38-year-old forward, an unrestricted free agent on July 1, has decided he wants to come back and play another season," LeBrun wrote in The Athletic. Giroux has spent four seasons in Ottawa and played on a one-year, $2 million deal in 2025-26. The Senators received decent value for their money, as Giroux ranked second on the team with a plus-20 rating and had 49 points (14 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games. Midway through next season, Giroux will turn 39, but he looks capable of flirting with another 50-point campaign, whether in Ottawa or elsewhere.

7 days ago

Carter Hart • G • Golden Knights

Carter Hart Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart will look to extend his winning streak to six games on Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche. He hasn't suffered any defeats since Game 5 of the second-round matchup with the Anaheim Ducks, allowing more than two goals just once. Thanks to this hot streak, Hart boasts an impressive 11-4 postseason record. He has allowed 2.30 goals with a .923 save percentage. Before facing Vegas, the Avalanche averaged 4.11 goals in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but Hart has limited Nathan MacKinnon's crew to just 2.00 goals per game.

7 days ago

Evgeni Malkin • C • Penguins

Evgeni Malkin Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will remain with the team for one more year. The veteran star was headed for unrestricted free agency before agreeing to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Pittsburgh. According to TSN's Chris Johnston, Malkin's new contract includes several bonuses, including $1 million if the Penguins make the playoffs. The deal has a maximum value of $9 million. Malkin is coming off a contract with a $6.1 million cap hit. In 2025-26, Malkin averaged at least a point per game for the first time in three seasons. He finished with 19 goals and 42 assists in 56 games. Unfortunately, health issues meant Malkin struggled to stay in the lineup, but he proved he's still a difference-maker on offense near age 40.

7 days ago

Mackenzie Blackwood • G • Avalanche

Mackenzie Blackwood in Net for Game 4 Against Golden Knights

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood will start Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reports. Scott Wedgewood has struggled against Vegas, recording a .877 save percentage, prompting Colorado to make a change in goal with elimination looming. Blackwood has seen action in three playoff games, posting a 1-0 record, a 3.20 goals-against average, and a .872 save percentage. He lost his lone start 3-2 in overtime against Vegas during the regular season, finishing with a .897 save percentage after facing 29 SOG.

7 days ago

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