Samwise NHL & Hockey Newsletter
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Slavin’s OT Winner Gives Hurricanes Fourth Metropolitan Division Title
Jaccob Slavin tapped in a Sebastian Aho feed at 1:13 of overtime Tuesday night, lifting the Carolina Hurricanes past the Boston Bruins 6–5 at PNC Arena and clinching the franchise’s fourth Metropolitan Division title in six years. Slavin’s first goal of the season capped a wild comeback in which Morgan Geekie recorded a hat trick for Boston to tie the game late. Andrei Svechnikov, K’Andre Miller, Logan Stankoven, William Carrier, and Taylor Hall also scored for Carolina. The Hurricanes have now reached the playoffs in each of their eight seasons under coach Rod Brind’Amour, extending the longest active coaching tenure in the division.
Sources: ESPN – Game Recap
Capitals Prospect Ilya Protas Set for NHL Debut Alongside Brother Aliaksei
Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas will make his NHL debut Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET), centering a line alongside older brother Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson. The 19-year-old, selected 75th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, led Hershey of the American Hockey League with 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists) in 66 games before the Capitals recalled him Tuesday. Aliaksei, who has played for Washington since 2021, called the prospect of sharing the ice with his younger brother “surreal.” This marks the first time the Protas brothers will play together on the same NHL line.
Sources: The Hockey News
Chabot Back on Ice in Non-Contact Sweater; Senators Expect Early Return
Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot participated in a non-contact practice session Tuesday for the first time since fracturing his right forearm on March 23. Chabot had surgery three days after the injury and was originally expected to miss four to eight weeks. Head coach Travis Green said the timeline has since shortened significantly. “It’s definitely going to be sooner, whenever it is,” Green told reporters before Ottawa hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chabot’s return would bolster Ottawa’s wild-card push; the Senators entered Tuesday tied with Detroit and Philadelphia at 88 points in the Eastern Conference standings, all three clubs vying for the second wild-card spot.
Sources: NHL.com – Status Report
New Jersey Devils Part Ways with General Manager Tom Fitzgerald
New Jersey Devils management parted ways with general manager Tom Fitzgerald on Monday after more than five seasons in the role. Co-owner David Blitzer credited Fitzgerald for setting a franchise points record and raising the team’s profile in New Jersey, but said it was “time to move in a new direction.” The Devils sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division at 40–34–3 with 83 points, teetering on the edge of playoff contention. No interim GM was named; a full search begins immediately. Fitzgerald was hired as interim GM in January 2020 following the firing of Ray Shero and promoted to the full-time role that summer. Coach Sheldon Keefe’s status also remains uncertain.
Sources: TSN
Vancouver Canucks Lock Up Best Odds at 2026 NHL Draft’s Top Pick
Vancouver Canucks officially secured the best odds at selecting first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft after posting the league’s worst record at 22–45–8 for 52 points. The Canucks hold a 25.5 percent chance of winning the May 5 lottery and claiming the top selection at the June 26–27 draft at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Regardless of the lottery result, Vancouver cannot fall below third, holding an 18.8 percent chance of picking second and a 55.7 percent chance of landing third. Top prospects for the 2026 class include Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg and Canadian phenom Gavin McKenna, who entered the season as the clear consensus first-overall choice.
Sources: The Hockey News
Lightning and Sabres Deadlocked at 102 Points as Atlantic Title Race Intensifies
Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres entered Tuesday tied at 102 points atop the Atlantic Division, two ahead of the Montreal Canadiens with 11 days remaining in the regular season. Tampa Bay holds the tiebreaker over Buffalo and has played one fewer game. The Sabres drew level by beating the Lightning 4–2 on Monday, with Alex Tuch and Josh Norris scoring and Bowen Byram adding two assists. All three clubs have seven or fewer games remaining before the regular season concludes April 16, making every point critical for playoff seeding and potential home-ice advantage. No team in the Atlantic has clinched the division title.
Sources: ESPN – Playoff Standings
2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship Opens April 22 in Slovakia
The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship opens April 22 in Slovakia with ten nations split across two host cities. Group A matches play in Trencin, featuring Canada, Slovakia, Finland, Norway, and Latvia, with the opening-day evening game pitting Canada against the host Slovaks. Group B action takes place in Bratislava, where the United States, Sweden, Czechia, Germany, and Denmark compete. Quarterfinals are scheduled for April 29 across both venues, with semifinals on May 1 in Trencin and the gold medal game on May 2. The tournament provides a key evaluation stage for top prospects heading into the June 26–27 NHL Draft in Buffalo.
Sources: IIHF – U18 World Championship