Opinion Links for week of May 8 to 14, 2022 | Headlinehockey.com

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OPINION

ADAM PROTEAU: Barry Trotz, Wild's Playoff Struggles and New Jersey's Future (The Hockey News)
STAN FISCHLER: The Crosby, Trouba Affair and How it Affects a Series (The Hockey News)
LYLE RICHARDSON: Could Oliver Ekman-Larsson Be On The Move This Summer? (The Hockey News)
ERIC FRANCIS: Pressure now on Flames to close the deal against Stars at home in Game 7 (Sportsnet)
MARK SPECTOR: With the season on the line for Oilers, Game 7 vs. Kings is 'what dreams are made of' (Sportsnet)
ROY MacGREGOR: As sports betting hits the big league, the NHL playoffs are starting to look like Hockey Night at the Casino (Globe & Mail)
CATHAL KELLY: Maple Leafs aren’t just facing Tampa Bay for Game 7 – they’re facing history (Globe & Mail)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: What you may have missed from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs (National Post)
DAVE HYDE: A 26-year ghost disappeared as the Panthers celebrated their opening-round playoff win (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
PAUL ZEISE: The series isn't finished — but it sure feels like the Penguins are done (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
LARRY BROOKS: Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider return to star form to lift Rangers to Game 7 (New York Post)
STEVE SIMMONS: Leafs need to be the more desperate team in Game 7 (Toronto Sun)
MAC ENGEL: Dallas Stars make it to a Game 7 despite getting nothing from the Captain, Jamie Benn (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
GREG COTE: Wow! Florida Panthers rally, win in OT, advance in NHL playoffs for first time since 1996 (Miami Herald)
TERRY JONES: Edmonton Oilers get 48-hour stay of execution with Game 6 victory over Kings (Edmonton Sun)
STU COWAN: Canadiens' Allen helps crease compatriot get back on track (Montreal Gazette)
RON COOK: It may be too little, too late for Penguins in playoff series (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Thomas Chabot and Team Canada open world championship with win over (Ottawa Sun)
ROSIE DiMANNO: ‘We’re ready,’ Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe says of Game 7 (Toronto Star)
PATRICK REUSSE: Wolves and Wild remain key to land of 10,000 playoff disappointments (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
BEN FREDERICKSON: Playoff swagger restored, Blues goalie Binnington has earned shot at redemption against Avalanche (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes got away from what made them successful. They have one shot to get it back (Raleigh News & Observer)
LARRY BROOKS: Rangers still need to fix their game against Sidney Crosby-less Penguins (New York Post)
TARA SULLIVAN: Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman will bring his youthful enthusiasm — and unwavering confidence — to Game 7 (Boston Globe)
TIM BENZ: 'Rattled' Penguins can't write a better ending to familiar script (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
PAT HICKEY: Cayden Primeau in top form for Rocket (Montreal Gazette)
BRUCE ARTHUR: Game 7 will be a referendum on the Maple Leafs, even if that isn’t fair (Toronto Star)
TERRY JONES: Kurt Browning named Oilers honourary captain for NHL's 75 anniversary (Edmonton Sun)

ADAM PROTEAU: Hart or Not, Only One Thing Matters for Auston Matthews (The Hockey News)
LYLE RICHARDSON: Devils, Senators, Islanders Could Shop their 2022 First-Round Picks (The Hockey News)
MARK SPECTOR: With McDavid at his finest, Oilers' best players will team to win in Game 6 (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Hart snub aside, Flames' Gaudreau game continues ramping up in the playoffs (Sportsnet)
CATHAL KELLY: Trouba may have hit the dirty-play jackpot with Crosby blow - and flipped the series for the Rangers (Globe & Mail)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Crosby's injury another sign that the NHL isn't doing enough to protect its stars (National Post)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: In first-round win, Blues' confidence and cohesion overcame all adversity and adversaries (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
RON COOK: Penguins need not only Sidney Crosby but also Tristan Jarry to win series (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
JACE FREDERICK: Best Wild team ever? Not anymore. Not after this. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
HELENE ELLIOTT: Kings seeking a finishing kick against Oilers after falling in Game 6 (Los Angeles Times)
DAVE HYDE: Carter Verhaeghe had a long journey to his big Florida Panthers moment (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
STEVE SIMMONS: Leafs deserved better on this heartbreaking night (Toronto Sun)
MAC ENGEL: As Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine continues, NHL’s Russian-born players stay silent (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes had every chance to finish Bruins. Now, season comes down to that: chance (Raleigh News & Observer)
TERRY JONES: The remarkable bounce-back of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (Edmonton Sun)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Senators' chief scout Trent Mann keeping all options open with No. 7 pick (Ottawa Sun)
JOHN ROMANO: Forget the stars, awards and highlights, the Lightning had heart (Tampa Bay Times)
JIM ALEXANDER: Kings trail Oilers 2-1, but margin seems larger (Los Angeles Daily News)
STU COWAN: Habs' defence of future put to test in Rocket's playoff run (Montreal Gazette)
MARK MADDEN: Jacob Trouba hit on Sidney Crosby was ugly, intentional and typical for NHL (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
BEN FREDERICKSON: The NHL playoffs finally feel right again, and Berube's Blues are built for it (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
LARRY BROOKS: Rangers coach can't hesitate if Igor Shesterkin doesn't meet Game 6 challenge (New York Post)
DAVE FESCHUK: The Leafs will have one more chance to show they’ve finally found the killer instinct (Toronto Star)

ADAM PROTEAU: It's Do or Die Time for the Edmonton Oilers (The Hockey News)
MIKE STEPHENS: Sidney Crosby Has Turned Back the Clock (The Hockey News)
RYAN KENNEDY: Why Shane Wright is Perfect for Montreal (The Hockey News)
LYLE RICHARDSON: Will the San Jose Sharks Shop Erik Karlsson or Brent Burns? (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Mangiapane, Backlund provide spark to help Flames flip narrative on Stars (Sportsnet)
MARK SPECTOR: The Oilers are the better team. After choking away Game 5, will they play like it? (Sportsnet)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Who would have guessed that Jack Campbell would be outplaying Andrei Vasilevskiy? (National Post)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes’ Niederreiter proves versatility in helping shut down Bruins’ top players (Raleigh News & Observer)
RON COOK: Ron Cook: Penguins need not only Sidney Crosby but also Tristan Jarry to win series (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
LARRY BROOKS: Rangers’ Kid Line restores team’s identity to stave off elimination (New York Post)
STEVE SIMMONS: Next on Auston Matthews' bucket list: Playoff greatness (Toronto Sun)
CHIP SCOGGINS: Wild needs to make a goalie change if it wants to beat the Blues (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
ANDREW GROSS: Shesterkin needs to learn to be a playoff goalie (New York Newsday)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: The Ottawa Senators have a big decision to make with No. 7 selection in draft (Ottawa Sun)
TERRY JONES: Oilers gagging on opening round series against the Kings (Edmonton Sun)
STU COWAN: Rocket ready to create a whiteout at Laval's Place Bell (Montreal Gazette)
GEOFF BAKER: Playoffs again provide plenty of drama on a historically significant date (Seattle Times)
DANE MIZUTANI: Kirill Kaprizov is the best player in this series. And that’s why Wild still have a chance (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
GREG COTE: Verhaeghe and miracle Florida Panthers, down 3, rally to beat Caps 5-3 for 3-2 series lead (Miami Herald)
ROSIE DiMANNO: William Nylander shows both substance and Styles for the Leafs when they need it (Toronto Star)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Blues should capitalize by demoralizing Wild early in Game 6 at Enterprise Center (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
TIM BENZ: Penguins didn't pass 20-minute test without Sidney Crosby. The road ahead now looks much longer (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
JOHN ROMANO: Regrets? Yes, the Lightning will have a few if they blow this one (Tampa Bay Times)
TARA SULLIVAN: It’s obvious Bruins need to get back home. But then what? (Boston Globe)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: David Feherty looking forward to hitting the fairways with Alfie and Co. (Ottawa Sun)
ERIK BRADY: 50 years later, Sabres legend Gerry Meehan and the shot heard around WNY (Buffalo News)

ADAM PROTEAU: Is Patrick Marleau a Future Hall of Famer? (The Hockey News)
MIKE STEPHENS: The Maple Leafs Need John Tavares – Now More Than Ever (The Hockey News)
LYLE RICHARDSON: Who Replaces Barry Trotz as Islanders' Head Coach? (The Hockey News)
MARK SPECTOR: Oilers face elimination after giving worst effort of series in most important game (Sportsnet)
ERIC ENGELS: Canadiens' opportunity to draft first overall at home beyond exciting (Sportsnet)
IAIN MacINTYRE: Five Canucks draft candidates to target with 15th-overall pick (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: Now a Vezina finalist, don't take Markstrom's brilliant consistency for granted (Sportsnet)
BOB McKENZIE: Flash poll: Race tightening for No. 1 in NHL Draft (TSN)
CATHAL KELLY: Maple Leafs make a statement with latest victory (Globe & Mail)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Winnipeg or Vegas — where will Barry Trotz end up coaching next? (National Post)
ROSIE DiMANNO: The Leafs chased Game 5 and caught it, transforming their Stanley Cup hopes (Toronto Star)
STU COWAN: NHL Draft is a crapshoot whether team wins or loses lottery (Montreal Gazette)
LA VELLE E. NEAL III: Kaprizov played desperate hockey, but didn't get help from team (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
HELENE ELLIOTT: Adrian Kempe’s goal in OT lifts Kings to 3-2 series lead over Oilers (Los Angeles Times)
LUKE DeCOCK: For different reasons, DeAngelo, Jarvis answer call in complete Canes win over Bruins (Raleigh News & Observer)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: In the biggest period of the biggest game, Blues' Tarasenko adds to his legend (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
STEVE SIMMONS: Maple Leafs' big four come up huge in win over Tampa Bay Lightning (Toronto Sun)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Senators retain No. 7 selection in the lottery, but Dorion will be open for business (Ottawa Sun)
MARK KISZLA: From the kitchen sink to Skittles, nothing thrown at Cale Makar could stop him from leading Avalanche sweep of Nashville (Denver Post)
JOHN SHIPLEY: Wild finally got that scorer they ordered. It would be a shame to waste it. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
TERRY JONES: Something special brewing should Edmonton Oilers reach Round 2 (Edmonton Sun)
TIM BENZ: Penguins spike in goals is impressive, but the work to create the shots is what shines (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
JOHN ROMANO: If the end is near for the Lightning, this is a moment to remember (Tampa Bay Times)
MATT PORTER: Bruins have trouble getting in the attacking zone and other observations from Game 5 (Boston Globe)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Dear NHL — change the playoff format back to the traditional 1-8, 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 format (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

ADAM PROTEAU: The Stars' Secret Sauce Continues to Work (The Hockey News)
STAN FISCHLER: Who Looks Like the Early Cup-Winner? (The Hockey News)
ERIC FRANCIS: Flames finally flex offensive chops with sustained pressure in Game 4 win (Sportsnet)
MARK SPECTOR: After losing control of the series, Oilers' belief will be tested (Sportsnet)
SALIM VALJI: Flames assert identity on Stars in dominant Game 4 win (TSN)
MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Time for Tavares to start justifying his $11M cap hit (National Post)
MARK KISZLA: From the kitchen sink to Skittles, nothing thrown at Cale Makar could stop him from leading Avalanche sweep of Nashville (Denver Post)
GENTRY ESTES: Hynes has earned the right to stay on as Preds coach (The Tennessean)
NEIL BEST: Getting rid of Trotz puts Lou in line of fire (New York Newsday)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: 'Those guys are machines.' How the Blues' Faulk and Parayko continue to impact this series (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
SHAWN WINDSOR: Who needs luck in NHL lottery? Yzerman, Wings make their own (Detroit Free Press)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Not a whole lot of suspense as the Senators prepare for NHL's draft lottery (Ottawa Sun)
TIM BENZ: The Penguins have suddenly reduced Igor Shesterkin from bold to broken (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
STEVE SIMMONS: Leafs-Lightning playoff series is a clash of coaching styles (Toronto Sun)
LARRY BROOKS: Lost Rangers dishonored themselves with humiliating effort (New York Post)
MATT PORTER: As series shifts back to Carolina, Bruce Cassidy’s coaching moves have been a benchmark for success (Boston Globe)
DAVE HYDE: A night in need of heroes finds the two biggest Florida Panthers goals in 26 years (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
BOB WOJNOWSKI: Tigers, Red Wings discover nasty little secret about rebuilds (Detroit News)
TERRY JONES: Playoff history may or may not be on Oilers' side against Kings (Edmonton Sun)
BRUCE GARRIOCH: Senators fire senior VP Pierre McGuire after less than a year on the job (Ottawa Sun)
MIKE VACCARO: Islanders firing coach is right out of Lou Lamoriello's playbook (New York Post)
STU COWAN: Pierre Gervais could tell 35 years of Canadiens stories (Montreal Gazette)
BARRY SVRLUGA: The Capitals need every body against Florida, and a huge one is absent (Washington Post)
ROSIE DiMANNO: The Leafs-Lightning series hasn’t been one-sided, but each game has. The NHL playoffs have changed (Toronto Star)
PAUL ZEISE: Which team in the Penguins-Rangers series has the Vezina candidate goaltender? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes turn what might’ve been quick series into slog. There’s no one else to blame (Raleigh News & Observer)
NEIL BEST: Getting rid of Trotz puts Lou in line of fire (New York Newsday)
GENTRY ESTES: For ousted Nashville Predators, facing Colorado Avalanche indeed 'a waste of eight days' (The Tennessean)
TIM COWLISHAW: Stars spoil potential perfect four-day stretch at AAC, but give Dallas fans memorable week (Dallas Morning News)
LARRY BROOKS: Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin in uncharted territory after Game 3 benching (New York Post)
GREG COTE: Do you believe in miracles? Florida Panthers tie it late, win in OT, head home 2-2 in playoffs (Miami Herald)
RON COOK: Ron Cook: Sidney Crosby 'playing an inspired game' in Penguins' playoff series (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

ADAM PROTEAU: Florida Panthers in Danger of Falling Into Presidents' Trophy Curse (The Hockey News)
MIKE STEPHENS: On a Team of Stars, the Maple Leafs' Depth Forwards Have Given Them the Edge (The Hockey News)
JARED CLINTON: Bruins' Jeremy Swayman is a Student of the Game (The Hockey News)
IAIN MacINTYRE: Stopped dead in the water, Oilers must navigate ups and downs of Kings series (Sportsnet)
MARK SPECTOR: Flames looking to get back to their game by cutting down on penalties (Sportsnet)
GREG WYSHYNSKI: Claude Giroux's fun new world with the Florida Panthers (ESPN)
DAMIEN COX: Goals, goals and more playoff goals, whether the NHL likes them or not (Toronto Star)
MATT PORTER: With their stars clicking, Bruins showed the conviction of a veteran team that has done this before (Boston Globe)
JACK TODD: Habs made it count in dramatic 2005 NHL Draft (Montreal Gazette)
HELENE ELLIOTT: Jonathan Quick and Kings revive Cup-chasing memories in Game 4 shutdown of Oilers (Los Angeles Times)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Blues’ Binnington, who once sparked a season, sparked a series with Game 4 win (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
MIKE HARRINGTON: College players studying their situations, not just giving Sabres cold shoulder (Buffalo News)
LARRY BROOKS: Everything is still ahead of Rangers if they want it (New York Post)
STEVE SIMMONS: Maple Leafs embarrass themselves in Game 4 fiasco in Tampa (Toronto Sun)
TERRY JONES: Oilers playoff fever back bigger than ever (Edmonton Sun)
LUKE DeCOCK: Hurricanes turn what might’ve been quick series into slog. There’s no one else to blame (Raleigh News & Observer)
TIM BENZ: Some technical elements of Louis Domingue's game the Rangers may try to exploit (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
JOHN ROMANO: Lightning have skated out of the neutral zone and into Toronto’s head (Tampa Bay Times)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Loss to Lightning more than embarrassing for the Leafs — it’s an opportunity missed (Toronto Star)

STEVEN ELLIS: Connor Ingram Has Been Through a Lot to Get to this Point (The Hockey News)
IAIN MacINTYRE: Hyman could have gone to a quiet market. Instead, he’s in Edmonton — and thriving (Sportsnet)
ERIC FRANCIS: In tight Flames-Stars series, Gaudreau is under pressure to bury limited chances (Sportsnet)
SALIM VALJI: Pavelski coming up clutch as Stars lead series versus Flames (TSN)
LUKE DeCOCK: In role reversal, Hurricanes’ Svechnikov mentoring Kochetkov, who’s 9 months older (Raleigh News & Observer)
BARRY SVRLUGA: For these underdog Capitals, the shoe is on the other foot. Finally. (Washington Post)
DAVE POULIN: Lightning forward Corey Perry is often the man of the maddening moment in the NHL playoffs (Toronto Star)
KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Here’s why the NHL should modify the overtime rules in the early rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs (Boston Globe)
RON COOK: Emotions run wild in Penguins' surreal win vs. Rangers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
GENTRY ESTES: The Avs are too good. They didn't need the Preds' help in Game 3 (The Tennessean)
CHRIS JOHNSTON: Leafs happy to have ‘an ultimate team player’ in their Kämpf (Toronto Star)
MARK KISZLA: Eye for an eye? Avalanche’s best revenge for Nashvegas goonery is 7-3 victory. (Denver Post)
BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Why the Blues should start goalie Binnington in Game 4 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
DAVE HYDE: Frustrated, pounded and nervous — the story of Florida Panthers’ Game 3 loss is ugly one (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
LARRY BROOKS: NHL not doing enough to protect goalies (New York Post)
GENTRY ESTES: Preds' season is nearing a meek end, and tough questions await (The Tennessean)
HELENE ELLIOTT: Down one game or 14 goals allowed? Guess how Kings are spinning blowout losses (Los Angeles Times)
STEVE SIMMONS: 'This was bigger than anything I’d seen before.' Brian Engblom reflects on Guy Lafleur and his funeral (Toronto Sun)
TERRY JONES: Oilers checking all boxes in series against Kings (Edmonton Sun)
MATT PORTER: Sure, the stars came through, but Derek Forbort was the unsung hero of the Bruins’ Game 3 win over the Hurricanes (Boston Globe)
ROSIE DiMANNO: Leafs treat Jon Cooper’s comments as little more than pipe lines (Toronto Star)
TIM BENZ: Penguins, Rangers treat fans to 3 games in 1 night as 'roller coaster' series continues (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
LARRY BROOKS: Power play lets down Rangers at worst possible time (New York Post)
MIKE CHAMBERS: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, in sync, makes magic for Avalanche (Denver Post)