Rosner’s Wrap: Oh, Where Will Trotz Go? Dufour Named MVP of QMJHL

The Stanley Cup Finals are underway and game one was a thrill as the Colorado Avalanche blew a 3-1 lead but ultimately won in overtime. Two coaches were hired on Tuesday, as ex-New York Islanders bench boss Barry Trotz remains on the market.

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

New York Islanders prospect William Dufour had himself a tremendous season with the St. John Seadogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It ended with him being named the league’s Most Valuable Player as he was awarded the 2022 Michel-Briére Trophy on Wednesday. (NYI Hockey Now)

On Tuesday, two NHL head coaching vacancies were filled while ex-New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is still without a home. The obvious choice seems a lot less obvious now. Could Trotz take a year off before returning to an NHL bench? Does he want to head into an upper management position? Or will the 59-year-old call it quits after a 23-year coaching career? (NYI Hockey Now)

The Boston Bruins are beginning to zero in on a group of head coaching candidates now that reality has begun to set in with fired bench boss Bruce Cassidy getting a brand new head coaching gig with the Vegas Golden Knights. According to a report from the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, the Boston Bruins have lined up five interviews for their vacant head coaching spot. (Boston Hockey Now)

The Pittsburgh Penguins need salary-cap space. While the Penguins have over $23 million in space, signing both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will gobble up most of that. So will Letang’s and Malkin’s replacements. Should they buy out forward Jason Zucker? (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

John Tortorella is expected to be named the 23rd coach in the Philadelphia Flyers history. Maybe even Thursday, when he will talk contract with the brass. General manager Chuck Fletcher, though not talking specifically about the man they call “Torts,” said on Wednesday night that a hire will be announced “soon.” He also called a report “BS” that suggested he was against hiring Tortorella but was overruled by an outside search agency. (Philly Hockey Now)

Four years ago, Andre Burakovsky assisted on Lars Eller’s Game 5 game-winning goal to clinch the Stanley Cup for the Washington Capitals. On Wednesday, he played hero again, this time scoring in overtime to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a Game 1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final. (Washington Hockey Now)

The Florida Panthers were trending — OK, not really — on Tuesday when Andy Slater tweeted the team is going to change its goal song next season. The Panthers have used ‘Sweetness’ by Jimmy Eat World since 2017. What should they go with? (Florida Hockey Now)

Colorado Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic was relentless in his pursuit of former Montreal Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen leading up to the March 21 NHL trade deadline. And that may have been the trade of the year given how he’s played for Colorado. (Montreal Hockey Now)

Elmer Soderblom is the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs Young Player of the Year. It’s the second year in a row that the winner is a future Detroit Red Wings player. And if Soderblom turns out to be as good of an NHLer as last year’s winner Moritz Seider, then the Red Wings fan base will turn into a festival of enamel from the perma smiles etched on their collective faces. (Detroit Hockey Now)

The Stanley Cup final is upon us and only two teams remain in the hunt for Lord Stanley. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche will battle for the Stanley Cup starting Wednesday night. Here are the National Hockey Now Stanley Cup Finals picks. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The Evander Kane saga continues. Five months after the San Jose Sharks terminated Kane’s contract and the Edmonton Oilers signed him for the remainder of the season – one year after the Daily Faceoff broke that Kane’s then-San Jose teammates wanted him out of the locker room – the Sharks still can’t wash their hands of him. (San Jose Hockey Now)