Narrow Game 7 wins by the Boston Bruins and Dallas Stars finalized the NHL's second-round playoff matchups. These key questions will influence what happens in the next phase of the Stanley Cup chase. Florida Panthers

Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas had some choice words for Jacob Trouba after his viral near-collision with the New York Rangers defenseman in Game 2.Trouba attempted to hit Necas early in the first overtime period but went flying into the boards as the winger ducked away.

The 2024 World Championship will take place May 10-26 in Czechia. With the rosters beginning to take shape, we've compiled the notable names set to partake in the tournament.Teams are ordered by their men's IIHF ranking.Canada IIHF rank: 1Pierre-Luc Dubois, Brandon Hagel, and Nick Paul are the latest players to join Canada's roster, while projected No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini and 2023 No. 3 pick Adam Fantilli decided to back out of the tournament. General manager Rick Nash can still add up to two more players for the defending champs if he desires.PlayerPositionTeamMichael BuntingFPenguinsConnor BedardFBlackhawksDylan CozensFSabresPierre-Luc DuboisFKingsRidly GreigFSenatorsDylan GuentherFCoyotesBrandon HagelFLightningAndrew MangiapaneFFlamesJack McBainFCoyotesJared McCannFKrakenDawson MercerFDevilsNick PaulFLightningBrandon TanevFKrakenBowen ByramDSabresKaiden GuhleDCanadiensJamie OleksiakDKrakenColton ParaykoDBluesOwen PowerDSabresDamon SeversonDBlue JacketsOlen ZellwegerDDucksJordan BinningtonGBluesNico DawsGDevilsJoel HoferGBluesFinland IIHF rank: 2Only four NHLers are headed to Czechia to represent Finland so far, headlined by Mikael Granlund. The roster also features projected top-10 pick Konsta Helenius, a pair of recent European free-agent signings, and Montreal Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen.PlayerPositionTeamMikael GranlundFSharksKonsta HeleniusFJukurit (Liiga)Arttu HyryFKarpat (Liiga)Juha JaaskaFHIFK (Liiga)Oliver KapanenFKalPa (Liiga)Jesse PuljujarviFPenguinsValtteri PuustinenFPenguinsOlli MaattaDRed WingsUnited States PressFocus/MB Media / Getty Images Sport / GettyIIHF rank: 4The USA has plenty of star talent as it looks to win the tournament for the first time since 1960 when it doubled as the Olympics. GM Bill Guerin named nine more players to the roster Sunday, but lost one with Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin dropping out due to injury.PlayerPositionTeamMatt BoldyFWildGavin BrindleyFBlue JacketsCole CaufieldFCanadiensMikey EyssimontFLightningJoel FarabeeFFlyersJohnny GaudreauFBlue JacketsKevin HayesFBluesLuke KuninFSharksRyan LeonardFBoston College (NCAA)Brock NelsonFIslandersShane PintoFSenatorsWill SmithFBoston College (NCAA)Brady TkachukFSenatorsTrevor ZegrasFDucksLuke HughesDDevilsSeth JonesDBlackhawksMatthew KesselDBluesMichael KesserlingDCoyotesJeff PetryDRed WingsJake SandersonDSenatorsAlex VlasicDBlackhawksZach WerenskiDBlue JacketsTrey AugustineGMichigan State (NCAA)Alex LyonGRed WingsAlex NedeljkovicGPenguinsGermany IIHF rank: 5A hockey program on the rise, Germany took home silver at the 2023 World Championship.PlayerPositionTeamJJ PeterkaFSabresNico SturmFSharksPhilipp GrubauerGKrakenSweden IIHF rank: 6As usual, the blue line will be Sweden's backbone. It features former Norris Trophy winners Erik Karlsson and Victor Hedman, plus a potential future winner in Rasmus Dahlin.PlayerPositionTeamAndre BurakovskyFKrakenJoel Eriksson EkFWildMax FribergFFrolundaJesper FrodenFZurichCarl GrundstromFKingsPontus HolmbergFMaple LeafsAlexander HoltzFDevilsAdrian KempeFKingsLinus JohanssonFFarjestads BK KarlstadMarcus JohanssonFWildIsac LundestromFDucksVictor OlofssonFSabresLucas RaymondFRed WingsMarcus SorensenFFribourgFelix Unger-SorumFLeksandsFabian ZetterlundFSharksLukas BengtssonDZug EVJonas BrodinDWildRasmus DahlinDSabresVictor HedmanDLightningTim HeedDAmbri-PiottaErik KarlssonDPenguinsMarcus PetterssonDPenguinsSamuel ErssonGFlyersFilip GustavssonGWildJesper WallstedtGWildSwitzerland IIHF rank: 7Switzerland's preliminary roster includes five active NHLers, including Nino Niederreiter - the latest notable player to commit. There are several other players with NHL experience, though, including Andrighetto, Haas, Kukan, and Berra.PlayerPositionTeamAndres AmbuhlFHC Davos (NL)Sven AndrighettoFZSC Lions (NL)Thierry BaderFSC Bern (NL)Christoph BertschyFHC Fribourg-Gotteron(NL)Gaetan HaasFEHC Biel(NL)Fabrice HerzogFEV Zug(NL)Nico HischierFDevilsKen JagerFLausanne HC(NL)Philipp KurashevFBlackhawksNino NiederreiterFJetsTristan ScherweyFSC Bern(NL)Sven SentelerFEV Zug(NL)Dario SimionFEV Zug(NL)Calvin ThurkaufFHC Lugano(NL)Michael ForaDHC Davos(NL)Andrea GlauserDLausanne HC(NL)Sven JungDHC Davos(NL)Dean KukanDZSC Lions(NL)Romain LoeffelDSC Bern(NL)Christian MartiDZSC Lions(NL)Jonas SiegenthalerDDevilsReto BerraGHC Fribourg-Gotteron(NL)Leonardo GenoniGEV Zug(NL)Akira SchmidGDevilsCzechia Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIIHF rank: 8The host nation is on the rise after medaling at each of the past two World Junior Championships.PlayerPositionTeamDavid KampfFMaple LeafsDominik KubalikFSenatorsOndrej PalatFDevilsRadko GudasDDucksJan RuttaDSharksDavid SpacekDWild (AHL)Lukas DostalGDucksPetr MrazekGBlackhawksKarel VejmelkaGCoyotesSlovakia IIHF rank: 9The first two picks from the 2022 NHL Draft, Juraj Slafkovsky and Simon Nemec, project to be the driving forces behind Slovakia.PlayerPositionTeamMartin PospisilFFlamesPavol RegendaFDucksJuraj SlafkovskyFCanadiensTomas TatarFKrakenSimon NemecDDevilsNorway IIHF rank: 12Mats Zuccarello was one of two Norwegians to play in the NHL this year.PlayerPositionTeamMats ZuccarelloFWildAustria IIHF rank: 16Marco Rossi is the only active Austrian NHLer.PlayerPositionTeamMarco RossiFWildThe remaining six teams in the tournament - Denmark, France, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and Poland - have yet to name notable players to their rosters.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Jake Guentzel picked up a sweat-free victory for us with his shot prop Tuesday, but things didn't work out with Seth Jarvis or Nathan MacKinnon.Jarvis was on the ice for 21 of the Hurricanes' shots and more than two expected goals, but none ended up beating Igor Shesterkin. MacKinnon failed to get the job done in the nightcap, missing the net five times and coming up one shot short of his total versus the Stars.I liked the process - the results simply didn't follow. We'll look to change that with three more plays for Wednesday's NHL card.Matthew Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shotsThe Bruins always seem to bring out the best in Tkachuk when it comes to shooting the puck. He's recorded four or more shots in eight of the past nine home games against Boston, including this year's series opener.Tkachuk had five shots on eight attempts in a Game 1 defeat while leading all Panthers forwards in ice time.One important factor in backing Tkachuk: he's skating on the top line with Aleksander Barkov.Since last season, Tkachuk's averaged 10.4 shots and 19.5 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Barkov.Those numbers are noticeably higher than the 8.5 shots and 16.1 attempts per 60 he's managed with Sam Bennett as his center.With Tkachuk skating on the top line at even strength and serving as a focal point on the power play - and with the Panthers in desperate need of a win (they can't hit the road down two) - I expect Tkachuk to shoot early and often in this one.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Quinn Hughes: Over 0.5 assistsThe screws generally tighten in the playoffs, but I have a hard time believing the Canucks can neutralize this lethal Oilers offense - especially without star goaltender Thatcher Demko.They'll need to score to keep up, and captain Hughes will have to be one of the primary facilitators. That wasn't a problem in the regular season, as he piled up seven assists and eight points over four head-to-head showings.Since 2022, Hughes has 11 assists over eight meetings against his Pacific Division rivals.The Oilers aren't bulletproof defensively - a mediocre Kings offense averaged three goals per game in the opening round - so there should be some goals on the table for the Canucks. Look for Hughes to get involved in the fun.Odds: -120 (playable to -135)Evan Bouchard: Over 0.5 assistsThe Oilers were an unstoppable force offensively for all but a month during the regular season. They picked up where they left off in the playoffs, netting 22 goals over a five-game series against L.A.The Canucks did a great job of overcoming the Demko injury in the opening round, but the Predators don't hold a candle to the Oilers in terms of high-end talent. A 1-2 center punch of Ryan O'Reilly and Tommy Novak doesn't quite match Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.I think the favored Oilers are going to cause a world of problems for the Canucks and bring the Demko injury to light.Given that Bouchard routinely plays 24-plus minutes - a lot of which come behind either McDavid or Draisaitl - he should have ample opportunity to make his mark offensively.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After months of simulations and excitement, the NHL's draft lottery offered little drama on Tuesday as the order remained unchanged for the first time since 2010.With the first 23 selections of the draft finalized following the lottery and the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it's time to take another look at how the picks could play out in June.Celebrini continues to make history as the first Hobey Baker winner to go first overall in the NHL draft.The Sharks get a dynamic future No. 1 center in Celebrini, who is an incredibly well-rounded and polished prospect considering he doesn't turn 18 until June and dominated every level along the way to cementing his place atop the 2024 class.Not only is Celebrini an incredibly exciting player to add to a rebuilding team, but he's also a bit of a local product for San Jose. Celebrini played for the under-14 Sharks in 2019-20 when living in the Bay Area, and his father, Rick, works with the NBA's Golden State Warriors as their director of sports medicine and performance.The Sharks - and Rick - get their wish to commence the draft, giving San Jose a scary one-two punch of Celebrini and 2023 No. 4 pick Will Smith down the road.After landing a generational prospect in Connor Bedard last summer, the Blackhawks snag the top defenseman in the 2024 class.Levshunov leads an array of exciting blue-liners that will litter the top 10. The Belarusian was a beast at Michigan State as a freshman, registering 35 points in 38 games and leading the Big 10 champs with a plus-27 rating.Chicago adds a future top-pairing rearguard whose two-way skill set will feature nicely alongside either Alex Vlasic or Kevin Korchinski.Standing at 6-foot-7, 211 pounds and boasting skating skills is what launched Silayev into the conversation at the top of the draft after a strong start to his season in the KHL.The Ducks are more than happy to take a home-run swing on a potentially elite shutdown defender to complement the offensive blue-liners in the system like Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.The combination of size, skating, and skill that Lindstrom presents is too tantalizing for the Blue Jackets to pass on at No. 4.Lindstrom tallied 13 goals and 21 points on a 12-game point streak in December before his campaign was disrupted by a hand injury. He plays mean - just look at his 66 penalty minutes in 32 games - and gives Columbus a legitimate double-headed monster with Adam Fantilli down the middle.The Habs don't pass on a supremely skilled Russian winger for a second time in a row and take the best player available in Demidov.The most electrifying player in the draft, Demidov decimated the Russian junior circuit with 60 points in 30 regular-season games before a hilarious 28 points in 17 playoff games.There's a case to be made that Demidov has the highest potential in the draft, but he's also average-sized, has barely played above the Russian junior league, and has no international history to lean upon.After a conservative pick in 2023, Montreal takes a swing in 2024.GM Bill Armstrong is moving to a new state, but his roster-building philosophy remains the same.After using a top-10 pick on 6-foot-4 Dmitriy Simashev last summer and a first-rounder on 6-foot-7 Maveric Lamoureux two years ago, Utah's first selection continues the theme. Yakemchuk stands at 6-foot-3, has an absolute cannon from the point, and racked up 30 goals this season. However, he'll need to become more disciplined before reaching the pro ranks.Among the most exciting risers this season is Iginla. After being a bottom-six depth player with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season, a move to the Kelowna Rockets has seen the son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla flourish.His 47 goals in the regular season and another nine in 11 playoff games were punctuated with a splendid showing at the under-18s with Canada. Make no mistake - Tij is in this spot on his own merit.Buium solidified himself as a top-10 prospect in the class with a historic freshman campaign at Denver. The 6-foot left-shot defender toyed with NCAA competition this season en route to a national title. He's a worthy pick as the Kraken take a defenseman in the first round for the first time.As much as Flames fans want Iginla in this slot, Dickinson could be even more impactful. The 6-foot-3 left-shot defender has flirted with the top five all season with a point-per-game campaign on the OHL's best team.Helenius has already played two seasons in Finland's top league and has high-end hockey IQ. With a strong showing in the playoffs and an impressive under-18s, Helenius can help his draft stock even more at the upcoming Worlds with Finland.Parekh is getting more and more hype on public lists, but NHL teams remain NHL teams. A 6-foot, 179-pound all-offense defenseman isn't too convincing, especially with numerous other elite prospects at the position in the draft.The Sabres are prioritizing upside in the draft and do so again by snagging the 33-goal, 96-point right-shot defender.Catton put together one of the best draft-eligible seasons in recent WHL history, tallying 54 goals and 116 points. With six defenders going in the first 11 picks, the Flyers run to the stage with a forward of Catton's potential still on the board.A season-ending injury sustained at the world juniors prevented Jiricek from building positive momentum down the stretch. The Wild take the 6-foot-2, right-shot defender, hoping he can break through with exciting two-way potential despite a significant injury and early-season struggles.Note: Pick acquired by Sharks from Pittsburgh Penguins in the Erik Karlsson trade.Once viewed as the top challenger to Celebrini, Eiserman still falls to the team that selected first overall.Concern over Eiserman's game outside of his goal-scoring resulted in him dropping down boards all season. A former teammate of Celebrini's at Shattuck St. Mary's, the Sharks take a chance on the U.S. NTDP's all-time top goal-scorer and reunite the two talents.Norway has never produced a first-round pick, but that changes after this summer's draft when Brandsegg-Nygard goes inside the top 20. A fierce forechecker, Brandsegg-Nygard played against men all year, and his role increased as the season went along. He'll suit up for Norway at the Worlds this month.Connelly is a top-10 prospect on talent, but he gave teams reasons to pass on him. Whether it's concern over past off-ice issues or poor decision-making, like the major penalty that cost the U.S. gold at the under-18s, teams will need to do their due diligence before spending a premium pick on Connelly.Sennecke has taken his game to another level in the OHL playoffs with 22 points in 16 postseason contests entering the league finals with Oshawa. With a 6-foot-2 frame and immense skill, the winger boasts a lot of upside.The Islanders desperately need to add high-end potential to their system, and they do exactly that with this pick. Hage was surprisingly left off Canada's roster at the under-18s despite tallying 12 goals and 31 points in his final 16 games in the USHL.Boisvert can play down the middle or on the wing, and he rifled 36 goals in the USHL this year. At 6-foot-2, 176 pounds, he'll look to add to his frame as he heads to the University of North Dakota in the fall.Note: Pick acquired by Blackhawks from Tampa Bay Lightning in the Brandon Hagel trade.Greentree was one of the only bright spots on a poor Windsor team this season. He captained the Spitfires and led the team with 36 goals and 90 points. An underwhelming under-18s sees him fall to the end of the top 20.The Kings end the run of forwards by taking Sahlin Wallenius. He played huge minutes for Sweden at the under-18s after tallying 42 points in 43 games in the Swedish junior league.Barry Trotz and the Predators offer a slight surprise by pouncing on the tantalizing 6-foot-6 Letourneau. The Boston College commit offers an exciting blend of size, speed, and skill. He's an incredibly raw project having only played two games above prep-level competition.Elick is 6-foot-3 and a right-shot defender. That alone is enough to put him on NHL radars. Factor in his excellent skating and mean streak, and the Calgary native fits perfectly with Brad Treliving's revamped vision for the Maple Leafs' blue-line.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz says the club will do all it can to sign goaltender Juuse Saros to an extension over the offseason."We'll be in talks," Trotz told NHL.com's Robby Stanley. "I'm sure it's not going to be definitely a July 1 announcement, probably. I think it's going to be a process with his people, his representatives. But I do know this: (Saros) wants to be here, and he's been a big part of it. I'd like him to be here, so we're going to work hard at getting something done with him."The 2024-25 campaign will be the final season of the four-year, $20-million contract Saros signed in 2021. He's cemented himself as one of the league's top goalies over the duration of his deal, owning a .915 save percentage in 195 games while finishing top five in Vezina Trophy voting twice.Despite his performances, Saros was often brought up in trade rumors while he and Nashville struggled early in the season. Trotz has maintained his preference of keeping Saros, but reports in March said the New Jersey Devils plan to pursue him in a trade this summer.The Predators could turn to prospect Yaroslav Askarov, who they drafted 11th overall in 2020, to be their goalie of the future if they deal Saros. Askarov has only made three NHL appearances but impressed in the AHL this past season, compiling a 30-13-1 record and .911 save percentage for the Milwaukee Admirals.Nashville earned the top wild-card spot in the Western Conference this season with 99 points but fell to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After five seasons in the Big Apple, Igor Shesterkin should be used to hearing the New York Rangers faithful chant his name. But the talented goaltender continues to be moved by the show of support, especially when it's during a high-stakes playoff game against a divisional rival."It's an unbelievable feeling every time," he said Tuesday after New York's 4-3 double-overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, per Rangers on MSG. "Every time. I was almost crying."Shesterkin was regaled by "Igor" chants throughout his 54-save effort that helped New York claim a 2-0 series lead. He prevented 2.43 goals above expected at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick.The 28-year-old Russian turned aside 15 shots over both periods of overtime alone.

The San Jose Sharks prevailed in the NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, securing the No. 1 pick and the right to select Macklin Celebrini next month.The Sharks had the highest odds of nabbing the top pick, with an 18.5% chance.Here's the order following the proceedings:The order matched the odds exactly, making it the first lottery since 2010 in which no team moved up or down relative to their chances.The Sharks will also draft 14th because the Pittsburgh Penguins owe them the selection as part of the Erik Karlsson trade. Had the Penguins landed in the top 10, they could've sent their 2025 first-rounder to San Jose instead.Pittsburgh could still end up with a first-round selection if the Carolina Hurricanes reach the Stanley Cup Final, per the conditions in the Jake Guentzel swap.Sharks general manager Mike Grier praised Celebrini's versatility and work ethic when asked about him on the broadcast.He's a 200-foot player, which is rare for someone who is as offensively gifted as he is," the GM said on ESPN. "As a 17-year-old, he plays a real complete game on both ends of the ice. He cares. I love his competitiveness. I watch him practice, and he works every drill. He goes as hard as he can in every drill, wants to win every puck battle. I think he's a real unique player at this age. (He) plays a full, complete game. We're really excited."The Chicago Blackhawks picked first last year, landing Calder Trophy finalist Connor Bedard. The Anaheim Ducks chose Leo Carlsson second overall in 2023, while the Columbus Blue Jackets went third and took Adam Fantilli. The Sharks grabbed Will Smith fourth overall in that event.This year's draft will take place June 28 and 29 at Sphere in Las Vegas.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Marchessault can test the open market this summer as an unrestricted free agent, but his priority is coming to an agreement to remain a Vegas Golden Knight."I've done everything I can to stay here," Marchessault said during Tuesday's end-of-season media session, per KTNV's Nick Walters. "I know I'm a big part of the organization. I would love to stay. I was a part of the guys who started this, one of the most proud things in my life. I'm happy to be a Golden Knight and want to be one the rest of my life."The 33-year-old added that he met with general manager Kelly McCrimmon on Tuesday and was told the club wants him there, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.Marchessault played out the final season of a six-year, $30-million contract. He produced a career-high 42 goals and led Vegas with 68 points, setting him up for a significant raise from the $5 million he earned annually since 2018-19.The Golden Knights are perennially one of the league's most cap-strapped teams and project to have less than $1 million in financial flexibility this summer, per Cap Friendly.Marchessault admitted it was difficult to play on an expiring deal, saying he "thought about it all year."If Marchessault and Vegas can't strike a deal, he'd be one of this summer's most coveted free agents. He's racked up 417 points in 514 games since joining the Golden Knights for their inaugural season and won the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is out until at least Game 5 of his team's Round 2 series against the Edmonton Oilers, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet already ruled out Demko for Wednesday's Game 1 but didn't comment on his status beyond the series opener.Demko started Vancouver's Round 1 opener versus the Nashville Predators before missing the remaining five games of the series due to a knee injury. Though it's apparently not the same injury that caused Demko to miss 14 games late in the regular season, it's the same knee that's ailing.The 28-year-old was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy after posting a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 51 games during the 2023-24 regular season.Arturs Silovs, who entered the postseason as Vancouver's third-string goalie, projects to start Game 1 against Edmonton. The 23-year-old rookie recorded a .938 save percentage in three Round 1 appearances against the Predators, including a 28-save shutout in the series-clinching Game 6 victory.Veteran Casey DeSmith is another option to tend goal and started Games 2 and 3 in Round 1. However, the Canucks rode with Silovs to close out the series despite DeSmith being available for Games 5 and 6.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators hired former Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils bench boss Travis Green as their next head coach, the team announced Tuesday.Green's contract will keep him in Canada's capital through the 2027-28 season."After speaking to several highly qualified candidates, it became clear that Travis is the right fit to lead our group," president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said. "As we've routinely stated, developing a winning culture is paramount to our aspiration of achieving sustained success."Travis has a burning desire to win, is passionate about teaching, and holds his players to a very high standard. We're excited to welcome he and his family to the Ottawa-Gatineau community."An introductory press conference is expected to take place Wednesday.Green served as head coach of the Canucks from 2017-22, making the playoffs in 2020. Vancouver won its qualifying-round series over the Minnesota Wild that year and upset the reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in Round 1 before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2.The Devils hired the 53-year-old as an associate coach in 2023, and he took over as interim head coach after the team fired Lindy Ruff in March.Green owns a career record of 141-159-35 as an NHL head coach.He also enjoyed a 14-year playing career with the New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins.He'll take over a Senators team with a promising young core that has yet to break through and make the playoffs. The Sens are riding a seven-year postseason drought, the NHL's third-longest active skid.D.J. Smith coached the Senators for parts of five seasons before the team fired him after an 11-15-0 start to the 2023-24 campaign. Interim bench boss Jacques Martin didn't fare much better, going 26-26-4.Green is the first permanent head coach hired by Staios since the latter was named full-time GM in December and since Michael Andlauer completed his purchase of the franchise in September.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers were named Hart Trophy finalists Tuesday.The Hart is awarded to the league's most valuable player and voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It will be given out after the playoffs conclude in June.The nominated trio were the league's top three scorers this season.PlayerGames playedPointsEven-strength pointsKucherov8114491MacKinnon8214092McDavid7613287Kucherov and McDavid made history as only the fourth and fifth players ever to notch 100 assists in a season.Kucherov secured his second Art Ross Trophy as the league's top producer and is a Hart finalist for the first time since he won the award in 2019. Kucherov's 144 points were the second-most by a player in the past 28 years - clearing his next-most productive teammate by 54 points - and his exploits were a key reason the Lightning reached the playoffs.MacKinnon is a Hart finalist for the fourth time since 2017 and has never won the prestigious award. He established a new career high with 140 points and led the league in even-strength production. The Nova Scotia native broke the 50-goal plateau for the first time, led the league in shots (405), and ranked second among all forwards in average ice time (22:49).McDavid is a three-time Hart winner and took home the award last year. The Oilers captain recorded his fourth consecutive 100-point season and led Edmonton to the playoffs after the club stumbled to a 2-9-1 start. Only three players in league history have won the Hart four times: Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Eddie Shore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We have a pair of playoff games on the schedule Tuesday night. Here are a few of the best ways to attack them.Jake Guentzel: Over 2.5 shotsDeath, taxes, and Guentzel shot props against the Rangers. He's killed New York for years, piling up three shots or more in 13 of the past 14 head-to-head meetings. That's an absurd 93% clip.Guentzel posted strong volume in Game 1 of the series. He recorded five shots on goal while leading all players with six scoring chances and nine shot attempts. The volume was strong, and a lot of it came from dangerous areas of the ice, making it easier for Guentzel to hit the target.The Hurricanes acquired Guentzel for the playoffs, and they've routinely given him 20-plus minutes in close games when they need to score. I expect this to be a tightly contested affair - the Rangers always seem to give the Hurricanes trouble - and Guentzel to get a heavy dose of ice time as a result.Look for Guentzel, who has a 60% hit rate this season, to put forth another active shooting performance.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Seth Jarvis: Over 0.5 pointsJarvis is scorching hot, recording 13 points over his past 10 games dating back to the regular season, including eight in six playoff contests.He's skating on the second line opposite Teuvo Teravainen, who he performed well with in the regular season. Jarvis averaged 2.42 points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play when skating on Teravainen's line. That's efficient production.Jarvis is a real threat to make noise offensively at even strength. He's also skating on the top power-play unit, giving him exposure to Guentzel, Sebastian Aho, and the other most dangerous Hurricanes.Carolina really needs this game and will no doubt lean heavily on Jarvis to secure a win. Look for him to find the scoresheet.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Nathan MacKinnon: Over 4.5 shotsMacKinnon's been a force against the Stars. He's registered at least five shots in eight of the last nine meetings, routinely clearing his total with room to spare. He averaged 6.77 shots on more than 10 attempts per game in that span - top-tier production.Although this version of the Stars is the best we've seen, MacKinnon is someone who can make noise in any matchup.And he's been sitting on the sidelines for a week following a five-game series win over the Jets, giving him plenty of time to rest his bumps and bruises and recharge.I expect MacKinnon to come out with purpose, looking to set the tone in a marquee matchup between two of the league's best teams. MacKinnon will have no problem handling the 22-plus minutes head coach Jared Bednar will likely throw his way and should pile up shots as a result.Odds: -118 (playable to -135)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

2024 NHL Draft Lottery

The St. Louis Blues removed the interim tag from head coach Drew Bannister on Tuesday, signing him to a two-year contract to be the team's permanent bench boss.Bannister guided the Blues to a 30-19-5 record after taking over on an interim basis after St. Louis fired Craig Berube in December.The Blues missed the Western Conference playoffs by six points, though they boasted a better record than the Eastern Conference's second wild-card team, the Washington Capitals.The biggest improvement for the Blues after the coaching change was with the man advantage. St. Louis' power play was operating at just 8.4% under Berube but converted at 22.8% after Bannister took over.The Blues also made strides defensively, allowing 3.32 goals per game with Berube compared to 2.87 with Bannister.Before the Blues promoted him, Bannister was the head coach of St. Louis' farm teams, the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds (2021-23) and San Antonio Rampage (2018-20). He also served as the head coach of the OHL's Soo Greyhounds from 2015-18.Bannister played in 164 NHL games between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and New York Rangers from 1995-2001.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake confirmed Monday that he has no plans to buy out Pierre-Luc Dubois, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Blake acquired Dubois from the Winnipeg Jets last June in exchange for fellow forwards Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iafallo, and Rasmus Kupari, as well as a second-round pick in this year's draft.Dubois, who'll turn 26 on June 24, played all 82 games in his first campaign in Hollywood but failed to produce to the standard he'd set over his first six NHL seasons split between the Jets and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He collected 16 goals and 24 assists, and his average ice time of 15:42 was nearly two minutes below his previous career average of 17:37.The Quebec-born skater scored a goal in a 7-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. He was then held off the scoresheet entirely for the next four contests as the Oilers eliminated the Kings in five.Dubois did post some favorable underlying numbers during the regular season, as his club controlled 53.88% of the expected goals and 53.66% of the scoring chances when he was on the ice at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.The Jets inked Dubois to an eight-year, $68-million contract shortly before sending him to Los Angeles as part of a sign-and-trade so he'd be on the books for an extra year, which the Kings weren't allowed to offer.Anze Kopitar was Los Angeles' highest-paid forward with a $10-million cap hit this season, while Dubois was second at $8.5 million, according to CapFriendly.Kopitar's figure will fall to $7 million in 2024-25 and 2025-26 before he's eligible for unrestricted free agency. That means unless pending restricted free agent Quinton Byfield gets more than $8.5 million in his next deal, Dubois will likely be the Kings' highest-paid forward next season. He's also under contract through 2030-31.Dubois produced 27 goals and a career-high 36 assists in 73 games with the Jets last season. He notched a personal-best 28 tallies along with 32 helpers over 81 contests with Winnipeg in 2021-22. The Jets acquired him from the Blue Jackets for a package including Patrik Laine in January 2021.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announced his retirement Monday.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Blame Luis Miguel.The NHL's forefathers probably didn't envision the longtime Latin music sensation's Wednesday concert being the reason for the Stars' quick turnaround after winning Sunday's Game 7 over the Golden Knights (along with the NBA's Mavericks calling dibs on American Airlines Center next weekend). But here we are: Game 1 of Stars-Avalanche goes Tuesday.A tight turnaround complicates a series handicap, like the Bruins-Panthers matchup. In this case, one side might've been a bigger favorite if Dallas wasn't a sports and entertainment hotbed and all things were closer to equal.Let's continue to use the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even-strength play, skating talent, goaltending) to break it all down.Advanced metrics glossary

Mitch Marner wants to stick with the Maple Leafs for the long haul despite speculation that he could be the odd man out if Toronto elected to break up its core."I've expressed my love for this place, this city," Marner said Monday. "Obviously, I grew up here. We'll start thinking about that now and try to figure something out."The Thornhill, Ontario, product received heavy scrutiny from Leafs fans after managing just a goal and two assists in the seven-game Round 1 loss to the Boston Bruins. It's the seventh time in eight years with largely the same core that Toronto failed to advance past the first round.Marner gave a simple response when asked why he thinks the Leafs' core should remain together."Because we're great players," he said.He added: "Challenges build adversity, and we've been through a lot of that, and it's only going to make us better."Each member of Toronto's Core Four has a full no-movement clause.Auston Matthews and William Nylander both inked long-term extensions within the past year. They were arguably Toronto's best performers in Round 1 despite both missing time."In my time here, I've learned that there's always a scapegoat, there's always a narrative, there's always something," Matthews said. "We love Mitchy. He's a great teammate, he's a great friend, and a competitor."Marner is entering the final season of a six-year, $65.4-million contract he signed 2019. His $10.9-million cap hit was the ninth-highest among NHL players in 2023-24.John Tavares is also entering the final year of his deal, but he'll be 34 years old next season, and his production has declined.Marner, though, is 27 years old and tallied 85 points in 69 games this past season. He finished third in Selke Trophy voting in 2022-23 and 13th in Hart Trophy voting after a 99-point campaign."I think he's an amazing human and a great hockey player," defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "So any heat or anything like that, I believe would be undeserved."Both Marner and Tavares are eligible to sign extensions July 1.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The puck drops Monday in Game 1 between the Bruins and Panthers. Let's take a closer look at the best ways to attack the opener.Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shotsBarkov has a nice shooting history against the Bruins when playing in Florida. He's gone over his total in five of the past seven home games vs. Boston, averaging 3.4 shots per contest on upwards of seven attempts, which is very steady volume.That trend should continue in Game 1. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has opted to move Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe to Barkov's line, which should help bring out the best in Barkov when it comes to shooting the puck.Dating back to last season, Barkov's shot rates when playing with Tkachuk are drastically higher than with Sam Reinhart or any other winger.It's also worth noting: Sam Bennett remains out due to injury, and Barkov averages an extra minute per game without Bennett in the lineup. More ice time leads to more shooting opportunities.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Matthew Tkachuk: Over 0.5 assistsTkachuk's on an absolute heater at home, recording at least one assist in 20 of his past 30 games in Florida, which equates to a remarkable 67% success rate.He has great chemistry with Verhaeghe at even strength and handles the puck a ton down low on the power play. This leads to Tkachuk facilitating a ton of offense for teammates in high-danger areas and, when they convert, plenty of assists.Paying with Barkov rather than Bennett should help Tkachuk, too. Barkov scores more goals than Bennett and converts on his chances at a higher rate (Barkov's career shooting percentage is about 3% higher).Playing big minutes at five-on-five with two strong finishers and a key role on a dangerous power play should mean Tkachuk creates a bundle of chances in this game. Look for at least one of them to find the back of the net.Odds: -115 (playable to -135)Pavel Zacha: Over 0.5 pointsThe Bruins enjoyed plenty of success against the Panthers during the regular season and Zacha was a big reason why. He put up five points over four games, finding the scoresheet at least once on three occasions.Although Zacha's coming off a quiet series against Toronto, I'm not worried about him.He remains on the top line with David Pastrnak and continues to share the ice with the lethal sniper on the power play. As long as Zacha's role doesn't change, he'll have plenty of chances to get involved offensively and help create goals.Pastrnak's recorded a point in seven of his past nine against Florida. Considering Zacha is attached to Pastrnak's hip in every situation, Pastrnak's production correlates nicely with Zacha.I like the idea of getting exposure to one of the game's best offensive players in Pastrnak at a much more generous price point by way of Zacha.Odds: -110 (playable to -125)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're only through one round of these Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it's not too early to take stock of who's already asserted themselves with play that's been at or near a playoff MVP level.Even though the second round has begun, we're focusing entirely on the players' Round 1 output, so we didn't factor Game 1 of the New York Rangers/Carolina Hurricanes second-round series into these rankings.These are our top five contenders for the honor:xGF% = five-on-five expected goals share

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The Bruins vanquished the Maple Leafs on Saturday, breaking hearts in Toronto yet again. While Boston's relief of not blowing a 3-1 first-round series lead was palpable, needing seven games puts the Bs at a disadvantage for Round 2. They shuffle down to Florida for a quick turnaround against the well-rested Panthers.A significant disparity in rest complicates expectations as we continue to use the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even-strength play, skating talent, goaltending) to break it all down.Advanced metrics glossary

The Dallas Stars earned a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 on Sunday to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions and set up a second-round meeting with the Colorado Avalanche.Radek Faksa scored the game-winner 44 seconds into the third period.

The NHL announced the schedule for the Western Conference's second round after the Dallas Stars' Game 7 triumph over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.Dallas moves on to face the Colorado Avalanche, while the Vancouver Canucks clash with the Edmonton Oilers in the other conference semifinal.Dallas Stars (C1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3) Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images / Denver Post / GettyGameDateTime (ET)Home Team1May 79:30 p.m.Dallas2May 99:30 p.m.Dallas3May 11TBDColorado4May 13TBDColorado5*May 15TBDDallas6*May 17TBDColorado7*May 19TBDDallasThe Avalanche have been idle since eliminating the Winnipeg Jets on April 30. Meanwhile, the Stars come into the series with nearly no downtime after going to seven games against the Golden Knights.Vancouver Canucks (P1) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P2) Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / GettyGameDateTime (ET)Home Team1May 810 p.m.Vancouver2May 1010 p.m.Vancouver3May 12TBDEdmonton4May 14TBDEdmonton5*May 16TBDVancouver6*May 18TBDEdmonton7*May 20TBDVancouverThe Oilers took care of business against the Los Angeles Kings in five games and will have a week's rest between series. The Canucks knocked off the Nashville Predators in a low-event battle that ended with Vancouver winning 1-0 in Friday's Game 6.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's safe to say Matthew Tkachuk didn't BeLeaf.The Florida Panthers forward wasn't surprised that the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1 and admitted that his team were anticipating the outcome."Without this coming out too badly, I think we all knew it was probably going to be Boston the way that series was going," Tkachuk told reporters Sunday. "I'm sure a lot of people expected that at the beginning of the series."Playoffs, I guess you never know. But I think throughout the whole series we were probably expecting they were going to come out and win it one way or the other."The Maple Leafs fought back from a 3-1 series deficit to force a Game 7 before the Bruins prevailed via David Pastrnak's overtime winner on Saturday.Toronto has now been eliminated in Round 1 of the postseason in seven of the last eight years. The lone exception was in 2023 when the Leafs advanced to Round 2 before falling to the Panthers in five games.Tkachuk's Panthers will now play the Bruins in Round 2 - a rematch after the underdog Cats clawed back from a 3-1 hole to beat a historically great Boston team in Round 1 a year ago.However, the Bruins got the better of the Panthers during the 2023-24 regular season, winning all four meetings. That doesn't overly concern Tkachuk, though."They definitely got us in the regular season," he said. "I think if you ask them they're probably using that for confidence going into this series. We're like 'regular season doesn't matter, we got them in playoffs.'"Game 1 goes down Monday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko will miss Game 1 of Round 2 against the Edmonton Oilers, head coach Rick Tocchet announced Sunday, per Sportsnet's Brendan Batchelor.Demko's status beyond Game 1 is unknown.The 28-year-old started Vancouver's playoff opener against the Nashville Predators but missed the remaining five games of the series due to a knee injury. While it's not the same injury that caused Demko to miss 14 games late in the regular season, it is the same knee that's ailing him.Backup goalie Casey DeSmith started Games 2 and 3 against the Predators before suffering an injury of his own. He was healthy enough to return for Game 5, though rookie third-stringer Arturs Silovs started over the veteran to close out the series.The 23-year-old Silovs performed admirably despite entering the postseason with just nine games of NHL experience. He posted a .938 save percentage in three postseason appearances, including a 28-save shutout in the series-clinching Game 6 victory.However, the Oilers present an entirely different challenge than the Predators. Edmonton boasted the NHL's No. 4 offense and power play in the regular season and put up 22 goals in five games in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Kings.Demko was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy after posting a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average in 51 games during the 2023-24 regular season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, and Carolina Hurricanes veteran Jordan Staal were named the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy on Sunday.The Selke Trophy is awarded "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game," as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.Barkov is the favorite to take home the honor after leading all full-time NHL centers in Evolving-Hockey's defensive goals above replacement in 2023-24. He won the award in 2021 and has been a finalist three times.The 6-foot-3 Finn was a major reason the Panthers tied for the league lead in goals-against per game. While Barkov was on the ice at even strength, the puck was in the defensive zone just 35.3% of the time, which ranks in the 97th percentile of NHL skaters, per NHL EDGE tracking data.This marks Matthews' first time as a Selke finalist after regularly contributing to the penalty kill this campaign for the first time in his career. He ranked fourth among full-time centers in defensive goals above replacement, second among NHL skaters with 85 takeaways, and tied for second among forwards with 93 blocked shots.Matthews may need a bigger trophy case, as he also won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy by leading the league with 69 goals and is nominated for the Lady Byng Trophy. Matthews is the first player to win the "Rocket" and be nominated for the Selke in the same season. He's also expected to be a Hart Trophy finalist.Staal has long received down-ballot Selke votes, but this is the 35-year-old's first time being a finalist since his age-21 season in 2009-10 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. That 14-year gap is the longest in NHL history for a voted award.The rugged veteran was a key cog in Carolina's No. 1-ranked penalty kill, logging the most shorthanded minutes of the team's forwards. Staal also ranked sixth among full-time centers in defensive goals above replacement and fourth in faceoff percentage among players who took at least 1,000 draws this campaign. He took the ninth-most defensive zone draws in the NHL but ranked second among all skaters in five-on-five shot-attempt percentage.Future Hall of Famer Patrice Bergeron won the Selke for a record sixth time in 2023.The 2024 winner is expected to be announced on June 27.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The Oilers-Canucks series provides Canada with its last hope to break the country's Stanley Cup drought.Despite a 4-0 regular-season sweep over the Oilers that effectively won them the Pacific Division and earned them home-ice advantage, the Canucks are underdogs to the Oilers (like the Rangers in their series with the Hurricanes).Edmonton's elite offense is more attractive to bettors, and the Oilers are rightly perceived as the more legitimate contender after five straight trips to the playoffs during the Connor McDavid era. But anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, especially with the X-factors this series provides.Let's continue to use the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even-strength play, skating talent, goaltending) to break it all down.Advanced metrics glossary

The Winnipeg Jets had an excellent regular season. They had 46 regulation wins, more than any team in the National Hockey League. Even with the statistical noise of loser points, the Jets finished with the second-best point total in the Western Conference, at a cool 110.For this, they were granted a first-round matchup against the 109-point Colorado Avalanche, who carpet-bombed them into oblivion. (Technically a 4-1 series loss.)The Carolina Hurricanes also had an excellent regular season. They racked up 111 points, had the most regulation wins in the Eastern Conference at 44, and perhaps most impressively, played before sold-out crowds all season in a place that's been a wasteland at various points in its NHL life. Great job, Canes.For this, even after dusting off the New York Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Hurricanes have been granted a second-round date with the New York Rangers, the only team in the East that finished above them in the regular season.Welcome, again, to the NHL's incredibly frustrating divisional playoff format. It's one of the dumbest things the league continues to abide by - and this is the same NHL that for years insisted everything was going tickety-boo with the Arizona Coyotes.Every spring, the divisional format spits out unfair pairings. Fairness is, admittedly, a fuzzy concept in professional sports, but in this case, it refers to the idea that the NHL regular season has meaning beyond simply being an 82-game dress rehearsal for the restart of the playoffs. Teams that perform well over that six-month slog should earn a decided edge in the initial playoff rounds. The NHL even acknowledges this to a point, giving the four division winners first-round matchups against the four wild-card teams. But instead of seeding the conferences one through eight, the second- and third-place teams in each division are paired.Leaving aside the problematic instances when wild-card teams have more points than playoff teams in weaker divisions, the system really falls apart when one division is decidedly stronger than the other, which happens often. This year's Central has three teams with more points than any team in the Pacific other than the Canucks. The Metropolitan's two top teams, the Rangers and Hurricanes, had more points than any Atlantic team. This is how you end up with the Jets stuck against the Avalanche instead of a softer matchup against the Predators or Kings. The Oilers, six points back of Winnipeg in the West and with seven fewer regulation wins, end up paired with the 99-point Kings and brush them aside without much fuss. Codie McLachlan / Getty ImagesThis inequity would be easier to understand if there were some kind of benefit to it. The NHL thinks there is, with commissioner Gary Bettman insisting whenever he's asked about it that the league wants to preserve regional matchups in the early rounds to take advantage of classic rivalries. But that rarely happens. Three of the four divisions are geographically immense, meaning the system is just as likely to result in a pairing of teams that have nothing approaching a regional rivalry.Edmonton has now played Los Angeles in three straight playoff seasons. They're about 30 hours apart by car, maybe a bit less if you really pin it. The Maple Leafs have been stuck trying to crawl out of the Atlantic Division, hockey's version of the deep and difficult American League East, which often matches them against a Florida-based team that has no rivalry with Toronto unless it involves tourists adding to the lines at Walt Disney World.There's also the unintended consequence of the divisional playoff format, which is that it sucks the life out of what could be frenzied jockeying for postseason seeding as the regular season draws to a close. If one team jumps out to a big division lead, the next two can know by January that they're likely playoff opponents. Instead of a playoff picture full of uncertainty until the final days of the regular season, most of the pairings become evident weeks earlier.It's not like any of this is new or unexpected. Other than the blip of the COVID season, this format has been around since 2013-14. Its problems have been evident for a decade. The solution is dead simple: Seed teams one through eight, then reseed after each round. The best regular-season teams get the easiest path. The teams that just sneak through as the 8-seeds have to play tougher opponents as they progress. Don't like it? Don't finish eighth.Of course, that potential solution has been sitting there for a decade, too. And it's not like it's an alien concept: the NHL has used conference-wide seeding and reseeding before. Despite the flaws of the current system, it just refuses to go back to that format now.It can be stubborn, this league. But one can hope. It did eventually come around on the Arizona thing, after all.Scott Stinson is a contributing writer for theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL revealed the schedule for the second-round matchups in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night, shortly after the Boston Bruins eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime to secure the last spot.The Bruins will take on the Florida Panthers - the team that upset them in the first round last spring - while the Carolina Hurricanes will square off against the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers.Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (A2) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGameDateTime (ET)Home Team1May 68 p.m.Florida2May 8TBDFlorida3May 10TBDBoston4May 12TBDBoston5*May 14TBDFlorida6*May 17TBDBoston7*May 19TBDFloridaThe Panthers handled the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games to punch their ticket to the second round, while the Bruins recovered to sink the Maple Leafs in seven contests after holding a 3-1 series lead.New York Rangers (M1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (M2) Jared Silber / National Hockey League / GettyGameDateTime (ET)Home Team1May 54 p.m.New York2May 7TBDNew York3May 9TBDCarolina4May 11TBDCarolina5*May 13TBDNew York6*May 16TBDCarolina7*May 18TBDNew YorkThe Rangers swept the Washington Capitals in their opening matchup, while the Hurricanes eliminated the New York Islanders in five contests.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews, Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin are the three finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, the NHL announced Saturday.The trophy is given to the "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability," as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.Matthews has never won the award, but this marks his third time being a finalist. He paced the league with 69 goals this past season and registered only 20 penalty minutes in 81 games. He's a candidate to be a finalist for the Hart Trophy and the Selke Trophy, too.Pettersson is a first-time finalist. The slick Swede tallied 89 points in 82 games this season with just 12 penalty minutes. He's the latest member of the Canucks to be up for an award, as Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, and Rick Tocchet were named finalists for the Norris Trophy, Vezina Trophy, and the Jack Adams Award, respectively.Slavin won the award in 2021 when he recorded just two penalty minutes in 52 games. This marks the fifth straight season he's finished in the top four in voting. An elite shutdown defenseman, Slavin recorded just eight penalty minutes in 81 games this past season despite routinely being matched up against opposing teams' top lines. He also added 37 points - the second-most of his career.Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar took home the trophy in 2023.The 2024 winner is expected to be announced on June 27.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

They had it.The Toronto Maple Leafs had a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins with 11 minutes left in Saturday's Game 7. Then, like all good things tend to do in the Leafs' Auston Matthews era, the lead slipped away in excruciating fashion.Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm flicked a shot past goalie Ilya Samsonov to quickly tie the game before maligned superstar David Pastrnak completed the comeback with a nifty deke early in overtime. Bruins 2, Leafs 1, and Boston suddenly has a second-round date with the Florida Panthers.The Leafs now sit 1-8 in playoff series and 0-5 in Game 7s since Matthews' rookie season. This particular series featured several injuries/illnesses to key players, including Matthews, but, sorry, the fan base isn't accepting excuses.These uber-talented, unreliable Leafs haven't earned the benefit of the doubt. So, what hangs in the balance after another early playoff exit? Let's discuss.Shanahan and the coachBrendan Shanahan's been atop the organizational chart since April 2014. The president and alternate governor has largely operated in the shadows over the past decade, but there might not be anywhere to hide this offseason. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesShanahan, 55, has presided over a teardown, rebuild, and rise. He's been around for regular-season dominance and, far more relevant to his job security, zero deep playoff runs. He's handpicked three general managers, and not one of them - not old-school Lou Lamoriello, new-wave Kyle Dubas, or Brad Treliving, who's somewhere in the middle - figured out the puzzle.All of this failure after an enviable head start. The Leafs happened to win the draft lottery the same year Matthews became eligible, and he's blossomed into a generational goal-scorer with a Selke Trophy-caliber defensive game.The franchise's ownership group, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, hired a new leader earlier this year. CEO Keith Pelley surely wants to put his stamp on MLSE, and firing the longtime president would send an appropriate message to players and fans. (Shanahan's contract reportedly expires in summer 2025.) Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesTreliving's been in the GM's chair for less than a year so it would be odd to can him. It'd be downright shocking, though, if management kept the coach.Sheldon Keefe's the easiest and most obvious person to blame. Hired in 2019, Keefe, the fifth-longest tenured NHL coach, has worn out his welcome.The names ahead of him on the list: Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar, Mike Sullivan, and Rod Brind'Amour - three Stanley Cup champions and another universally respected coach. The four directly behind Keefe: Martin St. Louis, Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella, and Pete DeBoer - all objectively good, if not great.No team scored more five-on-five goals than the Leafs during the regular season. They also boasted the seventh-best power play. Yet, in seven games against Boston, Toronto produced 11 five-on-five goals and one power-play marker in 21 opportunities, which is the rough equivalent of two full periods.If everything else was clicking, you could handwave the scoring issues. But Keefe's been outcoached numerous times in the playoffs, and his message must be growing stale inside the dressing room. It sure has on the outside.Time to move onto Craig Berube - or a coach of similar pedigree and style.Marner and the core Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesOne particular phrase tends to get thrown around a lot after Leaf playoff exits.Blow it up.As in, the front office should dismantle the long-standing core of Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. The problem with "blow it up" at this point in the process is that, in practice, Treliving can do only so much heavy lifting. He's essentially stuck.Matthews, the 69-goal man, and Nylander, the 98-point guy, haven't started their long-term extensions, so neither forward is going anywhere (nor should they given how well they've played in recent postseasons). Rielly's the team's best defenseman, his contract is fine, and he owns a no-move clause. He likely stays put. The other two - Tavares and Marner - also own no-moves. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesMarner, whose underwhelming, three-point series was capped by a missed assignment on Pastrnak's OT goal, should be asked to waive his NMC. And perhaps Marner would entertain a change of scenery ahead of the final year of his current deal. He's human and dealing with the fan vitriol can't be fun.Maybe Treliving and Marner can work together on moving him to a favorable destination. (The Leafs would almost certainly lose said trade, by the way. The club can't hide its desperation and Marner's stock has never been lower.)But that's a gigantic maybe. The player's well within his rights to not waive.The same roadblock exists with Tavares, except it'd be infinitely harder to offload the 33-year-old and his $11-million cap hit. He's a distressed asset.What Treliving can fully control: the captaincy and future deals. Stripping Tavares of the "C" could create unnecessary drama, so it might not be worth the hassle, even if Matthews deserves the honor. The other part? Treliving definitely shouldn't be talking extension with Marner or Tavares on July 1.Knies, Woll, and the restThe Leafs' grand experiment of relying on the handful of players who eat up half of the salary cap is inherently flawed. If just one high-salaried star isn't living up to his contract - for instance, Tavares for the last few years - the GM must reap surplus value from virtually every other spot on the 23-man roster.Put another way, you can't have TJ Brodie ($5 million of cap), David Kampf ($2.4 million), and Calle Jarnkrok ($2.1 million), among others, contribute very little over the course of a playoff series and expect to emerge victorious. Rich Gagnon / Getty ImagesToronto's injected leadership, sandpaper, and defense over the years. They've hit on some acquisitions, whiffed on others, and made out alright on most.For whatever reason, the mix has always been off - slightly or majorly.This summer's unrestricted free-agent list includes forwards Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi; defensemen Brodie, John Klingberg, Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, Jake Muzzin, and Mark Giordano; and goalies Ilya Samsonov, Matt Murray, and Martin Jones. Only three or four are worth keeping around.Leaf fans should be pumped about the youth movement. Matthew Knies is a top-six winger with big-game DNA. Bobby McMann, who missed the playoffs due to injury, has evolved into an impactful forward. If his health holds up, Joseph Woll's tracking toward legitimate No. 1 goalie status. Prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten project to be difference-makers someday.Still, there's no Matthews-level savior coming - and that's totally normal for a team that's made eight straight postseasons. What isn't normal is the annual tradition of the group never reaching its full potential. Same old story.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageDespite another early playoff exit, Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander doesn't want to see his team undergo radical changes."Look, I don't think there's an issue with the core," he said after Toronto's season ended Saturday night. "I think we were fucking right there all series. Battled hard and got it to Game 7 and OT. That's a shitty feeling."Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak scored the series winner in the extra frame, making Toronto a first-round boot for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.The Maple Leafs fought back to force Game 7 after being down 3-1 in the series.Toronto won its first playoff series since 2004 last season but was swiftly ousted by the Florida Panthers in the second round. The Leafs parted ways with then-general manager Kyle Dubas as a result but kept the team's core four forwards - Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Nylander - together.Here's how the group performed against the Bruins:PlayerGPGPAuston Matthews514William Nylander433Mitch Marner713John Tavares712Nylander scored both of Toronto's goals in its 2-1 Game 6 victory on Thursday night, and he potted the Leafs' only tally Saturday.The 28-year-old Swede confirmed that he missed the first three games of the series because of a migraine, which made it difficult for him to see when a headache set in, per The Canadian Press' Joshua Clipperton.Nylander signed an eight-year, $92-million extension in January, which includes a no-move clause. Matthews' four-year, $53-million contract kicks in next season, and it also features a no-move clause.Marner and Tavares both have one year remaining and a full no-move clause. Marner carries a cap hit of $10.9 million, while Tavares has an average annual value of $11 million. Both players are eligible to ink new pacts July 1.Morgan Rielly is also considered a part of the Leafs' core. He's signed for six more seasons and has an average annual value of $7.5 million. His contract features a no-move clause for the next four seasons and a 10-team no-trade list for the last two.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins superstar David Pastrnak scored the overtime winner in Game 7 on Saturday night to secure a 2-1 victory and eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs from the playoffs.The dramatic goal sets Boston up for a second-round series with the Florida Panthers.Pastrnak's heroics came at the 1:54 mark of the extra frame as he dashed past Toronto's back line and converted a bank pass off the end boards from teammate Hampus Lindholm."Excitement. But also a little sense of relief as well," Pastrnak said after scoring, per Boston Sports Journal's Joe Haggerty. "I was just really proud of how this group really stuck together throughout the series."Boston head coach Jim Montgomery called out Pastrnak following the club's Game 6 loss, saying its leading scorer needs to step up. He entered Saturday's game with two goals and two assists in the series after a 110-point regular season."I told him, 'If I were the coach and you were me, I would say the same thing,'" Pastrnak said, according to Bruins Daily. "I had no problem with him saying that, he's trying to bring the best out of every single player."The Bruins have now eliminated the Maple Leafs from the playoffs four times since 2013. Each series has ended with a Boston win on home ice in Game 7.Toronto broke the scoreless tie midway through the third period on a goal from William Nylander but surrendered the equalizer 1:21 later. Game 7 was the fourth one-goal game of the series and the third in a row.Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman had an outstanding game once again, turning aside 30 of 31 shots he faced in the series-deciding victory. The young netminder owned a dazzling .950 save percentage in the first round."Swayman was our best player in the series and it wasn't even close," Montgomery said, according to NBC Sports Boston's Ty Anderson.Auston Matthews returned to the lineup after missing two games with an undisclosed injury and illness. He registered an assist in 17:35 played and declined to divulge postgame on what specifically kept him sidelined.Ilya Samsonov earned the start in goal after the Leafs announced Joseph Woll was injured in Game 6.The Maple Leafs have now lost six consecutive Game 7s dating back to 2013. They also dropped the decisive Game 5 in their play-in series during the bubble postseason in 2020."Obviously, the series was very close. Thinnest of margins you can get, Game 7 overtime," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Obviously, very disappointing to not come out on the right side of it."He added: "It's a tough way to go."Toronto has scored one goal or fewer in in five consecutive winner-take-all games, according to Sportsnet Stats. The Leafs' offense was ice-cold throughout the entire series, managing only 12 tallies after ranking second in goals for during the regular season."When teams play the Leafs, they set up the game for the Leafs to beat themselves," Keefe said, crediting Boston's defensive structure.The Bruins' series with the Panthers begins Monday in Florida. The two clubs met in the first round of last year's playoffs, with the Panthers eliminating Boston after trailing 3-1.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov earned a surprise start in Saturday's 2-1 Game 7 overtime loss against the Boston Bruins.He made 29 saves on 31 shots in the series-ending defeat.Joseph Woll was ruled out before puck drop due to an undisclosed injury he sustained in Game 6.Martin Jones dressed as the backup with Woll unavailable.Woll backstopped Toronto to victories in Games 5 and 6 - allowing only two combined goals - after relieving Samsonov in the third period of the Maple Leafs' Game 4 loss. Woll participated in Saturday's morning skate.Following the loss, Samsonov divulged that he was notified he'd be the starter Friday afternoon, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews returned to the lineup for Saturday's 2-1 Game 7 overtime loss against the Boston Bruins.Matthews missed the last two games of the first-round series, as well as the third period of Game 4. He was initially dealing with an illness but reportedly also had an undisclosed injury.The sniper skated on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Pontus Holmberg.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights staved off elimination with a 2-0 victory in Friday's Game 6 against the Dallas Stars.Vegas forced a decisive Game 7 in Dallas on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET."We're a group that rises to the occasion," Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.The tight-checking affair was scoreless until the halfway mark of the third period when Noah Hanifin tallied his second goal of the playoffs. Mark Stone added an empty-netter."Ever since I got traded here, I was super excited about the opportunity coming to a team with guys that have won," Hanifin told The Associated Press. "It's a great culture here and I'm fortunate to be a part of it. I feel good about my game and I'm trying to contribute whichever way I can."Adin Hill stopped all 23 shots he faced in his second start of the series. It's the first shutout for a Golden Knights goaltender while facing elimination."You need to make big saves at big times in big games," Hill said. "That's how you win playoff games. I think our team learned that last year, and any team that's won, their goalies had to catch fire at times."Jake Oettinger made 28 saves. He's allowed two or fewer goals in each contest since Game 2.Stars head coach Peter DeBoer is 7-0 in Game 7s over his career. Two of those do-or-die victories came when he was Vegas' bench boss in 2020 and 2021."There's nothing better than Game 7s," DeBoer said. "That's what you grew up dreaming about playing and the second-best thing is coaching in them."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks secured their spot in the second round with a hard-fought 1-0 Game 6 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night.Vancouver will take on the Edmonton Oilers in an all-Canadian series. The last time the Pacific Division rivals met in the playoffs was in 1992, with Edmonton winning in six games.Friday's clash remained scoreless until Pius Suter broke the ice with less than two minutes left in regulation.

Pierre-Luc Dubois' first season as a King didn't go according to plan, but Los Angeles' $68-million man is dedicated to flipping the script in his sophomore campaign."I'm committed to having a better season," he said during his exit interview Friday. "I'll do anything to be better.""I know I can do better," he added. "My first year in Winnipeg didn't go well, it was kind of the same thing - a lot of new things, new role, new everything. I didn't panic, I knew what I could do. ... I'm not panicking, I'm not stressed. Is it frustrating? Sure. Is it hard? Yeah. It was eight months or a year ago I was playing how I can play. It's not lost. I gotta get back to it, and that's on me."The Kings acquired Dubois last summer in a sign-and-trade with the Jets that brought the forward to California on an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $8.5 million. He'll carry the highest cap hit next season among all Kings forwards once captain Anze Kopitar's two-year, $14-million pact kicks in.Dubois said in July that the move to Los Angeles would give him the chance to "fully be" himself. However, he mustered just 16 goals and 40 points in 82 regular-season contests while averaging just 15:42 minutes of ice time per game, good for the second-lowest total in his career.He put up one point - a garbage-time goal in Game 1's 7-4 loss - across five outings of the Kings' first-round defeat to the Edmonton Oilers.Dubois pointed to stability as a factor that he thinks will help him in Year 2. He frequently moved around the lineup this campaign and even spent some time on the fourth line."I played on a lot of lines this year," he said. "I think any player, at the end of the day, wants consistency because then you can build some chemistry and you can get things rolling. I think that's not a secret. ... That helps a lot."Next year's a new year. We'll see what happens. The only thing I can control is how good of a summer I can have."The 25-year-old currently doesn't have any trade protection, but his full no-move clause for the 2024-25 campaign kicks in July 1 and lasts until 2028-29, when a modified no-trade clause takes its place.Dubois said he loves L.A. but was relatively cagey when asked if he had any concerns about his long-term future with the Kings."I can't. It's not in my control," he said. "I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. ... I can't sit here and give you any more than that."Dubois has amassed 145 goals and 342 points in 516 career NHL games, split with the Kings, Jets, and Columbus Blue Jackets.Columbus selected him third overall at the 2016 NHL Draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators, and Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets are this season's finalists for the Jack Adams Award, which the NHL hands out annually to its top head coach.Tocchet, a first-time finalist, led the Canucks to the Pacific Division title in his first full campaign behind their bench after replacing Bruce Boudreau in 2022-23. Vancouver went 50-23-9, earning 12 more wins than it notched one season prior and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.Brunette guided the Predators to a remarkable midseason turnaround in which they went on a 14-0-2 run after the bench boss and Preds general manager Barry Trotz prohibited the players from attending a U2 concert at Las Vegas' Sphere in February.Bowness helped the Jets finish second in the Central Division at 52-24-6. Under his stewardship, Winnipeg improved by six victories over the previous campaign after buying out ex-captain Blake Wheeler and trading Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings for a package including Gabriel Vilardi.This past campaign was the 69-year-old's 14th as a head coach and 36th as either a head coach or assistant. But this is the first time he's been a Jack Adams finalist.Brunette was the runner-up in 2021-22 while with the Florida Panthers. However, they fired him upon losing in the second round of the playoffs after winning the Presidents' Trophy thanks to their regular-season dominance.It's a tremendous honor (to be a finalist)," Brunette said Friday, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "Last time it didn't go quite as well. I think I lost my job a little while later, so I don't know how to take it anymore."Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery took home this award last season. The NHL Broadcasters' Association votes to determine the winner.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Here's all you need to know about the difference between regular-season standings and team ratings in a bona fide marketplace:

Back from the dead, the Toronto Maple Leafs reeled off a second straight victory Thursday to force a Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, which goes Saturday in Boston.Just as we all predicted for this first-round series ... right?!The stakes are sky-high. Toronto's attempting to snap a five-game losing streak in Game 7s, while Boston's trying to avoid coughing up a 3-1 series lead in consecutive years. Here are four variables that will decide the outcome of the finale.Impacts of Matthews and PastrnakThe biggest variable of all is Auston Matthews' health.Despite being held pointless in Game 1, the Leafs superstar looked himself to start the series. He took over Game 2, scoring the clincher and adding two primary assists in a 3-2 Toronto win. Since then, it's been nothing but bad news. He played sick in Game 3 and the first two periods of Game 4 before the medical staff pulled him. He didn't dress for Games 5 and 6, reportedly due to injury. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesWhatever's ailing Matthews, it must be serious, and his chances of recovering well enough to return for Game 7 seem slim. If he does and the greatest goal-scorer in hockey can play a regular shift? Advantage, Toronto.Boston's dealing with a similar issue, except its superstar hasn't missed a shift and doesn't appear to be fighting any major physical ailments.David Pastrnak, usually a brilliant sniper and an underrated setup man, has been excruciatingly unproductive for the vast majority of the series. He's looked tentative, slow, and sloppy with the puck. He's generated virtually nothing.Of the 48 shots Pastrnak has attempted, 19 made it on goal, 17 missed the net, and 14 were blocked, according to Evolving-Hockey. On the surface, that's OK. Isolate his 91 five-on-five minutes, though, and it's pretty bleak: 31 attempts, 10 of them on goal and the other 21 off target or blocked. Evolving-HockeyThe image above shows Pastrnak's five-on-five shots. The yellow dots are goals. The substance here is that he's taken just four shots from the slot.Four points in six games is unacceptable for an offensive player of Pastrnak's caliber and salary. The Leafs' defenders deserve credit, but the Bruins absolutely, unequivocally need No. 88 to snap out of it before it's too late.Marchand's effectivenessEarly in the series, two things overshadowed Pastrnak's mediocre outings. One was Boston's winning ways. The other was the play of Brad Marchand.Marchand, who hit an eight-year low in points per game in the regular season, racked up eight points in his first four postseason games. Crucially, he stayed out of the penalty box while Toronto counterparts Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi failed to do the same. A mind-game enthusiast on and off the ice, Marchand even went out of his way to describe the Leafs as a "tough team to play right now."Games 5 and 6 were different stories. He wasn't overly dangerous on the attack, he bungled his scoring opportunities, and his officiating luck ran out. He was assessed three minors, all for roughing. In general, the longtime Leafs killer looked uncharacteristically overwhelmed by the moment.The most optimistic pocket of the Leafs' fan base is convinced Marchand is rattled, cooked. The most pessimistic pocket believes the Bruins captain, eager to once again inflict pain on a rival, is saving his best game for last.Montgomery's adjustments Boston Globe / Getty ImagesThe losing coach of this series could very well lose his job. Given the sequence of events here, the heat's on Jim Montgomery ahead of Game 7.Fairly or not, sluggish starts tend to be attributed to poor preparation by the coaching staff. The Bruins followed up a two-shot first period in Game 5 with a one-shot opening frame in Game 6 - and that shot came on the penalty kill. Truly incredible stuff.Toronto's forecheck has set the tone in recent games. The Leafs have subsequently created chaos by hemming Boston in and jamming the slot with screens. When the Bruins have tried to respond with offense of their own, the Leafs have consistently put multiple bodies and sticks in front of the shooter.Jake McCabe and Simon Benoit have smothered everybody from Pastrnak and Marchand to No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy and top-six center Pavel Zacha. Toronto's shutdown pairing has imposed its will as the series has chugged along, and Montgomery and the Bruins haven't adjusted accordingly. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe benefit of last change should allow Montgomery to chase favorable matchups for the Pastrnak line. Defensively, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo - who've both enjoyed strong series - should be glued to William Nylander, who broke out in Game 6 by potting Toronto's two goals.It's also a head coach's job to motivate, and Montgomery told reporters that "Pasta needs to step up" in Game 7. We'll see if this direct approach pays off.Big-game DNA of young LeafsThat Toronto has made it this far with one goal in a league-high 37 power-play minutes is quite frankly astonishing.Think about it: The second-best offensive team in the regular season has played the equivalent of almost two full periods with the man advantage and scored just once. The Leafs miss Matthews, but they also can't get anything going.This power-play drought has narrowed Toronto's margin of error.Goalie Joseph Woll's gone tit for tat with Bruins star Jeremy Swayman over the past seven periods. He's been athletic and calm, moving methodically, making excellent reads, and controlling rebounds. He cannot allow a bad goal in Game 7, not with the offense averaging 1.83 goals per game. Maddie Meyer / Getty ImagesWoll and rookie Matthew Knies seem built for the pressure cooker that is Toronto in general, and also the added heat of this particularly unsatisfying era. Knies has steadily improved over the course of the series. He's been relentless on pucks, functionally physical, and clutch, scoring the overtime goal in Game 5 and assisting on the eventual game-winner in Game 6.The Leafs' roster is constructed around five expensive pieces - Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. There's some serious irony brewing. Two guys making less than $1 million a year, who have both flashed big-game DNA in small sample sizes, could make the difference in Game 7.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes will begin Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Game 1 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday with a time to be determined, the league announced Friday.The Florida Panthers will start their second round on Monday at a time to be determined. The defending Eastern Conference champions await the winner of Saturday's Game 7 between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.The Western Conference playoffs remain behind, so their Round 2 start dates have yet to be decided. The Colorado Avalanche will take on the winner between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights, where the former leads the series 3-2. The Edmonton Oilers are waiting on either the Nashville Predators or the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver holds a 3-2 lead in that series.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We've got one Game 7 on the books for this weekend, as the Maple Leafs found a rare playoff win at Scotiabank Arena to send their series back to Boston. Two more home teams have the chance to do the same on Friday.Game 6: Canucks (+110) @ Predators (-130)The Canucks' goaltending expectations have changed since the series began, going from "maybe our star netminder can steal us a game" to "just don't lose it for us."In Game 2, Predators netminder Juuse Saros' goals saved above expected (GSAx) was an impressive 2.18. Second to that effort is Thatcher Demko's +0.8 GSAx in Game 1. Both of these performances prove that goaltending is not the reason that three of the five games in this series went under the goal total.A quick glance at the scoresheet may make fans lament Vancouver's lack of shots on goal, but its low totals aren't due to limited attempts. The Preds are blocking shots and forcing the Canucks into various alternative strategies - and slap passes and backdoor attempts are failing. Vancouver has 10.07 expected goals at even strength but has only tallied seven in actuality. Given Saros's series-long 0.37 GSAx, those absent three goals aren't due to goaltending.Meanwhile, Nashville has been offensively impotent, creating only 31 even-strength high-danger chances (HDC) in five games and two goals on 19 power plays. The Predators' defensive nature and the Canucks' failure to convert their HDC (2-of-46) have kept this series alive, even though Vancouver's replacements for Demko - Casey DeSmith (0.31 GSAx) and Arturs Silovs (-0.26 GSAx) - have merely kept things afloat.Late three-tally explosions in Games 1 and 4 pushed the contests over their goal totals. This series should remain a low-event one, as the netminders only need to perform satisfactorily for Game 6 to stay under the total.Pick: Under 5.5 (-115)Game 6: Stars (-115) @ Golden Knights (-105)With only 21 power plays through five games, this series is being played at five-on-five by two of the NHL's most disciplined teams.After a catastrophic opening game (-2.2 GSAx) of the Stars' playoffs, Jake Oettinger battled back to push his GSAx back to average through the series, proving why Dallas was the best road team in the regular season. More importantly, the netminder shut off the Golden Knights' attack with no goals allowed in any third period.Strangely, Vegas benched Logan Thompson (6.99 GSAx) - so far the top goaltender in the playoffs - in Game 5. Adin Hill was OK, but the Stars continued to outchance the Knights at even strength. The change in the crease screams of desperation from a coach looking to find a spark somewhere - which backfired.GAMEDAL HDCVGK HDC11162129323441210575Total6534The market opened with the Stars as a plus-money underdog before Game 3 and was bet to -110. Their moneyline opened at -115 before Game 4 and closed at -120. With three straight wins and no further adjustment to the price to back them, the Stars are again the side to back in Game 6.Pick: Stars moneyline (-115)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews didn't suit up for his team's 2-1 Game 6 victory against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, marking his second consecutive game out of the lineup.Matthews missed the third period of Game 4 and all of Game 5 due to an illness. He's also dealing with an apparent injury he suffered on an innocuous hit in the series, per The Athletic's Chris Johnston, whose sources added that it would be "reckless" for Matthews to try to play through the ailment.It's uncertain if Matthews can play in Game 7, though one source told Johnston it's unlikely.The Maple Leafs prevailed in Game 5 without Matthews to keep their season alive courtesy of Matthew Knies' overtime winner. In Game 6, William Nylander scored twice while Joseph Woll made 22 saves.Matthews won his third Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in four years this past season by pacing the NHL with 69 goals. He carried the Leafs to victory in Game 2 with a three-point effort - including the game-winner - but has otherwise been held off the scoresheet in the playoffs.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery posed a challenge to star forward David Pastrnak after Boston's 2-1 Game 6 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night."Your best players need to be your best players this time of year," he said postgame. "I think the effort is tremendous, but they need to come through with big-time plays in big-time moments. (Brad Marchand) has done that in the series. Pasta needs to step up.""He needs to be a dominant player like he used to," the bench boss added, per RDS' Patrick Friolet. "He's doing it in flurries, but not as consistently."Pastrnak enjoyed an electric regular season, posting 47 goals and 110 points in 82 games. He may earn some down-ballot votes for the Hart Trophy after being named the runner-up for the hardware last campaign.The sniper hasn't been as strong this spring, registering two goals and four points through six games. He was held off the scoresheet during Boston's back-to-back defeats in Games 5 and 6, though he led the team with eight shots over that span.The Bruins have been outscored 4-2 with Pastrnak on the ice at five-on-five in the series while dictating just 44.9% of the shots, 46% of the expected goals, and 45.4% of the scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.Marchand also hasn't recorded a point in the past two games, but he's racked up three tallies and five helpers and potted the winning goals in Games 3 and 4.The Bruins held a commanding 3-1 series lead over their Atlantic Division rivals, but Toronto has stormed back to force Game 7, which is scheduled for Saturday in Boston.Montgomery said he was "pissed off" by his team's 2-1 overtime loss in Game 5, and he was similarly frustrated by Thursday's showing."It's unacceptable, our start again," he said. "We've gotta find a way to start on time, and we've just got to be better."The Bruins have lost their last two opening-round Game 7s, falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022 before being upset by the Florida Panthers last year.Marchand is feeling ready to buck that recent trend."We're here. It's an opportunity. We gotta be grateful for it," he said, per The Fourth Period's Shawn Hutcheon. "These are the moments you dream about as a kid. Game 7. That's where heroes are built and made. I think we have to be excited about the position we're in and make the most of it."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs forced a winner-take-all Game 7 in their first-round series against the Boston Bruins after earning a narrow 2-1 victory on home ice Thursday night.Boston will host the final game Saturday. TD Garden housed Game 7s between the two clubs in 2013, 2018, and 2019, with the home side prevailing each time.The winner will move on to face the Florida Panthers in Round 2. The Cats eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games this year and ended both the Bruins' and Maple Leafs' playoffs last spring en route to a Stanley Cup Final appearance.Toronto's victory came largely on the backs of William Nylander and Joseph Woll. The winger scored both Maple Leafs goals, while the netminder had his shutout snapped with 0.1 seconds left on the clock."(Nylander) is a heck of a game-breaker," Toronto captain John Tavares said postgame, per The Hockey News' David Alter. "When he's got the puck on his stick, he can make something happen at any time. Two elite finishes for us tonight, obviously came at a great time in a huge way, so not surprising. We love having him here."Woll made 22 saves on the night and is 2-0 in the series after taking over starting duties from Ilya Samsonov."It's a pretty special moment to be part of," Woll told NHL on TNT. "I'm just trying my best to play hockey. I think last year's experience definitely helped me feel a bit more comfortable in the situation. I'm just loving playing with this group of guys."The rookie made his playoff debut last spring and started Games 4 and 5 of the Leafs' second-round loss to the Panthers.Boston held a 69-49 edge in shot attempts at all strengths in Game 6, but Toronto blocked 27 shots, per Natural Stat Trick."I can't say enough about the guys in front of me. ... I wouldn't trade my D corps for anyone," Woll said.The Maple Leafs were again without Auston Matthews, who has been out of action since the third period of Game 4 due to injury and illness. His status for Game 7 is unclear.Including the regular season, Toronto has gone 3-0 without Matthews in the lineup this campaign.The Bruins fumbled a 3-1 series lead in the opening round against the Panthers last spring. Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bertuzzi was a member of the Bruins during that collapse."I think everyone's frustrated over there," he said Thursday, per TSN's Chris Johnston.Puck drop for Game 7 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.There are three elimination games scheduled over the next couple of nights in the NHL.Here are the best ways to attack them.William Nylander: Over 3.5 shotsNylander hit the ground running after returning to the Maple Leafs' lineup. He recorded eight shots and 20 attempts in two games while logging 22-plus minutes in each.That's nothing new for Nylander, who's cleared his shot total at a 65% clip when playing 20-plus minutes this season. That number spikes to 72% when moving the needle to 22 minutes or more.I expect Nylander to continue getting as much ice as he can handle in Game 6. The Leafs are struggling to score goals, and they'll need their 98-point man - who has historically done a good job of producing in the playoffs - to help buck that trend.Auston Matthews' status shouldn't have much of an impact on Nylander, who generally skates on the second line with John Tavares and the No. 1 power play.Odds: -106 (playable to -120)Morgan Rielly: Over 0.5 assistsRielly's the No. 1 defenseman on the Maple Leafs and their only truly gifted puck mover. He plays a ton of minutes as a result, often behind the star-studded top two lines.He's been on the ice for 125 shot attempts, 61 shots on goal, 26 high-danger scoring chances, and 5.78 expected goals at five-on-five. Those totals are good for first among all players on either team.He also has a great role as the quarterback of a highly talented power play, even though it hasn't looked the part thus far.Rielly's a talented player who plays a ton of minutes - almost exclusively with the team's top players - in every key offensive situation. His usage will only be ramped up further with the Maple Leafs playing for their season.Considering his role on the team and that his hit rate is 24% higher when playing on home ice, I like backing Rielly for an apple in this do-or-die game.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Quinn Hughes: Over 0.5 assistsNote: Canucks play Friday at 7 p.m. ETHughes is a cheat code when it comes to creating goals. He picked up 75 assists in the regular season and has five through five games against the Predators.Although the series has been low-event and tightly contested, the Predators do like to open things up when they can, and that style seems to benefit Hughes.Playoffs included, the dynamic defenseman has recorded 11 assists through eight games against the Predators this season. The location doesn't matter, either, as Hughes has five assists spanning four games in Nashville.The Predators are a good team, but I think the Canucks have the edge in high-end talent and expect them to put Nashville away Friday night.Given how many minutes Hughes plays as a puck-dominant offensive catalyst, he should be able to record an assist along the way.Odds: Playable to -130.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington, and Carolina Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen are the 2023-24 finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.Andersen missed 49 games this season due to a blood clotting issue after doctors discovered it just five contests into his campaign. The 34-year-old went 9-1-0 with a .951 save percentage and three shutouts upon returning in March, helping the Hurricanes finish third in the league standings.Ingram almost retired in 2021 due to undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression before he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The 27-year-old puck-stopper grabbed the Coyotes' No. 1 job this season and exceeded expectations for the lackluster squad. He posted a .907 save percentage and tied for the NHL lead with six shutouts in 50 games.Kylington rejoined the Flames in January after spending over a year and a half away from the club to prioritize his mental health. He opened up about it upon returning, saying he had been concerned he wouldn't be able to continue playing. Kylington, who turns 27 on May 19, logged 33 games for Calgary in 2023-24, chipping in three goals and five assists while averaging 17:15 of ice time. The Flames drafted him 60th overall in 2015.The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes to determine the winner.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Hellebuyck believes the boxscore doesn't tell the whole story.The Winnipeg Jets goalie doesn't think his play was the reason his team lost in five games to the Colorado Avalanche in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In fact, he claims he was locked in."You're probably not going to believe when I say I was playing the best hockey of my career, but that's truly how I was feeling," Hellebuyck said Thursday. "Not only was I playing some of my best hockey, but I was in that zone where you're not thinking, you're just playing. That's what you seek after. That's a dangerous thing in sports. To not be able to keep four goals off the board, it's heartbreaking."Hellebuyck allowed at least four goals in each contest and failed to post a save percentage better than .872 in any single game. For the series, he registered an .864 save percentage and a 5.23 goals-against average.However, Hellebuyck also faced the most shots, made the most saves, and allowed the most goals of any netminder in the postseason. His minus-6.47 goals saved above expected represents the worst of any goalie in the playoffs, per Evolving-Hockey.The 30-year-old credited the Avalanche for taking away his eyes via net-front screens."You gotta give them some kudos for what they did, but looking back, I don't know if I even saw half the pucks go in the net," he said. "They did a great job, but for me to not be able to put my foot down on a single game is really heartbreaking because it's not typically how I do things."Hellebuyck is a heavy favorite to win his second career Vezina Trophy after posting a .921 save percentage, a 2.39 goals-against average, and an NHL-best 39.35 goals saved above expected in 60 regular-season games.Jets captain Adam Lowry believes the team didn't play well enough defensively."We gave up so many Grade-A (chances)," Lowry said. "Hearing (Hellebuyck) say what he did, there's not really much he can do."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.