Without the young star on the ice, the team’s structure changes significantly, forcing adjustments in breakout speed, defensive pairings and power-play execution against a disciplined Vegas forecheck.

The Avalanche will look for other key contributors to step up while fans await further updates on the timeline for his potential return later in the series. For now, the NHL team is being cautious with his recovery.

Cale Makar injury update ahead of Game 3

Cale Makar is dealing with an undisclosed upper-body injury that has already forced him to miss the series opener at Ball Arena, where Colorado fell 4-2 to Vegas and struggled to control transitions without their top blue-liner.

The Avalanche were visibly disrupted in Game 1 without Makar’s presence on the blue line, especially in puck movement and breakout execution against a structured Golden Knights forecheck.

His absence also impacted their power play efficiency, forcing coach Jared Bednar to rely on deeper defensive rotations and heavier minutes for secondary pairing options as Vegas capitalized on key second-period opportunities.

How Cale Makar’s absence impacts the Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar’s absence significantly weakens the Colorado Avalanche’s defensive structure, breakout speed and power-play efficiency against the Vegas Golden Knights.

In Game 1, Colorado immediately felt the impact of missing their Norris Trophy defenseman, as they struggled to generate clean zone exits and were often trapped under Vegas pressure in a 4-2 defeat.

Without him, the Avalanche lose their most important transition player — someone who normally drives the puck from the defensive zone and instantly turns pressure into offense.

Reports from Game 1 highlighted how Vegas was able to extend shifts in Colorado’s end, forcing backup defensemen into heavier minutes and disrupting the team’s usual rhythm between Nathan MacKinnon’s line and the blue line.

When could Cale Makar return?

Cale Makar remains officially day-to-day, meaning his return to the Western Conference Finals is possible but not guaranteed. Current reports indicate the Colorado Avalanche are monitoring his upper-body injury closely.

Team updates throughout the series have emphasized caution, especially given his workload and importance in all situations — even-strength, power play and penalty kill. In playoff contexts, Colorado avoids rushing him back.

“I just said execution like five times. I think that’s what hurt us,” MacKinnon told reporters after the game, via NHL.com. “It needs to be better. And, you know, obviously we’re capable of being a lot better than that.”

The Vegas Golden Knights got the best of MacKinnon’s Avalanche en route to a 4-2 victory in Game 1. Colorado is sensing the pressure as it trails in a series for the first time in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Avalanche lose first home game of the playoffs

Up until its defeat against Vegas, Colorado was undefeated at Ball Arena in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Avs are 5-1 at home, whereas the Knights are 5-2 on the road so far in this year’s postseason.

Moreover, the last time the Avs had lost an opening game was in the 2024 postseason—Game 1 of the first round against the Winnipeg Jets. They ended up turning the tables and advancing with a 4-1 series win, so perhaps this serves as a wake-up call for MacKinnon and company.

Tortorella warns Avalanche about Hart

Despite a concerning start to the playoffs, John Tortorella and the Golden Knights stuck with Carter Hart in net. Needless to say, patience has been a virtue and has paid off for the team in Sin City so far. Following yet another strong outing in Game 1 against Colorado Avalanche, Tortorella praised Hart’s resilience with a sincere comment.

“[Hart] is a hell of a goalie. I think he’s grown so strong mentally. I don’t think much bothers him. He is just zeroed in,” Tortorella said about his goaltender, via TSN. “And he’s going to have to be, because we’ve got a lot of work to do here.”

Hart is a problem for Avalanche

Hart was the first star of the night in Game 1 as he stopped 36 shots and finished with a .947 save percentage (SV%). So far in the playoffs, he has registered a 2.35 goals-against average (GAA) and a .920 SV% through 13 games.

Among goalies with at least eight games played in the postseason, Hart ranks fourth in goals saved above expected (6.3), according to data from MoneyPuck. Hart also has the second-most saves against unblocked shot attempts with 826 stops.

His numbers only go to show how much work is left to be done by MacKinnon and the Avalanche. If they want to advance past Vegas, the Avs must make Hart uncomfortable because the 27-year-old netminder has finally settled into the crease in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

The Vegas Golden Knights may be completely blocking McDavid’s Oilers from reaching Cassidy, but it may not be able to last much longer. Vegas’ main argument for not granting teams permission is based on the fact it is still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that allowing its former head coach to interview with other teams could come back to bite the Golden Knights during their postseason run.

Thus, the math is simple regarding when Cassidy should be made available for interview requests. Or at least, the Knights will have to come up with better excuses.

“The moment that Vegas is eliminated from the playoffs or wins the Stanley Cup, you will hear that Bruce Cassidy has an opportunity to interview,” John Shannon said on Donnie and Dhali: The Team. “It’s going to be by the middle of June that we all hear Cassidy is available to talk to other teams.”

NHL won’t step in

If the NHL wanted to turn a blind eye to the whole situation, the Coaches’ Association coming to the rescue of McDavid and the Oilers may have put the league on notice. Still, it seems like there is nothing the commissioner can do because, in its own words, the Golden Knights have done nothing wrong so far. It is not exactly sportsmanlike, but it is all within the rulebook.

“From NHL perspective, the league feels the Vegas response to date is consistent with the team’s existing contractual rights, as well as with established league policy. So, it remains very much up to the Golden Knights if and when teams can talk to Cassidy while he’s under contract,” as reported by TSN insider Pierre LeBrun.

With the league taking such a passive stance, the Oilers have an even better understanding of where they stand in their pursuit of Cassidy. Edmonton will either remain patient or tear its hair out over the current situation.

Knoblauch’s future

Although the Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch, they will have to foot the bill on his contract. Knoblauch had signed a three-year extension before the Cassidy drama cost him his job. As he was relieved of his duties without cause, Edmonton will have to pay him for the next three years. According to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, Knoblauch will go on a sabbatical before taking another coaching job in the league.

“We can likely cross Kris Knoblauch’s name off of any coaching candidates list out there for now,” Spector wrote on his X account. Knoblauch has three years left on his contract with the Oilers, running through 2028-29.

For the time being, thus, Knoblauch may not entertain any interviews, and Edmonton will not be put in a situation where it must decide who can and cannot speak with him. Still anything can happen. Perhaps the Oilers end up being the pot calling the kettle black.

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the interest doesn’t seem to be reciprocal. According to a report from an NHL insider, Babcock has ruled out the rumors with a straightforward statement. Edmonton will have to look elsewhere for its 10th head coach in the last 15 years—and McDavid‘s sixth since being selected with the first overall pick in 2015.

“I’m retired. Loving it,” Mike Babcock told Darren Dreger, as TSN‘s insider’s reported.

Babcock’s numbers

Babcock has been away from the NHL since his brief, yet highly controversial tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Stanley Cup-winning coach—who won in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings—resigned from his position in Columbus just months after signing due to an investigation into improper behavior.

So far in his career, Babcock has coached in 1,301 games. The 63-year-old bench-boss boasts a 700-418-164-19 (W-L-OT-T) record. His 700 wins put him on 12th for most by a head coach in NHL history.

If he were to come out of retirement, Babcock would become the fifth active coach with the most victories, only trailing Joel Quenneville, Paul Maurice, Lindy Ruff, and John Tortorella.

Edmonton still searching for head coach

Based on his reported answer to Dreger, it does not look as if he will come out of retirement to coach McDavid and the rest of the title-hungry team in Edmonton. For the franchise in the Gateway to the North, its search for a replacement for Kris Knoblauch is only just beginning, and it will not get away with cutting any corners.

Although the NHL Coaches’ Association has come to McDavid and the Oilers’ rescue—or at least tried to force the league’s hand into taking action—the Golden Knights are standing firm. They are not giving the Oilers, nor other divisional rivals permission to speak with Cassidy, not for as long as they remain alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. What happens afterward remains uncertain, and every option is still on the table. Even a brazen move by the front office in Sin City.

“Maybe [the Golden Knights] want him back coaching their team next season, which would be in their right,” David Alter of The Hockey News wrote on his X account. “Tortorella is only locked in for the remainder of this season. But even that would be ridiculous.“

Vegas could bring Cassidy back

Even for an organization as recklessly ground-breaking as the Golden Knights, such a move would shock the rest of the NHL. It is a known fact that Vegas has nerve, but firing Cassidy with eight games left in the season, bringing in Tortorella for the postseason, reaching the Conference Finals, only to part ways with Torts and bring back Cassidy—might be a lot even for the Knights.

The Golden Knights take pride in their avant-garde approach, but such a decision would take things to an extreme. Still, it is all within legal boundaries. As is their decision not to grant other teams’ permission to interview Cassidy.

“From NHL perspective, the league feels the Vegas response to date is consistent with the team’s existing contractual rights, as well as with established league policy. So, it remains very much up to the Golden Knights if and when teams can talk to Cassidy while he’s under contract,” as reported by Pierre LeBrun.

Cassidy’s contract

Cassidy is signed through the 2026-27 campaign, and the Knights are bound to pay him $4.5 million. If they are going to foot the bill, they might as well enjoy the dinner.

For the head coach, he would most likely not be on board with such treatment from the organization, but he is under contract regardless. Cassidy wants to be paid what he signed for, and he still wants to coach a Stanley Cup contender. By returning behind Vegas’ bench at T-Mobile Arena, he would get both.

Vegas may actually pull it off

Casting every moral restriction aside, it is certainly possible Vegas could bring Cassidy back and leave Edmonton still clueless in its head coaching search. The house always wins in Sin City, and the Knights may be playing with an ace up their sleeve.

Perhaps Kelly McCrimmon finds a solution to the age-old dilemma, and Vegas somehow, some way—jumping the line with the league’s CBA and morality lessons—manages to have its cake and eat it too.

However, the soap opera in Oil Country may have led to confusion, and the timer may have been set wrong. According to a report circulating around the league, there is a chance the Oilers mistimed their championship window. As a result, Edmonton could have even less time left with McDavid than previously thought.

“I think the Connor McDavid [Stanley Cup] window is one year,” Ryan Rishaug stated on TSN. “Everybody talks about two years left on his deal. [But] the inflection point is next summer.”

Oilers are in trouble

Coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers were in for a rude awakening at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks. Edmonton hadn’t been bounced in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2021, but in more ways than one, it feels like the Oilers are back to square one.

Kris Knoblauch has been fired, and the organization is already stumbling out of the gate in its coaching search. To make matters worse, reports indicate McDavid’s Oilers are completely blocked from reaching Bruce Cassidy, who is believed to be the franchise’s top candidate.

Perhaps this is the kind of adversity McDavid and company need to rediscover their edge and emerge as a different team next season. That may be wishful thinking, though. One thing is clear: if Edmonton can’t turn the tide, an even bigger storm could brew along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.

McDavid could ask for trade

If McDavid believes the organization takes another step backward in 2026-27, he could very well request a trade ahead of the 2027-28 campaign. He’ll be entering the final year of his contract by then, and it’s safe to assume he’d prefer the security of a long-term deal in case of injury. Whether he’d want to sign that contract in the Gateway to the North, however, is another question entirely. For the time being, most analysts would bet against it.

What was once viewed as a two-year championship window may instead prove to have been a one-year lease. The outlook is far from encouraging. The organization still hasn’t addressed the issues that have repeatedly cost McDavid a Stanley Cup—namely its lack of depth up front and on the blue line, along with the absence of a playoff-proven goaltender.

The Oilers also have no certainty behind the bench heading into next season, while the front office appears to be operating on borrowed time. Perhaps Stan Bowman and company have only as much time as McDavid is willing to give them. Needless to say, if the 2026-27 campaign truly is Edmonton’s last chance to convince its captain to stay, it’s off to an awful start.

Not only are the Golden Knights giving McDavid and the Oilers, a despised divisional foe, the short end of the stick, but they are also hurting Cassidy’s chances of landing another job. As a result, the Coaches’ Association (NHLCA) released a stern statement demanding action from the league.

“The NHLCA has been closely monitoring the situation involving Bruce Cassidy. While we respect the League’s rules and processes, it is our position that coaches who remain under contract, but are no longer working for their Club, should not be prevented from pursuing other employment opportunities,” the official statement read.

“It would be unprecedented at the head coaching level should multiple teams be denied permission to speak with Coach Cassidy. The situation is still unfolding, but our priority is to protect the interests of our members in this type of circumstance.”

Cassidy is still on Vegas’ payroll

Though he was fired without cause, Cassidy is still set to earn $4.5 million from the Golden Knights during the 2026-27 NHL season. As the saying goes, he who pays the piper calls the tune, and Vegas is taking the idiom to the limit.

Because of league regulations, the Knights are not exactly in the wrong—breaching morality’s borders, perhaps, but not crossing any legal boundaries. As loud as the Coaches’ Association and the Oilers cry out, it may all fall on deaf ears.

NHL plans no sanction to Golden Knights

According to reports, the NHL is maintaining the $100,000 fine and stripping the Knights of a second-round pick for missing their media obligations after Game 6 of the series against the Anaheim Ducks, but there has been no punishment for their handling of Cassidy’s future. And it seems there will not be one in the future, either.

Still, the NHLCA’s statement may be an encouraging sign for McDavid and the Oilers that the battle is not lost yet. Perhaps the Coaches’ Association can force the league commissioner’s hand. It feels like a long shot, but Edmonton will hold on to any beacon of hope.

Oilers are to blame, too

Considering how Edmonton handled its own head coaching situation, the Oilers are no choir boys, either. With Knoblauch still under contract and set for a three-year extension to kick in next summer, they requested an interview with Cassidy.

Their plan blew up in their face once the interest was leaked. Left with no choice but to admit their mistake and relieve Knoblauch of his duties, the front office led by Stan Bowman now faces crucial hours. As everybody in Oil Country has been reminded, oil spills only make a bigger mess.

Perhaps it’s a good thing McDavid’s Oilers are leaning toward Craig Berube as the Knights maintain their blockade. Berube may not be the top candidate in Edmonton, but right now he might be the best available option, and it doesn’t look like Cassidy will become available anytime soon. Vegas holds all the cards, and the house never loses in Sin City.

“As for Bruce Cassidy, sources indicate that was not part of the conversation and his status is unchanged as of this morning. Vegas is not inclined to give permission to Edmonton or Los Angeles,” insider Elliotte Friedman reported on his X account. “We will see about Toronto.”

Vegas in full control

After firing Cassidy without cause, the Golden Knights are still set to pay him $4.5 million next season. Vegas decides who can interview him and who cannot, and there is nothing Cassidy—or anybody else, for that matter—can do about it.

Even if he wanted to, Cassidy cannot opt out of his contract. Doing so would mean walking away from a guaranteed fortune for the chance at an interview, so it is unlikely the Stanley Cup-winning head coach would even consider it.

Still, it goes to show just how much control the Golden Knights have. They’ve built a fortress around their former head coach in the Entertainment Capital of the World, and it looks unbreachable.

Oilers’ plan backfired

As if the Oilers weren’t in enough trouble, the leaked interview request for Cassidy left them with no choice but to fire Kris Knoblauch and are now staring at a big void in the head coaching department. Had it played its cards better, Edmonton could have tested the waters around Cassidy without giving up Knoblauch.

The Oilers didn’t play their hand right, and their house of cards came crashing down as a result. Now, they are mostly out of the race for Cassidy and have already moved on from Knoblauch. Needless to say, they are in a lot of trouble, and the timing could not be much worse.

Edmonton has been handed a two-year championship window with McDavid under contract. The team in Oil Country started it by moving on from the coach who led it to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, and it has no immediate successor in place.

Oilers could wait a year

If the Oilers are serious about Cassidy, and he feels the same way about them, they could wait until next offseason when his contract in Vegas expires. However, Edmonton would be risking a lot by doing so. For starters, there is no guarantee Cassidy will still be available in 2027. Moreover, the Oilers must hire a head coach for the 2026-27 campaign.

Needless to say, “We’re hiring you, but we’ll move on from you next year” is not exactly an effective pitch during coaching interviews. The alternative route would be promoting an interim head coach, but that sends a terrible message to McDavid and company. In the end, the Oilers may have no other choice but to move in a different direction and accept that hiring Cassidy simply was not meant to be.

“I think me getting pulled at home was kind of a wake-up call. I took it personal,” Dobes admitted after Montreal’s 3-2 win in Buffalo, via NHL.com. “And we won today, so I’m really happy.“

Dobes was pulled in Game 6 after allowing six goals on 33 shots as the Sabres stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to blow out the Habs 8-3. In Game 7, the Czech goaltender was determined to right his wrongs. He stopped 37 shots and finished with a 1.68 GAA and .949 SV%. Most importantly, Dobes and the Canadiens punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.

Who’s next for Montreal?

After knocking the Sabres out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Canadiens have eliminated the first- and second-place teams in the Atlantic Division. Up next, the Habs will take on the Metropolitan Division champions and the top team in the Eastern Conference standings, the Carolina Hurricanes.

The stakes couldn’t be any higher as two opposites collide. Carolina will enter the series with extra rest, while Montreal has barely had time to catch its breath. The Hurricanes swept both the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in the first and second rounds. In fact, their last game was on May 9. Considering the Eastern Conference Final against the Canadiens will start on May 21, they will have had 12 days off between series.

Canadiens vs Hurricanes

Getting rest is crucial in the postseason, but the Canes may prove that too much of anything can have adverse effects. As for the Habs, they needed seven games to defeat both of their opponents in the postseason. After all, opposites attract and the meeting point will be the Eastern Conference Final.

On one corner, a steamrolling machine that has needed only the bare minimum to dispatch opponents. On the other, an inconsistent yet talent-studded side that takes things to the limit before somehow hanging on for one-goal wins.

Hurricanes will face old ghosts

Since hoisting the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Hurricanes have reached the Eastern Conference Final four times. However, they have won just one game across their last 17 appearances at this stage. Ever since they last won the Cup, the Canes are 1-16 and have been swept three times (2009, 2019, 2023) at the gates of the Stanley Cup Final.

Now reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the fifth time since 2009, Carolina is determined to slay its demons. So far, the Canes are undefeated in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but their track record in the conference final could get the better of them. If they lose Game 1 to the Habs, panic could kick in across Raleigh, and history might repeat itself.

For all the criticism the Rangers could face, their handling of Trocheck’s situation deserves its flowers. New York kept Trocheck through the NHL trade deadline during the 2025-26 campaign, and it could hit the jackpot because of it. The Blueshirts made their asking price clear earlier in the season, and reports indicate nothing has changed since.

“It was a first round pick, a top level prospect and an additional asset; I don’t think that’s changed,” David Pagnotta commented on Leafs Morning Take about the Rangers’ desired compensation to trade Trocheck.

NY Rangers may never find buyer

Although Trocheck and the Rangers might draw interest from the Minnesota Wild and other clubs, their demands remain considerable and could steer bidders away. It’s a two-way street. Indeed, the Blueshirts held on to Trocheck through the deadline, but that was also because no franchise was willing to meet their terms.

The free-agent class is razor-thin, and Trocheck has proven to be a reliable top-six forward under contract through 2028-29 at a $5.6 million cap hit. Still, New York may have overestimated its valuation of the veteran center, and rival clubs may have no desire to fall for the bait.

Trocheck wants to stay—for now

For the time being, Trocheck has shown no wish to leave New York. However, that’s subject to change. Perhaps he makes it past the offseason and starts next season as a Blueshirt on Broadway. It seems unlikely, but not impossible. Yet if the Rangers struggle in 2026-27, Trocheck may sense time running finite in his quest for his first Stanley Cup. Sooner or later, he may ask to be traded.

The way recent seasons have gone for the Rangers, there is a scenario in which the rest of the NHL opts to play the waiting game while expecting the Blueshirts to dig themselves into an even deeper hole. Time and again, the team in Manhattan has shot itself in the foot, so teams have more than enough reason to believe it can happen again.

NY Rangers seek draft capital

If the Rangers hope to acquire a first-rounder in the upcoming draft, they better get moving soon. The 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 26-27 at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

While a draft-night trade remains a possibility, it’s safe to assume the Blueshirts would rather know which picks they own before traveling upstate to Western New York. Anything can happen, however. Maybe the Rangers find a trade partner on draft night. It would certainly be fitting considering the event will be held in the City of Good Neighbors.

If New York can’t make that happen, it could always acquire a first-round pick in future drafts. In the NHL, it’s often easier to work out a deal for picks with uncertain positioning than for selections that already have a number attached to them. Obviously, the Rangers would rather avoid that uncertainty, but at the same time, that suspense comes with a sense of excitement.

NY Rangers’ draft capital

Missing out on a 2026 first-round selection wouldn’t be catastrophic for New York, either. As it stands, the Blueshirts own 11 picks in 2026, including two first-rounders: their own at No. 5 and the Dallas Stars’ pick, which is expected to land in the middle-to-late portion of the opening round.

The Rangers may already be well-positioned for the upcoming draft, but the more picks, the better. For an organization in a position like New York’s, there is no such thing as too many first-round selections. Especially when every pick they own could mean one step closer to the light and finally escaping the league’s cold basement.

“I won’t sit on my hands,” Guerin said, via Michael Russo of The Athletic, during his end-of-season media availability. His message was in response to a question about exploring the market for a No. 1 center or any opportunity to make the Wild better.

For the Wild, losing Joel Eriksson-Ek to injury during the Stanley Cup Playoffs underlined the lack of depth at the center position. Though Trocheck may not be the ideal No. 1 center, he does make for an exciting addition to the top-six, and who knows? Maybe he can grow into a bigger role in Minnesota. Playing with Kirill Kaprizov, the highest-paid player in NHL history, on his wing should definitely help.

What’s in it for the Rangers?

The Rangers held on to Trocheck through this year’s trade deadline, but that doesn’t mean they won’t explore the market ahead of the 2026-27 NHL campaign. In fact, many would consider New York foolish if it didn’t listen to offers.

The free-agent class is quite shallow, and most franchises agree trading is the better route this offseason. Keeping Trocheck proved to be the right decision for the Blueshirts, and they may finally cash in on the opportunity.

With NHL franchises still chasing for their first Stanley Cup, like the Minnesota Wild, growing desperate, the timing may never be better for the Rangers to strike a deal and send Trocheck to a contender.

Trocheck’s trade protection

In addition to his strong numbers amid troubling times in the Big Apple, Trocheck feels like the perfect candidate because he is under contract for the next three NHL seasons at a more than reasonable $5.6 million cap hit. That makes him even more appealing.

However, his contract includes a modified no-trade clause (M-NTC). As of July 1, Trocheck’s 12-team no-trade list will shrink to 10 teams. Although Trocheck has made it clear he wishes to stay on the East Coast, many believe the club in the Twin Cities lies in a diffuse gray area.

Because of Trocheck’s Team USA connections with Bill Guerin, Quinn Hughes, Brock Faber, and Matt Boldy, there is reason to believe Minnesota may not be on his “no-go” list. Still, that remains unknown. Only Trocheck and New York can answer that, and one can guess why that confidentiality won’t ever go public.

Expected timeline for trade

Any move involving Trocheck would most likely occur after July 1, and the odds of Minnesota being the highest bidder would also increase exponentially by that date. Especially if the Wild don’t pursue another centerman and the Rangers play their cards right with Trocheck.

So far, so good. New York may not have been able to play its situation any better, but it’s a long game, and one slip-up could wipe away all progress.