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Updated 2024-11-25 11:15
NHL releases Stanley Cup Final schedule
The NHL released the full schedule for the 2020 Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars moments after the Bolts punched their ticket to the series with a Game 6 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.The battle begins Saturday evening.GameDateTime (ET)Networks1Sept. 197:30 p.m.NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS2Sept. 218 p.m.NBCSN/CBC/SN/TVAS3Sept. 238 p.m.NBCSN/CBC/SN/TVAS4Sept. 258 p.m.NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS5*Sept. 268 p.m.NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS6*Sept. 288 p.m.NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS7*Sept. 308 p.m.NBC/CBC/SN/TVAS* - If necessaryThe teams will have one day off between each contest except Games 4 and 5, which are scheduled for back-to-back nights.The Lightning will be considered the home team in Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 after earning more points than the Stars in the regular season.Dallas has been idle since Sept. 14 after eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the Western Conference Final.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Oilers, Flames among teams interested in Kuemper, Ekman-Larsson
Two Western Canadian teams are apparently eyeing a pair of desert dogs.The Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks are among the clubs who have asked about Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Additionally, the Oilers, Flames, and Boston Bruins have checked in on Arizona captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson's availability, Friedman said, adding that there are undoubtedly even more interested teams.Kuemper was one of the NHL's best netminders this season, although he was not one of the three Vezina Trophy finalists. He finished third in the league with a .928 save percentage, third with a 2.22 goals-against average, and fourth with 16.65 goals saved above average. However, injury limited him to just 29 games.The 6-foot-5 Kuemper was stellar in 2018-19 as well, posting a .925 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in 55 games. The 30-year-old is under contract for two more seasons with a $4.5-million cap hit.The Coyotes also have Antti Raanta and Adin Hill on their goaltending depth chart.The Oilers and Flames have obvious needs between the pipes. Mike Smith and Cam Talbot are pending unrestricted free agents. Mikko Koskinen and David Rittich remain under contract, but neither goalie has proven capable of handling No. 1 duties.Ekman-Larsson, meanwhile, is coming off one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, tallying 30 points in 66 games. However, he averaged 17 goals and 45 points per year over the previous six campaigns. The 28-year-old just completed the first season of his eight-year extension, which carries an annual cap hit of $8.25 million, and has a full no-movement clause, per CapFriendly.The Coyotes have named St. Louis Blues draft guru Bill Armstrong as the team's new general manager. Steve Sullivan served as the interim GM ever since John Chayka and the club parted ways.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Flyers sign Aube-Kubel to 2-year extension worth $2.15M
The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel to a two-year contract extension worth $2.15 million, the team announced Thursday.Aube-Kubel was scheduled for restricted free agency this offseason.The 24-year-old was drafted by the Flyers in the second round of the 2014 draft. He established a role in Philadelphia's offense this season, recording 15 points in 36 regular-season games before adding three more in 12 playoff contests.The Flyers have a projected $7.8 million in available cap space with Aube-Kumel signed. Defensemen Philippe Myers and Robert Hagg, as well as 2017 second overall pick Nolan Patrick, are also due new contracts as RFAs.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Leafs hire Malhotra as assistant coach
The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired former NHL forward Manny Malhotra as an assistant coach, the team announced Thursday.Malhotra replaces Paul McFarland, who departed Toronto for a head coaching gig with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs.The 40-year-old has been with the Vancouver Canucks organization since 2016 when the team hired him as a development coach. The Canucks promoted him to assistant coach in 2017."I'm very grateful to the Canucks organization for the opportunity given to me to start my coaching career. It was truly a great experience to learn from Travis Green and the rest of his staff," Malhotra said. "I'm now very excited for this opportunity with the Leafs moving forward - to be working with Sheldon, his staff, and this young, talented team."Malhotra, a Mississauga, Ontario, native, played 991 NHL games and totaled 116 goals and 179 assists. The veteran was well-known during his career for his two-way abilities and proficiency at faceoffs.He finished his tenure with a 56.4 winning percentage in the faceoff circle. During the 2019-20 regular season, Vancouver ranked second in the league in faceoffs with a 54% win rate.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
2021 world juniors to be held in Edmonton hub
This year's World Junior Championship will take place in the Edmonton hub without fans, the IIHF announced Thursday.The tournament was originally set to take place in both Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, beginning Dec. 26. It remains unclear if it will begin as scheduled."This is a tough decision to have to take, but ultimately we did not have a choice," IIHF president Rene Fasel said. "The health and safety of players, officials, and fans is our top priority. We were impressed with the presentation from the local organizing committee outlining how a potential 'bubble' scenario would operate within Edmonton, and we are confident that we can follow the NHL's great example in creating a safe environment for teams to compete."Edmonton and Red Deer will also host the 2022 tournament, which was set to take place in Sweden. Instead, Sweden will host the 2024 tournament.The Edmonton bubble was utilized throughout the summer to host NHL teams during the postseason. The hub housed players and staff in three hotels within walking distance of Rogers Place.Since arriving at the hub in late July, the NHL hasn't recorded a positive COVID-19 test despite playing multiple games daily at the arena.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canadiens sign Edmundson to 4-year, $14M contract
The Montreal Canadiens signed recently-acquired blue-liner Joel Edmundson to a four-year contract worth $14 million, the team announced Wednesday.The Habs acquired Edmundson's rights from the Carolina Hurricanes last week in exchange for a fifth-round pick. His new deal features a 10-team no-trade clause, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Edmundson was set to become an unrestricted free agent if a deal with the Canadiens wasn't reached. He signed a one-year, $3.1 million contract with the St. Louis Blues last summer before the reigning champions flipped him to Carolina.The 27-year-old appeared in 68 games for the Hurricanes in 2019-20, recording 20 points, 118 hits, and 91 blocks while logging over 18 minutes per contest.With Edmundson signed, the Canadiens have roughly $9 million in available cap space. Their top in-house priority is a new contract for restricted free agent Max Domi.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Wild trade Staal to Sabres for Johansson
The Minnesota Wild traded veteran center Eric Staal to the Buffalo Sabres for forward Marcus Johansson on Wednesday, the team announced.Each player had a 10-team no-trade list, but Buffalo was not on Staal's and Minnesota was not on Johansson's, sources told Michael Russo of The Athletic.The 35-year-old Staal remained productive in 2019-20, potting 19 goals and 47 points in 66 games. He'll likely be asked to become the No. 2 center behind Jack Eichel in Buffalo. That role was a major hole for the Sabres last year, with the team attempting to use Johansson in that spot despite the fact he is a natural winger.There will be plenty of familiarity for Staal in western New York. He could be reunited on a line with former Carolina Hurricanes teammate Jeff Skinner, who could use a spark after recording just 23 points in the first season of his eight-year, $72-million extension. Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams is also a former teammate of Staal's; the two won a Stanley Cup together with the Canes in 2006.Johansson, 29, tallied nine goals and 30 points in 60 games last season. He spent the first seven seasons of his 10-year career with the Washington Capitals, posting a career-high 58 points in 2016-17. Though he does have the ability to play center, he's had his best seasons playing on the wing. But Minnesota has a logjam of left-handed shooting wingers like Johansson, as well as a need at center.Both players are entering the final year of their respective deals. Staal's contract carries an average annual value of $3.25 million, while Johansson's annual cap hit is $4.5 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Blues hire former Stars coach Montgomery as assistant
The St. Louis Blues hired former Dallas Stars head coach Jim Montgomery as an assistant, the team announced Wednesday.Montgomery signed a two-year deal and will replace Marc Savard on the Blues' bench."My family and I are very grateful to Mr. (Tom) Stillman (owner), Doug (Armstrong, general manager), and Craig (Berube, head coach) for this opportunity to be part of the Blues organization," Montgomery said. "This is an extremely talented group of players and staff and I am looking forward to assisting in any way to help the Blues regain the Stanley Cup."The Stars fired Montgomery earlier this season for unprofessional conduct. The 51-year-old later admitted he checked into rehab for alcohol addiction less than a month after his dismissal.Montgomery coached 113 games with Dallas, leading the club to a 63-40-10 record over parts of two seasons. Prior to securing his first NHL coaching job with the Stars, he led the University of Denver to a national championship.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
DeBoer doesn't regret playing Lehner over Fleury
Vegas Golden Knights head coach Peter DeBoer stands by his decision to play Robin Lehner instead of Marc-Andre Fleury as his team's starting goaltender in the postseason."We made that tough decision and I don't regret that," DeBoer told NHL.com's Danny Webster.Lehner was stellar throughout the playoffs, and also Fleury performed admirably in his limited opportunities.StatLehnerFleuryRec.9-73-1GAA1.992.27SV%.917.910GSAA0.24-0.65"Robin played at an elite level, and Flower played at a very good level," DeBoer said.Lehner wasn't at his best, though, in the five-game series loss in the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. After recording a 24-save shutout in Game 2, Lehner posted an .884 save percentage in Games 3, 4, and 5.DeBoer was criticized by Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, earlier in the postseason for choosing Lehner as the starter. Walsh tweeted out an image that implied DeBoer stabbed Fleury in the back. The netminders said they have a great relationship, though.Lehner is a pending unrestricted free agent and recently denied a report that suggested he and the Golden Knights agreed on a five-year extension, according to Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com. Fleury is signed for two more seasons at an average annual value of $7 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Coyotes to name Blues' Bill Armstrong as team's new GM
It appears the Arizona Coyotes' general manager search has come to an end.St. Louis Blues assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Bill Armstrong is set to be named the team's new general manager, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The Coyotes had reportedly interviewed and spoke to several candidates over the summer - including Pierre McGuire, Sean Burke, and Jason Karmanos - since their previous GM, John Chayka, terminated his contract in July.Armstrong has been with the Blues organization since 2004, earning the assistant GM title in 2018. The 50-year-old previously spent nine seasons playing in the AHL and IHL and has four years of coaching experience in the AHL and ECHL.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Agent: Leafs' Clifford is 'heading for free agency'
Kyle Clifford's time with the Toronto Maple Leafs could be ending after a brief stint."He's heading for free agency," his agent, Todd Reynolds, told The Toronto Sun's Terry Koshan. "The Leafs are aware of that."Toronto's financial situation is forcing the issue, Koshan adds.Reynolds said in March that Clifford has enjoyed his time in Toronto and the winger would be interested in staying with the Leafs.Toronto acquired the bruising forward from the Los Angeles Kings along with goaltender Jack Campbell during the 2019-20 season. The Leafs included a conditional 2021 third-round pick in the deal that would be upgraded to a second-rounder if Clifford re-signed with Toronto.The 29-year-old appeared in 16 regular-season games with the Leafs, registering three points and 43 hits while providing a much-needed physical presence.He's coming off a five-year deal that carried an average annual value of $1.6 million.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL playoff picks: Can lightning strike twice for the Isles?
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.All good things must come to an end. The Tampa Bay Lightning couldn't close it out for us, dropping our Round 3 record to 7-2.But, at least we have more hockey now.Tampa Bay Lightning (-150) @ New York Islanders (+130)Our Lightning bet was hurt by Brayden Point being a surprise scratch for Game 5. The Conn Smythe favorite sat out the contest as the team tries to manage his injury, according to Joe Smith of The Athletic. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said "it's too hard to tell right now" whether Point will be available in Game 6, so it's something to keep an eye on. For my money, though, I expect him to play.Even without Point, Tampa Bay was comfortably in control of Game 5. The Lightning were expected to score 3.34 goals to just 1.88 for the Islanders - a 64% share - and the discrepancy was even bigger in regulation, with the Lightning controlling 68.1% of the expected goal share. Tampa Bay also created 14 high-danger scoring chances to just seven for New York.The Lightning completely suffocated the Isles' offense and generated a total of 7.1 expected goals for during the last two games. The Islanders have managed just 4.1 expected goals in that time. Expect Tampa Bay to play with plenty of urgency with the threat of Game 7 looming. The Lightning will put in a complete performance to halt New York's comeback and punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.Pick: Lightning (-150)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Looking at the Stars' journey to the Stanley Cup Final
After a season full of ups and downs, the Dallas Stars have now found themselves in the Stanley Cup Final. Despite finishing fourth in the Western Conference, many seemed to underestimate the Stars every step of the way since the beginning of the 2019-20 season. Dallas needed many things to go right to get where it is, so let's take a look at how the club turned a season that started 1-7-1 into a potential championship-winning year.Roller coaster regular season Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyThe Stars' season started almost as poorly as possible. They managed just one win in their opening nine games and were outscored 30-17. After the team suffered its eighth loss in nine matchups, goaltender Anton Khudobin put it as bluntly as possible: "What else can you say? We just got another L, f-----g, I don't know," he said, according to Dallas News' Matthew DeFranks. "We just have to keep going and do something."Dallas picked things up and came back to earth after the tumultuous start. The Stars were chugging along nicely, but then things got shaken up when head coach Jim Montgomery was fired in December due to unprofessional conduct. Assistant coach Rick Bowness stepped in to take over bench duties.Under Bowness, the Stars went 20-13-5 - including losing six straight before the season paused on March 12. During Bowness' tenure, Dallas ranked 25th in the league with 69.37 expected goals for at five-on-five and 17th with a 49.34 Corsi For %.Despite not having a fast-paced, high-octane team like some of the other Cup favorites, the Stars still managed to play their way to one of the NHL's best records.No scoring? No problem Joe Puetz / National Hockey League / GettyThe Stars finished the 2019-20 regular season with the third-lowest goals scored in the NHL (178). On the flip side, they allowed the second-lowest goals against (174). While their offense wasn't necessarily clicking at their usual rate, their superb defensive play and goaltending were able to offset that issue.Rookie Denis Gurianov led the team with 20 goals during the season, followed by Jamie Benn and Roope Hintz with 19 apiece. Tyler Seguin was at the top for points with 50 but managed just 17 goals - his lowest since 2012. With $32.6 million tied up between Alexander Radulov, Joe Pavelski, Seguin, and Benn, the Stars surely hoped to get more than 65 goals combined between the four.With such little offensive firepower, Dallas needed to step up big time in its defensive play. Khudobin and Ben Bishop combined to create one of the best goaltending tandems. Khudobin even finished the season with the league's best save percentage among qualified goaltenders. The team in front of them undoubtedly helped out, allowing the fifth-lowest high-danger scoring chances against (404).Taking down a couple of Cup favorites Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyThe Stars didn't look impressive during the 2020 postseason's round-robin. They dropped two out of three games and were outscored 10-5. Dallas looked ready for another early exit from the playoffs after losing two of the first three contests against the Calgary Flames in Round 1. With the team's back against the wall, they flipped a switch and turned on the jets.The Stars went on to win three straight against the Flames, outscoring them 14-8 in the process. Their second-round matchup was against the Colorado Avalanche, who many touted as a heavy Cup favorite. Dallas went up 3-1 in the series but didn't end up securing the win until Game 7's overtime. The Stars ended up getting outscored 29-28 in the series. They're now the first team since 1968 to enter the Stanley Cup Final with a negative goal differential in the playoffs, according to Sportsnet Stats.Dallas faced another tough task in the third round, going up against the mighty Vegas Golden Knights. Despite being outplayed for the majority of the series, the Stars surprisingly took down the Golden Knights in five games. They were outshot in four out of five contests and 166-118 overall, but Khudobin stood tall and helped the Stars advance to their first Cup Final since 2000 thanks to his incredible .950 save percentage in the series.Dallas' special teams showed up against Vegas, clicking at 23.1% on the power play and 86.4% on the penalty kill. These are both up from their regular-season average and were a big part of why the Stars were able to dispose of Vegas so quickly.The 34-year-old Khudobin has played some of the best hockey of his career with Bishop out for most of the postseason. Khudobin has played in 19 games in these playoffs, compiling a 12-6-0 record alongside a .920 save percentage. The netminder has been extremely busy at all strengths as he leads the league this postseason in expected goals against (50.33) and high-danger save percentage (.871).Veteran additions paying off Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyThe Stars made a few minor additions to their lineup for this season, and they've paid off big time. During the offseason, they brought in two veterans with lots of playoff experience in Pavelski and Corey Perry, both playing pivotal roles during the playoffs. They also added blue-liner Andrej Sekera, who has filled in nicely on the team's third defensive pairing.General manager Jim Nill showed a huge vow of confidence in Pavelski by signing the then-35-year-old to a three-year, $21 million deal. Pavelski is tied for the team-lead with nine goals in the playoffs, and he's been one of the club's best players. Perry has contributed just six points, but he's been great in a bottom-six role.(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: Wild have actively shopped Dumba
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has gauged the market for defenseman Mathew Dumba."Guerin has not only gotten a lot of calls on Dumba this offseason, he has even actively shopped him," sources told The Athletic's Michael Russo.The Wild signed defenseman Jonas Brodin to a seven-year, $42 million extension, which includes a no-movement clause, on Tuesday. That makes him, along with fellow blue-liners Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon, automatically protected in next year's expansion draft - and Dumba potentially expendable in a trade.Dumba has three seasons remaining at a $6 million cap hit, and as a 26-year-old right-handed shot, he should have plenty of suitors.The Saskatchewan native was drafted seventh overall by the Wild in 2012. He's suited up in 411 games with the organization and is coming off a season in which he recorded 24 points while averaging over 22 minutes per night and chipped in 98 hits and 88 blocks.Dumba won the King Clancy Trophy earlier in September, an award given annually to the player "who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."He received the honor after co-founding the Hockey Diversity Alliance and giving an impassioned speech addressing racial issues before a playoff game between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks. He then became the first NHL player to kneel during the "Star-Spangled Banner."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Point out for Game 5 vs. Islanders
The Tampa Bay Lightning will attempt to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final without their leading scorer.Lightning forward Brayden Point is unavailable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final versus the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, head coach Jon Cooper announced, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.Point suffered an injury in Game 2, missed Game 3, then returned for Game 4. Holding a 3-1 series lead, Cooper said his team is trying to "manage" the undisclosed ailment.The 24-year-old center has been sensational this postseason, notching 25 points in 16 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Panthers dismiss Mike Kitchen after reported allegation of kicking player
Florida Panthers assistant coach Mike Kitchen won't return to the club next season, the team announced Tuesday.The reason wasn't specified, but TSN's Frank Seravalli reports the veteran coach's dismissal comes after he allegedly kicked a Panthers player on the bench during a game this season.The alleged incident occurred in the third period of Florida’s win in Minnesota in January after an unidentified player threw a water bottle on the bench, soaking Kitchen, according to Seravalli's sources."This certainly wasn’t a friendly tap of encouragement," the source said. "There’s no place for anything like that in the game."Former Panthers general manager Dale Tallon and head coach Joel Quenneville were notified of the incident after the game, but no disciplinary action took place.Kitchen remained behind the bench for the season's duration leading up to the pause but opted out of traveling to the bubble with the Panthers for their qualifying-round series versus the New York Islanders.Earlier in September, the NHL and NHLPA announced it will launch a hotline, run by a third party, to allow those working in the game to report "unethical behavior and misconduct."The idea was first proposed in December after a series of incidents involving coaches surfaced, including former Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan saying then-head coach Bill Peters - who was dismissed by the Calgary Flames earlier this season for past racial and physical abuse of players - kicked him in the back during a game when they were together in Carolina.Along with Kitchen's dismissal, newly-minted Panthers GM Bill Zito announced Rick Dudley and Paul Fenton joined the club as senior advisors, while Gregory Campbell, Blake Geoffrion, and P.J. Fenton were also added to the front office.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Wild sign Brodin to 7-year, $42M contract
The Minnesota Wild signed defenseman Jonas Brodin to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.The 27-year-old set a career high in points after tallying two goals and 26 assists during the 2019-20 season. He led the Wild in blocked shots (112) while averaging 21:33 minutes of ice time per game.Brodin has been with the Wild since being selected 10th overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. He's racked up 30 goals, 116 assists, and 890 blocked shots in 555 career games.Brodin's extension will begin in 2021-22 and run through 2027-28. The Wild will now have $27.1 million tied up to their current top four defensemen - Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba, and Brodin - as of 2021.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Capitals GM: I 'assume' Holtby will go to free agency
It's looking more and more likely that the Washington Capitals will have a new starting goaltender for the 2020-21 season."I would assume (Braden Holtby) goes to free agency and we will keep in contact with him throughout the free-agency period to see if he is getting what he wants," Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Tuesday, according to The Washington Post's Samantha Pell.MacLellan added that the goalie market "is probably a little unusually deep this year," according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.The 30-year-old - who's coming off a five-year, $30.5-million deal that he signed in 2015 - has been Washington's starting goaltender since the 2012-13 season. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and helped backstop the Capitals to a Stanley Cup victory in 2018.Holtby struggled for the majority of the 2019-20 campaign while splitting starts with Ilya Samsonov. The Canadian posted a career-worst .897 save percentage but still managed to go 25-14-6. Meanwhile, Samsonov, 23, emerged as a legitimate No. 1 goalie after posting a .913 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average in 26 games during his rookie season.The free-agent goalie market is expected to be filled with talent this offseason. Robin Lehner, Jacob Markstrom, Anton Khudobin, Cam Talbot, Corey Crawford, Thomas Greiss, and Holtby are all expected to be available.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL playoff picks: Back the Bolts to seal Stanley Cup Final berth
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The Dallas Stars are the gift that keeps on giving. Oddsmakers hung another terrible price and we pounced again, taking our Round 3 record to a tidy 7-1.Like the Stars, let's finish strong.New York Islanders (+160) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (-180)There is a lot about this Islanders team that makes them easy to like. They're fiery and resilient, and they play a smart brand of hockey while leaving it all out on the ice on a nightly basis. But they're also tired.New York has been playing intense playoff hockey since Aug. 1. While the team battled the Florida Panthers in the play-ins, the Lightning were coasting through the round-robin games. When the Islanders were exhausting their way through a seven-game series against the Philadelphia Flyers - including three overtime contests - Tampa Bay was recharging following a quick and straightforward series win over the Boston Bruins.The Islanders have played a lot of hard minutes in these playoffs - Barry Trotz's system demands a lot from his players, and it's not uncommon for the wear and tear to catch up to them. And the fact of the matter is, you need a full tank to beat the Lightning.New York is wearing down and Tampa Bay simply has too much firepower to overcome at less than full strength. There are no shifts off against the Bolts. They're four lines, three pairings, and a Vezina goalie deep. They come at you hard, and they come at you often.To make matters worse for the Islanders, Casey Cizikas has officially been ruled out for the remainder of the series. Cizikas is a heart-and-soul guy and an integral part of New York's outstanding energy line. He's a key cog on the penalty kill, a spark plug, and someone who does all the little things.It's been a great playoff run for the Islanders, and while it will offer little consolation right now, they're going to be very good again next season. But the Lightning have been the better team in this series, they're the most complete team in the NHL, and they will secure a deserved place in the Stanley Cup Final.Pick: Lightning to win in regulation (-105)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Capitals hire Peter Laviolette as head coach
The Washington Capitals hired Peter Laviolette to be the franchise's 19th head coach, the team announced Tuesday.Laviolette's deal is for three years, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.He'll replace Todd Reirden, who was recently fired after two years as head coach. The Capitals found success during the regular season but failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs in both years under Reirden.The Nashville Predators fired Laviolette in January during his sixth season with the club, which he led to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.Laviolette has also had coaching stints with the Philadelphia Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders. He won the Cup with Carolina in 2006 and is one of only four coaches in NHL history to lead three different teams to the Stanley Cup Final.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Stars advance to Stanley Cup Final with OT win over Golden Knights
The Dallas Stars finished off the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Monday night to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 2000.Stars forward Denis Gurianov scored on the power play in overtime to seal the 3-2 comeback victory. The opportunity came after Golden Knights blue-liner Zach Whitecloud took a delay of game penalty when he shot the puck over the glass in the defensive zone.Vegas held a 2-0 lead early in the third period before Stars captain Jamie Benn cut the advantage in half. Round 2 hero Joel Kiviranta netted the equalizer in the dying minutes of the final frame to send the game to overtime.Dallas netminder Anton Khudobin made 34 stops on the night, strengthening his case to be a Conn Smythe candidate at 34 years old.The Stars will participate in their third Stanley Cup Final in franchise history. They defeated the Buffalo Sabres in 1999, then fell to the New Jersey Devils one year later.Dallas awaits the winner of the Tampa Bay Lightning-New York Islanders series, which Tampa currently leads 3-1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL records 8th straight week of no positive COVID-19 tests
With the conference finals in full swing, the NHL bubble continues to work.From Sept. 6-12, the NHL administered 1,357 tests and recorded zero positive results for COVID-19, the league announced Monday. This marks the eighth straight week that the league has recorded no positives for the coronavirus.The streak dates back to the week before players departed for the bubbles and includes six weeks of postseason action thus far.Players and staff from the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders recently departed the bubble in Toronto at the conclusion of Round 2. They are now in the bubble in Edmonton.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Flames remove interim tag, name Geoff Ward head coach
The Calgary Flames removed the interim tag Monday and named Geoff Ward the 20th head coach in franchise history. The new deal is for two years, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Named interim coach in November after previous bench boss Bill Peters stepped down, Ward guided the Flames to a 25-15-3 record over the remainder of the regular season. He also helped secure the team's spot in the postseason after eliminating the Winnipeg Jets in the qualifying round.With just under a full season at the helm, Ward now hopes to spend this offseason improving his squad based on feedback from his players."One of my first jobs is going to be to talk to all the players," Ward said. "I really want to dig in with them, really get their feedback on how they felt during the season, and through the playoffs, areas where they think we're good, areas where they feel we can continue to get better."We want to talk about their roles, how they can continue to expand. I want some feedback from them on what they felt we can do better as a coaching staff in order to help them continue along the path we've started."Ward first became an assistant coach in the NHL in 2007 with the Boston Bruins. He had a stint in the same role with the New Jersey Devils before landing in Calgary as an associate coach in 2018.During his time behind the bench this season with Calgary, the Flames ranked fourth in the Western Conference in points percentage and eighth in the league. During that span, the Flames' power-play percentage of 25.7 also ranked second in the league.Ward said he's using his team's first round elimination as an opportunity to watch the playoffs and learn from the remaining teams."I'm always thinking about moving ahead," Ward said. "So I've been spending an awful lot of time just watching the playoffs, taking what I feel we can use from the games that are being played, and how we can apply it with our team, and, you know, putting a plan together for some ideas to be brought up with Tre (general manager Brad Treliving) and the management team as to where do we move ahead from here with our team in order to make it better and take that next step."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL playoff picks: Stars to punch their ticket to the final
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Back-to-back sweeps - the latest courtesy of the Stars and Lightning - push us to 6-1 in Round 2.We haven't lost since Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals and don't plan to start again anytime soon.Dallas Stars (+155) @ Vegas Golden Knights (-175)I'm truly amazed at how generous sportsbooks still are during these playoffs. We've been taking advantage of the consistently terrible prices being hung on the Stars, dating back to the start of the postseason.We were all in on Dallas at -118 to beat the Flames in Round 1, doubled down against the Avalanche at +1.5 games (-102) and to win Round 2 outright (+225), took them at +150 in Game 1 of this current series and +140 in Game 4, and sided with the club in several other games throughout the first two rounds. We've lost a couple of times with the Stars as well, but when you're consistently getting around +150 on the moneyline, there's hardly a dent.How in the world are we still getting such a generous price with Dallas on a nightly basis? This team has stuck to their game throughout the playoffs and have executed it flawlessly. They're generating consistent offense and capitalizing on their chances - an important quality for a Stanley Cup winner - while continuing to limit quality offense against at five-on-five.Add in some fine goaltending - Anton Khudobin is playing his best hockey of the playoffs in this series - and a Knights team needing a lot of chances to score, and it's just a bad matchup for Vegas, who remain massive favorites in every game. Regardless of what happens tonight, anyone not backing the Stars at +155 is betting the wrong way.Pick: Stars (+155)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Pietrangelo: Lack of deal with Blues 'a little disappointing'
Pending unrestricted free agent Alex Pietrangelo is starting to feel the pressure when it comes to which team he'll play for next season."It's been a little disappointing that (the St. Louis Blues and I) haven't been able to get a deal done, obviously," Pietrangelo said, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "But this is the situation that we're in, we're over three weeks away from Oct. 9 (the beginning of free agency). ... There hasn't been much in terms of progress."The 30-year-old signed a seven-year deal with the Blues in 2013 and has spent his entire career with the club that drafted him fourth overall in 2008. He's served as St. Louis' captain for four seasons.Pietrangelo will be one of the biggest names in free agency if he hits the open market. He expressed his desire to stay in St. Louis but understands it may be difficult for the team to make room for him with just over $5 million in cap space this season."Yeah, I mean, there's players who have been in one spot their whole career but they change cities," Pietrangelo said. "I've been in the business a long time. I've been around. I've seen a lot of different things. I think you have to be willing to accept the fact that there may be a change one day. Whether it happens or not, it certainly changes your mindset and makes things a little easier if you ever get to that point."He added: "My wife's family is here. We're really close to her family and my family is close with her family. But again, by the same token, it's a short period of time of your life in terms of trying to play the game. You just want to make the right choice for your family and do what's right."Pietrangelo put up 16 goals and 52 points in 70 games during the 2019-20 regular season after helping lead the Blues to a Stanley Cup victory last year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Lightning within 1 win of Cup Final after Game 4 victory over Islanders
Brayden Point provided the dagger in his return to the lineup as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 4-1 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final to take a 3-1 series lead Sunday.Lightning forward Blake Coleman tied the game 15 seconds after Brock Nelson opened the scoring for the Islanders midway through the second period, and it was all Tampa Bay after Coleman's marker.Ondrej Palat tallied 12 seconds later, Point gave the Lightning an insurance goal early in the third period, and Pat Maroon added a late empty-netter to seal the victory.Tampa Bay controlled a larger share of expected goals but the Islanders held an edge in scoring chances and shot attempts.CategoryIslandersLightningxGF%43.656.4SCF%55.3244.68Corsi For %52.8147.29(Courtesy: Natural Stat Trick, all stats at five-on-five)Point added an assist in the contest while Nikita Kucherov also collected a pair of helpers, as the two teammates continue to lead all skaters still competing with 25 points apiece in the postseason. However, Point has buried three more goals than his linemate, and he's done it while playing one fewer game.The Lightning are looking to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2015 when the Chicago Blackhawks beat them in six games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Giordano wins Mark Messier Leadership Award
Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano has won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award for the 2019-20 season, the league announced Sunday.The honor is handed out annually to the player who "exemplifies great leadership qualities on and off the ice and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey."
Point returns for Game 4 vs. Islanders
Tampa Bay Lightning star Brayden Point returned to the lineup for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final versus the New York Islanders after a one-game absence.Point was injured during the second period of Game 2 and didn't return to the contest. He was sidelined for Game 3, which Alex Killorn also missed due to a one-game suspension. Captain Steven Stamkos remains out, too.The Islanders won Game 3 to go down 2-1 in the series.Point is in the Conn Smythe conversation, as he leads the Lightning with 23 points in 15 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Canadiens owner Geoff Molson helps save pilot of crashed plane
Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson helped rescue the pilot of an amphibious plane that crashed into a lake in Quebec on Saturday, a club spokesperson confirmed to Marian Scott of the Montreal Gazette.Molson was in his boat on Lake Massawippi when a small aircraft crashed into the water. He helped the pilot out of the water and into his boat before taking him to paramedics who were on the scene.The pilot suffered minor injuries.Molson, along with his brothers, assumed ownership of the Canadiens in 2009.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Stars' Nill suggests Bowness will return as head coach next season
Dallas Stars interim head coach Rick Bowness is on the verge of being rewarded for his success.The team's permanent head coaching job is there for the taking if Bowness wants it, general manager Jim Nill said Saturday."He's earned it," Nill told Sporstnet's Elliotte Friedman. "And I hope that down the road he wants to be the head coach."Bowness took over for Jim Montgomery on an interim basis in December and has held the title ever since. Nill had previously stated they wouldn't discuss Bowness' future with the team until the offseason.However, Bowness' success makes the promotion an easy decision. The veteran coach led the team to a 20-13-5 record during the regular season. Including the round robin, the Stars have gone 11-8 in the postseason entering Saturday's Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.If Bowness indeed takes the promotion, it'll be his first permanent head coaching job in the NHL since he was with the New York Islanders in 1997-98.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Islanders' Lamoriello wins GM of the Year Award
New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is the recipient of the 2019-20 Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award, the league announced Saturday.Lamoriello beat out Tampa Bay Lightning's Julien BriseBois and Dallas Stars' Jim Nill.The award is voted on by a 41-member panel that includes all 31 GMs, five other NHL executives, and five media members. Here are the results:
Hurricanes flip Edmundson's rights to Canadiens for 5th-rounder
The Carolina Hurricanes traded defenseman Joel Edmundson to the Montreal Canadiens for a 2020 fifth-round pick, the team announced Saturday.Edmundson is a pending unrestricted free agent, so the Habs will need to re-sign him before Oct. 9 or else he'll hit the open market.The 27-year-old brings an element of size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and physicality (his 118 hits led all Hurricanes blue-liners in 2019-20). He also registered a career-high 20 points in 68 games this past season.This marks the second time Edmundson has been traded in less than a calendar year. Last September he was dealt by the St. Louis Blues to Carolina along with prospect Dominik Bokk in exchange for Justin Faulk.Edmundson won a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019, racking up seven points in 22 playoff games along the way.The Hurricanes already have six defensemen signed for next season. Edmundson was one of three pending UFA rearguards along with Trevor van Riemsdyk and Sami Vatanen. They also have a pending RFA in Haydn Fleury, so Edmunson likely wasn't in Carolina's future plans.Edmundson will join a blue line in Montreal that will likely feature Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Ben Chiarot, Brett Kulak, Victor Mete, and rookie Alexander Romanov next season.The Canadiens have nearly $13 million in projected cap space, per CapFriendly. Even with Mete and Max Domi's projected raises, Montreal shouldn't have any issues signing Edmundson.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL playoff picks: Stars, Lightning to take commanding series leads
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.We swept our Game 3 picks to move to 4-1 in the conference finals, and we'd like another sweep over the weekend.Let's get after it.Vegas Golden Knights (-160) @ Dallas Stars (+140)Timely scoring is massive in the playoffs and the Stars have excelled in that area throughout the postseason. They've converted their chances at a high clip, with their top forward lines producing on a consistent basis. But it's the excellent play of Dallas' blue-liners that has really helped drive offense, simultaneously limiting the quality of offense the Golden Knights have managed to generate.Vegas may have dominated the shot count in Game 3, but the Stars were able to match their opponents in terms of offensive quality. The Golden Knights held only slight edges in expected goals for and high-danger chances, once again failing to capitalize on those advantages. Stars goaltender Anton Khudobin was excellent, but Vegas' inability to finish has plagued the team throughout the playoffs. With Khudobin in a groove and the Stars finding remarkable consistency on offense, Dallas is too attractive to pass up at this price.Pick: Stars (+140)Tampa Bay Lightning (-145) @ New York Islanders (+125)As is to be expected at this stage of the playoffs, nothing is coming easy for the Islanders. In their best game of the series Friday - which we predicted - they still needed a late goal to put the Lightning away and halve the series deficit. They also managed to stay out of the box, keeping Tampa's scorching hot power play at bay.But this Lightning team has heaps of firepower, and the Islanders will find it extremely difficult to maintain that same intensity and consistency through another 60 minutes. The Lightning still held the edge in high-danger chances and expected goals at five-on-five in Game 3, with an off night from Andrei Vasilevskiy undoing another typically strong effort from the team in front of him. With a bounce-back performance from the Vezina Trophy finalist, the Lightning should move to within one win of the Stanley Cup Final.Pick: Lightning (-145)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Sergachev: There's mutual hatred between Lightning, Islanders
It was abundantly clear before the end of Friday's Game 3 that the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders aren't overly fond of one another. Bolts D-man Mikhail Sergachev confirmed that assumption.The blue-liner was asked postgame whether he thought a rivalry was brewing between the two clubs."I don't know if it's a rivalry, but they don't like us and we don't like them," he told NHL.com's Bryan Burns.The tilt, in which the Islanders prevailed 5-3 to cut Tampa's series lead to 2-1, was filled with physicality, chippiness, and hatred. Things got particularly heated toward the end of the game, as the two teams engaged in a little brouhaha after Jean-Gabriel Pageau's empty-netter.
Penguins trade Bjugstad to Wild for conditional draft pick
The Pittsburgh Penguins traded forward Nick Bjugstad to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2021, the team announced Friday.The Pens are retaining 50% of Bjugstad's $4.1-million cap hit, which is set to expire after the 2020-21 season, reports Sarah McLellan of The Star Tribune. Pittsburgh will receive a 2021 seventh-rounder if Bjugstad plays in 70 games or tallies 35 points.Bjugstad was limited to 13 games due to injury during the 2019-20 campaign and tallied just two points. He recently underwent back surgery but is expected to be ready for next season, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.The 28-year-old averaged 16 goals, 34 points, and 69 games per season from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Bjugstad is capable of playing both center and wing and brings considerable size at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. He's also a right-handed shot, which the Wild have very few of up front.Bjugstad was included in the February 2019 trade that sent him and Jared McCann from the Florida Panthers to Pittsburgh in exchange for Derick Brassard, Riley Sheahan, a 2019 second-round pick, and two 2019 fourth-round picks.This trade represents a homecoming for Bjugstad. Not only is he from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but he also played his college hockey with the Golden Gophers.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
MacKinnon edges out Matthews, O'Reilly for Lady Byng Trophy
Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is the 2019-20 winner of the Lady Byng Trophy, the league announced.The award is "given annually to the NHL player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and ability." It's voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews and St. Louis Blues center Ryan O'Reilly were the other finalists.The 25-year-old is the third Avalanche player in franchise history to take home the award, joining Joe Sakic and O'Reilly.MacKinnon finished the season fifth in league scoring with 95 points, and collected just 12 penalty minutes. He is the third player in the last 20 years to register over 90 points with 12 or fewer penalty minutes, joining Aleksander Barkov and Martin St. Louis.The Nova Scotia native is also a finalist for this season's Hart Trophy.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Lightning's Point out for Game 3
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point is not in the lineup for Game 3 against the New York Islanders on Friday, the team announced.Point was hurt during the second period of Game 2 and wasn't able to finish the contest.Tampa Bay leads the series 2-0, but will be without three of its top-six forwards on Friday. Alex Killorn will miss the game due to a suspension he received for a boarding hit in Game 2, while Steven Stamkos remains out and hasn't played yet this postseason.Point leads Tampa Bay with 23 points over 15 playoff games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Kings sign Walker to 4-year, $10.6M contract
The Los Angeles Kings signed restricted free-agent defenseman Sean Walker to a four-year contract carrying an average annual value of $2.65 million, the team announced Friday.Walker finished second among Kings blue-liners with 24 points in 70 games last season, trailing only Drew Doughty. The 25-year-old averaged 18:50 per game in his first full NHL campaign.Among defensemen who played at least 500 minutes at five-on-five during the regular season, Walker's 55% Corsi For percentage ranked 13th in the league, according to Natural Stat Trick.Los Angeles signed the Keswick, Ontario native as an undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green in 2018 - the same university Kings GM Rob Blake attended.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Pending UFA Toffoli: Staying with Canucks is 'priority No. 1'
Pending unrestricted free-agent forward Tyler Toffoli hopes he can stick with the up-and-coming Vancouver Canucks on a new contract."I want to talk to (general manager) Jim (Benning) and see where he's at and where the team's at because that's priority No. 1 right now. ... I want to stay in Vancouver," Toffoli said Friday, according to Sportsnet's Brendan Batchelor.The Canucks acquired Toffoli from the Los Angeles Kings prior to February's trade deadline. The 28-year-old winger was an immediate fit in Vancouver's top six, notching 10 points in 10 games prior to the pause and adding four points in seven postseason contests.Toffoli has carried a $4.6-million cap hit for each of the past three seasons. The Canucks are projected to have about $14.3 million in available money this offseason, according to CapFriendly, but the team has plenty of key free agents in addition to Toffoli; goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defenseman Chris Tanev are both set to become UFAs, and forward Jake Virtanen will be a restricted free agent.Vancouver knocked off the Minnesota Wild in the qualifying round of the postseason to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The Canucks then ousted the defending champion St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference quarterfinals before falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in Round 2.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
What Brayden Point's ascent to stardom has meant to the juggernaut Lightning
During the first postseason that Brayden Point carried the Moose Jaw Warriors to great heights, the metaphor became slightly too real for team executive Alan Millar's liking.The problem, in effect, was a veteran teammate’s haste to return the favor. Point had just turned 16 when, in the spring of 2012, the Warriors summoned him from the midget ranks for the duration of their Western Hockey League playoff run. Seldom does a young call-up make an immediate impact against players as old as 20.However, the magic act Point conjured is still in a class of its own. He scored in overtime to win Game 4 of the first round - and again in Game 4 of Round 2 to seal a sweep.Millar, the Warriors' director of hockey operations that season, recalls the passing alarm he felt in a low-ceilinged away dressing room when Dylan McIlrath raised Point onto his shoulders to celebrate that second OT goal: "I thought for sure he was going to pummel his head off the roof." McIlrath was a 6-foot-5 future NHL defenseman in a Moose Jaw lineup replete with bruisers. Counterintuitively, Point was the guy who played hero, an astounding debut for a center who'd been drafted to junior weighing all of 130 pounds. Chase Agnello-Dean / NHL / Getty Images"Size was always a topic of conversation. It certainly was a huge topic of conversation heading into his NHL draft year. That's why he ended up going late in the third round," Millar said about Point in a recent interview."I think that was a driving force for him. I think he's always had a little bit of a burr in his saddle about people questioning him. He continues to prove people wrong."With Point in the fold, the Tampa Bay Lightning are a five-star team, and his ascent to stardom at the NHL level was the least expected of all. From the No. 79 draft slot in 2014, Point has bucked external doubts about his skating and his build - he's now listed at 5-foot-10, 166 pounds - to make himself indispensable to a juggernaut. Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy were supposed to be as great as they are. With Point and Nikita Kucherov, the No. 58 pick in 2011, Tampa Bay, well, bottled lightning.Never has that been more evident than in these playoffs. Stamkos, injured in the lead-up to the restart, hasn't played in the bubble and won't appear in the Eastern Conference Final. His is an absence that would rattle or doom most any other team, but Tampa hasn't wavered. The Lightning are 12-3 overall, have outscored opponents on average by more than a goal per game, and are two wins away from getting to the Stanley Cup Final - though they may have to pursue those next wins without Point, who was hurt in Game 2 against the New York Islanders. (Head coach Jon Cooper had no update on his status ahead of Game 3 on Friday.) Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesWednesday's 2-1 victory was the Lightning's 48th in the playoffs under Cooper, the most in the NHL since 2013-14 - his first season in charge. His tenure has produced a trip to the 2015 final, where the once-dynastic Chicago Blackhawks topped Tampa in six games, and a pair of Game 7 defeats a round earlier. Up until he exited Game 2, being able to count on Point looked like a potential salve, the kind of move that could yet enable a stacked core to finally deliver a championship.Point's 23 points in 15 playoff games slot him second in the NHL behind Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon. His 19 points at even strength are three clear of MacKinnon and Kucherov for the league lead. His Corsi For (61.1%) and expected goals (64.8%) percentages rank top-10 among forwards who've played at least 150 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick, and no player has matched his two OT winners."His emergence allows you to do so much more with your lineup," Cooper said in a recent media availability. "Having top-tier centermen who can score and check is a pretty good luxury to have."Ever-dependable as Tampa exacted vengeance against the Columbus Blue Jackets and toppled the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins, Point had recorded points in six straight games, and in 12 of 13 overall, entering the Islanders series. That was prologue to his magisterial five-point effort in Game 1, when the range of his offensive abilities - the footwork, the stickhandling, the sense to get open in scoring position or to find a teammate who is - helped the Lightning lay waste to New York's normally sturdy defensive structure.Consider his opening goal 74 seconds in, when a nasty stutter-step let him loop around Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock and bear in alone on goalie Thomas Greiss. Consider his second goal, when he spearheaded a power-play zone entry, snuck backdoor to the crease, called for the puck once he established inside position, and tapped in Hedman's attentive shot-pass.
Sakic: Avalanche intend to keep Grubauer, Francouz in goal next season
Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic is comfortable sticking with the incumbent goaltending duo of Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz next season, according to Mike Chambers of The Denver Post."They both had good years. Unfortunately, they both got injured at the wrong time," Sakic said. "But neither of those injuries you have to worry about. Train hard in the summer and make sure it doesn't happen again. You can't predict injuries, but no, they both had good stretches and we expect that next year."Both Grubauer and Francouz suffered injuries during Colorado's playoff run this summer, and their ailments played large roles in derailing the club's Stanley Cup aspirations. The Avalanche were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of their second-round series with third-string netminder Michael Hutchinson carrying the load in goal.Grubauer was also injured for part of the regular season, giving Francouz a more prominent role than anticipated. Here's a look at their 2019-20 regular-season stats:GoalieRecordSV%GSAAGrubauer18-12-4.9166.48Francouz21-7-4.92313.06Grubauer, 28, is under contract for one more season at a cap hit of $3.33 million, while the 30-year-old Francouz is set to earn $2 million annually until 2022.Though the Avalanche have a reliable and cost-efficient tandem between the pipes, this offseason will feature one of the deepest free-agent goaltender pools in recent memory, and Colorado has a whopping $22 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly. Sakic and Co. could theoretically go shopping for a new goalie to strengthen the club's roster even further, but the front office currently seems satisfied with the status quo.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Report: NHL helps Senators coaches recoup pay after team's major cuts
The NHL had to get involved to ensure the Ottawa Senators paid their coaching staff after the club significantly slashed salaries across the organization.The Senators enacted a pay cut of 50% for all club staff, reports TSN's Frank Seravalli.In response to that decision, Ottawa's coaches appealed to the league for relief, and "with the NHL’s involvement, Senators coaches were recently reinstated to full pay retroactive to July 13," according to Seravalli.At least 17 NHL teams have reportedly cut hockey operations staff members' pay amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Senators' 50% reduction is the largest in the league, and it's twice the size of the next-closest team that initiated a similar all-staff salary decrease (the Pittsburgh Penguins, although their 25% hit will extend through Nov. 30).The Dallas Stars trimmed pay by 30% in June and 20% before that month, but reinstated those salaries to the full amounts dating back to July 13, the day NHL training camps opened before the league resumed play.The Toronto Maple Leafs are the only Canadian team that hasn't issued a staff pay cut, according to Seravalli.The pandemic's effect on league and team finances has been well documented. The NHL temporarily cut employee salaries by 25% following the outbreak in March, and numerous teams subsequently slashed the pay of arena workers and front-office staff.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Flyers' Couturier wins Selke Trophy
Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier is the 2019-20 recipient of the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the NHL announced Thursday.Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins and Ryan O'Reilly of the St. Louis Blues were the other finalists.The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes on the annual honor at the end of the regular season. The award is bestowed upon "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game."Couturier claimed the honor for the first time after finishing second to Anze Kopitar in 2017-18. He led the NHL in faceoff win percentage and ranked second in defensive zone faceoff win percentage while leading Flyers forwards in average ice time and shorthanded ice time. He also led all Philadelphia skaters in shot attempt percentage.The 27-year-old also notched 59 points in 69 regular-season games.Bergeron was seeking to claim the Selke Trophy for the fifth time, which would have given him sole possession of the most ever. He's tied with the legendary Bob Gainey at four. Bergeron is a nine-time finalist.O'Reilly won the award last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Lightning's Killorn suspended 1 game for boarding Isles' Nelson
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Alex Killorn is suspended one contest for his hit on New York Islanders center Brock Nelson in Game 2, the Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.
Daly: NHL remains 'intent' on 82-game regular season
While a start date for the 2020-21 NHL season remains up in the air, deputy commissioner Bill Daly revealed the league continues to aim for a typical 82-game regular season."I think there are always ways to play. I think what you choose to do in terms of playing is really the more complicated question," Daly said, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun and Scott Burnside. "How do you put on a season? We remain certainly intent on trying to have an 82-game regular season. Whether that's possible or not is yet to be seen."He continued, "I think we'd be foolish not to take advantage of the lead time we have to make the best decisions we can make. ... I do believe we're going to have a season, I just can't tell you what it looks like right now."The NHL season typically begins in early October, but the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the offseason by months. The draft and free agency are now set for the beginning of October.When operations were paused March 12, the league worked tirelessly to formulate a plan to complete the season. The bubbles were eventually created, and games have been played for over a month with nearly zero issues.Daly believes hosting games during the summer has worked and said the NHL may do it again next year if that's what it takes to complete a full season."Yes, that's a possibility," Daly added. "If anything was proven this summer, it's that having three games a day in these facilities in the heart of August wasn't problematic. A lot of people thought we'd be playing on wet surfaces, but that didn't transpire. The ice held up, the ice quality is generally good. So, playing in the summer is not a problem for us."Daly admitted that while the bubble system has worked for the postseason, it's not plausible to force teams into bubbles for an entire regular season.While it was initially believed the NHL would resume play for the 2020-21 season around Dec. 1, Daly confirmed it may end up being a bit later."What I'd say to that is that it really almost entirely depends on what it is we decide to do, and how we're going to approach it," he said. "If I had to handicap it today, it's probably less likely than more that we would start on Dec. 1. But that's not set in stone by any means."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Borowiecki's agent: D-man 'highly likely' to test free agency
Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki may find himself in a different jersey during the 2020-21 season for the first time in his career."As of right now, we feel it’s highly likely that we’ll be testing the waters of free agency for the first time in Mark’s career," his agent, Steve Bartlett, said, according to The Athletic's Hailey Salvian."I feel there’s a lot to Mark that makes sense for a number of teams."Bartlett went on to confirm that it isn't a matter of the Senators undervaluing Borowiecki's place with the team, but rather that it's just about his client exploring what free agency has to offer.The 31-year-old has quickly turned into a fan favorite in Ottawa since the Senators drafted him in 2008. He posted a career-high seven goals and 18 points in just 53 games during the 2019-20 season.Back in February, general manager Pierre Dorion claimed that he hoped that he could make Borowiecki a Senator for life, according to TSN 1200.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL playoff picks: Knights, Stars set for chess battle; Isles to respond
Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.We split Game 2 of the conference finals, losing with the Stars while easily cashing the under in the Lightning's 2-1 win over the Islanders.Let's push for the 2-0 in a pair of pivotal Game 3s.Vegas Golden Knights (-165) @ Dallas Stars (+145)Until the narrative surrounding this Golden Knights team changes, we're well-positioned to take advantage. Vegas is still viewed as an end-to-end, high-scoring, fun hockey team that produces a ton of goals at both ends. That couldn't be farther from the truth. This is a very good team, not a fun one.
Killorn to have hearing for hit on Nelson
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn will have a hearing Thursday for boarding New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson in Game 2 on Wednesday, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.Killorn was assessed a five-minute major penalty and was ejected from the game for the dangerous hit.Here's a look at the play:
Report: Capitals interview Babcock, Gallant for head coaching vacancy
The Washington Capitals' search for a new head coach seems to be picking up speed, with a number of seasoned veterans vying for the role.After reportedly interviewing Peter Laviolette in August, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan has also interviewed both Gerard Gallant and Mike Babcock, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Wednesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""Sources confirm (MacLellan) has interviewed Gerard Gallant, he has interviewed Peter Laviolette, and yes - he has interviewed Mike Babcock," LeBrun said. "And I think he wants to hire one of those three experienced coaches, I think within the next couple weeks."The Capitals parted ways with Todd Reirden shortly after they were eliminated from the postseason. Reirden served as Washington's head coach for two seasons after the departure of Barry Trotz and has since been hired as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Babcock had been a head coach in the NHL since the 2002-03 season before the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him early in the 2019-20 campaign. He made the playoffs 14 times in that span, winning the Stanley Cup once with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.Gallant is the least experienced of the three reported candidates, having only been an NHL head coach for nine seasons. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2018 after helping lead the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.Laviolette has coached over 1,200 games in the NHL, most recently with the Nashville Predators. He led the Predators to the playoffs in all five of his full seasons with the team, including a trip to the finals in 2017. Nashville fired him in January.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
NHL podcast: Nathan Gerbe on bubble life, mental toughness, Zdeno Chara
Welcome to Puck Pursuit, an interview-style podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.Puck Pursuit · Blue Jackets forward Nathan GerbeNathan Gerbe, Columbus Blue Jackets forward and a veteran of 400 NHL games, joins the show to discuss a variety of topics, including:
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