NHL Hockey 24 Hours

Last updated: May 18, 2026, 2:55 AM ET

Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Colorado Avalanche prepare to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final, with NHL futures odds suggesting they'll meet again in 2026 in the conference championship. Despite leading the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025, coach Kris Knoblauch has been unexpectedly fired despite having a contract extension that hadn't even begun, creating significant uncertainty for the defending runner-up.

World Championship Action

At the IIHF World Championships, Macklin Celebrini dominated against Italy with two goals and an assist in Canada's 6-0 victory to improve to 2-0 in the tournament. Meanwhile, the defending champion United States rebounded strongly from a loss to Switzerland with a 5-1 victory over tournament newcomer Britain, regaining momentum in Group A play.

NHL Transactions & Notes

The NHL has penalized the Golden Knights by stripping them of their second-round pick and fining coach John Tortorella $100,000 for media avoidance after their series-clinching win. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes is "definitely open" to negotiating an extension with the Wild, eligible to begin talks starting July 1. The Wild's postseason was hampered by injuries to Jonas Brodin and Joel Eriksson Ek, who suffered broken foot bones during the Avalanche series. Top prospect Gavin McKenna, expected to go first in the NHL draft, has developed from Whitehorse, Yukon, to Penn State, positioning himself for a professional career.