The Toronto Maple Leafs may be without Auston Matthews for Tuesday's must-win Game 5 against the Boston Bruins.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters Monday that the star center's status is "yet to be determined," though he's "hopeful" that Matthews will feel well enough to play, per The Hockey News' David Alter.

Matthews was absent from practice. Max Domi centered the top line between Tyler Bertuzzi and Mitch Marner.

Team doctors pulled Matthews prior to the third period of Saturday's 3-1 Game 4 loss due to illness.

Keefe explained Sunday that the sniper's illness has "lingered" and worsens when he takes to the ice. He battled through it in Game 3 but ended up missing Friday's practice, in which Connor Dewar served as a placeholder on the top line.

Matthews has been held off the scoresheet in three games of the first-round series. In Toronto's Game 2 victory, he dazzled with an impressive three-point performance that included the winning tally.

The Maple Leafs were already without winger William Nylander for the first three games as he reportedly dealt with a severe migraine. He didn't register a point in his series debut Saturday.

Puck drops on Game 5 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET in Boston with the Bruins leading the series 3-1.

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

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, and Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers are this season's Vezina Trophy finalists, the NHL announced Monday.

The Vezina Trophy is voted on by the general managers of all 32 NHL teams at the conclusion of the regular season. The honor is awarded annually "to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at this position."

Hellebuyck is widely considered the front-runner for the hardware. He topped all netminders in goals saved above average (29.35), goals saved above expected (39.35), wins above replacement (6.8), and goals above replacement (41.5) by a wide margin.

The 30-year-old was once again the Jets' backbone and the driving force behind the second 100-point campaign in the franchise's history. Hellebuyck racked up a 37-19-4 record and trailed only Colorado Avalanche workhorse Alexandar Georgiev for the most victories in the NHL. His .921 save percentage was the highest of all netminders to make at least 25 starts this campaign.

Hellebuyck was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season, and he won the award in 2020.

Demko's case to win the honor was weakened after he missed 14 games late in the regular season with a knee injury, though his body of work was strong enough to make him a first-time finalist.

The 28-year-old was a force for the Canucks this campaign, posting a career-best .918 save percentage, 2.45 goals-against average, and five shutouts. Despite the missed time, he still ranked second in GSAA (18.51), fourth in GSAx (25.83), and fifth in both WAR (4.3) and GAR (26.4).

Demko went 35-14-2 on the season and tied for the sixth-most wins in the NHL, though he played in nine fewer games than Hellebuyck and 12 fewer than Georgiev. The California native finished seventh on the Vezina ballot in 2022.

Bobrovsky's fantastic play during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs carried over into the regular season. He posted a sterling .915 save percentage and 2.37 goals-against average to go along with a 36-17-4 record, while his six shutouts were tied for the most in the league.

The 35-year-old placed fifth among all goalies in GSAA (15.4), 17th in GSAx (15.76), and fourth in both WAR (4.3) and GAR (26.5).

Bobrovsky won the Vezina in 2013 and 2017 as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets and is the only active player to be awarded the trophy twice.

Boston Bruins stud Linus Ullmark took home the honor last season.

Details surrounding the 2024 NHL Awards have yet to be finalized, but reports indicate it will be held June 27 in Las Vegas.

(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)

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

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Nikita Grebyonkin to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning this season, the team announced Monday.

His deal has an average annual value of $875,000.

Grebyonkin, 21, chipped in with 19 goals and 41 points in 67 regular-season contests as a member of the KHL's Metallurg Magnitogorsk this campaign. He added six points in 23 playoff games to help his team win the Gagarin Cup.

The Maple Leafs selected Grebyonkin in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

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

The Vancouver Canucks' crease just keeps getting thinner, but they keep finding ways to win.

Rookie Arturs Silovs was the surprise starter for Sunday's Game 4 against the Nashville Predators with Casey DeSmith injured, and the Latvian made 27 stops to help the Canucks earn a thrilling 4-3 triumph in overtime.

"I wasn't too nervous," Silovs said after the victory. "I was fine, actually. I was just doing my thing, relying on the things I've worked on. That's it."

Silovs revealed he found out on Saturday he was starting the contest.

"Time to shine, you know?" the 23-year-old joked.

The inexperienced netminder drew plenty of praise from his teammates for his performance.

"I couldn't be happier for the guy," sniper J.T. Miller said. "He's so calm. He really is, and he made some really timely saves to keep it at bay when they were really pushing today."

DeSmith's ailment appears to be minor, and he could return for Tuesday's Game 5, head coach Rick Tocchet said. His injury isn't related to a hit he took from Predators forward Michael McCarron during the Canucks' Game 3 victory, according to CHEK News' Rick Dhaliwal. The NHL fined McCarron $2,000 for goaltender interference.

DeSmith, a six-year NHL veteran, registered a .911 save percentage and 2.02 goals against average in two postseason appearances this spring.

The Canucks had to turn to DeSmith after losing starting goaltender Thatcher Demko to an apparent knee injury after Game 1. Demko missed 14 games down the stretch in the regular season due to another injury to the same knee, reports TSN's Farhan Lalji.

Silovs recorded an .881 save percentage and 2.47 goals against average in four outings this campaign. Vancouver selected the 23-year-old Latvian in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Nikita Tolopilo, a 24-year-old with no NHL experience, backed up Silovs in Game 4. He spent this season with the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, registering a .905 save percentage in 35 appearances.

The Canucks can end the series with a Game 5 win on Tuesday.

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

The Los Angeles Kings turned to David Rittich in net for Game 4 against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night.

Cam Talbot started the first three games, posting a 5.30 goals-against average and an .861 save percentage. He ranks last among all netminders in the postseason in both goals saved above average (minus-3.74) and goals saved above expected (minus-3.08) at all strengths, according to Evolving-Hockey.

Edmonton holds a 2-1 series lead.

Rittich went 13-6-3 in the regular season with a stellar .921 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average. His last appearance came on April 13 in a 3-1 victory against the Anaheim Ducks.

The 31-year-old made two starts against the Oilers in the regular season - a 4-0 shutout victory and 4-2 loss - and registered a .930 save percentage while turning aside 53 of 57 shots.

Rittich only has two games of playoff experience; he appeared in one contest as a member of the Calgary Flames in 2020 and one with the Nashville Predators two years later. It's a severely limited sample size, but he owns a postseason save percentage of .636.

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

Washington Capitals veteran T.J. Oshie offered some advice to his teammates ahead of Sunday's do-or-die Game 4 against the New York Rangers: "Just let it all hang out there."

"We can't do anything about the first three games," he said. "The worst thing you can do is wake up tomorrow and regret not blocking a shot, or regret not backchecking as hard as you absolutely can."

He continued: "Your back's against the wall, you gotta throw everything at them. There's really no reason to be nervous, we don't got any time for it."

The Rangers hold a 3-0 chokehold on the first-round clash. Washington has never recovered from such a deficit, though it did pull off a 3-1 series comeback in the opening round of the 2009 playoffs against the Blueshirts.

New York has outscored the Capitals 11-5 in the series, but where the underdogs have struggled the most is on special teams. The Rangers capitalized on three of their 12 power-play opportunities. Washington has converted twice on 15 chances while allowing two shorthanded goals.

The play has been more even at five-on-five, with the ice tilting slightly in the Capitals' favor everywhere but the scoreboard:

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin has saved 1.76 goals above expected at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. Connor McMichael is the only forward to score an even-strength goal for Washington.

Five players from the Capitals team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018 remain on the roster: Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, Tom Wilson, Oshie, and the injured Niklas Backstrom. Meanwhile, eight of Washington's players are getting their first taste of the playoffs this spring.

Though Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery acknowledged that this experience is "really valuable" for his younger players, he dismissed the notion that his team is just happy to have made the postseason.

"We will never be satisfied if we gained experience, got into the playoffs," he said. "To me, that's a loser's mindset."

He added: "It doesn't mean we're gonna win a Stanley Cup, but you should have a mindset that you expect to win, you expect to get into the playoffs, and you expect to beat the New York Rangers in the first round, and anything short of that is a failure."

Puck drops on Game 4 at 8 p.m. ET in Washington.

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

The Stars found themselves in awe of Wyatt Johnston after the 20-year-old forward's dominant Game 3 performance prevented Dallas from going down 3-0 in its first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

"What a player," head coach Pete DeBoer said after his team's 3-2 overtime victory Saturday night, according to The Associated Press. "He still can't get in the casino and play cards - he's not old enough. It's unbelievable."

"Really incredible play by one of ... the great young players, the next generation of stars of this league. I thought he was just outstanding tonight for a kid to be under 21 years old and be on that ice with that level of player and look like he did all night tonight, just an outstanding player."

Johnston scored a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, to get the Western Conference's top seed on the board in the series.

He's the youngest player in franchise history to score an OT postseason goal, surpassing Steve Ott, who was 21 years old when he played the hero during Game 3 of the 2004 Western Conference quarterfinals.

Johnston's excellent night wasn't limited to just the final scoresheet, either: He was credited with a team-high eight shots, nine scoring chances, and a whopping 15 shot attempts at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"Maybe he's gotta pass one of them, I don't know," veteran forward Tyler Seguin joked, per Bally Sports Southwest.

He added, "Seeing (Johnston) last year, and then how much he's evolved to this year - it's one thing being elite in the regular season but to do it in playoffs, at his age, that's great."

This is Johnston's second NHL campaign. He led the Stars with 32 goals and tied for third with 65 points in 82 contests during the regular season.

The Stars were up 2-0 at the midway mark of the middle frame Saturday, but the Golden Knights scored twice before the second intermission to tie things up. Vegas netminder Logan Thompson was outstanding, turning aside 43 of 45 shots before Johnston scored the dagger late in the extra frame.

"We have a kid here that's elite and won the game for us," Seguin said.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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

The Stars found themselves in awe of Wyatt Johnston after the 20-year-old forward's dominant Game 3 performance prevented Dallas from going down 3-0 in its first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

"What a player," head coach Pete DeBoer said after his team's 3-2 overtime victory Saturday night, according to The Associated Press. "He still can't get in the casino and play cards - he's not old enough. It's unbelievable."

"Really incredible play by one of ... the great young players, the next generation of stars of this league. I thought he was just outstanding tonight for a kid to be under 21 years old and be on that ice with that level of player and look like he did all night tonight, just an outstanding player."

Johnston scored a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, to get the Western Conference's top seed on the board in the series.

He's the youngest player in franchise history to score an OT postseason goal, surpassing Steve Ott, who was 21 years old when he played the hero during Game 3 of the 2004 Western Conference quarterfinals.

Johnston's excellent night wasn't limited to just the final scoresheet, either: He was credited with a team-high eight shots, nine scoring chances, and a whopping 15 shot attempts at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"Maybe he's gotta pass one of them, I don't know," veteran forward Tyler Seguin joked, per Bally Sports Southwest.

He added, "Seeing (Johnston) last year, and then how much he's evolved to this year - it's one thing being elite in the regular season but to do it in playoffs, at his age, that's great."

This is Johnston's second NHL campaign. He led the Stars with 32 goals and tied for third with 65 points in 82 contests during the regular season.

The Stars were up 2-0 at the midway mark of the middle frame Saturday, but the Golden Knights scored twice before the second intermission to tie things up. Vegas netminder Logan Thompson was outstanding, turning aside 43 of 45 shots before Johnston scored the dagger late in the extra frame.

"We have a kid here that's elite and won the game for us," Seguin said.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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

The Stars found themselves in awe of Wyatt Johnston after the 20-year-old forward's dominant Game 3 performance prevented Dallas from going down 3-0 in its first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

"What a player," head coach Pete DeBoer said after his team's 3-2 overtime victory Saturday night, according to The Associated Press. "He still can't get in the casino and play cards - he's not old enough. It's unbelievable."

"Really incredible play by one of ... the great young players, the next generation of stars of this league. I thought he was just outstanding tonight for a kid to be under 21 years old and be on that ice with that level of player and look like he did all night tonight, just an outstanding player."

Johnston scored a pair of goals, including the overtime winner, to get the Western Conference's top seed on the board in the series.

He's the youngest player in franchise history to score an OT postseason goal, surpassing Steve Ott, who was 21 years old when he played the hero during Game 3 of the 2004 Western Conference quarterfinals.

Johnston's excellent night wasn't limited to just the final scoresheet, either: He was credited with a team-high eight shots, nine scoring chances, and a whopping 15 shot attempts at all strengths, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"Maybe he's gotta pass one of them, I don't know," veteran forward Tyler Seguin joked, per Bally Sports Southwest.

He added, "Seeing (Johnston) last year, and then how much he's evolved to this year - it's one thing being elite in the regular season but to do it in playoffs, at his age, that's great."

This is Johnston's second NHL campaign. He led the Stars with 32 goals and tied for third with 65 points in 82 contests during the regular season.

The Stars were up 2-0 at the midway mark of the middle frame Saturday, but the Golden Knights scored twice before the second intermission to tie things up. Vegas netminder Logan Thompson was outstanding, turning aside 43 of 45 shots before Johnston scored the dagger late in the extra frame.

"We have a kid here that's elite and won the game for us," Seguin said.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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

Toronto Maple Leafs star winger William Nylander is back in the lineup for Game 4 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Nylander sat out the first three games with an undisclosed ailment. It was reported Thursday that he's been dealing with severe migraines, though he opted not to shed any light on his injury when addressing the media Friday.

The Maple Leafs have been tight-lipped about Nylander's status, but Keefe explained there are reasons for secrecy in the NHL compared to other leagues.

"You're protecting your players," he said. "It's a very competitive and physical game, and you say guys don't target one another? Well, I've got news for you: They do. That's part of the game. So when you can protect the players and protect some information, why wouldn't you?"

Before the three games Nylander missed in this series, he last sat out with an injury in November 2016 when he was absent from a single contest due to an upper-body issue.

Nylander didn't attend Saturday's optional skate, but forgoing it is part of his normal game-day routine, per TSN's Mark Masters. He was a full participant in Friday's practice on a line with Pontus Holmberg and Calle Jarnkrok.

The 27-year-old tied a career high with 40 goals and set a new personal best with 98 points in 82 regular-season games.

Nylander has posted 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 50 playoff games since his debut in 2015-16. He collected two goals and seven points in 14 games during the two previous playoff series against the Bruins in 2018 and 2019.

The Bruins have a 2-1 series lead.

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