NASHVILLE — Through three playoff games, the best franchise defenseman in the Avalanche-Predator series has a highlighter in all capital letters over his name. Entering Monday night’s Game 4 here, Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar stood second in NHL playoff scoring and first among all blueliners. He led all players at 2.33 points per game. Most importantly, Makar’s team led the […]

Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar on Monday was named one of the three James Norris Memorial Trophy finalists. The annual award is presented “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position,” according to the NHL. The 23-year-old recorded a franchise record for a blueliner with 86 points in 77 regular-season games for Colorado. […]

The New York Islanders fired coach Barry Trotz on Monday, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello announced. The Islanders missed the playoffs this season after finishing 37-35-10. In four seasons as the team’s coach, Trotz was 152-102-34 and 28-21 in the playoffs. This season was the first time Trotz failed to lead the Islanders to the postseason. Trotz, 59, joined […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was ruled out for Game 4 of the team’s series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday after being placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol. The 24-year-old McAvoy is the team’s top defenseman. He has two assists in three games and is Boston’s leader in playoff ice time with 25:15 […]

Quick hitters from the Avalanche’s 7-3 win over Nashville in Game 3 on Saturday: Call it Crashville. The Nashville crowd may have been late arriving to Bridgestone Arena, but the Predators meant business in the first 10 minutes, outshooting Colorado 6-3. Then came the ultimate no-no: Giving the Avs a man advantage. Consider this: The Avs are so loaded, defenseman […]

Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN. Colorado goaltender Darcy Kuemper left Game 3 of the Avalanche’s first-round series against the Nashville Predators on Saturday after taking a stick to the eye. Kuemper was struck in the final minutes of the first period by Predators forward Ryan Johansen while he battled Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for position in front […]

Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN. An off-ice official was injured during Game 3 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series in Boston on Friday when a panel of glass fell on him. The Bruins were leading the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-1, in the second period when fans began repeatedly banging on the glass until it dislodged to […]

The third game of the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators turns to Music City. The Avalanche swept Games 1 and 2 in different fashions at Ball Arena and now looks to move one win from advancing to the second round after Saturday’s game at Bridgestone Arena. Here are three keys for Colorado: Block out the noise. […]

PITTSBURGH — The rest of the Penguins’ playoff run won’t include goaltender Casey DeSmith. Coach Mike Sullivan said DeSmith underwent core surgery Friday morning and will miss the rest of the postseason. The surgery comes three days after DeSmith exited in the second overtime of Pittsburgh’s 4-3, triple-overtime victory over the New York Rangers in Game 1 of their first-round […]

Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer. After back-to-back Stanley Cup championships for the Tampa Bay Lightning, coach Jon Cooper still couldn’t believe he was uttering these words: “We’re going for three.” The last time an NHL team won three straight Stanley Cups was from 1981-83, as part of the New York Islanders’ run of four straight championships. “‘We’re going […]