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Ray Ratto

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 29: Montréal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) checks Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) into the boards in the third period during game five of the first round playoff series between the Montreal Canadians and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, April 29. 2026 at Benchmark Intl Arena in Tampa, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

These Canadiens Will Not Be Pushed Around

Barry Petchesky

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 28: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) blocks a shot during the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round game 5 between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild on April 28, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

They Don’t Call Him Jesper Sievestedt

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Connor Murphy #5 , Trent Frederic #10, Darnell Nurse #25 and Tristan Jarry #35 of the Edmonton Oilers fill the goal after a shot by Ryan Poehling #25 of the Anaheim Ducks trickled over the line for a goal during the overtime period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 26, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Oilers, As Usual, Have Bigger Problems

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Trevor Zegras #46 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates his second period power-play goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammates Christian Dvorak #22, Travis Konecny #11, Matvei Michkov #39, Cam York #8(all in the penalty box), and Jamie Drysdale #9 in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Philadelphia’s Hottest Club Is The Penalty Box

Lauren Theisen

Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning cheers on the crowd as heads to the penalty box after a fight against the Montréal Canadiens

This Frickin’ Guy

Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Michael Amadio

Can’t Miss That

EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 20: Kasperi Kapanen #42 of the Edmonton Oilers scores a first-period goal against Lukas Dostal #1 of the Anaheim Ducks during Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on April 20, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McWhovid?

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Mattias Samuelsson #23 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates his third period goal against the Boston Bruins with Jack Quinn #22 and Jason Zucker #17 in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Ain’t Over Till It’s Buffalover

Charle-Edouard D'Astous #51 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Alexandre Texier #85 of the Montréal Canadiens fight during the second period at the Bell Centre

The Sweeties And Enemies Of The NHL Playoffs

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 09: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Calgary Flames prior to the game at Ball Arena on April 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Avs Have Won Nothing

Samer Kalaf

New York Islanders Raise Money For A Convicted Killer Because He’s A Cop

OTTAWA, CANADA - OCTOBER 24: Anton Forsberg #31 of the Ottawa Senators and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres shake hands after a ceremonial face-off recognizing Craig Anderson after he signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on October 24, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Is The Spring Of The Downtrodden

MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 11: Head coach Rick Bowness of the Columbus Blue Jackets handles bench duties during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on April 11, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Montréal Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

The Blue Jackets Have Driven Another Coach Raving Mad

Daniil Tarasov #40 of the Florida Panthers reacts after giving up a goal to Berkly Catton #27 (not pictured) of the Seattle Kraken

It’s The NHL Playoff Preview … NOT!

The Islanders Swap Coaches With Four Games Left In A Playoff Chase

Adrian Kempe #9 of the Los Angeles Kings scores against Juuse Saros

The Wild Card Race Gives Me A Tummy Ache

Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks celebrates scoring a goal in the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at SAP Center on April 1, 2026 in San Jose, California. You can see the Ducks guys looking upset in the background.

The San Jose Sharks Keep Winning At The Last Possible Moment

ANAHEIM, CA - MARCH 30: Max Domi #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Radko Gudas #7 of the Anaheim Ducks fight during the first period at Honda Center on March 30, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

What’s The Value Of An Ass-Kicking Freely Offered?

Coach John Tortorella of the Philadelphia Flyers of the Utah Hockey Club at the Wells Fargo Center on December 8, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Las Vegas Is Ready For The John Tortorella Experience

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 23: Assistant coach David Quinn of the New York Rangers handles the bench against the Ottawa Senators at Madison Square Garden on March 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

A Pox Upon Whoever Spared The Rangers From Nine-Shot Ignominy

Policing

James Dolan Uses Madison Square Garden To Honor New York’s Finest Mobile Gamers

EDMONTON, CANADA - MARCH 21: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers steps into the penalty box during the second period of the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Place on March 21, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Doesn’t Anybody Want To Win This Wretched Division?

Goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) of the Dallas Stars saves a shot bu right wing Valeri Nichushkin

The Central Is So Nasty

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 22: Jack Hughes #86 of Team United States celebrates scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the Men's Gold Medal match between Canada and the United States on day 16 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. Team United States defeated Team Canada 2-1 in overtime to win the Gold medal. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Hockey Boy Wants His Hockey Puck

Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs kneels on the ice after being kneed by Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on March 12, 2026 in Toronto.

NHL