News: The Red Wings hope Darren Helm can start skating again in July, the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Darren Helm's back injury has been a bit of a mystery as he would feel better, start skating, then have another setback. After not playing for months, Detroit hopes the rest will get back the speedy center back to solid health.
News: Danny Briere is expected to be bought out by the Flyers after the Stanley Cup finals, csnphilly.com reports.
Analysis: While Danny Briere appears to be in line to be a compliance amnesty buyout (the new CBA allows for two) by the Flyers, the status of goalie Ilya Bryzgalov evidently remains up in the air on that front.
News: Though coach Joel Quenneville has indicated that Marian Hossa (upper body) is "likely" to be available for Wednesday's Game 4 against the Bruins, the winger was not spotted at the team's pre-game morning skate, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: It could be that Marian Hossa is simply receiving treatment for his injury, but his noticeable absence from Wednesday's morning skate suggests that his Game 4 status remains worth tracking all the way up to puck drop.
News: The Islanders are one of several teams interested in acquiring King goaltender Jonathan Bernier, according to Newsday. If that's the case, Nino Niederreiter is likely to be among the trade chips sent to Los Angeles.
Analysis: El Nino and the Islanders' brass seem to be better off parting ways, and this could be just the way to do it, benefiting both the Isles (who need a long-term goalie) and Nino Niederreiter (who needs a new organization).
News: Slava Voynov has signed a six-year deal with the Kings that is reportedly worth $25 million, ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The 23-year-old, who notched 25 points in 48 regular season contests, picked up the pace in the playoffs, finishing with six goals and 13 points in 18 games, currently second among blueliners this postseason to Pittsburgh's Kris Letang.
News: Patrice Bergeron went 24-of-28 (86 percent) on faceoffs in Monday's 2-0 Game 3 win over the Blackhawks, ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Patrice Bergeron, who also scored his seventh goal of the playoffs in the game, now has 13 points in 19 postseason games overall. That ties him for fourth among the B's in playoff scoring, and Bergeron's outstanding two-way play continues to be crucial to the team's success.
News: Jonathan Bernier is a candidate to be traded this offseason, Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reports.
Analysis: The report suggests that the Leafs and Flyers are the front-runners to obtain Jonathan Bernier. Assuming he does get traded, Bernier's fantasy value would be in line for a boost, as he's been stuck serving as Jonathan Quick's primary backup for the last three seasons.
News: Daniel Paille scored for the second straight contest in Monday's 2-0 win over the Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Analysis: For most of the season the Bruins struggled to find consistent third line production, but the Daniel Paille/Tyler Seguin/Chris Kelly trio formed in Game 2 of the team's current series has flourished at an ideal juncture and been instrumental in the Bruins taking a 2-1 lead in the finals.
News: Tuukka Rask stopped all 28 shots he faced in Monday's 2-0 win over the Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Analysis: The shutout was Tuukka Rask's third of the postseason, with the effort lifting his save percentage to a playoff-best .946 and lowering his GAA to spiffy 1.64. Should the Bruins -- who are up 2-1 over the Hawks at present -- prevail in the series, Rask would be a Conn Smythe Trophy frontrunner.
News: Pavel Datsyuk has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings, the Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Pavel Datsyuk has a year left on his current contract, so Tuesday's deal ensures that he will remain with Detroit for the next four years. Datsyuk finished up this past season as the Red Wings' top scorer, with 49 points in 47 games to go along with a team-high plus-21 mark.
