On top of elite size, strength, and a laser shot, top draft prospect Patrik Laine beams confidence.
The charismatic Finn is projected by many to be selected No. 2 behind American center Auston Matthews in June's draft, but Laine believes he can just as well go No. 1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I think I have the ability to someday become the best player in the NHL," Laine said according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. "Maybe other guys are good at everything, but they don't have that one thing they are very good at. I have that."
"He's (Matthews) better than me at some stuff and I'm better than him at some things. Toronto has a tough decision to make."
It's still widely believed the Leafs are leaning towards Matthews, a potentially franchise-altering top-line center, rather than Laine - who plays on the wing but has the best scoring prowess in the draft.
Kind words from one generational talent to another.
Before he was drafted, many deemed Sidney Crosby the next "Great One" in comparison to Wayne Gretzky, and though many of No. 99's records are safe from Crosby's reach, Gretzky lauds what "Sid the Kid" has accomplished, and what he's doing this postseason.
"I watch him play a lot because I admire the way he plays," Gretzky told Sportsnet, according to Chris Johnston. "It's not a big secret: I think he's the best player in the game. He just sees the game the right way, he always has.
"He's on a different level when he's playing like he is right now."
Gretzky went on to compare him to additional hockey immortals.
"What Sid has is a little bit of an extra gear as far as his passing ability, his playmaking ability, the ability to make players around him on his team that much better," Gretzky said. "Guys like Bobby Orr did it and Mario (Lemieux) did it and obviously Crosby's doing it. He's just making his team better."
Through his 11-year career, Crosby has averaged 1.33 points per game, which is fifth all-time behind Gretzky, the aforementioned Orr and Lemieux, and Hall of Famer Mike Bossy.
The generation's best player - and a Hall of Fame lock at the age of 28 - has done nothing but meet the expectations of an incredibly hyped career, according to Gretzky.
"He came into the NHL under the microscope and with a great deal of pressure on him, and he's answered pretty much every question there is," Gretzky said. "He's made a franchise really strong, he's won a Cup, he's won two (Olympic) gold medals and it just seems like the bigger the game the better he plays and that's always the sign of a true superstar."
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Injured Sharks winger Tomas Hertl will remain out for tonight's Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.
Hertl missed Game 3 with a lower-body injury and remains day-to-day, according to Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer.
The 22-yea...
The 22-year-old will miss Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final as he continues to deal with a lower-body injury believed to have been suffered late in Game 2 of the series.
Hertl's solid two-way play and 11 points in the postseason were missed in Game 3, despite the Sharks capturing their first win of the series in his absence.
Dominique Ducharme will be the head coach of Team Canada's World Junior team for the 2017 tournament in Montreal and Toronto, Hockey Canada announced Monday.
Ducharme was an assistant coach for Canada's sixth-place finish in 2016, and recently took over as general manager and head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the QMJHL.
He previously spent five years as head coach of the Halifax Mooseheads, winning the Memorial Cup and coach of the year in 2013.
Ducharme is joined by assistants Tim Hunter, Kris Knoblauch, and Misha Donskov.
"Dom, Tim, and Kris bring a great cross-section of experience to this team, and an understanding of what it takes to be successful at tournaments where you don’t have the luxury of time on your side. Their individual records speak for themselves, but we’re most excited about the prospect of what these three great hockey minds can produce working as a coaching unit," said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams.
Canada will look to bounce back from a disappointing showing in Finland, this time on home soil, where they won gold in 2015.
MONTREAL - Dominique Ducharme will coach Team Canada at the 2017 world junior championship in Toronto and Montreal.
Ducharme was an assistant coach on the Canadian squad at the 2016 world juniors in Helsinki.
During the tournament, his fat...
James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of the legendary California-based metal band will perform the national anthem ahead of Game 4 between the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.
The band are self-proclaimed big fans of their hometown team, and the Sharks enter the ice to "Seek and Destroy" for home games.
For the Sharks, "Nothing Else Matters" but earning a win, while Pittsburgh looks to "Turn the Page" and head home "One" win away from a Stanley Cup title. Unfortunately, these puns are Sad but True.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had preliminary talks with the club's lone 20-goal scorer from this season.
P.A. Parenteau is set to become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and after making good on a one-year, $1.5-million contract, talks with the club on a new contract have begun, according to his agent Allan Walsh.
"There have been a couple of discussions. Very preliminary. I would say every possibility is on the table," Walsh said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "They have not closed the door to him coming back, but I don't think it's a decision that's going to be made now. I think it's a decision that's going to be made just before we get to July 1.
"Let's be very clear on this point: P.A. Parenteau loved playing in Toronto. He loved playing for Mike Babcock. He believes in the direction of the organization and where it's going," Walsh said. "The only thing he didn't like was not making the playoffs, and he would love to come back.
"It was a good fit, and everyone saw him as an honest player," Walsh said. "He worked hard and he enjoyed being there."
Parenteau hit the 20-goal plateau for just the second time in his career, while his 41 points were the most since the 2012-13 season.
Joe Pavelski hasn't scored in three games, and because he's Joe Pavelski, that's considered a drought.
The San Jose Sharks captain found the back of the net 38 times in the regular season, and leads the postseason with 13 tallies - three more than Pittsburgh Penguins leader Phil Kessel.
With the Stanley Cup Final intensifying, Pavelski's dry spell has been thrust under the microscope, but it isn't fazing him.
"I think they've done a good job, I think," Pavelski told Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com. "I've passed on a few shots recently that maybe I haven't earlier, so get back to the shooting mindset a little bit. There's been a lot of plays where it's been almost there, and they get a stick on it. Not worried about that, because we're creating some chances and it's just that end result hasn't been there."
His teammates alike think he just needs to keep firing.
"He's a guy that just needs to keep swinging the bat," forward Tommy Wingels said. "You talk about a .333 hitter. Does he hit 1-for-3 every game? No. Joe's a guy that might not score for a game or two, and then he'll pop two or three one day."
Five of Pavelski's playoff goals have come on the power play, and San Jose has only earned six man advantages through three games - converting once - which has heavily limited Pavelski's opportunities.
Pittsburgh has played Pavelski tight, but head coach Peter DeBoer is confident he'll deliver.
"I have no doubt he's going to break through here," DeBoer said. "He has all year for us. It's just a matter of time.
In a series that's produced three one-goal games, the Pittsburgh Penguins came up short for the first time Saturday, falling 3-2 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks.
Despite the narrow margins of victory, Pittsburgh was the convincingly the better team on home ice, and out-shot San Jose 42-26 on the road in the Game 3 loss.
Regardless, it's the final score that matters, and the Sharks have life with an opportunity to even the Final on Monday night.
Here are three ways Pittsburgh can get back in the win column.
Big guns get going
Everyone is still waiting for Evgeni Malkin to show up to the Stanley Cup Final.
The former Conn Smythe winner has yet to register a point, only appearing on the scoresheet via eight shots on goal and two penalty minutes.
Head coach Mike Sullivan wants Malkin to find the level he's capable of playing at to open up Pittsburgh's attack. Malkin was slated against the Sharks' third defensive pairing in Game 3, a matchup he would typically win. Instead, he was a non-factor, taking the pressure off San Jose's entire defense.
On top of Malkin, Sidney Crosby had his quietest performance of the Final after being shadowed by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. With only two assists thus far, the captain will surely be looked upon to create some offense.
Force Sharks to rely on depth
Pittsburgh has done a tremendous job neutralizing San Jose's top line. With Joe Pavelski yet to score, and Joe Thornton scoring his first two points of the series in Game 3, the Penguins have to be comfortable with how they've played the dynamic duo so far.
Justin Braun, Joel Ward, and Joonas Donskoi were the goalscorers on Saturday, and although Ward and Donskoi were dangerous all game long, the Sharks cannot win the series on the backs of role players. San Jose's star power got them here, and will be needed to win the series.
Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin have been terrific atop Pittsburgh's defense, and can take much of the responsibility for thwarting the Sharks' offense.
Murray bounces back
Matt Murray made some key saves in Game 3, but he likely wants another chance at the goals he allowed.
The 22-year-old couldn't track a long point shot from Braun, and allowed Ward's blueline missile to deflect off his pad and into the top corner.
Murray won't dwell on the miscues, though, as he's carried his team this far and has faced 39 less shots than counterpart Martin Jones through three games .
Murray has only lost consecutive games once this postseason.
