Evening Notes: Team Canada, Crosby, Ortmeyer
In a surprising announcement, Hockey Canada shared that it will not be participating in the 2026 Spengler Cup. The 2026 rendition of the tournament will be the first time since 1983 that Canada has not sent a team to the tournament.
Included in the announcement was a statement from Hockey Canada, saying, “Hockey Canada and the Spengler Cup organizing committee have announced that Canada’s National Men’s Team will not participate in the 2026 Spengler Cup. Hockey Canada’s long-term agreement expired following the 2025 Spengler Cup, and a new agreement to include Team Canada in the 2026 event could not be reached in time.”
There is no word on exactly why an agreement couldn’t be reached between the two sides, but the outcome remains the same. Typically carrying a roster full of AHL talent, Team Canada had been dominant in the tournament for the last three decades, winning 13 Spengler Cups since 1992 and appearing in 20 championship contests.
Additional evening notes:
- Eligible for a contract extension this summer, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was fairly non-committal on a new deal when asked today. According to Seth Rorabaugh of the Tribune-Review, Crosby stated that he is taking a “wait and see” approach regarding a new deal and has not given it much thought. In the midst of their rebuild, Crosby signed a new extension with the Penguins after being followed by extensive trade rumors. At this point, it doesn’t appear there’s much possibility of “The Kid” playing for a new team, and he will continue his career in Pittsburgh as long as he wants.
- According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic, the New York Rangers will not be retaining Jed Ortmeyer this offseason. Ortmeyer, 47, has been the Rangers’ Director of Player Development since the 2017-18 campaign. It’s a relatively obvious change as New York embarks on a retool, as the team has had a notoriously difficult time drafting and developing talent over the last several years.
Kings Notes: Smith, Fiala, Wright
Los Angeles Kings General Manager Ken Holland was relatively noncommittal when asked about the team’s head coaching position. According to Eric Stephens of The Athletic, Holland shared that D.J. Smith is already considered a candidate. Still, the Kings will also talk to other possibilities over the next few weeks.
Smith was named the Kings’ interim head coach on March 1st, after the team fired Jim Hiller. Although it can’t all be attributed to the head coach, Los Angeles found the spark to get into the playoffs. One of the biggest issues that the Kings faced under Hiller was the offense. This season, in 59 games under Hiller, Los Angeles averaged 2.6 goals per game, and 3.1 goals per game under Smith. Even with the improvement, over a full season, that would have been the 16th-best offense in the NHL.
Former NHL player Manny Malhotra has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Kings’ head coaching position by some sources. However, considering that his current team, the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, finished last in scoring this season, it seems unlikely that the Kings would consider him for a lateral move. For an increase in offense, Los Angeles may consider Peter Laviolette, who is known for his aggressive approach to offensive schematics.
Additional Kings notes:
- Still recovering from multiple fractures during his time with Team Switzerland at the Winter Olympics, Zach Dooley of the Kings shared that forward Kevin Fiala is progressing well in his rehabilitation. He is not only progressing well but also exceeding expectations, as Dooley indicated that Fiala could have been an option in Round Two of the playoffs. The leg fractures Fiala suffered typically take three to six months to fully recover, meaning he would have returned exceptionally quickly, potentially beating the shorter end of the expectation.
- According to Alexander Legget of Mayors Manor, Holland is expecting depth forward Jared Wright to have a full-time role with Los Angeles next season. Wright, 23, is a former sixth-round pick of the Kings, and debuted with the club this season. He should perform relatively well in a bottom-six role with Los Angeles as he registered four assists in 23 games at the NHL level, and 30 points in 54 games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign.
Maple Leafs Denied Permission To Interview Julien BriseBois
Although the reported group of final candidates doesn’t strike much inspiration, it’s now safe to say the Toronto Maple Leafs attempted to go big-game hunting for their GM vacancy. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs requested to interview Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois, but were quickly denied.
Frankly, it’s not surprising at all that Toronto was denied permission to interview BriseBois. As Friedman put it, “I don’t think anyone is shocked to hear that the Lightning would say no. I do think they asked permission to speak to him and were rejected.”
BriseBois, 49, has been the front office leader for the Lightning since the 2018-19 season, after Steve Yzerman stepped down from the role. Inarguably, three of the most important players on the team were drafted by Yzerman: Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Brayden Point. Still, that’s not to say that BriseBois has only been coasting off Yzerman’s success. He was the one who acquired Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, and J.J. Moser, among others.
Regardless of which General Manager ultimately had the bigger hand in the team’s success, BriseBois was the General Manager of the team during their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021. Because of that, he’s one of the most successful General Managers in the NHL, rivaled only by Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers. Given his track record, there’s no questioning why the Maple Leafs would be interested in bringing him on board.
Now, since they were rejected by the Lightning and potentially rejected by additional teams to speak with their front office leaders, the Maple Leafs appear headed for a split role. Reports suggest that Toronto is actively pursuing John Chayka and franchise legend Mats Sundin for higher management roles. Instead of having one man to lead the pack, the Maple Leafs may opt for a combined effort.
Injury Notes: Hayton, McBain, Paul, Ehlers, Nikishin
There could be some alterations to the Mammoth’s forward group as they look to stave off elimination at home in Game 6 tonight against the Golden Knights. Center Barrett Hayton returned to the lineup for Game 5 after missing over a month with an upper-body injury, but he’s been downgraded to a game-time decision for tonight as he continues to be on a pain management regimen, head coach Andre Tourigny said (via Cole Bagley of KSL Sports). Hayton played a minimal role in Wednesday’s double overtime loss, logging 12:49 of ice time as he shifted to the wing on the fourth line with Kevin Stenlund and Brandon Tanev. He had a -1 rating and went 6-for-14 (42.9%) on faceoffs. As for McBain, he missed time down the stretch with a lower-body injury before returning for Game 1, although he hasn’t played since. It’s unclear if he reaggravated that one or if it’s a different ailment keeping him out. The regular season saw McBain, 26, produce nine goals and 25 points in 75 games with a team-leading 271 hits in a bottom-six role.
More lineup notes from around the league as the first round nears a close:
- Lightning center Nick Paul was a late scratch for their Game 5 loss due to illness. However, his absence will end there as Renaud Lavoie of TVA reports he’s back in the lineup for Game 6. With Tampa trailing 3-2 and facing a fourth consecutive first-round elimination, Paul has yet to record a point in the series and has a -2 rating after a wildly disappointing regular season that saw his ice time slashed en route to posting a 7-8–15 scoring line and a -15 rating in 51 games.
- Nikolaj Ehlers wasn’t on hand for the Hurricanes when they dispatched the Senators in a sweep last weekend. After a long rest, Carolina’s second-round tilt against the Flyers will get underway tomorrow. Today, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it “looks like” Ehlers will be available after missing Game 4 against Ottawa with a lower-body injury (via Walt Ruff of NHL.com) – along with defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who left that contest due to a concussion. Despite averaging over 20 minutes per game, Ehlers had been limited to one assist through his first three playoff outings as a Cane. His checking line with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook was spectacular at controlling play, however, logging a 62.2% expected goals share, per MoneyPuck. Meanwhile, the rookie Nikishin was held without a point in the series but eked out a +1 rating while averaging 16:31 of ice time per game.
Devils Won’t Retain Dan MacKinnon, Chuck Fletcher
The Devils will not renew the contracts of assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon or senior advisor Chuck Fletcher for next season, the team announced Friday.
They’re the first changes instituted in New Jersey’s front office by Sunny Mehta, who was tapped as the franchise’s sixth general manager in team history last month after they fired Tom Fitzgerald 10 days prior. The moves, of course, come after the Devils limped to the finish line for their sixth playoff miss in the last eight years.
Mehta, who was hired without a president of hockey operations as oversight, will officially have virtually unfettered reign with Fletcher no longer serving as essentially a GM emeritus on staff. The 59-year-old had been working with Fitzgerald over the last two seasons after being fired as GM of the Flyers in 2023.
It likely won’t take very long for Fletcher to find some type of work if he wants to stay in the league. A Stanley Cup winner as the assistant GM of the Penguins in 2009, Fletcher has consistently worked in the league in some capacity since being tapped as an AGM for the Panthers at their point of inception in 1993. He got his first GM gig on an interim basis with Florida in 2001-02 before re-emerging as GM of the Wild from 2009-18 and again with the Flyers from 2018-23. Between jobs, he was an AGM with Anaheim and Pittsburgh while being in charge of their respective AHL franchises.
MacKinnon has had significantly more of a day-to-day impact in New Jersey in recent years. The 51-year-old also has oodles of experience, first joining the Predators as their director of scouting back in 2000. He was picked up by the Penguins in a similar role in 2007 – working with Fletcher there – and was part of their 2009 and 2016 wins before joining New Jersey as their director of player personnel. MacKinnon’s tenure, which began under Ray Shero’s administration, saw him promoted to AGM and senior VP of hockey ops in 2019, both titles he held up until today, before adding AHL GMing responsibilities in 2021.
It’s not clear what replacements, if any, Mehta intends to bring in yet. His inner circle now consists of executive vice president Martin Brodeur, advisor Andy Greene, and AGM Kate Madigan.
Blues Sign Dylan Holloway To Five-Year Extension
The Blues have agreed to terms with winger Dylan Holloway on a five-year extension, the team announced Friday. The contract carries an average annual value of $7.75MM for a total value of $38.75MM, Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic reports. The deal will kick in next year and run through the 2030-31 season. Holloway was due to hit restricted free agency this summer and would have had arbitration rights.
Per PuckPedia, Holloway’s deal includes a 20-team no-trade clause in 2029-30 and a 15-team no-trade clause in 2030-31, the only two seasons of the deal in which he’s eligible for trade protection. The deal is paid entirely in base salary (no signing bonuses) and will earn him $10MM next season, $9MM in year two, $7.5MM in year three, $6.25MM in year four, and $6MM in its final season.
An article on the Blues’ site just yesterday expressed Holloway’s willingness to sign a long-term extension. His wish has come to fruition in short order. The contract buys up his remaining RFA years and takes him two seasons past when he would have initially been eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2029. He’ll be 29 years old upon expiry – likely at a point when his market value will never be higher – while joining a massive class of 2031 UFAs in St. Louis that includes Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, and Robert Thomas.
It was clear the Blues would be on the hook for a big payday as soon as he hit the ground running in the Show-Me State two years ago. Plucked from the Oilers alongside defenseman Philip Broberg on a two-year, $4.58MM offer sheet in August 2024, the 2020 first-round pick broke out to finish third on the Blues in scoring with 63 points in 77 games, posting a +21 rating while helping fuel the franchise to its first playoff experience in three years.
Things did not go nearly as smoothly for Holloway at the beginning of 2025-26. His offensive struggles were in line with those of the rest of his Blues teammates. By the time he sustained an ankle injury on Dec. 12, he had been limited to eight goals and 17 points in 33 games with a -11 rating. He would only play one more game before the Olympic break, re-aggravating his injury and virtually missing over two months.
The fully healthy version of Holloway that emerged, however, looked more like a perennial All-Star contender than the high-end middle-six piece he was drafted to be. He was easily St. Louis’ MVP down the stretch, but they ultimately failed to make a late push for a postseason berth. His 14 goals and 34 points through his final 25 games ranked t-12th and t-7th in the league, respectively, following the Olympic break, while no one had a better rating than his +26 mark in that span. Only Nikita Kucherov had more even-strength points (30) than Holloway’s 29. It was an absolutely dominant run of play for a new-look first line of himself, Thomas, and Jimmy Snuggerud that should be set to reprise itself in training camp next fall – assuming Thomas sheds the trade rumors that dogged him leading up to this year’s deadline.
That run brought Holloway’s season totals up to a 22-29–51 scoring line in 59 games – an even better points-per-game pace than last season despite his early struggles. He’s averaging 29 goals and 69 points per 82 games in a Blues uniform. The deal comes in a little north of AFP Analytics’ $7.2MM projection on a five-year deal, but as Dom Lusczyszyn of The Athletic relays, his superb 5-on-5 defensive impacts mean his deal should age quite well for the Blues, at least until he’s owed another sizable raise at the beginning of the next decade.
St. Louis doesn’t have much other roster management to do before the fall. Holloway’s extension already brings them up to 20 players on next season’s projected active roster with $15.85MM in cap space still available, per PuckPedia. The Blues’ list of notable remaining RFAs for this year starts and ends with Jonatan Berggren and Matthew Kessel.
Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images.
West Notes: Flames Coaches, Rantanen, Karlsson
The Calgary Flames organization announced several news items related to their coaching staff today: head coach Ryan Huska’s entire staff of assistants, including Trent Cull, Dave Lowry, Cail MacLean, video coach Jamie Pringle, and goalie coach Jason LaBarbera, have been signed to two-year contract extensions. Additionally, it was announced that longtime AHL assistant coach Joe Cirella will not return to the organization for 2026-27.
This past season was a difficult one for the Flames, but it’s tough to pin that on their coaching staff. The team is undergoing a significant roster reconstruction, and management has elected to subtract considerable NHL talent from the lineup in order to build a sustainable contending team down the line. While that very well could lead to the Flames competing for Stanley Cups later in this decade or early in the next one, in the immediate term, it means Huska and his staff are coaching with a talent deficit on most nights. While some might still argue that they haven’t made the most of the talent they’ve had access to, however limited, it’s clear the Flames view this staff as the right one to lead the team forward.
Other notes from the Western Conference:
- Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen was fined $5K for cross-checking Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The infraction came during last night’s contest between the two teams, one that saw the Wild end the Stars’ season. Rantanen had a strong campaign for Dallas, scoring 77 points in 64 games. He put up seven points in the team’s six-game series loss, but his overall impact left some, including Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, wanting more.
- Injured Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson hit the ice in a standard jersey for the team’s practice today, but that should not be viewed as a sign that his return is imminent. Per Sin Bin Vegas, head coach John Tortorella said that Karlsson’s inclusion was more about getting him around the team as he rehabs than anything else. Karlsson was limited to playing in just 14 games during the regular season as a result of his injury, which is of the lower-body variety. GM Kelly McCrimmon has already indicated that Karlsson is unlikely to return this year unless the Golden Knights have a deep run in the playoffs.
Metro Notes: Malkin, Silovs, Hurricanes
Pittsburgh Penguins center and future Hall of Fame inductee Evgeni Malkin addressed his future with the team today, expressing to the media (including NHL.com’s Wes Crosby) that his desire is to remain with the only franchise he’s ever played for. He also confirmed that he would be willing to play for another team if the Penguins decide not to extend him an offer of a new contract. Malkin, who turns 40 this summer, had a strong campaign when healthy, scoring 61 points in 56 games. While the pace of the game got away from him during the team’s first-round series loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, he still spent most of 2025-26 producing at a star level.
Whether the Penguins want to keep Malkin beyond this season is a complicated question. For as well as he played for most of 2025-26, Malkin isn’t part of the Penguins’ long-term future, something the team has become increasingly focused on building towards. If Malkin were to be re-signed, the minutes he would play would be minutes that couldn’t be devoted to developing a younger center. If the Penguins take a player development mindset towards their roster-building this summer, there is an argument to be made that they should not keep Malkin. On the other hand, this is a player who is a franchise icon, someone who captain Sidney Crosby no doubt still wants to play with, and someone who has proven he can still be a valuable NHLer in most cases. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported in January that the Penguins “are not expected to offer him another contract with the franchise,” but it’s unclear if anything has changed in the months since. For as long as he remains unsigned, Malkin’s status will be one of the more compelling storylines to track this offseason.
Other notes from the Metro:
- Penguins netminder Arturs Silovs, who nearly became the story of the first round with his heroics to extend Pittsburgh’s comeback effort against the Flyers, told the media today that he was playing through a knee injury. It’s unclear what the full extent of the injury is, but at the very least it was minor enough for Silovs to play through. It didn’t seem to impact his form too greatly, as he posted a .939 save percentage in three starts in the postseason. Regardless of the injury, Silovs appears poised to take on a bigger role for the Penguins next season.
- The Carolina Hurricanes will enter their second-round playoff series against Philadelphia with Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin healthy and ready to play, head coach Rod Brind’Amour announced. Ehlers missed the final game of Carolina’s sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury. He’s one of the Hurricanes’ top offensive talents, producing 71 points in his debut season with the club. Nikishin was knocked out of game four against the Senators with a concussion, but appears to have worked his way back and will resume his role on a pairing with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere.
Latest On Victor Hedman, Charle-Edouard D’Astous
The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without captain Victor Hedman as they fight to stave off elimination tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, head coach Jon Cooper told the media today. Cooper did add that he expects Hedman to be an option “really soon,” hinting that he could potentially be able to dress on Sunday if the Lightning are able to force game seven against the Canadiens.
Cooper didn’t issue a firm update on the status of injured blueliner Charle-Edouard D’Astous, but Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reported that D’Astous is likely to make his return from injury tonight. D’Astous hasn’t played since game one of the series after suffering an undisclosed injury.
If he does end up returning, D’Astous could provide a real boost to Tampa Bay’s blueline. The former SHL, Liiga, ECHL, and QMJHL defenseman of the year had a breakout 2025-26 season, earning a full-time NHL role as an undrafted 28-year-old rookie. D’Astous scored 29 points in 70 games and added 112 penalty minutes.
He averaged 18:45 time on ice per game this season, and could take Emil Lilleberg‘s spot on the team’s third pairing. Lilleberg has averaged 16:59 time on ice per game in this series, including two minutes per game on the penalty kill. He could also take the spot of Maxwell Crozier, though that would require the left-shot defenseman playing on his off-side.
If Hedman is indeed able to return for a potential game seven, or even for the start of the second round (if Tampa Bay is able to make it there,) his return would provide a major boost to Tampa’s lineup.
The Lightning captain is one of the standout blueliners of his generation, a Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. While his injuries slowed him down this season, and he’s potentially no longer a top point producer thanks to Raddysh’s emergence, he remains a central pillar of this era of Lightning hockey.
While Tampa is on the verge of elimination tonight, they remain one of the strongest teams in the postseason. Their combination of skill, ferocity, and veteran experience is one few teams can match, and they have one of the game’s finest goaltenders backstopping them.
If they can find a way to get past Montreal, and get a healthy Hedman back into their lineup, they could pose a serious threat to make their fourth Stanley Cup Final of the decade.
Jon Cooper, Dan Muse, Lindy Ruff Named Jack Adams Finalists
Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Muse, and Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff were named the finalists for the Jack Adams award, which is presented annually “to the NHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.”
In a year flush with options for the award, each member of this trio still stands out. Cooper, who is the NHL’s longest-tenured head coach, led the Lightning to a 50-26-6 record. 
He was able to deftly manage significant injuries on his team’s blueline, with veteran stalwarts Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh limited to 33 and 48 games played, respectively.
In the face of those injuries, Cooper’s Lightning didn’t miss a beat, and he was able to get the most out of previously unheralded blueliners.
Cooper trusted undrafted 30-year-old Darren Raddysh as one of his team’s top defensemen in the absence of Hedman, and Raddysh rewarded his coach with a breakout 22-goal, 70-point campaign. He became just the second Lightning blueliner in franchise history to hit 70 points in a season.
Raddysh wasn’t the only undrafted blueliner to emerge for the Lightning. 28-year-old Charle-Edouard D’Astous, an elite blueliner in various leagues from the ECHL to SHL, was seamlessly integrated into Tampa’s lineup and put into positions to succeed. By the end of the season, D’Astous finished his rookie campaign with 29 points in 70 games, firmly establishing himself as an NHL defenseman.
For other coaches, dealing with so many injuries to key players can be a fatal blow to their team’s Stanley Cup hopes. For Tampa Bay, it served as an opportunity to integrate new faces into the lineup, and give new players a chance to have career-best campaigns. That, more than anything else, is why Cooper (and the rest of his staff) have been nominated for this award.
But Cooper isn’t the only deserving candidate. First-year head coach Dan Muse is another worthy option, as he guided the Penguins to a 41-25-16 record, good for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins entered the season considered by most to be a rebuilding club, a franchise with next to no hope of playing meaningful games in the spring. The Penguins not only beat those expectations, but they cruised into the playoffs.
The former New York Rangers and Nashville Predators assistant oversaw numerous players in his lineup who had career-best years, or campaigns that revitalized previously sagging career trajectories.
The Penguins made a bet that they could get the most out of struggling Blue Jackets first-rounder Egor Chinakhov, and that bet paid off as he scored 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games after his trade to the Steel City. He had six points in 29 games before the trade. Muse was able to manage an 18-year-old rookie’s transition to the NHL, guiding Benjamin Kindel to a successful 17-goal, 35-point debut campaign.
Numerous other players put up significantly improved performances under Muse’s watch, including veteran blueliner Erik Karlsson (66 points,) forward Anthony Mantha (64 points,) forward Tommy Novak (42 points,) defenseman Ryan Shea (35 points,) defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (30 points,) and forward Justin Brazeau (17 goals, 34 points.)
The formerly rebuilding Penguins took a risk to hire Muse, a first-time NHL head coach, in large part due to his exceptional reputation as a developer of players. For a team increasingly focused on youth, his track record in player development was seen as extremely valuable.
What most didn’t expect was for Muse’s leadership and player development acumen to pay dividends so quickly, and materialize in growth for players of all different ages and at varying stages of their careers. While the Penguins improved considerably as a team, it’s the widespread improvement Muse oversaw, player to player, that has gotten him nominated for this award.
Finally, the third nominee is Ruff, who achieved what for so many coaches seemed impossible and ended the Sabres’ league-leading playoff drought.
In his second stint in Western New York, Ruff has turned the Sabres into a sensation. Buffalo went 50-23-9 this season.
For the first time since 2010, the Sabres will be able to add a banner to the rafters of KeyBank Center as division champions.
Battling against the weight of the Sabres’ recent history, Ruff guided his team through significant early pressure, pressure that ended up costing GM Kevyn Adams his job. By the time the calendar flipped to the new year, Ruff’s Sabres had the makings of a juggernaut. They ended up storming to the top of the Atlantic Division, and have entirely reversed the league-wide conversation about the franchise.
The enormity of the achievement of returning the Sabres to the playoffs after so many failed attempts by the franchise is enough to qualify Ruff for the Jack Adams, and in a year where so many coaches have proven their quality, Ruff may very well be the favorite.
Photos courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images, James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images