Parise was diagnosed with a herniated disk that was pressing on a nerve in January. He played through the injury while getting treatment and cortisone injections. But since being tripped last week (April 5) by Sharks center Logan Couture, Parise has experienced tingling in his legs, foot numbness, and disabling back pain, sources say.
"This is an extraordinary loss for us," goalie Devan Dubnyk said. "The only way to look at it is, like any time, it’s going to be an opportunity for somebody else to step up and play a huge role, and play a role in winning the series.
"But you’re just not replacing Zach. Somebody like that, when he’s in the lineup, he’s awesome, and when he’s not, you certainly feel it. It’s sports. That’s the way it is."
General manager Chuck Fletcher declined to comment on the situation, and Parise is officially listed as day to day with an undisclosed injury.
The 31-year-old scored 25 goals in 70 games for the Wild, with only Charlie Coyle (21) and Nino Niederreiter (20) able to hit the 20-goal mark.
Minnesota's playoff campaign begins Thursday in Dallas.
CHICAGO - The last title defence for the Chicago Blackhawks also started with the St. Louis Blues, and it nearly ended there, too. Four of the six games went to overtime before the Blackhawks moved on.
While most of the finer details from tha...
The San Jose Sharks are expected to have Marc-Edouard Vlasic back in the lineup for Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings, as the defenseman took part in practice Monday after missing his team's last 12 games with an MCL sprain.
"I'm looking forward to playing," Vlasic said, according to Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area. "Took the time to heal properly, and now I'm ready to go."
Vlasic and partner Justin Braun make up the Sharks' key shutdown defense pairing, which will see plenty of minutes against the likes of Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, and Tyler Toffoli throughout the series.
The 29-year-old set new career highs with eight goals and 31 assists this season in just 67 games.
Forward Matt Nieto, who has also missed the team's last 12 with a broken knuckle, is also expected to be back in the lineup for Thursday's game.
"We've got all hands on deck," said head coach Peter DeBoer. "No issues here right now."
The St. Louis Blues have been knocked out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three straight years under head coach Ken Hitchcock. It's now or never. Problem is, the road to the second round is paved with one massive roadblock: the defending champions, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago's contributed to one of those three St. Louis first-round exits, in 2014, in six games.
The Blues won the regular-season series 3-2, taking the last two games in extra time - March 9 in a shootout and April 7 in overtime. Three of the five meetings were decided by one goal, and the other two by two goals. It will be tight.
Here's what we know: One excellent hockey team is going home after the first round. The Blues' 107 points ranked third in the NHL, and the Blackhawks' 103 fifth. It's almost a shame.
Tale of the tape
Blues
Statistic
Blackhawks
107
Points
103
2.7 (15th)
Goals per game
2.9 (6th)
2.4 (4th)
Goals against
2.5 (10th)
21.5% (6th)
Power play
22.6% (2nd)
85.1% (3rd)
Penalty kill
80.3% (21st)
52.% (7th)
Corsi
50.7% (15th)
7% (21st)
5-on-5 SH%
6.8% (26th)
93.1% (5th)
5-on-5 SV%
92.9% (12th)
Tarasenko: 74
Leading scorer
Kane: 106
Key players
Corey Crawford
Corey Crawford doesn't get enough credit for the Blackhawks' sustained success, but he's going into the playoffs as cold as it gets. A head injury - a suspected concussion - limited him to only one game after March 14, and that was Chicago's final game of the regular season. Crawford was lit up for five goals on only 25 shots.
The 31-year-old had an amazing season, winning a career-high 35 games, recording a career-high seven shutouts, and posting a .924 save percentage for the second straight campaign. And .924 is apparently the magic number - that was his save percentage on his way to the Stanley Cup last year, in 20 games and 19 starts.
Crawford should be fine. His career .921 save percentage in the postseason proves he plays his best when games matter most. But if the Blues can get to him early in Game 1, and perhaps plant a seed of doubt, well, that'd be something, wouldn't it?
Brian Elliott
In a series that boasts offensive players like Art Ross Trophy winner Patrick Kane, Calder Trophy candidate Artemi Panarin, 40-goal sniper Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Steen, Jonathan Toews, and Paul Stastny, it feels a little silly to be focusing on both teams' starting goalies. But, let's face it, the difference in what will be either a six- or seven-game series, will be between the pipes.
While injuries limited Brian Elliott to 38 starts, he was brilliant when he played, winning 23 games and posting the best save percentage in the league. Elliott stopped a stupendous 93 percent of the 1,113 shots he faced.
Jake Allen was great, too, he had to be for the Blues to get to 107 points. But it'll be Elliott in the crease in Game 1, and if the Stanley Cup Playoffs weren't difficult enough, the Blues, as noted, are facing massive pressure to win in the postseason. And goalies have enough on their minds.
Elliott didn't make a start in last year's playoffs, and has a career .897 save percentage in the spring, which simply won't do. He has to be better this time around, or the Blues, for as good as they've been over the past four seasons, may have to look at other options in the crease as well as behind the bench.
Here's more pressure: Elliott had an .892 save percentage in three starts against Chicago this season.
This year's postseason will feature a talent pool like no other.
The playoffs will feature this season's top-four point producers - who have combined for 354 playoff games - as well as seven of the league's top-10 scorers.
On top of that, we will also see several players get their first taste of the NHL playoffs. The 2015-16 campaign saw several rookies not only stick with their teams, but help them reach the very spot they sit in now.
With that, here are five rookies to watch in the playoffs:
Artemi Panarin
Panarin enters his first NHL postseason after winning the rookie scoring race. He was the only first-timer to hit the 30-goal mark and built a 21-point cushion between him and second-place finisher Jack Eichel.
While he is considered a rookie, the 24-year-old has a considerable age gap between himself and his fellow rookie class. He finished second in team scoring and should not only capture the Calder Trophy, but will be an integral piece of a Chicago Blackhawks team looking to repeat as champs.
Dylan Larkin
This postseason could quite literally see a passing of the torch.
The 19-year-old made his debut this season after spending a year marinating at the University of Michigan. In doing so, he became the first Red Wings rookie to hit the 20-goal plateau since Henrik Zetterberg did so in 2003, while also leading the team in that category.
His 18 even-strength goals and five game-winning goals also bested his fellow Red Wings. Heading into the playoffs, very few rookies will be relied on as heavily as Larkin.
Gostisbehere set a Flyers' rookie defenseman record with 17 goals in 64 games. He also constructed a 15-game point streak, the third longest streak by a rookie since the 1987-88 season.
He has incredible speed and has already proven that he is willing to do whatever he can to help his team win. With the stakes now elevated, we should expect great things from this Calder Trophy hopeful.
Colton Parayko
Gostisbehere is not the only blueliner to keep an eye on.
Colton Parayko seemingly came out of nowhere this season and played a reliable role on the Blues' back end. His nine goals were the second-most by a Blues' defenseman next to Kevin Shattenkirk, while his 33 points ranked third.
He played heavy minutes averaging the fourth-most ice-time on the team, as a rookie. With whispers and uncertainties regarding Shattenkirk's future with the team, he could give the club some leverage moving forward.
He might not be as flashy as the rest on the list, but Parayko will still be vital to any potential run by the Blues.
Robby Fabbri
Another member of the St. Louis Blues could shine in his first taste of playoff action.
Robby Fabbri had a solid first season in the league, filling the net 18 times -good enough for third on the team - while adding 19 helpers in 72 games.
Fabbri's 16 even-strength goals were good enough for second on the club, behind only Vladimir Tarasenko. Fabbri is a talented and speedy winger who has a deceptively good shot.
He can slot up and down the lineup, which can be clutch when secondary scoring becomes a must-have in tight games.
The Rangers took the last two series' en route to two deep playoff runs, while the Penguins we're the NHL's hottest team to close out the regular season, winning 15 of their final 16 games.
Pittsburgh won the season series 3-1, and looks to make it past the first round for the first time since 2013, and only the second time since they won it all in 2009. New York, meanwhile, will look to recapture the magic that won them a Presidents' Trophy a year ago, after a season of regression.
Tale of the tape
Penguins
Statistic
Rangers
104
Points
101
2.94 (3rd)
Goals per game
2.84 (7th)
2.43 (6th)
Goals against
2.62 (15th)
18.4% (16th)
Power play
18.6 (14th)
84.4% (5th)
Penalty kill
78.2% (26th)
53.1% (4th)
Corsi
48.1% (21st)
7.5% (16th)
5-on-5 SH%
9% (1st)
93.1% (4th)
5-on-5 SV%
93.5 (1st)
Crosby: 85
Leading scorer
Zuccarello: 61
Key players
Sidney Crosby
This is an obvious one.
Crosby emphatically silenced naysayers after a slow start to the season. He finished third in league scoring with 85 points while captaining the Penguins on a second-half tear, which clinched home ice for at least the first round.
As always, Crosby will be the center of attention, and it will be up to an ailing Rangers blue line to slow him down. Crosby closed out the regular season with 11 points in his final 10 games, nine of which were wins. Despite what critics say, "Sid the Kid" has put up 118 points in 100 career playoff contests, and will be the key to the Penguins success with Evgeni Malkin on the shelf for the time being.
Rick Nash
Rangers winger Nash endured a difficult season. The 31-year-old only suited up for 60 games, recording 36 points - a career low. Nash will need to find his scoring touch in the playoffs, something that hasn't boded well for him in the past, with only 10 goals in 60 career postseason games.
Nash said he's happy with his defensive game, but now, more than ever, he needs to reverse his playoff misfortunes and produce offensively if the Rangers want to go deep again.
The Rangers' acquisition of Eric Staal hasn't gone to plan so far, and New York will need depth scoring to ease Henrik Lundqvist's workload, and ultimately advance.
Keith Yandle
The Rangers will need to suppress Pittsburgh's potent offense to be successful, and that starts with Yandle.
With captain Ryan McDonagh out of the lineup, look for Yandle to step up on both ends of the ice. While fellow blue-liner Dan Girardi - if healthy - will be tasked with shot-blocking and physical play, Yandle, as usual, will quarterback the Rangers' breakouts and powerplays.
A pending free agent, Yandle is not only playing for a chance at the Cup, but also his future, and he'll look to shine brightest with plenty of teams watching.
Marc-Andre Fleury has taken a positive step toward being ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, practicing with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
Fleury has been out since March 31 with his second concussion of the season. The Penguins begin their first-round playoff series with the New York Rangers on Wednesday.
"One day at a time," he told reporters about his progress. "This was my first practice, so we'll see how it goes."
Fleury is coming off a fantastic regular season in which he posted a record of 35-17-6, with a .921 save percentage and two shutouts.
The Philadelphia Flyers will be doing all they can to make the late Ed Snider's dream come true.
Snider, the team's founder, died Monday at age 83, two days after the Flyers clinched a playoff spot, and for forward Wayne Simmonds, the goal is to make good on the opportunity before them.
"Mr. Snider was all about hockey, this is what we wanted. (I'm) so glad we got into the playoffs for him," Simmonds told reporters. "Although we will be playing with a heavy heart there's nothing we'd want more than to win him another Stanley Cup."
Simmonds later took to Twitter to offer some words of condolence:
First off I want to send my condolences to the Snider family. It's been a pleasure being able to put on the flyers uniform and play for
There's a lot on the line in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Winning 16 high-intensity games after a grueling 82-game season is far from easy.
For some players in the playoffs, even more will be on the line than a last name eternally inscribed on the Stanley Cup. A number of playoff participants are playing for new contracts.
Here are three players who would benefit most from a dominant spring.
Kyle Okposo
Okposo, a lifelong New York Islander, is set for unrestricted free agency at only 27. A seventh overall pick in 2006, he's a three-time 20-goal scorer and has recorded three straight fifty-point seasons, finishing second on the club in scoring each time. His 64 points in 2015-16 were only five off his career high. Playing with John Tavares has its benefits.
The St. Paul native may not be playing in Brooklyn next season, though, thanks to some long-term contracts that aren't looking so good for the Islanders. Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolay Kulemin are not worth their salary cap hits of $5 million and $4.188 million based on their production.
While Okposo made $4.5 million this season, his salary against the cap was only $2.8 million. He signed a five-year, $14-million contract in 2011 that certainly paid off for New York. He's in line for a massive raise, based on his age and production.
He's a solid possession player with five goals and two assists in 13 career playoff games. Should he help fuel a deep Islanders postseason run, he's going to cash in even more than after the second-best regular season of his NHL career.
Keith Yandle
Keith Yandle's going to get paid this summer. We know that. But he can guarantee a few more riches with a big spring in Manhattan.
Yandle will be 29 on July 1, when he can take offers from the highest bidders. He'll turn 30 on Sept. 29, which means he's in for a multi-year extension at very big money. Think Brent Seabrook, who signed an eight-year extension worth close to $55 million, with a cap number of $6.875 million.
Seabrook has three 40-point seasons, his 49 this campaign a career high. Yandle's scored 40 or more points six times, and 50 or more three times. And Yandle's a positive possession player on a New York Rangers team that doesn't often have the puck.
Teams know what Yandle can do, and he's performed well in the playoffs, with 30 points in 46 career games. The Rangers are looking to go deep again, and always have a chance to do so thanks to Henrik Lundqvist. A big playoff run from Yandle could make him the seventh defenseman in history to carry a cap hit of over $7 million.
Defenseman
Cap Hit
P.K. Subban
$9M
Shea Weber
$7.857M
Ryan Suter
$7.538M
Kris Letang
$7.25M
Brian Campbell*
$7.14M
Drew Doughty
$7M
* Campbell will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
He can do it all. A center, he's a six-time 20-goal scorer, hitting 30 or more twice. He hit the 20 mark for the third straight season in 2015-16 after a nightmare lockout-shortened 2013, when he scored only six goals in 48 games. He's a two-way forward who plays with sandpaper, a perennial Selke candidate, a possession beast, and he produces - Backes has five 50-point seasons and one 60-point season to his name.
Problem is, the Blues have been bounced from the playoffs in the first round in three straight years. Backes has two goals and four assists in 16 playoff games over that time, and only five goals and eight assists in 29 career postseason games.
Jobs are on the line in St. Louis; the Blues need a big postseason. And so does Backes, who turned 31 on May 31. Backes' last contract paid him $22.5 million over five years. A successful spring could bank him $30 million over five years, maybe more.
The West may still be the stronger conference, but the rising talent in the East cannot be ignored.
A number of playoff teams from the Atlantic and Metropolitan Divisions are led by young stars looking to dominate the conference for the next decade.
Here are three playoff teams from the Eastern Conference with a solid base for the future:
Florida Panthers
While their rise to the top of the Atlantic Division has seemingly come out of nowhere, the Panthers have shown signs of improvement in each of their past two seasons, and their blend of rising stars and veteran leadership has them primed for success for years to come.
It's a similar story on defense with Brian Campbell providing the veteran presence for an impressive young group starring Calder winner Aaron Ekblad.
As long as Roberto Luongo continues to play at a high level, it shouldn't be long before prospects Lawson Crouse and Mike Matheson are joining one of the best teams in the East.
Tampa Bay Lightning
While there are questions surrounding a number of their forwards heading into the offseason, it's hard to find a team with more young talent at every position than the Lightning.
In goal, the team boast's one of the league's best netminders in Ben Bishop and one of the position's best prospects in 21-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Steve Yzerman's biggest decisions will be directed up front with captain Steven Stamkos hitting free agency at the same time rising stars Nikita Kucherov and Vladislav Namestnikov become RFA's. Though Jonathan Drouin's future remains in doubt, it's hard not to envy the wealth of depth in Tampa Bay.
There's no doubt the Lightning will be a postseason mainstay for years to come, but this offseason will reveal which players get to be a part of it.
Philadelphia Flyers
In his second season as Flyers general manager, Ron Hextall maintains that his focus is still on the long term, but with his team's surprising success, he can't help but be optimistic that a deep playoff run may come sooner rather than later.
Calder Trophy candidate Shayne Gostisbehere was a revelation on the team's blue line this season, while prospects Ivan Provorov, Samuel Morin, and Travis Sanheim will all look to join the most promising defense core the Flyers have seen in years.
Most importantly, a solid season in net from the duo of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth may have proven goaltending will no longer be the team's Achilles heel.
