The NHL's motion to dismiss class action lawsuits filed by former players dealing with concussions has been denied by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, Darren Heitner of Forbes reports.
The league argued that the class action could be preempted by labor law, but this was not accepted by the court. The former players - diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) - can now continue with their lawsuits.
After courts upheld a $1-billion plan to settle concussion lawsuits between the NFL and former players in April, Heitner suggests the NHL may have to begin considering a settlement option of their own.
Stralman, out of the lineup since fracturing his fibula in late March, exited the ice with the regulars after full participation. Nikita Nesterov, meanwhile, stayed on the ice to get in work with the Lightning's expected scratches.
The top-pairing defenseman would be a massive addition for the Bolts, who have defied many expert expectations through the opening two rounds. If he's fit, he'll presumably play alongside Victor Hedman, who's providing some of his best hockey of the season at the right time.
Montreal rapper Wasiu is leading the promotion of his new mixtape with a song entitled "P.K. Subban," which extols the Canadiens blue-liner for being a star athlete, philanthropist, and an empowering figure in the local black community.
Wasiu explained his vision in an essay for Fader, writing that he hopes Subban will further establish his place as one of, if not, the face of their city with the help of the song.
"People are going to have to accept that the face of a white, French city is a black man - whether they like it or not."
For a second straight day, the San Jose Sharks coach reminded the media - and in turn the officiating crew - their Western Conference final opponent St. Louis Blues have a penchant for taking penalties.
"St. Louis is one of the most penalized teams in the league," DeBoer said Monday, as quoted by the Vancouver Sun's Ian MacIntyre. "They need to call the game accordingly."
For the one power play they received in Game 1, the Blues committed three minor penalties, which is in line with their average throughout the playoffs and slightly down from the regular season.
The Sharks, by the way, converted more power-play tries than any team in the regular season, and have scored more goals than any team remaining in the postseason tournament with the man up.
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, has since been asked about his counterpart's subtle campaigning, telling reporters the Blues won't "whine" for calls.
With the stinging six-game defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins having now sunk in, the Washington Capitals' latest playoff failure has come clearer into focus for Brian MacLellan.
In a media debriefing Monday morning, the second-year general manager spoke in confidence about his core, but said that improving his bottom six must be an offseason priority.
MacLellan mentioned the ancillary importance of former Capitals middle-six forward Joel Ward, who sprung to the San Jose Sharks in free agency last summer.
MacLellan said that Tom Wilson is the type of player they want to mold into a Ward-type function, but they'll likely have to explore other options to remedy another issue: speed. He noted that Washington got "exposed" by quicker teams, namely the Penguins.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are likely going to shake up their blue line for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final, as defenseman Justin Schultz is expected to be in the lineup Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Schultz will replace Olli Maatta, who remained on the ice with the regular healthy scratches during Monday's morning skate.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has said his lineup of defensemen will be a game-time decision, but he was critical of Maatta's Game 1 performance. The young Finn was on the ice for the Lightning's first goal Friday, as Alex Killorn snuck behind him and scored on a breakaway.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Predators have signed left wing Justin Kirkland to a three-year, entry-level contract.
The Predators announced the deal Monday.
Kirkland, now 19, was Nashville's fourth draft pick at No. 62 overall in the t...
While Joe Thornton's beard continues to garner a lot of attention in these playoffs, San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer believes his play isn't getting nearly the respect it deserves.
"If this guy was playing in Toronto, Montreal or New York, he'd be a living legend," DeBoer told reporters Monday, adding that he never truly appreciated his play until taking the Sharks' coaching job this season, calling the forward an "incredibly honest player."
At age 36, Thornton continues to produce at an incredible rate, finishing tied for fourth in league scoring this season with 82 points. It was the first time he produced at a point-per-game pace since 2010.
He's also carried that success into the playoffs, recording three goals and eight assists through two rounds, trailing only All-Stars Logan Couture, Brent Burns, and Joe Pavelski on his team.
Though it shouldn't be ignored Thornton started his career in an incredible hockey market with the Boston Bruins, his consistency over the past 10 years in San Jose have gone somewhat under the radar. With 1,341 career points, the London, Ontario native trails only Jaromir Jagr among active players.
Now two games into Round 3, more than half the leg work en route to a Conn Smythe Trophy has been accomplished.
Here's how they stack up after two-plus rounds:
1) Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues
It wasn't without a hiccup, several slabs of fortune, or even brief consideration of his backup from the coaching staff, but Elliott was, without question, the most important player on his team through the first two rounds.
Excluding his forgettable 17 minutes versus the Stars in Game 6, Elliott's dazzled, sporting a .937 save clip in competition against the three highest scoring Western Conference outfits throughout the regular season, and also in the face of 100-plus shots more than any surviving goaltender.
Despite his per-game averages being slightly skewed by his four-save performance versus Dallas, he bumped his per-game standard up to 30 saves with his ninth win of the tournament in Sunday's Game 1 of the West final.
2) Joe Pavelski, San Jose Sharks
Logan Couture and Brent Burns might sit one-two in postseason points, but the captain's contributions can't be overstated.
Before he recorded an assist in Sunday's Game 1 loss to St. Louis, the Sharks were a perfect 8-0 through two rounds when Pavelski collected at least one point (he scored in seven of those games) and 0-4 when he failed to decorate the scoresheet.
His ninth goal, which gives him a share of the postseason lead, came nine minutes into Game 7 versus the Predators, helping set the table for a blowout in the do-or-die second-round tilt.
3) Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning
As menacing a sniper that remains, Kucherov's wielding talents were largely responsible for Tampa Bay having cruised into a conference final in consecutive springs.
He shares the goal-scoring lead with Pavelski, but reached nine goals in two fewer games and on a more efficient 23 percent shooting clip, and he's also provided 27 percent of his team's total offense.
4) Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
Murray's convinced everyone - including Vegas bookies - in his first 10 starts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 21-year-old rookie kept the now-able Marc-Andre Fleury on the bench, and helped the Penguins emerge as Stanley Cup favorites heading into Round 3 after their six-game win over the 120-point Capitals.
He authored a .925 save percentage in the second-round meeting, which included wins with 36, 39, and 49 stops.
5) Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Hedman, the Lightning's minutes eater, was sensational in the club's second straight swift advancement - a five-game triumph over the Islanders.
Three of Tampa Bay's wins saw the mountainous defender record multi-point games, including a two-goal effort in the decisive Game 5.
Logan Couture: Rewrote a 22-year-old franchise record for points in a seven-game series and seized the postseason lead with 11 versus the Predators.
Phil Kessel: Two goals and an assist on Nick Bonino's overtime winner in the preeminent single-game performance of his career, and a tie for fifth in postseason scoring.
Ben Bishop: Injured, but still statistically superior to his peers.
Brent Burns: The Sharks' rover has had a hand in 38 percent of the team's total offense.
David Backes: St. Louis' captain is tied for third in goals, and two of his league-best three game-winners have come in overtime.
Team Canada remained perfect at the World Championship by beating France 4-0 on Monday, and captain Corey Perry was a big reason why.
During the third period, the Anaheim Ducks forward's attempt to put the puck between his legs ended up finding the stick of Ryan O'Reilly, who promptly returned it to Perry as he outmuscled French blue-liner Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel on the way to his goal.
With an assist earlier in the game, Perry now leads the Canadian team with 10 points for the tournament.
