Hockey Wiretap

The Edmonton Oilers are closing in on hiring Mike Babcock to be their next head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Babcock and the Oilers have been in talks to have him succeed Kris Knoblauch behind the bench. The 63-year-old Babcock, who won a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings, is 12th all time in career wins by an NHL coach (700).

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade by submitting a three-team list of desired destinations, according to multiple reports.

Larkin, 29, has a full no-trade clause as part of his contract, and his list was limited to being dealt to Vegas, Minnesota and Florida. He has five years left on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract, which carries an annual salary cap hit of $8.7 million.

Peter Laviolette has been hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Kings on a three-year deal. Laviolette didn't coach last season after he was fired by the New York Rangers in 2025.

Laviolette led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup win in 2006.

Laviolette was also a candidate for the vacancies for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers.

The Kings were swept in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. The Kings fired Jim Hiller as head coach after the Olympic break and D.J. Smith was then interim head coach.

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he doesn't "anticipate a lot of changes" to his Game 4 lineup after his team fell behind 2-1 in its Stanley Cup Final series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Does that mean goalie Freddie Andersen has the crease back after getting pulled in the third period of Carolina's Game 3 loss Saturday?

"We'll make all decisions after we practice tomorrow, see how he's feeling," Brind'Amour said Sunday, the first of two off days between games. "I haven't made any decisions on the lineup, so I can't tell you."

Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers has won the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL's most outstanding player as voted by his peers.

The league and the Players' Association announced the honor Sunday. This is the fifth time McDavid has won it, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in league history for the trophy, which used to be named for Lester B. Pearson.

"This award, coming from the guys that you play against every single night and battle against every single night, to have them recognize me with an award like this, means so much," the 29-year-old center said.

The Vegas Golden Knights entered Game 3 at 44% on Polymarket to win the Stanley Cup, but now sit at 64% following their thrilling double-overtime 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in which they took a 2-1 series lead. The Knights had briefly reached 75% when they appeared set to close out Game 2, before that lead evaporated.

Shea Theodore's shot deflected off Carolina's Jordan Martinook and into the net via Brandon Bussi's skate at 5:38 of the second overtime Saturday.

Mitch Marner's Conn Smythe odds moved from 37% to 67% after the game. Marner paced all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight clear of Carolina's Jackson Blake.

Marner built the four-goal cushion almost single-handedly, recording the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history across a 6:10 stretch of the second period. The natural hat trick broke a record held by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens since 1957. Marner also added an assist on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period and matching a Finals record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," Marner said. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Carolina then erased that 4-0 margin with three goals in 39 seconds late in the third, the fastest such sequence in Finals history, before Andrei Svechnikov converted a six-on-four power play with 1:42 remaining to force overtime. Carolina had been 6-0 in overtime during the 2026 playoffs.

Teams that take a 2-1 Finals lead have gone on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times. Game 4 is Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Want to trade on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals? New Polymarket users can claim a $50 welcome bonus with a $20 deposit. Use promo code ACQUIRE04 at sign-up or claim the Polymarket welcome offer through RealGM.

Must be 18 years or older. Terms and conditions apply.

Shea Theodore's goal at 5:38 of the second overtime rescued the Vegas Golden Knights after they surrendered a four-goal lead, delivering a 5-4 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals and giving Vegas a 2-1 series advantage.

Carolina erased a 4-0 deficit with three goals in 39 seconds late in the third period, then tied the game on a six-on-four power play goal by Andrei Svechnikov with 1:42 remaining. Theodore's winner came when his shot deflected off Carolina's Jordan Martinook and into the net off goaltender Brandon Bussi's skate.

"At that point, you are just trying to get anything to the net and hope you get a bounce," said Theodore. "And luckily, we got one."

Mitch Marner had built that four-goal cushion almost single-handedly, scoring the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Finals history across a 6:10 stretch of the second period. His natural hat trick broke a record set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens in 1957. Marner also became just the second player in Finals history to score a natural hat trick in a single period, joining Detroit's Ted Lindsay in 1955.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," said Marner. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Marner's first goal came via a deflection off Carolina defenseman Sean Walker. His second followed a Brayden McNabb forecheck and turnover. He completed the hat trick at 16:52 with a long slap shot from the right circle, and also assisted on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period. That matched an NHL record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

"He's probably one of the best players in the league. He does everything," said coach John Tortorella. "Mitch is Mitch. He does everything as a player. He was certainly a huge piece tonight."

Carolina changed goalies to open the third period, replacing Frederik Andersen, who surrendered four goals on 16 shots, with Brandon Bussi, who finished with 18 saves. Vegas netminder Carter Hart stopped 29 shots. The Golden Knights also had two second-period goals overturned on video review before building their lead.

Marner was awarded a penalty shot in the third period after a Sebastian Aho slashing call but was stopped by Bussi.

"I was pretty exhausted, to be honest," said Marner. "I liked my move. I just missed by a hair."

Vegas had a 3.28 to 2.99 edge in expected goals in Game 3.

Carolina, which had been 6-0 in overtime this postseason, could not extend that streak. Teams that take a 2-1 Finals lead have gone on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Marner leads all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight ahead of Carolina's Jackson Blake. According to Polymarket, Marner jumped from 37 percent to 67 percent favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with his Game 3 performance.

Want to trade on the NHL Stanley Cup Finals? New Polymarket users can claim a $50 welcome bonus with a $20 deposit. Use promo code ACQUIRE04 at sign-up or claim the Polymarket welcome offer through RealGM.

Must be 18 years or older. Terms and conditions apply.

Mitch Marner scored the fastest hat trick by a single player in Stanley Cup Finals history Saturday night, netting three goals in 6:10 of the second period to power the Vegas Golden Knights past the Carolina Hurricanes in double overtime, 5-4, and take a 2-1 series lead.

Marner's natural hat trick broke a record set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens, who scored three goals in 6:21 in Game 1 of the 1957 Finals against the Boston Bruins. Marner also became just the second player in Finals history to record a natural hat trick in a single period, joining Detroit's Ted Lindsay, who accomplished the feat in 1955.

"Well, I think a lot of guys made great plays to set me up," said Marner. "I think you need five guys on the ice to all be on the same page. And I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night."

Marner's first goal came via a deflection off Carolina defenseman Sean Walker, who redirected a Marner backhand past goalie Frederik Andersen. His second followed a Brayden McNabb forecheck and turnover, with Marner deking Andersen at 3:50. He completed the hat trick at 16:52 with a long slap shot from the right circle. Marner also assisted on Tomas Hertl's power play goal, giving him four points in the period, tying an NHL record set by Frank Foysten of the 1919 Seattle Metropolitans.

Carolina rallied to tie the game 4-4 in the third period before Vegas claimed the victory in double overtime.

"He's probably one of the best players in the league. He does everything," said coach John Tortorella. "Mitch is Mitch. He does everything as a player. He was certainly a huge piece tonight."

McNabb's return to the lineup after absorbing an 87 mph shot to the face in Game 2 was a secondary storyline, as the defenseman played wearing a full cage.

Marner was awarded a penalty shot in the third period after a Sebastian Aho slashing call but was stopped by replacement goalie Brandon Bussi.

"I was pretty exhausted, to be honest," said Marner. "I liked my move. I just missed by a hair."

Marner leads all playoff scorers with 28 points in 19 games, eight ahead of Carolina's Jackson Blake. According to Polymarket, Marner jumped from 37 percent to 67 percent favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with his Game 3 performance.

New Polymarket users can claim a $50 welcome bonus with a $20 deposit. Use promo code ACQUIRE04 at sign-up or claim the Polymarket welcome offer through RealGM.

Must be 18 years or older. Terms and conditions apply.

The Vegas Golden Knights offered no update ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on injured defenseman Brayden McNabb, who left Game 2 after taking a puck to the face.

McNabb left Game 2 after a scary scene in which a shot by Carolina Hurricanes forward Nik Ehlers, traveling 87 mph, hit him around the visor. He dropped to the ice before eventually getting to his skates, clutching his nose as he quickly left.

McNabb left the arena for a local hospital. Vegas lost the game, 4-3 in overtime, as Carolina evened the series at 1-1.

Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning has won the Vezina Trophy, the second time he has been named the NHL's top goaltender.

Vasilevskiy, 31, was a finalist for the sixth time for the award given to the goalie "adjudged to be the best at his position." It's voted on by the NHL's general managers. Vasilevskiy appeared on 28 of a possible 32 ballots.