Category: NHL

Panthers Uphold Prince of Wales Trophy Superstition After Eastern Conference Title
2 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Panthers Uphold Prince of Wales Trophy Superstition After Eastern Conference Title

In the NHL, as in other sports, trophies are awarded for conference titles—much in the way that hardware is given to the AFC and NFC champions, American League and National League champions, and so on.

However, only hockey's conference trophies have elaborate lore surrounding what you can do and not do with them.

Superstition generally holds that you should touch neither the Eastern Conference's Prince of Wales Trophy nor Western Conference's Clarence Campbell Bowl, instead saving your adulation for the Stanley Cup. However, the Florida Panthers bucked that tradition in 2023, embracing the Prince of Wales Trophy after their Eastern Conference title.

With a loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup finals to the Vegas Golden Knights fresh in mind, Florida made no such mistake after its 2–1 clinching win over the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday.

A video posted by the NHL showed the Panthers handling the trophy after beating the Carolina Hurricanes in '23—and then avoiding it like the plague in 2024.

Whether this hands-off approach will benefit Florida going forward remains to be seen.

Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, NHL
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Panthers Hold Off Rangers in Game 6 to Lock Up Third Eastern Conference Title
2 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Panthers Hold Off Rangers in Game 6 to Lock Up Third Eastern Conference Title

For the fifth straight year, the Stanley Cup finals will have a Floridian flavor.

The Florida Panthers downed the New York Rangers 2–1 Saturday evening in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals to win the series. With the victory, the Panthers won their third conference championship and second in as many years.

Previous Florida trips to the Stanley Cup finals include 1996, when the third-year franchise was swept by the Colorado Avalanche, and 2023, when the team lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

To best the Rangers Saturday, the Panthers overcame a Herculean effort from New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. Center Sam Bennett staked Florida to a 1–0 lead at 19:10 of the first period, and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko added a second nine minutes into the third.

The Rangers opened their account with left wing Artemi Panarin's goal at 18:20 of the third period, but it was too little too late for New York's best team by points percentage since 1972.

The Panthers will meet either the Dallas Stars or Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals; the Oilers lead their series three games to two with Game 6 scheduled for Sunday evening.

Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, NHL
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Fan Displays Iconic Vintage Newspaper From 1994 Playoffs at Rangers-Panthers Game 6
2 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Fan Displays Iconic Vintage Newspaper From 1994 Playoffs at Rangers-Panthers Game 6

As a franchise nearly seven decades older than their Eastern Conference finals opponents, the New York Rangers have more than their fair share of ghosts to call forth at any given time.

On Saturday night, they did just that ahead of a must-win Game 6 against the Florida Panthers.

Before the Rangers and Panthers' showdown, ABC's cameras found a young rinkside fan at Amerant Bank Arena holding up a copy of The New York Post. It wasn't just any copy, however—it was a perfectly preserved copy from May 25, 1994.

"We'll win tonight," reads the headline, paraphrasing New York forward Mark Messier's famous guarantee before the Rangers' Eastern Conference finals-tying 4–2 win over the New Jersey Devils.

New York went on to beat the Devils in Game 7, and won the Stanley Cup over the Vancouver Canucks in seven games.

In the 30 years since, the Rangers have yet to win hockey's biggest prize.

Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, NHL
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How to watch the 2024 Stanley Cup Final With & Without Cable: Full Streaming Guide
30 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

How to watch the 2024 Stanley Cup Final With & Without Cable: Full Streaming Guide

Amidst a drama-filled postseason, the 2023-24 NHL campaign is nearing an end. A new champion will be crowned in the upcoming 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final.

The playoff bracket is down to four teams—the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final and the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.

The format of the Stanley Cup Final is simple—a best-of-seven series just like the first three rounds of the playoffs. The team with home-ice advantage (awarded based on which team had the better regular-season record) hosts Game 1, Game 2, Game 5 (if necessary) and Game 7. The other team hosts Games 3, 4 and 6.

The Rangers would have home-ice advantage if they advance past the Eastern Conference Final since they finished with the most points (114) in the regular-season standings. The Stars (113 points) would have home-ice advantage if the Panthers (110 points) won the East, and Florida can only have the advantage if the Oilers (104 points) beat Dallas.

Without further ado, here's everything you need to know about tuning in to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final:

The best-of-seven series to crown the 2023-24 NHL champion will begin with Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday, June 8.

Every game will be televised exclusively on ABC in the United States. In Canada, the games will be aired on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.

GAME

DATE

TIME

CHANNEL

Game 1

Saturday, June 8

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 2

Monday, June 10

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 3

Thursday, June 13

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 4

Saturday, June 15

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 5 (if necessary)

Tuesday, June 18

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 6 (if necessary)

Friday, June 21

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Game 7 (if necessary)

Monday, June 24

8 p.m. ET

ABC

Every game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final will be available for fans in the United States to stream on ESPN+ and the ABC app. Both will require a TV provider login.

Streaming options that don’t require cable include FuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. For fans not looking to spend exorbitant amounts on a streaming service, FuboTV offers a free one-week trial to new subscribers.

Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, How to Watch, New York Rangers, NHL, Stanley Cup
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Bryan Rust Thinks Penguins Would've Upset Rangers If They Made Playoffs Over Capitals
29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Bryan Rust Thinks Penguins Would’ve Upset Rangers If They Made Playoffs Over Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins were not a participant in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, having missed out on the postseason after coming up short in a wild-card race that went down to the wire in the Eastern Conference.

At least one player on the team seems to think that the Penguins would've made a better showing than some teams that did qualify for this year's playoffs.

Winger Bryan Rust said Wednesday that he thinks Pittsburgh could've staged an upset of the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs had they snuck in as the final playoff team.

During an interview with gamer Ninja, Rust said that he felt the Penguins matched up well with the Rangers, who have gone on to the Eastern Conference Final.

"I think we would've beat the Rangers," Rust said. "It is a matchup thing. You look across the league and there's some teams that you do well against and teams that you don't. And I feel like the Rangers would've been good for us, if we could've figure out our penalty kill against their power play."

Across three regular-season matchups this year, New York held a 2–1 record against the Penguins. Still, Rust made clear he thinks that Pittsburgh would've matched up well with the Rangers, and maybe given them a closer fight than that of the Washington Capitals, who were brushed aside in four games.

Bryan Rust, New York Rangers, NHL, Pittsburgh Penguins, Stanley Cup Playoffs
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When Was the Last Time the Dallas Stars Won the Stanley Cup? Full List of Championship Years
29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

When Was the Last Time the Dallas Stars Won the Stanley Cup? Full List of Championship Years

The Dallas Stars have been a postseason mainstay over the last six years, reaching the NHL playoffs in five of those seasons. During that span, however, they've been unsuccessful in winning the Stanley Cup, despite making an appearance in the Final in 2020.

They're hopeful of changing those fortunes this season. Currently embroiled in a Western Conference Final tilt against the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas is looking to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final and win what would be just the second title in franchise history, dating back to their time as the Minnesota North Stars.

Let's take a look back at the Stars' championship season, as well as their appearances in the Stanley Cup Final throughout history.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Sabres 3, Stars 2 (OT)

Game 2

Stars 4, Sabres 2

Game 3

Stars 2, Sabres 1

Game 4

Sabres 2, Stars 1

Game 5

Stars 2, Sabres 0

Game 6

Stars 2, Sabres 0 (3OT)

The lone championship in Stars history came 25 years ago during the 1998–99 season, when they defeated the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup Final. They won the series in six games, which featured a legendary triple overtime thriller in the closeout Game 6 that saw Hall of Fame right winger Brett Hull seal the deal with the game-winning goal after nearly two full hours of game time.

It's one of the most iconic moments in franchise history. That Dallas team was loaded, with five players who would eventually reach the Hall of Fame, including Hull, Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, Sergei Zubov and Guy Carbonneau.

Although they've only won one Stanley Cup, the Stars have made five total trips to the Finals. The first came back in 1981, back when the team was still playing out of Minnesota. Then the North Stars, the team was defeated by the New York Islanders in a five-game series.

They returned to the Stanley Cup Final a decade later, despite finishing fourth in their division with a 27–39–14 record. The team made a stunning postseason run before being bested in six games at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Their next trip to the Stanley Cup Final was in 1999, when they won against the Sabres. The team made another Stanley Cup Final run in 2000, but were defeated in a six-game set against the New Jersey Devils.

Dallas's last and most recent run to the championship came in 2020, when they were defeated in six games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Much of that team, including the likes of Tyler Seguin, Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, among many others, remain on the roster in 2024, eager to finish the job they fell just short of four years ago.

Dallas Stars, NHL, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup Final
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When Was the Last Time the Edmonton Oilers Won the Stanley Cup? Full List of Championship Years
29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

When Was the Last Time the Edmonton Oilers Won the Stanley Cup? Full List of Championship Years

If a team based in Edmonton, Alberta dominating a North American sports league seems odd in the 2020s, imagine how it must have looked in the greed-is-good 1980s.

That was life for the Edmonton Oilers with center Wayne Gretzky and his contemporaries, during which the team was the class of the hockey world. From their humble World Hockey Association origins—their first game, as the Alberta Oilers, was played against the long-dead Ottawa Nationals—they rose to epitomize a flashy, high-scoring epoch of the sport.

As Edmonton seeks Stanley Cup number six this season, here's a look back at how the Oilers won their first five.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Oilers 1, Islanders 0

Game 2

Islanders 6, Oilers 1

Game 3

Oilers 7, Islanders 2

Game 4

Oilers 7, Islanders 2

Game 5

Oilers 5, Islanders 2

A changing of the guard—the New York Islanders had won the last four Stanley Cups and beaten Edmonton the year prior. Gretzky's first title, although Oilers forward Mark Messier won the Conn Smythe Trophy. The first time since the Victoria Cougars' 1925 triumph that the Cup went west of the Central time zone.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Flyers 4, Oilers 1

Game 2

Oilers 3, Flyers 1

Game 3

Oilers 4, Flyers 3

Game 4

Oilers 5, Flyers 3

Game 5

Oilers 8, Flyers 3

This series belonged to Gretzky. His seven goals are tied for the fifth-most in any Stanley Cup Finals; all four of the greater totals were recorded in 1922 or earlier. His 47 playoff points are a still-standing record for one postseason, for which he won his first Smythe Trophy.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Oilers 4, Flyers 2

Game 2

Oilers 3, Flyers 2 (OT)

Game 3

Flyers 5, Oilers 3

Game 4

Oilers 4, Flyers 1

Game 5

Flyers 4, Oilers 3

Game 6

Flyers 3, Oilers 2

Game 7

Oilers 3, Flyers 1

A legendary series between two 100-point teams in the regular season. The Flyers won Game 3 after trailing 3-0, the first such comeback in Stanley Cup Finals history. Philadelphia led Game 7 1-0 after just 1:41, but goals by Messier, right wing Jari Kurri and right wing Glenn Anderson gave Edmonton the title.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Oilers 2, Bruins 1

Game 2

Oilers 4, Bruins 2

Game 3

Oilers 6, Bruins 3

Game 4

Oilers 6, Bruins 3

A notable series for precisely two reasons. First, Game 4 was suspended during the second period—and ultimately relocated to and replayed in Edmonton—after the power went out at Boston Garden. Second, after scoring a goal and recording two assists in the clincher, Gretzky never played another game for the Oilers.

GAME

RESULT

Game 1

Oilers 3, Bruins 2 (3OT)

Game 2

Oilers 7, Bruins 2

Game 3

Bruins 2, Oilers 1

Game 4

Oilers 5, Bruins 1

Game 5

Oilers 4, Bruins 1

Edmonton's only Stanley Cup after trading Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings on Aug. 9, 1988; the Oilers swept the Kings on their way to the Finals. Game 1 is still the longest-ever Stanley Cup Finals game. Goalie Bill Ranford won the Smythe Trophy, the only major individual accolade of his career.

Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers
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Sharks Win 2024 NHL Draft Lottery With Chance to Select Macklin Celebrini
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Sharks Win 2024 NHL Draft Lottery With Chance to Select Macklin Celebrini

The 2024 NHL draft lottery was held Tuesday night, though it came without many surprises. In fact, this year's draft is the first since 2010 in which the picks went unchanged through the lottery process, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

As such, it'll be the San Jose Sharks on the clock first. After a rough season that saw the Sharks finish at the bottom of the league with a record of 19–54–5, they'll have the chance to pick atop this year's draft, where it's widely anticipated that they'll select Boston University standout Macklin Celebrini.

Celebrini, 17, won't turn 18 until just a couple of weeks before the draft in June. This past year at BU, he became the youngest player ever to win the Hoby Baker Award, which recognizes college hockey's top talent. He racked up 64 points—32 goals and 32 assists—across 38 games, and now could be headed to San Jose as the franchise looks to add a game-changing talent to help facilitate the rebuild.

Rounding out the top five after the Sharks in the 2024 draft will be the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens. The upstart Utah franchise is poised to pick sixth.

Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Macklin Celebrini, Montreal Canadiens, NHL, NHL Draft, San Jose Sharks
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NHL Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

NHL Playoff Schedule: Full Rundown for Conference Semifinals

There is nothing better than playoff hockey, as the saying goes, and the first round of the 2024 NHL playoffs proved it true once more. An electric grouping of matchups gave the fans a thrilling start to the postseason and things are only bound to get better as the second round pits heavyweight against heavyweight in both conferences.

Here is the full schedule for the second round of the 2024 NHL playoffs, organized by series. The time and major broadcast are noted where applicable.

Eastern Conference Playoff Schedule

(1A) Florida Panthers v. (2A) Boston Bruins

  • Game 2: Bruins at Panthers, Wednesday, May 8, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Game 3: Panthers at Bruins, Friday, May 10, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 4: Panthers at Bruins, Sunday, May 12, 6:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
  • Game 5 (if necessary): Bruins at Panthers -- Tuesday, May 14, TBD
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Panthers at Bruins -- Friday, May 17, TBD
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Bruins at Panthers -- Sunday, May 19, TBD

(1M) New York Rangers v. (2M) Carolina Panthers

  • Game 2: Hurricanes at Rangers, Tuesday, May 7, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Game 3: Rangers at Hurricanes, Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 4: Rangers at Hurricanes, Saturday, May 11, 7 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 5 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Rangers, Monday, May 13, TBD
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Rangers at Hurricanes, Thursday, May 16, TBD
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Hurricanes at Rangers, Saturday, May 18, TBD

Western Conference Playoff Schedule

(1C) Dallas Stars v. (3C) Colorado Avalanche

  • Game 1: Avalanche at Stars, Tuesday, May 7, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Game 2: Avalanche at Stars, Thursday, May 9, 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 3: Stars at Avalanche, Saturday, May 11, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 4: Stars at Avalanche, Monday, May 13, TBD (ESPN)
  • Game 5 (if necessary): Avalanche at Stars, Wednesday, May 15, TBD (TBD)
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Stars at Avalanche, Friday, May 17, TBD (TBD)
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Avalanche at Stars, Sunday, May 19, TBD (TBD)

(1P) Vancouver Canucks v. (2P) Edmonton Oilers

  • Game 1: Oilers at Canucks, Wednesday, May 8, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Game 2: Oilers at Canucks, Friday, May 10, 10 p.m. ET (TNT)
  • Game 3: Canucks at Oilers, Sunday, May 12, 9:30 p.m. ET (TBS)
  • Game 4: Canucks at Oilers, Tuesday, May 14, TBD (ESPN)
  • Game 5 (if necessary): Oilers at Canucks, Thursday, May 16, TBD (TBD)
  • Game 6 (if necessary): Canucks at Oilers, Saturday, May 18, TBD (TBD)
  • Game 7 (if necessary): Oilers at Canucks, Monday, May 20, TBD (TBD)

Key Dates for the 2024 NHL Playoffs

The above dates are all of varying levels of importance but there are still several to come on the hockey calendar. However, unlike the NBA, the NHL does not have listed start dates for the Conference Finals or the NHL Finals. The schedule for the Conference Finals will be determined once the matchups are set, and the same goes for the Finals itself.

For reference, last year's Conference Finals round kicked off on May 18 and 19. The NHL Finals began on June 3. Given the pace of the 2024 playoffs it seems reasonable to expect a similar starting date for the final two rounds.

First Round Results

Here you'll find the results from the first round of this year's NHL postseason play.

Eastern Conference

  • (D1) Florida Panthers def. (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1
  • (D2) Boston Bruins def. (D3) Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-3
  • (D1) New York Rangers def. (WC2) Washington Capitals, 4-0
  • (D2) Carolina Hurricanes def. (D3) New York Islanders

Western Conference

  • (D1) Dallas Stars def. (WC2) Vegas Golden Knights, 4-3
  • (D3) Colorado Avalanche def. (D2) Winnipeg Jets, 4-1
  • (D1) Vancouver Canucks def. (WC1) Nashville Predators, 4-2
  • (D2) Edmonton Oilers def. (D3) Los Angeles Kings, 4-1

And there's everything you need to be ready for the second round of the NHL playoffs. Enjoy!

2024 NHL Playoffs, Hockey, NHL
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Jets Coach Rick Bowness Announces His Retirement After Nearly Four Decades Behind the Bench
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jets Coach Rick Bowness Announces His Retirement After Nearly Four Decades Behind the Bench

One of the longest-serving coaches in NHL history is calling it a career after nearly 40 years behind the bench.

Winnipeg Jets coach Rick Bowness announced Monday that he is retiring after 38 years as an NHL coach.

Bowness, 69, played in the NHL for parts of six seasons and got his start coaching as a player-coach with the Sherbrooke Jets, Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate at the time, in 1982. After retiring as a player in ’84, he joined the Jets’ NHL coaching staff as an assistant.

Bowness served as a coach for a total of 2,726 NHL games, the most in the history of the league. Most of those games came as an assistant coach, but he did serve as a head coach for 803 games for seven different franchises.

This season was Bowness’s most successful as a head coach. He led the Jets to 52 wins, tying a franchise record for most victories in a season. They finished with 110 points, the second-most in the Western Conference. On Friday Bowness was named one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, which goes to the top coach in the NHL.

The Jets’ season ended when they lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche in five games.

NHL, rick bowness, Winnipeg Jets
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