After marked improvement over the last two seasons, the next stage of the "Shanaplan" is upon the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Friday's official hiring of Kyle Dubas as the club's general manager signifies a new era and direction for the organization. Lou Lamoriello's three-year stint as head honcho is over, and it appears there may be a new project for him elsewhere.
The Maple Leafs had the luxury of choosing between two in-house replacement candidates in Dubas and former co-assistant GM Mark Hunter. Team president Brendan Shanahan said it was a difficult decision, but since prying Dubas out of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds organization in 2014, there was an overwhelming sense that he'd be the next guy in charge.
After marinating behind the scenes under Lamoriello's Fort Knox-esque operation, focusing primarily on player development and running the Toronto Marlies, the reins are now firmly in the 32-year-old's hands.
Dubas will be tasked with transforming a good roster into a great one, as simply qualifying for the playoffs again won't be enough for a market with grand expectations.
So, what does he have to do to ensure that happens? Here are some ideas on where to start:
1. Relationship with Babcock
It's paramount Dubas and Mike Babcock are on the same page in terms of how they want the team to play. Babcock has a reputation for being stubborn when it comes to his personnel, and certain lineup decisions over the course of the 2017-18 season certainly drew ire from media and fans alike.
Dubas doesn't necessarily see things that way, though.
"He's very open to ideas. He's very open to change. We'll sit and discuss the way we play. We have a lot of work to do," he said of his head coach Friday, according to The Athletic's Scott Wheeler.
Dubas has been characterized as a numbers-driven executive, but he's reached the point of running the biggest hockey team in the world, so he must be on to something other than simply understanding and utilizing data. He leans on analytics, to be sure, and based on his work over the years with the Marlies, it's clear he prefers skill and speed over safe and reliable on the ice.
The Leafs saw a stark improvement midseason when Babcock optimized the team's lines to fit that mold, and it's safe to assume that will be the mandate going forward.
2. Upgrade defense
Everybody knows the Leafs' weakness is their defensive corps, particularly the right side. It got heavily exposed in the postseason and was one of the main reasons they couldn't move past the Boston Bruins in Round 1.
Whether it's in free agency or a trade, Dubas has to find some reinforcements for the back end this summer.
3. Matthews extension
All the talk surrounding Auston Matthews lately has been regarding his alleged rift with Babcock, but whether it's true or not, there's a more pressing issue at hand: he's eligible for a contract extension July 1.
It's not mandatory he puts pen to paper right away, but considering fellow young stars Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel played the final year of their entry-level contracts with long-term security, the precedent has been set for the Leafs and their franchise cornerstone to work out a megadeal.
It's in Dubas' and the Maple Leafs' best interest to not only keep their best player happy but also avoid the inevitable incendiary speculation from the Toronto market on each day that passes without Matthews being locked down.
4. Draft
The Maple Leafs have one more season before serious salary cap restrictions hit, so it's of the utmost importance they find future NHLers in the draft.
Toronto will have to hit on several picks in all rounds over the next few years in order to fill out their future rosters with players they can afford. It's the key to staying competitive for years to come.
5. Nylander contract
While Matthews' next contract will garner more attention, his most dynamic linemate, William Nylander, needs a new deal before next season starts.
Nylander's been scrutinized for an apparent lack of commitment on defense, but 22-year-olds with two 60-plus point seasons aren't very common, so it's up to Dubas to find an appropriate contract for a key contributor. It'll be interesting to see if it's a bridge or a long-term deal.
It's also worth mentioning Mitch Marner is eligible for an extension this summer as well. Nylander didn't negotiate in the final year of his ELC, which may have been a Lamoriello-enforced rule, but the prospect of having each of the big three under contract for the future as soon as possible is intriguing for Dubas.
6. Supplement roster
Blue-line upgrades are the primary focus, but the Maple Leafs could lose multiple centers, as Tyler Bozak, Tomas Plekanec, and Dominic Moore are set to become unrestricted free agents.
Dubas will need to find some external replacements down the middle of the ice, and the potential loss of James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov will create some holes on the wing as well (Toronto has a plethora of internal options to fill those in, though).
With several key departures on deck, and a small window before potentially being pushed to the brink of salary cap restrictions, Dubas and the Leafs have one summer to do some serious spending on supplementing (or maximizing) their roster.
7. Establishing his culture
Lamoriello was brought in in 2015 to help implement a culture of winning for a team that hadn't done so in a long, long time. Along with his veteran expertise came a range of strictly enforced rules: no beards, no high jersey numbers, and limited media availability for young players and assistant coaches.
Whether Dubas holds onto the guidelines established by his mentor is largely inconsequential to the success of the Maple Leafs' season, but it's his team now, and he can do what he pleases. Though he may want to take care of the other items on this list first.
The Humboldt Broncos will be back on the ice for the 2018-19 SJHL season, the team announced in a release Friday, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
The team's season was put on hold after a fatal bus crash in April killed 16 people, including the head coach, players, and staff members within the organization.
In wake of the tragedy, the hockey community offered its unending support and a GoFundMe campaign raised over $15 million in donations from across the world.
Now, the club wants to return to hockey, and the Broncos are beginning with a search for a new head coach and general manager this week. The previous holder of both titles, Darcy Haugen, was killed in the crash.
"Darcy Haugen was selfless, inspirational, and motivating, building up his players to be great ambassadors and role models both on the ice and in the community," Broncos president Kevin Garinger said. "He was the coach every player wanted, and that other coaches wanted to emulate. As a general manager, Darcy made smart decisions and was driven to ensure the Broncos organization succeeded in every aspect of its operations. He took our team to new heights - it will be incredibly difficult to find someone that can rise to his standards."
The Broncos also announced they will hold an invite-only tryout for 80 players May 27-28.
With the conference finals set to begin Friday night, theScore's Sean O'Leary put together the second installment of NHL Playoff Rankings. (Rankings 9-16 unchanged from the last edition.)
1. Winnipeg Jets
It was the seven-game war we all expected, but the Jets' thrashing of the Presidents' Trophy winners in their rink to close out the most anticipated series of the playoffs puts them in the top spot heading into the conference finals.
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
That 6-2 loss to the Bruins in Game 1 sure seems like an eternity ago, doesn't it? After the surprising result, the Bolts quickly found their groove, getting contributions from all areas and looking like the team that led the standings for the majority of the regular season.
3. Vegas Golden Knights
It seems most people are still waiting for the Golden Knights to fall back to earth, yet here they are, four wins from a Stanley Cup Final berth in Year One. On top of stellar netminding from Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas controls 53.57 percent of expected 5-one-5 goals so far in the playoffs. Why stop now?
4. Washington Capitals
It's hard not to feel good for Ovi and the Caps, finally getting past their mortal enemies in Pittsburgh. Ideally the momentum of slaying their biggest dragon carries them forward, as a draw against the Lightning for Eastern Conference supremacy is yet another tall task.
5. Nashville Predators
Throughout their 117-point regular season, the Predators lost just nine games at home in regulation, which leaves one baffled looking at their three losses to the Jets at Bridgestone Arena in Round 2. Shaky goaltending can sink even the best of teams.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
You know you've been dominant when a second-round elimination results in a longer-than-usual summer break. Hats off to the Pens, whether you love 'em or hate 'em, falling short of a three-peat can hardly be considered a failure.
7. Boston Bruins
The Bruins got hit hard by injuries at a tough time, helping lead to the demise of an incredibly deep roster that winds up a lick or two short of competing for a championship.
8. San Jose Sharks
Credit where it's due: The Sharks actually managed a playoff win over the Golden Knights, which is more than their in-state rivals can say, but they got shutout twice as well, so that doesn't help their cause.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Kyle Dubas their new general manager, succeeding Lou Lamoriello, the club announced Friday.
Upon the expiry of the three-year contract he signed in 2015, the Maple Leafs announced earlier in the month that Lamoriello wouldn't return as GM. Though it was initially announced that the veteran executive would transition into an advisory position with the team, it's now unclear if he intends on fulfilling that role.
Dubas, only 32, is the 17th GM in the history in the franchise. He joined the Maple Leafs in 2014 as an assistant GM after a successful run with the OHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
While the Maple Leafs kept the situation largely under wraps, it was long believed the position would come down to Dubas or fellow AGM Mark Hunter, who's also played a key role in the club's recent rebuild.
The United States defeated Latvia 3-2 in overtime on Thursday to stay undefeated through four games at the 2018 World Championship.
After Chris Kreider opened the scoring, Latvia responded with two goals to take a 2-1 lead, but Colin White notched the equalizer midway through the second frame.
The win places USA atop the Group B standings, and its next game comes Friday against Korea. Latvia, meanwhile, earns a point for the loss and will play Germany on Saturday.
It's time for the conference finals, and to get you prepared for the Eastern showdown between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, we've prepared a statistical breakdown to set the table. (Advanced stats at 5-on-5 courtesy: Corsica)
Lightning 1A vs. Capitals 1M
Lightning
Stat
Capitals
8-2
Playoff Record
8-4
11
Goal Differential
10
54.33% (1st)
5-on-5 Corsi
49.71% (8th)
7.76% (8th)
Shooting Percentage
8.14% (5th)
.943 (3rd)
Save Percentage
.930 (7th)
102.12 (2nd)
PDO
101.19 (5th)
Nikita Kucherov (12)
Leading Scorer
Alex Ovechkin (15)
After finally taking down the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Capitals face another stiff test in the top-seeded Lightning. The main storyline, of course, is Alex Ovechkin, who after somewhat quietly producing 15 points in 12 games so far, gets his first-ever taste of playoff hockey beyond the second round.
If he wants to go even further, he and his teammates will need to be at their absolute best, as the Lightning enter the matchup as favorites after dismantling the Boston Bruins in a convincing series win. Tampa Bay heads into the showdown allowing just seven goals in the last four games of Round 2, while overwhelmingly controlling play at even-strength.
Both sides have excelled on the strength of their high-powered offenses, and have benefited from rock-solid goaltending from two world-class netminders. The Lightning appear to hold the edge in terms of defensive corps, but in three regular-season contests between the two clubs, Tampa Bay won twice by a combined score of 9-8, and with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final on the line this time around, it's safe to expect an extended battle.
Game 1 begins Friday at 8 p.m. ET (View full schedule)
McAvoy's schedule opened up following a second-round elimination at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He joins Boston teammates David Pastrnak and David Krejci, who will represent the Czech Republic in Copenhagen.
The 20-year-old finished his first full NHL season with 32 points in 63 games, and added five more in 12 postseason contests. McAvoy suited up for the U.S. at last year's tournament as well, and won a gold medal at the world juniors in 2017.
The Lightning enter Friday's pivotal Game 4 having won two straight to flip the momentum in their second-round series, and oddsmakers have taken notice.
Here's a look at the odds for each team still in the dance.
After each team had a power play in overtime, the game advanced to a shootout, where Cam Atkinson scored twice to seal the deal. Canada captain Connor McDavid was unable to shoot because he was in the penalty box at the conclusion of the extra frame.
Goaltender Keith Kinkaid was named the U.S. player of the game after making 44 saves and five more in the shootout.
Canada's next matchup is against Korea on Sunday, while the United States faces Denmark on Friday.
