NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: June 18, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

Coaching Carousel and Front Office Shifts

The NHL coaching landscape underwent significant turbulence this week, headlined by the Golden Knights promoting Ryan Craig from their AHL affiliate to lead the NHL bench. This move follows the departure of John Tortorella, who will not return as coach despite guiding the franchise to the Stanley Cup Final after joining the team with only eight games remaining in the regular season. In Toronto, the Maple Leafs hired Jim Hiller to spearhead their latest front office overhaul, tasking the former Kings bench boss with steering a squad that recently traded goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers in a significant personnel shakeup. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators hired Jamie Langenbrunner as a special assistant to general manager Chris Mac Farland, as the team looks to stabilize its operations following a trade for forward Ross Colton that saw the Predators send two draft picks to the Colorado Avalanche to alleviate salary cap pressure.

The Hurricanes’ Championship Pedigree

Following a triumphant season, the Carolina Hurricanes are favored to repeat as champions, opening at +700 odds for the 2026-27 campaign. Their recent success is the result of a calculated jock and nerd alliance between coach Rod Brind'Amour and general manager Eric Tulsky, a pairing that prioritized long-term vision over reactionary moves during years of playoff frustration. The organization’s persistence stayed the course through setbacks, eventually yielding a Stanley Cup victory that saw Jaccob Slavin make American hockey history as only the second player to secure both an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup in the same calendar year. As the league looks ahead, Carolina, Colorado, and Vegas remain the primary contenders, though the betting market is crowded with teams like the Oilers and Panthers standing at 11-1 odds.

PWHL Developments and Expansion

The Professional Women’s Hockey League continues to capture momentum, punctuated by the Vancouver Goldeneyes selecting Caroline Harvey with the first overall pick in Wednesday’s entry draft. The draft, which serves as a showcase for top prospects, occurred alongside the league’s awards ceremony where the Boston Fleet dominated the honors, highlighted by goaltender Aerin Frankel earning both the Billie Jean King MVP trophy and the league’s top goaltender award. Expansion efforts are also accelerating, as the Las Vegas club named Kim Weiss as its inaugural head coach, bringing in a leader with two years of experience as an AHL assistant to build the franchise from the ground up.

League Business and Off-Ice Narratives

The NHL reported record-breaking engagement this spring, with the Stanley Cup playoffs averaging 1.8 million viewers in the U.S., marking the most-watched postseason in league history. Despite this growth, the media landscape is shifting as "Hockey Night in Canada" will not return to the CBC next season, ending a nearly 75-year tradition on the public broadcaster. Elsewhere, individual player stories continue to resonate, as Vegas star Mitch Marner reflected on dark moments regarding his mental health during his nine-year tenure in Toronto. The league is also maintaining focus on institutional integrity, as it began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mike Babcock’s sudden resignation as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in September 2023. Additionally, the hockey community is mourning the loss of former NHL player Kyle Calder, who died at age 47 following a brief illness.

Draft Planning and Future Outlook

As teams prepare for the upcoming draft in Buffalo on June 26 and, the draft order for all 32 teams has been finalized, setting the stage for clubs to address specific needs. The San Jose Sharks are positioned at the center of trade discussions, having landed the 20th pick from the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that involved defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall selection. Beyond immediate trades, general managers are evaluating prospect pipeline needs across the league to determine which positions to target to maximize their respective contention windows. These maneuvers are being analyzed in way-too-early power rankings, which attempt to project the competitive hierarchy for the fall while identifying the offseason storylines that will define the next chapter of NHL play.