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Updated June 2, 2025, 4:17 a.m. 1 min read
NHL News

Florida Panthers forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell will be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night in Edmonton, coach Paul Maurice said Saturday.

Both players were injured in Wednesday's series-clinching Game 5 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger said Saturday that he was surprised and embarrassed when he was pulled from Game 5 of the Western Conference finals after giving up two goals on the only two shots he faced, and coach Peter DeBoer was still facing questions about that decision two days after the season-ending loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

"No one's a bigger fan of Jake Oettinger than me, as a person or a goalie," DeBoer said.

"There's one motive, and that's how do we survive this and get it to a Game 6? And I have to live with those consequences.

If it works, great, we're in Edmonton tonight and you guys are telling me how awesome a move it was.

And when it doesn't, I've got to stand up here and do this, and I understand." Jake Oettinger is one reason the Stars are in a championship window, yet his Game 5 performance Thursday night was instrumental in Dallas' third straight Western Conference finals exit.

Oettinger allowed two goals on Edmonton's first two shots, leading Stars coach Peter DeBoer to pull his star goaltender, hoping it would spark a change.

It did, as Dallas pulled within a goal twice only to watch its season end in a 6-3 loss to the Oilers.

"Any time you pull a goalie the reasoning is to always try and spark your group," DeBoer said.

"So that's your No.

1 reason.

We had talked endlessly in this series about trying to play with the lead, and obviously, we're in a 2-0 hole right away.

I didn't take that lightly, and I didn't blame it all on Jake.

"But the reality is, if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton." Oddsmakers think the Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers is a toss-up.

ESPN BET on Thursday opened the Panthers and Oilers each at -110 after the matchup was set.

The price was on the move Thursday night, with Edmonton emerging as the favorite at some books, but the odds remained close.

The Panthers outlasted the Oilers in seven games to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup last season.

The opening price for this year's finals suggests another competitive battle is in store.

Game 1 is Wednesday in Edmonton.

The Oilers opened as -120 favorites to win Game 1.

Kyle Palmieri has signed a new two-year contract with the New York Islanders, as one of the better options among free-agent scoring wingers is now off the market.

Palmieri's contract carries a $4.75 million average annual value.

He's coming off a 4-year, $20-million deal with the Islanders that was signed in Sept.

2021.

The Islanders also signed defenseman Adam Boqvist to a one-year contract.

He had 14 points in 35 games last season between the Florida Panthers and the Islanders, who claimed him on waivers in January.

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Tyson Foerster to a two-year contract worth $7.5 million.

General manager Daniel Briere announced the extension Thursday.

Foerster will count $3.75 million annually against the salary cap in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 NHL seasons.

Jonathan Toews has informed his longtime agent that he intends to come back to the NHL after missing the past two seasons.

Pat Brisson told multiple outlets Thursday that Toews reached out to him Wednesday to say he's 100% ready to move forward on a comeback attempt.

Toews, 37, is a free agent now, and his camp can speak with any of the league's 32 teams immediately.

Free agency opens July 1.

A return to hockey would be a triumphant one if Toews can pull it off.

Connor McDavid had a breakaway goal and an assist, 40-year-old Corey Perry scored again and the Edmonton Oilers are going to their second Stanley Cup Final in a row after beating the Dallas Stars 6-3 on Thursday night in Game 5 to wrap up the Western Conference final.

Edmonton scored on its first two shots, and jumped ahead 3-0 in the first 8:07 on way to eliminating the Stars in the West final for the second year in a row, this time in one less game.

The Seattle Kraken have hired Lane Lambert as head coach.

Lambert most recently was associate coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs under Craig Berube.

Lambert was head coach of the New York Islanders for a season and a half previously.

The Kraken fired Dan Bylsma after a 35-41-6 record in 24-25.

Patrick Roy will remain as head coach of the New York Islanders, new general manager and executive vice president Mathieu Darche said at his introductory news conference Thursday.

Roy, 59, has a 55-47-17 record since replacing Lane Lambert as coach on Jan.

20, 2024.

The Hall of Famer posted a 35-35-12 mark this season but failed to guide the club to the playoffs.

Assistant coaches John MacLean and Tommy Albelin will not return to the bench, Darche said..

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