2019 NHL Draft tracker: Rounds 2-7

By Adam GretzJun 22, 2019, 12:30 PM EDT

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The first round of the 2019 NHL draft was a quiet one in terms of transactions, with only one trade being made (The Arizona Coyotes moving up from 14 to 11 in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers). With six rounds go to on Day 2 there is sure to be more activity. While top picks Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko will dominate the headlines in this year’s class, there are still some potential impact players available when Round 2 begins on Saturday.

Here are some of the best players available at the start of the second round.

Following along with our 2019 NHL draft tracker for all of the picks.

Here are some of the top stories from Round 1 of the draft.

Round 2

32. Ottawa Senators — Shane Pinto, forward, Tri-City Storm
33. Los Angeles Kings — Arthur Kaliyev, forward, Hamilton Bulldogs

This looks like a potentially great pick for the Kings. Kaliyev was a potential first-round talent that scored 51 goals this past season as a 17-year-old in the OHL.

34. Philadelphia Flyers (from New Jersey — From Nashville) — Bobby Brink, forward, USHL

Skating concerns dropped him down the draft.

35. Detroit Red Wings — Antti Tuomisto, defender, Finland
36. Carolina Hurricanes (from Buffalo) — Pyotr Kochetkov, goalie, Russia
37. Ottawa Senators (from New York Rangers — from Carolina) — Mads Sogaard, goalie, Medicine Hat Tigers
38. Edmonton Oilers — Raphael Lavoie, forward, Halifax Mooseheads

Lavoie was expected to go higher than this, but falls to the Oilers in the second round.

39. Anaheim Ducks — Jackson Lacombe, defender, Shattuck St. Mary’s.
40. Vancouver Canucks — Nils Hoglander, forward, Sweden
41. Vegas Golden Knights (from Philadelphia — From San Jose) — Kaedan Korczak, defense, Kelowna Rockets
42. Minnesota Wild — Vladislav Firstov, forward, Waterloo Black Hawks
43. Chicago Blackhawks — Alex Vlasic, defender, USHL

He is the cousin of San Jose Sharks defender Marc-Edouard Vlasic.

44. Carolina Hurricanes (from Florida — From San Jose — From Ottawa) — Jameison Rees, forward, Sarnia Sting
45. Nashville Predators (from Arizona Coyotes — From Philadelphia Flyers) — Egor Afanasyev, forward, Muskegon Lumberjacks
46. Montreal Canadiens — Jayden Struble, defender, St. Sebastiens School
47. Colorado Avalanche — Drew Helleson, defender, U.S. National Development team
48. San Jose Sharks (From Vegas) — Artemi Kniazev, defender, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
49. NY Rangers (from Dallas) — Matthew Robertson, defender, Edmonton Oil Kings
50. Los Angeles Kings (from Columbus — from Vegas — From Montreal) — Samuel Fagemo, forward, Sweden
51. Winnipeg Jets — Simon Lundmark, defender, Sweden
52. Florida Panthers (from Pittsburgh) — Vladislav Kolyachonok, defender, Flint Firebirds
53. Toronto Maple Leafs — Nic Robertson, forward, Peterborough Petes

This is the Maple Leafs’ first pick of the 2019 NHL draft.

54. Detroit Red Wings (from New York Islanders — From Vegas) — Robert Mastrosimone, forward, USHL
55. San Jose Sharks (from Nashville — from New Jersey) — Dillon Hamaliuk, forward, Seattle Thunderbirds
56. Washington Capitals — Brett Leason, forward, Prince Albert Raiders
57. New York Islanders (from Calgary) — Samuel Bolduc, defender, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
58. New York Rangers (from Tampa Bay) — Karl Henriksson, forward, Sweden
59. Minnesota Wild (from Carolina) — Hunter Jones, goalie, Peterborough Petes
60. Detroit Red Wings (from San Jose) — Albert Johansson, defender, Sweden
61. New Jersey Devils (from Boston) — Nikita Okhotyuk, defender, Ottawa 67s
62. St. Louis Blues — Nikita Alexandrov, forward, Charlottetown Islanders

Round 3

63. Colorado (from OTT) — Matthew Steinburg, forward, St. Andrews College
64. Montreal (from LAK) — Mattias Norlinder, defenseman, MODO Hockey
65. Nashville Predators (from New Jersey Devils — From Edmonton Oilers — From Philadelphia Flyers) — Alexander Campbell, forward, Victoria Grizzlies
66. Detroit — Albin Grewe, forward, Djurgårdens IF
67. Buffalo (conditional to PIT) — Erik Portillo, goalie,
68. NY Rangers — Zachary Jones, defenseman, UMass (Amherst)
69. Florida (from EDM) — John Ludvig, defensemen, Portland Winterhawks
70. New Jersey (from ANA) — Danil Misyul, defenseman, Loko Yaroslavl
71. Tampa Bay Lightning (from VAN) — Hugo Alnefelt, goalie, HV71 J20
72. Philadelphia — Ronald Attard, defensemen, Tri-City Storm

Player of the year in the USHL in 2018-19, had 30 goals, 34 assists in 48 games.

73. Carolina Hurricanes (from MIN) — Patrik Puistola, forward, Tappara
74. Pittsburgh (from ARI — from CHI) — Nathan Legare, forward, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Scored 45 goals in 68 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season.

75. Minnesota (from NSH — from FLA) — Adam Beckman, forward, Spokane Chiefs
76. Arizona — John Farinacci, forward, Dexter School
77. Montreal — Gianni Fairbrother, defenseman, Evertt Silvertips
78. Colorado — Alex Beaucage, forward, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
79. Vegas — Pavel Dorofeyev, forward, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk
80. New Jersey (from DAL) — Graeme Clarke, forward, Ottawa 67s

81. Florida (from CBJ) — Cole Schwindt, forward, Mississauga Steelheads
82. New Jersey (from WPG — VKG — SJS — NSH) — Michael Vukojevic, defenseman, Kitchener Rangers
83. Carolina Hurricanes (from Pittsburgh- From Vegas — From Ottawa) — Anttoni Honka, defenseman, Mikkelin Jukurit

Brother of Julius Honka of the Dallas Stars

84. Toronto — Mikko Kokkonen, defenseman, Mikkelin Jukurit
85. Edmonton (from NYI) — Ilya Konovalov, goalie, Yaroslavl
86. Vegas (from NSH) — Layton Ahac, defenseman, Prince George Cougars
87. Los Angeles (from WSH) — Lukas Parik, goalie, Liberec Jr.
88. Calgary — Ilya Nikolaev, forward, Yaroslavl 2
89. Tampa Bay — Maxim Cajkovic, forward, Saint John Sea Dogs
90. Carolina — Domenick Fensore, defenseman, U.S. National Development team

The 11th player selected from the USNTDP in 2019

91. Washington (from SJS — NSH — NJD) — Aliaksei Protas, forward, Prince Albert Raiders
92. Boston — Quinn Olson, forward, Okotoks Oilers
93. St. Louis — Colten Ellis, goalie, Rimouski Oceanic

Round 4

94. Ottawa Senators — Viktor Lodin, forward, Sweden
95. Los Angeles Kings — Jordan Spence, defender, Moncton Wildcats
96. New Jersey Devils — Tyce Thompson, forward, Providence College
97. Detroit Red Wings — Ethan Phillips, forward, Sioux Fall Stampade
98. Arizona Coyotes (from Pittsburgh) — Matias Macceli, forward, Dubuque Fighting Saints
99. Carolina Hurricanes (from New York Rangers — Boston Bruins — Minnesota Wild) — Cade Webber, defender, USHL
100. Edmonton Oilers — Matej Blummel, forward, Waterloo Blackhawks
101. Anaheim Ducks — Henry Thurn, defender, USHL
102. Buffalo Sabres (from Vancouver) — Aaron Huglen, forward, Fargo Force
103. Philadelphia Flyers — Mason Millman, defender, Saginaw Spirit
104. Columbus Blue Jackets — Eric Hjorth, defender, Sweden
105. Chicago Blackhawks — Michal Teply, forward, Czech Republic
106. Florida Panthers — Carter Berger, defender, Victoria Grizzlies
107. Arizona Coyotes — Alexandr Darin, forward
108. San Jose Sharks (from Montreal) — Yegor Spiridonov, forward, Russia
109. Nashville Predators (from Colorado) — Marc Del Gaizo, defender, UMASS
110. Vegas Golden Knights — Ryder Donovan, forward, USHL
111. Dallas Stars — Samuel Sjolund, defender, Sweden
112. New York Rangers (from Columbus) — Hunter Skinner, defender, USHL
113. Winnipeg Jets — Henrik Nikkanen, forward, Finland
114. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Pittsburgh — From Florida) — Dmitri Voronkov, Russia
115. Toronto Maple Leafs — Mikhail Abramov, forward, Victoriaville Tigers
116. Calgary Flames (from New York Islanders) — Lucas Feuk, forward, Sweden
117. Nashville Predators — Semyon Chystyakov, defender, Russia
118. New Jersey Devils (from Washington) — Case McCarthy, defender, US National Development Team
119. Los Angeles Kings (from Calgary – Montreal) — Kim Nousianien, defender, Finland
120. Tampa Bay Lightning — Maxwell Crozier, defender, Sioux Falls Stampede
121. Carolina Hurricanes — Tuukka Tieksola, forward, Finland
122. Vancouver Canucks — Ethan Keppen, forward, Flint Firebirds
123. Chicago Blackhawks (from Boston) — Antti Saarela, forward, Finland
124. Toronto Maple Leafs (from St. Louis) — Nicolas Abruzzse, forward, USHL

Round 5

125. Ottawa — Mark Kastelic, forward, Calgary Hitmen
126. Montreal (from LAK) — Jacob Leguerrier, defensemen, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
127. New Jersey — Cole Brady, goalie, Janesville Jets
128. Detroit — Cooper Moore, defenseman, Brunswick Prep
129. New Jersey (from BUF-DET-WSH) — Arseny Gritsyuk, forward, OMSK 2
130. NY Rangers — Leevi Aaltonen, forward, Kalpa Jr.
131. Montreal (from EDM) — Rhett Pitlick, forward, Chaska
132. Anaheim — Trevor Janicke, forward, Central Illinois
133. Vancouver — Carson Focht, forward, Calgary Hitmen
134. Winnipeg (from PHI) — Harrison Blaisdell, forward, Chilliwack
135. Vegas (from MIN) — Isaiah Saville, goalie, Tri-City Storm
136. Florida (from CHI — MTL) — Henrik Rybinski, forward, Seattle Thunderbirds
137. Florida — Owen Lindmark, forward, US National Development Team
138. Montreal (from ARI-CHI-LAK) — Frederik Nissen Dichow, goalie, Vojens
139. Vegas (from MTL) — Marcus Kallionkieli, forward, Sioux City Musketeers
140. Colorado — Sasha Mutala, forward, Tri-City Americans
141. Vegas — Mason Primeau, forward, North Bay Battalion
142. Dallas — Nicholas Porco, forward, Saginaw Spirit
143. Buffalo (from CBJ — DET) — Filip Cederqvist, forward, Vaxjo
144. Winnipeg — Logan Neaton, goalie, Prince George
145. Pittsburgh (from CHI) — Judd Caulfield, forward, US National Development Team
146. Toronto — Michael Koster, defenseman, Chaska
147. NY Islanders — Reece Newkirk, forward, Portland Winterhawks
148. Nashville — Ethan Haider, goalie, MN Magicians
149. Minnesota (from WSH-MTL) — Matvey Guskov, forward, London Knights
150. Calgary — Joshua Nodler, forward, Fargo Force
151. Arizona (from TBL — CHI) –Aku Raty, forward, Karpat Jr.
152. Carolina — Kirill Slepets, forward, Yaroslavl 2
153. Washington (from SJS) — Martin Has, defenseman, Tappara Jr.
154. Boston — Roman Bychkov, defenseman, Yaroslavl 2
155. St. Louis — Keean Washkurak, forward, Mississauga Steelheads

Round 6

156. Vancouver Canucks (from Ottawa) — Arturs Silov, goalie, Latvia
157. Los Angeles Kings — Braden Doyle, defender, USHL
158. New Jersey Devils — Patrick Moynihan, forward, USHL
159. Detroit Red Wings — Elmer Soderblom, forward, Sweden
160. Buffalo Sabres — Lukas Rousek, forward, Czech Republic
161. New York Rangers — Adam Edstrom, forward, Sweden
162. Edmonton Oilers — Tomas Mazura, forward, Kimball Union Academy
163. Anaheim Ducks — William Francis, defender, USHL
164. San Jose Sharks (from Vancouver) — Timur Ibragimov, forward, Russia
165. Philadelphia Flyers — Egor Serdyuk, forward, Victoriaville Tigers
166. Minnesota Wild — Marshall Warren, defender, US National Development Team
167. Chicago Blackhawks — Dominic Basse, goalie, Selects Hockey Academy
168. Florida Panthers — Greg Meireles, forward, Kitchener Rangers
169. Philadelphia Flyers (from Arizona) — Roddy Ross, goalie, Camrose Kodiaks
170. Montreal Canadiens — Arsen Khisamutdinov, forward, Russia
171. Colorado Avalanche — Luka Burzan, forward, Brandon Wheat Kings
172. Minnesota Wild (from Vegas) — Nikita Nestrerenko, forward
173. Dallas Stars — Benjamin Brinkman, defender, University of Minnesota
174. Arizona Coyotes (from Columbus) — Daniel Savunov, forward,
175. Vancouver Canucks (from Winnipeg – From Buffalo) — Karel Plasek, forward, Czech Republic
176. Arizona Coyotes (from Pittsburgh) — Anthony Romano, center, Sioux Fall Stampede
177. Detroit Red Wings (from Toronto – Detroit) Gustav Berglund, defender, Sweden
178. New York Islanders — Felix Bibeau, forward, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
179. Nashville Predators — Isak Walther, forward, Sweden
180. Vancouver Canucks (from Washington) — Jack Malone, forwards, Youngstown Phantoms
181. Carolina Hurricanes (from Calgary) — Kevin Wall, forward, Chilliwack Chiefs
182. Tampa Bay Lightning — Quinn Schmiemann, defender, Kamloops Blazers
183. Carolina Hurricanes — Blake Murray, forward, Sudbury Wolves
184. San Jose Sharks — Santeri Hatakka, defender, Finland
185. Boston Bruins — Matias Mantykivi, center, Finland
186. Anaheim Ducks — Mathew Hill, forward, Barrie Colts

Round 7

187. Ottawa — Maxence Guenette, defenseman, Val-d’Or Foreurs
188. Los Angeles — Andre Lee, forward, Sioux Falls Stampede
189. New Jersey — Nikola Pasic, forward, Linkoping Jr.
190. Detroit — Kirill Tyutyayev, forward, Yekaterinburg 2
191. Detroit (from BUF) — Carter Gylander, forward, Sherwood Park
192. Boston (from NYR) — Jake Schmaltz, forward, Chicago Steel
193. Edmonton — Maxim Denezhkin, forward, Yaroslavl 2
194. Chicago (from ANA) — Cole Moberg, defenseman, Prince George Cougars
195. Vancouver — Aidan Mcdonough, forward, Cedar Rapids Roughriders
196. Philadelphia — Bryce Brodzinski, forward, Blaine
197. Minnesota — Filip Lindberg. goalie, UMass
198. Tampa Bay (from CHI) — Mikhail Shalagin, forward, Spartak 2
199. Florida — Matthew Wedman, forward, Seattle Thunderbirds
200. Arizona — Axel Bergkvist, defenseman, Leksand Jr.
201. Montreal (from MTL — PHI) — Rafael Harvey-Pinard, forward, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
202. Colorado — Trent Miner, goalie, Vancouver Giants
203. Pittsburgh (from VGK) — Valtteri Puustinen, forward, HPK
204. Toronto (from DAL) — Kalle Loponen, defenseman, Hermes
205. NY Rangers (from CBJ) — Eric Ciccolini, forward, Toronto JC
206. Montreal (from WPG) — Kieran Ruscheinski, defenseman, Calgary Northstars Midget AAA
207. Arizona (from PIT) — Valentin Nussbaumer, forward, Shawinigan Cataractes
208. St. Louis (from TOR) — Vadim Zherenko, goalie, Dynamo Moscow 2
209. NY Islanders — Cole Coskey, forward, Saginaw Spirit
210. Nashville — Juuso Parssinen, forward, TPS Jr.
211. Pittsburgh (from WSH — SJS) — Santeri Airola, defenseman, Saipa Jr.
212. Columbus (from CGY-OTT) — Tyler Angle, forward, Windsor Spitfire
213. Tampa Bay — Mckade Webster, forward, Green Bay Gamblers
214. Calgary (from CAR) — Dustin Wolf, goalie, Everett Silvertips
215. Vancouver (from SJS) — Arvid Costmar, forward, Linkoping Jr.
216. Carolina (from BOS-NYR) — Massimo Rizzo, forward, Penticton
217. St. Louis — Jeremy Michel, forward, Val-d’Or Foreurs

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.

Maple Leafs hire Brad Treliving as team’s new general manager

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

TORONTO — Brad Treliving has a new job.

And the Maple Leafs have a new plan.

Treliving was hired as Toronto’s general manager less than two weeks after firing Kyle Dubas.

The 53-year-old Treliving left the Calgary Flames in April following nine seasons that included five playoff appearances and two 100-point seasons.

“Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond,” Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “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.”

Treliving joins the Leafs at a crucial juncture in the wake of Shanahan’s stunning dismissal of Dubas on May 19.

The Original Six franchise, whose Stanley Cup drought stands at 56 years, won a playoff series for the first time in nearly two decades with a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning this spring, but then lost to the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in five games.

Dubas, who had been Toronto’s GM since 2018 and didn’t have a contract beyond June 30, suggested at an end of season news conference May 15 he wasn’t sure he wanted to remain in the role – at least in part because of the stress on his young family.

A roller coaster five days followed, with Shanahan ultimately firing the 37-year-old Dubas despite previously wanting to keep his GM, and the now-unemployed executive eventually indicating to his boss he wished to stay.

Treliving is the third GM – joining Dubas and Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello – hired in Toronto by Shanahan, whose so-called “Shanaplan” aimed at getting the storied franchise back on its feet when he came on board in 2014 has seen unparalleled regular-season success, but just that one series victory in eight attempts.

“I’m thrilled to join an Original Six team and recognize how much the Maple Leafs mean to this community,” Treliving said. “This is a very exciting day for my family and I.”

Treliving has a lot to deal with as he settles into his new office at Scotiabank Arena.

Treliving, who served in the Phoenix Coyotes’ front office for seven seasons before arriving in Calgary, will have to decide the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, while stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander can sign contract extensions as of July 1.

Matthews and Mitch Marner have full no-movement clauses ready to kick in the same day. Nylander will have a 10-team list.

The NHL draft is also set for the end of June in Nashville, Tennessee, while the Leafs have 12 roster players primed to hit free agency at noon EDT on July 1.

The Flames, who missed the playoffs this season, won the Pacific Division in 2021-22 under Treliving before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.

Johnny Gaudreau then stunned the organization by leaving Calgary for the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency last summer. Fellow star forward Matthew Tkachuk added another wrinkle by informing the team he didn’t plan to re-sign.

Treliving subsequently dealt the winger to Florida as part of a package that included forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar heading to southern Alberta.

Huberdeau then signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension with the Flames that kicks in next season.

Tkachuk, a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate as playoff MVP, and the Panthers open the Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Despite the departures of Gaudreau and Tkachuk, the Flames looked like contenders ahead of the 2022-23 season.

The acquisition of Huberdeau and the signing of center Nazem Kadri was expected to fill the void left by Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but the mix wasn’t right for a group led by hard-nosed coach Darryl Sutter.

Huberdeau and Kadri finished well off their career-high points totals of the previous season – the former went from 115 with Florida to 55 in Calgary – while subpar goaltending was an issue much of the season.

Treliving now turns his attention to Toronto.

Just like last summer, he has lots of work to do.

Nashville Predators hire Andrew Brunette after firing John Hynes

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:54 AM EDT

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn.– The coaching shuffle in Nashville is complete, with Andrew Brunette officially hired as the Predators coach a little over 12 hours after the team announced that John Hynes was fired.

The moves are the first being made by incoming general manager Barry Trotz and come about six weeks after the Predators missed the playoffs.

The 49-year-old Brunette spent the past season as a New Jersey Devils associate coach under Lindy Ruff and has previous head-coaching experience.

He was promoted to interim coach of the Florida Panthers during the 2021-22 season and oversaw a team that set franchise records for wins (58) and points (122) in claiming the Presidents’ Trophy before being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Brunette finished second in the Jack Adams Award voting for the NHL’s coach of the year.

He becomes just the fourth coach in the history of a Predators franchise and returns to Nashville, where Brunette played for the Trotz-coached team during its inaugural season in 1998-99. Their relationship goes back to 1993-94, when Brunette played under Trotz, who was head coach of the Washington Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate in Portland, Maine.

“I feel like this is coming full circle for my career – from pulling on the jersey for the first time 25 years ago to returning now to take care of some unfinished business,” Brunette said in a statement. “It has been awesome to see how this city and its fanbase have grown since I played here and I look forward to continuing the legacy and the culture behind the bench that Barry cultivated that inaugural season.”

Trotz, meantime, has an eye on building on the Predators’ youth and offensively skilled players as he takes over as GM for David Poile, who is retiring at the end of June after 26 years overseeing the franchise.

“We want to become more of an offensive team and Andrew specializes on that side of the ice – he lived it as a player, and he coaches it as a coach, Trotz said. “He is as good of an offensive teacher and power-play coach as there is in the game today. He will be great with our young players, and I know, because of his background as a player, he will connect well with our top, skilled players.”

In Florida, Brunette coached a Panthers team that led the NHL with 337 goals and had the league’s fourth-best power-play unit.

The Predators missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and the first under Hynes, who took over as coach during the 2019-20 season after Peter Laviolette was fired.

Brunette, who is from Sudbury, Ontario, spent 16 seasons playing in the NHL, ending with a one-year stint with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-12. He finished with 268 goals and 733 points in 1,110 career games split among six teams, including two separate stints in Minnesota. Brunette is one of 25 players selected in the seventh round or later to appear in more than 1,000 NHL games.

Upon his retirement, Brunette spent seven seasons with the Wild in various off-ice roles, including assistant coach and assistant GM, before being hired by the Panthers as an assistant coach in 2019-2020.

Spencer Carbery hired as Capitals coach after 2 seasons as Maple Leafs assistant

Associated PressMay 30, 2023, 12:58 PM EDT

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Spencer Carbery got his start in coaching in the minors with the Washington Capitals watching closely.

They liked what they saw, and they brought him back to fill the job they envisioned he would get.

The Capitals hired Carbery as their next coach, ending their search for Peter Laviolette‘s successor by landing on a favorite of the organization who in recent years had become one of the NHL’s most intriguing candidates. He now is tasked with getting Washington back in the playoffs with an aging roster and extending the organization’s run of success a few more years while Alex Ovechkin chases Wayne Gretzky’s goals record.

“Spencer is one of the best young coaches in the game who’s had success at every level at which he has coached,” general manager Brian MacLellan said in a statement. “We feel his leadership, communication skills, ability to develop players and familiarity with our organization will be a tremendous asset as he makes this next step in his coaching career.”

Carbery spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs, running the power play that ranked second in the league over that time. Before the Leafs hired him, he was considered the heir apparent to Laviolette because of his time with the Capitals’ top minor league affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears.

When Hershey VP of hockey operations Bryan Helmer was interviewing candidates for his head-coaching gig in 2018, he asked Carbery how long until he saw himself in that kind of role in the NHL. Carbery gave himself five years and nailed that projection.

“He did an incredible job for us when he was here, and I knew that he would be an NHL coach at one point down the road,” Helmer told The Associated Press by phone. “He wanted to make sure that he was ready to make that step. He went through the steps, and I think he’s ready for the NHL.”

Carbery coached Hershey for three years before getting the NHL promotion to Sheldon Keefe’s staff in Toronto. At the time, there wasn’t an opening for an assistant in Washington.

There is now, and Carbery at 41 usurps Keefe as the youngest coach in the league after going from a Capitals’ homegrown prospect who began with their ECHL team in South Carolina to one of the hottest names on the market. He interviewed with the San Jose Sharks for their vacancy last year and multiple others this spring.

The Capitals got him back before a rival team could scoop him up. They chose Carbery from a pool of candidates that also included former captain-turned-Tampa Bay assistant Jeff Halpern, Philadelphia associate coach Brad Shaw and others with more experience.

“I would like to thank the Capitals organization for affording me the opportunity to lead this team,” Carbery said. “I look forward to working with this group of talented players and building upon the winning culture in place. I would also like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs organization for all their support over the past two years.”

Carbery’s job won’t be an easy one. Five years removed from Washington winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, the team is coming off missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade and could be on the verge of changes beyond coaching.

MacLellan must decide how much to shuffle the roster, but in no way is he beginning the process of rebuilding. With Ovechkin, the 2018 playoff MVP and longtime face of the franchise, about to turn 38 and sitting 73 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s career record, the organization from owner Ted Leonsis down has set a goal of continuing to contend while the Russian star is under contract for three more seasons.

Helmer, who played with Ovechkin briefly in 2008-09, said Carbery’s relationships with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and other Leafs stars will only help him moving forward.

“It’s going to be a great mix,” Helmer said. “Spencer really stays on top of it. He expects a lot out of his players and he holds them accountable, which is a great thing. I see big things coming from Spencer and what he can do with the Caps.”

Golden Knights reach second Stanley Cup Final after Game 6 win over Stars

Associated PressMay 30, 2023, 1:20 AM EDT

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — William Karlsson scored two goals and had an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights advanced to their second Stanley Cup Final with a 6-0 rout over the Dallas Stars, who had extended the Western Conference Final to six games after losing the first three.

William Carrier, Keegan Kolesar and Michael Amadio each had a goal and an assist for the Knights, and Jonathan Marchessault had a goal. Carrier, Marschessault and Karlsson were all part of the inaugural 2017-18 Knights season that ended in their Cup Final.

Adin Hill stopped 23 shots for his second career playoff shutout – both against the Stars. The other was 4-0 in Game 3 last Tuesday, when the Knights were already within one win of clinching the series before Dallas overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in both Games 4 and 5.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida will be Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Vegas led the Western Conference in the regular season with 51 wins and 111 points. The Panthers completed a four-game sweep of Carolina in the East final last Wednesday, but their 40 wins and 92 points in the regular season were the fewest among the 16 teams that began these NHL playoffs.

Instead of having to face a do-or-die Game 7 at home against the Stars, coach Bruce Cassidy and the Knights got off to another fast start and never left any doubt about the outcome of this series that included three overtime games.

It was the most lopsided playoff loss for the Stars since the franchise moved south from Minnesota before the 1993-94 season.

“You just expect more from yourself in a game like this,” said Stars forward Joe Pavelski, the 38-year-old veteran still without a Stanley Cup after 17 seasons.

The Stars got captain Jamie Benn back after his two-game suspension for a cross-check to the neck area of Vegas captain Mark Stone early in Game 3. But Benn already had a minus-2 rating without a shot after playing only 3:46 in the first period, and finished minus-2 with only one shot his 12 1/2 minutes on the ice.

Vegas led for good when Carrier scored 3:41 into the game after a puck poked from behind the net in the vicinity of three Dallas players. Carrier skated across the front of the crease and put a backhander in the net, the ninth time this postseason the Knights scored in the first five minutes of a game.

Karlsson’s power-play goal came midway through the first period made it 2-0, and after a penalty that likely had prevented him from scoring.

Nicolas Roy took a shot that deflected off Jake Oettinger’s glove and popped up in the air behind the goalie. Karlsson was charging into the crease when Stars defenseman Esa Lindell raised his stick and swatted the puck out of play, drawing a delay of game penalty.

With the man advantage, Reilly Smith took a shot from the circle to the left, which was deflected in front by Roy and then off Oettinger’s extended skate before Karlsson knocked in the rebound.

After Kolesar made it 3-0 in the first, and Marchessault scored his ninth goal in the second, Karlsson’s franchise record 10th goal for a playoff series extended the lead to 5-0 only two minutes into the third period.

Oettinger had been 3-0 when the Stars were facing elimination this postseason, including Game 7 in the second round against Seattle before stopping 64 of 68 shots the past two games against the Knights.

That was after Vegas had scored three goals on five shots in the first 7:10 to chase him from Game 3, which was the only lopsided game in the series until the finale. Two of their three regular season game went to shootouts.

Dallas was only the fifth team to force a Game 6 in an conference final or NHL semifinal after being down 0-3, and the first since the Stars lost to Detroit in a sixth game in 2008. Only two teams got to a Game 7, which both lost – the New York Islanders to Philadelphia in 1975; and the New York Rangers to Boston in 1939.

Vegas avoided a Game 7 at home against the Stars and coach Peter DeBoer, who is 7-0 in such do-or-die games, including the Seattle series finale two weeks ago. DeBoer was the Vegas coach for its only Game 7 wins – in the second round in 2020 against Vancouver and 2021 in the first round against Minnesota. But he was fired by the Golden Knights after they missed the playoffs last season for the only time in their short existence.