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Editors:To help you with planning for the NHL Draft in Dallas on June 22-23 and NHL free agency on July 1 Melker Karlsson Jersey , here are some of our coverage plans. Please direct questions to Dave Zelio (dzelio(at)ap.org). Plans subject to change. This digest will be updated. All times Eastern.TUESDAY, JUNE 19HKN–OFFSEASON PRIMERA jump in the salary cap from Vegas’ success sets the bar for what could be an eventful offseason with John Tavares, Erik Karlsson and others potentially on the move and another goaltending carousel getting ready to turn. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 650 words, photos.– HKN–HOFFMAN TRADED. Winger Mike Hoffman ends up in Florida as Senators try to resolve an ugly off-ice issue involving star defenseman Erik Karlsson. By Stephen Whyno. SENT: 640 words, photos.HKN–NHL DRAFT-STAGNANT SABRESBUFFALO, N.Y. – Holding the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, the Buffalo Sabres are once again in position to put a stop to a decade-long freefall. The troubles began with losing co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere in free agency in 2007, the woes were compounded by poor drafts, numerous questionable high-priced signings and multiple management shuffles. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m.WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20HKN–NHL DRAFT-DAHLINSweden’s Rasmus Dahlin is expected to become just the third defenseman to be picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft, a smooth-skating, play-making blue liner with all sorts of promise to live up with the unusual hype. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 660 words, photos by 6 p.m.THURSDAY Tyler Ennis Jersey Womens , JUNE 21HKN–SUMMER OF OVIThe past 10 years, Alex Ovechkin went into the offseason facing questions about not being able to win and criticism of not being able to get it done. He is now a playoff MVP and Stanley Cup winner and his epic Stanley Cup celebration will stretch well into the summer. There’s work ahead, too: With three years left on his contract, it’s another important offseason in which he can’t slack off. He will have a new head coach, too. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 4 p.m.HKN–NHL DRAFTDALLAS – The action at the NHL draft is expected to start at the third pick if Buffalo takes Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first and Carolina goes with Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov as many expect. Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes are among the Americans expected to go in the top 10. By Stephen Hawkins. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m.– Other spot coverage for pre-draft activities in Dallas on merit.FRIDAY, JUNE 22HKN–NHL DRAFTDALLAS – Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is expected by many to be the No. 1 pick in a deep NHL draft that includes Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Adam Boqvist, Brady Tkachuk and Vitali Kravtsov among the top prospects. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Draft begins at 7:30 p.m.– Other separates on merit.SATURDAY, JUNE 23HKN–NHL DRAFTDALLAS – The NHL draft wraps up in Dallas with rounds two through seven. By Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Draft resumes at 11 a.m.– Other separates on merit.SUNDAY Tim Heed Jersey , JUNE 24HKN–DRAFT-WINNERS & LOSERSDALLAS – Analyzing the teams that made out the best and worst from trades and picks at the NHL draft. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words photos by 5 a.m.MONDAY, JUNE 25HKN–FREE AGENCY-LOOKAHEADDALLAS – Movement at the NHL draft sets the stage for one of the most active free agency periods in recent history with John Tavares, John Carlson and others available. They can start speaking with other teams Monday ahead of the market opening July 1. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 5 a.m.WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27HKN–FREE AGENCY-THINGS TO KNOWThe New York Rangers are expected to be among the most active teams in free agency with a boatload of salary-cap space and aging goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. But they won’t be the only team looking to find top-end talent in a rare free agent pool full of it. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words, file photos by 5 a.m.FRIDAY, JUNE 29HKN–FREE AGENCY-NAMES TO WATCHNHL free agency is top heavy, and the price will be high for forward John Tavares and defenseman John Carlson if the New York Islanders and Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals can’t keep them off the market. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 6 p.m.SATURDAY, JUNE 30HKN–FREE AGENCY-GOLDEN KNIGHTSThe Vegas Golden Knights are among the NHL teams with the most salary cap space, giving the Western Conference champions some chips to put on the table in a bid to get back to the Stanley Cup Final. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by noon.SUNDAY, JULY 1HKN–FREE AGENCY RDPJohn Tavares, John Carlson and a host of other players could be in play as free agency opens in the NHL. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 700 words Alex Pietrangelo Jersey Kids , photos by 7 p.m. Developing from free agency opening at noon.With:– HKN–FREE AGENCY-THE LATEST, real time updates throughout the day.– Team separates on merit.AP Sports Auston Matthews got a taste of playoff hockey last season. Patrik Laine has been waiting two years for this.The third pick in the 2016 draft? Well, Pierre-Luc Dubois is taking a surprising star turn in the spotlight of the NHL playoffs, too.Matthews, Laine, Dubois and 2017 top picks Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick look unfazed as they handle significant responsibilities in the postseason. For the first time since 1991, four teenagers have scored a goal in the first round of the playoffs, and all five budding superstars are in top-six forward roles, combining for five goals and six assists.”These guys are young guys,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said after Matthews’ Game 3 winner against Boston was the 20-year-old center’s first point of the series.”They’re playing against real players and they’re young guys. You’ve got to go through some of these slappings in your life to kind of respond and learn how to respond and do things right.”They’ve been doing a lot of things right all season. Matthews’ 34 goals led the Maple Leafs; Laine’s 43 for Winnipeg were second in the NHL; Hischier’s 48 points were second on the Devils; and Patrick’s 30 and gradual improvement earned him a promotion to the Flyers‘ second-line center spot.Dubois was a bit of a surprise pick by Columbus behind Matthews and Laine at the 2016 draft, and he didn’t break into the NHL right away. Dubois wasn’t expected to mature this quickly and doesn’t get the kind of attention as last season’s top finishers for rookie of the year, but he’s used to that by now.”I’ve always been the guy kind of under the radar,” said Dubois, whose 48 points were third on the Blue Jackets. ”All my life it’s been pretty much like that. I don’t really look to impress other people. I just want to play well. I’ve never been the guy that everybody talked about http://www.officialpenguinsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-derick-brassard-jersey , so it never really fazed me.”Dubois most impressively has earned the trust of old-school coach John Tortorella enough to be the Blue Jackets’ No. 1 center at age 19. Tortorella uses Dubois as an example to show older players how to handle situations, an ultimate sign of respect from a Stanley Cup-winning coach who doesn’t hesitate to put him on the ice against opposing stars.”He accepted it, he excelled,” Tortorella said. ”He has a mental toughness for a 19-year-old kid, to accept that type of responsibility and want more. It’s a different guy. You’ve got to be careful with young kids, but he has showed me tremendous progress and instant mental toughness as I’ve gotten to know him as the season’s gone on.”Laine isn’t tracking the stats of the other players in his draft class, but he knows how they are doing. Similarly, Dubois enjoys watching Matthews and Laine while trying not to compare himself to them.”They’re obviously really great players,” said Dubois, who picked up two assists in his first playoff game and scored a goal in his third. ”I know my game and people that know my game know that we’re all different players. There’s the offensive side of it, there’s the defensive side, there’s everything. Everything’s different about our games.”Production ties them together with Hischier and Patrick, who also don’t look out of place at all in their first playoffs at 19.New Jersey coach John Hynes said Hischier has been one of the Devils’ best players, which is the continuation of a season of learning for the first Swiss No. 1 pick.”I’ve seen every city Youth Evgeni Malkin Jersey , every rink and just for me it was a lot of experience this year, and guys helped me a lot,” said Hischier, who scored in Game 2 against Tampa Bay and played more than 17 minutes in the Devils’ Game 3 win. ”Just all around I think I grew as a person and as a hockey player.”Patrick wasn’t putting up a lot of points in the first half of the season but still felt he was playing well. Philadelphia coach Dave Hakstol felt good enough about Patrick’s game that he promoted him and has reaped the benefits for the past couple of months and in the first round against Pittsburgh.”It’s nice for your confidence,” Patrick said. ”I think I kind of progressed through the year and kept getting better with every role they put me in.”Big roles aren’t a problem for Matthews and Laine, who are key drivers of play for the Leafs and Jets. Toronto finally got going against the Bruins in large part because of Matthews, who said he felt an earthquake in his feet when he scored in Game 3 and let out a scream to match.After Laine scored the tying goal in Game 1 against Minnesota in what became the Jets franchise’s first playoff victory, he motioned to fans for cheers before jumping into the glass. The Finnish winger is used to scoring goals – and a lot of them – but in the playoffs it’s even more special.”It was maybe a little bit nicer,” Laine said. ”I was saving my goals and celebrations for the playoffs. Now I can celly (celebrate) a little bit harder.”—AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in St. Paul, Minnesota, contributed.—