There was a flood of news yesterday as the NHL was off for an extra day. They are back at it tonight in Vegas at 8 pm ET. This game will feature six of the draft-eligible prospects in attendance.

Last night the Chicago Wolves and the Colorado Eagles played game 7 to determine the Western Conference winner and foe of the Marlies. The final starts on the road, with the Marlies hosting their first home game on June 16. As is often the case, the AHL final will finish after the Stanley Cup is awarded. And no, I did not stay up for the end of a game that started at 9 pm. So the Marlies know their foe, but I don't.

In coaching news:

- TSN
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins Ryan Rishaug to discuss the Oilers’ interest in potentially hiring Mike Babcock as head coach and why it’s not a simple process.
TSN

Things to know about this story from various reports: the NHLPA was heavily involved in Babcock's exit from Columbus. They won't comment publicly now. The Edmonton players are already in the loop on this. Dreger is reporting that any investigation would be done by the NHL, but there is no clarity on if that will happen.

I remain skeptical that this would go this far without the NHL at least cautiously on board.

Mike Babcock firmly claimed to be happily retired just a few weeks ago.

Dreger is also reporting that the Oilers did an extensive interview with Craig Berube and have not "followed up" so the assumption is they decided that was not going to work.

Kings hire Laviolette as head coach
Peter Laviolette has been hired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.
TSNTSN.ca Staff
NHL Rumour Roundup: Larkin’s trade request shakes up centre market
Just when it seemed like the off-season centre market would be bleak, Dylan Larkin’s trade request from the Red Wings provided a major shakeup. Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler looks at the possible effects and more in her latest Rumour Roundup.
Sportsnet.caEmily Sadler

The Maple Leafs are doing their interviews this week for the coaching position, per several reports. An unknown number of finalists is to be interviewed and sometime soon they might hire one of them.

In PWHL Expansion-a-palooza news, I think all teams have added their five players for this stage. Toronto has lost Jesse Compher and Daryl Watts. I think we now wait until tomorrow when Phase 3 opens. That's a signing period which lasts for two days where expansion teams can sign pending free agents. They have to sign three each.

This is (wow, who could have predicted this) very complicated, and involves a new protection list and the ability of existing teams to sign their unsigned players, which makes them automagically on the protected list, a list that isn't due until two days into the signing period because it will include players they've signed. So I guess they're protected from future signings? I haven't read the Phase 4 rules because this is all too much, frankly, so que sera, sera.

You know what the problem is? Women's hockey players all do 4-5 years of college, often in the Ivy League. The entire sport is rife with lawyers and MBAs and other evil people who think up complicated stuff for fun.

Meanwhile the NHL just uses guys who did grade 12 by correspondence while playing 60 games in the OHL to do all their tough jobs.

I don't what this is, but it has dogs:

And that's Tuesday started for you.

From The Branches