Top Line: Will change cure Capitals?; Sidney Crosby's failure; more links
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis (left) will oversee wholesale changes in the Washington front office this offseason. (AP)
By Allan Muir
An annotated guide to this morning's must-read hockey stories:
• Washington's top brass met for two weeks to determine if there was any reason not to make a change at general manager and coach after missing out on the playoffs ... and they couldn't find one. But will a change be the same thing as a cure for an organization that still believes Alex Ovechkin is as good as Sidney Crosby?
• Sally Jenkins writes that the firings in Washington are a bold move by Ted Leonsis, a man seemingly more interested in being a marketing impresario than an actual leader.
• Katie Carerra rounds up the suspects in Washington's search for a new general manager and then offers up a list of possible coaching choices the new boss might consider.
• There's plenty to question about Sidney Crosby's performance in the playoffs. Leadership is not one of them.
• Dejan Kovacevic says the Penguins are finally healthy, at least in the ways that matter.
• Outraged over the officiating in the Wild/Avs game? Jim Souhan says it's part of the charm of the playoffs and that your energy is better spent devoted to the ping-ponging melodrama of this series.
• Ironically, Patrick Roy would love to see the NHL institute a coach's challenge. Definitely would have bit him last night on that late tying goal, but it's still the right thing for the league to do.
• Don Cherry offered up a classic rant on Matt Cooke and a bit on Boone Jenner loving his stick on last night's "Coach's Corner."
• Joe Strauss says it's time for Ryan Miller to shine ... or else. The pressure is on the Blues' tendy to come up big over the next two games. Not just for the sake of winning, but for his financial future. If he flames out in the first round, it'll slash millions off the offers he receives as a UFA this summer.
• Daniel Alfredsson left the Ottawa Senators after 17 years for a chance at a Cup ring with Detroit. Guess he should have signed with Boston when he had the chance.
• Mike Babcock isn't surprised his team was knocked off by the Bruins. He's simply disappointed they were such an easy out.
• For the first time in four years, Boston avoided a seventh game in the opening round. Fluto Shinazawa says there was one obvious difference between this club and the two that came before it.
• The stumbling Sharks are staring history -- and a likely Game 7 -- in the face after failing to appear last night in Game 5.
• Jamie Benn's doing his part for the Dallas Stars. Now it's time for Tyler Seguin to step up.
• The Rangers know what they did wrong in Game 4. And they're right to change it up for today's pivotal Game 5.
• Larry Brooks says that after four games of up-and-down play, New York's best players need to make Game 5 their defining moment.
• Steve Simmons believes the Maple Leafs were better off under Pat Quinn and reveals his NHL awards ballot in this week's Sunday potpourri column.