NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 19, 2026, 11:45 PM ET

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Finals Set

The NHL's "final four" are locked in with the Colorado Avalanche facing the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals and the Carolina Hurricanes squaring off against the Montreal Canadiens in the East Stanley Cup playoffs daily. After Canada routed Denmark 5-1 behind Sidney Crosby's four assists Canada routs Denmark and the Hurricanes battled the Canadiens in a second-round series that Sports Line projects to define the Eastern Conference Final Hurricanes battle Canadiens, the playoff field has narrowed to its most competitive shape in years. Sports Line's model gives the Hurricanes-Canadiens matchup particular attention, with analyst Scott Erskine breaking down key statistical trends heading into Thursday's opener Hurricanes battle Canadiens odds. In the West, the Avalanche and Golden Knights are favored to deliver a high-scoring series, with Sports Line's prediction model already producing picks for Wednesday's Game 1 Avalanche vs. Golden Knights picks. The Golden Knights, meanwhile, arrive under a cloud of controversy after the NHL upheld its sanctions stripping them of a second-round draft pick and fining coach John Tortorella $100,000 for refusing to make the team available to the media after their series-clinching win VGK sanctions upheld. Multiple NHL teams are still waiting for permission from Vegas to interview Bruce Cassidy, sources told ESPN, adding another layer of uncertainty around the franchise's coaching future Cassidy not yet released. The Devils also resolved their own coaching uncertainty on Tuesday, with new general manager Sunny Mehta confirming that Sheldon Keefe would remain at the helm after conducting a full organizational assessment Keefe returns as Devils coach.

Game 7 Drama & Playoff Takeaways

The Montreal Canadiens eliminated the Buffalo Sabres in overtime on Monday with Alex Newhook scoring his second Game 7-winning goal of the postseason, capping a 3-2 victory that ended Buffalo's historic campaign on an emotional note Canadiens outlast Sabres. The Sabres received a standing ovation after the loss as fans celebrated what the franchise called a "giant step" forward despite the heartbreaking defeat Defeated Sabres proud. Sports Line's model had produced picks for that Game, with analysts forecasting the series outcome ahead of the decisive night Canadiens vs. Sabres Game 7 picks. In the second round overall, Mitch Marner emerged as the playoffs' most dominant force while Alex Tuch's struggles became a focal point of post-series analysis Marner dominates, Tuch disappears. Tuch, 30, is now set to hit free agency this summer, and his agent Scott Bartlett told ESPN that the disappointing playoff performance will not affect his next contract, a claim that could reshape the Sabres' offseason planning Tuch's struggles won't affect deal. The broader lessons from two full rounds of playoff hockey are already shaping team strategies, with Marner's revenge narrative and defensive adjustments among the top takeaways driving front-office conversations Playoff lessons emerge. On the injury front, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar sat out practice on Tuesday ahead of the Western Conference finals, raising questions about his availability for Game 1 Makar sits out practice.

Coaching carousel turns

The offseason coaching carousel is spinning fast. The Vancouver Canucks fired first-year head coach Adam Foote on Tuesday along with three assistants after a 25-49-8 record, continuing a pattern of aggressive front-office resets Canucks fire Foote. In Edmonton, the Oilers parted ways with Kris Knoblauch despite guiding the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025 and having a contract extension that had not yet begun Oilers fire Knoblauch. That decision came even as the franchise celebrated its most successful stretch in decades, suggesting internal friction overrode on-ice results. The Devils, by contrast, opted to keep Sheldon Keefe after new GM Sunny Mehta completed his promised full evaluation, a rare case of stability in a summer defined by volatility Keefe survives evaluation.

World Championship action

At the IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, Canada improved to 2-0 with a 6-0 blanking of Italy behind two goals and an assist from Macklin Celebrini Celebrini shines vs. Italy, while the defending champion United States bounced back from an earlier loss to Switzerland with a 5-1 win over tournament newcomer Britain U.S. beats Britain. Hungary also picked up its first victory of the tournament with a 5-0 shutout of Britain Hungary shuts out Britain, and Austria and Norway added wins of their own, giving the top division a wide-open feel after just a few days of group play.

Offseason moves & expansion

The Minnesota Wild are managing several key offseason storylines. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes said he is "definitely open" to a contract extension beginning July 1, a statement that could quiet speculation about a potential trade Hughes open to extension. Meanwhile, starting goaltender Filip Gustavsson will undergo hip surgery this summer, putting his readiness for training camp in question Gustavsson hip surgery. Defenseman Jonas Brodin and center Joel Eriksson Ek were both sidelined in the second round against Colorado due to broken bones in their feet Wild vets sidelined by injuries, compounding the team's depth concerns. On the expansion front, the PWHL completed its four-team expansion with San Jose becoming the league's 12th franchise, marking the first entry into California PWHL expands to San Jose. In a piece of hockey history, a ring given to Herb Brooks after the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" sold for $549,000 at Heritage Auctions Herb Brooks ring sold. On the prospect front, Yukon-born Gavin McKenna is on track to become the expected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, his journey from Whitehorse to Penn State drawing comparisons to a once-in-a-generation talent McKenna's path to No. 1.