EHM The Blue Line

***Breaking news***

The Vegas Golden Knights have completed a trade with the Minnesota Wild.

Going to Minnesota is right winger Bobby Ryan along with defender Jordan Gross.

Headed to Las Vegas is the Wild's 2018 1st round draft pick along with rights to Swedish defender Gustav Olofsson.

Ryan, 30, has been the Knights' top scorer on the season with 24 goals and 46 points in 61 games. Gross, 22, has spent the season in the AHL with Fresno.

Olofsson, 23, is currently playing with Timra in the Allsvenskan.

The following is analysis from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

"Well, it's clear that Forsberg and the Knights are intent on building for the future despite their surprise success this season. First Varlamov and now Ryan - their two biggest stars, are traded away despite the Knights currently sitting in 6th place in the West."

"Fantastic deal in the short-term at least for the Wild. Their biggest hole was finding another top 6 right wing to go along with Coyle and Ryan will slide into that vacancy perfectly. The Wild will eventually have to work around Ryan's big contract but they are currently in 1st place in the West and at the moment, this is purely about winning now." Gross is an offensive defenseman with promise but needs some work on his skating in order to make an impact at the next level.

"Adding the Wild's 1st round pick in the upcoming draft gives the Knights 3 picks in the 1st round along with 10 picks in the first three rounds. Olofsson re-signed in Sweden after a brief stint in North America last year but the Knights will try to tempt him back for next season with a regular role at the NHL level. Very little in the way of offensive skills but has an advanced defensive game and is probably NHL-ready."

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 65

The Knights head down the home stretch of their maiden season in a very interesting predicament. They sit just outside the playoff picture with 17 games left but have games in hand on some teams ahead of them. But they've also dealt away two critical players in Varlamov and Ryan at the trade deadline and are only 1-3 since those moves. Their overall record sits at 32-24-9 with 196 goals for and 190 goals against.

The Knights have passed LA in the Pacific although they have played an extra game.



In the West, only 3 points separate 6th place from 10th place and the Knights are squarely in the mix, with everything resting on their finish to the season.



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- With Ryan gone, the keys to the offense have officially been handed over to rookie sensation Nico Hischier. His 20 goals and 50 points are impressive for a just-drafted teenager in any circumstance and he's got plenty of games to add to his totals.

- Marko Dano has stepped up in Ryan's absence and has 7 goals in his last 8 games. The talented Slovak has been a shining light all season in a variety of roles.

- Returns are mixed in the goaltending department with Varlamov gone. Kuemper has been ok but probably not good enough to inspire much confidence while rookie Laurent Brossoit had a decent debut in a single game thus far. The Knights put a waiver claim in for veteran Michal Neuvirth, who was waived by the Flyers (ironically - after they acquired Varlamov) but he ended up in Dallas who were higher in the waiver order at this point.

***Breaking news***

Hurricanes suffer huge blow as Slavin suffers torn UCL

Star Hurricanes defender Jaccob Slavin will spend the rest of the season on the shelf after undergoing surgery to repair a torn UCL on Saturday. Slavin was having a brilliant sophomore campaign, with 35 points in 62 games and a flawless defensive presence in over 24 minutes of ice time per game.

The Hurricanes currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference but are 11 points out of 8th place and Slavin's injury will likely be the nail in their coffin for their 2018 playoff hopes.

2018 Olympic Hockey Tournament

Here's a recap to see how the 2018 Olympics went down in Men's Ice Hockey!

Group Stage:
- The three group winners, with byes to the quarterfinals were the USA, the Czech Republic and Canada. The USA edged Sweden in Group A with the Swiss in third and Austria in last. The Czechs dominated Group B with Germany edging Finland for second and Slovakia pulling up the rear. Canada powered through Group C undefeated with Russia in second, Latvia in third and Kazakhstan in last.

Qualifying Round:
- No real shocks in the qualifying round as all the favorites progressed. Russia beat Kazakhstan 4-1, Germany pounded Austria 5-2, Finland beat Slovakia 4-2 and the Swiss beat Latvia by the same 4-2 score.

Quarterfinals:
- Russia edged Sweden 3-2 in an overtime thriller. Gabriel Landeskog and John Klingberg gave Sweden a quick 2-0 lead in the first period. Evgeni Kuznetsov reduced the deficit to 2-1 before Artemy Panarin tied things up in the second period. Defender Alexey Marchenko beat Henrik Lundqvist with a slapshot in OT to win the game for Russia.
- In another exciting match, the Czech Republic defeated Finland 2-1. Mikko Koivu gave Finland a 1-0 lead that held until the third period when Jakub Voracek tied things up. The Czech game-winner came with three minutes to go from defender Tomas Kundratek. Both goalies played great. Petr Mrazak allowed only Koivu's goal while Tuukka Rask turned away 30 of 32 shots.
- The USA breezed through a 4-1 win over Germany. The Germans struck first behind Leon Draisatil but after that it was all USA, with goals from Dylan Larkin, Brandon Saad, Jack Eichel and Alex Galchenyuk. Keith Shattenkirk and Shayne Gostisbehere led a fluid American blueline while Ben Bishop was stout in goal.
- Canada romped to a 7-2 victory over over-matched Switzerland. The full depth and power of Canada's lineup was on display as they got goals from their big guns: Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos, Tyler Seguin, Drew Doughty and Duncan Keith. The Swiss got goals from Nino Niederreiter and rookie sensation Nico Hischier but it was not nearly enough to match Canada's star power.

Semifinals:
- Canada got a much tougher game in the semifinals as they were tested the entire way by a pesky Czech team. The Czechs put the Canadians on their heels in the first, going up 2-0 behind goals from Pavel Zacha and Jiri Hudler. A Seguin double in the second set things up for a back-and-forth final frame. Stamkos put Canada ahead 3-2 before David Krejci tied things back up. Taylor Hall then scored the game winner to send Canada to the Gold Medal game. Hall had 3 points for Canada while young winger Ondrej Kase put in an inspiring performance for the Czech's with 3 helpers.
- The other semi was also a nail-biter as Russia defeated the USA 4-3, courtesy of a Vladimir Tarasenko overtime game winner. Young defender Mikhail Sergachyov put Russia up early 1-0 before Joe Pavelski and Eichel goals gave the USA a 2-1 lead after one period. Alex Ovechkin powered home two goals in the 2nd period before Phil Kessel sent things to OT where Tarasenko won it for Russia.

Bronze Medal Game:
- The USA pummeled the Czech Republic with 47 shots (to 22 for the Czechs) but behind an superb display from Mrazak, the Czechs took Bronze by beating ther Americans 4-2. The USA led after one period 2-0 thanks to goals from Galchenyuk and Eichel. That same score help up until the third period when the floodgates opened for the Czechs. Defenseman Vojtech Mozik beat Cory Schneider twice in the span of minutes with absolute bombs from the point. Shaken - the USA was vulnerable and their defense leaking as young guns Kase and Zacha sealed the podium spot for the Cezch Republic and sent the USA home with nothing.

Gold Medal Game:
- Traditional blood rivals Canada and Russia renewed their historic rivalry with this encounter in the Gold Medal game of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Canada had cruised through the tournament before finally getting tested by the Czechs in the semis. Russia got there with two nail-biting OT wins, beating Sweden in the quarters and the USA in the semis. The game could not match the hype as Canada got goals from Jonathan Drouin and Crosby in the first period to set the tone. Vadim Shipachyov reduced the deficit for Russia to 2-1 early in the second but this was as close as Russia would get. Behind 39 shots and steady play from Carey Price in net, the Canadians proved to deep and dangerous. P.K. Subban and Jamie Benn scored in the second to send the game into the third period 4-1. Ryan O'Reilly made it 5-1 before Vladimir Tkachyov gave Russia a glimmer of hope with a goal to make it 5-2. But Canada continued to be unstoppable with McDavid, Shea Weber and Toews completing the Gold Medal rout and leaving only Silver consolation for Russia.

Vegas Players in the 2018 Olympic Tournament:
- Knights top pairing Dmitry Orlov and Dmitry Kulikov both represented Russia. Orlov played in all 7 games, leading the Russia defense in ice time and scoring 3 points in 7 games. Kulikov also played in all 7 games, going pointless as a lower-pairing stay-at-home defender.
- Slovakia also called upon two Knights players - Tomas Tatar and Marko Dano. Tatar led the Slovaks in their brief showing with 3 points in 4 games while Dano scored one goal in 4 games.
- Defender Ville Pokka was drafted into the Finland squad for depth but made no appearances.
- Young star Nico Hischier continued to be in impressive form, leading the pesky Swiss with 6 points in just 5 games. It's clear that the Golden Knights have their "Golden Boy"!

Knights Always Finish the Fight!

Another memorable chapter in Knights history was written Sunday night when, fighting for their playoff lives, the team traveled to Vancouver to face the Canucks. With rookie Laurent Brossoit starting in net for Vegas, the Canucks quickly went up 3-0 by early in the second - with Markus Granlund grabbing 2 goals and a helper for Vancouver. Matt Nieto pulled one back for Vegas later in that frame but things remained 3-1 in Vancouver's favor deep into the third period.

With just over 2 minutes left to go in the game, Marko Dano ripped home a PP goal to give the Knights a glimmer of hope. With Brossoit pulled and the clocks winding down to 2 minutes...then 90 seconds...then 60 seconds - the Knights piled on the pressure in the Canucks zone. With 31 seconds left in the game, Alex Killorn wristed a shot past Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom to tie the game.

With things tied after regulation and still tied after OT - Tomas Tatar and Nico Hischier scored on both their penalty shots and Brossoit stoned Bo Horvat to end the game and capture a vital 3 points for Vegas!

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - After Game 73

I've come to give the penultimate update for the Knights in their first season...and something magical appears to be happening in the desert. The Vegas Golden Knights, with 9 games left to play and having dealt away their two biggest stars at the trade deadline, appear to be on the verge of something extraordinary. Now - these last 9 games will be a long 9 games and a lot can happen. But as of today, Vegas sits at 38-25-10 with 226 goals for and 211 goals against, going 6-1-1 since their last update in the most critical games of their existence to date.

The Knights have fought to third place in the Pacific although Anaheim and LA remain hot on their heels. There is no room for error.



In conference standings and playoff positioning - if the season ended today, the Knights would not only qualify for the playoffs - they would be the 6th seed. Remarkable - but as mentioned...the pressure will still be on with 9 games left.



Here's a look at player stats:



Some items of note:

- Hischier has cooled off a bit but Alex Killorn has taken over the offense and had a blistering couple of weeks, scoring 5 goals and 10 points in 8 games, almost all of them vital goals. It has taken most of the season, but the Alex Killorn many thought had a chance to blossom into a star as a primary cog on a team has officially arrived. And riding with Killorn and Hischier on the top line as the rugged garbage man - replacing the departed Bobby Ryan - winger Kerby Rychel added 9 points in 8 games, showing the kind of offensive upside most assumed he didn't have.

- Also on fire are defenders Derrick Pouliot and Dmitry Orlov. Pouliot looks like he is recapturing some of his first-half magic, scoring 8 points in 8 games while Orlov continues to be the cowbell on defense while helping himself to 6 points of his own.

- Brock McGinn, like Rychel, continues to impress after being called up to Vegas earlier in the year. He scored 4 goals and 6 points in his last 8 games on an effective third line with Dowd and Jarnkrok.

- Kuemper continues to be solid, although not a star, in net as the starter with Varlamov gone. Brossoit has been excellent in his 5 starts, not taking a regulation loss while going 3-0-2 with a 2.45 GAA and 0.913 SV%.

***Breaking news*** Vegas Golden Knights qualify for NHL playoffs in maiden campaign!

Powered by an Alex Killorn hat-trick, the first ever hat-trick in franchise history, the Vegas Golden Knights made it a night to remember for a packed house at T-Mobile Arena in their home finale and 81st game of the season as they demolished the Arizona Coyotes 5-2 to secure a playoff spot with just one game left in the season. Vegas racked up 3 PP tallies on the night.

The Knights, almost unbelievably - have worked their way all the way up to 4th place in the Western Conference with one game left. However there are 4 teams within 1 point of each other so the Knights can finish anywhere between 4th and 7th. They wrap up their season tomorrow night at San Jose, who are well out of the playoff picture.

Vegas Update 2017/18 Season - Regular Season Wrap-Up

These amazing Knights have wrapped up the regular season their first season of existence by claiming the 7th seed in the Western Conference. They finish the year with 98 points - by any measure a really, really good season for any team - but for an expansion team, simply unreal. They got better as the season went along even after trading their two biggest stars. Forsberg played poker by dealing for future assets and came up with a royal flush...a Golden scenario if you will.





Let's wrap up some player performances for the year in total:



- Nico Hischer finishes the regular season on FIRE with 14 points in 9 games - surely wrapping up the Calder and one of the better rookie performances in recent years. Playing in all 82 games, Nico score 27 goals and 41 assists - easily leading Vegas with 68 points.

- Close behind on the fire scale - Alex Killorn wraps up the year with 29 goals and 56 points after a sluggish start.

- He'll never be the offensive focal point but young Slovakian Marko Dano established himself as a versatile and consistent talent with 25 goals and 48 points along with a +15.

- Secondary scoring was found with Tomas Tatar (22 goals), Tomas Plekanec (40 points) and Kerby Rychel (40 points). Rychel really blossomed after the team dealt Bobby Ryan as he replaced on the top line.

- The standout defenders were by far Derrick Pouliot (blueline leading 44 points and +18) and Dmitry Orlov (41 points and team-leading 23:14 of ice time per game). Brett Kulak was the surprise of the year, with 27 points and a +18 in 76 games.

- Other double-digit goal scorers were Brock McGinn (12 goals), William Karlsson (11 goals) and Calle Jarnkrok (10 goals in 49 games as a Knight). Mayy Nieto finished just shy with 9 goals - showing the amount of team contribution the club got offensively down to the 4th line. Also a special shoutout to Nic Dowd - who lost half the year to injury but still managed 18 points and a whopping +16 in 45 games.

- In net, Darcy Kuemper had a sterling 21-8-2 record with a 2.57 GAA and 0.901 SV% while rookie Laurent Brossoit looked more than ready after the Varlamov deal, going 6-1-3 in 10 games with a 2.29 GAA and 0.912 SV%.

2018 NHL Playoffs Preview - Part 1

A short guide to the 2018 NHL Playoffs - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Toronto Maple Leafs VS #8 Columbus Blue Jackets:
- It all came together for the Maple Leafs this season as their rebuild is officially complete and boy, what a success. A massive 125 points on the season for Toronto and easy winners of the President's Cup. They will be heavy favorites to hoist the first of what may be many Stanley Cups this season and return the illustrious franchise to its former glory. Offensively, no surprise, they are led by young franchise center Auston Matthews who scored 86 points on the year. Mitch Marner (33 goals, 60 points), William Nylander (32 goals, 61 points) and James van Riemsdyk (29 goals, 61 points) were the other major contributors up front while Morgan Reilly (56 points), Keith Shattenkirk (53 points) and Jake Gardiner (47 points) diretected a potent blueline. Jiri Hudler was a sneaky low-priced deadline move and had 13 points in 23 games) and along with guys like Nazem Kadri and Tyler Bozak, gives the team formidable depth. Ben Bishop won 43 games in 60 starts with a 2.00 GAA. There is depth and skill everywhere on the club and a Cup-winning coach in Mike Babcock.
- The Blue Jackets could only just squeeze into the playoffs this season but should give the Leafs a tough test. They were a little over-reliant on goal scoring from Cam Atkinson (35 goals, 63 points) and Brandon Saad (31 goals, 64 points). They have a deep group of forwards including Alexander Wennberg (54 points) and Olivier Bjorkstrand (19 goals). But some of their bigger names came up short this season...Nick Foligno had only 32 points, Sam Gagner only 30 points, Brandon Dubinsky only 28 points and Scott Hartnell really fell off the map completely while rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois could muster only 4 goals. Deadline acquisition Logan Couture would have been a huge help and had 3 points in 3 games after being acquired at the trade deadline but then tore his UCL and is out for the season. Better luck has been had with another deadline acquisition, veteran Jussi Jokinen who had 8 goals in 22 games after coming over from Florida. The defense is excellent, led by Zach Werenski (52 points, +24) and Seth Jones (45 points, +8). Sergei Bobrvosky had a bit of an off-year in net and will need to be better for Columbus to pull off the upset. John Tortorella is as experencied as any coach out there and makes this an A+ coaching battle.
Prediction: Maple Leafs in 6.

#2 Washington Capitals VS #7 Buffalo Sabres:
- The Caps were powered by Russian duo Evgeni Kuznetsov and Alexander Ovechkin this season. Kuznetsov played as #1 center and had 37 goals and 75 points while the venerable Ovechkin continued his ascent in the record books with a 47 goal, 74 point season. Off year for Nicklas Backstrom who could muster just 54 points in 69 games. Marcus Johansson and T.J. Oshie continued to be valuable support pieces with 23 and 24 goals respectively while young Jakub Vrana showed some nice improvement with a 15 goal, 36 point effort. The usual suspects on the blueline excelled...John Carlson had 54 points and +18 while Matt Niskanen had 53 points and +14 with guys like Karl Alzner, Brooks Oprik and Nate Schmidt keeping the continuity of the unit together and Madison Bowey and Christian Djoos injecting a bit of youth. Braden Holtby is in great form with 31 wins in 51 starts and a 2.16 GAA.
- The Sabres rebuild is not quite as spectacular as the on in Toronto but a playoff appearance means it is still well on the right track. The Sabres put the big guns together on the top line and the result was awesome. Jack Eichel had 33 goals and 84 points, Kyle Okposo astonished with a blazing 45 goals and 81 points and Ryan O'Reilly was the heart of it all with 28 goals and 73 points. Tyler Ennis returned from the dead, stayed healthy, and chipped in 26 goals with Sam Reinhart grabbing 22 and rookie trade acquisition John Quenneville chipping in 12. On the downside, veteran summer acquisition David Backes continued to slump as an overpriced checker with 23 points and hotshot youngster Alexander Nylander could muster only 17 points in 65 games. On the blueline, #1 defender Rasmus Ristolainen had a bit of an off year as well with only 38 points and a -10 but underrated Jake McCabe really stepped up with 43 points. Veteran Jimmy Howard and Robin Lehner split time in net; Howard had 22 wins and a 2.50 GAA while Lehner had 23 wins and a 2.53 GAA. Look for Buffalo to ride whoever is hotter in the playoffs.
Prediction: Capitals in 5.

#3 New York Rangers VS #4 Philadelphia Flyers:
- Scoring by committee for the Rangers this season as nobody had more than Mika Zibanejad's 55 points but 8 forwards racked-up double-digit goal totals: Pavel Buchnevich (28 goals), Rick Nash (28 goals), Mats Zuccarello (26 goals), Zibanejad (21 goals), Chris Kreider (16 goals), Derek Stepan (14 goals), J.T. Miller (14 goals) and Michal Grabner (12 goals). An epic, Norris-type season out of Ryan McDonagh on the blueline - he had 19 goals, 52 points and a +25 while younger defenders Adam Clendening (40 points, +20) and Brady Skjei (35 points, +15) also shone. With such a deep forward group there were bound to be some down years and those were most specifically had by Jimmy Vesey (9 goals, 23 points) and Kevin Hayes (5 goals, 20 points). Patrik Hornqvist had only 5 goals in 21 games after being acquired from the Penguins but could be a big playoff factor. King Henrik Lundqvist continues to shine at age 36, with 37 wins and a 2.02 GAA.
- A very talented and well-put together club, the Flyers are an extremely dangerous #4 seed. They have superstars up front in Claude Giroux (76 points) and Jakub Voracek (37 goals). They have a terrorizing power forward in Wayne Simmonds (33 goals). They have a do-everything shutdown center in Sean Couturier (24 goals 47 points). They have a brilliant young winger in Travis Konecny (57 points). They have plenty of support depth with Brayden Schenn (16 goals), Matt Read (14 goals), Roman Lyubimov (12 goals) and rookie Oskar Linblom (20 points in 74 games). And the young defense? Shayne Gostisbehere had 13 goals, 53 points. Travis Sanheim had 11 goals and 42 points. Rookie Philippe Myers chipped in 16 points in 67 games. Even Radko Gudas had 32 points and a +20. But the man of the year is without question young thoroughbred Ivan Provorov who led the line with 62 points and a +23 - potential Norris-stuff out of the 21 year-old. Steve Mason floundered in goal, costing the Flyers a higher seed but that situation appears to be corrected as deadline acquisition Semyon Varlamov has made the job his: in 16 starts, 9 wins and a sterling 1.57 GAA.
Prediction: Flyers in 5.

#5 Montreal Canadiens VS #6 Tampa Bay Lightning:
- A beastly top line leads Montreal with franchise center Alex Galchenyuk looking like a complete stud with 32 goals and 82 points. His right winger, Russian superstar Alexander Radulov, scored 39 goals and 75 points while Max Pacioretty was solid all-around on the left side with 24 goals and 61 points. A big drop-off after that though; next most prolific forward was Artturi Lehkoken (17 goals). The Habs have one of the best checking lines in the league comprised of Phillip Danault, Torrey Mitchell and Andrew Shaw. Daniel Carr and rookie Nikita Scherbak chipped in 11 goals each but more is needed from enigmatic summer acquisition Andre Burakovsky, whose 13 goals and 20 points are a major disappointment. Captain Shea Weber always leads the way on defense with 52 points and a +15 but the big news was the emergence of star rookie Mikhail Sergachyov, who had 14 goals, 47 points and a +23 and may challenge Vegas' Nico Hischier for the Calder. Jeff Petry (36 points, +15) and Nathan Beaulieu (35 points, +16) round out a stout top 4. Carey Price looks sharp as always in goal with 36 wins and a 2.12 GAA.
- The unfortunate story of Tampa's season thus far is the devastating injury to Nikita Kucherov, taking him out of play until perhaps next fall. Don't cry too much though for the Bolts - with Steven Stamkos (34 goals, 85 points) and Jonathan Drouin (29 goals, 82 points) in top form, there is plenty of offensive firepower. All-around winger Ondrej Palat stepped up into the Kucherov-void and supplied 31 goals and 61 points along with sterling defensive play while a bit more will be needed from proven talents like Tyler Johnson (21 goals, 45 points) and Vladislav Namestnikov (17 goals, 35 points) for Tampa to sustain a playoff run. Talented sophomore Brayden Point was a big disappointment with 6 goals and 16 points while veteran Valtteri Filppula may be reaching the end of his NHL career with only 16 points and an ugly -25. Older rookie Joel Vermin was a pleasant surprise, chipping in 10 goals. Down year offensively for Victor Hedman (38 points) but he was still a rock (+19) along with compatriot Anton Stralman (48 points, +19). Sophomore Slater Koekkoek was excellent with 40 points and a +15. Young Russian Andrei Vasilevsky proved more than up to the task of replacing Bishop, winning 34 games with a 2.09 GAA.
Prediction: Canadiens in 7.

2018 NHL Playoffs Preview - Part 2

A short guide to the 2018 NHL Playoffs - Western Conference Quarterfinals

#1 Winnipeg Jets VS #8 Columbus Blue Jackets:
- The Jets were the best in the West in the regular season as their building with youngsters, much like Toronto in the East, has paid off in a huge way. Interestingly, no one single player dominated the scoring charts for Winnipeg - it's just that their two top lines were both outstanding. On the first line, Mark Schiefle (22 goals, 59 points) centered Nikolaj Ehlers (24 goals, 62 points) and Blake Wheeler (32 goals, 63 points). On the second line, Jeff Carter (22 goals) centered Patrik Laine (31 goals) and Kyle Connor (42 points). The depth is so outstanding that a talent like Bryan Little is reduced to a checking line role (only 29 points) with guys like Mathieu Perreault, Nic Petan and Joel Armia in smaller roles than their talent suggests. Brandon Tanev provided a nice spark with 10 goals and 21 points. Defensively, the top 4 was outstanding: Tobias Enstrom (44 points, +24) looked 5 years younger, Dustin Byfuglien sacrificed a bit off offense (13 goals, 40 points) for more reliable defense (+19), Tyler Myers looked as good as he has since his rookie season with 39 points and a +33 and sophomore sensation Josh Morrissey continued to shine with 43 points and a +28. Connor Hellebuyck is the unquestioned starter in goal with 36 wins and a 2.26 GAA.
- Are the Blues fading from being serious contenders? It took a late-season surge just to barely qualify and keep their playoff streak alive. An injury which kept talisman Vladimir Tarasenko out of much of the season (25 goals, 50 points in 58 games) didn't help. But young Robby Fabbri blossomed into a star with 41 goals and 75 points while Jaden Schwartz (28 goals, 59 points), Paul Stastny (57 points) and David Perron (23 goals) all did their parts. Alex Steen finally is starting to show some age with a disappointing 37 points while depth up front just isn't very good. Alex Pietrangelo had an outstanding year with 57 points and a +14 but Colton Parayko didn't quite live up to his billing with Shattenkirk gone - the giant defender could muster only 23 points and a -10. Rookie Vince Dunn was a pleasant surprise, scoring 30 points while other rookies like Jordan Schmaltz on the blueline and Yakov Trenin up front made smaller contributions. Jake Allen had a very good 2.19 GAA in net but started only 43 games with veteran Cam Ward and Carter Hutton also seeing significant time in net.
Prediction: Winnipeg in 5.

#2 Edmonton Oilers VS #7 Vegas Golden Knights:
- Another youthful team on the ascent - the McDavids...err...the Oilers had a terrific regular season. This despite the fact that McDavid actually had a very underwhelming season as defenses started to play him much more physically. His 32 goals and 69 points are just not what we have come to expect from the new chosen one. That said - one guy who did explode this year is Finnish winger Jesse Puljujarvi who cranked home a whopping 43 goals and 74 points. German beast Leon Draisaitl added 29 goals. Center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins rebounded a bit with 50 points while Milan Lucic provided his usual heavy play and added 46 points. Jordan Eberle has 21 goals but only 35 points as his numbers continue to drop - mainly because trade acquisition James Neal took his place and was much better (10 goals, 21 points in only 33 games as an Oiler). The Oilers blueline...say it with me...was deep and outstanding. Adam Larsson blossomed into a true #1, adding offense to the tune of 51 points with a +19. Oscar Klefbom went for 42 points, Andrej Sekera for 37. Darnell Nurse had 22 points but was less heralded Matt Benning who really stepped up with 23 points and a +12 in only 58 games. Cam Talbot was immense in goal with 39 wins and a 2.17 GAA.
- As for Vegas...I think we've gone over the Knights' season well enough before this preview! They'll be heavy underdogs but who knows - this team has been defying expectations all season.
Prediction: Edmonton in 4.

#3 Minnesota Wild VS #6 Nashville Predators:
- The Wild rode a deep and balanced lineup to a terrific regular season. Charlie Coyle turned in a star performance with 37 goals and 65 points while Zach Parise showed that he still has some gas left with 31 goals and 63 points. Mikael Granlund chipped in 56 points, Nino Nieddereiter added 23 goals, while captain Mikko Koivu settled into a more defensive role but still added 41 points and veteran Eric Staal also slowed down in the points department with only 40. Erik Haula surprised offensively with 16 goals but Jason Zucker was perhaps the biggest disappointment with only 7 goals and 22 points. Rookie Joel Eriksson Ek put up a modest 19 points in 62 games but was a +10 and outstanding defensively. Deadline acquisition Bobby Ryan (he of the $7.5 million salary) was a colossal bust and hasn't scored a single goal in a Wild jersey in 21 games. Defensively the Wild have a top 4 that is among the best around with Ryan Suter (50 points, +11), Jared Spurgeon (46 points, +20), Matt Dumba (37 points) and Jonas Brodin (30 points, +14). Devyn Dubnyk was among the best in the league in net, winning 33 games in 57 starts with a 2.10 GAA.
- For Nashville, their usual stars in Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen underachieved this year. Forsberg had 19 goals and a fairly modest 55 points while Johansen could muster only 13 goals and 48 points. Into the void stepped Viktor Arvidsson, who just continues to get better, and young Swiss winger Kevin Fiala. Arvidsson had 28 goals while Fiala had 33 goals as they tied for a team-leading 57 points. Kyle Turris was solid all-around as the second line center - but second line center in Nashville gets you only 46 points while fellow Ottawa-import Derrick Brasard continued to fall off the map with a mere 21 points. Vets like Craig Smith, P.A. Parenteau and Marcus Foligno didn't provide enough while younger guys like Pontus Aberg, Miikka Salomaki and Colton Sissons are of fairly limited upside. Defense though, as always, was the strength and if the Wild have a great top 4, the Preds' top 4 is through the roof. With Roman Josi (48 points), P.K. Subban (39 points), Ryan Ellis (44 points) and Mattias Ekholm (35 points) - it's always going to be tough to face Nashville. Young rookie Samuel Girard had modest totals but showed upside in his 55 games. Veteran Pekka Rinne split time with young sensation Juuse Saros in net, with 2.45 and 2.44 GAA's respectively. Rinne will get the call in the playoffs until he falters.
Prediction: Wild in 6.

#4 Calgary Flames VS #5 Anaheim Ducks:
- Johnny Hockey was injured for a good chunk of the year (25 goals, 54 points in 64 games) so it was the two younger centers who stepped up in Calgary: Sean and Sam. Sean Monahan continues to polish an impressive resume with 28 goals and a career high 71 points but it was Sam Bennett who really shot to stardom this season as he tapped into his high potential for 28 goals and 76 points. But the craziest thing of all was the Devin Setoguchi story. Setoguchi had rehabbed his career in LA last season as a lower line support player but Calgary signed him over the summer and promptly put him on Bennett's wing. The result? 30 goals and 59 points from the 31 year-old. Matthew Tkachuk's sophomore season went about the same as his rookie one; he chipped in 38 points and rugged play. Gustav Nyquist came over from Detroit in a mid-season deal and had 11 goals in 35 games. Defensively, the duo of T.J. Brodie (50 points, +19) and Mark Giordano (51 points, +10) were their usual brilliant selves while Dougie Hamilton (41 points) added significant offense but never quite reaches what you want out of him. But...one engima who did start to blossom was rookie Oliver Kylington who had 26 points in 65 games and established himself on the blueline. The team rode Chad Johnson in net to 33 wins although he's perhaps not though of as an elite goalie (2.45 GAA) while Jon Gillies cemented the backup position.
- Anaheim's aging stalwarts, Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are showing few signs of slowing down. Perry drove home 44 goals and 70 points, most assisted by Getzlaf with 68 points. Rickard Rakell continues to be a dynamic support guy with 28 goals and 59 points while Ryan Kesler provided the grit and leadership as well as 53 points. The only other forwards with double-digit goals were Jacob Silfverberg (16) and Nick Ritchie (12). More is expected from youngsters like Ritchie and Ondrej Kase (epic in the Olympics for the Czechs but only 17 points in Anaheim) especially as older guys like Andrew Cogliano and Antoine Vermette continue to wind down in terms of offensive effectiveness. No issues on defense though where Cam Fowler may be a Norris candidate with his 60 point, +28 season while Mike Green (46 points), Hampus Lindholm (37 points and epic defensive play) and Sami Vatanen (35 points) continue to be very effective. Shea Theodore (15 points) cemented a top 6 position and amazingly, talents such as Brandon Montour and Jacob Larsson are stuck in the AHL there is such depth. John Gibson was reliable in net with 36 wins and a 2.31 GAA.
Prediction: Ducks in 6.

WC Quarterfinals Game 1: Knights Stunned By Oilers

After securing a 4-2 early in the third period of Game 1 versus the mighty Oilers thanks to goals from Tatar, Rychel, Hischier and Nieto - the Knights were left dazed and speechless as the Oilers scored twice in a 13 second span to tie the game and then won it on a Joradn Eberle goal with just over 3 minutes left in the game.

In what has been a dream season - a dream start to the playoffs quickly turned into a nightmare. Look for rookie Laurent Brossoit, who took the loss, to be benched in favor of Darcy Kuemper for game 2.

WC Quarterfinals Game 2: Oilers Power By Overmatched Knights

Connor McDavid had a hat-trick as the Edmonton Oilers put the Knights in a deep hole, blasting Vegas 7-1. Darcy Kuemper will be the scapegoat as he looked awful in net and the Knights now have a very bad goaltending situation but the truth is the whole team stunk aside from a Kerby Rychel consolation goal. Plekanec and Kulikov were the only Knights to not finish negative in the +/- department.

The Knights hope that being back home will make a difference but right now this is a team that simply looks outclassed.

WC Quarterfinals Game 3: Knights Have No Answers for Oilers Attack

Edmonton pounced on the Knights and goalie Darcy Kuemper early for a 3-0 lead in the first and then coasted home for a 5-1 victory in Sin City behind a goal and two assists from Leon Draisaitl. The Knights' sole goal cam courtesy of Alex Killorn.

The magic carpet ride looks likely to end soon; Vegas will have to play this hand one card at a time and hope for some good old-fashioned luck because they simply do not have the horses to win this.

WC Quarterfinals Game 4: Knights Fight to Gritty Victory

And the season lives on for another game. In a gritty, tense match which featured a bench-clearing brawl in the second period after what Knights players thought was a dirty hit by Oilers instigator Milan Lucic, Vegas put on a complete defensive effort for the first time in this series and walked away bloody but victorious, 4-1 winners. Goals came from Plekanec, Jarnkrok, Nieto and Dowd while Kuemper rebounded nicely in goal and the defense gave up only 21 shots and snuffed out Edmonton's big guns.

Still a huge uphill battle but a glimmer of hope for Vegas in the series as we head to game 5.

WC Quarterfinals Game 5: Knights Fall in Battle as Season Ends

McDavid had 2 goals as Edmonton put away the upstart Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night. The Knights got goals from Jarnkrok and a goal from Dano to cut the Oilers lead to 4-2 in the third gave the a chance but they couldn't find anything else and their magical first season in franchise history comes to a bittersweet end in a 5-2 loss in Edmonton.

2018 NHL Playoffs Conference Semi-Finals

The first round has come and gone, let's take a look at the Conference Semi-Final matchups!

Eastern Conference

#2 Washington Capitals VS #3 New York Rangers:
- The Capitals easily swept the Sabres in round one, with a 4-0 series win. The Rangers brushed aside the Flyers 4-1. Matt Niskanen is leading the Capitals in points with 6 while Evgeni Kuznetsov and...Jay Beagle of all people lead the team with 3 goals each. Holtby with a 1.05 GAA in round one. The Rangers have a couple of red-hot players - Mats Zuccarello has 7 points while Patrik Hornqvist is doing exactly what the Rangers hoped he would when they acquired him - he's got 5 goals in 5 games and is a buzzsaw around the net. Henrik Lundqvist has a 1.63 GAA thus far.

#6 Tampa Bay Lightning VS #8 Columbus Blue Jackets:
- The Blue Jackets won an epic series, 4-3, over the heavily favored and hyped #1 seed and President's Cup-winners Toronto in round one. Heroes thus far include Alexander Wennberg and his 7 assists, Sam Gagner with 4 goals and deadline acquisition Jussi Jokinen chipping in 3 goals. Sergei Bobrovsky played in all 7 games and held the fort down with a 1.69 GAA. The Kucherov-less Lightning upset the favored Canadiens 4-1. They have plenty of talented playoff performers and 5 players have chipped in multiple goals thus far. Andrei Vasilevsky continues to polish his resume as the best young keeper in the league, with an 0.91 GAA in round one.

Western Conference

#1 Winnipeg Jets VS #6 Nashville Predators:
- The Jets cruised by St. Louis in a 4-0 round one . Nikolaj Ehlers leads the team with 4 goals while Patrik Laine has 6 points and big offense coming from the blueline with veteran Dennis Wideman chipping in 6 points and stay-at-home defender Calvin de Haan producing a surprising 5 points. Connor Hellebuyck was as good as he had to be, with a 2.19 GAA and 4 for 4 in wins. Nashville upset the higher seeded Wild in round one, 4-1. Kyle Turris has 7 points, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi 6 each and P.K. Subban and Victor Arvidsson 5 each as the Preds' offense fired on all cylinders. Both Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros shone in goal, with Saros getting 4 of the 6 starts and producing a 1.63 GAA.

#2 Edmonton Oilers VS #4 Calgary Flames:
- No problems for Edmonton against the upstart Knights in round one as they strolled to a 4-1 series win. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatl in sparkling form with 8 and 7 points respectively while Drake Caggiula has been an effective support player with 3 goals and 5 points. Cam Talbot started all 5 games but will need to be a bit sharper against their arch-nemesis in the next round...as Calgary swept the Ducks 4-0 in their first series. A team effort by the flames, led by Sam Bennett's and Johnny Gaudreau's 3 goals and Chad Johnson sparkling in net with a 1.27 GAA.