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Jason Robertson

West Notes: Robertson, Eklund, Ducks, Biro

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As a result of extensions handed out to Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen, the Stars enter the summer with less than $5MM in cap room, per PuckPedia, with several roster spots to fill.  Obviously, they’ll need to trim some salary somewhere but instead of looking to move some of their pricier role players, Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek posits the idea of moving Jason Robertson.  The 25-year-old has one year left on his contract with a $7.75MM cap hit and will be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent next summer in line for a sizable raise.  While losing him would undoubtedly be a big hit to their roster as an 80-point player for three straight years now, it could also allow them to recoup some of the draft capital they moved out when they loaded up at the trade deadline and add some flexibility to round out their group this summer.

Elsewhere out West:

  • In his latest piece for NBC Sports Bay Area, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now examines what a William Eklund extension could look like. The winger is eligible for a new deal as of July 1st and after a solid 58-point effort this season, the Sharks will likely want to see if an early agreement can be reached.  In terms of recent comparable long-term deals, he suggests Calgary’s Matthew Coronato (seven years, $6.5MM per season) and Utah’s Dylan Guenther (eight years, $7.14MM per year) could stand as a reasonable starting point in discussions.
  • While the Ducks have a pair of restricted free agents that are popular speculative offer sheet candidates in Mason McTavish and Lukas Dostal, Derek Lee of The Hockey News explains why they shouldn’t be worried about it. With more than $38MM in cap space this summer per PuckPedia and increasingly high offer sheet thresholds, the price point where Anaheim might be inclined not to match a hypothetical offer sheet is likely much higher than any other team is willing to pay.
  • Pending Kraken UFA forward Brandon Biro is expected to sign with KHL Vityaz, relays Mikhail Zislis of Sport-Express. The 27-year-old signed with Seattle in free agency last summer after seeing just five NHL games with Buffalo.  However, Biro didn’t see any time at the top level this season, instead collecting just six goals and 28 assists in 54 games with AHL Coachella Valley.

Morning Notes: Pietrangelo, Jankowski, Robertson, Heiskanen

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The Vegas Golden Knights were without alternate captain Alex Pietrangelo is Game 1 of the Second Round on Tuesday due to illness. The Golden Knights fell to the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 4-2 without their top-pair defenseman. Pietrangelo played tough minutes for the Golden Knights through the first round, even recording 28:48 in ice time in their overtime win in Game 4. He’s totaled three points in six playoff appearances, while averaging roughly 22:30 in nightly ice time. That mark makes Pietrangelo the second-most utilized defenseman in Vegas’ postseason behind Noah Hanifin, who also has three points. Pietrangelo’s plus-two leads the club in playoff plus-minus, and makes him one of just two defenders with a positive mark, beside Nicolas Hague (plus-one).

The Golden Knights turned towards Kaedan Korczak is Pietrangelo’s absence. Korczak received a sheltered role and under 14 minutes of ice time in what was the first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance of his career. He played through his sophomore season in the NHL this year, netting 10 assists in 40 games after posting nine points in 26 games last season. Korczak is a young, lumbering defenseman who fits Vegas’ M.O. when it comes to shutting down the back-end. But it seems the Golden Knights will need more than that to get around Edmonton and superstar Connor McDavid, who had a point on all four of the Oilers’ goals in Game 1. With a pair of days to rest, Pietrangelo should at least be questionable for Game 2.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Carolina Hurricanes forward Mark Jankowski left the team’s Game 1 matchup early on Tuesday after sustaining an undisclosed injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour shared that Jankowski’s injury wasn’t serious and that he’ll be a gametime decision for Thursday’s Game 2, per NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Jankowski was red-hot in the back-half of Carolina’s regular season after joining the team at the Trade Deadline. He scored eight goals in 19 games with the ’Canes, while shooting at an incredible 38.1 percent success rate. Those numbers have cooled down significantly in the postseason, though Jankowski does have one assist through three appearances so far. He’s been demoted to a seldomly-used, bottom-six role over the start of the postseason, and should be easy to replace if he’s forced to miss time.
  • Dallas Stars head coach Pete DeBoer has shared that forward Jason Robertson will be a game-time decision for Wednesday night’s Game 1, while defenseman Miro Heiskanen will continue to sit out, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. Getting Robertson back would be an incredible boost for the Stars roster. The winger led the team in goals (35) and ranked second in points (80) through 82 games this season. He continues to stand as a pillar of goal-scoring for the Stars, even as he falls short of reaching the 46 goals and 109 points he posted two seasons ago. Robertson has a pattern of producing in the postseason – with 38 points in 45 career games compiled between 2022 and 2024. Heiskanen will be much of the same upgrade when he’s back to full health. He again served as Dallas’ top defenseman this season and managed 25 points in 50 games before going down with injury. Heiskanen has 61 points in 85 career playoff games, including 16 points in 19 games last season.

Robertson, Heiskanen Set To Return In Second Round For Stars

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The Dallas Stars just knocked off the Colorado Avalanche in a nail-biting seven-game thriller—and they did it without their top goal-scorer and a top defenseman. Now, with Jason Robertson and Miro Heiskanen set to rejoin the lineup for Round 2, the big question is: what kind of damage can this team do at full strength?

According to Taylor Baird of NHL.com, we should get that answer soon. Both players are set to return at some point in Dallas’ second round series, although coach Pete DeBoer didn’t specify exactly when each player would return.

As DeBoer told reporters Saturday: “I believe you’re going to see them both play in the second round, but I don’t know if it’s going to be Game 1 or Game 3 or Game 5. I consider them both day-to-day now, but there’s still some hurdles. It depends on when we start the series, how much time we have between now and Game 1. We’ll have a little better idea as we get closer.”

Robertson injured his knee in the regular season finale and was listed as week-to-week at the time. The 25-year-old California native was a force all season, suiting up for all 82 games and racking up a team-best 35 goals. Already boasting an eye-popping 394 points in just 374 career games, Robertson has proven he’s more than just a regular-season star. With 38 points in 45 playoff appearances, he’s shown he can shine just as brightly when the stakes are highest. His return will no doubt aid an already potent offense.

Much the same can be said of Heiskanen’s return. Heiskanen’s 25 points in 50 games might not grab headlines like Robertson’s scoring totals, but the Finnish blueliner is still a cornerstone for the Stars when healthy. On the season, he led the team in average ice time, logging over 25 minutes a night. And like Robertson, Heiskanen has shown an ability to produce in the playoffs, as evident by his six goals and 16 points just last season during the team’s 19-game run. He has been out since January with a knee injury.

Morning Notes: Marner, Stars, Buium, Lindholm

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The Toronto Maple Leafs were without star winger Mitch Marner at Sunday morning’s practice, as Marner attends to the birth of his first child. He isn’t expected to miss any time, helped along by Toronto’s second round matchup against the Florida Panthers beginning at home on Monday. Marner finally broke through the 100-point glass ceiling this season, scoring a career-high 102 points in 81 games played. He also recorded just 14 penalty minutes – a career-low. Those marks have carried into the postseason, with Marner netting one goal, eight points, and no penalties in six games of the first round. He is notably just under two months away from hitting the open market, unless Toronto can manage an eight-figure contract extension before July 1st. Marner is performing at a top mark at the perfect time – but he’ll have to hold onto the scoring role if Toronto wants to get by a Panthers lineup that averaged the fifth-most goals-per-game in the first round.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Dallas Stars head coach told the media on Sunday that it is still unlikely Jason Robertson or Miro Heiskanen are ready for the start of the second round, per Lia Assimakopoulos of Dallas News. DeBoer did share a glimmer of hope, though, adding that both players should be good to go at some point during round two. The Stars lineup will undeniably improve when they receive their top goal-scorer and top defender back from prolonged injury – an exciting thought to consider after they beat the Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game series. Robertson and Heiskanen – who both have returned to skating at optional practices – will have at least four more games to work their way back into the lineup.
  • Star prospect Zeev Buium only appeared in four games before the Minnesota Wild were eliminated from playoff contention. He performed well in those appearances, netting one assist and four penalty minutes from a depth role, and now faces the a transitional summer as he moves from college to the NHL full-time. Buium hasn’t shared too many details of what the summer will look like, but he did announce that he’ll join Team USA at the World Championship, per Michael Russo of The Athletic. Buium represented his country at the World U18 Championshp in 2023 – netting six points in seven games – and at each of the last two World Juniors – where he combined for 11 points in 14 games. Now, he’ll get to join the Americans at the top flight – stepping onto a blue-line full of young-and-upcoming defensive talent. Buium will fight for a role over Mason Lohrei, Jackson LaCombe, and Michael Kesselring.
  • Speaking of Worlds, the Boston Bruins have shared that centerman Elias Lindholm will join the Team Sweden roster immediately. Lindholm hasn’t played at this tournament since 2019, when he scored six points in eight games. That was Lindholm’s third-consecutive season joining the Swedes at the World Championship. Across the trio of years, he combined for 19 points in 26 games. Lindholm’s only opportunity to represent Sweden since 2020 came earlier this year, when he participated in three games of the 4-Nations Face-Off and managed no scoring. Lindholm totaled 47 points in 82 games of the NHL season, his lowest scoring pace since he recorded 21 points in 58 games as a rookie.

Stars’ Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen Remain Day-To-Day

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5:30 p.m.: Per head coach Pete DeBoer, neither Heiskanen nor Robertson will play for the Stars in Game 7 against the Avalanche (via Lia Assimakopoulos).

10:38 a.m.: The Dallas Stars were without star forward Jason Robertson and defenseman Miro Heiskanen in their Game 6 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Thursday night. Head coach Pete DeBoer shared minimal updates for the pair of lineup pillars – noting that Robertson had returned to skating and remains day-to-day to Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas News. Heiskanen carries the same day-to-day designation, per Sam Nestler of All Dallas.

Robertson played through all 82 games of the regular season and once again served as Dallas’ premier scorer, with a team-leading 35 goals and second-ranked 80 points on the full year. It was yet another impressive performance from the 25-year-old winger – a nice step up from his 29 goals and 80 points last season, but still short of his 46 goals and 109 points in 2022-23. Robertson is progressing towards a return and will bring a major boost in firepower over top-six winger Mikael Granlund, who has just two points in his last 10 games.

Heiskanen’s 25 points in 50 games this season don’t jump off the page quite like Robertson’s scoring – but the Finnish defender was leaned on heavily when healthy. He led all Stars skaters in ice time per game this season with a nightly average north of 25 minutes. The Stars have been forced to make up that ground with Heiskanen missing the last three months of action, prompting bigger roles for Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley. Both have performed well, which could lead Dallas to try and use Heiskanen on their right-hand side when he’s back to full health. An off-hand Heiskanen would surely outperform Cody Ceci, Ilya Lyubushkin, and Alexander Petrovic – the current makeup of Dallas’ right-side.

Snapshots: Robertson, Dorofeyev, Bastian, Okposo

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A key Stars winger is getting closer to returning to their lineup.  Head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters including Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News that Jason Robertson has been upgraded from being out week-to-week to out day-to-day.  The 25-year-old had his third straight season of at least 80 points this year, hitting the mark exactly but suffered a leg injury in the final game of the regular season.  Robertson has been skating away from the team alongside injured blueliner Nils Lundkvist (who is still a long way from returning from shoulder surgery) and it appears he is progressing well in his recovery.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The Golden Knights were without winger Pavel Dorofeyev for tonight’s game against Minnesota and he is listed as day-to-day, relays Jesse Granger of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 24-year-old had a breakout year, tallying 35 goals in the regular season but left Tuesday’s game late due to an undisclosed injury.  Victor Olofsson returned to the lineup to take Dorofeyev’s spot on the wing.
  • Speaking with reporters today (video link), Devils winger Nathan Bastian addressed his upcoming free agency. Eligible to test the open market for the first time, the 27-year-old indicated that his preference is to remain with New Jersey.  However, coming off a down year that saw him record just 10 points in 59 games, he might have to take a small dip in pay from his $1.35MM current deal to do so.  The team only has around $12MM in cap room for next season per PuckPedia with defenseman Luke Hughes likely to take a big chunk of that.  Accordingly, the Devils may need to keep their final few roster spots closer to the minimum salary and with Bastian logging under 11 minutes a night for the last two years, he likely falls in that category.
  • The NHLPA announced that they have hired long-time NHL winger Kyle Okposo as a Business Development and Player Engagement Advisor. Okposo played in over 1,000 career NHL games over parts of 17 seasons, recording 242 goals and 372 assists before ending his career after winning the Stanley Cup with Florida.  This won’t be Okposo’s first time working with the NHLPA as he was part of their Executive Board while playing and was also on the Executive Director Search Committee that eventually led to Marty Walsh being hired.

Central Notes: Foligno, Heiskanen, Robertson, Bridgestone Arena

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In an engaging article from Joe Smith at The Athletic, Smith performed a deep dive on the injury-plagued seasons of Minnesota Wild forward Marcus Foligno over the past few years. Foligno’s injuries, largely in his core abdominal muscles, began negatively impacting his life off the ice, leading to doubt concerning his playing career.

As Smith points out in the article, Foligno’s play style has a part to play. He’s been an aggressive forechecker for his entire career, amassing 2,614 hits (2.98 hits/game) in 875 regular-season contests. That aggression only increases in the postseason, where Foligno has delivered 154 hits (5.31 hits/game) in 29 playoff appearances.

Unfortunately, as Foligno puts it in the article, his tenacity on the ice caught up to him off the ice. Smith quoted Foligno saying, “There were some dark days going through that stuff and thinking about the future and thinking about, how are you going to manage through this injury? You’re thinking about it: ‘Will this (surgery) really solve all my problems?’ You’re really banking on coming out of it. There’s always a bit of gray area, little bit of fogginess where it comes to like, ‘Am I going to be the player I once was before these injuries started piling up?’”

Now that his surgery is in the rearview mirror, we know how the surgery turned out for Foligno. The 14-year veteran appeared in 70 or more games for the first time since the 2021-22 season, scoring 14 goals and 29 points. Meanwhile, he set a career-high in hits with 253, placing him in the league’s top 10.

Other notes from the Central Division:

  • After splitting the first two games in Dallas, the Stars and Avalanche are headed north for Game 3 and Game 4 of their opening-round matchup. According to Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports, defenseman Miro Heiskanen will travel with the team while forward Jason Robertson will not. Given that he’s already returned to skating, there’s a strong chance that the Stars will welcome Heiskanen back at some point in Colorado. Meanwhile, Robertson’s recovery is only a few days into a week-to-week prognosis, meaning there’s very little chance of him returning during Round One.
  • Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators, is getting a major makeover (Article Link). The arena announced a $1B renovation set to take place over the next 15 to 20 years that “aims to increase seating capacity, introduce new seating options, and create various fan communal areas.” The project will begin after the 2026-27 NHL season and will start with replacing the outer concrete of the building with glass walls facing Broadway.

Jason Robertson Out Week-To-Week With Lower-Body Injury

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Stars leading goal-scorer Jason Robertson is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and will miss at least Game 1 of their first-round series against the Avalanche tomorrow, head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters today (including Mark Lazerus of The Athletic).

Even just a one-game absence could be enough to tilt what’s set to be one of the most tightly matched series of the postseason. Dallas was already entering at a disadvantage without top defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who won’t be available until late in the first round at the earliest as he tries to recover from the knee surgery that’s kept him out since late January. The absence of their top winger against one of the league’s better scoring chance suppression teams could prove too much to overcome.

Robertson left Dallas’ final regular-season game on Wednesday after an awkward collision with Predators forward Michael McCarron in the second period. He was seen wearing a brace on his right knee following the game, Emma Lingan of The Hockey News reports. The Stars had a pair of healthy extra forwards on hand, Oskar Back and Colin Blackwell, but opted not to rest Robertson or any of their top forwards.

A slow start kept Robertson from hitting the point-per-game mark for the second season in a row. He’s been on a tear coming out of the 4 Nations break, though, posting 15 goals and 29 points in 27 games to end the campaign. His 35-45–80 scoring line was still good enough to finish second on Dallas behind Matt Duchene, although his 17:48 average time on ice was his lowest since his rookie season.

There hasn’t been a ton of injury luck for the Stars this year, but there is a consolation prize in the return of Tyler Seguin to the lineup. He returned for Game 82 after missing over four months after undergoing hip surgery and had an assist to lock in his first season above a point per game in nine years, albeit in only 20 appearances. That means it’s nearly a lateral move in the Stars’ top nine compared to how it looked for much of the stretch run, but Dallas would still love all of their scoring weapons at their disposal to overcome Heiskanen’s absence, which causes strain on their depth defenders.

Robertson’s also been a steady playoff threat for Dallas, even if he hasn’t flashed a postseason peak as high as his regular-season one. He has 14-24–38 in 45 playoff games for the Stars over the past three years as the team looks to make a third straight trip to the Western Conference Final.

His absence will cause the Stars to break up Robertson’s usual first-line mates, Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen. Hintz will center a line with Mikael Granlund and Evgenii Dadonov. Rantanen is expected to slot onto the wing with Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston, according to today’s line rushes (via Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports).

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.

Stars Notes: Robertson, Oettinger, Benn

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Star Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson will miss the bulk of training camp after undergoing surgery this summer to remove a cyst from his foot, shares NHL.com’s Bruce LeVine. LeVine adds that Robertson just started skating again, and is still expected to join the team for the start of the regular season.

Robertson has emerged as perhaps the top player on a loaded Dallas roster. He crossed the 40-goal mark in both 2021-22 and 2022-23, capping the latter year off with a career-high 109 points. Those numbers came down to Earth last season, though his 80 points still led the Stars by 13 points. He’s proven just as impactful in the postseason, combining for 48 points in 55 games over the last three playoffs.

At 25, Robertson is still a stride away from his prime years but already sits among the league’s top scorers. His health and ability to contribute will be paramount as Dallas prepares for another run toward the Western Conference Finals.

Other notes out of Texas:

  • General manager Jim Nill shared in his opening day press conference that there have been no talks of an extension with goaltender Jake Oettinger, per Brien Rea of Bally Sports Southwest. Nill added that there are a few goalies on the open market that they’ll use to help price Oettinger, inadvertently mentioning the ongoing holdout between the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman. Oettinger holds the upper hand to Swayman despite the two being the same age, with the former already achieving seasons of 50 and 60 games. He’s held strong in those outings, boasting a career save percentage of .913 through 193 games. Formerly a first-round pick, Oettinger has grabbed full control of Dallas’ starting role. He’ll look to be compensated as such as Dallas approaches a 2025 summer featuring an endless list of key pending-free agents, including Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston, and Jamie Benn.
  • Speaking of Benn, Nill also shared that he’ll be adamant about keeping the Stars’ captain when his deal expires. The GM went as far as saying, “As long as I’m GM, [Benn] is going to be a Dallas Star,” as captured by LeVine. Benn’s average ice time has decreased in the wake of Dallas’ emerging stars, but he remains a productive piece of the lineup – posting 21 goals and 60 points this season, and 33 goals and 78 points last season. He’s also played in every Stars’ regular season game dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season. At 35, Benn’s next deal is likely to carry him to retirement. Nill wants to ensure that happens with the only club that Benn has ever played for.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Dallas Stars

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2023-24. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Dallas Stars.

Who are the Stars thankful for?

Joe Pavelski

There were a number of different ways that we could have gone here, but it is hard to dismiss the agelessness of 39-year-old Joe Pavelski.

Many pundits thought the Dallas Stars had made a big miscalculation back in July 2019 when the club signed a then 34-year-old Pavelski to a three-year $21MM contract just ten days before his 35th birthday. And one season into the deal, it sure looked like the pundits were right. Pavelski looked lost and tired as he suffered through one of the worst seasons of his NHL career. But since that first year, he has registered 91 goals and 142 assists in 242 games.

Now part of those numbers are because Pavelski is playing fewer minutes than his career average, and he is also playing with very skilled teammates, but it is hard to discount all the intangibles Pavelski has brought to the Stars dressing room on top of being a bonafide top-6 forward. Pavelski hasn’t had to sacrifice any of his attention to detail when it comes to his defensive responsibilities and continues to remain in the conversation when it comes to Selke Trophy considerations year after year. All of this in his 18th NHL season, while he continues to play under a very team-friendly cap hit making just $3.5MM this season (plus $2MM in bonuses).

Pavelski might not be the biggest star in Dallas, but his reliability at both ends of the ice, and his ability to make everyone around him better continue to impress as he pushes towards his 40th birthday.

What are the Stars thankful for?

Their scouting staff.

Very few teams have hit on late first-round picks and second-round picks the way the Dallas Stars have over the last decade. The Stars were fortunate to pick the likes of Miro Heiskanen third overall. But most of their depth was built off smart picks later in the draft. All-star goaltender Jake Oettinger was a late first-round pick 26th overall in the 2017 NHL entry draft, Jason Robertson was selected 13 spots later at 39th overall and has emerged as a top-flight offensive talent. Roope Hintz was a late second-round pick in the 2015 draft while Wyatt Johnston was selected 23rd overall in 2021. The list goes on and it goes to show just how Dallas has built a team that can contend year in and year out.

The stars currently boast some of the best depth in the NHL evidenced by Johnston centering a third line that features Jamie Benn. They haven’t just hit on draft picks as they’ve also been able to make smart free-agent signings (see Pavelski above) and craft trades along the way. The scouts in Dallas at both the amateur and pro level have done a commendable job identifying available talent that other NHL clubs are undervaluing.

What would the Stars be even more thankful for?

Ryan Suter dialing it back.

At 39 years old it is unlikely that Ryan Suter is going to find another gear suddenly. The 11-time all-star defenseman has seen his offensive game fall into a decline since 2020, while his defensive game has been slipping away since 2015. Suter was once considered one of the top two-way defensemen in the NHL, but time has caught up to the Madison, Wisconsin native.

In Dallas, Suter has been thrust into a role that is probably outside of his current skillset as he has played significant minutes with Miro Heiskanen. Suter is averaging over 20 minutes a night, and while that is a steep decline from last season, it is still a rather large number for one of the oldest defensemen in the NHL.

The drop-in ice time has mostly come from Suter being removed from the Stars’ power play. With his speed and footwork in decline, the Stars have made the call to primarily use Suter at even strength on their top pairing. The good news for Suter is that he is partnered up with Heiskanen and can benefit from the youngster’s strong skillset. Suter hasn’t been terrible this year and has mostly been fine, but given the Stars’ Stanley Cup aspirations, it will be important that Suter finds another gear, or the Stars look for someone who can better log Suter’s minutes and perhaps bump him down the depth chart.

What should be on the Stars holiday wish list?

A defenseman.

As mentioned above, Suter could probably benefit from a more sheltered role in the Stars’ defense core. Esa Lindell could also use some help as well as he too has had his struggles. All this points to the Stars needing to shop for another defender.

Dallas is in the fortunate position to have a decent farm system from which they could trade, and also have some young roster players that could entice teams to part with a defenseman. Although I would avoid trading Johnston if possible.

The Stars could benefit from a right-side defenseman, and while it wouldn’t improve Suter’s position on the depth chart, it would allow Jani Hakanpää to slide down into the bottom pairing. Hakanpää has had a rough start to the season and would likely welcome some sheltered minutes on a 5-6 pairing.

If Dallas opts to trade for right-shot defensemen there will certainly be options available to them. Tyson Barrie of the Nashville Predators is out there, as is Chris Tanev of the Calgary Flames. If the Stars wanted to be bolder, they could take a run at Noah Hanifin as he would slot in beautifully on their top pair next to Heiskanen.

Cap space will be an issue for the Stars, but as we inch closer and closer to the trade deadline it will become less of an issue. Dallas is on the cusp of breaking through in the playoffs and one more defenseman could be just the thing that gets them over the hump and back to the Stanley Cup finals.

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