The Montreal Canadiens will be without leading goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli for the club's three-game set with the Edmonton Oilers this week, head coach Dominique Ducharme confirmed Monday.Toffoli, 28, suffered a lower-body injury against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday and was unavailable for Saturday's rematch.Montreal signed Toffoli to a four-year, $17-million deal in October. He ranks third in the league in goals (18) and is scoring at a career-best 49-goal pace over a full 82-game season. The 6-foot winger is also tied for the team lead with 27 points through 30 games.Edmonton has won three straight going into Monday's tilt and sits second in the North Division by points percentage. The Canadiens have lost four of their last six games and occupy the fourth spot in the division.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things haven't gone as planned for Patrick Marleau during his third stint with the San Jose Sharks.The franchise's leader in games played, goals, and points says he's open to being traded ahead of the April 12 deadline to make another run at a Stanley Cup."I wouldn’t actively maybe look for it, but if it does happen or it does come, or a team wants me, that’s something you have to seriously consider," Marleau said, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic."Obviously, that’s still my goal, to win a Stanley Cup," he added.Marleau returned to San Jose on a one-year, $700,000 deal this past offseason after the Sharks dealt him to the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the 2020 trade deadline.However, general manager Doug Wilson made it clear earlier this month that the Sharks are in a reset mode, which was disappointing for the 41-year-old Marleau to hear as he looks to capture an elusive championship."It’s tough to swallow," he said. “Coming into the season, you always have high expectations and hopes, and you want to get off to a good start and put yourself in position for playoffs, and getting into them and giving yourself a chance to win."But we haven’t put ourselves in that position as of yet. Obviously, there’s a business side to things, as well. But, yeah, it’s obviously not where anybody wants to be."Marleau has contributed one goal and five points while averaging a career-low 13:10 of ice time through 29 games this season. The 23-year veteran is just 16 contests shy of passing the legendary Gordie Howe for the most all-time games played.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This is the sixth edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2020-21 season. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.In this edition, we pick every team's MVP for the first half of the season.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (23-6-2)Previous rank: 1stThe defending champs have a few worthy options, but goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to play out of his mind. The 26-year-old is 20-3-1 on the season with a .933 save percentage and 17.4 goals saved above average.2. Vegas Golden Knights (21-7-1) Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious rank: 2ndMark Stone and Max Pacioretty have been sensational for the Golden Knights, but Marc-Andre Fleury's brilliance between the pipes with Robin Lehner injured for over a month has been the backbone of the club's success.3. Florida Panthers (20-7-4)Previous rank: 5thIt's close between Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad, but the former gets the nod. Barkov could be in line for his first Selke Trophy, as he leads the league in expected goals percentage. He also paces the Panthers with 37 points in 31 games.4. Colorado Avalanche (19-8-2)Previous rank: 10thEven with Nathan MacKinnon sidelined on separate ocassions, Mikko Rantanen has delivered for the Avalanche. He ranks fifth in the NHL with 17 goals, and paces Colorado with 35 points in 29 games.5. Carolina Hurricanes (20-7-3)Previous rank: 4thSebastian Aho deserves an honorable mention, but Dougie Hamilton has been Carolina's MVP this season. The pending UFA blue-liner is tied for second on the team with 24 points and his underlying metrics are some of the best in the entire league among defensemen.6. New York Islanders (20-8-4)Previous rank: 6thMathew Barzal is the only player on the Islanders that opponents need to focus on shutting down. He leads the team with 25 points, and without him, their offense wouldn't strike fear into anybody.7. Washington Capitals (20-7-4) Patrick McDermott / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 7thNicklas Backstrom continues to quietly produce outstanding numbers. The silky-smooth veteran pivot leads the Capitals with 34 points in 31 games, and is quickly closing in on 1,000 for his career.8. Toronto Maple Leafs (20-10-2)Previous rank: 3rdMitch Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 40 points, but there's no debating Auston Matthews is their MVP. The 6-foot-3 center is a goal-scoring machine and has vastly improved his defensive game.9. Pittsburgh Penguins (19-11-2)Previous rank: 15thSidney Crosby continues to be a steadying presence for a Penguins team mired by injuries yet again. The star pivot leads the team in both assists (20) and points (32) through 31 games this season.10. Edmonton Oilers (21-13-0)Previous rank: 17thConnor McDavid. No questions asked.11. Boston Bruins (16-8-4)Previous rank: 7thBrad Marchand is seemingly improving with age. The 32-year-old leads the Bruins in points (34) in 28 games and has continued to play a critical role on both the club's power play and penalty kill.12. Winnipeg Jets (18-11-2) Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious rank: 11thThere's a strong case for Connor Hellebuyck, given how much Winnipeg relies on its goaltender, but Mark Scheifele has been too good to ignore this season. The top-line center paces the club with 37 points in 31 games.13. St. Louis Blues (16-10-5)Previous rank: 12thIt's time the hockey world shines some light on David Perron. The unheralded Blues forward leads the club in scoring in 2021, and over the past three-plus seasons, he ranks 10th among all left wingers with 205 points in 229 games.14. Montreal Canadiens (14-8-9)Previous rank: 14thJeff Petry is having the best season of his career at age 33 and has been absolutely paramount to the Canadiens' success. The veteran sits first among all blue-liners in goals (11) and fourth in points (27). Montreal owns a 57.92% share of expected goals at five-on-five with Petry patrolling the ice.15. Minnesota Wild (18-10-1)Previous rank: 13thKirill Kaprizov has injected energy and life into a Wild team that's lacked it for years. The Russian dynamo has mid-season MVP wrapped up, and is the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year as well.16. Philadelphia Flyers (15-11-3) Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 9thWho saw this season coming from James van Riemsdyk? The veteran winger has been the Flyers' most consistent presence, leading the team in both goals (13) and points (29) over 29 outings. Of van Riemsdyk's 16 assists, 15 have come at even strength, which is good for eighth among all players.17. Calgary Flames (15-14-3)Previous rank: 22ndElias Lindholm could be the Flames' best all-around talent, and the 26-year-old is putting it to the test this season. He leads the team with 28 points and plays a major role on both the penalty kill and power play. Lindholm's also versatile, and his ability to seize his full-time role at center this season has made the Flames that much deeper.18. Vancouver Canucks (16-16-3)Previous rank: 23rdBrock Boeser's offensive production, J.T. Miller's versatility, and Bo Horvat's leadership all create strong cases, but Thatcher Demko deserves the honor. Vancouver allows the most expected goals against per 60 minutes, but the young netminder still has a .921 save percentage. Demko ranks third in the league in goals saved above expected.19. Columbus Blue Jackets (13-12-7)Previous rank: 24thThe Blue Jackets are ripe with underachievers this season, but Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the offensively starved club with 27 points and is having the most productive campaign of his career.20. New York Rangers (13-13-4)Previous rank: 18thPanarin is arguably the answer even though he's missed over a third of the team's games. However, it's hard to imagine where the Rangers would be without Adam Fox this season. The second-year defenseman leads the team in ice time and xGF% at five-on-five.21. Chicago Blackhawks (14-13-5)Previous rank: 15thNo need to overthink this one. If it wasn't for Patrick Kane's all-world abilities, the Blackhawks would likely be lottery players rather than playoff contenders at this point of the season.22. Dallas Stars (10-10-8) Ben Jackson / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 21stJoe Pavelski has been Dallas' best player by a landslide. The ageless veteran has six more goals and nine more points than the next most productive Stars skater.23. Los Angeles Kings (13-11-6)Previous rank: 19thBoth Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are having a standout campaign, but the Kings' offense would be razor thin if it weren't for the former's brilliance. Kopitar's 37 points are 17 more than the club's next forward, and he ranks fourth among all centers in average ice time.24. Arizona Coyotes (13-13-5)Previous rank: 20thJakob Chychrun has been exceptional at both ends of the ice this season, leading the Coyotes in ice time while ranking third with 21 points.25. San Jose Sharks (11-14-4)Previous rank: 26thEvander Kane is averaging more minutes (19:40) than any Sharks skater this season and is producing at a career-best 0.9 points per game thus far.26. Nashville Predators (14-17-1)Previous rank: 25thFilip Forsberg's game has continued to blossom. The Swedish sniper leads the team in goals (11) and points (28) and is playing at a career-best 72-point pace over 82 games.27. New Jersey Devils (11-14-4) Andy Marlin / National Hockey League / GettyPrevious rank: 28thJack Hughes' development has been a positive takeaway from a difficult season for the Devils. The 19-year-old has already matched his goal total from 2019-20 in less than half the amount of games. He ranks second on the team in points (16) while leading Devils' forwards in average ice time.28. Detroit Red Wings (10-18-4)Previous rank: 31stPosting a .918 save percentage behind this Red Wings roster deserves plenty of praise. Hats off to Jonathan Bernier for putting together a terrific stat line in a difficult situation.29. Ottawa Senators (10-20-3)Previous rank: 30thThomas Chabot has been a horse for the Senators this season, leading the team in points per game and ranking third in the league in average ice time.30. Anaheim Ducks (9-17-6)Previous rank: 27thRickard Rakell leads the team with 21 points even though he's shooting a career low 5.9%. He's one of the few that makes things happen on the Ducks offensively, as his 101 shots are 38 more than second place on the team.31. Buffalo Sabres (6-19-4)Previous rank: 29thThe Sabres have just one win without Linus Ullmark between the pipes and have lost 13 straight games since the Swedish puck-stopper was shelved with an injury. If there are any positives to draw from Buffalo's nightmare season, it's that they may already have themselves a future No. 1 in goal.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2021 NCAA Men's Hockey Championship bracket was selected Sunday.North Dakota was selected as the top overall seed. Boston College, Minnesota, and Wisconsin were named the other three No. 1 seeds, in order.The winner from each of the four regional sites will advance to the Frozen Four at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on April 8 and 10. The entire 16-team tournament uses a single-elimination format.The 2020 tournament was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Duluth won the last two championships in 2018 and 2019.All times ET:Fargo RegionalScheels Arena, Fargo, N.D.1. North Dakota (21-5-1)

Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Week 10. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Add Jack CampbellTeam: Maple Leafs

The Los Angeles Kings inked defenseman Matt Roy to a three-year extension with an average annual value of $3.15-million, the team announced Sunday.Roy, 26, was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of this season.The 6-foot-1 defenseman has contributed seven assists while averaging a career-high 19:16 of ice time over 24 games this season.Roy isn't the flashiest blue-liner, but he makes a strong impact at both ends. He's improved at limiting his opponents defensively since his rookie season, and Roy also helps the Kings drive offense at five-on-five, according to HockeyViz's isolated impact tool. Red (positive) is good in the offensive zone while blue (negative) is good in the defensive zone.Los Angeles selected Roy during the seventh round in 2015. The Detroit native has amassed six goals and 31 points over 119 career contests.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward Travis Boyd on waivers, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Toronto's decision to waive Boyd is primarily focused on preserving cap space ahead of the April 12 trade deadline, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Boyd can be shifted to the Maple Leafs' taxi squad if he goes unclaimed, which would allow the team to accrue daily cap space while carrying a 20-man roster, notes Johnson.Boyd, 27, signed a one-year deal with Toronto this past offseason. He's been a quality depth piece on the Maple Leafs' fourth line, chipping in eight points in 20 games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a two-year, $1.9-million extension, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Sunday.Van Riemsdyk, 29, inked a one-year deal worth $800,000 with the Capitals in October, and he was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.The 6-foot-2 blue-liner has appeared in just nine games this season, contributing one goal while averaging 15:07 of ice time.Van Riemsdyk has recorded 16 goals and 70 points over 373 career contests. He was on the Chicago Blackhawks team that captured the Stanley Cup during his rookie campaign in 2015.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks were seething after a controversial faceoff violation call on Patrick Marleau directly led to the St. Louis Blues' game-winning goal Saturday night.Here's the play. Marleau was handed a two-minute minor with the score 2-2 early in the third period.

Thomas Hickey opened up about his difficult journey after playing his first NHL game in almost two years Saturday night.The New York Islanders defenseman collected a pair of assists in a 6-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. He suited up for the first time since May 3, 2019.Injuries, including a concussion, had derailed his career. In addition, his brother Dan died of cancer at the age of 33 last March.

Rust certainly wasn't a factor for Jack Campbell after a long layoff.The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender turned aside all 31 shots he faced in a 2-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.It was Campbell's first appearance since Feb. 27, when he blanked the Edmonton Oilers with a 30-save effort. The 29-year-old had been limited to three games in 2021 due to injuries, but he's excelled when healthy since Toronto acquired him in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in February 2020.

St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist will miss the remainder of the campaign with a torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced Saturday.Sundqvist suffered the injury during the first period of Friday's victory against the San Jose Sharks.Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Sundqvist will require surgery and will be re-evaluated at training camp for the start of next season.The 26-year-old has totaled four goals and five assists in 28 games this season while averaging 15:09 minutes of ice time.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers defenseman Jack Johnson will miss the remainder of the campaign after undergoing core muscle repair surgery, the team announced Saturday.The Rangers inked Johnson to a one-year, $1.15-million deal during the offseason after the Pittsburgh Penguins bought out his previous contract.Johnson, 34, had a limited role with the Rangers, averaging a career-low 16:58 per game while only finding his way into the lineup 13 times. He finishes the season with one goal and no assists.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Doughty has done his best to let his game do the talking this season.The Los Angeles Kings defenseman, who's one of this generation's most outspoken players, admitted he's not proud of his past outbursts and has made an effort to limit them."I worked on it," Doughty said Saturday, according to The Athletic's Lisa Dillman. "I knew I needed to stop doing it. I knew it was going to hurt me in the long run, made me look bad. It wasn't something that I want young kids to look up to. I was embarrassed by it. It's definitely something I've been fixing."It's been a rough stretch for Doughty and the Kings since winning two Stanley Cups (2012, 2014) last decade. They've missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons, and Doughty hasn't been shy in venting his frustrations along the way.Doughty's newfound demeanor has paid off so far this season. He ranks fifth among blue-liners in goals (seven), sixth in points (25), and second among all players in average ice time (26:21) through 29 games.The 31-year-old says his reserved approach hasn't made him any less motivated, which is something he's struggled with in previous years."I haven't lost my competitive spirit," Doughty added. "There were times in the last couple of seasons where I was like, 'Man, I'm not mentally passionate enough.'"Doughty has helped keep the Kings in the postseason mix just past the midway mark of the campaign. Los Angeles sits fifth in the West Division and five points back of a playoff spot entering Saturday's action.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres traded netminder Jonas Johansson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick, the team announced Saturday.Johansson, 25, has yet to record a win this season and owns an .884 save percentage and a 3.79 goals-against average over seven appearances.The Avalanche's goaltending depth chart has been depleted this campaign, with backup Pavel Francouz on the long-term injured reserve. Hunter Miska, who was demoted to the AHL on Friday, has posted an .838 save percentage over five starts.Philipp Grubauer has earned 17 of Colorado's 18 wins this season, and he leads all netminders in minutes played (1420:06) entering Saturday's action.The Sabres, meanwhile, have lost 13 straight contests and sit last in the league.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is postponing the Boston Bruins' next two games after four additional players from the club entered the COVID-19 protocol Friday, the league announced.David Pastrnak, David Krejci, Jake DeBrusk, and Craig Smith were all added to the COVID-19 protocol list Friday, joining Sean Kuraly, who was added Thursday. The Bruins traveled back to Boston on Friday and are expected to quarantine through Tuesday.The Bruins' matchups against the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders on Saturday and Tuesday, respectively, have been postponed.Boston canceled its morning skate Thursday after Kuraly entered the protocol. However, the team played its game against the Sabres later that day after further contact tracing and testing.Pending results in the coming days, the league anticipates the Bruins will be able to reopen their facilities and resume practicing March 24.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Less than one week after collecting his first NHL win, Ottawa Senators netminder Joey Daccord is likely done for the season after suffering an injury during Wednesday's shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks.The 24-year-old will be "out for a while" and "most likely the season," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion confirmed Friday, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.The 6-foot-3 puck-stopper made 19 saves against Vancouver before exiting in the third period. Rookie Filip Gustavsson made his NHL debut in relief and stopped all eight shots he faced in regulation and overtime.Daccord inspired the hockey world with his emotional postgame interview Monday after collecting his first win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Both Marcus Hogberg, who remains on the injured reserve list, and starter Matt Murray skated Friday. Murray has been dealing with an upper-body injury and it's unclear who will start in goal for the Senators against the Calgary Flames on Monday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We were sitting pretty at over 20 units of profit on the season a few weeks ago, but that's been ground down amid this bad run. We're now at 82-75 (+6.32 units), but the ups and downs are all a part of it.We'll go on another heater soon, and there's no better time than the present.Rangers (+120) @ Capitals (-140)

It appears Evgeni Malkin will miss more time than originally expected.The Pittsburgh Penguins star was ruled out for the club's next three games Thursday, but he's now considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Friday.Malkin, 34, took a heavy hit from Boston Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi during Tuesday's contest. He returned for one shift after the collision before exiting the game.The 6-foot-3 sniper had been heating up following a slow start to the season. He recorded four goals and eight assists over an eight-game point streak entering Tuesday's tilt with the Bruins.The Penguins enter Friday's action sitting fourth in the East Division based on points percentage.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward Tanner Pearson will be out for a minimum of four weeks with a lower-body injury, the team announced Friday.The winger suffered the injury during Wednesday's 3-2 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators.Vancouver also announced Antoine Roussel will return to the lineup Friday against the Montreal Canadiens, while Jimmy Vesey will make his Canucks debut after the team claimed him off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier this week. Roussel, 31, missed Vancouver's last three games with an injury.Pearson, 28, has recorded six goals and five assists over 33 games this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Wayne Simmonds is returning to the lineup for Friday's game against the Calgary Flames after missing the club's previous 18 contests with a broken wrist, head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.Alex Galchenyuk, whom the Leafs acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes in February, will make his debut with the team on a line with John Tavares and William Nylander.Netminder Jack Campbell is also dressing for the first time since Feb. 27 and will back up starter Frederik Andersen.Simmonds has contributed five goals and 19 hits through 12 games in his first campaign in Toronto. The 32-year-old impacted the Leafs' power play, which has struggled as of late, netting three goals on the man advantage.Galchenyuk tallied two goals and eight points through six appearances with the AHL's Toronto Marlies this season.The Leafs have dropped five of their last six games but remain atop the North Division entering Friday's action.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks defense prospect Jamie Drysdale is making his NHL debut Thursday night against the Arizona Coyotes.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen says the lower-body injury that forced him to miss time earlier in the season is still bothering him despite his return."I'm not really where I want to be, obviously," Andersen said Thursday. "I think I'm working towards just getting to as good as possible. But I think everyone goes through a season where you'll have something going on. It's just a matter of how well you can manage it and play through it."I don't think anyone's going to have a season where you don't feel a little bit (banged up) here and there, and you try to do the best you can to manage it and play as well as you can."Andersen was injured in a win over the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 20. He missed the next four games, then returned for a victory over the Edmonton Oilers on March 3.The veteran netminder's play has noticeably declined since he rejoined the club. Andersen went 7-1-2 with a .911 save percentage in the 10 games before he got hurt - including the contest against Montreal - but he's won only two of six appearances while posting a .887 save percentage since returning.Toronto has had four days between games this week and will host the Calgary Flames in a back-to-back Friday and Saturday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin for at least their next three contests. The club placed the star forward on injured reserve retroactive to March 16, meaning he'll be ineligible to return until at least March 23.Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said earlier Thursday that Malkin would miss the evening's game against the New Jersey Devils. Pittsburgh will also play New Jersey on Saturday and Sunday before getting two days off ahead of a back-to-back against the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday and Thursday.Malkin is continuing to be evaluated for a lower-body injury he suffered during Tuesday's contest against the Boston Bruins, Sullivan added Thursday. The Russian sniper returned for one shift before being ruled out for the rest of the game after colliding with defenseman Jarred Tinordi in the first period Tuesday.The Penguins have recently battled injuries to their forward group, with Teddy Blueger and Jared McCann sidelined with ailments. Despite the injuries piling up, Sullivan believes his group of forwards can battle through it."We just got to bring a hard team game with the resilience that's necessary to win in this league," Sullivan said. "Injuries are just a part of our game. For me, it's all about an attitude and making sure that we look at this as an opportunity. Making sure that we play together and we have a collective effort out there."Malkin was heating up before the injury, recording 12 points over an eight-game point streak. He's managed eight goals and 16 assists in 29 contests this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cast members from the "The Mighty Ducks" movies will soon be on the ice together again.Stars from the original three movies will be reuniting for the sixth episode of the upcoming Disney+ revival series, "The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers," according to Sydney Bucksbaum of EW. Actors Elden Henson (Fulton), Matt Doherty (Averman), Vinny La Russo (Adam Banks), Marguerite Moreau (Connie), Garret Henson (Guy), and Justin Wong (Kenny Wu) are all confirmed to appear in the episode alongside Emilio Estevez, who's reprising the role of coach Gordon Bombay."It starts with a fun encounter coach Bombay has with Fulton - they have an interesting run-in on the street reminiscent of ways they used to meet each other back in the early days," creator Steven Brill said. "This chance meeting between Bombay and Fulton leads to a bigger story."

The Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins are expected to play their Thursday night matchup as scheduled after both teams canceled their morning skates due to COVID-19 protocols, the teams announced.Both clubs conducted further testing and contact tracing following the cancellations.A Sabres training staff member entered the protocol early Thursday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.For the Bruins, one of their players entered the league's protocol, the team announced. Boston placed forward Jake DeBrusk on the COVID-19 list late last week but removed him Sunday after head coach Bruce Cassidy revealed it was due to a false positive, according to Boston Sports Journal's Conor Ryan.The Sabres experienced a pause in play earlier this season due to an outbreak that affected several players and coaches.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's an old cliche in pro sports about how there are only two ways to sell your product: You sell winning, or you sell hope.The Buffalo Sabres are currently incapable of offering either.Sabres fans came into this truncated season having suffered through nine consecutive years of missing the playoffs. An NHL record-tying 10th straight miss is inevitable following a 6-18-4 showing through the first half of the schedule.On Tuesday night, general manager Kevyn Adams fired head coach Ralph Krueger and one of Krueger's assistants, Steve Smith. Assistant Don Granato has been elevated to interim head coach as Adams searches for Krueger's full-time replacement.The news surprised nobody. The club hasn't won in 12 games and owns a 31st-ranked offense, 29th-ranked defense, and terrible underlying numbers."We have to be better in every single area of this organization," Adams said during a press conference Wednesday. "It starts with me. I need to manage better, OK? I need to be better in every way. We need to coach better. We need to scout better. We need to develop players better. We need to practice better."I mean, you name it, we need to do it better. Period." Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesThe good news here is that Adams isn't using the Sabres' string of bad luck as an excuse. Buffalo was sidelined for 14 days in February due to COVID-19 protocol and has been battling injuries to key players, namely captain Jack Eichel, former MVP Taylor Hall, and shutdown defenseman Jake McCabe.The bad news is that the GM is absolutely correct in his assessment. Virtually all areas of the organization need upgrading. It's far from an overnight fix. Frankly, it's such a sad state of affairs that another full-fledged rebuild should be on the table for Adams.First and foremost, though, owners Terry and Kim Pegula must give Adams - a rookie GM with no previous managerial experience in the NHL - a fair shake. The former NHL player needs more resources, plain and simple. Excluding coaches and player development staff, Adams' hockey operations department consists of a vice president of hockey administration, a director of scouting, a director of analytics (who is also assistant director of scouting), a director of hockey strategy, a head collegiate scout, and seven other scouts. That's it.Essentially, there are 12 people in director, analytics, or scouting roles, as opposed to the 20-plus employed by most front offices. Bill Wippert / Getty ImagesAdams said he's in the process of filling an assistant GM role, which will help, but realistically, he probably needs two or three assistants to be on an even playing field with his peers. It shouldn't stop there, either - the Pegulas should also hire a president of hockey ops to oversee Adams and his group.Longtime GMs Jim Rutherford and Mike Gillis both come to mind as potential hires as president. Normally, choosing from a few unemployed veterans is an ineffective way to pick the ideal executive. Yet the Sabres' dire situation begs for stability from somebody in the Rutherford/Gillis mold. Adams could well be the right person to turn around the Sabres. If he's never given an adequate support system, though, he won't have a fighting chance.All of this front office talk links back to the losing culture that has infected the club for the past decade. Three years ago, former Sabres forward Ryan O'Reilly said the squad had adopted a mindset of "being OK with losing," and Eichel has expressed his frustration more than once. Based on this season's output, particularly the past few weeks, the losing vibe appears to be alive and well. Len Redkoles / Getty ImagesAdams plans to address the players Thursday. He says his message will revolve around how pride must be "within the DNA of our team." "Stacking wins" throughout the organization will eventually lead to a meaningful culture shift, Adams asserted on his call with the media. "If we all stack wins in the things that we do every day, they start to add up," he said.This slow-growth mentality sounds smart, but wouldn't it be better to start over? The Sabres aren't just bad; they're rotten to the core. And the vast majority of possible changes won't move the needle.Eichel is not the problem. He is an elite center, a cornerstone piece. But he turns 25 a few weeks into next season. By the time the Sabres turn over a chunk of their roster - the necessity of which is not up for debate at this point - he'll be in his late 20s and inching toward the end of his prime.As painful as it would be for the fan base to see one of the best players in franchise history leave, and for the team to enter another intense rebuild, it may be the most responsible course of action. (Eichel has a no-move clause in his contract starting in 2022-23, according to Cap Friendly.)The case against trading Eichel, of course, is that Buffalo would need to find another Eichel in order to one day contend for a Stanley Cup. But considering he could fetch a hefty package right now and the Atlantic Division projects to be tough for the foreseeable future, the timing could be worse. Sara Schmidle / Getty ImagesBuffalo faces a similar dilemma with Eichel sidekick Sam Reinhart, another valuable piece. Reinhart's an underrated producer, but is the 25-year-old pending restricted free agent part of the solution? Is 20-year-old defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who's having a down season, part of it too?Meanwhile, pending UFAs Hall and Eric Staal should garner plenty of outside interest leading to the April 12 trade deadline. Further down the lineup, winger Toby Rieder and blue-liner Brandon Montour - also UFAs - likely won't finish their seasons in Sabres uniforms. Offloading Jeff Skinner's albatross contract would lift a great weight, though it won't be an easy task in a flat-cap world."We're open to everything and anything," Adams said.The Sabres are dealing with an existential crisis. From the NHL roster to player development to the head coach to the front office to the overall culture, there is very little for fans to latch onto - which means nothing should be sacred."I do believe every crisis is an opportunity for positive change," Adams said, "and this is a chance for us to move forward and to begin to get this thing pointed in the right direction."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 entire New York Rangers coaching staff is unavailable for Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers due to COVID-19 protocol, the team announced.That list includes head coach David Quinn and his assistant coaches Jacques Martin, David Oliver, and Greg Brown.Kris Knoblauch, the New York AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack's bench boss, will serve as acting head coach. Wolf Pack associate coach Gord Murphy and Rangers associate general manager Chris Drury will join Knoblauch behind the bench.It remains unclear when Quinn and his staff will be able to rejoin the team.Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich and defenseman Adam Fox were added to the COVID-19 list Monday but were removed Wednesday and will play versus the Flyers.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks claimed forward Jimmy Vesey off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, the team announced.Vesey is currently on a one-year deal worth $900,000. The former Hobey Baker winner has amassed five goals and two assists over 30 games this season.Vesey, 27, largely played a fourth-line role in Toronto, averaging 11:07 of ice time per game. Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said Tuesday the team waived Vesey to increase roster flexibility.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres have fired head coach Ralph Krueger amid their 12-game losing streak, the team announced Wednesday.Don Granato has been named the club's interim bench boss, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.General manager Kevyn Adams said he'll immediately begin a thorough search for a permanent coach."There will be lots of people that I will speak to," Adams said. "What I don't want to do is rush into anything. ... This is about getting it right."Krueger was hired before the 2019-20 campaign. He had logged one prior season of NHL head coaching experience with the Edmonton Oilers in 2012-13, and the 51-year-old worked as director and chairman of the EPL's Southampton during his gap between hockey roles.There's one more season left on his contract, and the Sabres owe him $3.75 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Krueger was the Sabres' fifth head coach since 2013. Buffalo was expected to make significant strides this campaign after landing Taylor Hall - whom Krueger coached in Edmonton - and Eric Staal in the offseason.The Sabres have fallen far short of those expectations, and they sit dead last in the NHL while on the verge of extending their playoff drought to 10 seasons."You name it, we need to do it better," Adams said.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is seeking clarity from officials after Tuesday's loss to the Boston Bruins.The tightly-contested clash between division foes featured two hits - one by each team - causing injuries, but referees only deemed Brandon Tanev's blow illegal.The Penguins forward received a five-minute major and was ejected in the second period for the following hit on Bruins blue-liner Jarred Tinordi.Tinordi's hit on Evgeni Malkin in the opening frame went uncalled by refs."I hope as players we get some clarity on what's a good hit and what's not," Crosby said postgame, per Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's tough to really gauge when you're out there. I know it's fast, but right now, it's really hard to know what is, in fact, clean and what's not. And when you're out there playing, it's important to know that."Both Tinordi and Malkin left the game with injuries. There's been no update on either player's status, but Crosby made it clear he hopes the Bruins defender isn't seriously hurt."I don't think he (Tanev) had any intent there," Crosby said. "I hope Tinordi's OK. He went in pretty awkward. But I don't think there was any intent. I thought he hit him clean. He hit him timely as far as the puck being there. (Tinordi) did go in awkwardly, so you never like to see that. But I didn't think it warranted a five-minute (major penalty)."Boston won the game 2-1. The Bruins sit in fourth place and trail the Penguins by three points in the East Division with two games in hand.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee will undergo surgery this week and will miss the remainder of the regular season, general manager Lou Lamoriello announced Wednesday.Lee suffered a lower-body injury in a game against the New Jersey Devils last week.More to come.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas outlined his trade deadline plans during a midseason press conference Tuesday, stating that his team is in the market for a forward - preferably a rental.It's important to remember the Maple Leafs have limited cap flexibility - CapFriendly projects them to have just $130,527 of space at the deadline. More can always be created by moving a player off the active roster or through complicated cap gymnastics, but it's clear they're up against it.Toronto will probably require the other team to retain salary in a trade - likely the maximum 50% - or the Leafs will have to move out money. Forward Alexander Kerfoot and his $3.5-million cap hit would be the most sensible odd man out in such a scenario.Additionally, any player coming from an American team to Toronto must quarantine for 14 days before joining the club. The Leafs have just two games this week and two next week, so Dubas could be looking to strike as soon as possible even though the deadline isn't until April 12.Below, we explore five rentals Toronto could consider.Note: All stats are as of TuesdayNick Foligno, Blue Jackets Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyAge: 33

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brandon Tanev was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Jarred Tinordi on Tuesday.The play occurred during the second period, and Tinordi was later ruled out for the game. Tanev, who scored earlier in the contest, was visibly upset with the call.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford admitted he tried to trade for franchise icon Marc-Andre Fleury this past offseason.Fleury reportedly became available for trade after the Vegas Golden Knights re-signed fellow goaltender Robin Lehner to a five-year, $25-million contract."That’s one of the reasons we decided to buy out Jack Johnson," Rutherford told The Athletic's Josh Yohe. "I was trying to clear money for Marc."Rutherford admitted he even broke one of the unwritten rules of NHL GMs and contacted the Golden Knights about his availability while Vegas was still in the playoffs."I did what I never do and will never do again if I work again," Rutherford said. "I called a general manager (Kelly McCrimmon) during their playoff series (against Dallas). I said, 'If you’re moving Marc, you make sure you call me. I want him.'"Rutherford said talks were never deeply involved due to the cap gymnastics of such a deal (Fleury's AAV is $7 million, and both Pittsburgh and Vegas are up against the cap). That didn't stop the 72-year-old from making a big push for the netminder, though."I was serious. Very serious," he said. "Very willing to give a lot to get him, too. What I think is a lot and what the other team thinks is a lot may be two different things. I wasn’t looking at it as them giving him away. I was certainly willing to pay the price to get him back. I tried."Fleury, 36, is aging like fine wine, sporting a .936 save percentage and 1.77 goals-against average in 20 contests this season.The Penguins ended up trading Matt Murray to the Ottawa Senators and re-signing Tristan Jarry to a three-year, $10.5-million contract.Rutherford, who resigned from his post in January, made plenty of big moves during his time in Pittsburgh, but he said sending Fleury to Vegas "was the hardest thing I ever had to do as a manager."Fleury waived his no-movement clause prior to the 2017 expansion draft, where he was taken by Vegas. The Golden Knights also received a second-round pick from the Pens for taking the goaltender.Fleury won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh and is the franchise's all-time leader in wins.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins and Winnipeg Jets have each shown interest in acquiring Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.With the Predators failing to meet expectations this season, Ekhlom is believed to be among the top blue-liners available as the April 12 trade deadline approaches.Nashville has made it clear that their asking price for Ekholm is similar to what the Los Angeles Kings fetched for Jake Muzzin in 2019, according to Friedman. The Kings sent Muzzin to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a first-round pick as well as prospect Sean Durzi - a second-rounder the year before - and forward Carl Grundstrom.Ekholm has one year remaining on his current deal and carries a cap hit of $3.75 million. The 30-year-old has established himself as a strong two-way defenseman who's capable of logging top-pairing minutes and driving offense at a high rate, as shown by HockeyViz's isolated impact. Red (positive) is good in the offensive zone while blue (negative) is good in the defensive zone.The Bruins recently claimed Jarred Tinordi off waivers to round out the left side of their blue line while lefties Jeremy Lauzon and John Moore remain on injured reserve. Ekholm would slide in as arguably the team's best left-shooting rearguard and provide some much-needed offense from the back end. The Bruins rank 30th in points from defensemen this season.The Jets have won eight of their last 12 games and have proved to be a contender in the North Division. The team is still trying to restore its blue line after enduring a difficult 2019 offseason in which many key defensemen left the club. Ekholm and Josh Morrissey would provide a solid one-two punch on the left side.Ekholm has played his entire 10-year career with the Predators and has recorded 50 goals and 208 points over 560 contests.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said he's willing to trade a top prospect to help his club's chances in 2021, according to The Athletic's Joshua Kloke.The April 12 trade deadline was a prominent talking point during Dubas' mid-season availability Tuesday, and the general manager divulged that he hopes to complete a trade sooner than later to mitigate the 14-day quarantine period between Canada and the United States. He added that he'd prefer a rental player due to the flat salary cap, and Toronto is keen on bolstering its forward group."We had to move out some forwards that were good for us in order to add on the back end, and thus we feel like that's an area where we may want to look a bit more," Dubas said, per TSN's Kristen Shilton.Some of Toronto's top prospects include Nick Robertson, Rasmus Sandin, and 2020 first-round pick Rodion Amirov.The Leafs are right up against the $81.5-million salary cap, so they'd likely need to move a player out or have another team retain salary if a trade is made.Toronto currently sits sixth in the NHL and first in the North Division with 40 points through 30 games, but its grip on the top spot weakened after losing four of its last five games.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL will not delay the upcoming 2021 draft and it will proceed as scheduled in July, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The league was reportedly considering pushing the draft as late as the summer of 2022 and potentially even holding back-to-back drafts. Many general managers supported the idea.Due to COVID-19, many hockey leagues around the world have either been playing modified seasons or haven't been playing at all. Evaluating eligible players has become much more difficult for NHL teams as a result."We've had different issues associated in Europe as well," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said last week, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "And that is compounded by the fact that the club scouts, who are charged and employed to scout these prospects, to learn about them and to advise their clubs on those prospects, haven't been able for the most part to travel or watch them in person."The 2021 NHL Draft is scheduled to take place July 23-24.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin will address the assault allegation that led to his recent leave of absence after the season."It's probably not the time to discuss it right now," Panarin said Monday, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "I have nothing to hide. I will address everything after the season, but right now, the focus is on the game and not these discussions."The Rangers announced on Feb. 22 that Panarin would be away from the team indefinitely after his former KHL coach, Andrei Nazarov, said the winger got into a physical altercation with an 18-year-old woman in Latvia in 2011.New York called the allegation a "fabricated story" and said it was "an intimidation tactic" in response to Panarin's political stances. Panarin has been publicly critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past and expressed support for Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.Multiple former KHL teammates of Panarin disputed the allegation, and the league said it never received a complaint.Panarin ultimately missed nine games while away from the Rangers, returning to the lineup March 13. The 29-year-old has recorded 22 points in 16 games this season.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A 19-year-old defenseman for Dynamo St. Petersburg's junior team died three days after taking a puck to the head during a playoff game, the KHL announced Tuesday.Timur Faizutdinov collapsed on the ice after being struck by a puck shot from the neutral zone, according to The Associated Press. He was reportedly taken to the hospital in Yaroslavl and treated for his injuries.KHL playoff games on March 17 and 18 will hold a moment of silence in Faizutdinov's memory.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames winger Brett Ritchie got the best of Edmonton Oilers forward Jujhar Khaira during a heated tilt in the latest installment of the Battle of Alberta on Monday night.Khaira answered the bell after he delivered a high hit on Flames defenseman Oliver Kylington earlier in the game.

Patrick Kane moved solely into fifth place on the NHL's all-time scoring list among U.S.-born players with his goal on Monday night against the Florida Panthers.The Chicago Blackhawks forward is now just one point back of tying Keith Tkachuk for fourth place on the list.

Rasmus Ristolainen is attempting to rely on past experiences to stay focused amid the Buffalo Sabres' 10-game losing streak."When it's your eighth year and it's been almost identical to the years in the past, at least I have thick skin," he said, per The Athletic's John Vogl. "I know how to handle it. You've got to keep your confidence up and you've got to still work hard. You can't lose your shit after a few losses."Ristolainen added: "One way or the other, we need to get going. I feel like we need one win and we relieve the pressure in the team, and then maybe we can put some more wins together."Buffalo was expected to be in playoff contention after making key offseason additions in Taylor Hall and Eric Staal. Instead, the Sabres sit dead last in the NHL and appear bound to extend their league-worst playoff drought to 10 seasons.Buffalo has been hampered by underperforming players, injuries, and postponements due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Ristolainen, who contracted the virus, detailed his harrowing symptoms in late February.The Sabres drafted Ristolainen, 26, eighth overall in 2013. He's notched 235 points and averaged nearly 24 minutes per contest in 512 games with the club.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We took home a bit of money over the weekend, but the margins were small as we moved to 81-69 (+11.69 units) on the season.I've got four plays going Monday night. Here are words on two of them:Bruins (-115) @ Penguins (-105)This feels like a very important game for the Bruins. A 4-6-2 run has seen them drop to fourth place in the East Division, a distant 10 points back of first. They have games in hand on all the teams around them, but those are meaningless if they don't result in wins.Boston was embarrassed by the Rangers in a 4-0 loss Saturday, going 0-for-5 on the power play and generating only 0.37 expected goals at five-on-five - by far its worst mark of the season. However, the Bruins have responded well following poor outings this year. Their previous two lows in xGF% were 35.18% and 34.16%, in losses against the Rangers and Capitals, respectively. They responded to those with marks of 62.95% and 53.72%, both in winning efforts.I expect similar here, against a Penguins team due for some regression. They've been a below-average xGF% team at five-on-five, and have been especially underwhelming in this regard over the past few weeks, excluding their two games against the Sabres. The 10-3 run they're currently on does not reflect that, so we can sell high here on Pittsburgh.Pick: Bruins (-115)Flyers (-120) @ Rangers (+100)This line's moving quickly in the Flyers' direction, meaning there's a good chance you can hold out for +110 or better on the Rangers. The reasoning behind the movement: Keith Kinkaid is getting the start for New York. But are we sure this is such a bad thing? With Igor Shesterkin still injured, the alternative for the Rangers was Alexandar Georgiev, who's struggled of late. He's posted a miserable minus-6.80 GSAx across his last three starts, and sits 62nd out of 71 goalies in GSAA on the season. Kinkaid's hardly a world-beater, but he's been solid when called upon, and he shut the Bruins out Saturday.The Flyers respond with Carter Hart, who's having an atrocious season. Hart's posted a minus GSAx in each of his last four appearances, and seven of his last nine. He ranks 67th in GSAA and 69th in GSAx on the year, and is showing no signs of rediscovering his 2019-20 form or recapturing the confidence he needs to perform at a high level.In addition, the Flyers have struggled in front of him. They've controlled a greater portion of the expected goal share at five-on-five in only five of their last 14 games - three of those were against the Sabres. The Rangers have been excellent in this regard, owning a 54.68% share - sixth in the NHL - over their last 12 games, despite Artemi Panarin playing in three of them. The Bread Man returned to the lineup on the weekend against Boston, in time for the Rangers to control 81.32% (!) of the expected goal share at five-on-five. They're great value on home ice here, especially if they move closer to +110, as suspected.Pick: Rangers (+100)Other bets:

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot will likely be out for six-to-eight weeks after undergoing surgery on a fractured hand Monday, the club announced.Chiarot suffered the injury during a win over the Vancouver Canucks last Wednesday. It appeared to occur during his fight with Canucks forward J.T. Miller in the first period, after which the Montreal blue-liner didn't return.Chiarot missed the two subsequent games - a pair of losses to the Calgary Flames - as well.The 29-year-old has collected five points in 25 games this season. He ranks third among Montreal skaters in average ice time behind Shea Weber and Jeff Petry.Chiarot is in his second season in Montreal after signing with the team in July 2019. He spent his first five-plus campaigns with the Winnipeg Jets.The Canadiens will presumably give rookie rearguard Alexander Romanov a larger role in the wake of Chiarot's injury.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pekka Rinne isn't interested in leaving the Nashville Predators to chase a Stanley Cup during what could be his final NHL season."I believe in this team," Rinne told The Athletic's Adam Vingan. "I do want to retire as a Predator."Nashville currently sits seventh in the Central Division, 10 points back of a playoff spot. The Predators have qualified for the postseason each campaign since 2014, leaving Rinne with an unfamiliar feeling right now."For sure, I want to have success," he said. "I've been fortunate that we've been, for most of my career, doing pretty well. For the most part, we've never been sellers at the deadline. Obviously, I don't want to go through that. This is the team I want to retire (with)."Rinne is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the Predators will likely sell off some assets prior to the trade deadline as they stare down a potential rebuild.The 38-year-old has been Nashville's No. 1 netminder since the 2008-09 season, and he was among the NHL's best goalies at his peak. Rinne has been a Vezina Trophy finalist four times, and he won the award in 2018. The veteran owns a career .917 save percentage across 678 games despite being below .900 in each of the past two seasons.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's no NHL All-Star Game this season, but we want to recognize those who would've deserved a selection had this been a typical year.We've kept the three-on-three tournament-based format the NHL has used since 2015-16. This means rosters will consist of seven forwards, two defensemen, and two goaltenders for each of the four divisions.The selections are based on performance. Unlike the usual process involving fan voting (and an actual tournament played in front of spectators), popularity isn't a factor here.We've also chosen not to employ the NHL's rule mandating at least one player from every team because the quota exists purely to placate fans, and it often results in better players being left out, even in a normal season. Lastly, the players are listed in order of their worthiness, and the picks were made with input from all of theScore's hockey editors.Here's who we believe would warrant NHL All-Star selection in 2021 if the midseason event was being held:North Division Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyForwardsPlayerTeamConnor McDavidEdmonton OilersAuston MatthewsToronto Maple LeafsLeon DraisaitlOilersMitch MarnerMaple LeafsMark ScheifeleWinnipeg JetsBrock BoeserVancouver CanucksTyler ToffoliMontreal CanadiensHonorable mentions: Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Johnny Gaudreau.Almost all of the North Division forward picks are no-brainers. McDavid has been the Hart Trophy front-runner for most of the season, Matthews has been the consensus runner-up, and Draisaitl and Marner are among the NHL's top point producers. Toffoli's done most of his damage against the Canucks (eight goals and five assists in seven games), but he's still produced seven markers in 20 contests against the other Canadian teams.DefensemenPlayerTeamJeff PetryCanadiensQuinn HughesCanucksHonorable mentions: Neal Pionk, Thomas Chabot, Darnell Nurse.Petry leads all NHL rearguards in goals and sits within striking distance of the league lead in points at the position while producing more points than any other Canadiens skater. The Montreal blue-liner's also driving possession better than the other candidates, boasting a 55.52 expected goals for percentage, a 57.18 scoring chances for percentage, and a 55.89 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five.Hughes has also been a must-watch blue-liner in 2021, leading all Vancouver skaters in assists and outpacing all but two Canuck players in points. His underlying numbers aren't favorable, but chalk that up to his team's largely underwhelming performance. The 21-year-old has played more games than his counterparts this season and the sky's the limit for this star.GoaltendersPlayerTeamConnor HellebuyckJetsThatcher DemkoCanucksHonorable mention: Mike Smith.The top North Division goaltenders have largely underachieved and/or endured injuries this season. Jacob Markstrom has done both, as has Frederik Andersen, and Carey Price is clearly no longer the netminder he once was.Given Hellebuyck's workload, no other goalie has played better for the Canadian teams. While the Jets puck-stopper's save percentage isn't otherworldly, it's better than all other No. 1 goalies in the North who've matched or even approached his 21 starts. He's also helped Winnipeg match the first-place Maple Leafs' points percentage despite the Jets being one of the NHL's worst teams in shots allowed per game.Demko struggled to start the season but has seized the Canucks' No. 1 job and has dominated as of late. In his last six games, he's posted a .952 save percentage with five wins.Central Division Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyForwardsPlayerTeamPatrick KaneChicago BlackhawksAlex DeBrincatBlackhawksJonathan HuberdeauFlorida PanthersAleksander BarkovPanthersJoe PavelskiDallas StarsSebastian AhoCarolina HurricanesFilip ForsbergNashville PredatorsHonorable mentions: Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Vincent Trocheck.Kane and DeBrincat have been lights out for the surprisingly competitive Blackhawks, while another dynamic duo - Huberdeau and Barkov - are excelling for the resurgent Panthers. Forsberg would be on the fringes of the Hart Trophy race if his Predators were in a playoff spot with how much he's carried them.DefensemenPlayerTeamVictor HedmanTampa Bay LightningAaron EkbladPanthersHedman is far and away the best blue-liner in the Central Division, and, as usual, his numbers prove it. Ekblad has also put himself in the Norris Trophy conversation with a stellar first half.GoaltendersPlayerTeamAndrei VasilevskiyLightningKevin LankinenBlackhawksHonorable mention: Chris Driedger.Much like the Central rearguards, there's no debate regarding the netminders. Vasilevskiy is the Vezina Trophy front-runner, while Lankinen has emerged as a Calder Trophy candidate since coming out of nowhere to become the Blackhawks' unquestioned No. 1 goalie.East Division Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyForwardsPlayerTeamDavid PastrnakBoston BruinsBrad MarchandBruinsSidney CrosbyPittsburgh PenguinsNicklas BackstromCapitalsMathew BarzalNew York IslandersJames van RiemsdykPhiladelphia FlyersPatrice BergeronBruinsHonorable mentions: Artemi Panarin, Alex Ovechkin.It would be shocking if Ovechkin didn't earn a spot in any other season, but he doesn't warrant selection here since we're basing it solely on performance. The Capitals superstar hasn't been his typically prolific self in 2021, and his underlying numbers are similarly unflattering.Conversely, all three members of the Bruins' vaunted top line deserve to crack the list. Pastrnak missed time at the start of the campaign due to injury but has been lights out since returning, and Bergeron, as always, has been proficient at both ends.DefensemenPlayerTeamCharlie McAvoyBruinsJohn CarlsonCapitalsHonorable mentions: Adam Fox, Kris Letang.McAvoy is a legitimate Norris Trophy candidate and has been indispensable to a Bruins squad that lost Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara in the offseason. Carlson - the 2019-20 runner-up for that award - has been productive as usual in 2021. He helped the Capitals remain competitive when they were without a quartet of key players for an extended period.GoaltendersPlayerTeamSemyon VarlamovIslandersIgor ShesterkinRangersA pair of Russian netminders playing for New York-based clubs have separated themselves from the East pack. Varlamov has ceded some starts lately to another countryman, Ilya Sorokin, but the veteran is still the Islanders' clear No. 1 and has been the division's best puck-stopper in 2021. Shesterkin has a mild injury that's considered day-to-day, so he keeps his spot.Tuukka Rask has a winning record because he plays for the Bruins, but he's been subpar for much of the season, posting a .906 save percentage and minus-0.18 goals saved above average in all situations. He has a respectable 0.98 goals saved above expected (according to Evolving Hockey), but Varlamov and Shesterkin are outperforming him in that department, too.West Division Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyForwardsPlayerTeamNathan MacKinnonColorado AvalancheMark StoneVegas Golden KnightsAnze KopitarLos Angeles KingsRyan O'ReillySt. Louis BluesKirill KaprizovMinnesota WildMikko RantanenAvalancheDavid PerronBluesHonorable mention: Max Pacioretty.Kaprizov leads all rookies in goals, assists, and points while pacing all first-year forwards in average ice time by a wide margin. The 23-year-old has looked like a seasoned pro while dazzling at times in his first NHL campaign. O'Reilly does so much for the Blues, and Perron has been an All-Star caliber player for St. Louis in his own right.DefensemenPlayerTeamCale MakarAvalancheDrew DoughtyKingsHonorable mentions: Jakob Chychrun, Sam Girard.Makar hasn't played since late February due to an injury, but he was the Norris Trophy front-runner before being forced out of the lineup and remains day-to-day. Either fellow Avalanche blue-liner Girard or Chychrun would be worthy replacements, but considering Makar isn't expected to be unavailable for the long term, he has to be the West Division's top blue-liner here.Doughty is enjoying a bounce-back year for the surprisingly better-than-awful Kings, ranking near the top of the NHL in average ice time and sitting among the league leaders in points by a rearguard.GoaltendersPlayerTeamMarc-Andre FleuryGolden KnightsKaapo KahkonenWildHonorable mentions: Philipp Grubauer, Darcy Kuemper.Kahkonen has outperformed Grubauer in terms of save percentage and goals saved above average at five-on-five. The Wild netminder has also won a larger percentage of his starts than his Colorado counterpart. While Grubauer has notched four shutouts, three of them came against either the San Jose Sharks (two) or Kings.(Analytics source unless otherwise indicated: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. 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Few pleasantries are exchanged in the Battle of Alberta, but Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter won't deny Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid his well-earned status as the world's top talent."Bottom line, he's head and shoulders the best player in the league," Sutter said Sunday, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers. "I don't think there's one player who stops Connor McDavid. He's a tough guy to stop. You just try to slow him down within the rules, limit his chances."McDavid, 24, is on pace to collect his third career Art Ross Trophy over just six seasons. He leads all players in points (52) and assists (35) while sitting second in goals (17) through 30 games.The franchise pivot has enjoyed matching up against the Flames throughout his career. McDavid has tallied a career-best 20 goals against Calgary along with 32 points, including 10 in four outings this season.However, Sutter says McDavid is impactful regardless of the opponent, and it takes a team effort to limit him."I don't think he's singled out the Calgary Flames as his main target," Sutter said. "I've watched him lots, I live 80 miles from Edmonton, so I've watched Edmonton as much as Calgary and Vancouver."Obviously, they have a great power play and he pretty much dominates that part of the game, too. It's on everybody to slow Connor McDavid down."McDavid has amassed a remarkable 179 goals and 521 points over 381 games since the Oilers selected him first overall in 2015.The Oilers and Flames begin a two-game set in Calgary on Monday.Copyright © 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every week, theScore offers a fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This edition focuses on Week 9. Roster percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Trade for Nathan MacKinnonTeam: Avalanche

The New York Islanders placed captain Anders Lee on long-term injured reserve, the team announced Sunday.The move is retroactive to March 11.The Islanders ruled Lee out indefinitely Friday after he left Thursday's win over the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury.Players on LTIR must miss a minimum of 10 games or 24 days, according to CapFriendly. This allows teams to exceed the salary cap and spend an amount equal to the injured player's cap hit while he remains out of the lineup.Lee's cap hit is $7 million.