Summary Sunday: April 19, 2026

Yes, the playoffs are finally underway — but there’s still plenty happening elsewhere across the hockey landscape.

The anticipated arrival of Vitali Pinchuk moved a step closer this week, with Ak Bars officially eliminating Dinamo Minsk from the KHL playoffs. The standout forward is expected to draw significant NHL interest — the Bruins included. And with Arseniy Bonderev having seen plenty of Pinchuk throughout the season, the organization should have a well‑informed read on his game.

While he has the tools to be a very good NHL player, don’t fall for the Evgeni Malkin comparisons.

It’s the Philadelphia Flyers that appear to be the early favorites.

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Mark Divver on X posted this: Interesting to hear that when Bruins do video calls or Zooms with 2025 6th rounder Kirill Yemelyanov, Sergei Samsonov sometimes sits in. Samsonov is director of player development for Gold Star, the agency that represents Yemelyanov, who is working on his English.

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A report from the Swedish outlet Expressen suggests Victor Soderstrom could be headed back to Europe next season — but not for an SHL return. Instead, the indication is that the Bruins defenseman may be eyeing a move to the Swiss League, adding a surprising twist to his offseason outlook.

The knee‑jerk reaction will inevitably be, “Who cares? He’s not an NHL defenseman.” But the reality is a little less dismissive. The Bruins still need to ice a full AHL roster — one that can supply depth when injuries hit the NHL club. That’s the role Soderstrom has been filling. If he heads back to Europe, Boston doesn’t just lose a fringe piece; they lose a depth option they’d have to replace.

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From Elliotte Friedman on his 32 Thoughts: Andre Gasseau, Boston’s seventh-round pick in 2021, is going to free agency in August. Astute pick by the Bruins, but will test the market.

“I think first and foremost the experience, graduated steps. I think it’s important. I think he sent a message to other players that have taken that, and Charlie. Our guys made a point of saying they thought it was great that he decided to go start there, rather than just assume that he was going to jump into a lineup and help us get into the playoffs.”

General manager Don Sweeney offered a telling assessment Thursday when discussing the path James Hagens chose, and the subtext wasn’t exactly subtle. Beyond praising Hagens’ approach, it felt like Sweeney was also sending a quiet message to Gasseau, among other prospects who, as has been reported, weren’t interested in taking that same route.

If Sweeney can find a team willing to sign Gasseau, the prudent move is to flip his rights for whatever asset he can recoup. It’s a simple piece of business: if another club sees value, Boston should capitalize before the window closes.

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For those holding out hope that the NHL will eventually overhaul its playoff format, Pierre LeBrun offered a telling perspective: I think it’s inevitable at some point, perhaps after Gary Bettman steps down as Commissioner.

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I’m sure everyone saw Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness’ blunt assessment after their late‑season collapse. He was given an extension by the Blue Jackets and it couldn’t have happened to a better person.

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The tanking conversation has taken on a life of its own lately — and with some teams making their intentions pretty transparent, it’s fair to wonder how strongly the league actually opposes it. There’s no rule against it, and the engagement speaks for itself. Just look at the Leafs’ race to the bottom: Bruins fans and Leafs fans alike have been locked into that storyline for months, and the league has enjoyed a steady stream of attention because of it.

The NHL has taken several swings at curbing tanking over the years, but none of those efforts have truly moved the needle. And while there are more aggressive measures the league could implement to stamp it out, you’d have to imagine the owners and the Board of Governors would push back hard. After all, the current system — flaws and all — still serves their interests in ways they’re not eager to disrupt.

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Amid all the front‑office and coaching upheaval, one GM landed security instead of a pink slip: Chicago Blackhawks Kyle Davidson. The Blackhawks announced an extension for their architect, though the club has yet to disclose the length or terms of the deal.

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Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford made it official on Friday: Patrik Allvin has been relieved of his duties as General Manager.

Fans in Vancouver are calling for Rutherford’s job as well, and it’s only day one of the Canucks’ offseason. For now, the spotlight shifts to owner Francesco Aquilini — and whether he decides to intervene as the organization enters what could be a turbulent stretch.

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The New Jersey Devils have filled their vacant GM post, hiring Sunny Mehta, who had been serving as an assistant general manager with the Florida Panthers. Bruins assistant GM Jamie Langenbrunner had been among the names rumored to be in the mix for the job, while Mehta was also believed to be a candidate for the same position in Toronto.

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Speaking of the Maple Leafs, multiple reports surfaced Friday that former captain Mats Sundin was in Toronto to meet with MLSE CEO Keith Pelley and the organization’s search group as they explore potential roles for him within the club.

This is the same Sundin who, back in 2008, publicly refused to waive his no‑movement clause to help the organization recoup much‑needed assets — only to walk away as a free agent a few months later.

If he is named as part of the new front office moving forward and the trajectory hasn’t shifted by the 2027 trade deadline, I can’t wait for the Leafs knocking on doors, asking veterans to waive their no‑move clauses.

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“I’m pretty sure it’s not my last game,” Alex Ovechkin said after exit interviews — a line that landed with the force of a declaration. Love him or hate him, it’s undeniably good news for the sport. The NHL needs personalities like Ovechkin, not fewer of them, and his presence remains one of the league’s great draws.

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With all eyes fixed on the draft lottery, I broke down exactly what needs to fall Boston’s way. And right on cue, NHL Central Scouting dropped its final draft rankings, adding another layer of intrigue to an already loaded week on the prospect front. You can find those rankings here: North American Skaters; International Skaters; North American Goaltenders; International Goaltenders.

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“I just try to be a part of the solution. I believe in the guys in this room and the people that we have here. Like I said, we’re going to hire new leadership and new management, and there’s going to be changes — that’s just the way things go. But I think we’re all hopeful that this is kind of just a one-off. We’ve seen it happen to a couple of teams. I think Boston is the latest example, but you hope you can bounce back and be in a better situation than this year.”  – Auston Matthews.

When asked if he wants to be around for a re-toll he added:

“I don’t know. I don’t know what that means. I think you have to have a more clear understanding of the what that means. Retool, rebuild — whatever it is — that’s something that’s going to be up to management.”

It is going to be a long offseason in Toronto.

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Connor Hellebuyck chose his words carefully during his exit‑day availability, but that didn’t stop plenty of people from firing back with opinions of their own. Credit to him, though. We spend all season criticizing players for leaning on canned clichés — and then, when someone offers an honest answer, the reaction somehow gets even louder.

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For the second straight year, Michael DiPietro has been named to the AHL First All-Star Team.

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The NHLPA released a poll of its players saying 34.3% of them want Houston Texas to be where the next expansion team goes.

Things getting even bigger in Texas? 👀

Taking the category over by 34% of votes, Houston was voted as the next location where players would want to go if the NHL were to expand #NHLPAPlayerPoll pic.twitter.com/fLpFLcSIm9

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 17, 2026

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THIS AND THAT

I received a question from Michael D. and thought I would share it.

With the NHL draft coming up, I was thinking about how the Bruins approach the goalie position.

Since 2019 the Canadians have drafted nine goalies – with two drafted in 2025 and three in 2023. In that same timeframe, the Bruins have drafted two (Dyck (unsigned) and Svedeback (and likely unsigned)). I know the Bruins have hit on guys like Bussi (NCAA free agent), Zajicek and Cavallin (free agents), and DiPietro (trade).

Can you speak to the Bruins draft philosophy on goalies? I think the Canadians have drafted too many. Have the Bruins not drafted enough?

Thanks, Michael. The Canadiens have been searching for a true No. 1 goaltender ever since Carey Price last strapped on the pads. The Bruins, meanwhile, have moved seamlessly from Tim Thomas to Tuukka Rask to Linus Ullmark to Jeremy Swayman. There simply hasn’t been the same urgency in Boston to chase a franchise netminder through the draft (although Swayman arrived via the draft), because the position has been a pillar of stability for more than 15 years. And with Swayman locked up for 6 more years, there is still no urgency.

I agree that Mike Dunham has done an excellent job developing goaltenders in the system. I was never as high on Brandon Bussi or Philip Svedeback as others, and I still have some reservations about Michael DiPietro as a full‑time NHL backup — though to be fair, those doubts have eased somewhat. Simon Zajicek remains a wild card simply because he missed so much time with injury this season, and it’s still unclear what the Bruins intend to do with him this offseason.

The goaltender I’m most intrigued by is recently signed NCAA free agent Max Lundgren. His development will ultimately dictate how quickly he factors into the Bruins’ plans, but on paper, he projects to be ready right around the time the Joonas Korpisalo contract expires. I was adamant — and pretty vocal — about Boston needing to target a goalie in this upcoming draft. At this point, I don’t believe that’s the case anymore.