2023 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

by | Jun 2, 2023

2023 Stanley Cup Final Prediction

Well, my Stanley Cup playoff prediction record for this season is in ruins.

I went a respectable four-for-eight in the first round, a pathetic one-for-four in the second round and an embarrassing oh-fer in the Conference Finals.

Honestly, I’ve enjoyed the chaos of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs. I loved seeing the 16th-seeded Florida Panthers reach the Final. It’s been fun watching Jack Eichel giving a good account of himself in his first-ever postseason with the Vegas Golden Knights.

That being said, it’s time to have a laugh and see if I can at least get the Stanley Cup Final right.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS

The Golden Knights got this far by eliminating the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. Meanwhile, the Panthers upset the first-overall Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the second-overall Carolina Hurricanes.

Both clubs are seeking their first Stanley Cup championship.

Looking at the Golden Knights, they should be the favorite to win this series. Their goals-per-game (3.65) is better than the Panthers (3.13). Six Golden Knights – Eichel, Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev, Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Chandler Stephenson – sit among this postseason’s top-15 scorers whereas Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Aleksander Barkov are the only Panthers among that group.

The goaltending appears to be a wash. Vegas’ Adin Hill (2.07 goals-against, .937 goals-against average) has slightly better stats than Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky (2.21 GAA, .935 SP), who is a former two-time Vezina Trophy winner. It’s the first time both netminders have gone this far in postseason play.

Hill was a castoff of the Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks and was a third-stringer for the Golden Knights until pressed into service due to injuries to Logan Thompson and Laurent Brossoit.

Bobrovsky, meanwhile, struggled to regain his former Vezina form after joining the Panthers as a free agent in 2019. He took over midway through the first round with the Panthers down three games to one to the mighty Bruins and carried his club into the Cup Final.

The Golden Knights appear to have a deeper, more experienced roster. Their skilled blueline is anchored by former Stanley Cup champions Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez. They possess plenty of scoring punch with original Golden Knights Marchessault and Reilly Smith being Stanley Cup finalists in 2018 while Barbashev won a Cup in St. Louis with Pietrangelo in 2019.

Nevertheless, I’m drawn to the Panthers. They’re a hardworking underdog that’s been fun to watch during this postseason, upsetting three heavily-favored opponents along the way.

Bobrovsky and Tkachuk are the prime reasons the Panthers have reached this far and must be considered the front-runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Bobrovsky has reminded everyone this spring why he was a two-time Vezina Trophy winner. Tkachuk, meanwhile, has been clutch for the Panthers, leading them in scoring and has four game-winning goals, including three in overtime.

However, the exploits of Bobrovsky and Tkachuk overshadow a solid lineup for the Panthers. Verhaeghe, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad and Anthony Duclair have all stepped up and played well. This club plays an aggressive, physical forechecking style that punishes and frustrates their opponents.

My head tells me to choose the Golden Knights. My heart says to go with the Panthers.

In the end, doesn’t everyone love an underdog story?

PREDICTION: PANTHERS WIN THE STANLEY CUP IN SIX GAMES










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2023

by | May 31, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 31, 2023

Leafs to hire Brad Treliving as general manager, Predators fire John Hynes and hire Andrew Brunette as head coach, the Capitals hire Spencer Carbery as their new head coach, the latest Stanley Cup Final news and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

TSN: Darren Dreger broke the news that the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to hire Brad Treliving as their new general manager. Treliving spent nine seasons as GM of the Calgary Flames before stepping down last month.

Former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving. (NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Leafs were reportedly seeking someone with management experience to replace former GM Kyle Dubas. Treliving certainly has that but whether he can succeed where Dubas failed in terms of ending the Leafs’ 57-year Stanley Cup drought remains to be seen.

Under Treliving, the Flames reached the playoffs five times and finished atop the Pacific Division in 2018-19 and 2021-22. During his tenure, he drafted Matthew Tkachuk, Adam Fox, Sam Bennett, Andrew Mangiapane, Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington and Dillon Dube. Treliving also traded for Dougie Hamilton, Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, Tyler Toffoli, Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Milan Lucic and Travis Hamonic.

However, the Flames also missed the playoffs four times and only reached the second round twice while Treliving was their general manager. He’s also had his share of failures, such as losing Johnny Gaudreau to free agency while the jury remains out on his swap of Tkachuk for Huberdeau and Weegar.

Treliving faces some significant issues with the Leafs. Topping the list is signing Auston Matthews to a contract extension. He must also determine the futures of Leafs stars John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander and the fate of head coach Sheldon Keefe.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators fired head coach John Hynes on Tuesday, replacing him with Andrew Brunette. An assistant coach this season with the New Jersey Devils, Brunette was a 2021-22 finalist for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year after guiding the Florida Panthers to their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Predators incoming general manager Barry Trotz is facing some criticism for leaving Hynes twisting in the wind while he sought new head-coaching candidates given his own history as a long-time NHL head coach.

Nevertheless, Trotz has signaled that change will be afoot for the Predators. He obviously wanted his own man behind the bench and was going to take his time to find him. Now that he has his new bench boss, his focus could shift toward making some roster changes this summer.

WASHINGTON HOCKEY NOW: The Capitals have hired Spencer Carbery as their new head coach. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs leading their power play. Before that, he spent three seasons as head coach of the Capitals’ AHL affiliate in Hershey.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Carbery will be under pressure to quickly reverse the aging Capitals’ fortunes after they missed the postseason for the first time since 2013-14. He’ll be reunited with defenseman Rasmus Sandin, who played under Carbery in Toronto until acquired by the Capitals before the March trade deadline. Meanwhile, Capitals assistant coaches Scott Allen and Bryan Murray will be returning next season. 

TSN: The Calgary Flames reached out to former New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant, who is interested in their vacant head-coaching job.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Vegas Golden Knights’ ongoing success is attributable in part to two former Florida Panthers. The Golden Knights selected Jonathan Marchessault in the 2017 expansion draft when the Panthers left him unprotected. Around the same time, they acquired Reilly Smith in a trade with the Panthers.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Patric Hornqvist has been sidelined since December by a concussion but he remains a valuable member of the Panthers. He’s been on the ice in a non-contact jersey during practices, peppering goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with shots while providing guidance and encouragement to other teammates.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hornqvist remains out for the season and the future of his playing career is murky right now. For the time being, he’s like another assistant coach for the Panthers.

TWINCITIES.COM: After spending several seasons with the Minnesota Wild as an assistant coach, Brett McLean is taking over as head coach of their AHL affiliate in Iowa.

DETROIT HOCKEY NOW: Former Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said he has no interest in joining their front office. Inducted on Sunday into the IIHF Hall of Fame, Zetterberg is spending his days as an unofficial consultant with the Wings as well as with his former Swedish club (Timra) and the Swedish national team. His only active hockey work is helping out with his son’s practices as he puts his focus on his family and a life outside of hockey.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2023

by | May 30, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 30, 2023

The Golden Knights advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the schedule for the Final is released, plus the latest on Milan Lucic, Oliver Wahlstrom and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Vegas Golden Knights are heading to the Stanley Cup Final after blanking the Dallas Stars 6-0 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final to win the series four games to two. It’s the second time in the Golden Knights’ six-season history that they’ve gone to the Cup Final.

Vegas Golden Knights pose with Clarence Campbell Bowl as the 2023 Western Conference champions (NHL.com).

Adin Hill stopped 23 shots for his second career playoff shutout while William Karlsson scored twice and collected an assist. William Carrier, Keegan Kolesar and Michael Amadio each had a goal and an assist.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: As in the Golden Knights’ lopsided victory in Game 3, they jumped out to an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. They dominated the Stars with their aggressive forecheck and exploited the Stars’ defensive breakdowns.

Vegas’ quick start was powered by the fourth line of Carrier, Kolesar and Nicolas Roy. They started the game on the opening faceoff and were key to their club’s quick start with Carrier and Kolesar tallying two of the Golden Knights’ three first-period goals.

It was another tough night for Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger as he gave up all six goals. However, Stars head coach Peter DeBoer pointed out that his club left Oettinger hung out to dry. “We put him in some tough spots,” said DeBoer. “We can’t ask him to win that game all by himself.”

Stars captain Jamie Benn returned to the lineup after serving a two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3. However, he was a non-factor in this game.

The Golden Knights will face off against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final with Game 1 in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 3 at 8 pm ET.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers will have had a 10-day break from the end of the Eastern Conference Final to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. They intend on making the most of it to prepare for the Golden Knights and allow time for banged-up players to recuperate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The downside of such a lengthy break is the Panthers could be rusty when they face off against the Golden Knights on Saturday. Practice helps but is no substitute for game action.

TSN: Milan Lucic is mulling his future after helping Canada win gold at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. The 34-year-old winger is slated to become an unrestricted free agent after spending the past four seasons with the Calgary Flames. He said he’ll spend the next month thinking about the next step in his career and the best fit moving forward.

NEW YORK POST: Oliver Wahlstrom’s role with the Islanders remains unclear heading into the offseason. The 22-year-old restricted free-agent winger is expected to be back with the Isles next season.

Because it’s unclear whether veteran wingers like Pierre Engvall, Zack Parise and Josh Bailey will return next season, it’s unclear whether Wahlstrom will move into a top-six role with the Isles next season.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports NHL sources claimed the sale of the Senators has reached its final pivotal stages. One of the sources believes Toronto billionaire Steve Apostopoulos had the highest bid at $1 billion USD. “It’s getting there,” said one source, adding it’s hoped there will be something announced later this week.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2023

by | May 29, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 29, 2023

The latest on the Golden Knights and Stars ahead of Game 6 of the Western Conference Final and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

LAS VEGAS SUN: The Golden Knights will be looking for their “killer instinct” as they enter a must-win Game 6 in the Western Conference Final tonight in Dallas. After taking a 3-0 series lead, they squandered two opportunities to eliminate the Stars and advance to the Stanley Cup.

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the round prior to the Stanley Cup Final in 47 attempts all-time.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Up three games to two, the advantage still rests with the Golden Knights. However, the momentum in this series has shifted in the Stars’ favor, giving them confidence that they can rally back and win this thing. If the Golden Knights lose tonight, it becomes a winner-take-all in Game 7 on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS: Stars captain Jamie Benn returns to the lineup for Game 6 after serving his two-game suspension for cross-checking Vegas captain Mark Stone in Game 3. To make room for Benn’s return, Stars coach Peter DeBoer could be forced to sit Fredrik Olofsson or Ty Dellandrea. Both could be healthy scratches if sidelined winger Evgenii Dadonov is ready to return from his lower-body injury.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Dellandrea was the hero of Game 5 with a two-goal performance, including the game-winner. He’ll likely remain in the lineup if Dadonov can’t return to action tonight.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said following his brother Matthew’s performance with the Florida Panthers has given him additional motivation for next season. He’s impressed by how Matthew has stepped up at key moments during the Panthers’ playoff run thus far. “That’s something I want to do and I want to provide for Ottawa,” said Brady.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Matthew Tkachuk and teammate Sergei Bobrovsky appear to be neck-and-neck as the front-runners for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Brady, 23, is coming off a career-best 83-point season. The Senators could make significant strides next season if he matches his big brother’s postseason performance.

FOX 5 VEGAS: Former Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty has sold his $11 million Las Vegas home. Pacioretty was traded last summer to the Carolina Hurricanes. The sale price of his home is the highest in the Greater Las Vegas area thus far this year.

NEW YORK POST: The lack of any announcement from the Islanders over the fates of general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Lane Lambert is indicative that both will likely be back in their jobs next season. It’s been a month since the Isles were eliminated from the opening round of the playoffs by the Hurricanes.

THE SCORE: Canada has won its record-setting 28th gold medal at the IIHF World Championship with a 5-2 victory over Germany on Sunday. Tied at 2 entering the third period, Canada tallied three unanswered goals from Sammy Blais, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton.

Host nation Latvia won its first-ever medal at an elite IIHF event by upsetting Team USA 4-3 in overtime to win the bronze medal.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

by | May 28, 2023

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 28, 2023

The Stars beat the Golden Knights again to stay alive in the Western Conference Final plus the latest on Matthew Tkachuk, the Leafs GM search and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars avoided elimination again by doubling up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final. Ty Dellandrea scored the game-winner and the insurance goal in just over a minute and a half midway through the third period while Jake Oettinger got the win with a 27-save performance.

Dallas Stars forward Ty Dellandrea (NHL Images)

The Stars had to overcome 1-0 and 2-1 deficits as the Golden Knights got goals from Ivan Barbashev and Chandler Stephenson. Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault extended his points streak to four games with two assists in this contest.

Game 6 is Monday night in Dallas with the Golden Knights holding a 3-2 series lead.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights still hold the advantage in this series but the momentum has shifted in the Stars’ favor. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy attempted to downplay the pressure now placed on his team after failing to eliminate the Stars in the last two games. Nevertheless, he has to ensure that doubts aren’t starting to creep in among his players after blowing two opportunities to end this series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Meanwhile, the Stars’ confidence has returned. They now believe they can win, which is a much better place to be mentally and emotionally after playing desperation hockey following their disastrous Game 3 performance.

The Stars will also benefit from team captain Jamie Benn returning to the lineup for Game 6 following his two-game suspension, provided he doesn’t let his emotions get the better of him again. They still face elimination but they have to like their chances now as they return to home ice.

With the Stars forcing Game 6 on Monday, the 2023 Stanley Cup Final will officially begin on Saturday, June 3 in either Dallas or Las Vegas.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk joined Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Anderson on the NBA on TNT pregame show on Saturday night ahead of Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Final between the host Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tkachuk bantered for several minutes with the hosts over his performance in the Eastern Conference Final and the postseason thus far. He and his teammates are awaiting the winner of the Western Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have held preliminary discussions with Doug Wilson regarding their vacant general manager position.

Wilson was GM of the San Jose Sharks from 2003 until stepping down in 2022 for medical reasons. With his health improving, he is reportedly interested in returning to the NHL in some capacity.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wilson is just one of several former NHL general managers being interviewed by the Maple Leafs. Others reportedly include Brad Treliving, Marc Bergevin, Peter Chiarelli and Jason Botterill.

TORONTO SUN: The Leafs ongoing search for a new general manager has left their unrestricted free agents such as Luke Schenn in limbo. They’re forced to wait until the dust settles before they can find out if the Leafs intend to bring them back on new contracts.

OTTAWA SUN: The four potential buyers of the Senators met last week with Anna and Olivia Melnyk, daughters of the club’s late owner Eugene Melnyk. They’re among several groups that must sign off on the sale of the franchise. Anna and Olivia wish to maintain a 10 percent stake in the Senators.

A preferred bidder could be selected by the end of this week.

THE SCORE: Germany pulled off a major upset in the IIHF World Championship by defeating Team USA 4-3 in overtime of their semifinal game. They advance to face Canada in the gold-medal game on Sunday.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2023

by | May 27, 2023

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2023

Are the Rangers waiting for Sheldon Keefe or Mike Sullivan to become available as coaching candidates? Could the Golden Knights buy out Robin Lehner? Will the Sharks attempt to trade Kevin Labanc? Check out the latest in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

ARE THE RANGERS WAITING FOR KEEFE OR SULLIVAN?

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks wondered why the Rangers’ search for a new head coach is on hold.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe (NHL.com).

One possibility is Rangers general manager Chris Drury is waiting to see what happens to Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe once that club hires a new GM. Another could be what happens with Pittsburgh Penguins’ bench boss Mike Sullivan if former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas becomes their new general manager.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If Drury is waiting on Keefe he might not be the only general manager doing so. Other clubs, such as the Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals, are also in the market for a new head coach.

By his own admission, Brooks isn’t letting Sullivan’s possible availability go despite him telling his colleague Mollie Walker that he’s not going anywhere. His initial theory was Dubas would bring Keefe with him if the Penguins hired him but that’s not a certainty. For now, we just wait and see.

Brooks shot down the possibility that they’re waiting for Joel Quenneville to be reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. He claimed there’s “no expectation within the industry” that Quenneville (under indefinite suspension since 2021 for his role in the Kyle Beach sexual assault saga) would be reinstated in a timely manner that would make him a candidate for any open head-coaching job “in this current search cycle”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: In other words, not during this offseason.

COULD THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS BUY OUT LEHNER?

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Dan Kingerski points out that Adin Hill is making a strong case to stick with the Golden Knights with his strong performance during their current playoff run. He wondered if they might consider buying out Robin Lehner’s contract and use part of the savings to sign Hill to a long-term deal.

The 27-year-old Hill is slated to become an unrestricted free agent. He’s completing a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.175 million.

Lehner, 31, has missed the entire 2022-23 season recovering from potentially career-threatening hip surgeries. He has two seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $5 million.

Kingerski suggests buying out Lehner would make sense if the Golden Knights can’t keep him on long-term injury reserve for 2023-24. His cap hit would then be reduced to $750K for 2023-24, rising to $2.25 million for 2024-25 and then falling to $1.75 million for the remaining two years of the buyout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lehner must be medically cleared to play in order for Vegas to buy out his contract. So far, there’s no indication yet that he will receive that clearance during the buyout period in late June.

WILL THE SHARKS SHOP LABANC?

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Max Miller noted that trade rumors are starting to swirl about Kevin Labanc. The San Jose Sharks winger is a year away from unrestricted free-agent eligibility. With the club carrying so many high-salaried players with no-trade/no-movement clauses (Erik Karlsson, Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl), the 27-year-old Labanc could become a prime cost-cutting trade candidate.

Given Labanc’s offensive struggles since his career-best 56-point performance in 2018-19, Miller doesn’t expect the Sharks would get much in return for him. Maybe a team seeking some offensive depth such as the New York Islanders might take a chance on him.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Speculation over whether the Sharks will trade Karlsson has dominated the Sharks rumor mill. Nevertheless, we can’t rule out the possibility that GM Mike Grier can find a taker for Labanc. Given his salary and with just a year left on Labanc’s contract, Grier might be more receptive to retaining part of his cap hit to facilitate a trade than he would for Karlsson.