Kings take yet another shot at the mighty Oilers in clubs' 4th straight Stanley Cup playoff meeting
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Kings are determined to make the fourth time the charm.
The Kings have faced the Oilers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the previous three seasons. Edmonton won every series, needing seven games in 2022, six games in 2023 and just five in 2024.
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Hamilton Spectator
24 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Sam Bennett raising his game and wreaking havoc for Florida Panthers
SUNRISE - Connor McDavid goes way back with Sam Bennett. The youngsters played together on the same team in the Greater Toronto Area as kids, faced off in the Ontario Hockey League, and have been on opposite sides in the Battle of Alberta. They also went toe-to-toe in last year's Stanley Cup final, which Bennett's Florida Panthers took in seven hard-fought games over McDavid's Edmonton Oilers. The clubs are going back at it again in June 2025. McDavid is still topping the stats sheet. Bennett, meanwhile, has raised his game — and continues to wreak havoc around the opposition crease. The 28-year-old Panthers centre had 13 goals in these playoffs as the Panthers headed into Monday's Game 3 of the NHL's title series, which sat tied 1-1. But it's not just the offence. It's how Bennett is influencing the action. A gritty, physical player known for his on-the-line approach, he took Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz out with an elbow to the head that resulted in a concussion in the second round of the playoffs before making life miserable in the blue paint for the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final. The six-foot-one, 193-pound Bennett, who had three goals in this year's final entering Monday, has kept it going in a matchup with Edmonton that has seen him contact Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner a couple of times. Once it led to a goal, while the other sequence resulted in a goaltender interference penalty. 'It certainly can be difficult at times,' Bennett, who played 5 1/2 seasons with the Calgary Flames before getting traded to Florida, said of figuring out where the line is with referees. 'I've definitely been in situations where I've crossed that line. I never try to, but I try to play as close to that line as I can. It takes time and experience to figure out how to be as close to that line as possible without crossing it. 'It's not going to be perfect. Sometimes you're going to go over, but sometimes it's necessary to play as close to that line to help your team win.' Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad said there are certain players in the league that simply find ways to get in the way at the net. 'Just like (Oilers winger) Corey Perry, he's extremely good at getting there and being between the defenceman and a goalie,' said the blueliner. 'Those guys have a knack for it.' Bennett, who has already set a playoff record this spring with 12 road goals and is poised to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, might be the best of the bunch. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said it's 'almost impossible' to keep opponents away from the crease. 'You just hopefully trust the referees, that they can uphold the standard on what's goaltender interference,' he said. 'What should be allowed and what shouldn't.' And when it comes to Bennett, McDavid has seen it before — from youth hockey to the NHL. 'He's always played with an edge, ever since he was a little guy,' said the Oilers superstar captain. 'He's playing well, scoring goals. Nothing we haven't seen before, so we've got to figure him out. 'He's not going anywhere. We're not going anywhere.' HELPING HAND McDavid wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. Asked to explain the work and process to be able to produce his highlight-reel assist in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final — an otherworldly toe-drag sequence that ended with a feed to Leon Draisaitl — the humble, soft-spoken centre struggled to find the right words for a difficult query. 'A lot goes into that,' McDavid said. 'I don't know how to answer that.' Draisaitl, usually on the receiving end of No. 97's setups, finished off his teammate's reply. 'You can't learn that,' the big German interjected, receiving laughter from reporters. 'I'll answer it for him.' RAT PACK The Panthers' rally towels for Game 3 have a cheeky twist. The red-and-white laundry features a hockey-stick-carrying rat sporting a hockey helmet in honour of the plastic versions of the rodent thrown on the ice by fans after victories. There's are also subtle nods to Florida's three playoff conquests this spring — the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes — blended into the design. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Where does Brad Marchand rank among the all-time best trade deadline moves?
When Brad Marchand was traded from the Boston Bruins — with whom he had spent his entire NHL career — to the Florida Panthers on March 7, few could have predicted the veteran forward's impact. That's particularly true considering his age (36 at the time) and the fact that he was sidelined with an upper-body injury when the trade happened. But the 2011 Stanley Cup champion has been huge for the Panthers in the playoffs so far. Advertisement His goal 8:04 into double overtime in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final — his second of the night — which secured a 5-4 win for Florida and evened the series with the Edmonton Oilers at one game each, was the latest example. On the latest episode of 'The Athletic Hockey Show,' Mark Lazerus and Max Bultman debated whether Marchand is establishing himself as one of the greatest trade deadline acquisitions in NHL history. A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on the 'The Athletic Hockey Show' feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Mark: I want to talk about Brad Marchand because our producer Chris, who's great and always comes up with good ideas for the show, threw this out there this morning and it almost made my head explode. I wanted to start banging my head against the wall. He asked, 'Is Brad Marchand the greatest trade deadline acquisition ever?' Recency bias drives me nuts in general. We were watching the French Open men's final this morning, and so many people were like, 'That's the greatest match I've ever seen.' It was amazing, don't get me wrong, but I've seen several Federer-Nadal matches that were better than that. I say that to say, let's remember that other people have existed in the 100-year history of the NHL. So tell me, is Brad Marchand the greatest trade deadline acquisition ever? Max: I don't know, because my Rolodex of trades doesn't go back that long. The pick was originally a second(-rounder), and it's now upgraded to a first because of how far they've gone. So that probably hurts the case a little bit, because that was one thing that was a big separator. Mark: Are we factoring in the cost as well? Max: I would, but maybe not. Don't you think we should? Mark: If they win the Cup, who cares? If they win the Stanley Cup, it doesn't matter what the cost is; it's worth it. Advertisement Max: Absolutely, but it's especially good if you do it for a second-round pick versus a first. The point is, it's among the best, and probably the better question, more so than Marchand specifically, would be, 'Is this the best deadline ever?' Because they also got Seth Jones, and he's been really good. The only thing I can go back to are some of the Tampa Bay trades. They got Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul in the same year; that was a fantastic deadline. They also had the year when they got Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow, which resulted in a couple of Stanley Cups. That's the one that jumps out, although I do like Marchand. Mark: They also had the one where they gave up 37 draft picks for Tanner Jeannot, too… Max: That one would not be so high on my list. Mark: But in all seriousness, when Chris sent that out, I had seven names immediately pop into my mind, and I went back and I looked at their numbers. Just three years ago, let's not forget what Artturi Lehkonen did for the Colorado Avalanche. He had eight goals in 20 games, I think it was around 14 or 15 points. Just clutch, clutch, clutch, repeatedly winning, and he had a couple of overtime winners in there. I go back to 2015 and the year I covered Antoine Vermette. He had three game-winning goals in the last two rounds, including two in the Stanley Cup Final — that's pretty good. The one I really came to was 2014 and the L.A. Kings. Marián Gáborík had 14 goals in that postseason in 26 games. Two years before that, with the Kings again, Jeff Carter had eight goals and five assists in 20 games. Go back to Marián Hossa. The Penguins didn't win in 2008, but Marián Hossa had 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 games for the Penguins that year. Now go back two years before that. Remember Dwayne Roloson? The Oilers didn't win either, but they picked up a goalie at the deadline. We never see that, and he had a .927 save percentage, taking the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final. Then I would go back to the year I was born, 1980. The quintessential and stereotypical trade-deadline glue-guy acquisition, Butch Goring, had 19 points in 21 games that year and was a huge part of four straight Stanley Cups. Advertisement So let's just dial it back on Brad Marchand is all I'm saying. He's a great player, and narrative-wise it might be the best one. Just because it's Brad Marchand, and he makes everything more interesting, more fun and more controversial. But come man, let's dial it back a little bit. Max: He's been at the center of a lot of this, partly because of the history, like you said. Looking back at the Leafs series, he's just been such a Leafs killer that there's been so much spotlight on him through all that. There's the great 'Dairy Queen' bit that Sportsnet has been doing that I do find very amusing, and obviously he had the huge goals in this game. Seven goals is pretty good, but when you put it statistically in the Gáborík context, that's a pretty hard one to beat. Mark: These were just off the top of my head, too. I'm sure I'm missing completely obvious ones from the gap in my own knowledge from the 1990s and the early 2000s. This was off the top of my head, and I'm not exactly Sean McIndoe here and I don't have this encyclopedic knowledge of hockey history. So let's just dial it back. Brad Marchand has been a fabulous trade-deadline acquisition. But I'm not even sure he's been the best one for Florida this year because Seth Jones has been their No. 1 defenseman. He's playing more minutes than Gustav Forsling and he's been a terrific fit. I know he had a turnover in the last game that led to a goal, but he also scored a great goal and he's been huge for the Florida Panthers in these playoffs. Max: That's why I say I would almost rather zoom out and say, 'Is this the best deadline ever?' But for it to be a discussion, they have to win. You can listen to full episodes of The Athletic Hockey Show for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. (Top Photo: Michael Chisholm / NHLI via Getty Images)
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Where will Mitch Marner sign? Here's where the Maple Leafs star could end up, and how he'd fit in
Maybe the Maple Leafs will decide to move on from Mitch Marner . Maybe Marner will decide life will be better elsewhere. No matter what happens July 1 , the hockey prodigy from Thornhill will be the most coveted free agent on the market since John Tavares seven years ago. Tavares, a former Islanders centre from Oakville, came home to play with Marner, Auston Matthews and William Nylander, forming the Leafs' Core Four. Now Marner could break up the gang, looking for riches or success elsewhere. Marner will be rich, to the tune of $13 million (U.S.) or more a year. Most teams have the salary cap space for him or can find a way to create it. The question is: Where will he land? He would make any team in the league better, but which one is going to win his services? Here are a handful of possibilities: GM Steve Yzerman followed the Leafs through the playoffs, and could believe his team is a Marner away from making the post-season. He's probably right. The Red Wings haven't made the playoffs in nine years but have come painfully close the last two seasons. Despite picking no higher than fourth in the draft (Lucas Raymond, 2020) in their nine wayward seasons, Yzerman has an array of young talent (Moritz Seider, Marco Kasper) that needs outside help to go further. It's not a sure thing that the Memorial Cup MVP will start next season in the NHL, but there should be opportunity. It's not a sure thing that the Memorial Cup MVP will start next season in the NHL, but there should be opportunity. Marner on the right side of centre Dylan Larkin could push the Wings captain to new heights, beyond his usual 30-plus goals a year. Detroit is a historic franchise with good ownership used to winning. It's also close to home for Marner. But even with a 100-point right winger, the Wings wouldn't be a serious Stanley Cup contender. From Jack Eichel to Alex Pietrangelo to Mark Stone to Noah Hanifin, Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is used to making a big splash and getting the shiniest bauble available. A quick look at their cap situation suggests the Knights don't have enough space, but it's never stopped them before. GM Kelly McCrimmon can be cutthroat, moving on from players quickly. Just ask Max Pacioretty, Marc-André Fleury or the recently repatriated Reilly Smith. Winning matters more than loyalty. It's part of Vegas's DNA , to always find a way to contend. Just imagine the magic that could develop between Marner and Eichel. Marner would be part of a Cup contender with an underrated fan base, but not one that will blame him for every loss. GM Kyle Dubas has a long-standing relationship with Marner, having drafted him in Toronto and giving him this six-year, $65.4-million deal that is expiring. And the lure of playing with Sidney Crosby — Marner's childhood hero — could prove too much to resist. Crosby made it clear in the 4 Nations Face-Off that he admires Marner's talent. Marner was giddy scoring an overtime winner on a pass from Crosby. The Penguins aren't exactly Stanley Cup contenders, now with a rookie coach in Dan Muse. But Marner would make the team younger and could get them back into the playoffs. And not that the 37-year-old Crosby needs a new lease on life — he had 91 points last season — but Marner might give him one anyway. Owner James Dolan has no patience for losing, and with the team failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021, he'll be on board with paying to make the team better. Marner would also be insurance with Artemi Panarin heading into his free agency year in 2025-26. The Rangers are deep at forward, so Marner wouldn't have to carry the load. But he could help get more out of Alexis Lafrenière or help revive Mika Zibanejad after an off-year. The renamed Utah Hockey Club is looking to make a big splash to reward fans for their support and to build loyalty by making the playoffs. The team built on the backs of the defunct Arizona Coyotes has some rising talent in Clayton Keller, Lawson Crouse and Dylan Guenther. Marner would be 'the man' on the Mammoth. Wouldn't that be a delicious turn of events for an Islanders fan base that saw their prized captain Tavares leave for Toronto seven years back? New GM Mathieu Darche, the former right-hand man of Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois, has plenty of cap space. The Islanders are a good but not great team that missed the playoffs this year. Marner, 28, fits in age-wise with players like Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. The Kings have lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round in each of the last four seasons and might see Marner as a means to finally find a way to go deeper. New GM Ken Holland can set a new direction by adding Marner to a lineup rife with high-skilled veterans (Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe) and burgeoning young talent (Quinton Byfield, Alex Laferriere). There is much less of a choice here with Marner than it once seemed, and Brad Treliving is the one who let it get to this point, writes Damien Cox. There is much less of a choice here with Marner than it once seemed, and Brad Treliving is the one who let it get to this point, writes Damien Cox. Lightning coach Jon Cooper loves Marner. He has coached him a couple of times at international events and will again next year at the Winter Olympics. Marner probably has a closer relationship with Cooper than he would with most opposition coaches. Who wouldn't want to play for a coach who appreciates your talent? It would take some cap magic, and maybe a trade or two, for Marner to land in Tampa, but BriseBois has found his way around the cap before. Marner, though, might have to take a back seat to Nikita Kucherov, the first-line right winger. And if Marner harbours any ill will toward the Leafs, going to Tampa could be some Machiavellian revenge.
