Alexander Ovechkin is experiencing a liberation of sorts in these NHL playoffs, as he's finally reached the Stanley Cup Final. It's been a long time coming for the Washington Capitals superstar.

The 11-time All-Star - who was criticized for years for never leading the Capitals to the final while his principal rival, Sidney Crosby, lifted the Cup three times - admits it was initially difficult to block out the talk that he couldn't win when it mattered most.

"Of course you read news. Of course you’re paying attention to what people saying," Ovechkin said to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "But sometimes you just have to hear it, and it goes in one ear and out the other. Because if you’re going to take all of this information, you’re going to be crazy, you know? You’re going to be psycho. You just can’t play hockey after that. The first couple of years when we lost, of course it was hard. Of course, it was like, 'Oh Jesus, what did I do wrong?'"

Ovechkin won the "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the seventh time in his career after leading the NHL with 49 goals during the 2017-18 season, and has displayed a dynamic all-around game throughout the playoffs.

Washington head coach Barry Trotz says he's noticed a discernible change in his captain's approach.

"I think he’s approaching the playoffs with a little more ease," Trotz said. "He’s been freed a little bit - freed in a sense of understanding that he's a great player no matter what. I think too much was put on him. I think he got away from realizing that he is a good player and he’s a good person and he does all those things. It just freed him enough that he’s now got a chance to get the ultimate prize. We’re four wins away, and he’s been a big reason for it along with his teammates. You don’t win three rounds, you don’t win a round, you don’t win anything in this sport by yourself."

It may be a bit trite at this point, but winning does indeed cure everything. And for Ovechkin, critical acclaim is less important than capping off one of the most decorated careers of this century with a Cup victory.

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NHL deputy commissioner and chief legal officer Bill Daly confirmed during a press conference Monday that the salary cap for the 2018-2019 season is projected to be around $80 million, up from $75 million this season.

A set number for next season has not yet been agreed upon as the NHL needs to consult with the NHLPA regarding the league's year-over-year growth.

Commissioner Gary Bettman also said during the press conference that the NHL's board of governors could vote on an expansion team for Seattle. The idea of expansion is being revisited with the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final during their inaugural season.

Bettman also stated that the Ottawa Senators are not for sale, despite rampant speculation about owner Eugene Melynk's control of the team.

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William Karlsson has emerged as one of the great surprises of the 2017-18 season, mirroring the rise of the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Swedish youngster posted just six goals during the 2016-17 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, resulting in the team making him available in the June expansion draft. In his first campaign with the Golden Knights, Karlsson notched 43 goals, second only to Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine.

With the Stanley Cup Final slated to get underway Monday, Karlsson lamented a lack of opportunity with his former club.

"I've always wanted to be a top-six player," Karlsson said to ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "Not being one in Columbus was really frustrating. I wanted the chance."

The 25-year-old revealed that playing in a diminished scoring role took its toll on his confidence, but that he used his change of scenery to revitalize his career.

"There have been times when I doubted myself, could I really do this?" Karlsson said. "Then I got picked by Vegas and I thought to myself this is my big chance. It's up to me to take it. I'm glad I took it."

On the verge of trying to pull off what was once believed to be an impossible feat, Karlsson will play an imperative role in the Golden Knights' bid to lift the Cup this summer.

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The list of accurate real-world predictions made by "The Simpsons" will get even longer if the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup.

Related: 'The Simpsons' predicted U.S. curling gold medal win over Sweden

As NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika pointed out, the animated sitcom had the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas with Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders long before the Golden Knights existed.

The picture is from "Viva Ned Flanders," the 10th episode of Season 10, in which Homer takes Ned on a trip to Las Vegas. While there, they become intoxicated and end up marrying two cocktail waitresses.

Golden Knights defenseman Luca Sbisa offered this explanation: "Apparently, Matt Groening knows a guy or is a guy who has time travel. I saw this video (online), and there's proof after proof that somebody (time-traveled)."

"I don't want to read too much into it," he added. "But I like where their head is at."

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The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Petrus Palmu to a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday, the team announced.

The 20-year-old, who was drafted by the Canucks in the sixth round last year, is coming off his first season with TPS Turku of SM-liiga in Finland where he was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

In 59 games, Palmu notched 17 goals and 36 points, recording another six points in 11 playoff games. He also played four years of junior for the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League where he boasted an impressive 40 goals and 98 points in 62 games during his draft year.

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The Montreal Canadiens have agreed to terms with free-agent defensemen David Sklenicka and Michal Moravcik on two-year entry-level contracts, the team announced on Monday.

The Czech pair will join the team after playing together with HC Plzen in the Czech Extraliga. In 49 games, Sklenicka put up three goals and 14 points, while Moravcik tallied five goals and 16 points in 52 contests.

Both men also recently represented the Czech Republic at the World Championship, where they combined for five points in eight games.

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Daniel Alfredsson is inadvertently stirring the pot in Ottawa after making an eyebrow-raising comment over the weekend.

The former Senators captain and executive indirectly criticized team owner Eugene Melnyk while talking to Susan Sherring - a former Postmedia reporter and columnist - at Mayor Jim Watson's campaign kickoff event Sunday.

“(Watson and I have) talked a lot, we’ve talked about the future of the Senators and of its ownership and we agree,” Alfredsson told Sherring, as she wrote on her blog shortly after the event. “We hope we get a new owner."

After making the comment, Alfredsson claimed it was off the record, according to Sherring. However, standard journalistic protocol dictates that must be agreed upon before an interview begins. Otherwise, whatever is said is fair game.

Watson wouldn't say whether he shared the same sentiment, but did reveal Alfredsson told him he didn't know he was talking to a reporter. His claim comes despite Sherring interviewing the former player several times, and despite Alfredsson asking the former reporter to keep the comments off the record.

Alfredsson was the Senators senior advisor of hockey operations for nearly two years, beginning in the fall of 2015 and ending in the summer of 2017.

He's the club's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points, and ranks second on the franchise's all-time games played list.

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As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 25th edition focuses on the Boston Bruins.

The Good

David Pastrnak. A part of one of the NHL’s best top lines, Pastrnak had the best season of his career, sporting highs in just about every category, with 35 goals, 45 assists, and 80 points. The Bruins signed the 22-year-old to a six-year, $40-million deal in September, locking down a player in his prime who just seems to be getting better. Pastrnak also tore it up in the playoffs, registering 20 points in 12 games.

Tuukka Rask. The Bruins’ starting goaltender got off to a rough start at the beginning of the season but won 31 of his last 40 starts, ending the campaign with his best save percentage in three years. In an effort to keep him fresh for the playoffs, he played the fewest games since becoming the Bruins' starting goalie in 2013, a move that didn’t end the way Rask and the rest of the Bruins would have liked.

The young guys. The 2017-18 Bruins were younger and even better than expected, and it looks like that trend will continue. Players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, and Matt Grzelcyk began to establish themselves at the NHL level and there are even more youngsters waiting in the wings. Austin Czarnik, Trent Frederic, Jakub Zboril, and Jack Studnicka could all challenge for a spot on the NHL roster come training camp in the fall.

The Bad

Marchand’s antics. Brad Marchand, at his best, is a highly effective goal-scorer and pest capable of getting under just about anyone’s skin. He led the Bruins in points in the regular season, so his decision to start licking players - Leo Komarov of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round and Ryan Callahan of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round - was puzzling. It prompted the NHL to step in. Surely he can find another way to pester his opponents, such as scoring goals, as his coach Bruce Cassidy suggested.

5-on-5 struggles. Six goals were scored at five-on-five through the first two games of the second-round series against the Lightning. During the last three contests, the Bruins were completely shut down at even strength. This was especially surprising considering Boston finished the regular season with the sixth-best offense in the league. They just didn’t have an answer for the Lightning’s strong defensive series.

Depth that didn’t deliver. Pastrnak, Patrice Bergeron, and David Backes combined for 23 points in five games against the Lightning. Outside of that, the Bruins didn’t have much of anything else going. Only three players not on the top line (David Krejci, Rick Nash, Jake DeBrusk) recorded a point.

The Questions

Which free agents will be back? The Bruins have some big decisions looming in free agency. Rick Nash, Riley Nash, Tim Schaller, Anton Khudobin, Tommy Wingels, Brian Gionta, and Nick Holden are all set to be UFAs July 1. Rick and Riley Nash and Khudobin seem the most likely to be brought back, with Gionta the most plausible departure. Don Sweeney will have to consider the cap and, of course, future deals with players like McAvoy.

Do they re-sign Khudobin? Rask’s backup has been vocal about his desire to stay in Boston, but it’s possible he could be priced out. He made $1.2 million on his last two-year deal and could command at least $2 million on his next. Goaltending options outside the Bruins organization don’t look all that promising and none of the prospects in the pipeline look particularly viable just yet. It might be in both parties’ best interests to work something out.

Will they trade for a first-round pick at the draft? The Bruins traded their 2018 first-round pick to the Rangers for Rick Nash, but they’ve discussed trading to get back in the first round. Otherwise, they won’t have a selection until late in the second round, one of their five picks in this year’s draft.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 26th edition focuses on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Good

Jake Guentzel. The sensational forward picked up right where he left off last year by leading the league with 21 points through two rounds. The line of Guentzel, Sidney Crosby, and Patric Hornqvist accounted for the majority of the Penguins’ postseason offense. Guentzel started the regular season slowly but reached career highs in goals (22), assists (26), and points (48) in his second NHL campaign.

Phil Kessel. Love him or hate him, Kessel was one of Pittsburgh’s best players during the regular season, playing every game for the eighth straight year, and scoring 92 points and leading the NHL with 42 power-play points. Since his trade from Toronto in 2015, he’s been a reliable offensive force and can play pretty much anywhere Mike Sullivan puts him.

Patric Hornqvist. He’s the guy you hate to play against but would want on your team in a heartbeat. The Penguins re-signed the noted goalie pest to a reasonable five-year, $26.5-million deal in late February that might end up looking like a real bargain when this year’s crop of free agents hits the market. Hornqvist posted the second-highest goal total of his career (and highest since 2009-10) in the regular season and was third on the Penguins in postseason points with 11 as part of the tremendously effective first line.

The Bad

No depth scoring. Outside of the top line, which carried much of the weight during this postseason, the Penguins got considerably less offense from their depth than in previous years - just 12 goals from players not named Guentzel, Crosby, or Hornqvist.

Shaky goaltending. Matt Murray didn’t have the best playoffs, like a lot of other Penguins players, but goaltending was arguably a factor in their second-round exit. His playoffs weren’t terrible, just average; he might have been good enough to help them win, but not to cover the Penguins’ other deficiencies. Murray’s combined save percentage over the past two Stanley Cup runs was .935. This year it was .914, second-worst among players remaining in the playoffs.

Malkin and Kessel underperformed. Though he had a tremendous regular season, Kessel - battling undisclosed injuries - scored just once in the postseason. Evgeni Malkin was sidelined for two games against Washington and didn’t look like the same player when he came back. He scored one power-play goal in the series.

The Questions

Will Kessel be traded? Rumors are swirling that the relationship between the Penguins and Kessel has soured and that Jim Rutherford could try to move him this summer. Kessel will be 31 at the start of next term and has four more years left on a deal that pays him $8 million. His value is high right now, and Rutherford might decide to take advantage of that, although he could just as easily decide to keep Kessel around considering his value to the team.

What does the goalie tandem look like? The Penguins settled into a nice rhythm with Casey DeSmith as Murray’s backup and it looks like that could stick next year. Where does that leave Tristan Jarry? Continuing to play in the AHL at this point probably holds little benefit for him, and since Murray isn’t going anywhere as the starter and Jarry seems better suited to regular starts, Rutherford could get a nice return for the young goaltender this summer.

Do the Penguins hang on to Carl Hagelin? Hagelin will be in the last year of a contract that pays him $4 million a year at the start of the 2018-19 season. He had a strong end to his campaign with 25 points in 39 games, so his value is high. With long-term deals to players like Guentzel in the near future and a host of players coming up from the minors, Rutherford could easily find Hagelin a new home.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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