The calendar has flipped to June, but plenty of things are happening around the NHL and the sport of hockey.
We're down to the final two in the NHL as the Stanley Cup Final gets underway on Tuesday. The IIHF World Championship concluded on Sunday. And a promotion is on the way.
Here's this week's news and notes from around the Blue Jackets and the hockey world.
It's Torts Versus Waddell's Former Team In The Stanley Cup Final
The Vegas Golden Knights are back in the Final for the third time in the franchise's first nine years as they try to win their second Cup in three years. They'll take on the Carolina Hurricanes, a constant threat this time of year, as they have finally broken through previous conference final woes.
It's an intriguing matchup because these Golden Knights aren't the Knights we saw for much of 2025-26.
For starters, former Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella is steering the ship, as he left TV at ESPN for perhaps his last chance to win his second Stanley Cup. The Knights dismissed Bruce Cassidy, who guided the Knights to their first title in 2022-23, with eight games remaining in the regular season. Since then, Vegas has found its identity, going 18-4-1 under Torts, including a 7-0-1 run to end the season and win the division.
It's also been a reunion for Torts and William Karlsson (Blue Jackets, 2014-17).
The Hurricanes are trying to win the franchise's second Stanley Cup, 20 years after Rod Brind'Amour captained his club to the top over the Oilers in 2006. Now he's trying to tie it altogether as their head coach.
Since taking over as Carolina's coach in 2018-19, the Hurricanes have never missed the playoffs. They've been to the conference final four times, finally getting over the hump this year. In fact, the Hurricanes ended a dubious 1-17 mark in the conference final, dating back to 2008-09.
They were swept on three occasions, losing last year in five games to the eventual repeat champion Panthers, before finally dispatching the Canadiens in five this year. Though the Canadiens did win Game 1, 6-2, to make you wonder how this might go.
Another crazy stat: Brind'Amour has played or coached in 98 of the Canes' 100 playoff victories. That's 39 as a player and 59 as a head coach.
As it always ties back to the Blue Jackets, we'll see whether it's Torts and the Knights getting it done or Don Waddell's former team, the Hurricanes, where he was general manager from 2018-24. Carolina also has Eric Robinson (2017-24).
Another tradition continues, as for the 46th consecutive year, a former teammate of Jaromir Jagr will play in the final. Current Golden Knight and former Flames teammate Rasmus Anderson helped continue the streak.
Blue Jackets Play Overseas
Jet Greaves played a solid brand of hockey for Team Canada in the 2026 IIHF World Championship, which took place in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland. Canada was 8-0, including a 4-0 win over fellow Blue Jackets teammates Mathieu Olivier and Team USA before falling 4-2 to Finland. In the third-place game, Canada tied Norway with two goals inside the final minute of the third period (58:44 and 59:52) before falling in overtime 3-2. Norway claimed bronze and became the 13th different country to medal at the men's worlds. Denton Mateychuk was another Jacket to play for Team Canada.
Final #CBJ player stats from the Worlds:
— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) May 31, 2026
Mathieu Olivier (United States): 8 GP, 2-3-5, 21 SOG, 14:56 TOI
Jet Greaves (Canada): 8 GP, 6-2-0, 1.88 GAA, .920 SV%
Denton Mateychuk (Canada): 10 GP, 2-3-5, 9 SOG, +7, 11:24 TOI
Trent Vogelhuber To Join Rick Bowness' Bench
The Cleveland Monsters' playoff run came to an end on May 24, losing in five games to the Toronto Marlies in the North Division Finals. With Cleveland's season over, it paves the way for a major promotion as head coach Trent Vogelhuber is expected to be announced as a Blue Jackets assistant coach, joining Rick Bowness' staff.
With Bowness on a one-year contract, perhaps this allows for an on-the-job learning opportunity for Vogelhuber as a coach in waiting for Columbus' future.
A 37-year-old Dublin, Ohio native, Vogelhuber was an alternate captain for the then-Lake Erie Monsters in 2015-16, winning the Calder Cup under now Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar. Vogelhuber joined the Monsters' coaching staff in 2018-19, where he has been the head coach since 2022-23.
Culture Change?
Bowness preached it. Now, time will tell how the organization goes about changing the culture. We wrote about the pending UFA Boone Jenner's situation as he and the Jackets could be nearing an end.
Jenner has served as the longest tenured Blue Jacket since 2013-14, and the second-longest captain since 2021. Having played a franchise-leading 808 regular-season games in Columbus, we'll know soon if he'll be increasing that career games played mark in another city.
From Columbus' perspective, trying to solidify themselves as a playoff contender as well as "changing the culture," the writing might be on the wall for Jenner.
Vanek To IIHF Hall of Fame
And finally, former Blue Jacket Thomas Vanek is headed to the IIHF Hall of Fame.
Thomas Vanek is widely regarded as Austrias most accomplished player, with a standout NHL career and major international appearances. #IIHF pic.twitter.com/BLxHMuxT3G
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 31, 2026
The 14-year NHLer played one season with Columbus in 2017-18, scoring 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 19 games.
