Babcock: Leafs still not good enough

On the heels of a wildly successful season wherein the Maple Leafs not only advanced to the playoffs, but gave the first-place Washington Capitals all they could handle in an eventual first-round loss, head coach Mike Babcock acknowledged a roster that finished 30th just last season still needs work.

"We have to improve our hockey club. We understand that and that's what we will go about doing," Babcock added at Tuesday's press conference. "... In order to be consistent as a team you have to build something that has enough depth that you can do it time in and time out."

As for 2017-18, Babcock warned that repeating this year's success is no guarantee in today's NHL.

He maintained the team won't deviate from the plan laid out by president Brendan Shanahan and implemented by general manager Lou Lamoriello, saying all three will work together to improve the team over the summer.

In the immediate future, Babcock will head to France and Germany to take in the World Championship, with an eye on players the team might look to add in free agency or via trade.

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Oilers-Ducks Preview: 3 players who could tip the scales

The Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers are set to duke it out for Central Division bragging rights in a second-round playoff series.

Here are three players who could make a huge impact and give their team the edge.

Rickard Rakell

In case you missed it, someone other than Corey Perry led the Ducks in goals this season for the first time in five years, and by a wide margin. That would be Rakell, who broke out to the tune of 33 goals in 71 games, with Jakob Silfverberg coming in a distant second with 23.

Rakell has remained productive in the postseason, recording two goals and three assists in Anaheim's four-game sweep of the Calgary Flames.

A big factor in the Swede's surge has been the shift from center to the wing, where he's found success playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf, who drew the primary assists on both of Rakell's goals against the Flames. It's not his natural position, but he's taking advantage.

"Playing more on the wing this year gives me different looks and more opportunities to score," Rakell said in late March, per Jared Clinton of The Hockey News. "It gives me more of a chance to find rebounds and have the puck closer to the net. It’s obviously easier to score from there."

Credit goes to head coach Randy Carlyle for making the adjustment and helping Rakell find his wings.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

It might sound odd to pump the tires of a player who failed to record a single point in the opening round, but here we are.

In truth, Nugent-Hopkins was one of the most important contributors in the Oilers' series win over the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks.

Flanked by Milan Lucic and Jordan Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins led Edmonton with 17 shots over the six games, and created several other chances that just didn't click. But for head coach Todd McLellan, the center's contributions at the other end of the ice have been equally important.

"He has the tools to be a tremendous two-way player. When you’re chosen at that spot in the draft (first overall in 2011), you often come in as a one-dimensional, offensive-type player," McLellan said, per Reid Wilkins of CHED 630.

"In his situation here, he was thrust into that role, and he produced, and that’s the way he was going to go. He had some good years, but the team didn’t win a lot. It’s always about the team. He’s been able to adjust and learn a few things."

While paying in that two-way role and being counted on to shut down the opposition, Nugent-Hopkins was a positive possession player against the Sharks, meaning he was on the ice for more shot attempts for than against.

If his line can start finishing its scoring chances, and if Nugent-Hopkins starts putting up points - thereby relieving some pressure from Connor McDavid - these Oilers could be a force.

John Gibson

When the Ducks traded Frederik Andersen to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, it was with the intention to give Gibson - who's long been thought to be the heir apparent in Anaheim - the starting job.

In his first full season in that starting role, Gibson impressed with a record of 25-16-9 and a .924 save percentage, but was slowed through March with a lower-body injury. Backup Jonathan Bernier, who was indirectly acquired in the Andersen move, filled in admirably, but Gibson was always tabbed as the main man in net when healthy, and largely proved himself worthy against the Flames.

In three of the four games, Gibson stopped 101-of-106 shots against, good for a save percentage of .953. His series numbers were brought down by a poorer showing in Game 3, in which he was yanked after allowing four goals on 16 shots.

Provided that one start was a blip, Gibson appears ready to backstop the Ducks to new heights, fully justifying the decision to anoint him as the team's goalie of the present and future.

Betting Line

Team Moneyline
EDM +110
ANA -140

Prediction

The Ducks have flown under the radar in Carlyle's second tour of duty behind the bench, but there are reasons why Anaheim rose to the top of a competitive Pacific Division and earned home-ice advantage in this series.

For one, and as mentioned above, this isn't just Getzlaf and Perry's team, as the Ducks boast the kind of veteran savvy and youthful exuberance that takes teams deep into the playoffs.

On the blue line, for example, the likes of Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour have stepped up and in for the injured Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen. The latter two could return any day, giving the Ducks seemingly impenetrable depth on the back end.

And up front, the scoring of Rakell and Silfverberg is balanced out by the shut-down ability of Ryan Kesler, who recently earned a nod as a Selke Trophy finalist, as well as Antoine Vermette, who remains a force in the faceoff circle. And Patrick Eaves, by the way, is looking like the best trade deadline pickup of them all at this point.

Make no mistake, the Oilers are an up-and-coming force, but these Ducks are skilled, tough, and hungry, and their experience will thwart Edmonton's surge - for the time being at least.

Ducks in six.

Schedule

Game Date Time Home Away TV
1 Wed. April 26 10:30 pm Ducks Oilers NBCSN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
2 Fri. April 28 10:30 pm Ducks Oilers NBCSN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
3 Sun. April 30 7 pm Oilers Ducks NBCSN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
4 Wed. May 3 10 pm Oilers Ducks NBCSN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
*5 Fri. May 5 TBD Ducks Oilers TBD
*6 Sun. May 7 TBD Oilers Ducks TBD
*7 Wed. May 10 TBD Ducks Oilers TBD

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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‘Exhausted’ Matthews won’t play for USA at World Championship

Auston Matthews needs a break.

The Toronto Maple Leafs center and likely winner of the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie decided against representing Team USA at the World Championship, saying he's "exhausted" from the grind of a long season, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Here's what his year has looked like:

Matthews is expected to spend some time with his family before getting back to work in the offseason.

The 19-year-old led all rookies with 40 goals and 69 points this season, and recorded an additional four goals and one assist in six playoff games.

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Wild GM: No wholesale changes following 1st-round loss

The Minnesota Wild will be standing relatively pat following an early exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That was the message delivered by general manager Chuck Fletcher on Tuesday, with the caveat that the hockey world is headed for an interesting offseason with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights and a salary cap that isn't expected to rise all that much.

The Wild were eliminated in five games by the St. Louis Blues, but Fletcher appears to at least somewhat agree with head coach Bruce Boudreau's assessment that the better team lost.

"(We've got) a good group and a good team," Fletcher added, per Chad Graff of The Pioneer Press. "We've just got to keep pushing.

"People don’t want to hear about the regular season, but it’s still an 82-game, six-month picture," he continued. "We were a remarkably consistent team. We took a lot of steps this year."

The Wild finished fifth overall in the regular-season standings with a team-record 106 points.

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Leafs’ Zaitsev not cleared for World Championship due to head injury

Nikita Zaitsev will not represent Russia at the 2017 World Championship in Paris and Germany.

The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman did not gain the necessary medical clearance from team doctors after suffering a head injury, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.

Zaitsev appeared in four of six playoff games against the Washington Capitals, including the final three games, in which he averaged well over 20 minutes of ice time.

He failed to record a point and was a minus-four in the series following a strong showing in the regular season as a rookie.

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Senators’ Boucher: Karlsson disclosed injury because he’s over it

It was a rare moment of honesty in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following a series win over the Boston Bruins, Erik Karlsson admitted to having been playing with two hairline fractures in his left heel.

As the Ottawa Senators now prepare to face off against the New York Rangers in the second round, head coach Guy Boucher was asked if he was concerned about what Karlsson had disclosed, fearing the opposition may target the sore spot.

"It's over," Boucher countered Tuesday, per Ian Mendes of TSN. "That's why he said it. He's perfectly healthy now."

Perhaps a higher power has been at work since Karlsson suffered the injury back in late March:

Despite the foot issue, Karlsson recorded six assists and averaged 30:24 of ice time in the series against the Bruins.

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Report: Canucks to name Travis Green new head coach

The Vancouver Canucks are close to finalizing a deal with Travis Green to be the team's new head coach, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

The former NHL center has served as head coach of the AHL's Utica Comets since 2013, and although Vancouver's farm team finished outside of the playoff picture this season, Green led the club to success in the past, including a Calder Cup Final appearance in 2015.

Green also coached the WHL's Portland Winterhawks to a league championship in 2013.

As a player, he logged 970 games over 16 seasons, recording 193 goals and 262 assists.

A formal announcement is expected within the next couple of days, per McKenzie.

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Blues-Predators Preview: 3 storylines to watch in 2nd-round matchup

It's the matchup that was never supposed to happen.

The Nashville Predators pulled off the mother of all upsets in the first round, knocking out the Western Conference-leading Chicago Blackhawks in a clean sweep. The St. Louis Blues then followed that up with a 4-1 series win over the No. 2-ranked Minnesota Wild.

So here we are.

The Predators and Blues will now battle for a spot in the Western Conference Final. This series looks to be a battle of two defensive specialists, but that's just one of the storylines to keep an eye on heading into this second-round clash.

Will Tarasenko break out?

The Blues just aren't the same team without Vladimir Tarasenko.

No, the Russian forward hasn't been injured, but with just one goal and only two helpers in the previous series, it's clear the Blues will be wanting more from their offensive dynamo.

Tararensko had 16 more goals than his closest teammate and 20 more points during the 2016-17 campaign. He also led his club with nine power-play goals during the regular season and the team could certainly use more of those.

So it's time for him to get back on track. During his playoff career he has averaged at least one goal every other game and that's exactly what the Blues would like to see from the 25-year-old.

The Blues need Tarasenko to be at his best. That being said, if the Predators can keep him in check, they will certainly help their chances of escaping the series with a win.

Rinne vs. Allen

Don't expect any blowouts here.

This matchup will feature the two hottest goalies going in Pekka Rinne and Jake Allen. In fact, these two men both arguably won their team's first-round series single-handedly.

Goalie GP Save Percentage Goals-Against Average Shutouts
Rinne 4 .976 0.70 2
Allen 5 .956 1.47 0

Rinne certainly has the edge in the numbers, thanks in large part to the two goose eggs he posted in the first two games against the Blackhawks, but it should be noted that Allen has been the busier of the two, having faced an average of nearly five more shots per game.

That being said, it sure looks like we have the makings of a real goaltending duel on our hands.

Can Blues up their game?

Minnesota dominated St. Louis in their first round series, just ask head coach Bruce Boudreau.

The Wild were the better team, but still the Blues reigned victorious thanks in large part to the man mentioned above. The Blues were out-dueled in almost every aspect of the game and sit in the playoff basement in several important categories.

They rank last among all postseason clubs in shots per game (26.8), shots against per game (38.8), tied for last in power play proficiency (6.7 percent), and rank second-last among teams remaining in goals per game (2.20).

It's becoming quite clear that this is not a winning formula, and while they may have escaped the first round, they cannot depend on Allen to save the day once again.

Mike Yeo must get his club back to controlling some of the play if they are to advance to the next round.

Betting Line

Team Moneyline
Predators -110
Blues -110

Prediction

As mentioned above, this should be a tight one.

Both teams muscled their way to the second round on the backs of great goaltending and solid play in their own end. However, recent trends in these playoffs suggest the Predators have the edge.

While the Blues got by almost entirely on goaltending, the Predators got both great performances from Rinne and solid offensive contributions in the first round.

The team averaged 3.25 goals per game, good enough for third in the postseason behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks. The Predators are averaging the highest percentage of goals scored at 5-on-5, while just seven of the Blues' 11 goals have come at full strength.

The Predators also own the more well-rounded and versatile defense core. We could see some ugly looking hockey, but when all is said and done, the Predators are likely to prevail.

Schedule

Game Date Time Home Away TV
1 Wed. April 26 8 pm STL NAS NBCSN / CBC / TVA Sports
2 Fri. April 28 8 pm STL NAS NBCSN / CBC / TVA Sports
3 Sun. April 30 3 pm NAS STL NBC / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
4 Tues. May 2 9:30 pm NAS STL NBCSN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
*5 Fri. May 5 TBD STL NAS TBD
*6 Sun. May 7 TBD NAS STL TBD
*7 Tues. May 9 TBD STL NAS TBD

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Stanley Cup Playoffs: 2nd-round predictions

And then there were eight.

The first round's in the books, and a good time was had by all. (Well, except the teams that had their seasons end.)

Related: 5 reasons why the 1st round was excellent

theScore's hockey editors are ready for Round 2. Our picks for the four series are below, as well as our first-round prediction performances.

Eastern Conference

Senators vs. Rangers

Editor Pick
Josh Gold-Smith NYR
Craig Hagerman NYR
Flip Livingstone NYR
Ian McLaren OTT
Sean O'Leary NYR
Sonny Sachdeva NYR
Navin Vaswani NYR
Cory Wilkins OTT
Josh Wegman OTT
  • Only two editors picked the Senators to beat the Bruins in the first round. They've picked up only one additional believer as they head into the Eastern semifinals against the Rangers.

Capitals vs. Penguins

Editor Pick
Josh Gold-Smith WSH
Craig Hagerman WSH
Flip Livingstone PIT
Ian McLaren WSH
Sean O'Leary WSH
Sonny Sachdeva PIT
Navin Vaswani WSH
Cory Wilkins PIT
Josh Wegman WSH
  • We believe it's the Capitals' time, as they prepare to tangle with the Penguins in what is the second round's most exciting series.

Western Conference

Blues vs. Predators

Editor Pick
Josh Gold-Smith NSH
Craig Hagerman NSH
Flip Livingstone STL
Ian McLaren NSH
Sean O'Leary NSH
Sonny Sachdeva NSH
Navin Vaswani NSH
Cory Wilkins NSH
Josh Wegman NSH
  • None of us picked the Predators to upset the Blackhawks. Don't lie, you didn't either. With all due respect to the Blues, we've converted, almost to a man, to believers of Nashville.

Ducks vs. Oilers

Editor Pick
Josh Gold-Smith ANA
Craig Hagerman ANA
Flip Livingstone EDM
Ian McLaren ANA
Sean O'Leary EDM
Sonny Sachdeva ANA
Navin Vaswani EDM
Cory Wilkins ANA
Josh Wegman ANA
  • Like Rangers-Senators and Capitals-Penguins, this one comes in at 6-3, as well, in favor of the Ducks. Can't spell spoilers without Oilers, though.

1st-round results

Here's how we did in the Round of 16:

Editor 1st-round score
Vaswani 6/8
Hagerman 5/8
Wilkins 5/8
Gold-Smith 4/8
Livingstone 4/8
O'Leary 4/8
Sachdeva 4/8
Wegman 4/8
McLaren 2/8

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