4 days agoEdmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl put in another scoreless effort in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida on Thursday, finishing without a point for a third consecutive game. It's his first three-game pointless streak since March 2020. Draisaitl has struggled in the Final despite getting 23-plus minutes of ice time in every contest. He has failed to score with nine shots on goal. With the team facing elimination in Saturday's Game 4, Edmonton will be desperate for some offensive production from Draisaitl, who has had no scoring issues in the previous rounds and sits on 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) through 21 appearances this postseason.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoEdmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid recorded two assists as the team suffered a 4-3 defeat in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida on Thursday. Edmonton struggled to get past Sergei Bobrovsky again, but the team managed to make it a close game with a couple of third-period strikes, and McDavid collected helpers on both plays. This pushes him to 29 assists for the playoffs -- Wayne Gretzky is the only player in NHL history to manage more in a single postseason, with his league record standing at 31 assists. In 21 outings, McDavid has also recorded five goals. The Oilers captain has been phenomenal throughout the postseason, but the team appears to have run out of gas, as Edmonton fell into a 3-0 hole in the series Thursday night.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoFlorida Panthers center Sam Bennett stretched his point streak to six games in Thursday's 4-3 win against Edmonton in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. The gritty forward scored the team's third goal as Florida's offense came alive in the second period. Bennett's night included three hits and two shots on goal with a minus-two rating in 17:33 of action. The 27-year-old has been a regular on the score sheet throughout the postseason and now sits on 13 points (seven goals, six assists) through 15 appearances. Bennett boasts four goals and three assists from his current scoring run.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoFlorida Panthers winger Vladimir Tarasenko popped up with his fourth goal of the 2024 postseason in Thursday's 4-3 victory against the Oilers. With the score tied at one, Tarasenko started a three-goal Panthers rally in the middle of the second period. Despite seeing only 11:13 of ice time, the Russian veteran led his team with four shots on goal in the contest. He also registered one hit as Florida grabbed a 3-0 series lead. Tarasenko has been awfully quiet in these playoffs, but he has saved some of his best performances for the most important stages of the postseason campaign, going scoreless only once in the past four games. Tarasenko's overall tally for the playoffs reads eight points (four goals, four assists) in 20 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoFlorida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart ended his third-longest goal drought of the season in Thursday's Game 3 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton, helping the team to a 4-3 victory. He lit the lamp for the first time in five games to open the scoring in the contest and picked up an assist on Florida's final goal. Reinhart now boasts nine goals and 15 points through 20 playoff appearances. The 28-year-old continues to chase down the Panthers record for most goals in a single postseason, set by Matthew Tkachuk last year with 11 markers.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
4 days agoFlorida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov had a goal and an assist in Thursday's 4-3 victory over Edmonton, recording his eighth multi-point outing of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It marks the most multi-point games ever in a single postseason by a Panthers player. Barkov shook off an upper-body injury to jump back into the lineup on Thursday and had an impact all over the ice. In addition to his points, the Panthers captain amassed one block and two hits while winning 12 of his 19 faceoffs. The Finnish star has been hot throughout the playoffs and leads his team with 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 20 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoThe San Jose Sharks have announced Ryan Warsofsky as their new head coach. He will take charge of the team after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant under David Quinn, who was fired in April. Warsofsky was responsible for the team's defense and penalty kill during his time as an assistant. He has previously worked as a head coach in the AHL, leading the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup win in 2022. As a member of the Charlotte Checkers staff, Warsofsky also won the AHL championship in 2018. The Sharks missed the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year in 2023-24, finishing with an NHL-worst 19-54-9 record.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
5 days agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield will extend his stay with the team until 2027. He will skip unrestricted free agency after agreeing to a three-year, $9 million extension. Following his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks, Chatfield joined the Hurricanes during the 2021-22 season. He has steadily developed ever since and managed career-high numbers across several categories this term. The 28-year-old recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 72 games with 90 shots, 66 blocks, 58 hits, and a plus-15 rating. Chatfield's previous deal paid him $1.525 million across two years.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Rick Dhaliwal
5 days agoNew York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko has signed a one-year, $2.4 million extension with the team. He's coming off a two-year, $4.2 million contract and was set for restricted free agency. Kakko has had an up-and-down career in the NHL since being selected second overall by the Rangers in the 2019 draft. Following a 40-point campaign, the 23-year-old totaled only 13 goals and 19 points in 61 appearances this term. Kakko has amassed 117 points (57 goals, 60 assists) in 300 career games, leaving plenty of fantasy managers frustrated. However, he is still young enough to develop into a regular scorer.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Larry Brooks
5 days agoColumbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine will likely suit up for a different team next season. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Laine is working with the Blue Jackets on a trade, adding that the Finnish star wants a "fresh start." Laine signed a four-year, $34.8 million extension with Columbus in 2022 after being acquired from Winnipeg a year earlier. However, the former All-Star has been plagued by injuries during his time in Ohio and skated just 18 times with the Blue Jackets in 2023-24. The 26-year-old entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28 and remains in the program, according to LeBrun. Laine has tallied 204 goals and 388 points in 480 career games. He could still be a big piece for fantasy managers if he finds himself in a good situation team-wise and stays healthy.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Pierre LeBrun
5 days agoFlorida Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues will join the first line for Thursday's Game 3 against the Oilers. Florida has started the 2024 Stanley Cup Final with two convincing wins, but there's a small tweak in the lineup for Game 3, as Carter Verhaeghe drops down to the second line to switch places with Rodrigues. The 30-year-old has earned himself a promotion following an outstanding start in the series. With two games played, Rodrigues has bagged three goals with three attempts on the net.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Russo
5 days agoFlorida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (upper body) will be in the lineup for Game 3 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final against Edmonton on Thursday. He has been deemed good to go after getting hurt in Game 2 on Monday night. Barkov has scored six goals in the 2024 playoffs and is tied for the team lead in overall scoring with 19 points in 19 games. The Panthers captain is also playing a key role defensively in the Final against Connor McDavid, who has been limited to one assist and nine shots on goal in the series.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Michael Russo
6 days agoWinnipeg Jets goaltender Laurent Brossoit could move across Canada this offseason as a free agent. According to James Mirtle of The Athletic, there is "mutual interest" between Brossoit and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto had a turbulent season between the sticks and is expected to part ways with Ilya Samsonov, who is also heading toward free agency. Brossoit, who is coming off a one-year, $1.75 million deal, has performed well as Connor Hellebuyck's backup in Winnipeg. He posted a 15-5-2 record in 2023-24 with three shutouts and allowed 2.00 goals with a .927 save percentage. The 31-year-old carries a 64-46-13 career record.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: James Mirtle
6 days agoCarolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin is poised to sign an extension with the team this offseason. Per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Hurricanes are working on a long-term deal with Slavin. He will be wrapping up a seven-year, $37.1 million contract in 2024-25. Slavin, who turned 30 on May 1, should secure himself another good deal after becoming a key cog for the Hurricanes. He led the blue line with a plus-21 rating this season and had a team-high 120 hits while recording 37 points (six goals, 31 assists) in 81 appearances.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
6 days agoEdmonton Oilers right wing Corey Perry is on track to return to the lineup for Thursday's Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida. The veteran forward, who has made history by becoming the first player ever to feature in the Stanley Cup Final with five different teams, was a healthy scratch in Monday's Game 2 loss. Perry recorded one shot on goal, two penalty minutes, and a minus-one rating across 8:45 in Game 1 of the Final. He could play a larger role in Thursday's contest, depending on Evander Kane's (sports hernia) status.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Elliotte Friedman
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