NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

by | May 27, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 27, 2025

In today’s NHL Rumor Mill, we look at this summer’s notable potential offer sheet candidates, and which ones might be targeted by the Canucks and Mammoth.

THE SCORE: Sean O’Leary looked at this year’s top offer-sheet candidates.

O’Leary starts by reminding us that teams can only surrender their own draft picks as compensation, that any restricted free agent who files for arbitration by the July 5 deadline is ineligible to sign an offer sheet, and that teams have seven days to match an offer signed by their player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We must also remember that an RFA player must be willing to sign an offer from a rival club. Just because a player may be considered an offer-sheet candidate by fans and pundits doesn’t mean he’s interested in signing one.

Arbitration-eligible players sometimes file simply to avoid getting offers from rival clubs, preferring to focus on re-signing with their current team before their arbitration hearing dates.

O’Leary also put up the compensation tiers for the offseason (which you can see by following the link above).

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (NHL Images).

In the “Pipe Dream” category are winger Matthew Knies of the Toronto Maple Leafs and defenseman Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. O’Leary noted that Knies last week scoffed at the notion of signing an offer sheet. Meanwhile, Bouchard is likely reluctant to leave a contender while less than half the league has adequate draft picks to offer the Oilers the second-highest compensation level (two first-rounders, a second and a third).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A team would have to offer up a salary between $9.36 million and $11.7 million to Bouchard to tempt him, which is the second-highest salary tier. I’ve speculated that it’ll cost the Oilers around $10 million annually to sign him. It’s worth noting that Bouchard is eligible for arbitration.

O’Leary has Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi and Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka among his “Long shots who might be worth a try”. Others include Anaheim Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal or center Mason McTavish, and New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s assuming those players aren’t re-signed before July 1. Vilardi, Dostal and Dobson are arbitraiton-eligible.

One significant factor is that all those teams have plenty of salary-cap space to match an offer sheet. Unless the goal is forcing a team to spend more than they intended to re-sign the player, it’s a waste of time going that route.

As one NHL general manager pointed out (see below), it can backfire on the team making the offer, putting them in a vulnerable position for a future retaliatory offer sheet to one of their RFAs when they have limited cap space.

Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild and Will Cuylle of the New York Rangers fall under O’Leary’s “Cheap-value targets”.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re the most likely on O’Leary’s list to receive offer sheets this summer. Both are coming off entry-level contracts and lack arbitration rights. They would also be more affordable, falling within the third-tier compensation level (a first and a second-round pick) if they receive offers between $4.68 million and $7.020 million.

The Wild have over $16 million in cap space. They can afford to match an offer for Rossi, but there have been questions about his role and his future in Minnesota. They must also ensure they have sufficient cap room beyond next season to re-sign superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov. Rossi could be traded before July 1.

Cap space is a bigger issue for the Rangers, with $8.42 million available with 19 active roster players under contract. They could move a high-priced veteran this summer to free up room to re-sign Cuylle and perhaps add a player via trade or free agency.

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal looked at possible offer-sheet targets for the Vancouver Canucks. Among the players on their list was Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Byram is also arbitration-eligible. The Sabres are reportedly gauging his value in the trade market, which suggests he could be under contract with a new club before July 1.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE: Belle Fraser wondered if the Utah Mammoth might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

General manager Bill Armstrong seemed a bit hesitant when questioned about it last month. “People have to realize that when you put an offer sheet in, it has to work, it has to make sense”, said Armstrong. “It just can’t aggravate the other team because they’re going to come after you at some point in time and run up your salaries.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If you’re going to sign a player to an offer sheet, you must be sure that you will be successful, as the St. Louis Blues were last summer by signing away Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway from the cap-strapped Edmonton Oilers.

Otherwise, you get a situation as in 2019, when the Carolina Hurricanes matched an offer from the Montreal Canadiens for Sebastian Aho. Two years later, the Hurricanes successfully signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi from the Canadiens.

I expect Armstrong will make a significant addition to his roster this summer, but it’ll be through a trade or by signing an unrestricted free agent.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

by | May 21, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 21, 2025

The Panthers defeat the Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, the highlights of the Leafs and Jets end-of-season interviews, an update on the CBA talks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PANTHERS TAKE GAME 1 OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL

NHL.COM: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves to backstop his club to a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Carter Verhaeghe had a goal and an assist while Aaron Ekblad tallied the winning goal in the first period. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho cut the lead to 2-1, but the Panthers put the game out of reach on goals by A.J. Greer, Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen.

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (NHL Images).

Game 2 is in Raleigh on Thursday, May 22, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers only had a one-day break from eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday before facing the Hurricanes. Nevertheless, they opened the scoring, never relinquished the lead thanks partly to Bobrovsky’s solid goaltending, and made the most of their opportunities while adjusting to their new opponent.

The Hurricanes tried to get under Bobrovsky’s skin with frequent contact, but he shook it off and remained focused. Carolina captain Jordan Staal summed up the game by saying the Panthers capitalized on their scoring chances and the Hurricanes didn’t.

Florida’s Brad Marchand was tossed from the game in the third period for tussling with Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere after the latter appeared to shoot the puck intentionally at Marchand. The Panthers winger got a four-minute roughing minor and a 10-minute misconduct, while Gostisbehere received a minor for roughing.

Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers is on Wednesday, May 21, in Dallas at 8 pm ET.

HEADLINES

THE ATHLETIC: Auston Matthews declined to disclose the specifics of an injury that plagued him throughout this season during the Toronto Maple Leafs’ end-of-season media availability. Matthews said he suffered the injury during training camp and wouldn’t require surgery, saying he believes he’ll be fully healthy next season.

Mitch Marner’s return to the Leafs remains in doubt. The 28-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He said he’ll talk with his wife in the coming weeks about his next steps. Marner tried to put an optimistic spin on what playing in Toronto meant to him, but his voice seemed to be a mix of resignation and disappointment.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’ll have the latest Marner speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

John Tavares is also UFA-eligible on July 1. However, the 34-year-old center remains “very optimistic” that he’ll be back next season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Leafs head coach Craig Berube said he’d love to have Tavares and Marner return next season. He’ll likely get his wish with Tavares but not with Marner.

Max Pacioretty had a solid postseason with the Leafs, but seems to be considering retirement. Injuries have limited the 36-year-old winger to 37 regular-season and 11 postseason games with the Leafs.

Matthew Knies is slated to become a restricted free agent without arbitration rights on July 1. The 22-year-old winger could receive an offer sheet from a rival club, but he shot down that notion. “I want to be here, I want to play here, that’s all that really matters to me.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There has been recent speculation over which RFA players could get offer sheets this summer. That’s because of the rising salary cap and last summer’s successful signings of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg by the St. Louis Blues.

However, the player has to be receptive to signing an offer sheet. Knies doesn’t sound like he’s open to the idea.

Goaltender Anthony Stolarz said he suffered a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Panthers. He missed Games 2 through 6, returning as a backup for Game 7.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Stolarz said he suffered the injury after being struck in the head by the forearm of Panthers center Sam Bennett. He didn’t believe there was any ill intent on Bennett’s part.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck believes the adjustments he made to his game may have resulted in a drop in his performance during the postseason.

Hellebuyck made the comments during his club’s end-of-season media availability. He struggled at times, getting pulled three times during their first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. Hellebucyk admitted he overthought the game at times.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey suffered a strained knee ligament in Game 6 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars. He admitted he would’ve been out for the rest of the playoffs had the Jets forced a Game 7. Morrissey indicated that he wouldn’t require surgery.

Jets blueliner Luke Schenn said he suffered a couple of cracked ribs during the second game of their first-round series with the Blues.

THE ATHLETIC: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league and the NHL Players Association have made good progress in their current collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

According to Daly, the talks began last month and are well underway. He remains optimistic of a successful conclusion well before the September 2026 expiration of the current agreement.

Daly confirmed that future rules regarding the usage of long-term injury reserve have been a central part of the discussions, adding that there has been good progress in those talks. He also insisted the league isn’t looking to expand and hasn’t been soliciting bids, though there have been some conversations with various potential owners.

The deputy commissioner also indicated that there have been no discussions regarding a change to the playoff format.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see what changes emerge in the next CBA, but it’s good news for fans (and those of us who cover the league) that a new agreement could be in place soon. We’ve enjoyed over 12 years of labor peace. Nobody wants another lockout.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This isn’t surprising given the Bruins’ overall record under Sweeney. Nevertheless, the reaction seems mixed among the club’s followers, some of whom believe it’s time for a change in the front office.

NYI HOCKEY NOW: New York Islanders center Bo Horvat suffered a lower-body injury playing for Canada in the World Championships. He’s left the team early and returned to Long Island to meet with the Isles’ team doctors.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Nick Jensen underwent surgery on Monday for a lower-body ailment. There is no timeline for his recovery.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 19, 2025

Check out the latest on the Leafs and the Senators in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LEAFS?

DAILY FACEOFF: Matt Larkin believes the Toronto Maple Leafs cannot return with the same core next season following another disappointing playoff meltdown.

Larkin doesn’t think Auston Matthews and William Nylander are going anywhere because they’ve just commenced their long-term extension. However, forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 and face uncertain futures.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby expects changes among the “Core Four” forwards. He doubts the Leafs will break the bank to keep Marner in Toronto. Meanwhile, Tavares will be 35 when next season starts, and his idea of a hometown discount could differ from management’s.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner (NHL Images).

Hornby pointed out that winger Matthew Knies is coming off his entry-level contract, becoming a restricted free agent unless he signs an extension before July 1. The 22-year-old power forward could also receive a lucrative offer sheet from a rival club.

THE ATHLETIC: James Mirtle doesn’t see the Leafs retaining team president Brendan Shanahan. After 11 years at the helm, his contract is up at the end of this season.

Mirtle doesn’t expect Marner will be back, pointing out his unwillingness to negotiate a contract during this season and the club’s attempt to move him at the trade deadline. They could retain Tavares at a deep discount, but that might not make sense given he had only three even-strength points in this postseason.

Chris Johnston believes the clock is ticking on Marner’s days with the Leafs. He could become the highest-profile player in this summer’s UFA market. Shouldering a disproportionate share of the blame for the Leafs’ playoff failures could make free agency more alluring to him.

Jonas Siegel sees this as the end of the “Shanaplan” and the “Core Four” era in Toronto.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We’ve expected changes from Toronto since they blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to the underdog Montreal Canadiens in 2021. This time, however, it feels like significant change is finally coming. They have to. The patience of Leafs Nation is finally tapped out.

Shanahan, Marner and Tavares are on expiring contracts. It’s time for a change in oversight, and it’s time for a shakeup among their core players.

Letting Marner and Tavares walk enables the Leafs to put the dollars they would’ve invested in those two into players who might better suit their needs.

They have a projected cap space of $26.8 million with 16 active roster players (including Matthews, Nylander, and Morgan Rielly) under contract for next season.

That’s enough to make a significant addition or two via trade or free agency and have enough to re-sign Knies to a long-term deal.

THE LATEST ON THE SENATORS

SPORTSNET: Alex Adams was asked about possible offseason targets for the Ottawa Senators.

He thinks pending UFA winger Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets would be a perfect fit alongside Tim Stutzle. Adding a right-shot defenseman like Florida’s Aaron Ekblad or Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames would be nice, but Adams wondered if they could make a move for a Nick Jensen-type player like Michael Kesselring of the Utah Mammoth.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators have $17.5 million available with 14 active roster players under contract, with UFA-eligible forward Claude Giroux and pending RFAs Fabian Zetterlund and Tyler Kleven to re-sign. They’ll also need a backup for Linus Ullmark if Anton Forsberg departs via free agency.

Assuming those players are affordable re-signings, the Senators won’t have much wiggle room to pursue guys like Ehlers and Ekblad. Andersson has a year left on his contract but could sign an extension with the Flames this summer. If he becomes available, the Flames will set a high asking price. Kesselring is also under contract for another year. Utah has no reason to move him.

THE ATHLETIC: Julian McKenzie was asked if the Senators might go the offer-sheet route this summer.

McKenzie is keeping his expectations low, pointing out the Senators are keeping their 2025 first-round pick, meaning they’ll forfeit their 2026 pick because of the Evgenii Dadonov trade debacle three years ago. He also pointed out they don’t have their 2026 second-rounder.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators only have the necessary offer-sheet compensations for deals worth an average annual value of between $1.544 million and $2.34 million. That will cost a 2026 third-rounder. Anything under $1.544 million has no compensation penalty.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

by | May 19, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 19, 2025

The Panthers eliminate the Maple Leafs and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Check out the recap and the fallout in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Florida Panthers advanced to the Eastern Conference Final by thumping the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 of their second-round series.

Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each had a goal and two assists, Seth Jones and Aleksander Barkov each collected two points, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the win. Max Domi scored the lone Leafs goal.

Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand (NHL Images).

Marchand became the first player in NHL history to defeat the same team in five Game 7 appearances. He also has the most points (10 in 13 games) in Game 7s among active players.

Panthers winger Evan Rodrigues returned to action after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury. Maple Leafs winger Matthew Knies also played after leaving Game 6 in the first period with an injury.

Referee Chris Rooney left the game early in the second period after being accidentally clipped in the face by the stick of Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola. He received a cut above the eye that required stitches and missed the rest of this contest. Standby official Garrett Rank replace him.

The Panthers will appear in their third straight Eastern Conference Final. They face off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, May 20, in Raleigh at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers reminded everyone in this game why they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions. They weren’t rattled by losing Game 6, came out strong to start this game and were relentless as this contest progressed. They set the tempo early and never let up, squeezing away what little will to win the Leafs had.

Florida coach Paul Maurice tried to downplay his club’s dominance, claiming the puck just went their way. He’s just being kind toward an opponent that has consistently shown since 2018 that they can’t rise to the occasion when it matters most.

Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who appeared to be hampered by an injury in this postseason, felt there were “too many passengers” among his teammates in this game. He believes they came out strong and had a good start, but struggled after falling behind 2-0 and couldn’t get back into the game.

Toronto coach Craig Berube believes the memory of previous failures hurt his club in this series. “For me, it’s all between the ears. It’s a mindset,” he said. Berube wasn’t part of those previous failures, but he has a lot of work ahead to help his mentally fragile team.

As expected, there are plenty of opinions in the Toronto media over what’s next for the Maple Leafs after another disappointing playoff exit. I’ll have the highlights in today’s Rumor Mill.

IN OTHER NEWS…

ROTOWIRE: Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey required further evaluation after suffering a knee injury during Game 6 of his club’s second-round series against the Dallas Stars. Jets coach Scott Arniel said the injury “wasn’t good.” The Jets were eliminated in that game.

SPORTSNET: Hockey fans donated over $46K to the Jets’ charitable foundation to support Mark Scheifele, whose father died suddenly hours before Game 6 against the Stars. Many fans made $55 donations in honor of Scheifele’s jersey number.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The hockey community rallied around Scheifele, with a number of donations from Dallas fans.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

by | May 18, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 18, 2025

The Stars advance to the Western Conference Final amid a heartbreaking personal loss for Jets center Mark Scheifele, the Panthers and Maple Leafs prepare for Game 7, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Dallas Stars advanced to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley (NHL Images)

Thomas Harley scored the game-winner on a power-play goal at 1:33 of overtime. Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for the win and Sam Steel tallied the tying goal for the Stars, who will face the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year in the Conference Final.

Harley’s goal came with Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele in the penalty box for tripping late in the third period. Scheifele opened the scoring in this game, opting to play despite his father passing away suddenly the night before.

Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey left the game with a lower-body injury after getting tangled with Stars winger Mikko Rantanen late in the second period.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a heartbreaking defeat for Scheifele and his teammates. Following the game, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Scheifele told him he would play because that’s what his father would’ve wanted.

The Stars players and coaches took the time to offer condolences to Scheifele in the postgame handshake lineup, especially Mason Marchment, who lost his father three years ago.

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus reported that Marchment said he was trying to help Scheifele with some kind words that helped him back following his own father’s death. He also praised the Jets center for deciding to play despite his loss. “At the end of the day, we’re all just people. And when you treat someone with respect, I think it means a lot,” said Marchment.

The hockey community rallied to support Scheifele, raising more than $30K in $55 donations (honoring Scheifele’s No. 55) to the Jets’ charitable fund, True North Youth Foundation. Many of the donations came from Dallas Stars fans.

NHL.COM: The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are feeling the pressure heading into Game 7 of their second-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. They’ll try to draw on their experience in these situations (eliminating Boston in their 2023 first-round series, defeating Edmonton in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final) to help them advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

TORONTO SUN: The status of Leafs winger Matthew Knies remains uncertain for Game 7. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the Leafs’ 2-0 victory in Game 6.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Game 7 is in Toronto on Sunday, starting at 7:30 pm ET.

NHL.COM: The Western Conference Final between the Stars and Oilers begins in Dallas on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 pm ET.

The Eastern Conference Final opens on Tuesday, May 20 at 8 PM ET. If the Leafs win, the series starts in Toronto against the Carolina Hurricanes. If the Panthers win, the series begins in Carolina.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin confirmed he will return next season. He’s coming off a historic 20th NHL season where he broke the all-time goal-scoring record while helping the Capitals finish first in the Eastern Conference.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ovechkin turns 40 in September and has one year remaining on his contract. It could be last in the NHL, depending on how next season unfolds.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOWS: Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon acknowledged a lack of scoring against the Edmonton Oilers led to his club’s second-round elimination. However, he chalked that up to the Oilers’ strong defensive play during that series.

McCrimmon acknowledged several players (Tanner Pearson, Victor Olofsson, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad and Ilya Samsonov) are eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1. He praised their performances, suggesting a good case can be made to re-sign them.

The Golden Knights GM indicated “a couple of guys” played through injuries, but none will require offseason surgery.

LAS VEGAS SUN: McCrimmon also hopes to sign Jack Eichel to a contract extension this summer. The 28-year-old first-line center is UFA-eligible next July.

ROTOWIRE: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury ahead of the Eastern Conference Final.

SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Sharks are reportedly close to an agreement to remain at the SAP Center until 2050.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2025

by | May 17, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 17, 2025

The Maple Leafs avoided elimination and forced Game 7 with the Panthers, Stars captain Jamie Benn fined, the Oilers could get two sidelined players back for the Western Conference Final, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination with a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 6 of their second-round series.

Joseph Woll had a 22-save shutout, Auston Matthews scored the game-winner, and Max Pacioretty netted the insurance goal for the Leafs. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 15 shots for the Panthers.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews (NHL Images).

The series returns to Toronto for the seventh and deciding game on Sunday, May 18, at 7:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Given up for dead by their fans and pundits following their disastrous 6-1 loss in Game 5, this was a solid bounce-back performance by the Leafs.

Matthews (who appears to be hampered by an undisclosed injury) scored the biggest goal of his career, Woll shook off his horrible Game 5 outing, and Pacioretty continues to enjoy a strong comeback from an injury-hampered regular season.

The Leafs put up their best defensive effort of the postseason in this contest, effectively stifling the Panthers’ offensive attack.

Having avoided elimination in Florida, the Leafs return home facing their seventh Game 7, needing to snap a six-game losing skid in those situations to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

The Leafs could go into that contest without power forward Matthew Knies. The 22-year-old winger suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 6.

This will be one of the most consequential games in franchise history. A loss will mean the end of the “Core Four Era” of the Maple Leafs, ensuring the departures of Mitch Marner and John Tavares via free agency on July 1. It could also start the clock ticking on Matthews’ departure when his four-year contract expires in 2028.

TSN: Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn was fined $5,000.00 for roughing Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele in Game 5 of their second-round series on Thursday. Game 6 of their series is on Saturday in Dallas at 8 pm ET, with the Stars holding a 3-2 series lead.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and backup goaltender Calvin Pickard will not play in Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Final. However, the two sidelined players are expected to return to action later in that series. The Oilers await the winner of the Jets-Stars series.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: As his contract with the Washington Capitals expires, Nicklas Backstrom will resume his playing career where it began. The 37-year-old center reportedly signed with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League. Backstrom has been sidelined since October 2023 amid chronic hip issues.

DAILY FACEOFF: Speaking of the Capitals, they signed prospect defenseman Ryan Chesley to a three-year entry-level contract. They chose him in the second round (37th) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

RG.ORG: Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov has praise for his former head coach John Tortorella. He considered Tortorella the best coach he could’ve had for his first NHL season. Michkov acknowledged they occasionally disagreed, but insisted they had a great relationship, adding he was grateful for what Tortorella taught him.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov is a finalist for KHL Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old winger had 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points in 65 games with SKA St. Petersburg. He joined the Canadiens late this season, collecting two points in two games, and two assists in five playoff contests.

THE SCORE: The Minnesota Wild signed prospect forward Danila Yurov to a three-year, entry-level contract. He was chosen 24th overall in the 2022 Draft.

TSN: The judge in the trial of five former members of Canada’s 2018 Junior team dismissed the jury after a juror complained that defense lawyers were acting unprofessionally. This came three weeks after a juror’s complaint about one of the defense lawyers led to a mistrial.

The trial will continue before a judge alone.