from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun,

- In Tampa, Guy Boucher was considered hard to play for. In Marc Crawford’s past NHL stops, he wasn’t exactly Mr. Friendly. So now that Boucher and Crawford have teamed up with the Ottawa Senators we wonder: Who plays good cop and who plays bad cop? The role will be unfamiliar to one of them.

- Darryl Sutter had two serious matters to consider before accepting a new contract with the Los Angeles Kings. 1) Did he still have it in him to do all that a coach must do to win another Stanley Cup; 2) Is there enough left of the roster that won two Cups to win another one? He did a lot of thinking before coming to terms in LA. Had Sutter not returned in Los Angeles, the Kings had interest in Dave Tippett, before he signed a new deal in Arizona.

- Playing goal for the Dallas Stars: Kari Let Em In.

- Why patience pays off, sometimes, in the NHL. St. Louis has been a quality team for five seasons: This is the Blues first playoff run. The Sharks have been quality for 11 of the past 12 seasons. This is their first playoff run.

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