NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

by | May 8, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 8, 2024

Check out the latest on Leafs winger Mitch Marner, the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault, and the latest updates on the Predators and Devils in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE LEAFS’ MITCH MARNER AGREE TO A TRADE?

TORONTO SUN: Terry Koshan believes Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving should ask winger Mitch Marner whether he’d have any interest in waiving his no-movement clause.

Marner, 27, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2025. Koshan acknowledged he’s one of the best hockey players on the planet but his performance in the Leafs’ first-round series against Boston was underwhelming and not close to what a leader should provide.

Koshan suggested exploring the trade market to see if Marner would fetch a No. 1 defenseman. If not, they can use part of the money they would’ve invested in him to sign a top blueliner in next summer’s free agent market.

Meanwhile, Steve Simmons doubts Marner or team captain John Tavares will agree to waive their no-movement clauses. He thinks Marner might have some value in the trade market but it will be limited compared to his worth because he only has a year left on his contract.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Simmons dismissed the notion that Marner could fetch the Leafs any number of great young players as mostly fantasy. He believes the Leafs will be in a better position to address their needs next summer when Marner and Tavares come off their books.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner could agree to waive his NMC if Treliving tells him they won’t offer a contract extension or if he starts to feel the pressure of playing in Toronto is too much. If he does, however, the Leafs likely won’t get a great return even if he agreed to a contract extension with his new club as a condition of the trade.

I’ve seen some folks suggesting the Leafs offer up Marner to the Utah franchise straight up for Clayton Keller. That won’t happen. Keller is their best player and a foundation piece on a roster of good young players. He also carries an affordable $7.125 million annual cap hit through 2027-28. They’ll want to add someone who can play with him.

WILL JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT REMAIN WITH THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

LAS VEGAS SUN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL/THE ATHLETIC: Jack Williams, Ed Graney and Jesse Granger report Jonathan Marchessault wants to remain with the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 33-year-old winger is among the few remaining original members of the club. He’s completing a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5 million and is slated to become a UFA on July 1.

“I’ve done everything I can to stay here,” Marchessault told reporters Tuesday as he and his teammates cleaned out their lockers for this season. “I know I’m a big part of this organization and team. I’ve proved that over the years.”.

“I’m pretty confident. I’d love to stay. This is my home. I’m part of the guys that started this. It’s the most proud thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Marchessault said he spoke with general manager Kelly McCrimmon and their chat went well. “He wants me back,” he said. “He likes me, obviously, and the feeling is mutual.” McCrimmon agreed the conversation went well, adding he’s had preliminary talks with the winger and his agent.

The problem is the Golden Knights’ limited salary-cap space. They have roughly $7.6 million available with 18 active roster players under contract for next season. A new contract for Marchessault could cost between $6 million and $7 million annually on a three or four-year deal.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It will take plenty of salary-cap gymnastics to free up sufficient room to sign Marchessault and leave enough for the rest of the roster.

That means making a cost-cutting trade or two. All of the expensive Golden Knights have some form of no-trade protection. Four – Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl and Alex Pietrangelo – have no-movement clauses.

William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev, Shea Theodore and Adin Hill carry cap hits of $4.9 million or higher and have modified no-trade clauses. One of them could become a trade candidate.

LATEST ON THE PREDATORS

THE TENNESSEAN: Alex Daugherty and Gentry Estes report Nashville Predators GM Barry Trotz said everything was on the table regarding his off-season plans for the club.

Trotz told reporters on Tuesday that he wants to build up his top nine forwards, adding more youth and speed to augment the top line of Filip Forsberg, Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist.

“We’ve got some draft capital that will allow us to be flexible and use those assets to acquire (talent),” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Trotz could be leaning toward re-signing Juuse Saros rather than trading him. The 29-year-old goaltender has a year remaining on his contract. The Predators can re-sign him starting on July 1. Trotz said Saros wants to stay and he wants to keep him. “We’re gonna work hard on getting something done with him.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Saros was the subject of frequent trade speculation often linking him to the New Jersey Devils. He’s earning an AAV of $5 million on his current deal and it will cost more to re-sign him. I don’t doubt Trotz’s sincerity about retaining Saros but it will be worthwhile to monitor those negotiations.

UPDATE ON THE DEVILS

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Jonathan Bailey cited TSN’s Darren Dreger reporting the Devils are speaking to multiple candidates for their vacant head-coaching job, including former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Jay Woodcroft.

TSN: Pierre LeBrun reports the Devils hope to hire a new coach within 7-10 days. “They should have a clearer picture by the end of this week.”










NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2024

by | May 6, 2024

NHL Rumor Mill – May 6, 2024

A look at what the offseason could hold for the Golden Knights plus the latest on the Leafs and Jets in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS?

ESPN.COM: Ryan S. Clark believes Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon faces several roster decisions this offseason. One of them is what to do about pending unrestricted free agents Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson.

Winner of the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, Marchessault is among the few remaining original members of the Golden Knights. He’ll be in line for a significant raise after all he’s done for them. So is Stephenson, who’s proven himself as a solid two-way forward who can anchor the second line and play in any scenario.

The Golden Knights’ limited cap space complicates things. They have less than $900k of projected cap space with 20 active roster players under contract.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Ed Graney wondered if Marchessault still has a future with the Golden Knights. He noted the 33-year-old winger is among the few “Golden Misfits” remaining but pointed out the club has parted ways with beloved players in the past (like Marc-Andre Fleury) and could so again.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marchessault earned $5 million annually on his current contract while the 30-year-old Stephenson made $2.75 million.

The Golden Knights will get $5 million in cap relief if goaltender Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve next season. That might be enough to pay Stephenson a decent raise but not for Marchessault. They’ll have to shed salary to retain both. Heck, they might have to shed salary for Stephenson if they decide to part ways with Marchessault.

THE LATEST ON THE LEAFS

TORONTO STAR/TORONTO SUN/THE HOCKEY NEWS: Kevin McGran, Terry Koshan and Michael Traikos looked at the challenging offseason questions facing the Maple Leafs during the offseason.

Koshan thinks Brendan Shanahan could be down to his last gasp as team president. He wonders if Shanahan will change his tune after years of putting his faith in core players Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly. Shanahan has one year remaining on his contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment could give Shanahan one more season to fix the problem. After a decade on the job, however, it’s time to thank him for his service and look at replacing him with someone who’ll bring a fresh perspective.

McGran and Traikos believe firing head coach Sheldon Keefe would be the easiest decision. The Leafs need a new voice behind the bench capable of getting them them to play a better-structured and disciplined system.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Keefe signed a two-year contract extension last year. General manager Brad Treliving could give him another shot behind the bench but that seems unlikely now. It’s time for a coaching change after only one playoff series win in five seasons.

They also believe it’s time to trade Marner as it’s no longer working for him and the Leafs. The 27-year-old winger holds all the cards given his no-movement clause.

McGran believes Marner might be better off playing for a southern US team like Tampa Bay or Utah where the spotlight won’t be as intense. Traikos mentioned Utah, Columbus, Seattle or even Ottawa.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Marner might be open to a trade if management tells him he won’t get a contract extension. However, there’s no certainty under that scenario that he’ll agree to it. He could insist on finishing his contract with the Leafs hoping that a new team president or head coach can fight for him to be re-signed. If not, he can walk away next summer where he’ll find plenty of lucrative options elsewhere.

McGran also suggested the Leafs consider naming a new team captain, pursue a reliable starting goalie such as Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom (whom Treliving knows well), and beef up the blueline. Meanwhile, Traikos proposed finding a suitable defense partner for Rielly, re-signing gritty forward Tyler Bertuzzi, and bringing back Ilya Samsonov as a backup goalie on a reasonable contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs have a projected cap space of $18.5 million with 16 active roster players under contract. That’ll hamper efforts to address most of their roster needs unless they can move Marner’s $10.9 million from their books.

UPDATE ON THE JETS

THE ATHLETIC: Murat Ates recently looked at the players who could stay or go for the Winnipeg Jets during the offseason.

Their untouchables include core players Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey, Adam Lowry and Gabriel Vilardi. Pending UFA Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller are expected to depart via free agency but Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon and Sean Monahan could be re-signed.

Ates believes Nikolaj Ehlers will be shopped and likely moved before the NHL Draft on June 28-29. The 28-year-old winger is a year away from UFA eligibility and there’s some concern that they can afford to re-sign him. The Jets have floated his name in trade talks before and he could fetch someone to bolster their defense and/or bring in a first-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ehlers carries an average annual value of $6 million and a 10-team no-trade clause. He’s been a productive second-line winger but does have an injury history that could dampen his trade value, though he did play the full 82-game schedule this season for the first time since 2017-18.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2024

by | May 6, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 6, 2024

The Stars eliminate the Golden Knights, the Rangers defeat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of their second-round series, the Selke Trophy finalists are announced, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: There will be a new Stanley Cup champion this year as the Dallas Stars eliminated the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights with a 2-1 victory in Game 7 of their first-round series. Radek Faksa snapped a 1-1 tie early in the third period, Jake Oettinger made 22 saves and Wyatt Johnston also scored for the Stars. Brett Howden tallied the only goal for the Golden Knights. The Stars will face the Colorado Avalanche in the second round with Game 1 starting on Tuesday, May 7 at 9:30 pm EDT.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars prevailed with solid goaltending from Oettinger, who gave up two goals or less in six of the seven games. He had help from his teammates as their improved defensive play smothered Vegas’ offense.

The Golden Knights opened this series with 4-3 and 3-1 victories but managed only nine goals over the following five games. Jack Eichel was held scoreless in three games. 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault was held to two goals and never scored again after Game 2. Mark Stone only scored twice and those came on the power play. Trade deadline acquisition Tomas Hertl was held to one goal.

New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad scored twice and collected an assist as his club held off the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series. Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider each collected two points for the Rangers while Sebastian Aho had two assists for the Hurricanes. Game 2 is Tuesday, May 7 at 7 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was an entertaining contest as the Rangers and Hurricanes set the stage for what should be another thrilling series comparable to their 2022 second-round matchup. The Rangers struck first and opened a two-goal lead in the first period, forcing the Hurricanes to play catchup for the rest of this game.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The full schedule for the second round was released following the completion of the Stars-Golden Knights series.

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, and Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal are the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, honoring this season’s top defensive forward.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the finalists. It’s the third time in four years Barkov has been up for this award, winning in 2020-21. It’s the second time for Staal since 2009-10 when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s the first time for Matthews.

TSN: Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett will be unavailable for Game 1 of his club’s second-round series with the Boston Bruins. He’s been out with an upper-body injury since Game 2 of the Panthers first-round series with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Senators have narrowed their search for their new head coach to four candidates. They are former St. Louis Blues coach Craig Berube, former Los Angeles Kings coach Todd McLellan, former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason and New Jersey Devils interim coach Travis Green.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch reported his sources cannot confirm if the Senators have had formal discussions with Berube yet. He added Berube’s had serious discussions with New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

by | May 4, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 4, 2024

The Canucks advance to the second round, the Golden Knights force Game 7 with the Stars, the Jack Adams Award finalists are revealed, the Penguins make a change to their coaching staff, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs by eliminating the Nashville Predators with a 1-0 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series. Pius Suter scored the only goal with 1:39 remaining in the game and Arturs Silovs made 28 saves as the Canucks will face the Edmonton Oilers in the next round. Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots for the Predators.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs. (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was the fourth straight game in this series that was decided by one goal with the Canucks winning three of those contests. They also got those victories with three different goaltenders. Thatcher Demko won Game 1, Casey DeSmith took Game 3 filling in for the injured Demko, and Silovs got their other two wins from Game 4 onward after DeSmith was sidelined.

The Predators’ popgun powerplay was their biggest weakness, scoring just twice with 22 man-advantage opportunities. They also blew the lead in Games 1 and 4 which proved costly in this series.

There will be a seventh and deciding game in the first-round series between the Dallas Stars and the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. Noah Hanifin and Mark Stone scored in the third period and Adin Hill made 23 saves as the Golden Knights shut out the Stars 2-0. Jake Oettinger turned aside 28 shots for the Stars. Game 7 goes on Sunday, May 5 in Dallas at 7:30 pm EDT.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A solid defensive effort by Vegas made the difference in a goaltender’s duel between Hill and Oettinger. This was also a better-disciplined effort by the Golden Knights, avoiding the costly penalties that led to the Stars’ victories in Games 4 and 5.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators, and Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks are the finalists for the Jack Adams Award as the league’s Coach of the Year for 2023-24.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to Bowness, Brunette and Tocchet. This is the first time Bowness and Tocchet have been named as finalists for this award. It’s the second time for Brunette as he was runner-up in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins fired associate coach Todd Reirden on Friday. He’d been with the club since 2020-21 and oversaw the club’s power play, which fell to 30th overall this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: General manager Kyle Dubas and head coach Mike Sullivan were rumored to be in a “power struggle” over the coaching staff. However, it was clear a change had to be made given the club’s woeful performance on the power play this season.

This could further stoke rumors that Sullivan might quit or get fired but I don’t see either scenario happening. If he were getting fired it would’ve happened by now, especially with notable former NHL coaches like Craig Berube, Todd McLellan, Dean Evason and Gerard Gallant available. Reirden’s firing shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for Sullivan.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews is progressing in his recovery from an undisclosed illness. However, there’s been no determination regarding his availability for Saturday’s Game 7 against the Boston Bruins. The Leafs scoring star was sidelined for Games 5 and 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This will likely be a game-time decision by Matthews and the Leafs depending on how he feels following practice on Saturday.

NEW YORK POST: The Islanders confirmed general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy will return next season. Lamoriello sounded open to the possibility of roster changes during the offseason. Eight players are slated to become free agents, five of them unrestricted.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bolstering the offense should be Lamoriello’s priority. The Isles’ limited scoring punch nearly derailed their playoff hopes and proved costly in their elimination from the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals winger Max Pacioretty isn’t sure what the future holds after this season. The 34-year-old staged a comeback from double Achilles surgery in 2022-23 and played in 47 games this season but admitted being “a shell of my former self” with four goals and 23 points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pacioretty is on a one-year, $2 million contract. With the Capitals transitioning toward younger players, it seems unlikely he’ll be brought back.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

by | May 3, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 3, 2024

The Maple Leafs force Game 7 with the Bruins in their opening-round series. Get the details plus the latest playoff news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAP

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 in Game 6 of their best-of-seven opening-round series. William Nylander scored both goals and Joseph Woll made 22 saves for the Leafs, who overcame a 3-1 series deficit to force a seventh and deciding game in Boston on Saturday. Morgan Geekie scored for the Bruins with one second remaining in the third period and teammate Jeremy Swayman stopped 24 shots. The start time for Game 7 is 8 pm EDT.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead after their listless loss in Game 4, the Leafs have flipped the script in this series. The pressure is now on the Bruins, who return home facing the prospect of blowing a 3-1 series lead and being eliminated from the opening round for the second straight year.

Like their win in Game 5, the Leafs played a solid defensive game to contain the Bruins’ offense. Woll has been solid between the pipes. His teammates are drawing strength and confidence from his steady performance.

Leafs star Auston Matthews remained sidelined by an illness for the second straight game but has returned to skating with his teammate in practice. Nylander, meanwhile, stepped up in this game to fill the void.

After the game, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery called out his club’s leading scorer David Pastrnak. “’Pasta’ needs to step up”, he said. “He needs to be a dominant player like he used to. He’s doing it in flurries, but not consistently.” Pastrnak has two goals and two assists in this series but was held scoreless in the last two games.

Don’t expect a goaltending change for the Bruins in Game 7. Swayman wasn’t to blame for his club’s two losses, giving up only two goals in Game 5 with a .939 save percentage and two in Game 6 (.923). That’s especially true in the first period of both games with the Leafs outshooting the Bruins 11-2 in the fifth game and 12-1 in the sixth.

PLAYOFF NOTEBOOK

NHL.COM: The second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs starts Sunday with Game 1 between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We could learn the start times for other second-round series depending on the outcome of Friday night’s games. The Vancouver Canucks hold a 3-2 series lead as they face the Predators in Nashville while the Dallas Stars are up 3-2 over the Golden Knights as the two clubs face off in Las Vegas.

TSN’s Darren Dreger took to social media on Thursday reporting the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t interested in allowing head coach Rod Brind’Amour to test the open market this summer. He indicated the two sides have recently come together and it “looks encouraging an extension will get done.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brind’Amour’s contract situation drew considerable buzz earlier this week following reports claiming he was uncertain about his future in Carolina after the club pulled their offer from the table.

Brind’Amour responded saying he wanted to stay in Carolina. Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and general manager Don Waddell maintained their confidence that an agreement would be reached soon.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: The Stars are using the Golden Knights’ physical play against them by making them pay on the power play. Two undisciplined penalties by the Golden Knights in the last two games led to the Stars cashing in with the man advantage.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: The Golden Knights need a more disciplined game from top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo if they hope to stave off elimination in Friday’s game against the Stars. He was called out by head coach Bruce Cassidy after his penalty against Dallas winger Tyler Seguin in Game 5 led to the Stars’ game-winning goal.

THE PROVINCE: Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller brought some levity to his teammates by wearing teammate Arturs Silovs’ flashy pink and paisley dress shirt during practice on Thursday. Silovs took Miller’s prank in strike. “It looks good on him,” he laughed.

THE TENNESSEAN: Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn hopes to return to the lineup for Game 6 after an illness sidelined him in Game 5.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers defenseman Adam Fox missed practice on Thursday for the second straight day for a maintenance day. That’s raised concern about the condition of his right knee following a collision with the Washington Capitals’ Nick Jensen on Sunday.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Goaltender Spencer Knight is back with the Panthers after spending the regular season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Knight left the Panthers in February 2023 after being admitted into the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program seeking treatment for OCD.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, Arizona Coyotes goaltender Connor Ingram, and Calgary Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington are this year’s finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists for being recognized for their perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey this season.

TSN: Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis denied a report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan claiming he received an ultimatum from several players demanding the replacement of Dave Hakstol as head coach. Hakstol was fired on Tuesday after three seasons behind the Kraken bench.

“Zero players issued any ultimatums of any kind regarding the coach – that I can assure you,” said Francis. Kraken winger Jordan Eberle also denied the report.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Hurricanes signed a three-year affiliate agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

THE ATHLETIC: Former NHL player Cody Hodgson has retired for the second time. His original retirement was in 2017 after a condition known as malignant hypothermia ended his six-year NHL career.

The 34-year-old center staged a comeback this season, earning an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals. In 13 games, he had six goals and eight points but soon found the symptoms of his condition had returned.

Hodgson said he was at peace with his decision to retire again. His comeback effort brought him a sense of closure that he could still perform at a professional level. “I answered the question that I could play again. Maybe someone else would look at it objectively and conclude something different, but I thought I could keep up with the kids,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Best wishes to Hodgson in his future endeavours.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2024

by | May 2, 2024

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2024

The Oilers advance to the second round, the Stars push the Golden Knights to the brink of elimination, the latest on Rod Brind’Amour’s contract talks with the Hurricanes, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5 of their best-of-seven first-round series. Leon Draisaitl scored twice and Evan Bouchard collected three assists for the Oilers, who will face the winner of the Vancouver Canucks – Nashville Predators series.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers’ special teams made the difference in this series. They were a playoff-leading 45.0 percent on the power play while their penalty kill was a perfect 100 percent. This series ends with Connor McDavid leading all postseason scorers with 12 points, Draisaitl second (10 points) and Bouchard third with nine points.

This is the third straight year that the Oilers have eliminated the Kings from the opening round of the playoffs. That could set the stage for some changes in Los Angeles during the offseason. I’ll have more about that in today’s Rumors update.

The Dallas Stars pushed the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights to the brink of elimination with a 3-2 victory in Game 5 of their first-round series. Jason Robertson snapped a 2-2 tie with a third-period power-play goal and Jake Oettinger made 25 saves as the Stars took a 3-2 series lead. Mark Stone and William Carrier scored for the Golden Knights. Game 6 is Friday, May 3 at 10 PM EDT in Las Vegas.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars overcame a 2-0 deficit in this series to reach the verge of advancing to the second round. Their power-play made the difference in Game 5, going two-for-four with the man advantage.

The Golden Knights were their worst enemies with their undisciplined play in Game 5. Head coach Bruce Cassidy criticized defenseman Alex Pietrangelo for taking a costly roughing penalty for the second straight game. His swat to the head of Stars forward Tyler Seguin led to Robertson’s game-winning goal. “Veteran guy should know better,” he told reporters following the game.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell remains confident he’ll soon reach an agreement on a contract extension with head coach Rod Brind’Amour. His comments came as reports emerged claiming the Hurricanes had pulled a contract offer from the table, leaving Brind’Amour uncertain about his future in Carolina.

“We’re going to get it done,” said Waddell. “I’m not worried about it. He wants to be a Hurricane for life.”

Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon also believes the two sides are close to an agreement. “I think it’s all but done. Don and him are working on it. I don’t think there’s anything there,” Dundon said. “They’re just getting through the last little stuff.”

SPORTSNET: During an appearance Wednesday on ESPN’s “The Point”, Brind’Amour said he wants to stay with the Hurricanes. “Everybody knows this is where I want to be,” he said. “I think everyone knows me to be reasonable and fair. When two parties – listen, on any kind of deal – if they want to work it out, it’s going to work out.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Everyone seems to be singing from the same hymn book amid rumors about Brind’Amour’s future in Carolina. This has become an unnecessary distraction for the Hurricanes as they prepare for their upcoming second-round series with the New York Rangers.

The possibility of Brind’Amour becoming a free agent this summer set the rumor mill ablaze yesterday. He would become the most popular candidate among the six teams (Los Angeles, New Jersey, Ottawa, San Jose, Seattle, and St. Louis) with head-coaching positions to fill.

TAMPA BAY TIMES: Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said he’s spoken to the agents for Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman regarding new contracts. Stamkos is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 while Hedman can become a UFA next July.

BriseBois said he remains “very hopeful” of getting Stamkos signed before July 1. “Obviously, it’s our priority to see if we can get this done,” he said.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stamkos wants to stay and it’s obvious that the Lightning want to keep him. The question is how much he’ll seek on his next contract and for how long. The Lightning have limited salary-cap space for next season which will complicate efforts to sign their captain.

NHL.COM: The Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, the Nashville Predators’ Roman Josi, and the Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar are finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top defenseman.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Congratulations to the three finalists. Josi and Makar are former Norris winners but Hughes is the favorite this year.

THE PROVINCE: Questions are being raised about Elias Pettersson’s performance. The Canucks center hasn’t scored a goal through the first five games of his team’s first-round playoff series with the Predators. Some observers believe he’s struggling with a lack of confidence or playoff pressure while others think he’s nursing a wrist injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson has two assists in this series. Whatever the reason, it’s affected his production since early February. His goal-scoring woes stretch back to the regular season with one goal in his final 13 regular-season games. He also had an 11-game stretch from Feb. 11 to March 3 with just one goal.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers forward Sam Bennett could rejoin his teammates in the second round as they await the winner of the Boston Bruins – Toronto Maple Leafs series. Bennett suffered an injured hand during Game 2 of their first-round series against the Lightning.

PITTSBURGH HOCKEY NOW: The Penguins intend to cut personnel from their business operations. It is not expected to involve anyone from their hockey operations department.