Gearing up for the playoffs in one moment — the end of a celebrated career in the next. Sometimes life changes drastically in an instant. For Carl Hagelin,
It is not always the superstars who make the biggest impact in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Sometimes it is the depth player, the backup goalie or the forgotten trade deadline acquisition who is the difference between winning and losing.
NHL head coaches have to hire good assistants. They have to set an overarching philosophy, juggle lineup configurations, and do the kind of “man management” that is impossible to track statistically.
Hockey fandom was in an unusual frenzy for a Sunday in mid-June thanks to teams unveiling their lists of protected players ahead of the expansion draft.