NHL

Deboer coached Richards when both were with the Kitchener Rangers, as they won the Memorial Cup in 2003, Richard's draft year. Both are still friends but the friendship will be on hold for the next couple of weeks as both attempt to get their names etched on Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time. Richards is trying to add the Stanley Cup to his resume which has seen him also win Gold at the Olympics and a World Junior Championship. If he wins it, he will only be missing a World Championship title as Scott Niedermeyer is the only player to have won all five thus far.

The 40-year-old Devils' netminder has advanced to his fifth Stanley Cup finals, but reportedly has "no intention" to call it quits after this season, no matter how it ends, according to Renaud P Lavoie. After a subpar regular season, Brodeur really has ratcheted up his game in the playoffs, posting a 2.04 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in 18 games.

Mayers will earn a baseline salary of $600,000, but he could get more with bonuses. He had 15 points and 91 penalty minutes in 81 games in 2011-12.

The sixth seed New Jersey Devils and eighth seed Los Angeles Kings have advanced to the Stanley Cup finals. They'll be exhibit A for any owner or GM that preaches the importance of making the playoffs at any costs, simply to see what happens. It's worth keeping in mind though that the Devils and Kings aren't your typical low-seed teams. Both have a ton of star power, lots of depth, and veteran leaders who have plenty of playoff experience.

Brodeur, 40, was not tested in overtime despite the Rangers holding the puck in the zone for roughly the first 45 seconds. The Devils defeated the Rangers 4-2 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final and will open the Stanley Cup championship series Wednesday night in New Jersey against the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Kings.

The Devils are heading to their fifth Stanley Cup Final since losing to the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals 18 years ago. Henrique, who also scored the overtime winner in Game 7 against Florida in the opening round, knocked in a loose puck that wound up in the crease with Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist down on his stomach during a wild scramble. Stanley Cup champions in 1995, 2000 and 2003, New Jersey will go for its fourth NHL championship against the Los Angeles Kings starting with Game 1 in Newark on Wednesday. The Devils and Kings haven't played since New Jersey won 3-0 at Staples Center on Oct. 25, just 12 nights after a 2-1 home shootout win. So much has changed since then -- including the Kings coach, from Terry Murray, who was scouting for LA at Prudential Center on Friday, to Darryl Sutter. New Jersey got goals in the first period from Ryan Carter and Ilya Kovalchuk that were separated by 3:51. New York tied it in the second period.

Gagne has also been cleared for contact, but he probably won't play in the Stanley Cup Finals. He hasn't played since Dec. 26 and this is obviously not an ideal time of the year to be shaking off the rust.