Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Avry Lewis-McDougall, Michael Augello and Kelsey Surmacz react to the Edmonton Oilers beating the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 of the Western Conference final to tie the series at 1-1.

Stars vs. Oilers Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live presented by The Hockey News, where we recap all of the action from every night of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

Promo image credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

According to a new report, the Philadelphia Flyers received a massive trade offer from the Toronto Maple Leafs for veteran defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. GM Danny Briere and Co. didn't budge.

Instead, Ristolainen, 30, remained with the Flyers past the March 7 NHL trade deadline, playing in only three more games before suffering a season-ending triceps injury for the second year in a row during a matchup with the Ottawa Senators on March 11.

A league source told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, “The Leafs offered the moon and couldn’t get him out of there.”

What "the moon" entails is, ultimately, unclear. It should be noted that, at the NHL trade deadline, the Maple Leafs traded top center prospect Fraser Minten, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2025 fourth-round pick (incidentally acquired from the Flyers in the Scott Laughton trade) to the Boston Bruins in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo, whose $3.25 million cap hit after 15% salary retention was much less than Ristolainen's $5.1 million cap hit.

Because the Flyers already retained salary in the Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Kevin Hayes trades, they could not do so again for the Maple Leafs with Ristolainen; they used all their available slots.

Flyers Offseason: Odds Mitch Marner Trades the Maple Leafs for Philadelphia Are HighFans hoping the Philadelphia Flyers swing big for Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner might see their wish come true this summer. At least, that's what the oddsmakers are thinking.

We know the Flyers already pried a 2027 first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin from the Maple Leafs, so it's plausible that the Minten package was on the table in some capacity. We know the Flyers want and need young centers.

Aside from Minten, the Maple Leafs have former first-rounders like Easton Cowan, a forward who plays with Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk on the OHL London Knights, and Ben Danford, a 2024-first round pick who could eventually become Ristolainen's replacement as a 6-foot-2, right-shot defenseman.

That's all speculation, of course, but the Flyers' decision to hold onto the Finnish rearguard is looking increasingly curious after a second consecutive season-ending injury, and he's only getting older.

Fans hoping the Philadelphia Flyers swing big for Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Mitch Marner might see their wish come true this summer. At least, that's what the oddsmakers are thinking.

Marner, 28, is expected to test the free agent for the first time in his career, having just completed the six-year, $65.41 million contract he signed with the Maple Leafs on Sept. 13, 2019. Ironically, the 2019-20 season was the last time the Flyers made the playoffs.

Marner, meanwhile, has made the playoffs with the Maple Leafs every year of his NHL career. While his playoff performances have been scrutinized - and some of it has been deserved - Marner has still been plenty productive. The Markham, Ontario, native has 13 goals, 50 assists, and 63 points in 70 career postseason contests, with four of those goals being game-winners.

All signs (and reports) point to the 28-year-old star, who just had a career-high 102 points, finding a new team this offseason as a result. So where do the Flyers stand?

Flyers odds to sign Mitch Marner

At the time of this writing, theScore Bet currently favors the Chicago Blackhawks, who are devoid of forward talent outside of Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, to land Marner at +275 odds. In other words, the implied probability there is about a 26.7% chance.

The Flyers, meanwhile, have the second-best odds to secure Marner's signature in free agency this summer, sitting cozy at +400. With Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, and overall a better and more competitive team, the Flyers could make a better pitch to Marner at the end of the day.

They have an implied probability of 20%, so, slightly worse than Chicago.

Notably, the Flyers have better odds to land Marner than clubs like the Utah Mammoth (+550), the Carolina Hurricanes (+750), and Montreal Canadiens (+2000).

Marner's fit in Philadelphia

Right now, the greatest concern with fans in Philadelphia, aside from the aforementioned playoff performances, is Marner's actual fit on the team.

The former No. 4 overall pick has played center at the junior and NHL levels, albeit not regularly enough to warrant a full-time position change.

If he plays right wing, Marner will be jostling with Michkov, Konecny, and Bobby Brink for a position with Foerster and Owen Tippett already playing on the left. In the future, the Flyers may also need to create space for winger prospects like Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin.

Flyers Linked to KHL Star as Decision on NHL Future Looms LargeReigniting reports from earlier in the year, the Philadelphia Flyers are once again said to be in on KHL star Maxim Shabanov, an undrafted free agent forward mulling an overseas leap to start his NHL career.

The idea for the Flyers should be to secure as much talent as possible and figure out the rest later. Players like Marner don't hit free agency often; he's scored 20 goals every year of his career except for his rookie year and the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season, and he's scored 97 or more points in three of the last four seasons.

If the Flyers are serious about arming Rick Tocchet with star power and competing in the near future, they will make a genuine effort to sign Marner, for better or for worse.

Plus, Tippett is coming off the least productive full season of his NHL career and will have trade protection language in his contract kick in next summer. Brink, at 5-foot-8, might not have an NHL future playing on a checking line 82 games a season.

Can the Flyers prioritize developing these players over Marner while knowing they will never be as good as Marner? It's hard to say.

As for Michkov, he finished the 2024-25 season playing left wing anyway, and playing with an elite puck transporter and playmaker like Marner could take his new game to another level.

At center, the Flyers still have three first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft in addition to 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko.

Loading up the winger positions ensures that the Flyers' young centers, be it Luchanko or other draftees, will have a much easier time offensively and won't have to "sink or swim" so much at the NHL level.

Marner, Michkov, and, to a lesser degree, Konecny, are all capable of making the players they play with better.

The Flyers cannot be afraid now that the stakes are high.

Certain NHL players are despised when playing against them but loved and adored as a teammate, and no player fits this mold more than 37-year-old Brad Marchand. 

After appearing in 1090 NHL games with the Boston Bruins and eventually earning the captaincy, the organization traded him to the Florida Panthers ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. 

While the left winger is solely focused on the Eastern Conference Final and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final, hockey fans and media speculate where the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion will sign when free agency opens in July. 

The New Jersey Devils should be one team that inquires about the veteran. 

The Basics 

Marchand's salary cap hit in 2024-25 was $6.125 million. Adding another Stanley Cup to his resume could increase his overall value, but keeping his age in mind, his next contract could very well be his last in the NHL. 

For sentimental reasons, it makes sense that he returns to Boston to conclude his career in the city that drafted him in 2006. If the Panthers earn their second consecutive Stanley Cup, it is plausible that Florida will look to keep Marchand in the Sunshine State. It is worth noting that the Panthers' other unrestricted free agents include Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad. 

Those interested in the Devils' current salary cap situation can click here. 

Why He Needs To Be A Target For The Devils 

It is no secret that the Devils need to re-examine and alter their forward group this summer. General manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed his roster will look different in September because the group he had "wasn't good enough." 

Scoring outside New Jersey's core forwards was inconsistent, and it was one of the team's most significant concerns leading into the postseason, as well as one of their downfalls in the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

In the postseason, the Devils primarily utilized Ondrej Palat as their top left winger and Erik Haula on the second line. Marchand's 51 points in the 2024-25 regular season was more than Palat (28) and Haula (21 points) combined. 

In addition to providing much-needed offense, Marchand plays with a particular style of grit and physicality, becoming an actual pest to the opposition. The veteran checks a lot of boxes and could bolster New Jersey's middle-six and play up the lineup if needed. 

There Will Be A High Demand For Marchand 

If the Devils are interested in the former Bruin, they won't be the only ones. Marchand is valuable on and off the ice and would be an asset to any locker room. 

The players in the Panthers' locker room quickly embraced him, and in the postseason, Marchand has been a factor, collecting 12 points in 14 games.

After the trade deadline, Fitzgerald acknowledged he was runner-up for one player he sought after. 

"You are in a fight into the 12th round," he said. "I don't want to say a knockout punch, it was a split decision. A player went to a different team. It was difficult, but that happens. You win some, you lose some. My goal from the get-go was to add to this group, and the player that I went after hard was that player, with or without Jack (Hughes). We were still trying to add that. We came in second."

Securing Marchand would immediately improve head coach Sheldon Keefe's roster and positively impact New Jersey's on-ice performance. While no one will know what will happen in free agency, one thing for sure is Fitzgerald can't afford to come in second this summer when New Jersey expects to make the playoffs and put together a run.

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

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We’re down to the NHL’s final four and for the third straight season, the Florida Panthers are still alive!

This week on The Hockey Show, hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed Dimitri Filipovic of the PDOcast to get into the latest happenings in and around the NHL.

That mostly included talk about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and can you blame them?

They touched on a couple of the recently eliminated teams, like the Toronto Maple Leafs – who had a 2-0 series lead and a 3-1 lead in Game 3 before getting knocked out in seven by Florida – and the Winnipeg Jets – the Presidents’ Trophy winners who struggled mightily on the road and didn’t get the same goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck during the playoffs that they did during the regular season.

The boys (and Rose) also got into the two conference finals, with the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers out west and the Panthers facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the east.

Dallas pulled off an impressive comeback on the Oilers to take Game 1 of their rematch series while Florida continued some incredibly strong road play by taking Games 1 and 2 in Carolina by a combined score of 10-2.

Wins and fails of the week included a masterclass in being interviewed on live TV by Florida’s A.J. Greer, a Panthers fan walking around Downtown Toronto in a fresh new Florida Brad Marchand jersey before Game 7 and a horrible attempt at a sign trolling Marchand by a fan in Raleigh.

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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Reigniting reports from earlier in the year, the Philadelphia Flyers are once again said to be in on KHL star Maxim Shabanov, an undrafted free agent forward mulling an overseas leap to start his NHL career.

Anthony San Filippo of On Patinson reported Thursday that the Flyers are indeed pursuing Shabanov, citing league sources who believe that the Russian forward's decision will come down to Philadelphia, the Vegas Golden Knights, or, ultimately, staying with Traktor Chelyabinsk in pursuit of the elusive Gagarin Cup.

Additionally, San Filippo reported that a source in the Flyers' hockey ops feels the final outcome is "up to the player."

By now, the Flyers' growing Russian contingent has been well-documented. Last spring, the Flyers surprisingly added Ivan Fedotov after he terminated his contract with CSKA Moskva, and Belarusian goalkeeper Aleksei Kolosov returned from his loan to Dinamo Minsk.

That summer, Matvei Michkov made his highly anticipated move to the Flyers, joining Fedotov, Kolosov, defenseman Egor Zamula, and prospect Egor Zavragin in the organization. Then, a few months ago, the Flyers traded Scott Laughton to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

Oh, and the Flyers went out of their way to hire decorated KHL coach Oleg Znarok to help Michkov and Co.

Basically, in Philadelphia, Shabanov will have all the opportunity in the world to earn an NHL roster spot permanently, and he'll have plenty of countrymen around him in support, including a former Traktor U16 teammate in Zamula.

But Vegas, too, will represent a strong challenge to the Flyers for his services.

Is Rick Tocchet a 'Quitter'? New Flyers Coach Understands Heavy BacklashAfter leaving the Vancouver Canucks and joining the Philadelphia Flyers a short time later, Rick Tocchet has been labelled a quitter by his own former fanbase. But, is there any truth to such heavy criticisms?

Shabanov played with sharpshooter Pavel Dorofeyev for parts of three seasons, including in the MHL, and Ilya Samsonov and Ivan Barbashev help comprise a Golden Knights team that is objectively way better than the Flyers are.

They also have prospects like Pavel Moysevich, a Belarusian goalie, and Ivan Morozov coming through.

In addition to Vegas, the Flyers may have to ward off a Metropolitan Division rival in the Pittsburgh Penguins to secure Shabanov's signature.

According to RG, "NHL scouts, particularly from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights, have closely monitored him."

 “Maybe I'll think about it, maybe not. I've said before that all my thoughts were focused on having a successful season with Traktor. I don’t read what people write about me or listen to what they say,” Shabanov was quoted as saying about his NHL future by RG.

The Flyers should have plenty of appeal for Shabanov, especially as it relates to opportunity on the ice. The 24-year-old forward only needs to look as far back as Vadim Shipachyov's tenure in Vegas to see what could happen if he doesn't emerge as a stud immediately.

Shabanov's size, standing at just 5-foot-8, could eventually emerge as a concern, but his talent is evident. He's creative, skilled, adventurous, and knows where the good ice is.

As far as the Flyers are concerned, that's a worthy gamble. Now, we wait on a final decision.

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford is looking to leave his mark on the Memorial Cup after a disappointing QMJHL season.

Cataford was traded to the Rimouski Océanic in the offseason from the Halifax Mooseheads, providing Cataford the opportunity to play in the Memorial Cup as Rimouski are the 2025 hosts. In his third and final season with the Mooseheads, Cataford took home MVP honours after scoring 40 goals and 90 points in 65 games. 

In his first season with the Océanic, the 20-year-old started the season off strongly, but after the World Juniors, his production took a dip, finishing the season with 19 goals and 64 points in 54 games. The playoffs brought a new opportunity, and he took advantage, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 12 games. The Océanic unfortunately lost in the finals to the Moncton Wildcats. 

The Memorial Cup provides Cataford with the opportunity to show why he was brought into the organization. If he can play at his MVP level, the Océanic will have an excellent opportunity to win the tournament. Their opponents this year are the three other CHL league winners, which include the London Knights (OHL), Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) and the Moncton Wild Cats (QMJHL). 

Last year's tournament provided another Golden Knights prospect, Matyas Sapovaliv, to leave his mark. The 6'4 defensive center recorded just one assist in five games, but was a force defensively, shutting down some of the best prospects in the CHL and winning the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit. 

Cataford will play a vital role with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL next season, and heading into his first professional season with the confidence of a strong performance in a major tournament would be a valued asset. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

Could The Golden Knights' Top Prospect Be Heading To The WHL?Vegas Golden Knights prospect Trevor Connelly was acquired from the Spokane Chiefs by the Penticton Vees in the WHL expansion draft. Golden Knights Sign Tuomas Uronen To Three-Year, Entry-Level ContractThe Vegas Golden Knights have signed forward Tuomas Uronen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

The Carolina Hurricanes had a nightmare Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. After allowing three goals in the first period to the Panthers, the Hurricanes were unable to bounce back and lost by a 5-0 final score. It was just an uncharacteristically brutal game for Carolina, and they are now down 2-0 in the series because of it. 

While the Hurricanes suffered this ugly loss to the Panthers in Game 2, Carolina forward Taylor Hall remained optimistic and argued that Florida is beatable. 

"I mean, they just went seven games against the Leafs, right?" Hall said to reporters, including ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "They're not a perfect hockey team, and we know that there are areas to exploit, like any team."

Hall certainly has an argument here, as this series is not over until a club wins four games. Anything can happen until then, but if the Hurricanes hope to get things back on track, they are going to need to improve immediately.

In their first two rounds of the playoffs this year against the New Jersey Devils and then the Washington Capitals, the Hurricanes demonstrated that they have the potential to go on a massive run this post-season. They were getting a fantastic mixture of great offense, strong defense, and excellent goaltending. All of this just hasn't been there against the Panthers, but there is still time for them to change that. 

It is going to be interesting to see if Hall and the Hurricanes can solve the Panthers and get this series back on track. A win in Game 3 would be the first step in doing so.

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Photo Credit:  © James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers have been a menace when playing on the road this postseason.

When looking at some of the statistics they are putting up, it’s starting to get a little ridiculous.

We may end up bouncing around a little bit when going over the numbers, so bear with me.

Let’s start with the goaltending.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been absolutely lights on when playing away from South Florida during the playoffs.

Through nine road games, Bob holds a 7-2 record to go with a tidy 2.02 goals against average and strong .919 save percentage. He’s also logged two of his three playoff shutouts on the road.

Now while Bob has been stellar in away games, the Panthers are making a case that they’d be okay even if he wasn’t standing on his head between the pipes.

The Panthers are seven road goals away from setting a new NHL record for most road goals in a single postseason. Currently, the record is held by the 1993 Los Angeles Kings, who scored 49 goals on the road. Florida has 43, which is also the most goals ever through nine road playoff games.

But wait, there’s more.

Florida has now scored three or more goals in seven consecutive road games, the second-longest streak in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Both the 1996 Colorado Avalanche and 2020 bubble New York Islanders scored three or more goals in eight straight road games.

The Panthers are also the second team in NHL history to have a four-game road winning sreak in three consecutive postseasons. They had an eight-game road winning streak in 2023 and a four-gamer last year.

During their current four-game road winning streak, the Cats are outscoring their opponents 22-4.

Florida is also the sixth team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to score five or more goals in four straight road games. The record is five games, held by the 1981 Islanders.

This is the second time in franchise history Florida has opened the conference final with two road wins. They did it in 2023, also against Carolina.

Now we’ll see if the Panthers can keep it going on home ice, as they’re two wins away from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Since leaving South Florida last weekend, Florida has gone 3-0 by a combined score of 16-3.

“It’s been a hell of a road trip,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said after Game 2 in Carolina.

Indeed it has, Matthew.

Game 3 from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise is set for Saturday night at 8 p.m.

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Photo caption: May 22, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers celebrate the win against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The New York Islanders officially announced Mathieu Darche as their GM and executive vice-president on Friday.

Darche will manage all aspects of the Islanders' hockey operations in his first NHL GM job, which suggests the team won't hire a president of hockey operations for now. The former NHL player spent the past six seasons as the Tampa Bay Lightning's director of hockey operations and assistant GM for the past three.

Islanders operating partner John Collins led the search for the person to replace Lou Lamoriello, who was GM and president of hockey operations from 2018-19 to the end of this season.

“Mathieu is the perfect choice to lead our hockey operations,” Collins said in a news release. “He will be given every resource available to put the Islanders first-in-class on the ice, with our business initiatives, and in the community.”

Darche's arrival adds to the Islanders' momentum after winning the NHL draft lottery earlier in May, Collins added.

“With the Islanders owning the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft and preparing to welcome the Olympic sendoff at UBS Arena next season, there is much to which our franchise, our players, and our passionate fans can look forward,” he said.

The Lightning made the playoffs in every season Darche was on GM Julien BriseBois' staff, and they won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning have not been afraid to make big moves, either, such as acquiring Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, trading Mikhail Sergachev and letting Steven Stamkos walk last summer.

Darche said he's honored for this opportunity to lead the Islanders forward.

“I’d like to thank Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, John Collins, and the entire ownership group for entrusting me with the hockey operations of this great franchise.”

Before Darche joined the Lightning's front office, he played 250 games in the NHL from 2001 to 2012. While he spent most of his playing career splitting seasons between the NHL and AHL and won the Calder Cup in 2004, he played a career-high 73 games with the Lightning in 2007-08 and recorded a career-high 26 points with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010-11.

The 48-year-old from Montreal has a lot on the to-do list.

The Islanders finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a .500 points percentage, the team's lowest since 2017-18.

They also have seven pending RFAs to deal with, including No. 1 D-man Noah Dobson and fellow defensemen Adam Boqvist and Alexander Romanov. The Islanders also have five pending UFAs, including Kyle Palmieri on offense and Mike Reilly and Tony DeAngelo on the back end.

The Islanders have a projected $28.3 million in cap space next season, but only 14 of 23 slots are filled on the active roster.

There's also the question about whether their No. 1 pick in the NHL draft will be in The Show next season. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the front-runner to be that selection, but he only played 24 games in the 2024-25 campaign between the OHL, world juniors and Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Post-Lottery Top 64One week after the NHL’s draft lottery decided which franchise received the first-overall pick, it’s time for a new round of draft rankings. 

Reports came out earlier in the week that the Islanders had permission to interview outgoing Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, but Darche got the full vote of confidence to handle all these action items in the hockey operations department without going the rebuilding route.

“Mathieu has served as a key member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has a diverse background in top-level business models,” Collins said. “He is a proven winner and is committed, as is our ownership group, to building a group that will be highly competitive next season and beyond.”

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Promo image credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

It's been quiet in the New York Rangers' rumor mill since their disappointing season ended last month.

This is likely the calm before the inevitable storm, as Rangers GM Chris Drury could continue tinkering with his roster later this summer.

Chris Kreider remains the most likely trade candidate. The 34-year-old left winger struggled through an injury-hampered campaign but still reached the 20-goal plateau (22) for the 10th time in his 13-season NHL career.

Nevertheless, Peter Baugh of The Athletic expects Kreider to be traded in a cost-cutting deal to free up cap room for other moves. He noted that Kreider has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.5 million with a 15-team no-trade list.

Baugh noted that Kreider could make himself difficult to move by eliminating teams with the cap space to absorb his contract. However, he could also work with Rangers management to find a desirable trade destination if he'd welcome a change. Baugh also doesn't expect they'll bring in any big-name replacement for Kreider.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres are reportedly shopping Bowen Byram. The 23-year-old defenseman is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $3.85 million. He's due to become an RFA with arbitration rights on July 1.

Byram will seek a more lucrative deal after finishing with a career-best 38 points in 82 games this season. However, the Sabres' rumored priority is signing forwards JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch, Jack Quinn and Ryan McLeod.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports the Sabres are gauging Byram's value in the trade market. Despite his injury history, Byram's youth and all-around skills should attract plenty of interest in this summer's trade market.

The Sabres will likely prefer a player-for-player swap. Their asking price could be a veteran top-four, right-shot defenseman to pair with young Owen Power.

Rasmus Andersson of the Calgary Flames could be of interest to the Sabres. The 28-year-old blueliner is a year away from UFA eligibility and could become available if he and the Flames fail to agree to an extension.

The Ottawa Senators could also target Andersson if the Flames put him on the trade block. A Postmedia report indicated Senators GM Steve Staios could shop for a right-shot rearguard after Nick Jensen underwent lower-body surgery.

The report speculated that Andersson could seek around $8 million annually on his next contract, which could prompt the Flames to peddle him this season. Given his UFA eligibility next summer, the Senators would want assurances he'd sign a contract extension.

During the Flames' end-of-season media availability, GM Craig Conroy said he hoped to open extension talks with Andersson soon. However, he won't put himself in the same position he was in two years ago with Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Conroy could shop Andersson to the highest bidder if a deal cannot be worked out.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Stars surge after 5 unanswered in Game 1 as Oilers seek redemption in Game 2

The Edmonton Oilers appeared to be in full control with a 3-1 lead heading into the third period of Game 1, but the Dallas Stars unleashed a furious comeback, scoring five unanswered goals to stun the Oilers 6-3 and grab the 1-0 series lead. 

Dallas capitalized on Edmonton's lack of discipline, converting three power plays in the final frame to turn the tide. What seemed like a sure Oilers victory unraveled into a collapse they'll be eager to rebound from in Game 2, while the Stars aim to build on their momentum and seize a commanding 2-0 series lead.

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

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Dallas Stars vs Edmonton Oilers Game 2 Best Bets:

• Zach Hyman anytime goal (+240)
• Zach Hyman Over 0.5 points (+102)
• Wyatt Johnston Over 0.5 points (-120)
• Over 6.5 goals (-102)

Entering this series, the Oilers held a significant advantage in depth scoring from their forwards, boasting 19 goals from their bottom six compared to just six from the Stars’ group. Dallas, however, completely flipped the script with three goals from bottom-six forwards and two from defensemen, while Edmonton had to rely heavily on its star players to stay competitive.

More NHL: Conference Finals Betting Round-Up: Unlikely Heroes Emerging as Value Plays After Game 1

Depth may be fading for the Oilers, as winger Connor Brown appears to be wearing down, and the Stars are beginning to capitalize, highlighted by a Tyler Seguin goal that resulted from reading and exploiting an Edmonton play in the offensive zone. A stronger performance is needed from Zach Hyman, who is logging the fourth-most minutes among Edmonton forwards but has managed points in only one of the last four games and hasn't scored in five straight.

The former Panthers draft pick has developed into a lethal goal scorer on Connor McDavid’s wing, but the production has notably dried up of late. He is long overdue for a goal and should get one in a big spot for the Oilers. The Stars will need to respond with some scoring from a star player of their own in Wyatt Johnston. 

The Toronto native plays the second-most forward minutes and started the playoffs hot with eight points through ten playoffs games but has since failed to make the scoresheet in four straight. With five goals and two assists for seven points over his last nine games versus the Oilers, Johnston should find a way to bounce back and get back on the board.

More NHL: Stars Insider Gives Best Bets For Western Conference Finals versus Edmonton Oilers

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The Islanders are hiring Mathieu Darche to be their general manager and executive vice president.

He takes over for Lou Lamoriello, whom the team parted ways with in April after he served in a GM/team president role for seven years.

“I am truly honored by the opportunity to be the New York Islanders General Manager and Executive Vice President,” Darche said. “I’d like to thank Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, John Collins, and the entire ownership group for entrusting me with the hockey operations of this great franchise.”

Darche, 48, recently worked as the director of hockey operations for the Lightning.

“Mathieu is the perfect choice to lead our hockey operations," added Collins, the Islanders' operating partner. "He will be given every resource available to put the Islanders first-in-class on the ice, with our business initiatives, and in the community. Mathieu has served as a key member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has a diverse background in top-level business models. He is a proven winner and is committed, as is our ownership group, to building a group that will be highly competitive next season and beyond.”

Before becoming an executive, Darche spent 12 seasons playing in the NHL and AHL.

In the NHL, he had stints with the Blue Jackets, Predators, Sharks, Lightning, and Canadiens.

On Thursday, the Chicago Blackhawks officially announced the hiring of Jeff Blashill, following weeks of speculation. He is the 42nd head coach in franchise history. 

At every stop, whether in the NHL, AHL, or development leagues across North America, he has consistently achieved success with young talent. Right now, the Blackhawks have plenty of young players at the NHL level who must take the next step soon. 

At the top of the list is 2023 number one overall pick Connor Bedard. He is the face of the franchise, their current best player, and the one with the most natural gifts. 

Behind him is Frank Nazar, who has been the team's second-most-impactful forward in the last six months. He may even be able to claim that he was the best player on the team in the second half of the season. 

Beyond those two and a handful of others, they lack depth up front, but that is sure to be addressed in free agency and the 2025 NHL Draft. 

On defense, studs like Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, and Sam Rinzel are ready to be difference makers. Other guys like Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, and Louis Crevier will be battling for spots in the lineup. With Spencer Knight in goal, this is an organization doing a great job building from the net out. 

With his experience in the NCAA, USHL, and AHL, Jeff Blashill must help all of these young men become great. More than that, he needs to help them become winners. 

Although his success in other leagues is well-documented, he didn't achieve as much in the NHL. He made the playoffs in his first Detroit Red Wings season, but the wheels fell off after that. Guys like Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and  Johan Franzen, amongst others, started to age out. After that, a rebuild was needed. Not many coaches would have yielded a ton of wins in that situation. 

He did help oversee the development of players like Dylan Larkin and Moritz Seider while he was there, which is a plus on his resume. Before the NHL, his development plan for players has seen a lot of success both individually and as a team. 

Making the playoffs or competing for the Stanley Cup isn't on Blashill's immediate agenda. However, he must come in and see results from the young players in terms of production. His objective is to have everyone do their job and what they're best at.

With all of the talent that will be at Blashill's fingertips, he must find a way to help them level up in the rebuild. Kyle Davidson was clear that this hire revolved around that theory. 

“Jeff is an incredibly smart and talented coach who boasts more than 25 years of coaching experience across developmental leagues, the NHL, and the world stage,” Davidson said. “He’s thrived when in a position to develop young players and has shown he’s capable of blending that into overall team success, a vision and philosophy we share for where we are today and where we see our team in the future. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come under Jeff’s direction.”

Davidson believes that Blashill's experience with young players is what made him the clear final choice. After David Carle, who is incredibly successful with young players in his own right, decided to stay at the University of Denver, Blashill became a great option.

It is also nice that he has some NHL head coaching experience to go with all of that developmental history. He breaks a streak of four straight coaches that Chicago has had with no history behind the bench of an NHL team as the decision maker. 

It's a heavy burden for Blashill to take on, but lots of coaches have proven to be successful in their second jobs. Chicago is very excited about the prospect farm that they have put together, and it's only going to get better with the third overall pick. Blashill could become a significant part of their present and future right away if he shows progress immediately. 

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

The NHL announced the finalists for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award on Friday.

The Winnipeg Jets' Kevin Cheveldayoff, Dallas Stars' Jim Nill and Florida Panthers' Bill Zito are the final three up for the award, which goes to the league's most outstanding GM. 

While most of the NHL's awards are voted on right after the regular season, the league's GMs and a panel of executives, print and broadcast media voted for the Jim Gregory Award after the second round of the playoffs.

Two of these GMs are still in the playoffs, while the other led his squad to the Presidents' Trophy.

In fact, Cheveldayoff's Jets not only finished atop the regular-season standings for the first time in franchise history, but they had their best regular season record as well, with a 56-22-4 record and 116 points. 

Cheveldayoff followed up on a fourth-place finish and first-round exit last year by promoting coach Scott Arniel to replace Rick Bowness as bench boss. Arniel is a Jack Adams finalist.

The GM also acquired left winger Brandon Tanev and defenseman Luke Schenn at the NHL trade deadline. Schenn had 59 hits and one point in the playoffs, while Tanev had 44 hits.

Nill's Stars eliminated the Jets in six games during the second round and are back in the Western Conference final for the third straight season. Nill also has a chance at winning the Jim Gregory Award for the third straight time as well after earning the honor in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Nill brought on Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci in February. Granlund has nine points in the playoffs so far, and Ceci has three.

But the biggest move of the trade deadline brought Mikko Rantanen to the Stars from the Carolina Hurricanes, and Nill signed the superstar to an eight-year contract extension. Rantanen now leads the NHL in playoff scoring, with 20 points in 14 games.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, currently trail Nito's Panthers 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final.

Zito and the Panthers won the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history last season. Although they lost Brandon Montour, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz in free agency, he brought in depth players Nate Schmidt, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and Jesper Boqvist while later acquiring star defenseman Seth Jones and former Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand around the trade deadline.

Zito is a finalist for the GM of the Year award for the third straight time and trails only Nill for most finalist berths since the award was introduced in 2009-10.

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