NHL News Bits: One day the Isles will play the Utah blankety-blanks.
Here’s a guy who knows a bit about hockey in Utah. | Photo by Dennis DaSilva/NHLI via Getty Images
We watch the NHL playoffs, where fast teams are doing fast things. The Islanders should be going through post-season analysis and exit meetings, but it’s very doubtful we’ll hear the outcome of any of that until free agency decisions and re-signings are announced at a random time of Lou Lamoriello’s choosing sometime between July and October.
Could one of those things be a more regular (intended) winger for Horvat-Barzal? Perhaps they could target Nikolaj Ehlers of Winnipeg. [THN]
Meanwhile, the NHL continues on, including...:
Hockey in Utah
The Utah Coyotes are going to go without a name, PWHL-style, for next season, with just “UTAH” on their jerseys before introducing a new name and brand for 2025-26. [AP] They are soliciting fan input to help them narrow down 20 options:
Utah Powder, Utah Canyons, Utah Hive, Utah Blast, Utah Caribou, Utah Fury, Utah Outlaws, Utah Blizzard, Utah Glaciers, Utah Yeti, Utah Squall, Utah Ice, Utah Black Diamonds, Utah Freeze, Utah Mammoth, Utah Swarm, Utah Venom, Utah HC, Utah Frost, Utah Mountaineers.
NHL Playoffs
The Bruins looked tired and the Panthers were on fire as they lit up Boston for six consecutive goals (four against Jeremy Swayman) in a 6-1 win. [Sportsnet]
Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak fought in a penalty-filled third period. [Sportsnet]
The Canucks stuck with it after a tough 0-2 first period, coming back to score three goals in five minutes late in the third to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 win. [NHL]
Despite their 0-2 hole, the Hurricanes of course remain “confident in our game.” [NHL]
Also tonight, the Avalanche expect a “desperate” Stars team after they blew a 3-0 lead in Game 1. [NHL]
Jacob Trouba is good at head hunting, but sometimes he’s really bad at it. Look at this weasel trying to cause brain damage with his elbow:
I don't know if I've ever seen a play where someone almost kills someone else twice and themselves once, but I'm not surprised it involved Trouba pic.twitter.com/3dDPfaXcY5— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 8, 2024
Also
The Sharks won the Draft Lottery. Their future #1 pick Macklin Celebrini impressed during his brief time with Team Canada’s entry at the IIHF World Championship, before more NHLers joined the fray. [NHL]
The Senators will hold on to the 7th overall pick, choosing to forfeit a first-rounder in a future year as punishment for the Evgenii Dadonov fiasco, unless Lou becomes their GM and the NHL just makes that penalty go away. [TSN]
Shaq Hyman received a signed Zach Hyman jersey on the TNT set. [NHL]
Four hilarious Mitch Marner trade proposals. [Sportsnet]
Jusse Saros was the topic of trade rumors this season, but Barry Trotz said he’d like to engage on extension talks. [TSN]
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