Hey everyone, hope you are doing well. Tonight, we are back again for another great Episode 36 of Season 7 of Two Guys & Hockey Talk. Another week, another round of playoff chaos across the hockey world. Some of the news from around the league and in the world of hockey are:
- Vegas Steamrolling into the Stanley Cup Final – The biggest headline is the Vegas Golden Knights completing a sweep of the Colorado Avalanche of 4-0 to reach the Stanley Cup Final again. Vegas closed out the series with a 2 to 1 win and has now made the Final for the third time in nine seasons. The shocking part was that Colorado had the NHL’s best regular-season record and got swept, adding fuel to the discussion of the President’s Trophy and what do the Avs do now, given that this was a very stacked team and very strong this season. Do they fire their coach? Does Brent Burns retires? Another big story line is Mitch Marner turning into a playoff superstar for Vegas. He has been dominant throughout the entire playoffs and this series as well and lots are noting that Marner has completely redefined his reputation after years of criticism in Toronto.
- Carolina vs. Montreal – In the East, the Eastern Conference Final between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens has become one of the biggest feel-good stories of the playoffs. The series is up 2-1 for the Carolina Hurricanes after a big win in Montreal in OT, but Montreal’s young core and rookie goalie Jakub Dobeš have energized fans, while Carolina’s elite defensive structure has made them favorites to win the Cup. The series has also fed the “changing of the guard” narrative in the NHL, with younger contenders replacing older powerhouse teams. Game 4 goes tonight in Montreal and it should be fun to see how this series progresses and who comes out on top.
- Malkin Stays a Penguin – In other news, Evgeni Malkin decides to stay in Pittsburgh for a 21st NHL season, signing a one-year extension, worth $5.5 million, with bonuses and a no-movement clause included. At 39 years old, Evgeni Malkin still put together a productive season for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2025–26, recording 19 goals and 42 assists for 61 points in 56 games while remaining one of the team’s top offensive playmakers. Despite dealing with injuries and reduced ice time compared to his prime years, Malkin continued to produce at nearly a point-per-game pace and was especially effective on the power play, showing flashes of the elite skill that has defined his Hall of Fame career. The move signals Pittsburgh still believes it can stay competitive rather than tearing things down, while giving fans another season of a dynasty era that has defined the NHL for nearly two decades.
- Memorial Cup – The Kitchener Rangers continued their strong Memorial Cup run with a tight 3–2 win over the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in round-robin action, a result that secured them a spot in the tournament final. In a closely contested game, Kitchener leaned on timely scoring from key contributors and another solid performance in goal from Christian Kirsch, who helped shut the door late as Chicoutimi pushed for an equalizer. The win capped off an unbeaten round-robin for the Rangers and reinforced their status as one of the tournament favourites, while Chicoutimi’s strong effort still highlighted their ability to compete in one-goal games against elite opposition.
- Saguenéens’ Tourigny Ejected After Kicking Incident – Speaking of the Memorial Cup, Saguenéens defenceman Jordan Tourigny was handed a match penalty for kicking at an opponent during a battle along the boards. The incident occurred in a tense, physical game and immediately became one of the talking points of the night, with officials ejecting Tourigny after reviewing the play and assessing the most severe penalty available under the rules. The moment shifted momentum in a high-stakes tournament game and added to an already heated matchup between two teams fighting for positioning, further fueling debate around discipline and physicality in junior hockey’s biggest event.
- KHL Wrap-Up: Lokomotiv Defends Gagarin Cup – The 2026 KHL season has officially wrapped up in dramatic fashion, with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl successfully defending the Gagarin Cup after a hard-fought final series against Ak Bars Kazan, capping off a year that also saw their junior club win the Kharlamov Cup for a rare organizational double. The playoffs were tightly contested throughout, with scoring surges, standout goaltending performances, and several series going the distance, reinforcing how balanced the league has become this season.
- O’Brien, Winn, and Gosling Named Finalists for 2026 PWHL Rookie of the Year – The PWHL’s Rookie of the Year race is down to three standout first-year players, with New York Sirens forward Casey O’Brien, Boston Fleet defender Haley Winn, and Montreal Victoire blueliner Nicole Gosling named as the 2025-26 finalists after impressive debut campaigns. O’Brien led all rookies in scoring with 22 points and became a key offensive driver for New York after a strong second-half surge, especially following injuries in the lineup, while Winn emerged as a workhorse defender in Boston, averaging nearly 27 minutes a night and finishing tied for second among rookies with 19 points while also earning attention for Defender of the Year honors. Gosling anchored Montreal’s blue line on the league’s top team, posting 19 points, a strong +16 rating, and heavy top-pair minutes that helped the Victoire secure first place in the standings for a second straight season. The winner will be announced at the PWHL Awards ceremony in Detroit on June 16, capping off a breakout year for all three young stars.
- Maple Leafs’ Max Domi Out Indefinitely After Post-Surgery Complications – Max Domi’s offseason has taken an unexpected turn after the Toronto Maple Leafs announced he is out indefinitely due to complications from surgery he underwent to address an injury he played through during the 2025–26 season. The 31-year-old forward, who stayed durable through the year and produced 36 points in 80 games while providing secondary scoring depth for Toronto, will now be re-evaluated at the start of training camp with no clear timeline for return. The team has not disclosed details of the procedure or the complications, but the news adds another uncertainty to a Maple Leafs offseason already filled with roster questions and organizational changes following a disappointing year.
- Marlies Set for Eastern Conference Final Clash With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in Calder Cup Playoffs – The Toronto Marlies are set for a high-stakes Eastern Conference Final showdown against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, with both teams arriving off strong postseason runs and meeting in the AHL’s best-of-seven format for the first time in franchise history. Toronto advanced after a gritty, momentum-building playoff run highlighted by resilience in elimination games, while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive teams and a top regular-season performer, setting up a contrast in styles between the Marlies’ structured, opportunistic game and the Penguins’ high-powered attack. The series opens in Pennsylvania before shifting to Toronto for the middle games, with both sides emphasizing special teams, puck management, and early leads as key factors in what is expected to be a tightly contested, back-and-forth series with little margin for error.
Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Then remember to tune in each week to get all the latest news in the world of hockey as we start up Season 7 of the Podcast each Wednesday night at 7pm MST, where we dive into some of these great topics, interview many in the game and so much more. For more hockey news, different takes or if you want to chat about anything hockey give me a follow @hockey_two & @revinev on X and give us a follow on YouTube, and check out our website for articles that we share regularly at https://twoguysandhockeytalk.com/. If you wish to reach out to us, feel free to email us at twoguyshockeytalk@gmail.com
- Pawel ‘The Cat’
