We have a larger-than-usual batch of new faces to the rankings this week, with 22 players shuffled in and 22 shuffled out. Why? With close to a quarter of the season on the books, it feels like a good chance to do some “spring cleaning” of the ranks. There are more than a few dust […]
Continue readingWe last checked in with a rankings update in June, when the NHL was very much in limbo. Since then, we’ve had an extended playoffs, a draft, a long delay, and the start of a very different NHL season. Since then, we’ve revamped the default scoring to better reflect positional value and diverse skill sets […]
Continue readingFor this week’s Power Rankings, we identified our favorite move each team made this offseason. How we rank: The ESPN hockey editorial staff submits selections ranking teams 1-31 — taking into account past results and offseason additions — and those results are tabulated in the list featured here. Stanley Cup odds are courtesy of William […]
Continue reading(Especially during a championship celebration, it turns out …) Months later, we clearly don’t know enough about COVID-19 in aggregate, but professional sports leagues have learned plenty, using various methodologies to start, restart and complete their seasons. “At this point, we know how the virus is transmitted. We know how to create safe environments to […]
Continue readingThe word that typically defines free agency in the NHL is “uncertainty.” Players with expiring contracts enter a marketplace unsure of what their next deals will look like or where they’ll next call home. But in the 2020 free-agent frenzy, that uncertainty has reached previously unseen levels for players and teams. There’s a flat salary […]
Continue readingIn saying he is exploring every possible option, Lamoriello on Tuesday wouldn’t completely rule out what he called “a last resort” of having to part ways with a core player or two. Without going into detail, he added: “But I’m reasonably comfortable that we’ll be able to accomplish what we want to accomplish and have […]
Continue readingEberle raced up the middle, drove to the net and converted Lee’s pass to cap a two-on-one break and keep the Islanders’ playoff hopes alive. The goal, scored 12:30 into the second overtime, sealed a 2-1 win over the Lightning in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference final series Tuesday night. “Things happen quick out […]
Continue readingThe Isles won 2 of 3 regular-season contests between the teams, outscoring the Lightning 11-4 in the aggregate. But all of that was months ago. Who will win the series this September? Note: Advanced stats are from Hockey Reference, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey More: Check out the full NHL postseason schedule here. What […]
Continue readingThe 2020 NHL playoffs officially begin on Tuesday, as the 24-team tournament — with five-game qualification round series and round-robin seeding matchups — has moved on to a more recognizable, 16-team version. This round includes several matchups where revenge will be on the mind of one team (or both, for separate reasons), and based on […]
Continue readingJones pulled one of the jerseys out of the box, poured lighter fluid on it and lit it on fire in his driveway. He continued to burn jerseys from the box, documenting the process in a series of Instagram videos posted Wednesday. “I opened up my mailbox today, and I had these jerseys in my […]
Continue reading