Ilya Sorokin vaults to the top of the Vezina Trophy odds at -125, a sharp climb from +160 just weeks ago that has Islanders fans dreaming big. Vasilevskiy lurks close behind at +120 after his hot streak post-injury, while Logan Thompson slips to +1100 amid some Vegas wobbles. Bettors know goalie races turn on a dime in this league, and with Hellebuyck's back-to-back reign ending, the hardware hangs ripe for the taking this spring.

Ilya Sorokin vaults to the top of the Vezina Trophy odds boards after another masterclass between the pipes for the Islanders, leaving oddsmakers scrambling to adjust. The guy who once toiled in Long Island's shadows now boasts league-leading shutouts and Goals Saved Above Expected, proving he's the wall every contender fears. With Vasilevskiy and Thompson nipping at his heels, this goaltending race heats up as the stretch run looms, and front offices know a Vezina nod could swing playoff fates.

Russia drops a mock roster for the 2026 Olympics that packs Ovechkin, Kucherov, Kaprizov and Panarin on the wings for what could be the Great 8's last international run at age 40. Goalie choices torment the selectors with three Vezina winners in Bobrovsky, Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy plus Sorokin's hot streak anchoring the Isles' playoff push. But Russia's ban leaves these NHL stars on the sidelines, turning gold-medal dreams into painful hypotheticals that sting front offices from D.C. to Tampa.

Russia's ongoing Olympic ban over Ukraine sanctions slams the door on some of the NHL's premier talents, like Kucherov, Panarin, Ovechkin, and Kaprizov, from suiting up in Milan Cortina. These guys form a dream lineup that could dominate the ice with elite scoring punch and the league's top goaltending depth from Sorokin, Vasilevskiy, Shesterkin, and Bobrovsky.

The 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament loses its edge without Russia, as the IOC upholds sanctions barring their team from team events in Italy. Stars like Ovechkin, Malkin, Kaprizov, Kucherov, and Vasilevskiy sit home, potentially their last shot at gold, leaving a massive void in forward talent and goaltending. Canada and Team USA breathe easier as favorites, but everyone knows the field feels thinner without that Russian firepower pushing the gold medal odds into chaos.

Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy sit out the Milano Cortina Games as the Lightning hit pause on their scorching run, sparking debate in Tampa's war room about whether this break resets their engines or kills the vibe. I've heard whispers from the Bolts' inner circle that missing best-on-best could sharpen their focus for the playoff push, but others worry the duo's chemistry takes a hit without that Olympic adrenaline.