The NHL is a copycat league, and you can count on 28 front offices directing their attention to the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins over the course of the next few weeks, attempting to replicate the clubs' models of success.

In that sense, it's ironic that despite the Preds and Pens - at this point, at least - having rosters built with completely different blueprints, the first team to four wins will define what it takes to build a winner in today's league.

New to the dance, Nashville has reached this point on the strength of an impenetrable blue line, with a recently depleted forward corps missing the services of No. 1 center Ryan Johansen.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has consistently iced a beleaguered blue line throughout the postseason, but it's yet to become a factor, thanks to two of the best centerman the NHL has ever seen, and a deadly supporting cast.

With polar opposites competing for the same prize, this Stanley Cup Final could be an all-timer, featuring a compelling storyline or personality at every turn.

Legacies

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Believe it or not, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin alike can transcend into another stratosphere if Pittsburgh repeats as champion.

Crosby's legacy, already one of the greatest of all time, can be further burnished with back-to-back Cups. In the salary cap era, a feat of that stature can't go unnoticed. And while you might be sick of his dominance, and craving a new winner, remember the scene when, just weeks ago, an ill-timed cross check from Matt Niskanen had the collective hockey world anxiously wondering when he'd take the ice again.

Then there's Malkin, No. 87's partner through it all. The duo, now 30 and 29 years of age and eight years removed from their first triumph, are one-two in the playoff scoring race. Together, they have a chance to do something the Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr-led Penguins never did: capture a third ring.

If Pittsburgh wins, you can count on Crosby or Malkin capturing the Conn Smythe, which would mark the second for either player. Only Wayne Gretzky, Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Bernie Parent, and Patrick Roy have accomplished that.

Reputations are built in the playoffs, and we're witnessing two of the best ever take another chance to reach the pinnacle of the sport. Enjoy it.

Faces of the NHL

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

While Crosby's long held the title of the NHL's best player, P.K. Subban is about to take the sport's biggest stage - something the league should rightfully exploit.

Subban has all the characteristics to become the face of the NHL: relentless charisma, an honest approach, and otherworldly talent. The 28-year-old rearguard works in a platoon to make the Preds' D corps the best in the league, and after being shipped out of Montreal for reasons supposedly unknown, winning a title would be the perfect way to cap a hectic year.

For a league that struggles to market its stars, the NHL, in its 100th year, has a chance to showcase the game at its very best, featuring its very best players.

If watching Crosby, Malkin, and Subban, among others, occupy the same rink to compete for the Stanley Cup doesn't draw you in, hockey probably isn't for you.

Teams of destiny

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Both the Predators' and Penguins' 2016-17 stories feature much more than star power.

After slowly escaping the perils of a weak market, Nashville, led by general manager David Poile, has given the city hockey fever over the years, and the team reached new heights this spring.

Poile, in the Predators organization since its inception, has built a perennial contender in Music City, and his resume speaks for itself. Less than a year after letting go of Seth Jones for Johansen, he traded his captain for Subban.

This is a club that's gotten this far as an eight-seed, sweeping away the Chicago Blackhawks, suffocating the St. Louis Blues, and clawing past the Anaheim Ducks. The Preds have Cinderella charm and juggernaut talent, and, based on how they're built, it looks like this is just the beginning.

The Penguins, meanwhile, are the favorites, loaded with experience. But they've shown there's more than one route to sustained success.

The team lost top defenseman Kris Letang for the playoffs, then starting netminder Matt Murray prior to Game 1 of the first round.

Pitted against the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals in Round 2, the Penguins got it done, then in Game 7 double overtime against the Senators, they, like always, found a way.

The Predators-Penguins final has all the makings of a classic. Whether it's Pittsburgh's unstoppable offense meeting Nashville's immovable defense, the cementing of a dynasty versus the birth of a new one, or simply the showcasing of the world's best players, this series could be one for the ages.

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P.K. Subban certainly doesn't appear to be bothered by John Scott's scathing criticism.

The Nashville Predators star defenseman was his usual gregarious self Sunday, playing the role of reporter and asking teammate Mike Fisher about the captain's looks at the team's Stanley Cup Final media session.

Subban's highly anticipated "E:60" profile aired only hours earlier, and Scott had the most eyebrow-raising quote in the lengthy feature, saying Subban is "a piece of garbage" on the ice who "thinks he's better than everybody."

The blue-liner's name also came up during Phil Kessel's availability Sunday, as the Pittsburgh Penguins forward told reporters Subban "got the shaft" with the Montreal Canadiens.

Subban playfully assumed the role of reporter following Nashville's series-clinching win over the St. Louis Blues earlier this month, crashing Roman Josi's scrum before his fellow defenseman jokingly called him out for making a statement instead of asking a question.

Never change, P.K.

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Phil Kessel is usually a man of few words.

Not much changed Sunday at media day in Pittsburgh, but the talented Penguins winger did offer up the nugget of the day, chiming in on a situation he knows all too well.

"I know what he's going through," Kessel said of Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, according to Michael Traikos of Postmedia. "Obviously he wants to win really bad because I'd say he got the shaft in Montreal."

Kessel is a former Toronto Maple Leafs castoff from two seasons ago, and most would say he was harshly and unfairly criticized for the failures of a team riddled with issues, both on the ice and in the front office. Subban felt similar backlash after the Montreal Canadiens missed the 2016 playoffs, as he was promptly dealt out of town to Nashville for Shea Weber.

However, the situations surrounding both players' departures were very different.

Subban was moved - among other reasons - due to Montreal wanting to change its identity and become stronger defensively on the back end, whereas Kessel was a casualty of Brendan Shanahan's rebuild in Toronto, a club looking to shed veterans and salary.

Either way, both players are clearly using their checkered pasts as motivation to put their new respective clubs over the top, and so far, it seems to be working.

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While he might be done playing hockey, John Scott hasn't stopped throwing jabs.

The former heavyweight forward appeared on the recent ESPN "E:60" profile of Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, in which Scott spoke rather ill of the former Norris Trophy winner.

"I don’t like him. I think on the ice, he’s a piece of garbage," Scott said, according to Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski. "Perceived as like a hot shot, (that) this guy thinks he’s better than everybody."

The words are rather eye-opening and appeared to come out of nowhere, considering the two are not known for any on-ice animosity toward each other.

The profile also covered Subban's upbringing, his career highlights, and some of the challenges he's dealt with regarding racism.

As for Scott's comments, Subban is about to begin playing for the Stanley Cup, so chances are he has better things to worry about right now.

Several clips from the profile can be viewed here. Meanwhile, the entire profile can be re-watched in it's entirety Sunday on ESPNEWS at 9 p.m. ET, while those in Canada can catch it Tuesday on TSN 2 at 10 p.m. ET.

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Nashville Predators captain Mike Fisher should be good to go when Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final kicks off on Monday.

Head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters on Sunday that he expects all players present on the team's current trip to be available for Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which would include Fisher and his fellow injured forward Craig Smith, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika.

Fisher has been out of the Predators' lineup for the past two games with an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, Smith has not dressed since Game 6 of Nashville's second-round series against the St. Louis Blues while dealing with a lower-body injury, and has played in just four games during the playoffs.

While the two would be welcome additions to the Preds' lineup, they have combined for just one assist in 18 games during the playoffs.

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A little more offense from Jake Guentzel could go a long way for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the final round.

The rookie has enjoyed a stellar first playoffs this spring, for the most part, sharing the league lead with nine goals and ranking fourth on his team with 16 points.

However, despite his strong stats, Guentzel's production took a dip during the Eastern Conference Final as the Ottawa Senators limited the 22-year-old to just two assists in seven games.

In fact, Guentzel hasn't found the back of the net since Game 6 against the Washington Capitals, having tallied just three assists over his last eight games.

Amid the slump, head coach Mike Sullivan insisted Guentzel is contributing in other ways.

"I think Jake’s game has been really good. He didn’t score in that series, but I think there’s more to his game than just that," Sullivan said Sunday after practice. "He’s played some heavy minutes for us since he’s joined our team, in particular, in this playoff race.

"So I think as our team starts to get healthy here, we’re able to lean on the balance of the group, which I think will serve Jake, in particular, really well. He’s a very good player. I think he helps us win even on nights when he doesn’t score because he has a complete skill set. He’s pretty sound defensively. He has awareness away from the puck. He’s a playmaker. He has a high hockey IQ. He’s a competitive guy."

It's for these reasons that Sullivan never wavered on Guentzel's ice time during the last round. Despite his dip in production, Guentzel still played an average of 17:53 a night, fourth most among Penguins forwards behind only Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel

"There’s a lot of aspects of his game other than just his ability to score goals that help our team win," Sullivan added.

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As the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators prepare for the Stanley Cup Final, 28 other teams are putting their offseason plans into place.

That means buyouts and an opportunity to restructure by ridding of mistakes from summers past. The window opens 48 hours after the conclusion of the playoffs and runs until the end of June.

For the not-so-low cost of two thirds of a player's remaining salary spread over twice the term left on his contract, a team can clear the deck of its unwanted. Here are five players who could face that reality this offseason:

Dan Girardi

The New York Rangers blue-liner would be the most expensive buyout of the bunch, as his deal runs for another three seasons and carries $13 million in owed salary, including $3 million in signing bonuses.

For a team that seeks a puck-moving defenseman unlike Girardi on its right side, clearing out the 33-year-old would alleviate the dollars to add that piece. New York could be in the mix for Kevin Shattenkirk this summer, should he reach free agency, or the team could re-sign Brendan Smith, acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at this year's trade deadline. Bringing back either defender won't come cheap.

The Rangers are no stranger to buyouts, having previously used one-time compliance buyouts on former defenseman Wade Redden and center Brad Richards, who were paid to go away in 2013 and 2014, respectively.

The buyout:

Scott Hartnell

Evidence of Hartnell's time with the Columbus Blue Jackets running thin was seen in the postseason, when the veteran winger was scratched for Game 4 against the Penguins, and as he was held off the scoresheet in the four games he was in the lineup.

While he finished 2017-18 with just 37 points in 78 games - his lowest full-season finish in more than a decade - the 35-year-old Hartnell can still be a valuable addition for most clubs. What complicates his future in Columbus is the coming expansion draft, when the Vegas Golden Knights will pry a player from each of the 30 teams.

As Hartnell holds a no-movement clause, the rules state he must be protected, unless approached by the Blue Jackets to waive that right. Doing so would allow Columbus to protect another young player up front, like William Karlsson or Boone Jenner. But as there is no guarantee Hartnell would agree to that maneuver, and potentially risk being claimed by an expansion team, the best bet for the Blue Jackets could be to buy out the remaining two years of Hartnell's $4.75 million-a-year contract.

The buyout:

Jaroslav Halak

The math doesn't work. After losing the New York Islanders' top job last season to Thomas Greiss - who recently signed a three-year extension with the club - there is surely an unwillingness to pay big dollars for Halak to sit on the bench. Or as he did this season, star in the minors in Bridgeport.

While the 32-year-old Halak has fallen out of favor in Brooklyn, he put together a late showing as the team's top performer following his recall from the minors in late March, in which he went 6-1 in seven games and allowed just 11 goals in the process. It was nearly enough to push New York into the postseason, only to miss by a single point. Couple that performance with how Halak fared with Team Europe at last summer's World Cup and he should have some suitors calling this offseason.

Moving on from Halak would also open a full-time backup gig for Jean-Francois Berube, who the organization has thought highly of over the past two seasons but has been unable to provide him with proper playing time. A pending unrestricted free agent, Berube needs a new contract to stick around with the Islanders.

The buyout:

Antti Niemi

If the writing weren't on the wall following a disastrous season, the picture became clearer when the Dallas Stars brought in Ben Bishop.

Now with three big-ticket goalies under contract in Bishop, Niemi, and Kari Lehtonen, the odds are the Stars will clear away their three-headed monster in the crease by sending a buyout to Niemi. That move comes at a cheaper rate than dumping Lehtonen - which isn't saying much about how his season fared. Together, the two combined for an NHL-worst .893 save percentage.

Niemi, 33, has just one year remaining on his contract, so a buyout would come with a reasonable penalty that came off the books following the 2018-19 campaign.

The buyout:

Kevin Bieksa

Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle is a big fan of Bieksa. The problem is the 35-year-old is caught in a numbers game, both in terms of the expansion draft and in the many blue-liners, like Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour, coming up through the system in Anaheim.

Like Hartnell, Bieksa holds a no-movement clause that requires protection in the expansion draft. But could the Ducks approach the veteran defender to do his club a solid? Waiving his no-movement clause would open up another protection slot for the Ducks, whether they choose to use it on a youngster like Josh Manson or a key forward like Rickard Rakell or Jakob Silfverberg.

However, if Bieksa is unwilling to waive his contractual right, Anaheim may have no choice but to issue a buyout to Bieksa, who would then be made available to test the waters as an unrestricted free agent.

The buyout:

(h/t - CapFriendly)

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Patric Hornqvist's return to the Pittsburgh Penguins' lineup may be imminent.

The 30-year-old participated in practice on Sunday, and head coach Mike Sullivan noted he'll be a game-time decision for Game 1 on Monday against the Nashville Predators. Sullivan added that the team is "definitely encouraged" by Hornqvist's status.

In Sunday's skate, Hornqvist occupied his familiar spot on the team's top power-play unit alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Justin Schultz, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby.

Hornqvist has been out since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Ottawa Senators. However, he did take part in the pregame skate before Game 7, but was ultimately scratched.

He's contributed four goals and seven points in 13 playoff games and should give the Penguins a boost if he does indeed return for Game 1.

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Fancy a wager? It's that time, folks.

We've reached a spot on the calendar when committed puckheads open up their pocketbooks and sprinkle a little loot on some Stanley Cup Final prop bets. None juicier or more attractive than trying to predict who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Below is a breakdown of the odds, locks, long shots, and dark horses, along with a few picks you might be interested in come Monday night.

Odds

(Odds courtesy: Sports Interaction)

There's no shortage of options, but choosing the winner is a lot more difficult than it looks. However, like picking a Super Bowl MVP, there's some strategy involved.

For example, picking a goalie as your MVP is probably a decent call, especially this year with two elite 'tenders defending the blue paint in Matt Murray and Pekka Rinne.

Since the award's inception in 1965, a netminder has taken home the trophy 16 times, most recently in 2012 when Jonathan Quick earned the hardware following the Kings' Cup victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Safe Bets

This is the section you probably want to pay the most attention to, as the award will likely be taken home by one of the following two men.

Pekka Rinne (3.75-1)

It might be the boring and predictable choice, but if you've watched Rinne play this season, it's also the smart one. And though his regular season was solid, he's been an absolute beast between the pipes this postseason.

Rinne leads the NHL in playoff wins (12) and save percentage (.941), and is tied for the league lead in shutouts (2).

If Nashville hangs around in this series, Rinne will be a major factor. If the Preds manage to win this thing, expect the three-time Vezina finalist to be holding more than just the Cup over his head when all is said and done.

Sidney Crosby (4.55-1)

How do you not include Sid in this category? Dude is the definition of a lock.

Let's not reinvent the wheel here. Crosby is the best all-around player on the planet and not having him in your mix of Conn Smythe candidates would be the slip of a lifetime.

His playoff track record speaks for itself: 157 points in 142 games, four Eastern Conference titles, two Cups, and of course, a Conn Smythe Trophy. He performs when it matters most.

Long Shots

Here's where we can get a little loose, dial back the wager amount (or not), and wait for a big payout.

Phil Kessel (13-1)

Over the last two postseasons, Kessel has registered 41 points in 43 games. For comparison's sake, Crosby has 39 in 42.

Impressive. But Kessel has been scoring in the clutch his whole career, so his playoff numbers shouldn't really come as that much of a surprise. After all, he is a former fifth overall draft pick who produces at almost a point per game in the postseason.

At 13-1, Phil is worth a wager.

Ryan Ellis (13-1)

Insert a top-four Nashville defenseman here.

Realistically, any one of P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, or Mattias Ekholm could have their name in the mix for the hardware, but it's Ellis that seems to be on a path to something special.

No longer an under-the-radar rearguard, Ellis has made the 2017 postseason his own coming-out party. If not for Erik Karlsson's ridiculous playoff performance, Ellis would be leading the league in points by a D-man with 11 through 16 games.

Ellis has emerged as a legitimate offensive threat on Nashville's blue line, and he should also be a guy you're considering for the Conn Smythe.

Dark Horses

Throw caution to the wind and go with your gut. You might not get a return on your investment, but this is hockey, so you never know what any given player is willing to do to drink from that glorious silver mug.

Viktor Arvidsson (31-1)

A key piece of Nashville's regular-season success with 31 goals and 30 assists, Arvidsson has continued his offensive production this spring, chipping in two goals and eight apples.

The speedy winger will need to step up in the absence of Ryan Johansen and have an impact on this series. If he does, it may be just enough to etch his name on one of the most sought-after trophies in hockey.

Bryan Rust (67-1)

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

If 67-1 isn't juicy enough for you, take in the fact that Rust can put the puck in the back of the net, especially in the playoffs.

In 112 regular-season games, Rust has 20 goals to his name, as opposed to 12 in just 40 postseason contests, six of which have come during Pittsburgh's current run. He's proved to be unfazed on the big stage, so you shouldn't be either when laying your wager on this underrated playoff performer.

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