In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Mark Scheifele and the Winnipeg Jets were eliminated from the playoffs last night, but with the passing of Scheifele’s father, the night was a lot more emotional than just losing a hockey game. Elsewhere, Anthony Beauvillier spoke with the media and expressed his interest in returning to the Washington Capitals, potentially on a long-term deal. Finally, Matthew Knies has been excellent for the Toronto Maple Leafs through the first 12 playoff games, but he may not be available for Game 7 against the Florida Panthers.
Scheifele Plays Despite Losing Father
News broke throughout the day on May 17 that Brad Scheifele, father of the Jets star, had passed away. It was announced that Scheifele was listed as questionable to play, and it would be his own decision. Head coach Scott Arniel spoke to the media and said that he wants to play for his father.
The Jets were facing elimination, and Schefiele wanted to play and win for his father, so he was in the lineup.
A few minutes into the second period, Scheifele opened the scoring. Sometimes, it is poetic to see scenes like this play out. That would be the lone goal for the Jets, and the game would head to overtime. The Stars started the period off on the power play as Scheifele was in the box for tripping Sam Steel, and the Stars scored the series-clinching goal.
Related: Harley’s OT Winner Sends Stars to Western Conference Final in 2-1 Win Over Jets
Some of the Jets spoke after the game, and Adam Lowry, captain of the team, said they wanted nothing more than to kill that penalty for Scheifele.
Arniel, Pete DeBoer, and many others spoke out about how courageous and inspiring it was for Scheifele to play.
Beauvillier Looking to Stick With Capitals
The Capitals acquired Beauvillier at the trade deadline, and he was an excellent fit, ending up on the top line with Dylan Strome and Alexander Ovechkin, and was able to play any role the team needed. With six points in 10 playoff games this season, Beauvillier clearly fit in well and liked what he was doing.
In a conversation with the media, Beauvillier stated, “This is a place that I would love to play here for a long time…The group here is special, and the city is awesome. I got to discover the city a little bit more over the last few months, and obviously the fans are great. This would be a place I would like to stay for a long time.”
After being on five different teams in the last two seasons, Beauvillier is going to look for some stability. If he can ink a mid- to long-term deal with the Capitals, he would get just that.
The Capitals have $8.6 million in projected cap space for this offseason, which should be enough to get most of their expiring deals done. They may need to get creative of let some pieces go, but for the most part, they don’t have many significant pieces on their way out.
Knies’ Availability for Game 7 Remains Uncertain
Knies has been fantastic for the Maple Leafs so far in these playoffs, scoring five goals, seven points, and playing very physical. After an innocent-looking collision between him and Niko Mikkola, Knies was clearly shaken up on the bench, grasping at what appeared to be his hip. Knies did not skate on Saturday (May 17), and head coach Craig Berube did not have an update on his health.
If Knies is unable to go, it will likely be Nicholas Robertson re-entering the lineup, but to this point in the playoffs, even looking at the “Core Four”, not many players on the roster have the ability to replace what Knies has brought to the lineup.
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