Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch hopes to stay with the team, Heather Engel of NHL.com reports. Tuch is a pending unrestricted free agent and is likely to have several suitors if he hits the open market. The 30-year-old has been eligible to sign an extension with Buffalo since last summer, but talks on a new deal haven't progressed yet. In 2025-25, Tuch was second on his team in goals (33) and third in points (66) in 79 regular-season games. However, he hit a wall during the playoffs, going scoreless in the entire seven-game Round 2 series against Montreal. Tuch finished the postseason with seven points (three goals, four assists) in 13 games. He's still in his prime at 30 years old and should be good for 60-70 points again next season.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby is not thinking about retirement after his 21st NHL campaign, Josh Yoge of the Athletic reports. "I definitely want to keep playing for as many years as possible," Crosby told Yohe. He even said it "would be nice" to play for five more years. Crosby has a contract with the Penguins through the 2027 offseason. When it ends, he's ready to take one-year deals to give the team more flexibility in building the roster. Crosby will turn 39 a couple of months before the 2026-27 season kicks off. His game has aged exceptionally well, as he averaged 1.09 points this season, keeping him among the NHL's most productive players.

Anaheim Ducks right wing Troy Terry (hip) might not be available at the start of the next season. On Thursday, the team announced that Terry needs surgery to repair chronic hip impingement. Terry regularly skipped morning skates during the postseason, and now we know why. Impressively, the 28-year-old was still among Anaheim's top scorers, with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 12 games. In the regular season, Terry posted his fifth consecutive 50-point campaign, scoring 19 goals and delivering 38 assists in 61 outings. At the start of the calendar year, he had a couple of stints on the sidelines due to upper-body injuries.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj will be a healthy scratch on Thursday for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reports. Xhekaj played in all seven games in Round 2 against Buffalo, even scoring a goal in Game 6. But he is expected to make way for Jayden Struble on Thursday. Struble was a regular in the lineup at the start of the postseason but didn't get a look in Round 2. He has recorded 21 hits, three SOG, and a plus-three rating in seven playoff games but is still looking for his first point. The 24-year-old has averaged 10:46 of ice time, limiting his opportunities to make an impact on the offensive end.