The New York Islanders' future facility now has a name.The Belmont Park building will be called UBS Arena, as the Swiss-based investment bank and financial services company secured an exclusive 20-year naming rights agreement.Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke told Newsday's Jim Baumbach and Candice Ferrette that UBS intended to "send a strong message about their commitment to the future of this city, the metropolitan area, and the economy" in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.OVG is helping oversee the site's development in addition to guiding the renovation of Climate Pledge Arena - formerly KeyArena - the home of Seattle's NHL expansion franchise. UBS' American headquarters are located in New York City.Construction at the Belmont Park site resumed in May after the $1.5-billion project was paused in late March due to the pandemic.The team broke ground last September, targeting the start of the 2021-22 season for its official opening.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price knows he's going to have his hands full when the Montreal Canadiens take on the Penguins in the qualifying round, and joked about what his team will need to do to stop some of Pittsburgh's biggest stars."We can ask them nicely to stay at the hotel for the games," Price said on how to shut down Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and the Penguins' lethal power play, per TSN. "Or we can work as a group and take their time and space away."The Penguins' power play wasn't as good this season as it's been in years past. While it only clicked at a 19.9% rate - which was good for 16th in the league - the unit did have to deal with injuries throughout the campaign.Over the past three years, Pittsburgh's power play ranks third in the league with a 23.8% success rate. With the team fully rested and ready to go, Montreal may have its hands full while on the penalty kill.Price acknowledged that the Canadiens are clearly the underdogs in the series, but he still believes they have a chance to win."At the end of the day we're going to win and lose as a team, it's always been like that," Price said. "I can sway the odds obviously with outstanding play but at the end of the day we're all going to need to play over our heads to win."The Canadiens will take on the Penguins in the best-of-five qualifying play-in round on Aug. 1. Montreal finished the season with the 24th-best record in the league while the Penguins finished seventh.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite having the seventh-best record in the entire league, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a series against the 24th overall Montreal Canadiens with a playoff berth at stake.All signs point to the Penguins having the edge, but absolutely anything can happen in hockey, especially in a best-of-five series. Let's take a look at the upcoming matchup between these two teams.ScheduleGameDateTime (ET)1Sat. Aug. 18 p.m.2Mon. Aug. 38 p.m.3Wed. Aug. 58 p.m.4*Fri. Aug. 7TBD5*Sat. Aug. 8TBD*If necessaryTale of the tapeCanadiensStatPenguins31-31-9Record40-23-62.93 (19th)Goals per game3.20 (10th)3.10 (T-19th)Goals against2.84 (T-11th)17.7 (22nd)Power play %19.9 (16th)78.7 (19th)Penalty kill %82.1 (10th)54.43 (2nd)5-on-5 Corsi For %50.86 (11th)53.44 (2nd)5-on-5 SH %51.53 (8th)91.70 (17th)5-on-5 SV %91.54 (19th)Season seriesThe Canadiens dropped two out of three of their matchups with the Penguins this season, but things were actually pretty even between the two clubs. Montreal won 4-1 in the first meeting, lost 3-2 in overtime in the second, and lost 4-1 in the final match. Goaltender Carey Price started all three games, while Sidney Crosby missed two of them due to injury.Montreal last matched up with Pittsburgh in the second round of the 2010 postseason. The Canadiens shocked the high-flying Penguins and defeated them in seven games.Key players to watchCarey Price Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's no surprise that all eyes will be on Price. For years, he's been the Canadiens' backbone. The Habs often only go as far as Price can take them. When he's at the top of his game, Montreal has shown that it is capable of winning in the playoffs.Price's play hasn't been all that consistent over the past three seasons, but he's still shown flashes of brilliance. That inconsistency could be due to fatigue - since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, Price has started the fourth-most games in the league (232). He's also been tasked with backstopping a team that's prone to defensive lapses. The four months of rest the 32-year-old received during the season's hiatus could just be what he needed to regain his MVP form.Sidney Crosby Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt also comes as no surprise that Crosby will be the No. 1 player to watch from Pittsburgh. He missed a handful of games due to injury this season but should enter the play-in round fully rested and ready to go. The captain's playoff resume is well-known as he sets out to pursue a fourth Stanley Cup.In 40 career regular-season games against the Canadiens, Crosby recorded 19 goals and 52 points. Since 2008-09, the Penguins star ranks first in the league in playoff points (154) and points per game (1.11) among players with at least 90 games played. It's hard to believe that Crosby will turn 33 in August, but his play has yet to show any sort of meaningful decline - which means we should see a vintage performance from the star.Canadiens can win if ...The Canadiens face the tough task of slowing down the Penguins' lethal top six. With Crosby and Evgeni Malkin down the middle, Montreal needs to find a way to neutralize the pair of superstars and the skilled players that surround them.A lot of things have to go right for Montreal to take this series. The Canadiens are usually able to muster up some goals, but they're often buried by their poor play on defense and special teams. Price can only do so much, and the players in front of him will need to step up to limit the Penguins' chances.Penguins can win if ...Despite battling through injuries to key players all season long, the Penguins still managed to finish near the top of the league in goals per game. One thing that didn't click as usual for Pittsburgh was its power play, which finished 16th in the league. Over the past three seasons, Pittsburgh's power play was the third-best in the league, converting at a 23.8% rate.If Pittsburgh can get its special teams back on track, it will do wonders. Montreal's penalty kill has been one of the worst in the league over the past three years, and it will be difficult for the Canadiens to suppress Pittsburgh's power play. The Penguins' man-advantage unit was missing the majority of its mainstays throughout the season. Now that they're expected to be mostly healthy, the power play has a good chance to rebound, which gives the Penguins a significant advantage.X-factorsPhillip Danault Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images Sport / GettyDanault is easily the Canadiens' most unheralded player. His point totals over the years may not match other No. 1 centers around the league, but what he brings on both sides of the puck is extremely valuable. As the team's top center, he will be tasked with containing either Crosby or Malkin for the majority of the time he's on the ice.The Canadiens' top line consists of Tomas Tatar, Brendan Gallagher, and Danault, who rank first, second, and third in the league, respectively, in Corsi For percentage. That is largely due to Danault's elite defensive skills, and the stat is even more impressive considering that Danault begins 54.12% of his shifts in the defensive zone.Whether the Canadiens can shut down the Penguins to some extent depends in significant part on Danault.Jake Guentzel Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGuentzel missed a good chunk of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in December. Considering he hasn't played a hockey game in over six months, his game could have a bit of rust - but at this point, many players are in the same boat.He is the Penguins' leading goal-scorer (60) over the past two regular seasons and the leading goal-scorer (24) in the playoffs over the past three seasons. If he can find his game quickly during the qualifying series, the Penguins will be that much harder to beat.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Max Domi is relishing at the opportunity to chase the Stanley Cup this summer after joining the club at training camp for the first time Monday.Domi, who has Type 1 diabetes, was given an extended period to decide whether or not it would be safe for him to participate in the NHL's return this summer."We’re learning more and more day by day, and I think to have that little buffer there to make sure that when I got here it was super safe - not that it wasn’t at the start - worked out great," Domi said, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "Now that I’m here, it’s awesome, and I’m just worried about Game 1 against Pittsburgh and super excited to be part of the group now."I think we’re all here for the same reason, we all have the same dream of winning," Domi said. "I want to be a part of winning culture, and we’ve got a special group in there."The 25-year-old pivot expressed his gratitude for the training staff for helping him make an informed decision on returning.Domi also feels extremely fortunate to have technology available that makes it possible for him to track his health while playing to help ensure his safety."I’m super lucky to be living in this era with all the technology we have," Domi said. "I wear a Dexcom (monitoring device) which allows me to see my blood sugar in real time every five minutes. That alone is something that five years ago, 10 years ago wasn’t where it is now. In that time, it would be a different discussion. But I’m lucky to be in this position I’m in now."The Winnipeg native tallied 17 goals and 44 points through 71 games this season, his second with Montreal.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid endorsed teammate Leon Draisaitl for the Hart Trophy on Tuesday."I don't have a lot of faith in the media voting so I don't know who's going to win, but it should be Leon," McDavid said, according to TSN. "I think the players will get it right and vote Leon (for the Ted Lindsay Award), but you never know about the media."Draisaitl, 24, captured the Art Ross Trophy after pacing the league in scoring with a career-best 110 points through 71 games. His 43 goals led the Oilers and ranked fourth in the NHL. The 6-foot-2 pivot was playing at a 127-point pace over 82 games, which would have marked the highest single-season franchise total since Mark Messier's 129 in 1989-90."He's been a good player for a long time. Obviously he was great this year, huge for us in all situations and it's a super big accomplishment for him," McDavid said. "I'm definitely happy to see him be recognized like that."McDavid, who captured the Hart Trophy in 2017, went on to praise Draisaitl's complete game."Any guy that leads the league in scoring and puts up those type of numbers and plays penalty kill and does all that type of stuff, that's a sign of consistency and that's a sign of bringing it each and every night," he said.Draisaitl was also nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given annually to the player deemed to be the most outstanding in the NHL, as voted on by his peers.Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin were nominated alongside Draisaitl for both the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The No. 5 seed Edmonton Oilers are slated to take on the 12th-seeded Chicago Blackhawks in what has potential to be the most electric series of the qualifying round. Neither club has made the playoffs since 2017. Edmonton is looking to prove it's a true contender in the Western Conference; Chicago barely squeaked into the playoff picture and hopes to rekindle some of the magic that led the club to three Stanley Cups from 2010-15.ScheduleGameDateTime (ET)1Sat. Aug. 13 p.m.2Mon. Aug. 310:30 p.m.3Wed. Aug. 510:30 p.m.4*Fri. Aug. 7TBD5*Sat. Aug. 8TBD*If necessaryTale of the tapeBlackhawksStatOilers32-30-8Record37-25-92.97 (18th)Goals per game3.14 (14th)3.06 (17th)Goals against3.03 (15th)15.2% (28th)Power play29.5% (1st)82.1% (9th)Penalty kill84.4% (2nd)48.45 (22nd)5-on-5 Corsi For %47.87% (27th)8.42 (14th)5-on-5 SH%8.43 (13th).925 (8th)5-on-5 SV%.912 (25th)Season seriesThe Oilers and Blackhawks met three times this past season, with Chicago winning twice and holding a 10-9 advantage in goals. The two clubs have previously met four times in the playoffs, but not since 1992, when Chicago swept Edmonton to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.Key players to watchPatrick Kane Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt goes without saying Kane is the primary player the Oilers will have circled going into the series. Although he's approaching 32, Kane hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, ranking eighth in league scoring while leading the Blackhawks with 84 points in 70 games this past season.Kane also has an unparalleled playoff pedigree and has proved he's capable of taking over a series by himself on numerous occasions throughout his dominant postseason career. In 127 playoff games, Kane's notched 123 points, 11 game-winning goals, three championships, and a Conn Smythe.Connor McDavid Harry How / Getty Images Sport / GettyIf you thought Kane was an obvious choice, McDavid's status in this section is a layup. The entire hockey world will be watching him closely, eager to see what he's capable of in his return to the playoffs. If his regular season was any indicator - 97 points in 64 games - the Oilers captain will be ready to deliver against a flawed Blackhawks blue line that will have its hands full.We'd be remiss not to at least mention Leon Draisaitl in this section, as the second half of the Oilers' near-unstoppable duo led the league in scoring by a significant margin and is a Hart Trophy finalist for his efforts.Blackhawks can win if ...They focus on discipline. The power play is where the Oilers do the majority of their damage, and giving McDavid and Draisaitl - who were No. 1 and 2 in scoring with the man advantage this season - extra opportunities is simply asking for trouble.Oilers can win if ...They just play their game. Top to bottom, Edmonton is the better team and has the firepower to make this a short series if the Oilers are able to quickly shake off the rust. They also have the advantage of playing at home, and even though there won't be any fans in attendance, the familiarity of their surroundings should be a major boost.X-factorsCorey Crawford/Malcolm Subban Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyWith a lack of weapons up front and a subpar blue line, goaltending is the X-factor for the Blackhawks. Two-time Stanley Cup winner Corey Crawford proved he's still a capable No. 1 after posting a .917 save percentage in 40 appearances this season, but the 35-year-old hasn't been an active participant in training camp thus far.If the starting role falls to Malcolm Subban, he'll have to be the Blackhawks' best player if they hope to advance. That's a tall order against one of the most potent offenses in the NHL, especially considering Subban authored a .890 save percentage in 21 appearances in 2019-20.Kailer Yamamoto Chase Agnello-Dean / National Hockey League / GettyWhen one offense features two of the most explosive forwards in the league, it's easy for other contributors to get lost in the shuffle. Improved depth is one of the main reasons Edmonton was able to get back to the playoffs this season, and Yamamoto put himself on the map by emerging as a key piece in the club's attack.The 2017 first-round pick posted 26 points in 27 games after being recalled from the AHL, and he developed chemistry on the second line alongside Draisaitl. With the majority of the Blackhawks' focus on Edmonton's All-Star centers, Yamamoto should be able to take advantage and find ways to produce in a depth position the Blackhawks simply can't match.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The newest installment in EA Sports' NHL video game series will be out later than usual this year.It was announced Monday that NHL 21's release is being pushed back from September to October, citing "major adjustments in developing the game from home" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement also revealed NHL 21 will only launch on Xbox One and PS4, though it will be playable on the next generation of consoles.EA Sports promised the new game - whose cover star has yet to be unveiled - will be "worth the wait" and that fans will get their first look in late August.Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews graced the cover of NHL 20, with the Vancouver Canucks' Elias Pettersson and Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine appearing on the Sweden and Finland editions, respectively.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, and Artemi Panarin of the New York Rangers are the 2019-20 finalists for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player, the NHL announced Tuesday.All three players were also recently nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award, which is given to the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association.Draisaitl is up for the award for the first time after leading the NHL with 110 points in 71 games and ranking fourth with 43 goals. The 24-year-old became the first German-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy. He also led all forwards in ice time, logging 22:37 per contest. He proved his value to the Oilers with exceptional play in the injury absences of Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, helping the club qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017.MacKinnon is a Hart finalist for the second time after a runner-up finish in 2018. The Avs center was fifth in league scoring with 93 points across 69 contests and carried Colorado to the second-best record in the Western Conference. MacKinnon's dominant season saw him lead the Avalanche in scoring by a whopping 43-point margin as the club dealt with injuries to key players.Panarin is a first-time Hart finalist following a brilliant debut campaign with the Rangers. The 28-year-old was fourth in league scoring after registering a career-high 95 points, 20 clear of the second-highest-scoring New York skater. He led the league with 71 even-strength points and was instrumental in the Rangers' success. In the 16 games that Panarin failed to record a point, New York went 3-12-1, compared to 34-16-4 when he found the scoresheet at least once.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Avangard Omsk won't take part in a preseason tournament in August after 20 people from the KHL team tested positive for the coronavirus.The results included players and staff members tested in training camp, general manager Alexei Volkov told The Associated Press.Volkov said those infected are isolating and most aren't showing clear symptoms.The Sochi Hockey Open is scheduled for Aug. 4-9.The KHL canceled the rest of its season during the playoffs in late March due to the pandemic.In late May, the league said it plans to open the 2020-21 campaign on Sept. 2.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.The NHL's two winningest active coaches take center stage in this series as Barry Trotz's New York Islanders face off against Joel Quenneville's Florida Panthers.Which future Hall of Fame bench boss will help his team navigate its way out of the play-in?TEAMODDSNew York Islanders-120Florida Panthers+100The case for New YorkThe Islanders would hold a significant coaching edge against just about any other Eastern Conference play-in opponent. The gap is reduced with Quenneville behind the Florida bench, but Trotz's impact on the Islanders has far exceeded what Quenneville's managed in his first year with the Panthers. The Islanders likely aren't a playoff team in either of the last two seasons without him.Trotz has transformed the Isles into a defensive juggernaut, and that's a great blueprint for playing hockey deep into the summer. Scoring is an issue for this team, but there are few better remedies for a struggling offense than facing a porous defense - and the Panthers had just that this season, ranking 28th in goals against per 60 minutes.The break came at a good time for New York, and you can bet Trotz will be on his team to make the most of the fresh start. The Islanders were bleeding before the season was suspended, losing 10 of 12 and trending toward missing the playoffs entirely. Having been granted a reset, they'll be looking to live up to their reputation as fast starters, posting a 16-3-1 record to start this season and a 29-15-4 mark to begin the last.The case for FloridaA second chance for the Panthers could spell trouble for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Had the season not been suspended, Florida would have likely missed the postseason for a fourth successive campaign despite entering the year with lofty ambitions. A trendy underdog heading into the season, the Panthers started with just one win from their first five games and were forced to play catch-up.But the restart will act as a blank canvas for this incredibly talented Florida team. Led by superstars Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau, the Panthers are loaded up front, ranking sixth in the NHL in goals per game this season. They have an All-Star-caliber goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky and one of the league's best coaches overseeing the entire operation. They've struggled defensively but have the luxury of easing back into things against an Islanders team that struggles to generate shots and high-danger scoring opportunities.The question remains: Which Bobrovsky will show up for this series? His poor playoff record had followed him for some time, but he exorcised those demons last season, posting a terrific .925 postseason save percentage against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins. If he plays even close to his capabilities, the Islanders' often anemic offense will struggle to find answers.The pickNew York Islanders (-120)This is one of the toughest series to call, but it's impossible to overlook the impact that Trotz has made on the Islanders; the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and this entire roster has bought into his system. The team's ability to quickly get off the mark is a testament to his coaching, and Bobrovsky's typical early-season struggles should be a big boost for the Isles' offensive inefficiencies. The Panthers netminder has posted save percentages of .873 and .882 in October of the last two seasons, and Florida simply can't afford another slow start here if it's to have any chance in this series.(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.

Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman and coach Jack McIlhargey died at age 68 after battling cancer, the team announced Monday.McIlhargey spent time with the Canucks as a player from the 1976-77 season until 1979-1980. He played in 167 games with the club, amassing 24 points and over 400 penalty minutes.He also logged a five-year stint with the Philadelphia Flyers and two seasons with the Hartford Whalers. McIlhargey appeared in 393 career games, totaling 47 points and 1,102 penalty minutes.The Flyers released the following statement:

New York Rangers forward Brendan Lemieux has been suspended for two games of the upcoming play-in round for a late hit on Colorado Avalanche winger Joonas Donskoi on March 11, the league announced Monday.

Max Domi took the ice with his teammates Monday for the first time since training camp began last week.

John Carlson of the Washington Capitals, Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators are the 2019-20 finalists for the Norris Trophy, the NHL announced Monday.The James Norris Memorial Trophy is voted upon annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and awarded to the defenseman who "demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."Carlson, who led all blue-liners with 75 points in 69 games this season, is a first-time finalist. The 30-year-old is looking to become the first Capitals player to win it since Rod Langway did so in 1982-83 and 1983-84.Hedman produced the third-most points among players at his position this season with 55 in 66 contests. The 29-year-old claimed this honor in 2017-18 and finished third in voting in both 2016-17 and 2018-19. He's the first player to be voted as a finalist in four straight years since fellow countryman Nicklas Lidstrom accomplished the feat from 2006-09.Josi ranked second among rearguards with 65 points this season. He logged the third-most ice time per game (25:47) among defensemen, besting both of the other finalists. The 30-year-old has never taken home the hardware, finishing as high as fifth in 2014-15 and 2015-16.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.A popular Cinderella pick to make waves in the postseason, the New York Rangers face perhaps the toughest test of the qualifying round against the Carolina Hurricanes.Can the Rangers flourish in the underdog role, or will the Hurricanes rain on New York's playoff chances?TEAMODDSCarolina Hurricanes-135New York Rangers+115The case for CarolinaThe Hurricanes arguably have the NHL's best defensive core thanks to an embarrassment of riches on the back end. Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen were acquired at the deadline, Dougie Hamilton has recovered from his injury, and Brett Pesce is targeting a mid-August return. Add Jaccob Slavin, Joel Edmundson, Jake Gardiner, Trevor van Riemsdyk, and Haydn Fleury to the mix, and the Canes will have to scratch a pair of defensemen that would be top-six locks on most other teams. That's a good recipe to quell a Rangers offense that ranked fifth in the NHL in goals scored this season.Coaching is also a real strength for Carolina. Rod Brind'Amour developed a successful game plan to stifle a high-powered Washington Capitals offense in the team's first-round upset last season, and with an improved roster, you have to feel confident he can do so again versus New York.Offensively, there's every reason to believe the Hurricanes can keep up with the Rangers. Carolina - led by dynamic youngsters Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, and Andrei Svechnikov - has both the star power and the forward depth to provide plenty of support for its loaded blue line. And while New York scored a bunch of goals this season, the team allowed a ton as well, becoming one of just nine clubs to concede more than 220 tallies.The case for New YorkThose who firmly believe that good goaltending leads to playoff success will be strong advocates of the Rangers in this series. New York's depth in goal is equal to Carolina's on the back end, as either Alexander Georgiev, Igor Shesterkin, or Henrik Lundqvist could get the nod between the pipes. All three inspire more confidence than the Hurricanes' Petr Mrazek or James Reimer, who combined for a miserable .836 save percentage against the Rangers this season.New York will take solace from its 4-0 record against Carolina this season, as well as the fact that its superstar forwards feasted on the Hurricanes' shaky goaltending. Artemi Panarin, the Eastern Conference's leading scorer, had three goals and six assists in four games against Carolina this season, while Mika Zibanejad recorded four goals and three assists in three games.Panarin is the best player in this series, and his burden is lightened by a dynamic second line of Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Pavel Buchnevich. That offensive firepower, combined with the Rangers' significant edge in net, makes them incredibly attractive at the current price.The pickCarolina Hurricanes (-135)Mrazek and Reimer have both had up-and-down seasons, but goaltending can be streaky. Mrazek came through for the Canes last postseason, and with the quality of the team in front of him, he'll have all the support he needs to catch fire and help Carolina make a deep run. The Rangers' lack of a clear starter in net could prevent any of their goalies from getting into a groove, and in order to pull off the upset against a loaded Hurricanes roster, New York's margin for error is razor-thin.(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.

Two tests out of 2,618 administered to more than 800 NHL players over the first five days of Phase 3 returned positive for COVID-19, the league announced Monday.Both players who tested positive have entered self-isolation and are following the instructions of the CDC and Health Canada.The figures from July 13-17 mark an improvement over last week's numbers. The league announced on July 13 that 43 out of 4,932 tests had returned positive during the second phase of its return-to-play plan beginning June 8.The NHL added at the time that more than 600 players had been tested, and that it was aware of 13 players who tested positive while not reporting for informal on-ice workouts.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche were without rookie phenom Cale Makar for the second consecutive practice Monday, according to The Athletic's Ryan Clark.Makar left Saturday's practice early and was absent from Sunday's skate as well. Head coach Jared Bednar did not speak afterward, as coaches are prohibited from disclosing injuries and illnesses.Makar is coming off an incredible rookie season in which he recorded 50 points in 57 games while averaging over 21 minutes per night. The 21-year-old's efforts recently earned him a Calder Trophy nomination.The Avalanche finished the regular season as the second seed in the West so will participate in a round robin with the conference's other the top four teams rather than competing in a best-of-five playoff series. Colorado officially returns to action Aug. 2 in a matchup versus the top-seeded St. Louis Blues.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins, Sean Couturier of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Ryan O'Reilly of the St. Louis Blues are the NHL's 2019-20 Selke Trophy finalists, the league announced Monday.The Frank J. Selke Trophy is voted upon annually by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and awarded to the forward "who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game."Bergeron is up for the award for a record ninth time, and if he wins, he'll be the only player in NHL history to win the Selke five times. The Bruins' pivot earned the honor in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017, and has a good shot to win it again after posting 56 points in 61 games this season while averaging nearly 19 minutes per night against top competition.Couturier is a finalist for the second time in his career after being the runner-up to Anze Kopitar in 2018. The Flyers' star had 59 points in 69 games, winning 59.7% of his draws, and owning a sterling five-on-five Corsi For rating of 57.2%.O'Reilly won the award last year, and followed up with another strong season at both ends. The Blues' top-line center had 61 points in 71 games, averaging over 20 minutes of ice time. O'Reilly also won 56.6% of faceoffs, and was seventh in the NHL with 69 takeaways.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A former NHL sniper is the KHL's newest bench boss.Kunlun Red Star named Alexei Kovalev its new head coach, the club announced Monday.Kovalev spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Chinese club. Prior to joining Kunlun, he served as general manager of Swiss team Visp.The 47-year-old racked up 430 goals and 1,029 points in 1,316 NHL games, winning the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994.He spent parts of nine seasons with the Rangers, parts of six campaigns with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and five with the Montreal Canadiens, as well as shorter stints with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, with whom he finished his NHL career in 2012-13.Kunlun joined the KHL in 2016-17. Red Star made the playoffs in their inaugural season - losing in the opening round in five games - but have failed to reach the postseason since then.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The countdown is on.Pending health and logistical challenges, the NHL will resume next week. The three-day exhibition period is set to begin July 28, while the 24-team playoff tournament is slated to start Aug. 1.The global pandemic that halted the regular season makes this postseason unlike any other in league history. Fans should expect the unexpected both on and off the ice.To help navigate this new reality and break down some of the major talking points associated with the restart, theScore enlisted four hockey analysts:

Nikolai Prokhorkin is going home.The Russian forward is departing the Los Angeles Kings after just one season, signing a two-year deal with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.Prokhorkin collected four goals and 14 points in 43 games with the Kings this past campaign.The 26-year-old came over to the NHL after producing a career-high 20 goals and 41 points in as many contests with the KHL's SKA Saint Petersburg in 2018-19. He helped the team win the league's championship, the Gagarin Cup, in 2017.Prokhorkin spent parts of nine seasons in the KHL with three clubs before making the move to North America.Los Angeles selected him 121st overall in the 2012 draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar and quasi-fashion icon Auston Matthews is looking forward to ditching the traditional pregame suit and tie when the NHL officially returns.As part of the CBA, players are ordered to wear a suit and tie on game days "unless otherwise specified by the head coach or general manager." The NHL is the only major professional sports league in North America that follows such a strict dress code.However, a relaxed dress code is one of the small rule changes the NHL and NHLPA agreed to for the league's return-to-play plan, and Matthews believes players will be able to showcase their personalities better."I'm really looking forward to it, honestly," Matthews told TSN's Kristen Shilton on Sunday. "It'll be a pretty cool opportunity for guys to express themselves like other leagues are able to. At times, hockey can kind of fall behind as far as that stuff goes."Matthews has been outspoken about his fashion interests throughout his professional career, even appearing in GQ Magazine in 2018.The Maple Leafs, the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference, are matched up against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their best-of-five play-in series, which is slated to begin Aug. 2 in Toronto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury is welcoming the opportunity to compete for the Vegas Golden Knights' starting role with Robin Lehner.The club hasn't yet settled on who might start once the playoffs begin."(Peter DeBoer) is the coach. Whatever he decides, I'm good with," Fleury told NHL.com's Danny Webster. "At the end of the day, all that matters is winning, that's why we're all here. Playoffs come and you have to be selfless and do what is right for the team. I just want to win, it doesn't matter how it is ... We'll see how it goes."Fleury has been the Golden Knights' No. 1 goalie since their inaugural season in 2017, but Vegas acquired Lehner - who posted better numbers across the board this season - in a surprise move at the trade deadline.Lehner only made three appearances with Vegas before the shutdown, winning each of them with a .940 save percentage and 1.67 goals against average."It's a great luxury for us," DeBoer said. "I'm not going to be afraid to play either. I don't know what that'll look like. Maybe it'll be one guy starting the majority, or we'll go back and forth. I'm going to keep an open mind on this because of the situation and the fact we have two great goalies."During the 2016 playoffs with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Fleury was replaced by Matt Murray when the club won the Stanley Cup. He was the backup again when they repeated in 2017.As the third seed in the Western Conference, Vegas is set to participate in a round robin with the rest of the top four teams to determine their rank in the traditional 16-team playoff bracket. The Golden Knights have an exhibition versus the Arizona Coyotes on July 30, then kick off their round-robin schedule Aug. 3 against the Dallas Stars.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby sat out the Pittsburgh Penguins' practice Sunday after departing a Saturday scrimmage early.However, multiple NHL sources told The Athletic's Rob Rossi that the move to withhold him was merely precautionary. Crosby reportedly didn't use the word "injury" when discussing it with others Saturday, and the all-world center said he simply felt "something off a little bit" before leaving the scrimmage.A source told Rossi that had there been a playoff game Sunday, Crosby "probably would have played."Here's how the team's lines looked without him:

Rod Brind'Amour understands the importance of face coverings when it comes to reducing the spread of the coronavirus."This whole wear one (or) don't wear one (debate) makes no sense to me," the Carolina Hurricanes head coach told reporters, including The Athletic's Sara Civian, on Sunday."If someone tells me something is going to help, I'm going to do it. I've never heard a good argument against it."Hurricanes players, coaches, and executives posed for a team photo Saturday, with everyone present wearing masks.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are impossible to predict in a normal year, so who knows what may transpire with 24 teams in the fold this summer.Playoff hockey in the midst of a pandemic will be different - no fans, no home-ice advantage, and an extra round - but if you can bank on one thing to remain the same, it would be upsets. All 24 teams entering the expanded playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton will be coming off four months of rest, which could create chaos in the league's bracket experiment.While we may not know what exactly lies ahead, here we predict three teams that have what it takes to go on a surprise run this postseason.New York Rangers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyOpponent: Carolina Hurricanes

Braden Holtby is focused solely on pursuing a second championship with the Washington Capitals this summer, but the pending unrestricted free agent recently acknowledged this could be his final run with the club he's spent his entire 10-year career with."My focus right now is to win a championship, and moving forward is to find the next best place to win a championship with," Holtby told NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "Hopefully it's here, hopefully everything works out, but you never know. So right now, you live in the moment and we have an exciting opportunity to have some fun."Holtby's five-year, $30.5-million contract expires at season's end, and the Capitals have a younger, cheaper option to turn to in Ilya Samsonov if they opt to let Holtby test the open market. Although Samsonov appears to be ready to take over on a full-time basis, Washington head coach Todd Reirden said in June he expects Holtby to get the "first crack" at the starters role when play resumes in August.Holtby was drafted by the Capitals in 2008 and has been the club's starter since 2013. Over 468 appearances, the 30-year-old has managed 282 wins along with a .916 save percentage. He's also won a Vezina Trophy (2016) and a Stanley Cup (2018) during his tenure in the nation's capital.However, Holtby put forth the worst statistical season of his career this year, owning a .897 save percentage across 48 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Impending free agent Anton Khudobin is hoping to stay with the Dallas Stars, but he's letting his agent figure things out so he can focus on hockey."That's my agent. That's his part. ... Of course I want to sign a new deal. But right now, we're just playing hockey," Khudobin said Saturday, according to The Dallas Morning News' Matthew Franks. "If there is any talks, my agent will let me know."I signed, back in the day, an extension. It was in Carolina. It was talks and talks and talks and talks. I said to my agent, 'Kent, listen. You know what I want. Talk to them. Let me know what they want. I don't want to go through the whole conversations every day and stuff like that, because I want to play hockey.'"Khudobin previously inked a two-year, $5-million deal with Dallas in 2018.The 34-year-old is coming off the best season of his NHL career. He led the league with a .930 save percentage over 30 games and put together a 16-8-4 record with a 2.22 goals-against average while forming one of the league's best goalie tandems with teammate Ben Bishop.Khudobin recognizes that he may not be called upon this postseason, but he says he's ready to do what's needed."I'm just preparing to help my team win, go farther as possible in (the) playoffs. Either I'm going to play, either I'm not going to play, whatever," he said. "And then, whenever free agency comes, maybe I'm going to sign an extension here. I don't know."Khudobin continued: "And then when my agent calls me and says, 'Listen, (Stars general manager Jim Nill) wants this and that. Do you want that?' Either I say no or yes. That's how I'm preparing. Yes I'm happy. I would like to stay."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Captain Sidney Crosby left the Pittsburgh Penguins' scrimmage early on Saturday and didn't return, the team announced.Head coach Mike Sullivan declined to comment on the matter, citing the league's new rules about teams being prohibited from disclosing players' injuries or illnesses.The reason behind Crosby's departure is unclear. The Athletic's Josh Yohe, who was in attendance, said he didn't notice anything alarming.Pittsburgh will begin its play-in round against the Montreal Canadiens on Aug. 1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos was a full participant in practice Saturday, head coach Jon Cooper said, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.Cooper added that Stamkos felt good after 30-45 minutes of practice, and said he'll get a shot to play in the team's exhibition game July 29 if he's healthy and wants to suit up.Stamkos sustained a lower-body injury toward the end of Phase 2 of the NHL's return-to-play plan and was held out from being a full participant at the beginning of training camp this week.While general manager Julien BriseBois gave no specific timeline for Stamkos' full return to training camp last week, he said the 30-year-old is fully expected to be ready when the Lightning play their first round-robin game against the Washington Capitals on Aug. 3.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Francis Xavier Goheen's chest wasn't really the size of a house, and it's hard to believe each of his thighs was as thick as a slighter man's waist. But Tony Conroy, his teammate in the 1910s, figured there's fun to be had in hyperbolizing, and hints of truth to be found in the comparisons, too. Goheen was maximally strong for his 172 pounds. Out went his given names, replaced by a nickname destined to stick: Moose."It wasn't just Goheen's size that impressed Conroy," hockey historian Alan Livingstone MacLeod wrote many years later. "He rhapsodized about Moose's remarkable speed and competitiveness, too."Moose Goheen was one of the best hockey players of his era, a distinction that endures without most people knowing it today. He was a defenseman from Minnesota, the "State of Hockey," a claim founded on the back of the national amateur titles his squads won around the time of World War I. He served in Belgium during that period, then medaled there when hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1920 Games.The Boston Bruins and Toronto St. Pats (soon to be the Maple Leafs) craved his physicality and scoring punch. But Goheen declined contract offers at every turn, preferring to play at home in St. Paul - and to keep working all the while at the local power company.Minneapolis Star (Aug. 19, 1952) That Goheen never suited up even in the embryonic NHL ensured history would overlook his feats. Roger Godin, another historian and author, lamented that fact in a book about Goheen's St. Paul teams. Sports Illustrated omitted Goheen from a list of Minnesota's 50 greatest athletes, Godin noted; a Twin Cities newspaper rated him 59th in a similar exercise. Those affronts wouldn't have flown in Goheen's day, when keen observers considered him the spitting image of Eddie Shore, the legendary hard-nosed Bruin.Hobey Baker was the only American player to precede Goheen for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. When pioneering defenseman, coach, and team executive Lester Patrick called Goheen the best player the U.S. produced, his endorsement still fell short of the highest praise Moose received. A few years after he shone at the Olympics, the St. Paul Pioneer Press conferred him another towering title: "The Babe Ruth of American hockey."––––––––––Hockey's Babe excelled in baseball and football too as a kid in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, at the turn of the 20th century. Yet when Goheen reached young adulthood, his flair on the ice pushed him a few miles south to St. Paul, where his hockey career began at the elite amateur level with the St. Paul Athletic Club. Moose and the AC's won three national championships before and immediately following the U.S.'s engagement in the war, establishing a throughline of Minnesotan devotion to the game that later enabled the creation of the NHL's North Stars and Wild."The State of Hockey began with these men," Godin wrote in "Before the Stars," his 2005 book about Goheen and the AC's.

Put Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane in the same boat as thousands of hockey-starved fans eager to watch a constant flow of playoff games beginning in early August."It'll be similar to those March Madness tournaments when you can watch college basketball all day and that's pretty much all you do, except this time it'll be hockey, so it'll be fun for me to watch," Kane told NHL.com's Tracey Myers."It looks like it's going to be an amazing schedule if you're a hockey fan," he continued. "It looks like you'll be able to watch like six games a day, if I'm correct. You'll be able to watch hockey all day. Pretty much every couple of hours it seems a new game is on. I think it's cool."The NHL's jam-packed qualifying-round schedule begins Aug. 1. Kane's 12th-seeded Blackhawks are slated to play the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five series, with the winner advancing to the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket.Between the eight qualifying-round series and the round-robin matches pitting the top-four seeds against each other in both conferences, there could be up to 52 high-stakes games played over a nine-day period, and Kane will be dialed in when he's not on the ice."One of the best things about the playoffs is when you're hanging in the lounge with the guys, you're watching hockey games, flipping back and forth, seeing what games are close and what games are in overtime," Kane said.Kane led the Blackhawks this season with 84 points, and he's one of the most accomplished playoff performers of his generation. The 31-year-old has racked up 123 points in 127 career postseason games - including 11 game-winning goals - while capturing three Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHLer Jeremy Roenick filed a lawsuit against NBC in the Manhattan Supreme Court after the broadcasting company fired him in February over inappropriate comments made on a podcast, according to Priscilla DeGregory of the New York Post.NBC suspended Roenick and ultimately fired him after he appeared on "Spittin' Chiclets" in December and made sexual remarks about colleague Kathryn Tappen.The lawsuit alleges Roenick was held to a different standard than NBC figure skating commentators Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, who made racy comments on a July 2 spoof video of 2018 Olympic bronze medalist figure skater Bradie Tennell.Roenick claims he was discriminated against as a straight man, whereas Lipinski and Weir - a gay man - weren't disciplined for similar behavior.Roenick also argues he was wrongfully fired despite making a public apology, and Tappen told him "she was not offended by his comments but was pressured by both NBC and a woman’s rights organization to make a statement condemning Roenick’s comments," according to the court documents.He's suing for unspecified damages, but Roenick says his firing cost him lucrative contracts with different partners and public-appearance opportunities, which usually pay around $10,000.Roenick was hired as an NBC hockey analyst in 2010, shortly after his 20-year NHL career ended.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missed their second straight practice on Friday.Pastrnak tested negative for COVID-19, but he is under quarantine after having contact with someone who tested positive, his agent told The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa.The two players were reportedly spotted working out at a local rink separate from the team earlier this week."If the league allows them to work out on their own, I'm OK with them trying to get their conditioning where it needs to be," Cassidy said, according to The Boston Globe's Matt Porter. "What are the parameters of it? Are they near people that are at risk? Are they social distancing? Are they doing it the right way?""If they're doing it the right way to prepare themselves, then I'm OK with it," he added, according to Porter. "If they're not, and they put themselves in harm's way, then obviously that's not a good thing."The two were deemed "unfit to participate" for the second straight day after getting on the ice Wednesday. Pastrnak practiced with a small group, while Kase skated alone afterward.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones said Friday that he previously tested positive for COVID-19, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.The 23-year-old added that he was asymptomatic and doesn't know from whom he contracted the virus, according to Spector.Jones attended practice Friday for the first time after missing the opening four days of training camp.The NHL recently announced it was aware of 43 players who tested positive during Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan, which started on June 8.Jones appeared in 43 games with the Oilers this season, recording four goals and five assists.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Hellebuyck, Tuukka Rask, and Andrei Vasilevskiy were voted as the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, the NHL announced Friday.The award is decided by general managers and handed out annually to the league's top goaltender.Hellebuyck finished his season for the Winnipeg Jets with an impressive 31-21-5 record alongside a 2.57 goals-against average and .922 save percentage. He tied the Montreal Canadiens' Carey Price for most starts (58) and led all netminders in shots against (1,796), saves (1,656), and shutouts (six). He also ranked second in wins with 31. This is the second Vezina nomination for the 27-year-old.Rask put together an incredible 26-8-6 mark with a 2.12 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. He helped guide the Boston Bruins to the NHL's best record and combined with backup Jaroslav Halak to allow the fewest goals in the league. His goals-against average ranked first among qualified goaltenders, and his save percentage placed second. The 33-year-old has only been nominated for the Vezina once and won it in 2013-14.Vasilevskiy was one of the NHL's hottest goaltenders when the season was paused. From Dec. 7 to March 12, the Tampa Bay Lightning star compiled a 25-6-2 record. He finished the season with a league-best 35 wins to go along with a 2.56 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. The 25-year-old also ranked third in starts (52), shots faced (1,605), and saves (1,472). He's the reigning Vezina Trophy winner and has been nominated for the third consecutive year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer confirmed Wednesday that the team will name its first captain in franchise history ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.The Golden Knights have rotated four alternate captains since the club's inception in 2017-18 and will have no shortage of options when deciding which player will be first to don the "C."Here are five candidates who could be tabbed for the prestigious role.Mark Stone Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyStone has arguably been the Golden Knights' most valuable player since they landed him at the 2018-19 trade deadline. The 28-year-old then cemented himself in the club's long-term plans when he inked an eight-year, $76-million deal shortly after his arrival.As gifted as Stone is offensively, it's his elite play away from the puck that truly bolsters his candidacy for the captaincy. He led all Golden Knights forwards in blocked shots (51) this season and finished second league-wide with 78 takeaways. Vegas also owned a sizzling 61.47% share of expected goals for when Stone patrolled the ice at five-on-five.Stone has experience wearing a letter, too. The Winnipeg native served as an alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators for two seasons and also donned the "A" for Team Canada at the 2019 world championships.Max Pacioretty Jeff Bottari / National Hockey League / GettyPacioretty is the only player on the Golden Knights' roster with experience wearing the "C" at the NHL level. The electric winger served as Montreal Canadiens captain for three seasons from 2015 to 2018 and was an alternate in Vegas during the 2018-19 campaign.The 30-year-old is one of the more senior players on the team, as his 763 career games rank third behind fellow veterans Paul Stastny and Marc-Andre Fleury. However, Pacioretty hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. He hit the 30-goal plateau for the sixth time and was on pace for a career-best 76 points before the season was cut short in March.Shea Theodore Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyTheodore hasn't been part of the leadership group in Vegas, but it would be silly to exclude him from the discussion. The 24-year-old has quietly blossomed into one of the most steady two-way defensemen in the league and is a bright part of the club's future with his contract running through the 2024-25 campaign.He's the backbone of the Golden Knights' blue line, leading the club in average ice time (22:14) while quarterbacking one of the league's better power plays. The 6-foot-2 rearguard potted a career-best 13 goals and 46 points this season and ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 55 takeaways.Theodore has never worn a letter in the NHL but served as both captain and an alternate for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.Jonathan Marchessault Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyMarchessault is the franchise leader in both points (181) and assists (107), and he ranks second in goals with 74 over 225 contests. A spark plug both on and off the ice, the 29-year-old is beloved by teammates for his boundless energy and contagious positive attitude.The undrafted winger was rewarded for his development as a player and leader with a six-year, $30-million deal prior to the 2018-19 campaign. Marchessault's body of work speaks for itself, and with the pesky forward in Vegas' plans for years to come, he can't be overlooked as a possible captain.Reilly Smith Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyOne of the club's original leaders, Smith has served as an alternate captain since the Golden Knights' debut campaign. The skilled winger is one of the team's most reliable and clutch scorers. Smith netted 27 goals this season with 23 coming at even strength and a team-best six holding up as game-winners.Like Stone, Smith is a terrific two-way winger who contributes in all situations. He averaged nearly two minutes of ice time on both the power play and penalty kill and isn't afraid to throw his weight around, evidenced by his 55 hits this season. Only Marchessault and William Karlsson have recorded more points for the franchise than Smith's 167.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed defenseman Sean Day to a one-year, two-way contract, the team announced Friday.The value of the deal was not disclosed.Day, who was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2016 NHL Draft, cleared unconditional waivers to terminate his contract with the team in May.The 22-year-old was granted exceptional status to join the OHL at age 15. He's one of just seven players in CHL history to receive the honor. While he managed to put together a solid junior career, he wasn't able to make an immediate leap to the majors.He's yet to play in an NHL game but has appeared in 62 career AHL games, amassing four goals and 18 points.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2019-20 postseason will be unlike any other we've seen in the history of the NHL. Some of the 24 participating teams have already clinched playoff berths, while others will have to win a best-of-five series to earn a spot in the 16-team playoff.With only a short runway between the qualifying round and the traditional playoffs, each club's decision regarding which goalie it starts will be a crucial one. There is little room for error - teams often only go as far as their goaltenders can take them.Let's take a look at five of the biggest goalie dilemmas clubs are facing ahead of this year's playoffs.Robin Lehner vs. Marc-Andre Fleury Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt wasn't exactly clear what the Vegas Golden Knights' intentions were when they acquired Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline. Though he only appeared in three games with his new club before the league halted the season, he impressed by going 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.Lehner's skills are undeniable, but the Golden Knights already have a three-time Stanley Cup champion at their disposal. Perhaps Vegas brought in Lehner to take some pressure off the 35-year-old Fleury, who played in 49 games this season. Perhaps it was an insurance move in case Fleury burned out. But while the veteran's play this season wasn't spectacular, he certainly has the playoff experience teams yearn for.The Golden Knights' choice in net remains increasingly unclear. Now that Fleury has had months to rest, the physical toll of the regular season lingers no more. Fortunately, Vegas has also already clinched a playoff spot and will be participating in a round-robin tournament with the rest of the Western Conference's top four squads. The round robin is important for seeding purposes, but it also gives the Golden Knights a chance to start both goalies with little risk before making the final decision for the round of 16.Prediction: Fleury gets the start in Game 1 of the playoffsElvis Merzlikins vs. Joonas Korpisalo Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Columbus Blue Jackets will need to heavily depend on their goalie if they want a chance at beating the high-octane Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round. While Korpisalo has played four more seasons than the rookie Merzlikins, neither goalie has seen any postseason action.Merzlikins dropped the first eight contests he appeared in this season, but he rebounded after taking over midseason for an injured Korpisalo. The 26-year-old even recorded an eight-game win streak at one point, which included five shutouts. Overall, Merzlikins produced a solid 13-9-8 record with a .923 save percentage and 2.35 goals-against average in 33 games.Korpisalo began this season as the team's starter. Without his injury, Merzlikins wouldn't have had the chance to prove himself after a disastrous start to the campaign.The Blue Jackets handed each goalie two-year extensions during the hiatus, though Merzlikins will receive $8 million while Korpisalo will earn $5.6 million. If the difference in value is any indication of how the team views the tandem, then Merzlikins should get the green light to man the crease.Prediction: Merzlikins gets the nod in the qualifying roundMatt Murray vs. Tristan Jarry Steve Babineau / National Hockey League / GettyJarry heavily outplayed Murray this season, earning an All-Star Game selection and finishing the campaign with a 20-12-1 record alongside a .921 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average.Murray couldn't string together quality starts. He finished 20-11-5, but his peripheral stats - which included a .899 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average - weren't great.However, Murray has vastly more playoff experience than Jarry despite only being a year older. Jarry has never started a postseason game, while Murray has appeared in 48 playoff contests and helped guide the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Murray didn't start in Game 1 of the playoffs either year, though, so perhaps Pittsburgh will turn to him if Jarry struggles.Prediction: Jarry gets the start in the qualifying roundIgor Shesterkin vs. Henrik Lundqvist Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyShesterkin is clearly the New York Rangers' goalie of the future. He's extremely talented, and he lived up to the hype after making his NHL debut midseason, going 10-2-0 with a .932 save percentage and 2.52 goals-against average. But can Shesterkin - who's played in just 12 regular-season contests - be trusted as the starting goalie in a five-game series?Lundqvist is 38 years old and nearing the end of his career. While his play has started to decline, he's still shown that he's a capable goaltender. With months off to rest, can he channel his old self for what might be a final playoff run with the Rangers?One of the main things working in Lundqvist's favor is his record versus the Rangers' qualifying-round opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes. Lundqvist went 3-0-0 against Carolina this season with a 2.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. He's also played in 128 playoff games, steering the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final twice and the Stanley Cup Final once.But despite Lundqvist's Hall of Fame-worthy career, all good things must come to an end. Shesterkin's clearly New York's best goaltender at the moment and he should start out of the gate despite his lack of experience.Prediction: Shesterkin gets the nod in the qualifying roundBraden Holtby vs. Ilya Samsonov Scott Taetsch / Getty Images Sport / GettyHoltby is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, as he posted career lows with a .897 save percentage and 3.11 goals-against average in 48 appearances. However, it is possible the 30-year-old was just fatigued. Over the last three seasons - including the playoffs - Holtby has appeared in 191 games.Samsonov is clearly the Washington Capitals' goalie of the future, but he is still just 23 years old and has minimal NHL experience. He played extremely well in his debut season, putting together a 16-6-2 record, but Washington seemed reluctant to put him in the driver's seat.Holtby is an impending free agent, so this is a good chance for him to prove that he still has gas in the tank. Like the Golden Knights, the Capitals are fortunate enough to find themselves in the round-robin tournament, which means both goalies will almost certainly play. Who will start in the round of 16 may depend on those results.Holtby - who helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup just two years ago - definitely has the experience edge over Samsonov and should start to begin the playoffs. But perhaps this postseason will mark the changing of the guard in Washington and usher in a new era with Samsonov leading the way.Prediction: Holtby starts Game 1 of the playoffsCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving came to the defense of his star winger Thursday and squashed rumors suggesting Johnny Gaudreau had been separated from the main group at training camp for disciplinary reasons."The groupings that we have on the ice have no conditioning issues or are not done for disciplinary issues. ... I want to dispel that notion," Treliving said, according to Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson.Gaudreau has skated in a smaller group of nine players since the start of training camp Monday. Flames head coach Geoff Ward said the split was due to "circumstances that became apparent last week," according to Gilbertson.The Flames GM praised the level of Gaudreau's game after speculation that the 26-year-old entered camp with poor conditioning."Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better," he said, per TSN's Jermain Franklin. "To focus on one guy is completely unfair. ... I can't speak high enough to the work level that Johnny has put in."The 5-foot-9 forward's production sharply declined this season. Gaudreau played at a 21-goal and 67-point pace over 82 games after notching a career-best 36 goals and 99 points in 2018-19.Calgary is slated to meet the Winnipeg Jets in a best-of-five play-in series beginning Aug. 1.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko knows his stay in the NHL's Edmonton bubble will be only temporary and that he doesn't need anything too luxurious."We don't go there like for a resort, where we're expecting unbelievable food service, like five-star summer resort. We've going for playing hockey," Tarasenko said, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford.He added: "I don't need much to live. I just need a bed and food."Tarasenko and the Blues will set up shop in Edmonton at the end of July, with the rest of the Western Conference joining them there.It was reported in late June that the hub cities will feature several amenities to appease players and staff. The bubble in Edmonton will reportedly provide players with outdoor and indoor activities such as golf simulators, basketball courts, movie nights, video games, live entertainment, ping pong, pool tables, lounge areas, and rooftop patios.Tarasenko has been out of action since October after undergoing shoulder surgery.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O'Reilly, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews, and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon were voted as the three finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, the league announced Thursday.The trophy is given to the player who's "exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."O'Reilly had a tremendous second campaign with the Blues after taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy last season. He recorded 12 goals and 49 assists with a plus-11 rating and led the league in faceoff wins for the third straight campaign. The four-time finalist for the award - which includes each of the past three seasons - was given five minor penalties this season. O'Reilly won the award in 2013-14.This is Matthews' first Lady Byng nomination. He finished the season third in the league in goals and set career highs with 47 goals and 80 points. He was tied for first among forwards with Mark Stone with 78 takeaways; he was assessed four minor penalties; and he finished the season plus-19 while averaging 20:58 of ice time per game.MacKinnon is also a first-time finalist for the trophy. He led all forwards on his team in ice time per game with 21:13 and totaled 12 penalty minutes. He was tied for third in the NHL in net penalties, as he drew 23 penalties while only taking five himself. MacKinnon finished the season with 95 points and a plus-13 rating.Florida Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov won the award last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom, Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, and Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan are the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy, the Professional Hockey Writers Association announced Thursday.The trophy is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.Lindblom was diagnosed in December with Ewing sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Fans and players around the league rallied around the 23-year-old forward throughout his treatment. Lindblom rang the bell to mark the end of his chemotherapy treatments on July 2 and was able to spend some time on the ice with his teammates.Johns, who missed nearly two years of action due to post-traumatic headaches, returned to the ice in January. He skated in 17 games with the Stars, recording two goals and three assists. Johns told Sean Shapiro of The Athletic that during his recovery he battled severe bouts of depression.Ryan entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in November. After returning to the team in February, he opened up about his battle with alcoholism. In his first home game back in Ottawa, Ryan scored a hat trick.Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner won the award last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missed practice Thursday after being deemed "unfit to participate," according to head coach Bruce Cassidy.Cassidy said he originally expected both players to be available Thursday. He added that it is unclear how long the pair will be sidelined.Both players missed practice Monday and Tuesday, but the two managed to hit the ice Wednesday. Pastrnak participated in a small group, while Kase practiced alone afterward.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed Pius Suter to a one-year, $925,000 deal beginning next season, the team announced Thursday.Chicago also inked defenseman Ian Mitchell to a three-year contract that runs through the 2022-23 season with an average annual value of $925,000.Suter, 24, has played with Switzerland's National League-A Zurich Lions for the past five seasons. He recorded 30 goals and 23 assists in 50 games during 2019-20. His 53 points were the most in the league and helped him earn the MVP award.The center racked up 81 goals and 87 assists in 210 games during the last five seasons in Switzerland. He also represented the country at the 2018 Olympics, during which he notched five points in four games.Mitchell, who was selected by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, just completed his junior season at the University of Denver. He was the team captain during the 2019-20 season and finished the regular season sixth among NCAA defensemen with 32 points.Over three seasons with the Pioneers, Mitchell registered 89 points in 116 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million for at least the 2020-21 season, players who are up for a payday are in an unfortunate position due to general managers needing to exercise caution during free agency this summer.Whether it be to further prove their worth or improve on a rocky season, the following unrestricted free agents have a chance during the league's resumption to better their position to push the market this summer.Taylor Hall, Coyotes Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyCurrent AAV: $6MIt's been a bit of a bumpy road for the Arizona Coyotes star since he captured the Hart Trophy with the New Jersey Devils in 2017-18. Hall amassed a career-high 93 points in 76 games during that award-winning season but has mustered only 89 points over 98 games in the two campaigns since.Some of Hall's struggles can be attributed to injuries, while being traded midseason from one offensively strapped team to another certainly doesn't help, either. Regardless, Hall turns 29 in November, and this offseason likely presents his final shot at a big payday.He has a large enough body of impressive work that the floor for his salary should remain quite high. With the salary cap remaining flat, however, Hall's play this postseason will go a long way in dictating just how much he'll be able to raise his value.Braden Holtby, Capitals Sara Schmidle / National Hockey League / GettyCurrent AAV: $6.1MHoltby has been mediocre at best over three consecutive campaigns and authored a career-low .897 save percentage in 2019-20 while starting fewer than 50 contests for the first time in five seasons. Despite his overall struggles, he boasted strong numbers during two consecutive postseasons and will hope to capture that playoff spark once again this summer.He turns 31 in September, and with youngster Ilya Samsonov projecting to be the Washington Capitals' future No. 1 netminder, Holtby will be looking to prove he still deserves to be paid as a starter. With his recent decline, however, the 6-foot-2 puck-stopper hasn't afforded himself much room for error.Holtby and Samsonov will likely share time in goal during the round-robin tournament, and if the former is outplayed by the talented Russian, he may not get much of a chance to bolster his case for a hefty contract.Mikael Granlund, Predators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyCurrent AAV: $5.75MGranlund likely would have been paid handsomely in free agency last summer despite struggling to end the campaign after being traded to the Nashville Predators at the deadline. Compounding that poor late-season stint with a hefty drop in production in 2019-20, however, may end up costing him.As Granlund's numbers head in the wrong direction, so, too, does his age. He turns 29 next February, and teams may think twice before handing out a long-term deal with a relatively high average annual value to a declining player approaching his 30s. Granlund has a chance to redeem his recent subpar play with a strong postseason and prove he's worth the investment.Tyson Barrie, Maple Leafs Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyCurrent AAV: $5.5MLike Granlund, Barrie is set to hit free agency following a down season that's somewhat overshadowed his prior success. One year removed from a career-best 14-goal, 59-point campaign in 2018-19, the Maple Leafs blue-liner wasn't quite as effective during his first season in Toronto.Barrie's play improved after the Leafs replaced head coach Mike Babcock with Sheldon Keefe in November. His points per game spiked from 0.30 to 0.68 under Keefe, as he also experienced an increase in ice time.Playing behind a potent offense under Keefe's free-wheeling system, Barrie will get plenty of opportunities this postseason to prove his value as an offensive defenseman. He also benefits from being a coveted right-shooting rearguard.Robin Lehner, Golden Knights Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyCurrent AAV: $5MLehner somehow earned only a one-year deal last summer in free agency following his career campaign with the New York Islanders in 2018-19. The Swedish puck-stopper continued his dominance this season for the defensively inept Chicago Blackhawks but landed on his fourth team in three seasons when he was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in February.Turning 29 in July, he's likely not looking for another short-term deal this summer. Lehner's faced with some tough internal competition in Vegas with Marc-Andre Fleury still in the fold, but successfully guarding the crease for one of the top Western Conference teams in the postseason will put him in a strong position to find a long-term home.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets sniper Patrik Laine apparently wasn't joking when he said in May there was a good chance he'd "look terrible" if the NHL returned this summer.With games quickly approaching, the Finnish winger admits he's not quite up to speed following the league's four-month layoff."Still kind of far away," Laine told reporters about the current state of his game Wednesday, according to NHL.com. "It's kind of hard to see myself playing playoff hockey in two weeks."But just trying to make the most out of it and trying to be as well-prepared as I and as we can ... just try to work hard these next couple of weeks so we'll be ready when the puck drops."Training camps began July 13 and the Jets are slated to take on the Calgary Flames in Game 1 of their best-of-five play-in series Aug. 1.Jets head coach Paul Maurice isn't as worried about his young winger's current status, and said he anticipated his players showing some rust upon returning to the ice."He looks good, like he's shooting the puck right and he's running his routes," Maurice said of Laine. "Today we had a pretty darn good pace and we got some battling in today and, yeah, he looks right on."But I guess, I don't think anybody looks the way they're going to in about two weeks, we all expect that right?"Laine bounced back from a setback year in 2018-19 with 28 goals and a career-best 35 assists through 68 games this season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights will name their first captain in franchise history prior to the start of the 2020-21 campaign, head coach Pete DeBoer said Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.Forwards Mark Stone and Reilly Smith along with defensemen Deryk Engelland and Nate Schmidt currently serve as the four alternate captains. Smith and Engelland have held their roles since the club's inaugural 2017-18 season.Winger Max Pacioretty is the only player on the Golden Knights' roster who has donned the "C" at the NHL level, serving as captain of the Montreal Canadiens for three seasons (2015-18).The Golden Knights, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and New Jersey Devils are the only teams in the league currently without a captain.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sean Monahan hopes this postseason goes a lot differently for the Calgary Flames than last year's."We got embarrassed last year in the postseason," Monahan said Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "As a player representing an organization, that sticks with you. We've got a lot to prove here and we have a lot of things motivating us."The Flames were the top seed in the Western Conference entering last season's playoffs and faced off against the Colorado Avalanche. Calgary lost the series in just five games.After serving as one of the most dominant lines during the regular season, Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, and Elias Lindholm combined for just two goals, three assists, and a minus-6 rating during the series."We've talked about it a lot - and a lot behind closed doors - we got outworked and outcompeted and got owned by Colorado," Monahan added. "You want to be a guy who can be a part of the postseason and that's where a lot of guys' legacies are built. That's the kind of guys we want to be, and we want to step up and take charge in Game 1."Monahan, who produced 34 goals and 82 points last season, managed 22 goals and 48 points this year. Meanwhile, Gaudreau dipped from 99 points to 58, and Lindholm from 78 to 54."Last year was my first appearance in the playoffs and overall our line didn't do a very good job," Lindholm said. "For myself, I kind of got away from my game and started doing other things and tried to hit people. It's part of my game, but not something I'm looking to do. In the playoffs I was."The Flames finished the abbreviated 2019-20 regular season in fourth place in the Pacific Division with a 36-27-7 record. They are set to take on the Winnipeg Jets in the best-of-five play-in round.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins, John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Philadelphia Flyers' Alain Vigneault are the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, the league announced Wednesday.The honor - with the winner determined through votes from members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association - recognizes the coach who contributed the most to their team's regular-season success.Cassidy's Bruins finished with the league's best record (44-14-12), winning the Presidents' Trophy in his fourth year with the club. Boston allowed the fewest goals in the NHL, finished with the second-best power play, and the Bruins' penalty kill ranked third. Cassidy was a finalist for the award in 2017-18.After Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene left Columbus last summer, Tortorella still managed to steer the Blue Jackets to a spot in the play-in round. Columbus finished in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division and earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference. Tortorella was forced to deal with injuries to key players all season, including Seth Jones, Joonas Korpisalo, Cam Atkinson, Zach Werenski, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. He's won the Jack Adams Award twice and has now been a finalist five times. Only Pat Burns has won the award three times.The Flyers, meanwhile, surprised the hockey world this season, finishing with the Eastern Conference's fourth-best record. Few pegged Philadelphia to be a legitimate threat entering the campaign, but Vigneault turned the club into one in his first season as its head coach. The Flyers improved dramatically this season, ranking seventh in goals against per game (2.77) after ending 2018-19 in 29th. A five-time finalist, Vigneault won the award while with the Vancouver Canucks in 2006-07.Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders took home the Jack Adams Award last season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.