NEED TO KNOW

Here’s a look at Prince Edward Island hockey players and Charlottetown Islanders’ graduates who are with NHL teams as the games that count begin today.

Play-in series

• Stratford forward Zack MacEwen is with the Vancouver Canucks. They play the Minnesota Wild in a best-of-five play-in series. Game 1 is Sunday at 11:30 p.m. Atlantic.

• Suffolk forward Ross Johnston and Summerside defenceman Noah Dobson are members of the New York Islanders. They play the Florida Panthers in a best-of-five play-in series beginning today at 5 p.m. Atlantic.

• Former Charlottetown Islanders’ captain Pierre-Olivier (P.O.) Joseph made the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster. Joseph, who turned 21 on July 1, was traded from Arizona to Pittsburgh as part of the return for Phil Kessel. Joseph, a Chambly, Que., native, began his professional career this season by playing 52 games for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Pittsburgh plays the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-five play-in series beginning today at 9 p.m. Atlantic.

Seeding round

The top four teams in each conference will play the other three teams to determine seedings for the playoffs.

Former Charlottetown Islanders’ defenceman Ryan Graves (Colorado), forward Sammy Blais (St. Louis) and forward Daniel Sprong (Washington) plus former P.E.I. Rocket goalie Maxime Lagace (Boston) are all in that situation.

Graves, a 25-year-old Yarmouth, N.S., native who was on the Island during the pandemic, led the NHL in plus/minus at plus-40. This is the defenceman’s first full-time season in the NHL.

Blais won the Stanley Cup a year ago with the Blues while Sprong was traded from Anaheim to Washington at the trade deadline in February. Lagace played 33 games in the AHL this year with Providence.