The Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season has become one of the best stories in professional sports, and it's still being written. With the club continuing its dream campaign by qualifying for the conference final, it's no longer a matter of if Hollywood is going to make a movie about this team's historic first season, but when.

Aside from the whole "expansion team having success" theme, there's no shortage of potential subplots that make this feel-good story Hollywood worthy.

Whether it's Vegas resident Deryk Engelland - who's having a career year - delivering a compelling speech at the team's home opener following the tragic Vegas shootings, William Karlsson going from six goals last season to 43 this one, or the three Florida Panthers castoffs having amazing campaigns - including Gerard Gallant getting let go in the worst way possible. Take your pick.

So, without further ado, here is an ideal star-studded cast for the eventual Hollywood film on the Vegas Golden Knights:

Adrien Brody as Marc-Andre Fleury

In a season that has not been short on excellent storylines, Fleury's might be the best of them all. So why not have a guy like Brody play him. He does, after all, know a thing or two about winning trophies.

Not to mention, the uncanny physical resemblance. Which, at the very least, would help keep makeup and costume costs down.

Chevy Chase as Bill Foley

Knights owner Foley is the man who made all of this possible. Though the bulk of his scenes would be prior to the start of the regular season, he still needs to be featured. Chase is not only a pretty close lookalike, but he could easily portray an over-the-top, wealthy executive.

Danny DeVito as Gary Bettman

If you're too young to remember DeVito from his famous role as the Penguin in 1992's "Batman Returns," let's just say it's the perfectly sinister precursor to the equally sinister league commissioner.

DeVito might need a bit of help from the makeup department to cover up his trademark bald spot to fit the Bettman look appropriately, but his salty demeanor and limited frame fit the billing nicely.

Kiefer Sutherland as Gerard Gallant

Last year, Gallant was prematurely fired from the Panthers. Now, he's on the verge of winning the Jack Adams Trophy as the coach of the year. He'd be the star of this film, so who better to portray him than one of the most distinguished Canadian actors in the business?

Nicolas Cage as George McPhee

Cage hasn't been in a good flick for almost a decade, but luckily for ol' Nicky boy, this concept is foolproof. McPhee's role in the film might be limited due to his position in the franchise, but capping Cage's screen time could be the perfect way to integrate his quirky "skills" into this story.

Tom Hardy as Deryk Engelland

Hardy is a perfect fit to play Vegas' tough, rugged leader. The Golden Knights don't have a captain, but if they were miraculously able to win the Stanley Cup, you can bet Engelland would be the first player to lift the trophy.

Engelland also rocks a pretty robust beard, so Hardy checks that box nicely, and we all know he can take on a physically-tasking role if need be.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jonathan Marchessault

In addition to the right look and build to play the diminutive Marchessault, Gordon-Levitt has proven to be a master of dialects and accents, a must to properly portray the Quebec native.

Marchessault operates mostly under the radar, so Gordon-Levitt's screen time and lines might be limited. Regardless, he'd be the perfect fit to play one of the Golden Knights' top forwards.

Chris Hemsworth as William Karlsson

Not only is Hemsworth capable of pulling off Karlsson's luscious blonde flow, but playing Vegas' 43-goal phenom would require some sort of heroic presence, which the Australian actor has in spades.

Ben Affleck as James Neal

Neal might have recently earned the moniker "The Real Deal," but Affleck has been a leading man for decades. So he has the acting chops to play a character like Neal, who would be featured prominently throughout the film as one of the biggest reasons the Knights find themselves in the hunt for a Cup.

Some solid makeup work would need to be done here, as Affleck has 15 years on Neal and is beginning to rock the salt-and-pepper dad look on the regular. But we still think he could pull it off with relative ease.

Jay Baruchel as Reilly Smith

Having a hockey movie without Baruchel would just seem wrong. While he may not be a perfect lookalike to Smith, he would undoubtedly bring humor to the locker room, even if it's in a small part.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Czech Republic's roster at the ongoing World Championship is apparently about to be bolstered by a couple of talented Boston Bruins forwards.

David Pastrnak and David Krejci have an agreement in place to join the squad soon, Czech head coach Josef Jandac told Sport-Express' Igor Eronko on Tuesday night.

Jandac added that the duo will play on the same line when they arrive.

Pastrnak set new career highs in goals (35), assists (45), and points (80) this season, and became the youngest player in NHL history to notch six points in a playoff game, eclipsing none other than Wayne Gretzky. The 21-year-old racked up 20 points in 12 postseason games.

Krejci was limited to 64 regular-season contests, but chipped in 17 goals and 44 points of his own prior to the playoffs, adding 10 points in 12 postseason games.

If Krejci does suit up, it will be the first time he's represented his home country since the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub.

Pastrnak played in the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto in the fall of 2016.

The Czech Republic defeated Switzerland in a shootout Tuesday to move into fourth place in Group A. The Czechs have no regulation wins through the first three games, but still have four contests remaining in the preliminary round.

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Joe Thornton would like to remain in San Jose, and he's open to some concessions if that's what it takes to make it happen.

"I want to come back, and I'm sure we'll try to work something out. It's no secret I'm a Shark," the veteran forward said Tuesday at the club's clean-out session. "I bleed teal, and I want to come back. I know I'm going to be healthy when I come back, so I'm sure we can figure something out, but I want to come back."

When asked if the one-year deal he signed last summer is where he is "at" in terms of a potential contract, Thornton said that's something to which he'd be amenable.

"Yeah, I'm comfortable signing one-year deals, and it's fine."

The 38-year-old also took a selfless approach when asked if he'd be open to taking less money if that allowed the Sharks to pursue a "big fish" in free agency.

"Absolutely, there's enough money around for everybody ... I want this team ultimately to win the Stanley Cup," he said. "This city deserves it and these guys deserve it, so whatever we decide, (what's) going to be in the back of my head is just making this team better."

Thornton agreed to a one-year, $8-million deal with the Sharks last July after appearing in all but three regular-season games and four of San Jose's six playoff contests.

He played 47 games in 2017-18 before sitting out the final 35 in the regular season and all 10 in the postseason with what he revealed Tuesday to be MCL and ACL tears in his right knee, the same injuries he endured in his left knee last season.

Thornton is the Sharks' all-time assist leader, and he ranks second in points and games played behind Patrick Marleau.

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The dates are set, with one participating team yet to be determined.

The NHL has released the Conference finals schedule, with the Washington Capitals set to visit the Tampa Bay Lightning for Game 1 in the East on May 11.

The winner of Thursday's second-round Game 7 between the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets will host the Vegas Golden Knights out West on May 12.

Here's a look at the full schedule:

Washington vs. Tampa Bay

* if necessary

Vegas vs. Nashville or Winnipeg

* if necessary

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It's been well documented that San Jose Sharks centerman Joe Thornton was dealing with knee injuries this season, but we are finally learning just how banged up he was.

The longtime Shark suffered both an MCL and ACL tear in his right knee, according to Paul Gackle of Bay Area News Group. The exact same injuries he dealt with in his opposite knee a season before.

Thornton was missing from the Sharks' lineup since Jan. 23, sitting out San Jose's final 35 regular-season games. The injured knee also forced him to sit out for the entire playoffs.

In more positive news, Thornton told reporters Tuesday he wants to return to the Sharks next season. He went as far to say he would be willing to sign another one-year deal to stay in San Jose, according to Gackle.

Thornton inked a one-year, $8-million deal last July. He went on to register 13 goals and 23 assists in 47 games this season.

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Canada's defense is getting a huge boost.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic of the San Jose Sharks is heading to Denmark to represent his country at the World Championship, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

Vlasic has appeared in four major international tournaments for Canada, winning gold at the Olympics (2014) and the World Cup (2016), as well as two silver medals at the worlds (2009, 2017).

The 31-year-old recorded 11 goals and 21 assists in 81 regular-season games, and added two assists in 10 postseason appearances.

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As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 23rd edition focuses on the Colorado Avalanche.

The Good

Nathan MacKinnon. The former No. 1 pick was Colorado’s best player and leading scorer during the regular season. MacKinnon scored a career-high 39 goals and 97 points before being named a Hart Trophy finalist. If that wasn't enough, he led his team to the playoffs and a 47-point improvement over last season.

An improbable season. Just making the playoffs was an accomplishment many thought the Avalanche wouldn’t be able to pull off - but they did, in their last game of the regular season. That the team was able to survive a litany of injuries and make the playoffs just one year after having one of the worst seasons in NHL history was truly remarkable.

Trading Matt Duchene. When the Avalanche traded Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators, they didn’t look like a playoff-bound team. Afterward? They looked like a completely different club. There’s no way to know if this was solely due to unloading Duchene, who was linked to trade rumors for what seemed like forever, but some of the pieces acquired in the deal - goalie Andrew Hammond and defenseman Samuel Girard - ended up becoming important ones down the line.

The Bad

Losing the starting goaltender, then the backup. Semyon Varlamov's season ended right before the playoffs when he went down with a lower-body injury, a huge blow to a team that had snuck into the playoffs. Varlamov played in 51 regular-season games, owning a .920 save percentage and 2.68 goals against average. Backup Jonathan Bernier started the first four playoff games, allowed 14 goals, and then left Game 4 with a lower-body injury. That meant Hammond, who’d played in one regular-season contest all year was next up. He was lights out in Game 5 of the Avalanche’s series against the Nashville Predators but gave up five goals on 37 shots in Game 6, where they were eliminated.

One-dimensional offense. The top line of MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen scored 243 of the team's collective 658 points during the campaign. When they faltered in the postseason, so did the Avalanche, who lost every game where the top line recorded fewer than three points.

Inexperience vs. experience. The Predators were a more experienced team than the Avalanche, and not just in playoff games played, of which Colorado had the least of any playoff team at the start of the postseason. Nashville’s defensive depth was intimidating, their forward group was deeper, and their goaltending was better in the first-round series. Colorado was able to keep up with Nashville longer than many thought, but in the end, experience won out.

The Questions

What’s on Sakic’s summer to-do list? One of general manager Joe Sakic’s priorities this summer should be finding at least one defenseman. There were points during the season where the Avalanche were playing with more than one AHL blue-liner. Patrik Nemeth and Anton Lindholm will probably not be returning, so Sakic may have two spots to fill. If it's decided not to bring Bernier back, a decision will also need to be made for a backup goaltender.

Who should be re-signed? Without a doubt, Rantanen should be signed to a long-term extension. He has one year remaining on his entry-level deal and is arguably one of the franchise’s most important pieces going forward. Mark Barberio, Blake Comeau, Gabriel Bourque, Mark Alt, Hammond, and Bernier are all unrestricted free agents this summer, and Sakic will have to consider who he wants to keep around. It’s doubtful that all of them will be brought back. Of RFAs in need of new contracts, the only one who will probably not be given a qualifying offer is Nail Yakupov.

Should they make a run at Tavares? Pending UFA John Tavares could stay with the New York Islanders. There’s also a chance he may not, and there are a dozen or more teams who would love to win the Tavares sweepstakes. With $25.3 million to play with, minus whatever Rantanen’s contract runs (if Colorado goes that route) and any other free agents, the Avalanche would have a lot to offer Tavares. And they need to address scoring, so why not? If Tavares doesn’t pan out, James van Riemsdyk is another intriguing option.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The New Jersey Devils announced a trio of significant medical updates Tuesday.

Hart Trophy finalist Taylor Hall underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left hand. The injury was suffered in late December, but he was able to play through it under the care of the team's medical staff.

Hall will be good to go for training camp in September.

Goaltender Cory Schneider also went under the knife to repair torn cartilage in his left hip, with an expected recovery time of five months.

And finally, winger Patrick Maroon underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back and is expected to be ready prior to training camp. He can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

All three players will be evaluated as the summer progresses.

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