National Hockey

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Through an odd, erratic season for the Columbus Blue Jackets, nobody has had a bumpier ride than star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. A high-profile contract issue, a slump, a disciplinary suspension and a humiliating healthy scratch.

With the NHL playoffs set to begin Wednesday, The Canadian Press takes a look at all eight first-round series.

The team expected to win it all faces an opponent that loaded up for the same thing, the defending champions go up against a playoff newcomer and the wild West is wide open in the quest for the Stanley Cup.

EDMONTON — Connor McDavid felt his leg injury was more serious than it actually was when he crashed into the net and limped off the ice during Edmonton's season finale against the Flames Saturday night.

Whenever Eric Desjardins reunites with his 1993 Montreal Canadiens teammates, the topic of Canada's ongoing Stanley Cup drought doesn't come up in conversation. "We don't see it that way.

PITTSBURGH — Casey DeSmith has seen it at every stop of his hockey career. Practice comes, the focus shifts to defending and the guys paid lavishly to score goals take their foot off the gas.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings said Sunday that Willie Desjardins is not a candidate to become the next head coach after serving in an interim role for most of the season.

The Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets are being rewarded for their on-ice success with growing online fanbases.

SUNRISE, Fla. — Bob Boughner has become the latest coach to pay for Florida's almost-annual inability to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs.

NEW YORK — The Winnipeg Jets will begin their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday while the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames play their respective Game 1's on Thursday.