Firing season is upon us

They say you're hired to be fired, and that should especially prove true in the next couple of days. Ted Nolan is a goner in Buffalo. Todd McLellan could be out in San Jose, Claude Julien in Boston and Craig Berube in Philadelphia. Toronto will have an opening, and the same is likely with New Jersey. The big question is what happens in Detroit when the Red Wings' season ends? Mike Babcock's contract expires.

Failure at the highest level

The L.A. Kings became the first Stanley Cup champ not to make the playoffs the following year since the 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes. "Depressing, embarrassing, unfulfilled, upset," forward Justin Williams called it.

The truth from Big Buff

Give Dustin Byfuglien credit: At least he's not a fibber. Asked if he meant to deliver a cross-check to the Rangers' J.T. Miller that earned the Winnipeg defenseman a four-game suspension, Big Buff said, "Yeah. It's right on tape."