Evening Notes: Kulich, Burns, Canucks
Buffalo Sabres center Jiri Kulich offered the most encouraging update on Tuesday regarding his health, explaining that he underwent a procedure at the Mayo Clinic to remove a blood clot, as reported by Mike Harrington of TBN Sports. The clot kept him out of the Sabres lineup all but 12 games of his 2025-26 season, but thankfully Kulich said he expects to be back in the lineup next fall.
Speaking publicly for the first time since November at the Sabres’ end-of-season media availability, the 22-year-old said doctors in Minnesota fully extracted the clot roughly two months ago. He couldn’t skate for a month afterward and admitted he had put on weight during the layoff, but he is now in his fourth week back on the ice and said he can “do pretty much everything right now.” His message to fans was direct, saying, “I’ll be able to play hockey again.”
The recovery cost him what would have been a major personal milestone. Kulich was widely projected as Czechia’s second-line winger at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Additionally, Kulich missed his first taste of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as Buffalo pushed Montreal to a Game 7 overtime in the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, he stayed around the team throughout the run and said his teammates treated him “like family” through the ordeal.
His return matters significantly for Buffalo’s 2026-27 outlook. Kulich scored 15 goals as a rookie in 2024-25 and had three goals and five points in his 12 games this year before he was shut down. He remains on his entry-level deal at an $886,666 cap hit through next season, and slots back into a center group that now includes Zach Benson, Konsta Helenius, Josh Norris, and deadline addition Sam Carrick, giving Buffalo a much-needed depth and skill boost down the middle as the Sabres try to build on the franchise’s most successful season in 15 years.
Additional Notes:
- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. He had sat out some on-ice sessions following Colorado’s series-clinching 4-3 OT win over Minnesota in Game 5, and was listed as day-to-day after missing Saturday’s practice. He should be ready for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against Vegas on Wednesday. Through nine playoff games, he has 3 assists, 14 SOG, 6 blocks, and 13 hits.
- On a day that saw new general manager Ryan Johnson clean house behind the bench, firing head coach Adam Foote and assistants Scott Young, Kevin Dean, and Brett McLean after a 25-49-8 last-place finish, Johnson also confirmed that assistant general managers Cammi Granato and Émilie Castonguay will remain in their roles, per Harman Dayal with the Athletic. The retention provides a measure of continuity inside an organization otherwise gutted at the top this spring, with Jim Rutherford stepping down as president of hockey operations, GM Patrik Allvin dismissed, and now the coaching staff turned over. Castonguay became the first woman to serve as an NHL assistant general manager when the Canucks hired her in January 2022, with Granato, a Hockey Hall of Famer, joining not long after. Both received extensions in March 2024 under the previous front office and have handled significant responsibilities in scouting oversight, player development, and contract and cap management.
Western Conference Final Preview
The Western Conference Final is set, and they feature two teams with championship pedigree, elite top-end talent, and plenty of reasons to believe they’re built for a deep run. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche will host the Pacific Division-winning Vegas Golden Knights for Game 1 on Wednesday night at Ball Arena, with both teams four wins away from a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Paths to the WCF
Colorado handled business in the first two rounds, sweeping the Los Angeles Kings 4-0 in Round 1 before knocking out the Minnesota Wild in Round 2 in just five games, a series that ended dramatically. Colorado saw themselves down 3-0 at the first intermission of Game 5, but stormed all the way back with Nathan MacKinnon tying it late in regulation and Brett Kulak scoring 3:52 into overtime. The Avalanche are headed to the Western Conference Final for the first time since their 2022 Stanley Cup run.
Vegas took six games to dispatch both of their opponents, defeating the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in Round 1 before grinding out a 4-2 series win over the Anaheim Ducks in Round 2. Their offseason and in-season moves have defined the Golden Knights’ run: Mitch Marner, acquired in a sign-and-trade from Toronto last July, has been everything Vegas hoped for; midseason additions Rasmus Andersson and Nic Dowd, and head coach John Tortorella, hired with just eight games remaining in the regular season to replace Bruce Cassidy, have the team playing with edge and structure. Vegas finished the regular season 7-0-1 under Tortorella.
Head-to-Head
These two teams have met just once previously in the playoffs, with Vegas winning that 2021 Round 2 series in six games. Colorado, however, holds the recent edge, going 2-0-1 against the Golden Knights in the 2025-26 regular season. Martin Necas led Colorado with six points (three goals, three assists) in those three matchups, while MacKinnon added four. On the Vegas side, Marner and Tomas Hertl each posted four points (one goal, three assists) in the season series.
Key Players
Colorado is led by MacKinnon, who has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) through the first two rounds and is playing at an MVP level. His 1.44 points-per-game pace this postseason is up from his already-elite 1.31 playoff career rate. Martin Necas has chipped in 11 points (one goal, 10 assists), captain Gabriel Landeskog has eight points (three goals, five assists), and defenseman Devon Toews also has eight (two goals, six assists). Cale Makar has scored four goals from the back end.
Vegas, however, has the postseason’s hottest scorer. Marner leads the NHL with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 12 games, with Jack Eichel right behind, tied for second in playoff scoring with 15 points (one goal, 14 assists). Pavel Dorofeyev leads all goal-scorers in the playoffs with nine, and Brett Howden is second with eight. Captain Mark Stone continues to do what he’s always done, play heavy minutes in all situations, and impact the game well beyond the scoresheet. However, Stone missed the last three games of Round 2 against Anaheim after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 3, and was not on the ice for practice today, as reported by Danny Webster of the Review-Journal. Vegas is hopeful Stone returns for the start of the Conference Final, but that remains uncertain.
Goaltending
Colorado’s Scott Wedgewood has been the steady hand, going 7-1 with a 2.21 GAA and .914 save percentage in eight games, second-best GAA among remaining playoff goaltenders. Mackenzie Blackwood is 1-0 in three appearances, with a 3.20 GAA and .872 save percentage as the backup option.
For Vegas, Carter Hart has emerged as one of the postseason’s bigger stories. He’s 8-4 with a 2.37 GAA and .915 save percentage and has firmly established himself as Tortorella’s number one.
X-Factors
Depth Scoring (Vegas): The headline numbers belong to Marner and Eichel, but if Vegas is going to get past Colorado, they’ll need even more from their supporting cast. Brett Howden has been a revelation, sitting second in the entire postseason with eight goals, a player nobody outside of Vegas was talking about when the playoffs began, and Tomas Hertl appears to be finding his scoring touch on the third line. Colton Sissons and Cole Smith have also chipped in, combining for nine points through the first two rounds. The challenge now is sustaining it against a deeper, more disciplined opponent. Colorado undoubtedly has the best top-end talent Vegas will see in the playoffs, and if Vegas’s stars are neutralized in any stretch of this series, the depth guys are going to have to step up in a major way to keep pace.
Health (Colorado): The Avalanche enters Game 1 with several key pieces banged up. Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Brent Burns, and Artturi Lehkonen were all listed as day-to-day by head coach Jared Bednar. However, Monday’s skate offered some encouragement, with Bednar saying he believes everyone will be available. Even so, the health of this group will likely dictate Colorado’s ceiling in the series. Makar anchors the back end, Lehkonen logs heavy minutes across all situations, and Manson provides much-needed physicality on the blue line, all of which are critical against a heavy Vegas team that punishes opponents through four lines. If the injuries begin to compound for the Avalanche in this series, they could be in trouble.
Wrap Up
It’s Cup-or-bust for both organizations. Colorado is looking to cap a Presidents’ Trophy-winning regular season with a second championship of the decade, while Vegas chases validation for a series of bold, win-now moves designed for this exact moment. Add in two teams that play noticeably different styles, Colorado’s speed and skill against Vegas’s size and structure, and the result is a series with every ingredient needed to deliver one of the most compelling Western Conference Finals in recent memory. Game 1 drops Wednesday night at Ball Arena, with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line. See the rest of the schedule below.
Evening Notes: Avalanche, Trocheck, World Championship
Yesterday, Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar called Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Brent Burns, and Artturi Lehkonen day-to-day, per Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. However, after today’s skate, Bednar has a positive update this afternoon on their current injury list, saying, “I think everyone is going to be available, but we will see.”
During this afternoon’s skate, Manson was on the ice in a regular jersey, which is a great sign. Additionally, Sam Malinski, who had been skating in a non-contact jersey, returned to full participation today, though he has not been listed day-to-day. Makar, Burns, and Lehkonen were still not on the ice. Taking necessary precautions with a banged-up D-corps, defenseman Alex Gagne was at practice with the Avalanche today.
The Avalanche still have two days off before they begin their Western Conference Final matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night. The Avalanche bested Vegas in their regular-season meetings this year, going 2-0-1. However, when they last met in Round 2 of the 2021 postseason, Vegas eliminated Colorado in six games. With a Cup Final appearance on the line, the extra rest could prove pivotal for a banged-up Avs squad.
Additional evening notes:
- New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck’s name has been circulating amongst trade rumors for some time now. The Rangers are trying to get rid of his contract, per Darren Dreger of TSN, which has three more years remaining at a $5.63MM AAV. The original asking price for the 32-year-old center was a first-round pick, a top-level prospect, and an additional asset, and according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, that remains unchanged. It is no secret that teams around the NHL are always interested in a first or second-line center, as they seldom become available, so this will be an intriguing story to follow throughout the summer. Trocheck had 16 goals and 53 points in 67 games last season.
- Day three of the IIHF Men’s World Championship concluded this afternoon in Switzerland. Through two games, Group A is led by Austria, Finland, and Switzerland, tied with six points each, with Austria holding the tiebreaker in goal differential. Group B sees a similar logjam at the top, as Canada and Slovakia are also deadlocked at six points apiece, with Canada owning the tiebreaker. Team USA bounced back this afternoon with a 5-1 victory against Great Britain after suffering a tournament-opening loss to the Swiss on Friday. Former NHL forward Jesse Puljujärvi leads the tournament in scoring through two games with three goals and five points. The action starts back up for day four tomorrow with Finland vs USA and Canada vs Denmark, both starting at 9:20 AM CST.
Avalanche Recall Alex Gagne
Defenseman Alex Gagne joined the Avalanche for practice Sunday, Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette reports, indicating he’s been recalled from AHL Colorado to serve as injury insurance ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Golden Knights. The Eagles are midway through their Pacific Division Final series against Coachella Valley, and Gagne has played in all eight postseason games for them so far, so it’s a notable move with Cale Makar, Brent Burns, Josh Manson, and Sam Malinski all playing through some minor injuries.
Gagne, 23, has yet to make his NHL debut and is in just his first professional season. He suited up 58 times in the AHL regular season, rattling off a goal and 12 assists with a strong +14 rating and 53 penalty minutes. The stout 6’5″, 225-lb lefty was a sixth-round pick by the Lightning back in 2021 but opted not to sign with them upon finishing his collegiate career with New Hampshire last offseason, signing an entry-level deal with Colorado instead after reaching free agency in August.
The Avs have a bottom-tier prospect pool. Even then, he’s not considered an impact player or a potential long-term piece by any major prospect ranking. Even still, he displayed some good defensive play as a rookie in the minors this season and could be a no-fuss emergency option if the Avs’ injury woes on defense continue to pile up.
Gagne’s entry-level deal was for two years, so Colorado still has another season before they need to make a decision on a qualifying offer. Giving him a look this late in the postseason – even just as a Black Ace – indicates he’s in good organizational standing heading into next year’s training camp.
Colorado Avalanche Injury Updates
- Earlier today, Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports reported that Cale Makar, Josh Manson, Brent Burns, and Artturi Lehkonen are all nursing day-to-day injuries for the Colorado Avalanche. Despite Game 1 of the Western Conference Final being four days away, each of the injured members of the Avalanche is expected to play.
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Sam Malinski Skating In Non-Contact Jersey
- Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette reported that Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski is practicing with the team in a non-contact jersey. Malinski missed Colorado’s final two games of Round Two due to an upper-body injury. Given that the team has sustained only one loss through the postseason so far, it’s hard to imagine the Avalanche not reaching the Stanley Cup Final if they’re able to ice a healthy roster in the Western Conference Final.
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Latest On Artturi Lehkonen, Sam Malinski
Minnesota Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian is out tonight, with Jeff Petry slotting in, noted by Michael Russo of The Athletic. The soon-to-be 36-year-old, already not the fleetest of foot, has been battling a lower body injury which cost him Game 2 of the series. In nine playoff games, he’s averaging 12:45 a night, not surprisingly coming away with no points as a traditional shutdown rearguard.
Petry, another veteran at age 38, makes his third playoff appearance of the spring for the Wild after a five year hiatus, last doing so as a Canadien in 2021. No longer a high point-getter, Petry’s possession metrics at five-on-five have actually held steady, over the 53% mark in corsi for with the Wild in a small sample size.
Down three games to one in the series, it’s fair to wonder if this could be it for either of the veterans, if unable to extend their season tonight. Petry has the distinction of being one of seven remaining active players from the 2006 draft class, while Bogosian is one of two active former Atlanta Thrashers (the other being Evander Kane). Before that’s even any possibility though, the Wild have a prime chance to capitalize on a banged up Colorado lineup.
Elsewhere:
- On the opposite side, the Avalanche are again missing Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski, relayed by Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports. Colorado has run it back with their same lineup from Game 4’s win, featuring Jack Ahcan on the third pairing, plucked right from the AHL in the midst of the Calder Cup Playoffs, and Joel Kiviranta on the fourth line. Both Lehkonen and Malinski are out with upper-body ailments which have sidelined them since Game 3.
- Tappara have brought home the 2026 Liiga Championship, their fourth since 2022. They defeated KooKoo in Game 7, after a memorable series which had previously brought the longest postseason game in league history, a four overtime marathon where Columbus prospect Oiva Keskinen netted the game winner for the eventual champs. Projected 2026 first round picks Oliver Suvanto and Juho Piiparinen were also part of the championship roster, the forward and defenseman thought to be late-first round options. In terms of other notable names, the youngsters skating alongside former fifth overall selection Olli Juolevi, as well as 20-year-old top Tampa Bay prospect Benjamin Rautiainen.
Avalanche Notes: Blackwood, Lehkonen, Malinski
The Colorado Avalanche appear ready to lean on the hot hand as they look to close out their second-round series against the Minnesota Wild. Following an optional morning skate at Ball Arena, Mackenzie Blackwood occupied the starter’s crease, a strong sign he will get the nod for tonight’s pivotal Game 5.
Blackwood appears to have earned the opportunity after a composed performance in Game 4, where he stopped 19 of 21 shots to help Colorado secure a 3-1 series lead.
Additional Notes:
- While the optional session was described as “pretty well attended,” the Avalanche were without two key fixtures: forward Artturi Lehkonen and defenseman Sam Malinski. Both players missed Game 4 with upper-body injuries, and their absence this morning could mean that they will remain unlikely to suit up for the potential clincher.
- The veteran winger, Lehkonen, has been a postseason engine for Colorado, providing elite two-way play and secondary scoring. On the back end, Malinski’s mobility will be missed if he cannot go, likely keeping Jack Ahcan in the lineup for a second straight game.
- With a chance to advance to the Western Conference Final on home ice, the Avalanche are prioritizing momentum in goal while navigating significant depth challenges. If Blackwood can replicate his Game 4 form, Colorado may secure the rest needed to get their sidelined stars back for the third round.
Evening Notes: Kraken, Manson, Sabres
The Seattle Kraken have partnered with sports advisory firm Sportsology to perform an assessment of their hockey operations department after parting ways with general manager Ron Francis, per Fox 13 Seattle. The firm will review the team’s organizational structure, communication and decision-making processes, player development, scouting, analytics, and more.
Sportsology has previously worked with the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles. They also worked with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards. The Rams, Eagles, and Mavericks have each won championships in the last four years.
Seattle has had a, frankly, slow start to their franchise history. They have made one of a possible four postseasons and are already on their third head coach. More than that, Seattle has failed to lead top prospects Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, or Berkly Catton to their potential early in their careers. It is the perfect time to look for a spark, especially as Seattle sits tied up in a veteran-heavy roster.
Other notes from around the league:
- Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson was fined $5K by the NHL Department of Player Safety for butt-ending Minnesota Wild forward Michael McCarron in Game 4. Manson has missed the last four games with injury. He fills an important lineup role and will dodge any further absences with a fine, rather than a suspension. Manson recorded 31 points, 91 penalty minutes, and 174 shot blocks in 79 games during the regular season. He has added two points in four postseason games.
- The Buffalo Sabres are making some lineup changes after losing Game 3 against the Montreal Canadiens by a score of 2-6. Rookie center Konsta Helenius, defenseman Luke Schenn, and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are in the lineup per Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic. Helenius could be a scoring spark vacated when Noah Ostlund sustained an injury. The 20-year-old Finn scored four points in the first nine games of his NHL career, and 62 points in 62 AHL games, this season. Luukkonen recorded 22 wins and a .910 save percentage in 35 games this season. Injuries held him back from the starting role, opening the door for a split with Alex Lyon who has started every game of the postseason so far. Their swaps could be difference-makers for the Sabres, while Schenn will look to bring another physical presence to the lineup.
NHL Announces General Manager Of The Year Finalists
The Wild’s Bill Guerin, the Avalanche’s Chris MacFarland, and the Ducks’ Pat Verbeek are the three finalists for this year’s Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, the league announced today.
The award is presented annually “to the general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season.” It is voted on by the League’s general managers and, per the league, “a panel of NHL executives and print and broadcast media” after the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concludes.
This is the first time all three names have surfaced as finalists for the award. Of the three, Guerin is the longest-tenured lead executive. He was hired in 2019 to lead the Wild, and has guided the team to the playoffs in five of his seven campaigns in charge of the team. His Wild went 46-24-12 this season, good for third place in the Western Conference.
Guerin pulled off what most would likely consider this past season’s boldest transaction, putting together a package of players, prospects, and draft picks strong enough to land Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. The move gave the Wild one of the game’s best players and arguably the game’s top defenseman.
He also secured the signature of franchise face Kirill Kaprizov on a massive contract extension, ensuring his team’s centerpiece player would not be departing in free agency. Kaprizov’s signing and the trade for Hughes represent two of the most consequential transactions in franchise history.
While Minnesota were pushed to the brink of elimination by the Avalanche last night, their loss should not diminish what Guerin accomplished this season – and that’s not even including his work constructing America’s roster for the Winter Olympics in Italy, work that resulted in a gold medal. He’s built the Wild into one of the NHL’s strongest teams, and his status as a finalist is a reflection of the strength of his body of work in 2025-26.
Verbeek, who like Guerin is a former longtime NHLer, has been running the Ducks’ hockey operations since February 2022. As GM in Anaheim, Verbeek has engineered a youth movement that is the envy of the NHL, securing high-end young pieces such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, and Beckett Sennecke.
But Verbeek hasn’t just stockpiled young talent. It’s his work to supplement his burgeoning young core with strong veteran contributors that has likely landed him as a finalist – and what has helped propel Anaheim to the second round of the playoffs.
Many rebuilding teams end up playing as many young players as possible, and the quality of the team overall suffers. The Ducks have taken a different approach, fusing a high number of young players with significant investments in veteran leaders. The result has been strong player development outcomes across the board, and the elevation of the Ducks into a winning, playoff-caliber team.
Verbeek signed Mikael Granlund and Alex Killorn as free agents, and landed Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba, and most recently John Carlson via trade. Those additions, combined with the offseason hire of three-time Stanley Cup champion head coach Joel Quenneville, have supercharged the Ducks’ rebuild and pushed them back to contention at a quick pace.
Of the three finalists, MacFarland has been GM for the shortest period of time, though his tenure in Colorado overall actually stretches back more than a decade. Joe Sakic’s longtime assistant GM took the reins in 2022, and has since helped turn the Avalanche into a Presidents’ Trophy winner.
MacFarland’s bold decision to move on from star forward Mikko Rantanen, who was inching closer to unrestricted free agency, appears to have paid off. His direct replacement Martin Necas had an 100-point season and is now signed through 2033-34. MacFarland was also able to retain veteran pivot Brock Nelson, who ended up a Selke Trophy finalist in his first full campaign in Denver.
MacFarland has been able to find diamonds in the rough, such as Sam Malinski and Parker Kelly to support a contending team with fewer available draft picks thanks to trades designed to secure veteran talent.
The work of MacFarland and his staff has Colorado in a position to potentially win its second Stanley Cup of the 2020s, and that’s why he’s a finalist for GM of the year.
Photos courtesy of Nick Wosika-Imagn Images