Brian Burke doesn't see a spot for Hartford on the NHL map.
Appearing on "Sportsnet's Starting Lineup" on Wednesday, and asked whether the NHL's return to the Connecticut capital is a possibility, Burke retorted, "You'll see Jesus before you see a team back in Hartford."
The former general manager of the Hartford Whalers - from 1992-1993 - described a desolate market that was known as the "roaring '80s" during his tenure, noting that many big employers and high-paying jobs uprooted for nearby Manhattan.
The resulting loss of industry and jobs eventually stripped away at the local economy and contributed to the Whalers moving to Raleigh, N.C. in 1997, where the club rebranded as the Carolina Hurricanes.
Despite the loss in Hartford, the passion for the team still exists. Recent years have seen Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy leading those discussions, as he's floated the idea of renovating the XL Center - the Whalers' former home - to lure the NHL's return. He also invited the nearby New York Islanders, then in search of a new arena, to make their digs in the old barn.
Earlier this season, the Hurricanes, under new owner Thomas Dundon, paid tribute to the franchise's legacy, bringing back team gear with the iconic Whalers logo and the unforgettable Brass Bonanza goal song.
Meanwhile in Hartford, while the XL Center now houses AHL hockey, the market itself is still seemingly behind Seattle, Houston, and Quebec City on the NHL's expansion radar.
As for Burke, the former president of hockey operations with the Calgary Flamesresigned from the club earlier this week, later accepting a role with Sportsnet as a playoff analyst.
Across 41 appearances with the WHL's Everett Silvertips this season, Hart notched a 31-6-3 record, alongside a .947 save rate and 1.60 GAA.
The Alberta native also suited for Team Canada at last year's World Juniors, when he led the Great White North to its first gold-medal finish in three tournaments.
The Flyers selected Hart with the 48th pick in the 2016 draft.
The Colorado Avalanche have gone to Russia for a little netminding insurance, as on Wednesday the club agreed to a one-year deal with KHL goaltender Pavel Francouz.
The 27-year-old Czech native has spent the past three seasons in the KHL, where he owned a .946 save percentage and 1.81 GAA in 37 appearances this season.
Francouz also represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 Winter Olympics, suiting up for six games. More recently, he's been tabbed to play for the Czechs at the upcoming World Championship in Denmark.
As it stands, Semyon Varlamov is the lone Avalanche netminder under contract through next season, meaning Francouz could be in the running for the backup job.
The New York Rangers have gauged Ilya Kovalchuk's interest in bringing his show to Broadway.
The Russian superstar, now an unrestricted free agent, has expressed interest in returning to the NHL after spending the past five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League, and could find a fit with the Rangers.
"We've checked in with him. It's fair to say that's something we're going to look at again further and see what's going on," Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton told Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
Kovalchuk last suited up in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, but retired following the 2012-13 campaign in order to return to Russia. He had 12 years remaining on his contract at the time of his retirement.
Had Kovalchuk opted to return to the NHL prior to the coming season, the Devils would have retained his rights. However, now that his 35th birthday has passed, he is removed from the NHL's voluntary retired list and free to sign with any team.
As of April 15, Kovalchuk can hold talks with interested teams, but cannot put pen to paper until free agency opens on July 1.
In 55 appearances with St. Petersburg SKA this season, Kovalchuk tallied 32 goals and 33 assists. The former Devil and Atlanta Thrasher also notched 816 points in as many NHL games.
And if the intrigue of a winner-takes-all game isn't enough, this first-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins is the only one to go the distance in these 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. So the entirety of the NHL world will be watching.
The puck drops one last time Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET between the Maple Leafs and Bruins, with the eventual winner earning a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 2.
Here's a look at some notable numbers ahead of the game:
5: Of the 14 Game 7s the Maple Leafs have played all time on the road, just five have ended in victory. The Maple Leafs' last Game 7 as the visitors, of course, came in Boston in 2013. We all know how that ended.
12: Wednesday marks the 12th Game 7 for Chara, the most among active NHLers. The Bruins captain sits just one back of Patrick Roy and Chris Chelios for the all-time mark.
13: Typically unlucky, but it's also the number of times the Bruins have come away victorious in Game 7. Even more impressive, 12 of those wins have come in their own barn.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
14: It's been a decade and change since the Maple Leafs won a playoff round, with their last coming against the Ottawa Senators in 2004.
26: Wednesday's match marks the Bruins' 26th all-time Game 7, surpassing the Detroit Red Wings for the most in NHL history.
31.6: Boston's power-play efficiency in the opening round, which trails only the Washington Capitals at 33.3. One piece of advice to the Maple Leafs? Take no penalties.
41: Not all hockey games require only 60 minutes, as 41 Game 7s have gone to overtime to decide a winner.
99: Usually Wayne Gretzky, but in this case it's the number of wins for the home team in the 169 all-time Game 7s. Good news if you're a Bruins fan.
126: Score first and you'll like your odds, as the team to first find the back of the net has won 126 of the 169 Game 7s in NHL history. That's a win rate of nearly 75 percent.
The award, introduced in 2006-07, recognizes "the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, during the regular season and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey."
Fans, teams, and NHL personnel are asked to suggest nominees, but former NHL great Mark Messier selects the finalists and picks the winner, who will be announced at the NHL Awards in June.
It's playoff time, folks. To get you prepared, we break down each of the Western Conference's second-round series. (Advanced stats at 5-on-5 courtesy: Corsica)
Predators 1C vs. Jets 2C
Predators
Stat
Jets
4-2
Round 1 record
4-1
7
Goal differential
7
54.59% (2nd)
5-on-5 Corsi %
58.87% (1st)
9.26% (3rd)
Shooting percentage
7.95% (8th)
.923 (8th)
Save percentage
.941 (5th)
101.57 (6th)
PDO
102.06 (5th)
Colton Sissons & Austin Watson (7)
Leading scorer
Mark Scheifele & Dustin Byfuglien (5)
It'll be a Battle of the Titans in this second-round series. The Predators and Jets finished first and second league-wide, while their regular-season meet ups were always competitive. One key to the series could be the Predators' Pekka Rinne, who was only average in Round 1 against the Colorado Avalanche, while Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck put up a far superior performance in eliminating the Minnesota Wild.
Game 1 begins at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
Golden Knights 1P vs. Sharks 3P
Golden Knights
Stat
Sharks
4-0
Round 1 record
4-0
4
Goal differential
12
51.69% (6th)
5-on-5 Corsi %
46.83% (13th)
5.21% (14th)
Shooting percentage
11.49% (2nd)
.990 (1st)
Save percentage
.979 (2nd)
104.18 (3rd)
PDO
109.37 (1st)
Reilly Smith (3)
Leading scorer
Joe Pavelski & Logan Couture (5)
Both sides made quick work in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, sweeping away the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, respectively. If Vegas isn't already getting its due credit, it should after taking out a two-time Cup champion. Netminder Marc-Andre Fleury played like a virtual wall, while Sharks goalie Martin Jones was no slouch either. San Jose could also get a boost in the second round should Joe Thornton return from injury.
