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: Marian Hossa (upper body), according to Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville, is likely to play in Wednesday's Game 4.
Analysis: Marian Hossa was forced to miss Game 3 after leaving the ice during warmups, but is now expected to return Wednesday. With seven goals and eight assists in 19 playoff games this postseason, the Blackhawks will welcome Hossa back with open arms as they look to even up the series.
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.
News: Marco Scandella, a restricted free agent, signed a two-year deal worth $2.05 million to remain with the Wild, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Analysis: Marco Scandella will require waivers next season if he's not on the NHL roster, so this contract likely ensures he'll begin next season in Minnesota.
News: Logan Couture agreed to a contract extension with the Sharks on Monday, CSN's Brodie Brazil reports.
Analysis: While the length and the value of Logan Couture's extension have not yet been disclosed, the 24-year-old center has reportedly re-upped with San Jose. It certainly makes sense that the Sharks would want to keep Couture around, considering he led the team with 21 goals during the regular season did so again in the playoffs with five.
News: Ben Smith will see his first NHL action since April 27 as he suited up on Monday in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Analysis: Ben Smith skated for the Blackhawks on April 27 in the last regular season game against the Blues. He gets the call after Marian Hossa was a late scratch with an undetermined injury. It will be his first appearance in an NHL playoff game since the 2010-11 season, and he did well then with three goals in seven games, all against the Canucks. The 24-year-old forward posted a career-high 47 points for Rockford of the AHL.
