Cale Makar has won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after leading the Colorado Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup title since 2001 and third in franchise history.

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Edmonton captain and reigning league MVP Connor McDavid has been placed on on NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.

Expect a fast and furious NHL offseason to unfold in the coming days and weeks.

TORONTO Goalie Joonas Kirpisalo and the Columbus Blue Jackets proved how they learned their lesson about holding three-goal leads. Korpisalo stopped 33 shots, Zach Werenski's floater from the left point in the first period held up as the winner, and the Blue Jackets defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 win in a decisive Game 5 on Sunday night. The Maple Leafs ran out of offense with captain John Tavares misfiring by hitting the post while facing a wide-open side in the first period. The Maple Leafs continued their one-and-done playoff woes in making their fourth straight postseason appearance, and fifth since the 2004-05 NHL lockout. NOTES: Maple Leafs LW Andreas Johnsson returned to play after being activated off injured reserve earlier in the day.

In giving the format the green light, the NHLPA stressed several details still need to be negotiated before games can begin. The proposal will now go to the NHL board of governors, which is expected to approve the plan in the next few days. Though the approval is considered significant, the task of establishing a path to getting players back on the ice remains challenging. Its unclear how the league will address players concerns over spending potentially lengthy stretches of time in self-isolation away from their families. Overall, I think players will be fine during the summer months, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the return to play format has not been approved.