--Have you ever wondered what an expansion team’s odds of winning the Stanley Cup are? Well, you don’t have to wonder anymore. Westgate Superbook has the Vegas Golden Knights at 200-1 odds of winning Lord Stanley in 2018. That’s probably not a bet I’d take. (The Score)
--This Predators fan thought it would be a good idea to sneak a catfish into PPG Paints Arena. Unfortunately for him, after he threw it onto the ice, he was charged with disorderly conduct. In case you’re interested in such a thing, here are the 10 steps this fan took to get the catfish into the building. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
--The Preds played pretty well in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, but they still lost. The Hockey News looks at the reasons they shouldn’t be worried about how Game 1 went for them. “So there’s obviously reason for optimism after erasing a 3-0 lead and holding hockey’s top offensive team shotless for roughly two periods. There’s a strong case to be made Nashville was the superior team in Game 1.” (The Hockey News)
--Both Nashville and Pittsburgh are playing without key contributors (the Predators are without Ryan Johansen, while the Pens are without Kris Letang). So Sportsnet’s Luke Fox asks whether or not it’s time for the NHL to reconsider their 82-game regular season. (Sportsnet)
--Most NHL players are known for being superstitious, but some of the greatest players of all-time had some strange ones. Wayne Gretzky put his equipment on a very specific way every time he suited up, while Sidney Crosby refuses to talk to his mom or sister on game day. You can check out some of the strangest superstitions in hockey by clicking the video at the top of the page.
--Peter Laviolette is coaching in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in his career. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he’s done it with three different teams (Carolina, Philadelphia and Nashville). Some of his former players look back at what makes him such a good bench boss. Former Flyer Daniel Briere says: “He’s so good at making you believe that, for one game, you can beat anyone on any given night. There were many speeches he gave when I would leave the room with goosebumps all over my body. I wanted to go out and rip the hinges off the door to get on the ice. Even though I wasn’t a physical guy, his speeches made me want to play so hard.” (ESPN)