The New Jersey Devils hired Sheldon Keefe as their new head coach, the team announced Thursday.

He'll join his new team on a four-year deal, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

"This was an invigorating process for me, having met with many qualified candidates and hearing how attractive this position was to them," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

"Sheldon jumped to the top of my list when he became available, and I was thrilled when he agreed to be a part of what we are building here. He is an excellent communicator, believes in collaboration, and will take what he has learned previously to make this team a Stanley Cup contender."

Keefe spent the last five campaigns as bench boss of the Maple Leafs, amassing a stellar 212-97-40 regular-season record and .665 points percentage. That success didn't carry over into the postseason, though, as Toronto won just one playoff round with Keefe at the helm.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Keefe to a two-year extension in 2023, but it didn't kick in before he was relieved of his duties May 9. The Leafs are now completely off the hook for the extension with Keefe joining New Jersey.

The 43-year-old took over behind the Leafs' bench in November 2019 after the franchise fired Mike Babcock. Keefe inherited a skilled squad featuring a plethora of young, skilled players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander.

He's now entering a similar situation in New Jersey, which boasts a roster featuring Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Luke Hughes, who are all 25 years old or younger.

New Jersey moved on from Lindy Ruff in March, replacing him with Travis Green on an interim basis.

Green filled the Ottawa Senators' coaching vacancy earlier in May, while Ruff was scooped up by the Buffalo Sabres.

The Devils reportedly received permission to speak to Keefe less than two weeks ago.

New Jersey missed the playoffs in 2023-24 after ending a four-year postseason drought last spring.

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The New York Rangers had forward Filip Chytil back within their ranks for Thursday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

He registered one shot on goal and two hits in 12 minutes of ice time during the Rangers' 3-2 overtime victory.

Chytil was sidelined for the last six months with a suspected concussion and additional setbacks, though New York labeled his ailment as an upper-body injury. He only suited up for 10 regular-season games and last played Nov. 2.

The 24-year-old has been medically cleared since mid-April.

Chytil skated on the third line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko in his return. Fan-favorite rookie Matt Rempe was scratched. Rempe rode the bench for the third period and both overtime frames of New York's 4-3 Game 2 victory.

The Rangers now hold a 3-0 series lead over their Metropolitan Division rivals.

Chytil has racked up 13 points in 31 career playoff games.

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Leon Draisaitl suited up for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of their second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks.

Draisaitl declared himself a game-time decision earlier in the day, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.

The superstar forward added it would take "a lot" to keep him out of the lineup, per The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman.

"Obviously, it's an important time of year. We all want to be out there and be playing," Draisaitl said.

Draisaitl missed the final eight minutes of the second period in Edmonton's series-opening loss Wednesday night but returned for the last frame. He then missed Thursday's practice and was labeled day-to-day by head coach Kris Knoblauch.

The 28-year-old German pitched in with two assists and logged just under 17 minutes of ice time in the series opener.

Knoblauch said postgame that Draisaitl's absence was due to a combination of cramping and equipment issues, adding that it wasn't a long-term concern.

Draisaitl has registered five goals - including two game-winners - and 12 points in six playoff games so far this spring.

His 36 career postseason tallies are tied with Craig Simpson and Paul Coffey for the sixth most in franchise history, while Draisaitl's 89 points in 55 playoff games lead the Oilers since his debut in 2014-15.

Oilers forward Adam Henrique also played in Game 2 after being a game-time decision himself. Henrique missed Wednesday's game with a lower-body issue.

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The Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins' second-round series is starting to get a little spicy.

Star forwards David Pastrnak and Matthew Tkachuk dropped the gloves in the third period of a heated Game 2 with the Panthers holding a dominant 6-1 lead.

Fittingly, a fan threw a plastic rat onto the ice during the brawl, and it settled between the two combatants.

Tkachuk's father, Keith, approved of the clash between the two All-Stars, flashing a thumbs-up and a smile. The former NHL enforcer racked up 2,219 penalty minutes in 1,201 career NHL games.

Pastrnak only has one other career bout under his belt, according to Hockey Fights. He threw hands with Daniel Girardi in 2018. Tkachuk, meanwhile, was credited for two fights in the 2023-24 regular season alone.

"I’m not afraid of him, to be honest," Pastrnak said, per Bruins Daily "I can take a punch. I'd do anything for these guys here."

Pastrnak and Tkachuk agreed to go at each other prior to their shift, with the former checking in with head coach Jim Montgomery beforehand.

"I'm proud of Pasta," Montgomery told the media postgame, per NBC Sports Boston. "There's so many guys out there pushing after whistles when the linesmen are there. Pasta and Tkachuk, they just went out there and fought. That's what you like. You like your hockey players to be competitors."

Montgomery added that Pastrnak didn't ask him for permission to fight.

The Bruins opened the scoring in the first period, but it was all Florida the rest of the way. Captain Aleksander Barkov led the way with two goals and four points.

Eetu Luostarinen scored the Panthers' fourth goal on their 24th shot to chase Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman, who owned an incredible .955 save percentage and 1.42 goals-against average in seven appearances heading into Wednesday's clash.

Swayman's running mate, Linus Ullmark, didn't fare any better. Florida beat him twice on 10 shots, including a shorthanded tally by Brandon Montour, before the game descended into an all-out slugfest.

Montour stuck his tongue out at Brad Marchand after scoring, presumably in reference to the times the Bruins captain has licked his opponents' faces.

The Bruins and Panthers combined for 148 penalty minutes and 146 hits in the contest.

"I don't think there's gonna be any spillover into next game," Montgomery said. "It's two teams that are rivals. We played each other last year, playing each other this year. It's gonna be a series."

Game 3 is scheduled for Friday in Boston. The matchup is tied at one apiece.

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The Ottawa Senators found themselves craving accountability after another underwhelming season. New head coach Travis Green is ready to answer that call.

"Players want to know where they stand," he said during his introductory presser Wednesday. "They want to know what's expected of them. That starts, really, by communicating. ... Any winning team has accountability within their group."

"I'm gonna push the team in a direction of improving and making it a winner and having winning attributes," he added. "It's one thing to be a skilled group, it's another thing to be a skilled, winning group. ... That's part of the conversations I'm gonna have with our team, is what it takes to win."

The Senators officially hired Green on Tuesday, signing the former NHL forward to a four-year deal. Ottawa has missed the playoffs for the last seven seasons and has failed to meet heightened expectations over the past two years.

Green pointed to defensive play as one of the largest areas of improvement for the Senators, who ranked 28th in goals against per game (3.43) this season.

"You see that a lot with young, skilled players, getting them to grasp the commitment level to play in their zone. ... There's obviously technique, structure, details that are taught, but a big part of it is the mindset," he said.

He added: "If you want to win, you've got to play a 200-foot game."

Senators general manager Steve Staios revealed that he had serious discussions with six candidates. Todd McLellan, Dean Evason, and Craig Berube were reportedly on Ottawa's list earlier in the hunt.

Green owns an all-time coaching record of 141-159-35. He served as interim bench boss of the New Jersey Devils for the last month of the 2023-24 campaign and was the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 2017-21.

Staios explained his choice to go with Green rather than a more established candidate.

"I think, as we watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs right now, you can look at a few or a handful of coaches ... that were in the exact same position as (Green) is right now. ... It's a lot deeper than win-loss records," the executive said.

Green, meanwhile, is excited to be back coaching north of the border.

"I think it's a privilege to coach in Canada, play in Canada," he said. "There's something to be said for winning in Canada. There is pressure, and I like that."

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After five seasons in the Big Apple, Igor Shesterkin should be used to hearing the New York Rangers faithful chant his name. But the talented goaltender continues to be moved by the show of support, especially when it's during a high-stakes playoff game against a divisional rival.

"It's an unbelievable feeling every time," he said Tuesday after New York's 4-3 double-overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, per Rangers on MSG. "Every time. I was almost crying."

Shesterkin was regaled by "Igor" chants throughout his 54-save effort that helped New York claim a 2-0 series lead. He prevented 2.43 goals above expected at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick.

The 28-year-old Russian turned aside 15 shots over both periods of overtime alone.

"He was fantastic tonight," Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said. "Both goaltenders had to make big saves or the game would have went in a different direction. I thought he played a heck of a game."

Tuesday's outing marked the second-most stops Shesterkin has ever made in a playoff game, trailing only his 79-save performance in a triple-overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022.

Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck sank the Hurricanes in the game's fifth period to ensure that his netminder was on the winning side of the marathon this time.

Trocheck praised Shesterkin's outing as "outstanding," but he wasn't particularly surprised by his teammate's dominance, either.

"Igor played an Igor-esque type of game tonight," he said.

"Whenever he's on like that, it's tough to beat him," Trocheck added. "It's tough to beat our team whenever he's making saves like he was tonight."

Shesterkin owns a dazzling .929 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average across six contests in these playoffs, and he's yet to lose a game.

The 2022 Vezina Trophy winner has gone 29 straight postseason games without allowing more than three goals, per Hockey Reference. Only Jonathan Quick, his Rangers running mate, boasts a longer streak in NHL history:

Shesterkin and the Rangers will look to add to their series lead during Thursday's Game 3 in North Carolina.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

Despite another early playoff exit, Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander doesn't want to see his team undergo radical changes.

"Look, I don't think there's an issue with the core," he said after Toronto's season ended Saturday night. "I think we were fucking right there all series. Battled hard and got it to Game 7 and OT. That's a shitty feeling."

Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak scored the series winner in the extra frame, making Toronto a first-round boot for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

The Maple Leafs fought back to force Game 7 after being down 3-1 in the series.

Toronto won its first playoff series since 2004 last season but was swiftly ousted by the Florida Panthers in the second round. The Leafs parted ways with then-general manager Kyle Dubas as a result but kept the team's core four forwards - Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Nylander - together.

Here's how the group performed against the Bruins:

Nylander scored both of Toronto's goals in its 2-1 Game 6 victory on Thursday night, and he potted the Leafs' only tally Saturday.

The 28-year-old Swede confirmed that he missed the first three games of the series because of a migraine, which made it difficult for him to see when a headache set in, per The Canadian Press' Joshua Clipperton.

Nylander signed an eight-year, $92-million extension in January, which includes a no-move clause. Matthews' four-year, $53-million contract kicks in next season, and it also features a no-move clause.

Marner and Tavares both have one year remaining and a full no-move clause. Marner carries a cap hit of $10.9 million, while Tavares has an average annual value of $11 million. Both players are eligible to ink new pacts July 1.

Morgan Rielly is also considered a part of the Leafs' core. He's signed for six more seasons and has an average annual value of $7.5 million. His contract features a no-move clause for the next four seasons and a 10-team no-trade list for the last two.

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The NHL revealed the schedule for the second-round matchups in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night, shortly after the Boston Bruins eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime to secure the last spot.

The Bruins will take on the Florida Panthers - the team that upset them in the first round last spring - while the Carolina Hurricanes will square off against the Presidents' Trophy-winning New York Rangers.

Florida Panthers (A1) vs. Boston Bruins (A2)

The Panthers handled the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games to punch their ticket to the second round, while the Bruins recovered to sink the Maple Leafs in seven contests after holding a 3-1 series lead.

New York Rangers (M1) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (M2)

The Rangers swept the Washington Capitals in their opening matchup, while the Hurricanes eliminated the New York Islanders in five contests.

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The Vancouver Canucks secured their spot in the second round with a hard-fought 1-0 Game 6 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night.

Vancouver will take on the Edmonton Oilers in an all-Canadian series. The last time the Pacific Division rivals met in the playoffs was in 1992, with Edmonton winning in six games.

Friday's clash remained scoreless until Pius Suter broke the ice with less than two minutes left in regulation.

"I love the fire," veteran forward J.T. Miller told Sportsnet when asked about Suter's heroics. "That's gonna happen, that guy's had a bunch of chances this year, he knows he could have had 10 goals. He stuck with it, which is awesome. Huge goal for our team."

Canucks netminder Arturs Silovs became the first rookie in franchise history to record a series-clinching win, per Sportsnet Stats. He turned aside all 28 shots he faced to secure the shutout while saving 3.21 goals above expected at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick.

"Can't say enough," Vancouver captain Quinn Hughes said of Silovs' performance. "It takes a lot of confidence, a lot of belief in yourself. He played great, obviously to end Game 6 with a shutout ... he came up big."

"It's really impressive, to say the least," he added.

Silovs got a little help in the form of a huge block by defenseman Tyler Myers with the Canucks on the penalty kill in the final minute.

Vancouver turned to Silovs in Game 4 when both Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith were sidelined with injuries. The Canucks stuck with Silovs for Games 5 and 6 even after DeSmith was available.

"It's a great opportunity for me," Silovs said after Friday's series decider. "They trust me more. I want to capitalize on these chances."

The 23-year-old rewarded his team's faith by posting a .938 save percentage, 1.70 goals-against average, and 2-1 record. He only appeared in four regular-season games this campaign and five last year.

Though the Canucks took care of business on the road, fans made sure to show their appreciation for Silovs back home.

Predators goalie Juuse Saros stood tall during Friday's loss, making 28 saves on 29 shots. Nashville has now lost six straight playoff games on home ice and hasn't won a postseason series since 2018.

Captain Roman Josi saw a lot of positives from the Predators' season despite the loss.

"It's tough right now because you leave it all out there," he told Bally Sports. "I think we're gonna look back on this season and be really proud of what we accomplished.

"We didn't get a lot of credit coming into camp. Just the connection we had as a team, how we came together, how we battled through some hard times early in the season, and found a way in the playoffs. ... It wasn't meant to be."

The Canucks last won a round during the COVID-19 playoff bubble in 2020. The last time Vancouver's Rogers Arena saw the second round was in 2011, when the team made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

Two Canadian teams have met in the second round or later just four other times in the last 30 years.

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Pierre-Luc Dubois' first season as a King didn't go according to plan, but Los Angeles' $68-million man is dedicated to flipping the script in his sophomore campaign.

"I'm committed to having a better season," he said during his exit interview Friday. "I'll do anything to be better."

"I know I can do better," he added. "My first year in Winnipeg didn't go well, it was kind of the same thing - a lot of new things, new role, new everything. I didn't panic, I knew what I could do. ... I'm not panicking, I'm not stressed. Is it frustrating? Sure. Is it hard? Yeah. It was eight months or a year ago I was playing how I can play. It's not lost. I gotta get back to it, and that's on me."

The Kings acquired Dubois last summer in a sign-and-trade with the Jets that brought the forward to California on an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $8.5 million. He'll carry the highest cap hit next season among all Kings forwards once captain Anze Kopitar's two-year, $14-million pact kicks in.

Dubois said in July that the move to Los Angeles would give him the chance to "fully be" himself. However, he mustered just 16 goals and 40 points in 82 regular-season contests while averaging just 15:42 minutes of ice time per game, good for the second-lowest total in his career.

He put up one point - a garbage-time goal in Game 1's 7-4 loss - across five outings of the Kings' first-round defeat to the Edmonton Oilers.

Dubois pointed to stability as a factor that he thinks will help him in Year 2. He frequently moved around the lineup this campaign and even spent some time on the fourth line.

"I played on a lot of lines this year," he said. "I think any player, at the end of the day, wants consistency because then you can build some chemistry and you can get things rolling. I think that's not a secret. ... That helps a lot.

"Next year's a new year. We'll see what happens. The only thing I can control is how good of a summer I can have."

The 25-year-old currently doesn't have any trade protection, but his full no-move clause for the 2024-25 campaign kicks in July 1 and lasts until 2028-29, when a modified no-trade clause takes its place.

Dubois said he loves L.A. but was relatively cagey when asked if he had any concerns about his long-term future with the Kings.

"I can't. It's not in my control," he said. "I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. ... I can't sit here and give you any more than that."

Dubois has amassed 145 goals and 342 points in 516 career NHL games, split with the Kings, Jets, and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus selected him third overall at the 2016 NHL Draft.

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