Golden Knights issue Breydan McNabb injury update after taking 87mph puck to face

Joseph McBride Fri, June 5, 2026 at 6:08 PM UTC

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NHL: JUN 04 Stanley Cup Final Golden Knights at Hurricanes

Brayden McNabb will travel with the Golden Knights but his status is unknown (Image: Getty)

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Breydan McNabb will be traveling with the team after being admitted to the hospital during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, but his status for the rest of the series remains unknown.

McNabb took a puck to the face in the first period, after Carolina Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers powered an 87mph slap shot toward the net. Players from both teams instantly alerted officials as McNabb covered his mouth and nose before skating to the locker room.

The Golden Knights went on to lose 4-3 in overtime as the Hurricanes tied the series, following a chaotic 5-4 Vegas win on Tuesday. Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella didn't have a detailed update on McNabb's condition, but confirmed he would remain with the team.

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"No update," coach John Tortorella said less than 12 hours after Game 2, on Friday. "He'll be traveling with us, but no update."

The slap shot appeared to hit McNabb primarily in the visor, but it also caught his nose. The extent of the damage is unknown, and a considerable injury could rule him out of the Stanley Cup Final.

It was a frightening incident for the players on the ice, but there was an instant sense of relief when McNabb skated to the bench before heading to the locker room. McNabb's exit was also a huge loss for the Golden Knights, with five defenseman increasing their participation to cover for the injury.

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"Yeah, it does in the sense that we don't have him out there and we're obviously worried about him, but we were battling for him," Golden Knights forward Brett Howden said. "I thought the five (remaining defensemen) did a great job.

"Like I said, just terrible to see something like that happen to one of your good buddies. Just hope he's OK."

McNabb could be a key absence for the Golden Knights (Image: Getty)

Shea Theodore, Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, Jeremy Lauzon, and Dylan Coghlan all combined to cover for McNabb, but Vegas couldn't extend the series lead in overtime. "Yeah, they played hard," said Golden Knights captain Mark Stone.

"Obviously, you lose a guy like 'Nabber' who logs heavy minutes, such a good teammate, plays the game so hard. It's tough, but they played a good game. They battled as hard as they could."

McNabb has one goal and six assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and was part of the championship roster in 2023. "He's a vital part of this team," said forward William Karlsson on Friday.

"He's been here for a long time. He's been vital every year. He is extremely good defensively. He helps us out in key situations. Of course, tough to not have him for the remainder of that game."

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Source: “AOL Sports”