23 hours agoVegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault is set to begin contract discussions with the team. According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Golden Knights have made extending Marchessault a "priority" this offseason. The news comes just a few days after Marchessault noted that he's yet to receive a call from the club regarding a potential extension. Marchessault is coming off a six-year, $30 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if a new deal isn't reached. The 33-year-old has been a huge hit in Vegas ever since joining the Golden Knights for their inaugural season in 2017-18. He scored a career-high 42 goals this season, adding 27 assists in 82 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: David Pagnotta
23 hours agoMontreal Canadiens left wing Tanner Pearson will be on the move as a free agent this summer. According to NHL insider David Pagnotta, the Canadiens have decided against extending Pearson, who spent one season in Montreal. The 31-year-old was acquired from Vancouver ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. Pearson recorded 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 54 regular-season outings. Things didn't go well for Pearson in Montreal, but he should draw plenty of interest on the open market as a player who averaged 0.50 points per game just a couple of seasons ago. The veteran winger boasts 138 goals and 285 points in 644 career games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: David Pagnotta
23 hours agoTampa Bay Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba will not re-sign with the team and is hitting the open market this offseason. After inking a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Arizona Coyotes last summer, Dumba finished the 2023-24 campaign with the Lightning, playing in 23 contests. However, the Lightning have just re-acquired Ryan McDonagh, who carries a $6.75 million cap hit, and the team can't afford to extend Dumba with Steven Stamkos still unsigned. After breaking out for a 50-point campaign in 2017-18, Dumba's offensive numbers have steadily declined. He recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 72 regular-season games this term, with 86 shots on goal, 108 blocks, and 202 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: David Pagnotta
23 hours agoEdmonton Oilers center Sam Carrick is expected to replace Derek Ryan in the lineup Friday against Dallas. The 32-year-old will make his ninth postseason appearance of the year. He's been limited to one assist in 9:50 of ice time per game. However, Carrick boasts a better faceoff percentage than Ryan, with 55.2 percent, and has also been more physical, registering 28 hits. Ryan, who has won 47.5 percent of his faceoffs this postseason with 21 hits, comes out of the lineup after featuring in 12 consecutive contests.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Bruce McCurdy
24 hours agoDallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa (lower body) will remain sidelined for Game 5 against the Oilers on Friday. The 32-year-old has yet to feature in the postseason after suffering a lower-body injury on March 16. Stars head coach Pete DeBoer hasn't ruled Hakanpaa out for the series, but he appears to still be some way off from returning. With Chris Tanev (lower body) getting hurt in Game 4, Dallas' blue-line depth is getting a big test. 20-year-old Lian Bichsel could make his NHL debut in Friday's contest.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
24 hours agoDallas Stars defenseman Christopher Tanev (lower body) is considered a game-time decision for Friday's Game 5 against Edmonton. Tanev's night was cut short in Game 4 when he was injured while blocking a shot, but it looks like he has a chance to return to action on Friday. While the veteran blue-liner has managed to register only one point in 17 postseason appearances, he would still be a big miss at the back, as Tanev is ranked second in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 68 blocked shots.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
1 day agoNew York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad recorded his first points of the Eastern Conference Final series against Florida on Thursday, picking up assists on both goals in the team's 3-2 defeat. Zibanejad logged a short-handed helper in the second period when Chris Kreider scored and had his second assist inside the final minute of the game on Alexis Lafreniere's eighth goal of the playoffs. The Swedish centerman became the first player in Rangers history with at least 12 assists in multiple postseasons. He's averaging over a point per game in the playoffs, boasting three goals and 13 assists through 15 games. However, 13 of Zibanejad's 16 points came when he opened the postseason with an eight-game scoring streak.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoNew York Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere continued his terrific postseason campaign with another goal in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Florida. He finished the scoring in the contest, notching his eighth playoff goal of the year. Alex Kovalev is the only player aged 22 or younger in Rangers history to score more goals in a single postseason (9). With him having also recorded six assists, Lafreniere is tied for the third most points among Rangers players in these playoffs. He will look to score in a fourth consecutive game when the Rangers try to stave off elimination on Saturday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoNew York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider finished Thursday's 3-2 Game 5 loss to the Panthers with two points. He tied Mark Messier's franchise record with his third career short-handed postseason goal and registered an assist when Alexis Lafreniere found the back of the net late in the game. These are Kreider's first points of the Eastern Conference Final. His productivity has suddenly nosedived after Kreider enjoyed a very good start to the postseason and scored a hat trick to finish off Carolina in Game 6 in the previous round. The veteran winger boasts eight goals and 12 points in 15 games for the 2024 playoff campaign.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoFlorida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky joined a select group of netminders with at least 40 career playoff wins on Thursday. He saved 25 of 27 shots to help the team to a 3-2 victory over the Rangers, becoming the fourth active goaltender with 40-plus postseason wins. There have only been 30 goalies throughout history to win more games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs than Bobrovsky. A good chunk of his victories have come in 2024, as Bobrovsky improved to 11-5 on Thursday night. He has allowed 2.27 goals with a .905 save percentage and one shutout during Florida's quest to reach a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoFlorida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scored a big goal to stretch his point streak to three games in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Rangers. The Swedish blue-liner popped up with a game-tying goal in the second period after Chris Kreider had given the Rangers the lead. It's already his second goal of the Eastern Conference Final. Forsling has taken his game to another level in these playoffs. After picking up only six points during the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final a year ago, he has totaled 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 16 games. Forsling is typically busy without the puck as well and has recorded 23 blocks and 30 hits this postseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoFlorida Panthers center Sam Bennett enjoyed a multi-point outing as the team moved one win away from the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 victory over the Rangers Thursday night. Bennett picked up an assist when Gustav Forsling tied the score at one in the second period and scored himself with the net empty late in the game. Bennett's fifth goal of the postseason ended up as the game-winning tally. The 27-year-old has been a big part of Florida's success with his play at both ends of the ice. He has posted nine points (five goals, four assists) through 11 appearances with 48 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoEdmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner improved to 9-5 for the 2024 postseason with a 5-2 victory over Dallas Wednesday night. Things got off to the worst possible start for Skinner, who allowed two goals on four shots in the opening five and a half minutes of action. However, he played a perfect game after that, getting back to winning ways following two consecutive defeats. Inconsistency has plagued Skinner throughout the playoffs, but he remains Edmonton's top option between the pipes. The 25-year-old carries a 2.71 goals-against average with a .887 save percentage and one shutout.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoEdmonton Oilers right wing Connor Brown is riding a three-game point streak following Wednesday's 5-2 victory over Dallas. He extended his scoring run with an assist on Mattias Janmark's short-handed goal in the second period, which ended up being the game-winning marker. Brown had registered only one point in seven games this postseason before heating up in the Western Conference Final. He boasts one goal and three assists with six shots on goal, five blocks, five hits, and a plus-three rating through 10 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoEdmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid dished out three assists as the team tied the Western Conference Final against Dallas with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday. The Oilers captain produced one assist in each period, with Edmonton winning its second game of the series despite falling into an early 2-0 hole. The game marks the fourth occasion McDavid has recorded at least three assists in a game this postseason. Wayne Gretzky holds the all-time record with five such outings in a single playoff campaign. Following Wednesday night, McDavid will get at least two opportunities to match the mark. He has registered 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 16 games overall for the 2024 playoffs.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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