Claude Julien will share his bench with some new faces next season.
Former NHLers Jay Pandolfo and Bruce Cassidy joined the Boston Bruins' coaching staff as assistants, the team announced Tuesday. Meanwhile, Joe Sacco and Bob Essensa will remain as assistants.
Doug Houda (now with the Detroit Red Wings) and Doug Jarvis will not be retained.
Pandolfo, 41, played the first 13 seasons of his 15-year NHL career with the New Jersey Devils, winning Stanley Cups in 2000 and 2003.
Since finishing his playing career with Julien's Bruins in 2013, Pandolfo has been a member of the team's front office - serving as Director of Player Development last season.
Cassidy, 51, has coached with the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence since 2008, serving as head coach since the start of the 2011-12 season. His last stint in the NHL came as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2004-2006.
Win or go home. It's that time of year for the St. Louis Blues.
The San Jose Sharks won a massive Game 5 on the road Monday to push the Blues to the brink, and the biggest question heading into Game 6 is: who will be in the Blues' crease?
"I don't know," Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock said after Game 5.
The answer should be Brian Elliott, even though he's watched the last two games from the bench. Here's why:
Average Allen
Jake Allen did his job in Game 4. He played well, stopping 31 of 34 shots, and deserves full credit for helping bring the Blues back home in a series tied 2-2. But he wasn't good Monday.
While Blues head coach Ken Hitchock said Allen was "fine," the goalie stopped only 21 of 25 shots in Game 5, and has now allowed seven goals in two games on 59 shots. It's the smallest of small sample sizes, but a .881 save percentage in two games simply isn't good enough.
Elliott got the Blues to the third round, winning two Game 7s to do so. If the Blues go down, he deserves to be out there when it happens.
Elliott can't score
Elliott went 1-2 through the first three games of the Western Conference Final. He was stellar in Game 1, stopping 31 of 32 shots, but struggled in Games 2 and 3. Elliott stopped only 20 of 23 shots in Game 2, and was pulled from Game 3 after 46 minutes after allowing three goals on just 14 shots.
Here's the thing, though: the Blues didn't score in Games 2 and 3. They were shut out twice in a row before scoring six in Game 4, so Elliott's play wasn't really the problem. You can't win if you can't score, and the Blues' offense left them in two crucial games.
The Blues have nine goals in their past two games. They'll get their goals. And they owe Elliott some.
Play the percentages
Elliott's the better goalie. He was all season. Facing elimination, the Blues must play the numbers.
Make no mistake, the Blues have two very good goalies in Allen and Elliott. Both had excellent regular seasons, and both played an integral role in the Blues' 107-point season. But Elliott had the better save percentage (.930 compared to Allen's .920), and started three regular-season games against San Jose, posting a .929 save percentage and one shutout (although he was pulled in one of those games after allowing three goals in only 13 minutes).
Allen's only appearance against the Sharks in the regular season was a relief effort, and while he's 1-1 in this series, Elliott's proved to be the better 'tender in 2015-16. With potentially only one game left in the Blues' season, Hitchock and Co. must go with the guy who got them into late May.
For the third consecutive playoff series, the St. Louis Blues have lost a pair of games on home ice after Monday's Game 5 loss to the San Jose Sharks. Now one game away from elimination, the team is trying to figure out why it's struggling at Scottrade Center.
"I said we're a little cuter at home than we are on the road," captain David Backes said, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac. "We've just got to stay simple and stay on the page and get a task done. I don't know if that's a trend in Game 5s; I don't keep track of that."
The Blues hold a 4-6 record at home during this postseason, but their 6-3 record on the road has kept them alive. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo wishes he knew what was ailing his team in its own arena.
"If I had the magic answer, I'd give it to you," he said. "I'm not too sure. It's something that we really need to take a hard look at and figure out why we're doing that. That's on us players."
Meanwhile, head coach Ken Hitchcock, who has said home ice doesn't mean what it used to, suggested the pressure of playing in front of your own fans can be dangerous.
"It's hard to describe," he said after the game. "The pressure to win at home is greater, and so is the discouragement if you're not doing well. Winning at home right now in the playoffs is either feast or famine. You either look like you're a million dollars, or you get frustrated at times.
"I think from that standpoint there's a few times we've been frustrated. Our expectations are high and we want to do well for the fans. Sometimes that cocktail doesn't mix very well."
If the Blues hope to end their home struggles in a Game 7, they'll need to continue their dominance on the road with another road win in San Jose on Wednesday.
On one hand, he clearly desires a return to his native Russia to play out the twilight of his professional career close to home. But at the same time, Datsyuk's contrite, not wanting the Detroit Red Wings - the club he helped win two Stanley Cup titles - to be severely impaired by the salary penalty that comes with his exit.
"He wants to make sure the Wings have options," his agent, Dan Milstein, told Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "He wants to help the team any way he can with the salary cap issue."
Datsyuk's expected to return to Detroit in the coming weeks to sit down with GM Ken Holland and the Red Wings' brain trust. The dialogue isn't expected to center around his staying; more of a brainstorming session focused on how the two sides can draw up a harmonious split.
As of now, Datsyuk's departure means the Red Wings will be on the hook for his entire $7.5-million salary, because the contract was signed after he turned 35.
The only obvious way to circumvent the problem is trade Datsyuk's rights to a team with sufficient cap space.
A trade will require Datsyuk's blessing, but it appears as though he's more than willing to provide it.
With seven vacant slots remaining on Canada's World Cup roster, an eager group of first-rate talents considered to be in the conversation to wear the red and white again descended on Russia for the worlds with a different international showcase - one set to directly precede the NHL's 2016-17 season - in mind.
So, after more than a month overseas and gold now draped around their necks, who was able to improve their standing with Hockey Canada before the final rosters for the World Cup are cemented this week?
Corey Perry-- Widely considered a lock for preliminary selection, a trying postseason motivated the Ducks' scoring pest to go overseas and captain his country. Perry did his job, scoring four times, finishing two points off the team lead, and becoming the 27th member of the Triple Gold Club. But at the same time, he was fairly silent in the knockout round, registering only an assist and three shots. Perry didn't hurt his chances per se, but failed to drive home presumed participation at a tournament that's essentially the only thing he hasn't won in hockey.
Taylor Hall-- Hall was certainly one of the tournament's more threatening players, finishing a goal off the tournament lead and firing more shots on target than any Canadian. Hall's efficiency, too, dipped in the knockout round, having collected seven of his nine points versus the tournament's clearly inferior opponents. That said, Hall proved something perhaps more important to Canada's brass, emerging as a reliable defender in key spots - even finding himself guarding the middle of the ice in the waning moments of the gold medal final.
Matt Duchene -- Five goals, five assists, and a team-best plus-10 rating among forwards, Duchene was a force up front, exceedingly threatening on the attack, and also a contributor when it mattered most. The Olympian in 2014 continues to be a willing participant, and provided no reason for him not to be included again.
Brad Marchand -- After the season of his life, in which he scored more goals than any Canadian winger aside from Jamie Benn, Marchand lent his two-way talent to the national team, and to great effect. He scored four times, including once shorthanded, to go along with three assists, and showed just how dangerous he is in open ice while still anchoring his top-six unit defensively. He didn't eradicate disciplinary concerns, having taken the second-most penalty minutes, but was never a liability.
Ryan O'Reilly -- He did all the little things, like winning defensive-zone faceoffs, and spearheading a near-flawless penalty kill as he carved out a top-nine role with Mark Scheifele and Mark Stone. O'Reilly's versatility, which includes playing the wing, is important considering Canada's surplus of centers, but it behoves Doug Armstrong to fill in the gaps with natural wingers.
Mark Stone -- Stone enjoyed an excellent tournament, capitalizing on the opportunistic offense that's made him the Senators' leading point producer among forwards over the last two seasons. He finished near the top of every major statistical category, and scored on almost every fourth shot he put on target. A World Cup selection, though, would remain a surprise.
Brendan Gallagher -- Gallagher tumbled into the fourth-line rotation, but still found a way to contribute. His quintessential goal to open the scoring in the semifinal versus the United States was a significant moment for the team. He'll likely have to beat out Marchand and O'Reilly to make the squad, which will be difficult considering the need for reliable penalty killing.
Bonus: Auston Matthews -- Not Canadian, nor eligible for his country's entry, but few players made a stronger World Cup statement. In Russia, he clearly showed he was polished enough, and will likely carve out a role on the young guns. But it should be noted that the North American roster has few center-ice positions available, and two pivots in Scheifele and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who are certainly qualified.
The goaltender, starting his second straight game of the Western Conference Final in place of Brian Elliott, allowed four goals on only 25 shots. He didn't have much of a chance on Joe Pavelski's game-winning goal in the third period, the Sharks captain deftly tipping the puck into the net only 16 seconds into the frame. But Allen acknowledged what a back-breaker the marker was.
"Took the juice out of us right away," he said. "Not the way we wanted to start."
Blues head coach Ken Hitchock characterized Allen's play as "fine," and wouldn't commit to Allen or Elliott for a do-or-die Game 6. He said he'd discuss it with his staff Tuesday before making a call.
The decision on which Blues goalie starts will be a major talking point over the next 24 hours. Game 6 is Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.
The goaltender, starting his second straight game of the Western Conference Final in place of Brian Elliott, allowed four goals on only 25 shots. He didn't have much of a chance on Joe Pavelski's game-winning goal in the third period, the Sharks captain deftly tipping the puck into the net only 16 seconds into the frame. But Allen acknowledged what a back-breaker the marker was.
"Took the juice out of us right away," he said. "Not the way we wanted to start."
Blues head coach Ken Hitchock characterized Allen's play as "fine," and wouldn't commit to Allen or Elliott for a do-or-die Game 6. He said he'd discuss it with his staff Tuesday before making a call.
The decision on which Blues goalie starts will be a major talking point over the next 24 hours. Game 6 is Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET.
Tarasenko recorded only two shots on goal during his 20 minutes on the ice in the Blues' 6-3 victory in Game 4.
The 24-year-old has gone ice cold since piling up 13 points in 14 games over the first two playoff rounds against the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars.
Tarasenko led the Blues with 40 goals and 74 points in the regular season, and he was on a historic point-per-game pace early in the playoffs.
Now, St. Louis is on the brink of elimination, and its brightest star looks lost.
A day after the Tampa Bay Lightning forward scored twice to take the postseason lead in goals, Pavelski responded with two of his own to reclaim his rightful spot on top.
After firing home a one-timer late in the second period to knot Monday's game at 3-3, the San Jose Sharks captain found the back of the net again early in the third period, deflecting a Brent Burns shot past Jake Allen for his 12th of the playoffs.
Troy Brouwer is proving his worth in this postseason.
The veteran forward batted a rebound in out of mid-air to give the St. Louis Blues a 2-1 lead over the San Jose Sharks in the first period of Game 5 on Monday night.
Troy Brouwer (@StLouisBlues) scored his 8th goal of 2016 #StanleyCup Playoffs (19 GP); he had 7 goals in his first 78 career playoff games.
