Wild, Kings get ready for postseason

With the NHL expansion draft just one week away the rest of the league’s general managers are no doubt engaged in constant talks with Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee in an effort to protect players from selection in the upcoming draft. In past expansion drafts teams have been willing to part with players or draft picks to convince a new team to stay away from certain players that had to be exposed, or to push them in the direction of a particular player. There are already several reports of Vegas being willing to select certain players in exchange for an asset or two.

You never want to see something like this happen. The Nashville Predators rookie Kevin Fiala had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after an ugly crash into the boards during Wednesday night’s playoff game against the St. Louis Blues. The Nashville forward crashed awkwardly into the boards after a hit from the Blues Robert Bortuzzo. In obvious pain, medical staff rushed to his side as the stunned St. Louis crowd watched in silence. Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. While there are no specifics on Fiala’s injury, the Predators tweeted that he remains alert and stable.