Oilers-Stars even after wild swings of momentum, big comebacks
DALLAS — There have been wild swings of momentum in the Western Conference final, and something that has happened only one other time this late in the NHL playoffs. After Edmonton and Dallas both came back from multiple-goal deficits to win while splitting the past two games, this is now...
U mad, bro?: For Pittsburgh sports fans, it’s an OTA week (outwardly tangible anger)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are knee deep in an OTA week: organized team activities. “U mad, bro?” is also knee deep in an OTA week: outwardly tangible anger. Booing Rowdy Tellez. Bemoaning the Penguins’ place in the NHL hierarchy. Rationalizing the Steelers’ lack of wide receiver depth. It’s OTAs, people! Let’s...
Tied going into Game 5, Rangers-Panthers series in East final is quite the show
SUNRISE, Fla. — Some tickets to Thursday’s Game 5 of the Florida-New York series at Madison Square Garden are listed for more than $4,000 apiece on the secondary markets. For Saturday’s Game 6 in South Florida, listings for similar seats at ice level are reaching around $3,000. Obviously, that’s big...
Dan Bylsma rediscovers joy in coaching, lands another NHL job with Seattle Kraken
SEATTLE — When Dan Bylsma took the job as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League in 2021, his hope was to rediscover some enjoyment being a coach. Being back on an NHL bench at that point was the furthest thing from his mind. “I think I needed to...
Down 2-1, Panthers still have plenty of hope in East final against RangersVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Carter Verhaeghe pulled his vehicle out of the players’ parking lot after leaving the Florida Panthers’ practice facility Monday afternoon, only to notice about 50 fans standing on the side of the road clamoring for autographs. So he stopped and signed for a while. Brandon Montour...
New Jets coach Scott Arniel says he’s learned lessons since being fired by ColumbusVideo
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Scott Arniel believes overcoming the lowest point in his career will help him reach higher aspirations with the Winnipeg Jets. Arniel was named coach of the Jets on Friday, 12 years after his only other time in the role ended with him being fired by the Columbus...
Seattle Kraken expected to name Dan Bylsma as coach
SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken are expected to name Dan Bylsma as their coach, according to a person with knowledge of the choice, putting the man who won the 2009 Stanley Cup title with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in charge of an NHL team for the first time since 2017....
Rangers even series with Florida with OT win
NEW YORK — Barclay Goodrow scored at 14:01 of overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers, 2-1, on Friday night in Game 2 to even the Eastern Conference final. Goodrow fired a snap shot from above that circles over goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s right shoulder, sending the Madison...
Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner rebounds in playoffs
DALLAS — Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner has gone from getting pulled to being praised again this postseason. “He’s a huge part of this team. Ever since he let ‘Picks’ get in there for two games against Vancouver he’s come back, and he’s been on fire,” Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm...
Jets promote associate coach Scott Arniel to replace Rick Bowness
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Winnipeg Jets promoted associate coach Scott Arniel to head coach Friday, replacing the retired Rick Bowness. The move comes almost three weeks after Bowness retired. A former Jets left wing, Arniel joined Bowness’ staff in 2022. The 61-year-old Arniel helped Bowness lead the Jets to a...
Don Waddell steps down as Hurricanes president and GM
Don Waddell stepped down as president and general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, ending a run that had him build a roster that reached the NHL playoffs for six straight years. The team announced Waddell’s decision in a news release Friday, saying assistant general manager Eric Tulsky would work as...
The Rangers need to find answers quickly against the Panthers, or their Cup wait will reach 31 yearsVideo
NEW YORK — After two rounds of the NHL playoffs, there were hopes the New York Rangers had a chance to end their 30-year Stanley Cup drought. The defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers needed only one game into the third round to give New York a reality check. The...
Bobrovsky makes 23 saves for first shutout of the postseason, Panthers beat Rangers in Game 1
NEW YORK — Sergei Bobrovsky had a long stretch without seeing a shot on goal in the middle of the game, and then there was a flurry in the third period. No matter, he stopped everything that came his way. Bobrovsky had 23 saves for his first shutout of the...
Rick Tocchet voted NHL’s coach of the year for guiding Vancouver Canucks to Pacific Division titleVideo
NEW YORK — Rick Tocchet was honored as the NHL’s coach of the year Wednesday after guiding the Pacific Division champion Vancouver Canucks to their second playoff berth in nine years. Tocchet appeared on 109 of 114 ballots for the Jack Adams award submitted by members of the NHL Broadcasters’...
Devils hire former Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe
NEWARK, N.J. — Sheldon Keefe is being hired as the coach of the New Jersey Devils, less than two weeks after he was fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. A source close to the franchise confirmed the hiring in a telephone call with the Associated Press, adding the official announcement...
Stars in West final after knocking out last 2 Stanley Cup champs
DALLAS — The top-seeded Dallas Stars are in the Western Conference final after knocking out the last two Stanley Cup champions, one of those featuring a pair of 100-point scorers. Edmonton had the NHL’s only other duo of 100-point scorers in the regular season, with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl...
NHL will have new Stanley Cup champion this century as lengthy droughts take center stage
No matter which team wins the Stanley Cup championship this year, it will be a first this century. The Dallas Stars won their lone championship in 1999, months before the world worried computers would malfunction at the start of a new millennium. The New York Rangers haven’t done it since...
Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers set to face Panthers in Eastern Conference final
The Florida Panthers are back in the Eastern Conference final one year after reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers have made it there for the second time in three years. Now, the East’s division winners will meet in the playoffs for just the second time...
Lightning trade with Predators to bring veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh back to Tampa Bay
Ryan McDonagh is returning to Tampa Bay, hoping to help the Lightning win the Stanley Cup again after two seasons in Nashville. The Predators traded McDonagh back to the Lightning on Tuesday, giving the veteran defenseman a welcome homecoming with the organization he helped to two championships and clearing some...
Retaining former Penguin Jake Guentzel among top offseason priorities for Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up their biggest free agent in coach Rod Brind’Amour. The work ahead could prove more challenging for president and general manager Don Waddell. The Hurricanes have had six straight playoff trips, including at least one series win every time and two trips...
Aleksander Barkov, the Panthers’ reluctant star, leads without having to say much
SUNRISE, Fla. — Here’s the list of Aleksander Barkov’s top highlights from the Florida-Boston series: the go-ahead goal that sparked a Game 2 victory, scoring a spectacular game-winning goal to cap a comeback in Game 4, then blocking a shot late in Game 6 to keep things tied about 90...
Dallas Stars into 2nd straight West final after knocking out last 2 Cup champions
DALLAS — The Dallas Stars finally get a little bit of a breather after avoiding another Game 7 on the way to their second Western Conference Final in a row. They knocked out the last two Stanley Cup champions while playing 13 games in 26 nights. The last one stretched...
Former Blues coach Craig Berube officially hired to coach Maple Leafs
ST. LOUIS — Craig Berube has a new home. Berube was hired by the Maple Leafs on Friday afternoon, as the former Blues coach takes over perhaps the most high-profile job in the NHL. Berube coached the Blues for parts of six seasons before he was fired in December after...
Avalanche try to forge ahead after losing Valeri Nichushkin to 6-month suspension
DENVER — The nameplate above the locker for Valeri Nichushkin already has been removed at the Colorado Avalanche’s practice facility. It could be just for now — or possibly for good. For a second consecutive year, the Avalanche are on the brink of elimination from the playoffs with Nichushkin, one...
Coaching carousel spins fast in the NHL, with only 5 in current job for more than 2 years
Paul Maurice is in his second season coaching the Florida Panthers, trying to guide them to a second consecutive appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. It was pointed out to him not long ago that, in his current profession, two years seems like an eternity. Such is the life he...
