May 6, 2025
San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (wrist) underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to be out for approximately three months. Eklund was involved in a scary incident over the weekend when his right wrist was cut by a skate during an exhibition game with Team Sweden. Unfortunately for Eklund, the injury means he will not be able to represent Sweden at the upcoming World Championships, but he will be good to go for the start of the next NHL season. The Sharks expect big things from Eklund, who pushed his career highs to 17 goals, 41 assists, and 58 points in 77 appearances this term.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: Sheng Peng
May 6, 2025
Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe recorded two assists in Monday's 5-4 loss in Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had his first helper in the opening period when Seth Jones scored on the power play and completed his multi-point night with an assist to Sam Bennett, who scored the game's final goal with 1:55 remaining in regulation. Verhaeghe became the third player in franchise history with 30 postseason assists, joining Aleksander Barkov (44) and Matthew Tkachuk (32). Three of his helpers have come this year, while Verhaeghe has also scored two goals in six playoff appearances. He will carry a three-game point streak into Wednesday's Game 2.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 6, 2025
Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand posted two assists as the team went down 5-4 in Game 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night. Florida struggled to keep pace with Toronto in the game, falling into a 4-1 hole, but Marchand's contributions briefly revitalized the contest in the third period. He assisted Eetu Luostarinen and Uvis Balinskis as the Panthers made it a one-goal game. Marchand has an impressive collection of assists this postseason, setting up six goals in six games; however, he has not found the back of the net himself. The opposition has deprived Marchand of scoring chances, as he has been limited to just six shots on goal.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
May 6, 2025
Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matthew Knies had his first career multi-point playoff game in Monday's 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers. The 22-year-old assisted Chris Tanev on Toronto's fourth goal and took care of the fifth one himself, putting Toronto 5-3 up with six minutes left in regulation. Knies' goal came at a crucial moment, as the Panthers had crawled back into the game with two third-period tallies. Toronto's young winger has been one of the sharpest goal-scorers in the 2025 postseason, finding the back of the net four times. However, he has yet to record any assists through seven games. In the regular season, Knies had the same number of goals and assists (29) in 78 outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
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
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