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Devils Links
Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60:
“Lemieux, nicknamed ‘Pepe,’ played 21 years in the NHL, winning the 1995 Conn Smythe Trophy and the four Cup titles — two with the New Jersey Devils and one each with the Colorado Avalanche and Montreal Canadiens. His 80 playoff goals rank ninth in NHL history and his 158 points are tied for 27th. Lemieux played 1,215 regular-season games, scoring 379 goals and 786 points and amassing 1,777 penalty minutes.” [The Athletic ($)]
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Defensemen updates:
“The Devils have a lot of pieces in place, but also some major holes to reconcile. Here’s where the Devils stand going into the 2026-27 season.” [The Athletic ($)]
“A new deal won’t be cheap, even if Hischier takes a team-friendly discount. What could his next contract with the Devils look like?” [Devils on the Rush ($)]
Hockey Links
Stanley Cup Final schedule:
“Former Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy called it ‘upsetting’ in a podcast Thursday that he can’t interview with other clubs after Vegas management declined reported requests by Edmonton and Los Angeles. ‘There were two teams that asked,’ Cassidy said on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. ‘It’s public knowledge now, and I would like to talk to them. I want to go to work. I’m a hockey coach.’” [Associated Press]
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“For one reason or another, there are many young players who would benefit from a trade to a team that is interested in letting young players flourish. Here are a dozen such candidates:” [ESPN]
Vegas taking the Western Conference Final was a shocking result. Where does that series win rank among recent surprise playoff sweeps? [Daily Faceoff]
An interesting idea: “The NBA’s board of governors voted overwhelmingly Thursday to change the league’s draft lottery format beginning with the 2027 NBA draft, the league announced. The new format expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams, including the 8-seed in each conference’s playoff picture, and adds anti-tanking measures where the bottom three teams are dealt lesser chances for the No. 1 pick while flattening odds for teams that do not qualify for the playoffs or the play-in tournament.” [ESPN]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
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