New coach Lane Lambert says he expects to lead the Kraken to the playoffs
SEATTLE — Lane Lambert said he feels no pressure to turn the Seattle Kraken into a playoff contender. But his expectation is to do exactly that. Lambert was introduced as the Kraken’s coach Monday at the team’s practice facility. He was hired May 29 after spending last season as an...
T.J. Oshie, U.S. Olympic star in Sochi and Capitals Stanley Cup champion, announces he’s retiring
WASHINGTON — T.J. Oshie, who scored four shootout goals for the U.S. to beat host Russia at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and helped the Washington Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018, announced Monday he is retiring after playing 16 NHL seasons. Oshie shared his news in front of hundreds...
Panthers-Oilers Cup Finals has been as tight as could be
SUNRISE, Fla. — After going the distance in the Stanley Cup Final last year — with the Florida Panthers beating the Edmonton Oilers by a goal in Game 7 and being one win apart during the regular season — not much is separating these two NHL powerhouses in their championship...
Brad Marchand scores in 2nd OT as Panthers beat Oilers to even Stanley Cup Final
EDMONTON, Alberta — Brad Marchand scored on a breakaway in double overtime and the defending champion Florida Panthers punched back against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Final rematch, winning 5-4 on Friday night to even the series. Marchand’s second goal of the night 8:04 into...
Stars fire coach Pete DeBoer after losing in West final for 3rd year in row
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Stars coach Pete DeBoer was fired Friday after three seasons with the team, getting to the Western Conference final each time but never advancing past that for a shot at the Stanley Cup. The move came eight days after the Stars ended their season in a...
‘Spectacular’ Stanley Cup Final Game 1 shows this Panthers-Oilers rematch could be a classic series
EDMONTON, Alberta — If the series opener of the Stanley Cup Final is a hint of things to come, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers are about to give everyone a memorable show. The two best teams in the NHL over the past couple of years traded hits, goals and...
Bruins name ex-forward Marco Sturm as head coach to replace fired Jim Montgomery
BOSTON — The Boston Bruins hired Marco Sturm as coach on Thursday to help the Original Six franchise get back to the playoffs after missing them for the first time since 2016. The Bruins picked Sturm to replace interim coach Joe Sacco, who took over from Jim Montgomery in November...
Leon Draisaitl scores in OT, Oilers beat Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final
EDMONTON, Alberta — When the Stanley Cup was brought out onto the ice prior to Game 1 of the final, just as it was last year, everything the Edmonton Oilers expressed about this time being different came into focus. “Last year, I was kind of looking at it with googly...
Oilers’ Hyman says his right wrist was dislocated late last round, knocking him out of the playoffs
EDMONTON, Alberta — Zach Hyman said Wednesday his right wrist got dislocated late last round, an injury that is sidelining one of the Edmonton Oilers’ most valuable forwards for the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. Hyman sported a brace on his right arm after undergoing surgery last week...
Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers face off in a Stanley Cup Final rematch of NHL powerhouses
EDMONTON, Alberta — At the height of his hockey career after winning the Stanley Cup last year with the Florida Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk had a message for Connor McDavid at the Edmonton Oilers captain’s lowest point of his career in the handshake line immediately following Game 7. “We’re gonna see...
Blackhawks hire Vellucci as an assistant coach under Blashill
CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks hired Mike Vellucci as an assistant coach for Jeff Blashill’s first staff with his new team. The Blackhawks announced the addition of Vellucci on Monday. He joins Michael Peca and Anders Sorensen as Blashill’s assistants. Goaltending coach Jimmy Waite, video coach Matt Meacham and assistant...
Mark Madden: Connor McDavid is among all-time greats but needs a Stanley Cup to cement legacy
In team sports, the pressure nonetheless congregates around individuals, not least in big situations. Such is the case in this year’s Stanley Cup Final, the obvious target being Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. Florida won the Cup last year. This is the Panthers’ third straight final. Nobody truly cares about hockey in...
Paul Maurice has Panthers back in Stanley Cup final, fueled by his mix of laughs and hard work
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida coach Paul Maurice keeps the day-to-day routine simple. Show up for work early and have copious amounts of coffee. Trust assistant coaches to do their jobs. Sit in on meetings when needed. Hammer home a consistent message with players. Swear a little bit sometimes, swear...
Panthers, Oilers more alike as Stanley Cup Final rematch arrives
A year ago when the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers met in the Stanley Cup Final, they were polar opposites in everything from climate, market and franchise history to deep-run experience and toughness. Since Florida won that series in seven games for its first championship, much has changed to make...
Connor McDavid, Oilers going back to Stanley Cup Final after beating Stars in Game 5
DALLAS — Connor McDavid had a breakaway goal and an assist, 40-year-old Corey Perry scored again and the Edmonton Oilers are going to their second Stanley Cup Final in a row after beating the Dallas Stars, 6-3, on Thursday night in Game 5 to wrap up the Western Conference final....
Kraken hire Lane Lambert as coach, replacing Dan Bylsma
SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken hired Lane Lambert on Thursday night as the third coach in team history. Lambert replaces Dan Bylsma, fired after one season. The 60-year-old Lambert was most recently a head coach for the New York Islanders from 2022 until he was fired Jan. 20, 2024. He...
In Barkov They Trust: Panthers, led by captain, back in Stanley Cup Final
The entire play took eight seconds and basically summed up why the Florida Panthers have enormous, nonstop belief in Aleksander Barkov. Third period, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, score tied 3-3. Barkov picks up the puck in the right corner. He skates around the end boards as Carolina...
Defending champion Panthers head back to Stanley Cup Final with 5-3 Game 5 win over Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. — Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left, and the defending champion Florida Panthers advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-3, on Wednesday night in Game 5. The Panthers beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern...
With Stars struggling to score, Oilers have chance to wrap up West finals in Game 5
DALLAS — The Dallas Stars are back home and on the verge of their season ending in the Western Conference final for the third year in a row — especially if they don’t start scoring goals again like they did all season. “We’re generating chances, and it just hasn’t been...
Oilers forward Zach Hyman likely to miss rest of playoffs after getting hurt in Game 4 against Stars
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers will likely be without hard-hitting forward Zach Hyman for the remainder of the playoffs because of an undisclosed injury to his right arm, coach Kris Knoblauch announced Wednesday. Without providing details on the nature of the injury, Knoblauch said Hyman was scheduled to have...
Hurricanes get another home-ice shot at Panthers with Game 5 in Eastern final
RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s one win in a series otherwise going resoundingly against them. The Carolina Hurricanes still face a long and improbable climb ahead against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. For now, the reward from Monday’s sweep-averting road win is simply another chance to play at home...
Stars need more production from 2nd tier to avoid elimination
Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund scored seven of the Dallas Stars’ 13 goals in the second round to move on to the Western Conference finals against the Edmonton Oilers, yet that lopsided production was also a red flag. Before the West finals began, three-time Stanley Cup champion Ken Daneyko figured...
U.S. wins ice hockey world championship gold with OT win against Switzerland
STOCKHOLM — The United States prevailed over Switzerland 1-0 in overtime of the final of the ice hockey world championship on Sunday. Tage Thompson wristed a shot past goaltender Leonardo Genoni from the top of the right circle for the winner 2:02 into overtime with the 40th shot on goal....
Oilers get even with 3-0 win over Stars in Game 2 of the West final
DALLAS — Connor Brown scored after getting hit in the mouth by a skate, Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his third shutout of the postseason and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars, 3-0, in Game 2 on Friday night to even the Western Conference final. Brown put the...
Everybody’s scoring for Florida. Nobody’s scoring for Carolina, and that sums up the East finals
SUNRISE, Fla. — Everybody’s scoring for Florida. Nobody’s scoring for Carolina. In simplest terms, that might be the best way to describe the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes. The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers lead the series 2-0, lead 10-2...
