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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
Chris MacFarland Joins Predators as President and General Manager
The Nashville Predators appointed Chris MacFarland as president of hockey operations and general manager on Tuesday. He will take charge in Nashville after Barry Trotz announced in February that he was stepping aside after three years as general manager. MacFarland spent the past four years as the Colorado Avalanche's general manager. He joined the NHL as an executive in 1999, spending 16 years with the Columbus Blue Jackets before moving to Colorado. In Nashville, MacFarland will be tasked with building a team capable of returning to the postseason -- the Predators have made the playoffs just once in the last four years.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Canucks Name Manny Malhotra as New Head Coach
The Vancouver Canucks have appointed Manny Malhotra as their new head coach, according to ESPN's Ryan S. Clark. The former Canucks player will take over from Adam Foote, who lasted only one year as head coach. Under Foote, Vancouver finished at the bottom of the NHL with 58 points and a 25-49-8 record. Malhotra has spent the last two seasons as head coach of Vancouver's AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, leading the team to the 2025 championship. Recently, the Canucks also promoted Ryan Johnson to general manager and Daniel and Henrik Sedin to co-presidents of hockey operations.
Source: Ryan S. Clark
Source: Ryan S. Clark
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.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
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.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
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.
Source: Mike Zeisberger
Source: Mike Zeisberger
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.
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets
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.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
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.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
