Joe Yerdon

There was a time, maybe two or three seasons ago, when you could look at what the Buffalo Sabres and Montréal Canadiens had cooking with their drafts and minor league teams and say: "If they can do things the right way, they'll be a problem to deal with."

BUFFALO — Let's think back to when the Montréal Canadiens stunned many around the league by making the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. They managed to do so thanks to their young players and Samuel Montembeault's play in goal.

MONTRÉAL—After a pair of brutal games in a row in Games 2 and 3 against the Montréal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff knew it was time to do something to change their mojo. After all, Game 4 suddenly became a must-win situation and ugly losses require answers.

MONTRÉAL -- The Atlantic Division provided one of the great divisional battles we've seen this season in the NHL and it's only fitting now that it will provide a second Game 7 in the playoffs.

Monday's Game 7 between the Montréal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres was the conclusion to the series that had to go the distance.

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs wind down, the anticipation for the offseason grows stronger. Even though unrestricted free agents get all the attention, restricted free agents provide a lot more ability for us to let our, and potentially rival general managers, imaginations run wild.

There's no player that fans of an NHL team will go to bat for more than a young prospect. There's also no player those fans will get frustrated by more than that same young player.

For every NHL team but one this season, the ultimate goal will not be reached, and as a result, questions remain. Questions require answers, and that's what every team will be looking for.

The NHL offseason is rapidly approaching and with it comes difficult decisions for teams who will be staring at potential salary cap issues. The salary cap is a burden for everyone (although the floor can be for others) but for a lot of teams, the presence of high-paid players on their books now could get in the way of doing business come July 1.

There's no player in the 2026 NHL draft with more attention on them than Gavin McKenna and after at least two years of anticipation, he's about to be a key figure in the league.