Put Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane in the same boat as thousands of hockey-starved fans eager to watch a constant flow of playoff games beginning in early August.

"It'll be similar to those March Madness tournaments when you can watch college basketball all day and that's pretty much all you do, except this time it'll be hockey, so it'll be fun for me to watch," Kane told NHL.com's Tracey Myers.

"It looks like it's going to be an amazing schedule if you're a hockey fan," he continued. "It looks like you'll be able to watch like six games a day, if I'm correct. You'll be able to watch hockey all day. Pretty much every couple of hours it seems a new game is on. I think it's cool."

The NHL's jam-packed qualifying-round schedule begins Aug. 1. Kane's 12th-seeded Blackhawks are slated to play the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five series, with the winner advancing to the traditional 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket.

Between the eight qualifying-round series and the round-robin matches pitting the top-four seeds against each other in both conferences, there could be up to 52 high-stakes games played over a nine-day period, and Kane will be dialed in when he's not on the ice.

"One of the best things about the playoffs is when you're hanging in the lounge with the guys, you're watching hockey games, flipping back and forth, seeing what games are close and what games are in overtime," Kane said.

Kane led the Blackhawks this season with 84 points, and he's one of the most accomplished playoff performers of his generation. The 31-year-old has racked up 123 points in 127 career postseason games - including 11 game-winning goals - while capturing three Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHLer Jeremy Roenick filed a lawsuit against NBC in the Manhattan Supreme Court after the broadcasting company fired him in February over inappropriate comments made on a podcast, according to Priscilla DeGregory of the New York Post.

NBC suspended Roenick and ultimately fired him after he appeared on "Spittin' Chiclets" in December and made sexual remarks about colleague Kathryn Tappen.

The lawsuit alleges Roenick was held to a different standard than NBC figure skating commentators Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski, who made racy comments on a July 2 spoof video of 2018 Olympic bronze medalist figure skater Bradie Tennell.

Roenick claims he was discriminated against as a straight man, whereas Lipinski and Weir - a gay man - weren't disciplined for similar behavior.

Roenick also argues he was wrongfully fired despite making a public apology, and Tappen told him "she was not offended by his comments but was pressured by both NBC and a woman’s rights organization to make a statement condemning Roenick’s comments," according to the court documents.

He's suing for unspecified damages, but Roenick says his firing cost him lucrative contracts with different partners and public-appearance opportunities, which usually pay around $10,000.

Roenick was hired as an NBC hockey analyst in 2010, shortly after his 20-year NHL career ended.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forwards David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missed their second straight practice on Friday.

Pastrnak tested negative for COVID-19, but he is under quarantine after having contact with someone who tested positive, his agent told The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa.

The two players were reportedly spotted working out at a local rink separate from the team earlier this week.

"If the league allows them to work out on their own, I'm OK with them trying to get their conditioning where it needs to be," Cassidy said, according to The Boston Globe's Matt Porter. "What are the parameters of it? Are they near people that are at risk? Are they social distancing? Are they doing it the right way?"

"If they're doing it the right way to prepare themselves, then I'm OK with it," he added, according to Porter. "If they're not, and they put themselves in harm's way, then obviously that's not a good thing."

The two were deemed "unfit to participate" for the second straight day after getting on the ice Wednesday. Pastrnak practiced with a small group, while Kase skated alone afterward.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Caleb Jones said Friday that he previously tested positive for COVID-19, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.

The 23-year-old added that he was asymptomatic and doesn't know from whom he contracted the virus, according to Spector.

Jones attended practice Friday for the first time after missing the opening four days of training camp.

The NHL recently announced it was aware of 43 players who tested positive during Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan, which started on June 8.

Jones appeared in 43 games with the Oilers this season, recording four goals and five assists.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer confirmed Wednesday that the team will name its first captain in franchise history ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

The Golden Knights have rotated four alternate captains since the club's inception in 2017-18 and will have no shortage of options when deciding which player will be first to don the "C."

Here are five candidates who could be tabbed for the prestigious role.

Mark Stone

Stone has arguably been the Golden Knights' most valuable player since they landed him at the 2018-19 trade deadline. The 28-year-old then cemented himself in the club's long-term plans when he inked an eight-year, $76-million deal shortly after his arrival.

As gifted as Stone is offensively, it's his elite play away from the puck that truly bolsters his candidacy for the captaincy. He led all Golden Knights forwards in blocked shots (51) this season and finished second league-wide with 78 takeaways. Vegas also owned a sizzling 61.47% share of expected goals for when Stone patrolled the ice at five-on-five.

Stone has experience wearing a letter, too. The Winnipeg native served as an alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators for two seasons and also donned the "A" for Team Canada at the 2019 world championships.

Max Pacioretty

Pacioretty is the only player on the Golden Knights' roster with experience wearing the "C" at the NHL level. The electric winger served as Montreal Canadiens captain for three seasons from 2015 to 2018 and was an alternate in Vegas during the 2018-19 campaign.

The 30-year-old is one of the more senior players on the team, as his 763 career games rank third behind fellow veterans Paul Stastny and Marc-Andre Fleury. However, Pacioretty hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. He hit the 30-goal plateau for the sixth time and was on pace for a career-best 76 points before the season was cut short in March.

Shea Theodore

Theodore hasn't been part of the leadership group in Vegas, but it would be silly to exclude him from the discussion. The 24-year-old has quietly blossomed into one of the most steady two-way defensemen in the league and is a bright part of the club's future with his contract running through the 2024-25 campaign.

He's the backbone of the Golden Knights' blue line, leading the club in average ice time (22:14) while quarterbacking one of the league's better power plays. The 6-foot-2 rearguard potted a career-best 13 goals and 46 points this season and ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 55 takeaways.

Theodore has never worn a letter in the NHL but served as both captain and an alternate for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds.

Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault is the franchise leader in both points (181) and assists (107), and he ranks second in goals with 74 over 225 contests. A spark plug both on and off the ice, the 29-year-old is beloved by teammates for his boundless energy and contagious positive attitude.

The undrafted winger was rewarded for his development as a player and leader with a six-year, $30-million deal prior to the 2018-19 campaign. Marchessault's body of work speaks for itself, and with the pesky forward in Vegas' plans for years to come, he can't be overlooked as a possible captain.

Reilly Smith

One of the club's original leaders, Smith has served as an alternate captain since the Golden Knights' debut campaign. The skilled winger is one of the team's most reliable and clutch scorers. Smith netted 27 goals this season with 23 coming at even strength and a team-best six holding up as game-winners.

Like Stone, Smith is a terrific two-way winger who contributes in all situations. He averaged nearly two minutes of ice time on both the power play and penalty kill and isn't afraid to throw his weight around, evidenced by his 55 hits this season. Only Marchessault and William Karlsson have recorded more points for the franchise than Smith's 167.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins, and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning were voted as the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, the league announced Friday.

The award - voted on by the league's general managers - is handed out annually to the league's top goaltender.

More to come.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2019-20 postseason will be unlike any other we've seen in the history of the NHL. Some of the 24 participating teams have already clinched playoff berths, while others will have to win a best-of-five series to earn a spot in the 16-team playoff.

With only a short runway between the qualifying round and the traditional playoffs, each club's decision regarding which goalie it starts will be a crucial one. There is little room for error - teams often only go as far as their goaltenders can take them.

Let's take a look at five of the biggest goalie dilemmas clubs are facing ahead of this year's playoffs.

Robin Lehner vs. Marc-Andre Fleury

It wasn't exactly clear what the Vegas Golden Knights' intentions were when they acquired Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline. Though he only appeared in three games with his new club before the league halted the season, he impressed by going 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

Lehner's skills are undeniable, but the Golden Knights already have a three-time Stanley Cup champion at their disposal. Perhaps Vegas brought in Lehner to take some pressure off the 35-year-old Fleury, who played in 49 games this season. Perhaps it was an insurance move in case Fleury burned out. But while the veteran's play this season wasn't spectacular, he certainly has the playoff experience teams yearn for.

The Golden Knights' choice in net remains increasingly unclear. Now that Fleury has had months to rest, the physical toll of the regular season lingers no more. Fortunately, Vegas has also already clinched a playoff spot and will be participating in a round-robin tournament with the rest of the Western Conference's top four squads. The round robin is important for seeding purposes, but it also gives the Golden Knights a chance to start both goalies with little risk before making the final decision for the round of 16.

Prediction: Fleury gets the start in Game 1 of the playoffs

Elvis Merzlikins vs. Joonas Korpisalo

The Columbus Blue Jackets will need to heavily depend on their goalie if they want a chance at beating the high-octane Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round. While Korpisalo has played four more seasons than the rookie Merzlikins, neither goalie has seen any postseason action.

Merzlikins dropped the first eight contests he appeared in this season, but he rebounded after taking over midseason for an injured Korpisalo. The 26-year-old even recorded an eight-game win streak at one point, which included five shutouts. Overall, Merzlikins produced a solid 13-9-8 record with a .923 save percentage and 2.35 goals-against average in 33 games.

Korpisalo began this season as the team's starter. Without his injury, Merzlikins wouldn't have had the chance to prove himself after a disastrous start to the campaign.

The Blue Jackets handed each goalie two-year extensions during the hiatus, though Merzlikins will receive $8 million while Korpisalo will earn $5.6 million. If the difference in value is any indication of how the team views the tandem, then Merzlikins should get the green light to man the crease.

Prediction: Merzlikins gets the nod in the qualifying round

Matt Murray vs. Tristan Jarry

Jarry heavily outplayed Murray this season, earning an All-Star Game selection and finishing the campaign with a 20-12-1 record alongside a .921 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average.

Murray couldn't string together quality starts. He finished 20-11-5, but his peripheral stats - which included a .899 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average - weren't great.

However, Murray has vastly more playoff experience than Jarry despite only being a year older. Jarry has never started a postseason game, while Murray has appeared in 48 playoff contests and helped guide the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Murray didn't start in Game 1 of the playoffs either year, though, so perhaps Pittsburgh will turn to him if Jarry struggles.

Prediction: Jarry gets the start in the qualifying round

Igor Shesterkin vs. Henrik Lundqvist

Shesterkin is clearly the New York Rangers' goalie of the future. He's extremely talented, and he lived up to the hype after making his NHL debut midseason, going 10-2-0 with a .932 save percentage and 2.52 goals-against average. But can Shesterkin - who's played in just 12 regular-season contests - be trusted as the starting goalie in a five-game series?

Lundqvist is 38 years old and nearing the end of his career. While his play has started to decline, he's still shown that he's a capable goaltender. With months off to rest, can he channel his old self for what might be a final playoff run with the Rangers?

One of the main things working in Lundqvist's favor is his record versus the Rangers' qualifying-round opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes. Lundqvist went 3-0-0 against Carolina this season with a 2.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. He's also played in 128 playoff games, steering the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final twice and the Stanley Cup Final once.

But despite Lundqvist's Hall of Fame-worthy career, all good things must come to an end. Shesterkin's clearly New York's best goaltender at the moment and he should start out of the gate despite his lack of experience.

Prediction: Shesterkin gets the nod in the qualifying round

Braden Holtby vs. Ilya Samsonov

Holtby is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, as he posted career lows with a .897 save percentage and 3.11 goals-against average in 48 appearances. However, it is possible the 30-year-old was just fatigued. Over the last three seasons - including the playoffs - Holtby has appeared in 191 games.

Samsonov is clearly the Washington Capitals' goalie of the future, but he is still just 23 years old and has minimal NHL experience. He played extremely well in his debut season, putting together a 16-6-2 record, but Washington seemed reluctant to put him in the driver's seat.

Holtby is an impending free agent, so this is a good chance for him to prove that he still has gas in the tank. Like the Golden Knights, the Capitals are fortunate enough to find themselves in the round-robin tournament, which means both goalies will almost certainly play. Who will start in the round of 16 may depend on those results.

Holtby - who helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup just two years ago - definitely has the experience edge over Samsonov and should start to begin the playoffs. But perhaps this postseason will mark the changing of the guard in Washington and usher in a new era with Samsonov leading the way.

Prediction: Holtby starts Game 1 of the playoffs

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2019-20 postseason will be unlike any other we've seen in the history of the NHL. Some of the 24 participating teams have already clinched playoff berths, while others will have to win a best-of-five series to earn a spot in the 16-team playoff.

With only a short runway between the qualifying round and the traditional playoffs, each club's decision regarding which goalie it starts will be a crucial one. There is little room for error - teams often only go as far as their goaltenders can take them.

Let's take a look at five of the biggest goalie dilemmas clubs are facing ahead of this year's playoffs.

Robin Lehner vs. Marc-Andre Fleury

It wasn't exactly clear what the Vegas Golden Knights' intentions were when they acquired Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline. Though he only appeared in three games with his new club before the league halted the season, he impressed by going 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

Lehner's skills are undeniable, but the Golden Knights already have a three-time Stanley Cup champion at their disposal. Perhaps Vegas brought in Lehner to take some pressure off the 35-year-old Fleury, who played in 49 games this season. Perhaps it was an insurance move in case Fleury burned out. But while the veteran's play this season wasn't spectacular, he certainly has the playoff experience teams yearn for.

The Golden Knights' choice in net remains increasingly unclear. Now that Fleury has had months to rest, the physical toll of the regular season lingers no more. Fortunately, Vegas has also already clinched a playoff spot and will be participating in a round-robin tournament with the rest of the Western Conference's top four squads. The round robin is important for seeding purposes, but it also gives the Golden Knights a chance to start both goalies with little risk before making the final decision for the round of 16.

Prediction: Fleury gets the start in Game 1 of the playoffs

Elvis Merzlikins vs. Joonas Korpisalo

The Columbus Blue Jackets will need to heavily depend on their goalie if they want a chance at beating the high-octane Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round. While Korpisalo has played four more seasons than the rookie Merzlikins, neither goalie has seen any postseason action.

Merzlikins dropped the first eight contests he appeared in this season, but he rebounded after taking over midseason for an injured Korpisalo. The 26-year-old even recorded an eight-game win streak at one point, which included five shutouts. Overall, Merzlikins produced a solid 13-9-8 record with a .923 save percentage and 2.35 goals-against average in 33 games.

Korpisalo began this season as the team's starter. Without his injury, Merzlikins wouldn't have had the chance to prove himself after a disastrous start to the campaign.

The Blue Jackets handed each goalie two-year extensions during the hiatus, though Merzlikins will receive $8 million while Korpisalo will earn $5.6 million. If the difference in value is any indication of how the team views the tandem, then Merzlikins should get the green light to man the crease.

Prediction: Merzlikins gets the nod in the qualifying round

Matt Murray vs. Tristan Jarry

Jarry heavily outplayed Murray this season, earning an All-Star Game selection and finishing the campaign with a 20-12-1 record alongside a .921 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average.

Murray couldn't string together quality starts. He finished 20-11-5, but his peripheral stats - which included a .899 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average - weren't great.

However, Murray has vastly more playoff experience than Jarry despite only being a year older. Jarry has never started a postseason game, while Murray has appeared in 48 playoff contests and helped guide the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Murray didn't start in Game 1 of the playoffs either year, though, so perhaps Pittsburgh will turn to him if Jarry struggles.

Prediction: Jarry gets the start in the qualifying round

Igor Shesterkin vs. Henrik Lundqvist

Shesterkin is clearly the New York Rangers' goalie of the future. He's extremely talented, and he lived up to the hype after making his NHL debut midseason, going 10-2-0 with a .932 save percentage and 2.52 goals-against average. But can Shesterkin - who's played in just 12 regular-season contests - be trusted as the starting goalie in a five-game series?

Lundqvist is 38 years old and nearing the end of his career. While his play has started to decline, he's still shown that he's a capable goaltender. With months off to rest, can he channel his old self for what might be a final playoff run with the Rangers?

One of the main things working in Lundqvist's favor is his record versus the Rangers' qualifying-round opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes. Lundqvist went 3-0-0 against Carolina this season with a 2.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage. He's also played in 128 playoff games, steering the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final twice and the Stanley Cup Final once.

But despite Lundqvist's Hall of Fame-worthy career, all good things must come to an end. Shesterkin's clearly New York's best goaltender at the moment and he should start out of the gate despite his lack of experience.

Prediction: Shesterkin gets the nod in the qualifying round

Braden Holtby vs. Ilya Samsonov

Holtby is coming off the worst statistical season of his career, as he posted career lows with a .897 save percentage and 3.11 goals-against average in 48 appearances. However, it is possible the 30-year-old was just fatigued. Over the last three seasons - including the playoffs - Holtby has appeared in 191 games.

Samsonov is clearly the Washington Capitals' goalie of the future, but he is still just 23 years old and has minimal NHL experience. He played extremely well in his debut season, putting together a 16-6-2 record, but Washington seemed reluctant to put him in the driver's seat.

Holtby is an impending free agent, so this is a good chance for him to prove that he still has gas in the tank. Like the Golden Knights, the Capitals are fortunate enough to find themselves in the round-robin tournament, which means both goalies will almost certainly play. Who will start in the round of 16 may depend on those results.

Holtby - who helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup just two years ago - definitely has the experience edge over Samsonov and should start to begin the playoffs. But perhaps this postseason will mark the changing of the guard in Washington and usher in a new era with Samsonov leading the way.

Prediction: Holtby starts Game 1 of the playoffs

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.