May 6, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Max Pacioretty opened the second-round series against the Florida Panthers with a two-assist effort on Monday night, playing an important role in a 5-4 victory. The veteran forward registered both of his assists early in the game when William Nylander put Toronto up 2-0 with less than 13 minutes played in the first period. During a busy night, Pacioretty also tied Jake McCabe for the most hits on the team with four, finishing with a plus-three rating across 13:06 of ice time. After starting out the postseason as a healthy scratch, Pacioretty has worked his way to the second line, finding good chemistry with Nylander and John Tavares. He has bagged four points (one goal, three assists) over the past two games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 6, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander got straight down to business in Game 1 of the second-round series against the Florida Panthers on Monday night, posting three first-period points in a 5-4 victory. The Panthers were no doubt pleased that Nylander did not inflict any further damage, but they still could not save the game. Nylander needed only 33 seconds to open the scoring and finished the first frame with two goals and one assist, becoming the second player in franchise history to register a three-point opening period in a playoff game. The Swedish star has been rocking throughout the postseason, amassing five goals and 12 points in seven games. On Wednesday, he has a chance to record a third consecutive three-point outing.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 6, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (upper body) was hospitalized on Monday after he was hurt in Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. The 31-year-old was elbowed in the head by Panthers forward Sam Bennett, exiting the action midway through the second frame. Stolarz, who saved eight of nine shots in the game, left Scotiabank Arena on a stretcher in the third period and was taken to a local hospital. The series continues on Wednesday night, and Stolarz should be considered questionable for Game 2. If he is unavailable, the Maple Leafs will turn to Joseph Woll again. He helped Toronto secure a 5-4 victory on Monday but allowed three goals on 20 shots, showing a bit of rust in his first appearance since April 17.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt is set to undergo shoulder surgery, as announced by the team on Monday. As a result, he will not play for Sweden at the World Championships. The Devils expect Bratt to recover fully in time for training camp in the fall. Next season, Bratt will hope to record a third consecutive 80-point campaign. He was New Jersey's top scorer for a second consecutive year in 2024-25, amassing 88 points (21 goals, 67 assists) in 81 games. The 26-year-old added three points (one goal, two assists) in five postseason games. Bratt has only just entered his prime and should be a highly productive fantasy piece for years to come.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
May 5, 2025
New Jersey Devils defenseman Luke Hughes recently underwent successful shoulder surgery, the team announced on Monday. New Jersey finished the season without Hughes after he was injured in the playoff opener against the Carolina Hurricanes. Hughes had his second consecutive 40-point campaign in 2024-25, notching seven goals and 37 assists in 71 appearances. He registered 16 power-play assists, ranking third on the team. Hughes will be 22 next season and still has plenty of potential. The Devils anticipate that he will recover fully before training camp.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: NHL.com
May 5, 2025
Carolina Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson (undisclosed) returned to practice on Monday. The 29-year-old had missed a pair of practice sessions, with Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour saying that Robinson "was not feeling 100 percent." Robinson played in all five games during the first round against the New Jersey Devils, recording one assist, 26 shots, and 22 hits. He is part of the fourth line and is not expected to make a significant impact offensively, although Robinson elevated his game on the attacking end during the regular season, establishing a new career high with 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 82 outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Walt Ruff
May 5, 2025
Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will start Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs with impressive numbers in the matchup. He finished the regular-season series against Toronto with a 3-1-0 record, allowing only 1.77 goals with a .925 save percentage. Furthermore, he has gone 9-4-1, including the playoffs, against the Maple Leafs since 2022-23. The multi-time Vezina Trophy winner will certainly be confident of more success against Toronto after shining in the opening round. Bobrovsky allowed two or fewer goals three times during the five-game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will have a special matchup in Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers, as he will be up against his former team. The 31-year-old won the Stanley Cup last year with Florida as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup. After going 16-7-2 during the regular season, Stolarz saw postseason action only in Game 4 of the finals against the Edmonton Oilers. With the Maple Leafs, he was 21-8-3 this year and has logged a 4-2 record in the playoffs, allowing 2.21 goals with a .901 save percentage. Stolarz already saw the Panthers three times during the regular season and lost two of three starts against them. It's a difficult matchup for Stolarz and the Maple Leafs, as Florida cruised past Tampa Bay in the opening round, scoring an average of 3.80 goals per game.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: David Alter
May 5, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Mitchell Marner (personal) will play in Monday's Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. Toronto didn't have its star winger available for Sunday's practice, as Marner and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed their first child. He returned to the ice for Monday's optional morning skate. In the first round against the Ottawa Senators, Marner racked up eight points (one goal, seven assists) in six games, more than doubling his postseason points tally from last year (3). The Maple Leafs need him to remain hot against the powerful Panthers. Marner, who turned 28 on Monday, amassed three points (two goals, one assist) in four regular-season meetings with Florida.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: TSN
May 5, 2025
St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich registered an assist with four shots on goal in Sunday's 4-3 Game 7 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Buchnevich and Colton Parayko combined to help Jordan Kyrou on the scoreboard with only 70 seconds played in the contest. The Russian forward finished the seven-game series with five assists and additionally recorded three goals, all of which were scored in a single game. Overall, it was not a particularly successful series for Buchnevich, as the Jets held him to just one point in the last three games. The season, in general, did not go well for Buchnevich either, as he was limited to 57 points (20 goals, 37 assists) in 76 games, failing to extend his streak of 60-point campaigns to four years.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
St. Louis Blues forward Jordan Kyrou opened the scoring in Sunday's 4-3 double-overtime loss in Game 7 against the Winnipeg Jets. The 27-year-old was on target 1:10 into the game, scoring the fastest goal to begin a Game 7 in franchise history. Following Mathieu Joseph's effort, the Blues were soon up 2-0 and took a 3-1 lead into the third period, but the season ended for the team in the first round. Kyrou will be disappointed with his efforts in the matchup against the Jets. He potted three goals in the series but did not register a single assist. The Blues forward cooled off following a prolific regular season, during which he recorded at least 30 goals and 30 assists for a third consecutive year.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Winnipeg Jets forward Cole Perfetti found the back of the net twice in Sunday's 4-3 double-overtime Game 7 victory against the St. Louis Blues. A nifty tip from Perfetti during the power play put the Jets on the board in the second period, and he came up clutch with a similar effort in the dying seconds of regulation, sending the game into overtime. Perfetti's second goal, scored at the 19:57 mark of the third period, will go down in the record books as the latest game-tying goal in Game 7 history. The 23-year-old now has power-play goals in back-to-back games and will head into the second round against the Dallas Stars with five points (three goals, two assists).
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Neal Pionk played a crucial role in Sunday's comeback win against the St. Louis Blues, helping the team move into the second round of the playoffs with a three-assist effort in a 4-3 double-overtime win. Pionk picked up a power-play helper in the second period on a Cole Perfetti goal and registered two even-strength assists when the Jets turned a 3-1 deficit into a victory. Following Josh Morrissey's (upper body) early exit, Pionk had a massive workload in the game, setting a new franchise record with 46:15 of ice time. His night at the office included three shots, four blocks, and six hits. Winnipeg will need similar performances from Pionk going forward if Morrissey has to miss additional time.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor finished Sunday's 4-3 double-overtime Game 7 victory against the St. Louis Blues with three assists. He set up Cole Perfetti for a couple of tallies, including the latest game-tying goal in Game 7 history, and capped off his hat trick of assists by helping Adam Lowry score the series clincher in double-overtime. Connor was on fire throughout the series and is now tied with Mikko Rantanen for the most points this postseason. His 12 points (four goals, eight assists) mark a new franchise scoring record for a single playoff series. Connor collected seven points in the final three games alone and should be in a confident mood ahead of Winnipeg's Round 2 matchup against the Dallas Stars. The American star finished the regular-season series against the Stars with four goals and five points in four games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 5, 2025
Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry scored the game-winning goal as the team won Game 7 on Sunday against the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in double overtime. Winnipeg managed to extend the game with two goals in the final two minutes of regulation, and it took Lowry 16:10 to score in the second extra frame. Lowry netted the second-latest overtime goal in franchise history and became only the second captain in the NHL to score an overtime goal in a Game 7, joining Steve Yzerman. With Mark Scheifele (undisclosed) on the shelf, Lowry has moved into the top six and may have a huge role to play in Round 2 against the Dallas Stars. He finished the first round with three goals, 14 shots, and 32 hits.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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