Months after falling to Penguins, Capitals work to move past playoff letdown

Sometimes, when a team falls short in a playoff run, it feels a bit melodramatic to throw around words like “devastation.” In the case of the Washington Capitals falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins – yet again – during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a little melodrama almost seems appropriate. NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti caught up with a number of Capitals to reflect upon the past and look to the future, and while one must credit Nicklas Backstrom and others for saying the right things, you could also tell that the wounds haven’t fully healed just yet. “It should be about the team and how we lose as a team.

ESPN analyst ranks Flyers' farm system No. 1 in NHL

Throughout the offseason, we'll ask questions about the Flyers to our resident hockey analysts and see what they have to say. Going End to End today are CSNPhilly.com reporters John Boruk, Tom Dougherty, Jordan Hall and Greg Paone. The topic: Expectations for Ivan Provorov in Year 2. Boruk "He's the best player I've ever played with by a mile." That was Nolan Patrick's assessment of Provorov following two seasons of junior hockey with the Brandon Wheat Kings. There's an indescribable maturity you quickly sense in talking with Provorov, and that mentality carries over onto the ice. Nineteen-year-olds simply don't grasp the speed, the decision-making, the mental grind and some of the other elements

Butcher an NHL free agent after not signing with Avalanche

College hockey's top player is an NHL free agent after former University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher allowed a deadline to pass without signing with the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche selected Butcher in the fifth round of the 2013 draft and had until Tuesday to sign the Hobey Baker Award winner who led Denver to a national championship in April. A person with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Butcher already has had talks with the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils and NHL-expansion Vegas Golden Knights. The person said Butcher has not yet narrowed his list, and also is talking with other teams. The person spoke to the AP on the condition

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  Will Butcher fit with the Toronto Maple Leafs?

  Pension Plan Puppets
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  Everything you need to know about Will Butcher, the NHL’s next top college free agent

  SB Nation