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East Notes: Marchand, Sjalin, Rochester

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As expected, Boston Bruins’ captain Brad Marchand was not an option for the team tonight against the Florida Panthers, as he continues to work his way back from an upper-body injury (X Link). It will be the second straight game that Marchand has not been able to suit up, and he will not be able to help the Bruins stave off elimination this evening.

Although Marchand’s injury has been classified as an upper-body injury, it is more than likely he is dealing with a head injury. In the first period of Game 3, Marchand attempted to deliver a hit to Panthers’ forward Sam Bennett in between the benches and quickly fell to the ice. Slowly getting back to Boston’s bench, alternate footage of the incident showed that during the play in question, Bennett appeared to throw a punch, making contact with Marchand’s head.

Currently battling in an elimination game, the play in question could potentially mark an unceremonious end to Marchand’s season. Throughout the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs, Marchand has led the Bruins in scoring, putting up three goals and 10 points in 10 games played.

Other East notes:

  • As previously rumored, Buffalo Sabres’ prospect, Calle Sjalin, has decided to sign with Rögle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (X Link). Despite being a solid contributor during his last season in the SHL, Sjalin never got much of an opportunity throughout his time in North America, appearing in only 70 AHL games over two seasons. Without much productivity throughout his tenure in the Panthers organization, Sjalin was traded to the Sabres organization this past deadline in a deal that sent team captain Kyle Okposo to the Sunshine State.
  • Staying in the Sabres organization, Buffalo beat writer Bill Hoppe reports that Rochester Americans assistant coaches Vinny Prospal and Nathan Paetsch will be staying in the organization, and one may even become the next head coach. The team’s most recent head coach, Seth Appert, has been named an assistant coach for the Sabres for the 2024-25 NHL season, leading to the vacancy behind the bench.

Jacob Trouba Wins 2024 Mark Messier Leadership Award

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As the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs continue, the National Hockey League has steadily released the names of award winners, this time announcing New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba as the 2023-24 Mark Messier Leadership Award winner.  The award is given “to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey”.

While the players or the media vote on most awards in the NHL, this award is given by Messier himself, after taking suggestions from NHL organizations and their personnel.  Messier, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, is viewed as one of the more prominent leaders in league history with the NHL creating this award in the same year as his Hall of Fame induction.

Prior to the 2020-21 NHL season, Trouba was named the 28th captain in the history of the Rangers organization; becoming the fourth-straight American-born captain for the club. This season, Trouba captained New York to a franchise record for wins and points in a single season, while being an integral part of a top-five penalty kill. Off the ice, Trouba has been a focal member of the youth hockey community, while also becoming a leading member in the Garden of Dreams, Epilepsy Foundation, and Hockey Fights Cancer. Trouba becomes the first member of the Rangers to win the award, as well as the first defenseman since Mark Giordano in 2020.

Dave Forbes Passes Away At Age 75

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Earlier today, the NHL Alumni Association announced the passing of former player Dave Forbes at the age of 75. Forbes, who was born in Montreal in 1948, spent six seasons in the National Hockey League from 1973-1979.

After spending four years playing for American International College, Forbes signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins before the 1973-74 NHL season, making his professional debut on October 10, 1973. Throughout his four years with the Bruins organization, Forbes scored 53 goals and 105 points in 283 games, helping the Bruins to the 1974 and 1977 Stanley Cup Finals.

During the 1977-78 Waiver Draft, Forbes was selected by the Washington Capitals in the organization’s fourth year of operations. Forbes managed 11 goals and 22 points over 70 games in his first year with the Capitals organization, as the team finished with a 17-49-14 record in the Norris Division. Forbes was released by Washington after two games of the 1978-79 season and finished his professional career that season after playing with the Cincinnati Stingers of the World Hockey Association.

In total, Forbes played in a total of 362 career games at the NHL level, scoring 64 goals and 128 points while racking up 341 penalty minutes. After his career came to an end in 1979, Forbes picked up a second career as a financial advisor while becoming very involved in his local Church community throughout the end of his life. PHR sends its condolences to Forbes’ family and friends.

West Second Round Notes: Pickard, Toews, Henrique, Stars

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Looking to even up their series against the Vancouver Canucks tonight, the Edmonton Oilers will be making a major change in the crease. As mentioned in a pre-game update from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Oilers will be looking to goaltender Calvin Pickard to backstop their team to a victory tonight.

The decision has little mystery, as Edmonton has received a completely different version of Stuart Skinner in their Round Two matchup. Against the Los Angeles Kings, Skinner stopped 132 of 145 shots en route to a solid .910 save percentage after Round One. However, in the team’s first three games against Vancouver, Skinner has only stopped 46 of 58 total shots, leading to a dismal .793 SV%.

Stepping in for a little over 16 minutes of Game 3, Pickard will take the crease for the first playoff start of his career. Getting an opportunity as the backup after the Oilers waived Jack Campbell in early November, Pickard helped stabilize the goaltending situation in Edmonton over the course of the regular season. Over 23 games played, Pickard earned a 12-7-1 record, posting a .909 SV% and 2.45 goals against average in the process.

Other second-round notes:

  • After missing the team’s Game 4 matchup against the Dallas Stars last night, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews will be traveling with the team to Texas, and the organization is hopeful that he can return to the lineup for Game 5 (X Link). Head coach of the Avalanche, Jared Bednar, reiterated to reporters that Toews missed Game 4 due to illness and that his absence was not related to the hit delivered by Stars’ forward Jamie Benn in the second period of Game 2. On the brink of elimination for the first time this postseason, Colorado’s chances of extending the series will increase if Toews is able to crack the lineup for Game 5.
  • Moving back to Alberta, Oilers TV reporter Tony Brar confirmed that forward Adam Henrique will not be in Edmonton’s lineup for Game 4. In his first postseason appearance since the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Henrique had been a valuable defensive presence in the Oilers’ forward core through the first six games of the playoffs. Scoring only one goal and two points while averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per night, Henrique has been extremely physical, averaging 3.7 hits a game against the Kings and the Canucks.
  • While both were shaken up in the Stars’ Game 4 victory against the Avalanche last night, head coach Peter DeBoer did not offer any updates on the status of Roope Hintz or Chris Tanev (X Link). Hintz, who was only able to manage 6:35 of ice time, left the game during the first period and would not return. Tanev, on the other hand, managed over 21 minutes of ice time and left the game in the third period after getting shaken up by a hit. However, as in the case of most teams in the playoffs, both players could be ready to return for Game 5, and the update could be some gamesmanship on behalf of the Stars organization.

Montreal Canadiens Interested In Maxim Tsyplakov

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On yesterday’s rendition of 32 Thoughts with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, Friedman notes that the Montreal Canadiens have joined a growing list of teams looking to poach forward Maxim Tsyplakov out of the Kontinental Hockey Leauge. Unlike a majority of teams around the league, the Canadiens have a unique ability to offer Tsyplakov high-leverage opportunities if he were to join the organization.

Finishing off his seventh season in the KHL this past year, Tsyplakov has spent his entire professional career with Spartak Moskva. A quality depth-scorer throughout much of his tenure, Tsyplakov went through an offensive explosion this season, scoring 31 goals in 65 games, finishing fourth in the league in the category.

Not only did Tsyplakov show that he can be relied upon as a top-level offensive contributor in the KHL this season, but he was an extremely physical player as well. Because of these two attributes, several teams in the NHL have inquired about bringing him over to North America to continue his professional career.

However, there are a few reasons that may indicate Tsyplakov’s most recent season was an outlier, which may cast doubt on his overall talent ceiling at the NHL level. For one, Tsyplakov’s shooting percentage doubled compared to his career averages, jumping to 18% in the 2023-24 season after maintaining a 9% success rate in the previous six years. Furthermore, in the 2023-24 Gagarin Cup playoffs, Tsyplakov only managed two goals and four points in 11 games before his team was eliminated in Round 2 by the eventual Gagarin Cup Champions, the Metallurg Magnitogorsk. 

Nevertheless, given that he will be 26 years of age by the start of the 2024-25 NHL season, some teams may view this season as Tsyplakov entering his prime, which is something the Canadiens would most certainly be interested in. Finishing 26th in the league in GF/G this past season, Montreal would present Tsyplakov with an immediate opportunity on the second line at the NHL level.

Evening Notes: Russian Showcase, Hague, Karlsson, Raymond

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Due to regulations that have been put in place by the National Hockey League, a limited number of teams have been able to travel to Russia in an attempt to scout upcoming overseas talent for the 2024 NHL Draft. However, it appears a solution has been developed, as Kevin Weekes of ESPN reports that a Russian showcase will take place from June 18th to 23rd.

Being the most high-profile Russian prospect available at this year’s draft, it is unlikely that forward Ivan Demidov will usurp Macklin Celebrini as the top player in this year’s class due to the showcase. However, after Celebrini, there is no singular player who is a surefire pick for second overall, meaning Demidov could use this showcase to his advantage.

Of the other Russian prospects projected to go in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Anton Silayev and Igor Chernyshov could also use the showcase to their advantage. However, even though he is projected as the second-best international skater, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Silayev is selected any higher than the third defensemen off the board.

Other notes:

  • Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Nicolas Hague has been ruled out of tonight’s third game against Dallas and remains listed as day-to-day notes Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  He missed the second game of the series due to a lower-body injury which will cost him now at least a second contest.  The 25-year-old led all Vegas blueliners in hits this season with 155 while chipping in with a dozen points in 73 games. Alec Martinez played in place of Hague last game and should do so again.
  • Staying in Vegas, even though he was not on the ice for the team’s practice this morning, forward William Karlsson is expected to suit up for the Golden Knights tonight reports Jesse Granger of The Athletic. After another quality regular season in Vegas, Karlsson has been able to suit up in the first two games of the series but has failed to find the scoresheet so far. Nevertheless, with Karlsson confirmed in the lineup, the third line of Karlsson, Tomas Hertl, and Anthony Mantha still represents one of the premier third lines in this year’s playoffs.
  • Joining many of his teammates and coaches for this summer’s 2024 IIHF World Championship, Chris Johnston of TSN reports that Detroit Red Wings’ forward Lucas Raymond will join Team Sweden for the international tournament. Raymond represents one of the best offensive options for Team Sweden after experiencing a breakout year during the 2023-24 campaign. In 82 games, Raymond scored 31 goals and 72 points, leading all Red Wings in scoring.

Maple Leafs Notes: Nylander, McMann, Liljegren, Grebyonkin

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Ahead of a pivotal Game 4 matchup between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Maple Leafs are reportedly taking a major step towards a healthy roster. Earlier today, Chris Johnston of TSN reported that Toronto is preparing for William Nylander to play in Game 4.

Despite playing in all 82 games of the regular season, the Maple Leafs have been without their second-highest scorer for all of the playoffs at this point, dropping Game 1 and Game 3 against the Bruins. Being one of the major off-the-ice stories during this year’s postseason run, Nylander’s presence should give Toronto a better chance to even up the series tonight.

Throughout their first-round series against the Bruins, five of the Maple Leafs’ six total goals have come from the team’s top two forward units, with the bottom two failing to generate much offense outside of Game 1. In practice, Nylander has been skating on the team’s third line with Calle Jarnkrok and Pontus Holmberg, which should give Toronto a more complete offense in tonight’s contest.

Other Maple Leafs notes:

  • Unlike Nylander, one player not ready to return to Toronto’s lineup is forward Bobby McMann, who has been battling a lower-body injury since the Maple Leafs’ game against the Detroit Red Wings on April 13th. Earlier today, Luke Fox of Sportsnet reported that McMann had not been ruled out for the first-round series against the Bruins, but his timeline is still up in the air given that he has not attempted to skate since the injury.
  • One lineup change that will take place for Game 4 is the swap of Timothy Liljegren for T.J. Brodie. The pairing of Joel Edmundson and Liljegren has not been very effective against the team’s Atlantic Division rival through the first three games, and Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun suggested earlier today that this is due in large part to Liljegren not being 100% healthy.
  • Outside of the Maple Leafs’ postseason run, the team received some positive news today on the prospect front, as forward Nikita Grebyonkin has mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League, paving the way for him to sign an NHL contract with Toronto (X Link). Taken with the 135th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft, Grebyonkin concluded the 2023-24 KHL season on a high note after scoring 19 goals and 41 points in 67 games. While only managing to score three goals and six points in 26 playoff games, Grebyonkin helped his team capture the Gagarin Cup on April 24th, sweeping Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Finals.

Poll: Which Player Should Win The Hart Memorial Trophy?

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In a season to remember for individual accomplishments, this year’s vote on the eventual winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy will be one of the most complicated in recent memory. However, the vote can be widdled down to four players, which include Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.

Winning two out of the last three Hart Memorial Trophies, McDavid’s goal-scoring was cut in half this season, as he only managed 32 on the year, placing him tied for 14th in the Western Conference with Wyatt Johnston. However, McDavid was able to do something he had failed to do even during his incredible season last year; crack the 100-assist marker which had previously only been done by Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr. Helping the Oilers return to this year’s playoffs after a difficult start to the year, McDavid’s claim for Most Valuable Player may be overshadowed by his teammate, Zach Hyman, who was able to score 54 goals for Edmonton this season.

Having already scored 60 goals once in his career, Matthews cemented himself as the league’s current best goal-scorer, putting up 69 markers this season. Although he failed to reach 70, Matthews’ regular season was the 15th best all-time in terms of goal-scoring. Unlike McDavid, it is more than unlikely that Matthews will be overshadowed by his teammates with such an incredible season, as the second-closest goal scorer on the team, William Nylander, generated nearly 30 fewer tallies than Matthews in the category.

Having arguably the best case for the award, there is no question that Kucherov led the way for the Lightning this year. Not only did Kucherov tie McDavid in assists this season with 100, he has already captured the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top point-scorer with 144 on the year. While setting the bar for points in any given year is impressive, the gap between Kucherov and his teammates in Tampa Bay was massive, placing himself 54 points above the next highest-scorer.

Setting a record of his own this year, MacKinnon was able to generate at least a point in 35 consecutive home games for the Avalanche this season, which is five less than the record Gretzky set during the 1988-89 season with the Los Angeles Kings. Over that stretch, MacKinnon went on an incredible run, scoring 27 goals and 46 assists through the team’s first 35 games at Ball Arena. On the year, MacKinnon scored 51 goals and 89 assists over 82 games, and may have the case of putting together the most complete season compared to the other candidates.

If the matter was up to you, who would you vote for to win this year’s Hart Memorial Trophy?

If you can’t see the poll embedded above this, click here to vote.

Sam Bennett Out One Week With Upper-Body Injury

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Even though the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime of Game 2 last night, the team still received some unfortunate news on the injury front. During the second period of yesterday’s game, Panthers forward Sam Bennett left the ice holding his wrist, and would not return for the remainder of the game.

Although there was no official update from the team last night, Andy Slater of Fox Sports reports that Bennett is set to miss a ’lengthy period of time’. Later on, the Panthers gave an official update, indicating that Bennett should only be out of the lineup for one week, which could eliminate him for the rest of the series against Tampa Bay.

Since coming over to the Panthers organization during the 2020-21 NHL season, there has always been quite a bit of injury concern attached to Bennett. In his three full seasons with Florida, Bennett has missed a total of 43 games due to several different injuries.

Last year, towards the end of the regular season, Bennett was kept out of the lineup for nearly a month with an undisclosed injury but was able to return for Game 1 of the team’s opening-round matchup against the Boston Bruins. Helping the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history, Bennett performed exceptionally well for the Panthers, scoring five goals and 15 points in 20 postseason games.

For Game 3 and on, the team will have some roster management to take care of, as Bennett’s absence leaves a sizeable hole down the middle of the team’s second line. The team will likely move forward Anton Lundell into the top six, as he scored 13 goals and 35 points over 78 games this season while already tallying an assist in this year’s playoffs.

Playoff Notes: Nylander, Martin, Fast

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After playing in all 82 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs throughout the regular season, one of the biggest mysteries to start the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs is the status of forward William Nylander. Missing the first two games of the team’s first-round series against the Boston Bruins, Jonas Siegel of The Athletic reports that Nylander was taking line rushes this morning at practice between Pontus Holmberg and Calle Jarnkrok.

This is by no means a guarantee that Nylander is set to return for Game 3 of the opening-round series, but it is a positive sign that he participated in a full practice with linemates, and could indicate that he will be in the lineup tonight. After setting a career-high in points with a 40-goal, 58-assist effort over the regular season, Nylander could be another X-Factor that the Maple Leafs could plug into their lineup.

Although he managed a career year offensively, if Nylander can return to the lineup tonight, Toronto will be hoping for an improvement on Nylander’s last month of the regular season. Over the last 13 games for the Maple Leafs, Nylander struggled immensely, only scoring one goal and five points overall, and only mustering a 2.3% shooting percentage.

Other playoff notes:

  • In a report from Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, New York Islanders forward Matt Martin was not on the ice for practice, and rookie forward Ruslan Iskhakov has appeared to take his spot in the lineup. The change could be for a few reasons, as the Islanders may be looking to inject more offense into their lineup, after failing to score more than one goal in Game 1, and failing to close out Game 2 after holding a lead. Furthermore, Martin could be a tad banged up after Game 2, as he got into a fight with Carolina Hurricanes forward Stefan Noesen towards the end of the game.
  • Not suiting up in any games for the Hurricanes so far this playoffs, Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer reports that Carolina forward Jesper Fast is once again not on the ice for practice. This rules him out for tomorrow night’s game, as head coach of the Hurricanes, Rod Brind’Amour relayed earlier that if Fast is unable to practice today, he would not be in the lineup for Game 3.

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