Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand skated Monday morning and will travel with the team to Florida.

• Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said the left winger is day to day, responding "yep" when asked if Marchand is feeling better.

  Game 5 of the Eastern Conference second-round series is Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla., and the Bruins trail 3-1.

  Replays show Marchand was sucker-punched to the head by Panthers center Sam Bennett early in Game 3. However, Bennett wasn't called for a penalty and later was cleared by the NHL's Department of Player Safety.

  Marchand, who turned 36 on Saturday, missed the third period of Game 3 and all of Game 4, both Bruins losses.

  Marchand has two points in the series, both assists.

  --Field Level Media

New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil participated in Monday's morning skate ahead of Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes after missing the previous game with an illness.

• Also, forward Blake Wheeler was a full-contact participant for the first time Monday morning.

  Chytil, 24, returned to the ice following a six-month absence due to an upper-body injury and logged 12:02 of ice time in New York's 3-2 overtime victory on Thursday in Game 3.

  Wheeler, 37, suffered a leg injury in February and missed the rest of the regular season.

  The Rangers hold a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference second-round series heading into Monday night's game at Madison Square Garden.

  --Field Level Media

The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy for one game for his cross-check to the face of Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid on Sunday night.

• The decision to ban Soucy for Game 4 of the Western Conference second-round series came Monday afternoon, several hours after a phone hearing between the player and the league.

  Canucks defenseman Nikita Zadorov was fined $5,000 for his cross-check to McDavid in the same sequence. It's the maximum amount allowed by the collective bargaining agreement.

  After the final horn, McDavid was cross-checked in the back by Zadorov, pushing him into Soucy's cross-check to the face. Soucy received a two-minute minor for the hit, but it was moot since it came after the horn.

  In an explanation video, a Department of Player Safety official said Soucy's cross-check still "merit supplemental discipline" even though Zadorov's hit changed McDavid's position first.

  "This play happens well after the game has ended, and it is not a hockey play," the official said. "In an altercation with an opponent, Soucy chooses to raise his stick to an unacceptably high level, draws the stick back and delivers a two-handed blow, which lands to his opponent's head."

  Soucy, who has previously been suspended one game for charging in 2021, will miss Game 4 on Tuesday night in Edmonton. Noah Juulsen is likely to draw in to Vancouver's lineup in Soucy's place.

  The Canucks won the game 4-3 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals.

  Soucy had three hits and two blocks in 17:48 of ice time Sunday night. He has three assists in the series vs. the Oilers.

  McDavid was held without a point in 29:42 of ice time Sunday night. He has five points (one goal, four assists) in the series.

  --Field Level Media

Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique has been ruled out for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series versus the visiting the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday due to a lower-body injury.

• Connor Brown will draw into the lineup in place of Henrique, who missed the series opener due to a lower-body injury and logged only 11:38 of ice time in Game 2. The best-of-seven series between the Oilers and Canucks is tied at one victory apiece.

  Henrique, 34, contributed one goal and one assist in Edmonton's five-game first-round series victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

  Acquired in a March 6 trade, Henrique posted 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games with the Anaheim Ducks and Oilers in the 2023-24 season.

  The 14-year veteran has produced 530 points (263 goals, 267 assists) over 912 career games with the New Jersey Devils, Ducks and Oilers.

  --Field Level Media

Ron Ellis, a longtime member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, has died. He was 79.

• Ellis was part of the 1967 Maple Leafs team that won the Stanley Cup. Toronto hasn't won another since.

  The Maple Leafs announced his death on Saturday. The cause was not disclosed.

  "We mourn the loss of Ron Ellis, a lifetime Leaf whose legacy is woven into the fabric of the blue and white," the Leafs said in a statement. "Ron was a true gentleman of the game who will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with his loved ones."

  Ellis, a two-way forward, played one game with the Maple Leafs in the 1963-64 season, then made his final appearance in 1980-81.

  He took two seasons off from 1975-77 as he confronted mental health issues.

  In all, Ellis played parts of 16 seasons in Toronto and is one of five Maple Leafs to have appeared in more than 1,000 games. He also has the fifth-most goals in team history.

  Ellis played in 1,034 games and recorded 640 points (332 goals, 308 assists). He set a career high with 61 points in the 1974-75 season.

  Ellis was a four-time All-Star and after his retirement, he worked for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He also made his mark with his philanthropy. He won the Keith Magnuson Man of the Year Award in 2024, presented by the NHL Alumni Association.

  In a statement, the organization said it was "heartbroken" to learn of his passing.

  "Ellis' contributions philanthropically were global and impactful through his work with many charities and mental health initiatives," the statement said. "He dedicated his life, post hockey, to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and could be found each day smiling while he led guests through the great museum archives proudly."

  --Field Level Media

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand has been ruled out for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference second-round series versus the visiting Florida Panthers on Sunday with an upper-body injury.

• Marchand, a forward, received a hard check from Florida's Sam Bennett in the first period of the Panthers' 6-2 victory in Game 3 on Friday. Marchand logged 10:51 of ice time through two periods before sitting out the third for the Bruins, who trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

  Marchand, 36, did not participate in practice on Saturday. He has team-leading totals in assists (seven) and points (10) in 10 playoff games for Boston.

  Bruins coach Jim Montgomery would not confirm or deny whether Marchand sustained a concussion on the hit.

  "It can be (galvanizing); it has been and it should be tonight with who our captain is," Montgomery said.

  Marchand had 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 82 games this season. He has 929 points (401 goals, 528 assists) in 1,029 career games since being selected by the Bruins in the third round of the 2006 NHL Draft.

  --Field Level Media

New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil will be a game-time decision for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.

• Chytil did not participate in the morning skate because of an illness, the team announced.

  He returned to the ice following a six-month absence due to an upper-body injury and logged 12:02 of ice time in New York's 3-2 overtime victory on Thursday. The Rangers hold a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

  "He felt great yesterday," New York coach Peter Laviolette said. "He went to the team meal and woke up this morning and didn't feel well."

  Jonny Brodzinski likely will draw into the lineup if Chytil sits out on Saturday.

  Chytil, 24, has spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers, who selected him with the 21st overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft.

  He had career highs in goals (22), assists (23) and points (45) in 74 games last season. He had six assists through 10 games to start this campaign.

  Chytil has totaled 144 points (64 goals, 80 assists) over 337 career games.

  --Field Level Media

Team president Brendan Shanahan was spared his job, but time is running out to convince his bosses with the Toronto Maple Leafs he can build a championship contender.

• Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment CEO Keith Pulley made it clear in a Friday news conference that winning popularity contests and competing for the Stanley Cup are not the same.

  "In the last three to four weeks, I've gotten a full glimpse of the power of Leaf Nation," Pulley said, comparing the atmosphere in Toronto's home playoff games against the Boston Bruins to attending his first Liverpool match.

  "The fans here not only deserve, but demand a championship. There's no complacency. We're not here to sell jerseys. We're here to win. And we're going to do everything we possibly can to do that."

  Shanahan fired head coach Sheldon Keefe following a seven-game playoff series defeat at the hands of the Bruins. General manager Brad Treliving, seated next to Shanahan on Friday, said he felt a coaching change was necessary as the first step in what could be a dramatic facelift this offseason.

  While Treliving said there is no urgency to find a replacement on the bench, Shanahan cautioned a methodical review of all aspects of the franchise and roster was underway.

  Pelley plans to be involved in decisions effective immediately.

  "No decision will be made without a detailed analysis that provides us the best chance to win," Pelley said. "We need to win, nothing else matters. I'm 1,000 percent committed to it."

  NHL goals leader Auston Matthews' availability was an obstacle against Boston. Treliving clarified the sequence of events that led to uncertainty around when -- and if -- Matthews could play in the series after he left Game 3.

  Treliving said Matthews became ill during Game 2. He was able to play through it in Game 3 but a hit in Game 4 became the bigger challenge. Matthews suffered a head injury and was not medically cleared until the day of Game 7.

  Breaking up Matthews and the so-called "Core Four" has become a hot topic in Toronto. What once seemed unlikely became central to the discussion Friday at the news conference when Shanahan said "everything is on the table."

  Matthews and William Nylander signed contract extensions but Mitch Marner and captain John Tavares are entering the final year of their existing deals.

  "I still believe there are times when patience is the suitable call," Shanahan said. "However, when you see patterns persist and the results don't change, you have to adjust the way you think about things.

  "We will look at everything this summer, and we will consider everything this summer. All with the intention of the one thing we're here for, which is to make the Maple Leafs better and to win."

  --Field Level Media

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett will be a game-time decision against the host Boston Bruins on Friday in Game 3 of their NHL Eastern Conference second-round series.

• Bennett has missed the Panthers' past five games due to an upper-body injury he sustained while blocking a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 23.

  "He was good this morning," Florida coach Paul Maurice said after the morning skate Friday. "He felt really good. We'll get him a nap this afternoon and get him through the warmup and make a decision then."

  The Panthers and Bruins have split the first two games of their series.

  Bennett, 27, had one goal and one assist in two playoff games against the Lightning.

  He recorded 41 points (20 goals, 21 assists) in 69 games in the regular season.

  Bennett has 285 points (137 goals, 148 assists) in 615 career games with the Calgary Flames and Panthers. He was selected by the Flames with the fourth overall pick of the 2014 NHL Draft.

  --Field Level Media

Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment will return to the lineup on Thursday for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series against the visiting Colorado Avalanche.

• Radek Faksa will sit out in place of Marchment, who has missed the last six games with an undisclosed injury.

  Marchment, 28, recorded career-high totals in goals (22), assists (31) and points (53) in 81 games during the regular season. He also scored a goal in Dallas' 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of the first round.

  "It's going to be fun," Marchment said. "I can't wait. It's another challenge that I'm kind of looking forward to. The boys have been playing great. I just hope to come in and bring some energy and help the boys out a little bit, as much as I can."

  The Stars let an early three-goal lead go by the boards in a 4-3 overtime loss to Colorado in the opener of the best-of-seven series.

  --Field Level Media

Brady Tkachuk on Thursday was named the captain of the 2024 U.S. team for the IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship.

• Tkachuk, who is the captain of the Ottawa Senators, will wear the "C" for Team USA when it plays Sweden on Friday in Ostrava, Czechia.

  New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones and Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Zach Werenski will serve as alternate captains for Team USA.

  "We've got a great leadership group, and, in the end, everyone will have to lead in their own way for us to be successful," Team USA head coach John Hynes said. "We're excited about our team and look forward to starting play in the world championship (on Friday)."

  Tkachuk, 24, scored a career-high 37 goals to go along with 37 assists in 81 games this season with the Senators.

  He will be playing in his first IIHF Men's World Championship. He served as captain of the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship.

  --Field Level Media

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov will get the start on Thursday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the visiting New York Rangers, coach Rod Brind'Amour announced.

• Brind'Amour also told reporters that he wants Frederik Andersen to get rest. The Hurricanes trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 3 in Raleigh, N.C.

  Kochetkov, 24, last played in a game on April 14. He posted a 23-13-4 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 42 games (40 starts) this season. He is 38-20-9 with a 2.37 GAA and .910 save percentage in 69 career games (65 starts).

  Andersen, 34, turned aside 19 of 23 shots in a 4-3 series-opening loss to the Rangers on Sunday and 35 of 39 in a 4-3 double-overtime setback on Tuesday. He has started all seven games played by Carolina in the playoffs, posting a 4-3 record with a 2.58 goals-against average and .899 save percentage.

  Andersen returned from a four-plus-month absence due to a blood-clotting issue on March 7. On the season, he had a 13-2-0 record with a 1.84 GAA and .932 save percentage in 16 games (all starts).

  Andersen has appeared in 495 career games (481 starts) with the Anaheim Ducks (2013-16), Toronto Maple Leafs (2016-21) and Hurricanes. He is a two-time winner of the William M. Jennings Trophy.

  --Field Level Media

Hockey fans in Utah have until May 22 to vote in the first round of balloting to help select an identity for the state's NHL team.

• The NHL announced last month that the Arizona Coyotes are moving to Salt Lake City, leaving the team name in the desert.

  Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith added the hockey team to their Smith Entertainment Group portfolio, and Ryan Smith announced the fan participation on his social media.

  "Utah's NHL team is for the community and will be named with help from the community," he said.

  In the first round of voting, fans can choose up to four possible names from a list of 20, which was put together following a social media survey. Each fan can vote only once in the initial round.

  The name options are: Black Diamonds, Blast, Blizzard, Canyons, Caribou, Freeze, Frost, Fury, Glaciers, HC (Hockey Club), Hive, Ice, Mammoth, Mountaineers, Outlaws, Powder, Squall, Swarm, Venom and Yeti.

  Whatever name eventually is selected will not make its debut until the 2025-26 season, with the logo, colors and mascot to be introduced that season.

  Come this fall, the players will take the ice in jerseys that say UTAH and wear them throughout the first season in Salt Lake City.

  --Field Level Media

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday, just five days after an overtime loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

• The organization said it would begin the search for its next head coach immediately, with an announcement about the futures of the rest of the coaching staff to follow.

  "Today's decision was difficult," Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said in a news release. "Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best."

  Keefe, a 43-year-old Ontario native, leaves Toronto with a 212-97-40 record (.665) in 349 regular-season games since taking over in November 2019 after Mike Babcock was relieved of his duties.

  His winning percentage (.432) in the postseason wasn't as good, with the Maple Leafs qualifying for the playoffs each season under Keefe but going 16-21. Toronto advanced out of the first round only once in his tenure, losing in the second round last spring, despite three 100-point seasons.

  This season, the Maple Leafs totaled 102 points, finishing third in the Atlantic Division with a 46-26-10 record.

  Toronto has not won the Stanley Cup since the 1966-67 season.

  Keefe was the head coach of the club's American Hockey League team, the Toronto Marlies, for five seasons before moving to the Maple Leafs' bench.

  In the series with the Bruins, the Leafs were just 1-for-21 on the power play -- a 4.8 percent conversion rate compared to 23.95 percent in the regular season. They averaged 3.63 goals per game in the regular season but scored just 12 times in seven games in the first round (1.71 goals average).

  "Leafs Nation, the time has come to say goodbye," Keefe said in a video posted on social media. "... I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a dream come for a boy from Brampton. ... I didn't get it done in playoffs. I didn't help push our team over the line and deliver. I accept responsibility for that. No excuses."

  Keefe became the 11th coach to be fired this season. In addition, Rick Bowness retired Monday, leaving the Winnipeg Jets.

  --Field Level Media

Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were named finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday.

• Voted on by fellow members of the NHL Players' Association, it is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL.

  Matthews won the trophy in 2021-22 and Kucherov claimed it in 2018-19, while MacKinnon is looking for his first Ted Lindsay Award.

  Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals and scored a career-high 107 points in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old forward became just the 10th player in NHL history to record six or more hat tricks in a season.

  MacKinnon was second in the league with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games for the Colorado Avalanche. The 28-year-old forward opened the season with a 35-game points streak at home and led the NHL in shots (405).

  Kucherov set a Tampa Bay franchise record and topped the NHL with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) in 81 games for the Lightning. The 30-year-old forward also topped the league with 53 points on the power play.

  --Field Level Media

The San Jose Sharks will select first in the 2024 NHL Draft when the league convenes next month in Las Vegas.

• The Sharks won the draft lottery on Tuesday to receive the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history.

  San Jose had the best odds to win the lottery (18.5 percent) after finishing last in the league standings this season at 19-54-9. This year's draft order in fact mirrored the ranking of teams' odds to win the lottery from No. 1 all the way down to No. 16.

  The Chicago Blackhawks will pick second, the Anaheim Ducks will go third and the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens round out the top five.

  The Sharks will have their eyes on Boston University center Macklin Celebrini, the projected No. 1 pick in the draft class. At 17, Celebrini became the youngest winner of the Hobey Baker Award for the best player in NCAA hockey.

  "It's a big moment for the organization and the fans here to be able to have the opportunity to draft someone like Macklin," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said on the ESPN broadcast. "It was a tough year for us and to have this opportunity, we couldn't be more excited."

  Celebrini tallied 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games for the Terriers this past season.

  NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also confirmed that the draft will be held at Sphere Las Vegas on June 28-29. It will mark the first event televised live from the new concert venue near the Las Vegas Strip.

  The Sharks also will get a second pick within the top 16. The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick goes to San Jose as part of the 2023 Erik Karlsson trade. The pick was top-10 protected for the 2024 draft, but the Penguins checked in at No. 14 in the lottery.

  The full order of picks 1-16 is as follows:

  1. San Jose

  2. Chicago

  3. Anaheim

  4. Columbus

  5. Montreal

  6. Utah

  7. Ottawa

  8. Seattle

  9. Calgary

  10. New Jersey

  11. Buffalo

  12. Philadelphia

  13. Minnesota

  14. San Jose (via Pittsburgh)

  15. Detroit

  16. St. Louis

  --Field Level Media

The Boston Bruins' overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Saturday was the most-watched first-round playoff game across North America on record, the NHL said Tuesday.

• Shown on multiple platforms -- ABC, CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports -- the Bruins' 2-1 clincher in the Eastern Conference series drew 8.82 million viewers.

  The ABC telecast drew an average of 3.22 million viewers -- peaking at 4.1 million -- making it the most-watched first-round game since 2012 and third highest ever. The average and peak figures were increases of 59 and 37 percent from Game 7 of the first-round series between the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils last season.

  The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs was available in the United States on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and MAX. The average viewership of 934,000 was second highest all-time for the first round.

  Including all of North America with CBC, SN and TVA Sports coverage, the first round averaged 2.26 million, a 6 percent increase from the 2023 playoffs.

  The Rangers' 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on ESPN on Sunday in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs averaged 2 million viewers and peaked at 2.7 million. Those figures were increases of 49 and 33 percent from the Game 1, second-round average last season.

  --Field Level Media

The Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Lukas Reichel to a two-year, $2.4 million contract extension on Tuesday.

• Reichel, who turns 22 on May 17, was Chicago's first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft.

  The German-born winger recorded five goals and 11 assists in 65 games with the Blackhawks in 2023-24.

  Reichel has registered 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) through 99 games over parts of three NHL seasons.

  --Field Level Media

Edmonton Oilers forward Adam Henrique is dealing with a lower-body injury and not expected to play in Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference second-round playoff series at Vancouver on Wednesday night.

• Henrique did not skate with the team on Tuesday and is considered "day-to-day," according to Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch.

  Mattias Janmark will likely replace Henrique on Edmonton's top line when the best-of-seven series gets underway against the Canucks.

  Henrique, 34, contributed one goal and one assist in the Oilers' five-game first-round victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

  Acquired in a March 6 trade, Henrique posted 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 82 games with the Anaheim Ducks and Oilers in the 2023-24 season.

  The 14-year veteran has produced 530 points (263 goals, 267 assists) over 912 career games with the New Jersey Devils, Ducks and Oilers.

  --Field Level Media

The Ottawa Senators announced the hiring Tuesday of Travis Green as their head coach through the 2027-28 season.

• Green previously coached the Vancouver Canucks (2017-21) and finished last season as the interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils, going 8-12-1 after replacing Lindy Ruff.

  Green, 53, replaces interim coach Jacques Martin, who went 26-26-4 after the Senators fired D.J. Smith following an 11-15-0 start to the 2023-24 season.

  "After speaking to several highly qualified candidates, it became clear that Travis is the right fit to lead our group," president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said in a news release.

  "As we've routinely stated, developing a winning culture is paramount to our aspiration of achieving sustained success. Travis has a burning desire to win, is passionate about teaching and holds his players to a very high standard. We're excited to welcome he and his family to the Ottawa-Gatineau community."

  Green, who has an overall record of 141-159-35, guided the 2019-20 Canucks to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

  He inherits an Ottawa franchise that has not been to the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2016-17 and finished seventh in the Atlantic Division in 2023-24 (37-41-4, 78 points).

  Green, a forward from British Columbia, played 14 seasons with five NHL franchises from 1992-2007. He collected 455 points (193 goals, 262 assists) and 764 penalty minutes in 970 games for the Islanders, Ducks, Coyotes, Bruins and Maple Leafs.

  --Field Level Media

Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were named the finalists for the 2023-24 Hart Memorial Trophy on Tuesday.

• The award is presented "to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team" and voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

  McDavid won his third Hart Trophy last season and is looking to join Wayne Gretzky (nine), Gordie Howe (six) and Eddie Shore (four) as the only players in NHL history to win at least four. The Edmonton Oilers captain also seeks to become the first back-to-back winner since Alex Ovechkin in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

  McDavid, 27, contributed 132 points (32 goals, league- and career-high 100 assists) in 76 games this season while leading the Oilers to the playoffs following a 2-9-1 start to the season.

  MacKinnon, 28, played all 82 games for the Colorado Avalanche and set career highs across the board with 51 goals, 89 assists and a franchise-record 140 points -- just the fifth 140-point campaign in the league in the past 30 years. The center is a Hart finalist for the fourth time, having finished second in 2019-20 and 2017-18. He looks to join Peter Forsberg (2002-03) and Joe Sakic (2000-01) as the team's third MVP winner.

  Kucherov, who won the Hart Trophy in 2018-19, led the NHL and set a Tampa Bay Lightning record with 144 points (44 goals, league-leading 100 assists) in 81 games this season. In addition to winning his second Art Ross Trophy, the forward led the league in power-play points (53), power-play assists (40) and three-point games (23). He would be the fourth active player with multiple Hart Trophy wins: McDavid (three), Ovechkin (three) and Sidney Crosby (two).

  --Field Level Media

The St. Louis Blues removed the interim tag from coach Drew Bannister and signed him to a two-year contract on Tuesday.

• Bannister, 50, took over behind the bench on Dec. 14 after Craig Berube was fired following a 13-14-1 start. The Blues went 30-19-5 under Bannister's leadership but missed the playoffs for a second straight season.

  From Bannister's arrival through the end of the season, the Blues had the 12th-most points (65) and the 10th-best home record (18-9-2) in the league.

  Before being named interim coach, Bannister compiled a 93-58-19 record in three seasons with Springfield of the American Hockey League. Before that he was a head coach of the San Antonio Rampage (2018-20) and associate coach with the Utica Comets (2020-21).

  A defenseman from Ontario, Bannister played 164 games over six NHL seasons after being drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round in 1992. He scored 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) with four teams.

  --Field Level Media

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announced his retirement Monday after nearly 50 years in the NHL as a player and coach.

• His departure comes a week after the Jets were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

  Bowness, 69, was named a Jack Adams Award finalist this season for the first time in his 14 years as a head coach.

  "Hockey won't be the same without your, Bones," the Jets posted on X.

  At a press conference Monday, Bowness explained that he'd always heard from older coaches in the business that he would know when the time was right to retire.

  "And when I was looking around (after losing to Colorado) ... I wasn't happy with the job I had done," Bowness said. "It just hit me then, like, ‘It's time.'

  "... I told the coaches an hour later that I'm done, I'm finished, I'm going to retire. They're all looking at me, ‘You sure? You want to take some time on this?' But I knew. I knew in my heart it was time."

  Bowness is 310-408-37 (48 ties) in 803 career games with seven different teams, including Winnipeg twice. His first stint as head coach came in 1988-89 with the original Jets franchise after they fired Dan Maloney. Bowness went 8-17-3 as interim head coach.

  Bowness led the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 as interim head coach. The Stars lost to Tampa Bay in six games. He also coached the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Phoenix Coyotes.

  He led the Jets to a second-place finish in the Central Division this season, a 15-point improvement from last year. Bowness went 98-57-9 in two seasons back with Winnipeg, where he also finished his NHL playing career in 1981.

  "(My wife) Judy and I were all set to call it a day (two years ago), but if I was going to come back to coaching, I couldn't have picked a better place to come back to and to finish my career," Bowness said. "I'm just disappointed that I didn't get this team further. That's my biggest disappointment and that's something I'm going to have to live with."

  He is one of three NHL coaches, with Scotty Bowman and Pat Quinn, to serve behind the bench in five different decades.

  As a forward, Bowness recorded 55 points (18 goals, 37 assists) in 173 NHL games from 1975-81 with the Atlanta Flames, Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Jets.

  --Field Level Media

Centers Aleksander Barkov, Jordan Staal and Auston Matthews are the finalists for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, the NHL announced Sunday.

• The award is given annually to the top defensive forward in the league and voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The winner will be named at a later date.

  Barkov, of the Florida Panthers, is a finalist for the third time in four seasons. He earned the honor in 2020-21 and finished third the following season.

  He won 57.3 percent of faceoffs (630 of 1,100) in the 2023-24 season. The 28-year-old native of Finland led Florida in takeaways (61) and blocked 50 shots, fourth among Panthers forwards. He tallied 80 points (23 goals, 57 assists) in 73 games.

  Barkov's Panthers (52-24-6) will host the Boston Bruins in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning Monday.

  Staal, 35, is seeking to become the first member of the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Selke award since the team's current coach, Rod Brind'Amour, won following the 2006-07 season. Staal is a two-time finalist, first being named in the 2009-10 season as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished third in the voting.

  This season, Staal played in 80 games and posted 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists). He took the 14th-most faceoffs in the NHL (1,375) and had a 58.1 percent face-off percentage (58.1) among players to take at least 500 face-offs. He had 25 takeaways and tied for the lead in hits (142) among Carolina forwards.

  The Hurricanes (52-23-7) open second-round play on Sunday against the Rangers in New York.

  Matthews, a first-time Selke finalist, also is a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy, given for both skill and gentlemanly play on the ice. The Toronto Maple Leafs center led the NHL with 69 goals in 81 games and tallied a career-high 107 points. He won 53.5 percent of faceoffs (705 of 1,319), and he was second among NHL forwards with 93 blocked shots and 85 takeaways.

  The Bruins eliminated the Maple Leafs (46-26-10) from the playoffs with their Game 7 first-round win on Saturday.

  Should Matthews, 26, win the Selke Trophy, he'd be the first Toronto player to win the award since Doug Gilmour in 1992-93.

  Bruins center Patrice Bergeron won the Selke Trophy last season. He retired in the offseason.

  --Field Level Media

Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Auston Matthews' took the ice for Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.

• However, goaltender Joseph Woll, who led the Leafs to victories the past two games, will not suit up after suffering an injury in Game 6. Ilya Samsonov, who began the series as Toronto's starter, will return to face the Bruins. Martin Jones will be his backup.

  Matthews is not 100 percent. He participated in the morning skate but only spent about 15 minutes on the ice and "still looked limited physically."

  Matthews played through an undisclosed illness in Game 3 and attempted to do the same in Game 4 but did not take the ice in the third period of Toronto's 3-1 loss. He reportedly suffered an undisclosed injury in that game.

  The Maple Leafs stayed in the series Thursday when William Nylander scored both goals in Toronto's 2-1 victory in Game 6 on home ice.

  Matthews had a goal and two assists in Toronto's 3-2 win in Game 2, accounting for all three of his points in the series.

  Matthews, 26, led the NHL with a career-high 69 goals and tallied 107 points in the 2023-24 season. The 2021-22 Hart Trophy winner has 649 points (368 goals, 281 assists) in 562 games since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Maple Leafs in 2016.

  --Field Level Media