Chris Neil isn't ready to hang up his skates just yet.
The Senators heavyweight is coming off his 15th campaign - all spent with Ottawa - and despite a diminished role this season, the 37-year-old said he hopes to come back for 2017-18.
After playing in just 53 games during the regular season and contributing only one goal and three assists, Neil was nearly non-existent in the postseason. He dressed for just two contests - Games 5 and 6 against the New York Rangers - and played just 1:49 and 2:26 in a combined nine shifts.
As for how realistic a return would be, Neil admitted he isn't too sure what the future holds.
Neil sits third on the Senators' all-time games played list with 1,026, while his 2,522 penalty minutes is 1,764 more than second-place Chris Phillips on the franchise's all-time leaderboard.
Bobby Ryan's lucrative paycheck might keep him out of Vegas, at least for hockey reasons.
The Ottawa Senators forward spoke to reporters at the team's locker clean out on Saturday and admitted he isn't worried about being selected by the Golden Knights in the impending expansion draft due to his hefty salary.
Bobby Ryan says he isn't worried about expansion draft. "Are they going to take 7 million? No," he said with a laugh. #Sens
After a dismal regular season that saw Ryan collect just 13 goals and 25 points in 62 games, many felt that he would be a prime candidate to be left unprotected in the expansion draft.
However, Ryan turned his game around in the postseason, collecting six goals and 15 points in 19 contests, including three game-winning goals.
While he did turn things around, Ryan could be right about his undesirable contract. He remains signed for the next five years with an annual cap hit of $7.25 million. Even if he goes unprotected by the Sens, for a Golden Knights team just starting out, his contract appears to be too steep and onerous.
Expect Ryan back in a Senators jersey next season.
His club fell in Game 7 in double overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing out on the chance to play for the Stanley Cup. However, as Anderson explained Saturday, he'd received some great news about his wife Nicholle's health before the game.
Anderson says Nicholle informed him the AM of Game 7 all her scans have back "clean". "She didn't want to tell me," said Anderson #Sens
In November, the team announced that Nicholle had been diagnosed with a rare form of neck cancer. After the diagnosis, Craig took multiple leaves of absence to support his wife.
Suffice to say it wasn't all bad news for the Andersons on Thursday.
The Stanley Cup Final kicks off Monday at 8 p.m. ET, and at first glance, it might look like a bit of a mismatch. The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the postseason as the reigning champs with the second-best record during the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators scored a wild-card berth and proved that once the playoffs begin, the successes and failures of the regular season are left behind.
With both teams having proven to be worthy finalists, this series should be everything fans could possibly ask for.
Here is what you need to know ahead of Game 1:
How they got here
Penguins
Pittsburgh's climb back to the final saw it square off against three familiar playoff foes.
The Penguins made quick work of the inspired Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, dispatching them in just five games. In Round 2, they met the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals, a series deemed by many to represent the unofficial Stanley Cup Final.
After a back-and-forth series, the Penguins prevailed in Game 7, pushing their record to 3-0 against the Capitals in their last three playoff meetings.
Finally, there was the Ottawa Senators - or the boring Sens as some called them. Ottawa didn't make life easy on the Penguins, taking 1-0 and 2-1 series advantages. However, on the back of Chris Kunitz, Pittsburgh won its second Game 7 of the playoffs, needing double overtime to improve to 4-1 in postseason series against the Senators since 2007.
Predators
The Predators appeared to be doomed before the playoffs even began, with the team pitted against the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks in Round 1.
However, Nashville stunned arguably the hottest team of the past decade, sweeping Chicago in four games while allowing just three goals against.
Next up was the St. Louis Blues, which despite playing Nashville to four one-goal affairs, just couldn't crack the Predators' defense. It took six games, but Nashville bested the Blues to advance to the third round for the first time in franchise history.
Finally, the Predators had to claw their way past the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks became the first team to score more than three goals against the Predators this postseason when they tallied five in Game 2.
After losing Ryan Johansen to a surprise injury prior to Game 5, things didn't look good for the Predators, but they played inspired hockey in outscoring Anaheim 9-4 over Games 5 and 6 to punch their ticket to their first Stanley Cup Final.
Toe-to-toe
The series marks a clash between an offensive juggernaut and arguably the strongest defense corps in the NHL.
While the Penguins might have the more potent offense, the Predators have done a great job of smothering the opposition through three rounds.
Nashville also heads into the final having not trailed in a series at any time during the playoffs.
Team
GF
GA
SF
SA
SV%
PP%
PK%
FOW%
Penguins
58
44
574
620
92.79
25
85.5
51
Predators
47
29
479
475
93.9
14.9
88.1
50.1
Season series
The two-game season series was somewhat of a wash. Each team earned a victory, with Matt Murray getting the edge over Pekka Rinne in Game 2 of the series - a 4-2 Penguins win.
Team
Record
GF
GA
PPG
SF
SA
Penguins
1-1-0
5
7
1
73
69
Predators
1-1-0
7
5
2
69
73
Looking back to the regular season, it's hard to give one team an edge over the other.
Injuries
Penguins
For the Penguins, the lack of Kris Letang continues to sting, but his absence is something that the club has learned to play through over the years. Patric Hornqvist's return to the lineup would certainly be welcomed.
Player
Ailment
Status
Patric Hornqvist
upper body
day-to-day
Chad Ruhwedel
concussion
day-to-day
Tom Kuhnhackl
lower body
day-to-day
Kris Letang
neck
indefinitely
Predators
It's no secret that the omission of Johansen is devastating for the Predators. The team got by without him for the final two games against the Ducks, but his 13 points in 14 games will be missed.
On the other hand, while Mike Fisher also missed the team's last two contests, he has begun skating with the team and a return in the final appears likely.
Player
Ailment
Status
Ryan Johansen
thigh
out for playoffs
Mike Fisher
undisclosed
day-to-day
Craig Smith
lower body
day-to-day
Kevin Fiala
leg
day-to-day
Positional advantages
Forwards
Advantage: Pittsburgh
This shouldn't come as a surprise, as a forward contingent including the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel is likely to challenge most in the league.
The Penguins are the only team averaging more than three goals per game in the playoffs. Given that no defenseman on the team has more goals than Justin Schultz's three, it's pretty clear that Pittsburgh's forwards are doing the bulk of the scoring.
Defense
Advantage: Predators
Defense, however, is a completely different story. The Penguins' defense corps doesn't come close to that of the Predators. In fact, four of the Predators' top eight point producers in the playoffs have been defensemen.
Going head-to-head, the Predators have the overwhelming advantage. The Penguins' entire defense corps has tallied just eight goals, while Ellis and Josi alone have nine between them.
Goaltending
Advantage: Tie
With all the talk that Rinne is likely the Predators' pick for the Conn Smythe Trophy, you would think that Nashville would have the clear advantage between the pipes, but that's not necessarily the case.
Ever since Murray stole the net back from Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 3 against the Senators, the rookie netminder - yes, he's still considered a rookie - has been lights-out.
He's given up just seven goals on 130 shots - good enough for a .946 save percentage - while averaging just 1.35 goals against per game, marks that are actually better than Rinne's .941 and 1.70 - albeit in a much smaller sample size.
Both goalies have been incredible, and heading in, it's hard to take one over the other. With each club earning a distinct advantage in the positions mentioned above, it's quite clear that the series could come down to which goaltender can outduel the other.
What's on the line
Heading into the final, it is safe to presume that the Predators have more to prove than the Penguins.
After numerous solid regular seasons, the Predators were finally able to crack the second-round barrier that had proven to be an overwhelming task in the past.
For a franchise that is just now starting to get the recognition it deserves - thanks in large part to a deeply loyal fan base - a Stanley Cup would mean the world.
A win would put Peter Laviolette into the discussion of the NHL's top coaches. Despite a Cup to his name and a winning pedigree, he never seems to be mentioned in the same conversation as the Joel Quennevilles and Mike Babcocks of the league.
Then there is Subban. A Stanley Cup would be the ultimate prize for a player unfairly maligned in Montreal. Some may have questioned whether a team can win with him and his personality. This would finally put those conversations to rest.
Pittsburgh captured the Cup last season with a roster nearly identical to its current makeup and is a well-established contender. The team is largely playing for history, attempting to be the first club to win back-to-back Cups since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.
On the back of the Nashville Predators' playoff success, another win could soon be in the team's future, with the Predators in the running to host an outdoor game.
"It is something we're going to be looking at because as we had a wonderful draft, a spectacular All-Star Game, both in Nashville," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told Nashville's 104.5 The Zone. "The building is as loud, if not louder, than any building in the league. The fans are great, they have developed their own special traditions and ways of watching the game."
The NHL has officially held 22 outdoor games, with two more slated for next season in Ottawa and New York. The Predators are one of just seven teams to have neither hosted nor played in an outdoor game.
The league may be looking to cash in on Nashville's postseason success. The Predators are the hottest ticket in town, setting franchise-high marks for attendance while two-thirds of locals have tuned in to watch the on-ice action.
On Monday, the 2017 Stanley Cup Final will kick off.
The Pittsburgh Penguins return to the dance, surprising very few on their quest for a Stanley Cup repeat. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators will take part in their first finals after entering the playoffs as the 16-seed.
The Predators' rise has truly been the most shocking part of the 2017 playoffs. They swept the Western Conference's top seed, the Chicago Blackhawks, and upended the Pacific Division-winning Anaheim Ducks en route to a finals berth.
The Predators' run through the first three rounds has been nothing short of remarkable, and a victory over the Penguins would be the cherry on top. With that in mind, here is a sampling of some of the most shocking moments in Stanley Cup Final history:
McSorley's illegal stick
In 1993, after dropping the first game of the series, the Montreal Canadiens looked to be in deep trouble, with the Los Angeles Kings once again leading 2-1 with just minutes remaining in regulation.
It was then that the Canadiens took a major risk, calling for a stick measurement on Kings defenseman Marty McSorley. McSorley's curve was indeed deemed illegal, and after Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy was pulled, Montreal took to the ice with a 6-on-4 advantage.
With the extra skaters, Eric Desjardins scored his second goal of the game to tie things at 2-2 heading to overtime. Desjardins would go on to score the game-winning goal less than a minute into overtime, completing the hat trick and evening the series at a game apiece.
Montreal would win the next three contests to take the Stanley Cup in five games. As fate would have it, no Canadian team has won the Cup since.
Kariya 'off the floor on the board'
The hit that Scott Stevens laid on Paul Kariya in Game 6 of the 2003 Stanley Cup Final sent immediate panic to not just the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim - oh how we miss that name - but the entire NHL.
Midway through the second period, Kariya was knocked unconscious - on yet another brutal open-ice hit by Stevens, reminiscent of the one he laid on Eric Lindros - and had to be slowly helped off the ice and to the dressing room. It looked as though he was likely done for the series.
Eleven minutes later, though, he returned to the ice and immediately made an impact. Kariya wired an absolute rocket over the catching glove of Martin Brodeur to give the Mighty Ducks a 4-1 lead. The team would take Game 6 by a 5-2 margin thanks to Kariya's unbelievable comeback.
Unfortunately for the Mighty Ducks, the Devils would prevail in Game 7 to win the Cup.
Bob Baun scores on broken ankle
Before there was Kariya, there was Bob Baun.
In 1964, with the Toronto Maple Leafs facing elimination against the Detroit Red Wings, defenseman Bob Baun blocked a Gordie Howe shot and was forced to leave on a stretcher.
Surprisingly, Baun would return to the game, later scoring the overtime winner to force a Game 7. The Maple Leafs would emerge victorious, winning 4-0 - with Baun continuing to play through pain - capturing their third straight Stanley Cup.
What is so incredible about Baun's return is that that after the series, he learned that his ankle had indeed been fractured. #BecauseItsTheCup.
Brett Hull scores controversial Cup winner vs. Sabres
It's a goal that will go down in as arguably the most controversial in NHL history.
Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Final between the Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres saw both clubs go to triple overtime, with the Stars leading the series three games to two.
However, many feel that the goal shouldn't have counted since Hull's foot was in the crease, and at the time, Rule 78-b stated: "...a player of the attacking side not possessing the puck may not stand in the goal crease." Of course, the argument on the play is what is considered having possession?
Nevertheless, the goal would stand, but for some, the debate continues.
Maple Leafs rally from 3-0 deficit to win Stanley Cup
The Maple Leafs entered the 1942 Stanley Cup Final as the overwhelming favorites after finishing the regular season with the second-best record to the New York Rangers.
However, in the finals, the Red Wings shocked the Maple Leafs, taking the first three games of the series and putting Toronto's Cup hopes on thin ice. But that's when things turned around.
The Maple Leafs won the next three games by a combined score of 16-6, before taking Game 7 at Maple Leaf Gardens by a 3-1 score - in front of a then Canadian record 16,218 people - to capture the team's first Stanley Cup in 10 years.
The win marked the first time a major professional sports team had rallied from a 3-0 series deficit to win a seven-game series.
Had he been out of work one month longer, though, he could have been on the other side of this year's Stanley Cup Final with the Pittsburgh Penguins, general manager Jim Rutherford told Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun.
Rutherford was named GM of the Penguins just four weeks after Laviolette headed to Tennessee, and remains a fan of the coach after their time together in Carolina, where Laviolette guided the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup 11 years ago.
"Interesting how things could have worked out differently, isn't it?" Rutherford said Friday. "I really have a special admiration for what he did when we worked together. ... We would have reunited. But the timing didn't work out.
"I think that's about as clear as I can say about what I thought about Peter Laviolette - the fact that if he was available, I would have hired him here when I first got here."
Rutherford ultimately gave the job to Mike Johnston, who was later replaced with current bench boss Mike Sullivan en route to last season's Stanley Cup win.
As the Penguins attempt to become the first team to capture back-to-back titles since the Detroit Red Wings did it in 1998, Rutherford will need to get by his former coach in order to accomplish the feat - no easy task given Laviolette's pedigree.
"Peter did a terrific job in Carolina that year, coming out of the lockout and bringing the players together," Rutherford added. "He's been to the final a few times now and that's not by accident."
Game 1 of the series kicks off Monday in Pittsburgh.
The President of Belarus came away unimpressed by the performance of his nation's hockey team at the recent World Championship, criticizing the "absolutely spineless" squad after it failed to qualify for the playoff round.
Belarus finished 13th out of 16 teams - one spot ahead of Slovenia in Group B - which was just enough to avoid relegation from next year's tournament.
"Even if you lose, then play with soul and the people will forgive you," Lukashenko told The Canadian Press. "But when you go out there you've lost the game before it even begins and your legs are shaking."
The players weren't the only ones to take barbs from Lukashenko, who also lamented the "disgusting" work of the team's coaching staff. If the president had his way, he'd link performance to pay, and salary would follow success.
"Everyone's driving around in a Mercedes," Lukashenko added, "but there are no results."
Lukashenko, who came into power in 1994, witnessed his country's best finish on the international stage in 2002, when Belarus lost the bronze-medal game at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
However, the nation will not have a shot at redemption at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, after falling to Slovenia in the Olympic qualifier.
