For the first time in four seasons, the cost of winning arrives without winning a playoff round for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Nine players on the Blackhawks playoff roster require new deals this summer, with none more important than the sandpapered Andrew Shaw - a player head coach Joel Quenneville called "irreplaceable" Wednesday.

Shaw also spoke as the Blackhawks cleaned out their lockers, expressing his fervent desire to stay "home." But while he may be willing to make concessions on a new deal, he's most certainly in line to command a number greater than the $2 million he accounted for on Chicago's books this season.

General manager Stan Bowman was noncommittal on Shaw's status, waiting instead on final cap numbers. He was, however, willing to acknowledge that buying out the final $4 million on Bryan Bickell's contract was an option.

Elsewhere, Andrew Ladd, who the Blackhawks paid a steep price to acquire at the deadline, said he's looking to make decisions based on situation before dollars, but didn't divulge too much deeper into his playing future.

Dale Weise, Tomas Fleischmann, Brandon Mashinter, Michal Rozsival, and Christian Ehrhoff are all unrestricted free agents as well.

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After his most taxing season, Artemi Panarin is springing for more hockey.

Panarin told reporters Wednesday in his season-end scrum that he'll make his way back to Russia to represent the host nation at next month's World Championship.

The Calder Trophy front-runner had a wildly successful debut season on this side of the Atlantic, reaching the 30-goal plateau and finishing in a tie for ninth league-wide with 77 points.

Panarin was part of Russia's silver medal-winning roster from last year in the Czech Republic, and won a gold as a world junior in 2011.

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Patrik Laine's draft crusade will have an additional chapter.

The surging No. 2-rated draft prospect has been selected to represent Finland at the World Championship next month in Russia, Jouni Nieminen reports.

Auston Matthews - the top-rated prospect all season - will also partake in the tournament, representing the United States.

Laine has already enjoyed success on the international stage this season. He scored seven goals and added six assists in seven games at the world junior tournament, helping Finland win gold.

Nieminen's report comes one day after Laine won MVP honors for his leading Tappara Tampere to the Finnish club championship. He scored 10 goals and 15 points in the playoffs, adding to his impressive 33-point regular-season output.

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After his Minnesota Wild were knocked out of the playoffs by the Dallas Stars, star forward Zach Parise discussed the back injury that kept him sidelined for the entire round with reporters Wednesday.

"It's been really scary," Parise admitted. "It was a little eye-opening. I'm not worried about the start of next year."

The 31-year-old added that rehab for the injury is going "really well," and that it's too early to tell if he will require surgery.

Parise is dealing with a herniated disc that's pinching a nerve, causing him to have little feeling in his left leg and foot, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. However, he expects to be ready to represent the United States at the World Cup in September.

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Minnesota Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk said Wednesday he played with broken index finger throughout an opening-round loss to the Dallas Stars.

He broke the digit in Game 1.

Dubnyk will be the only one who really knows how much the injury affected his performance, but he didn't have a banner series. He allowed 20 goals, which stands to be the most in Round 1.

And while some of those goals can be ascribed to chance, there was no excusing his over-read late in Game 6 - a decision that halted the club's valiant third-period comeback attempt.

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The second career playoff meeting between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin may be the most meaningful series of the 2016 postseason, according to oddsmakers.

Despite being set to begin a second-round series against each other Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals are co-favorites to win the Stanley Cup, according to Bodog.

There is little love for the other two remaining teams in the East, as the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders' odds are only better than the Nashville Predators, who are set to play Game 7 of their first-round series against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.

It's a similar situation in the West, as the dueling St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars are both favored over the San Jose Sharks, Ducks, and Predators.

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Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak are heading to Russia, as they will suit up for their native Czech Republic at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, according to the national team's Instagram account.

Plekanec will captain the squad, according to Zdenek Matejovksy of TV Nova Sport. The 33-year-old recorded 14 goals and 40 assists in 82 games this season.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old Pastrnak scored a career-high 15 goals and added 11 assists in 51 games.

It is believed Plekanec and Pastrnak will play on the same line alongside former Calgary Flames forward Roman Cervenka.

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