OPINION
- DAVID ALTER: Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares out Indefinitely with a Concussion, Team Makes Changes for Game 2 vs. Montreal Canadiens (The Hockey News)
- MATT LARKIN: Meghan Duggan on Her New Job With the Devils, the Future of Women in the NHL and More (The Hockey News)
- STEVEN ELLIS: What Makes Alex Nedeljkovic So Good (The Hockey News)
- MARK SPECTOR: Oilers still trying to find right balance vs. Jets after Game 2 loss (Sportsnet)
- IAIN MacINTYRE: With Green retained, bigger tasks remain on Benning's to-do list (Sportsnet)
- CHRIS JOHNSTON: How the Maple Leafs plan to navigate John Tavares' on-ice absence (Sportsnet)
- ERIC ENGELS: Paul Byron's Game 1 winner for Canadiens symbolic of his determination (Sportsnet)
- CATHAL KELLY: Toronto Maple Leafs captain Tavares’ injury was an accident, but Perry-Foligno fight was inevitable (Globe & Mail)
- ROY MacGREGOR: Playoff unpredictability has Oilers in deep hole heading to Winnipeg (Globe & Mail)
- MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Losing John Tavares no excuse for Maple Leafs to lose series to Canadiens (National Post)
- STEVE SIMMONS: Matthews on Tavares: 'A lot of things in life are bigger than hockey' (Toronto Sun)
- GENTRY ESTES: Why are desperate Preds always the best Preds? (The Tennessean)
- STU COWAN: Experience wins out over youth for Canadiens in Game 1 (Montreal Gazette)
- KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: The Bruins improved as the night played out, and other observations from their convincing Game 4 win (Boston Globe)
- DON BRENNAN: No secret to the 'code,' Foligno was just doing what had to be done (Ottawa Sun)
- NEIL BEST: Put Sorokin back in net for Game 4 (New York Newsday)
- LUKE DeCOCK: The Canes are in for a fight in their playoff series, and not only with the Predators (Raleigh News & Observer)
- ROSIE DiMANNO: Carey Price: the man, the myth and the mystery the Maple Leafs will have to solve (Toronto Star)
- ED GRANEY: Column: Max Pacioretty’s return as unknown as his injury (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
- PAT HICKEY: We've seen this Canadiens movie before (Montreal Gazette)
- TARA SULLIVAN: David Pastrnak was due for a goal, and his persistence paid off in a huge Game 4 win for the Bruins (Boston Globe)
- BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: The Blues are bruised, but Colorado is just that good (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- SAM CARCHIDI: The Flyers’ top prospects: Many will put the stamp of Chuck Fletcher and Brent Flahr on the team (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- DAVE FESCHUK: The Maple Leafs have to believe in themselves against the Canadiens as much as the prognosticators do (Toronto Star)
- TERRY JONES: All-Canadian playoff division the experience of a lifetime for Oilers (Edmonton Sun)
- BRUCE GARRIOCH: It's up to Logan Brown to determine where his career is headed (Ottawa Sun)
- MARK MADDEN: Penguins overcame Islanders, officiating in Game 3, but can they really keep up this pace? (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- BRENDAN KELLY: Canadiens need goals, along with hits, to oust Leafs (Montreal Gazette)
- JOE WARMINGTON: Missing Coach's Corner? Grapes still firing on all cylinders (Toronto Sun)
- DAVID ALTER: Maple Leafs' loss to Canadiens Secondary as Club Gets Some Good News on John Tavares' Injury (The Hockey News)
- STEVEN ELLIS: The Canadiens Got Vintage Carey Price in Game 1 (The Hockey News)
- RYAN KENNEDY: Why, Nazem Kadri, Why? (The Hockey News)
- MATT LARKIN: Do the Lightning Have the Right Ingredients to Repeat as Stanley Cup champs? (The Hockey News)
- ERIC ENGELS: Canadiens assert their style in Game 1 win over Maple Leafs (Sportsnet)
- CHRIS JOHNSTON: For Leafs, heartbreaking Game 1 loss pales in comparison to Tavares' health (Sportsnet)
- ERIC FRANCIS: If Flames seek radical off-season change, Giordano's tenure may soon be over (Sportsnet)
- IAIN MacINTYRE: Canucks moving toward new contract for head coach Travis Green (Sportsnet)
- MARK SPECTOR: Oilers need a hero other than McDavid or Draisaitl to emerge in Game 2 (Sportsnet)
- EMILY KAPLAN: How the Carolina Hurricanes pulled off having 12,000-plus fans at their NHL playoff games (ESPN)
- ROY MacGREGOR: Connor McDavid held off the scoreboard as unlikely names play MVP for Jets (Globe & Mail)
- MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Has Nazem Kadri cost another team a chance at winning a Stanley Cup? (National Post)
- KEN WARREN: Melnyk's style hasn't changed (Ottawa Citizen)
- MARK KISZLA: Avalanche should cut ties ASAP with cheap-shot artist Nazem Kadri (Denver Post)
- STEVE SIMMONS: Tavares is down, Game 1 has been lost: What now for the Maple Leafs? (Toronto Sun)
- PAUL FRIESEN: Melding of the minds gives Jets a chance (Winnipeg Sun)
- JOHN SHIPLEY: Wild looked like better team, briefly (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
- MICHEAL ARACE: John Davidson gives Blue Jackets' front office a boost when it needs it (Columbus Dispatch)
- ED GRANEY: Golden Knights follow Captain Stone to playoff win (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
- DAVE HYDE: The Game 3 hero no one saw coming keeps Panthers season alive (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
- TIM BENZ: It's not just that the Penguins won Game 3. It's how they did it. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- DON BRENNAN: Perry's playoff OT history better than some legends (Ottawa Sun)
- ROSIE DiMANNO: Leafs’ Game 1 loss to Canadiens adds the insult to John Tavares injury (Toronto Star)
- NEIL BEST: Coliseum crowd delivers normalcy, but can't deliver Game 3 win (New York Newsday)
- JIM SOUHAN: Goalie Fluery beats Wild with one hand behind his back (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- PAT HICKEY: Carey Price shows why teammates have such faith in him (Montreal Gazette)
- MIKE HARRINGTON: At this price, Sabres need Jeff Skinner to find a shred of his game (Buffalo News)
- JOHN ROMANO: You can’t ask for better hockey. Except, maybe, the final score. (Tampa Bay Times)
- BRUCE GARRIOCH: Senators' owner Eugene Melnyk is letting the city of Ottawa know he's willing to do business (Ottawa Sun)
- MIKE McINTYRE: Attitude adjustment pays off for Jets (Winnipeg Free Press)
- TERRY JONES: Winnipeg Jets check off all boxes in playoff hockey victory (Edmonton Sun)
- DAMIEN COX: Leafs traded Kadri because they couldn’t trust him when it mattered. He proved them right with another illegal hit (Toronto Star)
- JOE STARKEY: Anyone still worried about the Penguins giving Brandon Tanev a 6-year deal? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- RYAN KENNEDY: Carolina Hurricanes Can Depend on Jordan Staal (The Hockey News)
- STEVEN ELLIS: Don't Count Out USA's Medal Hopes at the World Championship Just Yet (The Hockey News)
- ERIC FRANCIS: Flames' Sutter calls out Dube and Valimaki: 'Lots of growing up to do' (Sportsnet)
- IAIN MacINTYRE: Canucks' Demko calls on organization to bring back coach, mentor Ian Clark (Sportsnet)
- ERIC ENGELS: Canadiens approved to host 2,500 fans for games starting May 28 (Sportsnet)
- IAIN MacINTYRE: Canucks' Demko calls on organization to bring back coach, mentor Ian Clark (Sportsnet)
- MARK SPECTOR: After season series struggles, Jets must raise their game to handle Oilers (Sportsnet)
- ERIC ENGELS: Price must live up to his reputation for Canadiens to beat Maple Leafs (Sportsnet)
- RICK WESTHEAD: Former player taught ‘craft’ of fighting at 16 wants WHL held accountable, affidavit says (TSN)
- GREG WYSHYNSKI: How to stop Connor McDavid -- or at least delay the inevitable (ESPN)
- CATHAL KELLY: Sheldon Keefe, Maple Leafs wax existential, admit no stress heading into playoffs (Globe & Mail)
- ROY MacGREGOR: Winnipeg Jets looking to flip the script in series vs. Connor McDavid and the Oilers (Globe & Mail)
- JOHN NIYO: Yzerman practices patience in keeping Blashill as Wings coach (Detroit News)
- BRUCE GARRIOCH: Former Senators' goaltender Craig Anderson making an impact for Washington Capitals (Ottawa Sun)
- MIKE McINTYRE: History likely to repeat (Winnipeg Free Press)
- STEVE SIMMONS: Leafs don't need Jack Campbell to be Dryden or Roy. They just need him to be himself. (Toronto Sun)
- LA VELLE E. NEAL III: Greed would have served Wild well, but it heads home tied (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- RON COOK: Tristan Jarry’s bounce-back performance saved the Penguins (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- SHAWN WINDSOR: Why Yzerman is doubling down on Blashill (Detroit Free Press)
- STU COWAN: Canadiens' lineup for Game 1 vs. Leafs doesn't make sense (Montreal Gazette)
- NEIL BEST: Trotz's next call in goal will be crucial for Islanders (New York Newsday)
- GREG COTE: Florida Panthers, and hopes of fans, in peril with 3-1 Game 2 playoff loss to Tampa Bay (Miami Herald)
- ED GRANEY: In an almost must-win game, Knights earn huge victory (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
- JOHN SHIPLEY: Wild need a hero. How about Kevin Fiala? (St. Paul Pioneer Press)
- TIM BENZ: Tristan Jarry's bounce-back win wasn't the only important Penguins rebound in Game 2 (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- LUKE DeCOCK: Apparently, Brett Pesce missed the playoffs. Hurricanes defenseman shines in return (Raleigh News & Observer)
- ROSIE DiMANNO: It was a whole different game the last time the Leafs played the Canadiens in the NHL playoffs (Toronto Star)
- JOHN ROMANO: Anyone surprised the Lightning are coming home with two wins? (Tampa Bay Times)
- TERRY JONES: Katz looking for Oilers to 'bring the glory days back' (Edmonton Sun)
- TED WYMAN: A lot on the line for Jets organization as playoff series with Oilers looms (Winnipeg Sun)
- BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Physical education — the Blues learned lessons about aggressiveness in the Game 1 loss (St. Louis Post Dispatch)
- GENTRY ESTES: Preds' struggles vs. Canes highlights a 2-year-old problem (The Tennessean)
- DAVE HYDE: Another Panthers loss — but another night of what can be in South Florida (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
- PATRICK REUSSE: Is the Wild's rise or the Twins' collapse the bigger surprise? (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- NEIL BEST: Isles' strategy to contain Sid -- Bang Crosby (New York Newsday)
- RYAN KENNEDY: Nikita Kucherov Is Back – Deal With It (The Hockey News)
- DAVID ALTER: Maple Leafs’ Riley Nash Hopes to Accelerate Learning Curve During the Playoffs (The Hockey News)
- CHRIS JOHNSTON: Riley Nash's odd road to Leafs debut culminates in Game 1 of playoffs (Sportsnet)
- ERIC ENGELS: Canadiens need to rediscover pace, pressure to succeed vs. Maple Leafs (Sportsnet)
- MARK SPECTOR: How to handle the coaching conundrum of containing McDavid and Draisaitl (Sportsnet)
- ERIC FRANCIS: Key questions facing the Flames as lacklustre season winds down (Sportsnet)
- GREG WYSHYNSKI: How the NHL got a hip-hop playoff anthem (ESPN)
- MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Penguins need Malkin as much as they need Crosby right now (National Post)
- TIM BENZ: Penguins too dismissive of 3rd period struggles in Game 1 loss to Islanders (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- SAM CARCHIDI: Report card: Flyers’ grades tell the story of a dismal season (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- RON COOK: Sidney Crosby’s efforts will ensure this series is different than 2019 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- MARK MADDEN: Penguins need Tristan Jarry to rebound before it's too late (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
- KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: How the Bruins used grit and finesse to even up their series with Capitals (Boston Globe)
- BARRY SVRLUGA: T.J. Oshie feeds off the pressure, and the Capitals feed off T.J. Oshie (Washington Post)
- LANCE HORNBY: Women take lead roles in Maple Leafs development (Toronto Sun)
- BEN FREDERICKSON: Sports continuing to teach us how (and how not to) round third base of pandemic (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- ANDREW MARCHAND: ESPN hires first woman to be regular part of national NHL coverage (New York Post)
- LUKE DeCOCK: After a year of collective loss, Hurricanes post one very small win for everyone (Raleigh News & Observer)
- TARA SULLIVAN: Matt Grzelcyk has never met a challenge too big to take on, and that’s a mind-set the Bruins need right now (Boston Globe)
- MARK KISZLA: Refusing to be bullied, Avalanche clowns lame Blues in 4-1 playoff victory (Denver Post)
- DON BRENNAN: Nobody laughing at Panthers less-than-half full arena now (Ottawa Sun)
- NEIL BEST: Upon review, preview of Isles-Pens goaltending looks correct (New York Newsday)
- DAVE FESCHUK: ‘Just keep shooting.’ Auston Matthews is taking a page out of Alex Ovechkin’s playbook. The rest is history (Toronto Star)
- ED GRANEY: Lack of scoring, not Wild, in heads of Golden Knights (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
- TARA SULLIVAN: Brad Marchand still has plenty of edge to his game, but he’s added a welcome touch of refinement (Boston Globe)
- TERRY JONES: Calling the next Fernando Pisani, Oilers seek playoff hero (Edmonton Sun)
- BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Binnington did his part, but the Blues need to awaken their offense before it's too late (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- GENTRY ESTES: It wasn't the lineup. The Canes were just better in Game 1 (The Tennessean)
- LARRY BROOKS: How new coach could alter Rangers’ only expansion list decision (New York Post)
- KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: With Tuukka Rask’s contract expiring, are Bruins coming to a crossroads in goal? (Boston Globe)
- PAUL ZEISE: There is a bit more pressure on Mike Sullivan, Penguins now (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
- JOHN ROMANO: Pay attention, everyone. Nikita Kucherov just set a new comeback standard (Tampa Bay Times)
- MICHAEL RAND: History says Wild has series edge — but Game 2 will tell real story (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- LUKE DeCOCK: Could the two players who collided to begin the last playoffs be the Canes’ key this year? (Raleigh News & Observer)
- STEVE SIMMONS: Best Buds — former Canadiens and Leafs Shayne Corson and Darcy Tucker can't wait for series to begin (Toronto Sun)
- BRUCE GARRIOCH: Senators president of business operations Anthony LeBlanc believes fans will return next season (Ottawa Sun)
- MARK SPECTOR: With calm before the storm over, Oilers ready for intensity of Cup Playoffs (Sportsnet)
- IAIN MacINTYRE: Canucks to seek guidance from Geoff Courtnall as uncertain future looms (Sportsnet)
- MICHAEL TRAIKOS: Craig Anderson unlikely Game 1 hero for Washington Capitals (National Post)
- MARK KISZLA: Why Ryan O’Reilly could wreck Avalanche’s championship dream (Denver Post)
- KEVIN PAUL DUPONT: Roughed up by Washington, Bruins couldn't capitalize on scoring chances (Boston Globe)
- LUKE DeCOCK: Could another rookie goalie help the Canes win a title, 15 years after 2006 Stanley Cup? (Raleigh News & Observer)
- LARRY BROOKS: This impending free agent could help Rangers fill leadership void (New York Post)
- CHIP SCOGGINS: With dynamic Kirill Kaprizov aboard, forget the Wild's playoff past (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
- TARA SULLIVAN: Loss aside, Bruins did enough good to be encouraged for Game 2 (Boston Globe)
- SHAWN WINDSOR: Yzerman treating Blashill decision like his quest for Stanley Cup: Slow, steady (Detroit Free Press)
- BENJAMIN HOCHMAN: Blues’ O’Reilly says it ‘would be more special to beat’ Colorado, his former franchise, in playoffs (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
- BRUCE GARRIOCH: The off-season begins with work to be done as the Ottawa Senators prepare for the 2021-22 campaign (Ottawa Sun)
- MATT PORTER: Many paths could lead Jack Eichel to Boston (Boston Globe)
- STEVE SIMMONS: Leafs-Habs hasn't been a real playoff rivalry for decades (Toronto Sun)
- MIKE CHAMBERS: From worst to first, Avalanche has made remarkable strides in four years (Denver Post)
- MIKE HARRINGTON: Ex-Sabres factor is high as the playoffs begin (Buffalo News)
- TERRY JONES: Oilers win season finale by avoiding injuries, ready for playoffs (Edmonton Sun)
- CHAD FINN: It’s a good time to stream Zdeno Chara docuseries (Boston Globe)
- NEIL BEST: It's time for Isles to capitalize on playoff opportunity (New York Newsday)
- DAVE POULIN: The crowdsourced Connor McDavid thesaurus is all kinds of awesome — from ‘alien’ to ‘McWow’ to ‘unicorn’ (Toronto Star)
- BARRY SVRLUGA: Before the first playoff puck dropped, the two missing Capitals already had dropped the ball (Washington Post)
- JOHN ROMANO: Will the legend of Andrei Vasilevskiy continue to grow in the playoffs? (Tampa Bay Times)
- STU COWAN: Canadiens get their heartbeat back with Brendan Gallagher (Montreal Gazette)