Fresh off a playoff run in which the Colorado Avalanche were one win away from their first Western Conference Final berth since 2002, general manager Joe Sakic plans on using this summer's free-agency period to help his club take the next step.

"It's a pretty good class this year," Sakic said at his end-of-season media availability. "(We) already have targeted players in mind if they become available that we're gonna want to talk to about joining our club. We see positions of need, of what we're looking to do. There's a few guys that we're gonna want to talk to if they become available. We'll be more aggressive this year ... but if it doesn't work out with the players that we want to talk to we're not just gonna go spend on anybody. We want the right players and the right fit."

The Avs are projected to have more than $31 million in cap space this summer, per Cap Friendly. Even factoring a potential cap hit of $8 million-$10 million for a new contract for young superstar Mikko Rantanen, Sakic will have plenty of leftover space to work with.

This summer's marquee free agents include Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, Erik Karlsson, Jordan Eberle, and Tyler Myers, among others. Colorado could also be a threat to toss out an ever-rare offer sheet to one of this summer's star restricted free agents, such as Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Connor, and Patrik Laine.

The Avalanche have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and Sakic has built a promising young core - centered around Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar - that appears ready to contend for years to come.

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Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan understands the challenges that lie ahead for his team in the salary cap era.

The 50-year-old executive signed a six-year extension with the club Tuesday and was transparent about the Maple Leafs' cap situation as they continue their effort to end a 52-year Stanley Cup drought.

“As long as we are hopefully a Stanley Cup contender we will have cap issues, so Toronto should get used to that," Shanahan said, according to Sportsnet 590 The Fan’s Prime Time Sports.

"The better you become, the less peaceful it is, the more anxiety there is, because each decision means more and so you still have problems,” he added. “They’re just better problems."

The Maple Leafs face a challenging summer, with young blue-chipper Mitch Marner lined up for his first big-money contract, and valuable core pieces Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson also becoming restricted free agents.

Defensemen Jake Gardiner, Ron Hainsey, Martin Marincin, and forward Tyler Ennis are all coming off the books this summer as well.

When it comes to Marner, the two sides are still early in the negotiation process, but Shanahan said he had a positive meeting with the 22-year-old's agent Tuesday.

“I have a lot of respect for Darren Ferris,” Shanahan said. “Obviously, our admiration for Mitch and how he plays the game and how he evolved this year and how he developed, rounded out his game and added, not even just his offensive creativity and prowess but penalty killing and just his overall game has improved so much, so it was a positive meeting."

With John Tavares' $11-million contract and Auston Matthews $11.63-million on the books next season, the Leafs may end up rostering three players making $10-plus million.

Shanahan understands that while staying beneath the cap and remaining competitive in the long run is difficult, it's a privilege to be in a situation where you have a chance to lock up high-end talent.

“When we’re not dealing with cap issues, we’re probably rebuilding,” he said.

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Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask has saved his best for the playoffs, and after splitting time with Jaroslav Halak throughout the regular season, it's evident No. 40 has extra gas in the tank as Boston chases its seventh Cup in franchise history.

The 32-year-old played in 46 games this season - his lightest workload since the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign. When comparing his postseason numbers this year to the 2013 playoff run that saw the Bruins make the Stanley Cup Final, the similarities are difficult to deny.

Rask has had to prove himself in one of hockey's most passionate markets, often being targeted as the scapegoat for the Bruins' shortcomings. But the Finn has been extremely reliable since becoming the team's full-time starter in 2012, even capturing a Vezina Trophy in 2014.

Perhaps the real problem is just how much the Bruins have relied on him. Between the 2013-14 and 2017-18 seasons, Rask's 311 games played and 17,980 minutes logged led all NHL goaltenders. During that span, the team found little success as the 6-foot-3 backstopper's numbers continued to decline.

This season, Rask ranked outside of the top 20 in terms of both games played and minutes logged between the pipes.

Only Rask knows for sure if fatigue has been a factor over the previous several seasons, but the numbers show that the less of a load he's had to carry during the year, the better the outcome is for the Bruins.

Perhaps the most concerning part for the teams that remain between the Bruins and the Stanley Cup this postseason is the fact Rask gets stronger as the playoffs wear on - another sign the netminder may have some energy in reserve.

It's not just the volume of his incredible work, either, but the timing of it that's made this run so special.

Rask made 54 saves on a combined 57 shots through two elimination games against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1. With the Bruins down 2-1 in their second-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he made 39 saves to steal Game 4. Since that victory, the Bruins have won five straight games and Rask has conceded just eight goals.

The veteran deserves a ton of credit for his play this season, but it would be remiss not to mention the team in front of him. Head coach Bruce Cassidy has implemented a defense-first mentality, stressing the importance of limiting high-danger scoring chances.

With the Bruins on the verge of making their third Stanley Cup Final appearance this decade, it looks as though the decision to lighten Rask's regular-season workload has unlocked Boston's full potential.

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Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour wore his heart on his sleeve during his playing career, and apparently, not much has changed in his first season as a bench boss.

Brind'Amour offered a candid response Tuesday following his team's 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, who now hold a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final.

"This hurts," Brind'Amour said postgame, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. "I told the guys, 'I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. We just got kicked in the you-know-where.'"

Despite the loss, the Hurricanes controlled 56 percent of the shot attempts and 54.8 percent of the high-danger scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.

"I think we can feel good about the fact that we at least gave them a game," Brind'Amour told WBZ's Michael Hurley. "I mean, we hadn't given them a game yet. It was pretty easy for them, so at least we battled hard."

The Hurricanes' power play was perhaps their biggest problem Tuesday night. They went 0-for-5 with the man advantage, and the Bruins' best penalty killer was none other than goaltender Tuukka Rask.

"He's definitely the difference-maker," Brind'Amour said of Rask, according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer.

The goaltender stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced, including all 14 he saw while the Bruins were shorthanded.

If the Hurricanes are to avoid a sweep and force a Game 5, they'll have to find an answer for Rask, who has a .939 save percentage in the postseason.

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The Buffalo Sabres will name former Edmonton Oilers bench boss Ralph Krueger as their next head coach, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Krueger has taken an unconventional path to his newest job. He was the head coach of the Swiss national team from 1997 to 2010 and then served as an assistant coach with the Oilers for two seasons before taking over for the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. After compiling a 19-22-7 record, he was relieved of his duties.

The 59-year-old then ventured into associated football and was director - and chairman shortly thereafter - of Southampton FC. In 2016, Krueger coached Team Europe to an unlikely second-place finish at the World Cup of Hockey.

Krueger will replace Phil Housley, who was fired on April 7.

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Curtis McElhinney is in goal for Carolina Hurricanes for Game 3 versus the Boston Bruins, replacing Petr Mrazek as the home team's starting netminder for the pivotal contest.

Mrazek was the Hurricanes' starter down the regular-season stretch and during the first round of the playoffs. But he suffered an injury versus the New York Islanders in Round 2 and has struggled since returning, allowing 10 goals through two games against the Bruins.

McElhinney's appeared in one game in relief of Mrazek and started two others so far this postseason, posting a .947 save percentage over those outings.

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Despite leading the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs in both goals and points, San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture isn't letting his gaudy production distract him from the ultimate prize.

"You're playing for the Stanley Cup here," Couture told Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre. "We've never won it, I've never won it and it's something I want to do for this team and this city. I'm definitely proud of being able to contribute and help this team win. But until we win the Stanley Cup, I won't be satisfied."

Couture's registered 13 goals and 19 points so far this postseason, pacing his peers by four in each category. His latest stellar performance came in Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues, when he notched two goals in just under two minutes to tie the game.

Despite his efforts, the Sharks eventually lost the contest and now head to St. Louis tied 1-1 in the Western Conference Final. It's that fact, not his personal performance, that stands out for Couture.

"In my opinion, that wasn't anywhere near what we're capable of, and I don't think we've played up to our capabilities for a while now," Couture told NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika. "We did just enough to beat the Avalanche, but we haven't played our best hockey since that Vegas series.

"And it's discouraging, it's frustrating because we're going to need everyone here if we're going to beat these guys because they're a very good hockey team."

The Sharks return to action Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan to a six-year extension through the 2024-25 season, the team announced Tuesday.

"On behalf of the MLSE Board of Directors, and certainly our company and fans as well, we are very pleased to see Brendan continue in his role as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs," said Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of Leafs ownership group MLSE. "Brendan's positive impact on this team has not only been felt on the ice, where the team is on an impressive path, but throughout the league, with the Leafs' alumni, and in the community.

"We look forward to continued success for the Maple Leafs under Brendan's leadership over the next six years."

The former head of the NHL's Department of Player Safety, Shanahan joined the Maple Leafs in April 2014 and has overseen massive organizational changes since taking over.

Under Shanahan, the Leafs brought in Mike Babcock as head coach and Lou Lamoriello - since replaced by Kyle Dubas - as general manager. With Shanahan at the helm, the team also drafted several members of its young core including Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, and made a franchise-altering free-agent splash with the signing of John Tavares last July.

Shanahan's arrival has paid major dividends for Toronto, as the team has transformed from a perennial cellar dweller into a legitimate Stanley Cup threat. The Leafs have qualified for the playoffs in each of the last three campaigns and have now recorded back-to-back 100-point regular seasons for the first time in franchise history.

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