<h5><strong>Penguins</strong></h5>
<strong><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8821/17618453543_4467d8a3f5.jpg" height="341" width="490" /></strong>
-Former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma (<em>above</em>) becomes the Sabres' new coach while the Penguins <a target="_blank" href="https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/penguins/2015/05/28/Buffalo-Sabres-agreement-former-Pittsburgh-Penguins-coach-Dan-Bylsma/stories/201505280187">get a third-round pick in 2016 as compensation</a>.
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://sabres.buffalonews.com/2015/05/29/bylsma-eager-to-pass-his-notes-from-penguins-stars-to-sabres-prospects/"><em>I probably learned as much from working with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin as they did from me. I think it’s going to be applicable to the likes of Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel</em></a>.” - Bylsma on relating his experiences with the Penguins to some of the Sabres young players.
-Why didn't the Penguins pursue a compensatory draft pick from the Devils when former general manager Ray Shero <a target="_blank" href="sports/2013-06-20-18-51-15/empty-netters/44315-rutherford-on-bylsma-shero-draft-picks-05-28-15">took over that team</a>?
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.buffalohockeybeat.com/dan-bylsma-had-eye-on-sabres-job/"><em>Obviously, we’re going to be a young team. We need somebody who knows how to teach, knows how to communicate. It’s not just telling somebody what to do; it’s why you have to do that. There aren’t a lot of coaches who can do that. I think Dan is one that can</em></a>.” - Sabres coach Tim Murray on Bylsma.
-Bylsma and Murray speak:
<iframe src="http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/embed?playlist=826614&site=sabres" width="471" height="291"></iframe>
-Former Penguins forward Alexei Kovalev, 42, <a target="_blank" href="https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.journaldemontreal.com%2F2015%2F05%2F28%2Falex-kovalev-na-pas-tourne-le-dos-a-la-ligue-nationale">is seeking an invitation to an NHL training camp this fall</a>. Kovalev last played in the NHL with the Panthers in 2012-13.
-Former Penguins forward Konstantin Koltsov <a target="_blank" href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hcsochi.ru%2Fpress-tsentr%2Fclub-news%2Fitem%2F1699-konstantin-koltsov-pereshel-v-sochi&edit-text=">has joined HK Sochi of Russia's KHL</a>.
-Former Penguins forward Alexei Ponikarovsky <a target="_blank" href="https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fska.ru%2Fnews%2Fview%2Falieksiei-ponikarovskii-ostaietsia-v-ska&edit-text=">has re-signed with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL</a>.
<h5><strong>Playoff Stuff<br /></strong><strong>Rangers - Lightning</strong></h5>
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.northjersey.com/sports/rangers-are-at-their-best-in-elimination-games-1.1344631"><em>Obviously, there’s a little bit of butterflies right now just thinking about it. You kind of try and stay even keel until that point</em></a>.” - Rangers forward Chris Kreider on tonight's Game 7.
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/brian-boyles-not-buying-rangers-game-7-mystique-article-1.2239774"><em>You think I buy it?. What am I doing here if I buy it? Why would I fly up from Florida if I bought it</em></a>?” - Lightning forward Brian Boyle on the mystique of the Rangers' all-time 7-0 home record in game 7s.
-Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/hockey/rangers/rangers-counting-lundqvist-game-7-win-article-1.2239690">has a 0.97 goals against average in Game 7s</a>.
-"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.northjersey.com/sports/hockey/stamkos-eager-for-game-7-1.1344950"><em>You think you're going to be right back there the next year. It's taken four years to get back. You have to realize the magnitude of the game and the situation that you're in and really how close you are. And I think our group realizes that</em></a>." - Lightning captain/forward Steven Stamkos on playing in Game 7 of an Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2011.
<h5><strong><img style="margin: 10px; float: right;" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7595/16956068259_069678f5da_b.jpg" width="270" />Ducks - Blackhawks</strong></h5>
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ducks-663491-game-first.html"><em>You think you’re going to have an opportunity to hit him, get in on him, and then when you’re there, he’s kind of out of the way already. I think the most important thing of playing against him, the only thing you really can do basically against him, is make him play [defensive] zone coverage. The more d-zone he’s playing, hopefully the more tired he gets</em></a>.” - Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano on Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (<em>right</em>).
-“<a target="_blank" href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kane-663489-blackhawks-game.html"><em>I didn’t expect it, to be honest. When [Quenneville] put us together, I think we were just trying to do as best we could out there. We didn’t know how long it was going to be, how long it was going to last</em></a>.” - Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane on head coach Joel Quenneville's decision to team him on a line with captain/forward Jonathan Toews.
-The Ducks are 0-3 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/ducks/la-sp-ducks-game-7-20150529-story.html">in their past three Game 7s</a>.
<h5><strong>Non-Playoff Stuff</strong><br data-mce-bogus="1" /><strong><span style="text-decoration: line-through;">Neapolitan Ice Cream</span> Metropolitan Division</strong></h5>
-Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom <a target="_blank" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/wp/2015/05/28/nicklas-backstrom-undergoes-arthroscopic-hip-surgery/">underwent arthroscopic hip surgery</a>.
-The Blue Jackets re-signed defenseman Cody Goloubef <a target="_blank" href="http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2015/05/goloubef-signs-2-year-extension.html">to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.5 million</a>. Coming off a one-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $625,000, Goloubef's new deal will have a cap hit of $750,000. Goloubef, 25, appeared in 36 NHL games this season and recorded nine points.
-<strong>EN Says</strong>: A second-round pick in 2008, Goloubef hasn't quite lived up to expectations in his career. He's a capable puck mover and doesn't mind being physical. He's a decent depth player for a bottom-pairing role.
-The Blue Jackets re-signed defenseman Justin Falk <a target="_blank" href="http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/blogs/puck-rakers/2015/05/falk-signs-1-year-extensoin.html">to a one-year, two-way contract</a>.
<img style="margin: 10px; float: right;" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6802653211_aafa3ea6af_b.jpg" width="270" />-The Flyers signed forward Radel Fazleev, a sixth-round pick in 2014, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/20150529_Flyers_sign_sixth-round_forward_Radel_Fazleev.html">to a three-year, two-way contract</a>.
-The Hurricanes re-signed goaltender Drew MacIntyre <a target="_blank" href="http://www.hockeyfights.com/news/206161">to a one-year two-way contract</a>.
<h5><strong>Central Division</strong></h5>
-The Blues signed defenseman Jordan Schmaltz, a first-round pick in 2012, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/hockey/professional/schmaltz-signs-entry-level-deal-with-blues/article_68163012-3dea-54c7-864d-f4e3de0536c6.html">to a three-year, entry-level contract</a>.
<h5><strong>Pacific Division</strong></h5>
-The Sharks officially hired former Panthers/Devils coach Peter DeBoer (<em>right</em>) <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_28206831/sharks-introduce-new-coach-peter-deboer">as their new head coach</a>.
-"<a target="_blank" href="http://www.mercurynews.com/sharks/ci_28208926/sharks-coach-peter-deboer-lays-down-law"><em>It's served me very well. Coaching today's athlete is really sitting them down and making a case why you want them to do something, how it's going to benefit them, how it's going to benefit the team, how it's going to benefit everybody. I feel I use my degree almost on a daily basis in the business I'm in</em></a>." - DeBoer on having a law degree.
-The Coyotes signed undrafted free agent forward Matthias Plachta, formerly of Adler Mannheim in Germany's DEL, <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2015/05/28/coyotes-sign-matthias-plachta-to-one-year-deal/28082333/">to a one-year, entry-level contract</a>.
(<em><strong>Photos:</strong> Bruce Bennett/Getty Images, Marianne Helm/Getty Images and Gary Wiepert/Associated Press</em>)
First Published: April 6, 2016, 6:48 p.m.
