Stanley Cup Final Reset: Hurricanes, Golden Knights Deadlocked In An Instant Classic
Eight days ago, the 2026 Stanley Cup Final was previewed in this space as the most evenly matched Final in years on paper. Four games in, the series has made that framing look conservative. The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights are tied 2-2 heading into Thursday’s Game five at the Lenovo Center, and they’ve gotten there via four straight games featuring multi-goal comebacks, overtime finishes, a rewritten Cup Final record book, and a goaltending twist nobody saw coming. Through three games, the series was averaging 8.33 goals per game, and Game four’s 5-3 finish barely slowed the pace. No game has been decided by more than two goals, and only an empty-netter in game four has pushed a final margin past one.
Four Games, Four Comebacks
Every game of this series has seen a multi-goal lead erased: twice the rallying team finished the job, twice the comeback only delayed the result.
Game 1: Golden Knights 5, Hurricanes 4. Carolina could not have scripted a better start. Nikolaj Ehlers scored 25 seconds into the series and added a second goal soon after for a 2-0 lead, but Vegas answered with three straight to ignite a back-and-forth finish. Tomas Hertl won it with 3:24 remaining in regulation, finishing a backhand feed from Colton Sissons.
Game 2: Hurricanes 4, Golden Knights 3 (OT). This time it was Vegas that built the 2-0 lead, with Brett Howden scoring both goals, before Carolina stormed back with three in the third period. Mark Stone tied it with 1:21 left in regulation, but Seth Jarvis ended it 3:56 into overtime, hammering a one-timer from the left circle off a Shayne Gostisbehere feed past Carter Hart. The win extended Carolina’s perfect overtime record this postseason to 6-0.
Game 3: Golden Knights 5, Hurricanes 4 (2OT). The wildest of the bunch. Hertl opened the scoring 10 seconds into the game’s first power play, then he and Mitch Marner scored 16 seconds apart in the second period, the fastest two playoff goals in franchise history. Marner completed his hat-trick in a span of 6:10 to make it 4-0, breaking a 69-year-old record for the fastest hat-trick in Stanley Cup Final history. Carolina, with Brandon Bussi replacing Frederik Andersen to start the third period, then authored one of the great failed comebacks in Final history: Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall, and Jordan Staal scored three times in 39 seconds, the fastest three goals in a Cup Final game, before Andrei Svechnikov jammed home a 6-on-4 power-play goal with 1:42 left to force overtime. It took until 5:38 of double overtime for Shea Theodore, who logged a game-high 39:09, to end it on a shot that went wide, caromed off the end boards, and banked in off Bussi’s skate. The loss was Carolina’s first in overtime this postseason.
Game 4: Hurricanes 5, Golden Knights 3. With Bussi making his first career playoff start, Carolina built a 3-1 lead, watched Vegas pull even late in the second period, and then took the game over in the third. Staal scored twice, including the game-winner, chipping the puck over a diving Hart’s glove as he fell to the ice, to push his total to five goals in the Final. Ehlers sealed the win with an empty net goal. Bussi, in winning his playoff debut, became the first goaltender since 1961 to do so in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Series Previewed Vs. The Series Played
The original preview framed this matchup as a collision between Carolina’s volume game and Vegas’s finishing, with the prediction that the series would come down to which goaltender held his postseason form longer. Half of that has held up. The other half has been turned on its head.
The volume-versus-finishing contrast remains visible, just not in the way the full-game numbers suggested it would. The split has become period-based: Vegas has owned the second periods of this series, outscoring Carolina 9-1 while holding a 40-25 shot advantage, while the Hurricanes have dominated the thirds, outscoring the Golden Knights 10-3. Every Carolina comeback has come in the final frame; every Vegas surge has come in the middle one. “We’re both trying to play the same game with a few slight differences,” Jaccob Slavin said. “It’s just whoever can play their game better and more consistently.”
The goaltending prediction, meanwhile, has been blown apart. The preview was built on the premise of Andersen versus Hart, two netminders who had played every minute for their teams through three rounds. Hart has held up his end as far as remaining in net, but his numbers look grim becoming the first goalie in Cup Final history to allow four goals in each of the first four games. Andersen, on the other hand, entered the Final leading the playoffs in goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts, was pulled during Game three after Vegas built its 4-0 lead, and Bussi has taken the crease since. What was supposed to be the most goaltending-dependent Final in years has instead produced 33 goals in four games.
One preview question that has been answered emphatically is whether Carolina could finish at a rate that justified its volume. The Hurricanes have scored four or more goals in every game of the series after entering the Final with questions about whether their secondary line could carry the load alone. Staal, listed in the preview as a storyline, not a key player, has instead been their most dangerous finisher.
A Record Book Rewritten
The historic markers through four games, collected in one place:
- Marner’s second-period hat trick in Game three, completed in 6:10, broke a 69-year-old record as the fastest in Stanley Cup Final history.
- Carolina’s three goals in 39 seconds later that night are the fastest three goals in a Cup Final game.
- Hertl and Marner’s goals, 16 seconds apart, set a Golden Knights record for the fastest two playoff goals.
- Bussi became the first goaltender since 1961 to win his playoff debut in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Storylines, Four Games Later
Staal’s chase is very much alive: The 37-year-old captain has five goals in the Final and remains two wins from breaking Chris Chelios‘ record for the longest gap between Stanley Cup wins (16 years). His Game four performance with two goals, including the game-winner, was the kind of night that starts Conn Smythe conversations.
Marner has delivered on the billing: The record-setting hat trick added to a postseason in which he entered the Final leading the playoffs in scoring. The Conn Smythe race, the preview framed as Marner versus Andersen, has shifted under Andersen’s half, but Marner’s case has only strengthened.
The goaltending storyline nobody had: Bussi, who hadn’t appeared in a game in roughly two months before relieving Andersen in Game 3, is now the starting goaltender in a tied Stanley Cup Final. It took a difficult decision from Rod Brind’Amour to get there; going with the rookie for Game 4 meant sitting a goaltender who entered the Final as a Conn Smythe co-favorite. Thus far, the call has been rewarded.
What Decides It From Here
The series now reduces to a best-of-three with Carolina holding home ice, though home ice has meant little, with the teams splitting both the Raleigh and Vegas legs. The structural questions are clear. Can Vegas extend its second-period dominance across full games, and can Carolina stop spotting leads it then has to chase? The Hurricanes have trailed by multiple goals in three of the four games and still found a way to make every one of them a one-goal affair deep into the third period or beyond.
The goaltending question, meanwhile, has been turned inside out. Andersen lost the Carolina net entirely, and Hart, while still playing every minute for Vegas, has surrendered exactly four goals in each of the series’ four games. The preview’s closing line argued that whichever goaltender held his postseason form longer would probably win his team the Cup. Through four games, neither has, and the team that gets even one stellar night from its netminder may find that’s the edge this series has been waiting for.
Game 5 Thursday night in Raleigh. If the first four games are any indication, there is another must-watch night of hockey ahead.
Trade Notes: Larkin, Matthews, Werenski
Pierre LeBrun checked in on Wednesday with a batch of trade updates, headlined by the ever-evolving Dylan Larkin situation in Detroit. Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has gone back to agent Pat Brisson to expand Larkin’s original three-team list: the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers, and Brisson was at least somewhat receptive, meaning the pool of potential suitors is no longer confined to those three. By all accounts, Yzerman has seemingly handled the request without rancor, staying in steady contact with Brisson as the two sides work toward a resolution.
Beyond the formal list, plenty of other clubs have called to gauge the situation, giving Larkin’s camp more to weigh. The Dallas Stars are among those that have checked in, a dynamic worth watching given that they’ve yet to extend restricted free agent Jason Robertson. There’s also the possibility of a third team entering any deal to make the assets work for Detroit; a scenario that could be especially relevant with Minnesota, which may not have the pieces the Red Wings would want on their own. Larkin’s appeal is obvious: the 29-year-old captain just posted 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games, his fifth straight season with at least 30 goals, and carries five more years at an $8.7MM cap hit, making him both a premium asset and a complicated one to move. With his market in flux, Pro Hockey Rumors is asking readers to weigh in on where Larkin ultimately lands. Cast your vote.
Additional Notes:
- All signs are pointing to Auston Matthews returning to Toronto next season. Matthews’ agent Judd Moldaver hasn’t formally told the Leafs as much, but talks with newly hired GM John Chayka have been cordial, and there’s a growing comfort level with the direction of things. Matthews managed just 27 goals and 53 points in an injury-wrecked campaign that ended with season-ending knee surgery, well off his usual standard, as Toronto missed the playoffs and finished last in the Atlantic. If his return to Toronto becomes official, it figures to disappoint a list of suitors that had been monitoring the situation surrounding the three-time Rocket Richard winner.
- Despite speculation linking Zach Werenski to a move in the wake of Larkin’s request, as the two are close friends and Team USA gold medalists, no such request has been communicated to the Blue Jackets. The timing of the chatter is notable given the year he just had. Werenski won his first Norris Trophy after recording 22 goals and 81 points in 75 games while logging the NHL’s second-most ice time at 26:37 per game. He has two years left on his deal, though a conversation about his long-term future in Columbus will come at some point.
Poll: Which Team Will Acquire Dylan Larkin?
The summer trade market got a major injection last week, with the captain of the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Larkin, requesting a trade from the team. Given how many teams are searching for a top-six center, Larkin immediately became the top available trade target. However, thanks to the full no-trade clause in his contract, Larkin controls his destiny for the most part, and notified the Red Wings that he would only be open to a trade to the Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, or Vegas Golden Knights.
The trickiest part of a hypothetical Larkin trade is what the Red Wings would want. Despite missing the playoffs the last three years, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The team is eager to jump into their competitive window, so they will likely want NHL-ready players in return. Given that all three teams on Larkin’s list are not only in their competitive windows but legitimate Stanley Cup threats, it doesn’t make a ton of sense for them to trade off their roster either, so the Red Wings may have to settle for future assets or a mixture of both.
Assuming everyone is healthy to begin the 2026-27 campaign, the Panthers have little need for Larkin. They may still want him, but if Florida is going to target anything this summer, it’ll be goaltending. The Panthers already have a relatively deep center corps with Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, and Anton Lundell at the top of the hierarchy. However, compared to the Wild and Golden Knights, the Panthers have much more cap space to work with.
Florida could dangle the eighth overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, but it has very little to offer outside of that. It’s well known that the Panthers have the worst farm system in the NHL, so it’s unlikely the Red Wings would be interested in any prospect capital. Additionally, given that they’re in the same division, Detroit will be competing with the Panthers for a postseason spot next season, so Florida would have to overpay more than the Wild or Golden Knights. The Red Wings may aim for the Panthers to include Eetu Luostarinen and/or Niko Mikkola with the eighth overall pick, but Florida will have little appetite to move them after the injury concerns from the 2025-26 season.
Meanwhile, of all three clubs, the Wild have the biggest need for a top-six center. It was evident during the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs that this was a significant factor in their inability to advance beyond Round Two. In a recent article from Joe Smith of The Athletic, he speculated that Minnesota could offer Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel in a hypothetical trade for Larkin, but have little else to offer beyond that. The team traded some of their most enticing capital for Quinn Hughes and doesn’t have a ton left to add another All-Star talent.
However, the Wild’s potential offer to the Red Wings isn’t necessarily dead on arrival. Minnesota still has its 2027 first-round pick, although it’s expected to fall well outside of the lottery range. Would it make sense for Minnesota to offer Jonas Brodin, as well? He hasn’t completed a full season in seven years, so the team has learned to operate without him by now. Furthermore, his contract does not include any trade protection, and his $6MM salary would help create some cap space for other acquisitions this summer.
Lastly, like the Wild, the Golden Knights will have some salary cap hurdles to overcome. Still, that’s never stopped them before. Currently embroiled in a tightly contested Stanley Cup Final with the Carolina Hurricanes, the Golden Knights will enter the summer with approximately $4.625MM in space, and that’s without factoring in a possible extension for Rasmus Andersson.
Given that they don’t have a pick in the first two rounds until the 2028 NHL Draft, Vegas will undoubtedly have to include prospect Trevor Connelly in any hypothetical deal for Larkin, as well as players on their roster. Unfortunately, the Golden Knights don’t have many players without trade protection in their contracts, and it wouldn’t make a ton of sense for a player to greenlight a trade to Detroit after playing in the Stanley Cup Final.
Another possibility is that Larkin ultimately remains with the Red Wings. General Manager Steve Yzerman isn’t afraid to play hardball, as he did with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jonathan Drouin many moons ago. As much as Larkin can pick where he goes due to the no-trade clause, he’s still contractually committed to Detroit through the 2030-31 season. It’s highly unlikely that Yzerman will be bullied into a bad deal, so if Larkin doesn’t expand his list, or Detroit doesn’t get an offer to their liking, they may tell Larkin they can’t wait to see him in Traverse City for training camp in September.
Now it’s time for you to pick: will Larkin be on one of the three teams on his trade list come next season, be on a different organization than those he originally listed, or with the Red Wings? Vote below!
Which Team Will Acquire Dylan Larkin?
Max McCormick Announces Retirement
According to an announcement from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, captain Max McCormick has retired from professional hockey. McCormick lost the entire 2025-26 campaign due to a hip injury, and that likely influenced him to hang up his skates.
McCormick, 34, was drafted with the 171st overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Before turning pro, McCormick spent his collegiate days at The Ohio State University, scoring 36 goals and 88 points in 104 games from 2011 to 2014. He eventually signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Senators, but spent his entire first season with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.
Although he would never lead the team in scoring throughout his tenure, McCormick became a relatively solid secondary contributor with the AHL Senators. Across four and a half seasons, McCormick registered 61 goals and 125 points in 254 contests. Additionally, Ottawa is where McCormick earned the most NHL opportunities throughout his professional career, scoring six goals and 10 points in 71 games from 2015 to 2019.
The Senators eventually traded McCormick to the Colorado Avalanche halfway through the 2018-19 campaign. He finished the campaign with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles before departing for the Carolina Hurricanes the next offseason. He spent two years with the Hurricanes organization, again primarily playing for their AHL affiliate. They mildly used him in the NHL during the 2020-21 season, finishing with two goals and three points in 12 games, averaging 7:49 of ice time.
Again looking for a new home, McCormick signed with the new Seattle Kraken franchise, where he would ultimately finish his career. He had an impressive two-year run with the Firebirds, the best of his professional career, scoring 60 goals and 127 points in 139 games, which helped the team reach back-to-back Calder Cup Finals, losing both times to the Hershey Bears. Unfortunately, over the past two years, McCormick’s career was derailed due to his chronic hip injury.
The De Pere, WI native concludes his career with 159 goals and 337 points in 540 AHL games, along with 26 additional goals and 45 points in 53 postseason contests. Additionally, McCormick tallied eight goals and 13 points in 94 NHL appearances. We at PHR congratulate McCormick on his 12-year professional career and wish him the best in his next chapter.
Penguins Should Consider Signing Matt Murray
The Pittsburgh Penguins appear likely to lose goaltender Stuart Skinner in free agency when it hits on July 1st. Skinner was acquired during the season as part of the Tristan Jarry trade and was good for Pittsburgh, but was reportedly very well-liked in the dressing room. The Penguins are poised to go very young in net next season with the returning Arturs Silovs and rookie sensation Sergei Murashov. While those two have shown promise, neither is a sure thing, and the Penguins should be, and likely will be, on the hunt for a competent veteran who could step in if the team’s goaltending goes sideways. Enter former Penguins starting goaltender and two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Murray, a netminder that Pittsburgh should seriously consider as their third-string option.
Now, Murray is no longer an NHL starter, and it’s fair to wonder whether his body can even hold up as a regular backup. But it’s still clear that he can play when healthy, given his body of work over the last two seasons. This past year in Seattle, Murray dressed for five games with the Kraken, going 0-2-1 with a .922 SV% and a 2.21 GAA before suffering an injury that sidelined him for most of the season. And therein lies the issue with Murray. He’s been hurt a lot.
The 32-year-old Murray has not played more than 30 games in a single season since the 2019-20 campaign, when he was still with the Penguins, and really can’t be expected to take regular starts given how his body has broken down. But Pittsburgh has what is perhaps the perfect role for him as their third stringer, and because Murray spent so much time on the injured reserve last year, he is eligible to sign an incentive-laden contract, which may be something he pursues.
Murray will likely be looking for an opportunity to get significant playing time if his body can hold up, which is why Pittsburgh might be the right fit for him. Pittsburgh could pay Murray NHL money, keep him up with the big club, and give him the occasional spot start to give Murashov and Silovs a rest, or they could bounce him back and forth between the AHL and the NHL and pay him his one-way salary. Either way, Murray collects his NHL paycheck, and the Penguins have their third-string safety net as well as Murray’s mentorship to assist Murashov and Silovs. That last piece, Murray’s ability to provide guidance to the Penguins’ young netminders, is perhaps the most important, as it would give Murashov the type of mentor that Murray had when he was a rookie, with Marc-Andre Fleury backing him up on the way to back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Murray is a very different personality from Fleury, but he’s been through everything a rookie can go through in the NHL (twice), and his disposition would be incredibly valuable to Murashov, while also giving Pittsburgh one of the better third options in the league. Murray could also provide valuable insight into mental and physical preparation, as well as the injuries and issues he’s dealt with since being traded by the Penguins. Murray’s career has gone off the rails, and it was hard to foresee that a decade ago, when he was leading the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups. But with those tough times come tough lessons, and that could be invaluable information for both Murashov and Silovs.
The other part of this equation is that the Penguins realistically have their AHL tandem set for next season in Joel Blomqvist and Taylor Gauthier. Blomqvist will likely get the lion’s share of the AHL starts, and the Penguins might not want to disrupt that continuity if there is an injury at the NHL level. Having Murray available as a potential third goalie in the NHL would allow Pittsburgh to have that in place rather than shuttling a goalie back and forth if injuries come up, which they might.
Now, there are obviously some roster logistics at play if the Penguins were to keep three NHL goalies on the roster, and teams typically don’t like to do this. But if any organization knows how fragile a young goaltender can be, it’s the Penguins. This isn’t to say it’s the Penguins’ fault, but if you look back at the last 20 years, Fleury, Murray, and Tristan Jarry have all been the Penguins’ starters during that time, and all three were effectively broken at some point. Of the three, only Fleury was able to resurrect his career and continue, while Murray and Jarry have floundered despite early success.
Goaltending is perhaps the hardest position in sports to project, and you never really know how things will play out. The Penguins have a very special prospect in Murashov, and he has the talent to be an NHL superstar. Throwing him to the wolves without a safety net next season could be disastrous, especially given how allergic to defensive hockey the Penguins have historically been. Having Murray in the fold isn’t going to take a ton of pressure off Murashov, but it does give him an outlet, a mentor, and a safety net when he will need to navigate stormy waters. It also won’t cost the Penguins much, other than a roster spot and a league-minimum salary.
Martin Frk Expected To Join Shanghai Dragons in KHL
Veteran forward Martin Frk is reportedly heading overseas, with multiple sources indicating he has agreed to a two-year contract with the Shanghai Dragons of the KHL.
According to reports from Czech journalist Vojtěch Tůma and KHL insider accounts, the 32-year-old Czech has terms in place for the next two seasons with the Dragons, though the move has not yet been officially confirmed by the club.
Frk spent the 2025-26 season with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL affiliate of the Flames) on an AHL deal after signing a one-year, $775,000 NHL contract with Calgary the previous summer. He posted another strong minor-league campaign with 30 goals and 60 points in 66 games.
A second-round pick (49th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2012, Frk carved out a 124-game NHL career with stops in Detroit, Carolina, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Calgary. Known for his heavy shot and elite AHL scoring touch, he has totaled 20 goals and 41 points in the NHL, surpassed 20 goals in the AHL seven times and helped the Grand Rapids Griffins capture the Calder Cup in the 2016-17 season.
At 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, Frk has been a reliable AHL producer throughout his professional career but struggled to secure a full-time NHL role due to skating limitations. The move to the KHL could offer him a larger role, higher pay, and a return to a European-based league after years of North American shuttling.
This signing continues a trend of veteran North American/European players finding opportunities in the KHL as NHL depth options become more competitive.
Free Agent Focus: New York Islanders
Free agency is now less than a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. Even with the UFA crop being thinned out in recent months, there will be some quality veterans set to hit the open market in July, while many teams also have key restricted free agents to re-sign. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the New York Islanders.
Key Restricted Free Agents
Other RFAs: F Marc Gatcomb, F Ruslin Iskhakov, F Alex Jefferies, F Daylan Kuefler, F Joey Larson, G Tristan Lennox, F Eetu Liukas, F Matt Maggio, F Maxim Shabanov, F Cam Thiesing, and G Henrik Tikkanen.
The Islanders enter this offseason with a notably light group of restricted free agents compared to many other NHL clubs. With several key young contributors already signed to longer-term deals, the organization faces fewer immediate contract decisions on the RFA side, allowing GM Mathieu Darche more flexibility to focus on veteran UFAs, potential trades, to help surround and support players like Matthew Schaefer in the lineup. This lean RFA class could prove advantageous in a cap-constrained environment, though it also shows the importance of continued strong drafting and development to replenish the pipeline.
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Anders Lee — The 35-year-old captain (turns 36 on July 3) wrapped up his seven-year contract with a respectable but down year: 19 goals and 42 points in 82 games. Known for his net-front presence and leadership, Lee remains a fan favorite and consistent performer around the crease despite the dip in production. Darche may look to bring him back on a shorter/lower-value deal if Lee is flexible, but the market could test the Isles’ priorities in a transition phase.
D Carson Soucy — Acquired mid-season from the Rangers, the 31-year-old left-shot defenseman played 30 games with 2 goals and 2 assists for the Isles. He provided some stability on the blueline amid injuries, averaging 15:27 TOI. As a veteran depth option, his next deal will depend on the team’s defensive needs and cap flexibility.
D Tony DeAngelo — The 30-year-old right-shot defenseman had a solid campaign playing in 76 games, contributing five goals and 35 points. As a UFA, he brings puck-moving ability that could draw interest league-wide.
G David Rittich — The 33-year-old backup appeared in 30 games posting a 14-10-3 record along with .894 SV% and two shutouts. His veteran presence could be valuable, but the already aging, thin goaltending market will dictate his future options.
D Adam Boqvist — The former eighth-overall pick in 2018 has bounced around but found a home with the Islanders. After signing a one-year, $850K deal for 2025-26, the 25-year-old Swedish defenseman appeared in 28 games, recording 4 assists while dealing with limited ice time hovering around 13 minutes per game. His underlying numbers were mediocre, but as a former high pick with offensive upside from the back end, the Islanders will need to decide whether to bring him back as he hits unrestricted free agency.
Other UFAs: D Ethan Bear, F Adam Beckman, F Matthew Highmore, D Marcus Hogberg, F Matt Luff, D Cole McWard, D Travis Mitchell
Projected Cap Space
The Islanders enter the offseason with approximately $10.7M in projected cap space, alongside a projected cap hit in the low-to-mid $90M range. While it is on the lower side, this still provides room to re-sign key pieces and select UFAs while filling out the roster conservatively. However, decisions on veterans like Lee and potential moves on the blue line (or elsewhere) could open up more flexibility as the team continues its competitive window alongside young talent.
Hurricanes’ Goaltending Picture Shifts As Bussi Pushes For Game 5 Start
The Carolina Hurricanes’ goaltending situation remains one of the biggest storylines of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, with the crease decision for Game 5 carrying major implications as the series returns to Raleigh tied at 2-2.
As first reported by Emily Kaplan of ESPN, the Hurricanes made a bold move in Game 4, healthy scratching veteran Frederik Andersen in favor of Brandon Bussi. Bussi delivered in his first playoff start, helping Carolina even the series with a road victory.
Andersen, 36, had been rock-solid through the first three rounds, entering the Final with an incredible 12-1 postseason record while leading the Hurricanes past Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Montreal.
However, the Golden Knights’ heavy forecheck, interior pressure, and ability to force him out of position exposed vulnerabilities in the first three games of the series. His performance dipped noticeably, prompting the coaching staff to make a change. Kaplan’s reporting confirmed the scratch was performance-driven, with no injury concerns.
Bussi, 27, emerged as one of the NHL’s feel-good stories in the regular season, posting a 31-6-2 record in 39 appearances. The goaltender had seen limited postseason action until the Final but made a strong impression in relief during Game 3, stopping 18 of 19 shots. His Game 4 start and solid outing have now pushed him firmly into the conversation as the legitimate starting goaltender the rest of the way.
With the series knotted at 2-2, head coach Rod Brind’Amour faces a high-stakes choice between his three goaltenders. With Bussi fresh off a strong relief appearance and a Game 4 win, the younger netminder brings energy, athleticism, and regular-season dominance. Should he turn back to Anderson, the body of work this postseason (despite the series struggles) still commands respect. Then there is Pyotr Kochetkov who served as Bussi’s backup in Game 4 despite his own lengthy absence. His availability adds another layer of fluidity, though he remains the long-shot option.
Brind’Amour has not yet committed to a Game 5 starter, and as reported by Hurricanes beat writer Walt Ruff, all signs are leading toward indicates the call will be made “at some point.”
Morning Notes: Ott, Puustinen, McIlvane, NHLPA Rebrand
The St. Louis Blues have signed Steve Ott to a two-year contract extension, securing the 43-year-old as the Springfield Thunderbirds head coach through the 2027-28 season and keeping him within the St. Louis Blues organization.
Ott took over as head coach on January 19, 2026, after the Thunderbirds were struggling midseason. In the club’s final 34 regular-season games, he guided the team to an 18-14-2 record, clinching a sixth-seed playoff berth in the Atlantic Division. Ott then led Springfield to the Division Finals, with a first-round series win over the third-seeded Charlotte Checkers and a historic upset victory over the Providence Bruins in the Division Semifinals. The win over Providence marked the single-biggest upset in AHL history, with the teams separated by 38 points in the regular season.
“It’s a great opportunity for myself, but not only that, I get to stay in an organization that I truly love,” Ott said of the extension. “To help develop our young guys with the development side of coaching, it’s really exciting for myself. … When you get asked to take that opportunity, I look at it as a big honor.”
Additional Notes
- The NHLPA has restructured and rebranded its commercial business unit as the NHLPA Player Collective. The move aims to expand global business opportunities and partnerships for NHL players, building on recent staff additions like Chief Commercial Officer Steve Scebelo (formerly of NFL Players Inc.) to enhance player-driven commercial initiatives worldwide.
- Forward Valtteri Puustinen has signed with Luleå HF of the SHL. The 27-year-old Finnish winger split time last season between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Colorado Eagles in the AHL after being traded from Pittsburgh to Colorado in January 2026. The 27-year-old recorded 77 goals and 189 points across 276 AHL games, seven goals and 24 points 66 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- The Boston Bruins are said to be hiring Matt McIlvane as an assistant coach. The 39-year-old spent the last three seasons as head coach of the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, where he earned a multi-year extension in April 2026 after previous success coaching in Europe.
Senators To Be Active In Trade And Free Agency Front During Offseason
The Ottawa Senators are wasting little time addressing areas of need following their first-round playoff sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. With the NHL Draft approaching on June 26-27, president of hockey operations and GM Steve Staios was active at last week’s Combine in Buffalo. According to Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun, Staios met with league executives and player agents amid a thin free-agent market that is pushing more clubs toward trades. The push includes additions at all areas of the roster.
A league executive indicated Ottawa is in the market for a top-six winger capable of lining up with Tim Stützle and captain Brady Tkachuk. While the Senators lack significant assets for a major splash, Garrioch’s sources noted Anaheim’s Mason McTavish as a realistic target given existing organizational ties. Jordan Kyrou was previously mentioned in early deadline chatter, though Garrioch noted that scenario “doesn’t make sense” for Ottawa at this stage.
On the blue line, adding a top-four right-shot defenseman remains a priority with veteran Nick Jensen expected to test unrestricted free agency following knee surgery. RFA Jordan Spence averaged 25 minutes of ice time during his four postseason games and holds arbitration rights, which could set up potentially tricky negotiations.
In an effort to boost the blue line and offer any veteran help, the Senators also checked in on St. Louis veterans Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk at the March trade deadline. However, neither was willing to waive their new move clauses to come to Ottawa. Faulk was ultimately dealt to Detroit, while Parayko declined to waive his no-move clause despite a strong offer from Buffalo that included a high-end prospect and first-round pick.
In net, the Senators are expected to focus on backup goaltending, and should qualify Leevi Meriläinen, while monitoring UFAs options like Connor Ingram and Stuart Skinner, among others.
Veteran UFA forwards Claude Giroux and Nick Cousins have noted strong desires to stay in Ottawa. Staios is reportedly high on retaining both, with Giroux likely returning on another bonus-heavy structure.
Trade talks will be a little more challenging without the draft capital of their No. 32 overall draft selection. Expect trade discussions to intensify in the coming weeks as clubs position themselves ahead of July 1 free agency.