The Toronto Maple Leafs have notified teams they're willing to trade the rights to pending unrestricted free-agent forward Ilya Mikheyev, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Mikheyev set career highs in goals (21) and points (32) last season in just 53 games. He's also an excellent penalty killer. Among NHL forwards with at least 50 minutes shorthanded last season, Mikheyev's 30.5% expected goals share was third-best in the league, per Natural Stat Trick.The speedy, 6-foot-3 winger is likely seeking a sizable raise from his previous contract, which carried a cap hit of $1.645 million, according to CapFriendly. He's just 27 years old.The Maple Leafs have $6.4 million in cap space this offseason. They have three pending restricted free agents in Pierre Engvall, Ondrej Kase, and Rasmus Sandin. They will also need to sort out their goaltending situation, as Jack Campbell is a pending UFA.It was reported last week that the Leafs had yet to offer new contracts to Mikheyev and Campbell - their top two UFAs.The Leafs originally signed Mikheyev out of the KHL in 2019. In three NHL seasons, he's totaled 36 goals and 36 assists in 146 games while playing a middle-six role.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back veteran netminder Craig Anderson on a one-year, $1.5-million contract, the team announced Thursday.It will be the 20th NHL season of the 41-year-old's career.Anderson posted a .897 save percentage and 3.12 goals-against average in 31 games with the Sabres last season."He gave us a chance to win when he was in the net," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Tuesday during an appearance on WGR 550."He played well, and he also gave our team confidence. When you look at our young D corps, just that kind of mentorship that he showed I think really went a long way for some of our defensemen."Barring any further additions in goal, Anderson projects to share the crease with 2017 second-round pick Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen next season.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher emphasized that Ryan Ellis' lengthy injury rehab is progressing well, but the executive is uncertain if the veteran defenseman will start training camp in September."I don't know how anyone could predict that right now," Fletcher told the media Wednesday. "That's certainly the hope and the goal. We'll have to see. He's starting to ramp up the rehab, which is great that he's at the point where he can ramp it up, but we'll just have to see how everything responds."The Flyers made waves after acquiring Ellis from the Nashville Predators in exchange for blue-liner Philippe Myers and forward Nolan Patrick last summer, but their splashiest offseason addition didn't quite pan out in 2021-22.Injury limited Ellis to just four games. He suited up for the Flyers' first three games of the season and chipped in with one goal and three assists, but he missed the next nine games with a lower-body ailment.The 31-year-old slotted back into the lineup on Nov. 13, but he aggravated the issue and ended up missing the remainder of the campaign. Ellis' initial return timetable in November was four-to-six weeks.Fletcher called Ellis' ailment "multilayered," noting that it involves "almost everything" in the middle of his body, and added that Ellis is exactly where the doctors thought he would be at this point in his recovery."He's determined to get back and not just play, but be a good hockey player, be the player that we wanted him to be when we acquired him," Fletcher said.Ellis averaged 23:46 of ice time with the Predators in 2020-21. Meanwhile, 25-year-old rearguard Ivan Provorov led Philadelphia in ice time this season after playing almost 25 minutes per game.Fletcher did have a couple promising updates on the injury front, sharing that forwards Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes are both doing well after ailment-riddled campaigns.The Flyers struggled to a last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division in 2021-22 and were the unfortunate owners of the third-worst goal differential in the league (-87).Ellis, the Predators' 11th overall draft pick in 2009, has 76 goals and 199 assists in 566 career NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears St. Louis Blues netminder Ville Husso will have no shortage of suitors if he decides to test unrestricted free agency.The Edmonton Oilers are among nearly 10 teams that are expected to inquire about the 6-foot-3 goalie, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Husso posted a .919 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average in 40 appearances with the Blues last season. He only has 57 career regular-season games of NHL experience under his belt, though, and he struggled in the postseason with a .890 save percentage in seven contests.It's a thin UFA goalie market this offseason, and all of the other top options - Marc-Andre Fleury, Darcy Kuemper, and Jack Campbell - are at least 30 years old. Husso is just 27.Goaltending is an obvious area of need for the Oilers. Mike Smith, 40, and the unproven Stuart Skinner are the only goalies under contract, and Smith is still pondering his future. Mikko Koskinen went back overseas.The Blues, meanwhile, have Jordan Binnington under contract for five more years at $6 million per season. He lost the No. 1 job to Husso during the regular season but won it back in the playoffs.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nazem Kadri is set to cash in after enjoying a career year right before entering unrestricted free agency. Even though his value is at an all-time high, his No. 1 choice would be returning to the Colorado Avalanche."How could it not be?" Kadri said on Sportsnet's Real Kyper and Bourne.He added: "The Kroenkes have been great supporters of mine and made it clear to me that they'd like me to stay also, but we understand that there's a business aspect involved. We're going to try to work together."Kadri set personal bests in assists (59) and points (87) in just 71 games and came up four goals shy of matching his career high of 32. He was excellent during the postseason, too, registering 15 points in 16 games. Kadri also scored the overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in his first contest back from thumb surgery.Even though he's set to enter his age-32 campaign, Kadri will be a hot commodity on the open market."I’ve shown what my worth is, and I'm just looking forward to watching this all develop," he said.Kadri's previous contract paid him $4.5 million annually, but he's expected to receive a sizable raise - whether it be from Colorado or another team.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2022 NHL Draft runs next Thursday and Friday in Montreal. We surveyed 32 of the best prospects in the class on various subjects, from their outside interests and standout teammates to the relaxation of hockey's dress code.QWhich NHL player do you model your game after?Brad Lambert, F, Pelicans (Finland, Liiga): Me and Mat Barzal have some similarities. ... His play with the puck in the neutral zone, protecting the puck. Beating defenders with his skills and skating and vision.Joakim Kemell, F, JYP (Liiga): David Pastrnak. I like how he plays and his style. He has a good shot and skating and vision on the ice.Cutter Gauthier, F, USA Hockey National Team Development Program: Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Both are big power forwards with lots of skill. They can change the game at any time. As well, Mark's leadership skills: I like to be like him in that way.Frank Nazar, F, USNTDP: Brayden Point. The way he uses his speed and his feet to manipulate the defenseman and create open plays. He's not afraid to go to the net. Neither am I.L-R: Frank Nazar and Brayden Point. Chase Agnello-Dean, Icon Sportswire / NHL / Getty ImagesJagger Firkus, F, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL): Mitch Marner. He's a smaller, quicker guy. He has a good shot that catches goalies off guard a lot of the time.Filip Mesar, F, Poprad (Slovakia, Extraliga): My favorite player is Nathan MacKinnon. But I think I'm more like, maybe, Marner or Point.Rutger McGroarty, F, USNTDP: Matthew Tkachuk would be the No. 1. His competitiveness. His energy. I feel like he's a skilled power forward. I look at myself the same way. He can put the puck in the back of the net.David Goyette, F, Sudbury Wolves (OHL): Dylan Larkin or Evgeny Kuznetsov. Both guys play at a high speed. They're really smart and make players around them better.Owen Beck, F, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL): Bo Horvat. I think he's a very responsible 200-foot player. He skates well. Wins a good number of faceoffs.Hunter Haight, F, Barrie Colts (OHL): Bo Horvat for his positional play and leadership - who he is as a person. And then Mitch Marner for his skill set and playmaking.L-R: Hunter Haight and Mitch Marner. Chris Tanouye, Mark Blinch / NHL / Getty ImagesLiam Arnsby, F, North Bay Battalion (OHL): Ryan O'Reilly. Being a centerman, maybe not a bigger guy, but likes to compete. Good down low. Crafty. Good on the draws.Bryce McConnell-Barker, F, Soo Greyhounds (OHL): Ondrej Palat. I think he plays a good two-way game. He's really competitive all over the ice. He can penalty kill, play the power play.Owen Pickering, D, Swift Current Broncos (WHL): I try to take things from a lot of defensemen. I watch a ton of hockey. Bit of a hockey nerd. Try to be like Miro Heiskanen. ... The way (Joel Edmundson) defends: very underrated. He also brings a little bit of a physical element to the game that I want to develop. He's very good at taking guys into small ice and closing plays, killing cycles.Christian Kyrou, D, Erie Otters (OHL): Adam Fox. He's a smart, skilled, puck-moving defenseman. He knows when and where to take chances. He's great at executing.Lane Hutson, D, USNTDP: Definitely Adam Fox. He's a guy who sees the ice really well. He's super deceptive. He can look one way, look back the other way, and make a play. He's super calm out there. … Another guy who I really enjoy watching is Torey Krug. He's competitive in all three zones. He has a simplicity to his game in the offensive zone, but he also has that flair to make a play that not many can make. Defensively, he's hard to play against. He has a great stick. Uses his body when he can. His skating is to his benefit, too.L-R: Lane Hutson and Adam Fox. Joe Hrycych, Jared Silber / Getty ImagesRyan Chesley, D, USNTDP: Ryan McDonagh, Jaccob Slavin, and Charlie McAvoy. Slavin's defending is unbelievable. McAvoy's a little more physical and brings a little more offense. Then I'd say McDonagh's all-around game.Charlie Leddy, D, USNTDP: I feel like I have the defensive tendencies of (Brandon) Carlo. And then if I strive to improve my game, I feel like I could play somewhat like Brett Pesce.Calle Odelius, D, Djurgardens J20 (Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan): Devon Toews or Shea Theodore. Good skating ability. Both of them can really pass the puck and also are good on the power play.Jeremy Langlois, D, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL): Josh Morrissey. I think we're both puck-moving defensemen. We both skate really well. We're both good on the power play, on the PK.Ty Nelson, D, North Bay Battalion (OHL): I like Cale Makar for his offensive ability and his power play. Morgan Rielly for his skating ability and first pass. And then Ryan Ellis because he's a shorter, stockier guy like myself, and he's an outstanding defenseman.Jackson Edward, D, London Knights (OHL): I like to take different attributes from different players in the NHL. I see a similar skill set with (Moritz) Seider on the Red Wings. I know he's a right-shot defenseman, and I'm a lefty, but I think that I play a skilled game but also like to lay the body a lot. I like watching Miro Heiskanen for his two-way game a lot, too.Topias Leinonen, G, JYP U20 (Finland, U20 SM-sarja): I like Thatcher Demko. He's a big goalie and moving good. Young. He stops the puck. I like that.L-R: Topias Leinonen and Thatcher Demko. NHL / RvS.Media / Basile Barbey, Jeff Vinnick / Getty ImagesQWho's a teammate of yours in this draft class people should know about?Marek Hejduk, F, USNTDP: Frank Nazar. He's special because of the way he competes every day at the rink. The way he is on both sides of the puck. His speed is exceptional. How smart he plays.Leddy: Rutger McGroarty. He's an amazing player. I know he's very high up there. Everyone loves his game. But off the ice, he's just an amazing guy. He had the 'C' on our team for a reason.Nazar: Seamus Casey or Charlie Leddy. They're team guys. Casey's just super skilled, super talented. … And then Leddy, he blocks so many shots.Hutson: There are two guys who I really think are dynamic in all parts of the game. Logan Cooley, everyone knows him. He's obviously the most talented player in this draft class. He is the best player in this draft class. That's my opinion. He's a super hard worker. On top of that, he's got the talent, the skating, the passing. He has a physical presence in his game. He has an underrated shot, too. … And also Isaac Howard. He's a guy who's competitive. He practices hard. He's a goal-scorer. That's what he does, and he finds ways to do it. He also is a very underrated passer. He sees plays that other guys can't see.Logan Cooley. Chase Agnello-Dean / NHL / Getty ImagesDenton Mateychuk, D, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL): Jagger Firkus ... His hockey sense is great. He can come into the zone, and he'll make it look like he's going to shoot, and then he'll slide a pass across everybody. He picks his spots really well with his shot, too.Alexander Suzdalev, F, HV71 J20 (HockeyAllsvenskan): Calle Odelius. He's a great guy overall. How smart he is on the ice. Really good two-way defenseman.Odelius: (Jonathan Lekkerimaki) has a really good shot. He also has really good hockey IQ. Can really skate and stickhandle. His hockey IQ is underrated.Luca Del Bel Belluz, F, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL): Other than Owen Beck, Zander Veccia and Zak Lavoie are good players. They work extremely hard. I think they're a little under-the-radar. … Skating is a huge thing at the next level, obviously. Watching (Lavoie) skate is like watching him float. It's really cool to see him fly at full speed.Pickering: Connor Hvidston. Great kid. He's 6-foot-2.5. He's got size. Really good shot. Good hockey sense. For him, it's all about confidence. There were games this year where I thought he was the best player on the ice for both teams.McConnell-Barker: Kirill Kudryavtsev. He was an import D. I think he's a really good defenseman. Really good IQ. I don't think many people beat him one-on-one. He's a really strong kid. And Owen Allard. He's an underrated player. He's a fast player, and he's competitive all over the ice.Bryce McConnell-Barker. Chris Tanouye / Getty ImagesQWhat would you do if you weren't playing hockey?Seamus Casey, D, USNTDP: I've always wanted to go into business with my brothers. We're all pretty entrepreneurial. … My older brother Ben has already started a business. He owns Bahia Bowls. Smoothies and wraps. He has a ton of locations already. He's doing really well. Declan, my little brother, is a software developer. We're thinking about different stuff. We have a perfect team.Haight: My brother's in the military, and my dad is a police officer. I'd probably be following those routes: firefighting, policing, military. If not that, I have a passion for cars and the automotive industry. That business, it's always changing, evolving. Maybe owning dealerships or being a part of luxury brands in some way.Mateychuk: I'd probably be a carpenter. Done quite a bit of work in that, and I really enjoy that. I like working with my hands.Lucas Edmonds, F, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL): When I was younger, I did quite a few magic tricks. … If I end up getting drafted by Vegas, maybe we'll go see a Criss Angel show and meet him. See if he can give me a couple of tips and tricks. I also like to play the guitar quite a bit. So if you put enough hours into playing guitar as I did playing hockey, you never know how that could end up.Lucas Edmonds (left) and Shane Wright. Kevin Hoffman / NHL / Getty ImagesMcConnell-Barker: I really like chiropractic stuff. I'm really interested in the human body. I'm also a big fan of basketball. I like basketball. Maybe playing that.Nazar: I like to play tennis outside of hockey. Fish. Spend time with family. But I don't know. I feel like I'd just be going to school for something. At Michigan, I'm taking finance. … When I'm done playing hockey, I'd rather just sit back with family. It's something that, while I'm playing, I can use to my advantage and look toward the future. I can invest with the money I make.Langlois: I'm looking to, if hockey doesn't work, maybe be a lawyer. Or an architect.Pickering: I want to play hockey for as long as I can and then probably stay in the game. But I don't know. Engineering, possibly. For right now, I'm obsessing over hockey, though, and that's what I want to do.QIf you were a goalie, what would you paint on your mask?McGroarty: Wow, that's a good question. (Thinks for five seconds) Probably the album cover of my favorite album. My favorite song is "Heat Waves," so maybe something to do with that song (by Glass Animals). It's just a good vibe song during the summer. The American flag would be really cool to add to the back, too, with me playing (for the USNTDP) for two years. Also, the outline of the state of Nebraska would be cool.Gauthier: Growing up in the desert, not many hockey players come from (Arizona). So I'd throw in a couple of cactuses there. I'd throw in my family members' initials because if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be where I am today. A couple of other things: A player I like, a saying or quote that I live by. All of that, throw it on one mask, and I think it'd be a pretty cool-looking thing. … With the saying, my mom gave me one as a young kid: 'Train like you're in second, play like you're in first.' Having that mentality, especially off the ice, has really helped with my development these last few years.Cruz Lucius, F, USNTDP: I have a quote that I like that me and my brother go by. It's my wristband. 'Shoot for the stars, aim for the moon.' … I'd put my American flag on - the country I was born in and played for. I'd maybe put a family symbol.Ty Nelson. Chris Tanouye / Getty ImagesNelson: Definitely a quote from the Bible. I'm a big Jesus believer. Then a pretty sick design of whatever team I'm playing for.Langlois: Probably something from the city where I play. In Cape (Breton), it would be a bridge or the fiddle. Definitely my nickname and my number.Ryan Greene, F, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL): Probably something involving Newfoundland. It's my roots. Then I'd probably put something on there about Boston University. … We won a big Bantam tournament back when I was younger. It was my second year of Bantam, right before I left Newfoundland, which was very memorable. Maybe something on there about that. And then a little bit about my family, too. Mix it up. It's cool that goalies get to do that.Tristan Luneau, D, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL): I like tennis, so I'll probably have my favorite tennis player, Rafa Nadal. Probably have something golf, like a golf club. Or a basketball. I love all sorts of sports. Put a fishing rod in there, maybe. Maybe a fishing boat. Some sort of nature, maybe trees or someone fishing.Edmonds: I'd have to respect my heritage, put on the Canadian flag and Swedish flag. … When I was younger, I wanted to be a goalie. My dad made sure to put my pads on the wrong way to make sure that I wasn't going to end up being a goalie. (Laughs) I'm glad he did that. But, yeah, no, anything with Canada, Sweden. Maybe some superhero.Pickering: The names of people who are important to me. Definitely my grandpa. People in my family. I'd probably put my little brother's face on it.QThe NHL has a stricter dress code than other leagues, such as the NBA, but some teams have relaxed it. Are you into the fashion-show trend? What would you wear on game day?Gauthier: That's something I'm really getting into. It was more basic back in the day, but now you can show yourself and express yourself through fashion. When I come into more money, have more flexibility in that sense, I'll be into it even more. … I'm glad hockey is leaning away from the stricter code or rule. I think I saw Tom Holland and Jack Harlow with the overlaid suit, the double-(breasted) suit. … Just look professional, classy. I don't think I'd ever show up to a game in a T-shirt and shorts.Cutter Gauthier. Chase Agnello-Dean / NHL / Getty ImagesHaight: I'm pretty traditional in terms of my suit. Maybe a little color pop here and there. Clean cut, wear a suit, look professional. Look good, feel good, play good.Luneau: Suit. I love dressing in a suit. Feels good, feels right. Game days are big days, and you should dress for it. I love going into the arena with a suit, feeling fresh, and not going in casual and showing off.Arnsby: I think keeping it suits is ideal. It looks professional. It's easier. … I think it'd be tougher figuring out every day, worrying about what you've got to wear. I think having a suit would make it nice and simple.Edward: I like a bit of everything. Some people might see some of my fashion stuff as funny or out-there. A bunch of the boys on my team would razz me about wearing certain clothes, but I do like to wear a variety of different stuff. Having a broad sense of fashion is pretty cool. I like knit sweaters. Boys didn't really like those.Edmonds: Right when I ended up moving to Sweden, I played in Gothenburg. Many of the players who come from that area are pretty well-off, so they have a little bit more high-end fashion going on. That definitely opened my eyes up when it comes to fashion. I'm a guy who likes to be comfy heading to the rink in everyday stuff, but if the occasion arises, I may throw on a nice fit.McConnell-Barker: I see a lot of NBA players, like Russell Westbrook, wearing random stuff. Some guys are even coming in on bikes. I don't think that will come into hockey. … But if I was able to bring something cool, I would probably wear a flannel.Seamus Casey. RvS.Media / Monika Majer / Getty ImagesCasey: I'm probably on the lower end of the fashion spectrum. I still like to get dressed up. Down the road, hopefully, I have a little bit more to spend on that kind of stuff, and I'll get more into it. Especially if someone's interested in giving me a few fashion tips because I wouldn't say I have the best fashion sense. … I still like the idea of a dress code, more to keep it classy. Some of the other sports get crazy with their outfits. I still like how the NHL keeps it mostly a dress code. There's a happy in-between. The suit definitely separates the league from other leagues.QWhat did you learn about yourself the past two years as the pandemic complicated your path to the draft?Pavel Mintyukov, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL): Just practicing can be good, too, for you.Lucius: You don't need to be at the rink to get better. You don't need to have a (team) gym. Whether it was rollerblading or having a good home gym, I really worked on that.Haight: I found a way to continue working toward my goals, toward the NHL, and building a career for myself. I learned about consistency and hard work.Langlois: How strong I was mentally. My first year, we were really good. We really had a good team. How everything shut down because of COVID was really hard mentally. The year after, we didn't have a good team, so I lost my chance to get to the (QMJHL championship) or Memorial Cup. The biggest part was mental.Jagger Firkus (right). Joe Hrycych / NHL / Getty ImagesFirkus: Throughout COVID, there was a lot of downtime. I was managing to have fun shooting the puck - or just doing things with my little brother, playing anything. I'm a really upbeat guy who likes to stay positive. I figured that out.McGroarty: How much I pride myself on family time. My family, we spent a lot of years away from each other when I moved (from Nebraska to Michigan at age 10) to play for Honeybaked. So during the pandemic, if it was going for a walk or going golfing or family game night, watching a movie on the couch, I feel like I definitely learned a lot about (the importance of) that.Hejduk: Not to take anything for granted. The last two-and-a-half years, the pandemic has taken away a lot of tournaments for me. Taken away games. I've been sitting out. I had COVID. It's been kind of all over the place. … There are a lot of days at the rink where it can seem like the same thing every day. But you can't take it for granted because you never know, really, what's going to happen.Lambert: Having fun out there with your friends. You never know when you're going to be put into quarantine for a couple weeks. Enjoying the time you have around your teammates and enjoying every game, every practice. … Even this year, I had to quarantine three times - or four times. It's tough. So just enjoying every minute of it.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the rearview, it's time to direct our full attention to what's expected to be a busy offseason.Between the draft, free agency, and the trading frenzy, there should be plenty of player movement that shakes up the balance of the NHL. With that in mind, we ask five pressing questions that could alter the landscape of the league.1. Can the Penguins keep the gang together? Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Pittsburgh Penguins are set to undergo their biggest offseason in recent memory. Franchise pillars Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are both pending unrestricted free agents. While it's difficult to picture either player in a different uniform, recent reports suggest it's far from a guarantee that both return.The Pens project to have $23 million in cap space, but that's only with a roster of 16 players. Rickard Rakell, Evan Rodrigues, and Casey DeSmith are also UFAs, while Danton Heinen and Kasperi Kapanen are restricted free agents.If Malkin and Letang stay, Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup window will remain open. But if not, president of hockey operations Brian Burke and general manager Ron Hextall will have to go out and do their best to replace either one or both of them via trade or free agency, which won't be easy. But sinking into a rebuild while Sidney Crosby is still elite can't be an option.Moreover, if Malkin and/or Letang decide to leave, it'll almost certainly be for a fellow contender. Both veterans still have a lot to offer, and where they go could shake up the balance of power in the NHL.2. What does Sakic have up his sleeve? Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyIt's a good thing the Colorado Avalanche won the Cup this year because it may have been their best chance with this core. That's not to say they can't get back, but it'll be increasingly difficult.Colorado has several key UFAs that'll be looking to cash in, including Nazem Kadri, Valeri Nichushkin, Andre Burakovsky, Josh Manson, and Darcy Kuemper. Artturi Lehkonen is the club's biggest RFA.The Avs do have $25 million in projected cap space, but they can't spend too frivolously beyond 2022-23 knowing Nathan MacKinnon and Bowen Byram will be due for hefty raises.However, Joe Sakic is arguably the league's best GM. If anybody can replenish the depth the team is about to lose, it's him.The Avalanche have reportedly made Nichushkin a priority, so expect him to return. The other UFAs, though, may have priced themselves out of Denver. Kadri, in particular, likely has. He'll be the toughest to replace considering quality centers rarely hit the open market, he just racked up a career-best 87 points, and he was dynamite in the playoffs.Sakic won't do anything impulsive, but he's not going to sit on his hands, either. He built a Cup contender by making savvy trades and signings, but it'll be harder now as his cap space shrinks and his trade bait cupboard becomes barer. What moves will he make to try and return the Avs to the promised land?3. Will Gaudreau stay in Calgary? Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Calgary Flames are facing one of the most important offseasons in franchise history. Star winger Johnny Gaudreau is a UFA. GM Brad Treliving is certainly doing everything in his power to get him to return, but it likely all comes down to whether Gaudreau wants to spend the next seven-to-eight years of his career in Calgary or somewhere else.Gaudreau's decision will have a drastic ripple effect on the Flames.If he stays, it'll likely be for around $10 million per season. Matthew Tkachuk, who's an RFA, will likely command a similar cap hit on a long-term deal. However, with $27 million in cap space, spending roughly $20 million on two players could make it difficult to sign RFAs Andrew Mangiapane and Oliver Kylington.In order to bring back all four, it'd likely mean the Flames would have to give up a sweetener to get a team to take on Milan Lucic or Sean Monahan. But it's doable, and it'd make the Flames a contender again.If Gaudreau leaves, though, it's hard to see them having the same type of season they just enjoyed. The New Jersey native, who finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting after a 115-point campaign, is such a key cog in Calgary's offense.While Gaudreau leaving would make it easy to lock up Mangiapane and Kylington, it may make Tkachuk think twice about signing a long-term extension. He could accept his $9-million qualifying offer and become a UFA in 2023. Having both players leave in a two-year span would be detrimental.4. Can an Atlantic rebuilder make a push? Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyEven though Patrice Bergeron is reportedly returning to the Boston Bruins for at least one more season, it's possible they could take a step back in 2022-23. After all, Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy are both expected to miss at least the first two months of the season, and there'll be a new head coach in charge.That could leave an opening in the vaunted Atlantic Division. We can assume the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs will be playoff clubs again, but the rest of the division is full of up-and-comers.Could the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, or Montreal Canadiens take advantage of Boston's potential fall and make the necessary offseason push?Let's start with the Habs. They're just beginning their retool, but they do own the No. 1 pick in the draft - which is being held in Montreal - and 10 selections total in the first four rounds. There are also some leftover pieces from their miracle Stanley Cup run a year ago. Will Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes try to get this thing turned around quickly? Or will they take a more patient approach? We'd guess the latter.The Sabres are fresh into their latest rebuild, but they showed some promise last season. Now, they'll get a full year of 2021 top pick Owen Power. Buffalo also has $35 million in projected cap space. Can the Sabres convince a top UFA to come to Western New York? Or will they also take a more patient approach? We're guessing the latter here, too.All the bad contracts Steve Yzerman inherited from Ken Holland are off the books. The Red Wings have $35.7 million in cap space and nobody signed beyond 2023-24. After rebuilding for several seasons, this finally seems like the year for them to be major players for a big-time UFA. While one player likely won't get Detroit over the hump in 2022-23, the Wings are getting close.And then there are the Senators, who have a promising young core in place that appears ready to take the next step. They have $23 million in cap space, which isn't as much as it sounds considering Josh Norris and a handful of other RFAs are due for raises. But if the Sens can find a way to add both a top-four defenseman and a top-six forward, they have the best chance to make a leap.However, it's not easy to recruit high-profile UFAs to Ottawa, and it's unknown if the team has an internal payroll with Anna and Olivia Melnyk, the daughters of the late Eugene Melnyk, serving as owners. Time will tell.5. Who will pony up for top trade candidates? Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyFor a team like Ottawa that historically struggles to recruit top UFAs, finding a difference-maker via trade could be a fruitful route this offseason. And there's no shortage of young, game-breaking talent that could be up for grabs.Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, Chicago Blackhawks sniper Alex DeBrincat, and Minnesota Wild winger Kevin Fiala are just a few of the mid-20s stars that are available this summer. But keep in mind that while Chychrun is locked up for three more years, Fiala needs a new deal this offseason and DeBrincat is a year away from being an RFA.The Senators have the draft pick and prospect ammunition to pull off a deal, but they surely won't be the only team calling.The New Jersey Devils are in a similar position as Ottawa. It seems like they're ready to break through, they have plenty of cap space, and ownership is clearly willing to spend after luring Dougie Hamilton last offseason.The Los Angeles Kings already broke through with a playoff berth this past campaign. However, there's room to take another step, and they should be aggressive while Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar are still playing at a high level. They, too, have ample cap space and lots of trade bait.But these are the types of impact players that all teams - except those who are actively tanking - should be calling about. Yes, this includes the cap-strapped clubs that would be required to perform some gymnastics to make it work. In other words, there will be lots of competition - more than people think - for these available stars.(Cap source: CapFriendly)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers winger Anthony Duclair suffered an Achilles tendon injury during offseason training, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.There's no definitive timeline, but the ailment is reportedly expected to require a lengthy recovery.Duclair is coming off a season in which he set career highs in goals (31), assists (27), and points (58).The 26-year-old has two years left on his contract with a cap hit of $3 million.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's third straight run to the Stanley Cup Final took quite the physical toll on their players.General manager Julien BriseBois revealed the long list of injuries that players played through during the playoffs, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.Brayden Point suffered a "significant" quad tear in Game 7 of the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Point returned for Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final but missed the remainder of the series.Nikita Kucherov played through an MCL ailment, Anthony Cirelli suffered a sprained AC joint that may require surgery, Ryan McDonagh had a "mangled" finger, and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare played through a meniscus injury suffered before the postseason began.Additionally, Brandon Hagel suffered a foot fracture in Round 2, Nick Paul is dealing with a sprained AC joint and an MCL sprain, and Corey Perry has a sprained AC joint of his own.All players are expected to make full recoveries.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins may be in jeopardy of losing two franchise icons to unrestricted free agency this offseason.Evgeni Malkin and the Pens have not been talking regularly after engaging in initial discussions when the club's season ended May 15, sources told The Athletic's Josh Yohe. Numerous agents and some people within the organization reportedly believe it's unlikely Malkin returns.Meanwhile, the Penguins have offered Kris Letang a three-year contract, but the star defenseman wants a five-year deal with a cap hit north of $8 million per year, Yohe reports.It was previously reported Malkin is willing to take a pay cut after earning $9.5 million annually on his last contract, but how much remains to be seen. Letang, meanwhile, is seeking a raise after making $7.25 million per year on his previous deal.Both players are still playing at a high level despite being in their mid-30s. Malkin, who will turn 36 in July, recorded 42 points in 41 games in 2021-22 after missing the first half of the campaign due to offseason knee surgery. Letang, who turned 35 in April, finished seventh in Norris Trophy voting after posting a career-best 68 points.Malkin, the 2012 Hart Trophy and 2009 Conn Smythe winner, ranks third in franchise history with 1,146 points in 981 games. Letang leads all Penguins defensemen with 650 points in 941 contests. Both players have spent 16 years with the team and have won three Stanley Cup titles.The Penguins have $23.2 million in projected cap space, per CapFriendly, but Rickard Rakell and Evan Rodrigues are also UFAs, while Kasperi Kapanen and Danton Heinen are RFAs.One way Pittsburgh can clear cap space is by trading a defenseman, and Marcus Pettersson, Brian Dumoulin, and John Marino are all candidates, according to Yohe. Pettersson, who has three years remaining on his deal with a cap hit of $4.025 million, is reportedly the most likely to go. The organization believes 22-year-old Pierre-Olivier Joseph is ready for a full-time NHL role, and he and Pettersson both play the left side.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Hockey Hall of Fame's prolonged shunning of Alexander Mogilny has gone on for far too long; it's become a disservice to the institution and the sport as a whole.Mogilny was snubbed by the selection committee yet again Monday for the 13th consecutive year - not including 2021 when no class was inducted - and it remains inexplicable that one of the game's best and most important players has been mistreated in this manner for over a decade.The Hall is guilty of other injustices as well. Despite allocating two spots for female inductees every year, it's used both of them only once since 2010. Riikka Sallinen was a worthy inductee this year, but Caroline Ouellette, Jennifer Botterill, Julie Chu, and Meghan Duggan would've been as well, and they all now have to wait at least another year.So Mogilny's exclusion isn't the only problematic trend for the Hockey Hall of Fame. And it certainly isn't the most controversial issue we've seen in hockey recently. But it's unacceptable that the yearly dismissal of such an accomplished player and person hasn't been made a thing of the past. The 53-year-old's case is arguably far more ironclad than some of the players inducted both on Monday and in the many years prior to this latest debacle.Here's how Mogilny's basic stats compare to some of the Hall's recently enshrined forwards:Player (Class)GPGAPG/GPP/GPMogilny99047355910320.4771.04Daniel Alfredsson (2022)124644471311570.3560.93Guy Carbonneau (2019)13182604036630.1970.5Martin St. Lous (2018)113439164210330.340.91Paul Kariya (2017)9894025879890.411There's more to a player's worth than just counting stats, of course. St. Louis won the Hart Trophy once, the Art Ross twice, and the Stanley Cup once as well. But it's clear based on all these comparisons that Mogilny is more than worthy of being among this group.Even if you were to disregard his stellar statistics, Mogilny has a strong case to be inducted as a builder. The former superstar winger was the first player ever to defect from the Soviet Union to the NHL, risking his life to join the Buffalo Sabres as a 20-year-old in 1989. All of the players who followed suit have Mogilny to thank for blazing the trail under extremely dangerous circumstances.When you incorporate Mogilny's numbers and other career accomplishments into the argument, it should leave zero doubt that he deserves to be enshrined. As you can see above, he amassed 473 goals and 559 assists for 1,032 points over 990 games, producing 1.04 points per contest over a 16-year career despite enduring chronic hip issues in the latter part of it. That included a 76-goal, 127-point season over 77 games with the Sabres in 1992-93 and a 55-goal, 107-point campaign with the Vancouver Canucks in 1995-96.He also led the New Jersey Devils with 43 goals at 31 years old in 2000-01 and paced the Toronto Maple Leafs with 79 points at age 33 in 2002-03. Dave Sandford / Getty Images Sport / GettyWhen Mogilny authored that 76-goal season, he tied Teemu Selanne for the league lead but did it in seven fewer games. Only Peter Forsberg, Eric Lindros, Pavel Bure, and Jaromir Jagr have finished with a higher points per game rate than Mogilny since he retired in 2007.Mogilny's goals per game rate is superior to that of Selanne, Steve Yzerman, and Joe Sakic. His goal total is greater than former teammate and Hall of Famer Pat LaFontaine, Peter Stastny, and Bure. Mogilny's point total exceeds that of LaFontaine and Kariya, among others.He's also among the best Russian players ever. Mogilny ranks third all time in goals and fourth in points among his countrymen in the NHL. He excelled on the international stage and is one of only 30 players in the Triple Gold Club - those who've won a gold medal in the Olympic Games and the World Championship along with the Cup. He won the first two with the USSR in 1988 and 1989 before hoisting the NHL's most hallowed prize with the Devils in 2000. Jamie Squire / Hulton Archive / GettyMogilny was the first Russian to be named captain of an NHL club when the Sabres entrusted him with the "C" in 1993-94, and the first Russian to make an NHL All-Star team when he earned the first of his six nods in 1991-92.So, there would have to be something we haven't factored in to explain why he's not enshrined yet, right?The Buffalo News' Mike Harrington says it's because "there's a feeling (Mogilny) won't participate in any of the induction activities. He didn't come to Buffalo in 2016 for (the) Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame (ceremony). It's how he rolls."Would it be a bit awkward to not have Mogilny attend the induction festivities? Sure. Is that a legitimate reason not to induct someone whose omission makes the story of the sport incomplete? Absolutely not.As long as he doesn't actually disprove of being inducted, not having him at the events is a mere inconvenience that can easily be explained, accommodated, and understood. It's not a good enough reason to repeatedly reject someone who so clearly belongs.Alexander Mogilny should be a Hall of Famer. It's long past time the committee corrects this wrong and gives him the honor he so richly deserves.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The scene was equal parts surreal and appropriate.After blocking a shot with just over a minute remaining in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, Gabriel Landeskog's left skate blade popped off its boot. All the Colorado Avalanche captain could do in that one-in-a-million scenario was crawl to the bench for a line change - literally crawl. Nathan MacKinnon saw Landeskog in trouble, so he dragged his teammate most of the way there.Crisis averted.Final minute killed.Stanley Cup lifted. Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesFive members of this 2021-22 Avs core - Landeskog, MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Compher, and Erik Johnson - did worse than crawl through the '16-17 season. Bailed on by coach Patrick Roy a month before the season, Colorado finished with 22 wins in 82 games, 46 points shy of the playoff cutline. To be blunt, they were horrible. Putrid. Awful. Everything went wrong.Five seasons later, with general manager Joe Sakic and Roy's replacement, Jared Bednar, still in charge, the Avs are Cup champions for the third time in franchise history (1996, 2001). Sunday's 2-1 win over the dynastic Lightning in Tampa Bay was the capper on a relatively smooth 20-game playoff run."Heavier than you think. And then it's like I was watching a video game or something like that," a stunned Johnson, the longest-tenured Av, told Altitude TV after lifting the Cup. "I can't believe it. It was amazing."Tampa Bay ran out of gas in its third consecutive appearance in the Cup Final. There's no denying it. But Colorado deserves full marks for taking advantage and executing in key moments. Forget all of the mini controversies for a second - the better team, both on paper and out on the ice, won this series.In fact, the Avs were arguably the most talented and deepest team in the NHL throughout the 2021-22 season. For various reasons, the best teams don't always win the title at season's end. This year was different."Going to be a waste of eight days," was how Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter famously characterized the chances of Colorado's opponent advancing past the first round back in March. The Avs went on to sweep two of four series. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesCale Makar, who at 23 might be a top-five player in the world, now has a Cup and Conn Smythe to go along with his first Norris Trophy. He logged an outstanding two months of hockey - eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 20 games to pace all players not named Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl while more than holding his own on the defensive side of the puck.Landeskog was asked on the ESPN broadcast what NHL teams can take away from the Avs' run. His reply: "Find a Cale Makar somewhere."This ring is huge for MacKinnon's legacy, too. The 2013 first overall pick is uber-talented and legendarily fiery. His generation of players has thus far been robbed of competing for Olympic gold. A Cup win proves MacKinnon can reach the top of the mountain, just like his mentor and good friend Sidney Crosby. And he didn't ride Makar's coattails, pitching in 24 points of his own.Props also go to Rantanen for his playmaking; Valeri Nichushkin for his two-way prowess; Artturi Lehkonen for his big-game performances; and Bowen Byram for breaking out in a big way on the biggest of stages. And, of course, kudos to Nazem Kadri and his ability to flip the script. After getting suspended in three of the previous four postseasons, he put up 16 points in 15 games, amazingly scoring the overtime winner in Game 4 of the Cup Final."For everyone that thought I was a liability in the playoffs, you can kiss my ass," Kadri said in a true mic-drop moment on the Sportsnet broadcast. (Keep in mind, too, that the man underwent thumb surgery only a few weeks ago.) Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesKadri, acquired from Toronto for essentially Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot, was a fantastic addition but not quite Sakic's slickest work as an aggressive and opportunistic GM. The Hall of Famer basically turned Matt Duchene into Byram and Samuel Girard. He also swapped two second-rounders for Devon Toews.Other quality pickups include Nichushkin (signed on the cheap after getting bought out by Dallas), Andre Burakovsky (plucked out of Washington's tight salary cap situation), and Lehkonen (hefty price paid but absolutely worth it). Everybody in Colorado's pro scouting department deserves a raise.The Avs haven't missed with high-end picks, either. Makar, Byram, Rantanen, and Tyson Jost are the four top-10 selections of the Sakic era. Three of them are home runs, and the other (Jost, now in Minnesota) still counts as a hit.This Colorado team is modern hockey at its finest. Sakic built it on the premise that skill and creativity can be the foundation of a winner, with grit and physicality complementing the core - not the other way around. And Bednar's influence? Unparalleled connectivity between the forwards and defensemen. The Avs have such strong skating ability throughout the lineup that a blueliner leads the rush or pinches in the offensive zone seemingly every shift.It's beautiful, exhilarating hockey.What distinguishes Colorado from a team like the Florida Panthers, who also play a high-event style, is that the Avs actually care about defending. The bulk of the 23-man roster is made up of strong two-way players who can skate.The most intriguing part of the Avs' triumph is that there's no reason, as it stands now, they can't repeat as champs. This is a juggernaut. Heck, we could look back on Sunday night as the moment Tampa Bay passed the baton to Colorado."Some tough years mixed in there," MacKinnon said when asked by ESPN to reflect on the journey from Point A to Point B. "But it's worth it now."John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks icons Henrik and Daniel Sedin and Roberto Luongo headline the Hockey Hall of Fame's induction Class of 2022.Daniel Alfredsson and Finnish women's national team star Riikka Sallinen are the other players joining them, while Herb Carnegie has been inducted posthumously as a builder.The Sedins enter the Hall in their first year of eligibility. The pair spent their entire 17-year careers in Vancouver after being drafted second and third overall in 1999. Henrik is the Canucks' all-time leader in assists (838), points (1,070), and games played (1,330). He won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross in 2010 and is a two-time All-Star.Daniel is Vancouver's all-time leading goal scorer (393) and won the Art Ross and Ted Lindsay Award in 2011. Both Sedins won gold medals representing Sweden at the 2006 Olympics and the 2013 world championship. Henrik and Daniel formed one of the most prolific duos in NHL history, factoring in on the same goal 743 times. Only Wayne Gretzky and Jarri Kurri (764) connected more.Luongo is also a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He retired in 2019 after spending time with the Canucks, Florida Panthers, and New York Islanders and currently ranks fourth on the all-time wins list (489). Luongo is a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist and was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy in 2007. He posted a career .919 save percentage and 77 shutouts in the NHL. Luongo is also one of Canada's most successful netminders at the international level, winning gold at the Olympics in 2010 and 2014, the world championships in 2003 and 2004, and the World Cup of Hockey in 2004.Alfredsson had been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2017. The longtime Ottawa Senators captain finished his 18-year career with 1,157 points in 1,246 games. He won the Calder Trophy in 1996 and claimed Olympic gold (2006) and silver (2014) medals.Sallinen played 16 years with Finland's women's team, winning 12 medals across various international tournaments. She was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2010 and became the oldest player in Olympic history to win a medal when she earned a bronze in PyeongChang in 2018.Carnegie played 10 seasons in the Quebec Senior Hockey League from 1944-54. A Toronto native of Jamaican descent, Carnegie frequently endured racism during his playing career, never reaching the NHL despite putting up terrific numbers in the minors. He made his mark by starting Future Aces, one of Canada's first hockey schools. Carnegie is a member of the Order of Canada and was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.The class of 2022 will officially be inducted in November.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Monday.Sweeney's previous deal was set to expire at the end of June."Under (Sweeney's) management, the Boston Bruins have been one of the winningest franchises in the league and a perennial playoff contender year in and year out," said Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs. "While we recognize there is work to be done to achieve the ultimate goal of bringing the Stanley Cup back to Boston, I'm confident that Don's commitment to being best-in-class on and off the ice will help us climb that mountain once again."Sweeney was promoted to GM prior to the 2015-16 season. He won the NHL's GM of the Year in 2018-19 as Boston reached the Stanley Cup Final, losing in seven games to the St. Louis Blues.The 55-year-old has been in the club's front office since 2006, serving in various capacities. Sweeney also played 15 years with the Bruins from 1988 to 2003.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche claimed their first Stanley Cup in more than 20 years on Sunday night by besting the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.With the 2021-22 NHL season officially in the books, it's time to turn the page and start looking ahead to 2022-23.Which teams are getting the most respect as Stanley Cup favorites on the betting market? Which clubs are expected to struggle? Let's comb through it all.TEAMODDSColorado Avalanche+425Toronto Maple Leafs+900Tampa Bay Lightning+1000Florida Panthers+1100Carolina Hurricanes+1500Vegas Golden Knights+1500Edmonton Oilers+1700Calgary Flames+2000Minnesota Wild+2000New York Rangers+2000Pittsburgh Penguins+2500St. Louis Blues+2700Boston Bruins+2700New York Islanders+3200Dallas Stars+4000Washington Capitals+4000Los Angeles Kings+5000New Jersey Devils+5000Philadelphia Flyers+5000Vancouver Canucks+5000Nashville Predators+5500Ottawa Senators+6000Seattle Kraken+6000Winnipeg Jets+6500Anaheim Ducks+7500Chicago Blackhawks+7500Buffalo Sabres+7500Detroit Red Wings+7500San Jose Sharks+7500Columbus Blue Jackets+10000Montreal Canadiens+10000Arizona Coyotes+50000The Avalanche (+425) opened as favorites to repeat as champions. While they have a lot of expiring contracts to navigate through this summer, their star-studded core of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, and Devon Toews, among others, remains intact. Colorado should be very good again, no matter what happens around that group.The Toronto Maple Leafs (+900) find themselves right behind the Avalanche. They have a fantastic core in place, but there are a lot of strong support pieces slated to become free agents, with starting netminder Jack Campbell headlining the group. The Leafs need to find a way to add depth and improve their goaltending tandem while on a tight budget if they're finally going to get over the hump.The next price tier features a bunch of good teams in non-traditional hockey markets. The Lightning (+1000) have made three straight Cup Finals, and most of their roster will remain unchanged. However, key support pieces like Ondrej Palat and Nick Paul seem destined to cash in as free agents, and the Bolts don't exactly have the money to replace them adequately.The Florida Panthers (+1100) and Vegas Golden Knights (+1500) are hoping coaching changes - and better health in the case of the latter - can help them win the ultimate prize.The Carolina Hurricanes (+1500) could be heading for real change as they try to reload following a disappointing playoff exit. The likes of Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter are set to become unrestricted free agents, and restricted free agents Tony DeAngelo, Martin Necas, and Ethan Bear are already being mentioned in trade rumors.That group is followed on the oddsboard by a slew of quality sides with real question marks.Will the Edmonton Oilers (+1700) free up enough money to properly support their superstars? Can the Calgary Flames (+2000) find a way to keep Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Andrew Mangiapane in the fold long term? Are the Minnesota Wild (+2000) able to stay in the mix as contenders with Zach Parise's and Ryan Suter's buyouts chewing up so much money? How do the New York Rangers (+2000) sustain their success with little cap and an aging core? Can the Boston Bruins (+2700) stay afloat with a new head coach while dealing with long-term injuries to key players? There's a lot to be answered.In the middle of the pack are a bunch of sides hoping that change will do them well. The New Jersey Devils (+5000) have a good young core and a lot of money to spend, but they must use it wisely. The Los Angeles Kings (+5000) are starting their ascension and need to add more scoring to take the next step. The Philadelphia Flyers (+5000) and Dallas Stars (+4000) have new head coaches, while the Vancouver Canucks (+5000) are remodeling under new management.A mixture of young teams looking to take strides - like the Buffalo Sabres (+7500) and Detroit Red Wings (+7500) - and clubs expected to contend for the top spot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes make up the bottom of the barrel on the oddsboard.It'll be interesting to see how the market reacts to all the offseason moves over the next few weeks. We'll revisit these odds after free agency to examine how they've shifted.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Timothy Liljegren to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $1.4 million, the team announced Monday.Liljegren was set to be a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. He'll still be an RFA following the duration of his new contract.The 23-year-old Swede is coming off a stellar rookie campaign, tallying 23 points in 61 games while averaging 16:24 of ice time per contest. His underlying numbers were off the charts, too. Evolving-Hockey.comLiljegren finished 11th in Calder Trophy voting for his efforts, receiving one fourth-place vote and a trio of fifth-place votes.The Maple Leafs selected Liljegren 17th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.Toronto now has three remaining RFAs in need of new deals: fellow defenseman Rasmus Sandin, and forwards Pierre Engvall and Ondrej Kase.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche dashed the Tampa Bay Lightning's hopes of a three-peat, prevailing 2-1 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday to win their first championship in over two decades.Artturi Lehkonen scored the eventual winner in the second period, giving the Avalanche their first regulation lead since early in Game 3.Nathan MacKinnon provided Colorado's first tally earlier in the second frame, tying the contest after Steven Stamkos opened the scoring in the first."It’s hard to describe," MacKinnon said, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno. “(There were) some tough years mixed in there, but it’s all over now. We never stopped believing.”Colorado outshot the Lightning 30-23. Avalanche goaltender Darcy Kuemper stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced. His counterpart, Andrei Vasilevskiy, made 28 stops in the defeat.Cale Makar won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after claiming the Norris Trophy earlier this week. The Colorado defenseman racked up 29 points over 20 games to lead all blue-liners and rank third among all skaters behind Edmonton Oilers game-changers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.Makar hasn't been in the NHL as long as MacKinnon, but he's been around long enough to have experienced disappointment before Sunday's victory.“It’s just been building over time,” he said. “I’ve been here only three years. (We had) a couple of tough exits in the playoffs. It was just all leading up to this.”The Avalanche lost in the second round in each of the previous three seasons after getting bounced out of the first round in 2017-18 and missing the postseason in six of the seven campaigns before that. The only time they qualified in that span resulted in another first-round defeat.Colorado went 16-4 in this postseason and never trailed in a series.Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar became the first bench boss to win the Stanley Cup, the AHL's Calder Cup, and the ECHL's Kelly Cup. The 50-year-old captured the other trophies with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2015-16 and the South Carolina Stingrays in 2008-09. Colorado hired him in August 2016.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steven Stamkos dismissed the notion that the Tampa Bay Lightning's era of excellence is over because they lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Colorado Avalanche."Who says we're done?" the Lightning captain told reporters, including The Athletic's Joe Smith, after a 2-1 loss in Game 6 that ended the Bolts' season.Stamkos also lamented how the loss must feel for Tampa's 2021-22 roster additions, who joined the club after it won the previous two championships."I'm just sick to my stomach for some of these guys," the veteran forward said, according to Lightning Insider's Erik Erlendsson. "Some guys didn't get a chance to win with us the past couple of years. And when they signed with us, we told them, 'We're going to make a run,' and we come up short. It's a gut punch."Lightning head coach Jon Cooper echoed Stamkos' sentiments in terms of unfinished business and the squad's legacy."We're not done," the bench boss said, according to team reporter Gabby Shirley. "The last eight years we've been to six conference finals. You know what today is? Today's a crushing loss. We played the whole season to get to this goal. We finished two days short of being a part of history, but this group is a part of history."The Lightning became the first club to reach three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals since the Edmonton Oilers did it from 1983-85.Only the New York Islanders (1980-84) and Montreal Canadiens (1976-80) won more playoff series in a row than Tampa Bay, which claimed 11 straight before falling to the Avalanche. The Islanders won 19 consecutive series while the Canadiens prevailed in 13 in a row.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday night.The reigning Norris Trophy recipient led all NHL blue-liners and ranked third among all skaters in this postseason with 29 points over 20 games.He's the first unanimous Conn Smythe winner since the PHWA started disclosing its votes five seasons ago, according to the organization's president, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The 23-year-old is also the youngest playoff MVP in 52 years and only the third player to win it at that age or younger. Bobby Orr did it as a 22-year-old with the Boston Bruins in 1970, and Serge Savard was 23 when he nabbed the honor with the Montreal Canadiens one year earlier.Colorado defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2001.Makar came into the contest leading all skaters still playing in the playoffs in average ice time at 27:13. He logged 24:21 in the decisive matchup.He already has an impressive amount of hardware, having also won the Calder Trophy in 2019-20 and the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top men's hockey player in 2018-19.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point is unavailable for Sunday's must-win Game 6 against the Colorado Avalanche, head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Cooper added Point is dealing with a "severe injury" but didn't rule him out of a potential Game 7 with Tampa Bay's chance at a three-peat on the line.Point was injured in Game 7 of the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He missed Rounds 2 and 3, and he only played two games of the Stanley Cup Final, notching a single assist while averaging over 17 minutes.The 26-year-old had 58 points in 66 regular-season games and added five points in nine playoff contests. Point was instrumental in each of Tampa Bay's two Cup runs, putting up 56 points in 46 playoff games across 2020 and 2021.Game 6 goes at 8:00 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Late-game heroics from Ondrej Palat helped the Tampa Bay Lightning stave off elimination in Game 5.Will the Colorado Avalanche finish the job in Game 6? Or are we heading for a Game 7 with the sport's ultimate prize on the line?Let's dive into that and a couple of player props for Sunday night's game.Avalanche (-115) @ Lightning (-105)The Lightning have home ice with a chance to push this series to seven games. Although they've fared much better at home throughout the postseason, I still expect the Avalanche to bounce back in this spot.Not only has Colorado yet to drop consecutive games this postseason, but the team has also been better than Tampa Bay all series long. In fact, the Avs have won the expected goal battle at five-on-five in all five games thus far.That's pretty impressive considering both how good the Lightning are and the fact that Colorado's 87-point second-line center, Nazem Kadri, missed the first three games.Even without Kadri, I believed the Avalanche had too much speed, firepower, and depth for the Lightning to overcome. With Kadri back and looking more like himself - he had a game-high seven chances last time out - the Avalanche are even more difficult to keep up with.So long as Darcy Kuemper doesn't hand the Lightning a freebie or two, the Avalanche have a very good chance of hoisting the Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay.Bet: Avalanche (-115)Cale Makar over 2.5 shotsMakar has made it clear on the biggest stage that he's the NHL's most gifted offensive blue-liner. He's been borderline unstoppable against the Lightning, attempting a ridiculous 51 shots through just five games while putting his name on the scoresheet seven times.Makar has generated at least four shots on target in four straight contests, and he easily could've done the same in Game 1 with his nine overall attempts.What I love about Makar is that he's matchup-proof. It doesn't matter whether he's at home or on the road, he'll get his shots regardless. He's recorded four shots or more in six of nine road games this postseason.At 2.5 shots, he's playable well into the -200s. I'd also be quite comfortable playing him to record over 3.5 at juicer odds.Makar is getting looks consistently every night. With the ultimate prize at stake, he'll continue to log a ton of ice time and dominate the puck on a shift-to-shift basis.Victor Hedman over 2.5 shots If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's my motto while continuing to ride each team's No. 1 defenseman on a nightly basis.Like Makar, Hedman has registered at least three shots in four of five games this series. He fell just one puck shy in the lone exception - Game 1 - and it wasn't for a lack of opportunity. Hedman attempted seven shots in that contest; he just couldn't find the target.That happens once in a while. The important thing is the shot volume was there, and it continues to be each time out.Hedman has attempted at least nine shots in three straight games, averaging five on goal during that span.He leads all Lightning players in shot attempts, shots on goal, and points in this series, and he's right there in terms of scoring chances. Hedman is being relied upon heavily, which bodes well for his chances of success given how many shots Colorado has conceded to defensemen all season long.Back Hedman for over 2.5 shots up to -200.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gabriel Landeskog took a subtle jab at his opponents when asked about the officiating following Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Friday."I'm not going to get into that," the Colorado Avalanche captain told reporters, including The Athletic's Peter Baugh. "That's something they can continue to do, but we're not doing that."The Lightning defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in Denver to force Game 6 thanks to Ondrej Palat's goal with 6:22 remaining in the third period. Colorado's bid to tie the contest was hindered when the officials whistled the home side for too many men with 2:43 left in regulation.Two nights earlier, Bolts head coach Jon Cooper lamented Tampa's Game 4 loss that came on Nazem Kadri's overtime winner but only hinted at a missed call. During an unusual press conference, the bench boss said he was heartbroken for his players and "you're going to see what I mean when you see the winning goal." Cooper added, "we probably still should be playing," but didn't specify the reason.Video and photo evidence later revealed a missed too many men infraction that would have negated the goal. The initial game sheet noted there were six Colorado skaters and a goaltender on the ice for the winner, but the NHL eventually updated the sheet by removing one Avalanche skater.The league then said its hockey operations department spoke to the referees and linesmen after Game 4 - as is customary - and all four officials said they didn't see too many men for Colorado on the play.As for Game 5, the officials gave the Lightning four power plays and handed the Avalanche two. They called five penalties on Colorado and assessed Tampa Bay with three. The Bolts scored during a four-on-three situation when Nikita Kucherov buried his first goal of the series midway through the second period.The Lightning cut Colorado's series lead to 3-2 with Friday's victory. Game 6 is scheduled for Sunday night in Tampa.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Veteran head coach Barry Trotz won't be returning to an NHL bench next season.The 59-year-old veteran considered a number of head coaching vacancies this offseason but ultimately decided to focus on his family for the time being."I've got some things personally that I've got to take care of, family-wise that I've got to take care of," Trotz told Tim Campbell of NHL.com. "If I'd said I'll take the job, I think I would have done any team a little bit of a disservice and myself a disservice because to be a coach in the NHL, it is demanding, and it requires your all. It just does, emotionally it just does, mentally it just does. So I couldn't go down that path."It doesn't mean I'm not going to coach, just not going to coach right now. I've been doing this for 25 straight years, and I've put a lot of stuff on the back burner, and I think it's time. The one thing I do know, and it's a mistake that everybody makes, is you think you have time and you don't."The New York Islanders fired Trotz in May after missing the playoffs for the first time in his four-year tenure with the club. He was widely considered to be the top candidate for the nine available coaching jobs, and several teams interviewed him. Most recently, he was approached by the Jets but couldn't give them a firm commitment."Winnipeg came after me in terms of wanting me to be part of the organization, and I was really impressed with their commitment to winning," Trotz added. "I've got relatives that work for the Jets and friends that work security there, people I went to school with. I know lots about the Jets. They've got a tremendous organization and a real family atmosphere. But I could not commit to any team. It wasn't just Winnipeg; it was every team that I had talked to because I had to know I was 100% in."Aside from the Jets, Boston Bruins, and Detroit Red Wings, the coaching gigs have been filled in recent weeks.Paul Maurice, who the Florida Panthers recently hired, stepped down as Winnipeg's head coach in December. Dave Lowry replaced him on an interim basis.With Trotz no longer an option, the Jets will expand their candidate list and begin scheduling second interviews, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Trotz guided the Islanders to two semifinal-round appearances in 2020 and 2021 and won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018. He also coached the Nashville Predators for 15 seasons and ranks third on the NHL's all-time wins list with 914.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Joel Farabee will be sidelined for three-to-four months following successful disc replacement surgery, the team announced Friday.Farabee suited up in 63 games for the Flyers this season, posting 17 goals and 17 assists while averaging over 17 minutes per contest.The injury timeline could potentially lead to Farabee missing games early next season. The 2022-23 campaign is the first of the former first-round pick's six-year, $30-million extension inked last September.Farabee is the third NHL player to have a disc replacement procedure, joining Jack Eichel and Tyler Johnson.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks are set to name Luke Richardson as the team's next head coach, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli reports.Richardson has been an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens since 2018. He's also worked as an assistant with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders in his career, along with a stint as head coach of the Senators' AHL affiliate.The 53-year-old had a playing career spanning 1,417 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Senators.Derek King ended the 2021-22 season as the Blackhawks' interim head coach. He took over for Jeremy Colliton in November but couldn't get Chicago on track as the club finished seventh in the Central Division with a 28-42-12 record.The Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Winnipeg Jets are the remaining teams with a head coaching vacancy.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We don't have to go too deep into the high school mathematics textbook to figure out that if one team wins the only two overtimes through four games in a series, then it might end up being a shorter series than we expected.In a seven-game series, getting the edge in sudden-death scenarios is naturally a series changer. Unfortunately, for those hoping and expecting the Stanley Cup Final to go deep, the Avalanche's two overtime goals are why we're left with the Lightning as the underdog to survive past Friday.It also leaves a relatively simple equation for an in-series bet - do you believe the Lightning can pull off three straight wins? Or, at -1200, are the Avalanche such a sure thing that it's worth risking 12 units to win just one.Lightning @ Avalanche5-on-5 playTEAMxGHDCHDGLightning6.02297Avalanche8.82404The play at even strength has favored the Avalanche, and my rating system suggests that Colorado should have a lead in this series 62.7% of the time. That implies odds of -168 for the Avs, which is right around where they closed before the series started after opening higher, only to see the Lightning take money up until the puck dropped for Game 1.While we can retroactively call the series pricing fair, the individual game metrics by location are just as egalitarian relative to the pregame moneylines.Games 1 and 2 saw the Avalanche favored at slightly higher than a 60% win probability, and they drove even-strength play at 65% and 84% in those contests, respectively. Conversely, once the series shifted to Tampa Bay, the moneylines were basically equal on either side. Sure enough, the Lightning and Avs exhibited a dead-even split in their high-danger chances at five-on-five, creating 20 each in Games 3 and 4 combined.Tampa racked up four goals on just nine high-danger chances in Game 3, leading to its convincing win. But that was more about a minus-2.22 GSAx (goals saved above expectation) from Darcy Kuemper than a particularly dominant performance by the Lightning.Essentially, you have four specific choices in the in-series markets right now:MARKETREQUIREMENT ODDSColorado MLAvalanche win Game 5-175Tampa Bay +1.5Lightning win Game 5 + 6+375Tampa Bay wins seriesLightning win three straight+850Colorado wins seriesAvalanche win any of last 3 games-1200Given what we've seen in this series, there shouldn't be any expectation that the Lightning can win three straight. The Stanley Cup was likely decided once everyone figured out that Nazem Kadri's shot lodged the puck in the top of the net behind Andrei Vasilevskiy to end Game 4.Now the pricing reflects the Avalanche's likelihood of winning one of the next three games. It also accurately projects Tampa's chances of keeping this series alive for at least one more contest via the moneyline. Of course, with an entire postseason to provide sample size numbers for these teams, oddsmakers better know how to price them.Considering the on-ice results show that this has been arguably the most accurately priced series of the entire postseason, you could make a case for any bet you make here as being fair. That means there's nothing of value left in the Stanley Cup Final.Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrice Bergeron isn't going anywhere.The Boston Bruins captain has decided to re-up with the club and is expected to sign a one-year contract, reports the Worcester Telegram and Gazette's Joe McDonald.Bergeron would've been one of the most coveted players on the market had he decided to test it this summer as an unrestricted free agent. The veteran center, who'll turn 37 in July, won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward for a league-record fifth time earlier this spring.He had a stellar 2021-22 season despite his age. Bergeron collected 25 goals and 40 assists over 73 contests. The versatile forward was his typically dominant self in terms of possession and defense as well. He led all NHL forwards in defensive goals above replacement, expected defensive goals above replacement, and expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five.Bergeron also ranked first in expected goals for percentage and scoring chances for percentage at five-on-five among the league's skaters who played at least 500 minutes in those situations.He's spent his entire 18-year career with the Bruins, who drafted him 45th overall in 2003. Bergeron ranks fourth among the franchise's all-time leaders in goals, assists, and points. He sits third in games played and has worn the "C" for the last two seasons.The future Hall of Famer helped Boston win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and reach the final in both 2013 and 2019.(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With signing season around the corner, the Nashville Predators and superstar pending unrestricted free agent Filip Forsberg appear to be at an impasse in contract negotiations.The two sides have made little progress on a new deal since Nashville's elimination from the playoffs in May, and they remain far apart in both money and contract structure, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.The Predators have begun to look into options to replace Forsberg through trades or free agency, Seravalli added.General manager David Poile said the parties have discussed max-term deals."He's not signing with us for anything less than eight years," Poile said, according to NHL.com's John Glennon."We're still talking, still talking a lot. We just don't have it done," Poile added. "We've got a deadline coming up here in July. So I wish it was done; I said that two months ago. It's disappointing."I'm sure (they're disappointed) because they feel we should be offering something different. We feel that we're in a good spot. We've just got to keep working to get this done."Forsberg is set to earn a considerable raise from the $6 million he's made the past six seasons after burying a career-high 42 goals and 84 points in 69 games in 2021-22. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has played his entire 10-year career in Nashville after the Predators acquired him via trade from the Washington Capitals.In May, Forsberg said his goal is to sign an extension with Nashville.The Preds have over $21 million in cap space this offseason, according to Cap Friendly.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar saw nothing wrong with Nazem Kadri's overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night."I saw it. I thought it was nothing, honestly. I thought that happens every second shift in the entire game," Bednar said, according to Postmedia's Michael Traikos.Kadri broke into the offensive zone and went top-shelf to secure a 3-1 series lead, but controversy erupted after the game as it appeared Colorado had too many men on the ice due to a slow line change.

The Ottawa Senators have signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Capital Commission (NCC) and other investors to build a downtown arena at LeBreton Flats, the team announced Thursday."Today's announcement marks a significant move towards our long-term vision, a downtown arena at LeBreton Flats. We believe that this development will have a major impact on both the Nation Capital Region and our franchise, one that will help to shape the future of the city. We thank the NCC for their collaboration and look forward to working alongside them as we take the next steps on this exciting journey," the Senators' statement read.Several steps remain before finalizing the deal, including working on a lease deal for the land by January.The Senators were given preferred bidder status to build an arena at LeBreton Flats in 2016, but the agreement fell apart as negotiations between late owner Eugene Melnyk and business partner John Ruddy soured, resulting in ongoing lawsuits.Securing a bid for the new arena was believed to be one of Melnyk's final acts before he died in March, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.The Senators' current arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, is located in Kanata, approximately 25 minutes from the downtown core of Ottawa.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito said Thursday that bringing in the veteran bench boss Paul Maurice was a no-brainer."When we spoke to Paul Maurice, it was overwhelming that this was the fit," Zito said during the coach's introductory press conference, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.Maurice takes over behind the bench for Jack Adams Award finalist Andrew Brunette, who replaced Joel Quenneville on an interim basis early this past season and guided the Panthers to the Presidents' Trophy.Brunette's future with the franchise is unclear, but Florida is expected to offer him a significant role to stay with the team, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Maurice stepped down as the Winnipeg Jets' head coach in December after nine seasons, saying the club needed a new voice. The 55-year-old said Thursday that he jumped at the opportunity to return to work with the Panthers."There's a number of very powerful teams in this league, and Florida is one of them," Maurice said.He added: "That fit is hard to define, but when you're ready to coach a game five minutes after meeting Bill, you want to be a part of that."Maurice has also coached the then-Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Toronto Maple Leafs over his 24-year career. He ranks fourth all-time in games coached (1,684) and seventh in wins (775).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche can wrap up the series and win the Stanley Cup on home ice Friday night.Can they get the job done, or will the back-to-back champion Tampa Bay Lightning find a way to stave off elimination and live another day?Let's examine that and some prop edges with three best bets for Game 5.Lightning (+140) @ Avalanche (-165)The Avalanche are a fantastic team in any building, but they're a different beast in Colorado. They've shown that time and time again this postseason.Through nine games, the Avalanche scored 28 goals at five-on-five while controlling nearly 62% of the expected goal share. Thoroughly dominant.Even against a team as good as the Lightning, the Avs haven't missed a beat. At five-on-five over the first two games of the series, Colorado controlled over 72% of the expected goals and outscored the Bolts 7-3. It did that without Nazem Kadri, who was the hero last time out.The Lightning, to be blunt, haven't played well on the road this postseason. They own a losing record and have been outscored by 10 goals at five-on-five. That's not a coincidence - they've routinely been on the losing end of the shot and chance battle.Considering Tampa's road struggles and Colorado's almost unbelievable dominance at home, I have a hard time imagining the Lightning flipping the script in Game 5 to extend the series.Look for the Avalanche to put the Bolts to bed inside 60 minutes.Bet: Avalanche in regulation (good to -120)Nathan MacKinnon over 4.5 shots (good to -150)MacKinnon is a cheat code for shots - especially on home ice. He averaged six shots on goal through nine postseason contests at Ball Arena.The 26-year-old generated at least five shots in six of nine games - and that record could easily be better. On one occasion, he recorded four shots on 10 attempts.MacKinnon's most recent failure came in the blowout Game 3 loss, in which he logged about six fewer minutes than he generally plays.If that's not enough, the Lightning have given up shots in bulk to centers throughout the playoffs. MacKinnon's certainly taken advantage of that, hitting in three of four matchups.The underlying process is about as good as one could possibly imagine. MacKinnon attempted a whopping 46 shots this series, good for 11.5 per contest. He doesn't even need to hit the net on half of his average volume to make good on this total.With Jared Bednar in possession of last change and the Avalanche having the opportunity to knock out the back-to-back champs, MacKinnon will surely get all the ice time he can handle in the most favorable positions possible.Victor Hedman over 2.5 shots (good to -160)I've backed Hedman in every game this series and won't stop now. The star defenseman has arguably been Tampa Bay's most threatening player in the series, leading the team in points (four), shots (15), and shot attempts (29). Pretty good!He plays a ton of minutes in every situation, and as I've discussed ad nauseam all season, the Avalanche are susceptible to giving up shots in bulk to offensively gifted blue-liners. Hedman most certainly fits the bill.With Hedman averaging over 25 minutes a night and showing a willingness to take the looks the Avalanche give him, I expect him to come through and hit his shot prop for the fourth time in five games.Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper believes Nazem Kadri's overtime winner that gave the Colorado Avalanche a 3-1 series lead on Wednesday should not have decided the game.Cooper did not specify exactly why. He only took one question during an odd postgame press conference in which he gave an emotional two-minute answer.

Nazem Kadri was eager to make an impact in his first-ever Stanley Cup Final game and his first time back on the ice since undergoing thumb surgery during the previous round.The Colorado Avalanche forward acknowledged how long he'd been thinking about the opportunity after burying the winner in overtime to give his club a 3-1 series lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning."I'd been waiting for this (for) my whole life, so I figured I'd stop waiting and just try to join the party," Kadri told ESPN's Emily Kaplan postgame. "I'm just grateful I'm able to be in this position, and with this group of guys, (you) couldn't have written a better story."

Pierre-Luc Dubois may not want to stay in Winnipeg for the long haul.The power forward told the Jets that he plans to test unrestricted free agency when eligible in 2024, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman."Now the Jets have control of the process until then, and what we're also hearing is that they wish to keep him and have him as a Jet for a long time to come," Friedman said during the first intermission of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday.Dubois is currently a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, and if he signs a one-year deal, he'll be an RFA again next summer. His qualifying offer is $6.65 million this offseason.The 23-year-old recorded 28 goals and 32 assists in 81 games last season - his first full campaign in Winnipeg. The Jets acquired him in January 2021 as part of a blockbuster deal that sent Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to the Columbus Blue Jackets.The 6-foot-3 center was selected third overall by the Jackets in the 2016 draft - one pick after the Jets took Laine.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche got a key player back for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night.Nazem Kadri was inserted into the lineup after sitting out nearly five full contests. His return is somewhat of a surprise after it was reported he'd likely miss the rest of the playoffs following thumb surgery.The center hadn't suited up since Game 3 of the Western Conference Final versus the Edmonton Oilers. He departed 37 seconds into that tilt and didn't return after Evander Kane boarded him.Kadri was ruled out for the remainder of the conference final and underwent thumb surgery after Game 3. That series lasted one more game as the Avalanche swept the Oilers.He's been a vital cog in Colorado's multi-pronged attack all season, and that's carried over to the playoffs when he's been healthy.Kadri has notched six goals and eight assists in 13 postseason games this spring. He produced a hat trick in Game 4 of Round 2 against the St. Louis Blues after receiving racist threats following an incident with opposing netminder Jordan Binnington.The 31-year-old established career highs with 59 assists and 87 points during the regular season. He also set a new personal best for average ice time at the NHL level by nearly one minute at 19:14.Kadri is in his third campaign with the Avalanche, who acquired him in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs in July 2019.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers hired former Winnipeg Jets bench boss Paul Maurice to replace Andrew Brunette as their new head coach.Maurice is joining the Cats on a three-year deal, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The 55-year-old chose to step down as the Jets' head coach in December, telling reporters the players needed a different voice. Winnipeg went 13-10-5 under his tenure to start the campaign.Brunette served as Florida's interim head coach from October after Joel Quenneville stepped down. The talented Panthers squad performed superbly under his direction, and Brunette helped the team capture the Presidents' Trophy.The Panthers set multiple benchmarks in 2021-22, including a franchise-high 58 wins, and they broke the salary-cap era record for most goals scored in a single season.Florida didn't perform as well in the playoffs, however, resulting in a second-round sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning.The Panthers will offer Brunette a "significant role" to remain within the organization if he wants it, sources told Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Brunette had been an assistant coach with the club since 2019 before being promoted in 2021-22. The Panthers went 51-18-6 after he took over on an interim basis.An NHL coaching veteran of 24 years, Maurice has been behind the bench for the fourth-most games in NHL history (1,684) and ranks seventh all-time in wins (775).Maurice kicked off his head coaching career with the Hartford Whalers in 1995 and stayed with the franchise - as they became the Carolina Hurricanes - until 2003-04. He then spent two campaigns with the Toronto Maple Leafs and had a second stint with Carolina before joining Winnipeg.The Jets went 315-224-62 under Maurice's leadership and made the postseason five times, including one conference finals appearance in 2018.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The federal government is freezing Hockey Canada's funding until the organization signs up with a federal agency that can independently investigate abuse complaints and issue sanctions, Minster of Sport Pascale St-Onge told TSN's Rick Westhead."This is about changing a deeply entrenched culture, it's not about simple Band-Aid solutions," St-Onge said Wednesday.The federal agency is the new Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, which began receiving and addressing complaints regarding Canada's national sports teams on Monday.In a settled lawsuit filed in April, a woman said eight unnamed CHL players, including members of Canada's 2018 world junior team, sexually assaulted her in June of that same year in a London, Ontario, hotel following a Hockey Canada event.The lawsuit wasn't heard in court and the amount awarded for the settlement is unknown, but the plaintiff asked the judge to award $3.55 million.Canada's House of Commons has unanimously approved a motion from Bloc Quebecois MP Sebastien Lemire to pursue an independent investigation of how Hockey Canada managed the allegations back in 2018, per Westhead.St-Onge added that, in order to get more funding, Hockey Canada must also detail its plans to implement change in the organization and publicly disclose the recommendations made by the Henein Hutchison law firm it hired to investigate the allegations.Hockey Canada received $14 million from the federal government in 2020 and 2021 and recently applied for $2.2 million to help recover from COVID-19. St-Onge said it won't receive the money until the outlined conditions are met.Hockey Canada president Scott Smith and outgoing CEO Tom Renney testified Monday regarding the settlement. Smith said the organization has dealt with one or two allegations of sexual assault per year over the past five or six years and is currently investigating two other sexual assault complaints. Renney said Hockey Canada never received a complete report from Henein Hutchison.St-Onge ordered an audit of Hockey Canada's financial activity to determine whether it used public funds in the settlement. Hockey Canada insisted it didn't draw from taxpayer money.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the investigation of Hockey Canada's settled lawsuit on Tuesday."As a government, we have continually stood up to push back against sexual misconduct and harassment in organizations and workplaces across the country," he said, per TSN. "Hockey Canada is no different."Trudeau added, "This behavior is unacceptable."St-Onge added that Hockey Canada must become a signatory to the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport to receive public funding again. That would give the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner control over abuse investigations.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player on the strength of the league's first 60-goal season in a decade.Matthews also won the Ted Lindsay Award on Tuesday, which goes to the league's most outstanding player as voted by his peers.The 24-year-old edged out Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin to win MVP. McDavid led the league in scoring with 123 points, while Shesterkin, who was awarded the Vezina Trophy on Tuesday, authored one of the best goaltending seasons in recent memory.Here's how the voting broke down, with Matthews winning in a landslide:RankPlayerPointsVotes (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th)1Auston Matthews1630(119-49-15-6-4)2Connor McDavid1111(29-66-56-20-19)3Igor Shesterkin738(24-26-41-29-24)4Johnny Gaudreau617(3-19-44-66-36)5Jonathan Huberdeau506(13-21-21-31-31)Matthews is only the third Maple Leaf in the franchise's 104-year history to win the Hart Trophy and the first since 1954-55. He's the club's only player to win the Ted Lindsay.He finished the year sixth in scoring with a career-high 106 points but only played in 73 games due to injuries and suspension. Matthews' 1.45 points per game trailed only McDavid (1.54) among players to suit up in at least 50 contests this season. His 0.82 goals per game in 2021-22 is the highest clip in the salary-cap era and the most since Mario Lemieux's 0.99 in 1995-96.On top of leading the league in goals for the second year in a row, Matthews excelled defensively. He finished 10th in Selke voting and led all forwards with 92 takeaways. Matthews also paced all forwards to play at least 1,000 minutes with a 64.15% expected goals rate and finished second under the same parameters in expected goals against per 60 at 2.04, according to Evolving-Hockey.Matthews was also a Hart Trophy finalist in 2020-21.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL revealed this season's first and second All-Star teams on Tuesday night following the annual awards show.Here's a look at the pair of star-studded lineups:First teamPositionPlayerTeamLWJohnny GaudreauFlamesCAuston MatthewsMaple LeafsRWMitch MarnerMaple LeafsDCale MakarAvalancheDRoman JosiPredatorsGIgor ShesterkinRangersMatthews, who won the Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award, and Maurice "Rocket" Richard this season, made the first team for the first time in his career. Gaudreau and Shesterkin are also debutants on the list.Second teamPositionPlayerTeamLWJonathan HuberdeauPanthersCConnor McDavidOilersRWMatthew TkachukFlamesDVictor HedmanLightningDCharlie McAvoyBruinsGJacob MarkstromFlamesMcDavid landed on the second team for the first time in his career after four appearances on the first unit. Tkachuk, Markstrom, and McAvoy each qualified for a postseason All-Star team for the first time.In addition to the All-Star teams, the NHL released this year's all-rookie squad, headlined by Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider.PositionPlayerTeamFMichael BuntingMaple LeafsFLucas RaymondRed WingsFTrevor ZegrasDucksDMoritz SeiderRed WingsDAlexandre CarrierPredatorsGJeremy SwaymanBruinsCopyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar is the recipient of the 2022 Norris Trophy awarded "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position."Makar edged out Nashville Predators captain Roman Josi and Tampa Bay Lightning stalwart Victor Hedman for the honor. The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Here's the results:RankDefensemanPoints(1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th)1Cale Makar (COL)1631(92-98-5-0-0)2Roman Josi (NSH)1606(98-76-17-3-0)3Victor Hedman (TB)940(4-14-142-30-2)4Charlie McAvoy (BOS)358(1-7-22-55-24)5Adam Fox (NYR)248(0-0-4-61-45)For the full results, click here.It's the first career Norris Trophy for Makar, but likely not the last. He's just 23 years old and was the runner-up for the award a year ago despite missing 12 games.Makar recorded 28 goals this season, the most among defensemen. He ranked second to Josi in points with 86, but his underlying numbers were far superior, specifically on the defensive side of the puck. Evolving-Hockey.comMakar led all NHL defensemen with 22.7 goals above replacement, according to Evolving-Hockey. Josi ranked fourth with 20.2, and Hedman ranked fifth with 19.8.Despite having star defensemen like Sandis Ozolinsh, Rob Blake, and Ray Bourque don Colorado's blue and burgundy in its storied past, Makar is the first player in Avalanche history to win the Norris.The Calgary, Alberta, native may need to make more room on his trophy shelf, as he's also currently the favorite to win the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews won the 2022 Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by fellow members of the National Hockey League Players' Association.Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi and Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid were the other two finalists.Matthews led the league with 60 goals despite skating in just 73 out of a possible 82 games.The 24-year-old is the first Maple Leafs player to win the award. The trophy was first handed out in 1971 and was known as the Lester B. Pearson Award until it was renamed for Detroit Red Wings legend Ted Lindsay in 2010.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Well, we still could have ourselves a hell of a Stanley Cup Final.The Tampa Bay Lightning are back in the mix thanks to a commanding 6-2 victory Monday night. The Colorado Avalanche, who hold a 2-1 series lead, have a chance to counterpunch Wednesday night at Amalie Arena in Florida.Aside from the goaltenders - they're inherently important to every win or loss - who could tip the scales in Game 4? Here are six suggestions.Nathan MacKinnon Julio Aguilar / Getty ImagesSomeone who isn't paying close attention might look at MacKinnon's production (zero goals and two assists) and conclude he hasn't played up to expectations.In reality, the Avalanche superstar has been his usual self through three games, galloping through open ice with purposeful strides and generating offensive opportunities for himself and his linemates.MacKinnon leads all skaters in the Cup Final in shot attempts (32), shots on goal (14), and scoring chances (19), according to Natural Stat Trick. On the Avs, his 1.28 expected goals trail only Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog, who have each pitched in three goals. Overall, when MacKinnon has been on the ice this series, the Avs have outscored the Lightning 6-3.It would be more surprising if MacKinnon didn't break through during Game 4. The ultra-competitive center is overdue for a goal, maybe two.Ondrej Palat Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesHe may not be a marquee name, but Palat is one of Tampa Bay's treasured assets. The 31-year-old Czech complements more talented linemates; his performance is consistent; and, as evidenced by seven game-winning goals over the past three postseasons, he's a big-moment guy.Palat is the kind of second-tier player that clubs across the NHL wish they had at their disposal. Having started the series with two goals and a primary assist, Palat simply can't let up. The Lightning need him right now.Key forwards Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov are battling injury. Coach Jon Cooper said Tuesday that he's hopeful Kucherov can play in Game 4, while Point is "highly doubtful." Even if both return to the lineup, neither will be at 100% - which only increases Palat's importance.Valeri Nichushkin Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesIt's official: The NHL playoffs have turned into Val Nichushkin SZN. The 6-foot-4 Russian has been phenomenal for the Avs over the past seven weeks.What began as a cute story - a 2013 first-round pick finds success in Colorado after the Dallas Stars buy him out in 2019 on the heels of a zero-goal season - has evolved into a demonstration of expertise. Nichushkin, a pending unrestricted free agent, has arguably been the most impactful skater on either team so far. He scored a goal and assisted on the winner in a tight Game 1, scored twice in a blowout Game 2, and was still effective in a Game 3 loss.The Avs have been flat-out dominant at five-on-five in the minutes Nichushkin has been on the ice, recording 62 shot attempts to Tampa Bay's 20 while rocking an equally impressive expected goals rate (75%).Linemates MacKinnon and Landeskog obviously contributed a great deal to those gaudy numbers. But Nichushkin's no passenger. The smart and hungry forechecker continues to use his unique combination of size, fluid skating, deft playmaking, and wicked shooting to overwhelm the opposition.Corey Perry Harry How / Getty ImagesHere's a very Corey Perry stat: The longtime forward is the only player in NHL history to score a goal in the Cup Final for four different clubs - the Anaheim Ducks (2007), Stars (2020), Montreal Canadiens (2021), and Lightning (2022).Love him or hate him, Perry just won't go away. And no matter the role the 37-year-old assumes for his team - in the case of the 2022 Lightning, a gritty fourth-line forward who sees time on the power play - he brings it every night.If Perry's Game 3 tap-in stands as his lone goal of the series, fine. The 2011 Hart Trophy winner will surely find another way to influence the outcome of nearly every game, whether it be killing time on the forecheck, feathering a pass across the crease on the power play, or drawing a penalty off the rush.Devon Toews Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesWe've seen Toews at his best in this series. His elite skating, so integral to Colorado's transition play, was on full display on the Avs' 3-0 goal in Game 2.We've also seen Toews at his worst. He got danced by Kucherov on the 3-2 goal in Game 1, Anthony Cirelli beat him wide on the 1-1 goal in Game 3, and then he turned the puck over at the offensive blue line on the 2-1 goal.Later in Game 3, Toews received a penalty for trying to take a piece out of Kucherov. The hefty cross-check eventually ended Kucherov's night, which, depending on one's rooting interest, counts as Toews at his best or at his worst.Regardless, the Avs desperately need an A+ performance from Toews on Wednesday. He logs more than 25 minutes a game, and they can't be littered with lowlights.Victor Hedman Harry How / Getty ImagesWhat's up with Hedman?By no means has the perennial Norris Trophy finalist been awful through three Cup Final games; however, he certainly hasn't lived up to expectations. Maybe he's hurt. Perhaps a league-high 1,717 minutes over the past three postseasons caught up to him against the high-octane Avs.There's no statistic for misreads, but Hedman seems to be committing an unusually high number. Fortunately for the Lightning, they've managed to break even with Hedman on the ice - 4-4 at five-on-five, 5-5 in all situations.Again, nothing about this situation screams, "Oh no!" Yet it also doesn't inspire a ton of confidence. Will Hedman, a world-class defenseman, bounce back?John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie in 2022.The only blue-liner among this year's finalists, Seider dazzled on a struggling Red Wings squad. He led all Detroit skaters in average ice time (23:02) while appearing in all 82 games in 2021-22.The 21-year-old German became just the third rookie defenseman to reach 50 points in the salary-cap era, joining Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. Seider also paced the rookie class in assists (43), power-play points (21), and blocked shots (161) while ranking third in shots on goal (187).Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks and Michael Bunting of the Toronto Maple Leafs were the other two finalists.Here's how the vote broke down:RankPlayerPointsVotes (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th)1Moritz Seider1853(170-18-3-4-0)2Trevor Zegras1191(15-100-57-18-2)3Michael Bunting877(7-51-65-34-23)4Lucas Raymond499(1-10-40-61-36)5Jeremy Swayman210(2-3-14-22-33)Zegras tied for second in the rookie class with 23 goals - including five game-winners - and his 61 points trailed only Troy Terry on the Ducks' roster. The forward also set a franchise record for most points by a rookie.If there were a trophy that rewarded virality, Zegras would have it in the bag. The 21-year-old quickly became known for his ability to execute highlight-reel plays with alarming consistency.Bunting topped all rookies with 63 points (23 goals, 40 assists) after thriving on the Maple Leafs' top line with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner for much of the 2021-22 campaign. Fifty-eight of those points came at even strength, which led the rookie class by a substantial amount: Zegras was a distant second with 44.The 26-year-old Bunting was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round of the 2014 draft, making him the only 2022 finalist who wasn't a first-round pick.The Professional Hockey Writers Association votes annually to determine the Calder Trophy finalists and winner.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers star Igor Shesterkin is the 2022 winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender.Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators were the other finalists. The NHL's 32 general managers voted to determine the winner at the end of the regular season. Here are the results:RankGoaliePoints(1st-2nd-3rd)1Igor Shesterkin (NYR)154(29-3-0)2Jacob Markstrom (CGY)53(0-14-11)3Juuse Saros (NSH)32(0-9-5)4Frederik Andersen (CAR)21(1-3-7)5Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB)14(1-2-3)6Ilya Sorokin (NYI)11(1-1-3)T7Thatcher Demko (VAN)1(0-0-1)T7Ville Husso (STL)1(0-0-1)T7Tristan Jarry (PIT)1(0-0-1)Arguably the key to the Rangers' success in 2021-22, Shesterkin led all NHL goalies who played at least 25 games with a career-best .935 save percentage and 2.07 goals against average across 53 appearances.Shesterkin, who was also nominated for the Hart Trophy, posted the league's third-best goals saved above average (22.34) and second-best goals saved above expected (21.08) at five-on-five, according to Evolving Hockey.The 26-year-old helped propel the Rangers to a surprising second-place finish in the Metropolitan Division with a 36-13-4 record and six shutouts.Markstrom, 32, paced all netminders with nine shutouts. He boasted a 37-15-9 record while piloting the Flames to a finish atop the Pacific Division.The Swede rebounded fantastically after a tough first season in Calgary, rocking a career-best 2.22 goals against average and a sparkling .922 save percentage.Saros put the Predators on his back en route to an unexpected playoff appearance after authoring a .918 save percentage and 2.64 goals against average in a league-leading 67 outings.The busiest goaltender out of the trio of finalists, Saros faced 2,107 shots this season, emerging with a 38-25-3 record. Those 38 victories trailed only Andrei Vasilevskiy and Sergei Bobrovsky for the most wins in 2021-22.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forwards J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser are generating trade interest, and it appears the club is exploring its options."It seems like it's open season for the Vancouver Canucks," TSN's Darren Dreger reported Tuesday. "It's not a fire sale, so don't misunderstand that, but we're talking about J.T. Miller, and we're talking about Brock Boeser."Dreger added that "there is strong market interest" in both players and that the Canucks are "interested in listening."Vancouver isn't just seeking future assets in return if they trade Miller or Boeser, either."The Canucks aren't just in the market for draft picks," Dreger said. "They need good, young players - NHL players - in return."Miller is entering the final year of his contract with a $5.25-million cap hit before becoming an unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old is coming off a career-best 99-point campaign.The Canucks were rumored to be shopping Miller ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, but they ultimately kept the versatile forward. He's excelled playing both center and wing in recent years.Boeser, a winger, is a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer of $7.5 million. The 25-year-old sniper recorded 23 goals and 23 assists while playing a career-high 71 games last season. He's averaged 30 goals and 35 assists per 82 games throughout his six-year career.Vancouver projects to have $9.7 million in cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly. They're deep up front - especially with the recent addition of KHL star Andrei Kuzmenko - but they could use some help on defense.Captain Bo Horvat, a 2023 UFA, and slick Swede Elias Pettersson, a 2024 RFA, are due for raises in the coming years. It may be difficult to keep all four of Miller, Boeser, Horvat, and Pettersson under the hard salary cap moving forward.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to engage in notable contract negotiations with two key pending unrestricted free agents, according to TSN's Chris Johnston."Their two most significant players that could hit the market, Jack Campbell and Ilya Mikheyev, what stands out to me is that they haven't actually really done any negotiating at all with those players," Johnston said on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""Certainly, there's ongoing dialogue, there's been discussions with the camps of those guys, but no numbers exchanged. No real back-and-forth there."The Leafs are permitted to sign either player to an extension at any time. Campbell and Mikheyev can sign elsewhere once free agency opens July 13.Mikheyev is looking to make something in the $4-million to $5-million range on his next contract, according to Johnston. His previous deal paid him $1.645 million annually, but he's coming off a career-high 21 goals this past season.Campbell made $1.65 million over the past two seasons but is due for a raise as well. He made the Atlantic Division All-Star team after a terrific start to the 2021-22 campaign and finished the year with a 31-9-6 record, five shutouts, and a .914 save percentage.The 30-year-old had an .897 clip in the playoffs as the Leafs faltered in the first round once again.Toronto has approximately $7.8 million in cap space to work with at the moment, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars named Peter DeBoer the 25th head coach in franchise history Tuesday.The agreement reportedly brings DeBoer to Dallas on a four-year deal worth $4.25 million per season, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.DeBoer was fired by the Vegas Golden Knights at the end of the 2021-22 campaign after the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history."Over the last few seasons, I have seen firsthand what the Stars are building with a mix of dynamic young players and established leaders," DeBoer said. "The chance to become this team's next head coach was an opportunity that I couldn't pass up."The 54-year-old DeBoer led Vegas to two consecutive third-round appearances in 2020 and 2021. He's also reached the Stanley Cup Final twice as a head coach - with the New Jersey Devils in 2012 and the San Jose Sharks in 2016.DeBoer's Golden Knights were eliminated by Rick Bowness' Stars in the conference finals of the 2020 playoff bubble."Pete brings a wealth of experience to our dressing room, and we're thrilled to name him our next head coach," general manager Jim Nill said. "Every team that he has taken over has not only shown immediate improvement but has been ultra-competitive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. ... His resume displays the high standards he sets and his ability to get his team to play up to that level consistently."DeBoer kicked off his head coaching career with the Florida Panthers in 2008-09. He owns a 513-379-123 record in 1,015 games coached over 14 NHL seasons and a 68-55 postseason mark.DeBoer coached his 1,000th regular-season contest March 24.DeBoer will replace Bowness, who stepped down as head coach shortly after the Calgary Flames eliminated the Stars from the first round of the playoffs in May.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have signed head coach Jay Woodcroft to a three-year deal, the team announced Tuesday.Woodcroft piloted the Oilers to the Western Conference Final after taking over behind the bench in February. Edmonton fired Dave Tippett after the team lost 16 of its previous 23 games. The Oilers went 26-9-3 under Woodcroft.Edmonton saw marked improvements under Woodcroft in several key categories.CoachPts%GF/GPGA/GPPP%PK%Dave Tippett.5573.183.3227.6%76.7%Jay Woodcroft.7243.822.7624.1%82.1%The 45-year-old Woodcroft captured a Stanley Cup in 2008 with the Detroit Red Wings as a video coach. He also made two consecutive Western Conference Final appearances with the San Jose Sharks as an assistant coach in 2010 and 2011.Woodcroft has been a member of the Oilers organization since 2015-16. He was the head coach of the team's AHL affiliate for parts of four seasons before replacing Tippett.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said he's hopeful star forward Nikita Kucherov can return for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final."I never count that kid out," Cooper told reporters Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.Kucherov was forced to exit late in Game 3 shortly after getting cross-checked by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews.Cooper was less optimistic about Brayden Point's status for Game 4, labeling the clutch performer as "highly doubtful," per The Hockey News' Mike Stephens. Point is considered day-to-day for the remainder of the series.Point didn't play in Game 3 after suiting up for the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final. He missed the Lightning's series against the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers after suffering a lower-body injury in Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Kucherov leads the Bolts with 26 points in 20 playoff games, while Point chipped in with two goals and three assists in nine contests.Toews won't receive supplemental discipline for the hit on Kucherov, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith. Upon review, the NHL Department of Player Safety determined the officials properly penalized Toews.The Lightning took Game 3 to get on the board in the series. Game 4 is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.