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Toronto and Tampa Bay Round 1 opening dates released

FTW USA Today

For hockey fans, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and it starts early next week.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are officially here, and all eyes are going to be on the several key matchups that the opening round has to offer. Perhaps none of them are carrying as much cache as upcoming series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. 

As everyone knows by know, the Maple Leafs have yet to advance past the first round of the postseason since their 2004 opening round series victory over their Ontario rival Ottawa Senators, having suffered several humiliating and heartbreaking series losses against the likes of the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, and last year against the Lightning. 

Meanwhile, the Lightning will be attempting to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth straight year, which would make them the first team since the New York Islanders dynasty of the early 1980’s to accomplish the feat. They’ll have to get past Toronto, who earned home ice advantage thanks to a strong regular season campaign, and who also made several key additions along the way. 

And as announced earlier this morning, the Leafs and Lightning will officially get underway starting this Tuesday with Game 1, followed by Game 2 on Thursday. 

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Flames’ players “voice their disapproval” at coach Sutter returning for next season

Zuma Press

The reigning Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL’s top coach is likely to find himself on the unemployment line this summer, according to a report from NHL insider Frank Seravalli.

Just one season after leading the Calgary Flames to an incredible campaign in 2021-22, head coach Darryl Sutter seemingly pushed all the wrong buttons this season and drove his team out of a playoff spot. According to Seravalli, he also alienated his team’s top players and likely coached himself right out of a job.

More from Seravalli on this situation in Calgary:

he decision to send Nick Ritchie in on a season-deciding shootout was just the piece de resistance on a season full of head-scratching calls – from four months of Jonathan Huberdeau on the right wing to weeks of Milan Lucic in the top six. The handling of Jakob Pelletier and “What number is he?” rubbed the entire organization the wrong way. There are believed to be at least a handful of players expected to voice their disapproval at exit meetings, if they have not done so already. They’ll voice them to GM Brad Treliving, who does not have a contract for next season. Could Calgary actually continue with Sutter as coach? Cowtown doesn’t seem big enough for Treliving and Sutter. One could be back. Neither could be back. The only thing we know is change is coming in Calgary.

– Frank Seravalli

Look, there’s no denying Sutter’s accomplishments. He has reached the peak of this sport as a head coach… but his best coaching results come nearly a decade ago and he consistently hamstrung his team with stubborn decisions all season long. I suspect that this may have been his final season in the NHL as a head coach and almost certainly his last season in the Flames’ organization. And frankly, there should be no shame in that.

Again, Sutter has accomplished all there is to accomplish as an NHL coach. He was one of the best coaches of his generation, but it’s becoming painfully obvious that the game is simply passing him by. It happens to all the greats at one point or another.

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AHLers Gallant and Kannok Leipert put on the scrap of the season!

AHL

Ladies and gentlemen, have I got a show for you.

Last night AHL’ers Alex Kannok Leipert and Alex Gallant both elected to drop the gloves and provide us all with the best scrap seen anywhere this season.

Check it out:

I mean that’s just NASTY stuff from both guys…

Another look:

Bomb after bomb after bomb! No quit in either men! Not taking a single step back! This is old time hockey, baby!

Personally, I absolutely LOVE to see these kind of tilts because they remind me of old school hockey in the 1980s and 1990s. Back when you’d have middleweight guys like Wendel Clark or Tie Domi just go turbo mode on opponents and overwhelm them with fists of fury. Sure, I love a good heavyweight tilt too, but for me the middleweight and lightweight guys are usually the most entertaining.

As for these two gentlemen, they’re likely to get some recognition thanks to their efforts last night. Kannok Leipert, in particular, is an intriguing player. Not only is one of the few Thai-born professional hockey players in the world, but he’s got some bite to his game. He’s just 22 years old and was drafted by the Washington Capitals (6th round, 161st overall) back in 2018 but never signed a contract with the team. He became an unrestricted free agent this past summer and opted to sign an NHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks. No doubt he’ll generate a little NHL interest thanks to his tenacity now.

As for Gallant, he’s a minor league veteran whose sole purpose is to pound his opponents into dust. A real old school, throwback type player. The 30 year old Summerside, PEI native has never sniffed the NHL but has played over a decade in the AHL and ECHL. This season he has just one goal and six points to go along with his 115 penalty minutes in 46 games with the Calgary Wranglers. Again, he’s likely never bound for the NHL which makes last night’s tilt all the more impressive. Gotta respect a guy who’s out here risking it all for an AHL paycheck. Love of the game, baby!

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Andrew Raycroft has bold prediction for Linus Ullmark

BarDown

Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark his having himself a career year amidst the rest of his team running away with the best record in the National Hockey League. In fact, Ullmark has helped the Bruins establish the new record for most wins by a team in a single regular season campaign with 63. 

As of right now, Ullmark boasts a sparkling record of 40-6-1 with a 1.89 goals against average, .938 save percentage along with two shutouts. Oh, and there was also the matter of his having become the first goalie in the near century-long history of the Bruins to score a goal.

Ullmark almost assuredly will be a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the League’s top goaltender. And his campaign has certainly caught the attention of a former Bruins goaltender who picked up some hardware of his own. Andrew Raycroft, who won the Calder Trophy in 2004 as the NHL’s best rookie, believes that the season Ullmark is enjoying will never be repeated. 

“Linus Ullmark winning 40 games in 48 starts will never be matched again,” Raycroft wrote on Twitter following Boston’s 5-2 win last night over the Washington Capitals. “Nuts.” 

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Former Leafs goaltender blasts Kyle Dubas

NHL.com

Former National Hockey League goaltender Curtis McElhinney decided to call it a career in 2021 after 13 seasons and a pair of back to back Stanley Cup victories with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He earned the reputation of being a journeyman, having suited up for the Lightning as well as the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, Ottawa Senators, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames.

But it was his tenure with Toronto that he was especially fond of during the 2017-18 season. He racked up a record of 11-5-1 along with a 2.15 goals-against average, .934 save percentage and three shutouts in the 18 games he played. 

And that made it all the more disappointing when the team and general manager Kyle Dubas decided to move on from him by placing him on waivers in 2018. 

“I was so bitter, so bitter,” he explained while making an appearance on ‘The JD Bunkis Podcast’. “I loved it there. It was the first time I found a home and felt like I’d had success that I’d been looking for a lot of my career. It seemed like it was a perfect fit…It all came together, but it was a tough pill to swallow.

It’s one of those things you have to accept some things that don’t really add up in your mind, it’s just the way it works… In reality I don’t think the expectations were that long for me or that high for me at the time, but it obviously worked out well for me in the short time I was there.”

He would be claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes and would become a valuable member of their team, subbing for the injured Petr Mrazek in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and helping them to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would eventually bow out to the Boston Bruins.

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NHL suspends Wild’s Ryan Hartman with one game left on the calendar!

YouTube

The NHL’ Player Safety department has just announced that Minnesota Wild forward Ryan Hartman has been suspended for one game for Interference against Winnipeg’s Nikolaj Ehlers.

The good news? He won’t miss any time during the postseason as the Wild play their last game of the regular calendar against the Predators in Nashville on Thursday. Hartman will therefore only miss this contest. 

The hit in question took place during Tuesday night’s game in which the Jets came out on top, 3-1. In the final minute of the third frame,Hartman threw an open-ice hit at Ehlers that sparked an ugly fight with Ryan Reaves and Adam Lowry with less than 30 seconds to play. Hartman received four minutes of penalties on the play – two for interference and a subsequent two for roughing.

This is the second suspension of Hartman’s career. He was suspended one game in 2019 as a member of the Nashville Predators for a hit on Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg.

Hartman is currently in his ninth NHL season and fourth with the Wild. In 59 games this season, he has 15 goals and 22 assists.

Recommended articles:

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It’s official, Toews will play his last game for the Blackhawks tonight

Chicago Blackhawks

This just in: Tonight Jonathan Toews will play his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Blackhawks’ GM Kyle Davidson has issued a statement through the team, indicating that the team will NOT re-sign Toews as a free agent this upcoming offseason and that tonight will represent the end for Toews in Chicago.

More insight from Blackhawks insider Mark Lazerus:

But TSN insider Pierre LeBrun states that Toews has not made a decision yet on whether he plans to continue his NHL career next summer.

Honestly… could you blame the guy if he just packed up and retired for good? He’s given his heart and soul to the Blackhawks for nearly two decades and has accomplished nearly every thing there is to accomplish in the sport. He’s a true champion and will go down in history as one of the best Blackhawks in history, with a real argument that he is THE best Blackhawk in history.

He’s a three time Stanley Cup champion, a two time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most respected players of his generation. His body is failing him and he has nothing to prove to anyone in the hockey world. Take a bow, Jonny… you’ve done well.

Last week though in conversation with Lazerus, Toews let it be known that he’d love to get the chance to play for a Stanley Cup contender one more time.

“There’s no doubt I’d love to know what that feels like again, to play hockey on the biggest stage and enjoy the spotlight and have an entire city on your back,” he said. “When you’re going through something real with your teammates, where you’re pushing through a lot and working through things together and figuring out how to reach the peak of the hockey world together. Nothing replaces that. You always kind of long for that experience.”

– Jonathan Toews

It sounds to me like there’s still a little fire in the belly there…

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Blackhawks make a shocking statement on captain Jonathan Toews

Chicago Blackhawks

This just in: Tonight Jonathan Toews will play his final game for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Blackhawks’ GM Kyle Davidson has issued a statement through the team, indicating that the team will NOT re-sign Toews as a free agent this upcoming offseason and that tonight will represent the end for Toews in Chicago.

More insight from Blackhawks insider Mark Lazerus:

But TSN insider Pierre LeBrun states that Toews has not made a decision yet on whether he plans to continue his NHL career next summer.

Honestly… could you blame the guy if he just packed up and retired for good? He’s given his heart and soul to the Blackhawks for nearly two decades and has accomplished nearly every thing there is to accomplish in the sport. He’s a true champion and will go down in history as one of the best Blackhawks in history, with a real argument that he is THE best Blackhawk in history.

He’s a three time Stanley Cup champion, a two time Olympic gold medalist and one of the most respected players of his generation. His body is failing him and he has nothing to prove to anyone in the hockey world. Take a bow, Jonny… you’ve done well.

Last week though in conversation with Lazerus, Toews let it be known that he’d love to get the chance to play for a Stanley Cup contender one more time.

“There’s no doubt I’d love to know what that feels like again, to play hockey on the biggest stage and enjoy the spotlight and have an entire city on your back,” he said. “When you’re going through something real with your teammates, where you’re pushing through a lot and working through things together and figuring out how to reach the peak of the hockey world together. Nothing replaces that. You always kind of long for that experience.”

– Jonathan Toews

It sounds to me like there’s still a little fire in the belly there…

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Maple Leafs forced to sign another goaltender!

The Hockey Writers

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been forced into signing yet another goaltender to an Amateur Tryout contract. Starter Ilya Samsonov is not available for tonight’ regular season finale against the New York Rangers, and it will be Joseph Woll between the pipes. 

University of New Brunswick goaltender Samuel Richard has been signed and will serve as backup to Woll tonight, marking the 4th straight game that the Leafs have had to rely on an ATO for goalie backup purposes. 

Having previously played with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Richard suited up this year for the University of New Brunswick Reds, leading them to a national championship. 

He posted an 18-4 record with a .933 save percentage and a 1.59 goals-against average this season. 

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Rumor: Darryl Sutter will be back as Flames’ coach next season

Zuma Press

The reigning Jack Adams Award winner as the NHL’s top coach is likely to find himself on the unemployment line this summer, according to a report from NHL insider Frank Seravalli.

Just one season after leading the Calgary Flames to an incredible campaign in 2021-22, head coach Darryl Sutter seemingly pushed all the wrong buttons this season and drove his team out of a playoff spot. According to Seravalli, he also alienated his team’s top players and likely coached himself right out of a job.

More from Seravalli on this situation in Calgary:

he decision to send Nick Ritchie in on a season-deciding shootout was just the piece de resistance on a season full of head-scratching calls – from four months of Jonathan Huberdeau on the right wing to weeks of Milan Lucic in the top six. The handling of Jakob Pelletier and “What number is he?” rubbed the entire organization the wrong way. There are believed to be at least a handful of players expected to voice their disapproval at exit meetings, if they have not done so already. They’ll voice them to GM Brad Treliving, who does not have a contract for next season. Could Calgary actually continue with Sutter as coach? Cowtown doesn’t seem big enough for Treliving and Sutter. One could be back. Neither could be back. The only thing we know is change is coming in Calgary.

– Frank Seravalli

The funny thing is that Seravalli’s counterpart over at Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, reports that Sutter will NOT be removed from his position. Friedman believes that the Flames have committed to Sutter to the tune of $8 million and neither side has the appetite to walk away from that.

“I think Sutter’s coming back, he’s got like an $8M extension there and he’s not a guy who’s walking away from that, I don’t know who would. I got to think Sutter’s coming back”.

– Elliotte Friedman

Hmmmmm… I dunno…

Look, there’s no denying Sutter’s accomplishments. He has reached the peak of this sport as a head coach… but his best coaching results come nearly a decade ago and he consistently hamstrung his team with stubborn decisions all season long. I suspect that this may have been his final season in the NHL as a head coach and almost certainly his last season in the Flames’ organization. And frankly, there should be no shame in that.

Again, Sutter has accomplished all there is to accomplish as an NHL coach. He was one of the best coaches of his generation, but it’s becoming painfully obvious that the game is simply passing him by. It happens to all the greats at one point or another.