The Winnipeg Jets are looking to prove the doubters wrong in the first round against the Colorado Avalanche."There's been some talk, obviously, that maybe we aren't where we're supposed to be, and we know that we are," forward Nikolaj Ehlers said Sunday. "So we wanna show ourselves and prove to each and every guy in here that we got what it takes to be a Stanley Cup champion."Ehlers confirmed the team is using a comment from the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast as bulletin board material entering Round 1, according to TSN's John Lu."I had a player in the NHL on a team currently sitting in a playoff spot tell me that the Winnipeg Jets are the biggest frauds in the league and that they'll lose in the first round," podcast host and former NHLer Ryan Whitney said on the March 1 edition of the show.Meanwhile, forward Mason Appleton reiterated his team's self-belief."This is the hungriest I've seen this group," Appleton said, per the Winnipeg Free Press' Mike McIntyre. "We really have a lot of belief in this room and in this team."That belief goes all the way to head coach Rick Bowness, who noted he likes this iteration of his team more than last year's entering the postseason."This team is far better prepared going into the playoffs today this year than we were last year," Bowness said, according to The Athletic's Murat Ates. "As I mentioned, we were scrambling to get in, and it just felt like that scramble carried through, through the playoffs."He added: "So again, I think it's a more confident group. It's a deeper group, it's a tighter group, and we'll see that come into play. And I just feel going into these playoffs that we're much better prepared."The Jets face the Avalanche in Game 1 on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

J.T. Miller and the Vancouver Canucks haven't appeared in a postseason game for almost four years, and the veteran forward couldn't be more excited to end that drought."I just love the playoffs," he told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre. "And the older I get, the more I love them because your mindset changes. And I guarantee you it will change for every single guy in here. Once you get a taste of it one time - the city, the crowd, the away crowds ... I burn for it. It's the greatest feeling ever.""Not getting to the playoffs has driven a lot of my frustration," he added. "I don't think anybody on this team has played a playoff game here in this building."The Canucks will open their first-round series against the Nashville Predators on Sunday night in Vancouver. Since the 2020 playoffs took place in an Edmonton bubble for the Western Conference teams, Rogers Arena hasn't hosted a postseason contest since 2015, when the Canucks lost to the Calgary Flames in the first round.Only two players from that roster - New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat and Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev - still play in the NHL.Miller has 78 playoff games under his belt after being a part of four runs with the New York Rangers and two with the Tampa Bay Lightning, making him the second-most experienced postseason performer on the Canucks behind defenseman Ian Cole.Vancouver was one of the league's biggest surprises this season, ascending to the top of the Pacific Division after finishing 12 points outside the playoff picture in 2022-23. Miller was key to the Canucks' success, pacing the team with a career-high 103 points (37 goals, 66 assists) in 81 contests.Though the 31-year-old isn't about to limit Vancouver's window for success, he's aware these chances to win the Stanley Cup aren't guaranteed."We can do something special here, and we have to realize that," Miller said. "For the most part, teams ... get their crack for only a couple years. ... But we've got a chance to win this year."We have a special team. We have our expectations, and we're still building."The Canucks were eliminated in the second round by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020. In addition to Miller, five other players on the current team were part of that run: Tyler Myers, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Thatcher Demko. Pettersson and Miller tied for the team lead with 18 points in 17 games.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It feels strange to question the finishing ability of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Eastern Conference leader in goals, and wonder if they can score enough to take revenge on a playoff foil.Toronto's 298 goals in the regular season were four off the NHL lead. Sparked by Auston Matthews' flirtation with the 70-goal milestone, the Leafs iced one of the best offenses of their Core Five era. But this strength vaporizes in the postseason. Saturday's disheartening 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins provided the latest example.Over six regular seasons since John Tavares' celebrated arrival in 2018, the Leafs scored 3.52 goals per game, allowed 2.98, and posted a .645 points percentage. Over 38 playoff outings in that span, they've averaged 2.71 goals, let in 2.95, and won a single series. The Leafs fire the same amount of shots on net at this time of year, but goalies like Boston's Jeremy Swayman tend to swallow them.Blame's easy to assign. Toronto's expensive stars fade when the playoffs start. Only William Nylander and Morgan Rielly approximate their usual production.Since Tavares joined the team, Matthews tops the NHL in goals by a wide margin, while only Connor McDavid has dished more primary assists than Mitch Marner. On a per-game basis in the playoffs, those Leafs barely crack the top 20 in either category.While Nylander missed Game 1 due to an unspecified injury, the remaining Big Four failed to convert a long 4-on-3 power play. Matthews beat Charlie McAvoy and a wandering Swayman to a loose puck but rang it off the near post. After topping out at 69 goals, none of Matthews' 22 shots in Toronto's past three games found twine. Brian Fluharty / Getty ImagesSwayman improved to 4-0 with a .962 save percentage against the 2023-24 Leafs. Though he's hard to beat from distance, his denial rate on high-danger chances this season ranked in the league's pedestrian 52nd percentile, per NHL EDGE. Slot shots can trouble Swayman. That said, his early kick stop thwarted Nick Robertson from close range and let Bruins rookie John Beecher respond with the opening score.Boston's supporting cast shone Saturday. Jesper Boqvist put the puck on Beecher's tape when the fourth line struck off the rush. Morgan Geekie's screen blocked Ilya Samsonov's view of Jake DeBrusk's first power-play tally. David Pastrnak's muted night (three shots, no goals for a sixth straight game) didn't slow the onslaught. Brian Fluharty / Getty ImagesSeries around the NHL are irresistibly dramatic. The Battle of Florida between the Panthers and Lightning starts Sunday. Out west, the Kings will get a third straight crack at the powerhouse Oilers. But nothing compares to Leafs against Bruins. Boston infamously vanquished Toronto in Game 7s in 2013, 2018, and 2019 - once in a blowout and twice by erasing third-period deficits.Old-timers recall that the Bruins have won six straight playoff matchups with the Leafs going back to 1969. That was shortly after Bobby Orr's NHL debut. If the stars don't score, another opportunity will slip away.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following a strong debut season that'll likely earn him the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard is already thinking about where he can improve for Year 2."Obviously, I want to get faster," he told reporters Saturday. "In the gym, more explosive probably, a little stronger for puck battles and netfront, little things like that. ... I'm gonna work on trying to create more offense. ... That creativity of playing the game and having fun."Bedard already showed off plenty of offensive prowess with his Auston Matthews-inspired shot, clever passes, and a Michigan goal scored in December.The 2023 first overall pick amassed 22 goals and 61 points in 68 outings to secure the best season by a Blackhawks rookie since Artemi Panarin in 2015-16, though the Russian wasn't a teenager at the time like Bedard.The 18-year-old missed 14 games with a fractured jaw after taking a hit from New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith, but Bedard made it clear that he's not going to "shy away from trying to make something happen.""I got blown up a decent amount this year. I'm gonna get hit a lot, it's hockey, it's a contact sport, so I'm not afraid of that," Bedard added.He was a tough critic of his own game prior to the Blackhawks' last game of the season on Thursday."Personally, I think I was OK a lot," he said. "Maybe not as good as I hoped.""I hope I'm better (next season), of course," he added. "I'll do everything I can throughout the summer to try to make that happen, but actions speak a lot louder than words."Bedard pointed to his defensive play and faceoffs as other areas of improvement. He was a team-worst minus-44 on the season and won just 38.9% of his draws."An improved Connor Bedard is a scary thought," Blackhawks veteran Nick Foligno said Friday, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.The Blackhawks ranked 31st in the league this season with a 23-53-6 record. Though it was a frustrating year, it left Bedard feeling more appreciative of Chicago's supporters."I couldn't be more grateful for everything this year that the fans did. ... (Patrick) Kane and (Jonathan) Toews were here for a long time, and with them not being here this year and (the fans) embracing us the way they did, it was incredible," Bedard said.He added, "We know it was a tough year, but the support we got throughout never wavered. ... It exceeded my expectations by a long way, and my expectations were pretty high."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took Dan Bylsma only 49 games to accomplish what some coaches never get to do: lift the Stanley Cup. When Bylsma replaced Michel Therrien with 25 games left in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 2008-09 regular season, he was the youngest head coach in the league and a first-time NHL bench boss. But a Game 7 win over the Detroit Red Wings in the final capped the team's subsequent turnaround and put Bylsma in a rare club of rookie NHL coaches to win a Stanley Cup.No one has joined those ranks since. Bylsma is also one of two rookie head coaches to win it all after being a midseason replacement. However, two coaches enter this postseason looking to join Bylsman in that select club. The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings both turned to NHL coaching neophytes following disappointing starts to the campaign, and they'll face each other in the playoff's opening round starting Monday.The Oilers finished 46-18-5 under Kris Knoblauch, who the club brought aboard after Jay Woodcroft started 3-9-1. This will be Edmonton's sixth postseason with the league's best player, Connor McDavid, leading the way. The Oilers are hoping Knoblauch has the secret to get them back to the final for the first time since 2006. On the other side, the Kings were 21-12-1 under Jim Hiller after dismissing Todd McLellan in February.At 53 years old, Bylsma has 15 years of hindsight to reflect on the 2009 season. Following his successful debut, Byslma became the winningest coach in Penguins history and earned the Jack Adams Award in 2011. Currently the head coach of the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, he led the Seattle Kraken's affiliate to Game 7 of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals, losing the championship in overtime. The Firebirds topped the AHL's Pacific Division in the 2023-24 regular season.When Byslma looks back at that storied run with the Penguins in 2009, the first thing that comes to mind is how fleeting those days were. "In retrospect, it really was such a short period," he said.But it didn't feel that way while he was going through it. "It's a lot of tension, and there's a lot of emotional roller-coaster rides.Dan Bylsma lifts the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009 Dave Reginek / NHL / Getty Images"I was 38 at the time, and I hadn't been a head coach for very long at all," Bylsma said. His first shot at the top position was for the Penguins' AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre, working the initial 55 games for the club in the 2008-09 season. "From that standpoint, getting a team with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and getting them in a difficult position where they're out of the playoffs, it was a drinking-from-a-firehose experience."What Bylsma remembers from those early days is both the privilege and pressure. The Penguins had a stunning amount of talent, boasting a roster that included Crosby and Malkin in their early 20s, future Hall of Fame goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, and defenseman Kris Letang, an eventual All-Star. The squad fell short in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final the previous year against the Red Wings."That was a team that maybe had not met expectations to that point," Bylsma said. "But it was a good team with good players, and you don't get that opportunity very often."The replacementsThe NHL favors re-hiring coaches with experience, but it's not uncommon for rookie bench bosses to get their shot when things are going wrong. "Many times, the opportunity to be a coach in the NHL is coming because the team's not in a great spot," Bylsma said. After starting the 2008-09 season 27-25-5 under Therrien, the Penguins sat 10th in the Eastern Conference. With 25 games left to salvage a playoff spot, general manager Ray Shero pivoted to Byslma on Feb. 16."When the coaching change was made, we were a long way out of the playoff picture," Bylsma said. "The expectation wasn't necessarily that we had a Stanley Cup team in the dressing room; it was that we were fighting to get into the playoffs to get a chance to do that."Knowing someone just lost their job can alter a locker room. "Changing the coach hits the players in a unique way," Bylsma said. "I think they all feel some responsibility in the fact that they were the demise of the coach. I think that slap in the face is felt throughout the room, and - whether you call that a reset or not - it gives them some perspective about how they have to change as well."I think you get a response from the players because, to a man, they feel somewhat responsible for the situation the team is in with the coach. That's a reflective moment."Bylsma behind the bench during his first game as Penguins head coach on Feb. 16, 2009 Jim McIsaac / Getty ImagesIt's up to the new bench boss to do his part to capitalize on that energy change. "You're charged with guiding them and getting them into the playoffs," Bylsma said. "It was a difficult situation, but one I was prepared for."In the Penguins' case, the results came quickly. "As I remember, we certainly started winning a lot of hockey games rather immediately," he said. The team finished 18-3-4 in Bylsma's 25 regular-season contests and lost only once in regulation in 13 matchups in March. Pittsburgh rose to fourth in the standings to set up a first-round matchup with the cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. The second round featured the first Crosby-Alex Ovechkin playoff meeting.Beyond mindset, systems shifts are a midseason replacement coach's best tool. "You're always looking at what you would do differently without voicing that all the time," said Vegas Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy, who replaced Claude Julien on the Boston Bruins' bench in the 2016-17 season. He wasn't a rookie then but hadn't held an NHL head coaching job in 13 years and was looking for a second chance."I think when (I took over), there were some things in my head I thought we could do differently that might help the team, and that was just having our DNA a little more involved offensively," Cassidy said.Those opportunities for coaches are so rare that the only thing Cassidy would change about that first year back as an NHL head coach is simple: "I think I would enjoy the moment a little more sometimes. I think when you're getting your second opportunity, you're so caught up in hockey that you always compartmentalize certain things."The Kings' Jim Hiller coached his first NHL game on Feb. 10, which they won 4-0 against Edmonton Juan Ocampo / NHL / Getty ImagesThe same could be said for rookie coaches in a similar position. Bylsma's 2009 Penguins were grinding from the day he arrived. "Sometimes they say your team needs to be playing its best hockey when it comes to the playoff time, but we were continually pushing and fighting and scratching and clawing to get into the playoffs, and that carried over," he said. "It carried over to the start of the playoffs and throughout our playoff run."By the time it was over, the Penguins had secured hockey's top prize, and a 21-year-old Crosby became the youngest captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team.History repeats itselfA modest parallel to Pittsburgh's situation could be brewing in Edmonton this postseason. Oilers general manager Ken Holland made his coaching change quickly rather than in the last third of the season, but Edmonton boasts a generational superstar and owns the league's best record since making the switch ahead of its 14th game.Although Knoblauch has a relationship with McDavid as his junior coach in Erie, coming into a team with an established roster as a rookie coach can be challenging. "It's not easy," Oilers forward Zach Hyman said. "I think the key is just to be yourself."Kris Knoblauch shakes hands with Leon Draisaitl during morning skate before the rookie coach's first game behind the bench for the Oilers on Nov. 13 Andy Devlin / NHL / Getty ImagesBeyond that, any rookie coach looking to go far needs to mentally prepare to dig in for the long haul. "Over the course of my time in that year of '09, we rode a lot of ups and downs. The playoffs are long and arduous if you are going to win the Stanley Cup," Bylsma said.He remembered a piece of advice given to him by Mario Lemieux in 2009 when the Penguins trailed the Capitals 0-2 in the Eastern Conference semifinal: "It's a long two months; stay with the process." Pittsburgh won the next three and earned a decisive 6-2 victory on the road in Game 7.If Bylsma were to go back in time, that'd be the advice he'd repeat to himself. As short as it is in hindsight, it's long when you're living it - especially if you're lucky enough to go all the way."I had my head in my hands when he said that to me," Bylsma said. "It turned out to be prophetic. It was a long two and a half months, but I would tell myself to stay with the process, stay with the plan, and ride it out."Jolene Latimer is a features writer for theScoreCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were without star winger William Nylander for their 5-1 defeat to the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of their first-round series Saturday night.The 27-year-old experienced some discomfort when he woke up Thursday, one day after the Leafs' final regular-season game, reports TSN's Chris Johnston.Nylander didn't attend Friday's practice or Saturday's optional morning skate.He skated in all 82 games for Toronto this campaign, registering 40 goals and a career-high 98 points. He represented the Maple Leafs at the 2024 All-Star Game in February for the first time in his career.This was just the second time Nylander has missed a game because of an injury in his nine-year NHL career. He sat out of a clash against the Washington Capitals in November 2016 with an upper-body ailment.Nylander has posted 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 50 playoff games since his debut in 2015-16, good for the third most on the team behind Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.He put up two goals and seven points in 14 games during two previous playoff series against the Bruins in 2018 and 2019.Bobby McMann also sat out Game 1 for the Maple Leafs on Saturday. He missed the final two contests in the regular season with what the club called a lower-body injury.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Somehow, we've already reached the end of the regular season. That jarring fact means it's time to look back on the 82-game slate and pick who we think should win the NHL's six major annual awards. So our editors - Kyle Cushman, Mike Dickson, Kayla Douglas, Josh Gold-Smith, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman - did exactly that.We've been ranking four of these (Hart, Norris, Vezina, and Calder) monthly, so just like last year, the votes from the editors responsible for those honors are worth double the standard amount. We denoted those editors using asterisks in the charts.Aside from the expert votes, the regular point system applies. That's three points for first, two for second, and one for third. Also, remember these are not actual award votes, which would be submitted to the PHWA. We simply created our own hypothetical ballots for this exercise.Here's how our crew voted:Jack Adams Award Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyPlaceHead coachVoting Points1Rick Tocchet162Andrew Brunette12T3Kris Knoblauch3T3Jim Montgomery3T5Peter DeBoer1T5Peter Laviolette1Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanBrunetteTocchetDeBoerDicksonTocchetBrunetteKnoblauchDouglasTocchetKnoblauchBrunetteGold-SmithBrunetteTocchetMontgomeryO'LearyTocchetBrunetteLavioletteWegmanTocchetMontgomeryBrunetteTocchet deserves credit for surprisingly guiding his Vancouver Canucks to the Pacific Division title about 16 months after replacing the fired Bruce Boudreau. He inherited a talented squad, but it still greatly exceeded expectations in his first full campaign behind Vancouver's bench.Brunette has less to work with on the Nashville Predators, so it's no wonder he nearly matched Tocchet in our voting. Brunette and general manager Barry Trotz famously forbade their players from seeing U2 at The Sphere during a February stop in Las Vegas. Nashville went 14-0-2 in 16 games after that and completely turned around its season.Knoblauch resurrected the Edmonton Oilers upon taking over in mid-November (though he also inherited a good team featuring two of the best players in the league). Montgomery - the reigning winner of this award - kept the Patrice Bergeron-less Boston Bruins competitive.Selke Trophy Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlacePlayerVoting Points1Aleksander Barkov182Auston Matthews7T3Roope Hintz3T3Nick Suzuki3T5Anze Kopitar25Jordan Staal26Sam Reinhart1Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanBarkovMatthewsSuzukiDicksonBarkovSuzukiReinhartDouglasBarkovKopitarHintzGold-SmithBarkovMatthewsHintzO'LearyBarkovJ. StaalMatthewsWegmanBarkovMatthewsHintzBarkov wins unanimously here in what would be his second Selke triumph in the last four seasons. The Florida Panthers captain is always in the conversation for this honor, as he's been one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL for nearly a decade.Matthews' defensive game has dramatically improved over the last few seasons, and only Evgeni Malkin had more takeaways than the Toronto Maple Leafs sniper among NHL skaters in 2023-24. Matthews has never been a Selke finalist, but he deserves to be one this time.Hintz, Suzuki, Kopitar, Staal, and Reinhart round out our downballot votes, and a case can be made for any of them to finish third. Each forward has demonstrated defensive prowess while contributing to varying degrees offensively.Calder Trophy Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / GettyPlacePlayerVoting Points1Connor Bedard202Brock Faber123Luke Hughes7Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanBedardFaberL. HughesDicksonBedardFaberL. HughesDouglas*BedardFaberL. HughesGold-SmithBedardFaberL. HughesO'LearyBedardFaberL. HughesWegmanFaberBedardL. HughesThis one might've been unanimous had Bedard not missed 14 games with a broken jaw, but Faber deserves praise for playing the final two months with broken ribs. However, it's hard to argue Bedard isn't worthy of claiming the Calder. Despite missing time, the Chicago Blackhawks phenom still led all rookies in goals (22), assists (39), and points (61).It's also impressive that Faber and Hughes tied for second among the class in points (47) considering they're defensemen, and the Minnesota Wild blue-liner logged nearly 25 minutes per game (24:58) to top all rookie skaters. The New Jersey Devils rearguard helped quarterback his team's power play and recorded over 21 minutes per contest.Norris Trophy Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPlacePlayerVoting Points1Quinn Hughes212Roman Josi123Cale Makar6T4Evan Bouchard1T4Adam Fox1T4Miro Heiskanen1Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanQ. HughesJosiFoxDicksonQ. HughesMakarBouchardDouglasQ. HughesJosiMakarGold-SmithQ. HughesJosiMakarO'LearyQ. HughesJosiHeiskanenWegman*Q. HughesJosiMakarLuke's brother, Quinn, had himself a season that rightfully earns him first-place votes across the board here. The Canucks defenseman led all NHLers at the position in assists (75), points (92), and even-strength points (54) while tying for 10th among the league's skaters in average ice time (24:41).Josi topped all blue-liners in goals (23) and shots on goal (268) and ranked third in points (85). That's a commendable campaign for a player who turns 34 on June 1, especially since his analytic figures were also favorable.Makar - who, like Josi, has won the Norris before - had a very good 2023-24, even by his lofty standards. Considering the dominance of his two aforementioned counterparts, it feels right that our crew collectively tabbed Makar as the third-place finisher.Vezina Trophy Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyPlacePlayerVoting Points1Connor Hellebuyck212Thatcher Demko133Sergei Bobrovsky74Jacob Markstrom1Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanHellebuyckDemkoMarkstromDicksonHellebuyckDemkoBobrovskyDouglasHellebuyckDemkoBobrovskyGold-SmithHellebuyckDemkoBobrovskyO'Leary*HellebuyckDemkoBobrovskyWegmanHellebuyckBobrovskyDemkoEveryone in our crew agrees on this one, and with good reason. Hellebuyck is a lock to be a finalist for the fourth time in his career and should take home the hardware for the second time after winning it in 2019-20. The Winnipeg Jets goaltender led all NHL netminders who played at least 28 games in save percentage (.921) while ranking third in games played (60) and second in victories (37).Hellebuyck also led the league by wide margins in goals saved above expected (32.81) and goals saved above average (29.77) at five-on-five. Demko finished second to the Jets goalie among qualified netminders in save percentage (.918) with just two fewer wins while playing nine fewer games.Bobrovsky showed few signs of decline at age 35, winning 36 contests in 58 appearances. He posted a .915 save percentage and tied for the league lead with six shutouts.Hart Trophy Ashley Potts / National Hockey League / GettyPlacePlayerVoting Points1Nathan MacKinnon202Auston Matthews123Connor McDavid74Nikita Kucherov3Editor1st2nd3rdCushmanMacKinnonMatthewsMcDavidDicksonMacKinnonMatthewsKucherovDouglasMacKinnonKucherovMcDavidGold-Smith*MacKinnonMatthewsMcDavidO'LearyMacKinnonMcDavidMatthewsWegmanMatthewsMacKinnonMcDavidMacKinnon has come up short numerous times in past MVP races, but he's made it abundantly clear that this should be his year. The Colorado Avalanche superstar led all NHL skaters in standings points above replacement, wins above replacement, and goals above replacement this season. His expected goals for and scoring for percentages were superb, and his conventional stats were sublime.Matthews fell short of 70 goals, but his 69 tallies were the most by an NHLer since Mario Lemieux notched the same number in 1995-96. Given his exceptional offensive exploits and his success on the defensive end, the American center would be a worthy Hart runner-up.McDavid managed to post 100 assists in 2023-24 despite missing six games, and Kucherov did the same. The Tampa Bay Lightning winger led the NHL with 144 points, but he collected 53 of those on the power play, and his above-replacement numbers weren't as strong as his three competitors here. Matthews and McDavid rank second and third, respectively, in all three (SPAR, WAR, and GAR), which illustrates their elite all-around play.(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Heading into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, theScore's Kyle Cushman, Kayla Douglas, Mike Dickson, Josh Gold-Smith, John Matisz, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman make their picks for the first round, conference finals, Stanley Cup Final, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Panthers managed to squeak into the playoffs last season before going on a Stanley Cup Final run. This time, they enter as the top seed in the Atlantic looking to build from last year's success. Our editors expect Florida to get revenge on its in-state rivals after the Lightning swept the Panthers in the second round in 2022, with just one editor thinking Tampa Bay can find some of its former postseason magic. Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Maple Leafs finally made it out of the first round for the first time in nearly two decades in 2023. Now they again meet a team that's caused them so much heartache. The Bruins won all four meetings between the two during the regular season, and the majority of our editors see that trend continuing in the playoffs. However, everyone expects this series to go long. Michael Mooney / National Hockey League / GettyThe Capitals have a date with the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers after earning their postseason berth in their final game of the season with a little help from the Flyers. The 23-point differential between Washington and New York is the largest of any of the eight opening-round matchups. Our editors don't forsee the Rangers facing too much of a test. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyIn a rematch of last season's first round that saw the Hurricanes oust the Islanders in six games, we don't predict much of a difference a year later. As with the other Metro Division series, our editors have made a unanimous selection. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Stars captured the top spot in the West with one of the best regular seasons in franchise history. For their reward, they get the defending champs as their opening opponent. These two met in last year's Western Conference Final, with Vegas emerging as the victor in six games on the way to its first Stanley Cup win. While our editors feel a close series is likely, the majority expects Dallas to take it this time. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe 2022 Stanley Cup champions were disappointed with their first-round exit to the Kraken last year, but the Avalanche are back looking for their second title in three years. However, the Jets enter the series with home-ice advantage after the second-best regular season in franchise history. Despite a potential Game 7 in Winnipeg, our editors mostly expect an Avalanche victory in a lengthy series. John Russell / National Hockey League / GettyWhile the Canucks got off to a blazing start in 2023-24, it's the Predators who come into the postseason red-hot after being written off at the trade deadline. Vancouver and Nashville present the most evenly split matchup of the first round, with four of our seven editors picking the Preds to take the series and everyone predicting it to go at least six games. Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Kings and Oilers meet in the first round for the third consecutive season, and just like the last two years, our editors see Edmonton taking the series. With the history between these two, and the Oilers winning three of the four regular-season games, this series marks the third unanimous selection of the first round. Jaylynn Nash / Getty Images Sport / GettyMost of our editors have the Hurricanes making a return trip this season, with more than half predicting Carolina as the East's representative in the Stanley Cup. Five editors see the Canes' conference final opponent last year, the Panthers, also making it back. However, only two see Florida making it back to the Cup final. Sam Hodde / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Stars and Oilers appear to be the most popular picks to reach the West final, with all seven editors selecting Edmonton to emerge from the Pacific Division. Despite that, Dallas has the edge among our editors in actually making the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in five years. Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / GettyThere's no true consensus among our editors on who'll lift Lord Stanley's mug this year, with the Oilers (three), Stars (two), and Hurricanes (two) all receiving multiple votes. A Dallas-Carolina matchup appears to be the favorite to be the Cup final, with each team picked four times to reach the final. However, is this finally the first time since 1993 that a Canadian team wins the Cup? Steve Babineau / National Hockey League / GettyMcDavid and, in perhaps a bit of a surprise, Guentzel are the only two players to be selected by multiple editors to win playoff MVP. While the McDavid (or Draisaitl) selection is a pretty obvious pick if you think Edmonton will win the Cup for the first time since 1990, Guentzel has put up 25 points in 17 games since being dealt from Pittsburgh to Carolina. If the Hurricanes are to win it all, they'll need their deadline acquisition to have a big impact.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin will miss the entire first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury, the team announced Saturday.Drouin scored 19 goals and a career-high 56 points in 79 games this season as he rekindled chemistry with junior teammate Nathan MacKinnon.The 29-year-old left Colorado's regular-season finale Thursday and didn't return. The Avalanche were already locked into a matchup against the Jets.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs start Saturday. These 16 key players - one per postseason team - will help dictate who wins and stumbles in the opening round and beyond.Aaron Ekblad: After missing the final six games of the regular season to nurse an undisclosed injury, Ekblad will return to the Panthers' lineup for Game 1 against the Lightning. Florida didn't address the blue line at the trade deadline. Without Ekblad, the Panthers didn't have anybody on the right side of the defense capable of combating opposing top lines. They need Ekblad healthy, and at his best, to make another deep run.Victor Hedman: The Lightning's blue line isn't what it used to be, especially with Mikhail Sergachev ruled out for Round 1 as he recovers from a broken leg. Hedman, as he's done for much of the season, will have to do the heavy lifting. While his 76-point season may trick some into thinking he's still at the top of his game, his ugly defensive metrics tell another story. Tampa Bay needs Hedman to be a factor at both ends to have a chance of advancing. China Wong / NHL / Getty ImagesJake DeBrusk: It hasn't been the contract year DeBrusk hoped for. After producing 27 goals and 50 points in 64 games last season, the Bruins winger managed only 19 goals and 40 points in 80 games in 2023-24. But he can play his way into a big payday with a stellar postseason - and the best recipe for him to do that is with an edge to his game.Auston Matthews: Every team needs their best players to show up, but perhaps none more so than the Maple Leafs. Matthews has never truly taken over a postseason the way superstars of his ilk are capable of. He scored five times in Toronto's Round 1 win over the Lightning last year but failed to find the back of the net in Round 2 when the Leafs were eliminated. That's not a coincidence. Jared Silber / NHL / Getty ImagesMika Zibanejad: The Rangers center's production tailed off this season, with only 12 goals at even strength. The whistles tend to go away a bit in playoff hockey, so Zibanejad will have to find ways to contribute outside of the power play. Considering the opposition will place more attention on Artemi Panarin's line, the Rangers need Zibanejad to be the force he's capable of being.Tom Wilson: The Caps enter Round 1 as heavy underdogs, but Wilson can wreak havoc on the forecheck and strike fear into opposing defensemen with his physicality. The three-time 20-goal-scorer has decent hands around the net, too. Wilson also has a history with the Rangers: Remember when he punched Pavel Buchnevich and body-slammed Panarin in 2021? The Rangers and their fans haven't forgotten, and Wilson will surely relish playing the villain. Josh Lavallee / NHL / Getty ImagesAndrei Svechnikov: Many of Carolina's key forwards - Sebastian Aho, Jake Guentzel, Seth Jarvis, Teuvo Teravainen - are on the smaller side. Svechnikov, a modern-day power forward, is the outlier. He missed last year's postseason after he tore his ACL in March, which contributed to the Hurricanes' lack of scoring. Svechnikov can get to the inside and score goals from ugly areas, and that's often what it takes to succeed in the playoffs.Noah Dobson: The Islanders' 70-point defenseman missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. His status for Game 1 is up in the air. Dobson is the engine that drives the Islanders from the back end. Given the tenacity of Carolina's forecheck, New York desperately needs its top puck-moving defenseman to be healthy and at his best. Otherwise, the Islanders will constantly be hemmed in their own zone.Quinn Hughes: The Canucks' dynamic, intelligent captain reached rare heights this year. He became the 11th NHL defenseman to eclipse 90 points in a season. He was the first since Ray Bourque in 1994 to record nine three-assist games. Hughes also leveled up as a shooter. His second postseason, following a fun run in the 2020 bubble, is the first in a long while that Vancouver enters as a Cup favorite.Tommy Novak: A classic secondary scorer, the Predators center supports the load-bearing quartet of Filip Forsberg, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O'Reilly, and Roman Josi. Novak put up a second straight 40-point season despite missing a month due to injury. Aside from superstars, few NHL forwards create more chances in their allotment of minutes than Novak. Recent eight-game and six-game win streaks suggest Nashville could be tough to eliminate. Andy Devlin / NHL / Getty ImagesStuart Skinner: The Oilers always rack up goals at this time of year. Can they prevent them? The decline in Skinner's save percentage from the 2022-23 regular season (.914) to his two-round playoff debut (.883) was too steep for Edmonton to overcome. Thwarting chances is a shared responsibility. That means a defense corps with ample postseason experience has to minimize slipups in front of Skinner.Drew Doughty: "Dewy" is the gap-toothed, trash-talking embodiment of what the Kings do well. The workhorse defenseman subdues top lines. He clears the crease and blocks shots for the league's No. 2 penalty kill. At even strength, L.A.'s conservative, maligned 1-3-1 defensive structure disrupts opposing breakouts. The Kings count on Doughty to retrieve dump-ins at the back of the trap and spark offense when they gain the puck. Sam Hodde / Getty ImagesChris Tanev: The Stars' scoring depth wows, Miro Heiskanen is a two-way whiz, and goalie Jake Oettinger has star potential. Trading for Tanev offset a rare weakness: Heiskanen's lack of help on the blue line. Tanev and Esa Lindell form a strong, defensively conscious second pair behind the Heiskanen-Thomas Harley duo. Following Tanev's March 5 debut, Dallas led the West in points percentage (.789), goals allowed (2.32 per game), and expected goals share (62.7%).Jonathan Marchessault: The Golden Knights' top sniper, whose 42-goal season was a significant personal best, likes to play in traffic. He ranked in the 96th percentile in goals and 87th percentile in shots generated from the high-danger low slot, per NHL EDGE. Marchessault tallied 10 of his 13 goals in the 2023 playoffs from that part of the ice. His dependability helps fuel the reigning champs. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesConnor Hellebuyck: The Vezina Trophy favorite uplifts a flawed Cup contender. The Jets' offense sometimes goes dormant, but Hellebuyck masked the shortcoming this season, holding opponents below three goals in the majority of his starts. His goals saved above expected total of 39.35 was the sixth-best recorded in the past 15 years, per Evolving-Hockey. When Hellebuyck's performance peaks, any team is beatable.Nathan MacKinnon: No playoff opponent has silenced the Avalanche megastar, but MacKinnon's seven points in last year's seven-game defeat to the Kraken felt like a slight letdown. More will be expected and demanded of the Art Ross Trophy runner-up against the Jets, who pummeled Colorado 17-4 across three matchups this season. The Avs are built to win track meets. They're able to run up the score when MacKinnon takes over.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After hearing his name in several trade rumors this season, Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom said he isn't sure what his future holds."I don't know," he told reporters Friday. "What I do know, and what I tell you guys every day, is I love winning hockey games. ... And I know everyone in that locker room wants to win hockey games, too. That's pretty much where my head is at right now."The Flames had a fire sale this campaign, parting ways with pending free agents Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Noah Hanifin.Though Markstrom has two seasons left on his deal with a cap hit of $6 million and a no-move clause, the New Jersey Devils reportedly wanted to acquire the veteran ahead of the deadline and appear interested in taking another run at him in the offseason.Flames general manager Craig Conroy was noncommittal when asked if he envisions Markstrom being on the team in 2024-25, saying "time will tell with everything we're doing."Calgary is currently carrying three goalies - Markstrom, the injured Dan Vladar, and youngster Dustin Wolf - but Conroy said it's "tough to say" if that will still be the case come September.In early March, Markstrom said his situation "could've been handled a lot different from up top." The Swede revealed Friday that he addressed his team the morning after making those comments."I wanted them to know everything that's going on and how I feel and what I was pointing at," he explained. "I love every single player on the team and I love the coaching staff. ... This is my home and has been for four years. I've got great relationships, and I take pride in who I am as a person."Markstrom added that he thinks there's no tension between him and management, while Conroy said they had a "cordial" chat.The Flames missed the playoffs for the second straight season, but Markstrom had a strong campaign. He ranked third among all netminders in goals saved above expected at all strengths (28.93), per Evolving-Hockey, and ranked among the best in high-danger save percentage (.868) at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.However, all the 34-year-old cared about was his 23-23-2 record."Obviously, (I was a) .500 goalie. ... It's not where I want to be, I want to be still playing and win a lot more games than half of the ones I've played," he said.Markstrom owns a career .907 save percentage and 105 wins in 213 appearances as a Flame.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's tempting to say that the Toronto Maple Leafs, as another postseason looms, are at an inflection point.It's tempting to say that because the Leafs have been in Cup-run-or-bust mode for years now. April often seems like an inflection point. It's just no longer true.From the point when former general manager Kyle Dubas built his roster around four elite and expensive forwards, every spring has felt like a test case of that model. Could a team with almost half its salary cap allotted to four high-end skill guys assemble enough talent elsewhere to go on a deep playoff run?Even though the Leafs kept losing in the first round of the playoffs, the answer to that question from the front office appeared to be: Maybe. That is, it kept resisting calls to trade one of the star forwards, preferring to run the same core version of the roster back again, even as coaches and goalies were changed. The Leafs having a sad early spring exit was about as reliable as the Arizona Coyotes' arena drama.Last season, they finally got over the hump by knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning, only to pratfall in a second-round gentlemen's sweep by the Florida Panthers. Surely things would be shaken up. If not a smashing of the nuclear button, at least a controlled demolition. Except the only fundamental change came in the front office, with Dubas leaving even though team president Brendan Shanahan wanted to bring him back.New GM Brad Treliving wasn't in the job long before he effectively endorsed the Dubas model, eschewing a shakeup and instead making changes on the roster's periphery. Auston Matthews signed for four more years. William Nylander re-upped for eight more seasons after this one.And so, as the Leafs enter the playoffs, the stakes seem strangely low. They could easily get bounced in the first round again, which would set off an understandable round of exasperated groaning and hair-pulling among the team's fans, Toronto-area sports bars, and the executive suites at Rogers and Sportsnet. An eighth straight playoff disappointment is entirely within the range of possibilities.It's just hard to see how that would lead to much of a reckoning, even if the fan base sharpens its pitchforks and local media lights its torches. Matthews and Nylander just signed those extensions, and had career years. Mitch Marner may be considered a prime trade asset, a star winger entering the walk year of his contract, except for the fact his deal has a full no-movement clause that kicked in last summer. John Tavares also has one year left on his contract, also has a NMC, and has less trade value to begin with, as he turns 34 in September and is no longer a point-per-game player. Mark Blinch / NHL / Getty ImagesBarring an extraordinary unforeseen development, today's Maple Leafs will look a lot like next fall's Maple Leafs, no matter what happens over the next two months - or two weeks if it goes poorly. If Shanahan and Treliving were going to give up on the Dubas model, they needed to do so sooner than now.Marner said it himself last summer, explaining that Treliving reached out within days of landing the Leafs job to give his blessing to the roster he inherited."Brad came in and defended us all, really, and our team," Marner said. "It meant a lot to all of us to come in and do that."It also meant a lot to Leafs fans who were desperate to see one of the star forwards moved.Of course, the Leafs could make all of the preceding moot by actually going on the long playoff run that's so far eluded them. Matthews is scoring like he's shooting at a net 10 feet wide and Nylander, after an incandescent start to the year, has smashed his previous best points total. Marner missed time with a bum ankle but has been his usual dangerous self when healthy. Tavares has even taken on more of a shutdown role, which isn't normally what's asked of an $11-million center but may well be the best use of that salary.But the talent of those four was undeniable last year, too. And the year before that, and before that, and you see where I'm going here. Whether they advance will likely come down again to the vagaries of playoff hockey. Will they run into a hot goalie? Will they be bailed out by their own hot goalie? Will they get enough scoring from their stars? Will they get enough big games from the assorted players Treliving assembled on the cheap to supplement the Big Four? If these questions sound familiar to you, it's because they're the same questions asked around this time for years now.And they're the same questions likely to be asked this time next April, too.Scott Stinson is a contributing writer to theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Playoff disappointment came to the Penguins, Flyers, and Red Wings this week, but sometimes those clouds part quickly.Pittsburgh is out for the second straight year in the Sidney Crosby era, and the New York Islanders squeaked in as the No. 3 team in the Metropolitan Division. The same scenario happened in 1990, but Pittsburgh's short-term disappointment turned into a franchise-altering opportunity.In that Islanders era, the team was trying to rekindle the magic of its run of four consecutive Stanley Cup victories in the 1980s and reinstalled coach Al Arbour behind the bench midway through the previous season."We were just a young team, just trying to figure ourselves out," says Glenn Healy, who was in his first season with the Islanders and is now the president and executive director of the NHL Alumni Association. "We were all trying to make the league or stay in the league."Glenn Healy clears the puck for the Islanders in March 1990 Mitchell Layton / Getty ImagesNew York still had a chance to make the playoffs on the final day. The Islanders took care of their business by beating Philadelphia 6-2 to reach 73 points in the standings. If Buffalo, riding in second place in the Prince of Wales Conference, could pull out a win against Mario Lemieux's Penguins, who had 72 points, New York would be in. Islanders players crammed into the bowels of the Nassau Coliseum to watch their fate unfold on TV."We didn't have your vaulted television rooms where you can watch team videos and watch tape," Healy says. "We were in this tiny room. It, maybe, sat six comfortably. It had a couch, a chair, and a coffee maker."He guesses there were about 27 grown men crowded together, hanging on every play. The anticipation and tension were palpable.The game was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation after Lemieux scored early in the third period. With no shootout back then, a tie would've been enough to put Pittsburgh into the playoffs."Both teams were mailing it in," Healy says. "The season was basically over for both. The clock was ticking and our hopes were going with it."A minute into overtime, seemingly out of nowhere, Buffalo defenseman Uwe Krupp put a shot on net from just inside the blue line. Shockingly, it got by Penguins goalie Tom Barrasso."The entire room erupted," Healy says. "Imagine the euphoria of 27 guys all in a room, jumping up and down. We were a playoff-bound team. It was the first time for a lot of those guys to be in the Stanley Cup playoffs."The Islanders lost in Round 1 against the Rangers, but they had reversed their recent decline that saw them finish with the fewest points in the NHL in 1988-89. It was a pyrrhic victory, though. They didn't know it then, but the biggest twist was still to come.Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr stand with the Stanley Cup, early 1990s. The Pens won the championship trophy in 1991 and 1992 Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThat overtime loss to Buffalo may have pushed the Penguins out of the playoffs, but it also moved them ahead of the Islanders in the draft order. Only five teams missed the playoffs in the 21-team NHL, so Pittsburgh had the fifth pick while the Islanders had the sixth.The Penguins used the selection on another generational player to skate alongside Lemieux. Jaromir Jagr went on to play 1,733 NHL games, make seven All-Star appearances, and win two Stanley Cups. The Islanders, meanwhile, selected Scott Scissons, who played just three games due to injuries."That's why you tune in, right?" Healy says. "It's not wrestling. I kind of know at the end of Titanic, the ship gets hit with an iceberg. I don't even need to watch the movie, I figured that out. But sports isn't that way."Jolene Latimer is a features writer at theScoreCopyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin made a rather startling revelation about Brock Faber as he met with the media Friday for the final time this season."Brock's been playing with fractured ribs for two months," Guerin said. "That's the type of kid he is. He never complained ... he could've been out of the lineup a number of times, and he just wasn't.""I'll take him with one rib," Wild head coach John Hynes joked.Earlier on Friday, Faber told reporters he's skipping the upcoming World Championship due to injuries.Faber excelled as a rookie despite the injury. He led all players in the class in average ice time, logging 24:58 per contest - three and a half minutes more than fellow Calder Trophy contender Luke Hughes. Faber tied Connor Bedard for first among rookies in assists (39) and matched Hughes for second among the group in points (47).Guerin praised the 21-year-old Wild blue-liner Friday for earning a critical role in his first NHL campaign."He has emerged as a top-pairing defenseman - he was our top defenseman this year," the GM said. "That is an unbelievably good thing for our organization going forward."The Wild acquired Faber from the Los Angeles Kings along with a first-round pick (which they used to select Swedish forward Liam Ohgren) for winger Kevin Fiala in June 2022. The Kings drafted him 45th overall two years earlier.Faber was born in the Wild's home state and played three seasons at the University of Minnesota, captaining the team in 2022-23 and leading it to the NCAA championship game.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the 14th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2023-24 campaign and the first for the playoffs. Check back after Round 1 for updated rankings.In this edition, we rank the 16 postseason teams.1. New York Rangers (55-23-4)Previous rank: 1Yes, we know about the Presidents' Trophy curse. Only eight teams have ever won the Stanley Cup after holding the mantle as the league's best regular-season squad, and we all saw what happened to the Bruins last year. However, putting the Rangers anywhere else just didn't make sense thanks to the sheer amount of star power and depth they have.2. Dallas Stars (52-21-9)Previous rank: 2The Stars are riding high after winning 12 of their last 14 games to claim the top seed in the West. They're one of the NHL's most complete teams, but their chances of success likely live and die with Jake Oettinger. Dallas will need the goalie to be better than he was last spring to win it all.3. Florida Panthers (52-24-6)Previous rank: 9Florida snatched the Atlantic Division crown thanks to a four-game heater to end its schedule. The Panthers fully look the part of a contender with stingy defense, strong goaltending, offensive game-breakers, and a tenacious play style that can drive opponents wild throughout a series.4. Carolina Hurricanes (52-23-7) Josh Lavallee / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 4The Hurricanes lost out on a division title but are rightfully overwhelming favorites for their first-round clash against the Islanders. Carolina is an elite defensive team and has benefitted greatly from some late-season roster reinforcements. The club is 15-4-1 since adding Jake Guentzel - who has 25 points in that span - while goaltender Frederik Andersen is 9-1-0 with a .951 save percentage since returning to the crease.5. Winnipeg Jets (52-24-6)Previous rank: 8Life is pretty good right now for the Jets. They're entering the playoffs on an eight-game win streak and finished second in the Central, their highest placement since 2019. Winnipeg's reward? A first-round meeting with the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Avalanche. Luckily for the Jets, they have Connor Hellebuyck, the likely Vezina Trophy winner, between the pipes.6. Edmonton Oilers (49-27-6)Previous rank: 6The Oilers' putrid start to the regular season feels like a lifetime ago, and they've been one of the league's best teams since Kris Knoblauch took over. It's difficult imagining Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl taking a step back from their usual playoff dominance, and Edmonton has a favorable draw in the Pacific Division. If goaltending holds up, this group is tough to beat.7. Vancouver Canucks (50-23-9)Previous rank: 7The Canucks are back in the playoffs sooner than many expected, but they limped to a division title down the stretch with an 8-6-2 record after Thatcher Demko got hurt. If he's fully healthy, Vancouver's certainly a threat in the West, but only having two games under his belt before ramping up to playoff intensity gives us pause.8. Boston Bruins (47-20-15) Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 3Boston finished this season with 26 fewer points than in 2022-23. That sounds bad, but the Bruins were just freakishly good last year. They still managed to finish with over 100 points this campaign despite the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Boston will undoubtedly be hungry to avenge last spring's upset at the hands of the Panthers.9. Colorado Avalanche (50-25-7)Previous rank: 5After winning the Central for two straight seasons, the Avalanche had to settle for third place this time. Much of that is down to Alexandar Georgiev's occasionally shaky goaltending, which remains their biggest weakness. Colorado might get captain Gabriel Landeskog back, but last time we checked, he isn't a goalie.10. Vegas Golden Knights (45-29-8)Previous rank: 11The Golden Knights haven't quite looked like themselves for the past few months, but doubting the reigning Stanley Cup champions doesn't feel wise at all. Vegas has been steamrolled by injuries, but if it can get fully healthy with captain Mark Stone back, then it'll certainly pose a problem for a Stars team looking to make a deep run.11. Toronto Maple Leafs (46-26-10)Previous rank: 10The Maple Leafs enter the playoffs on a four-game skid, allowing 22 goals over that span. Perhaps Auston Matthews' pursuit of 70 goals was a distraction from the team's overall game, but Toronto will have to tighten up quickly if it's to have any hope of beating a Boston team that convincingly swept the regular-season series.12. Tampa Bay Lightning (45-29-8) Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 13The Lightning don't boast strong even-strength metrics but can swing any game thanks to a top-ranked power play and fifth-ranked penalty kill. Tampa also has arguably the ultimate playoff X-factor in Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Bolts aren't the same team that went to three straight finals but shouldn't be taken too lightly.13. Nashville Predators (47-30-5)Previous rank: 14The Predators don't strike the average fan as a Cup contender, but they've been one of the Western Conference's best teams in 2024. They've accrued the same number of wins (27) as their first-round adversary in the Canucks. Nashville has a supremely talented core, a capable goalie, and strong five-on-five metrics, all of which they'll need to reach Round 2.14. Los Angeles Kings (44-27-11)Previous rank: 12The Kings ran out of steam after a blistering start to the regular season and will have their hands full against the Oilers for the third straight opening round. Maybe the third time's the charm for Los Angeles, but goaltending is a huge question mark, and the talent disparity largely favors Edmonton.15. New York Islanders (39-27-16)Previous rank: 16New York improved slightly under new head coach Patrick Roy, which was enough to finish in third place in the Metropolitan. However, the Islanders are set to meet Carolina in the first round for the second straight year. The Hurricanes took care of business in six games last spring.16. Washington Capitals (40-31-11) Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 18Look, it's admirable that the Capitals scratched and clawed their way into the postseason, but their time in the playoffs will probably be short-lived. The Rangers pose a daunting challenge for Washington and its minus-37 goal differential.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In case there was any doubt, Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas wants captain Sidney Crosby to be a Penguin for life."The intention has always been clear," the executive told reporters Friday. "I think he should finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. How long that is? I'm not going to put any limits on Sidney Crosby. He's capable of great things and is still performing at an extraordinarily high level."Crosby has one season remaining on his 12-year, $104.4-million contract and is eligible to sign a new extension July 1."Obviously, I'm going to talk to Kyle and have a conversation with him," the future Hall of Famer said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "We'll see."Dubas added it's "imperative" for contract talks to be kept private, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.Crosby was outstanding in his 19th NHL season, leading the Penguins with 42 tallies and 94 points while appearing in all 82 games for the second straight year. This campaign marked the third time he's eclipsed the 40-goal mark in his career.Like Dubas, the future Hall of Famer also didn't put a limit on how many seasons he might have left."Obviously, at my age, and things like that, there will be a lot of factors," the 36-year-old said, adding, "I don't look any differently at how much longer I can play based off that. It's always just evaluating my game for what it is, not my age."The Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, falling outside the postseason picture by three points despite going 6-2-1 in April.Dubas traded winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes before the March 8 deadline. A despondent Crosby said at the time that he wasn't sure what kind of message the front office was trying to send, and the reeling Penguins went on to lose seven of their next nine games.On Friday, Dubas said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the players' response to the trade."If we had shaken the doldrums a little bit earlier, we might not be in this position," he explained, per The Athletic's Rob Rossi.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.You've had all season to bet on the Stanley Cup winner, but the Conn Smythe Award - given to the playoffs' most valuable player - has only been available on the oddsboard for a few days.It's a more nuanced betting market with longer odds that can result in a big payout, such as Jonathan Marchessault's Conn Smythe-worthy postseason at longer than 50-1 odds. Had you pegged the Golden Knights for a Cup contender, figured a single goaltender wouldn't necessarily lead the way, and picked out Vegas' most clutch scorer, you'd have a big win on a low-investment bet.Conn Smythe oddsPLAYERODDSConnor McDavid+1000Nathan MacKinnon+1500Artemi Panarin+1800David Pastrnak+1800Jake Guentzel+1800Matthew Tkachuk+2000Sebastian Aho+2000Sergei Bobrovsky+2000Auston Matthews+2200Frederik Andersen+2200Igor Shesterkin+2200Aleksander Barkov+2500Cale Makar+2500Connor Hellebuyck+2500Jake Oettinger+2500Leon Draisaitl+2500Nikita Kucherov+2500Jack Eichel+3000Jason Robertson+3000Sam Reinhart+3000Andrei Svechnikov+3300William Nylander+3300Elias Pettersson+4000Jeremy Swayman+4000Mark Stone+4000Mika Zibanejad+4000Quinn Hughes+4000Andrei Vasilevskiy+5000Brad Marchand+5000J.T. Miller+5000Jonathan Marchessault+5000Roope Hintz+5000Thatcher Demko+5000Players not listed at +6000 odds or longerBefore we get to our best bets, let's start with our annual bet on Connor McDavid.The premise remains the same. Working backward - as we have to do in this market - if the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, what are the chances they do so without McDavid getting credit for being their MVP? My quantitative assessment would be 0%. Edmonton's odds are +750 to end Canada's championship drought. Why bet that when you can get McDavid for as long as +1200?Best betsTo start our Conn Smythe betting portfolio, we'll look at the teams we think will advance from the first round and go all the way. We'll then analyze those teams' makeups to determine their most likely MVPs. There are two types of teams - goalie-centric and non-goalie-centric ones. The former often has a deeper forward group and a Vezina-level netminder capable of handling the postseason's long haul. The latter is a team like the 2023 Golden Knights or the 2022 Avalanche, who won despite not having a true No. 1.Auston Matthews (+2200) or David Pastrnak (+1800)Call it betting's version of "Choose Your Own Adventure" - the Maple Leafs and Bruins have the tightest series price.In years past, Matthews shared credit for any Maple Leafs success with Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and even Morgan Rielly. This year's near-70-goal campaign separated Matthews from the group, definitively making him the most likely player to carry the Leafs if they are to achieve the unfathomable. His odds are far better than Toronto's +1200 to win the Stanley Cup.If you prefer the Bruins to the Leafs in Round 1, you can take Pastrnak. With Boston committed to a goaltender rotation and "Pasta" 43 points clear of his next-closest teammate, he's the clear-cut choice on a potential championship Bruins team.Nikita Kucherov (+2500)Matthew Tkachuk almost won the Conn Smythe as a long shot last year, but with the Panthers favored this time around, the word is out on his candidacy. The Lightning's modest regular season doesn't mean they can't have a big postseason, and no one was better than Nikita Kucherov this campaign. To be dangerous, Tampa will need above-average goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy, scoring from Steven Stamkos and Brayden Point, and Victor Hedman's dominance. But Kucherov's at his peak, and his sheer point volume would make him the choice from Tampa.Seth Jarvis (+15000)

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Six of the eight NHL playoff series begin this weekend. Let's waste no time getting to a handful of players worth targeting in their openers.Brent Burns: Over 2.5 shotsGame 1 scheduled for 5 p.m. ET Saturday.Burns is a volume shooter with a very strong history against the Islanders. He's gone over this number in nine of the past 12 versus New York, including five of the six head-to-head meetings in last year's playoffs.The Islanders conceded a ton of shots to opposing defensemen this season. Only the Sharks, Ducks, and Blue Jackets - three of the league's worst teams - allowed more shots against the position on a nightly basis.Although the Islanders improved in that regard under Patrick Roy, they're still susceptible to giving up shots. They rank 22nd in shot attempts against per minute since Roy took over.The Islanders also have one of the worst penalty-killing units in the NHL. Burns quarterbacks the Hurricanes' top power play - and his shot is a key weapon - so he should have plenty of opportunities to shoot there as well.Odds: +115 (playable to -115)David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsGame 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Saturday.Pastrnak's shot outputs fell off a cliff down the stretch. He averaged 3.9 shots on just 6.9 attempts over the last 10 games of the regular season. Those numbers would be good for many players, but they're nowhere close to what we're used to from Pastrnak. Even so, I trust him to shoot early and often against the Maple Leafs.Pastrnak faced the Leafs four times in the regular season. He attempted at least 10 shots in each meeting, combining for 45 in total. That led to 24 shots on target, good for an average of six per night.The Leafs aren't the stingiest of defensive teams and allowed a ton of volume to wingers down the stretch. The Blue Jackets were the only team to give up more shots to the position over the final 10 games.Pastrnak also enters well-rested. He recorded at least five shots in 10 of his past 15 games when playing after three or more days off. He averaged 6.5 shots on goal per game under such circumstances this season.Expect that trend to continue in the Bruins' series opener.Odds: +120 (playable to -125)Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsGame 1 scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday.Point was a shooting machine down the stretch. He recorded three shots or more in eight of his last 10 games, over which time he faced four playoff teams.Nikita Kucherov feeding Point while chasing 100 assists helped the cause, but playing with Anthony Duclair also played a big role.Point's shot rates have skyrocketed since Duclair joined the Lightning and started playing on the top line. Point has averaged 10.64 shots on goal and 18.52 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Duclair by his side. Those are by far the highest shooting rates he's managed of any regular Lightning player he's skated with.Point's shooting floor and ceiling have clearly reached new heights.What I also love is Point has a strong history against the Panthers. He has gone over this total in eight of the past 10 versus Florida, over which time he averaged 3.3 shots.Odds: -125 (playable to -140)Mika Zibanejad: Over 2.5 shotsGame 1 scheduled for 3 p.m. ET Sunday.The Capitals aren't playing great defensive hockey heading into the playoffs - at least not on the road.They allowed more than 69 shot attempts per 60 minutes over their final 10 road games, putting them in company with the Sharks and Canadiens in the basement of the league.Conversely, the Rangers ranked fourth in shot generation over the final 10 home dates of the regular season. They have a lot of firepower and can completely overwhelm opponents when getting the matchups they want.The Rangers should dominate the puck against the Capitals, peppering Charlie Lindgren early and often.New York outshot Washington in each of the four regular-season meetings, and Zibanejad mustered up three shots or more every time.Odds: -145 (playable to -160)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.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella looked inward after his team fell just short of the playoffs during his second season at the helm."I'm a little frustrated that I couldn't get the team to close the deal," he told reporters Friday. "That's what we wanted to do. It was a concern of mine with 25 games left or so in the season, 'Can we stay with it?' I think it's my job to get it to the end."I think the team played hard right to the end. I just didn't close the deal. ... So that's something that I've got to evaluate over the summer. Could I have done some things differently?"The Flyers were battling for a playoff spot for most of the campaign but suffered an untimely eight-game losing streak, with five losses coming against teams outside the postseason picture.Despite the disappointing finish, Philadelphia surpassed preseason expectations, and Tortorella said the experience has given the team "a good footing" for the future.But the Flyers aren't there just yet."We are a ways away," Tortorella said while defending general manager Danny Briere's decision to prioritize the future at the trade deadline. "We have so much work to do with this team."He added: "I think we still need to add talent to our team. There's no question on that."The hard-nosed bench boss also reaffirmed his commitment to the team following reports that Philadelphia wants him back next season.Though other changes may be coming to the Flyers, Tortorella made it clear that his coaching style won't be one of them."You got the wrong coach here if we're gonna be hugging like, 'We're here guys, we played a lousy period and a half there, but it's OK,'" he said. "You're not getting that from me, ever. Those are the decisions management has to make if they think I made a mistake and they show me the door. So be it."I'm not coming off of that because that's how you build a hockey team."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2023-24 NHL regular season was one of the best in recent memory.With chaos in the standings until the final days, unexpected breakouts from numerous players, and dramatic storylines with long-term impacts, it was truly a campaign to remember.Here are six surprises from the regular season as we wait for the playoffs to begin Saturday.Canucks soar to Pacific Division title Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyComing into the season, the Vancouver Canucks were viewed as potential challengers for a wild-card spot but were considered firmly behind Pacific Division rivals like the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and L.A. Kings.Even the team's staunchest supporters didn't see a division title and near Presidents' Trophy campaign in the offing. But here we are.Vancouver's turnaround has been swift. With Jack Adams favorite Rick Tocchet at the helm, the Canucks have gotten star performances from top players Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser, with the first two legitimate contenders to win major end-of-season awards.The Canucks' 26-point improvement from 2022-23 is the most league-wide, eight more than the Florida Panthers in second. It's a drastic jump, and it means Vancouver will host playoff games for the first time in nine years.Devils crumble with injuries, goaltending woes Elsa / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe New Jersey Devils were among the most positive surprises a season ago, going from bottom five to top five in the league standings.With a young roster boasting exciting offensive talent, most pictured the Devils to continue their rapid rise. In fact, New Jersey was the popular pick to claim the division in theScore's preseason predictions.Progression isn't always linear, and the Devils found that out this season. New Jersey tumbled down the standings to finish the campaign with just 81 points - a massive 31-point drop from the year prior, the largest in the NHL.Jack Hughes missed 20 games, but the key loss was ultimately Dougie Hamilton. The veteran defenseman was injured in late November and didn't play again, missing 62 games in total.That absence, combined with abhorrent goaltending from Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws, has given New Jersey a reality check heading into an important offseason.Reinhart, Hyman surpass 50 goals Megan Briggs / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf you asked someone in September to name the players who'd score 50 goals in 2023-24, you'd have waited a while for a mention of Zach Hyman. You'd probably still be waiting to hear Sam Reinhart's name.The two wingers crushed their previous career bests with remarkable campaigns.Reinhart, whose previous career high was 33, sniffed 60 with a 57-goal season. It was a contract year for the ages, as the 28-year-old finished second in the "Rocket" Richard Trophy race.Then there's Hyman, who has netted over 25% of his career goals this year alone. The 31-year-old's 54-goal campaign is a great example of hard work paying off.Oilers falter early, charge back into contention Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyThe Oilers were 10 points out of a playoff spot at American Thanksgiving. A team that was expected to contend for the Stanley Cup was closer to the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks in points than the second wild-card spot.And yet, the Oilers end the season second in the Pacific Division and will host a first-round playoff series.It didn't come easy: Edmonton needed a near NHL-record 16-game winning streak to leap back into contention.The early-season woes cost bench boss Jay Woodcroft his job. Connor McDavid's former OHL coach, Kris Knoblauch, was tabbed to take the reins, and the team has flourished under his watch.As the Oilers gear up for the playoffs and celebrate McDavid's 100 assists and Hyman's 50 goals, it's easy to forget just how close 2023-24 came to utter disaster.Welcome to the NHL ... Utah? Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyAn Arizona Coyotes relocation isn't a surprise in itself. Most assumed it was a matter of time if an arena solution didn't come to fruition.But Arizona seemed to be in it for the long haul just a few weeks ago when the team announced a commitment to win a land auction and build an arena.Then, out of left field, reports emerged that the NHL was preparing two schedules for the 2024-25 season: one with the Coyotes in Arizona, and one with the team in Salt Lake City. Within days, the relocation to Utah was all but officially announced.The franchise had been surrounded by relocation rumors in recent years, but it's the sudden nature of the move that makes it one of the season's biggest surprises and certainly the one with the biggest long-term effect on the league.Lindgren leads Caps back to playoffs Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIn the summer of 2022, the Washington Capitals signed two goaltenders to multi-year contracts.The first, Darcy Kuemper, was coming off a Stanley Cup triumph with the Colorado Avalanche. Naturally, he received the headlines with his prior success and $26.25-million commitment.The second flew under the radar. After a stellar season in the AHL and impressive NHL results in a tiny five-game sample, the Capitals rolled the dice on Charlie Lindgren on a three-year contract at a minuscule $1.1-million cap hit, presumably to be a backup.Fast forward two seasons and it's Lindgren, not Kuemper, who's leading the Capitals back to the playoffs.The numbers since March, as Washington pushed to make the postseason, are telling:PlayerGamesRecordSV%ShutoutsLindgren2213-7-2.9163Kuemper40-2-0.8690Given Kuemper's experience and cap hit, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take over if Lindgren falters early against the New York Rangers. But entering the postseason, there's no doubt it's Lindgren's crease.Few saw the Capitals as a playoff team at the start of the season. Nobody envisioned it would be on the back of Lindgren.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 Eastern Conference matchups and their odds have been on the board for days, while the regular season's final night and a pair of surprising results shuffled the deck one final time out West.Using the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even strength play-driving, skating talent, goaltending), let's break it all down, series by series.ADVANCED METRICS GLOSSARYES = Even strength

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The Western Conference's eight playoff teams have been set for some time, while the East had more of a royal rumble for its final playoff berth. Do the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers have a beneficial path? What should we make of the rivalry-laden gauntlet that is the Atlantic Division?Using the tools we've sharpened leading up to the postseason (even strength play-driving, skating talent, goaltending), let's break it all down, series by series.ADVANCED METRICS GLOSSARYES = Even strength

Colorado Avalanche goaltender Pavel Francouz announced his retirement from the NHL due to recurring injuries.He will work as an analyst in his native Czechia for the upcoming World Championship, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Francouz was limited to only 73 games with the Avalanche across four seasons, posting a 44-21-6 record and .919 save percentage. He made seven playoff appearances for Colorado in 2022, helping the club win the Stanley Cup.The 33-year-old was ruled out for the entire 2023-24 campaign in November after undergoing offseason adductor surgery.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 NHL's playoffs are set. Both sets of first-round series are finalized with exciting matchups in the Eastern and Western conferences.Here are the odds for the remaining 16 teams that have a chance at hoisting the Stanley Cup.Stanley Cup oddsTeamOddsImplied Prob.Hurricanes+55015.4%Panthers+65013.3%Stars+75011.8%Rangers+75011.8%Avalanche+80011.1%Oilers+80011.1%Bruins+12007.7%Maple Leafs+12007.7%Golden Knights+12007.7%Canucks+16005.9%Jets+20004.8%Kings+25003.8%Lightning+25003.8%Predators+30003.2%Islanders+50002.0%Capitals+150000.7%Odds via theScore Bet.The Hurricanes are the Stanley Cup favorites at +550, which equates to an implied probability of 15.4%. They started the season as the favorites with odds of +800 and drifted to as long as +1200 during the season.Carolina will face the Islanders, who earned the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, in Round 1. The Hurricanes are -425 to advance to the next round, meaning oddsmakers give Carolina an 81% chance of beating New York.The Atlantic Division champion Panthers are the second favorites at +650. Florida advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season as the second wild card, upsetting the Bruins, Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes before losing to the Golden Knights.The Panthers are -190 favorites to win their first-round series over the Lightning.Here are the odds for each team that could represent the Eastern Conference in the Final.Eastern Conference oddsTeam OddsHurricanes+275Panthers+300Rangers+375Bruins+550Maple Leafs+700Lightning+1200Islanders+2500Capitals+6000The Maple Leafs have longer odds than the Bruins to win the East despite having the same odds to win the Stanley Cup. That suggests Toronto is slightly overvalued in the Stanley Cup market.The smarter bet - if you can say that when discussing the Leafs' chances to win it all - would be to pick them to win the Eastern Conference, then roll that into a series wager in the Final, where they'll likely be plus-money underdogs to the Western Conference representative.As for the West, the Stars narrowly top the Oilers and Avalanche as the betting favorites to win the conference.Western Conference oddsTeamOddsStars+350Oilers+375Avalanche+400Golden Knights+600Canucks+750Jets+800Kings+1200Predators+1400Dallas won arguably the best division in hockey to earn the No. 1 seed, and their reward is an opening-round matchup against the defending champion Golden Knights.The Kings vaulted Vegas on the final night of the regular season to set up a matchup versus Connor McDavid and the Oilers. Edmonton, which is a -190 favorite over L.A. in Round 1, is +800 to win the Cup and +375 to reach its first Final since 2006.In the other two Western Conference series, the Avs are -135 favorites over the Jets, while the Canucks are -150 over the Predators.The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially here.While six of eight matchups were already known, the remaining two were finalized after the conclusion of Thursday's action.The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime on Thursday, passing the Vegas Golden Knights in the standings after the defending Stanley Cup champs lost to the Anaheim Ducks. That moves the Kings into third place in the Pacific Division to take on the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 for the third year in a row. That result also dropped the Golden Knights to the second wild-card spot to set up a 2023 Western Conference Final rematch with the top-seeded Dallas Stars.The NHL also unveiled the entire schedule for Round 1.All times ET.

The NHL regular season has come to a close, so it's time to take a look at the statistical leaders from this year's campaign.Art Ross Trophy Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyAwarded to the player with the most pointsWinner: Nikita KucherovRankPlayerP1Nikita Kucherov (TBL)1442Nathan MacKinnon (COL)1403Connor McDavid (EDM)1324Artemi Panarin (NYR)1205David Pastrnak (BOS)110Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyAwarded to the player with the most goalsWinner: Auston MatthewsRankPlayerG1Auston Matthews (TOR)692Sam Reinhart (FLA)573Zach Hyman (EDM)544Nathan MacKinnon (COL)515Artemi Panarin (NYR)49Assists leader Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWinners: Connor McDavid and Nikita KucherovRankPlayerAT1Connor McDavid (EDM)100T1Nikita Kucherov (TBL)1003Nathan MacKinnon (COL)894Quinn Hughes (VAN)755Artemi Panarin (NYR)71Defenseman points leader Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWinner: Quinn HughesRankPlayerP1Quinn Hughes (VAN)922Cale Makar (COL)903Roman Josi (NAS)854Evan Bouchard (EDM)825Victor Hedman (TBL)76Average ice time leader Ben Ludeman / National Hockey League / GettyWinner: John CarlsonRankPlayerATOI1John Carlson (WAS)25:542Drew Doughty (LAK)25:483Mike Matheson (MTL)25:334Seth Jones (CHI)25:295Rasmus Dahlin (BUF)25:25William M. Jennings Trophy Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / GettyAwarded to the goaltender(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals againstWinner: Connor HellebuyckRankPlayerGA1Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)1992Sergei Bobrovsky/Anthony Stolarz (FLA)2003Cam Talbot (LAK)2154Pyotr Kochetkov (CAR)2165Thatcher Demko/Casey DeSmith (VAN)223Save percentage leader Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyMinimum of 25 games played, per NHL.comWinner: Anthony StolarzRankPlayerSV%1Anthony Stolarz (FLA).9252Connor Hellebuyck (WPG).921T3Thatcher Demko (VAN).918T3Semyon Varlamov (NYI).918T5Joey Daccord (SEA).916T5Jeremy Swayman (BOS).916Goalie wins leader Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyWinner: Alexandar GeorgievRankPlayerW1Alexandar Georgiev(COL)382Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)37T3Stuart Skinner (EDM)36T3Igor Shesterkin (NYR)36T3Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA)36Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL board of governors voted in favor of the sale and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah for the 2024-25 season.The league is giving control of the franchise to Ryan and Ashley Smith while awarding former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo the right to reactivate the team should he secure a fully constructed NHL-appropriate arena within five years.The Smiths run the NBA's Utah Jazz, and the two organizations will share the Delta Center beginning next season, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan. The arena has a hockey capacity of 12,000. The franchise collected 11,000 season-ticket deposits within hours of the sale announcement, notes The Athletic's Chris Johnston."As everyone knows, Utah is a vibrant and thriving state, and we are thrilled to be a part of it," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement."The NHL's belief in Arizona has never wavered. We thank Alex Meruelo for his commitment to the franchise and Arizona, and we fully support his ongoing efforts to secure a new home in the desert for the Coyotes. We also want to acknowledge the loyal hockey fans of Arizona, who have supported their team with dedication for nearly three decades while growing the game."Smith said his Utah team won't rush picking a name and could go into its inaugural season without one, per The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Relocation talks for the Coyotes picked up steam earlier this month after years of rumors. The league's flip of the franchise to Smith was first reported last week. Smith has pushed hard to land a franchise and made a formal request to the NHL for an expansion club in January.Coyotes players and staff were informed of the move last week. All of Arizona's hockey assets, including its full reserve list, roster, draft picks, and hockey operations will be transferred to the Utah franchise.The Coyotes were unsuccessful in landing a new arena deal after moving to Arizona State's Mullett Arena ahead of the 2022-23 season. Scottsdale mayor David Ortega publicly opposed the Coyotes' latest plans to purchase a plot of land in North Phoenix for a new arena and entertainment district, calling the idea "not feasible."Arizona players bid an emotional farewell to their home crowd Wednesday night after their season finale, a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes went out on a high note, prevailing 5-2 over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday in what turned out to be the final game of this iteration of the franchise.The crowd at Mullett Arena in Tempe cheered throughout the final minute, and the Coyotes broadcasters went silent for roughly the final 20 seconds.

Though Red Wings veteran Patrick Kane said he enjoyed his time in Detroit, he admitted "it's hard to say" what his future holds as a pending unrestricted free agent."I guess we'll see what happens," he told reporters Thursday. "I'm sure my agent and (Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman) will have those conversations and go from there."Kane signed a one-year, $2.75-million deal with the Red Wings in November following his recovery from hip resurfacing surgery. He chipped in with 47 points (20 goals and 27 assists) in 50 games, good for the second most on the Red Wings since his season debut Dec. 7."Coming into this year, my decision was based on playing on a good team," Kane said. "A team where I thought I fit in well, obviously the comfort of playing with Alex (DeBrincat) again was something I was looking forward to. ... I was put in a great situation to succeed and play a lot of minutes."He added: "I think it will be similar going forward: How do I fit in with the team, who would I play with, things like that. ... (I'm) maybe looking for a little bit more stability as far as term. I think the right situation matters, too."With three Stanley Cup championships and 143 playoff games (the 12th most among all active players) under his belt, Kane was key to the Red Wings' postseason push. They fell just short of the mark after finishing the season with the same amount of points as the Washington Capitals but five fewer regulation wins.Detroit's playoff drought has now extended to eight years. Kane doesn't think that dry spell will last for much longer, though."I think they're in a great spot," he said. "(Dylan) Larkin, his competitiveness, young players stepping up at the right times and playing so well in the important games - (Moritz) Seider, (Lucas) Raymond, DeBrincat, (Simon) Edvinsson. ... I think the future's really bright for the team."As for his own future, Kane said he was able to play pain-free this campaign and that he's looking forward to having a normal offseason in terms of his training."I think I can play for a long time, to be honest with you," he said with a smirk. "I'm 35, hopefully play to 40. Who knows? You just keep playing."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said this season was "the most difficult year" he's had mentally after his team failed to meet rising expectations."I think at the end of the day, we just didn't make steps forward this year," he told reporters Thursday, including TSN. "We took a couple steps back. It's frustrating, it's difficult. I'm not gonna lie to you, (I had) very high hopes coming into this year and for it to not happen, it's pretty disappointing. Upset, frustrated, all the words you can use there.""To disappoint (fans) that spend money to support you ... is tough," Tkachuk continued. "It's the first year that I've really, truly felt that. Disappointed a lot of people that stuck with us through the thick and thin."The Senators had aspirations of making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 after missing the cutline by six points last season. This time last year, Tkachuk boldly proclaimed that he and he teammates "wouldn't be done in April anymore."Ottawa finished the 2023-24 campaign 13 points outside the postseason picture after losing 41 games in regulation, tied with the Arizona Coyotes for the fifth most in the league."Just finished Year 6, and haven't done a thing," Tkachuk lamented Thursday. "I haven't played in those meaningful playoff games that I've imagined, and the rest of the group has imagined playing in."Ottawa had to battle its fair share of drama this year, including GM and coaching changes, new ownership, and a half-season suspension to Shane Pinto for violating the league's gambling rules.However, veteran forward Claude Giroux wasn't about to lean on those factors as an excuse."We know our potential," he said. "Yes, we are a very young team, but saying that, our game's gotta grow. We need to help each other better, play more as a team."There are plenty of experienced head coaching options available for the Senators, from Dean Evason, to Todd McLellan, to Craig Berube. Tkachuk said his team is in need of more "accountability," while Giroux knows a new bench boss won't magically solve all of Ottawa's problems."There's no coach with a special recipe. ... At the end of the day, it's on the players," Giroux said.The Senators reportedly hope to have their new head coach in place by the 2024 NHL Draft in late June.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday that they signed defensive prospect Cade Webber to a two-year, entry-level contract worth $875,000 per season.Toronto acquired Webber's rights from the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the trade deadline for a sixth-round pick in 2026. The 6-foot-7 blue-liner was a fourth-round draft selection of the Hurricanes in 2019 and recently finished his collegiate career with Boston University.Webber, 23, notched six points in 38 games for the Terriers this past season, helping the school reach the Frozen Four. He was named Hockey East's top defensive defenseman in 2023-24.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Vasily Podkolzin to a two-year contract extension Thursday.The deal is worth $1 million per season, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Podkolzin, the 10th overall pick in 2019, made 18 appearances for the Canucks this season, managing two assists. He also recorded 28 points in 44 games for AHL Abbotsford."We are happy with how hard Vasily has worked on his game to try and become a more consistent player," general manager Patrik Allvin said. "While there is still room for him to grow, starting the year in Abbotsford and working his way back up to Vancouver shows the type of commitment and dedication we want in all our players."Podkolzin has 35 points in 136 NHL games since making his debut in 2021. He played three KHL seasons with SKA St. Petersburg before making the move to North America.The Canucks qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2020 this season after winning the Pacific Division.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jeff Carter is calling it a career after nearly two decades.The 39-year-old helped the Los Angeles Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. Over his largely productive career, he played 10 seasons with the Kings, six with the Philadelphia Flyers, four with the Penguins, and part of one with the Columbus Blue Jackets.Carter notched 442 goals and 409 assists in 1,321 regular-season games. He netted the Penguins' final tally of this campaign in a 5-4 loss to the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Auston Matthews failed to score his 70th goal in the Toronto Maple Leafs' regular-season finale Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it wasn't for a lack of effort.The soon-to-be three-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner tallied a staggering nine scoring chances and 12 shots on 16 attempts in the contest. His best chance came when he rung one off the crossbar in the second period.

The Arizona Coyotes' impending relocation has been widely reported, but the man who appears to be acquiring the team has now essentially provided confirmation."There's no secret on what's out there online," Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith said Wednesday at the World Congress of Sports, according to Sports Business Journal's Alex M. Silverman. "Normally, not everything on the internet is true, but in this case, it's pretty true."The NHL's Board of Governors will meet Thursday at 3 p.m. ET to vote on the sale, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.On Saturday night, Friedman reported that the NHL plans to buy the Coyotes from owner Alex Meruelo for $1 billion, then sell them to Smith for $1.2 billion. Arizona's hockey operations staff would relocate to Salt Lake City with the Coyotes, and Meruelo would have five years to secure a new arena, at which point he'd be granted a team of his own if he's successful.On Friday, Friedman said the players were informed before that night's win over the Edmonton Oilers that the club is moving to Utah.Two days before that, ESPN's Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski reported the league was prepping a contingency plan that could move the Coyotes to the Beehive State for next season.No deal for the sale of the franchise has yet been finalized.Arizona's last game of the season is Wednesday night against the Oilers at Mullett Arena, the 5,000-seat NCAA building the team was forced to move into for the 2022-23 campaign after its lease at Gila River Arena in Glendale - now known as Desert Diamond Arena - expired.Smith is also the co-owner of MLS' Real Salt Lake. He's a 45-year-old billionaire who co-founded Qualtrics, an experience management company based in Provo, Utah.This isn't the first time he's acknowledged the possibility of landing an NHL squad. Earlier this month, Smith asked fans for team name ideas.

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov became the fifth player in NHL history and the second this year to notch 100 assists in a single season Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Kucherov entered the contest with 99 helpers and hit the century mark with an assist on Brayden Point's power-play goal.

The NHL announced the start times for each Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Eastern Conference.The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes will get things rolling on Saturday afternoon, while the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs follow suit in the primetime slot. The other two matchups begin Sunday.All times ET.DateTimeMatchupApril 205 p.m.Islanders at HurricanesApril 208 p.m.Maple Leafs at BruinsApril 2112:30 p.m.Lightning at PanthersApril 213 p.m.Capitals at RangersThe rest of the Round 1 schedule for the Eastern Conference is to be determined.Start times for the Western Conference remain unknown because only one series - the Colorado Avalanche at the Winnipeg Jets - has been confirmed.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres star Tage Thompson thinks his team's new coach needs to bring two core concepts to the table: accountability and consistency."There needs to be repercussions - whether it's being benched or in the press box - if you're not playing winning hockey," he told reporters during his end-of-season availability on Wednesday. "I think, at times, you could see that we were a great team, and other times we were too casual. I think that's something that's gotta be instilled in us. ... That's something I don't think we had enough of this year.""I think a lot of times this year, we got away with some stuff that we shouldn't have gotten away with," he added. "I think if you clean those things up, then it sends a message."The Sabres fired Don Granato on Tuesday after they failed to make the playoffs for the 13th straight season. Many expected Buffalo to end that drought this campaign, but the young team fell short of those lofty expectations, finishing eight points outside of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Thompson made it clear that he has "nothing but respect and admiration" for Granato. The bench boss moved the 6-foot-6 forward to center when he took over the reins three years ago, which prompted his 38-goal breakout season in 2021-22.Since making his debut in 2017-18, Thompson has played under three different head coaches: Phil Housley (2017-19), Ralph Krueger (2019-21), and Granato (2021-24)."I would like to say that each time, it kind of lights a fire under you because it shows you that you're replaceable," Thompson said. "That's kind of the business you're in. So, hopefully, the response is intensity. I think comfort can be the death of you, and I think we were a little too comfortable this year."Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin echoed Thompson's wishlist in a new head coach, adding that they need to be "pushed hard."However, the team's probable next captain believes the players themselves are better equipped to handle the pressure of growing expectations."In that way, this year was good for us," Dahlin said. "We weren't really prepared and ready as a group for what it meant, really. That was a big learning lesson. ... Going into next year, we're very prepared for what it means."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Travis Konecny hopes the heartbreaking end to the Philadelphia Flyers' season can help them become a consistent playoff contender in the future."We have all the tools to do it," he said during the Flyers' exit availability on Wednesday. "I think this year was good for us being in the spot we were at. ... Maybe it makes you realize that nothing game on a Tuesday in a random city, that game matters. It's a good mindset for our team to have.""I'd love to say right now that it's going to be next year," he added. "I don't know."After occupying a playoff spot for much of the campaign, the Flyers officially finished outside the postseason picture on Wednesday night. Philadelphia lost nine out of its last 11 games, ultimately dashing any hopes it had of playing beyond the regular season for the first time since 2020.Despite falling short, the Flyers were still one of the biggest surprises of the season, something that is not lost on Konecny."I think it was awesome for a lot of the guys to prove a lot of people wrong, and maybe even prove themselves wrong. ... Now, it's just believing," he said.Only five players on the current roster have suited up for a playoff game while donning a Flyers jersey:PlayerGPGPSean Couturier391022Scott Laughton24610Travis Konecny2218Travis Sanheim2028Joel Farabee1235"It's tough when we put ourselves in such a good spot at the start of the year," veteran forward Scott Laughton said. "You're pushing towards that goal of making the playoffs and you get that taste a little bit, you want to get back there. I haven't experienced playoff hockey in Philly in quite some time and there's nothing really like it."He added: "This one stings the most out of my career. ... It could have been a lot different."Laughton said he needs some time to decompress before he can fully focus on the positives that came from this campaign.Konecny's performance was arguably one of those bright spots. He posted a career-high 33 goals and 68 points in 76 games.The 27-year-old has one more season remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $5.5 million. He's eligible to sign an extension this summer, though he admitted contract talks haven't been at the front of his mind."I'm sure down the road here I'll deal with that," he said. "I've been focusing so much on trying to get (into the playoffs). But we'll see moving forward."I love Philly."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson offered a blunt assessment of the Pittsburgh Penguins' campaign after officially being eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday night."We are a huge disappointment," Karlsson told The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "We underachieved so much, and it's very disappointing. There's no other way to say it."He added: "I think it's been an underachieving season for a lot of us. I think we're a much better team than what we've displayed in 81 games this season. But at the same time, we did all of this to ourselves. That's what is frustrating."The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06 last season and were expected by many to bounce back this year after acquiring Karlsson in a blockbuster trade with the San Jose Sharks over the summer.The 33-year-old took a huge step back from his 101-point, Norris Trophy-winning 2022-23 campaign, with only 11 goals and 44 assists so far in his debut season with Pittsburgh. Karlsson's arrival was supposed to help resurrect the Penguins' putrid power play, but the club converted at a measly 14.3% rate this season."We couldn't get our minds out of the situation," Karlsson said of the slumping man advantage."That's what happens. When you're into something so incredibly deep like we all were on the power play, I think it actually becomes harder to see and figure out what the solution is. You try to get yourself out of that mindset. You try and try. You want to get rid of this feeling that you have, that something's not right on the power play, and you want to fix it. But we couldn't."Karlsson is under contract for three more seasons at a $10-million cap hit. The Penguins have a projected $12.74 million in cap space over the summer to make improvements, and general manager Kyle Dubas previously said the club intends to compete for the playoffs while captain Sidney Crosby is still in the picture.Karlsson hopes the current group is given another shot to prove themselves."I just hope we're together for a bit longer, because that way, we would get another chance to show just what we are capable of doing," he said. "I think we've learned a lot this season."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 four games on the NHL schedule Wednesday night, but only one pops off the page. With two of the league's brightest stars having a chance to write their names in the history books, we'll dive into the best ways to get involved in the action.Auston Matthews: Over 0.5 goalsMatthews let us down against the Panthers, but it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying. He generated 12 shot attempts, seven scoring chances, and six high-danger opportunities. Matthews did everything but put the puck in the net.His chances of getting to the 70-goal mark should be higher against the Lightning. They're not as defensively sound as the Panthers, nor are they playing for anything in the standings.That means the Bolts will turn to journeyman Matt Tomkins over star netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tomkins has managed a .891 save percentage through five appearances this season - all against bottom-seven teams - and allowed at least three goals in all but one of them. He hasn't faced a side as good as the Leafs, nor any scorer close to Matthews' caliber.Matthews leads the NHL in scoring chances by a country mile over the past 10 games. He'll get his share of opportunities. I'll take my chances on him converting one of them against a replacement-level goaltender.Odds: -150Nikita Kucherov: Under 3.5 shotsKucherov's shot volume has fallen off a cliff as he's trying to add his name to the list of a select few players who've recorded 100 assists in a single season. He's recorded two shots or fewer in six of his past seven games and is coming off a zero-shot performance against the Sabres.Kucherov sits just one assist shy of 100 and will do everything possible to get there in Tampa Bay's final regular-season game. That likely means his shots will be few and far between.The Lightning can't move up or down the standings. They're playing for nothing outside of Kucherov's record and would likely prefer to rest him as much as possible ahead of a taxing series against the division-rival Panthers. I think his usage will be cut the second he gets an assist.Even if Kucherov sees a full dose of ice, I don't see the shots being there. As long as he needs an assist, that'll be his priority.Odds: -130 (playable to -160)Brayden Point: Over 0.5 goalsKucherov is -200 to record an assist in this game. There's no likelier option to be on the other end of that historic point than Point.He's found the back of the net in 10 of the last 15 games in Tampa Bay and potted 12 goals in that span. Point leads the Lightning in goals, he's a shooting machine on home ice, and he receives a ton of Kucherov's passes at even strength and on the power play.It's no coincidence that Point's shot volume has spiked even further over the past seven games while Kucherov's has plummeted as he chases assists.Kucherov should have no problem creating chances for his teammates against a fatigued Maple Leafs team playing for nothing. Don't be surprised if Point is often on the receiving end.Odds: +140 (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.

Marc-Andre Fleury isn't hanging up his pads just yet.The veteran netminder signed a one-year, $2.5-million extension with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.The pact includes a no-move clause, per The Athletic's Michael Russo."I'm grateful to keep doing what I love for one more season," Fleury said. "I thought about it a lot this year, but I still love to compete."The beloved goalie added that he expects next season to be his last.Prior to the start of the 2023-24 campaign, Fleury said he would wait until the end of the season to make a decision on his playing future.In late March, he conceded that he initially thought this year would be his last in the NHL, but he ended up rediscovering "the joy of playing hockey." He added that if he were to come back, it'd only be as a member of the Wild.Fleury owns an .895 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average across 39 appearances in his 20th NHL season. He's also saved 5.83 goals above average and 1.73 goals above expected at five-on-five, according to Evolving-Hockey.Minnesota failed to make the playoffs this campaign, putting an end to Fleury's streak of 17 consecutive postseason appearances. He won the Stanley Cup three times as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and owns a career .911 save percentage in the postseason.Fleury is nearing the end of his second full season with the Wild. The Chicago Blackhawks traded him to Minnesota at the 2022 trade deadline.The Wild will play their last game of the 2023-24 campaign on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken, and Fleury is slated to make the start.The 39-year-old is just three years removed from winning his first Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender. A member of the Vegas Golden Knights at the time, Fleury registered a .928 save percentage and 1.98 goals against average to go along with a 26-10-0 record.Fleury already ranks second in wins (561) and fourth in games played (1,024) by a goaltender in NHL history.Though he won't pass Martin Brodeur's 691 victories, Fleury is only six appearances away from passing Patrick Roy for third on the all-time list and 21 removed from supplanting Roberto Luongo for second place.Fleury will turn 40 years old on Nov. 28.Elsewhere in the Wild's crease, Filip Gustavsson is signed for two more seasons with a cap hit of $3.75 million, while they'll need to continue developing 2021 first-round pick Jesper Wallstedt.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was the summer of 1997 and Day 1 of NHL free agency was one minute away from closing. Charlie Lyons, then chairman and CEO of the Colorado Avalanche, was looking forward to a bike trip in the Rockies with his childhood friends while basking in the success of his new side gig as a film producer. His rookie film, "Air Force One" starring Harrison Ford, opened 10 days earlier and sat atop the box office. Not too bad a summer for a guy who spent the preceding offseason celebrating a Stanley Cup victory with the Avalanche.That's when the call came in."Have you heard?" Denver Post sports columnist Mark Kiszla asked. "The New York Rangers just offered Joe Sakic $21 million with $15 million up-front. What have you got to say about that?"Lyons hadn't heard, and he didn't know what to say."There's a lot of things you can do in business, but one thing you can't make up is money in the bank. We did not have that money in the bank," Lyons says in the NHL's new documentary, "Saving Sakic," which revisits the attempt to lure the Avs captain with a restricted free-agent offer sheet."I went on a journey to try and find out what happened because no one on the internet and none of the articles I was reading really nailed it, there was a lot of conjecture," said documentary director Jay Nelson, who spent two years tracing the story from the perspective of both the Avalanche and Rangers, who were themselves reacting to the loss of captain Mark Messier to the Vancouver Canucks."Making the movie was a surprise the whole way. This was a different time in the NHL," Nelson said. Prime Video members in Canada can access the film starting Tuesday, and it'll be available to ESPN+ subscribers in the U.S. on Wednesday.In 1997, Ascent Entertainment, the parent company of the Avalanche and the NBA's Denver Nuggets, didn't have the cash on hand to match the Rangers' offer. With only seven days to come up with the money in the pre-salary cap era, Lyons' own hero's quest to keep the Avalanche's biggest star has become the stuff of NHL legend.As it would happen, Lyons found help from an unexpected source: Hollywood. Beacon Pictures was a sibling company in Ascent's portfolio and one of the producers of "Air Force One." Drawing on business lessons he learned creating the film with Ford, Lyons negotiated a deal that kept Sakic in Denver while also getting a new arena built. Eventually, even Sakic would thank Ford for the roundabout assist.Harrison Ford, left, and director Wolfgang Petersen on the set of "Air Force One." Fotos International / Getty ImagesWith Sakic safely tucked away, Colorado went to four conference finals over the next six seasons and won the Stanley Cup again in 2001.theScore interviewed Lyons - who continues to produce films after Ascent sold the teams in 2000 - about that summer and how he put together the deal to keep Sakic in Colorado.theScore: When you get bombshell news about the Rangers offering Sakic a $21-million contract, what's your reaction? Was it a moment where your stomach dropped? Or did it bring out your competitive side?Lyons: The first reaction is you've walked into a punch. And it was a double punch because it didn't come from within. It was Mark Kiszla calling, who was a terrific journalist and seemed to be ahead of every story. He would have been a great Sherlock Holmes, frankly. He just laid me out and said, "What do you have to say about that?"First I heard of it. I was done for the summer. We had successfully released the film, and I was catching my breath. So, yeah, that's a sucker punch. No question.What is it about Sakic that made it imperative to keep him in Denver?We defined a star as not only somebody who performs, but somebody who fits in, and somebody who was an ingredient and the chemistry of the family. Joe was the leader of the team - he was the moral centerpiece.I'd had a bad experience where a person who I have become very close to in life, Dikembe Mutombo, was poached by the Atlanta Hawks from the Nuggets. To this day, I consider it to be the worst business failure that I was involved with - to lose a player of that caliber, who was so great in the locker room, who was such a fabulous representation of the organization, the community. Joe had all of those qualities. So, you feel like you're losing a son in a way. It gets right to the core of what a team is. There was a real desire to prevent it from happening.It was overwhelming. You feel so much responsibility for everybody else, and you feel enormously deficient that something like this could even happen.Charlie Lyons addresses the media in the late 1990s NHLIn the face of that chaos, how did you snap into action?You have to deal with what is on your plate. So you take a step back: the money's not in the bank, if everything stays the same he's going to go.You think, even though you have a hit motion picture, that's your other company. Those resources are intended to make films. But what "Air Force One" did is - when you have something that's that successful, it gives you confidence that you can solve problems, and you can get things done.Then, you just catch your breath for a moment and say, 'OK, what's possible here?' There were three moving pieces. One is: We've got to be able to say to the community, and say to Joe and say to the world, that there's going to be a state-of-the-art facility to play in. That's also a statement for the fans.The second part was: Maybe there's somebody in town that might come in and become a small partner right now because it appeals to them. That was Liberty Media. They have great civic pride, so they were happy to come to the rescue.And the third was the expiring Fox (national TV) agreement. Those are big television rights for teams. They are very, very important. So to get a little bit of an advance and cement that - don't waste a crisis.At the end of the week, when everything was secured and you knew Sakic was staying, you must have felt great about pulling it all together.I felt good. But I also felt that, wow, we're pretty vulnerable. This can't go on, there are no more new arenas or sales or partial sales. The idea that you'd have to do things that affect the future in order to conduct business today was a sobering aspect. We got through it and we got a lot of things done, and that's really great. But there was also that sobering reality that we may be too small for what is going to happen in this business.I love Denver, I feel an enormous personal connection to the people. I love Colorado. As a matter of fact, I live in Colorado. I have to work in Los Angeles and am on sets all over the place. But my domicile is Colorado. So I have huge civic pride and I love the city. So it's more personal, you know what I mean? It's the human connections that are so great.What do you think about the way the NHL has evolved since the 1990s when stars were at greater risk of being poached?Gary Bettman has done such a terrific job. I don't think he gets the credit he deserves. He came into a very established culture. I got to know him when I was involved with the NBA. He was great at what he did there. So I had no doubt when he got over to the NHL, he was gonna bring all that energy.Here's what's changed, I think, for the better. When he got there, you could see the energy and the upswing in the development of the league. But what you're seeing with this particular incident, and ironically with myself and my company, was the days were over for small entrepreneurs trying to do this. You've seen the stories come out about Jerry Buss that everybody thought, 'What was behind the curtain on the Lakers?' Well, they didn't have the financial resources. That's sort of been taken care of in Denver.The teams in Denver are so much better off now than they were when they were run by people like us. Because the resources are so deep, no one would ever contemplate trying to steal somebody with resources as the weapon. That would be just idiotic. This was an utter act of madness, but totally understandable, given what David (Checketts, then president and CEO of Madison Square Garden) was going through in New York. He lost a guy like Messier. He was just getting clobbered there.My situation - it was a publicly traded company. There was the tension that sports is not a quarter-to-quarter business and public companies are. So, you have this awful disconnect. Investors are looking for short-term rewards and short-term profits. It's the whole tension of: are these companies better public or private? I don't think there's any question they're better private, frankly. At the end of the day, the economic motivations are very different for a high net-worth family than they are for a publicly traded company and people in those management roles.And then, plus the fact that all the changes made in hockey afterwards, like putting a cap in.Joe Sakic hoists the Stanley Cup in 2022 as general manager of the Avalanche Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty ImagesHas Sakic ever thanked Harrison Ford for his role in keeping him in Denver?Yeah, he has. He hasn't had the chance to meet him personally because Harrison's actually the busiest he's ever been in his life now. But he did thank him, he was hysterical.Jolene Latimer is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have exercised head coach Martin St. Louis' option and extended him for an additional two seasons, the team announced Wednesday.St. Louis is now under contract through the 2026-27 campaign."He's very impressive, he's the right person for what we're doing here, and not a day goes by we're not happy with him," vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton told reporters, including The Athletic's Arpon Basu.St. Louis, 48, was hired by Montreal midway through the 2021-22 season after the firing of Dominique Ducharme. Since taking over, the Canadiens are 75-100-26 and have finished last in the Atlantic Division all three seasons.The Hall of Famer has been lauded for his work with young players. Cole Caufield blossomed under St. Louis' tutelage after rookie season struggles with Ducharme, and first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky broke out in the second half this season.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks clinched first place in the Pacific Division by defeating the Calgary Flames 4-1 on Tuesday.Goaltender Thatcher Demko looked to be in playoff form, making 39 saves in his first appearance since suffering a knee injury on March 9.It's Vancouver's first division title with the NHL's current alignment. The club last won a division title in 2013 when it sat atop the Northwest Division for the fifth consecutive season.The Canucks can still claim first place in the Western Conference if they win their last game Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets and the Dallas Stars lose their final contest in regulation against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.As a result, the Canucks' playoff opponent in Round 1 remains undetermined. It could still be the Vegas Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings, or Nashville Predators.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers clinched first place in the Atlantic Division with their victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins' loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night.Florida will face the cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round, while the second-place Boston Bruins will meet the third-ranked Toronto Maple Leafs in the other divisional matchup.Shortly before the Panthers clinched the division, the Washington Capitals secured the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference. They'll face the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers in Round 1. The Carolina Hurricanes will take on the New York Islanders in the other Metropolitan Division series.The Atlantic crown is the Panthers' second in three years and fourth in franchise history.Florida finished this regular season at 52-24-6 for 110 points. The Panthers wrapped up the 82-game slate with one point more than the Bruins and eight points more than the Maple Leafs. The Lightning nabbed the first wild-card spot in the East by finishing fourth in the Atlantic.The Rangers (114) and Hurricanes (111) end the campaign with more points in the standings than the Panthers.Florida finished fourth in the Atlantic last season but pulled off a shocking upset of the historically dominant Bruins over seven games in the first round. The Cats went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last spring before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights.The Panthers won the Presidents' Trophy in 2021-22 - the last time they won the division - but the Lightning swept them out of the second round.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Tuesday to snatch the NHL's final playoff spot.The Capitals' win eliminated the Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, and Pittsburgh Penguins from postseason contention.Washington will play the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers in Round 1.T.J. Oshie scored the game-winner on an empty net late in the third period. The Flyers pulled the goalie with the contest tied because they would've been eliminated if it went to overtime.

Montreal Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux has been cleared to play in the NHL, the league confirmed Tuesday, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels."We have met with Logan Mailloux multiple times over the course of the last 8-10 months," the league said. "We are comfortable that he recognizes the gravity of his prior conduct and is committed to making better and more responsible decisions in the future."Mailloux is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Detroit Red Wings, his club announced.In November 2020, Mailloux was charged and fined for invasion of privacy and defamation in Sweden after photographing a woman without consent during a sexual encounter, identifying her to teammates, and sharing pictures with them.Montreal recalled Mailloux after Monday's overtime loss against the Detroit Red Wings. He played three preseason games with the team in September.The Canadiens controversially drafted Mailloux 31st overall in the 2021 draft. Mailloux had withdrawn from the draft, stating he didn't feel he'd demonstrated the maturity or character to have the privilege of being drafted, but Montreal still selected him.Team owner Geoff Molson said the decision was a mistake days after the draft.Deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted in November 2022 that Mailloux wasn't yet eligible to play in the NHL.Mailloux has 14 goals, 47 points, and 89 penalty minutes in 70 games this season with the AHL's Laval Rocket. He leads all AHL rookie defensemen in scoring.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres fired head coach Don Granato, the team announced Tuesday.Granato, 56, took over as Sabres head coach midway through the 2020-21 campaign. Buffalo went 122-125-27 with him behind the bench, failing to make the playoffs all four seasons."I would like to thank Don for his time in Buffalo and commitment to the Sabres organization," general manager Kevyn Adams said in a statement Tuesday morning. "He has been integral in the development of many of our players and has undoubtedly been the right coach to bring us to where we are now, but I felt it was necessary to move in a different direction at this point in time."My expectation is to be a consistent contender, and unfortunately, that goal has not been met."Hours later, Adams elaborated with more pointed remarks. The GM said his team is "craving accountability and structure," according to The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn.Adams also had a message for his players."It's go time," he said. "It's time to perform on an individual level and a team level."The executive added that previous NHL head coaching experience will be "important" as he chooses Granato's successor, per Spectrum News 1's Rachel Hopmayer.The Sabres finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with 84 points and a 39-37-6 record. Buffalo was expected to challenge for a playoff spot after a strong end to the 2022-23 season. The team finished one point back of the Florida Panthers for the second wild-card spot last year.Granato is the seventh head coach the Sabres have fired in the 13 straight years they've missed the playoffs. He joins Lindy Ruff, Ron Rolston, Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, Phil Housley, and Ralph Krueger.The Downers Grove, Illinois, native was under contract through the 2025-26 season after inking a two-year extension in October 2022.The Sabres also dismissed assistant coach Jason Christie and video coordinator Matt Smith.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Macklin Celebrini topped NHL Central Scouting's final rankings on Tuesday.Celebrini maintains his spot at No. 1 among North American skaters from the mid-term rankings. The Vancouver native has been the projected first overall pick all season.A standout at Boston University, Celebrini tallied 32 goals and 64 points in 38 games as a freshman this season. He became the youngest player to win the Hobey Baker Award as the most outstanding player in NCAA men's hockey.Celebrini also starred with Canada's world junior team in December, leading the squad with four goals and eight points in five games."It's truly impressive how he is able to thrive in every environment he plays, possessing that rare ability with his skills and passion to face every challenge head-on and generate results all the while making himself a better player," vice president of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr said.Here are the top 10 North American skaters:Final RankMid-Term RankPlayerPositionNationalityTeam11Macklin CelebriniCBoston University (NCAA)22Artyom LevshunovRHDMichigan State (NCAA)33Cayden LindstromCMedicine Hat (WHL)44Zeev BuiumLHDDenver (NCAA)510Zayne ParekhRHDSaginaw (OHL)65Trevor ConnellyLWTri-City (USHL)77Sam DickinsonLHDLondon (OHL)89Berkly CattonCSpokane (WHL)911Tij IginlaCKelowna (WHL)1019Michael HageCChicago (USHL)On the international side, defenseman Anton Silayev jumps to the No. 1 spot after impressing in the KHL."It's not often you find a 6-foot-7, 211-pound defenseman capable of moving like him with his smooth and active skating stride," NHL director of European scouting Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen said. "He seems to be ready to play in the NHL almost immediately."Here are the top 10 international skaters:Final RankMid-Term RankPlayerPositionNationalityTeam12Anton SilayevLHDTorpedo (KHL)23Ivan DemidovRWSKA-1946 (MHL)31Konsta HeleniusCJukurit (Liiga)44Adam JiricekRHDPlzen (Czechia)56Michael Brandsegg-NygardRWMora (SWE-2)65Emil HemmingRWTPS (Liiga)711Leo Sahlin WalleniusLHDVaxjo (J20)87Aron KiviharjuLHDHIFK (Liiga)99Igor ChernyshovLWDynamo (KHL)1016Linus ErikssonCDjurgarden (SWE-2)Mikhail Yegorov of the USHL's Omaha Lancers paces North American goaltenders, while Finland's Eemil Vinni tops international netminders.The 2024 NHL Draft takes place June 28-29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.