Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos was in tears as he spoke to reporters after losing to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, ending an 11-series winning streak that spanned the past two championships.
The Lightning took an early lead less than five minutes into Sunday's game, but it would be the only goal they would score, with a pair of second-period strikes from Nathan MacKinnon and Artturi Lehkonen proving enough to deliver the Avalanche their first Stanley Cup in over 20 years.
While the Lightning were trying to win their third Stanley Cup in a row, for the Avalanche it was the third in the history of their franchise, joining their 1995-96 and 2000-01 successes.
Speaking in the locker room, Stamkos said what would generally be considered a successful season still felt like heartbreak in the moment.
"It's the worst feeling," he said. "Expectations are so high with this group.
"There's probably a lot of teams that get to this position and feel like they had an unbelievable year – but for us it's disappointing.
"Because we know what we have in [our locker room], we know that feeling [Colorado are] having over there right now is the best in the world, and sometimes you forget the other side of it.
"It was just a grind. That's what makes it even tougher, because you realise how hard you worked to get here. The disappointment is something I probably can't put into words."
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman paid respect to the champions, but said he feels his side was just a few bounces away from a three-peat.
"Winning three straight, it's rare in this league," he said. "We lost to an unbelievable team, who only lost four games in the playoffs, so they're deserving champs.
"At the same time, we feel like we were right there – two overtime losses, two close games – but at the end of the day, it's tough."
Three-time Stanley Cup-winner Patrick Kane has hip procedure, expected to miss four-to-six months
Three-time Stanley Cup-winner and pending free agent Patrick Kane underwent a hip resurfacing procedure and is expected to be sidelined four-to-six months.
His agent Pat Brisson told this news to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Thursday.
Brisson told Friedman that the surgery was a success and that Kane “wants to play for a long time.”
Doctors are optimistic that will happen.
The 34-year-old Kane has been playing with an ailing hip the past few seasons and told the New York Rangers during his recent exit interview that it slowed him during the team’s first-round playoff exit against the New Jersey Devils.
Kane, who was acquired by the Rangers from the Chicago Blackhawks on February 28, had a goal and five assists in the seven-game series.
"I look at that series and I know it’s like, if I felt a little bit better, I can like, help us win that series, you know?" Kane said. "It’s almost like disappointing and depressing in a way, but that’s just kind of how I feel about it."
Set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 after concluding an eight-year, $84million contract he signed in 2014, Kane played the final 19 games of the 2022-23 season for the Rangers, tallying five goals and seven assists after Chicago shipped him to New York for a pair of 2023 draft picks.
Kane left the Blackhawks as one of the greatest players in franchise history.
He was instrumental to their dynasty in the 2010s, helping the club to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He scored the championship-clinching goal over the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime of Game 6 of the 2010 Final, while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs in 2013.
He had spent his entire 16-season NHL career with the Blackhawks after being selected first overall in the 2007 draft.
The nine-time All-Star ranks second all-time in franchise history with 1,225 points, while his 446 goals are third most by a Blackhawk. He also ranks third in franchise history in games played (1,161) and fourth in power-play goals (122).
As a 19-year-old rookie in 2007-08, Kane made an immediate impact in the NHL, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top first-year player.
Eight years later in 2015-16, Kane won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP as well as the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion.
He finished the 2022-23 season with 21 goals and 57 points in 73 games – his fewest points since registering 55 in just 47 games during the strike-shortened 2012-13 season.
Kraken sign general manager Francis to extension; Maple Leafs name Treliving GM
A pair of eliminated playoff teams announced front-office moves Wednesday, as the Seattle Kraken signed general manager Ron Francis to an extension and the Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brad Treliving as their next GM.
Francis received a three-year extension through the 2026-2027 season, while Treliving joined Toronto after spending the previous nine seasons as GM of the Calgary Flames.
Francis was named the first GM in Kraken history in July 2019 and the team posted a 27-49-6 record in its inaugural NHL season in 2021-22. Seattle then went 46-28-8 this season to reach the playoffs.
The Kraken upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the postseason before losing in seven games to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference semifinals.
"Ron has done remarkable work over the last four years and deserves this recognition," Kraken co-owner Samantha Holloway said.
"He has built a tremendous team, putting Seattle hockey on the map. He is building for long term success and is dedicated to our city, our fans, and our community."
Treliving, meanwhile, left the Flames last month after they missed the playoffs with a 38-27-17 record.
That came after Calgary had 111 points last season – the second-most in franchise history – before being eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in the West semis.
The Flames made the playoffs five times in Treliving’s nine seasons as GM.
Treliving takes over for Kyle Dubas, who was fired less than two weeks ago after Toronto won a playoff series for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.
The Maple Leafs were ousted by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in five games in the semis, extending the Original Six franchise’s Stanley Cup drought to 56 years.
"I'm very pleased to welcome Brad into the Maple Leafs organization," Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said.
"Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond.
“He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years in the NHL and has built excellent relationships at all levels within the game.
“We are confident that Brad's leadership and strategic vision will elevate the Maple Leafs in our continued pursuit of a championship."
Predators fire John Hynes, reportedly hire Andrew Brunette as new coach
The Nashville Predators have suddenly made a change at coach, firing John Hynes on Tuesday and reportedly replacing him with Andrew Brunette.
The Predators announced Hynes' firing, as well as assistant coach Dan Lambert, and multiple media outlets are reporting Brunette will take over.
Hynes, 48, spent part of the last four seasons with the Predators, replacing Peter Laviolette in 2019-20 and helping the team to the playoffs the first three years.
Each of those playoff trips ended with first-round exits, however, and Nashville missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2013-14.
"John Hynes is a good man and a good hockey coach," incoming general manager Barry Trotz said. "He did an outstanding job after the trade deadline with our team, especially with our young players, and he is a well-prepared, hard-working coach who will continue to grow in the NHL. After our year-end meetings and some additional evaluation, it was time to change the voice and time to go in a different direction."
Brunette’s only previous head coaching experience came in 2021-22, when he served as interim head coach of the Florida Panthers following the resignation of Joel Quenneville.
The 49-year-old led the Panthers to a 51-18-6 record and the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top regular-season club, but after the team was swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning, GM Bill Zito decided to hire Paul Maurice as the full-time coach.
Brunette spent this past season as an associate coach for a New Jersey Devils team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12.
A 16-year NHL veteran as a player, Brunette will be Nashville's fourth coach in franchise history and serve under Trotz, who will take over when longtime GM David Poile retires in July.
Poile has been the only GM in franchise history, while Trotz served as the club’s first coach, working behind the bench from 1998-2014.
Brunette played under Trotz for the 1998-99 expansion Predators, and scored the franchise’s first goal.
Brunette, who made his NHL debut in 1995-96, scored 268 goals and registered 733 points in 1,110 career games before retiring in 2011-12.
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