The Islanders will face the Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs, a team they have come all too familiar with in postseason play. Given the fact that the Islanders faced the Penguins eight times this season, this playoff should be one for the ages. These stories and more in today’s daily links!
In the Islanders final season at the Nassau Coliseum it only seems fitting that when the building begins its playoff swan song, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be the ones the Isles see across the ice. In the New York Islanders final season at the Nassau Coliseum it only seems fitting that when the building begins its playoff swan song, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be the ones the Isles see across the ice. (NYI Hockey Now)
It usually takes a game or two in a typical Stanley Cup playoff series for some hard feelings to build between the teams. That won’t be the case in this unique season in which every game was against a divisional opponent. This time, the animosity will be there from the opening faceoff in the first round given the opponents have already faced each other eight times. The Islanders were 2-4-2 against the Penguins this season. The playoffs are expected to open either Saturday or Sunday. (Newsday)
The Boston Bruins left most of their regular lineup back in Boston for a meaningless regular-season finale against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. They did it ostensibly to avoid any potentially damaging injuries ahead of this weekend’s playoff opener against the very same Capitals team on Saturday night at Capital One Arena, and that mission was accomplished. But the Bruins did appear to suffer at least one injury as young defenseman Jakub Zboril was knocked out in the first period of a 2-1 loss to the Capitals with an upper-body injury. (Boston Hockey Now)
Well now! The Pittsburgh Penguins will have more than a few thousand fans chanting, “Let’s Go Pens,” beginning next week as they begin the playoffs at PPG Paints Arena against the New York Islanders. The NHL has not yet scheduled a date for the series to begin, which only adds more intrigue to what comes next. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)
The Flyers need to make changes this offseason. The media knows it. The fans know it. Even the organization knows it. Here are five players –– in alphabetical order –– that may have played their final game with the Flyers on Monday night. (Philly Hockey Now)
It did not take long for Bill Zito to put his stamp on the Florida Panthers. After years of being a candidate for general manager positions around the league, Zito was one of more than 20 to interview with the Panthers via Zoom before he was brought in for some mask-to-mask meetings with the team’s ownership and hierarchy. With rare exception, every move Zito has made in his first year as the general manager of the Panthers has worked. (Florida Hockey Now)
Noah Gregor, Alexander True, and Joachim Blichfeld were all premier players with the Barracuda this season who are now looking to make an impact at the NHL level. Barracuda assistant coach Jimmy Bonneau spoke recently with San Jose Hockey Now about the development of these three forwards, who are all up with the San Jose Sharks right now. (San Jose Hockey Now)
Alex Ovechkin returned after missing seven of eight games, and Michael Raffl scored with three seconds left to give the Washington Capitals a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena on Tuesday. (NHL)
Alex Ovechkin failed to score 30 goals in a season for the first time in his 16-season NHL career when the Washington Capitals forward did not score Tuesday in a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins. (NHL)
The Toronto Maple Leafs will play the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Toronto (35-13-6) won the Scotia North Division and will have home-ice advantage against fourth-place Montreal (24-21-10) in the best-of-7 series. (NHL)
Blake Wheeler had two goals and two assists, and the Winnipeg Jets secured the No. 3 seed from the Scotia North Division with a 5-0 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday. The Jets will play the Edmonton Oilers, the No. 2 seed, in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (NHL)
Here is the May 12 edition of the mailbag. Each week, an NHL.com writer will answer your questions asked using #OvertheBoards. (NHL)
Frederik Andersen is expected to start for the Toronto Maple Leafs when they play at the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. The goalie, who has missed 23 games because of a knee injury, practiced for a second straight day Tuesday. He has not played since March 19. (NHL)
Patrick Kane may have to get an unspecified issue taken care of during the offseason, but the Chicago Blackhawks forward said he expects to be ready for training camp. Kane said it was bothering him before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. (NHL)
The 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs start Saturday and NHL.com is taking a look at different types of players who can have a big impact on the postseason. Today, players who changed teams before the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline on April 12. Taylor Hall, Jeff Carter and Nick Foligno are among the big names acquired before the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline who could help their new teams make a deep run in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (NHL)
Carter Hart still has to prove he can be a top goalie in the NHL, Philadelphia Flyers coach Alain Vigneault said Tuesday. “He’s still a very young player playing a real tough position,” Vigneault said. “With the right mindset, the right attitude, the right work ethic moving forward, he’s got all the capabilities to become a real solid goaltender. Now he’s got to go out and prove it.” (NHL
While Jack Eichel hasn’t officially asked for a trade, it certainly sounds like the star centre would welcome a change of scenery. The TSN Hockey Insiders get you up to date on potential landing spots for Eichel. As well, with the offseason looming who are the top available free agents? All that and more in this edition of Insider Trading. (TSN)
General manager Brad Treliving and the Flames organization face a delicate balance with four games – all against the Vancouver Canucks – remaining in the schedule. There is the development of younger players on the current roster, namely 22-year-old blueliner Juuso Valimaki. (TSN)
With the Canucks officially eliminated from playoff contention, speculation about the future in Vancouver is ramping up. Despite the team still having six games to play over the next nine days – four of them against the Calgary Flames – questions are already swirling about the future of head coach Travis Green, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season. (NHL)
