Faceoff: Inside the NHL

The Toronto Maple Leafs play under the brightest spotlight in hockey - and they havent been to the Stanley Cup since 1967. Their newly minted superstar, William Nylander, has a $92 million contract, the weight of the world on his shoulders and a surprising best friend since he was 15 years old: David Pastrnak, the superstar on his most hated rival, the Boston Bruins.

It is a rare privilege to be witnessing the moment when a professional athlete takes the step into stardom, but thats just what we see with Bruins goalie, Jeremy Swayman during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. A sharp contrast to Swaymans 2nd round opponent, Matthew Tkachuk who has found the perfect home as the hard-nosed leader of the Cup favorite Florida Panthers.

For Connor McDavid, the stakes of winning or losing the Stanley Cup are ultimate: in a press conference at the end of last season, Connor said it out of his own mouth: "Next year, its Cup or Bust." And with those words, the stage was set.