Both conference finals are guaranteed to see a Game 6, meaning we get a full weekend of hockey action. Whether that translates to a Game 7 or two is still to be determined, and given the knife's edge all of these games have teetered on, that proposition isn't worth betting. However, we continue to feel stronger about one side of the bracket than the other.Game 5: Oilers (+110) @ Stars (-130)Friday, 8:30 p.m. ETTo paraphrase "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, when it comes to betting hockey, just when we think we have the answer, the question changes. By expecting the Oilers' best effort in Game 4, we avoided a losing bet on the Stars, but how it played out was a twist. Dallas got a drastically different start than it's used to, jumping to an early 2-0 lead, only for the Oilers to storm back with five unanswered.While Edmonton was the better team, scoring on three of just seven even-strength high-danger chances on Jake Oettinger is an outlier, and we would've expected more chance generation from the Oilers.With the scene shifting back to Dallas and the series level, the expectation for Friday remains that the Stars' even-strength play will get better, Dallas should eventually score on the power play, and Oettinger will prove to be the difference after he produced a subpar minus-0.73 GSAx in Game 4.Best bet: Stars moneyline (-130)Game 6: Rangers (+145) @ Panthers (-175)Saturday, 8 p.m. ETSuppose this is the end of the line for the Rangers, who've survived on the age-old recipe of timely scoring and excellent goaltending. In that case, the blame will fall squarely on two players who account for roughly $20 million of New York's salary allotment, as Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad have gone scoreless in a series that's been essentially five one-goal games.If converting a high rate of their relatively few scoring chances is the plan, when your best scorers don't produce at all, things fall apart, results become less predictable, and any value in betting the Rangers goes away.With a 4.93 GSAx on the series - two expected goals saved more than Sergei Bobrovsky - Igor Shesterkin has held up his end of the bargain, which is why these games have been so close.The Panthers needed a second try in elimination games for each of their previous two series, but the concerning part for the Rangers is that after a strong first period and taking the lead in Game 5, Florida had 10 more high-danger chances (15-5) at even strength in the final two periods.Odds of -175 have always been a steep price to pay on Florida in a series that's been so close on the scoreboard, but there's no reason to chase a bet on the underdog. If anything, under 5.5 goals - a bet against the Rangers to generate offense and on Shesterkin to continue to stand tall - is interesting, but with that priced at -135, the juice may not be worth the squeeze. We're staying away from betting this game.Game 6 (projected line): Stars (+110) @ Oilers (-130)Sunday, 8 p.m. ETWin or lose in Game 5, the Stars will be the play for Sunday's Game 6. On top of their excellent road resume outlined in this space throughout the playoffs, Dallas also owns an 8-4 record in series Games 5-7 over the last two seasons.The Stars have been the underdog in both games in Edmonton, so we'll project that to be the case regardless of Friday's result, backing Dallas to either close out the Oilers or force a Game 7.Best bet: Stars moneyline (Even money or better)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 in Game 5 on Thursday to move within one victory of their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance.The result was the series' fourth consecutive one-goal game, with the previous three requiring overtime.New York jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second period after a shorthanded goal from Chris Kreider, which marked his and Mika Zibanejad's first points of the series. Gustav Forsling answered for the Panthers later in the period, then Florida took the lead midway through the final frame on a tally from Anton Lundell.Sam Bennett deposited an empty-netter, which stood as the winner after Alexis Lafreniere made it a one-goal game with 50 seconds remaining."We've showed it all playoffs, we battle right to the end," Bennett told Sportsnet after the win. "It wasn't the first period we wanted, but we stuck with it, we played our game. That's just what we've done all year. It's a great effort from us."Florida head coach Paul Maurice had some high praise for Forsling in particular."In his style, he's the best defenseman in the world," Maurice said, per The Athletic's Michael Russo.The Panthers controlled play for much of the contest, outshooting the Rangers 37-27 while commanding 62.22% of scoring chances and 69.04% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The Rangers went 0-for-3 on the power play in Game 5 and are now 1-for-14 in the series."We have to capitalize on those chances," New York rearguard Adam Fox said, per NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "Big spots. We have some looks. You don't win games based on getting looks. You have to capitalize."Game 6 is scheduled for Saturday in Sunrise, and the Rangers know it will take a stronger effort to force a winner-take-all Game 7 at Madison Square Garden."Leave it all out there," captain Jacob Trouba said, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "Go win one game. ... When your back's against the wall, everybody's got to bring their best game to survive another day."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin was named the 2024 recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Thursday, edging out Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs.The honor recognizes sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of play and is voted upon by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.Slavin won convincingly with 81 first-place votes, while Pettersson finished second on the ballot.Slavin is the only the second defenseman to ever win the Lady Byng multiple times, joining Hall of Famer Red Kelly, who won three of his four during his time as a rearguard.This season saw Slavin notch 37 points in 81 games while averaging nearly 21 minutes per contest. Despite his heavy usage, the 30-year-old only logged four minor penalties.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice expects a sense of urgency to permeate Thursday's Game 5 as his team and the New York Rangers vie to take a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final."The desperation of finality, you can start to feel it," the bench boss said, per SNY's Julie Stewart-Binks. "Forty-eight hours from now, a very good team is going to be facing elimination. You can feel that. The desperation will be high for both teams."The Panthers won Game 1 in a 3-0 shutout, but the Rangers turned the tide with two straight overtime victories despite getting outplayed by Florida in Game 3.The Cardiac Cats responded with an overtime victory of their own Tuesday night to knot the series at two games apiece.The loss was a particularly difficult one for New York. Mika Zibanejad committed a costly turnover early in the extra frame, and Blake Wheeler proceeded to take a penalty to stop Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov on the partial break. Sam Reinhart scored on the ensuing power play to win the contest.Maurice said the team who loses Game 4 typically has an "emotional advantage" in the playoffs. Despite the nature of the Rangers' latest defeat, Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad said he doesn't view them as a ticked-off group."They're world-class players," he said. "I don't see frustration in them. I see guys chomping at the bit to make things happen."Some of the Rangers' star players have been stymied by the Panthers through the first four games. Zibanejad and Chris Kreider have yet to register a point after being among the team's leaders through the opening two rounds, and they're sporting matching minus-3s.Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette opted not to call out specific players on Thursday, only noting that the whole team needs to "play better.""I definitely think there's room for improvement," he said. "We're playing too much defense and not enough offense."No matter what the Rangers end up throwing at them in Game 5, Panthers rearguard Gustav Forsling said his squad can handle it."We're a very confident group," he said, according to NHL.com's Jameson Olive. "We believe in each other. We know we're going to get the opportunities to score, so we just have to defend first."Puck drops on Game 5 at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Game 4 between the Rangers and Panthers looked a lot like Game 3.Florida dominated even-strength play with over double the expected goals (xG) share. But Igor Shesterkin saved New York's bacon, turning aside a ton of shots and, in front of him, the team converted a good percentage of its high-danger chances. The matchup profiled like every Rangers game during these Stanley Cup Playoffs.The main difference, of course, was that the Panthers were the team to score in overtime. The power-play game-winner came after a series of poor decisions and Blake Wheeler - playing for the first time all postseason and for just nine minutes Tuesday - not trusting Shesterkin to make a big save on a partial breakaway and taking a penalty early in OT.Game 5: Panthers (-125) @ Rangers (+105)After losing Games 2 and 3, Florida turned desperation into five-on-five dominance and got a great showing from Sergei Bobrovsky (0.44 goals saved above expected) in the fourth contest of the series to pull out a 3-2 victory.The problem with backing the Panthers is that even their best effort leaves them with just two goals on 27 high-danger chances (HDC) against Shesterkin, who gave up a fluky goal in Game 4 to hurt his numbers after allowing four in Game 3. As the series shifts back to New York, it's possible we haven't seen his best.Meanwhile, the Rangers continue to sit pretty after getting fewer chances and converting 5-of-19 even-strength HDC in the last three games and then hoping for the best in overtime.Back in the Big Apple for Game 5, the market shifted its moneyline pricing to where it was for Games 1 and 2, lined at close to a pick'em. Those games were essentially square on the spreadsheet, with the Rangers' xG of 2.68 narrowly topping the Panthers' of 2.56, and Florida barely taking the high-danger chance category 20-19.Given its struggles to pull away from New York with a considerable run-of-play advantage, an even game is dangerous for Florida. Especially with the Rangers' top snipers - Mika Zibanejad (8), Artemi Panarin (6), and Chris Kreider (4) - holding scoreless streaks that won't last forever.Returning home after a loss, New York is worth a play at even-money or better.Best bet: Rangers moneyline (+105)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars defenseman Chris Tanev left Wednesday's Game 4 loss against the Edmonton Oilers after blocking a shot in the second period and didn't return.

Darnell Nurse hasn't been a fan favorite as of late due to his playoff struggles, but the Edmonton Oilers defenseman has captain Connor McDavid in his corner."He gives us everything he's got and he always has for a long time," McDavid told the media Wednesday, including Sportsnet. "He's a big part of our room and I would expect him to have a great one tonight."Nurse is a league-worst minus-12 in the playoffs heading into Wednesday's Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. He's also been on the ice for a league-leading 18 goals against at five-on-five in 15 games this spring.The 29-year-old has spent the bulk of his postseason time on a pairing with Cody Ceci or Vincent Desharnais, and the Oilers have struggled to keep the puck out of their own net with either combination on the ice.PairingGFGAxGF%CF%SCF%Nurse-Ceci41034.74239.6Nurse-Desharnais2752.947.350.7All figures at five-on-five courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.The Stars have scored eight goals against Edmonton at five-on-five so far, and Nurse has been on the ice for half of them.Nurse wasn't asked about his own performance before Game 4, but he offered brief responses to the media's questions before cutting his availability short after one minute.

NHL Utah owner Ryan Smith revealed Wednesday that the franchise has four front-runners for its team name."Mammoth's up there, Yeti's up there," Smith said during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I think a couple other ones are up there. It should be good. ... It'll be out soon."Utah sent out a survey to fans earlier this month featuring 20 possible team identities. Smith previously revealed the team will wear jerseys with "Utah" during its inaugural season before introducing branding for 2025-26.The NHL approved the Arizona Coyotes' sale and relocation to Utah in April.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Tkachuk had a zinger for Chris Kreider after the New York Rangers forward threw the Florida Panthers winger's mouthguard in the air during the Cats' 3-2 win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday night."I told him that was the best play he made all game," Tkachuk said Wednesday.

The Stars, in their typical fashion, rallied after getting blitzed in the first period to win Game 3 in Edmonton, setting up what feels like a must-win Game 4 for the Oilers. The effort highlighted the value of individual players on both teams.Game 4: Stars (+110) @ Oilers (-130)The price for Game 3 was +110, and we bet on Dallas knowing that we were slightly outside of our pre-series parameters for backing the Stars in Edmonton. We'd play them again, knowing what we know about their ability to rally from slow starts and how well they play on the road.There's a Stars-related inefficiency in the market, though, particularly in Conn Smythe Trophy betting. Dallas' odds of winning the Stanley Cup improved after winning Game 3, and Miro Heiskanen's Conn Smythe odds went from +1400 to just +750.Jake Oettinger's odds moved to +250, making him the current Conn Smythe favorite. He's getting a lot of credit for the Stars' success, even though his analytics place him below netminders who have previously been named the playoff MVP.But reviews of Heiskanen's play are also glowing. He went over 240 minutes without being on the ice for an opposing goal. Jason Robertson needed a hat trick to tie the Dallas defenseman in postseason goals and take a one-point lead over him in team scoring.Heiskanen's empty-net goal wasn't crucial, but another tally helps make the Conn Smythe case for a player who's been dominant on both ends of the ice.Best bet: Miro Heiskanen - Conn Smythe Trophy (+750)Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shotsNot many players consistently attempt a handful of shots in every playoff contest. That's what Kane brings to the table right now.He's cleared this line in four of the past five games, only failing last time out because he missed the net on three of five attempts.Kane's attempted at least five shots in six consecutive outings. For perspective, he recorded three-plus shots in 73% of his contests this season when attempting five or more. That success rate jumps to 79% when focusing on home games in which he reached that mark.We saw a dip in Kane's usage against the Canucks, but his ice time against the Stars has gotten back to the levels we're used to seeing and then some. He's played 18 minutes or more in three straight appearances, giving him ample opportunity to generate shots - even against a stingy Stars defense.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad took the blame for the costly overtime turnover in Wednesday's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final, but he's not going to dwell on the game-defining play."It's making decisions. I see (Brandon Montour) kind of coming towards me," Zibanejad said, according to the New York Post's Mollie Walker. "I think (Blake Wheeler) is open because (Will Cuylle) is going to the net, trying to make the play, and they poke it and go the other way."

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee was named the 2024 recipient of the NHL's King Clancy Memorial Trophy on Tuesday.The honor is given to "the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."All 32 teams submit a nominee for the award. Lee has been a finalist in six of the past seven seasons.Lee has been involved with the Jam Kancer in the Kan Foundation, among others, since 2017 and raised $155,000 for the cause in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars veteran Tyler Seguin is making the most of his club's pursuit of the Stanley Cup this spring after changing his perspective as a veteran player who's had his share of ups and downs."I think it takes time to get to this point," Seguin told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I think there was a period of time where you are fighting your ego, thinking of what you deserve. And at a certain point, you have to understand what is more important: What you think you deserve or what you think makes the team better."I had to look at myself and say: 'What do I want?' I mean, I've made money. I have a great home life. I'm married now. In the end, what I really want is to share the experiences that I had back when I was a kid, with this group of guys."Seguin said his mindset shifted during the 2020-21 season when he was limited to only three games as he rehabbed significant knee and hip injuries."Those were dark times," Seguin said. "I'm not sure if retirement was a real possibility but you have different thoughts. 'Can I play again? If so, at what level?' I think a lot of athletes go through that with surgeries and setbacks.He continued, "That was a pinpoint of my career and life. I'd just gone through back-to-back surgeries and had six months of sitting on my butt, not really having a good support system. It was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel."Seguin has been mostly healthy over the last three campaigns and has been one of Dallas' most productive players this postseason. He has 12 points in 16 games as the Stars sit two wins from reaching the Stanley Cup Final.Dallas acquired Seguin from the Boston Bruins - with whom he won a championship in 2011 - prior to the 2013-14 campaign. He's racked up 667 points in 766 games over 11 seasons with the Stars, and he has three years left on his current contract.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Forward Jonathan Marchessault expressed his disappointment with the lack of contract talks he's held with the Vegas Golden Knights."I did not have a call or anything yet," Marchessault said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal's David Schoen. "They said they were interested to definitely re-sign me, and we'll see. Technically, they have time until June 30, so we'll see how it goes."Marchessault, 33, paced the Golden Knights with 42 goals and 69 points this season. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy last spring after accruing 13 goals and 25 points in 22 playoff games en route to Vegas' first Stanley Cup triumph."The Golden Knights, they want to be good every year, so they're probably looking at all their options and probably checking what's out there, and we'll see where it brings us," Marchessault added.Marchessault signed a six-year contract with a $5-million cap hit in 2018 with Vegas. He's set to be among the top unrestricted free agents on July 1.A member of the Golden Knights since their inaugural campaign in 2017-18, Marchessault said he wanted to sign an extension before the season."(Vegas) said they're not ready to do that, and after there's not even a single talk that happened during the season," Marchessault said. "I don't know. Technically, as an organization, you sign the player for six years, so you have the full six years, and after you can deal with it. So we'll see."Marchessault said earlier in May that he hopes to be with the Golden Knights for the rest of his life.Evolving Hockey projects Marchessault to ink a three-year pact with a $6.1-million cap hit if he re-signs before July 1.The Golden Knights have about $5.9 million in cap space entering the offseason with Robin Lehner's cap hit on long-term injured reserve, according to CapFriendly.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Rangers did it again Sunday.New York improved to 4-0 in overtime during this postseason thanks to goals by Barclay Goodrow and Alex Wennberg, who are both bottom-six forwards.The Rangers haven't been the better team in this series by even-strength metrics - expected goals share and high-danger chances. Of course, they rarely are, and this is causing consternation among the bettor community as we look ahead to Game 4.Game 4: Rangers (+145) @ Panthers (-170)The theory among sharp hockey bettors is that creating more chances and dominating play at even strength (which, in turn, should generate more power plays) gives a team a better chance to win. It's a sensible concept, except the Rangers do two things that fly in the face of that logic.The Rangers feature a group of dangerous scorers - Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Vincent Trocheck - who registered 46.5% of the team's shots on goal in the regular season and 61% in the playoffs. Those players contributed to an above-average 15% scoring rate on even-strength high-danger chances (HDC) plus power-play opportunities - a metric we call SNIPES.The Rangers also have Igor Shesterkin, who has saved New York 11.5 goals above expected this postseason after closing the season with a 16.7 GSAx following the All-Star break.Those elements can make up the difference against a team with an advantage in xG%. It helped New York that Sergei Bobrovsky allowed over three goals more than expected in Game 3, but heading into Game 2, we felt like backing Shesterkin to be the better goaltender was worth it at an underdog price.The market hasn't changed its opinion, keeping the respective moneylines the same as before Game 3, likely due to the Panthers' 69.2% xG share and a 12-6 HDC advantage at even strength. However, the Rangers are likely to shrink that disparity. We'll stick with the underdog in a series where all three games so far could have gone either way.Best bet: Rangers moneyline (+145)Mika Zibanejad: Under 2.5 shotsZibanejad's shot volume has fallen through the floor of late. He recorded two or fewer shots in eight of the past 10 games, including two of three in this series. He managed to go over this line in Game 3 but did so by the skin of his teeth, mustering up only three shot attempts. Simply put, he found a way to hit the target in each contest, but that can't be relied upon.Zibanejad's been completely ineffective at five-on-five. He has only three shots on goal in that game state through three games in this series. The Rangers have also been outshot 35-10 with Zibanejad on the ice at full strength and spend most of his shifts on their heels in the defensive zone.Although that hasn't hurt the Rangers in terms of wins and losses, it has hurt Zibanejad's volume and should continue to do so.Penalties tend to be called less frequently as a series progresses, and Zibanejad does a lot of his damage as a shooter on the man advantage. That's not a recipe for success.Look for the Panthers to keep Zibanejad in check as a shooter in Game 4.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets hired Don Waddell as general manager, president of hockey operations, and alternate governor, the team announced Tuesday.Reports on Saturday indicated Waddell would join the Blue Jackets as the team's top hockey operations executive.Waddell resigned from his post as president and GM of the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.The Blue Jackets fired GM Jarmo Kekalainen in February. President of hockey operations John Davidson served as interim GM in the meantime.Davidson will now transition to a senior adviser and alternate governor role."I've known Don for many years, and he is one of the great gentlemen in our business," Davidson said. "He is a very smart, dedicated professional who has shown a great ability to bring people together to work towards a common goal and achieve success. I believe this is a great day for our organization and our fans."The Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs in four straight years and have only qualified for the postseason six times in their 23 seasons. They've never advanced past Round 2.During Waddell's six years as GM of the Hurricanes, the team made the playoffs every season, won three straight division titles from 2021-23, and made the conference finals in 2019 and 2023.However, Waddell didn't find quite the same level of success in his previous GM gig. He held that position with the Atlanta Thrashers from 1998-2010, overseeing a single postseason appearance in 2007 when the club was swept in Round 1.Waddell will join a franchise that boasts a talented young core led by 2023 No. 3 pick Adam Fantilli. The Blue Jackets hold the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Will Smith is turning pro, after all.The San Jose Sharks signed their top prospect to an entry-level deal, he announced via the club Tuesday.

Sheldon Keefe believes he's improved at his job in his half-decade as a bench boss at the highest level."After five years and six playoff rounds, I'm a far better coach than when I arrived in the NHL," the New Jersey Devils head coach said Tuesday at his introductory press conference.The Devils confirmed Thursday that they hired Keefe after the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him May 9 following yet another early-round exit. The Boston Bruins vanquished the Maple Leafs on David Pastrnak's overtime winner in Game 7 five days earlier.Keefe got the Leafs to the second round last spring, but they then fell to eventual Stanley Cup finalists the Florida Panthers in five games.Toronto went 212-97-40 in the regular season with Keefe at the helm beginning in 2019-20, racking up the fourth-most points in the NHL over that span. The club made the playoffs every season but failed to advance to the second round in all but the one aforementioned campaign.The Maple Leafs have endured seven opening-round exits in the last eight years and haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1967. The 43-year-old acknowledged Tuesday that the pressure isn't any less significant with his new team."Driving in here this morning seeing the statue of Martin Brodeur, you know the expectations are high," Keefe said.The Devils missed the postseason this spring after reaching the second round in 2022-23. They've made only two playoff appearances in the 12 years since they last reached the Cup Final, which they lost to the Los Angeles Kings.New Jersey won championships in 1995, 2000, and 2003. Brodeur backstopped the Devils to each of those triumphs. The Colorado Avalanche defeated them for the Cup over seven games in 2001, and the New York Rangers ousted them in seven in the 1994 Eastern Conference Final.Keefe inherits a talented Devils squad that underachieved this season amid injuries to Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton. New Jersey fired Lindy Ruff as head coach on March 4, replacing him with associate coach Travis Green for the rest of the campaign.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken hired Dan Bylsma as the second head coach in franchise history, the team announced Tuesday.Bylsma, 53, coached the Kraken's AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley for two seasons. He won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009."Dan is a winner with a proven track record of developing both young and veteran talent, and his leadership will help our team as we move forward," Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. "He has had success at every level."The Coachella Valley Firebirds went 94-32-18 under Bylsma, finishing second in the AHL in both campaigns. The Firebirds lost in the Calder Cup Finals in 2023 and are currently in the conference finals again."I have a familiarity with a lot of the players and staff here and think we have a chance to build something special together," Bylsma said.Bylsma coached the Penguins to the Stanley Cup in 2009 as a midseason replacement. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2011 and remained Pittsburgh's bench boss until he was fired in 2014.The Penguins made the playoffs every season under Bylsma. Pittsburgh reached at least the conference finals twice during his tenure and lost in the first round in back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012.Bylsma later served as the Buffalo Sabres' bench boss from 2015-17 and last coached in the NHL as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings from 2018-21. The Sabres finished 23rd in 2015-16 and 26th the following campaign.Internationally, Bylsma coached the United States at the 2014 Olympics. He was also an assistant at the 2015, 2018, and 2019 World Championship.The Kraken fired Dave Hakstol in April after missing the playoffs. Hakstol went 107-112-27 in three seasons, leading Seattle to the second round in 2023.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars sniper Jason Robertson entered Game 3 on Monday without a goal in his last 10 contests. He left Rogers Place in Edmonton with three goals on the night, including the game-winner.Robertson believes that the drought-ending first goal gave him the confidence to score the next two."I got the first one and then I'm like, 'OK, I'm going to shoot everything,'" he told Sportsnet postgame. "It's one of those things. You just gain confidence."The shoot-everything mentality paid huge dividends, as Robertson's hat-trick goal came from a sharp angle on which most players would likely opt to pass or hang on to the puck. Instead, Robertson got Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner to bite on an inside fake, which created a tiny sliver of an opening to bank the puck off the netminder and in.

Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid lamented his team's play in the second period of Monday's Game 3 after the Dallas Stars scored three goals in less than four minutes in the frame."Real good start, obviously, and then, I'm not sure where those 10-15 minutes come from, but it's as bad as it's been throughout the playoffs," McDavid said following Edmonton's 5-3 loss to trail 2-1 in the Western Conference Final series.The Oilers carried a 2-0 advantage into the middle frame of Game 3 after outshooting Dallas 10-3 in the opening period. However, the Stars flipped the script in the second, scoring three goals and firing 16 shots on net."I thought (Dallas) went up a couple levels, and we went down a few levels," McDavid added. "Obviously, you see the difference."Despite the second frame proving costly, McDavid wouldn't go as far as to say the Oilers' performance in the period handed the Stars the win."Losing sucks," McDavid said. "Series are short. You only get a handful of games. I'm not gonna say we gave it away; it was 40 minutes, and we were able to wrestle it back. But just don't find a way again."Edmonton held Dallas to three shots again in the third period, but the Stars converted two of their attempts. Jason Robertson scored with just over eight minutes left in regulation to complete his hat trick, and Miro Heiskanen iced the contest with an empty-netter."I tried my best in the quickness of the situation," Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner said of the decisive fourth goal. "Robertson was able to make a pretty good play, but something that I gotta save."Edmonton hosts Game 4 on Wednesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz returned for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers.Hintz featured in the starting lineup alongside Jason Robertson and Tyler Seguin.He missed the previous four contests due to an upper-body injury sustained in a May 13 meeting with the Colorado Avalanche.The 27-year-old had two goals and six points in 11 postseason contests entering Monday. He tallied 30 goals and 65 points in 80 regular-season games to rank second on the Stars in goals and fourth in scoring.After dropping Game 1 in double overtime, Dallas evened the series Saturday with a 3-1 win.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique is back in the lineup for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final after missing the last seven contests with a lower-body injury, head coach Kris Knoblauch announced Monday.Ryan McLeod will be a healthy scratch to make room for Henrique.Here are the projected forward lines:LWCRWNugent-HopkinsMcDavidHymanKaneDraisaitlHollowayFoegeleHenriqueRyanJanmarkCarrickBrownEdmonton's prized trade-deadline acquisition, Henrique collected six goals and three assists in 22 games with the Oilers during the regular season and has added two points in six playoff contests. He last played in Game 2 of the second round against the Vancouver Canucks.McLeod was a mainstay as the Oilers' third-line center during the regular season, contributing 12 goals and 18 assists in 81 games. He's been quiet in the playoffs, though, failing to record a point in 14 contests."It's a reset," Knoblauch said. "Clouder is going to be part of this team. Whether he comes in the next game or the following one, we're going to see him sooner than later."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice clearly has no sympathy for the modest dent that was put into Jacob Trouba's wallet on Monday.The New York Rangers captain was fined $5,000 - the maximum allowable under the league's collective bargaining agreement - for elbowing Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced."Take the hat, pass it around. Poor lad, poor Jake. He won't be able to eat," Maurice joked while speaking with reporters.Maurice coached Trouba for six seasons with the Winnipeg Jets.A $5,000 fine for Trouba, who makes $8 million per season, is equivalent to someone with a $100,000 salary getting fined about $62.50 - so roughly a parking ticket.Officials reviewed the play for a major penalty but ultimately handed Trouba a minor for elbowing.Rodrigues was able to stay in the game.Trouba has been under the microscope for several questionable hits in his 11-year career, but the defenseman has only been suspended twice. This marks the third time he's been fined.The Rangers won their second straight game in overtime Sunday to take a 2-1 series lead.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Multiple teams around the NHL have called the Carolina Hurricanes regarding the availability of forward Martin Necas, sources told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who can become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. Evolving-Hockey projects Necas will earn $8.8 million annually on an eight-year contract.Keeping Necas could prove difficult for the Hurricanes considering Seth Jarvis and Jack Drury are also RFAs who are due for raises. Plus, the team has multiple notable UFAs, including Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook, Brady Skjei, and Brett Pesce. The team is reportedly attempting to keep Guentzel and Skjei.Necas produced 24 goals and 29 assists in 77 games this past season as a winger. He recorded a career-high 71 points in 82 games in 2022-23 while splitting time between center and wing.Necas helped Czechia win gold at the 2024 World Championship, collecting seven points in five games."We'll see what's going to happen," Necas said after Czechia's victory on Sunday when asked about the trade rumors. "I don't really care right now. What's going to happen is going to happen. My agent is going to deal with that. We're going to figure it out. Now I'm going to celebrate this medal and I'm going to enjoy it for a while."The Hurricanes reportedly dangled Necas in trade discussions involving Elias Pettersson before the Swede ultimately signed an extension with the Vancouver Canucks this season. Necas was reportedly also included in trade offers to the Calgary Flames for Matthew Tkachuk in 2022.Carolina would want a star-caliber player back in any package for Necas, LeBrun added.The Hurricanes drafted Necas 12th overall in 2017.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.After dropping Game 1 of the series, the Stars avoided heading to Edmonton down two games with a 3-1 victory Saturday night. The advantage traditionally swings to the road team that garnered an opening split, but Dallas' success away from home suggests otherwise. The Oilers, meanwhile, can argue they've been the better team so far.Game 3: Stars (+110) @ Oilers (-130)Looking at the first two games, the Oilers are carrying the lion's share of the play at even strength overall with an expected goal share (xG%) of 56.2% and 28 high-danger chances (HDC) to the Stars' 21. Edmonton dominated the first period of Game 2 with nine HDC and an 85% xG share. But the remaining six periods, including the first overtime of Game 1, show two teams that are essentially equal, and in the last two periods of Game 2, the Stars shuttered the Oilers' offense, limiting them to just three HDC and continuing to stay disciplined.The Oilers are now at 20 consecutive penalty kills - a 20% power play should have scored four goals against Edmonton over the last six games - and no matter how you spread out those missing goals, there's little chance the Oilers would have survived the Canucks or won Game 1 without this stretch.What if the Stars, who have a 24% power play during the regular season and playoffs, get 12 power plays over the next four games? Would the Oilers, due for regression, withstand the addition of three goals against?The Oilers should want to play this series at five-on-five, but that supposedly favors the Stars, and two games shouldn't overwrite all the information we have coming into this series.According to our series preview, our target price for the Stars' moneyline in games played in Edmonton is +115. However, that's a by-the-numbers valuation based on overall team strength that doesn't account for Dallas' excellence on the road. A 5-1 postseason mark has followed the Stars' league-best regular-season road record.In the postseason, the Stars' home xG share is 50/50 with their opponent, which is partly why they're 4-5 at the American Airlines Center. However, they've boosted that to 59% on the road (up from a league-best 56% in the regular season).The Stars are better on the road than at home, so a moneyline a shade below our technical target price is worth betting on the underdog.Best bet: Stars moneyline (+110)Evander Kane: Over 2.5 shotsKane's shot volume is drastically improving after a very quiet start to the playoffs. He's recorded at least three shots in four consecutive games, attempting eight shots or more in three of them - including both contests in Dallas.Although the Stars are one of the league's best shot-suppression teams, Kane has a remarkably strong track record against them.Kane has faced the Stars five times this year, including the playoffs, and averaged 3.8 shots and more than eight attempts while clearing in four of those matchups.The Stars have done a great job limiting Leon Draisaitl as a shooter, holding him to just three shot attempts in both games this series. They're taking away his time and space and forcing him to put the puck on the stick of his teammates, which is evidently benefiting Kane and his volume.As an added bonus, Kane's season hit rate is 10% higher when playing on home ice.Look for him to test Jake Oettinger a few times in Game 3.Odds: -114 (playable to -130)Wyatt Johnston: Over 2.5 shotsJohnston's a road warrior. He hit in eight of his past 10 away games while averaging 4.5 shots on 8.4 attempts. Those numbers are drastically better than his home totals (2.1 shots and 6.2 attempts) over the same span.It's not abnormal to see such a gulf in Johnston's splits, as that's been the case with him all season long. He cleared this total in just 44% of his home games while posting an impressive 63% hit rate on the road.Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz generally see the opposing team's best players, freeing up Johnston for easier matchups in which he takes full advantage.Robertson was recently taken off Johnston's line - he centered Robertson and Logan Stankoven for a short stint - and Hintz is a possibility to return to the Stars' line in Game 3. Thus, Johnston should get less attention at five-on-five.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice doesn't want his players to forget how they're feeling after Sunday's hard-fought 5-4 overtime loss in Game 3 against the New York Rangers."Sometimes, you want to keep the growl," he said postgame, according to Florida Hockey Now. "A lot of times in the playoffs, it's about making sure that you keep that energy and you cut off your losses and you let it go. Then there's times you want to keep it and eat it and let it burn for a while and find a different kind of energy source."So you put up whatever we put up tonight and you don't come away with the win, you should be a little growly."The Panthers dominated the Rangers everywhere but the scoresheet as their Eastern Conference rivals took a 2-1 series lead. Florida held a lopsided 108-44 edge in shot attempts and 37-23 advantage in shots at all strengths while controlling 69.6% of the scoring chances and 71% of the expected goals at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick."Any time you lose a close one like that, it's obviously frustrating," lamented Panthers forward Sam Reinhart. "You can say we dominate, but then you look at the mistakes that lead to their goals. There's areas of improvement, for sure."Florida entered the second intermission down 4-2 after allowing a demoralizing shorthanded goal to Barclay Goodrow on a four-minute power play.The Cardiac Cats forced overtime thanks to captain Aleksander Barkov and rearguard Gustav Forsling, but Rangers forward Alex Wennberg scored the dagger on a deflection for New York's second straight overtime victory and fourth of these playoffs. The win marked the Rangers' 34th comeback of 2023-24, setting an NHL record for most in a single season, per NHL PR."We have a no-panic mentality that (is) relied on in those moments when we're under siege," Goodrow said, according to USA Today's Vince Z. Mercogliano. "It might get ugly sometimes. ... In the end, a win's a win."Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves - 16 of which came in the third period and overtime - to stave off the Panthers' attack."He was our best player tonight, I thought," forward Vincent Trocheck told NHL Network postgame. "When you have a guy like that back there, you have a lot of confidence.Trocheck added: "He made countless big saves to keep us in the game. ... I think he stole this one a little bit late."The Panthers will look to avoid going down 3-1 during Game 4 on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Czechia's David Pastrnak broke a scoreless tie in the third period to lift the tournament hosts to a 2-0 gold-medal-clinching victory over Switzerland at the 2024 IIHF World Championship on Sunday.

It may not be the color they had envisioned, but Team Sweden is taking home a medal at the 2024 World Championship.Sweden beat Canada 4-2 in the bronze-medal game on Sunday, securing a medal for the first time since winning back-to-back golds in 2017-18.Carl Grundstrom was a catalyst for the Swedes, scoring two goals, including the game-winner.Sweden opened the scoring in the first period with a rip by Grundstrom. Canada responded with a second-period tally by Dylan Cozens for his tournament-leading ninth goal.Canada pulled ahead in the third period with a strike from Pierre-Luc Dubois, but the lead was short-lived, as Sweden captain Erik Karlsson countered moments later with a rocket of his own.Grundstrom then potted the game-winner for Sweden with a long-range drive before Marcus Johansson added an empty-netter for good measure.It's the first time Canada hasn't medaled at the tournament since finishing fourth in 2018. The Canadians won gold in 2023 and 2021, as well as silver in 2022 and 2019. The 2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch wants to see more consistency from officials regarding penalty calls in the playoffs compared to the regular season."The standard gets changed a little bit," Knoblach said after Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. "(The NHL) would definitely want to make sure it's a penalty when in the regular season, maybe some things get let go. That's obviously unfortunate for us. We've got a very good power play, and we win a lot of games on the power play."It's unfortunate for us that it's tougher to draw penalties in the playoffs than it is in the regular season. That being said, I think the standard is the same for both teams. I'm not saying it's unfair for us, but we would like the same standard."Edmonton recorded two power plays to Dallas' one in Saturday's Game 2. However, there was a big discrepancy in the series opener as the Stars had five man advantages compared to the Oilers' single chance.The Oilers have converted 34.9% of their power plays through 14 playoff games this spring. Edmonton's 43 opportunities are the second-most behind only the Florida Panthers.Leon Draisaitl (12), Connor McDavid (11), and Evan Bouchard (eight) are the top three power-play producers this postseason, but the players are also looking for answers from officials."That's a good question, I don't know," McDavid said when asked why the club has struggled to draw penalties in Round 3."Great question, I have no idea," said defenseman Mattias Ekholm when answering the same question. "I looked at (teammate) Darnell (Nurse's) penalty today, then five minutes later, I get cross-checked right in the same spot in the paint. But it's hard, it's physical, it's playoff hockey out there. It just seems to be we need to kill more than we get power plays."Here's the play referenced by Ekholm:

Switzerland upset defending champion Canada 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday at the World Championship to advance to the gold-medal game against host Czechia.Sven Andrighetto notched the shootout winner.

Host Czechia is heading to the gold-medal game of the World Championship for the first time since 2010 after defeating Sweden 7-3 in Saturday's semifinal.Martin Necas was dominant for the Czechs, tallying the game-winner and three assists in the contest. Dominik Kubalik and Lukas Sedlak also put forth strong performances, notching two goals apiece, in front of a raucous crowd in Prague.Sweden held 1-0 and 2-1 leads, but Czechia scored four straight goals to secure the victory.Marcus Johansson opened the scoring for Sweden 3:39 into the game when he drove the middle of the ice and fired one past Lukas Dostal's glove. Czechia evened things out when Kubalik pounced on a juicy rebound by Filip Gustavsson 7:48 into the first period. However, Marcus Pettersson responded immediately, regaining the lead for the Swedes 20 seconds later.It was all Czechia the rest of the way, though. David Kampf continued the eventful period by tying things up for the Czechs with a heavy shot from the slot off a slick centering feed by Necas. It marked the contest's fourth goal before the midway mark of the first period.Ondrej Kase - hopeful of an NHL return - put Czechia ahead in the second frame with some deft patience in front of the net after the puck ricocheted off an official. It was the first time Sweden had trailed the entire tournament.Necas doubled the lead for the hosts with a one-time blast right off a faceoff that completely froze everyone in yellow and blue. Kubalik added another with a five-hole blast on a three-on-two rush, chasing Gustavsson from the game in favor of Samuel Ersson. Gustavsson finished the contest having allowed five goals on 17 shots.Joel Eriksson Ek got one back for the Swedes on the power play late in the second, but it wasn't enough. Sedlak scored a pair of nearly identical breakaway goals with a backhand five-hole move in the third period to seal the deal for Czechia.The host country will face Switzerland in the final.The semifinal victory guarantees Czechia its best tournament finish since winning gold in 2010. It last medaled when it won bronze in 2022.Sweden, who was a perfect 7-0-0-0 in the preliminary round before defeating Finland in OT in the quarters, had only allowed 10 total goals in the tournament entering Saturday. It will play for bronze on Sunday in search of its first medal since winning back-to-back golds in 2017 and 2018.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2024 unrestricted free agent class is, in a word, OK.Headliners include Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, and Jake Guentzel - though each may re-sign with their current club. Elias Lindholm is the top center available. There are a lot of goalies, but no gotta-have-him, A1 starter."OK" doesn't necessarily mean boring, though. With the salary cap expected to rise by about $4 million to $87.7 million, there's plenty of intrigue around specific players, clusters of players, and the market at large ahead of July 1. Dave Reginek / Getty Images"If there's one thing I'm most interested in, generally, it's how teams view the extra salary-cap room," said Kyle Stich of AFP Analytics, a consulting firm specializing in NHL player valuation."On one hand, these general managers are going to have about $4 million to work with. On the other hand, they just went through a period where there was very little room to maneuver. Does that mean they're going to spend wildly, just because they can? Or will they be more judicious because they realize having cap space can be something of value down the road?"AFP's recently released contract projection list includes Stamkos earning $18.4 million over three years for an average annual value of $6.1 million. In that scenario, the 34-year-old sniper occupies 7% of a team's cap in 2024-25.Stich's hunch is that Stamkos will re-sign with Tampa Bay for more than three years but with a lower AAV. Last offseason, the Lightning reportedly offered Alex Killorn, another core member of the Stanley Cup teams, an eight-year extension with an AAV around $3 million. Killorn opted for $25 million over four years in Anaheim. Stamkos, who's already at $99.6 million in career earnings, is less likely to leave the only NHL club he's ever known for a bigger payday. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesAFP's projections are based on layers of context: position, age, role, production, handedness, injury history, etc. The goal is to make educated guesses on how the market might value certain player types. What AFP can't predict is how the market will react after one player in a cluster is snapped up.Brandon Montour, Chris Tanev, Brett Pesce, Matt Roy, Dylan DeMelo, Sean Walker, Alexandre Carrier, and Jalen Chatfield are all UFAs. Every single one shoots right and can be characterized as a second-pair defenseman or a borderline second-pair guy who specializes in the power play or penalty kill.AFP settled on Montour as the top blue-liner, with a projection of six years, $7.7 million AAV. (Second is lefty Brady Skjei: five years at $7.5 million per year.) If Montour and Tanev sign first, do teams start throwing extra years and millions at the other righties in hopes they can land somebody else on the list?Another intriguing group: needle-moving bottom-six forwards such as William Carrier (Golden Knights), Dakota Joshua (Canucks), and Stefan Noesen (Hurricanes). All three play an honest game, forecheck well, and can pitch in offensively.At the same time, buyer beware. The last thing a GM wants to do is commit term or money to a fourth-liner and have it not work out. Case in point: the Maple Leafs are paying David Kampf $2.4 million a year for the next three seasons. His deal includes a modified no-trade clause through 2025-26.Lafreniere's looking like junior Laf Michael Mooney / Getty ImagesAdam Fox, a perennial Norris Trophy contender, was asked about Rangers teammate Alexis Lafreniere during a preseason media event back in the fall. More specifically, Fox was asked about Lafreniere's trajectory as an NHLer and why the first pick in 2020 had failed to live up to the hype three years in."He's 21 years old," Fox said as part of his answer. "I was in college at 21."While Lafreniere would turn 22 a day before New York's season opener, Fox's point was well taken: nobody would think Lafreniere's been slow to develop if he had received less hype, as, say, the 10th pick in his draft class.Seven months later, there's no denying Lafreniere's arrived as a legitimate, difference-making winger. He posted 57 points in 82 regular-season games, with his 45 at even strength ranking 34th in the entire NHL. He's added 10 points in 12 playoff outings to tie Chris Kreider for fourth on the team.Part of the breakout can be attributed to usage and deployment. Lafreniere's averaging two extra minutes a night under new coach Peter Laviolette. He's skating alongside superstar winger Artemi Panarin and two-way center Vincent Trocheck. No line scored more five-on-five goals in the regular season and the trio is tied with Connor McDavid's line with eight postseason goals. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesMost encouraging, Lafreniere looks like the highly intelligent, highly confident, highly competitive player the hockey world drooled over during his draft year. He's a menace in transition, gaining the offensive zone with ease. His wrist shot's quick and accurate. He's creating for others, physical on the forecheck.Serge Beausoleil was the GM and head coach of Lafreniere's junior team, the Rimouski Oceanic. When he watches Lafreniere now, he sees a lot of similarities to the player he coached, though he's noticed Lafreniere's work away from the puck has improved dramatically over the past few months."Backtracking. Blocking shots. Helping the defensemen. Doing what 200-foot players do. He's totally committed to the team," Beausoleil told theScore."And, in the O-zone right now, he's getting to the pocket, the sweet spot," the coach added. "He's finding a way to get in the perfect area to release the puck well and score goals with his wrist shot. That's something that's always been in him. But it's really been on display with the Rangers lately."2014 draft, 10 years later Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesThe third round of this year's playoffs is basically a 10-year reunion for the 2014 draft class.Eight picks are competing in the conference finals: Reinhart, Montour, Aaron Ekblad, Sam Bennett, and Gustav Forsling from the Panthers; the Rangers' Igor Shesterkin; and the Oilers' Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele.It's a deep class, with 101 draftees appearing in an NHL game, 16 forwards and defensemen passing the 500-game mark, and five goalies hitting 150.Here's my redraft of the top 10: Mitchell Leff / Getty ImagesThe next 15 (in random order): Forsling, Montour, Ekblad, Bennett, Nik Ehlers, Travis Sanheim, Alex Tuch, Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Viktor Arvidsson, Nick Schmaltz, Jared McCann, Ivan Barbashev, Jake Walman, and Elvis Merzlikins.Forward Michael Dal Colle is the class' biggest bust. The No. 5 pick skated in 112 NHL games, all for the Islanders, before heading off to Europe in 2022.Forward Conner Bleackley was the least productive selection. The Avalanche's pick at No. 23 is the only first-rounder to not make the NHL. Pastrnak went two slots later.Other superlatives:

The Winnipeg Jets hired Scott Arniel as their new head coach, the team announced Friday.The 61-year-old has been the Jets' associate coach for the past two seasons under Rick Bowness, who retired earlier in May.Arniel served as the Jets' interim coach on two separate occasions during the 2023-24 season while Bowness was on personal leave, guiding the team to a 10-5-2 record.His only other NHL head coaching gig came from 2010-12 with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He led Columbus to a 45-60-18 record during parts of two seasons.Arniel has also held NHL assistant coaching jobs with the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and Buffalo Sabres. He was previously the head coach of the AHL's Chicago Wolves and Manitoba Moose.A left-winger during his 11-year NHL playing career, Arniel was drafted by the original Jets in the second round in 1981 and played six seasons with the club, reaching the 20-goal mark twice.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Road teams have a winning record in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 16-8 mark in Round 2. All four teams closed out their series away from home, and three advanced despite losing Game 1.Why is this relevant? Despite a small sample size, it suggests it's not worth panicking after dropping Game 1 or losing home-ice advantage. As we head into each Game 2, let's look at what happened in the series openers to analyze whether there was an outlier result or something predictive of things to come.Game 2: Panthers (-110) @ Rangers (-110)Friday, 8 p.m. ETThe premise for betting on the Rangers before Game 1 was that a +130 series price and an even-money Game 1 line suggested that these two teams weren't evenly matched. Here's how the even-strength metrics shook down in the opener:TEAM xG HDC HDGPanthers2.4681Rangers2.62100A one-goal game masquerading as a 3-0 Panthers win was far closer than the score suggests. The difference was even clear via the eye test. Simply put, New York didn't convert either of its two breakaways, going 0-for-10 on its best scoring chances. Meanwhile, the Panthers merely converted one of their eight high-danger chances, which is congruent with the league average of 12.5%.The market for Game 2 hasn't veered away from the pricing in Game 1, acknowledging that these games can go either way.For the series, the Rangers went from +130 (43.5% implied win probability) to +250 and 28.6% likely to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.In our look at the updated Conn Smythe Trophy market, we noted Sergei Bobrovsky's +2500 odds, and his need to boost his statistical profile. He made the difference in Game 1, posting a 3.08 goals saved above expected mark for a shutout.With a clean slate for Game 2, we're more likely to pick Igor Shesterkin (0.5 GSAx in Game 1) if we had to guess who the more dominant goaltender would be. We should be pretty certain that Bobrovsky won't save 2.5 more goals above expected than the Rangers' star netminder. The expectation for a more even goaltending duel should favor New York to even the series.Best bet: Rangers moneyline (-110)Game 2: Oilers (+115) @ Stars (-135)Saturday, 8 p.m. ETThe only surprise about the Stars dropping their seventh straight Game 1 is it meant the Oilers had to win a Game 1. Edmonton was 1-8 in series openers since 2020.As we look at what's sustainable, we must acknowledge that Edmonton was the better team in Thursday night's double-overtime win. It had an edge in even-strength play and a penalty kill that has somehow surpassed its power play as its most impressive special teams unit.The question is: Do we expect that to be sustainable? The Stars - and Jake Oettinger - have a history of getting better throughout a series.The Stars will have to start taking more penalties than just a lone too-many-players call for the Oilers' power play to get more opportunities. Edmonton's consecutive penalty-kill streak will have to hit historic proportions instead of regressing to the mean.The Stars' staunch defense pairing of Chris Tanev and Esa Lindell was on the ice for just two goals combined in their previous two series. They were minus-3 in Game 1. Are goals by Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Connor McDavid simply a result of them being a tougher matchup, or is this an outlier given the Golden Knights and Avalanche have strong scoring threats as well?Stuart Skinner had one of his best games of the postseason, saving almost two goals above expected in Game 1. At the same time, Oettinger (0.58 GSAx) was largely average until momentarily saving the game with a highlight-reel stop against McDavid. Goaltending looked to be an advantage for the Stars, only to be the difference-maker for the Oilers in Game 1. That one-game result shouldn't be enough to change our overall opinion about the series.The Rangers' chances to win their series dropped 15% in the betting market, while the Stars have gone from -130 (56.5%) to +160 (38.5%). Given Dallas was the favorite coming in and its track record of coming back, an 18% shift seems too drastic, as well.Best bets:

The Chicago Blackhawks moved up two spots from 20th to 18th in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft after making a deal with the New York Islanders on Friday, the teams announced.Here's the full trade (all picks are in 2024):CHI receivesNYI receivesPick No. 18Pick No. 20Pick No. 50Pick No. 54Pick No. 61The Blackhawks also move up four spots in the second round. The Islanders, meanwhile, gain an additional second-round pick for moving down a total of six spots.The 20th pick originally belonged to the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the Brandon Hagel trade in 2022. Picks 54 and 61 originally belonged to the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks, respectively.Chicago also holds the No. 2 pick in the draft and still possesses its own second- and third-round picks.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell resigned from his post Friday, the team announced.Assistant general manager Eric Tulsky will take over for Waddell on an interim basis with the support of fellow assistant Darren Yorke. The organization has begun a full search for a permanent GM.Waddell's contract was set to expire.The club had reportedly granted Waddell permission to speak with other teams, as he interviewed for the Columbus Blue Jackets' GM vacancy on Thursday. Carolina and Columbus represent the NHL's only two GM openings."This morning, I spoke with (owner Tom Dundon) and informed him that I have come to the decision that now is the time for me to move to the next chapter of my career," Waddell said."I have loved my experiences in the Triangle over the past 10 years, and together with a strong team, on and off the ice, we have accomplished many great victories. I am grateful for the support I have received from so many loyal Caniacs. This organization is in strong, capable hands and well-positioned for the future."Waddell joined the Hurricanes on the business end as team president in 2014 before taking over as GM in 2018. He comes from a hockey background, though, having served as GM of the Atlanta Thrashers from 1998-2010.The Hurricanes made the playoffs in each of Waddell's six years as GM, winning three straight division titles from 2021-23 and making the conference finals in 2019 and 2023.Tulsky, who holds a B.A. in chemistry and physics from Harvard and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Cal, has long been considered a bright, up-and-coming executive and has interviewed for other GM openings around the league in the past.He got his start with the Hurricanes' front office as a consultant in 2014 after the club took notice of his usage of analytics as a blogger. He's been working his way up the food chain ever since, becoming a hockey analyst for the team in 2015, the manager of hockey analytics in 2017, and the vice president of hockey management and strategy in 2018 before being named assistant GM in 2020.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to have discussions with pending unrestricted free agents Jake Guentzel and Brady Skjei, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Carolina landed Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade-deadline splash. The 29-year-old winger was a seamless fit with the Hurricanes, producing 25 points in 17 games after the deal. He also added four goals and five assists in 11 playoff games.There's reportedly mutual interest in an extension, as the two parties have already had multiple discussions. Guentzel, who's averaged 36 goals per 82 games and tallied 38 goals in 69 career postseason contests, is in line for a sizeable payday.Skjei has been with the Hurricanes for five seasons and is coming off a career-high 47-point campaign. The 30-year-old boasts good size at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and has developed into a stellar two-way defenseman over the last few seasons. Contract talks have reportedly been ongoing since last summer.However, if Skjei does return to Carolina, it may be without his defense partner of the last few seasons. The Hurricanes have been at a standstill with blue-liner Brett Pesce for nearly 10 months, and the two sides are apart on both term and salary, reports LeBrun.Pesce has spent his entire nine-year NHL career in Raleigh. While he's not as offensively gifted as Skjei, he's very steady defensively. He also shoots right and brings some size at 6-foot-3, 206 pounds.The Hurricanes are currently without a full-time general manager after Don Waddell resigned on Friday. Eric Tulsky is serving as interim GM amid a search for Waddell's replacement.But whoever takes over for Waddell permanently stands to have a busy summer on their hands, as the club has several other notable pending UFAs, including Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook, Stefan Noesen, and Jalen Chatfield. Their list of restricted free agents includes Seth Jarvis, Martin Necas, and Jack Drury.One key piece of internal business has already been taken care of, as the Hurricanes re-signed head coach Rod Brind'Amour to a multi-year deal Sunday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The first game of each Conference series is behind us, meaning we have more data and matchup knowledge to work with.We'll look to put that to use with some plays for a pair of Game 2s.Matthew Tkachuk: Under 3.5 shotsTkachuk has a very rocky shooting history against the Rangers. He's averaged just 4.6 shot attempts over his last nine games and has a ceiling of six. That doesn't give him much margin for error to clear this number.Although Tkachuk found the back of the net in Game 1, he fared no better with his shot generation. He attempted only three shots, and his goal was the only time he hit the target.The Rangers have allowed 28 or fewer shots in all but one home playoff game. They're trying to take the juice out of games, which won't help Tkachuk's cause.Whether the Rangers rebound from a disappointing Game 1 or not, I don't expect to see much shot volume from Tkachuk.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Adam Fox: Over 1.5 shotsFox has recorded multiple shots in 49 of 82 games this season, good for a healthy 60% success rate. He's also gone over his total in three of four games against the Panthers, producing 10 shots in that time (2.5 per).Fox played just under 25 minutes in Game 1, a mark he's likely going to flirt with every game for as long as the Rangers continue playing.That's certainly worth noting - Fox's hit rate unsurprisingly goes up the more ice time he gets.Fox produced two or more shots in 31 of 45 games in which he logged at least 24 minutes of ice. That equates to a remarkable 69% success rate.Given Fox's recent shooting surge (he has two-plus shots in 20 of the past 30), his success against the Panthers, and the likelihood he gets huge minutes as the Rangers fight to avoid going down 0-2 at home, I quite like his chances of picking up multiple shots in this game.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Parlay: McDavid under 3.5 shots with Stars +1.5 goalsThis parlay didn't result in a Game 1 win as McDavid cleared his shooting line. He finished with exactly four shots, though, despite the game going to double overtime. As fate would have it, it was the last shot of the game in which McDavid recorded his fourth shot.McDavid averaged just 2.9 shots per game on 5.1 attempts over his last 15 on the road.He needed over 27 minutes of ice to hit four shots in the series opener. Barring overtime (again), he's likely to finish in the 22-23 minute range next time out.For perspective, McDavid's hit rate is only 31% this season when playing 23 or fewer minutes. That number drops to 16% on the road - he's cleared in only five of 31 instances. Yes, you're reading that correctly.The Stars are an elite defensive team and can't afford to drop the first two games at home. I expect them to tighten the screws even further and, if the game ends in regulation, keep McDavid under this number.The odds for McDavid's under are juiced so I like adding the Stars on an alternate puckline of +1.5 goals to bring this close to even money. The Stars have covered +1.5 (meaning they've either won or lost by a single goal) in 11 of 14 playoff games.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored the double-overtime winner in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final on Thursday off a perfect centering pass from Evan Bouchard.

The 104th Memorial Cup championship commences Friday in Saginaw, Michigan, as the league winners from the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL converge to face the hosting Spirit for one of the toughest trophies to win in hockey.It's a stacked field as the three league champs - the London Knights, Drummondville Voltigeurs, and Moose Jaw Warriors - all swept their final opponents en route to the Memorial Cup. It's the first time that's ever happened.The hosting Saginaw Spirit are no slouches, either. The Spirit gave London its toughest test of the playoffs, taking the Knights to six games in the OHL's Western Conference Championship Series.Here are some of the top prospects to watch at this year's event.Cowan looks to finish magical season on a high Chris Tanouye / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's remarkable what Easton Cowan has done since being a surprise first-round pick less than a year ago.The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect recently became the sixth OHL player ever to win regular-season MVP and playoff MVP in the same year. A campaign of that caliber was unimaginable last June when the Leafs took him with the 28th overall pick.The criticism of the Cowan selection was less about the player and more about the slot. At the time, the Strathroy, Ontario, native was viewed as a feisty, hard-working winger with a bottom-six NHL projection. That makes for an intriguing prospect, but it isn't quite the upside you want in the opening round.Every step since that day, Cowan has proven that his upside is significantly higher than just a bottom-six energy winger. He's played all three forward positions regularly, been the most dangerous penalty killer we've seen in the OHL in a decade, and been the primary driver on arguably the best team in the entire Canadian Hockey League.After scoring 96 points in 54 regular-season games, highlighted by a record point streak, Cowan's next task was coming through in the playoffs. He did exactly that with 26 points in 10 contests against the Spirit and Oshawa Generals in the OHL's conference finals and league final.Now, Cowan looks to match one of his heroes in Mitch Marner by adding a Memorial Cup to his mantle before pushing to make the Maple Leafs in the fall.Other London Knights of note: D Jackson Edward (BOS), F Max McCue (CBJ), F Kaleb Lawrence (LAK), D Isaiah George (NYI), F Denver Barkey (PHI), D Oliver Bonk (PHI), F Kasper Halttunen (SJS), F Landon Sim (STL), F Jacob Julien (WPG), F Sam O'Reilly (2024), D Sam Dickinson (2024)The Firkus circus and Co. Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe CHL's top scorer will be on display at the Memorial Cup, as Jagger Firkus leads a potent Moose Jaw Warriors team.Firkus scored an absurd 61 goals and 126 points in 63 regular-season games before leading the WHL playoffs with 32 points. The Seattle Kraken second-rounder was surprisingly left off Canada's roster for the world juniors, and he's taken out any frustration on opposing WHL netminders.He hasn't done it alone, though. Three of his teammates - Brayden Yager, Denton Mateychuk, and deadline add Matt Savoie - featured on that Canadian squad and have been similarly terrific the past few months.Mateychuk earned WHL playoff MVP honors with 11 goals and 30 points in just 20 games from the backend. The Columbus Blue Jackets first-round selection registered nearly twice as many points as the second-highest scoring blue-liner in the postseason.Yager has only one goal in his last seven games entering the Memorial Cup but still completed the WHL playoffs with 11 tallies and 27 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins' 14th overall pick will go head-to-head against the top defenders in the tournament as Moose Jaw's first-line center.Then there's Savoie, the highest-drafted player at the Memorial Cup this year. Taken ninth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2022, Savoie annihilated the WHL with a league-best scoring rate by tallying 30 goals and 71 points in just 34 games in the regular season. He didn't hit the same heights in the playoffs, but he has a legitimate case to be the best player at this year's Memorial Cup.Other Moose Jaw Warriors of note: D Vojtech Port (ANA), F Martin Rysavy (CBJ), D Kalem Parker (MIN)Smells like teen Spirit Chris Tanouye / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe hosting Saginaw Spirit have loaded up over the past year in preparation for this tournament, but two players drafted by the Spirit will draw particular attention over the coming days.Michael Misa introduced himself to the hockey world at the 2022 OHL Cup when he broke Connor McDavid's scoring record at the tournament with 20 points in only seven games. That performance was a catalyst for making him an exceptional status player, granting him early entry to the OHL as a 15-year-old.Misa is eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft but isn't the projected first overall pick. Rather, that's USNTDP standout James Hagens. With a statement performance at the Memorial Cup, the 6-foot-1 forward can remind scouts he's still very much in the conversation at the top of next year's class.Saginaw took Misa with the first overall pick of the 2022 OHL Draft. With their second first-rounder that year, the Spirit selected defenseman Zayne Parekh, the other young gun on the host team who'll have plenty of eyes on him at the Memorial Cup.Parekh obliterated the OHL this season, tallying 33 goals and 96 points in 66 contests (an obligatory reminder that he's a defenseman). He's not the biggest, and he's not exactly a high-end defender, but his outrageous offensive production has Parekh projected to go inside the top 10 in June's entry draft.A quality showing against elite teams could vault Parekh to the fringes of the top five. Conversely, a poor performance might see Parekh's stock slip into the early teens. It's a big tournament for the right-shot blue-liner.Other Saginaw Spirit of note: D Rodwin Dionicio (ANA), G Nolan Lalonde (CBJ), F Hunter Haight (MIN), F Owen Beck (MTL), F Joey Willis (NSH), D Jorian Donovan (OTT), F Ethan Hay (TBL), F Josh Bloom (VAN), F Matyas Sapovaliv (VGK)Can the QMJHL five-peat? Dennis Pajot / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe QMJHL is on a crazy run at the Memorial Cup. Four straight tournaments have been won by teams from the league dating back to 2018.The Windsor Spitfires are the last non-QMJHL team to win the title in 2017. The WHL hasn't claimed the event since 2014.It'll be a tall task for the Voltigeurs to complete the five-peat, however. Drummondville has only five NHL-affiliated players on its roster, and arguably the best of the group, Arizona Coyotes prospect Maveric Lamoureux, is unavailable due to injury.Buffalo Sabres fifth-rounder Vsevolod Komarov has stepped up in a huge way in Lamoureux's absence. A Memorial Cup winner last year with the Quebec Remparts, Komarov exploded offensively after arriving in Drummondville midseason.The 6-foot-3 defender tallied 11 goals and 50 points and was a plus-44 in 38 games with the Voltigeurs after a trade in December. Komarov carried that momentum into the postseason en route to winning QMJHL playoff MVP.Other Drummondville Voltigeurs of note: D Mikael Diotte (NJD), F Alexis Gendron (PHI), F Ethan Gauthier (TBL)Tournament scheduleRound robinTeam 1Team 2DateTime (ET)Moose JawSaginawMay 247:30 p.m.LondonDrummondvilleMay 254 p.m.SaginawDrummondvilleMay 267:30 p.m.LondonMoose JawMay 277:30 p.m.DrummondvilleMoose JawMay 287:30 p.m.SaginawLondonMay 297:30 p.m.Elimination roundGameDateTime (ET)Tiebreaker (if necessary)May 307:30 p.m.SemifinalMay 317:30 p.m.FinalJune 27:30 p.m.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have granted president and general manager Don Waddell permission to speak to other teams as his current deal will soon, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.LeBrun added that Waddell interviewed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Columbus has been trying to find a new GM since firing longtime executive Jarmo Kekalainen in February.Waddell joined the Hurricanes as team president in 2014 and was named general manager in 2018.Carolina has made the playoffs in each of Waddell's six seasons as GM and advanced to the conference finals twice, though both of those ventures ended in four-game sweeps.The Hurricanes have also been one of the league's top regular-season teams during Waddell's tenure, winning three consecutive divisional titles from 2021-23.WinsPointsP%GF/GPGA/GP278 (3rd)600 (3rd).664 (2nd)3.21 (8th)2.59 (2nd)The Hurricanes failed to clinch a playoff spot for nine straight years before Waddell's time at the helm.Carolina's 2023-24 campaign ended at the hands of the New York Rangers in the second round last Thursday. Waddell attempted to get his team over the hump by acquiring pending unrestricted free-agent star Jake Guentzel before the trade deadline, a big in-season swing typically uncharacteristic of the GM.Waddell and the Hurricanes inked head coach Rod Brind'Amour to a reported five-year extension on Sunday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been quite the eventful month for Arturs Silovs, and the Vancouver Canucks' rookie goaltender had the time to process his breakthrough playoff performance during Thursday's end-of-season media availability."It was a great opportunity for me, just going from a (third-string) goalie (to) getting all the games after Game 3," the netminder said. "It was phenomenal getting all the experience."He added: "I tried to do my best every single time I was in the crease to help the team win. It's an exciting time to play, everyone wants to win, everyone's desperate to win, so you have to give everything."The Canucks were forced to turn to the youngster in the fourth contest of their first-round series against the Nashville Predators because of injuries to starter Thatcher Demko and usual backup Casey DeSmith. Before that appearance, Silovs had nine games of NHL experience.He made 27 saves on 30 shots in his playoff debut to help Vancouver take a 3-1 series stranglehold, and the crease belonged to him for the remainder of his team's time in the postseason.Silovs (and his iconic dress shirt) established himself as a fan favorite on the run. He posted an .898 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average across 10 games, recording five wins - including a series-clinching shutout against the Predators - before the Canucks were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the second round Monday.The 23-year-old performed admirably during Vancouver's season-ending loss, turning aside 26 out of 29 shots.Despite the Canucks' early exit, Silovs acknowledged that "it feels great" to prove he can step up in big moments."I was proving to myself that I can play here, I can make key saves to help the team to win," he said.DeSmith is a pending unrestricted free agent, so the door is open for Silovs to take over as Demko's regular backup.Silovs said he's looking forward to working with the Vezina Trophy finalist next season."I think it'll work good," Silovs said. "(Demko's) an experienced goalie. For me, I can learn a lot from him and try my best to show I can be the second guy to help the team."First, though, Silovs needs a new contract as a pending restricted free agent. He's projected to sign a one-year pact worth $775,000, per Evolving-Hockey.The Canucks selected the Latvian in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Czechia eliminated the United States from the 2024 World Championship with a 1-0 victory in Thursday's quarterfinals.Pavel Zacha put the host nation ahead with a power-play goal in the second period, and goaltender Lukas Dostal stood on his head for a 36-save shutout.Many expected the United States to compete for gold this spring, as the deep American roster features Brady Tkachuk, Cole Caufield, Matt Boldy, and Johnny Gaudreau, among others. Instead, the country's tournament championship drought is now up to 92 years.Czechia hasn't won the event since 2010. The 2022 team was the last to finish on the podium, collecting a bronze medal.Canada, Switzerland, and Sweden also advanced Thursday and will join the host country in the next round. Both semifinal games will take place on Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fear not, Colorado Avalanche fans: Gabriel Landeskog hopes to resume his playing career next season.The announcement that Landeskog and Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland would speak at a press conference Thursday led to some speculation the captain was retiring, but that was not the case."I think I'd dress up a bit (if I was announcing my retirement)," Landeskog said to open the presser, sporting a team-issued T-shirt and baseball cap.Landeskog missed the last two seasons with knee injuries. The forward last played in Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final when the Avalanche won their third-ever championship.There is still no target for his return, but there is optimism he'll play at some point next season."There's no point in me setting a timeline or set even a benchmark. ... You're just setting yourself up to be disappointed and pissed off when it doesn't happen," Landeskog said.The 31-year-old added, "I've felt really good now for two straight months physically, with no setbacks, minor or major. So that's a real positive."Landeskog underwent a knee cartilage transplant in May 2023 - a procedure no NHL player has successfully returned from. It was his third knee surgery in a 15-month span.MacFarland said in September 2023 that he hoped Landeskog would be back for the 2024 playoffs. Landeskog skated with the team for the first time in January but was never cleared to return to game action. He said not being able to play in the postseason was "kind of a slow form of torture."The Avalanche defeated the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1 but were bounced in Round 2 by the Dallas Stars."Mentally, I felt pretty close at times," Landeskog said. "I'm like, 'All right, well, I can do this. I can go out there for a few shifts here and there.' But I think the best decision was made for me to focus on what I was doing throughout the entire playoffs. As hard as it was and as much as I wanted to be out there, it was ultimately the best decision for my health and I think long term for this organization as well."One of the game's premier power forwards, Landeskog recorded 30 goals and 29 assists in 51 games in 2021-22. He added 22 points in 20 contests during Colorado's Cup run.The Avalanche selected Landeskog No. 2 overall in the 2011 draft. They made him the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years old in 2012.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson admits he's ready for a much-needed summer reset after a gruelling season that was filled with drama, inconsistent play, and a nagging injury."It will be nice to get a break from everything," Pettersson said Thursday, per TSN's Farhan Lalji. "It's been a very noisy season in terms of the contract and how shit I've been the last few months."Pettersson confirmed that he had been dealing with a knee injury since January. The ailment will not require surgery, though.It's unclear exactly when Pettersson sustained the injury. He struggled down the stretch, and there's a noticeable discrepancy in his production before and after the All-Star break.StatBefore breakAfter breakGP4933G277A3718P/GP1.310.76Pettersson's struggles continued into the postseason, where he only managed one goal and five assists in 13 games prior to Vancouver's second-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers. His six points were the seventh most on the team.Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet called out Pettersson after Game 4 of Round 2, noting that the star Swede was among the team's passengers.Pettersson signed an eight-year, $92.8-million extension in March. His $11.6-million cap hit makes him the Canucks' highest-paid player.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks' Patrik Allvin, Dallas Stars' Jim Nill, and Florida Panthers' Bill Zito were named the three finalists of the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award on Thursday.Allvin, who was hired in January 2022, guided the Canucks to their first division title since 2013 and their first postseason appearance since 2020. He gave the Canucks' blue line a much-needed overhaul, acquiring defensemen Filip Hronek, Carson Soucy, Nikita Zadorov, and Ian Cole over the last year and a half. He also hired Rick Tocchet - the 2024 Jack Adams Award winner - as head coach in January 2023.Nill's Stars led the Western Conference in points during the regular season and are in the Western Conference Final. Nill, who won the award in 2023 and has been finalist four times, has built through the draft during his 11 seasons at the helm, producing homegrown talent such as Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Jake Oettinger, Thomas Harley, Wyatt Johnston, and Logan Stankoven. Defenseman Chris Tanev, a 2024 deadline addition, has been a crucial piece of Dallas' playoff run.Zito has the Panthers in the final four for the second year in a row; the club lost in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. He's a finalist for the award for the third time in four years but is seeking his first win. He made several key depth additions over the past year, including Vladimir Tarasenko, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov, Niko Mikkola, and Anthony Stolarz.The winner will be announced June 10.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils hired Sheldon Keefe as their new head coach, the team announced Thursday.He'll join his new team on a four-year deal, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun."This was an invigorating process for me, having met with many qualified candidates and hearing how attractive this position was to them," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said."Sheldon jumped to the top of my list when he became available, and I was thrilled when he agreed to be a part of what we are building here. He is an excellent communicator, believes in collaboration, and will take what he has learned previously to make this team a Stanley Cup contender."Keefe spent the last five campaigns as bench boss of the Maple Leafs, amassing a stellar 212-97-40 regular-season record and .665 points percentage. That success didn't carry over into the postseason, though, as Toronto won just one playoff round with Keefe at the helm.The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Keefe to a two-year extension in 2023, but it didn't kick in before he was relieved of his duties May 9. The Leafs are now completely off the hook for the extension with Keefe joining New Jersey.The 43-year-old took over behind the Leafs' bench in November 2019 after the franchise fired Mike Babcock. Keefe inherited a skilled squad featuring a plethora of young, skilled players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander.He's now entering a similar situation in New Jersey, which boasts a roster featuring Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Luke Hughes, who are all 25 years old or younger.New Jersey moved on from Lindy Ruff in March, replacing him with Travis Green on an interim basis.Green filled the Ottawa Senators' coaching vacancy earlier in May, while Ruff was scooped up by the Buffalo Sabres.The Devils reportedly received permission to speak to Keefe less than two weeks ago.New Jersey missed the playoffs in 2023-24 after ending a four-year postseason drought last spring.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Game 1 of the Western Conference Final begins Thursday night. Let's dive into a couple of the best ways to attack the series opener.Wyatt Johnston: Over 0.5 pointsWith Roope Hintz' status for Game 1 in doubt, Johnston will get even more favorable usage than usual.He's been skating between Jason Robertson and Logan Stankoven as the team's top-line center. During the regular season, Johnston averaged 3.67 points per 60 minutes with Stankoven on his line at five-on-five and nearly 3.30 points per 60 with Robertson. Those are truly elite rates.Johnston is arguably the Stars' biggest threat at even strength. He's also skating on the top power-play unit, meaning he's getting big minutes in all situations alongside the team's best players.Although the Oilers have defended well in these playoffs, they haven't faced a team as good as Dallas. They also have a shaky goaltender in Stuart Skinner, who's only managed a .880 save percentage through 10 playoff games.There should be some goals on the table for the Stars in this game and series as a whole. Look for Johnston to get involved.If Hintz does play, I'd still back Johnston to pick up a point. He'd shift down the lineup and face softer matchups. Any boost lost from playing with Robertson would be regained by spending less time against the Oilers' best players.Odds: -135 (playable to -150)Parlay: McDavid under 3.5 shots with Stars plus-1.5Is Connor McDavid dealing with some form of injury? It sure seems that way. His shot outputs have dropped off a cliff in recent weeks.The league's best player averaged 2.7 shots and just 4.5 attempts per game over his last 15. Those are noticeably lower totals than the 3.4 shots he averaged on nearly six attempts over the course of the entire season.I don't think McDavid's drop-off - despite his average ice time increasing - can just be attributed to things tightening up in the playoffs. Even if that were the case, his task certainly won't get easier against the stingy Stars.The Stars allowed only 28 shots per game in the regular season. They've shrunk that number further, giving up just 25.5 per contest in the playoffs.Pete DeBoer teams are always very structured and stable defensively. Having defenders like Miro Heiskanen, Chris Tanev, and Thomas Harley allows the Stars to take things to another level.Simply put, they're well-equipped to continue clamping down on McDavid and keep his shot volume in check.I like parlaying McDavid's shots with the Stars on an alternate puck line of plus-1.5 goals.The Stars are the best and most balanced team remaining in the playoffs. They're at home, they're extremely good defensively, and they tend to keep things tight even in defeat. I think the Stars will win outright, so I'm comfortable adding backing to keep things within two goals.Odds: +100Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers rallied around Alexis Lafreniere after his unfortunate own goal helped lift the Florida Panthers to an Eastern Conference Final-opening win Wednesday."Everyone's probably been in that situation - I mean, every defenseman has," Jacob Trouba said postgame. "Just a tough bounce, obviously, not what he was trying to do. It's nothing to even worry about. It should be out of his head already by now. Just one of those unfortunate breaks."The Panthers held a 1-0 lead for much of the contest thanks to Matthew Tkachuk's first-period tally, but Lafreniere accidentally tipped the backbreaker past Igor Shesterkin with just under four minutes remaining in the game.