from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

- It does seem somewhat far-fetched, does it not, this scenario we tweeted midweek under which, A) Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas would leave the Maple Leafs on an expiring contract to take over the Penguins; B) He would bring coach Sheldon Keefe with him; C) That, in turn, would leave Mike Sullivan without a job; D) Which would allow the two-time Stanley Cup winner with ties to Chris Drury to take over behind the bench for the Rangers?

I would acknowledge that would appear to be in the Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson realm of possibility, but at the same time I should tell you that I received an unsolicited text from a player late Thursday who said the rumor “was getting pretty loud.”...

- ... Pietrangelo’s blatantly obvious attempt to injure the playoffs’ leading goal scorer should have resulted in the same four-game suspension that was levied against Adam Graves in 1992 when he chopped Mario Lemieux across the gloves.

We are repeatedly told that injuries do not influence punishment, so it should have made no difference that No. 66 sustained a broken bone in his hand and that Draisaitl escaped harm.

Instead, this was simply another example of the Department of Player Safety failing to protect players. Who needs stars, anyway?

- Seems to me that GM Tom Fitzgerald’s offseason mandate in New Jersey is crystal as the Devils attempt to make the jump from contender to champion, and that is to acquire a franchise goaltender.

And there is likely going to be one available in Winnipeg, with perennial Vezina contender Connor Hellebuyck one year away from free agency and unlikely to sign an extension after seven seasons with the Jets.

more on each of the above topic plus other notes too...