Kevin Porter has been appointed as the head coach of the NTDP U18 team for the 2026-27 season, replacing Greg Moore. Porter is a former Michigan Wolverine and NTDP captain with extensive professional hockey experience.
Key points
Kevin Porter named head coach of NTDP U18 team
Replaces Greg Moore, whose contract was not renewed
Former Michigan Wolverine and NTDP captain
Played 12 seasons of professional hockey
Served as assistant coach at NTDP for two seasons
Mentioned in this story
Kevin PorterUSA Hockey
National Team Development ProgramMichigan Wolverines
USA Hockey hired former Michigan Wolverine Kevin Porter (Northville) as a head coach for the National Team Development Program.
Porter will serve as head coach of the NTDP U18 team for the 2026-27 season. He replaces Greg Moore, whose contract was not renewed.
USA Hockey hired former Michigan Wolverine Kevin Porter (Northville) as a head coach for the National Team Development Program.
USA Hockey hired former Michigan Wolverine Kevin Porter (Northville) as a head coach for the National Team Development Program.
Porter is a former NTDP captain, who played 12 seasons of pro hockey, including 249 games in the NHL. He just finished his second season as an assistant coach at the NTDP.
“Kevin is a leader by nature and brings a passion to help young players grow on and off the ice,” said Scott Monaghan, assistant executive director of USA Hockey for the NTDP and USA Hockey Arena. “He is a terrific communicator and teacher and we’re excited to have him as a head coach within our program.”
This past August, Porter served as head coach of the U.S. entry in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where he led Team USA to its first title since 2004 and only second ever.
Porter also served four seasons as an assistant coach for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the American Hockey League where he helped lead the Penguins to a pair of Calder Cup playoff appearances.
As a player, Porter won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as captain at the University of Michigan in 2007-08, and he won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016.
A four-year captain in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, Porter also served as captain of Team USA for the 2006 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and helped the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2004 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship.
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The Sabres must drum up a win when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday or their season is over.
The Canadiens lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-2 with a chance to close it out in front of their frenzied home faithful. The Sabres head to Montreal with a chance to spoil that party and then have the same opportunity in their arena on Monday.
"What is there, five teams left? To be sitting here talking to you guys, I think that it's a wonderful place to be, and I'll tell the team the same thing," coach Lindy Ruff said on Friday. "We get to go to Montreal in Game 6 in the middle of May to move on to a Game 7."
The series winner will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final. Carolina swept its opponents in each of the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs and has been off since Sunday.
To prolong their series, the Sabres must regroup from a deflating 6-3 home loss on Thursday. Buffalo held a 3-2 lead after the first period, but surrendered four unanswered goals.
This would be a perfect time for a couple of struggling first-liners to find their form. Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs have failed to net a single point in the first five games of this series. Tuch netted four goals and three assists while Krebs had six points (two goals, four assists) in the six-game series victory over the Boston Bruins to open the playoffs.
"I can't play the way I'm playing right now," Tuch said. "Just going to be will and determination, but I've got to move past it, I've got to move on to the next game, and I've got to be better for the guys in this room."
The Canadiens return home to a city and arena that will be filled with excitement.
The young squad had high hopes for the season and going into the playoffs. Reaching the third round may have exceeded anybody's expectation back in October, but now is a reality they can all envision.
"Saturday night at the Bell Centre, I don't think you can write it any better to close out a series," forward Joe Veleno said on Friday. "I think the boys know that, and we're all ready for it."
It's the same situation they had in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montreal failed to beat the Lightning in that Game 6 on the road, although it was as much due to a great goaltending performance by Tampa's Andrei Vasilevskiy as anything else.
Still, there was a lesson learned about the difficulty of closing out a series.
"I think it's the hardest game," defenseman Alexandre Carrier said. "Any time a team's got its back against the wall, that's when they're desperate, that's when they play their best most of the time. We've just got to stick to our game plan and really do what we do best."
Though there will be a euphoric atmosphere in Montreal, the Canadiens' track record this postseason has shown they will likely not be overwhelmed.
"I think we're just focused on each and every day," coach Martin St. Louis said. "We're not worried about the day before. We're not worried about what's ahead. Let's just take care of today. I think when you just take care of today, usually you don't get anxious or too ecited. I feel like you just stay present where your feet are."
The Vegas Golden Knights will forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after "flagrant violations" of the league's media regulations following Thursday's Game Six win over the Anaheim Ducks in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Vegas head coach John Tortorella has also been fined $100,000 after he reportedly declined to speak with media after the Golden Knights' 5-1 victory.
The team also did not open their dressing room to media post-game. Vegas forwards Mitch Marner and Brett Howden spoke to reporters at the podium while a third player was brought to a side room.
Tortorella also did not line up for handshakes after the win.
Vegas has previously been warned about "compliance with the media regulations and other associated policies," the NHL said in statement.
In a statement posted to X on Friday, the Golden Knights said they are aware of the NHL's penalty and that the organization will have no further comment.
Vegas have the opportunity to appeal the decision next week to the office of commissioner Gary Bettman.
The Golden Knights will play the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final.
Hughes open to contract extension with Wild
Quinn Hughes made a tremendous impact during his half season in Minnesota, and the standout defenseman is interested in a contract extension with the Wild.
A captain with the Canucks, Quinn Hughes did not disappoint in Minnesota, amassing 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games. He also led the NHL in ice-time average in the regular season (27:44 per game).
Hughes continued his production in the postseason, putting up 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 11 games and a plus-10 rating. He led Minnesota to a first-round upset of second-seeded Dallas before the Colorado Avalanche ousted the Wild in five games.
"I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing. We'll see what (general manager) Billy (Guerin) wants to do," Hughes said Friday. "We're 36 hours removed (from elimination). I'm not sure I'm ready to get into details, what they would look like."
Hughes will be entering the final season of his six-year, $47.1 million deal, but can sign an extension with Minnesota on July 1.
All three Hughes' brothers (Luke is a defenseman with the Devils) are represented by agent Pat Brisson. Jack is signed through 2030 and there has been speculation that Quinn would sign a three-year deal so both brothers could sign with the same team in advance of the 2030-31 season.
"Between brothers, there's so many conversations. But we haven't had any specific (conversations) about this," Brisson said. "Those are possibilities. I'm not going to deny the fact."
Hughes plans on remaining in Minnesota for at least part of the summer as he decompresses from a year with three teams, including his stint as a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic ice hockey squad.
"I think I can say that I really like it here," Hughes said of Minnesota. "I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it's a special group. It's an amazing state, so passionate about hockey.
"From a mental aspect, a lot has happened this year. I never let myself process it or let my hair down a little bit," he said. "It'll be nice to just go home, process the whole year and get some rest."
