So that Vegas-Colorado series was something, wasn't it? I was hoping Colorado would win Game 6 so that we could squeeze one more game out of these two teams (and because I picked the Avalanche to win). I just hope that the semifinal and final aren't duds in comparison when it comes to entertainment value, as teams who can't keep up don't try to grind the series into a defensive struggle.

Later today, our writers' semifinal picks will be posted. If you want to take a sneak peek on how we performed in the last round, you can look at our Round 2 Predictions. Spoiler alert: Not good, Bob!

I'm not sure if this would have affected the outcome of a series or two in the last round, but the officiating is taking a lot of heat right now. That's nothing new, as it happens every single year. Regular-season hockey and playoff hockey are two different animals, with the tolerance level for clutching and grabbing a major reason why. It's like the referees are afraid to decide a game in the third period by calling an obviously flagrant penalty. Accidentally shoot the puck over the glass, though, and the ref immediately flings his arm in the air. The more we say it has to change, the more it stays the same.

It's almost a catch-22. In order to win the Stanley Cup, you need to have a team that doesn't just win in the regular season. But to build that team that can win in the playoffs, you have to build a roster that will have a more difficult time winning in the regular season and could thus miss the playoffs. Know what I mean? More fuel for the fire of the "you just have to get in" believers. Yes, I believe analytics can help a team build sustainable success. But a seven-game series is a shorter sample where anything can happen. That's a major reason that the Stanley Cup is the most difficult trophy to win in professional sports.

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The Jack Adams Trophy finalists were announced on Friday: Rod Brind'Amour, Dean Evason, and Joel Quenneville. You could make the argument that each one deserves the award if you compare the improvements their teams made over last season. As far as honorable mentions go, Barry Trotz should be on the list, although the award is for regular-season performance and has nothing to do with the playoffs.

Also, if you're wondering if this award is still the kiss of death to a head coach, it probably is. Only the last two winners (Bruce Cassidy in 2019-20, Trotz in 2018-19) are still with the teams that they won it with.  

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In a video interview, projected first overall pick Owen Power said that he is "leaning" toward returning to the University of Michigan next season. I know that first overall picks often join their NHL teams right away, and one could imply that his statement could mean he doesn't want to play in Buffalo. I don't think this is such a big deal, though.  

Defensemen that are only 18 years of age don't jump to the NHL regularly (the last one might have been Rasmus Dahlin). Defense is a position that takes time, and not starting in the NHL didn't hurt the development of the likes of Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar. As well, Power's freshman season at Michigan was unusual in that it didn't include fans and had a COVID pause, and he specifically addressed not receiving the true college experience. In the end, COVID could have a major impact on player development in ways we have yet to see.

For more on Power, see his Dobber Prospects profile.

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This is the first weekend in a while that I won't have a hockey game to write about, so it officially feels like the offseason for me. So this is a time for me to really start digging into stats from the past season for information that I can keep in mind for next season.

In a few days, I'll be publishing the June update to the Top 100 Roto Rankings. I asked Twitter if anyone had any feedback to provide for June, and I didn't hear from anyone. I'm guessing this is because we just finished a fantasy hockey season, so single-season rankings won't be top of mind until leagues begin to form again. The rankings are updated monthly for those early birds out there, though.

As a result, my updates will mainly consist of players who were removed during the season because of injury but should be ready for the start of the 2021-22 season. I'm going to start with a player who will be dropped from the list because of a recent injury announcement, then shift to another player who was an injury removal during the season and was on end-of-season bust lists but of course should not be ignored in next season's drafts.

Tuukka Rask

A few people I was chatting with this week were asking me, "What's wrong with Rask? He looks terrible right now." The Bruins starter allowed four goals in each of the B's last two playoff games, including a really bad start in Game 5 where he was pulled for Jeremy Swayman. I had heard a gameday report that he was battling an injury and even a premature tweet that Swayman would be starting one of these games. Now we know there was a significant injury, as Rask will undergo surgery for a torn hip labrum, which is expected to sideline him until January or February.

Rask has also indicated that he only intends to re-sign with Boston. Whether the Bruins decide to bring him back despite the injury or move on from him remains to be seen. The injury timeline itself cuts into his fantasy value with the 2021-22 season expected to start on time (or at least close to it). So in addition to an injury that could cost him at least half the season, Rask could be without a team. One wild idea I've heard could have the Bruins "Kucherov" him to address their salary cap issues and maybe re-sign Taylor Hall, while giving Rask all the time he needs to recover. I won't break down how legitimate that is, but it's at least the kind of idea that you're encouraged to bring up in a work brainstorming session.

With Jaroslav Halak also headed to free agency, Swayman seems all but certain to be on the Bruins roster next season. It's not a huge sample size, but Swayman displayed outstanding numbers (10 GP, 1.50 GAA, .945 SV%) in his time in the NHL. Dan Vladar could even be on the roster as well, but the Bruins will probably prefer to shop for an experienced backup or even bring Halak back. There will at least be lots to choose from, but what happens to Rask seems completely up in the air.

Elias Pettersson

Before the season started, Canucks fans were telling everyone who would listen that Pettersson should be in the same conversation as North Division rivals Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. By the end of the season, it was clear that he's not in that handful of top-tier stars. Does that mean Pettersson has lost ground in terms of what his ceiling should be?

After a slow start (6 GP, 0 G, 1 A), Pettersson was a point-per-game player as expected. Then there was that mysterious injury (a wrist issue) that started as a day-to-day thing that stretched out to the entire rest of the season. I've heard rumblings that he might have returned had the Canucks been in more of a playoff battle, which might have happened had COVID not forced them to shut down. But don't take that as any insider (or insiderr) information – just me trying to make sense out of his situation.   

As he stands now, Pettersson has a 0.93 PTS/GP average over his three seasons. That puts him in the company of players like Gabriel Landeskog, Jonathan Toews, and Nicklas Backstrom. Very strong numbers for a player in his first three seasons, but clearly not in the top-tier category. That could change as he now enters his fourth season, a point in time when we often see players really take off. If you've watched Petey, you'll know that the raw talent is there for such a breakout.

If you see Pettersson's ranking and don't think I've placed him high enough, keep in mind that his peripherals don't really stand out. Yes, there's the power-play production. But we're not talking about an overly physical player, and he's never taken 200 shots in a season. Plus, he plays center, the most stacked position in fantasy hockey. For those reasons, I will probably rank him more conservatively than many of you will. And as many of you already know, I'm a Canucks fan.

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For more fantasy hockey discussion, or to reach out to me, you can follow me on Twitter @Ian_Gooding