Marchand is still tormenting Maple Leafs, and Bruins could benefit as a result originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Two blockbuster deals made at the NHL trade deadline on March 7 are having a massive impact on the results of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

One of them is the Dallas Stars’ acquisition of elite winger Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes. Rantanen has 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 10 playoff games for the Stars, including a hat trick in their Game 7 win over the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. Dallas currently has a 2-1 lead over the Winnipeg Jets in Round 2.

The other major trade that’s changed the balance of power was the Boston Bruins trading Brad Marchand to the defending champion Florida Panthers.

The veteran left wing turned 37 years old Sunday, but he’s still one of the most effective postseason performers in the sport.

Marchand rescued the Panthers in Game 3 of their second-round series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs with a goal in overtime on Friday. Florida would have trailed the series 3-0 if it had lost that matchup.

BRAD MARCHAND WINS IT IN OT FOR THE PANTHERS 🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀🐀 pic.twitter.com/fUP840Yv4q

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 10, 2025

“Obviously, you see what he does on the ice,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe told reporters after Machand’s Game 3 heroics, per TSN. “He’s such a great player, and he’s been around for so long. He’s a playoff performer, and he scores big goals at big moments. He’s done it all — won a Stanley Cup. He brings so much life and energy to our group.”

The Panthers beat the Leafs 2-0 in Game 4 on Sunday, tying the series at two wins apiece.

Marchand now has four points (two goals, two assists) in four games against the Leafs in this series, which gives him 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 31 career playoff games versus Toronto. He torments this franchise and its fans wherever he’s playing.

Overall, Marchand has tallied eight points (two goals, six assists) in nine playoff games this spring.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

“He’s been incredible,” Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk told reporters before Sunday’s game. “Him and that whole line have been incredible, especially toward the end of (the first round). They were amazing for us in that closeout game and going into this series they’ve kept it going.

“It’s crazy, he’s the oldest guy in the series … (but) you would not think that by the way he’s playing right now. Super impressed to see what he’s doing. Super lucky to have him on our side.”

Marchand isn’t just driving offense on the Panthers’ third line. He’s making a positive contribution to their power play and penalty kill. He’s establishing a physical tone each game. He’s dragging his teammates into the fight with his energy and competitive fire.

Simply put: He’s doing what he did for so many years for the Bruins each April and May.

Marchand’s 58 career playoff goals are the second-most in the league since he made his postseason debut in 2011. His 146 playoff points are the second-most during that span, trailing only Nikita Kucherov’s 171.

Watching Marchand play a meaningful role in what could be another Stanley Cup run for the Panthers must be a tough watch for Bruins fans. The Bruins weren’t able to work out a contract extension with Marchand before the trade deadline and made the decision to move him. The fact that the B’s traded him wasn’t shocking. Seeing him go to the Panthers was the real surprise.

The Bruins’ return for Marchand was a conditional 2027 second-round pick, although that will turn into a first-rounder if the Panthers reach the Eastern Conference Final and Marchand plays in at least 50 percent of Florida’s games.

This series isn’t over yet, but you have to like the Panthers’ chances of eliminating the Leafs and having to give the Bruins a first-round pick to complete the Marchand trade.

This playoff run has proven that, despite his age, Marchand remains one of the best all-around left wings in the sport. And if he continues to make a great impact for the Panthers and they get to the Cup Final again, he could have plenty of potential suitors in free agency this summer.

EDMONTON – They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

For the Edmonton Oilers in their 2025 playoff run, that’s a very good thing.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. 

As the Oilers prepare for Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, they must thank their lucky stars for Corey Perry. Because the grizzled veteran forward is proving to be worth every single penny the team spent on him.

The top dogs of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard dominate the top of the Oilers’ scoring. However, you don’t need to look too far past them to see Perry’s name on the list.

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Perry sits fifth in Oilers’ playoff scoring, with seven points. He’s tied with Zach Hyman in points and is two back of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

He’s earned his top line deployment and this production virtually guarantees that he’ll sustain his placement.

Perry is tied with Draisaitl for five goals during the 2025 playoffs. What’s perhaps most impressive is that he’s scored three of his five tallies in their current series against the Golden Knights.

Corey Perry became the oldest player in @EdmontonOilers history to score a multi-goal game in the #StanleyCup Playoffs, eclipsing Willy Lindstrom (33 years, 12 days in Game 4 of 1984 SCF).#NHLStats: https://t.co/meexMOQ4vQpic.twitter.com/XyJCkwtYce

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) May 11, 2025

Not too shabby for a 39-year-old forward who’s on a team-friendly deal worth $1.15 million (not counting bonuses). 

For the Oilers to move on past the Golden Knights, everyone needs to do their part. Perry is contributing more than enough. Considering what his regular season role was, you couldn’t ask for anything more from him.

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Swedish defenseman Filip Roos, 26, has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK, the SHL club announced on Sunday. This comes two days after Färjestad signed Czech forward Radim Zohorna to a two-year deal.

“It’s gonna be fun,” said Roos. “I don’t know much about Karlstad, but I lived up in Karlskoga for two years, which is not very far away. The times I’ve played here, you can feel the energy from the fans in the arena. It will be really fun.”

“We’ve had our eyes on Filip for a long time and we believe that he, with his abilities, will strengthen our defense in a good way, said Färjestad sports director Rickard Wallin. “Of course, we’re looking to strengthen all parts of the team to the best of our ability, and even though we thought the defense had the qualities that we wanted in advance of last year, we didn’t really get it together as a whole. We think the qualities that Filip Roos has match very well with what we want to add.”

Wallin described Roos as “a really good two-way defenseman at the SHL level. He skates well, has good size and can play in all zones. We think the ceiling is high and we know that he is eager to come here so it feels great.”

Roos, who describes himself as “a skilled defenseman who likes to drive the puck and hopefully can use it even more at home on bigger ice,” is originally from Gothenberg and played one SHL game with Frölunda in 2017-18 and 56 with Skelleftea AIK in 2021-22, recording seven points in the regular season and playoffs.

Roos was never drafted by an NHL team but spent the last three seasons in North America. The first two seasons he spent in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, recording three points and four penalty minutes in 21 NHL games, spending the rest of the time with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. He spent last season in the Ottawa Senators organization, recording 17 points – all assists – in 68 AHL games with the Belleville Senators.

Last season, Färjestad finished fourth in the SHL regular season and was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The team also reached the final of the Champions Hockey League, losing to the ZSC Lions in Zurich.

In addition to Zohorna and Roos, Färjestad has under contract for next season ex-NHLers Oskar Steen and Marián Studenič, and NHL prospects Lucas Forsell (Vancouver Canucks), Jack Berglund (Philadelphia Flyers), Noel Fransén (Carolina Hurricanes) and goaltender Melker Thelin (Utah Mammoth).

Radim Zohorna Signs With Swedish ClubCzech forward Radim Zohorna, 29, has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK, the SHL club announced on Friday.

Chaos erupted as the final buzzer went in the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2-0 loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday in Game 4 of the series.

In the corner, all five players from each team were involved in a scrum after Max Domi checked Aleksander Barkov from behind into the boards. After the hit, several Panthers played dogpiled Domi, while Brad Marchand and Bobby McMann traded shots.

Domi was called for boarding. McMann, Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad received misconducts.

As that happened, Matthew Tkachuk and William Nylander were jawing back and forth on the bench.

On TNT's broadcast, you can hear what appears to be Tkachuk saying to Nylander that he will go after him in Game 5. Tkachuk also winked towards Toronto's bench as the scrum in the corner was still happening.

Maple Leafs Shut Out By Panthers In Game 4, Head Back To Toronto With Series TiedThe Toronto Maple Leafs dropped their second straight game at Amerant Bank Arena, falling 2-0 to the Florida Panthers on Sunday. With the loss, the series is tied 2-2, heading back to Toronto for Game 5.

What did Nylander make of the Florida forward getting in his ear?

"Just talking. That's what he does," Nylander said.

"He'll probably do whatever he can to get a player off their game, but yeah, the next game's going to be a fun one."

The series is beginning to heat up as the Panthers have won back-to-back games at home. Both teams will head to Toronto, and whoever wins there will have a chance to advance to the third round on Friday in Florida.

‘He’s Progressing’: Maple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz Trending In Right Direction, But Yet To Resume SkatingThe Toronto Maple Leafs are still without starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz as they prepare for Game 4 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers. 

It's the Maple Leafs' second shutout loss of the playoffs, with the first being in Game 5 against Ottawa, where Toronto lost 4-0. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped all 37 shots on Sunday night, and although his save percentage in the series (.890) doesn't say it, it feels like the goaltender is finding his form.

Toronto had its chances despite the loss. John Tavares led the Maple Leafs with five shots in the game, Nylander was right behind him with four, and Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies had three.

Why Auston Matthews Missed Maple Leafs Morning Skate Before Game 4 Against PanthersWhen the Toronto Maple Leafs filed onto the ice for their morning skate before Game 4 against the Florida Panthers, one player was missing: Auston Matthews.

"I think they did a good job keeping us on the outside and hard getting to the inside, letting their goalie see the puck," Nylander said. "Yeah, they did a great job. The series, it's a tough battle."

However, it shouldn't feel like the sky is falling for the Maple Leafs. They handled Florida well in the first two games, showing what their high-powered offense can do. Even in the early goings of Game 3, Toronto was playing sound hockey.

Either Game 4 was an anomaly, which it likely was, or we're witnessing the Panthers' Stanley Cup-winning pedigree come to life. Either way, the Maple Leafs will keep battling back, as they have under head coach Craig Berube throughout the year.

'Guys In This Room Recognize That': How Maple Leafs’ Elite Defense Is Powering Their 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff RunJake McCabe did everything possible to get the puck away from their net when it rolled into the Toronto Maple Leafs' crease with just over five-and-a-half minutes left in the third period.

And Nylander, he doesn't believe this series is close to being over.

"Yeah, I mean, 2-2," he said. "It's going to be a long series. That's our mindset."

---

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The Winnipeg Jets fell to the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of their second matchup by a 5-2 final score. With this, the Jets are now down 2-1 in the series and will aim to tie it back up on the road in Game 4. While the Jets lost, former Carolina Hurricanes forward Nino Niederreiter did his part to try to get them a victory. 

At the 10:07 mark of the second period, Niederreiter scored to tie the contest up at 2-2. The former Hurricanes forward's goal was a nice one, too, as he received a great feed from Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey before beating Stars goalie Jake Oettinger with an excellent snap shot.

Gimme fuel, gimme fire, gimme Nino Niederreiter 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QWaFi3YZeS

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 11, 2025

With this goal, Niederreiter has extended his point streak to three games, where he has two goals and an assist over the span. In addition, he now has four goals and six points in his last six contests. Thus, the former Hurricane is certainly hot right now for the Jets.

During his tenure with the Hurricanes, Niederreiter was impactful because of his secondary scoring ability and tenacity. He is providing just that for the Jets this post-season, and now ranks second on Winnipeg with four goals and fourth on the team with six points in 10 playoff games. 

In 234 games with the Hurricanes over four seasons from 2018-19 to 2021-22, Niederreiter posted 69 goals, 137 points, 287 hits, and a plus-53 rating. His time with the Canes ended when he signed with the Nashville Predators during the 2022 NHL off-season. 

Recent Hurricanes News 

Carolina Hurricanes Have Golden Opportunity In Game 4After a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 2, the Carolina Hurricanes bounced back in a big way in Game 3. The Hurricanes put together a strong effort in Game 3, defeating the Capitals by a 4-0 final score. Hurricanes Provide Positive Update On Injured PlayersCarolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour delivered some positive news on the injury front Sunday afternoon. 'That Was Textbook Hurricanes Hockey': Rod Brind'Amour, Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic, Frederik Andersen On Game 3 WinThe Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 at Lenovo Center Saturday night to take a 2-1 series.

The Rockford IceHogs were looking great in the Calder Cup Playoffs. When they took a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Admirals in their second-round matchup, they did it with their fourth win in a row.

That gave them three chances to close out the series. After losing the next two, the two teams competed in a winner-take-all game five on Sunday in Milwaukee. 

Game five started negatively for Rockford. Chase De Leo scored his first of the playoffs for Milwaukee to put them up 1-0. 

However, the IceHogs showed some life in the first ten minutes of the second period. Zach Sanford scored two goals in under three minutes to give Rockford a 2-1 lead. 

Before the middle frame ended, the Admirals took the lead back. Back-to-back goals by Fedor Svechkov and Jesse Ylonen made it a 3-2 score. 

At 11:09 of the third period, Joey Anderson tucked in his fifth of the playoffs to tie the game for the IceHogs. At that point, it was clear that both teams wanted to move on badly. It would be an understatement to say that they were evenly matched, despite where they finished in the regular season standings. 

60 minutes wasn't enough to settle this game or series. Just 1:38 into the fourth period, Fedor Svechkov scored his second to win the game and the series for Milwaukee. It was a hard-fought matchup between two great teams. It was only fitting that it came down to one sudden-death goal.

Now, the Admirals will move on to the Central Division Championship of the Calder Cup Playoffs. They will see the Texas Stars in that series. 

As for Rockford, there will be some changes. The Chicago Blackhawks may have a handful of their players in their opening night lineup next year.

Guys like Artyom Levshunov, Ethan Del Mastro, and Nolan Allan, amongst others, are all going to compete for jobs at training camp. There are also players on the IceHogs roster who may be looking to make their NHL debut in the fall. 

Reinforcements could be on the way as well. The Blackhawks will likely have some of the younger guys, like Taige Harding and Marek Vanacker, play in Rockford to begin their careers.

Goaltender Drew Commesso deserves some individual praise. He gave the IceHogs a chance to win every night. The Blackhawks' backup situation in 2025-26 is cloudy, but he will be in the mix.  

Only time will tell if Rockford has what it needs to make a run again next season. It can be difficult in the AHL with all of the NHL transactions that affect their on-ice list of players.

Every player, including veterans like Joey Anderson and Brett Seney, should be proud of the year that they had. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

The Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite their recent lack of success, the franchise has appeared in the playoffs 37 times and won five championships.

Our newest series will reflect on how the Penguins performed on specific days leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

Today, May 11, Pittsburgh has compiled a 6-3 record in nine games on this date.

• 1991 - Game 6 Win vs. Boston Bruins (5-3)
• 1992 - Game 5 Win vs. New York Rangers (3-2)
• 1996 - Game 5 Win vs. New York Rangers (7-3)
• 1999 - Game 3 Win vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (4-3)
• 2008 - Game 2 Win vs. Philadelphia Flyers (4-2)
• 2009 - Game 6 Loss vs. Washington Capitals (5-4 OT)
• 2013 - Game 6 Win vs. New York Islanders (4-3 OT)
• 2014 - Game 6 Loss vs. New York Rangers (3-1)
• 2022 - Game 5 Loss vs. New York Rangers (5-3)

Notable Penguins Performances On This Day

May 11, 1991 - The Penguins advance to their first Stanley Cup Final with a Game 6 win over the Bruins, thanks in part to Larry Murphy's four points (goal, three assists) along with three point nights from Mario Lemieux (goal, two assists) and Mark Recchi (goal, two assists).

At the time, it was Murphy's first four-point playoff game, and Lemieux's sixth career three-point playoff game.

May 11, 1996 - Lemieux records his third and final career playoff hat trick. Meanwhile, Jaromir Jagr records his only postseason in the same game, the only time these two legends combined for six goals in one contest with the Penguins.

May 11, 1999 - Ten seasons after his first career three-point playoff game, Rob Brown picks up three assists in a 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs. Moreover, Jagr has a goal and two helpers for three points. 

Former Penguin Marc-Andre Fleury Named To NHL Quarter-Century TeamTwo days after Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were named to the NHL Quarter-Century Team, another longtime former teammate will be joining them.

May 11, 2008 - Sergei Gonchar compiled his first three-point playoff game with the Penguins, registering three assists in a 4-2 win against the Flyers.

May 11, 2009 - Evgeni Malkin records three assists in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Capitals. At the time, it was his seventh three-point playoff game. As of 2025, he's up to 16. 

May 11, 2013 - Brooks Oprik is the overtime hero, eliminating the Islanders in Game 6 with his first career overtime goal. 

A playoff game between the Montreal Victoire and Ottawa Charge set a record for the longest game in Professional Women’s Hockey League history on Sunday night, spanning over 135 minutes and four overtime periods.

The puck dropped at 2:08 p.m. ET, and the game went on for more than five hours, finally coming to an end at 7:42 with Montreal winning 3-2.

Catherine Dubois scored the game-winning goal with just under five minutes remaining in the fourth overtime period to give Montreal its first playoff win in franchise history.

“I’m just happy we got a win and it’s over now,” Dubois said.

Québec native setting records in her home Province 🥺

Catherine Dubois' GWG in 4OT ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ojMk9j1jdN

— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) May 11, 2025

It was the second consecutive year – on the exact same day – that Montreal’s second game of the postseason turned into a hockey marathon. Last season, Boston beat Montreal 2-1 in triple overtime with Taylor Wenczkowski’s game-winner at 111:44.

Sunday night’s game was more than 20 minutes longer than last year’s record (135:33) and longer than two regulation hockey games combined.

At one point during the game, Ottawa had packets of mustard and pickle juice on the bench, according to rinkside reporter Kelly Greig.

The @PWHL_Ottawa trainers have started taping packs of mustard to the bench. Apparently eating mustard can prevent cramping after playing for this long. pic.twitter.com/Wk8PKjwvaS

— Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) May 11, 2025

“At some point, you just laugh,” said Ottawa forward Emily Clark. “The mustard was coming out, the pickle juice … It honestly went down easier than I thought it was going to.” 

For most of regulation it looked like Montreal might cruise to victory, holding a 2-0 lead in the third period. But Ottawa charged back with two goals in the final five minutes, including Brianne Jenner’s game-tying goal with only 42 seconds left to force overtime.

“There’s so much to be proud of,” said Ottawa defender Jocelyne Larocque, who led the team with 56 minutes of ice time. “We never gave up. We tied it up late in the game. We gave an amazing effort.”

Both teams had quality chances to end the game in the first overtime period, including five-on-three power plays on both sides, but failed to capitalize. Montreal forward Alexandra Labelle also appeared to win the game just minutes into the fourth overtime period, but the puck rang off the post behind Ottawa netminder Gwyneth Philips.

Finally, Dubois ended it on the 121st shot of the game. It was her first career playoff goal and builds off a strong regular season for Dubois, who finished tied for third in goals on the Victoire behind only captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey.

Montreal goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens set a record with 63 saves on 65 shots. Philips made 53 saves for the Charge, good for a franchise record.

Montreal defender Erin Ambrose logged a game-high 58:09 in ice time, less than her all-time high 61:33 in last year’s Game 2 thriller. Stacey led all forwards with 46:47; her 12 shots on goal is a PWHL single-game record.

It was the second-longest game in Montreal’s rich professional hockey history, just shy of Game 1 of the 1936 semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons (176:30). It was also the second consecutive year that Montreal’s second game of the postseason turned into a hockey marathon. Last season, Boston beat Montreal 2-1 in triple overtime en route to a 3-0 series win.

With the win Sunday, the Victoire have tied the best-of-five semifinal series and took a key step toward avenging last year’s opening-round sweep against Boston.

“I think that the group showed the grit that was needed to win a playoff game,” said Montreal coach Kori Cheverie. “I’d like to think that the momentum is in our corner, but we’ll have to wait and see and be able to put another game together for 60-plus minutes.”

In the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, the Minnesota Frost beat the Toronto Sceptres 7-5 in the highest-scoring game in league history. Minnesota, the reigning champion, now has a 2-1 series lead.

The PWHL playoffs continue Tuesday.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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Who gets the Cup first? NHL insiders pick likely Stanley Cup handoff heroes for each contender.

The moment every kid dreams of is the one where they hoist the Stanley Cup. Some of the most memorable moments from Stanley Cup wins is when the team captain makes the first handoff to a player who worked long and hard to finally lift up the greatest trophy in sports. 

Who could forget when Ray Bourque finally won his first Stanley Cup in year 22 of his legendary career? Or when Scott Niedermayer passed the Cup to his brother Rob in 2007? 

These iconic moments endure through time, creating unforgettable memories as fans witness the players who’ve represented them for generations finally achieve the ultimate glory in the sport.

With that in mind we look at all the eight current Stanley Cup Contenders and spoke with team insiders as to which player would most likely get the first handoff. 

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

More NHL: Jonathan Toews NHL Return Could Be With Anaheim Ducks, According to NHL Insider

Winnipeg Jets - Mark Schefiele (+10000)

We spoke to both of The Hockey News' Winnipeg Jets insiders in Carter Brooks and Julian Gaudio with the two coming to the consensus that captain Adam Lowry’s first handoff would go to Mark Scheifele, the first-ever draft pick of this era of the Jets franchise.

The 32-year-old Kitchener native has been with the team for 14 seasons and has totaled 804 points through 879 career games. Scheifele is the longest active tenured Jet and makes the most sense for the honor of getting the Cup first. 

Dallas Stars - Tyler Seguin (+800)

Mikko Rantanen is putting together a solid resume for the Conn Smythe trophy if the Stars were to win the cup but would that mean he gets the Cup first? Team insider Taylor Newby believes it would be longtime Star Tyler Seguin being the first handoff. 

After spending the first three years of his career in Boston, Seguin has solidified himself as a Dallas Stars legend with 688 points through 786 games over 12 seasons with the team.

He and captain Jamie Benn have been known to have a very close relationship and they are the team's two longest tenured players and would make the most sense for them to celebrate the moment together.

Edmonton Oilers - Adam Henrique (+10000)

The Devils run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012 was headlined by several big goals by a young Henrique, who put his name on the map. Unfortunately the Devils fell just short but the now 35-year-old centre is still on the hunt for his first cup and could get a chance with the red hot Oilers. 

People expect McDavid to pass it to his star teammate in Draisaitl but history shows the veterans get it first. When Sidney Crosby won all three of his Stanley Cups, none of his first handoffs were to superstar teammate Evgeni Malkin. 

More NHL: Utah Hockey Club Announces New Team Name

Vegas Golden Knights - Tomas Hertl (+3000)

The 31-year-old forward came close to lifting lord Stanley when reaching the Finals in 2016 with the San Jose Sharks. Gaudio also covers the Golden Knights and spoke to Hertl's character of being a positive guy and that the team would be more than happy to give him to Cup first. 

Toronto Maple Leafs - John Tavares (+750)

The hometown hero has been a difference maker to Toronto’s success this season, racking up 74 points—including 38 goals, matching the second-highest total of his career. After being the Leafs captain over the last five seasons, Tavares stepped down to allow superstar Auston Matthews to take over as the leader and face of the franchise they drafted him to be. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

Johnny Toronto getting the Cup first makes as he is the third-oldest player on the team but an honorable mention is veteran Max Pacioretty, who is the oldest on the team at 36 years old. 

Florida Panthers - Nate Schmidt (+1500)

The runaway favourite for the defending Stanley Cup Champions is newcomer Nate Schmidt, who has come close before when reaching the Finals in 2018 with the Vegas Golden Knights.

At age 33, Schmidt has played nearly 750 games and has accrued a dominant +106 rating, which is 48th-best in the NHL since joining the league back in the 2013-14 season. 

Carolina Hurricanes - Brent Burns (+490)

Hurricanes insider Ryan Henkel agrees with sportsbooks that have Burns as the overall favourite to be the first handoff for the cup.

The sure-fire Hall-of-Fame defenceman has never won before despite ranking ninth all-time in goals and 12th in points. He currently holds the fourth longest iron man streak in the NHL and is three games short of 1,500 games played. 

Washington Capitals - Nic Dowd (+10000)

Washington's pick is easy as the 34-year-old winger joined the Caps shortly after they won the Stanley Cup in 2018 and has become such an integral part of the team that many may not know, he hasn't won yet. 

Team captain Alex Ovechkin will surely spot that their second-oldest player on the roster after himself hasn't won yet and deserves the respect of getting the first handoff. 

After a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 2, the Carolina Hurricanes bounced back in a big way in Game 3. The Hurricanes put together a strong effort in Game 3, defeating the Capitals by a 4-0 final score.

Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen was undoubtedly a significant reason for the victory, as he recorded a 21-save shutout. Hurricanes forward Jack Roslovic also stepped up for the Metropolitan Division club, scoring a goal and adding an assist. Jackson Blake, Eric Robinson, and Andrei Svechnikov all scored for the Hurricanes as well.

With their strong team effort, the Hurricanes now sport a 2-1 series lead over the Capitals. With this, they now have a major opportunity in front of them heading into Game 4. If the Hurricanes can win at home again, they will take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Capitals. This would be massive for the Hurricanes, as it is always incredibly challenging for teams to overcome 3-1 deficits. 

A loss to the Capitals, on the other hand, would certainly be a tough blow for the Hurricanes. If the Hurricanes are defeated in Game 4, the series will be tied back up at 2-2, and the Capitals would regain their home-ice advantage. Thus, this matchup carries great weight for both teams.

Nevertheless, it will be very interesting to see if the Hurricanes can stay hot and pick up a win in Game 4 from here.

Recent Hurricanes News 

Hurricanes Provide Positive Update On Injured PlayersCarolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour delivered some positive news on the injury front Sunday afternoon. 'That Was Textbook Hurricanes Hockey': Rod Brind'Amour, Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic, Frederik Andersen On Game 3 WinThe Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 at Lenovo Center Saturday night to take a 2-1 series. Carolina Hurricanes Defend Home Ice, Shutout Capitals In Game 3The Carolina Hurricanes defended home ice in Game 3, smashing the Washington Capitals 4-0 at Lenovo Center Saturday night.

The Winnipeg Jets continue their road woes, dropping Game 3 to the Dallas Stars 5-2.

The Stars broke the ice in Game 3 and went into the first intermission with a one-goal lead. Roope Hintz recorded his fifth goal of the playoffs on the power play. Mikko Rantanen was once again involved in the scoring, picking up an assist on the goal. Kyle Connor added his fifth of the playoffs to tie the game, but Thomas Harley, who continues to evolve, scored his third of the postseason to regain the lead. 

Harley's goal was the first Stars goal that Rantanen had not picked a point on since Apr. 28. Rantanen had picked up points on 14 consecutive Stars goals.

The Jets were able to tie the game in the second period after Josh Morrissey danced around the blue line before setting up Nino Niederreiter for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

In the third period, a lengthy review determined that Alexander Petrovic did not kick the puck, but also that Connor Hellebuyck knocked it into his net, giving the Stars the 3-2 advantage. Rantanen added to the lead less than a minute later, scoring his ninth goal of the playoffs and fourth of the series. Wyatt Johnston gave the Stars a three-goal lead with his fourth of the playoffs.

Lulls in focus have hampered the Jets at home, giving up consecutive goals in periods for the fourth straight game. Hellebuyck has now allowed five or more goals in all four road games, and Mark Scheifele has not recorded a point on the road.

The Jets will attempt to tie the series at two games apiece on Tuesday when the teams play Game 4.

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Sometimes, an NHL player more or less owns a particular opponent. Whether it’s happenstance or deliberate dominance, there are unquestionably powerful performances made by certain NHLers against certain teams. And there’s probably no better example of a player laying the boots to one franchise than Florida Panthers left winger Brad Marchand’s amazing play against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Whether it’s been in his time as a member of the Boston Bruins or his current stint with the Panthers, Marchand has been as prickly a thorn in the side of the Maple Leafs as they come. And after Marchand’s game-winning overtime goal in Game 3 of Toronto’s second-round series against Florida, Marchand now has 33 points in 31 career playoff games against the Leafs. 

That’s the third-highest career total of any opponent in Maple Leafs history – only Detroit Red Wings legends Gordie Howe (53 points) and Alex Delvecchio (35) have more post-season points against Toronto. And those players put up those points at a time when there were far fewer teams in the league, making it all the more remarkable that Marchand has been so devastating to the Leafs’ aspirations in a 30-plus-team NHL.

But the 37-year-old Marchand has been a not-so-silent assassin since he began his NHL days in 2009. Marchand’s Game 3-winner against Toronto was his 14th career game-winning goal in the post-season – the most among active NHL players. And Marchand’s game-winner against the Maple Leafs was his fifth career post-season game-winner against Toronto. That ties him with Montreal Canadiens icon Jean Beliveau for the most game-winning playoff goals against the Buds.

In some respects, you could’ve forgiven Leafs GM Brad Treliving if he went out at this year’s trade deadline and acquired Marchand. Of course, the best way you can contain Marchand is to have him on your team. But Marchand wanted to be dealt to the Panthers, and that’s the best stroke of good fortune Florida could’ve asked for.

The Panthers didn’t trade for Marchand strictly because they envisioned a playoff showdown against the Leafs, but you’d be fooling yourself if you believed that Marchand’s success against Toronto didn’t cross the mind of Florida GM Bill Zito when he decided to acquire Marchand.

There’s still lots of the Leafs/Panthers series to be played, and let’s not forget, Toronto did win the first two games of the series with Marchand being on the losing end of things. But the Maple Leafs have been haunted by Marchand for a very long time now, and the prospect of Marchand continuing to thrive against Toronto has to be driving Leafs fans crazy.

The Leafs were within one goal of going up three games to none in the series against Florida, but Marchand stopped that from happening with his latest timely goal. Time will tell if Toronto can shake off the Marchand-related demons of the past and get to the Eastern Conference final this spring, but one thing is for certain – Marchand will go down in history as one of the Maple Leafs’ toughest opponents.

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Two days after Pittsburgh Penguins' forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were named to the NHL Quarter-Century Team, another longtime former teammate will be joining them.

Future Hall-of-Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury - who officially announced his retirement from the NHL following the first-round conclusion to the Minnesota Wild's season - was named as one of five goaltenders to the Quarter-Century Team, which is a media and fan-voted list in recognition of the top-25 NHL players from the last 25 years. 

Fleury, 40, was drafted by the Penguins first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft, and he remained with the Penguins until 2017, when he was selected in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights. He won three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, 2017) with Pittsburgh and is the all-time franchise leader in wins with 375.

He won a Vezina Trophy with the Golden Knights in 2020-21 and is second all-time in goaltending wins with 575, behind only Martin Brodeur's 691. He has suited up for the Penguins, Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, and Wild.

Despite his retirement from the NHL, Fleury is currenty representing Team Canada at the IIHF Men's World Championship in Sweden and Denmark, and he earned his first World Championship win on Sunday in a 7-1 victory over Team Latvia.

Crosby, Malkin Named To NHL Quarter-Century TeamThe votes for the NHL Quarter-Century Team are finally in. 

The other goaltenders named to the Quarter-Century Team were Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Carey Price, Henrik Lundqvist, and Roberto Luongo.

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Four Colorado Avalanche all-time great superstars and three Pittsburgh Penguins icons led the way as the NHL’s final Quarter-Century Team was revealed this week.

The Edmonton Oilers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames also had two players each named to the Quarter-Century team, which was selected via a fan vote from Feb. 12 to April 1.

The four Avalanche players named to the team are no surprise. Goalie Patrick Roy, centers Joe Sakic and Nathan MacKinnon, and defenseman Cale Makar made the cut, while Penguins legends Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury also made the team. In addition, Oilers star centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were honored by being named to the team, as were Bruins stars Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Finally, Red Wings stars Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom made the team, as did Flames stars Jarome Iginla and the late Johnny Gaudreau.

Otherwise, ten other franchises had one player named to the team, including Washington (Alex Ovechkin), Tampa Bay (Steven Stamkos), Toronto (Auston Matthews), Anaheim (Teemu Selanne), San Jose (Joe Thornton), Montreal (Carey Price), New Jersey (Martin Brodeur), Florida/Vancouver (Roberto Luongo), the New York Rangers (Henrik Lundqvist) and Chicago (Patrick Kane). And really, there’s no arguing any of the choices.

Winning a Stanley Cup made it easier to make this list, as 16 of the 25 players had won a Cup at some point in their career. But approximately one-third of the list included players who either didn’t win a Cup in their on-ice days or who are still competing for one today.

In total, the 25 players who made the Quarter-Century team combined to win 35 Stanley Cups, 14 Hart Trophies as the league MVP, nine Conn Smythe Trophies as the playoff MVP, 14 Art Ross Trophies as the top point-producer in the game, 19 Rocket Richard Trophies as the top goal-scorer, nine Norris Trophies as the best defenseman, and 10 Vezina Trophies as the top netminder. In short, if you were an NHL star who had their name engraved on one of the NHL’s trophies, you had a good chance to make the Quarter-Century squad.

Twenty-five years from now, when the NHL compiles this kind of list again, you’ll be seeing some of the same names that we saw from this Quarter-Century list. For instance, MacKinnon and Makar are both young enough and successful enough to make the next Quarter-Century team, as are Matthews, McDavid, and Draisaitl. But there will be other youngsters who step up and impose their will on games when they matter most, and for that reason, there will be a new batch of honorees to celebrate in 2050.

For now, though, there’s plenty to appreciate about this Quarter-Century team. You’d want to have any of the 25 players on your side, for good reason. They could (and can) do it all, and they’re all proven winners in their own right. 

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Maple Leafs aim for commanding 3-1 lead while Panthers look to even up the series

The Maple Leafs stunned the Cats in the first two games of their second round series but Florida responded with a hard-fought overtime victory in game three. The game was another battle with both sides looking to inflict as much pain as possible. 

Game three will make for an exciting showcase as the Panthers will look to even up the series while the Maple Leafs aim to put Florida on the ropes with a 3-1 series lead headed back to Toronto for game five. 

For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 33-25 record on our last 58 picks, including perfect records during Game 1 and 4 of the Maple Leafs-Senators series. 

More NHL: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Best Bets:

• Panthers ML (-190)
• Under 6.5 goals (-134)
• Anton Lundell Over 0.5 points (+142)
• Maple Leafs Under 2.5 goals (-108) 

The Panthers have life once again and it's mainly because of their red hot third line. Headlined by Brad Marchand, the offensive unit has combined for four goals including the game winner in game three. Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen have worked well with the former Bruins captain and Lundell works as the best value option as he also mans the second power play unit with Marchand.

More NHL: Jonathan Toews NHL Return Could Be With Anaheim Ducks, According to NHL Insider

Florida's Finnish centre played a significant role in their run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season with 17 points in 24 games. He's been red hot with three goals and five assists for eight points over his last five games and should get back on the board after failing to do so in game three. 

The game may once again be high-scoring as every game of the series has gone over but I expect that we will finally get a big Sergei Bobrovsky game. The Russian netminder has experienced his career-worst stretch versus the Maple Leafs over the last three games with 13 goals allowed.

He should bounce back when the team needs him and keep the Panthers in this game. I expect Joseph Woll to do the same for the Buds as his career playoff numbers show he is far better than his 11 goals allowed over three appearances this postseason.

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