NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2025

by | May 13, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 13, 2025

The Oilers and Hurricanes take commanding 3-1 leads in their second-round series, Ken Holland is expected to be named the next GM of the Kings, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPPING MONDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner made 23 saves to shut out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 4 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (NHL Images).

Adam Henrique scored two goals and Evander Kane had a goal and an assist for the Oilers, who hold a 3-1 lead in the series. Adin Hill stopped 29 shots for the Golden Knights.

The Oilers can wrap things up on Wednesday, May 14, in Las Vegas at 9:30 PM ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was a dominating performance by the Oilers, especially in the fast-paced first period, where Henrique scored his goals as the action was end-to-end for most of that frame. They were physical from the start, generating plenty of traffic around the Vegas net, and played with consistent, determined energy that the Golden Knights couldn’t match.

Another effort like that by the Oilers in Game 5, and they’ll be heading to the Western Conference Final for the third time in four years.

Carolina Hurricanes forwards Sean Walker and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of their second-round series.

Frederik Andersen turned aside 19 shots for the Hurricanes, who’ve taken a 3-1 stranglehold on this series. Jakob Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin scored for the Capitals and Logan Thompson kicked out 32 shots.

The Hurricanes can win this series and advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years on Thursday, May 15, in Washington at 7 pm ET

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Washington had a strong start for the second straight game but failed to capitalize. The Hurricanes soon took over, dominating the Capitals over the remainder of the game. Ovechkin scored his first goal of this series on a 5-on-3 power-play, but the Hurricanes’ checkers have otherwise neutralized him.

HEADLINES

MAYOR’S MANOR: The Los Angeles Kings are expected to name Ken Holland as their new general manager this week. The announcement could come as early as Tuesday, May 13.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Holland spent this season as an NHL operations department consultant. He has an impressive resume from his 27 years with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, including three Stanley Cups with the Wings and building the Oilers into a Cup Finalist last season.

The Kings have been a playoff club for the past four seasons, but were eliminated by the Oilers in the opening round four times. They’ll look to Holland to help them take the next step toward Cup contention.

NHL.COM: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was fined $5,000 for boarding Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov during Game 4 of their second-round series on Sunday.

ROTOWIRE: Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues is questionable for Game 5 against the Leafs on Wednesday, May 14. He suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 4.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: The Jets hope to improve their struggling power play for Game 4 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars. They are 1-for-13 with the man advantage through the first three games. The Stars lead the series two games to one.

DAILY FACEOFF: Top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna’s historic WHL points streak ended at 54 games. The Medicine Hat Tigers’ forward was held scoreless in a 6-2 loss to the Spokane Chiefs in Game 2 of the WHL Championship Series.

McKenna, 17, finished second among this season’s WHL scorers with 129 points in 56 games. He has 37 points in 16 playoff games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McKenna has been compared to Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and Chicago Blackhawks’ star Connor Bedard. He is already expected to be the first-overall pick in the 2026 draft.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Former NHL center Stefan Matteau has announced his retirement. The son of former NHL winger Stephane Matteau, Stefan was selected in the first round (29th overall) by the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 draft. He spent eight seasons with the Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche. Matteau had six goals and five assists for 11 points in 92 games.










NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

by | May 12, 2025

NHL Rumor Mill – May 12, 2025

Check out the most recent Canadiens and Oilers speculation in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE MONTREAL GAZETTE: Pat Hickey looked at ways the Canadiens can address their need for a second-line center during the offseason.

He suggested finding a 30-something center who can hold the fort for a few years until promising players like Owen, Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. That list included pending unrestricted free agents like Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche, Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, or John Tavares of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: All three would be ideal, and all three aren’t likely to suit up for the Canadiens next summer. They’ll be expensive and likely prefer signing with Cup contenders at this stage of their long careers.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett (NHL Images).

Hickey suggested Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers as an ideal option if Canadiens management isn’t sold on those young centers as long-term solutions.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers will probably re-sign Bennett, who’ll be more affordable to retain than Sam Reinhart was last summer. He would be the perfect choice to center the Canadiens’ second line, but they’ll face stiff competition from other clubs for his services.

If the Canadiens wish to go the offer-sheet route, Mason McTavish of the Anaheim Ducks would be a suitable target. The 22-year-old center has good size, wins faceoffs, and might relish an opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hickey’s not the only pundit or blogger to muse about McTavish’s availability. I recall one speculating that he could become expendable if the Ducks decide to move Cutter Gauthier to center their second line. That’s probably wishful thinking, but he would be worth pursuing if available.

Like Bennett, McTavish would draw interest from a lot of teams. The Ducks also have the cap space to match any offer, so a trade might be the only way to get him.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Kurt Leavins generally agrees with the criticism of the defensive play of Oilers blueliner Evan Bouchard. The 25-year-old reargaurd will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights on July 1.

However, Leavins also pointed out that Bouchard has proven he’s a big enough player with a long enough reach to defend capably in the playoffs. He’s also an elite point getter and they don’t grow on trees.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some folks scoff when I’ve suggested Bouchard could get over $10 million annually on a long-term deal from the Oilers. His timely offense, especially in the playoffs, ensures he’ll get a substantial raise on his next contract.

Bouchard’s an invaluable part of the Oilers’ core. They’ll be fortunate if his camp accepts less than $10 million annually.

Leavins also weighed in on Oilers fans who howled for the club to acquire a true starting goaltender at the trade deadline. He believes the offseason was always going to be the better time to find one of those.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The pickings were slim for goalies before the trade deadline and they’re not much better this summer. Jake Allen of the New Jersey Devils is the best of the bunch in the UFA market, followed by Anton Forsberg of the Ottawa Senators, Dan Vladar of the Calgary Flames and David Rittich of the Los Angeles Kings. They’re solid backups, but none of them are reliable starters.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2025

by | May 11, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 11, 2025

The Hurricanes regain the series lead over the Capitals, the Golden Knights get their first win in their second-round series with the Oilers, six more skaters are named to the Quarter-Century Team, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen had a 21-save shutout to blank the Washington Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (NHL Images).

Andrei Svechnikov’s first goal of this series was the game-winner, while Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist. Capitals goalie Logan Thompson stopped 24 shots.

The Hurricanes lead this series two games to one. Game 4 is in Raleigh on Monday, May 12, at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Capitals had a solid first period, but the Hurricanes seized control of this game in the second period. Their special teams made the difference, scoring on both power-play opportunities and killing off two penalties.

A last-second goal by Reilly Smith lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their second-round series.

Smith finished with two goals for Vegas, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit as Oilers winger Corey Perry tallied twice to open the scoring. William Karlsson gave the Golden Knights the lead in the second period, but Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied it late in the third. This game seemed headed to overtime until Smith put it away with 0.4 seconds left.

The Oilers hold a 2-1 lead in this series. Game 4 is in Edmonton on Monday at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Vegas winger Pavel Dorofeyev made his series debut after being sidelined since Game 6 of their first-round series with Minnesota. However, Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left this game with an upper-body injury following a collision with Perry in the first period.

A lower-body injury to Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard (day-to-day) led to Stuart Skinner’s first start since Game 2 of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Skinner finished with 20 saves.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: Six skaters who made their NHL debuts after 2010 were named to the league’s Quarter-Century team.

Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are among the six, along with Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, and former Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau.

Six goaltenders will be revealed on Sunday, May 11.

TSN: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said goaltender Anthony Stolarz is “progressing in the right direction” in his recovery from an upper-body injury. However, he has not yet resumed skating.

Stolarz was injured in Game 1 after taking a shot off his mask and a forearm to the head by Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett. He was replaced by Joseph Woll as the Leafs hold a 2-1 series lead, with Game 4 on Sunday.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Anaheim Ducks parted ways with assistant coaches Brent Thompson and Rich Clune. New head coach Joel Quenneville is expected to name his own coaching staff.

THE ATHLETIC: Columbus Blue Jackets prospect center Cayden Lindstrom returned to action after missing 13 months with a back injury, collecting an assist for the Medicine Hat Tigers in a 4-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs in Game 1 of their WHL Championship series.

Lindstrom, 19, was chosen fourth overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2024 NHL Draft. He underwent surgery on Nov. 20.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2025

by | May 9, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 9, 2025

The Oilers take a two-game lead over the Golden Knights, the Capitals tie their series with the Hurricanes, the first six players of the Quarter-Century Team are announced, the Ducks name Joel Quenneville as their new coach, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES

NHL.COM: An overtime goal by Leon Draisaitl lifted the Edmonton Oilers to a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (NHL Images).

The Oilers held a 4-2 lead early in the third period, but the Golden Knights got goals from Victor Olofsson and Alex Pietrangelo to force the extra frame. Connor McDavid collected the assist on Draisaitl’s winning goal while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin each collected two points. Olofsson finished with two goals and an assist and Jack Eichel had three helpers for the Golden Knights.

This series moves to Edmonton for the next two games, with the Oilers holding a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 is on Saturday, May 10, at 9 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Edmonton’s depth made the difference in this game, getting goals from Podkolzin, Jake Walman, Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane.

The Oilers have won six straight playoff games, all of them comeback victories. Those wins came with goaltender Calvin Pickard between the pipes. He’s 6-0 in this postseason.

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy was upset that Arvidsson wasn’t penalized for shoving Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb into the boards moments before Draisaitl’s goal, leaving McNabb with an injured left arm.

Earlier in the period, Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Oilers forward Trent Frederic in the face. The Oilers failed to score on the ensuing power play.

Vegas winger Pavel Dorofeyev missed his second straight game in this series with an undisclosed injury. He also missed his club’s series-clinching victory against the Minnesota Wild.

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 27 shots (including 16 in the third period) in a 3-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, tying their second-round series at a game apiece.

Connor McMichael, John Carlson and Tom Wilson scored for the Capitals, with Wilson collecting an assist on Carlson’s goal. Shayne Gostisbehere replied for the Hurricanes.

The series shifts to Carolina for the next two games, with Game 3 on Saturday at 6 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A better team effort by the Capitals in this game, though at times they were hanging on for dear life in the third period. Thompson was solid again for the Capitals and has been their most valuable player thus far in this postseason.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The first six skaters named to the league’s Quarter-Century Team were unveiled on Thursday. The group was made up of players who debuted before 2000.

They are defenseman Zdeno Chara, winger Jarome Iginla, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, center Joe Sakic, winger Teemu Selanne, and center Joe Thornton.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Four of them (Iginla, Lidstrom, Sakic and Selanne) are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Chara and Thornton will be joining them soon.

The next seven skaters will be revealed on Friday, May 9, and will be comprised of players who debuted between 2000 and 2010. It’s safe to assume Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin will be on that list.

THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: The Ducks named Joel Quenneville their new head coach.

Quenneville is second in career wins by an NHL coach (969) and won three Stanley Cups as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. However, he stepped down as head coach of the Florida Panthers in 2021 for his role in failing to adequately address sexual allegations by Chicago player Kyle Beach against the Blackhawks’ video coach in 2010. The league banned Quenneville from coaching for three years.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek told reporters that the club had conducted its due diligence into the efforts Quenneville made during his banishment to atone for his actions, which included working with groups that deal with sexual assault and helping survivors. Quenneville expressed remorse for his actions and took full responsibility.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers believe Quenneville should never coach in the NHL again. Others think he’s paid the price for his actions and should be given a second chance.

It was inevitable that Quenneville would land another NHL coaching job after former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman (who also received a three-year ban from the league for his role in the coverup) was named GM of the Oilers last summer.

I’m curious about Beach’s reaction to this news. When the Oilers hired Bowman, he said he contacted Beach beforehand, claiming he had an “encouraging conversation” with the former player.

Time will tell if Quenneville can coach the rebuilding Ducks into becoming a playoff contender. Despite his impressive coaching resume, it’s been four years since he was last behind an NHL bench.

TORONTO SUN: Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz did not travel with his teammates to Florida for Games 3 and 4 of their second-round series with the Panthers. Stolarz suffered a head injury following a Game 1 collision with Panthers center Sam Bennett. The Leafs hold a 2-0 series lead.

TSN: On Thursday, Winnipeg Jets defensemen Josh Morrissey and Logan Stanley participated in the club’s optional skate. They are game-time decisions for Game 2 on Friday against the Dallas Stars, who hold a 1-0 lead in their second-round series.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington and center Brayden Schenn have joined Canada’s roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark.

DAILY FACEOFF: New Jersey Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic underwent knee surgery on Thursday and won’t be ready for training camp in September.

Former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Frank Caprice died on Thursday at age 63. He spent six seasons with the Canucks from 1982-83 to 1987-88, with a record of 31 wins, 46 losses and 11 ties in 102 games with a 4.20 goals-against average, a save percentage of .859, and one shutout.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Caprice’s family, friends, former teammates and the Canucks organization.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

by | May 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 7, 2025

The Oilers and Hurricanes win the opening games of their second-round series, plus the latest on Sam Bennett, Mark Scheifele, Torey Krug and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF TUESDAY’S STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ACTION

NHL.COM: The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to double up the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven second-round series.

Corey Perry, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown scored while Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard collected two assists apiece. Mark Stone scored both goals for the Golden Knights.

Game 2 is Thursday, May 8, in Las Vegas at 9:30 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Oilers are the first team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with five straight comeback wins in a single postseason. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed this game with an illness and winger Pavel Dorofeyev was sidelined by an undisclosed injury.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (NHL Images).

An overtime goal by Jaccob Slavin lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the opening game of their second-round series.

The Capitals opened the scoring in the second period as Aliaksei Protas netted his first goal of this postseason. Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven tied it in the third period.

Game 2 is Thursday in Washington at 7 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Despite the close score, the Hurricanes controlled most of the play, outshooting Washington 33-14, out-hitting them 44-31 and winning 55.6 percent of the faceoffs. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson kept his club in this one.

HEADLINES

TORONTO SUN: Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett avoided supplemental discipline for elbowing Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the head during Game 1 of their second-round series. Stolarz left the game and was hospitalized overnight for observation. He was released yesterday and the Leafs aren’t ruling him out for Game 2.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: Bennett said he wasn’t attempting to injure Stolarz, claiming he was taking the puck to the net and inadvertently bumped the Leafs netminder. He cited his friendship with Stolarz, who played for the Panthers’ Stanley Cup-winning team last season, adding he reached out to the goalie after learning he’d been hospitalized.

THE ATHLETIC: The Leafs and Panthers are trying to dial down the heat from this incident. Panthers coach Paul Maurice attempted to downplay it while blaming the Toronto media for fanning the flames. Meanwhile, Leafs coach Craig Berube said he wants his players to focus on the game rather than retribution.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bennett plays a hard, physical two-way style, but he has a history of questionable hits, with the most infamous among Leafs followers being his takedown of Matthew Knies during the second-round series between the two clubs in 2023.

Bennett isn’t the only Panther to draw the ire of opponents. Matthew Tkachuk has a well-deserved reputation as an agitator. Aaron Ekblad concussed Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel during their first-round series with a forearm to the head.

Every team has players who use such tactics to distract their opponents, but the Panthers have taken it to a higher level. It makes them the team you love to hate, but there’s no denying that it’s been successful for them.

Florida has taken a page from the Philadelphia Flyers of the mid-1970s, who combined talent with brawling to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The mayhem of the “Broad Street Bullies” era has been long eradicated, but it’s been replaced with sneaky hits and chippy play that often goes uncalled in the postseason.

The Panthers are an undeniably talented team. However, their “in-your-face” style has garnered them a reputation around the league as cheap-shot artists, tarnishing their success since 2022-23.

TSN: Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey and Logan Stanley are all considered day-to-day after skating in non-contract jerseys during the Winnipeg Jets’ optional skate on Monday. They’re considered day-to-day and will be game-time decisions for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Dallas Stars.

The puck drops for that contest at 9:30 pm ET on Wednesday, May 7, in Winnipeg.

STLTODAY.COM: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said sidelined defenseman Torey Krug’s playing career could be over. The 34-year-old Krug missed all of this season recovering from surgery to address pre-arthritic changes in his left ankle last September.

Krug is in the fifth season of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Krug has not officially spoken about his condition or his future. He’s unlikely to retire if his playing career is over. Instead, he’ll go on long-term injury reserve for the remaining two years of his contract.

Armstrong also revealed that forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Tyler Tucker suffered undisclosed season-ending injuries. Holloway was sidelined on Apr. 3 and underwent surgery, while Tucker appeared to injure a knee in Game 4 of the Blues’ first-round series with the Jets.

THE DENVER POST: Colorado Avalanche management indicated head coach Jared Bednar would return behind the bench next season. However, assistant coach Ray Bennett was relieved of his duties. Bennett ran their power play for eight seasons.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Kings president Luc Robitaille expects head coach Jim Hiller to return next season. The Kings tied franchise records for wins (48) and points (105) this season but suffered their fourth-straight first-round exit at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators parted ways with associate GM Ryan Bowness. It’s expected that director of player personnel Rob DiMaio will move into that role.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

by | May 2, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – May 2, 2025

The Leafs, Oilers and Golden Knights advance to the second round, the Avalanche force Game 7 with the Stars, the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, Hart Trophy Finalists are revealed, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines

RECAPPING THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF ACTION

NHL.COM: The Toronto Maple Leafs won the latest round in the Battle of Ontario by doubling up the Ottawa Senators 4-2, winning their best-of-seven first-round series in six games.

Max Pacioretty snapped a 2-2 tie for the Leafs in the third period after the Senators erased a 2-0 deficit on goals by Brady Tkachuk and David Perron. William Nylander scored twice for the Leafs, including the empty-netter that put the series away.

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty (NHL Images).

The Leafs will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Senators showed plenty of character by battling back after falling behind 2-0. They threw a scare into Toronto but Pacioretty’s goal gave the Leafs the lift they needed to win this game and end the series. Like the Montreal Canadiens, the future is bright for the Senators, who ended a long playoff drought and can use this series as a building block moving forward.

The Leafs face a stiff challenge in the Panthers, who steamrolled over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round. They could suffer a similar fate unless they can find a way to match Florida’s physical style while their best players (Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares) must overcome the Panthers’ smothering defensive game.

For the fourth straight season, the Edmonton Oilers eliminated the Los Angeles Kings from the opening round. Trent Frederic scored what proved to be the winning goal as the Oilers held off the Kings 6-4, taking the series in six games.

Connor Brown had a goal and two assists while Frederic, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse each had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Kevin Fiala and Alex Laferriere each had two points for the Kings.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This game was as wild as this series, with the Kings taking a 2-1 lead only to have the Oilers rally for a 5-2 lead. The Kings made it interesting by making it 5-4 late in the third before Brown’s empty-netter sealed the deal for the Oilers.

What effect this series could have on the Kings’ offseason plans will be worth monitoring. Blowing a 2-0 series lead to be eliminated by the Oilers for the fourth straight season could raise questions about Rob Blake’s future as general manager.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone tallied what proved to be the series-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild, eliminating the latter in six games.

Adin Hill made 29 saves while Shea Theodore and Jack Eichel also scored for the Golden Knights. Ryan Hartman tallied both goals for the Wild.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Golden Knights will face off against the Oilers in the second round. They earned this victory after overcoming a 2-1 deficit to Minnesota in this series. They got the win without winger Pavel Dorofeyev, who is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

This was the final game for Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. The 21-year NHL veteran and future Hall-of-Famer is expected to retire. He received a nice send-off from the Golden Knights following this game. Fleury spent four seasons with Vegas from 2017-18 to 2020-21, backstopping them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Final and winning the Vezina Trophy in 2021.

The Colorado Avalanche forced a seventh and deciding game with the Dallas Stars following a 7-4 win in Game 6 of their first-round series. The Avalanche got four unanswered third-period goals from Valeri Nichushkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Josh Manson and Cale Makar (the latter two being empty-netters) for the win.

MacKinnon and Makar each had a goal and two assists while Nichushkin tallied twice for the Avalanche. Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz each had four points for the Stars.

Game 7 is in Dallas on Saturday, May 3, at 8 pm ET.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This series has lived up to expectations as two of the league’s best teams have given their all in this contest. This would’ve made a great Conference Final.

Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel left this game favoring his shoulder after crashing into the boards following a collision with Avalanche forward Jack Drury. There was no postgame update about his status.

Before this game, the Stars announced that sidelined winger Jason Robertson has gone from week-to-week to day-to-day. He may return to action in Game 7.

HEADLINES

**UPDATE**

The New York Rangers announced they have hired former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan as their new coach. No word yet as to the terms of his contract or who will be on his staff. 

NHL.COM: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, and Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov are the finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the player deemed most valuable to his team.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Kucherov won the Hart in 2018-19 and Draisaitl in 2019-20. Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy this season as the points leader while Draisaitl won the Maurice Richard Trophy as the top goal scorer.

This is the first time Hellebuyck has been a finalist for the Hart and is also a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. Given his dominant performance for the Jets this season, he could be the front-runner.

NHL.COM: Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele will not play in Game 6 of his club’s first-round series with the St. Louis Blues. He suffered an undisclosed injury during Game 5 on Wednesday. Sidelined Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers has travelled with the team to St. Louis but it remains to be seen if he’ll play in Game 6 on Friday.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom is open to signing a contract extension. The 35-year-old has a year remaining on his current deal with a cap hit of $6 million. The earliest the Devils can attempt to re-sign him is July 1.

YAHOO! SPORTS: Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovecevic suffered a knee injury that could require surgery to repair. He is not expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

FULL PRESS HOCKEY: Jim Biringer reports the NHL is looking to build on the momentum it received from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Steve Meyer, president of NHL Content & Events, said the league is looking at the future of its annual All-Star Game and how to make it as compelling for fans as the 4 Nations tournament.

NHLPA: Former NHL player Kyle Okposo has been named the PA’s new Business Development and Player Engagement Advisor. Okposo retired as a player at the end of last season following a 17-year career.

NEW YORK POST: Hockey TV analyst Joe Micheletti has retired after 19 seasons.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Former Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe died Tuesday at age 84. He was a member of the Flyers’ Hall of Fame.

One of the original Flyers and their second captain in franchise history, Van Impe spent nine of his 11 NHL seasons in Philadelphia from 1967-68 to 1975-76, winning two Stanley Cups.

He began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1966-67 and finished with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1976-77. A rugged stay-at-home blueliner, he had 153 points and 1,024 PIMs in 703 games, and 13 points in 66 playoff contests.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Van Impe’s family, friends, former teammates and the Flyers’ organization.