Erik Karlsson offered a blunt assessment of the Pittsburgh Penguins' campaign after officially being eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday night.
"We are a huge disappointment," Karlsson told The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "We underachieved so much, and it's very disappointing. There's no other way to say it."
He added: "I think it's been an underachieving season for a lot of us. I think we're a much better team than what we've displayed in 81 games this season. But at the same time, we did all of this to ourselves. That's what is frustrating."
The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06 last season and were expected by many to bounce back this year after acquiring Karlsson in a blockbuster trade with the San Jose Sharks over the summer.
The 33-year-old took a huge step back from his 101-point, Norris Trophy-winning 2022-23 campaign, with only 11 goals and 44 assists so far in his debut season with Pittsburgh. Karlsson's arrival was supposed to help resurrect the Penguins' putrid power play, but the club converted at a measly 14.3% rate this season.
"We couldn't get our minds out of the situation," Karlsson said of the slumping man advantage.
"That's what happens. When you're into something so incredibly deep like we all were on the power play, I think it actually becomes harder to see and figure out what the solution is. You try to get yourself out of that mindset. You try and try. You want to get rid of this feeling that you have, that something's not right on the power play, and you want to fix it. But we couldn't."
Karlsson is under contract for three more seasons at a $10-million cap hit. The Penguins have a projected $12.74 million in cap space over the summer to make improvements, and general manager Kyle Dubas previously said the club intends to compete for the playoffs while captain Sidney Crosby is still in the picture.
Karlsson hopes the current group is given another shot to prove themselves.
"I just hope we're together for a bit longer, because that way, we would get another chance to show just what we are capable of doing," he said. "I think we've learned a lot this season."
New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe pledged to dial back on reckless hits after serving the first suspension of his young career.
The 21-year-old was handed a four-game ban earlier this month for elbowing New Jersey Devils blue-liner Jonas Siegenthaler in the head. Rempe has also drawn criticism for hits on Nathan Bastian and Ilya Lyubushkin during his short NHL tenure but is adamant the latest incident was a lesson learned.
"More control of my body, just stuff like that. If a guy is pulling out of a hit, just got to be careful," he told Mollie Walker of the New York Post. "It was an accident. I thought I was going to hit the wall ... Never want to see a guy get hurt or anything like that. I'm still going to play super hard, play the same way. I'm just going to make sure my hits are clean, like, keep everything compact, keep everything tight. It will be good. Just live and learn."
He added: "Obviously, watching back, I did. I made a mistake ... I thought I hit the wall, but I ended up hitting him. That was unfortunate. I'm sorry about that."
Rempe was called out by Siegenthaler's teammate, Kurtis MacDermid, for not fighting after the hit, but the New York rookie said he had instructions not to drop the gloves. Rempe's already recorded four fights since joining the Rangers for his first game on Feb. 18.
Head coach Peter Laviolette said he hopes Rempe remains physical - within the rules - when he draws back into the lineup.
"He likes to hit," Laviolette said. "He's a good hitter. So he's got to make sure he's doing things the right way. That one got away. Every other hit has been pretty good. They've been heavy and physical, and he brings that presence to the team."
The Rangers drafted Rempe 165th overall in 2020. He's chipped in two points and 30 hits in 10 games so far as an NHLer.
After discussing potential tweaks to three-on-three overtime at Monday's general managers meetings, the NHL appears content to leave things as is.
League executive Colin Campbell revealed in November that GMs are exploring changes to the current overtime format to prevent teams from continuously exiting the offensive zone with puck possession. Possible solutions included a shot clock or implementing an over-and-back line, but the ideas apparently haven't gained much traction.
"I think it's working," New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello said of the system in place, per NHL.com's Nicholas J. Cotsonika. "I don't think there's any need to make changes. I think if the regroups were causing it to go into a shootout, then you'd have to."
Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill said potential changes could overcomplicate OT.
"All of a sudden, now I've got the puck at center ice, and you come and poke it. Did it go over the line? Did it not go over the line? Do we have a video replay on that? It just opens up a can of worms," Nill said.
"Now we're going to have another clock? It's not worth it."
The NHL is on pace to have 70% of its games this season end in overtime, which would mark a new record. In 2014-15, the final campaign before the league implemented three-on-three, 44% of games finished in the extra frame.
"We've looked at it, and we've looked at the percentage, and it hasn't been a problem, we think," Campbell said. "And we think it's exciting."
Saturday's clash between Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers and Nathan MacKinnon's Colorado Avalanche is one the reigning MVP is looking forward to.
"I'm always motivated to go up against the league's best, and he would certainly fall under that category," McDavid said of MacKinnon on Friday.
"A bunch of them would over there: (Mikko) Rantanen, (Cale) Makar, (Devon) Toews. They've got an elite group over there, and I love testing myself against those types of guys."
McDavid and MacKinnon are two consensus front-runners for the Hart Trophy but haven't faced each other yet this season. MacKinnon is considered by many to be the favorite to capture his first career MVP, as he leads the league with 115 points. McDavid, who won for the third time in his last seven seasons in 2023, currently ranks third in the scoring race at 106 points.
On top of individual brilliance from their top players, the Oilers and Avalanche enter the contest as two of the hottest teams in the NHL. Both clubs have won seven of their last 10 games, and Colorado will roll into Edmonton on a five-game winning streak.
McDavid said the matchup will be a good test for the Oilers.
"I think it's a great thing," he said. "Of course, these guys are as good as anyone in the league. It's good to test where your team's at and where your game's at against one of the league's best."
Carolina Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov felt the love from his new fans after burying his first goal with the club in Thursday's win over the Florida Panthers.
Kuznetsov fired a wrister past Sergei Bobrovsky in the second period and broke out his patented bird celebration in front of a raucous PNC Arena. He was named the game's first star after the victory.
"I just want to say thanks to the fans. I almost cry a little bit," Kuznetsov said after the game, per Bally Sports.
"It's been a long time for me, I've been dealing with some big issues. That support is huge for me. My wife was here tonight, kids watching, parents. So that's all for them."
Thursday marked Kuznetsov's fourth game with the Hurricanes since being acquired from the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline. The 31-year-old played 11 seasons in the U.S. capital but has endured a difficult 2023-24 campaign. Kuznetsov entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in February and was then placed on waivers.
He believes landing in Carolina has been the reset he needed.
"It's been phenomenal for me," Kuznetsov said. "I'm living my best days, trying to take it day-by-day. I'm enjoying it."
The Chicago Blackhawks and former forward Corey Perry reached a settlement after the player and NHLPA alleged his contract was improperly terminated, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.
The Blackhawks are expected to receive a small charge to their salary cap, Seravalli adds. Perry was eligible to file a grievance but didn't.
Chicago signed Perry to a one-year, $4-million deal last June but terminated his contract after only 16 games, citing unacceptable conduct. After taking time off to receive help, Perry signed a one-year pact with the Edmonton Oilers for the remainder of the current season.
The 38-year-old has recorded seven points in 20 games since joining the Oilers.
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov had some high praise for Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon ahead of Wednesday's marquee matchup, calling his former teammate the best player in the world.
Zadorov's comments came in response to a question about how MacKinnon compares to the league's two most recent Hart Trophy winners - Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews.
"If I were to build a team, I would build around (MacKinnon) over those other two guys," he said. "Because he's a winner. He won the Stanley Cup."
MacKinnon helped Colorado win a championship in 2022, eliminating McDavid's Edmonton Oilers along the way in the Western Conference Final.
The Avalanche star has built a strong case for his first Hart Trophy this season with a league-leading 113 points in 66 games entering Wednesday.
McDavid's won three MVPs and five scoring titles since entering the NHL in 2015. He sits third with 103 points this season after a career-high 153-point output last year.
Matthews leads all skaters with 54 goals this season and ranks 10th with 80 points, but he hasn't enjoyed the same level of playoff success as MacKinnon and McDavid.
Welcome to the fifth in-season edition of theScore's 2023-24 Vezina Trophy rankings, a monthly look at the top goaltenders across the NHL.
This month features a pair of newcomers, including one in the top three. Meanwhile, an injury to one of this season's top contenders might seal up the hardware for the netminder occupying the top spot for the third month in a row.
Shesterkin appears on this list for the first time since November, and no goalie has been hotter than the 2022 Vezina winner lately. Since our previous edition on Feb. 7, Shesterkin has won nine of 11 starts, recording three shutouts and a .951 save percentage. He also leads the league with 17.25 goals saved above expected over that span.
His hot stretch has vaulted him into the top 10 in wins, save percentage, and goals against average on the season. He has a long way to go to fully erase his uncharacteristically average start to the campaign, but this is a good start. If he maintains his February form and the Rangers remain atop the Metropolitan Division, Shesterkin will surely garner some consideration for hardware.
4. Jeremy Swayman, Bruins
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Previous rank: 5th
Record
GAA
SV%
GSAA
GSAx
21-7-8
2.49
9.20
15.74
19.31
Statistically, Swayman has overtaken Linus Ullmark as Boston's No. 1 option between the pipes. The Bruins' star duo is clearly quite fond of each other - as evidenced by their routine post-win hugs - but the amicable time split is a blessing and a curse in Swayman's Vezina Trophy candidacy. It's great for Swayman and the Bruins that he appears comfortable being the guy for a top team with only 125 games of NHL experience, but sharing the crease is a major deterrent to winning the Vezina.
Ullmark, of course, accomplished the feat in 2023, but his numbers were far superior to his peers'. Swayman doesn't have the same sort of edge this time around. Still, he's earned his spot on this list by ranking top 10 in all the criteria above. A Vezina Trophy could very well be in Swayman's near future, but not quite yet.
3. Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty
Previous rank: N/A
Record
GAA
SV%
GSAA
GSAx
32-12-2
2.30
.918
15.88
18.41
Bobrovsky's resurgence since last year's playoffs has been nothing short of remarkable. After carrying the Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final with one of the most lights-out goalie heaters in recent memory, the 35-year-old has produced his best regular season since signing his much-maligned megadeal in 2019. Bobrovsky has played a huge role in transforming the franchise from a Cinderella story to the top team in the Eastern Conference.
He hadn't made our list before now, but like Shesterkin, Bobrovsky's taken his game to a new level over the past month. His numbers since Feb. 7 are nearly identical to his Rangers counterpart, but the Panthers' netminder has better stats over the course of the season, sitting top five in wins, save percentage, and goals against average. Bobrovsky already has two Vezina wins in his 14-year career. At the rate he's going, he's making a decent case to become the 13th goalie in league history to earn a third.
2. Thatcher Demko, Canucks
Derek Cain / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Previous rank: 2nd
Record
GAA
SV%
GSAA
GSAx
34-13-2
2.47
.917
15.93
24.79
Demko's marvellous season hit a major roadblock recently, as he's been ruled out two-to-three weeks with a knee injury. His absence will either severely hinder his Vezina odds or bolster his case by showing how important he is to Vancouver's success if it struggles while he's out.
Demko's case has been cut and dry since October: He's among the league leaders in every major statistical category and is the backbone of a first-place team. He still has a tremendous chance to be a finalist by the summer, but his upcoming stretch in the press box may have ruined any hopes of usurping our No. 1 candidate.
1. Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
Darcy Finley / Getty Images
Previous rank: 1st
Record
GAA
SV%
GSAA
GSAx
30-14-3
2.30
.922
24.2
35.77
It's Hellebuyck's award to lose now. He leads the league in save percentage, goals saved above average, and goals saved above expected while sitting top five in starts, wins, and shutouts. The Jets are a strong defensive team, but Hellebuyck is far and away their MVP as they chase down the Central Division title.
According to Evolving-Hockey's standing points above replacement metric, which assigns a total value to an individual player's contributions to his team's success, Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the league at 11.9 this season. The runner-up, Joey Daccord of the Kraken, is at 8.9. Bobrovsky (8.6), Swayman (8.5), Demko (7.1), and Shesterkin (5.7) all rank in the top 15, but Winnipeg's backbone is in a class of his own and should be rewarded accordingly at season's end.
Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson earned a game misconduct during the third period of Tuesday's blowout against the Chicago Blackhawks after joining a scrum in an attempt to fight counterpart Petr Mrazek.
Gibson skated the length of the ice following a tussle between Radko Gudas and MacKenzie Entwistle in which Mrazek had intervened.
Former NHLer Anson Carter and the Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment group formally requested the league commences the expansion process to bring a franchise to the Atlanta area on Tuesday.
"I have no doubt that the best league in the world will thrive in its return to Metro Atlanta," Carter said in a statement. "I have been in dialogue with NHL commissioner (Gary) Bettman since 2019 about an expansion team returning to the Fulton County Metro Atlanta market, knowing that franchise decisions are exclusively decided by the NHL Board of Governors."
The NHL has left Atlanta twice. The Flames resided in Georgia from 1972-1980 before moving to Calgary, and the Thrashers played there from 1999-2011 before relocating to Winnipeg.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly noted in September that the Atlanta area is better equipped to house a NHL franchise now than it was before.
"I think times have changed pretty dramatically and the market demographics have changed pretty dramatically since the first time we went there and then again in 1999," Daly said.
Bettman has stated repeatedly that expansion from 32 teams isn't a priority for the NHL, but Atlanta's request for a team is the second the league has received this season after Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith expressed his interest in bringing a team to the state.
