Dan and Sat break down some of Rick Tocchet's comments from his interview with Halford and Brough, including a discussion on Andrei Kuzmenko. Also, hear from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects on how some of the 2023 Draft class is progressing.
This podcast was produced by Josh Elliott-Wolfe.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Several Calgary Flames players took back trade requests after the club fired Darryl Sutter as head coach earlier this week, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli revealed Thursday on Sportsnet 960.
"In talking to various people around the league that have connections to Calgary, the sentiment was any trade requests that were out there, or demands so to speak, have been rescinded now that there's been a coaching change," Seravalli said. "That, I think, opens the door for some players that might have been hesitating to eventually re-sign. That'll of course be the call of whoever's the next general manager."
Seravalli added, "I believe there was at least a handful of players who had spoken honestly and frankly to (former general manger) Brad Treliving and (president of hockey operations) Don Maloney, who were in the room for the exit interviews, to say exactly that. Essentially, it's as simple as, 'If this guy's back, I don't wanna play here.'"
The Flames axed Sutter on Monday after three seasons behind the bench and a Jack Adams Award in 2022. Calgary missed the playoffs this year after a dramatic offseason that saw Johnny Gaudreau leave in free agency and Matthew Tkachuk demand out instead of re-signing as a restricted free agent, while the club landed Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar via trade.
Huberdeau disappointed with 55 points after netting 115 last season with the Florida Panthers, and he admitted Monday that he and Sutter didn't click.
"Having a new coach is going to help my game and my confidence too," Huberdeau said.
It's unknown which players requested trades if Sutter stayed, but veterans Mikael Backlund and Elias Lindholm, both eligible to sign extensions this summer, were noncommittal when asked about re-upping with the Flames at their end-of-season interviews.
Calgary also parted ways with GM Brad Treliving after the regular season and is in the midst of searching for his replacement on top of finding a new bench boss.
New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant and general manager Chris Drury had a heated altercation after the club's Game 4 loss to the New Jersey Devils in the first round, reports The Athletic's Arthur Staple.
The Rangers lost the contest 3-1 on home ice, letting the Devils equalize the series after the Blueshirts won the first two games. New Jersey ultimately took the series in seven.
Gallant's job security has been in question since New York's demoralizing elimination to one of its biggest rivals, prompting him to defend himself at his end-of-season interview on Wednesday.
"I can't believe I have to answer some of these questions about me getting fired, brought up by the media," Gallant said. "Disappointing."
Despite tensions appearing to be high, the Rangers aren't likely to move on from Gallant, according to Staple. The crop of candidates to replace the 59-year-old - which includes veterans Peter Laviolette and Darryl Sutter - reportedly isn't enticing enough to sway Drury to make a change behind the bench.
The Rangers hired Gallant prior to the 2021-22 campaign, and he's led the club to back-to-back 100-plus point seasons. He was nominated for the Jack Adams Award after his first year behind the bench on the strength of a 110-point effort while also leading the club to the Eastern Conference Final.
Thirteen-year NHL veteran Petr Klima died at 58 years old on Thursday, the league announced.
Klima is best remembered for scoring the triple-overtime winner in Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Final for the Edmonton Oilers, who ended up defeating the Boston Bruins in five contests that year.
The Czechia product enjoyed his best season the following year in 1990-91, when he produced 40 goals and 68 points with the Oilers.
Klima was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round in 1983 and spent parts of six seasons with the club.
A six-time 30-goal scorer, Klima recorded 573 points in 786 career NHL games between the Red Wings, Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
A stellar sophomore season from Matt Boldy wasn't enough to earn a pat on the back from Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin heading into the summer.
"In talking to a guy like Boldy, his style of play in the playoffs doesn't … He's got to change certain things in his game," Guerin told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "It is a different game in the playoffs. It's just different.
"And I think a lot of people get frustrated with that in hockey, but I think it's one of the things that makes hockey great is that it is a whole different ballgame. You look at the goals that are scored, they're hard goals. There's not a lot of pretty goals, and you've just got to get your nose dirty. For him, that's something that he's got to work on."
Boldy tallied 31 goals and 32 assists in 81 games during the regular season, but he was held scoreless with three helpers in six playoff contests before the Wild were eliminated by the Dallas Stars.
"Still not good enough," the 22-year-old answered when asked to compare this postseason to last year's. "To be honest, I don't think I played well. That's my opinion. It just wasn't what it needed to be, and obviously it sucks. It's not what you want to have happen, feeling like you let teammates down and stuff like that. But it's another thing to learn from, and we don't want to let it happen again."
Boldy recorded one goal and zero helpers in six games during the 2022 playoffs after producing 39 points in 47 contests as a rookie.
The 6-foot-2 winger was selected 12th overall by Minnesota at the 2019 NHL Draft. He signed a seven-year, $49-million extension in January that will make him the Wild's third-highest-paid player next season.
Wednesday was a tough one on the ice. Jack Hughes and Brent Burns combined to miss the net seven times, both failing to go over their shot prop totals. The Oilers also fell at the hands of the Golden Knights despite a four-goal performance from Leon Draisaitl.
We'll aim to get back on track with three more plays for Thursday's card.
The Maple Leafs once again dropped their series opener at home by multiple goals.
They had no problem crawling out of the early hole against the Lightning and I expect similar against the Panthers.
Everything was there but the finish in Game 1. The Maple Leafs won the expected goals battle 5.21-2.66, good for a 66.23% share - their second-highest of the playoffs.
Their best players piled up the chances as well. The core four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander combined for 20 shots on goal and 11 grade-Ascoring chances. They simply couldn't convert, translating those opportunities into zero goals.
That is very abnormal for them. Each player scored 30-plus goals and scored on at least 12.2% of their shots in the regular season. They are lethal finishers.
So long as the chances are there, the goals will come, especially against a netminder like Sergei Bobrovsky.
While you have to tip your hat to him for a great Game 1 performance, he is a very exploitable goaltender. He posted a pedestrian .901 save percentage in the regular season and his playoff total matches that. There is a reason the Panthers went to unproven journeyman Alex Lyon for chunks of the opening round series; Bobrovsky is simply not reliable.
He helped steal a game, but that is an exception to the rule, and the Maple Leafs showed they can generate chances in bulk. I would expect them to start going in sooner rather than later.
Look for Toronto to even the series without the aid of overtime.
Bet: Maple Leafs in regulation (-110)
Auston Matthews over 4.5 shots (-135)
We backed Matthews in the series opener and he rewarded us with a six-shot, 11-attempt performance against the Panthers. There's no reason not to go back to the well in Game 2.
Matthews has attempted at least eight shots in five consecutive games, combining for 20 over the last two in Toronto. He is shooting every chance he gets right now and the goals have been there in bunches as a result.
Including special-teams play, Matthews was on the ice for 34 attempts and 20 shots on goal last time out. That led all forwards for either team.
It's no secret that getting him the puck in shooting situations is priority No. 1. The Panthers are a better offensive than defensive team and they tend to play high-event games. That bodes well for Matthews, who should try to shoot the Maple Leafs onto level terms.
Roope Hintz over 2.5 shots (-105)
The Kraken have mostly played well defensively through eight postseason games. Their one area of weakness is slowing down opposing centers.
They had a very tough time with Nathan MacKinnon in the opening round - granted, anybody would - and that's spilled over into their series against the Stars.
Roope Hintz had a very strong offensive showing in Game 1, registering seven shot attempts, five shots on goal, and four high-danger scoring chances. Outside of Joe Pavelski, nobody did a better job of creating quality opportunities.
Hintz has enjoyed success against the Kraken all year, recording three shots or more in three of four meetings. With only the Panthers allowing more shots per game to centers in these playoffs, Hintz should have ample opportunity to get the job done once again.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.
Of all the first-round successes we had, nothing worked better than hopping on a handful of teams after they were downed in Game 1. We went 4-1 for approximately plus-4 units, with just the long shot try on the Islanders falling short, thanks to a pair of overtime losses.
Overall, the team that lost the first game of the series went 6-2, with just the Kraken (who later trailed 2-1) and Hurricanes eventually closing their opponents out after leading 1-0.
So is it as simple as just backing the team down 0-1 to go on to win the series? No, not usually. That's why we picked our spots in Round 1. However, with all four pre-series favorites losing in Game 1 of Round 2, taking the trailing team is that much more appealing.
Instead of the article ending there, we'll actually rank each series by just how interested we are in a position for a comeback. In honor of both Joe Pavelski and Leon Draisaitl scoring four times - albeit in losing causes - we'll rank them by "goals."
*4 goals*
Oilers to win series (+120)
At least the Oilers lost the first game on the road. The advantage to not having home-ice advantage is that it's no catastrophe to go down 0-1 in the other team's barn - or should I say, "palatial concert venue?"
Edmonton was given a 60% implied win probability for this series before it started based on a -150 series price. Converting +120 into probability gives you 45.5%. That near 15% change is too high of a gap for my liking, as I've already jumped on Edmonton at the best price I can find for Game 2. In fact, that moneyline seems destined to close higher than the Oilers' odds to win Game 1.
Once Edmonton takes Game 2, its series odds won't just revert back to -150, they'll likely go higher after the Oilers have wrestled away home-ice advantage. As for Game 1, while the Golden Knights get credit for having the marginally better expected-goal share at even strength, Vegas converted two of just seven high-danger chances in that game state on top of two of four power-play chances. Those are two outlier events that'll be hard to repeat, especially if both are required to win by just one goal.
*3 goals*
Stars to win series (-115)
We sniffed out a potential over-pricing on the Starsbefore Game 1, advocating to take the Kraken +1.5 for the series in a way of finding a middle ground between having a position on Dallas to take the Western Conference and taking advantage of some obvious value.
However, we're still all Stars around here. Jake Oettinger has earned a pass for whatever that was in the first period of Game 1. The Kraken had two high-danger chances in the opening stanza but scored four even-strength goals. Yikes. Oettinger cleaned it up the rest of the way, with the Seattle game-winner coming in an overtime frame where Dallas was the better side. Throw in Pavelski - not only back and healthy but scoring four times - and that actually alleviates one of the worries about the long-term viability of Dallas.
So why not a "four-goal certified play?" Price matters around these parts, and oddsmakers are sticking to their pre-series (over)valuations by making Dallas 53.5% to win the series, just a 12% change from -190 before the series.
*2 goals*
Devils to win series (+140)
The first period in Raleigh wasn't pretty for the Devils; there's no denying that. It fed into the narrative that a team who played the game of its life on Monday night had too quick of a turnaround before a road series opener, with the ideally-rested Hurricanes trying to smother their speed.
The least predictable type of goal for handicapping is the "soft" goal, and Brett Pesce's seeing-eye wrister to open the scoring was no high-danger chance. Throw in three goals on nine HDCs - a 33% clip far exceeding Carolina's usual 9% conversion rate of the last two months - and you have another dual-outlier night.
The Devils will be better - as they were in periods two and three - and a 13% change in win probability is enough to keep us interested in a team we liked before the series.
*1 goal*
Maple Leafs to win series (+100)
We were on the Panthers in Game 1 and for the series, so there's no flip-flopping now. The thought process was that this was far more of a coin-flip series than the pre-series odds suggested. The Maple Leafs may have felt like the better team in the opener, but 50% splits in expected-goal share and high-danger chances at even strength confirm that they aren't better enough to be 63.6% probable to win the series and even higher than that to win Game 1.
As a result, a 13.6% drop to their win probability puts them at even money to win the series, a price that might be enticing to some based on how Round 1 shook out and the Leafs being a significant favorite to salvage a split. However, it's only worth a tertiary glance for those with Panthers positions.
Matt Russell is the Lead Betting Analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.
Snoop Dogg wants fans to know his interest in purchasing the Ottawa Senators is completely genuine, fo shizzle.
"This ain't no joke or no gimmick. Or an image or likeness play. This is a real ownership play," he told The Athletic's Ian Mendes. "And Snoop will put his foot in the town."
The highly popular rapper and entertainer is part of a bid fronted by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks to buy the Sens, he confirmed Monday.
But why the Senators? Why Ottawa?
"I love the city. Every time I've come through the city, they've rolled out the red carpet for me. The fans, the city. Everyone. It's been nothing but love," Snoop said. "When you go around the world as much as I have, there are certain places that stick out in your heart. Everywhere I go in Canada, it's always been love, but there's something about Ottawa. And the opportunity for the team to be bought? It's impeccable timing right now."
Snoop's hockey fandom is well-documented. He famously wore a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in the music video for his breakthrough 1994 single "Gin and Juice," and the Long Beach, California, native has served as an occasional guest broadcaster for Los Angeles Kings games. He says he even went to go watch Kings games in the '80s when they were led by Marcel Dionne.
The 51-year-old says his role in an ownership group would be primarily as a community activist, and he'd come to Ottawa at least six times a year - 10 if the Sens make the playoffs. But he also said that he wants to grow the game at the grassroots level.
"I've always wanted to do something in hockey with kids," Snoop told Mendes. "Because I never had hockey offered to me as a kid."
Snoop also believes he could play an important role to help better market the game's biggest stars.
"They don't know how to market," he said. "Like McDavid, he's the No. 1 hockey player in the world. Why doesn't he have commercials everywhere?"
Snoop isn't the only celebrity interested in purchasing the Senators, though. Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds has joined forces with the Remington Group, which is reportedly preparing a $1-billion offer. There are at least five other interested parties, too.
The Vegas Golden Knights topped the Edmonton Oilers 6-4 in a track meet Wednesday, weathering Leon Draisaitl's masterly four-goal night to win the second-round series opener. Keep an eye on these important battlegrounds as the matchup continues.
The big guns
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Connor McDavid led all NHL forwards in ice time in Round 1, skating for 25:10 nightly. Draisaitl ranked second at 23:47. Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft leans on his stars, and he played his trump card during the Los Angeles Kings series, uniting Draisaitl with McDavid to stack Edmonton's top line.
Smartly, Woodcroft stuck with the idea Wednesday. McDavid's crafty feeds bookended Draisaitl's epic performance. Exhibiting genius, Draisaitl banked another puck in off of Laurent Brossoit's nameplate as McDavid charged to the net to receive a potential pass.
Draisaitl was the second player in as many nights to pot four goals in defeat, emulating Dallas Stars veteran Joe Pavelski. The Oilers center is the first skater since the dawn of the Original Six era to score 11 goals in seven playoff games. Draisaitl maxed out at seven goals in the 2022 playoffs despite averaging a sublime two points per contest. If the Oilers rally in this series, he might obliterate the long-held NHL postseason record of 19 tallies.
Edmonton's firepower is unparalleled, but Vegas trots out stars, too.
Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights in shots on net and shot attempts in Round 1. Healed from back surgery, Mark Stone produced eight points and eight takeaways to shine at both ends. Vegas outscored the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 and owned 67.7% of the scoring chances when Stone skated with Chandler Stephenson and Brett Howden at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.
Seen laboring at practice this week, Stone absorbed bumps and cross-checks throughout Game 1 but kept venturing to the grimy areas. He beat Vincent Desharnais in a puck battle, then capped the shift seconds later by scoring on a redirect. Eichel, who passed to the point to facilitate Stone's goal, stripped McDavid in the final minute to earn a free shot at Edmonton's empty net. Sliding the puck the length of the ice, Eichel made no mistake.
The secondary scorers
Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty Images
Familiar names (Evander Kane, Zach Hyman) and unsung heroes (Klim Kostin, Kailer Yamamoto) stepped up throughout Round 1 when Edmonton needed a boost. In all, 10 Oilers players scored against the Kings, with seven scoring multiple times to tie the Toronto Maple Leafs for the opening-round high.
That help dried up in Game 1. Hyman's elbow grease and passing touch contributed to two of Draisaitl's goals, but Edmonton's remaining lines were silenced.
The Oilers couldn't contain the Golden Knights' transitional attacks or protect the puck when forechecked. Vegas is clinical in those phases of the game. Michael Amadio and Chandler Stephenson raced into open space off the rush before they buried shots behind Stuart Skinner. Ivan Barbashev induced a Desharnais giveaway when he bagged the first of his two goals.
Stephenson and William Karlsson paced Vegas with four goals apiece in the triumph over Winnipeg. Howden (two tallies) and Amadio (crucial overtime winner) emerged as X-factor contributors. That diversity of scoring maximizes the Golden Knights' offensive potential, as their 14th-ranked attack this season trails every remaining team except the Carolina Hurricanes.
Watch out for the defensemen when Vegas pushes the puck up ice. Alex Pietrangelo combined with Shea Theodore to record eight assists in Round 1, though no Golden Knights blue-liner scored. That dry spell continued Wednesday, but Zach Whitecloud's outlet pass and wrister from the point sparked separate Vegas goals, including Barbashev's tip that restored the lead for good in the third period.
The Oilers' power play
Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty Images
The blatant mismatch that could sink Vegas in this series was significant but not decisive in Game 1. McDavid's vision and Evan Bouchard's heavy shot teed up Draisaitl to convert two of Edmonton's three power-play opportunities. The Oilers went 19-2-4 in the regular season when the power play struck multiple times, per Stathead. Usually, it's a winning formula.
Because the Oilers besieged the Kings in Round 1, capitalizing on nine of 16 power-play tries (56.3%), Vegas' penalty kill was spared the shame of ranking last league-wide. The Golden Knights let the Jets capitalize on five of 12 attempts (41.7%).
No team was penalized less than the Golden Knights this season. They never went a man down on the night they bounced the Jets, and they generally minimized the damage of Winnipeg's power play.
They have to avoid the box in this round. The obstruction penalties Nicolas Hague and Nicolas Roy took in Game 1 were excusable, unlike Pietrangelo needlessly roughing up Bouchard after the second-period horn sounded.
The goaltenders
Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty Images
Advantage Brossoit.
Neither goalie was solid in the opener, but the Vegas netminder had less to do and made the requisite saves, denying McDavid's four shots on net and all five high-danger shots he faced at five-on-five.
At the other end, Barbashev neutralized Draisaitl's first and third goals by scoring on Skinner within a minute of the ensuing faceoffs. Five shots eluded Skinner for the first time since March 11.
It's remarkable that one of these guys will be a conference finalist. Brossoit made 20 starts for the Oilers over a four-year span back when Draisaitl and McDavid were finding their footing in the league. He quieted fans of the Jets, his next team, who needled him with "You're a backup!" chants in Round 1. Demoted to the AHL at the outset of this season, Brossoit turned 30 in March and has now started eight games in a row for Vegas, a new career high.
Skinner withstood adversity against the Kings - being yanked a period into Game 4, being scored on when his stick snapped in Game 6 - to win with a meager .890 overall save percentage. Despite the rocky postseason introduction, Woodcroft's faith in the Calder Trophy finalist didn't waver. Seven appearances in, Edmonton's still waiting for Skinner to submit a dominant playoff performance.
