It might be showing its age a bit compared with some of the new palaces being built around the league, but I still think this is one of the very best rinks in the league, if not *the* best.

What would the Blackhawks' perfect offseason look like? @scottpowers.bsky.social takes a look at what needs to happen for Chicago to get back in the mix next season: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

This Jake Oettinger feature by @russohockey.bsky.social is terrific. So many fun details about what it's like being not only the family member of an NHL player, but one in enemy territory: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

I've been talking all year to NHL players about why guys are forced to fight after delivering clean hits. After all, everyone WANTS more hitting, don't we? The Colin Blackwell hit — and Marcus Foligno's measured response — prompted me to finally write it: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

Finished reading "The Will of the Many." It has so many things I generally don't like: 1. First-person present tense (ugh) 2. It's very YA 3. A Mary Sue (Gary Stu?) main character 4. It's 600 pages of setup for future books with zero resolution Yet... I liked it? Quite a bit? Good world-building.

Colin Blackwell delivered a huge — but absolutely clean — open-ice hit to Yakov Trenin in Game 2. Marcus Foligno chose NOT to make him fight afterward. That's unusual in the modern NHL. The question is, should it be? My story, unlocked and free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

The gerrymandering in Virginia that was approved today is kind of gross. No two ways around it. But the GOP has been ignoring the "rules" and norms for years now. What else can the Democrats do? The whole going-high-when-they-go-low thing sure as hell didn't work. This is just the way it works now.

Foley got an earful from the league for this. But he was 100 percent right, and every single player agreed with him.

Habs-Lightning is at 7 p.m. Bruins-Sabres is at 7:30. ESPN has both games. It works fine. So please explain why fans in the Central Time Zone have to wait until 8:52 p.m. (again) tomorrow night when there's just one earlier game? God forbid a kid watch a hockey game.

Make your voice heard on the state of The Rebuild ™️ in our end-of-season Blackhawks fan survey: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

What, you expected any different from Jake Oettinger? This is what he does. This is who he is. My column from Dallas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

Colin Blackwell on his big hit: "It’s fun. I enjoy playing physical. Trust me, I get hit all the time."

Game 2 takeaways from me, @russohockey and @joesmithNHL: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

Stars win 4-2, even the series at 1-1. Just a terrific hockey game. Jake Oettinger Jake Oettinges. We're off to St. Paul for what should be another awesome atmosphere.

GOAL: The world's slowest empty-netter curls in. 4-2 Dallas.

Wow. Stars kill it off, and now the Wild get called for too many men with 81 seconds left.

Hoooo, boy, Stars get caught with too many men on the ice and the Wild get a power play with 3:44 left, down a goal.

I once saw Mario Lemieux juggle the puck three times in mid-air while going full steam down the left side of the ice before settling it down and scoring. Greatest goal I've ever seen. Mikko Rantanen just tried to top it.

GOAL: Oettinger with a great save on Hughes, but Faber beats him seconds later. This one's not over yet. 3-2 Dallas.

GOAL: Robertson. 3-1 Stars. That's a biggie.

Jesper Wallstedt with a great save on Robertson, then on the Bourque follow-up, to keep this a one-goal game.

Marcus Foligno just bulldogged Thomas Harley to the ice. Yikes. Lots of skirmishing afterward.

GOAL: Rantanen to Duchene with Nick Foligno in the box for an elbow. 2-1 Stars.

These are not your big brother's Wild. Wilds. Wildlings. Gene Wilders.

Really fun first period here in Dallas. It's 1-1, but that's only because of Jake Oettinger. Minnesota again has been the better team.

Little Colin Blackwell absolutely lays out Yakov Trenin, and Trenin is down and very slow to get up.

GOAL: Brock Faber with an absolutely beauty at 4-on-4 and it's 1-1. So much for that ideal start!

Can't think of a better start if you're Dallas: 1. Excellent PK 2. Huge Oettinger save 3. Lucky bounce That's one way to shake off some bad vibes.

GOAL: After a HUGE stop by Oettinger on Yurov, the Stars get a fortuitous bounce and it's 1-0 Dallas. Wyatt Johnston.

Lian Bichsel takes issue with a Brock Faber shove on Jason Robertson after a whistle. Curious to see if things escalate now that Zuccarello's out as a result of the Myers elbow in Game 1.

ANOTHER Mikko Rantanen penalty puts the Wild on the power play early on. Not what the Stars needed, to say the least.

Join @russohockey.bsky.social, @joesmithnhl.bsky.social and me in our discussion room. App. Window. Thing. OK, I don't know what it's called, but it was hopping in Game 1. www.nytimes.com/athletic/nhl...

It's a veritable smorgasbord of that sweet, sweet #content: You want Blackhawks? Here are some player grades: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721... You want Stars? Here's a story on their offensive woes: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721... You want my nose? Here's TAHS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKZE...

On today's episode of @TheAthleticNHL Hockey Show with @m_bultman, @JesseGranger_ and me, we hit on every series and discuss Juraj Slafkovský, Tage Thompson and the next wave of superstars taking over the playoffs. Listen here: pod.fo/e/402772

This is a headline on Fox News Dot Com, the website of the leading legacy news channel in America. #journalism

"Second-quicks," connection and a forecheck. The key to unlocking the Dallas Stars' offense is simple, but recent playoff history suggests it's easier said than done. Story: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

Blackhawks player grades, Part 2 with @marklazerus.bsky.social: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

The Dallas Stars have a few guys who can go thermonuclear and win a series on their own. Just ask Colorado. But waiting for Rantanen or Johnston or Robertson to save the day isn't a real plan. Here's what they need to do: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

Blackhawks player grades, Part II, from @ByScottPowers and me: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

We've seen the Dallas offense dry up in each of the past three postseasons. Here's how the sluggish Stars can go on the offensive and avoid repeating the mistakes of playoffs past: www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

BEEFS ON WECK ALL AROUND

Imagine being able to pull off a silver suit the way Henrik Lundqvist is right now.

A healthy and productive Joel Eriksson Ek reminds the Stars that these aren't the 2023 MInnesota Wild, from @RussoHockey: www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Jesper Wallstedt was excellent in his playoff debut last night. Here's what it looked like through his eyes, and through the eyes of those who helped him get there. From @joesmithnhl.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

The Dallas Stars came out for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs like it was Game 53 of the regular season. Again. Keep playing with fire, and you're gonna get burned. My column from Dallas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

NEW: The Dallas Stars came out for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Freaking Playoffs like it was Game 53 of the regular season. Again. Keep playing with fire, and you're gonna get burned. My column from Dallas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...

Boldy empty-netter makes it 6-1 Wild. Hell of a start for Minnesota. Hell of a wake-up call for Dallas.

The Stars lost Game 1 of the first round to Colorado last year by a score of (wait for it) 5-1.

Jamie Benn can't beat Wallstedt off a Kaprizov turnover, and Wyatt Johnston can't beat Wallstedt on a 2-on-1 with Rantanen and all the time in the world.

Jason Robertson with a PPG to give the Stars some life. It's 4-1 Wild now. Read all about him, eh? www.nytimes.com/athletic/720...