Arvidsson, 28, is coming off a disappointing 2020-21 season in which he had 25 points in 50 games. However, the two-time 30-goal-scorer was hindered by a 6.6% shooting percentage, which is well below his career average.
The Predators drafted Arvidsson in the fourth round in 2014. He's recorded 239 points in 385 games across seven campaigns. Arvidsson has three seasons remaining on his contract with a $4.25-million cap hit.
"The refs have such a tough job to do. The game is so quick and things happen so fast. ... However, I do wish there was maybe a little more consistency," McDavid said, per The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "That's what we're looking for as players."
McDavid added: "The other sports have been able to do that from the regular season to the playoffs."
Numerous controversial calls have drawn the ire of fans, players, and pundits alike throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the matter at his annual press conference Monday, saying the NHL employs the "best officials in any sport."
McDavid's brief postseason became a part of the officiating controversy after he didn't earn a single penalty call in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1. The Oilers captain ranked second in the NHL with 22 drawn infractions in the regular season.
McDavid also didn't draw a penalty during Edmonton's qualifying-round loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020.
The 24-year-old won the Hart Trophy this season after leading the league with 105 points.
The pending unrestricted free agent is comfortable sharing the net with Jack Campbell going forward, LeBrun adds.
Campbell took over the starter's role this past season as Andersen struggled with injury and poor play. The 29-year-old went 17-3-2 with a .921 save percentage before posting a .934 clip in the playoffs as the Maple Leafs fell in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens in Round 1.
Andersen had been Toronto's No. 1 netminder since the team acquired him from the Anaheim Ducks in 2016. He registered the worst statistical season of his career in 2020-21, owning a .895 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against average across 24 games.
The 31-year-old is coming off a five-year, $25-million contract and will likely need to take a pay cut to return to the Maple Leafs. Toronto is projected to have $10 million in cap space this offseason, according to Cap Friendly, but the team only has 16 roster players under contract for 2021-22.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews shed some light Wednesday on the previously undisclosed medical issue that kept him off the ice for the entire 2020-21 NHL season, and he said he's working his way toward a return.
"I just think there's a lot of things that just kind of piled up, where my body just fell apart," Toews said in a video. "So what they're calling it was chronic immune response syndrome, where I just couldn't quite recover and my immune system was reacting to everything that I did."
"Any kind of stress, anything that I would do throughout the day, it was always kind of a stress response," he continued. "So, took some time. That was the frustrating part, was not really knowing when or how we were gonna get over the hump. "
Toews was ruled out indefinitely in late December, and at the time said he felt "drained and lethargic." The captain and the Blackhawks kept details under wraps as he attempted to recover.
"I definitely felt bad to a certain degree that people were that worried, they thought it was really serious," Toews said. "But in the back of my mind, I knew I would get through it; it was just a matter of time."
He was fresh off posting 60 points in 70 regular-season games in 2019-20 before authoring a vintage playoff performance in the bubble, averaging a point per game through nine contests as Chicago surprisingly advanced through the qualifying round.
Toews has spent his entire career with the Blackhawks, who drafted him third overall in 2006. While captaining the franchise, Toews has captured three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, and a Selke while registering 815 points in 943 games. The 33-year-old has two seasons remaining on his contract.
As they say, anything can happen in a Game 7, but here are five key subplots as this highly entertaining series reaches its apex.
Nikita Kucherov's status
The Lightning were dealt a major blow early in Game 6 as Kucherov was forced to leave with an injury after only 46 seconds of ice time. The dynamic Tampa Bay winger has been the club's offensive catalyst throughout the postseason, leading all players with a whopping 27 points across 17 games. Given the circumstances, Kucherov could try to play through whatever is ailing him, but his health is the ultimate X-factor for this contest.
On the bright side for Tampa fans, the Lightning won 36 games without Kucherov this season. If he's unable to suit up, what's one more?
Will we see the Coliseum again?
Islanders faithful nearly blew the roof off Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum after Anthony Beauvillier's electric overtime winner in Game 6. If fans hurling beer cans onto the ice in celebration is the final memory of one of the league's most beloved barns, it's a hell of a way to go out, but it would pale in comparison to the raucousness of a Stanley Cup Final on Long Island.
New York hasn't been to the final since 1984, when its four-year run of glory was snapped by Wayne Gretzky and Co. The Islanders' crowd would be sure to bring the noise - even more than usual - if the home team gets to play for a title in its last season before heading to the brand-new UBS Arena.
Bolts' repeat bid in jeopardy
The Lightning have authored a dominant postseason story since their run to the Cup began in the bubble last summer. This Game 7 marks the first time Tampa Bay has faced elimination since Game 4 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets in Round 1 of the 2019 playoffs - and that could be an ominous sign, as the defending champs haven't won while facing elimination since the 2015 Eastern Conference Final. Over that span, the Lightning have blown two 3-2 series leads in the third round, most recently in 2018 against the Washington Capitals, an outfit coached by ... Islanders bench boss Barry Trotz.
On a more positive note, however, Tampa Bay is 13-0 following a loss since the start of last year's playoffs.
Barzal's redemption song
Mathew Barzal's situation seemed grim at best after the Islanders' disastrous 8-0 loss in Game 5. New York's best player potentially faced suspension after cross-checking Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta in the face. Barzal was tossed from the game and slapped with a $5,000 fine, which turned out to be a huge break for the Islanders. He was a force in Game 6, registering two assists while controlling 73.91% of shot attempts, 75% of scoring chances, and 69.81% of expected goals at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.
It was a massive statement from Barzal, who drew the public ire of his coach after getting ejected in Game 5. The forward had been quiet in the series until Wednesday night, only recording two points. Will his momentum carry over?
Point's remarkable goal streak
Brayden Point is smoldering hot right now, with a goal in nine consecutive contests. If he buries one in Game 7, he'll match Reggie Leach's all-time playoff record, and there's plenty of reason to believe he can do it. Since the start of the 2020 postseason, Point's recorded 28 goals in 40 games, and his career 0.58 playoff goals per game ranks sixth in NHL history among all players who appeared in at least 60 contests, according to Sportsnet Stats.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more clutch playoff performer than Point in the NHL.
The Seattle Kraken announced Dave Hakstol as their first head coach in franchise history Thursday.
Hakstol had been an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs since 2019, and he previously served as the Philadelphia Flyers' head coach. Before breaking into the NHL in 2015, Hakstol coached the University of North Dakota.
"Tracking back to (his) University of North Dakota days, Dave is a coach who cares about his players," general manager Ron Francis said. "At times, a coach's messages can get diluted. Players want to understand what the coach wants them to do. Dave communicates clearly and concisely. Players like that."
Francis and Hakstol worked together for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship.
Hakstol had a 134-101-42 record as the Flyers' coach across three-plus seasons. He was mainly in charge of running the Maple Leafs' defense during his time with Toronto.
The 52-year-old will be able to build his own coaching staff with the Kraken.
Seattle will begin its inaugural season during the 2021-22 campaign. The expansion draft is scheduled for July 21.
However, the Flyers are one of several teams after the star blue-liner.
"The level of interest is off the charts," a league source told LeBrun.
Jones, an unrestricted free agent in 2022 and eligible for an extension this offseason, reportedly informed the Blue Jackets in May he won't sign long term with the organization.
The 26-year-old carries a $5.4-million cap hit for one more season. The size of a potential return for Jones, if Columbus decides to trade him, would depend on if he signs an extension with his new club or if he's a one-year rental.
Jones was drafted fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and traded to the Blue Jackets during the 2015-16 season. He's notched 223 points in 381 games with Columbus and was a second-team All-Star in 2018.
The Flyers have a projected $13 million in cap space for the 2021-22 season, according to Cap Friendly. Restricted free-agent goaltender Carter Hart is the most notable player on Philadelphia's roster in need of a new deal.
New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz is anticipating a significant bounce-back effort from his club versus the Tampa Bay Lightning in Wednesday's Game 6.
"You'll get our best. Whatever we got left, you're going to get our best," Trotz said, per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The Lightning handed the Islanders their worst playoff defeat in franchise history in Game 5 - an emphatic 8-0 drubbing to push New York's back against the wall.
"Hopefully it's only a 24-hour thing and just like a 24-hour flu we can get over it and move on," Trotz said.
Despite coming off a discouraging loss, the underdog Islanders have played the defending champions nearly even in several metrics to this point in the series.
Trotz has faced this situation before. As the Washington Capitals coach in 2018, his club erased a 3-2 series deficit - against the Lightning - in the Eastern Conference Final and went on to capture the Stanley Cup.
The veteran bench boss plans to relay that message to his troops ahead of Game 6.
"How much do you want to commit to have one shot to go to the Stanley Cup Final? How much are you willing to commit? That’s really the message," Trotz said. "Go after it, guys, because you only get so many cracks at this."
The Islanders are 5-3 at Nassau Coliseum so far in the postseason. If they're able to win Wednesday, a decisive Game 7 would be held in Tampa on Friday.
In addition, top-line center Chandler Stephenson was also back in Vegas' lineup after missing Games 2-4. He was sidelined with an upper-body injury but returned to his usual spot between Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.
Fleury had started eight consecutive contests but was benched in favor of Robin Lehner for Game 4.
Lehner was fantastic in his only showing of the series, turning aside 27 of 28 shots as the Golden Knights evened the series.
Fleury is 9-6 this postseason with a .921 save percentage and 1.97 goals against average.