While the intensity was picking up on the ice as the rest of the series in the first round got underway, there was plenty of action off of it as well (including lottery odds) which is captured in our top stories of the week.
Blashill Stays: There was some uncertainty regarding Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill’s future with the team but that was put to rest relatively quickly with the team announcing that they handed their bench boss a contract extension. The length of the deal was not disclosed. Blashill is the third-longest tenured head coach in the NHL after being promoted to run Detroit’s bench back in 2015 but their record under his tutelage hasn’t been particularly strong with a 172-221-62 record. While it’s true that the team has been rebuilding for a lot of that stretch, they’ve still underachieved. However, GM Steve Yzerman clearly believes in the 47-year-old and has given him a vote of confidence with this contract.
Green Stays Too: It took a lot longer than it should have considering the mutual willingness for a new deal to get done but the Canucks and Travis Green were able to agree on a two-year deal. While Vancouver disappointed this season, more fingers seemed to be pointed at GM Jim Benning who was also informed he’d be retained. Green has led the team to a 122-129-31 record, a mark that isn’t particularly strong but there is certainly some hope for the future with an improving young core (two of which will be needing new deals this summer in Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson).
Eight For Kadri: Avalanche center Nazem Kadri played his way out of Toronto with some untimely incidents that led to suspensions. He had managed to avoid any disciplinary action with Colorado, that is, until this past week. Following a high hit on St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk, Kadri received a match penalty at the time that was soon followed up by an eight-game suspension, ending his series with some carryover time beyond that. It’s the sixth suspension of his career and the third in the playoffs but it was also the first time that it was long enough to ask for an appeal to a neutral discipline arbitrator. After taking a couple of days to think about it, Kadri has decided to exercise that right and has appealed the ruling.
Davidson Returns: Following his rather surprising dismissal from the Rangers, John Davidson wasn’t out of a job for long. He’s heading back to where he was before joining New York as the Blue Jackets re-hired him as their team president of hockey operations and alternate governor while giving him a five-year contract. At the same time, Columbus also gave GM Jarmo Kekalainen a two-year extension that runs through the 2024-25 campaign. Only two years removed from being in that post with the Blue Jackets, Davidson returns to the market with a good understanding of the team that’s in place now and what moves need to be made to get them back into playoff contention.
Tavares Injury: While the start of the playoffs provides no shortage of excitement, it also provided a gut-wrenching moment when Maple Leafs captain John Tavares had to be stretchered off the ice in the opening period of the first game of their series against Montreal. After an awkward collision with Ben Chiarot (that caused an MCL sprain) that left him on the ice in a vulnerable position, Canadiens winger Corey Perry was unable to get out of the way and wound up kneeing him in the head, leaving the center visibly shaken up. He stayed overnight in the hospital before being discharged. There was no structural damage to his head, neck, and spine but he will be out indefinitely with his concussion.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.