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The 2023-24 NHL regular season concludes April 18, with the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning April 20.

But before we get there, there are some races with runway remaining, including for two spots in the Eastern Conference bracket, and for the Presidents’ Trophy and No. 1 overall seed.

So to help dissect those situations — and help us locate the key matchups remaining on the calendar — we’ve gathered a roundtable of NHL analysts to serve up takes on the biggest questions right now.

What game will you be watching most closely in the final two weeks?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers on April 16. One could argue that watching any Caps, Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins or New York Islanders game will be worth it over the final two weeks. Caps-Flyers has a chance to be compelling because it could determine which team gets into the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. But that’s assuming the races for the final Metropolitan Division and/or Eastern Conference wild-card spots haven’t been decided yet.

Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: If the stars align perfectly, the tilt between the Penguins and Islanders on April 17 could serve as a playoff ticket for the winner and a knockout blow for the loser. Fun stuff. And it appears entirely possible, depending on how the Detroit Red Wings, Capitals and Flyers also manage before then.

Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Florida Panthers on April 16, because that’s likely a first-round matchup preview and I’m a fan of maximum bedlam in regular-season meetings between teams facing off in the postseason. Give me all the chaos in that one.

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: How about the game I hope to be watching most closely, and that’s Penguins-Islanders on April 17. It might be perfect chaos: the last day of the East’s regular season, with two Metro Division rivals still battling it out for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Penguins and Isles have been written off too many times to count this season. It’s only fitting they’re pitted against each other with their playoff hopes on the line. That’s tremendous theater.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: The Red Wings travel to face the Penguins on April 11. Granted, by that time, we might have a really clear picture on whether the Wings belong in the playoff conversation. But if they are, I love this test for a burgeoning contender on the road against a Penguins team that has clearly heated up down the stretch. If Detroit does make the playoff cut — and thus doesn’t fumble its spot away — it’s going to be with two points in a game like this.


Who’s going to take the East’s second wild-card spot?

Clark: I have to go with the Islanders or Penguins. They’ve certainly looked like the two most consistent teams in that particular race of late. Even then, the hard part about making any predictions involving the final East wild-card spot is everything about those teams has been unpredictable.

Matiash: While perhaps in rare company — at least outside of Michigan — I think the Red Wings pull this off. They’re essentially healthy, including captain Dylan Larkin, and goalie Alex Lyon is looking like his better self again. Plus, there’s a lot of belief in that room. I also smell a star turn from Patrick Kane in the season’s waning days. In grand scope, the Flyers and Capitals seem to be running out of gas, the Islanders’ face a tough closing schedule, while Pittsburgh is playing well enough to secure third in the Metro Division.

Öcal: Nobody. It will end up in a five-way tie, and the top seed in the East will just get a bye to the second round. Just kidding! At least that’s what it seems like should happen. It’s pretty chaotic, but if the Penguins do take it, Sidney Crosby deserves Hart Trophy votes. If it’s the Flyers, same thing with John Tortorella for the Jack Adams.

Shilton: It has to be Pittsburgh. And that’s purely because of Sidney Crosby. It would be foolish to bet against him after how the Pens’ captain has dragged them to this stage and continues to nightly put their playoff hopes proverbially on his back. Granted, it won’t be easy and there are other terrific contenders, but it truly seems like Crosby will not be denied an opportunity.

Wyshynski: Give me the Penguins finishing third in the Metro and the Red Wings finding a way to take the final wild card. I’m a bit nervous for the Islanders with the New York Rangers twice on their schedule and then a game against the Devils. Late in the season as it is, and with those teams clearly in different head spaces as the playoffs arrive, local rivalry games are always unpredictable in spots like these. I could see that last game against Pittsburgh as an elimination game for the Islanders. They currently have a tiebreaker problem on the rest of the East contenders.


Who wins the Presidents’ Trophy?

Clark: I’ll take the Dallas Stars, allowing that the Boston Bruins or Rangers also have good chances. It’s hard to really predict one team over the other because of the schedules. Three of the Stars’ final four games are against teams that are out of contention for a playoff spot. As for the Bruins and Rangers, they each have three games against teams that are either playing for seeding or trying to get into the playoffs.

Matiash: The Rangers will be hard to catch, even if they give some key players a game or two off. There’s no chance they roll over against the Islanders — whom they play twice in their final four games — while a slated matchup with the fumbling Flyers also appears favorable. Maybe the Rangers lose to the Ottawa Senators to close out the regular season April 15? But with five days off (minimum) before New York’s potential playoff opener, there’s no reason not to wrap up with a bang.

Öcal: Let’s go with the Bruins for the second straight season, but it seems like it won’t be a repeat of their shocking first-round exit this time around. Maybe there will be less pressure than having the best regular season of all time, and that will set them up for a solid playoff run.

Shilton: The Rangers have an inside track. Dallas will give them a run, though, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Stars get — and stay — ahead of New York down the stretch. That said, the Rangers have been more consistent throughout the season, and that’s why I’d give them an edge. However, these races can also be impacted by who’s resting who in the final weeks, as well, especially once playoff seeding is settled. It’ll be curious to see if teams at the top keep pushing for the Presidents’ Trophy or focus on rest and recovery.

Wyshynski: The Rangers take it. They were projected for 114 points entering Sunday’s action and have a number of winnable games down the stretch. I do think it could be close with the Stars in the end, but the Rangers hold a good lead in points and have tiebreaker advantages.


The most impressive team right now is ___________.

Clark: The Tampa Bay Lightning aren’t the most impressive but are the most dangerous right now. It has been that way since late February. They’ve won games in commanding fashion and have been able to win close contests, too. Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos have been dangerous, while Nikita Kucherov is playing like someone who could win his second Hart Trophy. Meanwhile, this has been the most consistent Andrei Vasilevskiy has looked all season. It’s starting to look like the Lightning could hurt someone’s feelings in the playoffs.

Matiash: How ’bout them Stars? Unparalleled scoring depth — exemplified by eight players with 20 goals and counting — disciplined defense and a starting netminder who’s playing his best when it matters most. Then there’s that 13-3-0 record since Feb. 29. Pete DeBoer’s crew is quietly scary.

Öcal: The Islanders are on a four-game win streak, just like the Pens. The Pens seem like the direct answer to this question, but I will note that the Isles have the opportunity to go on a run to end the season, which would make them the most impressive team.

Shilton: It has to be Pittsburgh. Putting a pin in the Crosby of it all, the Penguins have gotten excellent goaltending from backup Alex Nedeljkovic, their depth scoring has come alive at last, the veterans are thriving, and there’s a clear sense of belief in the entire squad that they belong in the playoffs. And, Pittsburgh is resilient. Just look at their win Saturday against Tampa Bay. The old Penguins might have allowed that blown lead to end in defeat. Instead, they stayed on a good Lightning team and came away with two points. That’s impressive.

Wyshynski: The Penguins are winning games, but the Stars are playing more impressive hockey down the stretch. They have the league’s second-best points percentage in the past two weeks, and the NHL’s best expected goals percentage in that span. Few teams boast their depth at forward. Now that Jake Oettinger has returned to form, the Stars are a downright scary team in the Western Conference.

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Red Sox deal All-Star Devers to Giants in stunner

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Red Sox deal All-Star Devers to Giants in stunner

The San Francisco Giants acquired three-time All-Star Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday in a stunning trade that sent a player Boston once considered a franchise cornerstone to a San Francisco team needing an offensive infusion.

Boston received left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and Rookie League right-hander Jose Bello.

The Red Sox announced the deal Sunday evening.

The Giants will cover the remainder of Devers’ contract, which runs through 2033 and will pay him more than $250 million, sources told ESPN.

The trade ends the fractured relationship between Devers and the Red Sox that had degraded since spring training, when Devers balked at moving off third base — the position where he had spent his whole career — after the signing of free agent Alex Bregman. The Red Sox gave no forewarning to Devers, who expressed frustration before relenting and agreeing to be their designated hitter.

After a season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas in early May, the Red Sox asked Devers to move to first base. Devers declined, suggesting the front office “should do their jobs” and find another player after the organization told him during spring training he would be the DH for the remainder of the season. The day after Devers’ comments, Red Sox owner John Henry, president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City, where Boston was playing, to talk with Devers.

In the weeks since, Devers’ refusal to play first led to internal tension and helped facilitate the deal, sources said.

San Francisco pounced — and added a force to an offense that ranks 15th in runs scored in Major League Baseball. Devers, 28, is hitting .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs, tied for the third most in MLB. Over his nine-year career, Devers is hitting .279/.349/.509 with 215 home runs and 696 RBIs in 1,053 games.

Boston believed enough in Devers to give him a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension in January 2023. He rewarded the Red Sox with a Silver Slugger Award that season and made his third All-Star team in 2024.

Whether he slots in at designated hitter or first base with San Francisco — the Giants signed Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million deal last year — is unknown. But San Francisco sought Devers more for his bat, one that immediately makes the Giants — who are fighting for National League West supremacy with the Los Angeles Dodgers — a better team.

To do so, the Giants gave a package of young talent and took on the contract that multiple teams’ models had as underwater.

Harrison, 23, is the prize of the deal, particularly for a Red Sox team replete with young hitting talent but starving for young pitching. Once considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, Harrison has shuttled between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento this season.

Harrison, who was scratched from a planned start against the Dodgers on Sunday night, has a 4.48 ERA over 182⅔ innings since debuting with the Giants in 2023. He has struck out 178, walked 62 and allowed 30 home runs. The Red Sox optioned Harrison to Triple-A Worcester after the trade was announced.

Hicks, 28, who has toggled between starter and reliever since signing with the Giants for four years and $44 million before the 2024 season, is on the injured list because of right toe inflammation. One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball, Hicks has a 6.47 ERA over 48⅔ innings this season. He could join the Red Sox’s ailing bullpen, which Breslow has sought to upgrade.

Tibbs, 22, was selected by the Giants with the 13th pick in last year’s draft out of Florida State. A 6-foot, 200-pound corner outfielder, Tibbs has spent the season at High-A, where he has hit .245/.377/.480 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 56 games. Scouts laud his command of the strike zone — he has 41 walks and 45 strikeouts in 252 plate appearances — but question whether his swing will translate at higher levels.

Bello, 20, has spent the season as a reliever for the Giants’ Rookie League affiliate. In 18 innings, he has struck out 28 and walked three while posting a 2.00 ERA.

The deal is the latest in which Boston shipped a player central to the franchise.

Boston traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February 2020, just more than a year after leading Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and a World Series title and winning the American League MVP Award.

Devers was part of that World Series-winning team in 2018 and led the Red Sox in RBIs each season from 2020 to 2024, garnering AL MVP votes across each of the past four years. Devers had been with the Red Sox since 2013, when he signed as an international amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He debuted four years later at age 20.

Boston is banking on its young talent to replace Devers’ production. The Red Sox regularly play four rookies — infielders Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and catcher Carlos Narvaez — and infielder Franklin Arias and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia are expected to contribute in the coming years.

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Ohtani to return to mound vs. Padres on Monday

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Ohtani to return to mound vs. Padres on Monday

Shohei Ohtani will make his long-awaited return to pitching on Monday night in a matchup against the division-rival San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced.

Ohtani, 21 months removed from a second repair of his ulnar collateral ligament, will be used as an opener, likely throwing one inning. Because of his two-way designation, Ohtani qualifies as an extra pitcher on the roster, giving the Dodgers the flexibility to use a piggyback starter behind him.

That is essentially what will take place in his first handful of starts — a byproduct of the progress Ohtani has made in the late stages of his pitching rehab.

Ohtani, 30, initially seemed to be progressing toward a return some time around August. But he made a major step during his third simulated game from San Diego’s Petco Park on Tuesday, throwing 44 pitches over the course of three simulated innings and compiling six strikeouts against a couple of low-level minor leaguers.

Afterward, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was a “north of zero” chance Ohtani could return before the All-Star break. When he met with reporters prior to Sunday’s game against the San Francisco Giants — an eventual 5-4 victory — Roberts said it was a “possibility” Ohtani could pitch after just one more simulated game.

After the game, Roberts indicated the timeline might have been pushed even further, telling reporters it was a “high possibility” Ohtani would pitch in a big league game this week as an opener, likely during the upcoming four-game series against the Padres.

“He’s ready to pitch in a big league game,” Roberts told reporters. “He let us know.”

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What blockbuster trade means for Rafael Devers’ fantasy baseball potential

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What blockbuster trade means for Rafael Devers' fantasy baseball potential

If you’re just getting back home from your Father’s Day activities, you had better sit down, because Sunday evening’s Boston Red SoxSan Francisco Giants trade is a doozy.

Rafael Devers, second among third basemen and seventh among hitters in fantasy points this season, is headed to the Giants, traded minutes before their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Boston’s return includes pitchers Kyle Harrison, who was the Giants’ scheduled starting pitcher Sunday night (subsequently scratched), pitcher Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and pitching prospect Jose Bello.

Expect Devers to continue to serve in a designated hitter-only capacity with his new team, considering his season-long stance, which is primarily an issue for his position eligibility for 2026. He might factor as the Giants’ future first baseman if given a full offseason to prepare for the shift to a new position — or it could happen sooner if he has a change of heart in his new environment.

As for the impact on Devers’ numbers, the move from Fenway Park to Oracle Park represents one of the steepest downgrades in terms of park factors, specifically run production and extra-base hits. With its close-proximity Green Monster in left field, Fenway Park is a much better environment for doubles and runs scored, Statcast reflecting that it’s 22% and 10% better than league average in those categories, respectively, compared with 8% worse and only 2% above par for Oracle Park.

Devers is a prime-age 28, with a contract averaging a relatively reasonable $31.8 million over the next eight seasons, and he’s leaving a Red Sox team where his defensive positioning — he has played all but six of his career defensive innings at third base — was a manner of much debate, to go to a team that has one of baseball’s best defensive third basemen in Matt Chapman (once he’s healthy following a hand injury). Devers’ unwillingness to play first base probably played a big part in his ultimately being traded, and it’s worth pointing out that one of the positions where the Giants are weakest is, well, also first base.

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Perez: Devers gives Giants a ‘really good offense’

Eduardo Perez, David Cone and Karl Ravech react to the Giants acquiring star 3B Rafael Devers from the Red Sox.

Devers’ raw power is immense, as he has greater than 95th percentile barrel and hard-hit rates this season. He has been in that tier or better in the latter in each of the past three seasons as well. He’s at a 33-homer (and 34 per 162 games) pace since the beginning of 2021, so the slugger should continue to homer at a similar rate regardless of his surroundings. He should easily snap the Giants’ drought of 30-homer hitters, which dates back to Barry Bonds in 2004. Devers’ fantasy value might slip slightly, mostly due to the park’s impact on his runs scored and RBIs, but he’ll remain a top-four fantasy third baseman.

If you play in an NL-only league, Devers is an open-the-wallet free agent target. He’s worth a maximum bid, considering he brings a similar ability to stars you might invest in come the July trade deadline, except in this case you’ll get an extra month and a half’s production.

Harrison is an intriguing pickup for the Red Sox, though in a disappointing development, he was immediately optioned to Triple-A Worcester. A top-25 overall prospect as recently as two years ago, Harrison’s spike in average fastball velocity this season (95.1 mph, up from 92.5) could be a signal of better things ahead. Once recalled to Fenway Park, his fantasy prospects would take a hit, as that’s a venue that isn’t forgiving to fly ball-oriented lefties, but he’d be a matchups option nevertheless.

Expect Hicks to serve in setup relief for his new team, though he’d at best be fourth in the Red Sox’s pecking order for saves.

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