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Mitch Marner Records Two Assists in Game 2 Loss
Vegas Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner finished Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals with two assists. He set up Brett Howden with a lob pass in the first period and bagged another helper when Mark Stone sent the game into overtime late in the third. Marner tied teammate Jack Eichel for the most assists in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has helped set up 17 goals in 18 games, adding seven goals. Currently, Marner is the only player to reach at least 20 points this postseason, putting him in a good position to earn the Conn Smythe Trophy if Vegas wins the Finals.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brett Howden Matches Franchise Record With Another Productive Outing
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden remained red-hot in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday night, scoring twice in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Two goals from Howden gave Vegas a 2-0 lead, but Carolina stunned the visitors with a third-period comeback. Howden reached 13 goals in the playoffs, tying him with Jonathan Marchessault for the most for Vegas in a single playoff campaign. He is now one of only seven players in NHL history to score at least 10 regular-season goals and then exceed his total in the playoffs. The 28-year-old has emerged as a serious Conn Smythe Trophy contender, amassing 16 points in 18 postseason games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brayden McNabb Hospitalized After Taking Puck to Face
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (face) was taken to the hospital after he was hurt early in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Carolina on Thursday, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski reports. McNabb took an 87 mph slap shot to his face in the first period, exiting the action after logging only seven shifts. Jeremy Lauzon moved up to the first defensive pairing, while the rest of the blue line also saw a heavier workload. McNabb contributed three assists in Game 1 against Carolina and has totaled seven points (one goal, six assists) in 16 games during the playoffs. Kaedan Korczak and Ben Hutton are options to enter the lineup if McNabb can't play in Saturday's Game 3.
Source: Greg Wyshynski
Source: Greg Wyshynski
Hurricanes Retain Confidence in Frederik Andersen
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen retains the confidence of head coach Rod Brind'Amour despite a recent tough stretch. In the first two rounds of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Andersen had a .950 save percentage. Over the last six games, it has declined to .867. In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, Andersen allowed five goals with a .783 save percentage. "I think a couple of those games, we weren't giving up a lot of shots. So the save percentage count is a tough one for our team," Brind'Amour said ahead of Game 2. "We don't give up a lot. There's still quality chances. There's just not a lot of fluff. So yeah, I'm not concerned about it." Andersen has lost back-to-back starts only twice this calendar year and will look to bounce back on Thursday night against Vegas.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Maple Leafs Interested in Vincent Trocheck
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck is drawing trade interest, including from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mollie Walker of the New York Post reports. Recently, the Maple Leafs ruled out Max Domi indefinitely due to complications from an offseason surgery. As a result, the team is looking to bolster its center depth. Trocheck is an attractive target for teams, as his contract carries a very affordable $5.625 million cap hit. He has three years remaining on the deal. The 32-year-old has finished five consecutive seasons with at least 50 points. In 2025-26, he tallied 16 goals and 37 assists in 67 appearances, averaging nearly three hits per game.
Source: Mollie Walker
Source: Mollie Walker
Dylan Larkin Requests Trade From Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin has requested a trade, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports. Larkin looks eager to move on from Motown after the Red Wings missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a tenth consecutive year. So far, Larkin has shown considerable patience while waiting for a competitive team to be built around him. He has been with the Red Wings since entering the NHL in 2015. The team named him captain in January 2021. Detroit locked Larkin into an eight-year, $69.6 million contract in 2023, giving him a full no-trade clause through next season. While the Red Wings have struggled for a decade, Larkin has been strong individually. He scored a career-high 34 goals this season, adding 33 assists in 74 contests.
Source: Elliotte Friedman
Source: Elliotte Friedman
Jonathan Toews Expected to Retire
Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews is expected to hang up his skates this offseason, TSN's Darren Dreger reports. After missing two years due to Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and Long COVID, Toews made his NHL comeback in 2025-26. The two-time Stanley Cup champion appeared in all 82 regular-season games, posting 11 goals and 18 assists. He was limited to a third-line role, averaging 14:29 of ice time. Although Toews registered a career-low 29 points, he showed class with a 62.1% face-off win percentage. Toews played on a one-year, $2 million contract this season.
Source: Darren Dreger
Source: Darren Dreger
Anders Lee Set to Hit Open Market
New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee is heading toward free agency, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports. While the Islanders want to keep their captain, talks over a new contract haven't progressed. Lee, who has spent his entire 14-year NHL career with the Islanders, is coming off a seven-year, $49 million contract. His production has declined with age, but Lee managed a respectable 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games this season. Lee will turn 36 in a month, but he still appears to have some gas left and could attract plenty of interest in the open market.
Source: Pierre LeBrun
Source: Pierre LeBrun
Jon Cooper Wins First Jack Adams Trophy
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper has been awarded the 2025-26 Jack Adams Trophy as the best coach in the NHL. During his 14 years in charge, Cooper has led the Lightning to two Stanley Cup wins and four Finals appearances, but this is the first time he has received the Jack Adams Trophy. Cooper narrowly beat out Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff for the award, earning 226 points, including 36 first-place votes, while Ruff finished second with 223 points and 26 first-place votes. He guided an injury-hit Lightning team to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Cooper is the second Lightning head coach to win the Jack Adams Trophy, joining John Tortorella. In January, he became the second-fastest coach in NHL history to reach 600 wins. The 58-year-old has a 622-332-89 record through 1,043 career games.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Jalen Chatfield Records Two Assists in Tuesday's Loss
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield had two assists in Tuesday's 5-4 Game 1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. The 30-year-old showcased his playmaking twice early in the game, helping Nikolaj Ehlers grab a pair of goals within the first 12:08 of action. Previously, only nine rearguards in NHL history had tallied multiple assists in the opening period of a Stanley Cup Finals. While Chatfield has occasionally chipped in offensively, he does most of his work in the defensive zone. With 14 games played in the 2026 postseason, Chatfield has registered seven points (one goal, six assists), 24 SOG, 22 blocks, and 10 hits.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nikolaj Ehlers Nets Two Goals in Game 1 Loss to Golden Knights
Carolina Hurricanes winger Nikolaj Ehlers made a terrific start to the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals against the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring two goals in a 5-4 loss on Tuesday night. With just 25 seconds played, Ehlers scored the third-fastest goal to open the Stanley Cup Finals, and he put Carolina two goals up at the 12:08 mark in the first period. Ehlers became the first player in 37 years to score two first-period goals in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He lit the lamp with both of his attempts on net, giving him three multi-point performances in five games. Sebastian Aho's line remained quiet in Game 1 against Vegas, putting additional responsibility on players like Ehlers. The Danish veteran ranks second on his team with six goals and has amassed 11 points in 13 postseason games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Shea Theodore Notches Three Points in Game 1 Win
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore made a mark in Tuesday's 5-4 Game 1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes with a goal and two assists. Vegas' first defensive pairing of Theodore and Brayden McNabb played a major role in the contest, becoming the first set of defensemen from the same team to each record three points in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Theodore has heated up as the postseason nears its conclusion, putting together a three-game point streak. Throughout the playoffs, he has been a steady offensive contributor, logging five goals and nine assists in 17 games.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brayden McNabb Sets Up Three Goals in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb had a special outing in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, finishing a 5-4 victory with three assists. He became only the seventh defenseman in NHL history to open the Finals with a three-assist effort. McNabb's big performance came out of nowhere, as the 35-year-old isn't known for his offensive ability. In 63 regular-season games, he posted 12 points (five goals, seven assists). McNabb had three points in 14 playoff games before snagging four points across the past two games. Given that McNabb has had a three-game postseason point streak only once in his 14 NHL seasons, fantasy managers shouldn't count on his offensive surge lasting.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Brett Howden Starts Finals With Multi-Point Effort
Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden recorded a goal and an assist in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, helping his team to a 5-4 win. The 28-year-old factored in two go-ahead goals, assisting William Karlsson on Vegas' third goal of the night and scoring the team's fourth himself. Remarkably, Howden leads the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 11 goals and is now just one tally away from his regular-season mark of 12. Howden, who has 14 points in 17 postseason appearances, needs two more goals to tie Jonathan Marchessault's franchise record for most in a single playoff run.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Tomas Hertl Scores Game-Winner in Finals Opener
Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl scored the 5-4 game-winning goal in Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. The Golden Knights lost the lead midway through the third period, but Hertl's fourth postseason goal gave the team a valuable road win. On Tuesday night, Hertl reached 10 points for the 2026 postseason. He's recovered from a very slow start, averaging a point per game over his last eight appearances. Having lost the 2016 Finals with San Jose, the Czechia forward will be determined to avoid the same outcome this time.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
