The Anaheim Ducks will have a familiar face behind the bench next season.The club will reportedly announce the return of Randy Carlyle as head coach as early as Tuesday, according to Darren Dreger of TSN.ESPN's John Buccigross also reported all other candidates are being told Carlyle is indeed the man being tabbed for the job by Ducks general manager Bob Murray.This would be Carlyle's second stint as Anaheim's bench boss following a six-year run from 2005-11. He guided the team to a regular-season record of 230-155-49 in 434 games, as well as its only Stanley Cup championship in 2007.Most recently, Carlyle coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for parts of four seasons, leading the team to its only playoff appearance since the 2005 lockout.Altogether, Carlyle brings 704 games of regular-season coaching experience to the table, with six playoff appearances and one Cup in ten season as a a head coach.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there's something about a road barn, the 12th of June, and a rookie head coach.The Penguins added to their championship oddity Sunday night, continuing on with a rather peculiar trend of exclusively winning their Stanley Cups with a rookie head coach at the helm, as pointed out by Corey Masisak.Mike Sullivan joins previous winners, Bob Johnson, Scotty Bowman, and Dan Bylsma, who each claimed championships in their first seasons in charge, and also had their decisive victories come on away ice.In addition to that, this latest title run, which came to its conclusion exactly seven years after Bylsma guided Pittsburgh to its first championship in the Sidney Crosby era, was won on the heels of an in-season coaching change.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Maybe it was the massive beards, maybe it was Sidney Crosby, but whatever it was, plenty of people tuned into the Pittsburgh Penguins' bout versus the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Final.The NHL's concluding series was the most watched non-Original Six series in 15 years, averaging nearly 4 million viewers per game on NBC.Sunday's Game 6 - a 3-1 Cup-clinching Penguins win - drew 5.407 million viewers, NBC's highest number for a non-Original Six Stanley Cup Final game ever.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No shave. Not now, maybe not ever.San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns, still heavily bearded, explained one day after they were defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final that himself and Joe Thornton hadn't been growing their facial hair for the playoffs.This was a way of life.

Patrick Marleau has no intention of moving on quite yet.Back in November, the veteran San Jose Sharks center was reportedly "driving the bus" in regards to a potential trade, one he was believed to have been angling for since training camp.A day after watching the Pittsburgh Penguins hoist the Stanley Cup in his home arena in which he has played his entire career, Marleau was asked if wants to stick with the club moving forward."Yeah, I have a contract for next year, so (I'm) looking forward to it," Marleau said, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN.Marleau, who will turn 38 prior to the start of next season, has one year left on a contract that carries a $6,666,666 cap hit. He also has a no-movement clause, meaning he would have to approve the destination in order to be traded.Marleau contributed five goals and eight assists in 24 playoff games, with perhaps another run left in the tank before his time in San Jose is up.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The knee injury that kept San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl out of Games 3 to 6 of the Stanley Cup Final doesn't appear to be serious.Hertl spoke to reporters - a day after his team watched the Pittsburgh Penguins capture the Stanley Cup at the SAP Center in San Jose - noting that he won't need surgery on his right knee.The 22-year-old was injured in the final minutes of Game 2 after taking a hit from Patric Hornqvist.Hertl managed six goals and 11 points in 20 playoff games before falling to injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes locked up another building block Monday.Hours after signing Sebastian Aho to his entry-level deal, the Hurricanes announced they've come to a similar arrangement with the top-end prospect's talented countryman, Aleksi Saarela.Saarela, a third-round pick (89th overall) by the New York Rangers, was acquired as part of the Eric Staal trade.The 19-year-old center ranked fourth in goal-scoring in the Finnish Elite League and led Assat Pori with 20 goals last season. He also helped Finland win gold at the World Junior Championship with four goals and seven points in as many games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars have announced that Dave Strader, their local play-by-play man and a longtime contributing voice for the NHL on NBC, has been diagnosed with cancer.Stars president and CEO Jim Lites released this statement:

The Pittsburgh Penguins were crowned the 2016 Stanley Cup champions with their 3-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night, and now have a custom WWE title belt to look forward to.WWE legend Triple H congratulated the team on Twitter, giving a shoutout to the "HBK" line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Phil Kessel. He also let them know that there's a belt coming their way.

Daniel Alfredsson will stay in his senior advisor role with the Ottawa Senators for another season.Senators owner Eugene Melnyk announced Monday that Alfredsson will continue with his duties for another season on a one-year extension."It is great to have Daniel back as part of the Senators' hockey department," Melnyk wrote in an official team release. "It is wonderful to know that Daniel and his family are returning to Ottawa and will once again make the nation's capital their home."I look forward to the contributions Daniel will continue to make with our hockey club and in the community."Newly-minted general manager Pierre Dorion relayed similar sentiment."Daniel offers a fresh perspective and unique insights on what we do in hockey operations," he said. "We feel this year we'll be able to build on his experiences from last year and he'll continue to be a valuable asset to our staff."The franchise's all-time leader in virtually every major statistical category, Alfredsson spent 17 years in Ottawa before playing his final season with the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's an exception for everything.Pittsburgh Penguins black ace Steven Oleksy sampled alcohol for the first time in his 30 years Sunday night as he and his teammates celebrated their Stanley Cup championship.

The San Jose Sharks fell two wins short of hockey's ultimate prize, setting franchise record after franchise record along the way on an incredible postseason run.But after four grueling series and two extra months of maximum effort, it's difficult for the Sharks to find many positives after being eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final."The playing, the traveling, playing every other day for a long time, you can't believe you're still not playing," captain Joe Pavelski said, according to Shawn Roarke of NHL.com. "It doesn't feel like it should ever end and that you should keep playing."Polarizing Sharks forward Joe Thornton, who reached his first Final in his 18-year career is also coming to grips with the loss."It (stinks), you know," Thornton said. "That's the bottom line, it (stinks). We thought we had the team by going through the teams we went through in the West (to get here). It's just tough right now."However, charismatic defenseman Brent Burns was able to shed some light on the darkness, declaring the camaraderie within his team."It's been such a great run," Burns said. "It's been fun.""I don't even know what day it is. I know it is June. But whatever day it is, this is a special group of guys. Sometimes, you lose in the first or second round and it feels hard, and then you get a group like this and you get a chance (to go all the way) and it has just been fun."As fun as it may have been, the blur of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will surely take it's toll on everybody."It'll hit the body in a couple days," Burns said. "And it won't feel good."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready for a parade, Pittsburgh.The Penguins will celebrate their fourth Stanley Cup downtown on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. ET, the city announced on its official website.Here's the parade route:

The legend of Matt Cullen grows.After the 39-year-old lifted the Stanley Cup for the second time in his career Sunday, he revealed that he'd been playing with a broken big toe since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, according to DKPittsburghSports.com's Josh Yohe.Cullen finished the postseason with four goals and two assists in 24 games, averaging 13:50 in ice time per game. The injury seemed to have affected him, though, as he went pointless in the Stanley Cup Final and last 11 games.Captain Sidney Crosby explained, though, that what Cullen brought to the team was far more than could be conveyed in the box score."I think with Cully, he brings a lot of leadership, a lot of experience. To play the role he did at his age, I think everyone is tired at this point, he was playing a lot of important minutes for us, defensive zone faceoffs, penalty kill," Crosby said. "He was doing a lot of things for us. He was scoring some big goals. He had some huge goals throughout the playoffs."He just brought a lot of leadership. With so many new guys, it's nice to have someone come in like that that takes it upon himself right away. He didn't kind of wait to feel comfortable. You could tell he was comfortable right away. That goes a long way."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

You can make a good argument that Pittsburgh Penguins forward Phil Kessel deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy, after he led his Stanley Cup-winning squad in scoring. But you can't make the argument that Sidney Crosby, the Conn Smythe winner, didn't deserve the hardware.For all the talent on Pittsburgh, the Pens are Crosby's team. As he goes, they go. And by all accounts, No. 87 was on a mission this spring to win his second career Cup and cement himself as one of the greatest to ever play the game.Make no mistake: He is unquestionably one of the best of all time, as evidenced simply by the company he now keeps.

Although they've only been teammates for six months, Carl Hagelin and Patric Hornqvist share a special bond.Traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Anaheim Ducks in December, Hagelin found himself on his third team in a calendar year, and it was Hornqvist that made the transition easy.A rather nice transition it was, too, as Hagelin and Hornqvist chipped in 16 and 13 points, respectively, on their march to the Stanley Cup.Teammates and countrymen of Sweden, Hagelin thought the world of Hornqvist passing him the Cup during the celebration."Everything. He's the reason why I fit in right away," Hagelin said postgame. "He took me under his wings and he had a lot of respect in the room, which gave me a lot of respect. Just in general, all the meals he's cooked for me, I hope it's the same thing this summer."Both will represent the Three Crowns at the World Cup of Hockey in September and defend their title starting in October.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sunday wasn't the first time Ian Cole gazed at Lord Stanley's mug.The morning after the Pittsburgh Penguins' title triumph, the defenseman and Ann Arbor. Mich., native shared a photo of his younger self and father posing with the Stanley Cup from a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Calgary Flames are on the verge of naming the 16th coach in franchise history.Flames GM Brad Treliving confirmed Monday on a radio appearance with Sportsnet 960 The Fan that the club will appoint a head coach before the NHL Draft next weekend saying: "(It's) coming to a conclusion here rather quickly, so we're hopeful to have that buttoned down here fairly soon."He added: "We've had a thorough process here, and we're fast approaching the finish line."Treliving explained that before actively approaching candidates, Flames brass worked to pinpoint the traits coveted in its next coach, and then proceeded, thoughtfully, from there.Randy Carlyle, Glen Gulutzan, and Mike Yeo, just named the successor to Ken Hitchcock with the St. Louis Blues, were names believed to have interviewed for the job.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Watch out for the Pittsburgh Penguins again next season.A day after the Pens were crowned Stanley Cup champions, they open as the early favorite to repeat next year, joined by many of the usual suspects at the top.It's never to early to look ahead, right?TeamOddsPittsburgh Penguins8/1Chicago Blackhawks10/1Washington Capitals10/1St. Louis Blues12/1Los Angeles Kings14/1San Jose Sharks14/1Tampa Bay Lightning14/1Anaheim Ducks16/1Dallas Stars16/1Detroit Red Wings18/1Minnesota Wild18/1Nashville Predators18/1New York Rangers18/1Montreal Canadiens20/1New York Islanders20/1If you're into the risky bets, here are the odds for the rest of the league.TeamOddsBoston Bruins25/1Florida Panthers25/1Philadelphia Flyers25/1Colorado Avalanche33/1Calgary Flames40/1Edmonton Oilers40/1Ottawa Senators40/1Arizona Coyotes50/1Carolina Hurricanes50/1Columbus Blue Jackets50/1New Jersey Devils50/1Vancouver Canucks50/1Winnipeg Jets50/1Buffalo Sabres66/1Toronto Maple Leafs66/1Odds courtesy of Bodog.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues added Mike Yeo to their coaching staff Monday as an associate for the coming season, while also announcing he'll take over as head coach for the retiring Ken Hitchcock in 2017-18.Rick Wilson has also been added to the staff for 2016-17 as an assistant coach.General manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement:

The San Jose Sharks never had a chance. Sidney Crosby made sure of it.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner was in a prophetic mood ahead of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, writes Sportsnet's Chris Johnston."Beast mode, baby," said third-string goaltender Jeff Zatkoff after the Penguins won the Cup. "(Crosby's) a winner, he's won everything. We just followed him. He told me before Game 6 that he was going beast mode, and he went beast mode."He was dialled in. He wanted it."Crosby had two assists Sunday, including the primary helper on Kris Letang's eventual Cup clincher. He assisted on Patric Hornqvist's empty-netter, and was on the ice as the seconds trickled down to zero. While No. 87 finished with only four assists in six games in the final, he took home the Conn Smythe for his incredible two-way play. He set the tone. And, like Zatkoff said, the Penguins followed."He was going to will this thing," said head coach Mike Sullivan.Crosby's had the Cup on his mind for a while, actually.Phil Kessel said that when he was acquired by the Penguins last summer, Crosby gave him an introductory phone call and told him the club was excited about having him."We're going to try and win a Cup," Kessel said Crosby told him, according to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin.Mission accomplished.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel has his Stanley Cup.Almost a year since he was famously traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs to Pittsburgh, the polarizing forward capped a whirlwind 11-and-a-half months by leading the Penguins in playoff scoring and drinking out of the best trophy in pro sports."It's been a special year," Kessel told TSN after the Penguins were crowned Sunday night. "You know, obviously (there has been) a lot of change in my life, and it's the best year of my life."No. 81 finished the playoffs with 10 goals and 12 assists in 24 games, including a goal and three assists in the final. The sniper now has 23 goals and 43 points in 46 career spring games. Let no one say he doesn't rise to the occasion.Like most Penguins players, Kessel credits Mike Sullivan for saving Pittsburgh's season."You know, I think towards December (and) January, I think we started to kind of turn a corner as a team," Kessel said. "You know, Sully came in, and we kind of found our identity, found the way we had to play as a group. And you know this is a special group here."I think we believed in each other, we played for each other. We knew we had a solid team ... we always believed we had a chance to win."After his trade to Pittsburgh last July 1, most envisioned a 50-goal season for Kessel, playing with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. It didn't turn out that way, the Wisconsin native registered 26 goals in 82 games. His 59 points were his lowest in a non-lockout season since 2009-10, his first in Toronto, when he only played 70 games.Redemption, though, was found in the playoffs, where Kessel and his linemates Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin tore up the opposition. The magic was supposed to happen with Sid and Geno, not Bonino and Hagelin, but the "HBK" line, as it came to be known, was crucial to the Penguins' Stanley Cup title. Pittsburgh doesn't win without its contributions."It just clicked," Kessel said of his line.It sure did, and Kessel's a Stanley Cup champion, much to the dismay of his many critics.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Mark Barberio to a two-year contract, the team announced Monday.It's a one-way contract, and is reportedly worth $750,000 annually, according to TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie.The 26-year-old from Montreal played 30 games with the Canadiens this past season, scoring twice and adding eight helpers. He averaged 15 minutes of ice time per game.Barberio was a sixth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008. He has a career 52.9 percent Corsi For rating in 136 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The only thing more emotional than the Stanley Cup is CBC's Hockey Night in Canada's playoff-closing, season-ending montage.Enjoy. And, yeah, we miss hockey already, too.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Kessel's not the only one with a redemption story.With the Pittsburgh Penguins' title triumph in Game 6 on Sunday, Jim Rutherford - a man many believed was watching the game pass him by - joined Tommy Gorman as the second general manager in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup with two different franchises.Pittsburgh hired Rutherford two years ago, a few weeks after he was squeezed out of his role with the Carolina Hurricanes. He brought drastic and often contentious changes to the organization he inherited from Ray Shero.Here's a rundown of Rutherford's feverish work since taking the job:

The blueprint's becoming more and more obvious: Own the puck and a Stanley Cup may follow.The Pittsburgh Penguins are champions for the fourth time in franchise history and they were crowned on account of their speed and puck-possession skills:

What do you do after you win the Stanley Cup? Grab your cell phone and take a selfie with Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin, of course.Pittsburgh Penguins assistant captain Evgeni Malkin has got it down:

The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with forward Sebastian Aho on Monday, the club announced.Aho was drafted 35th overall in 2015, and had 20 goals and 25 assists in 45 games with Karpat in the Finnish Elite League this season, leading his team in scoring. He added four goals and 11 assists in 14 playoff games.Only 18, Aho finished second in scoring at the World Junior Hockey Championship with five goals and nine assists in seven games, helping Finland win gold on home soil. He had three goals and four assists at the recently completed World Championship, in which Finland went home with silver.The Hurricanes expect the teen to make the big club next season."Sebastian is regarded as one of the top prospects in hockey and is ready to begin his North American career," general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. "He had a tremendous season as an 18-year-old playing against men in Finland’s top league, and was outstanding in international competitions including the recent World Championship. He will play an important role for the Hurricanes moving forward."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Stanley Cup went to Trevor Daley second, and for good reason.After collecting two primary assists in the Pittsburgh Penguins' decisive victory in Game 6, and being handed the shiny reward for his team's accomplishment, Sidney Crosby located the defenseman, hobbled on a broken ankle, because he didn't want his mother to wait any longer.Crosby explained in his postgame presser that Daley told him between rounds that his mother, Trudy, not doing well in her battle with cancer, wanted nothing more than to see her son lift the Stanley Cup.The information obviously resonated with Crosby, who after taking his second lap of his career, shared a special moment with Daley, and Trudy, during the exchange.''It was pretty special,'' Daley said, via the Associated Press. ''He's a great player, but he's an even better person. There's not much more you can say about that guy. He's a special guy.''Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the fourth time in franchise history and second in the Sidney Crosby era, the Pittsburgh Penguins reign as Stanley Cup champions.Pittsburgh completed its return trek to the summit Sunday night, eliminating the Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks with a 3-1 triumph in Game 6.The conclusion to Pittsburgh's coronation was quite characteristic of the team's sudden, absolute ascendancy. The Penguins have been the NHL's best team since turning to minor-league head coach Mike Sullivan in mid-December, and while the culminating series remained close on the scoreboard, their supreme dominance shone through.Here are three keys to the Penguins' title march:Weapons, galoreInvariably, one team's success creates lessons for 29 others. But with respect to the new champs, their science, through trial and error (after error), was partially accidental.Jim Rutherford had visions of a nuclear top six when he paid the high price to introduce five-time 30-goal man Phil Kessel to his fleet of wingers. His move had pundits predicting scoring titles and various major awards for Kessel and captain Sidney Crosby, who began the season on the same line.But for whatever reason, it failed. An inauspicious start saw Crosby default to previous wingers, while Kessel, bumped, was struggling to mesh with another all-world pivot, Evgeni Malkin. Now catering to his summer splash, Rutherford canvassed the market for a player who possessed the tools - namely speed - required to play opposite Kessel and acquired Carl Hagelin.Even still, it wasn't until Malkin went down with injury did the Pens unearth the formula. Nick Bonino spelled Malkin, and, by chance, the incomparable "HBK line" - a unit of three rookies to the organization - came together.This "bottom six" line went on to produce a team-best 56 postseason points, but their impact is well beyond direct contributions. The threat of HBK meant that the opposition had three attacking trios, or a veritable top-nine to game plan for. This resulted in interminable mismatches and forced the opposition to deploy secondary options to defend elite talents on essentially every third shift.Sullivan, and the greater graspSullivan had much greater than an appreciable effect on the Penguins; his hire brought on a comprehensive change in philosophy, mentality, and tactics that clearly meant the difference for the team's stars, a nucleus now welcomed to play to its strengths.But the difference in this team transforming from contender to title winner was beyond his uncaging big-money contributors. Rather, the difference was on the margins, and the teachings and trust established among professionals while earning minor-league pay.In a few months in charge of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Sullivan developed a deeper understanding of the organizational assets, and, maybe more specifically, just exactly how Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary, Tom Kuhnhackl, and of course, goaltender Matt Murray were to assist the big club.The Penguins aren't champions without their depth, their ancillary contributors, or their coach's detailed appreciation for the capabilities, and weaknesses, of every player on his roster.Making due with misfit DA club that employs forwards like Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel must make concessions elsewhere. For the Penguins, that's on the back end.Kris Letang is the all-world defender championship teams have required over the last half decade. But aside from their lead dog, this defense is truly a patchwork unit, and one that almost inexplicably managed to hold firm long enough to win four rounds. Nothing's more representative of their misfit nature than Trevor Daley, who, after being cast off by the previous title winners, took the second-most minutes before breaking his ankle. An injury that somehow was no detriment to the team's success.So, how is it exactly that Ian Cole, who doubles as a "Game of Thrones" critic; Ben Lovejoy, a defender whose GM publicly admitted that he wouldn't have acquired had he had the opportunity to do it all over; Brian Dumoulin, who though undeniably talented, we don't know enough about to offer an anecdote; Olli Maatta, a former first-round pick scratched three times in the conference final; and Justin Schultz, who went from "Norris Trophy potential" to absolute liability in Edmonton, manage to fortify the back end?Inspired by its unflattering label, but at the same time fully understanding of its imperfections, the blue line was steadfast in filling shot lanes, leaping into the rush when the opportunity presented itself, and, when the walls began to close in, this group perfected the art of flipping the puck into neutral territory for Pittsburgh's speedy forwards to collect and take elsewhere.This fleet-footed unit acknowledged, then performed within its limitations. And they can thank the lengthy list of detractors for outlining the parameters.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After winning the second Stanley Cup of his career, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was asked about his future, responding only with his plans for later this week - watching golf.

In the end, the Pittsburgh Penguins were simply the better team.So said San Jose Sharks coach Pete DeBoer, who credited his team for giving their all in the six-game series loss."I think first off, you have to give full credit to Pittsburgh. I thought they came out and played a hell of a series," DeBoer told reporters following Game 6 Sunday. "They played their game for much longer stretches than we were able to. They dictated the play. They started quicker than us. That's the reason they're holding the Cup."On our end, I'm very proud of our group. I thought our guys emptied the tank, gave us everything they possibly could. We weren't as good as them during this two-week period."DeBoer added that the Sharks should be proud of what they accomplished after advancing to the final for the first time in their 25-year history, and following several misses along the way."Only one team can win. That doesn't take anything away from what those guys accomplished. I don't think anyone should ever question the leadership or the character or the will of the group of men in there. I think it's been misplaced for a decade. I would hope they answered some questions."Those questions revolved mainly around Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, both of whom remain under contract for one more season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nazem Kadri's a dreamer.The 25-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs forward pondered aloud as his former teammate Phil Kessel and the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated their Stanley Cup triumph Sunday night in San Jose.

After winning the fourth championship in franchise history, here are the best photos from the celebration after the Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup victory:Tom Kuhnhackl, Kris Letang, and Chris Kunitz jump on the ice to celebrate the win as time expires.The Penguins mob goaltender Matt Murray after the final buzzer sounds.Captain Sidney Crosby skates toward commissioner Gary Bettman to receive the Conn Smythe Trophy.Crosby beams, lifting the Cup for the second time in his career.2009 Conn Smythe winner Evgeni Malkin kisses the Cup.Head coach Mike Sullivan embraces forward Pascal Dupuis - who was forced to retire due to health concerns relating to blood clots in December.Mario Lemieux photographed as he hoists his fourth Stanley Cup - his second as an owner.Rookies Matt Murray and Bryan Rust celebrate together.Offseason acquisition Phil Kessel embraces his family after leading the Penguins with 22 points in the postseason.Crosby and teammates crowd around the Cup for a team photo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The postseason injury report has already started trickling in.First on the docket is Kris Letang, who reportedly went under the knife to treat a foot infection prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, according to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports.The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman averaged close to 30 minutes of ice time throughout the course of the six-game series, and scored the game-winning goal in the championship-clinching contest Sunday night.For the series, he recorded a goal and four assists in six games.Clearly he was able to put his best foot forward against a tough San Jose Sharks opponent.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shortly after earning the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in his career, exactly seven years since his last championship in 2009.He then passed the Cup off to defenseman Trevor Daley - who was sidelined with a broken ankle suffered during the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall, Cam Ward, and now, Matt Murray.After winning the Stanley Cup on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender is into the record books with his 15th victory of the spring, tying the NHL rookie record for wins in a single playoff year.Yeah, stellar company for a kid who turned 22 on May 25.GoalieAgeYear SV%GAAStartsRecordRoy*201986.9231.922015-5Hextall221987.9082.772615-11Ward*212006.9202.142315-8Murray*212016.9232.082115-6* Won Stanley CupMurray made only 13 starts during the regular season, though he certainly proved himself, posting a .930 save percentage and finishing with a 9-2-1 record.The Thunder Bay, Ontario native was thrust into action in Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers after third-string Penguins goalie Jeff Zatkoff started Games 1 and 2 in place of a concussed Marc-Andre Fleury.A head injury of his own kept Murray from dressing in Games 1 and 2, but once he got into the crease, he owned it. Murray won his three starts against the Rangers, with the Penguins advancing in five games. He stopped 85 of the 89 shots the Blueshirts threw at him, showing remarkable poise in what was a pressure-packed situation.Murray kept the net in the second round, even though Fleury was deemed healthy before Game 3 against the Washington Capitals. Not having played for so long, the Penguins were weary of tossing Fleury into action, and Murray rewarded their faith in him, posting a .926 save percentage in Pittsburgh's six-game series win over the high-flying Caps. Murray went 2-1 in overtime games in the series, again showing serious mettle for a young goalie on the game's brightest stage.The third round was Murray's worst. He struggled in three of Pittsburgh's first four games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, eventually being pulled in favor of Fleury in Game 4. Fleury got the start in Game 5 of a 2-2 series, but the Penguins lost 4-3 in overtime, with Fleury stopping only 21 of 25 shots.With their season and Cup dreams on the line, the Penguins went back to Murray in a must-win Game 6. He stopped 28 of 30 shots on the road as Pittsburgh forced a Game 7 back in Pittsburgh. The Penguins, of course, won Game 7, and Murray stopped a combined 44 of 47 shots in the elimination games - the biggest contests of his career.Murray was a rock in the Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks, allowing more than two goals in a game only twice.It was undoubtedly a spring to remember. The best spring of Matt Murray's life.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Kid has his Conn Smythe.A distinction that eluded the Pittsburgh Penguins captain in his first title-winning campaign in 2009, Sidney Crosby was named the most valuable player of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs for his multifaceted performance, and in leading his franchise to a fourth championship.Crosby finished in a tie for sixth in postseason scoring with the six goals and 13 assists, trailing teammate Phil Kessel, but his impact went well beyond what's most easily accessible. He was a force in three zones, commanding possession against the opposition's best. He dominated on the dot, saved his best for the biggest moments, and, most importantly, set a championship standard for his teammates.He scored the overtime winner in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final, preventing the Penguins from going down 0-2, and claimed two other game-winners. But the lasting moment of his postseason performance will be his play call before an offensive zone draw in overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, a spontaneous design that resulted in a Conor Sheary winner.Crosby totaled eight points versus the New York Rangers, two points in Round 2 versus the Washington Capitals, then three goals and five points versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, before recording four assists on the San Jose Sharks, including two in Game 6 Sunday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are Stanley Cup champions.Brian Dumoulin, Kris Letang, and Patric Hornqvist scored and Matt Murray made 18 saves as the Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 Sunday night in Game 6 to win the fourth Cup in franchise history.The Penguins last won it in 2009, exactly seven years ago. Letang, captain Sidney Crosby, forward Chris Kunitz and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury were part of the last championship, too.Pittsburgh won this Cup 4-2 despite a stellar performance from Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, who stopped 24 shots. Logan Couture scored his 10th goal of the playoffs and became the fourth player in the past 20 years to reach 30 points in the postseason. But he didn't have enough help to stop Pittsburgh, which got a blocked shot from Crosby to set up the empty-net goal from Hornqvist with 1:02 left. San Jose finished with just two shots in the third period.More to come.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks drew even with the Pittsburgh Penguins with a goal midway through the second period, but the 1-1 deadlock didn't last long.Less than 80 seconds later, Sidney Crosby fed Kris Letang from behind the net, and the defenseman made no mistake - scoring his third of the playoffs to restore his team's one-goal lead.The 29-year-old blue-liner now has points in five of six Stanley Cup Final games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Win or lose, Martin Jones has a case for the Conn Smythe.This time with the right one, the San Jose Sharks emergent starter used a big toe to deny Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino in a second consecutive start Sunday night in Game 6.Jones has been nothing short of incredible since the Penguins pushed the Sharks to the brink, a fact to which Bonino can most certainly attest.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks winger Melker Karlsson survived crashing into the boards in full splits after being dumped chasing a puck in the attacking zone Sunday in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.Karlsson, who has filled in admirably for the injured Tomas Hertl in San Jose's top six, was in obvious pain after being forced into the position with the help of contact from Pittsburgh Penguins defender Olli Maatta. However, after gliding gingerly off the ice and being checked out in the room, Karlsson returned a few shifts later.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.