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Oilers-Stars takeaways: Unexpected heroes help Edmonton get even
The Edmonton Oilers were able to get even in the Western Conference Finals on Friday night with a 3-0 win over the Dallas Stars. The series now shifts back to Edmonton with the series tied, 1-1. Here are some key takeaways from the Oilers' big win.
The good version of Stuart Skinner showed up in Game 2
Goaltending is consistently one of the biggest question marks for the Oilers, especially when they have to lean on Stuart Skinner.
At times, he can be really good. At other times, he can be their biggest Achilles heel. They have seen both versions this postseason when he has played, and on Friday night, they got the good version.
Skinner stopped all 25 shots he faced in the win to record his third shutout of the playoffs. The fact he has had three shutouts already is a pretty stunning development given that he has only played in seven games, and was awful in his first three appearances of the playoffs, ultimately costing him his starting job to Calvin Pickard.
He was thrown back into action when Pickard was injured in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights.
It's really remarkable the extremes that Skinner has had in his performance in these playoffs.
He has the three shutouts. But in his other four appearances, he has allowed at least four goals and had a save percentage of .833 or worse in all of them.
He's either been great or unplayable with no middle ground. It certainly keeps things interesting.
Depth scoring comes through Oilers
The Oilers know they are usually going to get offense from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The question is whether or not they will get enough offense from their depth players to help complement them.
On Friday, they did as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Brown and Brett Kulak provided the offense in the win, with McDavid and Draisaitl only accounting for two assists (combined) in the win.
It might not seem like a big deal, but one of the Oilers' biggest issues during the McDavid-Draisaitl era has been finding enough offense when their two superstars are not doing it all. For too many years, the Oilers would only go as far as McDavid and Draisaitl could drag them every night. As good as those two are, that's not always a great recipe for long-term success. Sometimes they are not going to dominate and take over a game. You have to have some other players who can step up in those instances and contribute.
Will Darnell Nurse face any discipline?
The big sub-plot from Friday's game came early in the third period when Stars forward Roope Hintz had to leave the game, unable to put any weight on his ankle, after taking a nasty slash from Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
Roope Hintz had to be helped off the ice after taking a slash from Darnell Nurse
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 24, 2025
Nurse received a two-minute minor for slashing on the play pic.twitter.com/1qHQRbbyHa
Nurse ended up receiving a two-minute minor for slashing, which infuriated the Stars, who were hoping for a major and potentially an ejection.
The question now becomes whether or not the NHL's Department of Player Safety will step in and potentially suspend Nurse.
The safe bet on that, given the standard set by the DoPS in these playoffs (and previous seasons), would be no. Perhaps a fine. But a suspension would be a major surprise.
More must-reads:
- Explosive third period helps Stars rally over Oilers in Game 1
- Hurricanes try to get back to high shot volume in Game 3 at Panthers
- The 'MLB playoff home run leaders' quiz
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Canucks sign former top-10 pick to a one-year deal
The former ninth overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft is coming back to North America. According to a team announcement, the Vancouver Canucks have signed Vitali Kravtsov to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season. The native of Vladivostok, Russia, was originally drafted by the New York Rangers after playing in 35 games for KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk. Despite only scoring four goals and seven points that year, Kravtsov had previously recorded 13 goals and 36 points in 41 games with a +18 rating for the MHL’s Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk. He was ranked as the third-best European prospect by NHL Central Scouting. He performed much better in the KHL after being drafted by the Rangers, scoring eight goals and 21 points in 50 games, with an additional two assists in four postseason contests. He made his debut in North America during the 2019-20 season, scoring six goals and 15 points in 39 games for the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. Finally, just three years after being drafted, Kravtsov debuted for the Rangers during the 2020-21 campaign. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic at the time, Kravtsov spent the early part of the year back in the KHL, scoring 16 goals and 24 points in 49 games. He debuted in the NHL in early April, skating in 10:45 of the Rangers’ shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on April 3. Unfortunately, despite seeing his ice time increase down the stretch, Kravtsov finished the season with two goals and four points in 20 games with a -6 rating. His possession and defensive metrics were abysmal, averaging a 43.9% CorsiFor% at even strength, and an 89.7% on-ice save percentage at even strength. Feeling that he needed more developmental time, Kravtsov was again loaned to the Traktor Chelyabinsk for the 2021-22 campaign, scoring six goals and 13 points in 19 games, with another seven goals and 10 points in 15 playoff contests. Inspired by his postseason performance, the Rangers brought Kravtsov back to North America for the 2022-23 season. His second year in New York went mildly better than the first, scoring three goals and six points in 28 games with a +6 rating. Ultimately, the Rangers had seen enough from their recent top draft selection, and they traded him to the Canucks on February 25, 2023, for William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Similarly, Kravtsov had a disappointing showing with the Canucks, scoring one goal and one assist in 16 games to finish out his second year in the NHL. For the third time since making his professional playing debut in North America, Kravtsov left the NHL for Traktor Chelyabinsk, signing a two-year agreement with them after the 2022-23 NHL season. Since he was a restricted free agent at the time, the Canucks retained his negotiating rights should he ever return to NHL action. His two-year tenure with Traktor was highly successful. He registered 45 goals and 92 points in 121 games, along with a +27 rating, including another nine goals and 12 points in 33 playoff contests. Given that it’s a two-way deal, Kravtsov will likely start the 2025-26 season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, while maintaining the possibility of being recalled to Vancouver should his second stint with the team prove successful.
Celtics' moves suggest new guard will be traded — eventually
The Boston Celtics got under the second luxury-tax apron by trading Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz Tuesday. The move also gives them a huge incentive to deal their most expensive new player. The Celtics have dramatically reduced their payroll in the wake of Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. With their superstar unlikely to play in 2025-26, the Celtics traded away starters Jrue Holiday ($94.4M for three years, plus a $37.2M player option in 2027-28) and Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7M next season). They also let Luke Kornet ($2.8M) leave as a free agent, and Al Horford ($9.5M) is almost certainly gone as well. They received Georges Niang ($8.2M) in the Porzingis deal, but traded him Tuesday for undrafted R.J. Luis Jr., a rookie on a two-way deal. That effectively takes Niang's full salary of their books and gets them under the second luxury-tax apron, freeing them from the penalties and restrictions that go along with second-apron status. According to cap expert Yossi Gozlan, the Celtics have saved a whopping $286M in salary and taxes with their moves. Still, the team can reap a larger long-term reward by dropping below the luxury tax entirely, which requires reducing their payroll by just over $12M more. The Celtics don't seem inclined to trade Jaylen Brown, Derrick White or Payton Pritchard, wanting to keep some core members of their 2024 title team together for Tatum's return. Sam Hauser is on an affordable four-year, $45M deal, but losing his $10M salary wouldn't get them under the tax line. That's why Anfernee Simons, acquired in the Holiday trade, is likely not long for Boston. The 26-year-old guard makes $27.7M in the last year of his contract, making him the perfect trade piece to get Boston under the luxury tax. Not only would getting under the tax line free the Celtics of their tax obligations and save them as much as $40M, but it would make them eligible to share in the money from tax-paying teams. The Celtics would also be able to avoid the dreaded repeater tax penalties, which make every dollar over the luxury-tax number progressively more expensive every year a team stays over the tax line. This doesn't mean Simons is going to be traded this summer. Boston has until the Feb. 5 trade deadline to move Simons, since luxury tax is calculated on the team's total payroll the last day of the season. But given the massive savings they'd get back from losing Simons' salary, it seems inevitable. The Celtics have lost a lot of talent this summer, but they've saved a tremendous amount of money in the process. They might have to attach draft capital to get off Simons' deal, but if he plays well in Boston, he might even bring back something in a trade next season. Tatum's injury threw a huge wrench in the Celtics' plans. If they can use this season to get under the luxury tax, they'll have the flexibility to reload and contend again when their star is back in a year.
Yankees quickly pull plug on key trade-deadline acquisition
After a disastrous start to his time in the Bronx, the New York Yankees have seen enough of reliever Jake Bird. Acquired in a trade-deadline deal with the Colorado Rockies, Bird was sent to Triple-A after giving up a game-winning three-run home run against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. The long ball continued what has been a head-shaking start for the 29-year-old right-hander with the Yankees, as he has given up seven runs (six earned) and four hits in just 2.0 innings worked over three games. His recent outings extend what has been a downward spiral for Bird. While with the Rockies, Bird allowed runs in 10 of his last 17 games before being traded, equaling a 13.20 ERA during that stretch. Before that, Bird was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, posting a 1.41 ERA through his first 28 outings of the season. Bird's collapse in the Bronx goes along with the overall struggles of the Yankees bullpen. Devin Williams, another trade that was supposed to be an answer in the late innings for New York, served up the game-tying homer on Monday night in Texas. Over his last seven appearances, he has a 7.71 ERA, and a potential change at closer could be in the air after manager Aaron Boone's comments after Monday's loss. The Yankees made deals at the deadline to boost the bullpen, bringing in Bird from Colorado, David Bednar from Pittsburgh and Camilo Doval from San Francisco. However, those moves have mostly hurt the Yankees, who also saw leads evaporate in a three-game road sweep at the hands of the Miami Marlins. While it's still too early to say the Rockies won the trade by acquiring two prospects for Bird, the early results for the Yankees certainly point in that direction. If Bird isn't able to regain the confidence that was such a big part of his demeanor while in Colorado, the trade will be a decision that New York could regret for the rest of the season and beyond.
D’Angelo Russell Shades Lakers While Praising Nets: 'They Taught Me How To Be a Professional'
D’Angelo Russell isn’t holding back when it comes to his early NBA journey, and he’s putting the Lakers on notice. In a recent appearance on the Wy Network, the veteran guard reflected on his time with the Brooklyn Nets and credited the franchise for instilling the habits that saved his career, contrasting it sharply with his first stint in Los Angeles. “The organization of Brooklyn is different,” said Russell. “It’s unlike any other. The performance, team, coach — everything about Brooklyn is different than what you would expect. And I’ve been around the league, where I came from the Lakers, where the structure is not the same.” Russell went on to explain how his time with the Nets transformed his mindset and work ethic, saying the team taught him how to train, recover, and prepare like a professional, habits he didn’t develop during his early years with the Lakers. “Then I got to Brooklyn, where it’s all structure, and it taught me how to be a professional," Russell continued. "I always approach the game to where I was nonchalant and I felt like I could just wing it… they taught me how to be a professional, how to sleep, how to eat, how to recover.” Unlike many of today’s athletic point guards, Russell has never relied on elite speed or explosiveness to impact the game. Russell thrives on the perimeter, whether it's working as a playmaker, spotting up for threes, or simply helping his team find an open look. It wasn't until he joined the Nets that he learned to maximize his game and put in the work required to keep his game in the best condition. “That’s why I’m still playing to this day," said Russell. "I’m not a guy that’s athletic, I had to take care of my body, I had to recover, I had to eat the best way. I couldn’t just show up. And that’s what Brooklyn really taught me.” Drafted second overall in 2015, Russell began his NBA journey as a member of the Lakers. He was given major expectations from the very start, but he struggled to live up to expectations in Los Angeles, underperforming in his first two years before he was traded to the Nets in 2017. During his second season in Brooklyn, Russell made his first All-Star team in a breakout campaign, where he averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 43.4% shooting. To this day, it's his only All-Star appearance, but his game has never been the same since. According to Russell, he learned how to make the most of his career in Brooklyn, and he experienced more structure and order there than he ever did in Los Angeles. That's true for his first stint there (which involved a falling out with Nick Young) as well as his more recent return to L.A., where he played two seasons alongside LeBron James before ultimately being pushed out. He never felt appreciated or comfortable on the Lakers, a reminder that Russell never found his rhythm in Los Angeles. Fortunately, he's in a better place now with the Mavericks. After averaging 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 36.7% shooting in 2024-25, he's hoping to deliver his best season yet alongside Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and young star Cooper Flagg. While D’Angelo Russell’s time with the Lakers was filled with growing pains, his journey has come full circle as he prepares for the next chapter in Dallas. Now equipped with the discipline and perspective he lacked as a young player, Russell has the chance to redefine his career on a team built to compete in the West. His comments on the Lakers may sting for fans in L.A., but for Russell, they reflect a hard-earned evolution and a reminder of where he truly found his footing in the NBA.
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