NEWSLETTER
There were two games on the Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule last night and one team took a 2-0 lead in their series. The Florida Panthers — who I encouraged Blackhawks fans to get behind (read: we want the 19th pick in the draft) — stunned the Leafs in Toronto again. Former Blackhawk Gustav Forsling scored a goal and Sergei Bobrovsky was dominant again. In the late game, Dallas was able to even their series with a strong 4-2 win over the Kraken.
Tonight, we only have one game to watch:
- The Seattle Kraken may have lost last night, but the Seattle team we care about in Chicago — the Seattle Thunderbirds — scored eight (8) goals in a playoff game for the third time this postseason and took a commanding 3-1 lead in their series against Kamloops last night. Kevin Korchinski scored the goal below to help the offense. They can advance on Saturday night.
- If you weren’t already hyped for the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery on Monday night, just read this article. Mike Morreale at NHL.com spoke with some folks at NHL Central Scouting about Connor Bedard. While I’ve always tried to be conservative when it comes to hyperbole this time of year, the folks that do the scouting are generally able to temper their comments and expectations when speaking about young players before the draft. And the comments about Bedard are… wow.
- “Connor Bedard holds the title as the best draft-eligible prospect that I have scouted,” said Dan Marr, who was director of Central Scouting for 12 years before serving as vice president this season.
“I saw Sidney Crosby and I didn’t think I’d ever see a junior player that would be as dominant as that, and then I saw Connor McDavid and thought I’d never see another player that dominant. But here comes Connor Bedard,” Central Scouting director David Gregory said.
- Remember Big Buff’s hat trick 13 years ago? Poor Roberto Luongo still hears “Chelsea Dagger” in his sleep.
- The NHL announced the three finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy last night, and the names on the final ballot are probably the most predictable of any of the NHL’s awards this year. San Jose’s two-time winner Erik Karlsson, the Rangers’ Adam Fox (who won in 2021) and Colorado’s Cale Makar (who won last year) are the finalists this year.
- Finally, let’s swing it back to talking prospects — but on the diamond. With one top prospect joining the Cubs today (hello, Mash), there are some others doing incredibly well right now.
