St. Louis has already won the award twice (2010 and ’11), and was a finalist two other times. The 37-year-old ranked second among NHL forwards in total time on ice, but was assessed just 14 penalty minutes.

Moulson is a finalist for the second straight season. He had four penalty minutes in 47 games, tied with San Jose’s Logan Couture for the fewest among the NHL’s top 50 scorers.

Kane is a Lady Byng finalist for the first time, after helping Chicago to a Presidents’ Trophy. He played 47 games and averaged 20:03 of ice time, but had just eight penalty minutes.

• The relationship between the Calgary Flames and forward Roman Cervenka has apparently come to an end. According to Igor Eronko of Sports.ru, Cervenka has signed a three-year deal with a Kontinental Hockey League squad. “Cervenka signed 3 year contract with #SKA of #KHL as per club official release ” Cervenka inked a one-year, $3.775-million deal (including performance bonuses) with the Flames ahead of the 2012-13 season. The 27-year-old’s previous KHL experience includes stints with Avangard Omsk and Lev Praha.
• One piece of business for the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer could be securing Phil Kessel with a new long-term deal. With just one year left on his current contract (average annual salary: $5.4 million), Kessel merits such an contract extension according to Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail. Particularly after the winger enjoyed so much success this past season. ESPN Insider Craig Custance agrees in addition to acquiring a top center, the Maple Leafs should lock Kessel in with an extension before 2013-14.

• Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is confident that Pavel Datsyuk won’t be going to play in Russia after his contract expires next season.

  “You mean how long is his deal and how much is he gonna make? Well, there’s this much possibility he’s going back to Russia,” said Babcock, making a zero with his thumb and index finger. “I mean, we’ll get it done (new deal) in the summer.” He is set to make $6.7 million in 2013-14 and talks for an extension are expected to take place in July. There was speculation that he could play in the KHL after speaking fondly of his experience during the lockout, which set off some alarm bells. “It’s kind of my dream, to (go) back and enjoy (playing in front of) Russian friends,” Datsyuk said back in January. “They (fans) cheered for me. You never know how your career will go.” Hopefully, for Detroit and for hockey fans in North America he gets will stay in the NHL.
• The New York Rangers will host a pair of games from Yankee Stadium next season. They will play the New Jersey Devils at 12:30 p.m. ET on January 26, 2014, and will face the New York Islanders at 7:30 p.m. ET on January 29, 2014. “The teams playing in these two games the Rangers, Islanders and Devils  have tremendously loyal fans and the rivalries are intense because of their proximity and playoff history,” said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA special assistant to the Executive Director. “Yankee Stadium is a landmark venue in New York City, and to see hockey played in such a celebrated setting will be extremely memorable to the players and everyone involved.”

Crosby, who previously won the Hart in 2007, finished tied for third in the League with 56 points despite sitting out the final month of the regular season with a broken jaw. He still managed to hold the lead in the League scoring race until the final week of the season, and his 1.56 points per game led the League. He also had 15 goals and a career-best plus-26 rating. His strong play helped the Penguins win the Atlantic Division title for the first time since the 2007-08 season and earn the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey, is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team in the National Hockey League.

The interim label has been removed from the head coaching title of Ron Rolston. Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier announced Tuesday morning that Rolston has been named the club’s head coach, assuming the role he has held on an interim basis since February 20, when he he was brought in to replace the fired Lindy Ruff.

Rolston, the 16th coach in club history, was 15-11-5 in his 31-game run as the interim head coach. Despite showing some tangible improvement in the second half of the season, the Sabres still missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing in 12th place in the eastern Conference, seven points behind the eighth-place New York Islanders.

Prior to joining the Sabres in February, he was the coach of the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. In his two seasons as coach of the Americans, Rolston compiled a 63-44-17 regular-season record.

Before joining the Americans in 2011, Rolston spent seven seasons as head coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, where he became the first coach in American hockey history to lead the United States Under-18 team to three gold medals (2005, 2009, 2011) at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship.

The rapper and music mogul attended a meeting Thursday on Long Island, where the media was briefed on four proposals to renovate the arena and surrounding property.

Nassau County officials have been trying to come up with a plan to redevelop the 40-year-old arena for many years. The New York Islanders are its primary tenant, and they are moving to Brooklyn in 2015.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation is part of a group that built the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn and is bidding for the Long Island project.

He took photos with Nassau County officials but did not speak during the 30-minute presentation. County officials are expected to decide on a plan this summer.

The 40-year-old forward from Flint, Mich., did not play this season after splitting time with the New York Islanders and Boston Bruins in 2011-12.

As a rookie, he helped the Devils win the Cup in the 1994-95 season. He also played for Colorado and Minnesota and completed his career with 342 goals, 419 assists and 761 points. His top offensive season was 2005-06 with the Wild — 34 goals and 45 assists.

“Getting the chance to play the game I love for 17 years has truly been a dream come true,” Rolston said in a statement. “My career has taken me to many great places where I had the privilege to play with some exceptional teammates and in the best league in the world.

“The memories of all my experiences will certainly stick with me for the rest of my life. I am grateful for the overwhelming support of my friends, family and fans throughout my career.”

Rolston also played for the U.S. at three Winter Olympics, two World Cup of Hockey tournaments and one world championship.

“According to sources with Nassau and the Islanders, both sides are open to a financial arrangement that could benefit the bankrupt county and the money-losing team. The Islanders’ lease does not expire for another two full seasons, in the summer of 2015. Leaving Nassau Coliseum a year earlier would enable the Islanders to begin capitalizing on revenue streams in Brooklyn, while not playing as lame duck tenants at the old barn on Hempstead Turnpike any longer than possible.”

A decision on the matter is expected before the end of summer.

The Islanders may decide to keep him for playoff race, but unless there’s change, Streit will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.

With the Streit negotiation stalled, teams are likely to make a play for trade. While the Islanders don’t want  to trade Streit, that sentiment could change.

In 36 games with the Isles this season, Streit has scored five  goals and 13 assists.

The 35-year-old Swiss defender is in the final year of a five-year deal he signed prior to the 2008-09 season. The contract carries a salary cap hit of $4.1 million.

A veteran of seven NHL seasons, Streit has scored 64 goals and 215 assists in 479 career games with the Islanders and Montreal Canadiens. He was originally drafted by Montreal in the ninth round (262nd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Streit boasts a wealth of international experience, having appeared in 12 IIHF World Championships for Switzerland as well as two Olympic games and two World Junior Championships. He became the first Swiss player in NHL history to be named a team captain when the Isles gave him the ‘C’ in 2011.