NHL Weekly: Arizona on the verge of relocation and Crosby emulates Jagr
Most productive player
Calgary forward Nazem Kadri scored four goals in four games and set up four more. He also registered the game-winning goal during Sunday night's three-point game against Arizona, the previous game was his 900th in the NHL. The Stanley Cup winner with Colorado is by far the Flames' most productive player this season with 74 points.
Goaltender of the Week
Connor Hellebuyck has long been one of the NHL's best goaltenders and although the American lost five games in a row in March, the Winnipeg number one seems to be fine-tuning his form for the playoffs. He did concede three times against Nashville in the middle of the week, but he caught 45 shots to support the 4-3 win.
Then on Saturday, he recorded his fifth shutout of the season and 37th of his career in a 7-0 demolition of the powerful Colorado. The two clubs will face off in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Highlight of the week
Playing in a 5,000-seat arena, they've only been in Stanley Cup contention once in the last 11 seasons, the city doesn't care about the club, and so the inevitable looms. The Arizona Coyotes will likely have one last game on Thursday and then the move to Salt Lake City.
The club's general manager has reportedly already announced it to the players themselves, and the price tag for the move is expected to be around $1.2 billion.
"I hear the Coyotes players are extremely excited that they won't have to play at Mullett Arena anymore," reporter Andy Strickland wrote on social media.
Also in play is the possibility that the club will change owners but still play another year where it currently operates and not go to a new one until the 2025/26 season. Arizona has been part of the league since 1996, when the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix.
Stat of the Week
He is one of the best players in history, no one can doubt that, and now Sidney Crosby has also made it into the NHL's top 10 in scoring, the first player since Jaromir Jagr to do so on February 19, 2008. The longtime Pittsburgh captain knocked Phil Esposito out of the top 10 and is 49 points behind ninth-place Joe Sakic. He now has 1,592 points (591+1,001).
From social media
Throwing stuffed rats on the ice is a ritual that has been a part of Florida Panthers games (with some interruptions) since the 1995-96 season. Now fans can see what that journey from the stands to the ice actually looks like.
Photo of the week
The penultimate pick in the draft, Juraj Slafkovsky, had a big day on Tuesday during a big 9-3 win over Philadelphia. The Slovakian star of Montreal scored the first hat trick of his career. Slafkovsky is currently on pace for 19 hits.
Ladislav Smid's view
"The regular season is coming to an end, and this is the perfect time for a light recap of the year. Before the teams head into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
"The number one event for me is Auston Matthews and his journey towards 70 goals for the season, which is an incredible feat. The NHL continues to move forward and maybe the goaltending is getting better, but as you can see, so are the goalscorers. Matthews for me is already one of the best snipers in history, he can score from anything and his wrist shot is incredible.
"Number two is the point streaks of Edmonton and Nashville. The first lasted 16 games, the second even 18 and helped both teams back into playoff contention. Yet the NHL is so evenly matched that winning for this long in a row really means something. It also showed the strength of both teams, let's see how they fare in the Stanley Cup battle.
"Number three then is Arizona, things have really been moving the last few weeks and it looks like the Coyotes will indeed move to Salt Lake City. It was undignified to play in the best hockey competition in the world in an arena for 5,000 spectators. Arizona is a great place to live, but we're talking business and the players deserve to play in a proper arena with atmosphere. For me, it's definitely good for the competition."