THN S1 Ep42: Stanley Cup Final, Games 1 & 2

THN Episode 42 Show Notes Music by Bensound at http://www.bensound.com Rangers highlights courtesy of MSG Network.  Bruins highlights courtesy of NESN.  Hurricanes highlights courtesy of Fox Sports Carolinas.  Other highlights and clips courtesy of NBC, NBC Sports Network, CBC, Sportsnet, and the National Hockey League.   Opening Headlines: It’s been 10 days since our last show, and there have been exactly 3 games played since our last show. The Stanley Cup Final is now 2 games old.  We’ll get you caught up with what has gone down so far. The AHL is also in the middle of the Calder Cup Final. We’ll get you caught up there too. Vegas is in the headlines again, we’ll tell you why. The offseason and transaction season is fast approaching, and we are sensing teams are itching to get their offseason activities under way.   Break: Where we are: We are now on The Hockey Writers Podcast Channel! thehockeywriters.com @TheHockeyWriter #THW Itunes Stitcher Soundcloud iHeartRadio TuneIn Google Play Music fm Spreaker? Android/Apple apps RSS: http://thehockeynuts.libsyn.com/rss Our Web Site: http://www.thehockeynuts.com How to support the show: This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce.  So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it.  For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies.  In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider).  Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us.  In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page.  Coming soon: Seatgeek.com Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program.  For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.  Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following: Share our show with other hockey fans you know. If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings. Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there. Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages. Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience. Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know!  All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.   How to get in touch with us: Twitter: Wayne: @waynehallee9 Steve: @sball504man Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 919-960-1718 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Youtube Channel: http://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube (Don’t forget to like and subscribe!) Live streaming!!! We now stream to 3 places at once! Youtube: https://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Twitch:  https://www.twitch.tv/thisoldnoob     Final Standings: https://www.nhl.com/standings   NHL Playoffs! https://www.nhl.com/stanley-cup-playoffs   Conference Final Wrap Up   Penguins (2) vs. Senators (2) PIT 4-3, will face NSH |  Series Coverage Gm 1 Sat, May 13   Ottawa 2     Pittsburgh 1 (OT) Senators lead 1-0 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 2 Mon, May 15   Pittsburgh 1     Ottawa 0 Series tied 1-1 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 3 Wed, May 17   Ottawa 5     Pittsburgh 1 Senators lead 2-1 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 4 Fri, May 19   Pittsburgh 3     Ottawa 2 Series tied 2-2 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 5 Sun, May 21   Pittsburgh 7     Ottawa 0 Penguins lead 3-2 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 6 Tue, May 23   Ottawa 2     Pittsburgh 1 Series tied 3-3 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 7 Thu, May 25   Pittsburgh 3     Ottawa 2 (2OT) PIT 4-3, will face NSH RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH  https://www.nhl.com/news/mike-lange-call-of-chris-kunitzs-game-winner-must-listen/c-289632366 Ducks (1) vs. Predators (WC2) NSH 4-2, will face PIT |  Series Coverage Gm 1 Fri, May 12   Nashville 3     Anaheim 2 (OT) Predators lead 1-0 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 2 Sun, May 14   Anaheim 5     Nashville 3 Series tied 1-1 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 3 Tue, May 16   Nashville 2     Anaheim 1 Predators lead 2-1 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 4 Thu, May 18   Anaheim 3     Nashville 2 (OT) Series tied 2-2 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 5 Sat, May 20   Nashville 3     Anaheim 1 Predators lead 3-2 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 6 Mon, May 22   Nashville 6     Anaheim 3 NSH 4-2, will face PIT RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH                           Stanley Cup Final   Penguins (2) vs. Predators (WC2) Penguins lead 2-0 |  Series Coverage Gm 1 Mon, May 29   Pittsburgh 5     Nashville 3 Penguins lead 1-0 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 2 Wed, May 31   Pittsburgh 4     Nashville 1 Penguins lead 2-0 RECAP GAMECENTER WATCH Gm 3 Sat, Jun 3   Pittsburgh @   Nashville 8:00 PM ET|, CBC, SN, TVAS PREVIEW TICKETS BUY/SELL Gm 4 Mon, Jun 5   Pittsburgh @   Nashville 8:00 PM ET|, CBC, SN, TVAS PREVIEW TICKETS BUY/SELL Gm 5* Thu, Jun 8   Nashville @   Pittsburgh 8:00 PM ET|, CBC, SN, TVAS PREVIEW TICKETS BUY/SELL Gm 6* Sun, Jun 11   Pittsburgh @   Nashville 8:00 PM ET|, CBC, SN, TVAS PREVIEW TICKETS BUY/SELL Gm 7* Wed, Jun 14   Nashville @   Pittsburgh 8:00 PM ET|, CBC, SN, TVAS PREVIEW TICKETS BUY/SELL * If necessary           Other News:   Transactions All Transactions: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/transactions More College and Junior players joining the pro ranks. http://www.eliteprospects.com/?status=league&view;=&leagueid;=7   05/24/2017  Libor Sulak (D) Pelicans Detroit Red Wings    05/25/2017  Matiss Edmunds Kivlenieks (G) Sioux City Musketeers Columbus Blue Jackets    05/25/2017  Viktor Antipin (D) Metallurg Magnitogorsk Buffalo Sabres    05/26/2017  Philip Holm (D) Växjö Lakers HC Vancouver Canucks    05/30/2017  Anders Bjork (F) Univ. of Notre Dame Boston Bruins    05/30/2017  Christian Jaros (D) Luleå HF Ottawa Senators    05/30/2017  Oskar Lindblom (F) Brynäs IF Philadelphia Flyers    05/31/2017  Jonas Johansson (G) Brynäs IF Buffalo Sabres    06/01/2017  Maxim Mamin (F) CSKA Moskva Florida Panthers      06/01/2017  Michael Spacek (F) Red Deer Rebels Winnipeg Jets    06/01/2017  Tomas Hyka (F) BK Mlada Boleslav Vegas Golden Knights    06/01/2017  Henrik Haapala (F) Tappara Florida Panthers          Retired: Steve Ott (F) (Montreal Canadiens) (5/25) Craig Cunningham (F) (Arizona Coyotes) (5/28) The LA Kings have acquired the rights to unsigned draft choice Bokondji "Boko" Imama (boh-khan-JEE, ih-MA-ma) from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for the Kings seventh-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft, Kings Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake announced Wednesday. The trade is conditioned on the Kings signing Imama to an NHL contract before Thursday's (June 1) 2 p.m. PT signing deadline.  Imama, a 6-foot-1, 221-pound forward and an assistant captain, played in 66 games with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this past season, recording 41 goals and 55 points to go along with 105 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. He led all Sea Dogs skaters in goals, was fifth for points and was third for penalty minutes.  The LA Kings have signed forward Bokondji "Boko" Imama to a three-year entry-level contract, Kings Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake announced Thursday. Boston Bruins General ManagerDon Sweeney announced today, May 30, that the team has signed forward Anders ‪Bjork to a three-year entry-level contract, beginning with the 2017-18 season.   ‪Bjork served as an alternate captain for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 2016-17, finishing the year with 21 goals and 31 assists for 52 points - all career highs - with 16 penalty minutes and a plus-17 rating. The 5-foot-11, 183-pound forward helped lead Notre Dame to a Frozen Four appearance for the first time since 2011. At the conclusion of the season, ‪Bjork was selected to the Hockey East First All-Star Team and was named a Hobey Baker Award (NCAA Top Collegiate Player) finalist. As a sophomore in 2015-16, the forward was selected to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team after posting 12 goals and 23 assists for a team-high 35 points with eight penalty minutes and a career-high plus-28 rating in 35 games. ‪Bjork appeared in 41 games with Notre Dame as a freshman in 2014-15, tallying seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points with 14 penalty minutes.  Prior to attending Notre Dame, ‪Bjork spent two seasons in Ann Arbor, Michigan with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2012-14, skating in 117 games and compiling 33 goals and 32 assists for 65 points with 58 penalty minutes and a plus-21 rating.  Bjork represented the United States in international play on four separate occasions. Most recently, ‪Bjork was selected to play with Team USA at the 2017 IIHF Men's World Championships, where he appeared in five games. At the Under-20 World Junior Championships in 2016, ‪Bjork skated in seven games, posting three goals with a plus-five rating, en route to earning a bronze medal. At the Under-18 World Junior Championships in 2014, he skated in seven games, tallying two goals with a plus-four rating as the United States won the gold medal. ‪Bjork first represented his country at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge in 2013, where he appeared in six games and notched one assist, earning a bronze medal with Team USA. The Vancouver Canucks acquired a second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday as compensation for hiring coach John Tortorella. Tortorella was hired as Blue Jackets coach on Oct. 21, 2015, after he was fired by the Canucks on May 1, 2014 with four years remaining on a five-year contract. After being hired by Columbus, the Blue Jackets were given the option to send their second-round draft pick in 2016, 2017 or 2018 to Vancouver as compensation.  The pick is No. 55 in the draft.  Tortorella was named a Jack Adams Award finalist after coaching Columbus to a 50-24-8 record this season, the best in its history, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013-14.  Minnesota Wild assistant coach Scott Stevens resigned Tuesday, saying he wants to spend more time with his family. "I just want to be close to them," Stevens told the Wild website. "That's the toughest part of the job, moving away from your house and being away from your family. I need them, and that's what it comes down to. "When you've been in one spot for a long time and you raise your kids ... it's a little tougher than you think. I had nothing but a great experience in Minnesota. I met a lot of people and [have] a lot of new friends that I'll keep forever."  The 53-year-old relocated from New Jersey, away from his wife Donna, and two of his children, who live in New York City, to work an assistant under coach Bruce Boudreau this season.  "At this point, I'm just gonna take a step back. I really have no plans," Stevens said. "I just want to get back home and get settled and we'll see where it goes." When things weren't going well near the end of Scott Gomez's NHL playing career, the center turned to Doug Weight for guidance. Less than a year after deciding to end a playing career that spanned 16 seasons, Gomez was hired Tuesday by the New York Islanders as an assistant coach under Weight.  Gomez is the second assistant Weight has hired in the past two weeks; Luke Richardson joined the Islanders on May 18.  Gomez had 756 points (181 goals, 575 assists) in 1,079 NHL games with the Devils, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators. He had 101 points (29 goals, 72 assists) in 149 Stanley Cup Playoff games.  https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-islanders-hired-scott-gomez-as-assistant-coach/c-289674482 Defenseman Michal Kempny agreed to terms on one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Financial terms were not disclosed.  Steve Ott was named an assistant coach for the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and ended his NHL playing career after 14 seasons.  The 34-year-old, who played for the Blues from 2013-16, signed a three-year contract.  Injuries   Columbus Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September following wrist surgery Monday.  Dubinsky's recovery will take about three months.  "Brandon had been experiencing discomfort in his wrist since the season ended and after an examination last week it was determined that surgery was the best course of action at this time," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. "We expect that he'll be ready to go when training camp begins in September."  Dubinsky, 31, had 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) and was plus-16 in 80 regular-season games this season, and had two points (one goal, one assist) in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. The Blue Jackets were eliminated in the Eastern Conference First Round by the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games.   Dubinsky has 408 points (141 goals, 267 assists) in 700 NHL games with the Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. Erik Karlsson will have an MRI and X-rays on his injured left heel next week, but the Ottawa Senators defenseman said Saturday he expects to fully recover.  Karlsson played the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs with two hairline fractures in his foot.  "I'm going to have to go over that this week," Karlsson said at Canadian Tire Centre, where the Senators cleaned out their lockers after being eliminated with a 3-2 double-overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday. "Haven't really done much the previous two days. I'm going to go get an MRI and some X-rays done next week, and we'll go from there, but hopefully it shouldn't be an issue come the start of next year."  Arizona Coyotes centerTobias Rieder is expected to be ready for the start of next season following surgery for an ankle injury he sustained playing for Germany at the 2017 IIHF World Hockey Championship this month.   The Coyotes said his recovery time will be 8-12 weeks.  Rieder, 24, was injured when he crashed into the boards in a 6-3 loss to Russia on May 8. He had one goal in three games.  He had 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 80 games with the Coyotes this season. The 16 goals were an NHL career high for Rieder and tied for second on Arizona with center Martin Hanzal, who played 51 games with the Coyotes before being traded to the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 26, behind forward Radim Vrbata's 20.  Kempny, 26, who could have become a restricted free agent July 1, had eight points (two goals, six assists) in 50 games in his first season in the NHL.   Prior to joining the Blackhawks, Kempny played for Avangard Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League, where he had 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) and was plus-18 in 59 games. Kempny also played for the Czech Republic in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2017 World Hockey Championship.   Anaheim Ducks defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen are likely to miss the start of next season after each sustained a shoulder injury during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, general manager Bob Murray said Thursday.  Lindholm would need 4-5 months to recover after surgery to repair a torn labrum. Vatanen, who will have surgery to repair the same injury, will need more time than Lindholm, Murray said.  "We're almost positive Hampus is having shoulder surgery," Murray said. "Sami needs surgery. He's deciding where to do it. Some can rehab these things, but we're not suggesting they do that.  Those two guys have bad shoulders and they played through them. You've got to give them [credit]."  Vatanen was injured in Game 1 of a Western Conference First Round sweep against the Calgary Flames and returned for Game 3 of the second round against the Edmonton Oilers, a series Anaheim won in seven games.   Lindholm injured his shoulder in Game 4 against the Flames but did not miss a game.  Forward Patrick Eaves, who was injured in the second round and didn't play the final 10 games of the playoffs, had a deep bone bruise, Murray said. Eaves can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  Forward Rickard Rakell, who missed the final two games, had an ankle sprain, and defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who was injured in Game 1 against the Oilers and missed nine games with a lower-body injury before returning in Game 4 of the conference final, said he played with a torn MCL that doesn't require surgery.  Center Nate Thompson sustained a hairline fracture in his ankle against the Flames but did not miss a game.  Center Ryan Kesler, who scored one goal in 17 playoff games, was asked if he was 100 percent.  "Was I? I didn't play like it," he said. "That's for sure. …  "I'm not a big fan of guys divulging injuries. I'm sure I'll get looked after. Hopefully I don't need to get anything done."  Milestones/Records/Honors/Deaths: Suspensions/Fines:   K. Subban has not been shy about his confidence in the Nashville Predators and their ability to bounce back.   The defenseman essentially guaranteed a Predators win against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVA Sports) following a 4-1 loss in Game 2 on Wednesday.  "We don't lose in our building," Subban said. "So we're going back home, we're going to win the next game, and then we'll see what happens from there."   Subban doubled down on that guarantee Thursday, with Nashville trailing the best-of-7 series 2-0.  "I feel even more confident now that I've had a night of rest," Subban said. "There's no question. We're going to win the next game and then we'll move forward."   The Predators are 7-1 at home during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including 3-0 in the first home game of a series. They expect a raucous crowd Saturday and will try to take the first step in evening the series before it heads back to Pittsburgh for Game 5.  "Well, they did what they had to do," Subban said. "I mean, that's what they're supposed to do. They wanted to take the games at home, and now we have two games at home and we want to take both. At the end of the day, it starts Saturday and you want to take one game at a time. We've had tremendous success in our building and we're going to take advantage of it."     NHL Debuts: http://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2017_debut.html   Other Interesting Stories: Alex Ovechkin will remain captain of the Washington Capitals and Barry Trotz will be their coach heading into next season, though general manager Brian MacLellan made it clear Tuesday he's not entirely happy with either one.  Though it remains highly unlikely, MacLellan didn't completely rule out trading Ovechkin while he searches for answers to the Capitals' repeated failures in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, Ovechkin has four seasons left on a contract that includes a limited no-trade clause, according to CapFriendly.com, and any trade would likely have to be approved by Washington owner Ted Leonsis.  "People are looking for a major solution to what we have going on," MacLellan said. "I think part of it is they watch certain things in [Ovechkin's] game, and then it shows up and they say that's not acceptable. But he's a big part of our franchise, a big part of our history. He's been a big part of where we're at as an organization and just to casually say, 'Let's trade him?' For what? For who? I don't think it makes sense from an organizational point of view.  "Maybe at some point if there's a legitimate hockey deal that came available, but I don't know if that's where we're at right now."  Among MacLellan's initial determinations was to retain Trotz as coach, which he said makes sense after the Capitals won the Presidents' Trophy in back-to-back seasons. But MacLellan said he has no plans at this point to offer an extension to Trotz, who is entering the final season on his contract.  MacLellan appears to want Trotz, 54, to earn the extension by making some necessary internal changes, though he declined to reveal the changes he'd like to see.  "I think we're in a period here of uncertainty where we have to drill down some specific stuff," MacLellan said, "I think we needed improvements throughout our organization, myself included. Once there's evidence of those improvements, a contract extension could take place."  That's not a strong endorsement for Trotz's future with the Capitals. MacLellan said he and Trotz have a philosophical difference on how to deal with Washington's burdensome history of not getting past the second round of the playoffs since 1998.  Trotz has repeatedly said the Capitals' past is irrelevant. MacLellan said he believes the pressure of past postseason failures impacted the players and coaches negatively in Game 7 against the Penguins. The home arena of the Winnipeg Jets will now be known as Bell MTS Place. The name change took effect Tuesday. The Jets have played at the arena, which opened in November 2004 and was previously known as MTS Centre, since the franchise relocated from Atlanta for the 2011-12 season.  Bell Canada launched Bell MTS following its acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services in March. MTS and True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Jets, entered into an agreement when the arena opened, and the naming rights will stay with Bell MTS.  NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday announced a schedule of special events for the 2017-18 season, including the 2018 NHL All-Star Game, which will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on Jan. 28, and a 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland on March 3. Bettman gave his State of the League address before the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators played Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final at PPG Paints Arena. He touched on the ambitious international offering of events, ranging from the 2017 NHL China Games presented by O.R.G. Packaging, preseason games between the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks on Sept. 21 and 23, to the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series in Sweden, two regular-season games between the Colorado Avalanche and Ottawa Senators on Nov. 10 and 11.  Bettman said the outdoor game between the Capitals and Maple Leafs will launch a series of Coors Light NHL Stadium Series games at U.S. military academies over the next few seasons.  He said the All-Star event, which will include the NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 27, and the game, which will use the 3-on-3 format for a third straight season, will be a way to celebrate the host city of the Tampa Bay Lightning.  "We are looking forward to bringing the 2018 NHL All-Star celebration to the Tampa Bay area," Commissioner Bettman said. "In addition to the events on the ice, we're planning outside activities which will embrace the Tampa Bay community, as well as the Florida sunshine. We know [Lightning chairman and governor] Jeff Vinik, the Lightning and Amalie Arena will be outstanding hosts as the NHL family gathers for our midseason showcase."  The Commissioner addressed a variety of topics, including video review, the rationale for the preseason games in China, the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, and the possibility of Nashville hosting an outdoor game.  On potential changes to the video review process:  "One of the things we're going to look at is exactly how much time a coach is going to get to challenge it. Sometimes the officials take a little too long to go to the bench, the coaches do a variety of things to take more time to look at the video.  "We're going to contemplate the possibility, and we have to work this out, of putting a clock on how much time there is once a goal is scored. But beyond that, we think it's working the way it was intended to."  On the status of the upcoming international calendar:  "We obviously are going to play the preseason games in China and the regular-season games in Sweden. We had as part of discussions toward the end of last year, we had hoped to develop with the [NHL] Players' Association a robust calendar over a nine-year period that would have included two World Cups, possibly the two Olympics, and what we've been calling the two Ryder Cups, in addition to a variety of other ventures.  "But that kind of got derailed because it wasn't something that we could get traction on with the Players' Association."  Bettman later gave additional background behind the lack of traction, saying that the League met with the Players' Association in November to talk about future World Cups.  "We said, 'Conceptually, that's a great idea, except we each have a reopener (of the collective bargaining agreement), exercisable by notice in September of 2019, effective by notice September of 2020.' If we're going to plan a World Cup of 2020, we either need to give up the reopener or pick a different date.  On growing the game in China:  "We're working very hard and [we're] very focused with developing the Chinese market in part because we have been told by the Chinese government at very high levels that there is, leading to 2022, a priority to develop winter sports. I was told by the minister of sport when I was there about a month ago that they would like to see 300 million more participants in winter sports, particularly and including hockey.  "The issue of the Olympics of 2022 in all my meetings when I was in Beijing never came up, and I think the focus is more about long-term developing the sport, not necessarily what happens for two weeks in 2022."  On if NHL participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea was a settled issue:  "Six weeks ago, we were very clear and definitive that the teams had no interest in going to the Olympics in PyeongChang."  Was it still an open issue?  "It is not and has not been."  On the possibility of signature events being held in Nashville:  "An outdoor game in Nashville at some point might be nice. They have a nice outdoor stadium, actually a couple to choose from."  The Vegas Golden Knights will have an additional 24 hours to complete the NHL Expansion Draft process than originally planned, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Monday. The lists of protected players from the other 30 NHL teams will be provided to the Golden Knights at 10 a.m. on June 18, and they will have until 10 a.m. on June 21 to submit their selection list.  The 72-hour window is up from the original one of 48 hours, Daly said.  The Golden Knights can sign any restricted or unrestricted free agent left unprotected by his team, and the window for them to do that was also increased from 48 hours to 72 hours between those dates (June 18-21). These free agents would not otherwise be allowed to sign with a team different than the one they played for this season until July 1.    Nicholle Anderson, the wife of Ottawa Senators goaltenderCraig Anderson, is cancer-free, he said Saturday.  Nicholle was diagnosed in October with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare form of throat cancer. The couple received the good news after tests this week, Craig Anderson said.  "She did a PET scan and MRIs, and as of right now everything is clean and we'll just cross our fingers," he said. "We've got to do scans, I think, every three months. As of right now, things are positive, but you're not out of the woods yet until you get, I think, two years of cancer-free news."  Anderson said Nicholle gave him the results Thursday morning before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, which the Senators lost 3-2 in the second overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Her message: "Things are going in the right direction ... go out there and have fun."  With trade discussions ahead of the NHL Expansion Draft heating up, Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee said he expects his first trades could be completed as early as next week. McPhee said Thursday that other NHL GMs are eager to get the Golden Knights to agree to compensation in order to not take an unprotected player.  "There's been a lot of discussion in the past few days and I think it's going to be pretty steady from here on out," McPhee said in Windsor, Ontario, where he's scouting prospects at the Memorial Cup. "Several GMs have tried to make appointments to get together at the [NHL Scouting] Combine next week, so we'll certainly do that."  "We have a pretty good idea, obviously, what players are on the bubble," McPhee said. "A lot of GMs have been very forthright in explaining to us what they'd like to do, so we have a pretty good feel for what is going on."  NHL teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender, or eight skaters of any position and a goalie. Vegas must select one player from each of the other teams, including a minimum of three goaltenders, nine defensemen and 14 forwards.  The Hockeynuts.com Power Rankings: https://www.nhl.com/standings Team (reg season rank) Pittsburgh (5) Nashville (15)   Ottawa (14) Anaheim (4) Edmonton (11) Washington (1) NY Rangers (3) St Louis (12) Chicago (2) Minnesota (6) Columbus (9) San Jose (7) Boston (8) Montreal (10) Toronto (16) Calgary (13) NY Islanders (17) Tampa Bay (18) Philadelphia (19) Winnipeg (20) Carolina (21) Los Angeles (22) Florida (23) Dallas (24) Detroit (25) Buffalo (26) New Jersey (27) Arizona (28) Vancouver (29) Colorado (30) Las Vegas (31)     CHL Playoffs:  https://www.nhl.com/news/2017-memorial-cup-hockey-tournament-preview/c-289484104 WHL: http://whl.ca/bracket (Final:  Regina Pats 2 vs Seattle Thunderbirds 4) OHL: http://ontariohockeyleague.com/bracket (Final: Erie Otters 4 vs Mississauga Steelheads 1) QMJHL: http://theqmjhl.ca/bracket (Final: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 0 vs Saint John Sea Dogs 4) Memorial Cup Host: Windsor Spitfires Memorial Cup: Schedule: http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/schedule AHL Calder Cup Playoffs: Theahl.com Bracket: http://theahl.com/stats/playoffs/56 Western Final: Grand Rapids (DET) vs. San Jose (SJ) Eastern Final: Providence (BOS) vs Syracuse (TB) ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs: Bracket: http://www.echl.com/playoffs   All European Leagues are in their playoffs or are just starting their playoffs.  We’ll get you league winners as they come in.  We’ll be covering the following: Swedish Hockey League (Champion: HV71 Jonkoping) Finland SM-liiga (Champion:  Tappara Tampere) France (Champion: Rouen) Denmark (Esbjerg) Switzerland National League A (playoff underway) Slovakian Extraleague (playoff underway) Deutsche Eishockey League (Germany) (EHC Munchen) Czech Republic League (Champion:  Brno Kometa) Austrian League (Vienna)  British Elite Ice Hockey League (Cardiff) United States Hockey League (playoff underway) Other Minor Pro Leagues in North America Southern Professional Hockey League (Champion: Macon Mayhem over Peoria Rivermen 2-0) Federal Hockey League (Champion: Danville Dashers over Berlin River Drivers 3-2)   KHL Minute: ·         KHL:  http://en.khl.ru/   A look at the standings:  http://en.khl.ru/standings/     Picks of the week: Steve: ·         Wayne:    https://www.nhl.com/news/pittsburghs-ron-hainsey-relishing-first-stanley-cup-final/c-289709664   Honorable mention:      Listener Feedback     Close the show   Next Week’s scheduled stream: Wed., 6/7 6:30 PM   Topics for Next Week: Where we are: We are now on The Hockey Writers Podcast Channel! thehockeywriters.com @TheHockeyWriter #THW Itunes Stitcher Soundcloud iHeartRadio TuneIn Google Play Music fm Spreaker? Android/Apple apps RSS: http://thehockeynuts.libsyn.com/rss Our Web Site: http://www.thehockeynuts.com How to support the show: This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce.  So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it.  For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies.  In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider).  Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us.  In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page.  Coming soon: Seatgeek.com Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program.  For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.  Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following: Share our show with other hockey fans you know. If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings. Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there. Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages. Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience. Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know!  All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.   How to get in touch with us: Twitter: Wayne: @waynehallee9 Steve: @sball504man Email: [email protected] Voicemail: 919-960-1718 Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Youtube Channel: http://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube (Don’t forget to like and subscribe!) Live streaming!!! We now stream to 3 places at once! Youtube: https://www.thehockeynuts.com/youtube Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehockeynuts/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/thisoldnoob