Here are the Montreal Canadiens and NHL news items you may have missed Tuesday.

montreal canadiens news

• Believe it or not, several key players have yet to score a goal at 5v5 in the playoffs. Well, if you watched the games, I’m sure you believe it, and you probably know we’re discussing Juraj Slafkowski, Cole Caufield, and Ivan Demidov. The good thing is that if they start scoring at 5v5, the Canadiens will be in great position. [The Most Surprising Statistic From The Habs Playoff Run]

• The Canadiens dropped Game 4 by a score of 3–2, but they had ample opportunities to not only tie the game, but win it on the power play. They managed to score a goal on the power play in seven opportunities, while the Sabers found the back of the net twice on the man advantage. [Canadiens Highlights: Weak Powerplay Sinks The Habs]

• Yes, the Habs lost, but netminder Jacob Dobbs offered a save of the year candidate late in the third period.

Jacob Dobbs, ladies and gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/wAnyaXHPg4

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 13 May 2026

• Former Canadiens captain Guy Carbonneau was the Stanley Cup winner who got the ball rolling at the Bell Center on Tuesday.

Guy Carbonneau carries the Habs torch for Game 4 at Bell Center pic.twitter.com/Es2SWBYOvd

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 12 May 2026

• The Center Videotron in Quebec City has already sold 12,000 tickets for Game 5. For those of you who are a little too young to remember the Nordics rivalry, it’s a sign that times are changing.

The very popular Game 5 viewing party at the Videotron Center. 👍

Details ➡️ https://t.co/O1dn48R5IU pic.twitter.com/8vRToOAYGr

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) 12 May 2026

• Dobbs fever continues in downtown Montreal. This is similar to the Halach-mania of 2010.

The Habs fan who made Jacob Dobbs’ stop sign got it signed by the man himself 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kaTddWwoWq

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 12 May 2026

• For the record, this was posted before Game 4, but it’s encouraging to see the Habs have one of the most active passers in the slot.

Internal slot passes per game
Playoffs (complete with controls)
1. Carolina Hurricanes- 4.75
2. Montreal Canadiens- 4.2
3. Buffalo Sabres- 3.89
4. Vegas Golden Knights – 3.3

– MeghanThat (@MeghanThat) 12 May 2026

• Victoire Captain Marie Philippe-Paulin only does two things: scoring goals and crushing Mandy’s delicious salads. And his salad is finished. With a Pauline goal in Game 5 vs. Minnesota Frost, Montreal reached the Walter Cup final for the first time in its history, and would face the talented Ottawa Charge.

target for government benefits

Power play goal! pic.twitter.com/WoukuYGZ7b

– xz – Victoire de Montreal (@PWHL_Montreal) 13 May 2026

Sportsknot Network

• Sunny Mehta took over his former club-Florida Panthers when he made his first appointment at New Jersey Devils. Mehta announced the hiring of Braden Burch as Assistant General Manager, adding significant experience and championship pedigree to his hockey operations department. [New Jersey Devils]

• Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin spent some time in DC after the season ended. However, the 40-year-old is officially heading back to his native Russia for the summer. Ovechkin recently completed his 21st season with the Capitals. Now, he will look to make a decision on his future as he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. [Washington Capitals]

• Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris McFarland is a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, the league announced Tuesday. Voting is completed by a panel of NHL general managers and league officials, as well as some print and broadcast media, at the conclusion of the first round. [Colorado Avalanche]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The New York Islanders’ 2025-26 season may be over, but everyone who had to be talked about on breakup day was Matthew Schaefer.

The 18-year-old defenseman’s historic rookie season is still generating the kind of attention and excitement among his teammates, who can’t wait to see his development in the years to come.

Schaefer is still five months shy of his 19th birthday, but he has tied Brian Leach’s nearly four-decade-old rookie record for goals by a rookie defenseman (23). The first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft played all 82 games, finishing second on the Isles in points (59) and leading the team in average time on ice (24:41). He was fourth in the NHL in TOI this season.

Matthew Schaefer had ‘an amazing year’ with the Islanders

Going from the first overall pick to the Stanley Cup playoffs is tough. But the islanders did almost the same.

After winning the NHL Draft Lottery and landing arguably the most impressive top-selected defenseman of all time, the Islanders were in playoff position for most of the season, largely due to Schaefer’s historic performances.

Although the Isles’ team faltered, Schaefer expressed surprise at his experience after completing his first NHL season.

“It was an amazing year,” Schaefer said. “Obviously, we wish we could have gone to the playoffs, but for me, overall, I’ve learned a lot and everyone has helped me a lot. I really enjoyed my first year on the island.”

Schaefer rightly said he began his year not knowing whether he would stay with the Islanders or return to junior with the Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. He was considered for Canada at the Milan/Cortina Olympics, but was ultimately passed over. They faced a coaching change from Patrick Roy to Peter DeBoer, who took over with only four games remaining in the regular season.

Throughout it all, Schaefer was brilliant on the ice; He was unquestionably the Islanders’ best skater throughout the season. At the age of 18 years and 36 days, he became the fourth-youngest player to score his first NHL goal since 2000, and then on April 9 equaled Leach’s record in the Islanders’ final win of the season – set in 1988–89, nearly 20 years before Schaefer was born.

Despite everything he’s been through, he’s still able to play mentally and physically.

“Obviously, there will be bumps and bruises,” Schaefer said, “but I still feel like I can play another 82.” [games]”

GM says Islanders ‘fortunate’ to have Matthew Schaefer

Islanders general manager Matthew Darche confirmed that Schaefer was ineligible to join Bridgeport of the AHL due to age restrictions. Schaefer called playing at the IIHF World Championships in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland “a possibility” and Darche indicated it would be his choice whether to represent his home country in Europe later this month.

Still, Schaefer is excited to have a little free time after a whirlwind year focusing on getting stronger.

“I don’t think this summer will be as busy as last summer,” Schaefer said. “I was everywhere last summer; last summer I couldn’t stay home for a week. This will be a good summer.”

Darche himself expressed hope that Schaefer could live the life of a normal teenager this off-season in Ontario.

“It’s almost like he’s going to ride bikes with his friends and buy gum at the convenience store,” Darche said.

But his teammates can’t wait to see Schaefer back on the ice after his breakout rookie season. The Islanders’ team full of experienced players – they had the seventh-oldest team in the NHL, even with newcomer Schaefer playing every game – got a jolt of youth this season.

“He’s an incredible kid,” said center Casey Cizikas, the Islanders’ longest-tenured starter with 35 years and 978 games. “He’s got a great head on his shoulders, and what he did this year was incredible. It was so fun to watch.

“It was so fun to be a part of, and to see his confidence in himself and his game was amazing, and there’s no one better than the person he is off the ice. He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face, and he’s a lot of fun to be around. I’m glad he’s here.”

Cizikas isn’t the only one who appreciates what the islands have in Schaefer.

“To be honest, it’s pretty rare to see a young guy go through a year like this,” Darche said. “He’s been great. We’re lucky to have him.”

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.

The St. Louis Cardinals showed with a new stadium deal that they care more about the fan experience at their games than the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers ever will.

Payroll and player salaries have spiraled out of control in MLB over the past six years. That is why there is speculation that there could be a lockout after the 2026 season. Still, when teams spend huge sums of money to build their rosters to win games, it’s the fans who really pay the price.

While salaries have increased drastically this decade, the price of tickets to see some of the most popular teams in baseball has also increased. Teams like the LA Dodgers ($177), NY Yankees ($105), Houston Astros ($133), Boston Red Sox ($132), and Chicago Cubs ($108) had the most expensive average ticket prices last season.

Still, one beloved franchise that often tries to avoid assessing value to its fans is the Cardinals. Last year, the average price to see a game at Busch Stadium was $88 – the 16th highest price in the league. With the franchise rebuilding, they clearly didn’t consider raising prices this year.

However, they have gone even further to make the fan experience more entertaining for fans during a difficult season.

Cardinals are offering $29 unlimited concession deal in 2026

This year, the Cardinals will offer a unique concession deal. For just $29, a fan can get unlimited Coke beverage products, unlimited hot dogs, unlimited peanuts, unlimited bratwursts, unlimited nachos, unlimited fries, unlimited chips, and unlimited other options. Of course, this doesn’t include the ticket price.

However, if you’re trying to bring a family to a game and keep everyone happy with some enjoyable food, it can get pretty pricey at an MLB ballpark. However, if you go to a Cardinals game this season you can load up a family of four for about $120. Additionally, there are several games this season where you can find seats in the $50 range.

While it won’t make the game on the field any better, the Cardinals are trying to do something to make ball games at Busch Stadium more enjoyable for families. It’s a deal that the LA Dodgers, NY Yankees and many other big-market clubs will never make as their goal is to make big money from tickets and concessions this summer.

Hopefully, if this is a hit, it will embarrass those clubs into trying something similar for their fans in future seasons.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

Washington, DC – The Washington Wizards began the last full calendar month of their season with a 123-118 home loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night, and they are close to retaining their top-eight protected draft pick this summer. Furthermore, their young core has taken a step forward.

For example, rookie forward Will Riley talked about partner Rookie Trey Johnson’s rise after Saturday night’s 134-125 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Will Riley on Trey Johnson’s development this season:

“Obviously he’s an amazing player. He’s also a really good teammate, he wants to see guys succeed. He’ll always encourage guys, and he’ll also tell you what you’re doing wrong, which I appreciate as a teammate. He’s a… pic.twitter.com/YKxiFLD2Yc

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 1 March 2026

“Obviously he’s an amazing player. He’s also a really good teammate, he wants to see guys succeed,” the 20-year-old said. “He’ll always encourage guys, and he’ll also tell you what you’re doing wrong, which I appreciate as a teammate. He’s a great kid, has amazing work ethic. He’s always in the gym, always one of the last guys in there with me. Always competing…”

Riley may not have intended to compliment himself when he complimented Johnson, but he did when he noted that his partner was “one of the last guys.” [the gym] With me.” The “with me” part is the highlight of the statement, as it indicates equality between the two novices.

While the cliché about professional athletes working around the clock to get better is as old as time, the work ethic is yielding results for both players. Johnson ranks third among 2025 draftees with a 37.4 percent 3-point clip (minimum of five attempts per game), and Riley averaged 14.6 points on 47 percent shooting (37.5 percent 3-point) with 4.3 rebounds in 27.1 minutes in February, the first month in which he averaged more than 20 minutes.

Washington is on a losing streak this season, but these statistical achievements are long-term wins. They represent growth, as Riley shot 38.2 percent (31.8 percent 3-pointers) in January, and Johnson his playmaking improved From the beginning of the campaign.

Trey Johnson playmaking. pic.twitter.com/dO3qrXzjNM

– Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) 13 January 2026

Johnson was the Wizards’ reward for tanking last season, when they were led by veteran guard Jordan Poole and a rookie Alex Sarr. They received the No. 6 overall selection in the draft lottery, the lowest selection they would receive after finishing with the NBA’s second-worst record (18–64). They missed out on star prospects Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, but Johnson’s deadeye shooting and promising playmaking could make him a potential upper-tier player in his own right once he reaches his peak.

Meanwhile, acquiring Riley was the result of last season’s Marcus Smart trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis traded a 2025 lottery-protected first-round pick to Washington to absorb the unwanted salary of Smart, who moved up to the No. 18 overall selection after clinching a playoff berth by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 120–106 in their second play-in tournament game. The Wizards then moved up to No. 21 on draft night and selected Riley.

To increase their floor in the lottery and take advantage of cap space in trades, Washington added two building blocks to a young core that includes Sarr, second-year wing Keyshawn George, second-year guard Bub Carrington and third-year guard Bilal Coulibaly. In addition to developing those players this season, it acquired stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Young will make his Wizards debut on Thursday at home against the Utah Jazz.

Additionally, Washington is on track to retain their 2026 lottery pick as they have the NBA’s fourth-worst record (16-44) with 22 games remaining. It would have to finish with a bottom-four record to guarantee a selection in a class featuring superstar prospects like BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas’ Darin Peterson.

It’s been a tough road for long-suffering Wizards fans. The team has not had a winning season since 2017–18, and has finished bottom every year since general manager Will Dawkins and president Michael Winger took over in the 2023 offseason. But Washington will finally be ready to win next season, and it’s partly due to the development of Johnson and Riley.

Danny Wolf makes hilarious confession to Will Riley

Riley had a career day in Washington’s 127–113 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on February 7, scoring 27 points (10-19 FG, 4-6 3-point) with three rebounds, three steals and two assists in 45 minutes. The Wizards used an eight-man rotation full of backups, as it was in their best interests to lose against fellow bottom-feeders like the Nets, but the native Canadian’s performance was another step forward.

Brooklyn rookie Danny Wolf talked to ClutchPoints about the relay postgame.

I asked Nets rookie Danny Wolf for his thoughts on fellow rookie Will Riley, who scored a career-high 27 points for the Wizards today (thread):

“Obviously he’s a talented player. To his credit, he played 45 minutes tonight, which is not easy to do in the NBA…He has a lot of things to offer…” pic.twitter.com/f9kVJ2jwgB

-Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) 7 February 2026

“Obviously he’s a talented player,” the former Michigan Wolverine said. “To his credit, he played 45 minutes tonight, which is not easy to do in the NBA… He has a lot of tools. He frustrated us when he was at Illinois. He’s a good player.”

Wolf was not lying, as Riley and the Fighting Illini defeated the Wolverines 93–73 on March 2, 2025. The latter averaged 13 points (6-12 FG, 0-4 3-point) with four rebounds and five assists and later won Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Riley has shown his proficiency as a jumbo shot creator this season, and his improvement as a spot-up from long range bodes well for his future. The 6-foot-9, 180-pounder could stand to add some muscle, which would help him dominate inside defenders. But the Nets game and his general ascent in February showed what he can already do with extended playing time.

The Wizards have a road date with the Orlando Magic next Tuesday.

Sunday night brought some relief for the inconsistent Los Angeles Lakers, as they faced a terrible Sacramento Kings team on their home turf. As expected, the Lakers won a very easy 128–104 victory, with no suspense whatsoever, as the Purple and Gold essentially blew the game away in the first quarter, and ended the period with an 18-point lead (36–18).

The Lakers’ dominance paved the way for head coach JJ Redick to limit the minutes of his best players, including LeBron James, who played only 27 minutes on the night. This also opened up some trash-time minutes for fan favorite Bronny James, who draws oohs and ahhs every time he enters the game.

But while millions of people around the world cheer whenever Bronny gets some playing time, the 21-year-old guard has no bigger fan than his father, LeBron. And Sunday night, LeBron was in dreamland Bronny scored on a three off a dribble handoff from Edou Thirou as he was celebrating his son’s shot on the bench.

Lebron was loving this brony threesome 🔥 pic.twitter.com/v9SW4LJufe

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) 2 March 2026

These were Bronny’s only three points in six minutes of play of the night. He went 1-3 from the field and missed his only two-point field-goal attempt of the night for the Lakers.

The Lakers could take it a little easier right now…

The Lakers know every win matters, especially in the bloodshed of the Western Conference playoff picture. But they can at least take it a little easier the next few days, especially with the game coming up against the hapless New Orleans Pelicans.

Not a single Lakers player played 30 minutes or more on Sunday, and they’ll have to take more care of that kind of business, as their tendency to play high-leverage games increases the wear and tear on their star players.

Not long ago, the Detroit Pistons were looked down upon by the rest of the NBA. Cade Cunningham led his team to only 54 combined games in his first three seasons in the league, and the organization was not even close to being a threat in the East.

Even other teams were mocking the Pistons, with Kyle Kuzma famously saying that no one “wants to be that team” after the Pistons lost their 28th consecutive game during the 2023–24 season, which remains the longest losing streak in NBA history. That was the lowest level for this organization, but times have changed a lot.

Now in his fifth season, Cunningham has led the Pistons to new heights, and the team is currently on pace to not only surpass the 54-win mark in the young star’s first three years in the NBA, but also win at least 60 games for only the third time in franchise history.

The Pistons made the Eastern Conference Finals both times they won at least 60 games in a season, the most recent being 20 years ago in 2006. Although Detroit fell just short of reaching the NBA Finals that season, they did win a championship during the 1988–89 season, a season in which they went 63–19 overall.

This season, the Pistons are following in the footsteps of their past, as they currently hold a strong hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings and have earned the right to call themselves the team to beat en route to the NBA Finals when the playoffs begin.

Although there is still a lot of basketball left to be played and many factors can change not only the standings, but every team’s chances of capturing a championship, one thing has remained consistent throughout the season with this Pistons team only growing and getting stronger.

When it comes to playing the best of the best, the Pistons have established themselves as the best in the NBA.

Pistons are dominating specific teams

There is always more than meets the eye when it comes to a team’s record. Often, fans will only look at wins and losses to determine how good certain organizations are over the course of the year, and while this can obviously hold some significance, what each win or each loss means and to whom it paints a clear picture of which teams are championship contenders and which are not.

Well, the Pistons are clearly title contenders this season, and it’s not just because they have won more than 75 percent of their games this season and remain on top of the East standings. It’s not even because of their recent wins over the New York Knicks or San Antonio Spurs.

When you really dive into the numbers and break down each of the Pistons’ wins this season, it becomes clear that they have battled against the best teams in the NBA and found success against each of them.

The Pistons have gone 19–7 against teams with winning records this season, the best record against teams over .500 in the NBA. For context, the Oklahoma City Thunder are 19-11 overall, and the Spurs are 21-11 against teams above .500 this year.

In fact, Detroit has wins over seven of the other top 10 NBA teams so far this year. The only teams in the top 10 that the Pistons have not yet defeated are the Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who Detroit has yet to face.

In terms of the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama and his crew recently pulled off a hard-fought 114-103 win in Detroit, proving they are just as good as the Pistons and potentially seeing them on the road in June with everything on the line. Before we even think about it, these two teams will meet again in a highly anticipated clash on March 5 in San Antonio.

As far as the Pistons’ record is concerned, winning 73 percent of their games against teams with winning records speaks volumes. After all, it’s not like they’re beating the worst teams in the league.

This young team has been challenged and tested, yet they have overcome almost every obstacle thrown at them during the 2025-26 season. The Pistons are a resilient group that understands what it takes to overcome adversity, and most importantly, they embrace each trial and tribulation that comes their way.

Aside from only losing back-to-back games twice this entire year, the Pistons always look forward to marquee matchups like the one on their schedule right now. After games against the Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pistons now look forward to two games against Cleveland, a tough road game against Orlando and then the final regular season matchup in San Antonio.

Although their first game against the Spurs did not go as Cunningham and the Pistons expected, this team is willing to accept and overcome adversity.

“We’ve had a week full of smoke,” Cunningham said, via the Detroit Free Press, after Monday’s loss to the Spurs. “It’s great. We get to see where we are, see where the league is, learn a lot in these three games, five games, even the last few games we’ve played have all been good challenges for us. There’s been a lot to learn from all these games. I think we’ll come out of all of this better and more prepared for the playoffs and everything.”

“It’s good, it’s healthy for us.”

Being a championship-contending team doesn’t necessarily mean you have one of the best records in your conference or league at large. A team is defined by the quality of its wins, and the Pistons have clearly proven that they have what it takes to beat the best of the best.

Fool them once, but not twice

Aside from consistent success against the top teams in the league with all of their wins and some of their losses, the Pistons have something unique this season.

Only one team in the league has beaten the Pistons twice this season, and it’s a team they won’t see again until the 2026-27 season, as they face them twice a year. The LA Clippers defeated Detroit both home and away this year, holding the Pistons to under 100 points in both contests.

It is worth noting that the Pistons were without Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart and almost all of their veteran contributors in the second meeting between these teams on January 10, a game Detroit lost 98–92.

No other team in the league can say that they haven’t lost at least two games to multiple opponents this year, which is another reason why the Pistons are so unique. What all this means is that JB Bickerstaff has a young, hungry team that has grown together over the last few years, and they are finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together on their way to success.

Regardless of what happens on their schedule, the Pistons play every game like it is Game 1 of a playoff series, which is why this chip on their shoulders will only lead to success in the future.

“Our guys respect everybody and want everybody to do their best,” Bickerstaff said recently. “No matter who the opponent is, our people always look forward to those challenges.”

Cade Cunningham’s MVP-like season

A team’s record matters. Their success against some of the other great teams in the league matters. But at the end of the day, every Championship organization always has a player they can refer to Man.

For piston, that Boy Cade Cunningham is here, and he has taken a huge step forward in his career to become one of the best guards in basketball. Honestly, just saying that doesn’t give Cunningham enough credit, as he has become one of the best players in the entire NBA, which is why he currently sits atop the MVP rankings alongside Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and others.

At this rate, it’s not hard to believe that Cunningham can surpass these other stars and win the 2025-26 NBA MVP award.

Believe it or not, the Pistons technically own the best record in the league with a 75.4 winning percentage, and Cunningham’s MVP resume will only grow if that comes true and Detroit remains on top of the standings.

As far as his production goes, Cunningham’s numbers and his impact on wins speak for themselves.

Cunningham recorded four consecutive double-doubles during his 42-point, 13-assist night as the Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 126-111 at Madison Square Garden. After this special performance, Bickerstaff made it clear that his star deserves the most respect in the MVP race.

Bickerstaff said, “I don’t think you pick an MVP based on just one game or one statement. He’s been that way for the entire season.” “He dominated at both ends of the field and influenced the win in a big way.

“Credit to him, credit to his work, credit to his conditioning, his will to win, his ability to be a great teammate and lead. He’s been like that all season long.”

The Pistons have beaten the best, and the scary thing for every other team in the league is that Detroit is better now than they were in the first game of the season.

By the time the playoffs begin, the Pistons will be ready for the challenges ahead of them, and if any team in the East has the best chance to win 12 playoff games to reach the NBA Finals, it is the Pistons.

2024-25 Season Stat Leaders (Mid-Season Trends)

• Top Goal Scorer: Emerging as a race between the league’s elite snipers.
• Most Assists: Playmakers are dominating the puck possession game.
• Highest Team Scoring: Offense-heavy teams are currently leading the standings.