Lineup Notes: Golden Knights, Sabres, Ducks
Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak has stepped back in for tonight’s Game 6, as Brayden McNabb sits as a result of his one game suspension. Such became apparent from lines shared by Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The 25-year-old was a regular in the lineup for what has been his breakout season, notching 16 points in 78 games. Vegas has rotated between him, Ben Hutton, and Dylan Coghlan at various times so far in their run. Coghlan made his playoff debut in Game 3, and had to be leaned on for over 20 minutes in the last contest after McNabb’s early game misconduct. Now all three are set to go together in Anaheim as the Golden Knights look to finish off the series.
Interestingly, Coghlan jumps up to the top pairing alongside Shea Theodore, who will skate on his left side for the first time since 2024, pointed out by SinBin.vegas. It’s quite a development for Coghlan, 28, who played 62 AHL games this season and is receiving his first career NHL playoff action this spring.
Mark Stone and Jeremy Lauzon both remain out, the captain sidelined since Game 3 after a lower-body injury that has fans fearing the worst for the major playoff performer. Lauzon hasn’t played since catching a puck to the head in Game 6 of the first round match-up versus Utah.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Seeking a spark as they went into the third period down 5-3, the Buffalo Sabres replaced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen with Alex Lyon in net. The former came up big in Game 4 to even up the series, turning away 31 shots on the way to a 3-2 win at the Bell Centre, but was unable to sustain the success at home tonight. Lyon would go on to face three shots, allowing a power play tally from the blade of Ivan Demidov, putting the game out of reach. Head coach Lindy Ruff will have a decision to make for Saturday, their season on the line as they’ll try to force a Game 7 against a raucous crowd in Montreal. Only time will tell, however, based on how things went tonight it’s likely they’ll turn back to Lyon despite his short leash.
- An effect from McNabb’s suspension mentioned above, Ryan Poehling is out of the lineup for the Ducks, with Jansen Harkins coming in. The 27-year-old’s night ended early after a hard hit from the Vegas defender, where he was immediately shaken up after hitting the back of his head into the boards. It was a strange play where Poehling was not in possession of the puck, nor prepared for the contact. A third-line role playing center with elite speed, the former Montreal first round selection had a career-best 36 points across 75 regular season games, a nice start to his Ducks tenure which fetched a four-year extension. Poehling had four goals in the opening round triumph over the Oilers, but just one helper in four second round games so far. On the other hand, the 28-year-old Harkins will receive fourth line minutes, but he did find the back of the net in Game 2 in what was his playoff debut.
Flyers’ Nikita Grebenkin Could Miss Start Of 2026-27 Season
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere issued updates on the team’s long list of injuries after their run to the second-round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Briere announced 10 injuries. They include:
F Alex Bump (MCL sprain)
F Noah Cates (fractured foot)
F Christian Dvorak (fractured rib, separated shoulder)
F Nikita Grebenkin (upper-body injury)
F Garnet Hathaway (fractured fibula)
F Travis Konecny (fractured rib, fractured nose)
F Owen Tippett (internal bleeding, core muscle injury)
F Trevor Zegras (elbow ligament sprain)
D Emil Andrae (fractured wrist)
D Cameron York (fractured rib)
Among the injuries, Briere specified that Andrae will need surgery, while Cates will not need surgery, to address their fractures. It was not clear if Dvorak, Hathaway, Konecny, or York will also undergo the knife. Briere added that every player is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the 2026-27 season, except for Grebenkin, who could miss time in the 2026-27 season per NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer.
Grebenkin hasn’t played since March 21, missing the last 23 games of Philadelphia’s season. Briere did not specify Grebenkin’s injury, though he did say that the team initially thought the winger would only miss a short term. Instead, Philadelphia is looking at different options to help Grebenkin work back to full health.
The young winger broke into a full-time roster role, on the back of high-energy and gritty hockey, this season. He totaled up 14 points and 86 hits in 55 games as an NHL rookie. His hits-per-game average ranked fifth on the team among Flyers with at least 20 games played. That physical presence, paired with Grebenkin’s energetic skating, was overwhelming paired next to center Hathaway – though Philadelphia also rolled him out as the forechecker next to scorers Konecny and Dvorak.
Grebenkin’s absence would leave a hole in Philadelphia’s bottom-six to start next season. It would also limit the 23 year old’s chance to build on a quick break into an NHL lineup. But Philadelphia’s laundry list of injuries could affect the entire lineup. Konecny led the team in both goals (27) and points (68) through 77 games this season. Zegras ranked right behind him with 26 goals and 67 points, while Dvorak and Tippett were part of a three-way tie for third with 51 points.
On defense, York stepped up as a core part of Philadelphia’s top-four this season. He finished the year with 26 points and a plus-five, while averaging more than 22 minutes a night. Andrae served on the other side of the lineup – netting 13 points in 61 games from a bottom-pair role. York’s presence brought some cohesion to the Flyers’ blue-line behind Travis Sanheim as the team’s top defender, while Andrae was a frequently-tapped depth defender. Both players should return to those roles next season, though Andrae will face the added challenge of recovering from surgery.
The Flyers will enter the summer with the bruises of a long season. This was the Flyers’ first playoff run since 2020, when they lost in the second-round to the New York Islanders. Philadelphia has only made five postseason appearances over the last 13 years – but seem well-set to kick that cold spell after instilling promising, young prospects into every level of the lineup. Bump and rookie Porter Martone will offer big upside next season, while the likes of Grebenkin will look to dig their fit deeper into grinder roles.
Snapshots: Wild, Avalanche, Liiga
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.
Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb Suspended One Game
The Vegas Golden Knights will have another defenseman to replace in Thursday’s Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks. The NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Brayden McNabb has been suspended one game for his hit on Ducks forward Ryan Poehling in Game 5. The incident occurred in the first period, when McNabb delivered a crushing hit to Poehling while he wasn’t looking. McNabb was assessed a game misconduct for interference, while Poehling’s night was brought to an early end.
Poehling is expected to be out of the Ducks’ lineup indefinitely, though head coach Joel Quenneville wouldn’t specify an injury or timeline to Zac Cavanagh of The Sporting Tribune. Poehling took an exciting step forward on the Ducks’ third line this season. He scored a career-high 36 points in 75 regular-season games and has since added four goals and five points in 11 playoff games. Those marks helped him earn a career-high 15:04 in average ice time in his first season in Anaheim. The Ducks will need to replace a notable part of their lineup as they approach potential elimination in Game 6.
Vegas will have a tough hole to fill as well. They are already without Jeremy Lauzon, who was the only Golden Knights defenseman to record more hits (251) than McNabb (110) this season. Without either defender, the Golden Knights will be without a substantial amount of their physical presence. That will put more weight on forwards Keegan Kolesar and Brett Howden, as well as defender Kaedan Korczak, to make their minutes felt while Vegas’ scorers rest up.
Golden Knights Recall Braeden Bowman, Mark Stone Remains Out
The Vegas Golden Knights will continue to be without star winger Mark Stone in Tuesday night’s Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. Stone will remain out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury that kept him out of Game 4 per Jesse Granger of The Athletic. Stone left Game 3 at the end of the first period. It was not clear where his injury was sustained, though he seemed to be nursing his left leg at the end of his final shift. Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will also remain out of the lineup with an upper-body injury sustained in Game 6 of Vegas’ first round matchup against the Utah Mammoth.
Veteran winger Brandon Saad filled in for Stone on Sunday. His line – completed by Tomas Hertl and Keegan Kolesar – was outshot four-to-one and on the ice for no goals. That quiet performance, and a Game 4 loss, has prompted Vegas to recall winger Braeden Bowman from the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights.
Bowman had a surprising breakout this season. He scored at a point-per-game pace through the start of Henderson’s season, prompting the first call-up of his career in mid-November. The undrafted-rookie was an immediate impact, netting seven points in his first eight NHL games and proving he could bring the grit and work ethic needed to earn a lineup role. Bowman stayed up with Vegas’ lineup for 54 games, ultimately scoring eight goals and 26 points. He was returned to Henderson in April and caught fire once again – netting 18 points through the Silver Knights’ final 14 games of the season.
The Golden Knights will struggle to make up for Stone’s absence. The Vegas captain scored 28 goals and 73 points in 60 games this season – a full-season scoring pace of 38 goals and 100 points. He sat out of 17 games between October and November, and an additional five games in March, due to injury. The Golden Knights struggled in his absence, setting a 8-9-5 record and getting outscored 59-to-66. Vegas won’t have any room for those struggles now, as they sit tied at two wins with the Ducks.
Bowman has continued to produce for Henderson in the postseason. He has four points in six games, third-most on the Silver Knights behind Trevor Connelly and Lukas Cormier. If a move between leagues brings another scoring spark, the Golden Knights could find a timely X-factor addition in the young winger. Meanwhile, Ben Hutton will continue to support the defense in Lauzon’s absence. Hutton recorded 15 points, 28 hits, and 55 shot blocks in 55 regular-season games. He won’t match Lauzon’s bruising presence – but should continue to provide serviceable depth in must-win games.
Flyers’ Owen Tippett Suffered From Internal Bleeding
The Philadelphia Flyers were without winger Owen Tippett throughout their Round Two series against the Carolina Hurricanes for what was originally described as a sports hernia. This morning, according to a team announcement, the Flyers revealed that Tippett was suffering from internal bleeding as a result of the hernia.
In the announcement, Tippett was quoted as saying, “I was unable to return for the Second Round series vs. Carolina due to an internal bleeding issue that I sustained during the First Round series vs. Pittsburgh. Following a series of medical evaluations, treatments, and rehabilitation under the care of the Flyers medical team, I am making progress and feeling better each day. Despite being cleared to travel and skate with the team at certain practices, things did not progress at a pace that I hoped for or would allow me to safely continue playing.”
Given that Tippett played in all six games against the Penguins in Round One, and the Flyers were eliminated by the Hurricanes only 10 days later, it’s remarkable that Tippett even got close to returning. Recovery from a sports hernia typically takes six to twelve weeks and may require surgery to repair damaged muscles, tendons, or ligaments. The Flyers update suggests that Tippett might have been available if the series against Carolina had gone longer, or during the Eastern Conference Final had Philadelphia advanced that far.
Fortunately, it does not sound like Tippett will have any issues beginning the 2026-27 on time. The 27-year-old winger is coming off the second-highest scoring season of his career, registering 28 goals and 51 points with a -6 rating, averaging 16:51 of ice time per game.
Avalanche Make Several Lineup Changes
Shortly before the puck dropped in Minnesota on Game 4 between the Avalanche and Wild, a number of lineup changes were revealed. Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski are out, with MacKenzie Blackwood starting in goal, noted by Peter Baugh of The Athletic. Josh Manson has returned, along with Jack Ahcan who will make his NHL playoff debut. Finally, Joel Kiviranta is back with the forward group, skating on the fourth line.
Out of the several notes, most surprising is Lehkonen’s absence, apparently a result of an upper-body injury. A key role player always capable of stepping up in the spring, Lehkonen has three goals and six points in seven playoff games so far. Malinski is also a notable subtraction, the 27-year-old defenseman breaking out this year with 40 points, apparently dealing with the same ailment. His first and only career playoff goal broke the scoring in the opening game of the series against the Wild.
Nick Blankenburg, who filled in defensively for Manson and skated in the series’ first three games, is scratched. Today has been a whirlwind for the 28-year-old Ahcan, recalled earlier from the AHL, in the midst of the Colorado Eagles’ Calder Cup playoff run. Now he’s all set to play in a crucial game in his home state of Minnesota. To be chosen over Blankenburg, often size is a factor, as the smooth skater acquired from Nashville is just 5’9″. However, Ahcan is also smaller in stature, standing 5’8″, the difference being that he’s left-handed and forming a balance on the third pairing with the 6’3″ righty Manson.
Scott Wedgewood had started every game in the postseason for the Avs, the 33-year-old holding things down on the way to 31 wins in the regular season and a .921 save percentage, by far career highs. Still, the veteran was pulled after surrendering three goals on 12 shots in Game 3, prompting them to turn to Blackwood. The 29-year-old nearly split duty with Wedgewood throughout the campaign, and now he’ll get his eighth career playoff start, all with Colorado.
Manson and Kiviranta’s returns were expected. The defenseman Manson is finally cleared to make his playoff debut not having played since late April due to an upper-body injury. Kiviranta, meanwhile, hasn’t played since the second game of the first round series against Los Angeles, dealing with an undisclosed injury. It has been several years now, but still hard to forget the Finnish winger’s efforts in the 2020 playoffs as a Dallas Star, culminating in a Game 7 hat trick in the Western Conference Finals, taking down his current club in Colorado.
With their depth being put to the test, the door is wide open for the Wild to knot up the series 2-2 on home ice. If not, they’ll face a tall task, although Minnesota has overcome a 3-1 deficit in their history, part of their memorable 2003 run which was against Colorado, no less.
Snapshots: Flyers Injuries, Oilers, Celebrini
With their season coming to an abrupt end yesterday, injuries affecting the Philadelphia Flyers have begun to be revealed. Bill Meltzer of Flyers.NHL.com shared that Owen Tippett is dealing with a sports hernia, Cam York was playing through a fractured rib, and Christian Dvorak was battling a separated shoulder.
By yesterday’s Game 4, the Flyers were running with a patchwork lineup, including Carl Grundström and rookie Oliver Bonk, both of whom spent time in the AHL this year.
Tippett was unable to skate in any of the four second round games against the Hurricanes, with an ailment which was not revealed at the time. If he had limped into a game, a full tear would have been possible, which would greatly affect his health moving into next season. The 27-year-old tied his career high in goals this year (28) and played in all but one regular season contest, the best of his career to this point. He should be all set for next fall.
Meanwhile, both York and Dvorak played through their injuries. York skated in 24 minutes or more in each of the last three games against Carolina. The 25-year-old appeared hampered at times, but his overtime series winning goal over Pittsburgh was an unforgettable moment.
Finally, Dvorak came away with four assists, impressively not missing a single game despite his injury. It was a season to remember for the 30-year-old, setting a career high with 51 points in 80 games, and earning a five-year extension with the team.
Elsewhere across the league:
- The Edmonton Oilers face an off-season of changes after a disappointing first round exit, but as written by The Fourth Period, that may not include Connor Ingram, Jason Dickinson, and Connor Murphy, who are expected to explore being re-signed. Dickinson, 30, effectively replaced Adam Henrique as a third line center. Mostly a shutdown penalty killer, he did find the back of the net twice in the playoffs, capable of providing a scoring spark at times. He’d require a serious pay cut from his current $4.25MM to stay with the Oilers. Another former Blackhawk, the 33-year-old Murphy played top four minutes in Edmonton, starting 58% of his shifts in the defensive zone as a stay-at-home sidekick for Darnell Nurse, the duo anchoring the penalty kill. Finally, as far as depth goaltenders go, Ingram brought above average results at a .899 save percentage and 2.60 goals-against-average, but Edmonton must find a solution with Tristan Jarry in order to avoid leaning on the persevering 29-year-old Ingram so heavily again.
- Sharks 19-year-old superstar Macklin Celebrini has been named captain of Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championships. It’s a passing of the torch of sorts, as he’ll lead alongside veteran assistants Ryan O’Reilly and John Tavares despite being the youngest skater on the team. Celebrini is no stranger to the international circuit, leading Canada in the World Juniors, and already a top line star at the highest stage, last February in Milan where he came away with a silver medal. A face of the future of Canada Hockey, the Vancouver native wasted no time, recording three points earlier today in a resounding 6-1 exhibition defeat of France.
Injury Notes: Stone, Ducks, Sabres
The Vegas Golden Knights will be without their captain tonight in Game 4 against Anaheim, as Mark Stone won’t play, to be replaced by Brandon Saad, noted by Jesse Granger of The Athletic.
It was apparent just yesterday that such was a possibility, as Stone left Game 3 early as a result of a non-contact lower-body injury. Averaging 19:26 so far in the playoffs, good for third among Vegas forwards, losing Stone for any extended period would have major implications in the remainder of the series, as the Ducks look to even things up at 2-2. A crucial piece of their power play, Stone, who turns 34 in just three days, has managed to play in all nine playoff games so far, coming away with seven points.
Despite never playing in more than 66 regular season games as a Knight, Stone has missed just one playoff game with the team. In 94 such appearances, always rising to the occasion, he has 79 points. Obviously taking a lot for the veteran to miss out in the spring, it raises real concerns on his status the rest of the way.
Another veteran with ample playoff experience (111 games), Saad is expected to slot into the third line, his first postseason action of the year. A two-time Stanley Cup champion and former standout scorer, the winger is now fully embracing an energy role under John Tortorella, with just nine points in 49 games this year. Invigorated by the opportunity, he’ll be one to watch as the group marches ahead without their leader, as few depth forwards have a resume as strong as his own.
Elsewhere across the league:
- Vegas’ opponents in Anaheim also have movement in regards to their captain, as Radko Gudas is a game-time decision to return, based on morning lines shared by Zach Cavanaugh of The Sporting Tribune. The soon-to-be 36-year-old hasn’t played since Game 1 against the Oilers in the opening round, dealing with a lower body injury. Assuming back into the fold, he’ll be in a third pairing deployment alongside rookie Tyson Hinds, who only made his NHL debut last month. It appears that Drew Helleson will step out of the lineup as a result, the 25-year-old righty skating in eight postseason games so far and coming away with one helper in limited usage. Helleson is thought to be dealing with an undisclosed injury.
- Knotted 1-1 in their series and headed into a hostile Montreal environment tonight for Game 3, the Buffalo Sabres might change things up among their bottom six forwards, observed by Bill Hoppe of The Times Herald. Head coach Lindy Ruff did not provide specifics, but trade deadline acquisition Sam Carrick looks likely to be suiting up after missing 15 games with an arm injury. It’s a nice update after initial thoughts that the 34-year-old had no shot at returning during the second round. Drafted back in 2010, Carrick has just 10 playoff games under his belt, coming as an Oiler two years ago. His nearly 55% faceoff win rate would be a welcome addition, the exact reason Buffalo surrendered third and sixth-round selections to the Rangers in March. If Carrick is good to go, it may bump out Tyson Kozak. The 23-year-old has provided spot-duty on the fourth line, bringing energy but winning a sub-par 43.3% on the dot across six playoff games.
Avalanche Reassign Jack Ahcan, Josh Manson Remains Out
5/9: Despite being a full participant in morning practice, Manson did not suit up for Saturday night’s Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild, per Baugh. His absence will keep Sam Malinski on the second-pair and Nick Blankenburg in the lineup, while Manson will now aim for a return in Game 4 on Monday.
5/8: An important piece of the Colorado Avalanche lineup could be back in the near future. The team reassigned defenseman Jack Ahcan in anticipation for Josh Manson‘s return from an upper-body injury sustained in Game 3 of the first round per Peter Baugh of The Athletic. The Avalanche “feel good” about Manson’s chances of returning on Saturday, head coach Jared Bednar told Baugh.
Manson has operated as Colorado’s second-pair right-defenseman behind Cale Makar. His physical, two-way presence was a gut punch behind Colorado’s top pair all season long. Manson marked that impact with 31 points in 79 games, the most he’s scored since the 2017-18 season. He also recorded 99 shot blocks and 174 hits, both ranked second on the team. Manson added two assists, one block, and 10 hits through the first two-and-a-half games of Colorado’s playoff run, before running into injury after just five minutes of ice time.
Ahcan will return to the Colorado Eagles’ run in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He has played in three of the team’s playoff games so far, with no scoring or penalties. Ahcan racked up a career-high 50 points in 61 games with the Eagles this season. He has posted a new scoring peak in each of his three seasons with the Eagles, after beginning his career in the Boston Bruins organization. He will step back into an important, top-four role on an Eagles team already pacing the AHL postseason. The Eagles have won four of their five games and boast a playoff-best +12 goal-differential.