Four teams are four wins away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

Those teams finished first, second, fifth, and ninth in regular-season points. None of them are perfect, but only one has a glaring weakness (we'll get to that). In short, the NHL's conference finals should be awesome.

Here's one big question, X-factor, and tactic for each club.

New York Rangers

At stake: The last time the Rangers won the Cup? 1994. Last Cup Final appearance? 2014. Here they are again, right on schedule. This year's squad earned the Presidents' Trophy, then won seven straight to start the playoffs.

Big question: Will New York's special teams get a chance to shine? The Rangers were outscored 22-20 at even strength in Rounds 1 and 2. They advanced because they destroyed the Capitals and Hurricanes during special-team minutes, 15-4. While that's typical Rangers hockey, it's also risky business. Fewer penalties are called in the final two rounds. Plus, the Panthers have earned 13 more minutes on the power play than penalty kill through 11 games. That said, New York will have ample opportunity to goad them into penalties. Florida thrives on chaos and sometimes crosses the line.

X-factor: Vincent Trocheck, who's the definition of a "gamer." Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere's center possesses the toolbox of a finesse player and the mentality of a grinder. Trocheck loved mixing it up with his old Carolina teammates in the last series. His ex-teammate list for this one consists of three guys he'll see lots of: Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, and Sergei Bobrovsky. An important member of the top power-play and penalty-kill units, Trocheck paces all New York forwards in average ice time (23:12). He's also leading or tied for the lead in points, shots on goal, and faceoff percentage.

Tactic: Stretch passes, specifically off the stick of goalie Igor Shesterkin. The Panthers' defense is structurally sound, but they can get caught with too many bodies on the forecheck from time to time. Quick-striking will be invaluable for the Rangers, and Shesterkin can certainly help. He led all goalies in stretch passes during the regular season, according to Sportlogiq. The key here is that New York has the game-breaking talent to turn long bombs into legitimate scoring chances. Case in point: Shesterkin's two-zone pass to Mika Zibanejad in Game 2 versus Carolina led to an overtime goal.

Florida Panthers

At stake: After disposing of Tampa Bay in five games and Boston in six, Florida's attempting to advance to the Cup Final for the second year in a row. The Panthers' playoff roster features 11 pending unrestricted free agents.

Big question: Can Gustav Forsling continue to carry Ekblad? Florida's shutdown pairing limited Nikita Kucherov to three five-on-five points in Round 1 and David Pastrnak to two in Round 2. However, one guy - Forsling - has done the heavy lifting (with help from Selke Trophy-winning center Barkov, of course). Ekblad has been sluggish - off his mark on defensive assignments and sloppy with the puck. He doesn't get a ton of touches yet is tops on the team in giveaways. Minimizing the impact of superstar Panarin and his stellar linemates is the pair's toughest assignment to date. No pressure, Forsling.

X-factor: Carter Verhaeghe, who leads the Panthers with six goals, including the overtime winner in Game 2 versus Tampa. His career playoff production (0.80 points per game) is slightly higher than in the regular season (0.75), and he's potted nine game-winners in 48 playoff contests since signing with Florida as a free agent in 2020. In other words, the moment's never too big for Verhaeghe, and that lethal wrist shot of his can turn a game on its head.

Tactic: Buzz the net, which is pretty much the only way to put pucks past Shesterkin right now. According to NHL Edge, 19 of the 25 goals Shesterkin has allowed this postseason have come off high-danger shot attempts. While it's always wise to prioritize quality scoring chances, especially when an elite goalie's between the pipes, that 19-of-25 stat underlines the necessity for Florida. The Panthers should be up for the task, too. In the regular season, they ranked first in chances generated off the forecheck, second in chances off rebounds, and third in chances off the cycle. Florida peppers goalies with slot shots and layered screens and must lean into that identity in this series.

Dallas Stars

At stake: Dallas lost to Tampa in the 2020 bubble Cup Final and Vegas in last year's Western Conference Final. The Stars' road to the 2024 conference final included battles with the heavyweight Golden Knights and Avalanche.

Big question: Will Roope Hintz return to the lineup? The Finnish center left midway through Game 4 of the second round and, as of Monday afternoon, was considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Yes, Dallas boasts the deepest forward group in the NHL (eight 20-goal scorers!), but not having speedy Hintz, the sixth-place finisher in Selke voting, would be a huge blow. Matt Duchene filled in admirably alongside Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski to end the Colorado series. However, he's a 3C at this point in his career. If Hintz returns, another question: Can a compromised Hintz be effective?

X-factor: Thomas Harley, who's hunkered down as the responsible one on a pairing with franchise defenseman Miro Heiskanen. This isn't the kind of role anybody would have predicted ahead of Harley's first full NHL season. But the giant, smooth-skating blue-liner has embraced it nonetheless. His point total (two in 13 games) has become a non-issue because Heiskanen's activating enough for both of them. The Stars are up 6-4 in goals and 7.8-5.1 in expected goals over the duo's 160 five-on-five minutes, per Evolving-Hockey.

Tactic: Manage Chris Tanev's workload, which will be easier said than done. The Stars need Tanev, who's arguably the best pure defender left in the playoffs. The trade deadline acquisition does everything right: stick checks, shot blocks, and first passes. Coach Pete DeBoer needs him to continue flourishing in extremely tough minutes, in general, and especially because he doesn't trust his bottom pairing of Ryan Suter with one of Nils Lundkvist, Alex Petrovic, or Jani Hakanpaa. Still, DeBoer can't grind Tanev into dust. At 34, he's playing nearly 24 minutes a night despite never averaging more than 22 in a postseason throughout his 14-year career. The benefit of last change in Games 1 and 2 opens the door to give Tanev a breather or two per period.

Edmonton Oilers

At stake: Competing in the conference finals for a second time in three years, this is the most successful stretch of the Connor McDavid era. Edmonton was the lone team in the second round that made a midseason coaching change.

Big question: Can they get any offense from the bottom six? The Oilers' forward group is top-heavy, so an imbalance of some kind should be expected. However, coach Kris Knoblauch needs his role players to pitch in ASAP. Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Connor Brown, Sam Carrick, Corey Perry, and Derek Ryan have all failed to score a five-on-five goal in Edmonton's 12 games, while Mattias Janmark has potted one. That's an unacceptably low level of contribution, even with most of the top six seemingly scoring at will.

X-factor: Connor McDavid, who's won 13 major individual awards in nine seasons but never tasted Cup Final hockey. It would be disingenuous to pick another Oiler. McDavid's a generational player in the prime of his career and his core traits - world-class speed, hockey IQ, and playmaking - make him a perpetual offensive threat and, thus, an X-factor. McDavid, linemate Leon Draisaitl, and defenseman Evan Bouchard have each surpassed the 20-point mark through two rounds, which is wild. The power play's humming, too. Somehow, though, it feels as if No. 97's best performances are still to come.

Tactic: Protect Stuart Skinner at all costs - which is to say, keep doing what you're doing, Oilers skaters. Edmonton is first among playoff teams in all-situations expected goals against per game. Insulating the goaltender has become a survival tactic for a team relying on Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard. Skinner has looked flat-out uncomfortable going down for saves at times, and he owns a goals saved above expected number to match it (minus-7.1 through 10 games, according to Sportlogiq). East-west passing has burned Skinner on multiple occasions. The same goes for tips and deflections. Skinner versus Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is Round 3's biggest mismatch.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four teams are four wins away from advancing to the Stanley Cup Final.

Those teams finished first, second, fifth, and ninth in regular-season points. None of them are perfect, but only one has a glaring weakness (we'll get to that in a bit). In short, the conference finals should be awesome.

Here's one big question, X-factor, and tactic for each club.

New York Rangers

At stake: The last time the Rangers won the Cup? 1994. Last Cup Final appearance? 2014. Here they are again, right on schedule. This year's squad earned the Presidents' Trophy, then won seven straight to start the playoffs.

Big question: Will New York's special teams get a chance to shine? The Rangers were outscored 22-20 at even strength in Rounds 1 and 2. They advanced because they destroyed the Capitals and Hurricanes during special-team minutes, 15-4. While that's typical Rangers hockey, it's also risky business. Fewer penalties are called in the final two rounds. Plus, the Panthers have earned 13 more minutes on the power play than penalty kill through 11 games. That said, New York will have ample opportunity to goad them into penalties. Florida thrives on chaos and sometimes crosses the line.

X-factor: Vincent Trocheck, who's the definition of a "gamer." Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere's center possesses the toolbox of a finesse player and the mentality of a grinder. Trocheck loved mixing it up with his old Carolina teammates in the last series. His ex-teammate list for this one consists of three guys he'll see lots of: Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, and Sergei Bobrovsky. An important member of the top power-play and penalty-kill units, Trocheck paces all New York forwards in average ice time (23:12). He's also leading or tied for the lead in points, shots on goal, and faceoff percentage.

Tactic: Stretch passes, specifically off the stick of goalie Igor Shesterkin. The Panthers' defense is structurally sound, but they can get caught with too many bodies on the forecheck from time to time. Quick-striking will be invaluable for the Rangers, and Shesterkin can certainly help. He led all goalies in stretch passes during the regular season, according to Sportlogiq. The key here is that New York has the game-breaking talent to turn long bombs into legitimate scoring chances. Case in point: Shesterkin's two-zone pass to Mika Zibanejad in Game 2 versus Carolina led to an overtime goal.

Florida Panthers

At stake: After disposing of Tampa Bay in five games and Boston in six, Florida's attempting to advance to the Cup Final for the second year in a row. The Panthers' playoff roster features 11 pending unrestricted free agents.

Big question: Can Gustav Forsling continue to carry Ekblad? Florida's shutdown pairing limited Nikita Kucherov to three five-on-five points in Round 1 and David Pastrnak to two in Round 2. However, one guy - Forsling - has done the heavy lifting (with help from Selke Trophy-winning center Barkov, of course). Ekblad has been sluggish - off his mark on defensive assignments and sloppy with the puck. He doesn't get a ton of touches yet is tops on the team in giveaways. Minimizing the impact of superstar Panarin and his stellar linemates is the pair's toughest assignment to date. No pressure, Forsling.

X-factor: Carter Verhaeghe, who leads the Panthers with six goals, including the overtime winner in Game 2 versus Tampa. His career playoff production (0.80 points per game) is slightly higher than in the regular season (0.75), and he's potted nine game-winners in 48 playoff contests since signing with Florida as a free agent in 2020. In other words, the moment's never too big for Verhaeghe, and that lethal wrist shot of his can turn a game on its head.

Tactic: Buzz the net, which is pretty much the only way to put pucks past Shesterkin right now. According to NHL Edge, 19 of the 25 goals Shesterkin has allowed this postseason have come off high-danger shot attempts. While it's always wise to prioritize quality scoring chances, especially when an elite goalie's between the pipes, that 19-of-25 stat underlines the necessity for Florida. The Panthers should be up for the task, too. In the regular season, they ranked first in chances generated off the forecheck, second in chances off rebounds, and third in chances off the cycle. Florida peppers goalies with slot shots and layered screens and must lean into that identity in this series.

Dallas Stars

At stake: Dallas lost to Tampa in the 2020 bubble Cup Final and Vegas in last year's Western Conference Final. The Stars' road to the 2024 conference final included battles with the heavyweight Golden Knights and Avalanche.

Big question: Will Roope Hintz return to the lineup? The Finnish center left midway through Game 4 of the second round and, as of Monday afternoon, was considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Yes, Dallas boasts the deepest forward group in the NHL (eight 20-goal scorers!), but not having speedy Hintz, the sixth-place finisher in Selke voting, would be a huge blow. Matt Duchene filled in admirably alongside Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski to end the Colorado series. However, he's a 3C at this point in his career. If Hintz returns, another question: Can a compromised Hintz be effective?

X-factor: Thomas Harley, who's hunkered down as the responsible one on a pairing with franchise defenseman Miro Heiskanen. This isn't the kind of role anybody would have predicted ahead of Harley's first full NHL season. But the giant, smooth-skating blue-liner has embraced it nonetheless. His point total (two in 13 games) has become a non-issue because Heiskanen's activating enough for both of them. The Stars are up 6-4 in goals and 7.8-5.1 in expected goals over the duo's 160 five-on-five minutes, per Evolving-Hockey.

Tactic: Manage Chris Tanev's workload, which will be easier said than done. The Stars need Tanev, who's arguably the best pure defender left in the playoffs. The trade deadline acquisition does everything right: stick checks, shot blocks, and first passes. Coach Pete DeBoer needs him to continue flourishing in extremely tough minutes, in general, and especially because he doesn't trust his bottom pairing of Ryan Suter with one of Nils Lundkvist, Alex Petrovic, or Jani Hakanpaa. Still, DeBoer can't grind Tanev into dust. At 34, he's playing nearly 24 minutes a night despite never averaging more than 22 in a postseason throughout his 14-year career. The benefit of last change in Games 1 and 2 opens the door to give Tanev a breather or two per period.

Edmonton Oilers

At stake: Competing in the conference finals for a second time in three years, this is the most successful stretch of the Connor McDavid era. Edmonton was the lone team in the second round that made a midseason coaching change.

Big question: Can they get any offense from the bottom six? The Oilers' forward group is top-heavy, so an imbalance of some kind should be expected. However, coach Kris Knoblauch needs his role players to pitch in ASAP. Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Connor Brown, Sam Carrick, Corey Perry, and Derek Ryan have all failed to score a five-on-five goal in Edmonton's 12 games, while Mattias Janmark has potted one. That's an unacceptably low level of contribution, even with most of the top six seemingly scoring at will.

X-factor: Connor McDavid, who's won 13 major individual awards in nine seasons but never played in the Cup Final. It would be disingenuous to pick another Oiler. McDavid's a generational player in the prime of his career and his core traits - world-class speed, hockey IQ, and playmaking - make him a perpetual offensive threat and, thus, the ultimate X-factor. McDavid, running mate Leon Draisaitl, and defenseman Evan Bouchard have each surpassed the 20-point mark through two rounds, which is wild. The power play's humming. Somehow, though, it feels as if No. 97's best performances are still to come.

Tactic: Protect Stuart Skinner at all costs - which is to say, keep doing what you're doing, Oilers skaters. Edmonton is first among playoff teams in all-situations expected goals against per game. Insulating the goaltender has become a survival tactic for a team relying on Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard. Skinner has looked flat-out uncomfortable going down for saves at times, and he owns a goals saved above expected number to match it (minus-7.1 through 10 games, according to Sportlogiq). East-west passing has burned Skinner on multiple occasions. The same goes for tips and deflections. Skinner versus Stars goalie Jake Oettinger is Round 3's biggest mismatch.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Next season will be the 20th of the NHL's salary-cap era. Only 10 offer sheets have been signed in that time, eight of them between 2006-2013.

In 2021, Jesperi Kotkaniemi joined the Hurricanes after the Canadiens opted not to match the predatory offer sheet tabled by Carolina. Montreal had tried to pry franchise forward Sebastian Aho out of Carolina with an offer sheet three years earlier, so the Kotkaniemi saga was Part 2 of a two-part feud.

While it seems unlikely we'll get offer-sheet chaos this offseason, all it takes is one bold general manager and one restricted free agent looking for a change to stop the hockey world in its tracks. That in mind, let's dream for a moment. Here are three restricted free agents with decent offer-sheet cases.

Cole Perfetti, Jets forward: The 2020 10th overall pick was scratched multiple times near the end of the regular season and for the first four contests of Winnipeg's five-game postseason loss to Colorado. The man making those lineup decisions, Rick Bowness, announced his retirement earlier this week. So, Perfetti might be looking at a clean slate with the Jets.

Still, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has only $13.4 million in 2024-25 cap space to fill three-to-five roster spots, while a slew of regulars are set to become unrestricted free agents. Who stays from the list of Tyler Toffoli, Sean Monahan, Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon, Colin Miller, and Laurent Brossoit? A rival executive could try to make Cheveldayoff's life difficult by wooing Perfetti, who's in line to earn $3 million-$4 million per year on a bridge deal. Would $5.5 million do it? The high-IQ forward has produced, recording 75 points over 140 career games despite averaging just 14:10 of ice a night.

Anton Lundell, Panthers forward: The 22-year-old Finn has blossomed into a reliable two-way center since making his NHL debut in 2021-22. While Panthers fans might argue Lundell hasn't fully lived up to the hype offensively, he has untapped potential and also suits coach Paul Maurice's system well.

Where the offer-sheet curiosity comes in: a whopping 11 players on Florida's 27-man playoff roster are pending UFAs. Some are inconsequential. Others, such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Nick Cousins, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz are important but replaceable. Then there's 57-goal scorer Sam Reinhart and top-four defenseman Brandon Montour. Panthers GM Bill Zito has $19.7 million in 2024-25 space and massive calls to make. Lundell's in the same ballpark as Perfetti - $3 million-$4 million a year on a bridge deal.

Jeremy Swayman, Bruins goalie: OK, before Bruins fans freak out, yes, I know Swayman's a stud; in the middle of a stellar postseason; and, in all likelihood, Boston's starter for the next handful of seasons. But maybe - just maybe - Swayman would entertain a Godfather offer (such as a yearly salary 50% higher than his actual market value) from a desperate GM salivating at the Conn Smythe Trophy-caliber goaltending he's watching on TV right now.

If the money's undeniable and Swayman believes the prospective club can provide a long-term home, the door creaks open. Bruins GM Don Sweeney would then have a decision to make: overpay Swayman, or receive significant draft-pick compensation and ride Linus Ullmark as the No. 1 moving forward.

It's a wild scenario. But if a rival really wants to make a splash, this is it.

Stars need D-man solution ASAP

The Stars are apparently conducting two experiments in the second round.

How many times can a team tempt fate by earning a big early lead before allowing the high-octane Avalanche to claw back? Dallas failed the test in Game 1 and lost 4-3 in overtime. It succeeded in Game 2 with a 5-3 victory.

The second experiment: Can a team advance to the conference finals while essentially playing just five defensemen? Nils Lundkvist, who's drawn into the lineup because of Jani Hakanpaa's indefinite absence, is logging 4:35 a night through nine playoff games. The least he's played so far is 1:09. The most he's played is 10 minutes.

"It's a gauntlet of great teams and there's nowhere to hide," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said of Lundkvist and his low usage while addressing reporters ahead of Round 2.

DeBoer's concerns about Lundkvist's defensive play are reasonable. The offensive blue-liner is unreliable off the puck, and if any team will expose a weaker defender, it's the Avs, who are a nightmare in transition.

Yet it's unsustainable to rely so heavily on five blue-liners. The top four guys - Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, Chris Tanev, and Esa Lindell - can shoulder a heavier workload, but Ryan Suter, Lundkvist's partner on the third pair, is another story. He can't handle 19 hard minutes this deep into his career.

There's no easy solution here (eighth defenseman Derrick Pouliot isn't a great alternative). However, Lundkvist's confidence should be in a healthy place after a strong Game 2 that featured a nifty assist on the Stars' second goal. This may be DeBoer's best chance to give him a longer leash, even through gritted teeth.

Kings' top-of-lineup issue

The Kings lost to the Oilers in the first round for the third year in a row, this time in five games. The fact that Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty remain the club's best players at their respective positions makes the early exit worse.

To be clear, it's a good thing that Kopitar, 36, and Doughty, 34, are still playing at near-elite levels. Bucking the aging curve is a feature of this roster, not a bug.

The duo's standout play underlines the Kings' lack of difference-makers and how GM Rob Blake has failed to build a robust young core around them despite being unafraid of pursuing notable names on the trade market.

Kevin Fiala and Pierre-Luc Dubois were acquired in separate trades over the past two years. Both forwards had star potential but haven't lived up to expectations. The main pieces moved by L.A. in those deals - defenseman Brock Faber, who's now in Minnesota, and forward Gabe Vilardi, now in Winnipeg - are the ones with the high ceilings. Meanwhile, 2019 No. 5 overall pick Alex Turcotte is flirting with being a bust if he doesn't break out next season.

Again, where are the stars? (And, no, Adrian Kempe doesn't quite qualify.)

It's possible Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke, both 21, blossom into full-fledged stars. (Byfield's already an impact NHLer.) But the chances are slim that their primes will overlap with the final productive years for Kopitar and Doughty. In the end, Byfield and Clarke might simply replace the veterans in the hierarchy and be the ones without enough help at the top of the lineup.

In other words, Blake and the Kings could be stuck in a vicious cycle.

Parting shots

Elusive greatness: A colleague recently made an observation about the 2010 draft: Unlike most others, there isn't a single pick with a bulletproof case to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. No. 1 Taylor Hall won the 2018 Hart Trophy. No. 2 Tyler Seguin leads the class in assists and points. Jeff Skinner leads in games played and goals. Cam Fowler and Frederik Andersen have enjoyed the best careers among the defensemen and goalies (which is not a compliment!). And … that's about it - for now, anyway. There's still runway for these 32-year-olds. Mark Stone's the biggest "what if." While he's looked like a future Hall of Famer for stretches, Stone's been limited to 640 games due to injuries, and he's missed out on winning the Selke Trophy in part due to the bias against wingers. The 2011 draft produced Nikita Kucherov; 2009 produced Victor Hedman; 2008 produced Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, and Erik Karlsson; 2007 produced Patrick Kane. Yeah, you get the point.

VGK O.G.: From undrafted to Conn Smythe winner and owner of numerous franchise records, Jonathan Marchessault is one of the NHL's all-time success stories. It won't be easy for the cap-strapped Golden Knights to re-sign the pending unrestricted free agent, who's fresh off a 42-goal season. AFP Analytics projects a three-year deal carrying an average annual value of $6.3 million for Marchessault. Evolving Hockey projects the same term but a slightly higher AAV - $6.9 million. If Marchessault and Vegas can't get on the same page, I like the idea of the Quebec City native playing for Martin St. Louis in Montreal. Marchessault, 33, was one of five original Golden Knights on this year's roster (six if you include Zach Whitecloud, who appeared in one game for the 2017-18 squad). The other VGK originals: William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and another pending UFA, William Carrier.

Pinto watch: The IIHF world championship, which begins Friday in Czechia, should do a better job capturing the attention of NHL fans than in years past. The Canadian and U.S. rosters are filled with youngsters, including teenagers Connor Bedard, Will Smith, and Ryan Leonard. Shane Pinto, 23, isn't the biggest name on Team USA, yet he may benefit the most from the tournament. The right-handed center, who put up 27 points in 41 games for the Senators after returning from a suspension for violating the NHL's gambling policies, could use the extra ice time against pros. Pinto, an RFA, generates a ton of scoring chances off the forecheck. International play doesn't technically factor into negotiations, but if Pinto performs well, the Sens will feel a little more confident about a medium- or long-term extension.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's biweekly hockey grab bag.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Next season will be the 20th of the NHL's salary-cap era. Only 10 offer sheets have been signed in that time, eight of them between 2006-2013.

In 2021, Jesperi Kotkaniemi joined the Hurricanes after the Canadiens opted not to match the predatory offer sheet tabled by Carolina. Montreal had tried to pry franchise forward Sebastian Aho out of Carolina with an offer sheet three years earlier, so the Kotkaniemi saga was Part 2 of a two-part feud.

While it seems unlikely we'll get offer-sheet chaos this offseason, all it takes is one bold general manager and one restricted free agent looking for a change to stop the hockey world in its tracks. That in mind, let's dream for a moment. Here are three restricted free agents with decent offer-sheet cases.

Cole Perfetti, Jets forward: The 2020 10th overall pick was scratched multiple times near the end of the regular season and for the first four contests of Winnipeg's five-game postseason loss to Colorado. The man making those lineup decisions, Rick Bowness, announced his retirement earlier this week. So, Perfetti might be looking at a clean slate with the Jets.

Still, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has only $13.4 million in 2024-25 cap space to fill three-to-five roster spots, while a slew of regulars are set to become unrestricted free agents. Who stays from the list of Tyler Toffoli, Sean Monahan, Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon, Colin Miller, and Laurent Brossoit? A rival executive could try to make Cheveldayoff's life difficult by wooing Perfetti, who's in line to earn $3 million-$4 million per year on a bridge deal. Would $5.5 million do it? The high-IQ forward has produced, recording 75 points over 140 career games despite averaging just 14:10 of ice a night.

Anton Lundell, Panthers forward: The 22-year-old Finn has blossomed into a reliable two-way center since making his NHL debut in 2021-22. While Panthers fans might argue Lundell hasn't fully lived up to the hype offensively, he has untapped potential and also suits coach Paul Maurice's system well.

Where the offer-sheet curiosity comes in: a whopping 11 players on Florida's 27-man playoff roster are pending UFAs. Some are inconsequential. Others, such as Vladimir Tarasenko, Nick Cousins, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz are important but replaceable. Then there's 57-goal scorer Sam Reinhart and top-four defenseman Brandon Montour. Panthers GM Bill Zito has $19.7 million in 2024-25 space and massive calls to make. Lundell's in the same ballpark as Perfetti - $3 million-$4 million a year on a bridge deal.

Jeremy Swayman, Bruins goalie: OK, before Bruins fans freak out, yes, I know Swayman's a stud; in the middle of a stellar postseason; and, in all likelihood, Boston's starter for the next handful of seasons. But maybe - just maybe - Swayman would entertain a Godfather offer (such as a yearly salary 50% higher than his actual market value) from a desperate GM salivating at the Conn Smythe Trophy-caliber goaltending he's watching on TV right now.

If the money's undeniable and Swayman believes the prospective club can provide a long-term home, the door creaks open. Bruins GM Don Sweeney would then have a decision to make: overpay Swayman, or receive significant draft-pick compensation and ride Linus Ullmark as the No. 1 moving forward.

It's a wild scenario. But if a rival really wants to make a splash, this is it.

Stars need D-man solution ASAP

The Stars are apparently conducting two experiments in the second round.

How many times can a team tempt fate by earning a big early lead before allowing the high-octane Avalanche to claw back? Dallas failed the test in Game 1 and lost 4-3 in overtime. It succeeded in Game 2 with a 5-3 victory.

The second experiment: Can a team advance to the conference finals while essentially playing just five defensemen? Nils Lundkvist, who's drawn into the lineup because of Jani Hakanpaa's indefinite absence, is logging 4:35 a night through nine playoff games. The least he's played so far is 1:09. The most he's played is 10 minutes.

"It's a gauntlet of great teams and there's nowhere to hide," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said of Lundkvist and his low usage while addressing reporters ahead of Round 2.

DeBoer's concerns about Lundkvist's defensive play are reasonable. The offensive blue-liner is unreliable off the puck, and if any team will expose a weaker defender, it's the Avs, who are a nightmare in transition.

Yet it's unsustainable to rely so heavily on five blue-liners. The top four guys - Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley, Chris Tanev, and Esa Lindell - can shoulder a heavier workload, but Ryan Suter, Lundkvist's partner on the third pair, is another story. He can't handle 19 hard minutes this deep into his career.

There's no easy solution here (eighth defenseman Derrick Pouliot isn't a great alternative). However, Lundkvist's confidence should be in a healthy place after a strong Game 2 that featured a nifty assist on the Stars' second goal. This may be DeBoer's best chance to give him a longer leash, even through gritted teeth.

Kings' top-of-lineup issue

The Kings lost to the Oilers in the first round for the third year in a row, this time in five games. The fact that Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty remain the club's best players at their respective positions makes the early exit worse.

To be clear, it's a good thing that Kopitar, 36, and Doughty, 34, are still playing at near-elite levels. Bucking the aging curve is a feature of this roster, not a bug.

The duo's standout play underlines the Kings' lack of difference-makers and how GM Rob Blake has failed to build a robust young core around them despite being unafraid of pursuing notable names on the trade market.

Kevin Fiala and Pierre-Luc Dubois were acquired in separate trades over the past two years. Both forwards had star potential but haven't lived up to expectations. The main pieces moved by L.A. in those deals - defenseman Brock Faber, who's now in Minnesota, and forward Gabe Vilardi, now in Winnipeg - are the ones with the high ceilings. Meanwhile, 2019 No. 5 overall pick Alex Turcotte is flirting with being a bust if he doesn't break out next season.

Again, where are the stars? (And, no, Adrian Kempe doesn't quite qualify.)

It's possible Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke, both 21, blossom into full-fledged stars. (Byfield's already an impact NHLer.) But the chances are slim that their primes will overlap with the final productive years for Kopitar and Doughty. In the end, Byfield and Clarke might simply replace the veterans in the hierarchy and be the ones without enough help at the top of the lineup.

In other words, Blake and the Kings could be stuck in a vicious cycle.

Parting shots

Elusive greatness: A colleague recently made an observation about the 2010 draft: Unlike most others, there isn't a single pick with a bulletproof case to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. No. 1 Taylor Hall won the 2018 Hart Trophy. No. 2 Tyler Seguin leads the class in assists and points. Jeff Skinner leads in games played and goals. Cam Fowler and Frederik Andersen have enjoyed the best careers among the defensemen and goalies (which is not a compliment!). And … that's about it - for now, anyway. There's still runway for these 32-year-olds. Mark Stone's the biggest "what if." While he's looked like a future Hall of Famer for stretches, Stone's been limited to 640 games due to injuries, and he's missed out on winning the Selke Trophy in part due to the bias against wingers. The 2011 draft produced Nikita Kucherov; 2009 produced Victor Hedman; 2008 produced Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, and Erik Karlsson; 2007 produced Patrick Kane. Yeah, you get the point.

VGK O.G.: From undrafted to Conn Smythe winner and owner of numerous franchise records, Jonathan Marchessault is one of the NHL's all-time success stories. It won't be easy for the cap-strapped Golden Knights to re-sign the pending unrestricted free agent, who's fresh off a 42-goal season. AFP Analytics projects a three-year deal carrying an average annual value of $6.3 million for Marchessault. Evolving Hockey projects the same term but a slightly higher AAV - $6.9 million. If Marchessault and Vegas can't get on the same page, I like the idea of the Quebec City native playing for Martin St. Louis in Montreal. Marchessault, 33, was one of five original Golden Knights on this year's roster (six if you include Zach Whitecloud, who appeared in one game for the 2017-18 squad). The other VGK originals: William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, and another pending UFA, William Carrier.

Pinto watch: The IIHF world championship, which begins Friday in Czechia, should do a better job capturing the attention of NHL fans than in years past. The Canadian and U.S. rosters are filled with youngsters, including teenagers Connor Bedard, Will Smith, and Ryan Leonard. Shane Pinto, 23, isn't the biggest name on Team USA, yet he may benefit the most from the tournament. The right-handed center, who put up 27 points in 41 games for the Senators after returning from a suspension for violating the NHL's gambling policies, could use the extra ice time against pros. Pinto, an RFA, generates a ton of scoring chances off the forecheck. International play doesn't technically factor into negotiations, but if Pinto performs well, the Sens will feel a little more confident about a medium- or long-term extension.

Takes, Thoughts, and Trends is theScore's biweekly hockey grab bag.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Late Tuesday night, defenseman Jalen Chatfield intercepted a pass behind the Carolina Hurricanes' net and whipped the puck down the ice to kill time on a New York Rangers power play during the second overtime frame in Game 2.

Phew, crisis averted - or so Chatfield thought.

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin stepped out of his crease and made a one-touch pass to Mika Zibanejad at center ice. Zibanejad made a clean entry into the Hurricanes' zone before losing the puck along the wall. Chris Kreider was nearby to regain possession and feed Artemi Panarin in the high slot. A Carolina player blocked Panarin's shot, but Zibanejad was nearby to whack at the rebound. Shot stopped again. This time, Vincent Trocheck was nearby.

Trocheck, a former Cane, promptly shoveled the puck through Frederik Andersen's five-hole for the Rangers' fourth power-play goal and second win of the series.

Those 14 seconds - from Shesterkin's breakout pass to Trocheck's goal - express so much about what makes New York a terrifying five-on-four team. With the Rangers getting outscored 6-4 at even strength, they wouldn't be up 2-0 heading into Thursday's Game 3 in Raleigh if not for special teams.

Let's dig into the key components of the Rangers' power play, which ranked third in the regular season and has produced 10 goals in six playoff games.

Controlled entries

There's nothing pretentious about New York's transition game at five-on-four.

Unlike many other power plays in the league, the Rangers don't rely on one very specific strategy for exiting the defensive zone, traveling through neutral ice, and entering the opposition's end. The top unit doesn't have a designated puck transporter, either. The players adjust on the fly to the defensive scheme.

The Rangers use drop passes like every other team. However, if the drop pass doesn't make sense under certain circumstances, they don't force the issue.

Perhaps most crucially, there's a strong sense of urgency to the transition game. For instance, if New York allows a shorthanded scoring chance (which it has done regularly against Carolina), the top unit doesn't tense up or try to tame the chaos. Instead, it immediately counters with a chance the other way.

All of this has resulted in a 76% zone entry success rate against the Capitals and Hurricanes (New York swept Washington in Round 1). That rate leads all playoff teams - yes, even Connor McDavid's Oilers - according to Sportlogiq.

The Rangers have potted four goals in just nine minutes of power-play time in the second round. The puck has crossed the line 9, 14, 45, and 47 seconds into the opportunities due in large part to that all-business transition game.

In-zone movement

Ever since Trocheck joined the club in the fall of 2022, the Rangers have found tremendous success with Adam Fox running the point, Trocheck occupying the bumper role, Kreider at the net, and Panarin and Zibanejad on the flanks.

Each player is fully capable of being a crafty distributor or shooting threat, and the unit knows snapping the puck around - especially east to west and west to east - is how you outduel goalies in today's NHL. New York leads all playoff teams with 21.4 offensive-zone passes per two minutes of power-play time.

Also of note: The top unit isn't obsessed with the perfect look. It's more interested in acting upon the first high-quality look of the possession, with the puck seeming to always find its way to the inner slot. (The red blob in the heat map above represents the Rangers' power-play shot locations in Round 2.)

The inner slot is a small piece of offensive-zone real estate ruled by Kreider, whose 18 power-play goals paced all Rangers in the regular season, and Trocheck, who's leading the playoff charge with four. Both have made a career out of redirecting, tipping, and poking pucks past goalies. And the other three top-unit guys, particularly Zibanejad, aren't afraid to crash the net, either.

The Rangers' average shot distance on the power play: 21.6 feet. The Hurricanes': 31.7. Guess which team has failed to capitalize in 15 power-play minutes because it's spending far too much time on the O-zone's perimeter.

Loose-puck recoveries

Trocheck's been a menace in the faceoff circle to start the playoffs, winning 76 of 127 draws (60%), including 21 of 30 (70%) on the man advantage.

This has allowed the top unit to assert itself on the opening possession. Not every shot attempt hits the net, though, so winning puck races is essential. Truthfully, hemming in the penalty killers is half the battle in the modern NHL.

The Rangers have been exceptional at chasing down pucks against the Canes. While the first power-play goal of the series was a thing of beauty (Trocheck won the faceoff, then all five Rangers touched the puck ahead of Zibanejad's goal), the other three were more hustle than finesse. The second and fourth goals featured Trocheck jumping on a short rebound, and right before the third goal (shown below), Panarin pounced on a Carolina turnover.

The final key component is Shesterkin's brilliance.

He's done his job on New York's penalty kill (two goals against in six games) and also turned aside multiple odd-man rushes on Carolina's penalty kill.

If the top unit doesn't fully trust Shesterkin and his abilities, the other pillars of success - controlled entries, in-zone movement, loose-puck recoveries - start crumbling. Plus, hey, Shesterkin led the breakout on the Game 2 winner.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

They had it.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins with 11 minutes left in Saturday's Game 7. Then, like all good things tend to do in the Leafs' Auston Matthews era, the lead slipped away in excruciating fashion.

Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm flicked a shot past goalie Ilya Samsonov to quickly tie the game before maligned superstar David Pastrnak completed the comeback with a nifty deke early in overtime. Bruins 2, Leafs 1, and Boston suddenly has a second-round date with the Florida Panthers.

The Leafs now sit 1-8 in playoff series and 0-5 in Game 7s since Matthews' rookie season. This particular series featured several injuries/illnesses to key players, including Matthews, but, sorry, the fan base isn't accepting excuses.

These uber-talented, unreliable Leafs haven't earned the benefit of the doubt. So, what hangs in the balance after another early playoff exit? Let's discuss.

Shanahan and the coach

Brendan Shanahan's been atop the organizational chart since April 2014. The president and alternate governor has largely operated in the shadows over the past decade, but there might not be anywhere to hide this offseason.

Shanahan, 55, has presided over a teardown, rebuild, and rise. He's been around for regular-season dominance and, far more relevant to his job security, zero deep playoff runs. He's handpicked three general managers, and not one of them - not old-school Lou Lamoriello, new-wave Kyle Dubas, or Brad Treliving, who's somewhere in the middle - figured out the puzzle.

All of this failure after an enviable head start. The Leafs happened to win the draft lottery the same year Matthews became eligible, and he's blossomed into a generational goal-scorer with a Selke Trophy-caliber defensive game.

The franchise's ownership group, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, hired a new leader earlier this year. CEO Keith Pelley surely wants to put his stamp on MLSE, and firing the longtime president would send an appropriate message to players and fans. (Shanahan's contract reportedly expires in summer 2025.)

Treliving's been in the GM's chair for less than a year so it would be odd to can him. It'd be downright shocking, though, if management kept the coach.

Sheldon Keefe's the easiest and most obvious person to blame. Hired in 2019, Keefe, the fifth-longest tenured NHL coach, has worn out his welcome.

The names ahead of him on the list: Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar, Mike Sullivan, and Rod Brind'Amour - three Stanley Cup champions and another universally respected coach. The four directly behind Keefe: Martin St. Louis, Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella, and Pete DeBoer - all objectively good, if not great.

No team scored more five-on-five goals than the Leafs during the regular season. They also boasted the seventh-best power play. Yet, in seven games against Boston, Toronto produced 11 five-on-five goals and one power-play marker in 21 opportunities, which is the rough equivalent of two full periods.

If everything else was clicking, you could handwave the scoring issues. But Keefe's been outcoached numerous times in the playoffs, and his message must be growing stale inside the dressing room. It sure has on the outside.

Time to move onto Craig Berube - or a coach of similar pedigree and style.

Marner and the core

One particular phrase tends to get thrown around a lot after Leaf playoff exits.

Blow it up.

As in, the front office should dismantle the long-standing core of Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. The problem with "blow it up" at this point in the process is that, in practice, Treliving can do only so much heavy lifting. He's essentially stuck.

Matthews, the 69-goal man, and Nylander, the 98-point guy, haven't started their long-term extensions, so neither forward is going anywhere (nor should they given how well they've played in recent postseasons). Rielly's the team's best defenseman, his contract is fine, and he owns a no-move clause. He likely stays put. The other two - Tavares and Marner - also own no-moves.

Marner, whose underwhelming, three-point series was capped by a missed assignment on Pastrnak's OT goal, should be asked to waive his NMC. And perhaps Marner would entertain a change of scenery ahead of the final year of his current deal. He's human and dealing with the fan vitriol can't be fun.

Maybe Treliving and Marner can work together on moving him to a favorable destination. (The Leafs would almost certainly lose said trade, by the way. The club can't hide its desperation and Marner's stock has never been lower.)

But that's a gigantic maybe. The player's well within his rights to not waive.

The same roadblock exists with Tavares, except it'd be infinitely harder to offload the 33-year-old and his $11-million cap hit. He's a distressed asset.

What Treliving can fully control: the captaincy and future deals. Stripping Tavares of the "C" could create unnecessary drama, so it might not be worth the hassle, even if Matthews deserves the honor. The other part? Treliving definitely shouldn't be talking extension with Marner or Tavares on July 1.

Knies, Woll, and the rest

The Leafs' grand experiment of relying on the handful of players who eat up half of the salary cap is inherently flawed. If just one high-salaried star isn't living up to his contract - for instance, Tavares for the last few years - the GM must reap surplus value from virtually every other spot on the 23-man roster.

Put another way, you can't have TJ Brodie ($5 million of cap), David Kampf ($2.4 million), and Calle Jarnkrok ($2.1 million), among others, contribute very little over the course of a playoff series and expect to emerge victorious.

Toronto's injected leadership, sandpaper, and defense over the years. They've hit on some acquisitions, whiffed on others, and made out alright on most.

For whatever reason, the mix has always been off - slightly or majorly.

This summer's unrestricted free-agent list includes forwards Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi; defensemen Brodie, John Klingberg, Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, Jake Muzzin, and Mark Giordano; and goalies Ilya Samsonov, Matt Murray, and Martin Jones. Only three or four are worth keeping around.

Leaf fans should be pumped about the youth movement. Matthew Knies is a top-six winger with big-game DNA. Bobby McMann, who missed the playoffs due to injury, has evolved into an impactful forward. If his health holds up, Joseph Woll's tracking toward legitimate No. 1 goalie status. Prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten project to be difference-makers someday.

Still, there's no Matthews-level savior coming - and that's totally normal for a team that's made eight straight postseasons. What isn't normal is the annual tradition of the group never reaching its full potential. Same old story.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

They had it.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a 1-0 lead over the Boston Bruins with 11 minutes left in Saturday's Game 7. Then, like all good things tend to do in the Leafs' Auston Matthews era, the lead slipped away in excruciating fashion.

Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm flicked a shot past goalie Ilya Samsonov to quickly tie the game before maligned superstar David Pastrnak completed the comeback with a nifty deke early in overtime. Bruins 2, Leafs 1, and Boston suddenly has a second-round date with the Florida Panthers.

The Leafs now sit 1-8 in playoff series and 0-5 in Game 7s since Matthews' rookie season. This particular series featured several injuries/illnesses to key players, including Matthews, but, sorry, the fan base isn't accepting excuses.

These uber-talented, unreliable Leafs haven't earned the benefit of the doubt. So, what hangs in the balance after another early playoff exit? Let's discuss.

Shanahan and the coach

Brendan Shanahan's been atop the organizational chart since April 2014. The president and alternate governor has largely operated in the shadows over the past decade, but there might not be anywhere to hide this offseason.

Shanahan, 55, has presided over a teardown, rebuild, and rise. He's been around for regular-season dominance and, far more relevant to his job security, zero deep playoff runs. He's handpicked three general managers, and not one of them - not old-school Lou Lamoriello, new-wave Kyle Dubas, or Brad Treliving, who's somewhere in the middle - figured out the puzzle.

All of this failure after an enviable head start. The Leafs happened to win the draft lottery the same year Matthews became eligible, and he's blossomed into a generational goal-scorer with a Selke Trophy-caliber defensive game.

The franchise's ownership group, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, hired a new leader earlier this year. CEO Keith Pelley surely wants to put his stamp on MLSE, and firing the longtime president would send an appropriate message to players and fans. (Shanahan's contract reportedly expires in summer 2025.)

Treliving's been in the GM's chair for less than a year so it would be odd to can him. It'd be downright shocking, though, if management kept the coach.

Sheldon Keefe's the easiest and most obvious person to blame. Hired in 2019, Keefe, the fifth-longest tenured NHL coach, has worn out his welcome.

The names ahead of him on the list: Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar, Mike Sullivan, and Rod Brind'Amour - three Stanley Cup champions and another universally respected coach. The four directly behind Keefe: Martin St. Louis, Bruce Cassidy, John Tortorella, and Pete DeBoer - all objectively good, if not great.

No team scored more five-on-five goals than the Leafs during the regular season. They also boasted the seventh-best power play. Yet, in seven games against Boston, Toronto produced 11 five-on-five goals and one power-play marker in 21 opportunities, which is the rough equivalent of two full periods.

If everything else was clicking, you could handwave the scoring issues. But Keefe's been outcoached numerous times in the playoffs, and his message must be growing stale inside the dressing room. It sure has on the outside.

Time to move onto Craig Berube - or a coach of similar pedigree and style.

Marner and the core

One particular phrase tends to get thrown around a lot after Leaf playoff exits.

Blow it up.

As in, the front office should dismantle the long-standing core of Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. The problem with "blow it up" at this point in the process is that, in practice, Treliving can do only so much heavy lifting. He's essentially stuck.

Matthews, the 69-goal man, and Nylander, the 98-point guy, haven't started their long-term extensions, so neither forward is going anywhere (nor should they given how well they've played in recent postseasons). Rielly's the team's best defenseman, his contract is fine, and he owns a no-move clause. He likely stays put. The other two - Tavares and Marner - also own no-moves.

Marner, whose underwhelming, three-point series was capped by a missed assignment on Pastrnak's OT goal, should be asked to waive his NMC. And perhaps Marner would entertain a change of scenery ahead of the final year of his current deal. He's human and dealing with the fan vitriol can't be fun.

Maybe Treliving and Marner can work together on moving him to a favorable destination. (The Leafs would almost certainly lose said trade, by the way. The club can't hide its desperation and Marner's stock has never been lower.)

But that's a gigantic maybe. The player's well within his rights to not waive.

The same roadblock exists with Tavares, except it'd be infinitely harder to offload the 33-year-old and his $11-million cap hit. He's a distressed asset.

What Treliving can fully control: the captaincy and future deals. Stripping Tavares of the "C" could create unnecessary drama, so it might not be worth the hassle, even if Matthews deserves the honor. The other part? Treliving definitely shouldn't be talking extension with Marner or Tavares on July 1.

Knies, Woll, and the rest

The Leafs' grand experiment of relying on the handful of players who eat up half of the salary cap is inherently flawed. If just one high-salaried star isn't living up to his contract - for instance, Tavares for the last few years - the GM must reap surplus value from virtually every other spot on the 23-man roster.

Put another way, you can't have TJ Brodie ($5 million of cap), David Kampf ($2.4 million), and Calle Jarnkrok ($2.1 million), among others, contribute very little over the course of a playoff series and expect to emerge victorious.

Toronto's injected leadership, sandpaper, and defense over the years. They've hit on some acquisitions, whiffed on others, and made out alright on most.

For whatever reason, the mix has always been off - slightly or majorly.

This summer's unrestricted free-agent list includes forwards Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi; defensemen Brodie, John Klingberg, Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin, Jake Muzzin, and Mark Giordano; and goalies Ilya Samsonov, Matt Murray, and Martin Jones. Only three or four are worth keeping around.

Leaf fans should be pumped about the youth movement. Matthew Knies is a top-six winger with big-game DNA. Bobby McMann, who missed the playoffs due to injury, has evolved into an impactful forward. If his health holds up, Joseph Woll's tracking toward legitimate No. 1 goalie status. Prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten project to be difference-makers someday.

Still, there's no Matthews-level savior coming - and that's totally normal for a team that's made eight straight postseasons. What isn't normal is the annual tradition of the group never reaching its full potential. Same old story.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Back from the dead, the Toronto Maple Leafs reeled off a second straight victory Thursday to force a Game 7 against the Boston Bruins, which goes Saturday in Boston.

Just as we all predicted for this first-round series ... right?!

The stakes are sky-high. Toronto's attempting to snap a five-game losing streak in Game 7s, while Boston's trying to avoid coughing up a 3-1 series lead in consecutive years. Here are four variables that will decide the outcome of the finale.

Impacts of Matthews and Pastrnak

The biggest variable of all is Auston Matthews' health.

Despite being held pointless in Game 1, the Leafs superstar looked himself to start the series. He took over Game 2, scoring the clincher and adding two primary assists in a 3-2 Toronto win. Since then, it's been nothing but bad news. He played sick in Game 3 and the first two periods of Game 4 before the medical staff pulled him. He didn't dress for Games 5 and 6, reportedly due to injury.

Whatever's ailing Matthews, it must be serious, and his chances of recovering well enough to return for Game 7 seem slim. If he does and the greatest goal-scorer in hockey can play a regular shift? Advantage, Toronto.

Boston's dealing with a similar issue, except its superstar hasn't missed a shift and doesn't appear to be fighting any major physical ailments.

David Pastrnak, usually a brilliant sniper and an underrated setup man, has been excruciatingly unproductive for the vast majority of the series. He's looked tentative, slow, and sloppy with the puck. He's generated virtually nothing.

Of the 48 shots Pastrnak has attempted, 19 made it on goal, 17 missed the net, and 14 were blocked, according to Evolving-Hockey. On the surface, that's OK. Isolate his 91 five-on-five minutes, though, and it's pretty bleak: 31 attempts, 10 of them on goal and the other 21 off target or blocked.

The image above shows Pastrnak's five-on-five shots. The yellow dots are goals. The substance here is that he's taken just four shots from the slot.

Four points in six games is unacceptable for an offensive player of Pastrnak's caliber and salary. The Leafs' defenders deserve credit, but the Bruins absolutely, unequivocally need No. 88 to snap out of it before it's too late.

Marchand's effectiveness

Early in the series, two things overshadowed Pastrnak's mediocre outings. One was Boston's winning ways. The other was the play of Brad Marchand.

Marchand, who hit an eight-year low in points per game in the regular season, racked up eight points in his first four postseason games. Crucially, he stayed out of the penalty box while Toronto counterparts Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi failed to do the same. A mind-game enthusiast on and off the ice, Marchand even went out of his way to describe the Leafs as a "tough team to play right now."

Games 5 and 6 were different stories. He wasn't overly dangerous on the attack, he bungled his scoring opportunities, and his officiating luck ran out. He was assessed three minors, all for roughing. In general, the longtime Leafs killer looked uncharacteristically overwhelmed by the moment.

The most optimistic pocket of the Leafs' fan base is convinced Marchand is rattled, cooked. The most pessimistic pocket believes the Bruins captain, eager to once again inflict pain on a rival, is saving his best game for last.

Montgomery's adjustments

The losing coach of this series could very well lose his job. Given the sequence of events here, the heat's on Jim Montgomery ahead of Game 7.

Fairly or not, sluggish starts tend to be attributed to poor preparation by the coaching staff. The Bruins followed up a two-shot first period in Game 5 with a one-shot opening frame in Game 6 - and that shot came on the penalty kill. Truly incredible stuff.

Toronto's forecheck has set the tone in recent games. The Leafs have subsequently created chaos by hemming Boston in and jamming the slot with screens. When the Bruins have tried to respond with offense of their own, the Leafs have consistently put multiple bodies and sticks in front of the shooter.

Jake McCabe and Simon Benoit have smothered everybody from Pastrnak and Marchand to No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy and top-six center Pavel Zacha. Toronto's shutdown pairing has imposed its will as the series has chugged along, and Montgomery and the Bruins haven't adjusted accordingly.

The benefit of last change should allow Montgomery to chase favorable matchups for the Pastrnak line. Defensively, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo - who've both enjoyed strong series - should be glued to William Nylander, who broke out in Game 6 by potting Toronto's two goals.

It's also a head coach's job to motivate, and Montgomery told reporters that "Pasta needs to step up" in Game 7. We'll see if this direct approach pays off.

Big-game DNA of young Leafs

That Toronto has made it this far with one goal in a league-high 37 power-play minutes is quite frankly astonishing.

Think about it: The second-best offensive team in the regular season has played the equivalent of almost two full periods with the man advantage and scored just once. The Leafs miss Matthews, but they also can't get anything going.

This power-play drought has narrowed Toronto's margin of error.

Goalie Joseph Woll's gone tit for tat with Bruins star Jeremy Swayman over the past seven periods. He's been athletic and calm, moving methodically, making excellent reads, and controlling rebounds. He cannot allow a bad goal in Game 7, not with the offense averaging 1.83 goals per game.

Woll and rookie Matthew Knies seem built for the pressure cooker that is Toronto in general, and also the added heat of this particularly unsatisfying era. Knies has steadily improved over the course of the series. He's been relentless on pucks, functionally physical, and clutch, scoring the overtime goal in Game 5 and assisting on the eventual game-winner in Game 6.

The Leafs' roster is constructed around five expensive pieces - Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly. There's some serious irony brewing. Two guys making less than $1 million a year, who have both flashed big-game DNA in small sample sizes, could make the difference in Game 7.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matthew Knies scored 2:26 into overtime on Tuesday to keep the Toronto Maple Leafs' season alive. The Boston Bruins lead the first-round playoff series 3-2. Here are six battles that'll determine the outcome of Game 6 on Thursday in Toronto.

Power play vs. power play

One team has spent 32:40 on the power play and scored a grand total of one goal. The other's been on the man advantage for 21:40 and scored six times.

There's the series. Otherwise, the Bruins and Leafs have played to a near draw; the cumulative score at even strength is 9-8 Boston.

Toronto's power play, which finished seventh in the NHL in efficiency during the regular season, has recorded a playoff-high 64 shot attempts over 17 opportunities. Its lone goal: a John Tavares turnaround slap shot in Game 2.

Auston Matthews missed Game 4's third period and the entirety of Game 5 due to illness and/or injury. His uncertain status looms large in general, and especially with regards to the power play and its potency.

The Leafs rolled out a top unit of Tavares, Morgan Rielly, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and Max Domi in Boston on Tuesday. Nylander's an excellent shooting option. After that, things get dicey. If Matthews remains unavailable, coach Sheldon Keefe should take Domi out for Nick Robertson and his rocket of a shot. Domi's earned the PP1 spot, but his skill set is redundant on a Marner-led unit. The Leafs need a legitimate triggerman besides Nylander.

McCabe-Benoit vs. Pastrnak line

Matthews dominated Game 2, setting up the first two Toronto goals before scoring the decider in a 3-2 victory. We're still waiting for Matthews' counterpart, David Pastrnak, to author a signature performance of his own.

Pastrnak scored 47 goals in the regular season - good for seventh in the NHL and 18 more than any other Bruin. He collected 63 assists - tied for 10th in the league and 25 clear of his teammates. He racked up 382 shots on goal - second and 175 clear.

In other words, Boston's offense flows through the Czech winger. Pastrnak's contributed two five-on-five goals, one five-on-five assist, and one five-on-six assist in five playoff games - not terrible but also not good enough. Worse, he's only been credited with six high-danger shot attempts all series.

Pastrnak's line with center Pavel Zacha and Jake DeBrusk or Danton Heinen has almost exclusively faced the Tavares line and the Jake McCabe-Simon Benoit pairing. Keefe owns last change in Game 6 and should chase that matchup again; McCabe was particularly disruptive and controlling in Tuesday's win.

Uptempo game vs. grinding game

Game 5 was different. The action was free-flowing and the teams traded scoring chances. It was a brand of hockey that accentuated Toronto's strengths.

The Leafs' first four games, on the other hand, were marred by poor puck movement, which led to lackluster zone exits and entries, which produced a virtually nonexistent rush game. Coupled with limited time in the offensive zone, that put a ceiling on Toronto's ability to wreak havoc.

While all of those components vastly improved in Game 5, Boston's forecheck took a back seat. Will the Bruins surge again or did the Leafs unlock something? It was no coincidence that the improvements came alongside a better showing from Nylander, who made his series debut in Game 4 and thrives on the rush. Keep an eye on him.

Bruins vs. first period

This battle is connected to the one above: The Bruins got manhandled in Game 5's first period. They generated just seven shot attempts (two on goal) to Toronto's 31 (11 on goal) and were lucky to escape with a 1-1 score.

That said, Boston's up in the series because the team has otherwise taken charge.

Coach Jim Montgomery tinkered too much with a good thing when he scratched forward Johnny Beecher and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk in Game 5. Replacements Justin Brazeau and Matt Grzelcyk weren't the answer, so a reversal is in order. Beecher's been extremely effective on the fourth line.

Marchand vs. Domi

With 118 saves on 124 shots, Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman has been the series MVP. Joseph Woll's four periods in the Leafs' net have been stellar too.

What's more interesting than the goalie duel, though, is how Brad Marchand and Domi close out the best-of-seven set. Both are built to thrive in the playoffs and have enjoyed strong series, yet both left something to be desired in Game 5.

Marchand came into Tuesday with three goals (including two game-winners), five assists (including four primary helpers), and zero penalty minutes. He left with the same point total, two minors for roughing, and limited footage to add to the highlight reel. It was arguably the captain's worst game of the series.

Domi, meanwhile, went 10-for-10 in the faceoff circle in the first period, with one of his wins leading to the opening goal. He was dangerous most of the night; however, he botched a pair of two-on-one breaks. Anyone watching could tell he was thinking about passing the puck, and then he did - both times. The irony is that Domi actually has a decent shot. Use it!

Both teams vs. external pressure

The fan base in Toronto is sick of this core losing in the playoffs. Game 5 helped turn the dial down on the noise, but it won't go away - nor should it. There's immense pressure on the Leafs to force a Game 7 on Saturday.

Boston coughed up a 3-1 lead to the Florida Panthers in last year's first round after setting a record for most points in a regular season. This is a different season and different opponent. Still, there's no denying the elephant in the room.

Which team can dig in, focus on the task at hand, and ultimately execute?

On the individual level, while Marner has somewhat redeemed himself as the series has progressed, the $11-million man remains public enemy No. 1 locally. Any goodwill created in Game 5 will vanish if the should-be difference-maker fails to produce in Game 6.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The series is 3-1 for Boston and the sky is falling in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs winning three straight games against the Bruins after Saturday night's dramatic and dreadful Game 4 showing on home ice? Yeah, seems highly unlikely. Yet, nothing's set in stone in the NHL playoffs.

For instance, the Bruins failed to close out their first-round series the past two postseasons, losing in seven games to Carolina in 2021-22 and Florida last season despite holding leads of 3-2 and 3-1, respectively.

Here's each team's path to victory in Game 5, which goes Tuesday in Boston.

Leafs' perspective

The Leafs weren't just a good offensive team in the regular season. They were elite, placing first in five-on-five goal-scoring and seventh in power-play efficiency.

Through four games against Boston, Toronto's down 7-6 at five-on-five while producing a mere one goal in a league-high 25 power-play minutes. Forget about winning the series. In order to earn a second win, the Leafs need to throw absolutely everything they have at the Bruins on Tuesday. The attack needs to open up: pace, purpose, and to the hell with it, lots of risk too.

It all begins with cleaning up the transition game. (Toronto's zone exits were particularly bad in Game 1 and its zone entries were particularly bad in Game 4.) Once inside Boston's zone, the Leafs must start accomplishing two things simultaneously: good puck movement and good player movement. Boston's defenders have rarely appeared gassed during a shift. Toronto's too static.

So many of the Leafs' scoring chances - both at even strength and on the power play - have looked dangerous at first, but in reality, haven't been terribly difficult to stop. They've been jamming the puck into the goalie's pads instead of prioritizing full-release shots from the slot. The Bruins are certainly playing a role in this, but the Leafs are capable of maneuvering the zone better.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe should dress his most offensive lineup in Game 5.

Let's assume for a second that Auston Matthews is over his illness and available but Bobby McMann remains out. Firstly, Keefe should sub in Noah Gregor for Ryan Reaves to create a speedier fourth line (Reaves is due for a scratch anyway after another defensive-zone blunder in Game 4), and secondly, reinsert Timothy Liljegren for Joel Edmundson to add mobility to the blue line.

There are downsides to these changes, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Keefe should also juggle his forward lines to spread out the skill. Aside from taking some dumb penalties, Domi's had a strong series. Perhaps he can cook against weaker competition in the third-line center spot.

• Line 1: Tyler Bertuzzi, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner
• Line 2: Matthew Knies, John Tavares, William Nylander
• Line 3: Nick Robertson, Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok
• Line 4: Pontus Holmberg, David Kampf, Noah Gregor

Again, there are downsides. (The Domi line is vulnerable defensively.) But Keefe, who seems destined to be fired if the Leafs can't pull off a comeback, has to zig somehow considering the status quo clearly isn't working.

This rationale should apply to goaltending as well. Ilya Samsonov has played fine, well even, in this series. However, Joseph Woll, who relieved Samsonov after 40 minutes of Game 4, isn't a downgrade. Give him the net and see if it throws off the Bruins' attack. Woll is mentally strong and can handle the spotlight.

Lastly, stop with the unnecessary penalties. It's been an issue all series.

Bruins' perspective

Brad Marchand, 35 and coming off arguably his worst regular season in eight years, has been the series MVP. The Leafs killer has done it all for Boston.

• Three goals, including two game-winners
• Five assists, including four primary helpers
• Zero penalties taken, two penalties drawn
• Four takeaways, four blocked shots

Meanwhile, the Bruins, for the most part, have kept a 69-goal scorer in Matthews in check thanks to stellar netminding from Jeremy Swayman (87 saves on 91 total shots) and phenomenal positioning and stick work by Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo. Boston's losing Matthews' five-on-five shifts by only one goal (3-2) - an impressive stat this deep in the series.

It's tempting to suggest the Bruins, who've scored the opening goal in three of four games, should simply continue to do what they've been doing. Their opponents appear to be imploding, after all. However, it hasn't been a perfect series for Boston and teams rally back from 3-1 deficits fairly often.

Much has been made about Toronto's lack of discipline - and rightfully so. Well, Boston's been assessed the same number of penalties (18), including three for having too many men on the ice. That's unacceptable bench management, especially since the Leafs' power play is bound to snap out of its funk sometime soon.

Bottom line: You can't give a club with that much firepower (insert joke about Mitch Marner here) chance after chance to win the special teams battle.

Another thing: While superstar winger David Pastrnak has by no means played poorly (two goals, two assists, dangerous for stretches, especially in Game 4), he also hasn't put forth a signature performance. You'd think it would be him, not Marchand, putting on a show. If Boston was down 3-1, this would be a notable storyline. Instead, it's simply something worth monitoring.

In general, Boston can't take its foot off the gas.

Coach Jim Montgomery shouldn't go back to Game 2 starter Linus Ullmark; ride Swayman again, he's been awesome and he'll be rested. The Bruins can't assume the series is locked up because the Leafs appear mentally fragile; stay hungry and capitalize on a desperate opponent's inevitable mistakes.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.