<p><em class="text-lg italic">Welcome back to NHL Notebook — the series here at <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">CanucksArmy</a> where we deliver you news and notes from around the National Hockey League — oftentimes through a <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a>-tinted lens. </em></p>
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<p>We are just one day away from the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/game-1-abbotsford-canucks-calder-cup-final-set-stream-free">Abbotsford Canucks</a> kicking off their Calder Cup Final series against the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/6-things-abbotsford-canucks-expect-charlotte-checkers-ahead-ahl-calder-cup-final">Charlotte Checkers.</a> The Checkers are the Florida Panthers&#8217; AHL affiliate, who are also enjoying a 2-1 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers.</p>
<p>While outside of a few updates on the team looking into a practice facility, and some trade rumours, of course, there really isn&#8217;t much noise coming out about Vancouver – which, after the year they had, is nice. But we will likely have to wait until after Abbotsford&#8217;s run before we see any dominoes fall on how upper management will better this team.</p>
<p>As we wait for that to happen, other NHL teams are getting busy:</p>
<h1>Ducks acquire Chris Kreider from Rangers</h1>
<p>After reports came out earlier in the week about the potential of this trade, Daily Faceoff&#8217;s Frank Seravalli confirmed on Thursday morning that the trade was finalized. The Anaheim Ducks acquired Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for forward prospect Carey Terrance and Toronto&#8217;s 2025 third-round pick.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trade details, per sources:</p>
<p>To <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLDucks</a>:<br />Chris Kreider<br />ANA 2025 4th Round Pick</p>
<p>To <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a>:<br />Carey Terrance<br />TOR 2025 3rd Round Pick</p>
<p>Rangers move up 15 spots in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLDraft?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLDraft</a> in the swap.</p>
<p>&mdash; Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) <a href="https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1933184168441311615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Rangers had been trying to offload Kreider and his contract since November of last season, when they sent a league-wide email to the 31 other teams informing them that he was available. In-season trades of a guy who has a $6.5 million cap hit aren&#8217;t always easy, so the Rangers had to wait until the offseason to get this one across the finish line.</p>
<p>Kreider has spent his entire 13-year NHL career in New York, scoring 326 goals and 582 points. His numbers are good for 10th all-time in points and third in goals – 10 goals shy of second with Hockey Hall of Famer Jean Ratelle.</p>
<p>Last season was his worst in the NHL, scoring 22 goals but just eight assists. Kreider found himself up and down the lineup all season, seeing his ice time dip to 16:45, his lowest average since the 2017-2018 campaign. Not only did his offensive production drop off, but his defensive play struggled as well, finishing with his lowest plus/minus rating of his career (minus-5).</p>
<p>The American winger had a 15-team no-trade clause and had the Ducks on his no-trade list. But he waived to join his former Captain, Jacob Trouba, and former teammate Ryan Strome in Southern California. It was also reported that Kreider had an interest in joining the Ducks to play for new head coach Joel Quenneville.</p>
<p>This marks the third time Rangers GM Chris Drury has managed to pull off a trade to shed salary with a California team without having to retain any money on the deal. First Barclay Goodrow to the San Jose Sharks, and then Trouba last season.</p>
<p>With this move, the Ducks are fully bought into improving the team to burst through their rebuild and make the postseason for the first time since 2017-2018. The Ducks have $32 million left in cap space to use this postseason to continue and better the team. And after a 21-point improvement in the standings last season, they will only be a more difficult opponent for the Canucks to battle with in the Pacific Division.</p>
<h1>Oilers make lineup changes ahead of Game 4</h1>
<p>After an embarrassing 6-1 loss in Game 3, the Edmonton Oilers will be making some lineup changes ahead of what feels like a do-or-die Game 4.</p>
<p>According to Daily Faceoff, Jeff Skinner will replace Viktor Arvidsson up front, while former Canuck Troy Stecher will come in for John Klingberg.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Expected <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsGoOilers</a> changes for Game 4: </p>
<p>IN ▲ Jeff Skinner<br />IN ▲ Troy Stecher<br />OUT ▽ Viktor Arvidsson<br />OUT ▽ John Klingberg <a href="https://t.co/VonUbACCNJ">https://t.co/VonUbACCNJ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Daily Faceoff &#8211; Fantasy (@DFOFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/DFOFantasy/status/1933184384288305436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Coming into Game 3 riding a three-game point streak, Arvidsson will be sitting up in the press box tonight. Arvidsson&#8217;s ice time dipped to under 10 minutes for the first time since Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights.</p>
<p>Skinner draws into the lineup for only the third time this postseason. However, when he does get into the lineup, he makes a difference, registering points in both games. The Oilers need an offensive boost after just the one-goal outing, and Skinner&#8217;s shot will be a weapon in the lineup. Skinner took line rushes with Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic at morning skate.</p>
<p>After Klingberg drank from the fountain of youth during this postseason run. The way he was skating through the offensive zone and his ability to move the puck up the ice gave the Oilers something they didn&#8217;t have coming from their bottom pairing. However, after a team-worst minus-3, the Oilers are choosing to sit him for Stecher.</p>
<p>The former Canuck fit in nicely and seemed to calm things down for Darnell Nurse. Through six games this postseason, Stecher is averaging 15:56 minutes per game, recording six shots on goal and a plus-3 rating.</p>
<p>The Oilers made a few line changes as well. Connor Brown switches places on the top line, with Corey Perry:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="da" dir="ltr">EDM lines &#8211; Thursday Morning Skate:</p>
<p>RNH &#8211; McDavid &#8211; Brown<br />Kane &#8211; Draisaitl &#8211; Kapanen<br />Skinner &#8211; Henrique &#8211; Frederic<br />Podkolzin &#8211; Janmark &#8211; Perry</p>
<p>• Arvidsson, Ryan, Jones</p>
<p>Ekholm &#8211; Walman<br />Nurse &#8211; Stecher<br />Kulak &#8211; Bouchard</p>
<p>• Klingberg, Emberson, Dineen<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oilers</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyBrarOTV/status/1933183954087203149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h1>Anze Kopitar wins Lady Byng</h1>
<p>In the final special announcement before tonight&#8217;s NHL Award show, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">And the &quot;Nicest NHL Player&quot; award goes to&#8230; 🏆</p>
<p>Anze Kopitar&#39;s kids surprised him with his third Lady Byng Memorial Trophy during a day of family golf in Slovenia. 🥹</p>
<p>Catch the 2025 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NHLAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NHLAwards</a> before Game 4 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> Final TONIGHT at 6p ET on <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL_On_TNT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NHL_On_TNT</a> and… <a href="https://t.co/yoLqTKXgdk">pic.twitter.com/yoLqTKXgdk</a></p>
<p>&mdash; NHL (@NHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1933177474260582559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is presented to the player who has exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.</p>
<p>The tenured King finished the season with 21 goals and 67 points with a plus-14 rating in 81 games. What earned him the award was strong play in both ends of the ice and his four penalty minutes.</p>
<p>This is the third time Kopitar has won the award, his first back in 2015-2016 and another in 2022-2023. This was his fourth nomination, finishing in third in 2014-2015, the year before he won the award.</p>
<p>Kopitar beat out Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point and Vegas Golden Knights assistant captain Jack Eichel. Last season, Canucks forward <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/lebrun-vancouver-canucks-leaning-toward-keeping-elias-pettersson-offseason">Elias Pettersson</a> finished as the runner up to Carolina Hurricanes&#8217; Jaccob Slavin. This season, another Canuck received votes as Captain <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-finishes-zach-werenski-cale-makar-2024-25-norris-trophy">Quinn Hughes</a> earned a fourth and fifth place vote.</p>
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<em class="text-lg italic">Welcome back to NHL Notebook — the series here at <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">CanucksArmy</a> where we deliver you news and notes from around the National Hockey League — oftentimes through a <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a>-tinted lens. </em>
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&nbsp;

We are just one day away from the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/game-1-abbotsford-canucks-calder-cup-final-set-stream-free">Abbotsford Canucks</a> kicking off their Calder Cup Final series against the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/6-things-abbotsford-canucks-expect-charlotte-checkers-ahead-ahl-calder-cup-final">Charlotte Checkers.</a> The Checkers are the Florida Panthers' AHL affiliate, who are also enjoying a 2-1 series lead over the Edmonton Oilers.

While outside of a few updates on the team looking into a practice facility, and some trade rumours, of course, there really isn't much noise coming out about Vancouver – which, after the year they had, is nice. But we will likely have to wait until after Abbotsford's run before we see any dominoes fall on how upper management will better this team.

As we wait for that to happen, other NHL teams are getting busy:
<h1>Ducks acquire Chris Kreider from Rangers</h1>
After reports came out earlier in the week about the potential of this trade, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli confirmed on Thursday morning that the trade was finalized. The Anaheim Ducks acquired Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick in exchange for forward prospect Carey Terrance and Toronto's 2025 third-round pick.

https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1933184168441311615

The Rangers had been trying to offload Kreider and his contract since November of last season, when they sent a league-wide email to the 31 other teams informing them that he was available. In-season trades of a guy who has a $6.5 million cap hit aren't always easy, so the Rangers had to wait until the offseason to get this one across the finish line.

Kreider has spent his entire 13-year NHL career in New York, scoring 326 goals and 582 points. His numbers are good for 10th all-time in points and third in goals – 10 goals shy of second with Hockey Hall of Famer Jean Ratelle.

Last season was his worst in the NHL, scoring 22 goals but just eight assists. Kreider found himself up and down the lineup all season, seeing his ice time dip to 16:45, his lowest average since the 2017-2018 campaign. Not only did his offensive production drop off, but his defensive play struggled as well, finishing with his lowest plus/minus rating of his career (minus-5).

The American winger had a 15-team no-trade clause and had the Ducks on his no-trade list. But he waived to join his former Captain, Jacob Trouba, and former teammate Ryan Strome in Southern California. It was also reported that Kreider had an interest in joining the Ducks to play for new head coach Joel Quenneville.

This marks the third time Rangers GM Chris Drury has managed to pull off a trade to shed salary with a California team without having to retain any money on the deal. First Barclay Goodrow to the San Jose Sharks, and then Trouba last season.

With this move, the Ducks are fully bought into improving the team to burst through their rebuild and make the postseason for the first time since 2017-2018. The Ducks have $32 million left in cap space to use this postseason to continue and better the team. And after a 21-point improvement in the standings last season, they will only be a more difficult opponent for the Canucks to battle with in the Pacific Division.
<h1>Oilers make lineup changes ahead of Game 4</h1>
After an embarrassing 6-1 loss in Game 3, the Edmonton Oilers will be making some lineup changes ahead of what feels like a do-or-die Game 4.

According to Daily Faceoff, Jeff Skinner will replace Viktor Arvidsson up front, while former Canuck Troy Stecher will come in for John Klingberg.

https://twitter.com/DFOFantasy/status/1933184384288305436

Coming into Game 3 riding a three-game point streak, Arvidsson will be sitting up in the press box tonight. Arvidsson's ice time dipped to under 10 minutes for the first time since Game 1 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Skinner draws into the lineup for only the third time this postseason. However, when he does get into the lineup, he makes a difference, registering points in both games. The Oilers need an offensive boost after just the one-goal outing, and Skinner's shot will be a weapon in the lineup. Skinner took line rushes with Adam Henrique and Trent Frederic at morning skate.

After Klingberg drank from the fountain of youth during this postseason run. The way he was skating through the offensive zone and his ability to move the puck up the ice gave the Oilers something they didn't have coming from their bottom pairing. However, after a team-worst minus-3, the Oilers are choosing to sit him for Stecher.

The former Canuck fit in nicely and seemed to calm things down for Darnell Nurse. Through six games this postseason, Stecher is averaging 15:56 minutes per game, recording six shots on goal and a plus-3 rating.

The Oilers made a few line changes as well. Connor Brown switches places on the top line, with Corey Perry:

https://twitter.com/TonyBrarOTV/status/1933183954087203149
<h1>Anze Kopitar wins Lady Byng</h1>
In the final special announcement before tonight's NHL Award show, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar was awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1933177474260582559

The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is presented to the player who has exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.

The tenured King finished the season with 21 goals and 67 points with a plus-14 rating in 81 games. What earned him the award was strong play in both ends of the ice and his four penalty minutes.

This is the third time Kopitar has won the award, his first back in 2015-2016 and another in 2022-2023. This was his fourth nomination, finishing in third in 2014-2015, the year before he won the award.

Kopitar beat out Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point and Vegas Golden Knights assistant captain Jack Eichel. Last season, Canucks forward <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/lebrun-vancouver-canucks-leaning-toward-keeping-elias-pettersson-offseason">Elias Pettersson</a> finished as the runner up to Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin. This season, another Canuck received votes as Captain <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-quinn-hughes-finishes-zach-werenski-cale-makar-2024-25-norris-trophy">Quinn Hughes</a> earned a fourth and fifth place vote.

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