The Hockey News

The Florida Panthers got their revenge! We celebrate the Cats' first-ever Stanley Cup victory, as well as the title runs for teams across the world in our Champions Issue. Also inside: 32 break-out players to watch next season, whether the playoff format needs to change and much more.

MASTHEAD

SHARING LORD STANLEY

Yahooooooooooooooooo!

PLAYOFF DIVISION • Been there, done that: the NHL has more or less maintained its current post-season format – a divisional gauntlet with wild cards – for a decade. Time to change things up

BEHIND THE MASK

JERSEY HOUND

SEVENTH HEAVEN-O-METER • The Bruins’ first-round win over the Maple Leafs gave them the most Game 7 victories in NHL history. But Boston is only one game over .500 all-time. Which team, then, has the best winning percentage in do-or-die tilts? Among franchises to have played in at least five Game 7s, these are the best records

IN THE CARDS

THN AWARDS • We asked members of the THN family to give us their picks for a variety of honors. Here’s who came out on top when we tallied up the totals

PUCK CULTURE • Not every trophy has the staying power of the Stanley Cup. Here’s a lookat seven forgotten NHL awards that have faded into history

THE COUNTDOWN • It is usually a franchise’s brightest star who leads the way in post-season scoring. But not always. In Columbus’ case, Rick Nash is nowhere to be found

COLLECTING CONNOR • The craze for Connor Bedard’s hockey cards – especially Young Guns – is due to his stellar play and the ever-growing hobby market

GAME SHOW • The NHL’s Gaming World Championship descended upon New York City to crown its winner this year. And for the first time, a Canadian came out on top

TOP 10 NHL MOMENTS OF 2023-24 • WHAT A YEAR. FOR REASONS BOTH GOOD AND BAD, THE 2023-24 NHL SEASON WON’T SOON BE FORGOTTEN. FROM A LONG LIST, THESE WERE OUR 10 MOST HEADLINE-WORTHY EVENTS FROM THIS CAMPAIGN

THE CATS’ CUP • The journey from NHL punchline to Stanley Cup champion was a long and arduous one for the Panthers. But a year after falling in the final, Aaron Ekblad and the dogged Cats would not be denied hockey’s grandest prize

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 1

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 2

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 3

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 4

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 5

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 6

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 7

CHAMPIONS ISSUE

First And Forever • HISTORIC MOMENT FOR WOMEN’S HOCKEY: MINNESOTA OUTLASTS BOSTON TO BE CROWNED THE FIRST-EVER PWHL CHAMPION

PWHL Awards • THE LEAGUE’S FIRST AWARDS CEREMONY CAPS A SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEASON, AS THE PWHL RECOGNIZES THE BEST OF THE BEST IN WOMEN’S PRO HOCKEY

Jumping For Joy • A HOME-ICE VICTORY BY CZECHIA HAD FANS LITERALLY SHAKING THE ARENA IN PRAGUE

Lucky 13 For Canada • IT WAS ANOTHER CANADA-U.S. CLASSIC IN THE GOLD-MEDAL GAME AT THE WOMEN’S WORLDS, WITH THE CANADIANS WINNING IN OT TO REIGN SUPREME FOR THE 13TH TIME

AHL Along the Watchtower • ALL EYES TURNED TO HENDRIX LAPIERRE AS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND HERSHEY’S SECOND-CONSECUTIVE CALDER CUP TITLE

Spirit In The Sky • WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THE HOME FANS, SAGINAW CLAIMED ITS FIRST MEMORIAL CUP

True Blues • AFTER COMING UP SHORT LAST YEAR, COLLINGWOOD FINISHED THE JOB TO CLAIM CANADA’S JR. A TITLE

Knight Time • DESPITE BEING A YOUNG TEAM, LOSING IN LAST YEAR’S FINAL DIDN’T SIT WELL WITH LONDON. A 2023-24 ‘REDEMPTION TOUR’ ENSUED

Electric Volts Cruise To ‘Q’ Title • A TEAM IN TURMOIL IN RECENT YEARS, DRUMMONDVILLE TURNED THE CORNER IN A HURRY THIS SEASON – AND DIDN’T LOOK BACK

One For The Warriors • MOOSE JAW CLAIMED ITS FIRST WHL TITLE IN 57 YEARS, CAPPING ITS RUN WITH A ‘HARD-FOUGHT’ SWEEP IN THE FINAL

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