Starting with the Eastern Conference, where there are three potential series sweeps with Florida, Carolina, and the NY Rangers all up 3-0, Game 4 between the Panthers and Lightning this afternoon could be the final game for Steven Stamkos in a Tampa Bay uniform.

GM Julien Brisebois said early in the year that he wants to bring the 34-year-old back, and Stamkos wants to finish his career with the team that selected him first overall in 2008, but it will depend on him taking another hometown discount as he did in 2016. If he asks for what he should get, the future Hall of Famer will likely have to get that elsewhere.

The Capitals look as if their Stanley Cup was getting into the postseason and the Rangers are simply outclassing them. Alex Ovechkin will stay until he breaks Gretzky’s record, but there has been some chatter that TJ Oshie’s health may keep him from finishing the final year of his contract.

The Islanders got in because of a late-season push under new head coach Patrick Roy, but their roster continues to be flawed and the long-term future of Lou Lamoriello is in doubt.

With the Leafs – Bruins series, if Toronto goes down 3-1 after Game 4 on Saturday, the calls for Sheldon Keefe to be fired will start to pick up, but Brendan Shanahan’s future may also be in doubt as well.

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