The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a first-round pick in 2021 and a fourth-round pick in 2022, the team announced Sunday.Toronto also acquired forward Stefan Noesen from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2021 fourth-rounder as part of the three-team deal.The Blue Jackets retained 50% of Foligno's salary before dealing him to San Jose, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. The Sharks then reportedly retained 25% of his salary when they flipped him to Toronto in exchange for the fourth-round pick.Foligno, 33, was in his ninth campaign with Columbus and served as captain since 2015-16. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.The gritty forward tallied seven goals and 16 points over 42 games this season and led the Blue Jackets with 109 hits - which is 40 more than the Leafs' leader in that department.Foligno has seen his offensive game decline in recent seasons, but he still makes a significant impact at the defensive end.

It doesn't appear Henrik Lundqvist will tend the Washington Capitals' goal this season after all.The veteran netminder underwent open-heart surgery in January and offered an update on his condition Sunday."Right after getting back on the ice after surgery, I made it my 'stretch goal' to join (the) Capitals for the end of the season. Training has been going really well, and I've been feeling good - but my heart isn't quite ready," Lundqvist tweeted.He continued: "Last week's checkup showed some inflammation around the heart that now requires a few months more of rest and steady recovery. While it's not what I hoped for, I know this is all part of the process of getting back to 100%."It was reported earlier this week that the Capitals weren't ruling out the possibility of Lundqvist playing this season, pending the results of his latest appointment.Lundqvist signed a one-year, $1.5-million contract with Washington this past offseason after being bought out by the New York Rangers following 15 years with the team.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired defenseman Jon Merrill from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2021 fifth-round pick and forward prospect Hayden Verbeek, the team announced Sunday.Merrill carries a cap hit of $925,000 and is an impending unrestricted free agent. He's put up only five points in 36 games in 2021 but is highly effective in his own end.

The Washington Capitals traded defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler to the New Jersey Devils for a 2021 third-round pick, the team announced Sunday.The draft pick originally belonged to the Arizona Coyotes but was acquired by the Devils in the Taylor Hall trade last season.The Capitals drafted Siegenthaler, 23, in the second round in 2015. The Swiss-born blue-liner has registered 13 points in 97 career NHL games. He fell out of favor with the Caps this season, suiting up in just seven contests.The 6-foot-3 rearguard has posted strong defensive metrics while playing sheltered minutes in a small sample size.

When:

The Florida Panthers have signed free-agent forward Nikita Gusev to a one-year contract for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign, the team announced Sunday.The deal carries a cap hit of $1 million, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Gusev recently had his contract with the New Jersey Devils terminated after he cleared unconditional waivers."Nikita is a highly skilled and creative forward who plays the game with great speed and playmaking ability," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "He has proven himself to be a tremendous offensive talent throughout his career. We are thrilled for Nikita to join the Panthers and look forward to what he can add to our team."The 28-year-old has had a miserable season, posting five points in 20 games with New Jersey. He was productive in 2019-20, though, recording 12 goals and 31 assists in 66 contests.Gusev's underlying numbers are not favorable, however:

Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Round 1 of the playoffs, although that may not apply to all leagues. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Add Chandler StephensonTeam: Golden Knights

A pair of notable defenders are available for free ahead of Monday's trade deadline.Montreal Canadiens blue-liner Victor Mete and New Jersey Devils veteran Sami Vatanen were placed on waivers Sunday, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Mete reportedly requested a trade earlier this season, citing a lack of playing opportunity, but Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin denied the rumors. The 22-year-old is a restricted free agent at season's end and has posted three points in 14 games this campaign.Vatanen, 29, carries a $2-million cap hit. He's not as productive as he used to be - managing just five points in 29 contests in 2021 - but could be a valuable pickup for a team looking to bolster its defensive depth for the playoffs.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid expressed disappointment in the NHL for scheduling Edmonton to play the Calgary Flames on Saturday, mere hours after former teammate Colby Cave's memorial."You're asking a lot from guys to sit through something like that and remember your teammate and see what they're going through, the whole family, and expect to perform that night," McDavid said postgame, per The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "I'm not sure what the league was really thinking there."Cave, a former Oiler and Boston Bruin, died at 25 last April after suffering a brain bleed. The celebration of life in Edmonton had been planned for weeks, while the NHL only finalized Saturday's clash Monday due to North Division schedule changes in response to the Vancouver Canucks' COVID-19 outbreak."Some days are a little more than just about hockey," McDavid said. "Obviously, the performance wasn't there tonight, but today is about Colby and his memorial and his celebration of life."You'd like the NHL to maybe think that one through a little bit."Many of the Oilers gathered at their hotel in Calgary to watch the ceremony remotely.The Flames won the contest 5-0.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Iaffalo isn't the only Los Angeles Kings forward who's recently started negotiating a contract extension with the club."Talks have also begun with another player who does not have term for next (season) and that's Andreas Athanasiou," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on a bonus edition of "Saturday Headlines."Friedman added: "The Kings are looking to see if there's a fit (and) they can keep him beyond this year as well."Athanasiou is a pending restricted free agent currently on a one-year, $1.2-million pact he inked with Los Angeles in December. He's eligible for arbitration if the two sides are unable to agree on a new deal.The 26-year-old entered Saturday's action with eight goals and seven assists in 31 games. The Detroit Red Wings traded him to the Edmonton Oilers at last year's deadline.The Kings have reportedly begun to take calls from other teams about Iafallo, who's a pending UFA carrying a $2.42-million cap hit. However, Los Angeles is also discussing an extension with him.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings are starting to gauge whether or not there is interest for Alex Iafallo as the trade deadline approaches."We're told that Kings GM Rob Blake for the first time began taking calls on Alex Iafallo judging his availability on the market and it seems like one of those things that's going to go down to the wire," reported TSN's Frank Seravalli on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading." "These two sides are going to continue to try to hammer away at an extension."Iafallo, 27, is a pending unrestricted free agent. He's in the final season of a two-year pact that carries an average annual value of $2.45 million. He's spent his entire career with the Kings since signing with the club in 2017 after completing his time at the University of Minnesota Duluth.The winger ranks third on the Kings this season in goals (9) and points (23). He's collected 50 goals and 74 assists in 264 career games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks will reopen their facilities Sunday and return to action April 16 against the Edmonton Oilers, pending Saturday's COVID-19 test results.The NHL has rescheduled the seven postponed Canucks games that were to occur between March 31 and April 14. As a result, Vancouver's regular-season slate will now end on May 16.Here are the rescheduled contests:All times in p.m. EST.AwayHomeOriginal dateNew date (Time)OilersCanucksMay 4April 16 (9:00)FlamesCanucksMarch 31April 21 (10:00)CanucksLeafsApril 30April 29 (7:30)CanucksFlamesApril 10May 3 (9:00)CanucksOilersApril 3May 4 (9:00)CanucksOilersApril 12May 8 (10:00)SenatorsFlamesApril 20May 9 (8:00)CanucksJetsApril 4May 10 (8:00)CanucksJetsApril 6May 11 (8:00)Maple LeafsSenatorsMay 10May 12 (7:30)CanucksOilersApril 14May 13 (9:00)FlamesCanucksMay 8May 15 (TBD)CanucksFlamesApril 8May 16 (TBD)In addition to those changes, two other games will be played on the same dates as originally planned, but with new start times. The Maple Leafs-Canucks contest in Vancouver on April 19 will now begin at 9 p.m. ET instead of 10 p.m., and the Oilers' road game against the Montreal Canadiens on May 10 will now start at 7 p.m. instead of 5:30 p.m.Nineteen Canucks players remain in COVID-19 protocol.Entering the 2021 season, the NHL had planned to begin the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 11. However, the league delayed that by a day in late March before pushing it even further Saturday. The final day of the regular season was originally May 8.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired highly sought-after defenseman David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a multi-team trade involving the Detroit Red Wings, the team announced Saturday.The Lightning sent their first-round pick in 2021 and a third-round pick in 2022 to the Blue Jackets, while their 2021 fourth-rounder went to the Red Wings. Tampa Bay also acquired defenseman Brian Lashoff from Detroit.The deal took some serious savvy for Lightning general manager Julien Brisbois to pull off.Columbus retained 50% of Savard's expiring $4.25-million cap hit after first flipping him to the Red Wings for Lashoff, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. Detroit then traded Savard to Tampa Bay and retained another 50% of his contract in exchange for the Lightning's fourth-rounder.The Blue Jackets then sent Lashoff to Tampa for the Lightning's pair of draft picks.Savard rounds out what's already one of the league's best blue lines. The Lightning rank seventh in goals against per game (2.50) and own a 53.25 share of expected goals at five-on-five this season.Savard, 30, will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He's contributed one goal and six points while logging 19:38 of average ice time through 40 games.The 6-foot-2 blue-liner was selected by Columbus in the fourth round of the 2009 draft and has played all 10 of his NHL seasons for the Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It remains one of life's most perplexing questions: Who's the greatest athlete of all time?Well, we have our answer: it's Wayne Gretzky. Think about it: He did what he did on skates.Sixteen sporting icons entered our GOAT of GOATs bracket, and No. 99 took down Michael Jordan in the finals, taking home 60% of the vote.Relive the bracket below, and thanks to all who voted!Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Brandon Montour to the Florida Panthers for a 2021 third-round pick, the teams announced.The Sabres aren't retaining any of Montour's $3.85 million salary, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Montour, a pending unrestricted free agent, joined the Sabres from the Anaheim Ducks during the 2018-19 campaign. He has 14 points in 38 games this season while averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per contest.The 26-year-old's advanced stats took a major hit after joining Buffalo:

The Colorado Avalanche acquired goaltender Devan Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Greg Pateryn and a fifth-round pick in 2021, the team announced Saturday.The Sharks aren't retaining any salary in the trade, but the Minnesota Wild are already paying 50% of Dubnyk's earnings thanks to the offseason trade that sent the veteran netminder to San Jose, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh.Dubnyk's posted a .898 save percentage in 17 games this season and struggled last year as well. The West-leading Avalanche were known to be hunting for a backup goalie behind starter Philipp Grubauer ahead of the April 12 trade deadline as Colorado had their championship hopes dashed in the bubble last summer due to a slew of injuries in goal.The Avs still have nearly $2 million in cap space after the trade, according to Cap Friendly. By dealing their fifth-rounder, the club only has picks in the first, third, and seventh rounds of the upcoming draft.Pateryn is an unrestricted free agent at season's end. The 30-year-old has appeared in 11 games this campaign, registering two assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe can't say when Frederik Andersen may be back in goal."I think the easiest way to describe it is there's no timeline to the injury," Keefe said Saturday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "It's just really a matter of Fred being comfortable with where he's at and how he's feeling."Andersen hasn't played since March 19. Keefe said on March 24 that Toronto's starting netminder would be out at least another week while recovering from a lower-body injury.The Maple Leafs retroactively placed Andersen on long-term injured reserve Friday to accommodate the $2.75-million cap hit of Riley Nash, whom the club acquired in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Toronto also placed Nash on LTIR due to a knee sprain he sustained on April 4 that's expected to keep him out for four-to-six weeks.The Maple Leafs could activate Andersen as early as April 12 - depending on his health - as he'll have missed 10 games by that point. Toronto will have an extra $5 million in cap space to work with ahead of Monday's trade deadline if he's shelved until the playoffs.Andersen admitted he was playing through an injury earlier this season, and his numbers reflected it. The 31-year-old pending unrestricted free agent is 13-8-2 with an .897 save percentage this season and had lost five of six appearances before being sidelined.Jack Campbell has been sensational in Andersen's absence, going 10-0-0 while posting a .944 save percentage and a 1.58 goals-against average.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scott Gomez has been a smart ass for as long as he can remember.The former NHL center would constantly mess with teammates during his playing days - for instance, telling them his offseason home in Anchorage, Alaska, is as big as the Best Buy store they just drove past on the freeway. A mountain, lake, and river enclose the mansion, Gomez would say. Oh, and if you get lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the mountain lion out back.The years-long bit came full circle when goalie Steve Valiquette flew in for a visit. It turns out Gomez's "mansion" is in fact a three-bedroom bungalow."Valy shows up, and he's like, 'What are we doing here? What are we doing at this drug dealer's house? Is this some kind of joke?'" Gomez said Thursday, chuckling over the phone at the memory."I say, 'It's my house … .' And Valy goes, 'Well, where's the lake and the river? Where's this mountain lion?!'" Alex Trautwig / Getty ImagesGomez is generally known for being the cerebral playmaker with a unique backstory as an Alaskan native raised by parents with Mexican and Colombian roots. The 41-year-old was drafted 27th overall in 1998, won the Calder Trophy for the 1999-00 season, and had his name etched on the Stanley Cup twice as a member of the Devils. "Every day was a Saturday," is how Gomez frames his 16-year NHL career, which also included stints with the Rangers, Canadiens, Sharks, Panthers, Blues, and Senators.Mind you, Gomez's career was far from perfect. In the early 2010s, he infamously failed to score a single goal for a full calendar year while toiling on the Canadiens' fourth line midway through a seven-year, $51.5-million contract. The veteran was public enemy No. 1 in Montreal for a while, but Gomez says he had learned how to tune out the noise by that point in his journey.Years earlier, Gomez had picked up a stat sheet, noticed an opponent was goalless in 100 games, and turned to Devils teammate Bobby Holik in disbelief."I remember saying to Bobby, 'How is that f------ possible? How can you not score in 100 games?'" Gomez said. "That dawned on me when I got up to a high number. It was like, 'Holy shit! Wow, now I know how it's possible … .'"Even now, five years into retirement and almost a full decade removed from the 60-game drought, "I still can't believe that happened." T.J. WebbAfter his last game on April 2, 2016, Gomez worked as an analyst for NHL Network for one season and then spent two years behind the Islanders' bench as one of Doug Weight's assistant coaches. More recently, he's become an internet personality whose Instagram account posts daily content.This past month alone, Gomez's feed has featured him dressing up as Bob Ross painting an Alaskan landscape, waxing poetic about a rare Brandon Dubinsky hockey card, sipping a cocktail in a fishing boat on the Kenai River, and reliving moments from the glory days while sitting fireside in a silk robe.The Gomez on social media is a bit of an exaggerated version of himself. He doesn't take himself too seriously, which is refreshing in an era when most active and retired athletes choose careful curation over authenticity."At first, people were like, 'Is this guy losing his mind?'" Gomez said. "But the guys that I played with, and the people who truly know me, they're like, 'That's Gomer.' Ask my teammates, and they'll say, 'That's nothing new, that's not an act. He's always f------ around.'" T.J. WebbThe flagship segment on Gomez's feed is "Storytime With Friends," which lately has featured off-beat skits with ex-pros Bryan Smolinski, Glen Metropolit, and Mike Commodore. The NHL has taken notice - Gomez, his producer T.J. Webb, and the league's in-house media team are working on a spin-off series.Another project, a Webb-produced podcast called "Gomer Time," is set to launch April 28. Gomez and Webb spent the final three months of 2020 cruising around the western U.S. in a Dodge Sprinter van to hang out with podcast guests located in California, Utah, Michigan, and elsewhere.Gomez and Webb grew up six miles from each other, but they didn't cross paths until last year. Webb contacted Gomez's father to pitch a documentary about Alaskan athletes and found Gomez - who already had an idea for a similar doc - was an easy sell. While the pandemic has shelved the project, the on-the-fly pivot to Gomez-related content has paid off."The best thing about being a fan, especially as a kid or a teenager, was the stories. What happened behind the scenes," Gomez said of the nature of the duo's content. "So we kind of just went with that, and it's done pretty well." Andre Ringuette / Getty ImagesGomez splits his time between New York City and Anchorage, where he lives in that same bungalow - the childhood home he bought off his parents early in his career. These days, he prefers to watch basketball, baseball, and football from his living room. He'll catch the Cup Final but little else, hockey-wise.When asked if he's actively pursuing a return to coaching, Gomez said no. In the same breath, he added if the right opportunity presented itself, he would think long and hard about it. "I would never turn my back on the game," he said. "There's nothing to be bitter about because this game, she did everything for me."Gomez is simply doing his best to keep busy. He has those media projects, a pile of books to read (he just finished a biography of John Lennon and Kevin Garnett's recent autobiography), regular golf tee times, and guitar riffs to master on his acoustic."Gomer" has considered recording a few songs so that he could put his tracks on a playlist and screw around with people at parties."I could walk around and just casually be like, 'Who is this? They're really good,'" Gomez said. "That's the smart ass in me."John Matisz is theScore's senior hockey writer. You can follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) and contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Patrik Nemeth from the Detroit Red Wings for a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, the team announced Friday.Nemeth, 29, is in the final season of his current deal and will become an unrestricted free agent in July. The Red Wings are retaining 50% of his expiring $3-million cap hit this season, per CapFriendly.The Swedish blue-liner has contributed two goals and eight points while logging 18:24 of ice time through 39 games.Nemeth played two seasons in Colorado before signing with the Red Wings ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.The Avalanche have been without blue-liner Erik Johnson since late January, and it's unclear if he'll return this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Columbus Blue Jackets forward Riley Nash in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2022, the team announced Friday.The seventh-round selection will become a sixth if Nash appears in 25% of the Maple Leafs' playoff games in 2021.Nash, 31, is out four-to-six weeks after suffering a knee sprain on April 4. He's in the final year of his current deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.The Maple Leafs placed his $2.75-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve. The club will gain additional cap space since he's out for the remainder of the regular season, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.The 6-foot-2 pivot, who's tallied seven points through 37 contests this season, isn't known for his offensive bona fides but is an extremely productive shutdown forward.Nash has done a remarkable job at consistently limiting his opponent's offense at five-on-five, according to Hockey Viz's isolated impact model. Red (positive) is good in the offensive zone, while blue (negative) is good in the defensive zone. The Alberta native has also recorded eight points over 32 career playoff games. Nash's teams have defeated the Maple Leafs in the opening round of the postseason in two of the past three seasons - the Boston Bruins in 2018 and Blue Jackets in 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens top prospect Cole Caufield is the 2020-21 recipient of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is handed out annually to the NCAA's top men's hockey player.Caufield edged out Minnesota State-Mankato goaltender Dryden McKay and North Dakota forward Shane Pinto for the honor. Caufield led the nation by a wide margin with 30 goals and also topped all Division I skaters with 52 points over 31 games as a sophomore with Wisconsin this season.The 20-year-old became the first player in the Big Ten hockey conference's eight-year history to win back-to-back scoring titles while also being named the Big Ten player of the year for 2020-21.Montreal signed Caufield to a three-year, entry-level contract in late March before assigning him to the AHL's Laval Rocket. The Canadiens drafted him with the 15th overall pick in 2019.Bemidji State upset Caufield's fourth-ranked Badgers in the opening round of the ongoing NCAA tournament.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks physician Dr. Jim Brovard confirmed Friday that no one player is responsible for the team's severe COVID-19 outbreak."We know the individual had gone to a place within the guidelines," he said, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "That place was subsequently found to have cases of COVID. ... We've made it clear within our group there's no culprit here aside from the (virus) itself."Brovard and general manager Jim Benning held a press conference to update the team's situation. On Wednesday, the club announced 21 players and four staff members have tested positive, and the source of the infection was confirmed to be a variant.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN's Emily Kaplan on Thursday that the league hopes the Canucks can resume team activities by the end of next week. Benning confirmed Friday that the plan is still for the club to play a full 56-game schedule.The Canucks have been out of action since March 24, and they were originally scheduled to miss a week's worth of games.Vancouver sits fifth in the North Division with a 16-18-3 record through 37 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski will undergo sports hernia surgery next week and miss the remainder of the 2021 season, the team announced Friday."Zach has been playing through the injury for most of the season and as much as we would like to have him in the lineup, having the surgery now is the right decision and will allow him to be 100% before the start of training camp in the fall," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said.The 23-year-old is a key piece of Columbus' blue line. He's notched 20 points in 35 games this season while averaging over 24 minutes per contest.The Blue Jackets sit seven points out of a playoff position with 14 games remaining.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander will be out at least seven more days after potentially being exposed to COVID-19, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said Friday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Toronto held Nylander out of Wednesday's clash with the Montreal Canadiens after he came in close contact with an individual outside the team who potentially tested positive.The game went on as scheduled despite Nylander participating in Wednesday's morning skate, as the period between his potential exposure and Maple Leafs practice wasn't deemed long enough to consider him contagious.The Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, then have back-to-back games against the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames on Monday and Tuesday.Nylander, 24, has 30 points in 39 games this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan is expected to miss the remainder of the 2021 season due to an upper-body injury, head coach Jeff Blashill announced Friday.Ryan has been sidelined for Detroit's last six contests. The 34-year-old recorded 14 points in 33 games this season. He was previously rumored to be available ahead of the April 12 trade deadline.

The New Jersey Devils have placed forward Nikita Gusev on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Gusev went unclaimed on waivers on April 1, and the Devils were unable to trade his $4.5-million cap hit, Friedman adds.The 28-year-old will be eligible to sign with any team once he clears and could be a cheap depth scoring option for teams seeking forwards ahead of Monday's trade deadline.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler is dealing with a concussion, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Thursday.The bench boss said Wednesday that Wheeler wouldn't fly with the team on their five-game road trip, which began with Thursday's 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Maurice added at the time that Wheeler was out indefinitely but did not divulge the injury because he stressed the importance of being "really careful with these things."Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk elbowed Wheeler in the head during Winnipeg's 4-3 win on Monday. Tkachuk served a minor penalty and Wheeler finished that game.Wheeler collected 10 goals and 22 assists while playing all 39 of the Jets' previous contests before missing Thursday night's victory.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Taylor Hall may not be a pure rental at the upcoming trade deadline.The Buffalo Sabres forward is willing to consider inking a contract extension with the acquiring club if he's dealt, reports Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Hall is the biggest name on the market prior to Monday's deadline. The pending unrestricted free agent signed a one-year, $8-million pact with the Sabres this past offseason.The Sabres held him out of a second straight game for injury protection Thursday night.Hall has underachieved from a production standpoint, collecting only two goals and 17 assists over 37 contests in 2021.However, part of his struggles can be attributed to playing for a punchless Buffalo club, and his underlying numbers show he's been a victim of some bad luck. He's posted a goals for percentage of only 36.96 at five-on-five, but his expected goals for percentage in those situations is a favorable 52.76, according to Natural Stat Trick.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Tanner Pearson to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.25 million, the team announced Thursday.The contract will include a full no-trade clause in the first year, a modified seven-team no-trade clause in the second year, and no protection in the third year, reports The Athletic's Thomas Drance.The two sides also agreed the club will protect Pearson in the upcoming expansion draft even though his contract doesn't formally require it, Drance added."Tanner is a veteran who's won a Stanley Cup and leads by example," general manager Jim Benning said. "He plays a complete game and provides invaluable leadership experience to our core young players. We are very pleased for Tanner and his family to continue his career as a member of the Vancouver Canucks."The Canucks acquired Pearson from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2019 trade deadline. He's totaled 36 goals and 32 assists in 121 career games with the Canucks.Originally selected with the 30th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, the winger has amassed 114 goals and 112 assists in 490 career games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is hopeful the Vancouver Canucks will be cleared to return to the ice by the end of next week, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN's Emily Kaplan.Daly added that the league also hopes the Canucks will be able to play out their full 56-game regular-season schedule.A total of 25 Vancouver team members (21 players and four staffers) have tested positive for COVID-19, and the Canucks recently confirmed a variant of the coronavirus was the source of the outbreak.All of the affected players are in quarantine, and some are isolating from their families, according to Kaplan.A large number of the infected players have shown symptoms. Those who tested positive and are symptomatic need to have two negative tests and wait 10 days since the onset of the symptoms.The Canucks haven't played since March 24. They had a scheduled week off after that game, but their outbreak reportedly began at some point during the hiatus, as the NHL postponed their matchup against the Calgary Flames on March 31 before doing the same with Vancouver's next five contests.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a month left in the NHL season, division races are heating up as teams look to secure top spot and home-ice advantage through to the semifinals.Let's take a look at the division markets and see where the value is heading into the home stretch.Central DivisionTEAMODDS PTS GRHurricanes+1255518Lightning+1255417Panthers+3505616As someone who bet the Hurricanes to win the Central Division at +400 before the season, it's no secret how I want to see this play out. I'm approaching this final month with cautious optimism.But before we get into the race between the Hurricanes and Lightning, let me tell you why the Panthers won't win the division: nine of their 16 remaining games are against Carolina, Tampa, and Dallas - a tough ask without star defenseman Aaron Ekblad. They don't play Detroit again, either, while their four remaining games against the Predators and Blackhawks are on the road. As good as Florida's been, I can't trust it to win the Central under these circumstances.That leaves us with Carolina and Tampa jockeying for first place and the much friendlier first-round matchup that comes with it. The Hurricanes hold the edge based on current standings, and they also come out on top when you comb through the numbers: they've been better at five-on-five and are stronger on special teams. But the biggest advantage they have comes in net.The Lightning have been really cautious not to overwork Andrei Vasilevskiy - he hasn't made more than three consecutive starts since the first week of February - and while that will help keep him fresh for playoffs, it'll hurt them in the division race. Tampa has received below replacement-level goaltending from the backup position and is just 3-5-1 without Vasilevskiy between the pipes - a problem the Hurricanes don't have given their embarrassment of riches in goal.Carolina also has the added benefit of playing its two remaining head-to-head meetings with the Lightning on back-to-back nights, meaning it'll see Tampa's backup of choice in one of those games. It's part of a daunting stretch for the Lightning, who play the Hurricanes and Panthers four times in a six-day span. I'm fading the defending Cup champions in the Central Division race.Best value: Hurricanes (+125)East DivisionTEAMODDS PTS GRIslanders+1355417Capitals+2205417Bruins+4504620Penguins+4505017Arguably the most wide-open division race, there's a legitimate case to be made for all four of these teams to finish atop the East Division. Adding Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac has vaulted the Islanders into the role of favorites, and understandably so. They boast the division's best goal differential (plus-28) and rank third in the league in expected goal share at five-on-five, while none of the Capitals, Bruins, or Penguins crack the top 14.However, special teams have been an issue for the Islanders. They rank 22nd on the power play and 11th on the penalty kill, both areas where the Capitals and Bruins excel. The Penguins aren't particularly great at five-on-five or special teams, but their remaining schedule is really enticing - hardly the case for Barry Trotz's team.Of the Isles' 17 remaining games, 11 are against the Capitals, Bruins, and Rangers. They play three times at TD Garden, but it's the five games against the surging Rangers that have me most concerned - they're the division's next-best five-on-five team after the Isles and are playing excellent hockey right now as they push for a playoff spot. I think the Islanders are the division's best team, but the schedule is enough to scare me off, given the short price.It's also enough to scare me off Washington, which plays 15 of its remaining 17 games against the division's top six, including seven versus the Islanders and Bruins. The Penguins have perhaps the easiest remaining schedule, with nine of 17 coming against the Devils and Sabres. That being said, the Devils are hardly pushovers - they've taken two of three against Pittsburgh this season - and the Pens just don't boast good enough underlying numbers to truly trust them down the stretch.That leaves us with the Bruins. Tuukka Rask, who's been out since March 7, is back skating with the team, while they've found a strong insurance policy in prospect Jeremy Swayman. Boston is also expected to make a splash at the deadline, strengthening the roster ahead of a negotiable final stretch. Five of the Bruins' seven remaining games against the Isles and Caps are on home ice, while they still play six more times against the hapless Sabres. Things are setting up nicely for the Bruins, who are certainly worth a flier in this market at their current price.Best value: Bruins (+450)North DivisionTEAMODDS PTS GRMaple Leafs-5505716Oilers+10005016Canadiens+10004320Jets+10004917Realistically speaking, no one is catching the Leafs in the North Division. Toronto has built a seven-point cushion at the summit and has been playing excellent hockey. I've also heard rumblings that Jack Campbell may never lose another game in his professional career, but I can neither confirm nor deny.You're not going to lay -550 on the Leafs either, of course. It looks like free money, but there's still a little over a month of the season to play, and, as much as I hate to even say it, we've seen COVID-19 rip through a handful of teams already this season.If you're looking for one club that can still possibly catch the Leafs, my money would be on Winnipeg. The Canadiens, despite a number of games in hand, have too much ground to make up amidst such a congested schedule, while the Oilers only have one game left against a Senators team they're 8-0-0 against this year - they're barely above .500 (16-14-2) versus the rest of the division.The Jets, though, have a bit of a case here, assuming Blake Wheeler doesn't miss an extended period. They still play the Senators four times and Canucks twice - who knows what state they'll be in. They also somewhat control their own destiny because they have four games remaining against Toronto, with three of those coming in Winnipeg. If they can rattle off six points from those - a big if, of course - then this race would suddenly become very interesting.Best value: Jets (+1000)West DivisionTEAMODDSPTSGRAvalanche-1855617Golden Knights+2305218Wild+6505018Much like in the North, it's hard to look away from the chalk in the West. After dealing with a handful of injuries early in the year, the Avalanche are healthy and absolutely steamrolling teams right now. They rank first in the NHL in expected goal share (60.66%) and Corsi For percentage (59.32%), a full three percentage points higher than the next-best team. Scary, right? It's only the tip of the iceberg.Over the last month - dating back to March 9 - the Avalanche have posted an outrageous 66.55 xGF%. They've outscored teams 70-38 over that span, with their actual goals percentage still lower than their expected goals percentage. To put it in simpler terms: this is an incredible hockey team.Of Colorado's 17 games remaining, 14 are against the bottom four teams in the division, which poses an even bigger problem for Vegas and Minnesota. The Wild have the toughest remaining schedule of the three, with seven contests left against a Blues team that is too talented not to make a late-season push, leaving Vegas with the best chance to catch the Avalanche.The Knights have four games remaining against the Avs and Wild and also play the Coyotes and Blues - two teams desperately fighting for a playoff spot - a combined six times. Even if the Avalanche lose both their remaining head-to-head meetings with Vegas, it's hard to see them dropping enough points elsewhere to be caught for the West Division crown. It's also worth noting just how important first place in the West is for Colorado, as it would mean avoiding the likes of Vegas and Minnesota in the first round.Best value: Avalanche (-185)Alex Moretto is theScore's supervising editor of sports betting. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, despises how the NHL handles starting goalie announcements, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers traded forwards Brett Connolly and Henrik Borgstrom, defenseman Riley Stillman, and a seventh-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Lucas Wallmark and blue-liner Lucas Carlsson, the Blackhawks announced.Connolly, 28, has produced just two goals and two assists in 21 games this season. He's signed through 2022-23 with a cap hit of $3.5 million per season, per CapFriendly, which now gives Florida additional space ahead of the deadline.The 6-foot-3 winger averaged 20 goals per season over the last four campaigns, but his scoring touch has dried up this year. The 2010 sixth overall pick won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018 before inking a four-year deal with Florida as a free agent in 2019.Headlining Chicago's reward for taking on Connolly's contract is Borgstrom, the 23rd overall pick in 2016. The 6-foot-3 center has registered 19 points in 58 career NHL games. He's spent the entire 2020-21 campaign overseas in Finland's top professional league, where he's recorded 11 goals and eight assists in 27 tilts for HIFK Helsinki.The 23-year-old Stillman has produced five career assists. The 2016 fourth-round pick is the son of longtime NHLer Cory Stillman.Wallmark, 25, has served as a fourth-line center for most of his career. He produced three assists in 16 games with the Blackhawks in that role this season. The Swede spent a seven-game stint with the Panthers last season after coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes in the Vincent Trocheck trade.Carlsson, 23, has split his 2020-21 campaign between the NHL and AHL. He's produced one assist in 12 games at the NHL level. Like Stillman, he was also a fourth-round pick in 2016.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leave it to the 78-year-old general manager with more than three decades of experience to set the tone ahead of the NHL's mid-pandemic trade deadline.On Wednesday night, the legendary Lou Lamoriello pounced on a golden opportunity to upgrade his Stanley Cup contending New York Islanders by acquiring New Jersey Devils forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac.Headed the other way: the Islanders' first-round pick in the upcoming NHL draft, a conditional fourth-rounder in 2022, and minor-league forwards A.J. Greer and Mason Jobst. (The condition: the '22 pick becomes a third in '22 or '23 if the Isles make it to this year's Stanley Cup Final.) For the money to work, the Devils will retain 50% of Palmieri and Zajac's remaining salary.Translated, Lamoriello picked up a proven goal scorer (Palmieri) and a two-way depth center (Zajac) - the latter of whom he knows well as a player and person from his lengthy tenure as Devils GM - in exchange for one of the final selections in the opening round of a weak 2021 draft, a third or fourth down the road, and two "prospects" who probably don't have an NHL future. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesLamoriello deserves an "A" grade here. In Palmieri, he's replaced most, if not all, of the scoring punch the Isles lost when sniper Anders Lee sustained a season-ending knee injury last month. In Zajac, he's added insurance. And he's wrapped up business five days clear of the madness that is deadline day."We're pretty much content with what we have and who we have right now," Lamoriello told reporters on a post-trade call. "In fact, extremely comfortable."Make no mistake, there will be a bidding war for 2018 MVP Taylor Hall, and an NHL team will have paid handsomely for his services by next Monday at 3 p.m. ET. Palmieri isn't Hall. He isn't a household name or quite as dynamic on the ice. Yet he checks off two key boxes for the Isles: He has a track record of lighting the lamp (24 goals or more in five straight seasons prior to this one) and is an honest, low-maintenance player. For the price, it's a fabulous get.Palmieri is having a down year with only eight goals and nine assists in 34 games. However, keep in mind he was sidelined for two weeks in February due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Devils' organization; he was probably a little distracted by extension talks between his camp and New Jersey; and he may have run into a wall as the go-to finisher on a rebuilding team. None of this excuses Palmieri from the lackluster numbers; it's just context. Gerry Thomas / Getty ImagesPalmieri's a right-handed winger with a wicked shot who has a knack for finding soft areas on the ice, so he should complement center Mathew Barzal's puck-possession style well (assuming he starts on the Isles' No. 1 line). The 30-year-old will get his reps on the man advantage, too, seeing as New York, ranking 22nd in the NHL in power-play percentage, could use a deadly shooting option like him.The Isles - winners of three straight and 15 of their past 19 heading into a Thursday home game against the Philadelphia Flyers - are legit contenders. They are currently tied with the Washington Capitals for the most points and highest points percentage in the East Division, and their underlying numbers are off the charts. Coach Barry Trotz's brand of structured, disciplined, and counterattacking hockey has produced a year over year well-oiled machine.The club's run to the Eastern Conference Final during the bubbled postseason converted a lot of non-believers. Really, the Isles have done nothing but trend in the right direction since longtime captain John Tavares left Long Island on July 1, 2018. Zajac, for one, is clearly sold on the vision. The lifelong Devil and pending free agent elected to waive his no-trade clause."At this point in my career and where I'm at, I wanted a chance to win, and I just believe this is a team that has all the aspects of a winning hockey team," Zajac, 35, told reporters. "And to be able to try and be a part of that and help them in any way, I think it was, for me, it was the right time." NHL Images / Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald went out of his way to pump Palmieri and Zajac's tires Wednesday, lauding the duo's leadership abilities and lasting impact on a core featuring Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Ty Smith."The future's really bright here in New Jersey, and I truly believe that. I say that with all sincerity," Fitzgerald told reporters. "But you've got to be able to walk before you run. We're walking right now, and I think the experience that these kids are getting, thanks to the veterans that we have, is invaluable."The question now is, does Fitzgerald sell off more veterans to acquire even more draft capital? Blue-liners Ryan Murray, Sami Vatanen, and Dmitry Kulikov are all UFAs at the end of the season, and the 13-18-6 Devils don't need to overextend themselves to eke out wins down the stretch.Netting a first-rounder in a deal involving Palmieri was nice. That's a valuable commodity, and the Devils now own two opening-round picks this summer, as well as seven others. That said, the rest of the trade package from the Isles was blah, so it's difficult to heap too much praise on Fitzgerald at the moment.Whether this is an isolated trade or the first step in an intricate master plan remains to be seen. Either way, the Devils have plenty of options moving forward."With that pick, it gives us flexibility, whether you can move back (in the draft) or use it," said Fitzgerald, who has been New Jersey's GM since January 2020. "I said it last year with the (Devils' three first-round picks): It just gives you flexibility to potentially add to a position of need or a player that comes across the board. Maybe it helps us with teams with expansion (draft) issues."What's less ambiguous is the market for premier forwards at this year's deadline. If Palmieri essentially fetched a first, Hall most certainly will command a first and then some. The wily vet Lamoriello made the first major move, setting the framework for further fireworks. Who's willing to follow?John Matisz is theScore's senior hockey writer. You can follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) and contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sometimes things just don't go as planned.Many NHL players entered the season with high hopes but have failed to meet expectations for one reason or another. Others have been stuck in the same situation for years or have simply hit a wall in their development.With the April 12 trade deadline fast approaching, we take a look at five players who have struggled so far this season and could benefit from a trade to a new team.1. Taylor Hall, Sabres Andy Marlin / National Hockey League / GettyWe'll start with the obvious: There's arguably no player in the league who needs a shakeup more than Hall. The former Hart Trophy winner has been a complete nonfactor for a historically poor Sabres team, and it's clear the club isn't close to being competitive in the near future.Hall has just two goals in 37 games, which equates to $4 million per tally in terms of his $8-million cap hit. His confidence appears to be at an all-time low, and he hasn't played much meaningful hockey in his 11-year pro career. It's time for Hall to maximize his potential and join a contending team.The 29-year-old winger doesn't have a lengthy postseason resume, but 12 points in 14 career playoff games is certainly noteworthy. With his combination of speed and skill, Hall would fit seamlessly into any contending team's top-six forward group. The pending unrestricted free agent's price tag will never be lower, and GMs shouldn't hesitate to strike.2. Sam Bennett, Flames Gerry Thomas / National Hockey League / GettyThere are probably a few Flames players who would benefit from a clean slate, but Bennett's need for a new home is most glaring. The 24-year-old, who previously requested a trade, is set to become a restricted free agent after this season, and his days with Calgary are likely coming to an end.Bennett hasn't come close to matching his career-best 36-point rookie campaign, and he's highly unlikely to blossom into an offensive threat at this point in his career. The native of Ontario is incredibly scrappy, though, and he can play a unique depth role for a team in need of grit.Bennett is on pace to hit the 100-hit mark for the sixth consecutive season and is always willing to drop the mitts. His feisty game has served him well come playoff time, too, as the 24-year-old winger has 11 goals and 19 points over 30 postseason appearances.3. Jake Gardiner, Hurricanes Gregg Forwerck / National Hockey League / GettyRemember Gardiner? The Hurricanes defenseman has been buried on the club's taxi squad and has appeared in just 17 games this season. Carolina boasts one of the league's best blue lines, and it's hard to see Gardiner being a future regular on the club's back end.The Hurricanes have reportedly shopped the smooth-skating rearguard in the past, but his contract has made him difficult to move. Gardiner is signed for two more years beyond this season at $4.05 million per - a steep price considering his status as a depth defenseman at this point in his career.It's unlikely Gardiner lands with a contender, but the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks are two teams reportedly willing to take on salary in exchange for assets. Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell could dump Gardiner and his contract to one of those clubs while the opportunity is available.As for Gardiner, playing for a retooling club could be beneficial. The 30-year-old will be looking to rebuild his value in hopes of one last payday down the road, and he could seize an opportunity to do so with a team featuring less defensive talent.4. Rasmus Ristolainen, Sabres Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's been eight years since the Sabres selected Ristolainen eighth overall in the 2013 draft, but it's hard to say exactly how much the 26-year-old has grown since then. He shouldn't be written off just yet, and playing in a winning environment for the first time could help him turn his career around.The towering blue-liner was playing some of the best hockey of his career before COVID-19 sidelined him at the start of February, and his 6-foot-4 frame and right-handed shot could both prove valuable to a team on the cusp of a deep playoff run.Ristolainen is under contract until the end of next season at a cap hit of $5.4 million, so the Sabres would likely need to take on money in a potential deal. Maybe a team in need of defensive help like the Winnipeg Jets or Philadelphia Flyers would take a chance on the Finnish rearguard.5. Mikael Granlund, Predators Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGranlund hasn't quite found his game with the Predators, and both he and Nashville would be better off parting ways ahead of the deadline. He still has plenty of offensive upside, though, and it's possible a change of scenery can revitalize his game.The 29-year-old forward has a proven track record of driving play at both ends of the ice, according to Hockey Viz's isolated-impact tool. (Red - positive - is good on offense, while blue - negative - is good on defense.) Granlund's offensive impact dipped in 2019-20 - his first full campaign with the Predators - but he's improved in that regard this season, which should help attract potential suitors. His ability to kill penalties and contribute on the power play also makes him a versatile addition to any contending team's top nine.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks announced Wednesday that 21 players and four staff members have now tested positive for COVID-19. An additional player is considered a close contact.An ongoing investigation by Vancouver Coastal Health and the Canucks' contract tracing staff revealed that the source infection was obtained by a single individual in a community setting, which has since been identified by health officials as a public exposure location. The rapid spread through the team indicates a link between the initial case and that individual's contacts.The Canucks said the source infection is confirmed as being a variant, but full genome sequencing by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control is required to determine the specific type. It was previously reported to be the Brazil variant.Symptoms of those infected by the variant reportedly included vomiting, cramping, and dehydration. Family members of the players and staff have also contracted the virus.Vancouver's games remain postponed until further notice.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Campbell's consecutive win streak reached historic proportions Wednesday.The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender established a new franchise mark with his 10th straight victory, turning aside 32 of the 34 shots in a 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.Campbell was in a tie for the record with Felix Potvin (1993-94), Jacques Plante (1970-71), and John Ross Roach (1924-25).The 29-year-old has become the Maple Leafs' de facto No. 1 goalie as starter Frederik Andersen continues to deal with a nagging injury. Campbell has won every game he's played in 2021, and he entered Wednesday's contest with a .944 save percentage over the previous nine contests.Toronto acquired Campbell in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in February 2020.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs held forward William Nylander out of the lineup against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday after he was exposed to a possible case of COVID-19 outside the team, the club announced.Nylander is isolating and his status will be re-evaluated tomorrow pending the results of further testing.After consulting with the NHL, the game went on as planned. Forward Alexander Barabanov took Nylander's place in the lineup and earned his first NHL point by adding an assist during the 3-2 victory.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nate Leaman will once again be behind the bench for the American squad at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship, USA Hockey announced Wednesday.The Providence head coach helped guide the Americans to a gold medal at the tournament last year in his first stint as the team's bench boss. He has been a part of the coaching staff in some capacity on three occasions, previously serving as an assistant in 2007 and 2009."It's always an honor to be asked to coach for my country and I'm grateful to be back behind the bench," Leaman said. "I’m excited to see some familiar faces, and coach some of America’s best young talent, as we look to build another championship roster."The upcoming 2022 tournament is set to take place from Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in both Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders acquired forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forwards A.J. Greer, Mason Jobst, a 2021 first-round pick, and a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick, the team announced.New Jersey agreed to retain 50% of Zajac's and Palmieri's salary.Palmieri has spent the past six seasons with the Devils. He led the club with 140 goals and 266 points over 397 games since arriving in 2015. Originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2009, the 30-year-old has 355 points in 595 career games.Zajac has spent his entire career with the Devils, appearing in 1,024 games with the franchise. He racked up 202 goals and 348 assists over that span and was New Jersey's longest-tenured player.Greer was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the 39th pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. He has one goal and five assists in 37 career NHL games, all with Colorado. Jobst is an undrafted forward who spent the last two seasons in the AHL after completing his time at Ohio State, with which he was a Hobey Baker finalist in 2019.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Months after demanding a trade from the Calgary Flames, forward Sam Bennett is enjoying his role with the team under new head coach Darryl Sutter."I'm happy playing under Darryl," Bennett said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "I think I've gotten more opportunity and I've been able to play my game a little bit more."I want to have a big role and important role to help this team win. When I'm playing more I'm playing better and can help the team have success. It definitely makes it fun and makes me enjoy coming to the rink when I have a big role. I've definitely been in a better mindset."The 24-year-old made it known through agent Darren Ferris earlier this season that he wanted to be traded to a team for which he could play a bigger role. He's largely played in the Flames' bottom six this season.Sutter - whom the Flames hired in early March after firing Geoff Ward - praised Bennett. He sees him as a versatile player who can be plugged in throughout the lineup."I've been happy with Sam," Sutter said. "I think he's played all three positions for us. I've been able to get him into some penalty-killing situations, which I think he could thrive in going forward. Taking faceoffs for us. He's played hurt and he's played with some pace to his game."In 22 games under Ward this season, Bennett managed four points while averaging 13:13 minutes of ice time per game. In 15 games with Sutter on the bench, he's recorded one goal and five assists while playing 13:52 per contest.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving understands something needs to be done to turn his struggling team around, and he has no shortage of adjectives to describe his feelings about the season to this point."You can come up with a whole lot of words: disappointment, frustration, a lot of things," Treliving told TSN's Salim Valji.However, the GM doesn't think the issue is with his new head coach, Darryl Sutter."We're in a results-oriented business, so the results we have are certainly not acceptable and not what we wanted to have happen," he said. "But I think there (have) been some changes that have come into our game, specifically on the defensive side. But the good things that have happened aren't what we want to talk about."Calgary sits in second-last place in the North Division with a 16-21-3 record and holds the second-worst goal differential (-21) among the Canadian squads. The Flames have gone 5-7-1 since Treliving fired head coach Geoff Ward and replaced him with Sutter following a win on March 4, and the club has won only two of its last eight games.The GM knows Calgary has underachieved and acknowledges there's work to be done, but wouldn't specify what changes he'll look to make."Certainly we have to improve our team. Right now, this is the group of players we have. We've got to find a way to maximize performance out of them, and like every other team, you're going to look at how you can improve yourself and what changes you can make leading up not only to the (trade) deadline but beyond that."Treliving has been the Flames' GM since April 2014. During his tenure, Calgary has made three first-round playoff exits and another in the second round - its deepest postseason run since he was hired.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler won't fly with the team on its upcoming road trip and his return timetable is unclear, head coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday."He took the elbow last game, was fine, felt good, started to feel a little off (Tuesday), then (Wednesday) started not feeling great," the bench boss told reporters. " ... We don't have a diagnosis on that yet, but we're going to treat it as it is. ... (We need to be) really careful with these things.""We don't want him flying in and out until we know exactly what's going to happen here," he continued.Maurice added that Wheeler is out indefinitely.Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk was given a minor penalty for elbowing Wheeler up high late in the second period of Winnipeg's 4-3 win Monday. Wheeler finished the contest, playing seven shifts in the third.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner will miss the remainder of the season with a broken finger, head coach John Tortorella told 97.1 The Fan, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.A deflected Patrik Laine shot struck Jenner in the hand on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.The 27-year-old finishes the campaign with eight goals and nine assists over 41 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars head coach Rick Bowness will return to the bench Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks, the team announced.Bowness was forced to leave Sunday's game after two periods due to COVID-19 protocol. However, it turned out to be a false positive test.The Stars are 13-12-10 in games Bowness coached from start to finish this season. They ended up losing Sunday's tilt and were defeated Tuesday with John Stevens serving as head coach.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL trade deadline less than a week away, general managers around the league can learn a few lessons from the past.Below, we analyze some of the biggest trades prior to the 2020 deadline to determine what worked, and what didn't.Golden Knights improve goal prevention Zak Krill / National Hockey League / GettyThe Golden Knights made two major splashes last year - both aimed at improving goal prevention.On Feb. 19, they landed defenseman Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round pick in 2020 and 2021. On deadline day, Vegas acquired goaltender Robin Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks for goaltender Malcolm Subban, defenseman Slava Demin, and a 2020 second-rounder. They also surrendered a 2020 fifth-round pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs for retaining a portion of Lehner's salary.Martinez helped stabilize the Golden Knights' defense. He had an additional season left on his contract and is currently in the midst of a career year offensively.Lehner became Vegas' primary goaltender for the postseason in 2020, sporting a .917 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average in 16 games during the team's trip to the Western Conference Final. The pending UFA then signed a five-year, $25-million contract to stay in Sin City.Vegas may not have won the Cup last year, but if they can go all the way this season, Martinez and Lehner will likely play big roles. Having both players for more than one year without giving up a first-rounder was a huge win for Vegas.The lesson: Term/re-signability is ideal. This year's expansion draft complicates things, though.Lightning go all in Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Lightning made a pair of key trades in the buildup to the 2020 deadline.On Feb. 16 - eight days prior - they acquired forward Blake Coleman from the New Jersey Devils for a 2020 first-round pick and prospect Nolan Foote (a 2019 first-rounder). On deadline day, Tampa Bay stayed busy and landed forward Barclay Goodrow and a 2020 third-round pick from the San Jose Sharks for a 2020 first-rounder and AHLer Anthony Greco.Neither Coleman nor Goodrow were household names at the time. Coleman had never reached 40 points and Goodrow had never reached 30. However, both players had a track record of being excellent defensive forwards; the pair were also on extremely team-friendly deals and signed for an additional season.The Lightning entered the 2020 playoffs right in the heart of their Cup window, knowing a cap crunch was on the horizon. They choked in 2019 after a record-setting regular season and needed more bite come playoff time. Coleman and Goodrow gave the Bolts exactly what they needed and formed an integral checking line alongside Yanni Gourde en route to winning the Stanley Cup.Buyer's lesson: Overpaying is worth it if you're a legitimate Cup contender.

The Anaheim Ducks are open to moving defenseman Josh Manson before the trade deadline."They are listening," TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading.""They've had a few calls on Josh Manson, but teams are going to have to step up," LeBrun added.Manson is in his seventh season with the Ducks, who drafted him 160th overall in 2011.The 29-year-old missed time earlier this season with injuries and is averaging a career-low 17:04 in ice time across 13 games entering Tuesday's action. However, he ranks 29th among NHL blue-liners in takeaways per 60 minutes in 2021.Manson, who's signed through 2021-22, carries a cap hit of $4.1 million. He's due to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of his contract.The Ducks held the league's second-worst record prior to their game against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Lundqvist might end up suiting up for the Washington Capitals after all.The veteran goaltender has been out for the entire season after undergoing open-heart surgery in early January. Lundqvist indicated prior to the surgery he won't play this year, but it appears things may have changed as his recovery has progressed."Henrik Lundqvist has very quietly continued to skate, he is intent on resuming his career after undergoing open-heart surgery so long as his health allows," TSN's Frank Seravalli reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading." "He's awaiting word from doctors this week, a critical appointment that will determine his near-term and long-term future. The Washington Capitals, while everything would have to go right, aren't ruling out a return for Henrik Lundqvist this season."The 39-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5-million contract with the Capitals after he was bought out by the New York Rangers in the offseason.The former Vezina Trophy winner was initially brought in to complement Ilya Samsonov. In his absence, rookie goalie Vitek Vanecek has appeared in 26 games this season.The Capitals are currently in first place in the East Division with a 25-9-4 record.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Galchenyuk has made life a little bit easier for his new general manager.The Toronto Maple Leafs winger has gelled nicely with the club, and GM Kyle Dubas says Galchenyuk's strong play is easing the team's need to add another top-six forward ahead of the April 12 trade deadline."I think the emergence of Galchenyuk playing with John and William, both in terms of the fact he's produced a little bit but in terms of how hard he's playing and the effectiveness that he's brought to the group, I think certainly reduces the urgency," Dubas said Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.Galchenyuk, who's playing for his fifth team since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, has tallied four points through nine games since being acquired by the Leafs on Feb. 15.The trio of Galchenyuk, Tavares, and Nylander own a 64% share of scoring chances and 73.53% share of high-danger chances at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.Dubas said in March he was keen on acquiring another forward ahead of the deadline and was willing to part with top prospects to improve the club. Though the addition of Galchenyuk has been a big boost, Dubas is still keeping his options open as the deadline approaches."But with all that said, if we can do something that we think is going to be a good fit in the locker room and on the ice, I think we would still very openly explore that," he said.The Leafs have won seven of their last eight outings and have a six-point cushion on the top spot in the North Division entering Tuesday's slate of games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It remains one of life's most perplexing questions: Who's the greatest athlete of all time?Over the past year, we've had nothing but opportunity to debate. So, we - you! - are going to answer this question once and for all. Check out our GOAT of GOATs bracket below, and vote now and throughout the rest of the week!Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres forward Taylor Hall will not play Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils, interim head coach Don Granato said, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Hall is widely expected to be traded ahead of the April 12 deadline. The former Hart Trophy winner is a pending unrestricted free agent and the Sabres are the worst team in the NHL.His contract includes a full no-movement clause, so he controls his own destiny, and he said recently that he'd be willing to listen to trade offers. The deal carries an $8-million cap hit, per CapFriendly.The 29-year-old is mired in the worst season of his career, as he's tallied two goals and 17 assists in 37 games.Devils forward Kyle Palmieri is also sitting out in anticipation of a possible trade.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.