Chuck Fletcher's tenure as general manager of the Minnesota Wild is over, as the club revealed Monday that it will not renew his contract.The search for a new GM will begin immediately. Brent Flahr, the team's senior vice president of hockey operations, will serve as acting GM until a replacement is found.Wild owner Craig Leipold said Monday that the coaching staff will remain in place, according to The Athletic's Chad Graff.Minnesota made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons, but lost in the first round in each of the last three years and failed to advance past the second round on Fletcher's watch.Fletcher shaped the Wild roster for the last nine campaigns after being hired in May 2009.He signed forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter to dual 13-year, $98-million contracts on July 4, 2012, and drafted the likes of forwards Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker (2010), as well as blue-liners Jonas Brodin (2011) and Matt Dumba (2012).Fletcher also acquired goaltender Devan Dubnyk from the Arizona Coyotes for a third-round pick in 2015.He was the second GM in Wild history after Doug Risebrough.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars are casting a wide net as they look for their next head coach.The club has compiled a list of potential candidates that currently has roughly 10-15 names, with no current front-runner, according to The Athletic's Craig Custance.The list could be trimmed down to five-to-eight names over the next couple of weeks, Custance reports, explaining that the Stars are waiting for some AHL coaches to finish their playoff runs, and NHL playoff teams could produce some candidates as well.Dallas reportedly spoke to Bill Peters about the position, but the Calgary Flames are expected to announce they've hired him Monday afternoon.The Stars' vacancy behind the bench opened after Ken Hitchcock retired from coaching at the conclusion of the season. Last offseason, he signed on for one year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are doing more tweaking ahead of their second straight do-or-die game against the Boston Bruins.Toronto trails the best-of-seven series 3-2 after winning a thrilling Game 5 in Boston, but despite the victory on Saturday, head coach Mike Babcock made some changes to the forward lines, which could be seen at Monday's morning skate.

Bill Peters was named head coach of the Calgary Flames at a press conference Monday afternoon.The 51-year-old exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. The 19th head coach in franchise history, he succeeds Glen Gulutzan, who was fired last Tuesday.Peters had been with Carolina for the past four seasons and accumulated a record of 137-138-53 in 328 games. He never finished higher than sixth in the Hurricanes' division, and failed to make the playoffs in all four years.This year, the Hurricanes finished 10th in the Eastern Conference with 83 points, 14 points out of the final wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the Flames finished 11th in the West, 11 points off the final playoff spot.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The IIHF World Hockey Championship begins May 4 in Denmark.Below, we break down players' commitments by country:Canada

P.K. Subban had nothing but kind words for Nathan MacKinnon after their first-round playoff series ended Sunday night.The Nashville Predators defenseman gave a long answer lauding the Colorado Avalanche forward after the Predators' 5-0 victory that eliminated the Avalanche in Game 6."You guys know I'm biased about (Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne), but in my opinion, (MacKinnon) was the best player in the league this year," Subban said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers."That's not to take anything away from other guys like Taylor Hall who have had great years," Subban continued."But I think for (MacKinnon) and what he's done with this team, a team that's been up and down ... He's just come into his own and he's a phenomenal hockey player. He's so tough to handle, so fast, strong and shifty. My expectation for him as a player is to be a Hall of Famer by the end of his career. He understands that. (I have) just tremendous respect for him. I just told him I hope he takes home that trophy that he deserves as the MVP. He deserves it."Subban was referring to this conversation they had in the handshake line:

The Philadelphia Flyers' Stanley Cup aspirations were once again extinguished by subpar goaltending, this time thanks to the netminding trio of Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, and Petr Mrazek.GoalieGPRecordGAASV%Elliott41-34.75.856Neuvirth31-14.40.847Mrazek10-03.87.857With the Flyers carrying a 4-2 lead midway through Game 6, Neuvirth allowed five unanswered goals en route to an 8-5 loss that sealed the opening-round series for the Pittsburgh Penguins.So what can the Flyers do to end their goaltending curse?Moves to makeIn order to upgrade, the crease rotation must be cleaned up.Both Elliott ($2.75 million) and Neuvirth ($2.5 million) are signed through next season, while Mrazek is a restricted free agent. However, considering Mrazek's steep qualifying offer - $4.15 million, according to CapFriendly - it's likely the Flyers will walk away from the netminder they acquired in February.That leaves Elliott and Neuvirth, and one of them would still need to be moved to make room for a new face. Considering their recent struggles and undesirable contracts, the Flyers may need to retain salary to facilitate a deal, but that shouldn't be a hiccup for one of hockey's most affluent clubs.So, with a bit of cap space, who should they consider adding?Look no further than Washington Capitals backup Philipp Grubauer, who performed well enough this season to unseat - at least temporarily - a former Vezina Trophy winner in starter Braden Holtby and convince bench boss Barry Trotz to start him in Washington's playoff opener.Grubauer stepped up in key games this season, and he owns a .923 save rate across a career-high 35 appearances, making him the latest second-stringer to be ready for full-time duty after Edmonton's Cam Talbot and Arizona's Antti Raanta.And while Washington may not be keen on moving its steady backup, cap concerns give them little choice. Grubauer is a pending restricted free agent, and an extension - which would likely come with a decent raise - may not be possible given the team's coming cap constraints.Look for the Capitals to save dollars on their backup netminder and invest their resources elsewhere, like in contract extensions for restricted forward Tom Wilson and unrestricted blue-liner John Carlson - arguably the top right-shot defenseman who could be available in free agency.In making a deal with the Flyers, the Capitals could bite on a familiar face in Neuvirth, who suited up in Washington from 2008-2014. That will be a better possibility if the Flyers retain dollars on Neuvirth's deal and offer up another valuable asset.Why not sign a free agent?Why should the Flyers move assets for Grubauer when there are options in free agency? Quite simply, the names who could be available aren't inspiring.This year's free-agent crop could be headlined by the likes of Kari Lehtonen, Cam Ward, Jonathan Bernier, and Carter Hutton - none of whom appear better than Philadelphia's current netminders.What about Carter Hart?With Grubauer holding down the fort, there will be more help on the way in 19-year-old goaltending prospect Carter Hart, but he's at least a year away from regular NHL duty.Hart was a wall this season with the WHL's Everett Silvertips, winning 31 of his 41 games while posting a .947 save percentage and 1.60 GAA. The world juniors star will begin his pro season next year with the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms.Why now?Here's another reason why the Flyers need an immediate change between the pipes: The rest of the team deserves it. Captain Claude Giroux had a bounce-back season, Jakub Voracek remains one of the NHL's most underrated scorers, and center Sean Couturier has finally reached his potential. Meanwhile, the Flyers boast one of the league's best young pairings on the blue line in Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov.It's a core that deserves a chance at success, but that won't come without an upgrade in the crease.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have advanced to the second round.A 5-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 sealed the series, with five different scorers chipping in for Nashville.The Preds will now face the Winnipeg Jets in the second round, marking the first-ever playoff series between the two teams. The Jets eliminated the Minnesota Wild in five games in the opening round.Nashville took three of five regular-season contests against the Jets.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby brewed up the perfect response Sunday when asked about fans at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center who tossed cups of beer onto the ice in the final minute of Sunday's season-ending 8-5 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins."Those things were full. What a waste," Crosby quipped to The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "Guess they have to be full to throw them that far."Fans started throwing objects onto the ice before Penguins forward Bryan Rust scored into an empty Flyers net to seal the victory, and play was delayed while the arena staff cleared the debris.

Sean Couturier's five-point game is even more impressive now, despite being in a losing effort.The Philadelphia Flyers forward revealed Sunday after being eliminated from the playoffs that he played the final two contests of his season with a serious knee injury."I guess I tore my MCL," he told reporters, adding an affirmative "yep" when asked to confirm that he played through it during Game 5 and 6 of the Flyers' first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Couturier said he doesn't think he'll need surgery, that an injury of this sort usually requires about four weeks to heal, and that the decision to play through it was his."The decision was on me," he stated. "I had the support of the staff, the organization and the medical team. They helped me a lot. (I) had a lot of treatments and it definitely got better over the days but it wasn't the ideal situation."The talented two-way center notched a hat trick and added a pair of helpers in the Flyers' season-ending 8-5 loss in Game 6 on Sunday, after scoring the eventual winning goal in Philadelphia's 4-2 victory in Game 5 on Friday.Couturier went down in practice on Tuesday after a nasty collision with teammate Radko Gudas, and missed Game 4 of the first-round series before returning for the final two games of the series.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Battle of Pennsylvania.An 8-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday sealed the victory for the Penguins, who took the series in six games.The Flyers held a 4-3 lead in the second period before Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel scored late in the frame. He added three straight goals in the closing period.The Penguins will face either the Washington Capitals or Columbus Blue Jackets in the second round.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Claude Giroux destroyed Carl Hagelin on Sunday with a huge hit.The Philadelphia Flyers center's thunderous check on the Pittsburgh Penguins winger midway through the second period forced Hagelin to the dressing room.

The Pittsburgh Penguins finished off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games without Evgeni Malkin, who missed Sunday's eventual series finale due to an undisclosed injury, the team announced.Pittsburgh won the game 8-5 and the series 4-2.Malkin appeared to injure his leg in the first period of Game 5 as he got tangled up with Jori Lehtera and went down awkwardly. He did play the rest of the game, however.The good news for the Penguins is that Patric Hornqvist returned to the lineup after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury. He was on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel, and the trio were a force, combining for six goals and five assists. Guentzel was on fire, scoring four times.As for the rest of the lineup, Riley Sheahan took Malkin's place between Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel, while the third line of Conor Sheary, Derick Brassard, and Bryan Rust remained intact. Zach Aston-Reese, Carter Rowney, and Tom Kuhnhackl made up the fourth line.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks' Brock Boeser, New York Islanders' Mathew Barzal, and Arizona Coyotes' Clayton Keller were named the three finalists for the 2018 Calder Trophy on Sunday.Despite all three rookies having stellar first NHL campaigns, this could be a one-horse race, as Barzal has been by far the superior first-year player in terms of point production. Barzal (85 points) finished with 20 more points than the next-best Keller (65).It should be noted that Boeser's 29 goals and 26 assists were put up in 20 less games, as his season was cut short after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his lower back on March 5.The awards will be handed out in Las Vegas in June.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you're a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, you've likely tried everything you possibly can to erase the memory of the first-round playoff collapse against the Boston Bruins in 2013: A series Toronto seemingly had in the bag with a 4-1 lead in the third period in Game 7.Everyone knows how that played out, with the Buds blowing the game and, in turn, the series. So, on Saturday night, when the Leafs built another late 4-1 lead, some Toronto players like Jake Gardiner couldn't help but think back. "We had a lead similar to the one we had five years ago," Gardiner said with a smile, according to TSN's Mark Masters."Glad we got over that curse so that’s out of our minds now."While there is no telling what will happen in Game 6 (or a possible Game 7), Gardiner already feels the Leafs are a more composed team than the one that coughed up that juicy lead five years ago."During that series it was pretty tense on the bench when they scored to make it 4-3," said Gardiner, per Masters. "It was a lot more tight on the bench (while) last night we just tried to relax and stay calm and keep playing."Curse or not, the Leafs will try and push the series to a seventh and deciding game with a victory on Monday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Guarantees are nice. Heck, winning streaks in the playoffs are even better.Related: Ovechkin: We're going back to Washington tiedBut, for Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz, he knows exactly what he wants out of his club on Monday night if it hopes to knock off the Columbus Blue Jackets in six games and advance to the second round."If you have a chance to eliminate a team, you have to have that killer instinct," Trotz told the media on Sunday, according to Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports. "And it's the toughest game to win because the other team is desperate. Their backs are against the wall.""They're going to have their max effort tomorrow. We've got to make sure that we've got a max effort, and if we do that, then we have a chance to win in Columbus. We've won there a couple of time already."He's not wrong about that last part, as Washington won both Game 3 and 4 on the Blue Jackets' home ice. And following their Game 5 overtime victory on Saturday, the Capitals head back to Columbus with a chance to end their opponent's season.Puck drop is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET from Nationwide Arena.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Naslund. Backstrom. Forsberg. Sedin. Pettersson.Yup, you can pencil in Elias Pettersson's name in with some of Sweden's all-time players.Fresh off a regular season in which he set the SHL (Sweden's top professional league) record for points by a U20 player, the Vancouver Canucks prospect has not slowed down in the playoffs.Pettersson has 10 goals and 19 points in 13 playoff games, setting another SHL record for points in a single postseason by a U20 player, according to Elite Prospects.When you combine the regular season and the postseason, the numbers are that much more impressive.

Tuukka Rask put on a performance Saturday that he'll want to forget.In Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Boston Bruins netminder allowed four goals on just 13 shots before getting the hook midway through the second period.The veteran blamed himself for the 4-3 loss that saw the Maple Leafs close in on the Bruins' 3-2 series lead."(I) probably could have stopped more pucks with my eyes closed," Rask told Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "It's on me."Backup Anton Khudobin came into the game in relief of Rask, turning aside eight shots, but the Bruins couldn't overcome the Maple Leafs' early lead.Game 6 goes Monday in Toronto.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

BOSTON (AP) Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk scored 1:19 apart in the second period, and then the Toronto Maple Leafs killed off a 5-on-3 and three more power plays in a row to beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 in Game 5 on Saturday night and avoid playoff elimination.Connor Brown and Andreas Johnsson each scored his first career playoff goal in the first period, and the Maple Leafs took a 4-1 lead to chase Tuukka Rask in the second. Toronto also led 4-1 in Game 7 of the teams' 2013 playoff series before the Bruins won in overtime en route to their second Stanley Cup final berth in two years.This time, Boston cut the deficit to one goal but the Leafs held on.Frederik Andersen stopped 42 shots for Toronto, which returns home for Game 6 on Monday. Game 7 would be back in Boston on Wednesday, if necessary.Jake DeBrusk and Sean Kuraly scored for the Bruins. Patrice Bergeron returned to the ice after missing one game with an undisclosed injury but not to the scoresheet; his line, which had 20 points in the first two games, was held without a goal or assist.Rask was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots before skipping off to the locker room when he was pulled with 8:05 left in the second. Anton Khudobin, making his first career playoff appearance, stopped all eight shots he saw the rest of the way.Toronto lost the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Boston by a combined score of 12-4, then won the third game at home before dropping the fourth to fall to the brink of elimination. The Maple Leafs also fell behind 3-1 in 2013 before back-to-back victories that forced a seventh game.This time, they're hoping they can get that far.Leading 4-1 midway through the game, they then gave Boston four straight power plays - putting four players in the penalty box at one point - but killed each one off. Kuraly made it a two-goal game with about three minutes left in the second and Noel Acciari made it 4-3 six minutes into the third.Notes: Bergeron's absence from Game 4 was a surprise, and his upper body injury remains a mystery. He skated on the off-day Friday and again on Saturday morning and was then cleared to play. ... Grzelcyk had his first playoff point, and Acciari recorded his first playoff assist. ... Khudobin made his NHL debut in 2010 but has been a backup since then and never saw the ice in a playoff game. ... The game ended with fisticuffs in the corner. Bozak and Boston's David Backes were in the middle.---For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Randy Carlyle's job is apparently safe for now.Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray made it clear Saturday during his exit interview that his head coach will return next season, but said he's also looking to make changes to the team's style of play, according to Mike Coppinger of The Los Angeles Times.Carlyle guided the Ducks to the playoffs for the second time in as many seasons since returning behind the Anaheim bench before the 2016-17 campaign, but his club was swept out of the first round by the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.The Ducks made it to the Western Conference final in Carlyle's first season back in Orange County before losing to the Nashville Predators.Carlyle is under contract through 2018-19, according to CapFriendly.He also coached the team from 2006-07 to 2011-12.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins received a major boost Saturday as center Patrice Bergeron returned to the lineup for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Bergeron sat out Game 4 with an upper-body injury.The veteran pivot has been one of Boston's top producers in the opening-round series, as he's collected five assists across three games.Bergeron reunited with linemates Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak in the pregame warmup ahead of Game 5.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella isn't even entertaining the possibility that Monday's Game 6 against the Washington Capitals will be the final game of the season for the Columbus Blue Jackets."I won't have to say a damn word to them," the Blue Jackets head coach told reporters, including The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, after a 4-3 overtime loss in Game 5 on Saturday in Washington that gave the Capitals a 3-2 series lead."No," he continued. "We'll be back here for Game 7."Tortorella's de facto guarantee is the second such declaration of the series, following Alex Ovechkin's prediction that the Capitals would tie the series at 2-2, which ultimately came true.The Blue Jackets won the first two games of the series before the Capitals stormed back to win the next three.If a Game 7 becomes necessary, it would be played Wednesday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the first Eastern Conference team to move on in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.Nikita Kucherov scored the eventual winner in the the third period as the Lightning knocked out the New Jersey Devils and advanced to the second round with a 3-1 victory in Game 5 on Saturday.Patrick Maroon cut Tampa Bay's lead to 2-1 with three minutes left, but Ryan Callahan potted an empty-netter to seal it.The Lightning will face either the Boston Bruins or the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the Bruins holding a 3-1 lead in that series entering Game 5 on Saturday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes assistant coach Rod Brind'Amour has thrown his hat into the ring to become the team's next bench boss."If you never try, you'll never know," Brind'Amour told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. "The reason for saying 'why not?' is I've been doing it for eight years and I really believe I can help out one way or the other and see if I can put us over the hump."Brind'Amour has been an assistant coach with the Hurricanes since 2011, serving under Kirk Muller and the recently departed Bill Peters, whose resignation made the head coaching job available.Brind'Amour feels he learned a lot from Peters, and he's ready to take on the top job. Prior to becoming an assistant coach, the 47-year-old, who's under contract for one more season, spent one season as the director of player development."I don't think as an assistant I'm going to get any better or learn any more. So now's the time," Brind'Amour added. "They're going to find the best guy to do it, and if it's me, that's great, and if not I understand. But I felt like I could at least step up and see if it could happen."I think the attraction to me is you can really put your plan in place and decide how to pull all the strings. You decide the ice time. You decide who's playing or not, and in certain situations. That's the allure of it. They know I'm interested and we'll see where it goes."Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Brind'Amour spent 10 seasons with the Hurricanes, captaining the franchise to its lone Stanley Cup championship in 2006.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks forward Patrick Eaves missed all but two games this season with Guillain-Barre syndrome - a rare disorder that causes muscle weakness, reflex loss, and numbness or tingling in parts of your body - but it appears he'll be good to go for the 2018-19 campaign.General manager Bob Murray announced that Eaves had surgery to repair a torn labrum - an injury he suffered during rehab from GBS, per Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register - and should be healthy by mid-October.Eaves really started coming into his own prior to his diagnosis, scoring a career-high 32 goals while splitting time with the Dallas Stars and Ducks in 2016-17.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bill Peters is not without options.A day after resigning as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, Peters has been linked to two of the other three vacancies around the league.The Dallas Stars spoke with Peters after seeking permission from the Hurricanes to do so, but TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports "all signs still point to Calgary at this juncture as the front-runner."The Flames - who recently fired Glen Gulutzan - also reportedly asked for permission to speak with Peters. The Stars' vacancy was created upon the announcement of Ken Hitchcock's retirement.Peters, who hails from Alberta, is currently preparing to serve as head coach of Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will get Alexander Wennberg back in the lineup for Game 5 against the Washington Capitals on Saturday after the forward missed the past three contests with an upper-body injury suffered in Game 1, head coach John Tortorella announced.Wennberg suffered the injury after he was rocked by Tom Wilson.Despite partaking in just over 10 minutes in the series thus far, Wennberg has made his presence felt, as he scored Columbus' first goal of Game 1, and teammate Thomas Vanek scored on the power play that ensued from Wilson's charging penalty.The 23-year-old had a breakout, 59-point season in 2016-17, but regressed this year, picking up just 35 points in 66 games. Regardless, secondary scoring has hampered the Blue Jackets all year and throughout their last two losses in Games 3 and 4, so they will surely welcome his return.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nazem Kadri is ready to roll.After serving his three-game suspension for a dangerous hit on Boston Bruins forward Tommy Wingels in Game 1, Kadri made it clear he's excited to get back on the ice Saturday night for Game 5."I can't wait. I can't wait. I'm sick of watching games," he told TSN's Mark Masters. "It's tough to be up there and watch. It's a little bit frustrating so I'm anxious to just get back on the ice."The anticipation could serve Kadri and the Leafs well, as he's known to play better when he's on edge - as long as he controls his temper. Given that he was on record saying he didn't agree with the length of the suspension, the Leafs will certainly hope Kadri comes out flying in Game 5.And down 3-1 in the series, Toronto will need every advantage it can get.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2017-18 season was a lost one for Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler.He missed the first half of the regular season after undergoing offseason hip surgery, playing in just 44 games and picking up only 14 points. It was his lowest point-per-game average since his second year in the league.Kesler opened up about some of the challenges he faced following the surgery."Learning how to basically skate again, and coming back behind the eight ball when everybody is in mid-season form and you're in training camp mode, is hard," Kesler said. "It's not an excuse. I'm way better off now than I was before the surgery."Kesler added that he lost 20 lbs in an effort to regain some of the speed he lost from the surgery. He plans to play at the same weight again next season.NHL.com, Hockey Reference, and HockeyDB all have Kesler listed at 202 lbs. Assuming these weren't updated midseason, that means Kesler played at nearly 180 lbs this year.Even though Kesler will be entering his age-34 season, it wouldn't be surprising if he returned as one of the game's better two-way centers in 2018-19.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey's Brian Boyle, Florida's Roberto Luongo, and Carolina's Jordan Staal have been named Masterton Trophy finalists, the NHL announced Saturday.The trophy is awarded annually to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey."At the beginning of Devils training camp, Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer. He was able to return to the ice for his season debut on Nov. 1, and recorded 10 goals over his first 25 games, including a memorable one on the night New Jersey hosted 'Hockey Fights Cancer Night.'Boyle also represented the Devils at the NHL All-Star Game in Tampa Bay.Luongo dealt with early hand and groin injuries but later helped the Panthers challenge for a playoff spot with his exceptional play. His impact, however, went far beyond the ice following a tragic school shooting in nearby Parkland.

Bryan Little wasn't going to spend too much time celebrating the first playoff series win in franchise history.The Winnipeg Jets center said it was definitely nice to get the series win over Minnesota, but they're looking forward to continuing the run, and apparently Little knows their next opponent."We're celebrating for half an hour in here, then we're getting ready for Nashville," Little told reporters before quickly covering his tracks by adding, "Or whoever wins. Don't want to get ahead of myself.That caveat is necessary, as the Predators failed to close out their series with the Avalanche on Friday, with Colorado pushing it to a sixth game Sunday in Denver on the strength of some heroics from Andrew Hammond.A Jets-Predators showdown has been anticipated for some time. Little, however, has given the Avs some bulletin board material, at the very least.Little has been with the Thrashers/Jets since being drafted 12th overall in 2006, and the five playoff games so far this season mark a new career high.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.With the Toronto Maple Leafs on the brink of elimination against the Boston Bruins, head coach Mike Babcock is pulling out all the stops for his team to live to see another day. That includes splitting up Auston Matthews and William Nylander, demoting the latter to the bottom six.Here's a look at their lines during Saturday's morning skate, according to TSN's Mark Masters:

All signs are pointing toward Patrice Bergeron returning to the Boston Bruins' lineup for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday."Looked good this morning, I anticipate he'll play," Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We'll make a final decision after warmup. Looking good."Bergeron was a surprising late scratch prior to Game 4 due to an upper-body injury, but the Bruins were able to pull off a 3-1 victory without their four-time Selke Trophy winner in the lineup.Saturday's morning skate was nothing out of the ordinary, as Bergeron skated between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak during line rushes, and took his usual spot on the power play.Game 5 is set for 8 p.m. ET in Boston.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Cullen isn't sure if he's played his last NHL game.The 40-year-old center saw 11:55 of ice time in Minnesota's 5-0 loss to Winnipeg on Friday, a result that eliminated the Wild from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. When asked if he's considering retirement, Cullen simply said he doesn't know just yet."My only thought here the last while was getting it back home for Game 6. So to be honest, I don't have an answer right now," he said Friday, per The Athletic's Michael Russo.Cullen - a Minnesota native - signed a one-year deal with the Wild last summer to be closer to his family, and he'll now spend some time talking about his future with those closest to him."We need some time to get away from it all. As I've said in the past, it’s an important decision to me and my family so we'll give it its rightful due."Cullen joined the Wild after two straight Cup wins with Pittsburgh, and he was also a member of Carolina's winning team back in 2006. He recorded 11 goals and 11 assists in 79 games with Minnesota this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

"The Hamburglar" is back.Heading into an elimination game against the Nashville Predators without goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and Jonathan Bernier due to injuries, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar called upon Andrew Hammond on Friday, and it worked out rather well.The 30-year-old stopped 44 of 45 shots in Colorado's 2-1 win, forcing the series to a Game 6 back in Denver on Sunday.

Only two other American-born goaltenders have done what Connor Hellebuyck did Friday night.The Winnipeg Jets netminder joined Mike Richter and Brent Johnson as the only U.S.-born goalies in NHL history to notch consecutive postseason shutouts.Hellebuyck turned aside all 30 shots he faced in the 5-0 series-clinching victory over the Minnesota Wild on Friday, after stopping all 30 shots in a 2-0 win in Game 4 on Tuesday night.He hasn't allowed a goal since being named a Vezina Trophy finalist before Tuesday's game.Johnson earned three straight clean sheets with the St. Louis Blues in Games 2, 3, and 4 of the 2002 Western Conference quarterfinals against the Chicago Blackhawks.Richter posted two consecutive playoff shutouts with the New York Rangers in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the New York Islanders back in 1994.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets rode a four-goal first period to a 5-0 victory in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.Related: Jets chase Dubnyk with 4 first-period goalsThe series served as a giant stepping stone for the franchise. Not only did the Jets win their first-ever playoff game, but also their first-ever series. Prior to this season, the franchise's only other two playoff matchups resulted in 4-0 series losses.The first came when the Atlanta Thrashers were swept in 2007 by the New York Rangers, and the latter came in 2015 when the Jets lost four straight to the Anaheim Ducks.

The Colorado Avalanche are getting a big boost on the back end as they attempt to keep their season alive Friday night.Samuel Girard returned to the lineup for Game 5 of the first-round series against the Nashville Predators after missing the previous three contests with what the Avalanche would only call an upper-body injury.The 19-year-old defenseman was acquired by Colorado in the blockbuster trade that sent Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris to the Predators.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Joel Armia left Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Friday with an upper-body injury, the team announced.The 24-year-old played 5:24 in the first period, but did not return for the second.Despite his early withdrawal, Armia had time to score the Jets' fourth goal of the first period when a Dustin Byfuglien slap shot from the point redirected off his midsection and in. The goal was his first of the series, and first in 17 games overall.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This isn't how the Minnesota Wild wanted to start their quest to stave off elimination Friday night.The Winnipeg Jets erupted for four goals on 10 shots in the first period of Game 5, as Joel Armia ended Devan Dubnyk's night with a goal that made it 4-0 at about the 12-minute mark of the opening frame.Jacob Trouba opened the scoring 31 seconds in, after which Bryan Little, Brandon Tanev, and Armia followed suit, sending Alex Stalock into the Wild crease with only 11:59 elapsed in the game.The Jets entered Friday's game leading the best-of-seven series 3-1.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers will not play in Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild, the team announced.The omission comes after Ehlers was noticeably absent from the pregame warmup. The 22-year-old has two assists in four games, but played 14:05 in Game 4 without recording a shot on net.Veteran Matt Hendricks draws into the lineup in his place. This marks Hendricks' first taste of playoff hockey since the 2012-13 season when he was a member of the Washington Capitals, and his first game action since Mar. 12.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers will turn to Michal Neuvirth in a must-win Game 5 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, the team announced.The move comes after Brian Elliott, who started the previous four games, was pulled for the second time in Game 4 after giving up three goals on 17 shots.Neuvirth's lone appearance in these playoffs came in relief in Game 4, when he made 11 saves on 13 shots in just under 32 minutes.The team also announced that forward Sean Couturier is back in the lineup after missing Game 4 due to a lower-body injury suffered in practice Tuesday.The Flyers trail the series 3-1.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers, William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights, and Ryan O'Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres are the 2018 finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, the NHL revealed Friday.The award is given annually to the player adjudged by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.O'Reilly somehow managed to take just one two-minute minor all season, while posting 61 points in 81 games. He won this honor in 2014.Karlsson was assessed only 12 penalty minutes while amassing 43 goals and 78 points in 82 regular-season contests.Barkov collected only 12 penalty minutes while racking up nearly a point per game in his own right (78 in 79). He finished second for this award two years ago.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's Department of Player Safety is attempting to explain the different types of hits that constitute a suspension.On Friday, the department released a detailed video explaining Rule 48 as it pertains to illegal checks to the head and provided four examples from this season's playoffs - two that resulted in suspensions and two that did not - to further explain how the rule is applied.To begin, Rule 48 was explained in detail. The department noted that just because a player makes contact with an opposing player's head while completing a check, it does not necessarily mean it was the "main point of contact."

Peter DeBoer doesn't see any need to make adjustments as he prepares to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.The San Jose Sharks head coach expressed as much when asked if he might consider inserting Joakim Ryan with Brent Burns on the top defense pairing instead of Paul Martin.“We just won four straight against a great hockey team and I’d be an idiot to make lineup changes," DeBoer told reporters, including Bay Area News Group's Curtis Pashelka, on Friday. "We’ll let you guys overthink that. Make as many lineup changes as you want. But unless we find it necessary, why would you mess with how we’re playing right now?”Ryan played alongside Burns for much of the regular season before getting hurt last month. Martin took Ryan's spot down the stretch and remained there for the start of the first-round series, even when Ryan returned to health.The Sharks swept the Anaheim Ducks with a victory in Game 4 on Wednesday, one night after the Golden Knights did the same to the Los Angeles Kings.The schedule for the second round has yet to be determined.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston University's David Quinn will coach the United States at the 2019 World Junior Hockey Championship, USA Hockey announced Friday.Quinn, who has been at Boston U since 2013, joins the coaching staff having previously served as an assistant coach at the 2016 World Championship, where the Americans finished fourth, and as an assistant coach with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2012-13 season."We're thrilled to have David leading our national junior team," executive director of USA Hockey Pat Kelleher said in a release. "He knows the international stage and our player pool extremely well and has been a big part of our program for a long time. We know that David and our outstanding group of assistant coaches will do a tremendous job with our team."Mike Hastings of Minnesota State, David Lassonde of Dartmouth College, and Steve Miller of Ohio State University will round out Quinn's staff.The Americans are coming off a bronze-medal finish at this year's tournament in Buffalo. The 2019 installment will take place in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Doughty is looking to begin contract extension talks with the Los Angeles Kings.Days after the team was swept out of the playoffs by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, the Norris Trophy finalist reiterated his desire to remain a King for the foreseeable future."I always wanted to be an L.A. King and I want to stay an L.A. King," Doughty said during exit interviews Friday, according to NHL.com's Dan Greenspan. "I can't remember what day we can start talking, but I'm sure we will when the time comes."Doughty can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019, but can sign an extension with the Kings beginning the same date this year. A new deal won't come cheap, though. Doughty is on record saying he and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators deserve "quite a bit more" money than P.K Subban's annual cap hit of $9 million, highest among all defensemen.Although the Kings exited the playoffs as early as possible, Doughty sees a bright future for the franchise."(General manager) Rob Blake and (president of business operations) Luc Robitaille, they took this job because they want to win and they want to transform this team into their winning ways again," Doughty said. "Whether or not they do a lot in the offseason, I don't know, but we have these young guys coming up that I think are going to make a difference. I think that shows me how much potential we have in the future and I'm good with it and I'm happy to hopefully re-sign here."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky will have minor surgery for an upper-body injury and is out for the remainder of the first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, head coach Barry Trotz told reporters Friday, according to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press.Burakovsky played just over two minutes in Game 2 before leaving after he was crunched into the boards by Boone Jenner.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri didn't disagree with being suspended for a dangerous hit from behind on Boston's Tommy Wingels, but he didn't expect to be out of the lineup until Game 5."Was it worthy of a suspension? I definitely think so. But I think the three games was definitely a little harsh," Kadri said Friday, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton."I was disappointed; I wasn't expecting (three games), that's for sure," he added. "That particular play, I felt a liberty had been taken on Mitch (Marner). I'm always going to stand up for my teammates, stand up for myself; that part isn't going to change."Here's the play in question, including the preceding hit by Wingels on Marner that Kadri said was the impetus for his actions.The Leafs went 1-2 in games without Kadri and find themselves in a 3-1 series hole as he gets set to return to the lineup for Game 5. Clearly, he's hoping his postseason will be remembered for more than the suspension.