Never eager to share secrets, Vegas head coach John Tortorella wouldn’t clear up speculation on his team’s lineup ahead of Game 6 tonight at home. He’ll have to choose from a pair of similar veterans, Brandon Saad or Reilly Smith, and we won’t know until they take the ice for warm-ups, as noted by The Athletic’s Jesse Granger.
Center William Karlsson’s season is expected to be over with an injury sustained in the last contest, and if Tortorella’s Knights can’t turn the tide on their three losses out of the last four in the series, they’ll be joining him in looking ahead to 2026-27. No longer the top goal scorer he was in the early Golden Knights days, Karlsson’s impact is still huge, as a pivot between Mitch Marner and Brett Howden who have been an extremely effective line.
Neither Saad or Smith will have to worry about filling his role directly; that’s expected to fall upon Tomáš Hertl. However, one of them will join the third line on Colton Sissons’ wing. For Smith, the 35-year-old hasn’t played since the opening series versus Utah. In those six games, he added two helpers, playing 13 minutes on average, 4:19 more than his teammate Saad, in the 33-year-old’s five playoff games. Saad also has two assists.
Smith and Saad have 123 and 116 playoff games to their names respectively. Either Stanley Cup champion has what it takes to step up and make an impact, but truly it will be up to the Golden Knights stars and goaltending to try and prevent Carolina from hoisting the cup on the Vegas Strip tonight, 20 years after their first.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Hulking center Michael McCarron re-signed in Minnesota on a surprising six-year contract, carrying a $3.33MM AAV with trade protection. Set to play in the state of hockey for years to come, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that McCarron had interest from the Canucks, as well as that the Predators made a last offer before trading him to their divisional rivals for a 2028 second-rounder. According to Friedman, who told so on the DMase, Vingan & Daunic podcast, Nashville’s offer was “not even close” to what he fetched from Minnesota. A great story for a 2013 first-round pick who had looked like a bust not long ago, McCarron’s physical traits at 6’6” and faceoff skills are clearly valued as an idealistic fourth line center in today’s game. Based on both Nashville and Vancouver’s interest in the late-blooming 31-year-old despite their ongoing youth movements, it figures that both will shop for other such players on July 1.
- Anaheim Ducks goalie prospect Calle Clang has signed with Rögle BK of the SHL, the team announced today. The 24-year-old took the crease in over 100 regular season games for the AHL’s San Diego Gulls over the years but never got a shot in the NHL. Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2020, he was dealt to the Ducks organization as part of the Rickard Rakell trade in 2022. Posting an 18-9-6 record in 2025-26 with an .897 save percentage and 2.80 goals-against-average, Clang had the bulk of work during the campaign. Now he’ll return home and work alongside Arvid Holm, another netminder with North American experience. 2023 second rounder Damian Clara, who was excellent in the Olympics with Italy, leaves the Ducks’ goaltending cupboard in fine shape. Meanwhile, Clang joins a Rögle club which made it to the SHL Finals before losing in five games. He should be able to benefit from having longtime NHL defenseman Calvin De Haan as a dependable defenseman on his side in each game next season.