The Stanley Cup race has been winnowed to four teams. The Carolina Hurricanes will face the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final (Game 1 goes Thursday) as the Vegas Golden Knights square off with the Dallas Stars for Western supremacy (series starts Friday). Expect these key players, two per squad, to influence who emerges from Round 3.

Note: Statistics are updated through the second round. Tracking data is courtesy of Sportlogiq.

Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault, the Golden Knights' franchise leader in goals and points, didn't score for seven games to open the playoffs, despite firing 23 pucks on net.

Bound to get rewarded, he bagged five goals on 23 shots over the next four outings. Marchessault's natural hat trick in the Round 2 clincher, which extinguished the Edmonton Oilers, showcased his wicked release and willingness to storm the crease.

Every Vegas forward line can attack with speed, strike off the cycle, and expose the opposing defense's vulnerabilities. The top trio - Jack Eichel between Marchessault and Ivan Barbashev - is the tip of the spear. Edmonton got outscored 7-1 in this combo's five-on-five shifts, according to Natural Stat Trick. Marchessault leads Vegas and ranks in the top 10 league-wide in slot shots, scoring chances off the rush, and individual expected goals.

Marchessault is one of six holdovers from the Golden Misfits expansion team that stunned the sport by surging to the 2018 Cup Final. He's delivered six multi-goal efforts in the playoffs since that year, the third-most in the NHL in the span, per Stathead. The chances he generates and finishes might lift Vegas to victory in another monumental game.

Adin Hill

Laurent Brossoit's injury could have sunk Vegas last round. Instead, the opposite happened.

Hill - one of five netminders the Golden Knights have deployed in 2022-23 - replaced Brossoit partway through Game 3 and sparkled from that moment onward. Hill recorded a .934 save percentage against Edmonton, and he stopped 5.56 goals above expected, per Evolving Hockey.

The former Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks backup compiled a .915 save percentage over 27 appearances for Vegas in the regular season. Shelved in March with a lower-body ailment, the Oilers series was Hill's first action in two months. He celebrated his 27th birthday last week by starting in the playoffs for the first time.

Logan Thompson remains out with a lower-body injury. Jonathan Quick, the aging former Conn Smythe Trophy winner, was one of the NHL's shakiest goalies this season. Despite his inexperience, Hill is the Golden Knights' best healthy option. They can win the West if his sterling play persists.

Miro Heiskanen

Cut on the cheek by an errant deflection, Heiskanen rocked a face shield for most of Dallas' seven-game slugfest with the Seattle Kraken.

Figuratively if not literally, Heiskanen looked fine. He skated for more than 30 minutes in Games 4 and 7, even though neither contest went to overtime. Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard is the only other player who's done that in regulation this spring.

The Stars lean on Heiskanen in all situations. He tops the playoffs in average ice time at even strength (23:33) and overall (28:15). Trailing Bouchard, Heiskanen ranks second among NHL blue-liners with nine assists and seven power-play points. No defenseman has won more puck battles at five-on-five than Heiskanen. He's also first at the position in blocked passes, third in stick checks, and seventh in zone denials, spoiling chances before they materialize.

A grizzled vet at 23 years old, Heiskanen has competed in 60 playoff games over five years. He's absorbed more hits - 61, or 4.69 per night - than any player in this postseason, per Natural Stat Trick. Heiskanen's stamina will be tested when he and 38-year-old partner Ryan Suter are tapped to contain the Marchessault line.

Max Domi

Patrick Kane - Domi's former Chicago Blackhawks teammate - changed squads at the trade deadline. Timo Meier, Ryan O'Reilly, and Vladimir Tarasenko all joined prospective Cup contenders, as well. Ultimately, Domi outproduced each of these marquee acquisitions when it counted.

Domi was Chicago's top scorer when Dallas dealt for him in March, trading Anton Khudobin and a second-round pick. He's driven offense in the playoffs in a complementary role. Domi's 11 points have all come at even strength, tying him for the league lead in that phase with the likes of Florida's Matthew Tkachuk.

Domi intercepted a breakout pass and continually moved the puck up ice to assist three Joe Pavelski goals in the Kraken series opener. He sniped to the top corner and hustled to score into an empty net in Game 4. Domi also snapped back 57.1% of his draws across Rounds 1 and 2 to help Dallas lead the postseason in faceoff percentage.

Jason Robertson, the Stars' perennial 40-goal man, didn't find the back of the net against Seattle and only has two playoff tallies. But Roope Hintz has racked up nine goals, and Pavelski has eight. Slightly down the lineup, Domi's breakout has heightened Dallas' offensive ceiling.

Sergei Bobrovsky

This is the Panthers' first conference final appearance since 1996. It's also unfamiliar territory for 34-year-old Bobrovsky, a historically up-and-down goalie who won the Vezina Trophy twice in his 20s but in his 30s has failed to live up to a mammoth contract. But "Bob" has been fantastic in the postseason.

Bobrovsky, who took over the crease after Game 3 of the first round, boasts a .920 save percentage in 10 contests. His goals saved above expected rate (0.21 per 60 minutes) ranks second among the 15 goalies with at least six games played. The Russian's signature outing so far: Game 2 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, when he turned aside 35 of 37 shots, including a handful of grade-A looks.

Carolina presents a different challenge than the Maple Leafs or New York Islanders. The Hurricanes rely on a relentless forecheck, launch shots from all areas of the offensive zone, and have made a habit of capitalizing on opponents' turnovers by counterstriking quickly off the rush. This smothering style could be trouble for Bobrovsky, who struggles with rebound control.

Sam Reinhart

The Panthers tend to keep Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov apart during five-on-five action. Why? The team's best players can each drive their own line.

Reinhart fills the same catalyst role on a highly effective third line alongside a pair of Finns - center Anton Lundell and left winger Eetu Luostarinen. Somewhat quietly, the ultra-smart Reinhart is tied for the team lead with six playoff goals.

Luostarinen-Lundell-Reinhart has won on the scoreboard (4-1 edge in goals) and territorially (3.7-2.8 expected goals) through 94 five-on-five minutes. The line's generated 11 scoring chances off the cycle, the most among Florida trios and fifth-most overall. The chemistry was palpable on the Game 3 overtime goal against Toronto, as Luostarinen set a pick for Reinhart on the zone entry, Reinhart rimmed the puck to Lundell for a give-and-go, and Reinhart finished with a wraparound. Game 2's 2-1 goal played out similarly.

Reinhart didn't appear in a single playoff game for Buffalo over his first seven NHL seasons. Now he's up to 22 after arriving in Florida via trade in 2021. An excellent two-way winger, the 27-year-old is hiding in plain sight on the Panthers' depth chart - a star in the bottom six. He's an East final X-factor.

Brent Burns

"We love to chuck a good biscuit on net," Burns said moments after the Hurricanes clinched a second-round series win over the New Jersey Devils.

It was a perfect soundbite from the eccentric and electric defenseman.

Burns is a true reflection of Carolina's blue line, which contributed 59 goals in 82 regular-season games for a league-high 22.5% of the team's offense. In 11 playoff contests, the group of large defensemen has pitched in another seven.

Burns, who scored 18 goals while appearing in every regular-season game, has two tallies in the playoffs. He ranks first and second among blue-liners in shot attempts (101) and shots on goal (42). He's fired a shot on target from the perimeter 37 times and from the slot five times. Carolina's team-wide breakdown probably follows a similar pattern - more quantity than quality.

Put another way, the Canes' defensemen are heavily involved in the club's shot-happy attack. And Burns, acquired with salary retention last offseason from San Jose for an underwhelming package, is the straw that stirs the drink.

Jordan Staal

The East final matchup pits an offensive team (the Panthers) against a defensive team (Hurricanes). That contrast will be especially apparent during Staal's shifts, as he'll be tasked with neutralizing either Tkachuk or Barkov.

Staal, listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, is one of the strongest players in the NHL. This helps him win faceoffs (53.4% success rate over his career) and, more crucially shift to shift, frustrate opponents. Just ask Jack Hughes, who Staal schooled at even strength in the second round to the tune of a 4-0 edge in goals, 47-25 edge in shot attempts, and 6-1 edge in inner-slot shots.

Of course, the Panthers' stars aren't carbon copies of Hughes. Tkachuk's a 6-foot-2 agitating power winger, and Barkov's a 6-foot-3 cerebral distributor at center. Both of them are capable of pushing back against Staal's strength.

There's also a Staal family storyline. Jordan's brothers Marc and Eric will suit up for Florida, albeit in depth roles. The Thunder Bay, Ontario-based family - which crazily had a fourth brother, Jared, make the NHL - surely will be torn.

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Just like that, we're down to the final four.

With the conference finals of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs upon us, we're taking another crack at the shortlist of players who could take home the Conn Smythe Trophy next month. Several players on our previous edition didn't advance, so there's plenty of turnover. What a difference a few weeks can make.

The field got significantly smaller after the Edmonton Oilers were eliminated, as they iced three of the league's top four scorers through two rounds. But without further ado, here are the front-runners to take home the NHL's most coveted individual award.

5. Sebastian Aho

The Carolina Hurricanes have looked unstoppable for much of these playoffs but are getting by on the strength of their impressive depth rather than a single standout performer. Frederik Andersen has been great since taking over between the pipes and might fly up the list if he continues his five-game heater into Round 3 and beyond. Since his sample size is too small, we're shining a light on Aho, who's pacing Carolina with 10 points in 11 games and has only been held off the scoresheet three times in the postseason.

The Hurricanes are outscoring opponents 9-3 with Aho on the ice while commanding 57% of expected goals and 55% of scoring chances. As Carolina deals with several key injuries up front, Aho has been the constant for the Cup-chasing Canes and can truly establish himself as a Conn Smythe threat if he keeps contributing at a similar level against the Florida Panthers.

Another Conn Smythe option for Carolina down the road could be Jaccob Slavin, who has played a whopping 213 five-on-five minutes in these playoffs and has only been on the ice for four goals against compared to 17 goals for. His low point total will likely work against him in the eyes of voters, but he should be on the radar.

4. Sergei Bobrovsky

Bobrovsky's position on this list is the most fragile of the bunch. He can't lose a step if he wants to stay in the mix. But without knowing what lies ahead for Florida's surprise run through the Eastern Conference gauntlet, all we can do is commend the veteran netminder for an impressive showing so far. He's taken a lot of flak since signing a $70-million contract with the Panthers in 2019 but has made one thing abundantly clear this spring: He loves to be an underdog in the playoffs.

The man who shut down the record-tying Tampa Bay Lightning four years ago is back on the case, vanquishing the Boston Bruins in Round 1 and stonewalling the Toronto Maple Leafs with an utterly dominant series in Round 2. Bobrovsky was undeniably the X-factor against Toronto, posting a .943 all-situations save percentage to stymie the Leafs' high-flying attack while stopping 7.75 goals above expected in only five games.

He'll get no time to rest against a relentless Hurricanes squad, but Bobrovsky has proven time and time again he's up to the task this time of year.

3. Jack Eichel

Eichel is making the most of his long-awaited playoff debut, leading the hungry Vegas Golden Knights in scoring and ice time among forwards while posting dominant advanced stats through 11 games. He was especially impressive against Edmonton, living up to the highly anticipated clash with 2015 draftmate Connor McDavid by netting three goals and six assists, highlighted by a pair of three-point efforts in Vegas' wins in Games 3 and 5. Perhaps most impressively, Eichel was on the ice for only one goal surrendered against the Oilers' lethal attack.

Eichel made it clear that making an impact in the playoffs was a priority for him, and he's delivered in spades thus far while looking like the elite No. 1 center Vegas has craved since entering the league. What a story it'd be if Eichel led the Golden Knights to a Cup while winning playoff MVP in his first kick at the can.

2. Matthew Tkachuk

Tkachuk didn't register a goal in Florida's second-round beatdown of the Maple Leafs, but he still managed five assists to continue a remarkable playoff run and further cement his status as one of the world's best players.

He's fifth in playoff scoring - and first at even strength - while owning sterling underlying numbers to reinforce his importance to the red-hot Panthers. Florida is outscoring its opponents 12-3 at five-on-five with Tkachuk on the ice in these playoffs, and although he's stuck in a goal drought, the 25-year-old winger always finds a way to impact the game, whether it's through physicality, gamesmanship, or shutting down opponents' top players. If the Panthers continue this run beyond Round 3, it's hard to imagine Tkachuk anywhere but the top of this list.

1. Roope Hintz

Hintz carried over an explosive first round, producing seven points in a tight second-round series victory against the Seattle Kraken. He's now second in playoff scoring and first among players left in the competition. The dynamic Finn is posting eye-popping analytics and has delivered a handful of signature moments this postseason, including a four-point effort in Game 2 of Round 1 and the opening goal in Monday's Game 7.

It's become crystal clear Hintz is the offensive catalyst for the Dallas Stars through two rounds. In eight victories, he's contributed 18 points compared to a single goal in Dallas' five losses. The unheralded Hintz may not have been the favorite to claim playoff MVP at the start of the playoffs, but it's his trophy to lose right now.

(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)

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Residents of Tempe, Arizona, voted Tuesday against building a $2.1-billion entertainment district that would've included a new arena for the NHL's Arizona Coyotes.

"We are very disappointed that Tempe voters did not approve propositions 301, 302, and 303," Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a statement. "As Tempe Mayor Corey Woods said, it was the best sports deal in Arizona history."

Gutierrez added: "What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also released a statement:

"The National Hockey League is terribly disappointed by the results of the public referenda regarding the Coyotes' arena project in Tempe. We are going to review with the Coyotes what the options might be going forward."

The Coyotes needed a majority to vote in favor of all three propositions. Ultimately, 56% of residents voted no for propositions 301 and 302, while 57% voted no for 303.

Tempe City Council voted unanimously in favor of the project back in November, but a vote from the residents was required to seal the deal.

The results of the vote could spell the beginning of the end for the NHL team in the desert. The Coyotes have two seasons remaining on their agreement to play at Mullett Arena, a 4,600-seat rink in Tempe on the campus of Arizona State University. After that, the Coyotes will again be without a home.

Mullett Arena is already the Coyotes' third arena since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg in 1996. The club first played out of America West Arena in downtown Phoenix before moving to Glendale's Gila River Arena in 2003, then to Mullett Arena last season.

The proposed Tempe Entertainment District would've included a 16,000-seat rink for the Coyotes, a 3,000-seat music venue, and a 19,000-unit residential complex, plus restaurants, hotels, and luxury retail shops.

The Coyotes have ranked bottom-five in the league in average attendance every season since at least 2011-12. Forbes ranked Arizona as the NHL's least valuable franchise in December.

In 26 seasons since moving to Arizona, the team has undergone seven ownership changes and made the playoffs nine times - just once in the past 11 years. The Coyotes have only advanced past Round 1 once, making it to the Western Conference Final in 2012.

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The Calgary Flames don't want the Pittsburgh Penguins contacting Brad Treliving about their general manger vacancy - at least for the time being.

The Penguins wanted to reach out to the ex-Flames GM as part of their initial round of interviews, but the Flames wouldn't allow it, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. Calgary said Pittsburgh would need to wait until Treliving's contract expires June 30 before contacting him.

Though the Flames are paying Treliving for another six weeks or so, the team and the executive agreed to part ways in mid-April. Don Maloney took over as president of hockey operations and interim GM.

The Penguins fired GM Ron Hextall along with president of hockey operations Brian Burke a few days before Calgary and Treliving made their decision official.

Pittsburgh reportedly interviewed 10-12 candidates in the first round of discussions about the GM role, including Peter Chiarelli and Marc Bergevin.

The Penguins are slated to draft 14th overall next month. Calgary will be on the clock two picks later.

Treliving assembled a Flames squad that won the Pacific Division last season. However, Calgary lost in the second round of the playoffs in 2021-22 and failed to make the postseason this campaign after a roller-coaster offseason in which management was forced to overhaul the roster.

The 53-year-old was initially lauded for acquiring Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk, but the former didn't mesh with head coach Darryl Sutter and had a disappointing season. Calgary fired Sutter in early May.

Treliving had served as Flames GM since April 2014. He drafted the likes of Dillon Dube, Rasmus Andersson, and Andrew Mangiapane and was never afraid to make a blockbuster trade or signing. In 2018, he landed Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin in an ill-advised swap with the Carolina Hurricanes in which he gave up future Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox.

The former GM signed Nazem Kadri to a seven-year, $49-million pact last summer, but the gritty forward had a somewhat disappointing campaign. Kadri enjoyed a career year with the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche last season.

Before joining the Flames, Treliving was the Arizona Coyotes' assistant GM.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have spoken to veteran free-agent bench bosses Mike Babcock and Peter Laviolette about their head coaching vacancy, reports The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

The club also reportedly interviewed Pascal Vincent, who served as the team's associate coach the last two seasons under Brad Larsen before the latter was fired in April.

Babcock hasn't coached in the NHL since the Toronto Maple Leafs fired him in November 2019. Since his departure, he's taken volunteer gigs as an advisor for the University of Vermont's hockey program and as head coach of the University of Saskatchewan's hockey team. He said last summer that he was "retired" from coaching.

The 60-year-old ranks 12th all time on the NHL's head coaching wins list with 700 career victories. He spent two years with the Anaheim Ducks, leading them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003. He then led the Detroit Red Wings for 10 campaigns, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and making another Cup final appearance a year later. He joined the Leafs in 2015 and coached them for parts of five seasons, making three playoff appearances.

Babcock was highly successful on the international stage, coaching Team Canada to Olympic gold medals in 2010 and 2014 and a World Cup of Hockey title in 2016.

However, he also came under fire shortly after his tenure with the Leafs for his treatment of players. When Mitch Marner was a rookie, Babcock made him rank his teammates based on work ethic and then shared the list with the team. Former Red Wings forward Johan Franzen called Babcock "the worst person I have ever met."

Laviolette, meanwhile, coached the Washington Capitals for the last three seasons, making playoff appearances in each of his first two years with the club. He ranks eighth on the NHL's all-time coaching wins list with 752 victories and is the winningest American head coach in league history.

The 58-year-old won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and made two more Cup final appearances with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017.

The Blue Jackets were hampered by injuries last season and finished with the league's second-worst record at 25-48-9. However, they have ample star power with Johnny Gaudreau, Patrik Laine, and Zach Werenski, and they hold the third pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

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