The Carolina Hurricanes have another selling point.Team president Don Waddell represented the Hurricanes at the NHL draft lottery on Saturday, and was obviously quite pleased to come away with the No. 2 overall pick after finishing 21st in the overall standings this season.The addition of a top-flight prospect will certainly help attract candidates for the team's vacant general manager and head coach positions, Waddell believes."You put another big asset into your team," Waddell said, per Chip Alexander of the News & Observer. "To have that kind of asset that you didn't have before the day started, I think makes it even more appealing to what we have going on right now in Raleigh."Waddell added new owner Tom Dundon appreciated the jump in draft order."He's happy," Waddell said of Dundon. "The value of the 11 pick is good. The value of a No. 2 pick is great."Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is expected to go first overall, but highly-touted forwards Andrei Svechnikov, Brady Tkachuk, and Filip Zadina will all be there for the taking with the second pick.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin was forced to exit Sunday's Game 2 in Washington after taking a hit to the head from Tom Wilson, with Alex Ovechkin levying a check directly in the wake of that contact.Dumoulin remained down on the ice for a few moments before slowly getting up and heading to the locker room. He did not return for the third period.No penalty was called on the play, but Wilson may be hearing from the NHL's Department of Player Safety.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jon Cooper was less than impressed after a 6-2 shellacking to the Boston Bruins in their second-round series opener on Saturday.Following the loss, the Tampa Bay Lightning coach opted for a tough practice Sunday, putting his players through a series of intense drills.

Lady luck was finally on the side of the Buffalo Sabres.After previous draft lottery losses saw the Sabres miss out on Aaron Ekblad and Connor McDavid, a winning combination belonging to Buffalo came up not once, but twice Saturday night.Already winning the top pick in the first lottery, and the right to draft Rasmus Dahlin come June, the Sabres were picked again in the third draw (the Carolina Hurricanes won the second lottery), which would have given Buffalo the first and third selections.Of course, since the Sabres' first-rounder had already laid claim to the top pick, a redraw was necessary and ultimately landed on the Montreal Canadiens.Entering the lottery, the Sabres held a 18.5 percent chance of picking first, and 14.4 percent odds at the third pick.The Sabres hold the first-overall pick for the first time since 1987, when they chose Pierre Turgeon with the top selection.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evgeni Malkin will miss his third straight contest when the Pittsburgh Penguins face off for Game 2 against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, coach Mike Sullivan confirmed.Malkin returned to practice Saturday in a full-contact jersey and saw some time working with the Penguins' top power-play unit. Following practice, Sullivan indicated that Malkin would be a game-time decision ahead of Game 2.The Russian center has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury that has forced him to miss both games against the Capitals as well as the series-clinching Game 6 against the Philadelphia Flyers.Sullivan later added that Malkin has not experienced any setbacks due to the injury, but rather his latest absence is simply part of the recovery process.Malkin has notched three goals and two assists in five appearances this postseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have gauged Ilya Kovalchuk's interest in bringing his show to Broadway.The Russian superstar, now an unrestricted free agent, has expressed interest in returning to the NHL after spending the past five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, and could find a fit with the Rangers."We've checked in with him. It's fair to say that's something we're going to look at again further and see what's going on," Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton told Larry Brooks of the New York Post.Kovalchuk last suited up in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, but retired following the 2012-13 campaign in order to return to Russia. He had 12 years remaining on his contract at the time of his retirement.Had Kovalchuk opted to return to the NHL prior to the coming season, the Devils would have retained his rights. However, now that his 35th birthday has passed, he is removed from the NHL's voluntary retired list and free to sign with any team.As of April 15, Kovalchuk can hold talks with interested teams, but cannot put pen to paper until free agency opens on July 1.In 55 appearances with St. Petersburg SKA this season, Kovalchuk tallied 32 goals and 33 assists. The former Devil and Atlanta Thrasher also notched 816 points in as many NHL games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Ferguson Jr. could be getting another shot.The Boston Bruins executive is among four candidates to become the next general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon.Ferguson has spent the last four seasons as the Bruins' director of player personnel, also doubling as GM of the AHL's Providence Bruins for the past two campaigns.The Montreal native previously served as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2003 to 2008, followed by six seasons as the San Jose Sharks' director of pro scouting.Reports also indicate Buffalo Sabres assistant GM Steve Greeley has had multiple interviews for the position. Greeley is in his first season with the Sabres after a two-year run as the assistant director of player personnel with the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights thought they had won Game 2 in overtime.Jonathan Marchessault got the puck past San Jose's Martin Jones late in the first OT, but upon further review by NHL officials in the situation room located in Toronto, the goal was overturned due to goaltender interference.Here's a look at the play in question, with Marchessault pegged as the culprit:

Jason Botterill knows he's in line to add a prime talent.The Buffalo Sabres won Saturday's NHL Draft lottery, and can now select Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who's projected to be the consensus top pick.Related - NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Rasmus DahlinAs a result, Botterill is now the envy of his colleagues."He’s a defenseman 31 teams in the NHL want," Botterill said, per the Sabres' Twitter. "(He has) ability to jump up on the rush, create."This is exciting," he added. "For the players too, they want to play with other skilled players. This is a good day. It’s a great feeling. It was nerve-racking at the very end. Just very, very happy for our fans."Botterill, of course, didn't come right out and say he'll call Dahlin's name.

The Buffalo Sabres won the NHL Draft lottery Saturday night, securing the first overall pick.The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens also made jumps up the selection board, and will pick second and third overall, respectively.The three picks were announced during the second intermission of Game 2 between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks, with the rest of the lottery results decided earlier in the night.Related - NHL Draft lottery: Order set for picks 4-15Here's a look at the entire lottery board:PickTeam1Buffalo Sabres2Carolina Hurricanes3Montreal Canadiens4Ottawa Senators5Arizona Coyotes6Detroit Red Wings7Vancouver Canucks8Chicago Blackhawks9New York Rangers10Edmonton Oilers11New York Islanders12New York Islanders (from Calgary)13Dallas Stars14Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis)15Florida PanthersThree draws were held: the first determined the club selecting first overall, the second determined the club selecting second overall, and the third determined the club selecting third overall. The remaining teams were slotted in accordingly.The Sabres had the best chance of securing the top pick after being the first team to finish 31st overall in NHL history. Interestingly, Buffalo is only the eighth last-place team to retain the top pick in the NHL Draft lottery, according to NHL Public Relations.The NHL explained how the other two drawings shook out:"In the drawing that determined the No. 2 drafting position, the Hurricanes had the 10th-greatest percentage likelihood among the 14 remaining clubs eligible for selection (3.7%) and climbed from No. 11 to No. 2."In the drawing that determined the No. 3 drafting position, the Canadiens had the third-greatest percentage likelihood among the 13 remaining clubs eligible for selection (12.1%). After dropping from No. 4 to No. 5 as a result of the second drawing, Montreal climbed to No. 3, improving its drafting position as a result of the Draft Lottery for the first time in franchise history."The Sabres will almost assuredly select Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with the first overall pick, adding a blue-chip player to play with franchise center Jack Eichel.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks finally got one past Marc-Andre Fleury.After being shut out by the Vegas Golden Knights' goaltender in Game 1, the Sharks needed until the second period of Game 2 to score on Fleury, courtesy of a howitzer off the stick of Brent Burns that took a couple bounces along the way.

What a whale of a time this would've been.Vancouver general manager Jim Benning said the Canucks wanted to send their mascot, "Fin," to represent them at the NHL Draft Lottery in Toronto on Saturday, but the league said no, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Benning ended up making the trip, and the Canucks fell to seventh overall.

The Ottawa Senators will hold off on giving the Colorado Avalanche their first-round draft pick.The selection is owed as part of the Matt Duchene trade, but Ottawa had the option of handing over this year's pick or waiting until 2019 to do so.

A majority of the NHL Draft Lottery board is set.Prior to Game 2 between Vegas and San Jose, the NHL revealed the teams that will make selections 4-15.PickTeam4Ottawa Senators5Arizona Coyotes6Detroit Red Wings7Vancouver Canucks8Chicago Blackhawks9New York Rangers10Edmonton Oilers11New York Islanders12New York Islanders (from Calgary)13Dallas Stars14Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis)15Florida PanthersThe order of the remaining three teams - Carolina, Montreal, and Buffalo - will be announced during the second intermission of Saturday night's game.As a reminder, the Flyers received a first-round pick from St. Louis in the Brayden Schenn trade, while the Islanders got Calgary's pick in the Travis Hamonic deal.Carolina is the big mover here, finishing 21st overall but leapfrogging into the top three. Montreal made a modest jump as well after finishing 27th.On the downside, Ottawa and Arizona dropped two spots each, with Vancouver, Chicago, the Rangers, and Edmonton also bumped down one slot apiece.The NHL draft will be held June 22-23 in Dallas.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Head coach Guy Boucher will meet with general manager Pierre Dorion Monday to discuss how the club will rebound from a disappointing regular season."It’s a conversation for the next step," Dorion said Saturday afternoon on Sportsnet, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. "We knew we weren’t going to be in the playoffs for a long time, we decided to have an evaluation top-to-bottom of our hockey team."At the conclusion of the campaign, Dorion did not confirm whether or not Boucher will be back behind the bench come training camp, saying "if" Boucher returns, he'll have to put younger players in the lineup and increase practice time.Now that the dust has settled, it's time to see where they stand."Guy’s a very good coach," Dorion said. "He did a tremendous job last year. Even this year I thought he did a very good job, but at the same time we have to evaluate everyone. We’re going to sit down with Guy. When we had a meeting with the coaches, we probably did a bit more of the talking. This time we’re going to let Guy explain how can we be better moving forward."One year after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Senators finished 30th in the overall standings.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuukka Rask apparently had reason to be upset.The Boston Bruins goaltender was scored on by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday while dealing with a skate blade issue, and was visibly incensed that play was allowed to go on.The officials assured him they just didn't see the broken blade.

A new opponent wasn't able to slow down Boston's top guns in Game 1.The Bruins stormed into Tampa Bay and beat the Lightning 6-2, with the trio of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak leading the way once again with a combined 11 points.

Well, this is a new one.Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask lost his cool during the second period of Game 1 in Tampa Bay immediately after being scored on by the Lightning.The issue wasn't interference or a high stick, but rather that he had been playing with a broken skate blade for a few moments and was therefore hindered from making the save.

While eight clubs continue to battle for their chance to drink from the Stanley Cup, on Saturday night, the bottom 15 NHL clubs get their opportunity to celebrate: the draft lottery.Related: Your guide to the NHL Draft Lottery and the top 3 projected picksThe league will reveal which team has the right to select first overall in this year's entry draft, allowing them to land highly coveted prospect Rasmus Dahlin.As is the case with any lottery, the outcome is sure to produce some disappointment, but with such a game-changing defenseman up for grabs, a few outcomes would be particularly devastating for some teams and fans.Here are the four most aggravating potential results from the draft lottery.4. Islanders win with Flames' pickIt's not often that a lottery team hopes its name isn't called, but that may be exactly how the Calgary Flames feel.The Flames have the 12th-best chance to win (2.5 percent), but they traded that pick to the New York Islanders last offseason as part of the Travis Hamonic deal - meaning the Islanders have two chances to walk away with a lottery selection.Calgary fell out of a playoff spot toward the end of the year, leading to head coach Glen Gulutzan's firing. It would add insult to injury for Flames fans if they missed out on potentially drafting first overall.While running the draft simulator at Tankathon.com, we actually produced a scenario where the Islanders won the first and second overall selections.Can you imagine?3. Sabres can't catch a breakThe Buffalo Sabres are that person who picks the same lottery numbers every week and only wins a free play, while their wealthier peers take home the big prizes.Things just never seem to go the Sabres' way, no matter how hard they try to put themselves in position to get the top selection.That was never more apparent than in 2015. After finishing the year with a league-worst 54 points, the team lost out on the first overall pick and had to settle for second.The consolation prize was Jack Eichel - who's on the way to being an elite talent in his own right - but watching Connor McDavid go to the Oilers must have been gut-wrenching.The Sabres enter Saturday with the best chance at snagging the first overall pick. There's no way they miss out again ... is there?2. Blackhawks hit the jackpotThe Chicago Blackhawks have won three Stanley Cups in the last seven years. Come on.The team just missed the postseason for the first time since 2007-08. Chicago can blame an injury to goaltender Corey Crawford, who didn't play after Dec. 23, and some underperforming players.The Blackhawks still boast a solid core that includes Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brandon Saad, Crawford, and budding prospect Alex DeBrincat.With some better puck luck and their No. 1 goalie healthy, there is no reason the Blackhawks can't quickly return to contention. Watching them pick first overall thanks to one down year would be infuriating for the rest of the league.1. Oilers win ... againIf the Edmonton Oilers somehow win the draft lottery again, listen closely and you might be able to hear the groans from every other fan base.Since 2010, the Oilers have selected first overall four times, including a three-year run from 2010-12.Year Player PickedChance at Winning2010Taylor Hall25%2011Ryan Nugent-Hopkins25%2012Nail Yakupov18.8%2015Connor McDavid11.5%What's even worse - depending on how you look at it - is that the Oilers don't have much to show for all that luck. Last season marked the first time the club made the playoffs in 11 years, but the team fell out of the picture again this season. Meanwhile, Taylor Hall (now a Hart Trophy nominee) and Nail Yakupov (now a healthy scratch in the playoffs) are both playing elsewhere.If Edmonton wins again, you can bet fans will demand new rules to prevent that kind of draft dominance, no matter how conflicted Oilers fans may feel about the results.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There appears to have been a change of plans.Following reports that Buffalo Sabres rookie forward Casey Mittelstadt would be part of the American squad at the upcoming World Championship, the Minnesota native was conspicuously absent when Team USA announced its final roster Saturday.The reason for the omission is a groin injury, according to John Vogl of the Buffalo News.Mittelstadt spent the 2017-18 campaign with the University of Minnesota, where he scored 30 points in 34 games. He was also a key contributor for the Americans at last year's World Junior Championship.Following the college season, Mittelstadt closed out his campaign in Buffalo, where he notched five points in six games.The 19-year-old is expected to play a key role with the Sabres next year. Buffalo selected Mittelstadt with the eighth pick in the 2017 draft.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It'll come down to the wire.Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will be a game-time decision for Game 2 against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Saturday.Malkin missed the series-opener, as well as the series-clincher over the Philadelphia Flyers, with an undisclosed injury.The Russian center took part in practice Saturday, wearing a full-contact jersey and skating with Carter Rowney and Tom Kuhnhackl, while also seeing time on the Penguins' top powerplay unit.Malkin has recorded five points in five appearances this postseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The United States unveiled their roster for the 2018 World Championship on Saturday.The team - unlike in previous years - is stocked full of elite talent with the likes of Patrick Kane, Johnny Gaudreau, and Anders Lee, looking to improve on last year's fifth place finish.Here is the full roster:

As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 19th edition focuses on the Toronto Maple Leafs.The GoodFreddie Andersen. Andersen was one of a few Leafs players who had a career year. He won a career-high 38 games while facing the most shots of any goalie in the NHL and boasted a .918 save percentage. The team wouldn't have gotten so far without Andersen’s efforts.A talented core. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Nazem Kadri, Zach Hyman, and Connor Brown were Toronto’s best players, and signal an incredibly bright future. Matthews and Kadri became the first center pair in Leafs history to score 30 goals. Matthews also became the third player in Leafs history to score 30 goals in each of his first two seasons.A franchise record. The team's 46th win, recorded against the Florida Panthers in the last week of the season, secured a place for this year’s Leafs squad in the franchise record books - remarkable for a club that’s been around since 1917. The Leafs finished the season with 49 wins.The BadToo many shots allowed. The Leafs allowed the fourth-most shots per game during the regular season (33.9). Andersen faced the most shots of any goalie in the league (2,211) and made the most saves in the NHL (2,029), a whopping 120 ahead of anyone else. Combined with Andersen playing in 66 regular-season games, this might have contributed to some fatigue in the Leafs’ first-round loss to the Boston Bruins.Kadri’s suspension. Losing one of their most important centers and their second-highest goal-scorer for three games in a playoff series against the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference wasn’t ideal. The Leafs still took Boston to seven games despite Kadri being suspended for checking Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in the head, but his absence made a difference.Another first-round exit. For most of the season, this iteration of the Leafs looked destined for playoff greatness. Instead, they were eliminated by the Bruins in seven games, the second year in a row that their season ended in the first round. In 2017, Toronto was knocked out of the playoffs in six games by the Washington Capitals.The QuestionsWhat’s in store this summer? It’s a critical offseason for the Leafs; they've done well at drafting and developing talent over the past few years, but they need to address the shortcomings that have prevented them from taking the next step in the playoffs. One of those is a top-pairing defenseman; Jake Gardiner had his best NHL season, but he can’t do it all alone.Who’s on their way out? Tomas Plekanec, acquired at the trade deadline, is all but guaranteed not to return. There’s been talk that free agents James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, and Leo Komarov won't be back either. This will open up more opportunities for players like Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, and Andreas Johnsson next fall. The Leafs could look a lot different, especially if their younger players take the next step.Where does Lou land? General manager Lou Lamoriello’s three-year contract expires soon, and there's been no word on whether he will return next season. There’s a provision in his contract that would allow him to spend two years beyond his contract in an advisory role with the organization. Lamoriello’s fate might be tied to those of his assistants, Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas. Either or both could be up for a promotion this summer.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

2018 NHL Draft Lottery

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Connor Hellebuyck made 47 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 on Friday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal between the NHL's top teams in the regular season.Both the Jets and Predators brought a Vezina Trophy finalist into this series, and the 24-year-old Hellebuyck outdueled veteran Pekka Rinne, who was pulled after the second period after giving up three goals on 16 shots. Hellebuyck, who made his NHL postseason debut in the first round where he finished off Minnesota with back-to-back shutouts, picked up in Nashville where he left off a week ago.Hellebuyck stretched his shutout streak to 163 minutes before Nashville finally scored.Mark Scheifele scored two goals, including an empty-netter as the Jets were outshot 48-19. Brandon Tanev and Paul Stastny also scored to help the Jets - the NHL's best home team - steal home-ice advantage.Kevin Fiala scored for Nashville, which had won 11 of its last 14 playoff games at home.The Predators had the sparkling pregame show with the retractable screen dropping from the ceiling and country star Dierks Bentley singing the U.S. anthem, and a couple catfish hit the ice before the puck drop to boot. Then they pelted Hellebuyck with 15 of the first 19 shots.Then the Jets scored the game's first goal for a sixth straight playoff game. Tanev's wrister beat Rinne's outstretched right skate at 14:51 of the first.Nashville finished the period with 20 shots, a franchise postseason record for a period, with Hellebuyck continuing his shutout streak started with consecutive shutouts to finish off Minnesota in the first round.The Predators kept shooting away with Hellebuyck making every save, and the Jets proved very opportunistic. Stastny scored off a rebound of Patrik Laine's shot at 9:01 of the second on Winnipeg's ninth shot for a 2-0 lead.Filip Forsberg, Nashville's postseason scoring leader, hit the post on the power play with 3:31 left. The Jets killed off the penalty, and Scheifele beat Rinne with a long shot with 2:09 left in the second for a 3-0 lead that silenced the sold-out crowd.Fiala at least helped Nashville avoid being shutout with his wrister 1:23 into the third . Even pulling backup goalie Juuse Saros with more than 2 minutes left helped.NOTES: Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis went to the locker room after being clipped on the cheek by the skate of Jets Ben Chiarot early in the third. ... Austin Watson, who had seven points in the first round for Nashville, did not return after playing 4:09 of the first period.UP NEXTGame 2 is Sunday night in Nashville.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalkerCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette turned to Juuse Saros to start the third period of Game 1 versus the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night after Pekka Rinne allowed three goals through the opening 40 minutes.Despite the Predators controlling the shots clock, the Jets solved Rinne three times on just 16 shots in the highly anticipated series opener.Rinne entered the contest with a .909 save percentage in six playoff starts this season, and was also pulled in Game 3 versus the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall, and Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar were named the finalists for the 2018 Hart Trophy as the league MVP, the NHL announced Friday.This year's race was widely considered one of the most open in recent memory, with several candidates worthy of recognition. However, breakout seasons from MacKinnon and Hall, as well as a bounce-back from Kopitar, ultimately won out.MacKinnon ranked fifth in league scoring with 97 points despite playing in just 74 games, and was the main reason the Avalanche qualified for the playoffs one season after finishing dead last in the standings.The same can be said about Hall, who led the Devils to the postseason for the first time since 2012 after notching 93 points in 76 games - a run that included a historic 26-game point streak.Kopitar was the centerpiece of a resurgent Kings team that returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence. The Los Angeles captain finished seventh in league scoring with 92 points and topped all forwards with more than 22 minutes logged per game - a resume that also earned him recognition as a Selke Trophy finalist.The winner will be revealed at the NHL Awards on June 20 in Las Vegas.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks will be without Evander Kane for Game 2 versus the Vegas Golden Knights, as the forward was suspended one game for a cross-check to the face of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the Department of Player Safety announced.Here's a look at the play, which occurred in the third period of Thursday night's blowout.

NHL linesman Don Henderson has been ordered by a judge to pay the Calgary Flames and former defenseman Dennis Wideman $11,000 to cover a fraction of the legal costs spent in their dismissed lawsuit, according to The Canadian Press.Henderson filed a lawsuit against the NHL, the Flames, and Wideman seeking $10.5 million in damages after the 2016 incident in which Wideman struck Henderson from behind on his way to the bench.Wideman was suspended 20 games for the play, while Henderson suffered permanent back and shoulder issues, a concussion, and depression as a result, and hasn't worked since. The suit was dismissed in February.Henderson will have to pay Wideman $3,000 and the Flames $8,000.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are mixed messages coming from the NHL's head office.The league's deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, insisted Friday that the NHL never told the Boston Bruins or Brad Marchand to tone down the tongue.“No, we did not contact the Bruins or Brad Marchand regarding this incident,” Daly told USA Today Sports' Kevin Allen on Friday. "It’s just not true.”Earlier on Friday, the talented Boston Bruins agitator denied receiving the warning by replying to tweets from the NHL on NBC and The Boston Globe accounts with "false" and "this is false," respectively.Daly's denial came less than 24 hours after a league representative stated to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski that the league had asked Marchand to stop licking players after he did just that to Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov in Game 1 of the teams' first-round series.From Wyshynski's story, which followed up on a note from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:"The NHL felt Marchand's actions were a little less cute. A league spokesperson confirmed a report by Sportsnet that the NHL demanded Marchand not repeat that particular antic again. A message was communicated to Marchand through the series' supervisor of officials Mick McGeough."After sending the "false" tweets, Marchand texted NBC Sports Boston's Joe Haggerty to reiterate his denial and to accuse the NHL of being controlled by "the Toronto media" if they were to call him about it.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pending unrestricted free agent Tyler Bozak would prefer to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs next season."It would be my top priority to stay here," Bozak said, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton. "My family loves it here, my kid loves it here, he thinks he owns the place. It’ll be tough on him if I’m not back."Bozak has spent his entire nine-year career with the Maple Leafs after signing with the club as a college free agent out of Denver University in 2009.The 32-year-old is coming off the final season of a five-year, $21-million contract, in which he put up his lowest goal total (11) since his rookie campaign and 12 fewer points (43) than he had in three fewer games last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will welcome defenseman Toby Enstrom back to the lineup for Game 1 of their second-round series against the Nashville Predators on Friday, the team confirmed."This is exciting times, the time of year you want to play hockey so I’m just happy to be back," Enstrom said.The 33-year-old has been sidelined since Mar. 23 with an ankle injury, but will slot back in alongside his regular defense partner Dustin Byfuglien."I played with him for a long time, so of course it's easier. I feel happy to have him on my side," Enstrom said of Byfuglien.Enstrom was limited to 43 games this season where he contributed one goal and six points from the back end.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Todd McLellan isn't going anywhere.He will return as Edmonton Oilers head coach next season, while assistant coaches Jim Johnson and Ian Herbers will not, the club announced Friday.Jay Woodcroft, who served as the other Oilers assistant coach this season, will be the new head coach of Edmonton's AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.McLellan's squad underachieved and missed out on the postseason this spring after getting back into the playoffs and winning a series for the first time in 11 years last April.SeasonRecordFinish2017-1836-40-6Missed playoffs2016-1747-26-9Lost in 2nd round2015-1631-43-8Missed playoffsHe joined the Oilers after spending seven seasons as head coach of the San Jose Sharks.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane will have a hearing for his cross-check on Vegas Golden Knights forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.For the infraction, Kane was assessed a major and a game misconduct, which occurred 3:25 into the third period. The Golden Knights subsequently scored two power-play goals with the man advantage en route to a 7-0 blowout in Game 1 of the series.

Auston Matthews insists there's no tension between himself and head coach Mike Babcock."Our relationship is fine," the Toronto Maple Leafs star told reporters, including Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, at the club's dressing-room clean-out session Friday.Matthews was presumably asked about it because Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos speculated Thursday morning that Babcock lost trust in Matthews down the stretch.The 20-year-old center said that notion is totally untrue and that the media will speculate as they choose, adding that he wasn't pleased when he heard it being floated, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.On another note, Matthews acknowledged he doesn't make the lineup decisions but said he'd like to play with Mitch Marner more in the future, per Johnston.Marner echoed that sentiment, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.Matthews spent much of the season alongside Zach Hyman and William Nylander, ultimately finishing up the series against the Boston Bruins primarily alongside Hyman and Connor Brown.Marner and Matthews played a total of 72:46 together at 5-on-5 over 62 games in the regular season, posting a 61.64 Scoring Chances For percentage and a 48.57 Corsi For percentage.They played together for 11:28 across the Leafs' seven first-round playoff games, compiling a 54.55 Scoring Chances For percentage and a Corsi For rate of exactly 50 percent at 5-on-5.(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens named Dominique Ducharme assistant coach on Friday, the team announced.Ducharme had spent the last two years as head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL and had previously served as bench boss of the Halifax Mooseheads . He also served as head coach of Canada's world juniors the last two years, helping the team capture silver in 2017 and gold this year."With Dominique, we are very confident that we hired an excellent coach, a man who proved himself at the Junior level in the QMJHL," general manager Marc Bergevin said in a release. "Furthermore, his experience on the international stage with Hockey Canada has given him valuable knowledge which will allow him to make the jump to the professional ranks. We are very happy to have him join the Canadiens' organization."In conjunction with the hiring, the club also announced that assistant coaches Jean-Jacques Daigneault and Dan Lacroix would not return. Meanwhile, the team agreed to a new contract with goaltending coach Stephane Waite.Ducharme will have some familiarity with the Canadiens having coached forward Jonathan Drouin, who played his junior career with the Mooseheads.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews will not play for the United States at the upcoming World Championship, he confirmed at the team's locker clean-out Friday, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle.The 20-year-old revealed his decision to skip the tournament is due to not being 100 percent healthy, though he assured he's not suffering from any major injuries.Matthews was sidelined for 20 games this season after missing time in December with an upper-body injury and sitting from Feb. 23 to Mar. 21 due to a separate shoulder ailment.He underwhelmed offensively in the postseason, contributing just one goal and one assist in the Maple Leafs' seven-game series defeat against the Boston Bruins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Calgary Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan is in talks with multiple teams regarding an assistant/associate coaching job and the Edmonton Oilers are believed to be among them, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Dreger furthered his report, stating both Gulutzan and former Anaheim Ducks assistant coach Trent Yawney could be behind the Oilers bench next season.The Flames let Gulutzan go after two seasons and replaced him with former Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters.Gulutzan posted an 82-68-14 regular-season record with an 0-4 mark in the playoffs over his Calgary tenure.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There doesn't appear to be anything tongue-in-cheek about Brad Marchand's response to reports that he was asked to stop licking opposing players.The talented Boston Bruins pest replied with denials Friday to a couple of tweets documenting the NHL's request.Marchand later texted NBC Sports Boston's Joe Haggerty with an even more fervent denial and an eyebrow-raising accusation."No one said anything to me," Marchand wrote to Haggerty. "If they are worried about that, the league has much bigger issues. If they call, it's a perfect example of the Toronto media controlling the league."On Thursday night, an NHL spokesman confirmed to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski that the league demanded Marchand not repeat his apparent lick of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov's neck in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Burke is leaving the Calgary Flames.The longtime hockey executive and current Flames president of hockey operations will be "stepping back" from the organization effective May 1, the club revealed Friday.It was a mutual decision between Burke and Ken King, the Flames CEO said in a statement, adding that they had discussed a four- to five-year timeline for Burke's role when he joined the team's front office in September 2013.Burke is joining Sportsnet as an analyst for the remainder of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the network announced.Going forward, Calgary's hockey brain trust will consist of general manager Brad Treliving, vice president of hockey ops Don Maloney, and assistant GMs Craig Conroy and Brad Pascall.Burke landed with the Flames after working as GM of the Vancouver Canucks and the Anaheim Ducks, and later president and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.He also previously served as the NHL's director of hockey operations, as well as GM of the Hartford Whalers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON - It is said that a two-goal edge is the most dangerous lead in hockey - and while that isn't really the case, it has been particularly troublesome for the Washington Capitals so far in the Stanley Cup playoffs.Enjoying a 2-0 third-period lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday night, the Capitals watched as the Penguins stormed back with three goals in less than five minutes to steal the win, stun the sold-out Capital One Arena crowd, and snag home-ice advantage in the process.This isn't a new problem for the Capitals, who have squandered a two-goal advantage four times so far this postseason. Two of those blown leads resulted in overtime losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and forced Washington to rally from a 2-0 series deficit to ultimately prevail in six games."To be honest, we handle it much better than we (handled) it against Columbus,” Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov said after the game. “But you know, those three shifts, they score. I feel like they got momentum and then they score again and again. But then it's pretty tough to get that goal back."But the good thing is there's more games coming. We have to regroup, we have to re-focus and we have to play (the) second game."The Capitals needed just 17 seconds to seize the lead on Kuznetsov's fifth goal of the postseason. And after Alex Ovechkin scored 28 seconds into the third period, Washington looked primed to take the opener - until those three fateful shifts led to their demise.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Patric Hornqvist responded less than three minutes after Ovechkin's tally, redirecting a point shot from the left circle. Sidney Crosby evened things less than two-and-a-half minutes later, and Jake Guentzel scored the eventual game-winner - on another deft deflection - at 7:48."Those three shifts changed the game, and it's again our third period," Kuznetsov said. "We have to be better over there."When the question was posed to coach Barry Trotz postgame, he said he didn't think any of the games with blown leads had anything in common; more that it was a combination of not finishing on their chances - Ovechkin fanning on an open net in the first loomed large - and losing focus for just a few minutes late in the game that led to things getting out of control."We played pretty good," defenseman Matt Niskanen said. "Pretty good. We gave up some good chances and Holts (Braden Holtby) was really good early. But we played a pretty good game. They scored on Crosby's three shifts in a row in the third period to win the game. Otherwise we played pretty good so I don't think you need to over-analyze that."A short memory comes in handy in the playoffs, and the Capitals have already moved on from Game 1."It's all about the next game," Niskanen said. "We lost Game 1 last series and we had one heck of a response. That was probably one of our better games of the season, really. We'll look to do that again. You've got to have a short memory, boy. You can't dwell on things. Just get ready for the next game."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's probably not something the NHL ever thought it would have to ask of a player, but here we are.The NHL asked Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand to stop licking or nuzzling opposing players, according to ESPN, which confirmed a Sportsnet report.This comes after Marchand appeared to lick Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov in Game 1 of their opening-round series.Oddly, this isn't the first time Marchand has kissed/licked Komarov, having done so during a game earlier in the regular season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 18th edition focuses on the Minnesota Wild.The GoodThe resurgence of Eric Staal. Staal paced the Wild with 42 goals, the second-highest total of his career and his best since 2005-06. He became the second player in NHL history to record 40-goal seasons nine years apart. At 33, Staal is two years removed from his least productive season and one year into his three-year, $10.5-million deal.Devan Dubnyk. After the Wild were knocked out of the playoffs in five games by the Winnipeg Jets, coach Bruce Boudreau didn't blame goalie Devan Dubnyk, who was pulled within the first 12 minutes of Game 5 for allowing four goals. Dubnyk had a good regular season by all accounts, with a 35-16-7 record, 2.52 goals-against average, and .918 save percentage.Jordan Greenway's taste of the playoffs. Greenway scored his first postseason point in his first NHL playoff game and scored his first playoff goal a few days later in Game 3. Signed to an entry-level contract by the Wild soon after his NCAA season ended, the 20-year-old Boston University product - who also represented the USA at PyeongChang - played in the last six games of the regular season. These experiences can only help his confidence grow, and that’s a good thing for the Wild.The BadNo Zach Parise or Ryan Suter. Suter fractured his ankle a few weeks before playoffs, and in what might have been the fatal blow to the team, Parise fractured his sternum in Game 3 and was out for the rest of the series. He'd scored in each of the first three games.Scoring struggles. The Wild were shut out in their last two games against the Jets. After losing Parise, it seemed like their offense just dried up. They were overmatched in many areas, but their inability to generate any kind of offense after their 6-2 win was truly their undoing.Matchup problems. Though the Jets outscored the Wild 16-9 in their first-round meeting, there were problems long before that. In the regular season, Minnesota went 1-3-0 against Winnipeg. Top scorers Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine gave the Wild fits all year and Minnesota's depleted blue line struggled to contain them in the playoffs.The QuestionsWho will be the new GM? The Wild parted with general manager Chuck Fletcher shortly after their elimination from the playoffs. Fletcher had been GM of the Wild since 2009, and was responsible for signing Parise and Suter and hiring Boudreau. Brent Flahr, the senior vice president of hockey operations, will serve as acting interim general manager.Where do they go from here? For the third consecutive year, the Wild failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs. Owner Craig Leipold said there won't be a rebuild, but it's hard to know what he does have planned since a new GM hasn’t been hired yet. That hire might determine their direction. The Wild should certainly focus more on drafting and development, since Minnesota hasn’t selected higher than 46th overall in six consecutive drafts and Fletcher decided to fill gaps in the lineup through free agency and trades.Will everyone be healthy? One blessing in disguise from the Wild’s early playoff exit is the fact it gives injured players more time to recover. Aside from Parise and Suter, Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter were plagued by lower-body injuries most of the year, and Jared Spurgeon tore his hamstring a month before the playoffs. The Wild didn't even play 10 games during the season with a full, healthy roster.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

LAS VEGAS (AP) Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 shots for his third shutout of the playoffs, and the Vegas Golden Knights went on to beat the San Jose Sharks 7-0 Thursday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.Cody Eakin, Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault scored 1:31 apart early in the first period to get Vegas going. Alex Tuch, Shea Theodore, Colin Miller and James Neal also scored, Reilly Smith and William Karlsson each had three assists, and Marchessault and David Perron added two each.Fleury, who improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, got his 13th career shutout in the playoffs - and second straight. He also blanked Los Angeles 1-0 in Game 4 of the first round.The Golden Knights, the first team from the opening round to advance, showed no sign of rust after having nine days off since their first-round sweep over the Kings. From the opening puck drop, Vegas skated fast, its passes were crisp, and the players were in synch with one another. It has now outscored its opposition 14-3 in five games.San Jose, which swept Anaheim in the first round, looked out of sorts by the time Vegas put its first three in the net just 6:02 into the game, and the Sharks lost their cool early in the third period, when Evander Kane was ejected for cross-checking Pierre-Edouard Bellemare in the face after a whistle.Martin Jones, who stopped 128 of 132 shots in the first round against the Ducks, was pulled a little more than three minutes into the second period after allowing five goals on 13 shots. Backup goalie Aaron Dell came in and finished with 19 saves.It was the Sharks' worst loss in playoff history. Detroit blanked San Jose 6-0 in the 1995 Western Conference semifinals.Eakin started the scoring barrage when he deflected Brayden McNabb's wrist shot from the point past Jones 4:31 into the game. Before the public-address announcer could trumpet the game's first goal, Haula finished Tuch's rush to the net 26 seconds later with a sniper past Jones to double Vegas' lead.Marchessault made it 3-0 when he fired a shot from inside the circle past Jones, notching his first career playoff goal. Tuch capped the scoring in the opening period when he sliced through four defenders, made a swift move to his forehand for a wrist shot that beat Jones for a power-play goal.Jones' night ended 3:28 into the second when Smith threaded a pass to Theodore, who promptly tipped it into the twine to give Vegas a 5-0 lead.While Kane was called for a game misconduct, Joe Pavelski went off at the same time for slashing, giving Vegas a 5-3 edge on the ice. The Golden Knights took full advantage, as Miller's one-timer blazed past Dell to make it 6-0 at 4:32 of the third.Neal, who had a goal overturned in the second period, extended the lead to 7-0 when he took Perron's pass and wrapped it around past Dell on the power play at 8:09.NOTES: Vegas' four goals in the first period marked the fifth time this season it netted four in one period. ... It was the third time this season the Sharks allowed four goals in a period. ... No. 1 UFC featherweight contender Brian Ortega, who fill fight champion Max Holloway for the title on July 7, was in attendance.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights simply will not stop.After a lengthy layoff following their first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings, the Golden Knights came out of the gates firing in Round 2, blitzing the San Jose Sharks for three goals just over six minutes into Game 1.Even more impressive, all three goals were spaced out in a span of just 91 seconds.Here's all three, starting with Cody Eakin's opening marker.

Jake Guentzel is on some kind of roll.The Pittsburgh Penguins winger scored the winning goal and added two assists in a Game 1 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday, bringing his point total this postseason to a league-high 16 (seven goals, nine assists).Related: Penguins score 3 goals in under 5 minutes to steal Game 1Those 16 points in seven games to begin the playoffs put him up with the best players in franchise history, namely Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will never back down.Behind 2-0 in the third period of Game 1 in Washington, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions rolled up their sleeves and dropped a trio of goals on the Capitals in quick succession.Three goals in 4:49, to be precise, with the final tally standing as the game-winner. Here's how it went down:Patric Hornqvist - 2:59

Patrick Roy is back in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.The Hall of Fame goaltender and former coach of the Colorado Avalanche signed a two-year contract to serve as head coach and general manager of the Quebec Remparts, it was announced Thursday.

New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall, Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid were named the finalists for the 2018 Ted Lindsay Award on Thursday.The award is given annually to the league's most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players' Association.Here's a look at the candidates' numbers:Player GP G A P/GPHall7639541.22MacKinnon7439581.31McDavid8241671.32All three players established career highs in points, and they ranked sixth, fifth, and first, respectively, in the regular-season scoring race. It's likely they'll also be in the mix when the nominees for the Hart Trophy, given to the league's MVP, are announced Friday.McDavid captured both the Ted Lindsay and Hart last season, and this year's winner will be revealed at the NHL Awards on June 20 in Las Vegas.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators and the Tampa Bay Lightning share the status of Stanley Cup favorites as Round 2 begins Thursday.The field is tight, however, save for the San Jose Sharks decisively ranking last.TeamOddsNashville Predators9/2Tampa Bay Lightning9/2Boston Bruins5/1Pittsburgh Penguins6/1Vegas Golden Knights6/1Winnipeg Jets6/1Washington Capitals13/2San Jose Sharks17/2The Predators, of course, are the defending Western Conference champions, and the Lightning have been thought to be on the verge of winning for a few years now, save for last year's non-playoff campaign.At any rate, the second round is shaping up to be a doozy.(Odd courtesy: Bodog)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.