The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 19. When they do, most of the attention will be fixed on the top-four teams in both conferences as fans and pundits attempt to predict the favorites to win hockey's holy grail. Nevertheless, there could be a club sitting much lower in the postseason standings that could shock everyone by winning the Cup.

The son of a Hockey Hall of Famer won a championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, the first for the franchise in the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin era.

Longtime NHL executive Ray Shero has died. He was 62. The Minnesota Wild announced Shero's death Wednesday. It was not immediately clear how Shero died or where he was.