Around The NHL: Bruins Breakup, Landeskog Out, Second-Round Blowouts, More

So there’s been a lot going on around the NHL this week. If you missed some things because you’ve been busy watching Connor Bedard highlights, I can’t blame you.

We’ve had some shocking results in the second round. The current scores of the series aren’t all that shocking (well, except for one of them). It’s more how we’ve gotten to where we are that’s been the surprise.

On top of that, we have what appears to be a bit of a roster shakeup on the horizon for the league’s best team (well, from the regular season at least) as well as an unfortunate injury in Colorado. There’s a whole lot to cover this week, so let’s go around the NHL.

Bruins Breakup Coming?

While it won’t be a total overhaul in Boston, some significant roster changes will likely be on the way. The Bruins suffered a shocking first-round series loss to the Florida Panthers after a historically good regular season. Now faced with cap constraints, change is inevitable.

Captain Patrice Bergergon flirted with retirement last season, he opted to stay in Boston on a team-friendly 1-year, $2.5 million deal. Bergeron is again considering retirement this season.

Boston has eight impending unrestricted free agents on the roster, many of which the acquired at the deadline. Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov, and Garnet Hathaway were all deadline deals that are due for fairly large raises. Boston finished the season just $27,000 under the salary cap.

After falling short again and several UFAs due for a raise, the writing is on the wall for the Bruins. Will they move a major piece? Can they get creative and keep their core around for one more run? The Bruins went all in this year and came up short, it will be a fascinating offseason to track in Boston.

Gabriel Landeskog To Miss 2023-24 Season

It’s a really good thing the Avalanche got their Stanley Cup last season. Gabriel Landeskog will undergo a cartilage transplant surgery on his right knee – the same knee that has ailed him since the 2020 bubble season. During a bubble playoff series with Dallas, he was cut badly by a skate leading to a cartilage injury in his knee. Landeskog has been dealing with the injury since.

The Avalanche captain battled with his bad knee in the playoffs last season leading the Avs to a Stanley Cup. During that run he finished with 22 points in 20 games. He had surgery prior to the beginning of the season that was initially supposed to sideline him for 3-4 months, but it ended up being the whole season. While this second surgery will keep him out for next year, Landeskog and the Avalanche hope the more extreme approach will be better for him in the long run.

Landeskog is signed for $7 million per season through the 2028-29 season. The injury will allow the Avs to place him on Long Term Injured Reserve and free up some cap space to work with. Landeskog did leave the door open for a potential postseason return next year, but said, “it’s too early to tell.”

Here’s to a quick recovery for the Avs’ captain.

Second-Round Blowouts

If you look at the series scores, it’s been a tightly contested second round (outside of Toronto – sorry Leafs fans). But if you peel back the curtain and look the scores of the games, we’ve had a ton of blowouts. The first round was a really exciting group of games that saw some instant classics, while round two hasn been rout after rout.

Vegas leads Edmonton 2-1. Game 1 of that series was close, then games three and four were 5-1 blowouts. Seattle and Dallas are tied 2-2. The first two games were close, but the last two were decided by five and three goals. Carolina leads New Jersey 3-1, and every one of those games have been decided by four or more goals. Ironically enough, the only series that has been full of fun, tightly contested games has been Florida and Toronto where the Panthers lead 3-0.

It’s likely an anamoly. Hopefully we get some tighter games to close out the second round. Oh and speaking of Toronto – would moving out of the first round only to be swept by the lowest seed in the conference in the second round be worse than losing in seven to Tampa in the first round?

One-Timers

  • The Rangers officially parted ways with Gerard Gallant a few days ago. Last week it was reported that former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville could be an option, but that’s now being shot down by Larry Brooks of the New York Post. He also mentions current Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe as an option if Toronto does indeed fall short against Florida. Change would be certain in Toronto, possibly even starting with GM Kyle Dubas, so it’s a fair bet that Keefe might be available. The Rangers opening is an interesting one. On one hand, it’s an Original Six franchise that has a lot of young talent and has always been a destination for star players. On the other hand, the Rangers have a lot of cap constraints to work with and have a core that hasn’t gotten things done in the playoffs yet.
  • Golden Knights defenseman Zach Whitecloud had to deal with an unfortunate situation this week when ESPN Sportscenter anchor made an insensitive joke about his last name. Credit to Whitecloud, he handled the situation gracefully and with class. You can see his response in the video below. Whitecloud is the first member of the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation to play in the NHL.
  • Joe Pavelski is quietly putting together a Hall of Fame-caliber career. With a goal last night against Seattle, Pavelski tied Steve Yzerman for 19th on the NHL’s All-time Playoff Goals list. Pavelski has flown under the radar for much of his career playing in smaller hockey markets like San Jose and Dallas and not having won a Cup. Hopefully, he can get one before his career ends so no one can hold that against his HOF argument.
  • They always say hockey players make very good golfers, and Claude Giroux of the Senators is helping make that case. Giroux was offered a sponsor’s exemption to play at the Ottawa Open – a PGA Tour Canada event.
  • written by

    Matt is from the Chicagoland area and has been working in Chicago sports since 2015 with stops at WGN Radio, the Chicago Blackhawks, Stadium, and NBC Sports Chicago prior to landing at Betsperts. Matt covers just about everything for Betsperts and Bleacher Nation but focuses on the NHL and college football.

    more blackhawks news

    These 3 Blackhawks Veterans Are Having Terrific Seasons

    Entering Thursday night's action, the Chicago Blackhawks have the second-worst point percentage in the NHL -- even while they're 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. And they own the second-worst goal differential in the league (minus-76). It's been a long,...

    28 on 28: Steve Larmer’s Rookie Season Remains the Blackhawks’ Standard

    We're ten games away from the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and Connor Bedard continues to put up remarkable numbers for at age 18 in his first professional season. He will likely join Steve Larmer on the list of...

    The Greatest Sports Watching Day of the Year, Next Year’s TV, an IceHogs Stunner, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Congratulations, sports fans! Today, March 28, 2024 is the greatest sports viewing day of the calendar year. Hands down, lock it up, no competition. It's Opening Day in MLB and Sweet 16 day one in the NCAA men's basketball tournament....

    NHL Notes: Penguins Paradox, Torts Apologizes, Doan’s Dazzling Debut, Rangers Punch Ticket, More

    It's a mid-week edition of NHL Notes and we have plenty to cover around the league. The Penguins find themselves with a tricky decision as their season draws to a close. John Tortorella dished out an apology to one of...

    We Need to Talk About Jason Dickinson As a Selke Trophy Candidate — Again

    Back in early February as the Blackhawks wrapped their pre-All-Star Game schedule, I wrote about Jason Dickinson's case for Selke Trophy votes. We're now ten games away from the end of Chicago's regular season, and with Dickinson reaching 20 goals...

    Slaggert’s Big Night, Bedard’s Tape, Felcman to Rockford, Anderson, Tinordi, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    I'm gonna continue to smile, just like Landon Slaggert, because of his performance in last night's Blackhawks win. The former Notre Dame captain had his parents and young brother in the stands and he had one helluva game last night....

    Blackhawks 3, Flames 1 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

    The message Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson was trying to get across with Monday's bag skate clearly landed. The start Chicago had on Tuesday night was a polar opposite of what they showed in the three games in California. They...

    Blackhawks vs Flames – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    After a disappointing road trip that saw the Blackhawks get smoked for 7 of 9 periods, the team got a bag skate on Monday to think about their effort. They'll get back on the ice tonight in front of a...

    Happy Birthday Luke, Bag Skate Monday, Bedard vs. Faber, Saturday Cartoons, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson is celebrating a birthday today. He's celebrating his Korchinski year; today is his 55th birthday. Happy birthday, Luke! Hope you get a win tonight so you can celebrate with some wine. There have been...

    Blackhawks Prospects, Draft Hopefuls Ready for OHL Playoffs

    The Ontario Hockey League playoffs begin this week on Thursday. The Chicago Blackhawks will have five prospects still playing in the OHL postseason: Gavin Hayes (Sault Ste. Marie), Paul Ludwinski (Kingston), Nick Lardis (Brantford), Alex Pharand (Sudbury) and Martin Misiak...

    Latest News

    Diamondbacks vs. Rockies Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Arizona Diamondbacks open their season as -231 favorites in a home matchup with the Colorado Rockies on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on ARID.Arizona's Zac Gallen and Colorado's Kyle Freeland have been named the starters for this contest.Diamondbacks...

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Seattle Mariners begin their season as -162 favorites in a home tilt against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday at 10:10 PM ET, live on NESN.Luis Castillo starts for Seattle while Brayan Bello is Boston's starter for the contest.Mariners...

    Guardians vs. Athletics Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    The Cleveland Guardians start their season as road favorites (-156) in a matchup with the Oakland Athletics on Thursday at 10:07 PM ET, live on NBCS-CA from Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.Shane Bieber gets the starting nod for Cleveland while Alex Wood...

    Damian Lillard Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    To beat his 3-point prop, Damian Lillard must make four from downtown on Thursday, when his Milwaukee Bucks face the New Orleans Pelicans, tipping off at 8:00 PM ET.Damian Lillard's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansDamian Lillard's over/under for three-pointers...

    Brook Lopez Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    To beat his 3-point prop, Brook Lopez needs to make two from downtown on Thursday, when his Milwaukee Bucks meet the New Orleans Pelicans, starting at 8:00 PM ET.Brook Lopez's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansBrook Lopez's over/under for three-pointers...

    Giannis Antetokounmpo Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    Will Giannis Antetokounmpo make just a single 3-pointer when the Milwaukee Bucks play the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at 8:00 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his over/under for the game.Giannis Antetokounmpo's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansGiannis Antetokounmpo's...

    CJ McCollum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Bucks – Thursday, March 28, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, CJ McCollum must make four from downtown on Thursday, when his New Orleans Pelicans play the Milwaukee Bucks, beginning at 8:00 PM ET.CJ McCollum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the BucksCJ McCollum's over/under for three-pointers in...

    Devils vs. Sabres Prediction: Live Odds, Stats, History and Picks – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The bookmakers are expecting a close game between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres when they clash on Friday at 7:00 PM ET, with the Devils at -115 on the moneyline, and the Sabres at -105.Devils vs. Sabres Favorite,...

    Guardians vs. Athletics Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Cleveland Guardians (0-0) and the Oakland Athletics (0-0) match up on Thursday at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for Opening Day. First pitch is at 10:07 PM ET.The Guardians will give the nod to Shane Bieber versus the Athletics and Alex...

    Mariners vs. Red Sox Probable Starting Pitchers – March 28

    The Boston Red Sox (0-0) visit the Seattle Mariners (0-0) in an Opening Day game at 10:10 PM ET on Thursday.The Mariners will give the nod to Luis Castillo against the Red Sox and Brayan Bello.Mariners vs. Red Sox Pitcher...

    more blackhawks news