Stanley Cup Final dates if Tampa Wins Tonight
Pierre LeBrun: If the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders tonight to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, Game 1 would be Thursday night.
The NHL and the players want to get the bubble tournament over as soon as they can.
Pierre LeBrun: Game 2 of the Final would be on Saturday. After that, there could even be a back-to-back at some point.
It will all depend on tonight’s game.
Qualifying offers for RFAs
Pierre LeBrun: Teams must submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents by Wednesday, October 7th at 5:00 PM ET.
Those RFAs are able to start signing the offers on Friday, October 9th at 12:00 PM ET.
Qualifying offers expire on Sunday, October 18th at 5:00 PM ET.
- Pierre LeBrun: “all of which takes on more importance than normal this year because of the flat cap environment and some teams thinking long and hard about certain RFAs and whether they will be qualified or not. If they’re not qualified, they become UFAs.”
The Capitals hire Peter Laviolette as their next head coach
Washington Capitals: The Capitals have named Peter Laviolette their next head coach, 19th in franchise history.
“Peter is a successful NHL head coach who has won a Stanley Cup and brings a wealth of experience to our team,” said MacLellan. “We feel he is a great communicator who will motivate our players to play with passion, structure and discipline, while helping our young players reach their potential. In addition, he is a high-character individual who is highly respected for his coaching pedigree, all of which make him the ideal person to lead our team to compete for the Stanley Cup.”
Darren Dreger: Laviolette’s deal with the Capitals is for three years.
Pierre LeBrun: Source saying the deal is for just under $15 million, which is in the high $4 million per range.