Andrei Svechnikov has been going through concussion protocol since his Game 3 dustup with Alex Ovechkin. Carolina head coach Rod Brind'Amour said Tuesday that the talented Hurricanes forward could play in Game 7 if he's cleared beforehand, according to the team's senior web producer Michael Smith. Brind'Amour had no further update when asked for one Wednesday.
Carolina has proven it can win without Svechnikov, taking two of three from Washington without the dynamic 19-year-old winger in the lineup, but it may have to do that one more time in another win-or-go-home affair against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Even if Svechnikov plays, there will still be questions: Is he fully healthy? How quickly can he shake off the rust after missing a few games? How much of an impact will he ultimately have?
Capitals need more from Kuznetsov
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On paper, it might look as though Evgeny Kuznetsov is having a fine series, as he's notched five assists in six games.
However, a closer inspection of his play would indicate otherwise. The typically explosive 26-year-old center hasn't dominated the way he did while leading all playoff point producers last year, and the Capitals will need him to raise his game with the season at stake Wednesday night.
Kuznetsov and the rest of Washington's forward group have to provide Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom with some support on the offensive end in the continued absence of T.J. Oshie.
Mrazek must be magical
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Simply put, Petr Mrazek has to be lights-out for the Hurricanes to vanquish the more experienced Capitals in Game 7.
The Carolina goaltender seized the No. 1 job with stellar play down the stretch in the regular season, but he's been a bit inconsistent so far in the playoffs. Mrazek surrendered four goals in a Game 2 loss and six in a Game 5 defeat but allowed two goals or fewer en route to victories in Games 3, 4, and 6 for a save percentage of .895 across the six first-round contests.
Washington netminder Braden Holtby hasn't been spectacular for the whole series, either, but Mrazek has to outplay his more accomplished counterpart to give Carolina a legitimate chance to pull off the upset.
Martin has spent the last six seasons with the Penguins, which included two Stanley Cup victories. Previously, his lengthy head coaching career started in 1986 with the St. Louis Blues and he notably oversaw the Senators from 1995-2004. Overall, he's a four-time Jack Adams Trophy nominee and won the award as the league's top coach in 1999.
The Sabres fired Phil Housley earlier in April after two seasons in charge. He failed to turn around the struggling franchise, missing the playoffs in both campaigns.
The Senators moved on from Guy Boucher in March during a disappointing campaign. Marc Crawford took over on an interim basis en route to a last-place finish in the NHL.
Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said Ferland "probably will not play," according to the team's senior web producer Michael Smith.
The physical forward hasn't played in the series since Game 3 while dealing with an upper-body injury.
Elsewhere on the injury front for Carolina, Brind'Amour didn't provide an update on Andrei Svechnikov's Game 7 availability, and Jordan Martinook is expected to play after suiting up for Game 6.
Hockey fans and analysts are still processing what happened in San Jose on Tuesday night.
The conclusion of the San Jose Sharks' 5-4 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 of their first-round series featured nearly as much controversy as it did excitement.
Here are five takeaways from a contest we won't be forgetting anytime soon:
Eakin shouldn't have been ejected
The play that resulted in Sharks captain Joe Pavelski leaving the ice leaking blood certainly looked bad in the moment, but Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin shouldn't have been given the gate for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, while Eakin did cross-check the Sharks captain, Paul Stastny's hit a moment later was what sent Pavelski tumbling awkwardly to the ice.
More importantly, a major penalty wasn't warranted, and Jonathan Marchessault was right to call attention to that postgame.
Gallant should have used his timeout earlier
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While the major penalty is a legitimate issue for the Golden Knights, they wouldn't have needed to complain if their head coach recognized how momentum was shifting early in the late-game collapse.
Gerard Gallant should have called a timeout after Tomas Hertl's goal, San Jose's second marker in a 49-second span that cut the Golden Knights' lead to 3-2 with 9:51 remaining.
Instead, he used his timeout with 3:39 left in the third period. The damage was already done by then, as Kevin Labanc had given the Sharks a 4-3 lead with the team's fourth power-play goal three minutes earlier.
Gallant's gaffe was just one of several missed opportunities for the Golden Knights, and their demise shouldn't have come down to that fateful penalty kill. After all, Vegas blew a 3-1 series lead and still earned an opportunity to win Game 7 in overtime after Marchessault's late equalizer.
That finish may have been the craziest ever
Hyperbole and recency bias often become even more prevalent at playoff time, but there's no question this game's finish was one of the wildest we've ever seen.
WIth the controversy, the Sharks' stunning and methodical response to Pavelski's injury, Marchessault's answer in the final minute, and an overtime winner from a rather unlikely source in Barclay Goodrow, the latter half of the third period and overtime provided an incredible conclusion to the series.
Only one other team in NHL history had ever overcome a three-goal deficit in the third period to win a Game 7, and fans of the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are more than familiar with the first instance.
While the Bruins scored twice in the final two minutes of their 2013 comeback for added dramatic effect, that game didn't include a serious injury to a team captain and a questionable call to ignite the rally.
Are the Sharks the best team left?
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Considering what else has transpired early in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, San Jose might just be the most talented squad remaining.
The Bruins, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders can all make legitimate cases. But now that the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, and Nashville Predators have been eliminated (all top-three seeds), the Sharks are possibly the best club left standing as we near the end of the first round.
From goaltender Martin Jones' resurgence to the team's overall depth and star power, San Jose proved its mettle in Round 1 and now looks primed for a deep run.
San Jose had the right mix to overcome Pavelski's injury
This Sharks team is different from previous years when it folded under pressure. A hardened, veteran group was able to rally around Pavelski's absence rather than allow it to hinder them, as Logan Couture eluded to postgame.
Sure, Joe Thornton has long been one of the Sharks' unquestioned leaders. But the additions of Erik Karlsson and Evander Kane - along with the growth of players like Couture, Brent Burns, Jones, and Hertl - has galvanized this San Jose club.
Game 7 was a prime example of San Jose's experience, improved leadership, and resilient attitude that wasn't present in past years.
Hockey fans and analysts are still processing what happened in San Jose on Tuesday night.
The conclusion of the San Jose Sharks' 5-4 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 7 of their first-round series featured nearly as much controversy as it did excitement.
Here are five takeaways from a contest we won't be forgetting anytime soon:
Eakin shouldn't have been ejected
The play that resulted in Sharks captain Joe Pavelski leaving the ice leaking blood certainly looked bad in the moment, but Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin shouldn't have been given the gate for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, while Eakin did cross-check the Sharks captain, Paul Stastny's hit a moment later was what sent Pavelski tumbling awkwardly to the ice.
More importantly, a major penalty wasn't warranted, and Jonathan Marchessault was right to call attention to that postgame.
Gallant should have used his timeout earlier
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
While the major penalty is a legitimate issue for the Golden Knights, they wouldn't have needed to complain if their head coach recognized how momentum was shifting early in the late-game collapse.
Gerard Gallant should have called a timeout after Tomas Hertl's goal, San Jose's second marker in a 49-second span that cut the Golden Knights' lead to 3-2 with 9:51 remaining.
Instead, he used his timeout with 3:39 left in the third period. The damage was already done by then, as Kevin Labanc had given the Sharks a 4-3 lead with the team's fourth power-play goal three minutes earlier.
Gallant's gaffe was just one of several missed opportunities for the Golden Knights, and their demise shouldn't have come down to that fateful penalty kill. After all, Vegas blew a 3-1 series lead and still earned an opportunity to win Game 7 in overtime after Marchessault's late equalizer.
That finish may have been the craziest ever
Hyperbole and recency bias often become even more prevalent at playoff time, but there's no question this game's finish was one of the wildest we've ever seen.
WIth the controversy, the Sharks' stunning and methodical response to Pavelski's injury, Marchessault's answer in the final minute, and an overtime winner from a rather unlikely source in Barclay Goodrow, the latter half of the third period and overtime provided an incredible conclusion to the series.
Only one other team in NHL history had ever overcome a three-goal deficit in the third period to win a Game 7, and fans of the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs are more than familiar with the first instance.
While the Bruins scored twice in the final two minutes of their 2013 comeback for added dramatic effect, that game didn't include a serious injury to a team captain and a questionable call to ignite the rally.
Are the Sharks the best team left?
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Considering what else has transpired early in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, San Jose might just be the most talented squad remaining.
The Bruins, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders can all make legitimate cases. But now that the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, and Nashville Predators have been eliminated (all top-three seeds), the Sharks are possibly the best club left standing as we near the end of the first round.
From goaltender Martin Jones' resurgence to the team's overall depth and star power, San Jose proved its mettle in Round 1 and now looks primed for a deep run.
San Jose had the right mix to overcome Pavelski's injury
This Sharks team is different from previous years when it folded under pressure. A hardened, veteran group was able to rally around Pavelski's absence rather than allow it to hinder them, as Logan Couture eluded to postgame.
Sure, Joe Thornton has long been one of the Sharks' unquestioned leaders. But the additions of Erik Karlsson and Evander Kane - along with the growth of players like Couture, Brent Burns, Jones, and Hertl - has galvanized this San Jose club.
Game 7 was a prime example of San Jose's experience, improved leadership, and resilient attitude that wasn't present in past years.
It's expected the Oilers will ask for and receive permission to speak with the Golden Knights assistant general manager soon. However, right now the team is giving Vegas time to sort through its end-of-season procedures after being eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday night.
Keith Gretzky has acted as interim general manager since the Oilers fired Peter Chiarelli in January.
In early March, Dreger reported Edmonton narrowed its search for a replacement down to six candidates, which included McCrimmon and Mark Hunter, who reportedly completed his second interview with the Oilers last week.
The Golden Knights hired McCrimmon in 2016, and he's been with them since their inception. Prior to Vegas, he spent 28 years with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings as majority owner and general manager, and 10 years as the team's head coach over two separate stints.
Vegas Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin earned a five-minute major and a game misconduct for crosschecking Joe Pavelski in the third period of Wednesday's Game 7, and the San Jose Sharks made him pay, scoring four power-play goals to erase a three-goal, third-period deficit.
Coming into Tuesday's winner-take-all tilt against the Boston Bruins, the polarizing defenseman already had the cringe-worthy lowlights from last year's Game 7, and the attachment to the Toronto Maple Leafs' historic collapse in spring 2013.
Gardiner had history - the worst kind - and then he turned the puck over late in the first period. The blunder led to Boston's second goal, the eventual game-winner in a 5-1 Bruins victory that ended the Leafs' season and potentially Gardiner's tenure in Toronto.
Claus Andersen / Getty Images
By night's end, Gardiner had been on the ice for three goals against, zero goals for. It was tough to watch such a poor showing.
Then again, when you take a step back and and add perspective, it's fair to say Gardiner was fine through six games. He wasn't good, or bad. But, considering he was battling a nagging injury and clearly far from his best self, he performed OK.
There are others to blame for the Leafs' third straight first-round exit, anyway.
Toronto opened the scoring in Game 6 on Sunday but blew a golden chance to advance. They could have avoided going back to Boston then and there, instead putting themselves in a vulnerable position. The Leafs didn't rise to the occasion in Game 7.
The head coach
There's no sugarcoating it: Mike Babcock flat out didn't perform.
The Leafs coach made some questionable decisions over the course of the series, refusing to step outside his comfort zone, and is now 0-3 in playoff series since president Brendan Shanahan hired him in 2015.
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Aside from sliding William Nylander over to center after Nazem Kadri's suspension - something the bench boss was essentially forced to do - Babcock didn't rock the boat in any significant way. He had ample time to bust out the line blender and try to spark offense at key moments - but didn’t.
You could pick apart Babcock's deployment and usage all day, but let's focus on a few of eyebrow-raising developments from the deciding game.
Patrick Marleau, 39, should be used sparingly at this stage in his career. Yet he played 14 minutes and 35 seconds in Game 7. Fourth-line center Frederik Gauthier should have been glued to the bench for the second half of the contest in an effort to free up extra shifts for Toronto's deadliest weapons. But he wasn't, despite the Bruins holding the lead for two-plus periods.
Meanwhile, Auston Matthews, one of the sport's utmost game-changing talents, finished with an underwhelming 18:48 of ice. That total is acceptable in the regular season. In a do-or-die playoff game, though, your best forward should probably be skating closer to 23 minutes.
Not double-shifting Matthews as the season slipped away seems counterproductive and legitimately odd. It's hard to imagine a scenario in which Nathan MacKinnon or Connor McDavid - two of Matthews' contemporaries - play fewer than 20 minutes in a Game 7.
Calling for Babcock's dismissal, like many Leafs fans are doing online, feels like an overreaction. But the man is no doubt deserving of heavy criticism.
The special teams
Neither Boston or Toronto gained a significant advantage during 5-on-5 play over seven games. It's the simple truth, as evidenced by the Leafs' advanced metrics:
CF%
SF%
SCF%
GF%
xGF%
50.8
48.8
51.5
52.2
51.1
[CF% = shot attempts for percentage; SF% = shots for percentage; SCF% = scoring chances for percentage; GF% = goals for percentage; xGF% = expected goals for percentage]
In summary, the Leafs narrowly won the even-strength battle in four of five categories. This suggests special teams greatly affected the series' outcome.
Now, the Leafs' power play did alright for itself, scoring three times on 16 tries. Boston, on the other hand, went haywire, netting seven goals on 16 man-advantage opportunities.
Icon Sportswire / Getty Images
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy has an abundance of options on his first unit. Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, Torey Krug, and Marcus Johansson form a killer five, and they contributed five of Boston's PP goals despite not receiving a single opportunity in Game 7.
So, really, this isn't totally on Toronto's penalty kill. Boston, who had the third-ranked PP in the regular season, is a wrecking ball.
That being said, seven goals are simply too many. Those goals shifted the series in the Bruins' favor when Boston was being out-performed at 5-on-5, and it ultimately cost the Leafs the series.
The others
The Leafs could have easily won this best-of-seven drama, thanks to a handful of admirable performances.
Matthews scored five goals. Jake Muzzin and Nikita Zaitsev formed a solid shutdown pair. John Tavares contributed, especially on the defensive side of the puck. Morgan Rielly's tour de force kept Toronto in Game 6, when they fell apart in the second period.
Then there's some seesaw players.
Frederik Andersen deserves both praise and (dis)honorable mention. He was stellar through six games, but let in a couple of softies Tuesday. Like Gardiner, he should be judged on his entire body of work, not just 60 minutes. But in divvying up blame, he gets a passing nod of disapproval.
Mitch Marner's a similar case. He may have scored twice in the opening game, collected an assist in both Games 3 and 4, and blocked back-to-back shots in the dying seconds of Game 3, but he failed to mark the scoresheet in Games 5, 6, or 7. For that reason, the team's leading scorer is partly responsible for the series going sideways.
Lastly, Kadri.
The longtime Leaf took himself out of the lineup with that unnecessary cross-check on Jake DeBrusk. Prior to the hit, Kadri was one of Toronto's best players through nearly two games. The Leafs are built to win with a 1-2-3 punch down the middle, and he denied the club that advantage.
The Kadri hit was the beginning of the end. Game 6's second period was the confidence breaker. And the first period of Game 7, well, it brought Gardiner, the Leafs, and a tortured fan base back to familiar territory.
John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.
