After missing the final three games of the first round, Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik will play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
An upper-body injury kept Orpik out of the lineup. He was pointless and played 18 minutes a game in the first round.
Orpik was paired with John Carlson in warmups. The stay-at-home defenseman had three goals and seven assists in 41 games this season. He's a former Penguin, having spent the majority of his career in Pittsburgh after being drafted in the first round by the club in 2000.
With 46 goals and 106 points, Patrick Kane had one hell of a season.
He became the first American-born player to win the scoring race, and is likely to take home the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.
While clearing out his locker after a rare Chicago Blackhawks first-round playoff exit, Kane said this season may have been the most fun he's ever had on the ice as a professional.
"I've had a lot of fun playing this year - maybe throughout the regular season, more fun than any year," Kane said Wednesday, according to Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun Times. "Teaming up with (Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin) on a line and seeing your chemistry build and scoring goals and being able to control the puck and playing the game that way you want, it was a lot of fun doing that."
Although his career-high regular season was the league's best, the offseason that preceded it was the polar opposite. Kane was investigated for an accusation of sexual assault in the summer, though no charges were ultimately filed.
Kane doesn't want to attract that type of spotlight again as he enters another offseason.
"Probably more than ever, you know that all eyes are on you," Kane said.
"I think it goes without saying that in today's world, with the social media and everything you're doing, you almost have to act like there's a camera on you or someone's watching you at all times, whether you like it or not. I guess you kind of live and learn from those situations."
Corey Perry reportedly isn't done playing competitive hockey this spring.
The Anaheim Ducks forward confirmed to TSN's Darren Dreger that he'll suit up for Canada at the World Hockey Championship in Russia in May.
Perry and the Ducks were eliminated by the Nashville Predators in Game 7 of their first-round series Wednesday night.
The 30-year-old winger has represented Canada three times, winning two Olympic gold medals (2010 and 2014) and one gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2005.
The 2015-16 season represented a rebirth of sorts for Joe Thornton.
Although he'd produced 65 points the season prior, Thornton's status with the San Jose Sharks came into question as the entire organization endured a tumultuous campaign.
Thornton was stripped of his captaincy, and was rumored to be at wits' end with former Sharks coach Todd McLellan as San Jose missed the playoffs for the first time in Thornton's 10 years with the club.
A year later, and now an alternate captain, Thornton collected 82 points - his highest total since 2009-10. His production came as no surprise to first-year Sharks coach Peter DeBoer.
"He truly loves being at the rink, being around the guys," DeBoer told USA Today's Kevin Allen. "He loves practice to a fault."
The biggest knock on Thornton - and the Sharks as a franchise - has been an inability to get it done in the playoffs.
As the center of attention, the brunt of the blame fell on Thornton's shoulders, and a Stanley Cup is the one thing missing from his sparkling resume. But the idea that Thornton is the reason for San Jose's playoff futility is simply untrue, according to his coach.
"It's a misconception," DeBoer said. "When you hear that, and when you are around Joe Thornton, you realize how ridiculous it is. This guy is exactly what you want in your dressing room and on the ice if you are trying to win a championship."
In 137 career postseason games, Thornton has registered 103 points, including three points in five playoff games this season.
"The fact that he hasn't won (a championship) has nothing to do with him or the effort he puts in," DeBoer added. "I don't think he could be a better leader or example or have more passion for winning. He's just one of those guys whose stars haven't aligned yet."
Thornton and the Sharks begin their second-round series versus Nashville on Saturday night.
Aleksander Barkov and Jussi Jokinen are headed to Russia next month to represent their home nation at the tournament, which runs May 6-22 in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Barkov notched a career-high 28 goals and 59 points in his third season with the Panthers. He won bronze with Finland at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, and registered seven points in eight games at the 2015 World Championship.
Jokinen recorded 60 points in 81 games with Florida in 2015-16. He'll be representing Finland at the tournament for a seventh time.
The veteran winger has two Olympic medals to his name, earning a silver for Finland in 2006 and a bronze in 2014.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Since the San Jose Sharks last played a game, the Nashville Predators fell behind Anaheim in their first-round series with a Game 5 loss and then responded with two straight wins to eliminate the Ducks.
While the Predators ...
The Conn Smythe Trophy for the league's postseason MVP remains almost exclusively reserved for a Stanley Cup champion. So, with just one round in the books, we acknowledge that it's far too soon to really consider anyone for the career-defining honor.
But of course, that hasn't stopped us from ranking individual performances with antecedent information we've gained from series to series before.
So, back for another spring, it's theScore's Conn Smythe Power Rankings:
1) Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
The greatness not necessarily required throughout the regular season was from the Vezina Trophy front-runner in Round 1.
Holtby posted a .968 save clip and 0.84 goals-against average, and allowed five goals with two recorded shutouts for the Capitals (he had three in the regular season) in their six-game triumph over the Flyers, helping them avoid a potentially calamitous collapse after their offense ran dry.
Washington scored six times at even strength in the series, and only twice in its three elimination tries, and will move onward having scored 14 goals (tied for the fewest among advancing teams) - a total a touch inflated by its garbage-time outburst in Game 3.
2) John Tavares, New York Islanders
Tavares was, more than any other skater, absolutely essential for his team's advancement.
The Islanders captain scored five times, totaling nine points, in the club's six-game series with the Panthers. He scored in the final minute to tie, and again in his 32nd minute of their double-overtime eliminator, almost single-handedly lifting the franchise to its first series win in 23 seasons.
He's since taken the lead in postseason scoring with 11 points after netting a goal and assist in Game 1 versus the Lightning.
3) Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
The NHL's most consistent scorer, well, consistently scored in Round 1. Benn compiled four goals, six assists, and a league-best 10 points as the Stars vanquished Minnesota in six games.
Most impressively, his dominance was most prevalent at even strength. He earned a league-best eight points at five-on-five, contributing on half the team's total production in that scenario.
4) Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
Stepping into Steven Stamkos' shoes as the Lightning's specialized sniper, Kucherov provided virtually all the offense Tampa Bay needed to slip past the Red Wings for a second straight spring.
Kucherov was one of just two players to score goals at a per-game rate in Round 1, scoring five times on 15 shots. He was in on 75 percent of the team's total offense, assisting three times.
5) Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
The lone defender to produce better than a point per game, Burns tallied twice and collected eight points as the Sharks swiftly broke down the best statistically defensive team in the West.
To that, he was miles ahead of Drew Doughty in the series, a showcase that might give pause to Norris Trophy voters. Or not.
Of note
Sidney Crosby - Eight points and the driving force behind a power play that fired at a 38 percent clip.
Alex Pietrangelo - A rock on the back end for St. Louis, he took almost 214 minutes in seven games versus the Blackhawks, adding six points. How did his own general manager leave him off Team Canada again?
Joe Pavelski - The only other per-game goal-scorer in these playoffs, how quickly the Sharks did away with Los Angeles might be the only thing holding him back.
Pekka Rinne - Rinne did everything to rid himself of his haunting season in goal for the Predators by stealing Game 7 with 36 saves in Anaheim.
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk's RendezVous LeBreton was granted preferred status on Thursday, winning the bid to redevelop LeBreton Flats - the coveted slice of real estate close to the downtown core.
It's now up to him and his team to negotiate with the National Capital Commission, which recommended his bid over another submission, to broker a deal that will bring the Senators a new arena.
Melnyk said this moves "solidifies" the franchise, and hopes it's a step in bringing in the franchises first Stanley Cup.
Melnyk telling @EvanLSolomon "This is the biggest day in franchise history". "Will lead to a Stanley Cup coming to Ottawa".
Immediately looking ahead, Melnyk announced shortly after the decision that the plan is to have the Senators begin their 2021-22 season in an arena built downtown.
Plans for Kanata's Canadian Tire Center will be unveiled when the process is completed, according to the Senators owner.
The 34-year-old made the announcement after 13 professional seasons, nine of which he spent in the NHL.
"I feel privileged to have played for a decade in the NHL and to have had the support of four great organizations in Boston, New York, Toronto and Calgary," Orr said in a release. "I am grateful to have had the opportunity to play with great teammates and against great players, many of whom have become great friends. It has been an amazing journey that would not have been anywhere near as fulfilling as it was without the love and support of fans, friends, agents, GMs, coaches and family."
Orr spent time with the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, but struck a chord with Maple Leafs fans for his skill in the fisticuffs.
He finishes his career with 12 goals, 12 assists, and 1,186 penalty minutes.
