With a global pandemic suspending sporting events worldwide, athletes suddenly have tons of time on their hands. In the latest installment of our weekly NHL series, we look at how they've been keeping themselves entertained - and in shape - while self-isolating.Getzlaf's all cooped upThe Anaheim Ducks veteran was a part of a conference call with some of his Pacific Division rivals on Friday. With the animosity set aside, the four spent some quality time sharing what they've been doing and joking around with one another. Getzlaf proudly showed off his brand new chicken coop he's been busy building over the last two weeks. Very impressive stuff.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.While almost the entire world is on pause amid the coronavirus pandemic, it's business as usual in Belarus.The European nation is still moving along with sporting events in front of large crowds. The Belarusian Extraleague, the country's top professional hockey association, is still proceeding, even though Russia's KHL canceled its playoffs on Wednesday.Authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko took part in a hockey game on Sunday in Minsk, the country's capital."There are no viruses here," Lukashenko said, as The Guardian translated. "You haven't noticed them flying around, have you? This is a fridge. Sports, particularly on the ice, this fridge here. That's the best actual anti-virus remedy."Belarus had 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Friday.Soccer is also still going strong in the nation, as a Belarusian Premier League match drew a capacity crowd of 3,000 people on Saturday.Lukashenko advised residents to drink vodka and take saunas instead of panicking over the virus, according to ESPN.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan has tested positive for the coronavirus, the New York Knicks announced Saturday.Dolan, 64, has been in self-isolation and is experiencing little to no symptoms, according to the team. He continues to oversee business operations.Dolan, who oversees the Knicks and the NHL's New York Rangers, is believed to be the first NBA owner to test positive for COVID-19. Fifteen individuals connected with the league - including multiple players and unidentified members of teams - have now been confirmed to have been infected as of Saturday.Two of the first NBAers to test positive, Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, were cleared of the illness on Friday.New York City remains the epicenter for the pandemic in the United States, with nearly 30,000 cases as of Saturday. More than 500 have died in the city.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Non-essential construction of the New York Islanders' new facility at Belmont Park is on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, the club announced Friday.The decision comes after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo expanded his temporary shutdown of non-essential projects."We support Governor Cuomo's efforts to eliminate the COVID-19 virus," Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement. "He has been the driving force behind the construction of Belmont Park Arena. The progress that has been made since the groundbreaking is truly incredible and is a credit to all of the construction workers that have been there every day. Those workers are all a part of our community and we want them safe and healthy."The Islanders broke ground at the new location in September, and it was scheduled to open for the start of the 2021-22 season. The team has been essentially splitting home dates between its original arena, Nassau Coliseum, and Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where it began playing in 2015.Cuomo said in late February that the club would move back to the Coliseum full time for the 2020-21 campaign.Meanwhile, the Seattle expansion franchise also halted construction at KeyArena due to the coronavirus. However, Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke told the Seattle Times' Geoff Baker on Thursday that work is expected to resume Monday because the roof needs to be reinstalled onto its permanent support posts.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka and Taylor Hall's agent Darren Ferris are using the NHL's hiatus to discuss the forward's future."Obviously, our intent was always to get through the season and not having any conflict with Taylor's play. This leaves us in a bit of a limbo where it's obviously not technically the end of the season, but it also wouldn't conflict with his play to talk," Chayka told The Athletic's Craig Morgan."All I would say right now is that both sides are gathering information and having some discussions. Where that goes, I'm not entirely sure today. As we talk, we'll see where things go."Chayka added that although the two sides have spoken, they haven't exchanged figures.Hall is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency at season's end. The Coyotes sent three prospects and two conditional draft picks to the New Jersey Devils for the former Hart Trophy winner back in December.How the conditions of those draft picks play out is foggy given the uncertainty surrounding the league's return. The Devils will receive Arizona's 2020 first-rounder unless it's a top-three pick, which, in that case, it would become a 2021 selection. However, Arizona winning the lottery is not likely. The conditional third-rounder would become an additional first-rounder if the Coyotes win a playoff round and Hall re-signs. It becomes a second-rounder if just one of those things happen.Chayka added that deputy commissioner Bill Daly and the NHL league office have a lot on their plate and have yet to sort out these details.Hall racked up 16 goals and 52 points in 65 games split between the Devils and Coyotes in 2019-20. Arizona projects to have just over $4 million in cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly. Barring a larger-than-expected cap increase, money would need to be moved for Hall to re-sign in the desert.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Ottawa Senators color analyst Gord Wilson has been diagnosed with COVID-19, he confirmed to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.Wilson's wife, CTV Ottawa's Patricia Boal, revealed the diagnosis on a newscast Friday night, according to Garrioch.Local health officials informed him Friday that he is infected. Wilson was tested for the virus last week.The 59-year-old felt ill for several days after returning from the Senators' California road trip on March 12, the same day the NHL paused its season amid the pandemic. On Boal's advice, he got tested, and has been self-isolating since returning home."It's hit me hard enough," Wilson said. "I haven't felt good for two weeks. The worst was last weekend. So I'm hitting a week here at least with shortness of breath and feeling lethargic. I walk up a flight of steps here and I’m out of breath."The biggest thing is the lack of taste and smell. I'm down about eight or nine pounds. I’m not eating as much."Wilson provided a further update later in the evening.

With virtually every professional hockey league across the globe postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, theScore's NHL team compiled a list of movies to help fans get their puck fix.'Miracle' (2004)Focus On Sport / Getty Images Sport / GettyLet's face it, most sports movies are cringeworthy and hollow. "Miracle" is an exception thanks in large part to Kurt Russell's portrayal of former U.S. men's hockey coach Herb Brooks. Before facing the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics - a game the underdog Americans miraculously won 4-3 - Russell, or rather Brooks, delivers a speech for the ages.If you haven't seen it, you've at least heard someone quote the scene: "If we played them 10 times, they might win nine," Brooks says to his players. "But not this game; not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down! Because we can! Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world." Feeling blah? "Miracle" will get you fired up at home.'Mystery, Alaska' (1999)Getty Images / Hulton Archive / GettyThis R-rated comedy-drama wasn't a commercial success, nor was it well-received by critics, but it can be both relatable and nostalgic for the die-hard fan. Who among us didn't get a sudden urge to go out and play pond hockey after watching the Mystery players skate from their dressing room to the rink on the flooded path? A community coming together for the game it loves is all-too-relatable for those who grew up in a small hockey town.More importantly, the on-ice scenes are pretty realistic - at least as far as hockey movies go. And while an NHL team heading to rural Alaska to play an exhibition game against the town's residents may be far-fetched, it thankfully doesn't end in cheesy, Hollywood fashion.'The Rocket' (2005)Bettmann / Bettmann / GettyThis French biopic depicts the life of Maurice "Rocket" Richard from his years as a teenager and details his rise to fame in Montreal as he becomes one of hockey's most prolific players. The film does an incredible job of displaying Richard's struggle to overcome adversity early in his career both on and off the ice. It also depicts the events that took place leading up to his season-long suspension and the infamous Richard Riot of 1955.Richard and many others who were portrayed in the film ensured its historical accuracy, and it includes appearances from past NHL players such as Vincent Lecavalier, Mike Ricci, Sean Avery, and Pascal Dupuis.'Red Army' (2014)Focus On Sport / Focus on Sport / GettyGabe Polsky's riveting documentary, "Red Army," is a brilliant examination of the Soviet Union's once-dominant national hockey program. It's the "Miracle" story from the other side, but it's also much more than that. It features brutally honest insight from some of the team's best players, most notably former captain Slava Fetisov, who went from national hero to enemy for daring to be critical of the program.The thought-provoking film illustrates how important hockey was to the Soviets, how the national team served as a vehicle for propaganda amid rising tensions with the West, and how a game-changing dynasty ultimately collapsed. If you're looking for a sports film that can also teach you about politics, culture, and human nature, look no further.'Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72' (2012)Frank Lennon / Toronto Star / GettyIn that same vein, "Cold War on Ice" chronicles the historic 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War. The rivals squared off in an eight-game series, the first four in Canada and the latter quartet in the USSR, played over a 27-day span.The film explores each game and includes engaging interviews with several key figures, including Canada's Tony Esposito, Phil Esposito, Bobby Clarke, and Paul Henderson, as well as Russia's Boris Mikhailov, Vladislav Tretiak, and Alexander Yakushev. You can find this historical documentary on YouTube.'Ice Guardians' (2016)Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / GettyFew topics ignite conversation in hockey like fighting. No matter what side of the debate you're on, "Ice Guardians" is worthy of your time for a deeper look at the on-ice "code," how the game has changed, and where it may end up.The in-depth documentary details the rigorous journey that enforcers take from the minors to the NHL and features conversations with numerous players who lived that life. Wendel Clark, Brett Hull, Brian McGrattan, George Parros, and the late Dave Semenko are among many who contributed to the film.'Goon' (2011)Michael N. Todaro / FilmMagic / GettySpeaking of fighting: "Goon," though a more recent movie, harkens back to a time when the enforcer was a key piece to every hockey team. While this may no longer be the case in the modern game, the film does a marvelous job of illustrating the impact those players could have energizing their team.Featuring some great performances from star Seann William Scott as loveable loser Doug Glatt and Liev Schreiber as former NHLer and over-the-hill tough guy Ross "The Boss" Rhea, "Goon" has a mix of crude comedy and heartwarming sentimentality that somehow works. It may not be the best representation of minor-league hockey, but it's a fun ride with a surprisingly sweet touch.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the Chicago Blackhawks a shell of the powerhouse Stanley Cup-contending clubs from much of the last decade, captain Jonathan Toews and some of the team's other veterans are trying to adjust their habits to benefit a more inexperienced club."It's tough because I think, No. 1, our older guys like (Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford) and myself, I think you kind of get comfortable with your ways and how you do things over the years," Toews said on the "Dropping the Gloves" podcast, which is hosted by his former teammate John Scott. "So, there's definitely been an adjustment for the veteran guys and the guys that are considered leaders as part of the core group in Chicago."After making the playoffs for nine straight seasons and winning three Stanley Cups during that span, Toews and the Blackhawks were on pace to miss the postseason for a third consecutive campaign this season before play was suspended.With a mix of veteran Stanley Cup winners and young players on the roster, Toews believes it's key for himself and Chicago's other core veterans to change their leadership styles in order to aid the club's more inexperienced members."I think you definitely have to grow and you have to adapt and part of that has just been kind of reassessing how we lead the team and what our daily approach has been like," Toews added. "Because it's this kind of separation between a lot of the young guys that come in that never played a playoff game before and have to learn a lot of the little things."On the other hand, sometimes, as they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks," he continued, "so it's hard to get out of your comfort zone and be a little bit more aware of the things that you're doing, be a little bit more aware of the example that you're setting, and how you interact with some of these younger guys."Toews, 31, has been Chicago's captain since his sophomore season in 2008-09. He's racked up 345 goals and 815 points in 943 career games and has won the Conn Smythe and Selke awards.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.There's no update on when the NHL will return from its coronavirus-induced hiatus, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday the league could play deep into the summer months if it must."We think if we were required to, we might have the ability to play in August. If we have to fit games in, we'll find ways to fit games in," Daly told NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika."I will say that it remains our hope, if not our goal, to be playing hockey sooner than then," Daly added. "Depending on how things play out, we'd love to be playing sometime in the spring, and then if we have to leak into early summer, we'd love to have that problem. But I don't think we're far enough along in understanding where this is going to know what's possible at this point in time."It was reported earlier this week that the NHL asked all 31 teams to provide available home dates for the month of August.Daly previously said the possibilities for the conclusion of the 2019-20 season are "almost endless" and that the league's top priority is to ensure the 2020-21 campaign isn't affected by whatever choice is made.The NHL recently extended its self-quarantine rules for players through April 4 at the earliest.Three players have tested positive for the coronavirus - two members of the Ottawa Senators and one on the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nate Schmidt is missing baseball as much as the rest of us are.The Vegas Golden Knights defenseman took to the streets Thursday, on what would have been Major League Baseball's Opening Day, to take some batting practice.Schmidt - a Minnesota native - is a big Twins fan, and his favorite player is Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper, who's from Las Vegas.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.St. Louis Blues FOX Sports Midwest play-by-play voice John Kelly tested positive for COVID-19, the club confirmed Friday.He is now symptom-free after beginning to self-quarantine March 13, according to the team.Kelly is in his second stint as a Blues broadcaster, having returned to St. Louis for the 2005-06 season after working on Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche telecasts. He first started calling Blues games in 1989-90, remaining on the job until 1992 when he joined the Lightning.He's the son of the late Hall of Fame broadcaster Dan Kelly.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks signed blue-chip prospect Trevor Zegras to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Friday."We are happy to get this contract done and start Trevor's professional career," said general manager Bob Murray. "He's got quite a bit of work ahead of him, but we know he's got the talent and intelligence to be an impactful NHL player."Zegras was drafted ninth overall in 2019 and spent this past season at Boston University, notching 36 points in 33 games.The 19-year-old forward also shined with the United States at the world juniors, leading the club with nine points in five contests.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Kaberle was one of the league's better passers during his 14-season NHL career, and now he's dishing out a different type of sauce during retirement.The former All-Star defenseman has been delivering orders for his wife Julia's Italian restaurant, Quanto Basta, in Toronto during the coronavirus pandemic, he told CBC's Carol Off.Kaberle said customers routinely start giggling and take pictures or look at him and say, "I know you from somewhere" when he shows up at their door."It's kind of fun," he said. "If I can make them laugh at this time, whatever it takes."The 42-year-old was an eighth-round pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1996 and spent parts of 12 seasons with the club from 1998-2011. He ranks second behind Hall of Famer Borje Salming in assists (437) and points (520) by a defenseman in Leafs history, and it's safe to say he's a familiar face around the city."I've got repeat customers asking for me, which is just funny," Kaberle said. "One of our customers, I made their son laugh and made their day, and stuff like that. So that makes me happy."Like all restaurants in Ontario, Quanto Basta is limited to takeout or delivery orders due to COVID-19, so Julia Kaberle urged her husband to help out."He didn't really offer. I kind of pushed him a little bit," she said. "I said, 'Please, can you help us out? It's getting so busy.' And he said, 'Absolutely. You know, anything to give this a go.'"Kaberle had stops in Boston, Carolina, and Montreal after his tenure in Toronto, winning a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury don't think it would be fair for the NHL to head directly into the postseason once play resumes.The two stars believe some sort of tuneup would be necessary, contrary to what Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby said Thursday.McDavid is concerned about players' safety, as they would be forced to go from a long layoff to postseason intensity. His Oilers would match up against the provincial rival Calgary Flames if the regular format is used, and there's been no shortage of physicality in the Battle of Alberta this season."I don't think we can just step into playoffs," he said during a video conference call Friday, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "Game 1, Calgary comes to Edmonton and guys just run around killing each other and haven't played a game in two months. It will end up the (AHL affiliates) Stockton Heat versus the Bakersfield Condors if that's the case."Fleury, meanwhile, doesn't think it would be fair to netminders, specifically."The biggest thing as a goalie is timing," he said in a separate video call, per The Athletic's Jesse Granger. "The speed of the game is something you have to catch up on, so it would be nice to play some (regular-season) games before starting the playoffs."However, McDavid adds that if the 2020 postseason does take place, it would make for some very entertaining hockey."If we can get back to playing, it could be some of the best playoffs we've ever seen," McDavid said. "Everyone would be rested and healthy."Flames captain Mark Giordano shares McDavid's sentiment, though he doesn't believe there would be time for any tuneup games. He floated the idea of an alternate playoff format instead."I think maybe you go 12 and 12," Giordano said, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "More teams get in this year. Maybe a couple byes at the top."The NHL suspended its season March 12 due to the coronavirus outbreak.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.At a couple of points this season, I dove into the updated Stanley Cup odds and used analytics to suggest the best teams to buy low and sell high.Depending on which advice you chose to follow, you either loved me or hated me up until the season was suspended. If you bet the Florida Panthers, you should probably stop reading now. Sorry.The bestNov. 28: Buy Vegas Golden Knights at 14-1My thesis: "This is a Stanley Cup-caliber team that's playing much better than its record indicates. With a legitimate stud goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury and a deep roster in front of him, Vegas will go on a run anytime now. Once that happens, good luck finding 14-1 anywhere."I scooped the Golden Knights up at 14-1 and never found a better price throughout the season. I was feeling great about this bet a couple of weeks ago when Vegas had won 11 of 13 games and was as short as 7-1 ... but we all know what happened next.Dec. 4: Sell Winnipeg Jets at 20-1My thesis: "You could do a lot better than Winnipeg at 20-1. The Jets have no business being priced alongside the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, or Philadelphia Flyers."From Dec. 4 on, the Jets had a losing record and were on pace to narrowly miss the playoffs. They currently have 66-1 odds to win the Cup.Nov. 28: Buy Colorado Avalanche at 16-1My thesis: "You can expect a deep playoff run from this team, which began the season with 12-1 odds. Those odds will be a lot shorter come January, at the latest, so hop on at 16-1 while you still can."The Avalanche certainly looked poised for a Cup run. They went 28-13-5 after this was written and had 8-1 odds when the season was suspended. Getting them at double that? Talk about good timing.The worstNov. 28: Buy Florida Panthers at 25-1My thesis: "Sergei Bobrovsky is too good of a goaltender for these issues to continue, and Joel Quenneville is a master behind the bench. The Panthers are loaded with talent at forward and they possess a strong top four in defense. All the ingredients for a Cup run are there."This pick was worse than any of the above selections were good. Nothing I said about the Panthers was wrong, technically, but does it really matter? Bobrovsky's struggles absolutely continued, Quenneville couldn't iron out the issues, and despite the talent on the roster, this team just never became what I expected. If you're looking for stock, the Panthers are currently at 75-1. Good thing I bought low ...Dec. 4: Sell St. Louis Blues at 10-1My thesis: "St. Louis is certainly due for regression, but it's hard to doubt this team. If anything, the Blues are a prime example of advanced stats telling only part of the story. They have a deep roster, a great goalie, and perhaps an even better coach. Still, it would be naive to throw these stats out the window. This isn't to say bettors should back off the Blues entirely, but they should exercise caution, especially at such a short price."Maybe this wasn't terrible? Of course, regression never even ventured into the state of Missouri. The Blues, currently at 9-1, kept rolling and looked primed for another run at the Cup. I deserve all the slander that comes my way for blatantly ignoring my instincts and backing off the defending champions because of a couple advanced stats.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. 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, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks legend Joe Thornton might not have been a Shark at all.Ex-Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke says he pushed hard to acquire Thornton when the Boston Bruins made him available in 2005."We were in hard on Joe Thornton when Boston traded him and we made what we thought was a really outstanding offer the morning he got dealt," Burke told SN650's "Starting Lineup" on Thursday.Burke added, "We didn't know that they had already committed to the trade with San Jose. But we stepped up in Anaheim and made what I considered to be a huge offer, and a better offer than Boston got."Thornton, who was originally selected first overall by the Bruins in 1997, was traded midseason in 2005-06 in a surprising blockbuster deal. The Sharks sent forwards Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau and defenseman Brad Stuart to Boston in exchange for the then-26-year-old Thornton.Despite the Bruins' sizeable return, Burke believes his offer was superior and said that Boston didn't shop Thornton enough. While Burke didn't disclose the exact details, he said he protected five players on the Ducks and the rest were on the table."We had a pretty good team in Anaheim, guys. It was a pretty good team," Burke said. "So if you're only protecting five, that sixth player is pretty darn good. ... We were talking a meaningful player, a first-round pick, and a couple of kids. And they made the deal with San Jose instead. I was really choked about that."The trade paid immediate dividends for the Sharks. Thornton took home the Hart and Art Ross Trophies the same season he was traded, putting up 29 goals and 125 points in 81 games. Burke and the Ducks won the Stanley Cup the following season.Thornton, now 40, has amassed 1,055 points in 1,104 games with San Jose.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Vegas Golden Knights puck-stopper Robin Lehner is pessimistic about the NHL's chances of resuming play this season."No, I don't think it is possible to shut down and then run again when you have 100,000 cases of the coronavirus. Safety goes first," Lehner told Swedish outlet Expressen on Thursday, as translated by The Athletic's Jesse Granger."You can't turn 180 degrees and start playing again," he continued. "I see a zero percent chance that you can save this season. Now I hope that next season can start as usual in October."As of Thursday, the United States - which is home to 24 of the league's 31 teams - had more known cases of the coronavirus than any other nation in the world.If the NHL skips the remainder of the regular season and goes straight to the playoffs - an option that several players are open to - Lehner would get a chance to strap on the pads again. Vegas sat first in the Pacific Division when the NHL suspended its season on March 12.The league has reportedly explored late-summer options for a possible return, asking teams about arena availabilities in August. However, the NHL doesn't want a late resumption to interfere with the 2020-21 campaign.Lehner spent most of this season with the Chicago Blackhawks before he was dealt to the Golden Knights at the trade deadline. In total, he went 19-10-5 with a 2.89 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage, five shutouts, and 12.67 goals saved above average. The 28-year-old is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in the coming offseason.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban is teaming up with the NHL to deliver some lighter content during the league's hiatus.Subban announced Thursday that he'll be hosting a trivia game show featuring players, celebrities, and fans, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale."I'm sure it could be some fun stuff and it's also great to create some content that brings some joy to people, gives people some things to laugh about because there's a lot of things to frown about," Subban said."I'm happy that the league is making an initiative to put smiles on people's faces and give fans some content to look forward to and have some fun with. Hopefully, this game show can do that, and I'm looking forward to it."This isn't the first time Subban has been the face of an NHL show. In 2019, the defender hosted "P.K. Subban's All-Star Special" during All-Star Weekend.While announcing the game show on Thursday, Subban also took a moment to commend those that are working in health care during the coronavirus pandemic."You've got to give crazy props to the doctors and nurses and all the people that have put in crazy hours, that have those masks on, that are doing work all day. … I couldn't imagine having one of those on for a 14-, 15-, 16-hour shift," he said."Shout out to all those people that are putting in the time and continuing to make us healthy and safe. It's just tough. It's just a tough time. It's crazy."The NHL is hoping to launch the trivia game show in the next two weeks.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Records are made to be broken, but some are in no danger of ever being matched.Wayne Gretzky holds the lion's share of NHL scoring benchmarks, having held more than 60 of them even after retirement. Those include the 50 goals he racked up in 39 games back in 1981-82, his 51-game point streak in 1983-84, and his 2,857 career points, which remain more than 900 points clear of Jaromir Jagr's second-place output.Considering so many of the NHL's records belong to Gretzky and most of them are presumably safe for eternity, here are a handful of incredible accomplishments by others that should be similarly out of reach.Henri Richard's hefty Stanley Cup haulBruce Bennett / Bruce Bennett / GettyThe late "Pocket Rocket" won a whopping 11 championships in 20 seasons and was a member of the dominant Montreal Canadiens teams of the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. While a bunch of his former teammates rank right behind him in terms of titles won, the Hall of Famer played at an elite level for much of his tenure and was a key player on those squads.Of all the non-Gretzky records, this one stands out as the least likely to be matched thanks to a significant amount of parity in the modern NHL and the fact the league's now comprised of 31 (and soon 32) teams.A modern-day dynasty is fortunate to win the Cup two or three times, and barring the unlikely scenario of a player managing to suit up for three or four of them, no one's going to equal Richard's stellar championship standard.Selanne's insane rookie goal productionBernstein Associates / Getty Images Sport / GettyTeemu Selanne amassed an astounding 76 goals in his first NHL campaign, memorably tossing his glove skyward and using his stick as an imaginary gun to shoot it out of the air on the night he surpassed Mike Bossy's previous mark of 53 in March 1993.Since then, nobody's come close. Alex Ovechkin got within one of Bossy when the Washington Capitals star entered the league back in 2005-06, but no one's scored more than Ovi as a first-year player since, and even he fell 24 markers shy of Selanne.Considering how difficult it is to score on a consistent basis as a rookie, and also how some of the game's best players have finished well short in the quarter century to follow Teemu's remarkable feat, this one's not likely to be touched anytime soon.Glen Hall's bonkers consecutive games recordBruce Bennett / Bruce Bennett / GettyWhen we think of ironman streaks in hockey, they're often confined to forwards and defensemen as goaltenders haven't been expected to play every game for a long time. However, while starting netminders used to suit up more frequently than they do now, Glenn Hall holds one of the most impressive records in NHL history and he won't be relinquishing it.The former member of the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues authored a mind-blowing run of 502 consecutive regular-season games - all of which he started and completed - from October 1955 until November 1962. More incredibly, he played 551 straight contests including the playoffs.In the modern game, many teams use a 1A-1B tandem approach with their goalies, and some even split the playing time 50-50. Six different goaltenders played at least 70 games in 2009-10, but only 10 have done so in nine full campaigns since then, further underscoring both how impressive Hall's streak continues to be and how unlikely it is that it'll ever be matched.Brodeur's unreal number of shutoutsAndy Marlin / National Hockey League / GettySpeaking of goaltenders, Martin Brodeur's shutout total is safe for similar reasons. The New Jersey Devils legend posted an absurd 125 clean sheets in his career, besting Terry Sawchuk's previous mark by 22.Despite the fact the shootout era has increased the number of wins (and losses) across the board thanks to the elimination of ties, shutouts still aren't all that common.Some of the most successful and longest-tenured active goalies (Henrik Lundqvist, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Pekka Rinne) are each only about halfway to Brodeur's benchmark, and they're presumably at the tail end of their careers. Jonathan Quick and Tuukka Rask have recorded 52 and 50, respectively, so barring a far-fetched shift back to the way things used to be (coupled with a Hall of Fame-caliber goalie playing for an historically dominant defensive club), this record's not going to be approached.Tiger Williams' lengthy time in the sin binB Bennett / Bruce Bennett / GettySomehow, Dave "Tiger" Williams racked up an NHL-record 3,971 minutes - or more than 66 hours - of penalties during his career from 1974-88.Williams' benchmark is unattainable primarily because fighting has decreased over the years, and the game has evolved into one that prioritizes speed and skill over physicality. It's a trend that's rendered many fighters and grinders alike obsolete.The player from this century who's closest to Williams is former Ottawa Senators tough guy Chris Neil, who retired in 2017 trailing "Tiger" by more than 1,400 penalty minutes. The only active player in the NHL's top 60 all time is Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who sits more than 2,000 minutes behind Williams.Given these trends, it's evident this record is in no danger of being broken.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Let no one say Connor McDavid is dogging it during the NHL's hiatus.The Edmonton Oilers superstar shared a video Thursday in which he showed off an unconventional workout routine, doing bodyweight squats with his rather large pup named Lenny.

Free-agent defenseman Jack Ahcan is joining the Boston Bruins, he confirmed Thursday night.

The Montreal Canadiens will get to host an NHL draft one way or another.Steve Mayer, the league's chief content officer, seemingly said as much to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun on Thursday."We went to Montreal and they were awesome," Mayer said. "Nowadays, everyone understands that this is the way of the world (with the coronavirus)."The Canadiens will likely get a traditional draft in 2021 or 2022, the executive added, as those events haven't been awarded to another franchise yet. However, he cautioned that it depends on the logistics of holding an event in Montreal at that time.The NHL postponed several events, including the draft and the awards show, Wednesday. The league was paused March 12 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Mayer - who's the "all-around NHL events guru," according to LeBrun - outlined three draft options the league is exploring. Firstly, despite its unlikelihood, Mayer said there could still be a full draft event in Montreal later this year if the season can resume early enough.Secondly, the league could hold a scaled-down event featuring fewer team personnel and prospects. Thirdly, Mayer revealed that a virtual draft is being considered."We're looking at that as well," he said. "(It) is probably ... one of the more likely (scenarios) at this point, given where we are in the world. We'd have cameras set up in every war room, bring in as many prospects as we can, (and) have a team representative (from each club)."Mayer cautioned that the NHL hasn't decided on any of the potential plans and will continue to look into them.Montreal was originally scheduled to host the 2020 NHL Draft on June 26-27.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.A Colorado Avalanche player tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the club announced Thursday."The player has been at home in isolation since the first symptoms appeared, has recovered, and is back to normal. The Avalanche have notified anyone who has had known close contact with the athlete," a statement said.Two Ottawa Senators players tested positive for the virus last week.The NHL initially instructed players to self-quarantine through March 27 before extending that directive to April 4.The league paused its season on March 12 amid the outbreak.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.Sean Tierney, the man behind ChartingHockey.ca and the director of hockey analytics for the OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, joins the show to discuss a variety of topics, including:

Hockey players are getting creative with their home workouts and practice routines, and New York Rangers forward Ryan Strome shared a difficult one of his own Thursday.

Following Monday's rundown of the Eastern Conference, here's every Western Conference squad's most valuable player to this point in the season:Anaheim DucksPick: Adam HenriqueThere hasn't been a whole lot to cheer for this season in Anaheim, and with usual team backbone John Gibson putting together a campaign well below his typical standards, Henrique earns the honor for the Ducks. The 30-year-old leads the club in points to go along with a career-high 26 goals.Arizona CoyotesPick: Darcy KuemperThe Coyotes were comfortably in contention for a top-three spot in the Pacific before Kuemper went down with an injury, and their season cratered once he hit the shelf. During his 28-game absence, Arizona managed an 11-13-4 record. Kuemper's numbers for the season are Vezina-like - a .928 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against average in 29 games.Calgary FlamesNorm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyPick: Matthew TkachukCalgary's stars have taken a significant step back in terms of production, and Tkachuk emerged to lead the team in points and rank second in scoring. Between his highlight-reel goals, overall offensive development, and agitating on-ice antics, Tkachuk is quickly becoming the face of the Flames.Chicago BlackhawksPick: Patrick Kane"Showtime" continues to rack up the points. The 31-year-old Kane ranks eighth in league scoring with 84 points - 24 more than Jonathan Toews, who's second on the Blackhawks. There's much to be desired about Kane's defensive impact, but where would Chicago be without his offensive contributions?Colorado AvalanchePick: Nathan MacKinnonApart from a couple of Edmonton Oilers stars, it's hard to make a case that anyone is more deserving of the Hart Trophy than MacKinnon is. The Avalanche have been without key players all season, but it hasn't slowed him down, as he's registered 93 points - an incredible 43 more than the second most for Colorado - in 69 contests.Dallas StarsPick: Ben BishopThe Stars have struggled mightily to score goals this season, so it's a good thing they have Bishop to hold down the fort. The 33-year-old posted a .920 save percentage along with a 21-16-4 record. It's worth noting backup Anton Khudobin has a .930 clip to help form one of the best goaltending duos in the NHL.Edmonton OilersJohn Russell / National Hockey League / GettyPick: Connor McDavidThe Oilers are one of the only teams that have two legitimate MVP candidates. Both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been sensational this season, but the captain gets the edge. Draisaitl has been magnificent and may have saved Edmonton's season with his Herculean performances while McDavid was out with an injury. But then No. 97 casually put up 16 points in nine games when he returned to bring his total to a fitting 97 in 64 games.Los Angeles KingsPick: Anze KopitarThis one's a layup. The Kings occupied last place in the West for the majority of the season, but Kopitar has been solid the entire campaign. The captain leads the team in scoring by a landslide with 62 points in 70 games and logs over 21 minutes per night against top competition.Minnesota WildBruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyPick: Kevin FialaMany wondered what former Wild general manager Paul Fenton was thinking when he flipped Mikael Granlund for Fiala at last year's trade deadline, but the 23-year-old forward has come into his own this season. Fiala leads the club in scoring with 54 points in 64 games, including 29 in 24 once the calendar flipped to the new year.Nashville PredatorsPick: Roman JosiA lock to be a Norris Trophy finalist for the first time in his career, Josi's marvelous season being halted is among the more disappointing consequences of the NHL's postponement. The Swiss defender leads the Predators with 65 points and ranks second among all blue-liners in scoring. Josi also sits third at his position with a whopping 25:47 of average ice time.San Jose Sharks Pick: Brent BurnsBurns has been the constant during a trying and injury-plagued season for the Sharks. The veteran blue-liner has managed 45 points in 70 games - a decrease from his normal pace but still 11th among all defensemen - while averaging over 25 minutes per contest.St. Louis BluesScott Rovak / National Hockey League / GettyPick: Alex PietrangeloThe Blues have a few worthy candidates, but it's difficult to imagine the defending champions leading the Central Division if Pietrangelo missed any significant time. The captain is on pace to set a career high with 60 points and already set a new personal benchmark with 16 goals.Vancouver CanucksPick: Jacob MarkstromMuch like Kuemper in Arizona, an injury to goaltender Markstrom was a devastating blow to the Canucks' pursuit of a playoff spot. Before going down, he posted a .918 save percentage and 11.4 goals-saved above average in 43 starts.Vegas Golden KnightsPick: Mark StoneStone has been a perfect fit in Vegas, and his first full season with the Golden Knights was going swimmingly before a lower-body injury caused him to miss the final handful of games before the league paused. Stone has developed tremendous chemistry with Max Pacioretty on the second line and has 63 points in 65 games while dominating at both ends of the ice.Winnipeg JetsPick: Connor HellebuyckThe defensively porous Jets hold the West's top wild-card spot primarily because of Hellebuyck's contributions in goal. The 26-year-old netminder is 31-21-5 with a .922 save percentage and remarkable 22.4 goals-saved above average.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If all goes according to plan, Nick Foligno will be eating lightning and crapping thunder by the time the NHL resumes play.The closure of team facilities has forced NHL players to get creative with their workouts, and the Columbus Blue Jackets' captain is no exception."You're kind of going back to that 'Rocky' mentality where you're doing push ups and sit ups and punching the cow," he said on a video conference call Thursday, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.If you're unfamiliar with 1976 film, unknown heavyweight challenger Rocky Balboa punched raw meat as part of his training routine. While Foligno is obviously exaggerating, other players around the league have also had to alter their training methods."I haven't gotten that creative," Sidney Crosby said, according to Pens Inside Scoop's Sam Kasan. "You do the best that you can. I have a bike. Push ups. It's old school at this point. Whatever you can get done you get done. That's what I've been doing."Devils star P.K. Subban relocated from New Jersey to Los Angeles to better his workout regimen."In New Jersey I didn't have much equipment there. I'm just so used to doing all my working out at the rink," he told Devils reporter Amanda Stein. "Here in L.A. I have more gym equipment at my place. I'm trying to stick to as close a routine as I can."Each player is in a different spot when it comes to knowing what lies ahead. Even if the NHL goes straight to the playoffs, Crosby's Penguins are guaranteed a postseason berth, sitting third in the Metropolitan Division. Foligno's Blue Jackets own the second wild-card spot by points, but would be on the outside looking in if seeding's determined by points percentage. Subban, whose Devils sit third-last in the Eastern Conference, may have played his last game of the season already.Of course, an expanded playoff format and/or a tournament for lottery teams would change things.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.Sidney Crosby was among several players to share his thoughts on the paused season in video conference calls Thursday, and for his part, the Pittsburgh Penguins star hopes to play as much as possible."You try to get in as many games as you can. I wouldn't mind starting right at the playoffs," Crosby said, according to Pens Inside Scoop's Sam Kasan. "But there are a lot of guys in different situations. The more games you can play, the better (the) integrity of it."On a separate call, Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin admitted he would hope to go straight to the postseason, although Anders Lee, who was on the same call, sits right outside of a playoff spot with the New York Islanders."For us it is better for playoffs to start right now. We don't want to play extra games," Ovechkin said, according to the Washington Post's Samantha Pell. "I would rather play playoffs right away. Sorry, guys."Philadelphia Flyers forward Giroux was on a similar page as Crosby in hoping to get in more regular-season games."It would be good to get a few games before playoffs," Giroux said. "Especially for teams fighting for a spot. Whatever is most fair for everyone.”The Capitals occupy the first spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Flyers the second spot, and the Penguins the third. If the league does decide to go straight into the playoffs, it would potentially set up a first-round matchup between the Flyers and Penguins.Over the coming days, every team will have a player represent it on a media conference call, according to The Hockey News' Matt Larkin.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.A day before the 2019-20 NHL season began, we gave out 12 fearless value bets for the campaign. It was essentially a "bold predictions" article.Let's revisit all of those predictions, working our way from the worst of the bunch to the best.Sharks to win the Stanley Cup (25-1)Not only were the Sharks NOT going to win the Cup this season, but they were in pole position to finish last in the Western Conference.Erik Karlsson to win the Norris (8-1)A broken thumb cut Karlsson's season short, but he wasn't anywhere near the Norris conversation through 56 games.Panthers to win the Eastern Conference (9-1)Why do I get the feeling that while Sergei Bobrovsky struggled on the ice, his handicap drastically improved away from it?Blues to miss the playoffs (5-2)I led this section off by writing, "I have nothing but respect and admiration for Blues coach Craig Berube." I proceeded to bet against him. That was foolish.John Gibson to win the Vezina (26-1)Show this pick to the next person who tells you to bet on talent over opportunity. Gibson is one of the most talented goalies in the world, yet the Ducks made him look like Robert Esche.Penguins to miss the playoffs (8-5)I mean, it still could have happened, right? This is all Tristan Jarry's fault.Coyotes to make the playoffs (6-5)The Coyotes were on track for the playoffs before a trade for Taylor Hall curiously derailed their season. Something tells me Hall and Phil Kessel could be joining Bobrovsky on the PGA Tour soon.Hurricanes to win the Metro Division (4-1)The Hurricanes weren't on track to win the division, but if the season eventually resumes, I still think they're capable of big things.Canucks to make the playoffs (9-5), Flames to miss the playoffs (2-1), Jets to miss the playoffs (10-13)I think at least two of these bets would have cashed if the season wasn't suspended, but the point of this was to show I was higher on the Canucks and lower on the Flames and Jets than most, and I'm feeling pretty good about all of that right now.Nathan MacKinnon to win the Hart (14-1)MacKinnon was having an MVP-caliber season and was all the way down to +250 in the Hart Trophy odds. If not for Leon Draisaitl, he would have been a lock.Devils to miss the playoffs (10-11), Islanders to miss the playoffs (1-1), Rangers to miss the playoffs (2-3)The Islanders could still have thrown a wrench in this, but for the first time since 1965-66, it was looking like no New York-area team was going to make the playoffs.Matthews to win the Rocket Richard (14-1)Matthews had closed the gap behind David Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin to just one goal, and given the recent pace, I think he would have claimed this honor over the final 12 games.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. 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, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will commit $100,000 to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund through his personal foundation, the team announced Thursday.Toews has spent 13 seasons in Chicago, including 12 as the Blackhawks' captain. His donation is intended to match the first $100,000 raised by the team's fans, a figure the club has also matched.New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Price have also made generous donations to help combat the pandemic.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL has instructed its players and team staff to extend their ongoing self-isolation until April 4, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said on a call with reporters Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.On March 16, the NHL permitted players to fly home if they self-quarantined through March 27. Daly cautioned Wednesday that the new timetable isn't set in stone, either."A memo has already gone out to the clubs on that," he said. "The new date is April 4, but ... that's a meaningless date, really, at this point in time. As we get closer to the date, we're going to have to make decisions as to what to do then. We're biting this off in chunks."The league shut down operations on March 12 and has been weighing several options for potentially resuming play. At this point, a priority for the league is ensuring the 2020-21 schedule isn't affected by playing out the remainder of the current season.Meanwhile, two members of the Ottawa Senators are the only NHL players who've been known to test positive for the virus.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the NHL throwing around myriad options regarding a return to action this season, teams are starting to get really creative.At least one NHL club has submitted a proposal featuring a tournament in which lottery teams would play for the first overall pick of the draft, according to The Athletic's Craig Custance.The idea may seem radical, and arguably unfair to teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and other bottom-dwelling clubs. But Custance suggests the tournament could work if its format left room to increase those teams' odds of winning."Without knowing the exact details of the proposal, there would have to be some assurances for the teams at the bottom of the standings that their odds of winning a lottery tournament resemble their odds of winning the lottery drawing now," Custance wrote."That would mean home games for Ottawa and Detroit, with a fairly easy path to the championship. And likewise, a bubble team would have to go on an all-time run of games to win the lottery."The proposal could allow all teams to continue playing if the season were to resume, rather than limiting the action to teams that entered the hiatus in playoff spots, Custance notes. It could also prompt fans to tune back in were it to take place over the summer months."Radical times call for radical measures," one NHL source told Custance.With the NHL on an indefinite hiatus and the status of the 2019-20 season uncertain, commissioner Gary Bettman has confirmed all options are being considered."In terms of where we go from here, we're modeling all sorts of options and everything is on the table," Bettman said, according to The Hockey News. "But we're going to have to be flexible and react to things that are beyond our control."Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey manufacturer Bauer is pivoting from on-ice equipment to producing face shields for medical workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

The NHL has postponed three key offseason events, with the draft, scouting combine, and awards show pushed back due to coronavirus concerns, the league announced Wednesday.The 2020 draft was slated for June 26-27 in Montreal, with Quebec native Alexis Lafreniere the projected top pick.The scouting combine was to take place June 1-6 in Buffalo, and Las Vegas was set to host the annual awards show for the 11th consecutive year on June 18.New dates for the events are yet to be determined, but the release states "the location, timing, and format of the 2020 NHL Draft (and draft lottery) will be announced when details are finalized."The NHL shut down all operations on March 12, and the league is still in the process of determining its next steps.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Projected No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere isn't letting his journey to the NHL be ruined by the league's decision to postpone the 2020 draft.The NHL announced Wednesday the draft won't take place as scheduled due to coronavirus concerns. However, the uncertainty isn't bothering Lafreniere."You know, for sure, it would be a little bit different," Lafreniere told TSN's Frank Seravalli. "I think it's still an honor to get drafted by an NHL team. It's really special."Maybe it's going to be different, we don't know yet. But day by day, we'll see what happens."The 18-year-old winger put up 112 points in 52 games this season with the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic and earned a gold medal and tournament MVP honors at the world juniors.Lafreniere admitted it was difficult to hear the QMJHL canceled its season, ultimately cutting short his junior career before the playoffs."For sure, it was tough news for me. We all understand and it's serious," he said. "It's a little bit sad that the season came to an end quickly like this. We had a great team this year and we believed we could do something special."It went by really quick. It's sad that I won't get to play with these guys again, but it's hockey and you've got to move on at some point."Lafreniere spent three seasons with Rimouski, tallying 297 points in 173 games.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is confident Jake Guentzel can play again this season if it resumes.The talented forward was given a four-to-six month timetable following shoulder surgery after he was injured Dec. 30."If you take the shortest period, that would be the end of April," Rutherford told reporters Wednesday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Mike DeFabo. "I would expect, knowing Jake Guentzel, that he's going to be ready."There haven't been any setbacks in the 25-year-old's rehab, Rutherford added.Guentzel was leading the Penguins in scoring when he was injured, collecting 20 goals and 43 points in 39 games. The Nebraska native is coming off a 40-goal season in 2018-19.He inked a five-year, $30-million contract extension with Pittsburgh in December 2018.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars president Jim Lites and general manager Jim Nill have agreed to trim their salaries in half during the pause in the NHL season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Nill told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski on Wednesday."As soon as this virus hit and we started to see where things were going, we knew it was going to hit (Stars owner Tom Gaglardi) hard, as he's in the hotel and restaurant business," Nill said. "And that it was going to hit all of us. We just thought this was the right thing for our organization to do."The pay cuts are voluntary and not connected to any club staffing reductions, according to Wyshynski.On Tuesday, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported the NHL is temporarily decreasing league office employee salaries by 25%.Several clubs are also taking cost-cutting measures. The Montreal Canadiens are temporarily laying off 60% of their employees as of March 30. The New Jersey Devils, meanwhile, had planned to trim full-time staff salaries by 20% before co-owner Josh Harris reversed course and apologized.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon denied a report that his team will stop paying full-time employees amid uncertainty caused by the coronavirus.

With the 2019-20 NHL season on pause - and potentially finished - there are a number of questions that will need to be answered in the coming months.One of the biggest unknowns is how the league will handle the draft lottery should the season be canceled. According to The Athletic's Craig Custance, at least one team has proposed an unorthodox solution - a tournament in which lottery teams would play for the first overall pick.The idea is a no-brainer for fans and television networks. A tournament for the rights to a talent like Alexis Lafreniere would draw a ton of eyeballs and get fans re-engaged after the long hiatus. But for the teams involved, there are some serious questions that would first need to be answered.1. How would teams be seeded?If the regular season doesn't resume and the standings remain as they are, how would teams be seeded in this suggested tournament? Clubs have played a differing number of games, so seeding would likely need to be determined based on points percentage.That's simple enough, but how would the tournament proceed? It wouldn't make any sense to have the worst teams in the tournament (presumably the higher seeds) competing against the better teams (the lower seeds) right off the bat. Would a bye be in order for the last-placed Detroit Red Wings? What would make it fair?2. How would the worst teams be given better odds of winning?We can almost guarantee that Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman would be appalled by this proposal. His team has the best odds of winning the draft lottery under its current format specifically because Detroit doesn't win a ton of hockey games. Now the team would have to win an entire tournament? It's a little backward.On the flip side, imagine a team like the New York Rangers - who looked more like Stanley Cup contenders than lottery players when the season was suspended - running wild in this tournament. How would the league make their path to the final reflect their odds (2%) of winning the lottery under the traditional format? Would they need to win by a certain number of goals? Begin each game with a deficit? It seems difficult to translate those minuscule odds into an on-ice scenario.3. What happens if a lottery team doesn't own its pick?This is one of the proposal's major hurdles. Take the San Jose Sharks. They dealt their 2020 first-round selection to the Ottawa Senators as part of the Erik Karlsson deal. Each team sits 29th and 30th, respectively, in the overall standings. The Sharks wouldn't be afforded a lottery ball in the traditional format, so it wouldn't make sense to have them in the tournament. That's easy, but what about Ottawa?Under the current lottery structure, the Senators would have an incredible opportunity to claim the top selection. Their pick alone gives them a 13.5% chance, and the San Jose pick yields odds of 11.5%. Assuming the tournament is single-elimination, would Ottawa be afforded more than one loss? What happens to the team's second lottery pick? How are the Senators' odds best reflected on the ice?4. When and where would the games be played?As Custance notes, holding this tournament during the summer, with fewer competing sports in play, could end up making this idea very successful and give the league something to build on. However, the league's priority is completing the playoffs, and the summer is the most likely time for that to happen. The NHL could hold both events simultaneously, but that would take some serious logistical savvy.Another important question: Where will the games take place? It would only be fair to grant the worst teams (the Red Wings, Senators, Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, etc.) home-ice advantage, but where do you make that cutoff? How many home games does each of those teams get? Are their buildings even available? It would take a ton of brainstorming on the league's behalf to get this right.5. How would picks 5-15 be determined?Under this proposal, we'd assume the loser of the championship game would get the second pick, while the losers of each semifinal contest would square off for the third and fourth picks, like a bronze-medal game at the Olympics.What happens to selections five through 15, though? If the league were to default the remaining standings based on points percentage to decide the order, what's the purpose in playing the early games in the tournament if the results only matter for teams that at least advance to the semifinals? The most logical approach would probably be for the "eliminated" teams to continue playing one another until a definitive order is reached based on those results.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Lundqvist is doing his part during the coronavirus pandemic.The New York Rangers goaltender and his wife, Therese, will give $100,000 to the Food Bank For New York City through their foundation, he announced Wednesday.Lundqvist said he and Therese were inspired after seeing so many people "doing so many good things for others right now."The longtime netminder added that the food bank "always (does) a great job but now more than ever they need that extra support while they feed New Yorkers in need."Other athletes across the sports world are also donating to causes aimed at mitigating the effects of the pandemic. PGA golfer Brooks Koepka pledged $100,000 toward COVID-19 relief efforts in Florida, while NBA players Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns each committed the same amount toward supporting various non-profit organizations and increasing testing capabilities, respectively.The Food Bank For New York City has been the area's primary hunger-relief organization since 1983.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's chief medical officer says it isn't yet possible to put a timetable on the league's return."... If we look where we are with this pandemic, it’s really just entering the rapid acceleration phase, certainly in North America, and if we look at our league, really we place our league in the context of the larger society, and we want to be doing our part to not only protect our players but also our staff and our fans as the disease unfolds,’’ Dr. Willem Meeuwisse said during a call with reporters Wednesday, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.“It’s difficult to predict where the pandemic is going and what the timeline will be, but we do expect this is going to get worse before it gets better," the expert added.Meeuwisse also explained what it will take for the NHL to consider returning to action after pausing its season March 12 due to the spread of the coronavirus.“The specific circumstances are obviously going to depend on the pattern of the disease and specific risks at that time," he said. "That’s one of the difficulties, this thing is changing daily. And guidance from health authorities is changing daily based on the changing circumstances. I mean if we think of bringing people back together, we’d want to have some confidence that the players and the staff themselves are healthy, some confidence the players are not infectious at that time, and that bringing them back together even in small groups would not increase the risk of contracting or transmitting the coronavirus.“And then we’d have to place that in the context of the larger society and the fact that we have people in 31 different market cities. And they’re likely to differ one city to the next.’’The NHL extended its self-quarantine directive to players through April 4, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said on the same call Wednesday. The league initially instructed them to do so through March 27. The NHL has also asked its clubs for August arena dates, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.On Dec. 10, David Pastrnak was atop the NHL leaderboard with 25 goals. He was on an unfathomable scoring pace and appeared untouchable in the Rocket Richard race.Of course, that pace was unsustainable. We dove into the reasons why he wasn't worth backing at the time at 5-2, and who was most likely to catch him.Let's take a look at how we did.David Pastrnak (5-2)At the time, Pastrnak had 12 power-play goals thanks to a 34.2% shooting percentage with the man advantage, which was double his 18% average from the previous three seasons. He was also aided by an unsustainable 16.7% shooting percentage at five-on-five. We noted that "it's too much to expect him to continue this rate of production," and that the likely regression would open the door for those chasing him.Pastrnak's pace predictably slowed. After scoring 25 goals through his first 27 games, he managed 23 tallies over the next 43 contests. When the season was suspended, his five-on-five shooting percentage had dropped to 13.8%, and his power-play shooting percentage experienced an even bigger dip, dropping to 25.3%. The lead he had built on Alex Ovechkin had evaporated, while Auston Matthews had pulled to within one.Connor McDavid (7-2)McDavid missed seven games due to injury, effectively knocking him out of the Rocket Richard race. Of course, that's somewhat of a cop-out, as his scoring rates also decreased.The biggest culprit to McDavid's decreasing goal rate was a downtick in power-play production. He had eight power-play goals through the first 25 games, one shy of his career best of nine. When the season was officially suspended, McDavid was sitting at 11 goals with the man advantage, having managed just three through his next 39 games. That's not going to cut it.Alex Ovechkin (7-2)On Dec. 10, Ovechkin was Pastrnak's closest competitor with 21 goals to the Boston Bruins sniper's 25. It didn't take a genius to predict Ovechkin would be near, or at, the top of the NHL goal leaderboard at the end of the season, with the Washington Capitals captain having won the award in six of the past seven seasons.Ovi was on pace for 54 goals and, as we pointed out, just about all of his underlying numbers were on par with his career averages, with the exception of his five-on-five shooting percentage, which was a bit lower than his average from the previous three seasons. We concluded that it was realistic to expect his scoring pace to continue and for him to finish right around 54 goals, if not a tad higher, should his shooting percentage experience some positive regression.Ovechkin was on pace for 57 goals when the season was suspended.Auston Matthews (7-1)When we checked in on the race in December, Matthews was trailing Pastrnak by seven goals, but we really liked his value at 7-1.As per his team's direction, Matthews was shooting a lot more on the power play, but his shooting percentage with the man advantage was 3% below his career average of 18.4%. We noted that with some positive regression in that area, the Toronto Maple Leafs sniper could be in for a monster second half of the season, and given the Leafs' uptick in power-play production under Sheldon Keefe, it was likely to happen.While Matthews' power-play production remained the same over the next three months - recording five power-play goals through the first 31 games and six through the next 39 - his five-on-five production catapulted to lofty heights. His even-strength goals per game jumped from 0.42 to 0.59 as he closed the gap on Pastrnak, but he didn't do so with an elevated shooting percentage. He simply shot the puck more. His 214 shots (3.1 per game) were a lot more than the 2.8 and 2.5 per game he managed in his previous two seasons.Let that be a lesson to all the kids out there. Shoot the puck and good things will happen.Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. 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, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Delaware North, the company that owns and operates Boston's TD Garden, will be laying off several dozen full-time Bruins and arena employees and indefinitely reducing the pay of many others, the organization announced Wednesday.Effective April 1, 68 full-time salaried associates will be placed on temporary leave with one week of paid leave and eight weeks of full benefits coverage. As of the same date, 82 other full-time salaried associates will receive indefinite salary reductions.The changes are due to the "unprecedented impact" of the coronavirus pandemic on the organization's operations, Deleware North said in a statement."As relayed to our associates today, none of these decisions were reached without difficult and painful deliberations," read the company's statement. "These measures are intended to be temporary with associate employment and compensation returning once our business resumes to its normal state from this unprecedented stoppage."The Bruins were the last NHL team to announce a plan to compensate their arena workers with the rest of the 2019-20 season in limbo.The owners of the New Jersey Devils announced Monday they were planning to ask full-time employees to accept pay reductions and work four-day weeks. They backtracked and apologized Tuesday, scrapping the idea in the wake of public backlash.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Alex Ovechkin had won the Rocket Richard trophy in six of the past seven seasons, so coming into the 2019-20 campaign, it made sense for him to be a heavy favorite atop the oddsboard.Before the season began, we identified the best bets to surpass Ovechkin as the NHL's top goal-scorer. It's time to see how we did.First off, here were the Rocket Richard odds prior to the start of the season:Player OddsAlex Ovechkin5-1John Tavares11-1Patrik Laine12-1Connor McDavid13-1Auston Matthews14-1Nathan MacKinnon16-1Nikita Kucherov16-1Alex DeBrincat21-1Leon Draisaitl28-1Patrick Kane30-1Best betsIn this section, we picked the two best bets for who would lead the NHL in goals, and we couldn't have experienced more differing results. Let's start with the bad.Alex DeBrincat (21-1) turned out to be a brutal call. After scoring 41 goals at the age of 21 last season, DeBrincat looked primed to take another leap forward. Spoiler: he didn't. It's not hard to see why. A brutal 4.76% shooting percentage at five-on-five resulted in just seven even-strength goals through 70 games, compared to a 15.29% shooting percentage and 24 even-strength tallies last season. His power-play time actually increased this season, and his shooting percentage with the man advantage was in line with his career numbers, resulting in 10 power-play goals. However, his paltry even-strength numbers were too much to overcome, as he managed a disappointing 18 goals through 70 games.While we swung and missed on DeBrincat, we were right on the money with Auston Matthews (14-1). The Toronto Maple Leafs forward was in a neck-and-neck race for the Rocket Richard trophy with 12 games remaining.Player GoalsDavid Pastrnak48Alex Ovechkin48Auston Matthews47Leon Draisaitl43Mika Zibanejad41Here's an excerpt from what we said about Matthews' credentials:

As self-isolation and social distancing continue, San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture is looking for a new way to engage with fans.The Sharks captain is starting a book club."I know everyone wishes we were playing hockey, but right now we need to take the necessary precautions to stay safe and healthy," Couture wrote. "With this added free time on my hands, I often find myself getting lost in a good book. I'm really into psychological and legal thrillers, as well as murder-mysteries."The first book Couture will be reading is "The Rule of Law" by John Lescroart. The 18th book of Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series, it follows an attorney who has to defend his assistant, who is being charged as an accessory to murder."If this sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to read along. Once I finish the book, I'll be back to give you my official book review," Couture wrote. He'll also share a list of some of his favorite books.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brendan Gallagher is showing off his comedic chops while self-isolating at home with the NHL season on pause.The Montreal Canadiens forward recreated a famous scene from the television series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" in his first TikTok video.

The Buffalo Sabres and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.Buffalo drafted Samuelsson with the 32nd pick in 2018. He recently completed his sophomore season at Western Michigan University, where he tallied two goals and 14 points in 30 games.He was an All-NCHC honorable mention this season and a finalist for the conference's Defensive Defenseman of the Year award."We are very pleased with Mattias' growth both at Western Michigan and on the international stage," Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said. "He possesses a unique combination of size, speed, and skill, and we look forward to working with him on his next steps as a pro."Samuelsson, 20, has represented the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championship the past two years. He earned a silver medal in 2019 and served as captain in 2020.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the 2019-20 NHL regular season currently suspended - and potentially finished - we pick the most valuable player for each Eastern Conference team.Boston BruinsPick: David PastrnakBrad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron may be the club's most complete players, but David Pastrnak's brilliance throughout 2019-20 can't be denied.Pastrnak's goal-scoring bona fides were on full display before the hiatus, as he became the first Bruins player in 17 years to reach the 40-goal plateau and is tied for first in the NHL with 48 tallies - including four hat tricks - through 71 games. He also leads Boston with 95 points.Buffalo SabresDarcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyPick: Jack EichelEven as the Sabres' fortunes dwindled this season, Jack Eichel's play never wavered.The 22-year-old captain tallied a career-best 36 goals in 68 games, and his 78 points are 28 more than Buffalo's second-ranked scorer. If there's a silver lining for the Sabres in another underwhelming campaign, it's that Eichel emerged as a true Hart Trophy candidate.Carolina HurricanesPick: Sebastian AhoDougie Hamilton was enjoying a Norris Trophy-caliber season before suffering a broken fibula on Jan. 16. Following that injury, Finnish sniper Sebastian Aho totaled 15 goals and 26 points in 21 games to keep the Hurricanes afloat in an extremely competitive Metropolitan Division.Overall, the 22-year-old Aho was on pace for 46 goals before the season was put on pause, which would have marked the highest single-season total by any Hurricanes player since the franchise relocated from Hartford ahead of the 1997-98 campaign.Columbus Blue Jackets Pick: Elvis MerzlikinsA team that scores just under three goals per contest during a 14-game stretch likely won't post an .850 winning percentage - unless stud rookie Elvis Merzlikins is tending the twine. The Latvian puck-stopper caught fire in January, leading the Blue Jackets on an unlikely journey from well into the lottery to postseason contention.Detroit Red WingsPick: Dylan LarkinThe Red Wings haven't had much to celebrate recently, but Dylan Larkin has given fans something to look forward to.Before the hiatus, the 23-year-old racked up 53 points in 71 games with goal-scorer Anthony Mantha out of the lineup for nearly half of the campaign. Larkin does his best to make something out of nothing, and his leadership will be paramount to the club's rebuild.Florida PanthersSean M. Haffey / Getty Images Sport / GettyPick: Jonathan HuberdeauJonathan Huberdeau's been the spark plug for a Panthers team that's been forced to rely on its offense thanks to a shoddy debut season from $70-million netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. Huberdeau helped rescue the Panthers during what was nearly a disastrous start to the campaign, tallying five goals and 13 points over the opening 12 games while co-star Aleksander Barkov was held goalless.Montreal CanadiensPick: Tomas TatarShea Weber provided the 2019-20 Habs with a steady presence on the blue line, but Tomas Tatar's career campaign can't be overlooked.The 29-year-old winger put up a personal- and team-best 61 points in 68 games while sharing the club lead with 22 goals. Tatar also posted gaudy possession numbers, as the Canadiens owned 60.27% of expected goals and 61.84% of high-danger chances at five-on-five when the Slovak was on the ice.New Jersey DevilsPick: MacKenzie BlackwoodThe emergence of goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood was a significant development amid another trying season in New Jersey. After Dec. 29, Blackwood boasted an 11-4-3 record and a .926 save percentage that rivaled some of the league's top puck-stoppers.With veteran goalie Cory Schneider all but finished as an NHL starter, Blackwood's stellar season should give the Devils some hope for the near future.New York IslandersPick: Mat BarzalMat Barzal is the straw that stirs the drink for the offensively thin Islanders. In only his third NHL campaign, the 22-year-old center has already established himself as one of the league's premier playmakers, and few skaters are more exciting to watch with the puck on their stick. Barzal also leads New York in scoring for the third consecutive season.New York Rangers Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyPick: Artemi PanarinTallying 41 goals in 57 games is absurd, and Mika Zibanejad deserves to be recognized, but the Rangers' top player in 2019-20 was superstar offseason signing Artemi Panarin.Before the campaign was suspended, the electric winger was on pace to become just the seventh player in franchise history - and the first since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 - to register a 100-point campaign. Panarin was held pointless in consecutive games just three times all season, and he sat tied for third in league scoring when play was put on hold.Ottawa SenatorsPick: Thomas ChabotErik Karl-who? The Senators have themselves an extremely special player in 23-year-old defenseman Thomas Chabot, making it much easier to put a certain former franchise blue-liner in the rear-view mirror.Through 71 contests in just his third NHL campaign, the 6-foot-2 Chabot was leading the league in average ice time (26 minutes per game) and had contributed 39 points.Philadelphia FlyersPick: Sean CouturierIn a season that saw Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek stumble out of the gates, Sean Couturier kept the Flyers afloat early and cemented himself as one of the league's most dominant two-way forwards.The Selke Trophy candidate ranked third on the Flyers in goals (22) and second in points (59) while being tasked with shutting down the opposition's top talents on a nightly basis. He's relied on in all situations, playing a vital role on both the power play and penalty kill.Pittsburgh PenguinsIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPick: Evgeni MalkinWhen the going gets tough, Evgeni Malkin always answers the bell. The Russian phenom put the injury-riddled Penguins on his back this season, recording 74 points in 55 games and dominating when they needed him most. While Sidney Crosby was out of the lineup for more than two months, Malkin led the Penguins to a 16-6-4 record and racked up 38 points in those contests.Tampa Bay Lightning Pick: Nikita KucherovBefore the season was suspended, Nikita Kucherov was on his way to a third consecutive 100-point campaign while leading the Lightning in both goals and assists.Tampa Bay owned a team-high 57.15% share of expected goals for when Kucherov patrolled the ice at five-on-five. The club also posted a 22-6-0 record when Kucherov scored a goal. Despite being surrounded by an embarrassment of riches on Tampa Bay's roster, the Russian still reigns supreme.Toronto Maple LeafsKevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyPick: Auston MatthewsThe notion that netminder Frederik Andersen is the Maple Leafs' most valuable player was put to rest during his pedestrian stretch of play from December through February. Instead, Auston Matthews was Toronto's most consistent force throughout the campaign.Matthews took another step in 2019-20, turning into a dominant two-way center who was poised to break the single-season goal-scoring record for a franchise that's existed for more than 100 years. Plus, the 22-year-old didn't need special teams to make an impact, as he shared the league lead with 35 even-strength tallies. Without No. 34, the Leafs simply wouldn't be the same.Washington Capitals Pick: John CarlsonAlex Ovechkin is the club's perennial superstar, but it's important to give John Carlson some shine for his career campaign.Offensive seasons like the one Carlson produced in 2019-20 are few and far between for defensemen. He posted 75 points before the hiatus and was on pace for a whopping 89, which would have marked the best single-season total from a rearguard since 1993-94.Advanced stats source: Natural Stat TrickCopyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The KHL has canceled the remainder of the Gagarin Cup playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced Wednesday.

With the NHL season on an indefinite hiatus due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, let's take a look back at some of the best moments the 2019-20 campaign has offered fans so far.5. Zibanejad enjoys 5-goal nightNew York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad quietly found himself on pace for a career-best season entering March with 30 goals and 32 assists. However, he took things to another level when the Washington Capitals visited Madison Square Garden on March 5.Zibanejad got the Rangers on the board in the first period and was determined to find twine many more times. He added another tally in the second and two goals in the third - including what appeared to be the game-winner with less than two minutes remaining. After Alex Ovechkin tied it up with 43 seconds left, Zibanejad had no choice but to secure the win in overtime with his fifth of the contest.