The NHL announced on Monday a multi-year gaming partnership with MGM Resorts International to become the league's first official gaming and resort destination partner.The agreement grants MGM access to the NHL's intellectual property, including league and team logos, and proprietary gaming data."The new sports betting landscape presents a unique opportunity for fan engagement utilizing technology and data that are exclusive to our league," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement."As a leading global gaming operator and entertainment company, MGM Resorts is the perfect partner for us to begin our transformative entry into this space. Fan engagement, technological advancement and innovation are paramount to our progressive approach and will be at the forefront of everything we do."Monday's announcement only became possible after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law in May that banned sports betting.The NBA also reached a similar partnership with MGM in July."Combining MGM Resorts' world-class sports betting operations and technology with the NHL's top-level competition, iconic brands and cutting-edge data will further transform the rapidly growing sports betting marketplace and solidify our position at the forefront of the industry," MGM chairman and CEO Jim Murren said in a statement.

Auston Matthews' projected four-week absence is a tough pill to swallow for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there's a small silver lining in the wake of his shoulder injury, with the 21-year-old confirming on Monday that it won't require surgery.Winnipeg Jets blue-liner Jacob Trouba hit Matthews on Saturday, which resulted in an injury similar to the one he suffered last season, though on the opposite shoulder.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Monday following an illegal check to the head of Vegas Golden Knights forward Cody Eakin.The incident occurred in Sunday's contest at T-Mobile Arena.

Every Monday, theScore will be rolling out a weekly fantasy hockey column: Five moves you need to make. Ownership percentages (as of Oct. 28) and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Pick up Dustin BrownTeam: Kings

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews was placed on the injured reserve Monday and is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks with a shoulder injury, the team announced.Matthews suffered the injury on Saturday when Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba bumped him.This isn't the first time Matthews has suffered a shoulder injury, as he missed 10 games last season with a similar ailment.With Matthews sidelined, John Tavares is expected to center Toronto's top line:

Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki was assessed a game misconduct during the first period of Sunday night's tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights for his hit on Cody Eakin.Here's a look at the play:

Los Angeles Kings winger Dustin Brown was activated from the injured reserve and made his first appearance of the season Sunday vs. the New York Rangers.Brown missed the first 10 games of the season after he broke his finger during the preseason.The veteran forward, who notched a career-high 61 points last season, will be looked upon to provide an offensive spark to a Kings squad that sits last in the Western Conference with just five points on the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This week, Carey Price carved out another spot for himself in the Montreal Canadiens’ record book when he passed Hockey Hall of Famer and Habs' legend Patrick Roy for second on the storied franchise’s all-time wins list. Beating the Boston Bruins on Saturday gave Price career regular-season win No. 290 as a Canadien.Naturally, people are going to want to compare the two. And while it’s certainly true any team would be blessed in the extreme to have employed either Price or Roy, if you were forced to choose one, who would you pick?For me, it would be Price. And I say that in total and complete acknowledgement of everything Roy achieved, both in Montreal and in his eight subsequent seasons with the Colorado Avalanche. Roy has four Stanley Cup rings clogging his ears, three Conn Smythe Trophies to his credit, three Vezina Trophies on his mantle, and was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team four times. When it comes to accumulating accolades, Roy has few peers, and even fewer in the NHL’s goaltending community.Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / GettyBut as the hockey world has changed under the salary cap, so too have the situations NHL goalies have to operate in. And ultimately, I think that’s where Price comes out looking better than Roy in the modern age. Over the dozen years Price has played in Montreal, he’s shown the patience of Job, both on the ice and off of it, in a manner that has always served the team more than himself. Most notably, Price has kept his temper when the Habs went through three GMs and multiple new blueprints for success, whereas Roy went nuclear a mere 40 days into working under only the second NHL GM he’d ever known.(Granted, that second GM was Rejean Houle, who dealt Roy to Colorado in one of the worst trades in league history, so clearly, Roy knew something was rank in Denmark.)Price may not have any Cup rings to dazzle you with, but he’s a tremendous soldier, and one you’d always want to build a team around. He’s gritted his teeth and kept working hard even when GM Marc Bergevin traded away his good friend and star defenseman P.K. Subban. He maintained his composure through the “Price vs. Jaroslav Halak” Era, and proved then-GM Pierre Gauthier made the right decision. No matter the trajectory Montreal found itself on, Price was happy simply to be a part of the group. You never got the sense his ego was somehow affecting the steering of the ship, and I don’t think the same is true of Roy.Again, this isn’t to say I wouldn’t be happy to have Roy between the pipes for my side. The emotion that drove him to stomp around the Canadiens’ bench like a masked mastodon that fateful night in December of 1995 was probably what made him as successful as he was. But there’s something to be said for constant calm in the face of any storm. Price’s unflappability is what you want out of goalies. Regardless of the situation, regardless of whether or not he’s particularly pleased with a move his GM has made, Price has skated out to Montreal’s net and performed to the best of his terrific ability. He deserves credit for that.Besides, it’s harder to win in today’s NHL. There are more teams battling for a championship than when Roy was in his prime. But Price still has a number of honors to his name. He led Canada to an Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Games - being voted the tournament’s top netminder - and in 2015 he won his first Vezina and first Hart Trophy.Roy never won a Hart - which isn’t a slander on his play as much as it is a recognition of the talent he had surrounding him in Montreal and Denver. Price, meanwhile, has played on many different types of teams: mediocre ones; ones that made it to the Eastern Conference Final; and even a couple that didn’t make the post-season. It’s not his fault Canadiens' management has bungled what could have been a year-in, year-out Cup contender. Nothing that Bergevin has done has chipped away his talent level.Jean-Yves Ahern / USA TodayThat’s part of what makes it so difficult to truly judge which of the two is better. Roy existed in a smaller, less watered-down NHL. And he had GMs in Serge Savard and Pierre Lacroix who assembled some of the better squads in the history of the game. Roy benefited from that, undoubtedly. Compare some of the defense corps that Roy played behind with those that Price had in front of him and you get an even better appreciation for Price’s save percentages over the years.You can’t blame Price for the caliber of his teammates or the follies of management. In the end, if you’re a Canadiens fan, all you can do is be thankful that Roy was a central component of your team’s glorious past, and that Price has been in your team’s net for more than a decade and likely will remain there for at least eight more years.If you have to make a choice between the two best goalies of a team’s modern day, you’re going to wind up with an outstanding choice in Montreal. And that’s more than most NHL franchises can say.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews left Saturday's contest against the Winnipeg Jets in noticeable discomfort after a hard hit from defenseman Jacob Trouba, and subsequently missed the remainder of the game with a shoulder injury.After the game, a 3-2 victory, head coach Mike Babcock was asked about Matthews' status:"He's got a shoulder injury, we'll look at it on Monday and we'll know more on Monday," Babcock said. "He won't be playing on Monday. We'll know more at that time. We'll give you an update on Monday if he's not ready right away, for sure."Here's a look at the play:

Move aside, Saint Patrick.With his 290th career win on Saturday night, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price surpassed Hall of Famer Patrick Roy on the franchise's all-time wins list.

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen exited Saturday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks with an apparent injury after a collision involving his own teammate.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick is day to day with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated next week, the team announced, according to Jon Rosen of Fox Sports West.Quick was injured in the first game of the season and didn't return until Oct. 18, though The Athletic's Lisa Dillman notes his most recent injury is not the same as before.Injuries aside, Quick's start to the season has not been ideal, as he's 0-3-1 with an .845 save percentage and a 4.55 goals-against average.The Kings have struggled with or without Quick in the crease, though, opening the season with a 2-7-1 record.Veteran netminder Peter Budaj has been recalled from the AHL, though Jack Campbell will likely handle the bulk of the starts in Quick's absence. Campbell has been stellar when called upon, owning a .917 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Is Patrik Laine in Paul Maurice's doghouse?The Winnipeg Jets forward started Saturday night's tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs on the fourth line.Laine received a mid-game demotion on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.The winger has been ice cold to start the 2018-19 campaign, as he's failed to score at even strength through 11 games after finishing second in the league with 44 goals a year ago.If Maurice is frustrated with the lack of production from his sniper, he didn't show it while speaking to reporters on Saturday.Maurice insists that Laine's demotion was made because Mathieu Perreault was buzzing and he wanted to give him more ice time. He also came to Laine's defense when asked what he needs to start seeing out of the youngster."He's 20. He's going to keep getting better," Maurice told TSN's Mark Masters.Laine still logged 17 minutes on Friday despite the mid-game demotion - primarily because the Jets had five power plays.Here's what Winnipeg's lines will look like for Saturday's contest, according to Daily Faceoff.LWCRWNikolaj EhlersMark ScheifeleBlake WheelerKyle ConnorBryan LittleMathieu PerreaultAndrew CoppAdam LowryBrandon TanevBrendan LemieuxJack RoslovicPatrik LaineThe Jets and Maple Leafs just met on Wednesday, with Toronto coming out on top 4-2.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh community was devastated Saturday when a gunman opened fire in a synagogue, and the local professional sports franchises were quick to express their condolences in the wake of the tragic mass shooting in their city.

Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw was designated as a healthy scratch for Saturday's contest versus the Boston Bruins, head coach Claude Julien announced, according to the team.Winger Charles Hudon took his place on the club's fourth line. The 24-year-old has managed three points in six games this season.Shaw, meanwhile, has recorded one goal and one assist in seven games so far this season while playing just over 11 minutes per night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Leon Draisaitl and Drake Caggiuila each scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers ended a 13-game losing streak against Nashville with a 5-3 victory Saturday.Connor McDavid also scored and Mika Koskinen made 24 saves in his first start of the season and first for the Oilers. Edmonton was 0-11-2 in its previous 13 games against the Predators.Filip Forsberg had a hat trick for Nashville, and Juuse Saros stopped 31 shots.Nashville cut it to 4-3 with 4:06 left on Forsberg's final goal. He connected on a power play, with Saros off for an extra attacker. Caggiuila capped the scoring with an empty-netter.The Oilers' last two wins have come against the reigning Presidents' Trophy winner (Nashville) and the defending Staley Cup champion (Washington). The Predators are 5-0-0 on the road, but only 3-3-0 at home.Edmonton struck first when Caggiula batted home a rebound at 11:41 of the first period. Edmonton made it 2-0 when Draisaitl scored a tic-tac-toe goal on passes from Milan Lucic and McDavid on a power play at 4:14 of the second.Shortly after that, Nashville prevented the Oilers from adding to the lead by killing a four-minute penalty when Ryan Johansen was called for high-sticking.Forsberg made it 2-1 on a power play late in the second. Seven seconds later, McDavid broke loose on a breakaway off the faceoff for his team-best seventh goal. Draisaitl scored at 4:19 of the third, and Forsberg answered 24 seconds later.NOTES: Edmonton D Matt Benning (upper body) and RW Zack Kassian (neck) returned to the lineup after missing games. ... Nashville got was 22-8 in the first 30 minutes. ... The Predators will play their third and final game against the Oilers in Nashville on Feb. 25.UP NEXTOilers: At Chicago on Sunday night.Predators: Host Vegas on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were quick to express their condolences in the wake of the tragic mass shooting at a synagogue in their city Saturday.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty will be out on a day-to-day basis with an upper-body injury after taking a high hit Friday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Gerard Gallant announced, per the team.Pacioretty was on the receiving end of a collision with Braydon Coburn in the first period of Friday's loss. He exited the game afterward and didn't return.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman will miss at least the next three games with an upper-body injury, according to the team.The reigning Norris Trophy winner will be re-evaluated in a week.Hedman sustained the injury Friday night after a second-period collision with Vegas Golden Knights forward Ryan Reaves sent him awkwardly into the boards.Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said postgame that Hedman's injury wasn't a concussion.Tampa Bay plays the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night, the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the Nashville Predators on Thursday, and the Montreal Canadiens next Saturday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two Vancouver Canucks stars are on the mend.Both Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser said Saturday that they are back, and Canucks head coach Travis Green then confirmed his dynamic duo is ready to return Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Pettersson suffered a concussion when he was hit and then slammed to the ice by Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson on Oct. 13.Boeser missed two contests with a groin injury.Pettersson still leads all rookies in goals and points despite missing six games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When it comes to hair cuts and facial hair, Kasperi Kapanen doesn't exactly trust Patrik Laine.The Toronto Maple Leafs forward recounted an amusing exchange he had with the Winnipeg Jets star when they faced each other earlier in the week."He told me to go get my hair cut last game," Kapanen told the assembled media on Saturday, including TSN. "But I think with his style last year, I think he’s the last guy (who should) tell me to cut any facial hair or hair on my body.”Laine grew a lengthy beard down the stretch last season that he ultimately shaved off.Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe two Finnish world junior teammates played in Wednesday's 4-2 victory by the Maple Leafs in Winnipeg, and they'll renew acquaintances Saturday night in Toronto.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman was forced from Friday's game in Vegas after a collision with Golden Knights winger Ryan Reaves sent him awkwardly into the boards.Here's a look at the play, which occurred in the second period.

Mike Green returned to the lineup Friday when the Detroit Red Wings faced off against the Winnipeg Jets.The veteran defenseman had been sidelined for the first nine games of the year after he contracted a virus during training camp. The ailment also prevented Green from lacing up in the preseason.Green is anchoring the Red Wings' top pairing alongside rookie rearguard Dennis Cholowski.In 66 appearances with Detroit last season, Green notched eight goals and 25 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty made an early exit from Friday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning after a high hit from defenseman Braydon Coburn in the first period.Here's the play:

Tom Wilson is taking his case to the next level.The Washington Capitals forward will appeal his 20-game suspension to a third-party arbitrator after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman elected to uphold the ban, a source told Sportsnet's John Shannon.

Former NHL president John Ziegler Jr. has died at the age of 84.Ziegler served as president of the NHL from 1977-92, a tenure which oversaw the league's expansion from 18 to 24 clubs, including the merger of four teams from the former World Hockey Association."The NHL family was saddened to learn of the passing of former league president John Ziegler," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "He was instrumental in the NHL's transition to becoming a more international league - during his tenure, the share of European-born players in the NHL grew from two to 11 percent, players from the former Soviet Union first entered the league and games between NHL and European clubs become a nearly annual tradition."Ziegler was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.Gil Stein succeeded Ziegler as NHL president in 1992. Bettman became the NHL's first commissioner in 1993.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageJohn Tortorella wishes there were more animosity between opponents in today's game, and not just from his Columbus Blue Jackets, but throughout the NHL."We've talked about it. It's gone through the league," Tortorella told reporters Thursday. "It's a little frustrating, quite honestly. The game has changed, and for some dinosaurs that are in it, it's very frustrating, I have to admit."The Blue Jackets head coach made it clear that he wasn't kidding; he finds the trend genuinely bothersome."I'm not joking about it. It's really frustrating to me. On conversations on the ice amongst opponents on a faceoff, it's like a big hugfest sometimes. I don't know if they have so many meetings with the NHLPA and all that stuff that goes on, but there's no hate, and I miss that. It frustrates the shit out of me, quite honestly."Tortorella added that he's gone as far as telling his players to simulate hating the opposing players."I ask my guys (to) pretend sometimes. Just pretend," Tortorella said. "I know I'm kind of beating my head against the wall as far as where I want the game ... (but) I miss some of the way the game was played. I think our game has made some great changes ... but damn, I miss the old school 'I'm coming at ya' (attitude). We'll have a beer after, but do we have to talk about it on the ice right now? That's sickening to me, quite honestly."Not that penalty minutes are the ultimate indicator of a team's hatred for its opponent, but the Blue Jackets are the fifth-least penalized team in the league this season, averaging just over seven minutes in the sin bin through nine games.Columbus is 5-4-0 and sits third in the Metropolitan Division.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageThe St. Louis Blues let another one get away from them Thursday night.After taking an early 2-0 lead against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the club surrendered four straight goals en route to a 7-4 drubbing. It marked the second straight game in which the Blues coughed up a two-goal lead after doing so against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.Thursday's loss sees the team now just two points out from last place in the Central Division. The Blues entered this season with high expectations following an impressive offseason, which is why head coach Mike Yeo admits his job should be on the line after their rough start."Heck, my job should be in question right now," Yeo said, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "Of course that comes with the trade. But I'm not going to coach to try to save my job. I'm going to coach to try to win the Stanley Cup. I believe in this group, so whatever we need every single day, I'm going to try to do that."Luckily for Yeo his players appear to have his back."There is no question, anyone thinking he (does) not deserve to be here, we support him," Vladimir Tarasenko said of Yeo. "We believe in him, that's why he's our coach right now, and we will (fu-----) play for him so hard. So there's no question about (whether the) team doesn't believe in the coach."

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson's suspension for his hit to the head of St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist, the NHL announced Thursday.Bettman was present for Wilson's Oct. 18 appeal of the Oct. 3 decision.Wilson now has seven days to file an appeal through a neutral arbitrator if he wishes to do so, according to the league's collective bargaining agreement.The incident in question took place during a preseason game on Sept. 30.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Travis Hamonic is on the verge of returning to the Calgary Flames' ​lineup.The Flames activated the defenseman off injured reserve, the club announced Thursday.He suffered a facial fracture as a result of his opening-night fight with Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Erik Gudbranson.Hamonic ranked fourth on the Flames in average ice time last season, logging more than 20 minutes per game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Beleskey went unclaimed on the waiver wire, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.He was assigned to the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack shortly thereafter, the New York Rangers announced on Thursday.The forward, who was waived on Wednesday, has yet to appear in a game during the 2018-19 season due to a preseason shoulder injury.Beleskey's cap hit is $3.8 million, and the Boston Bruins are covering half. The Bruins retained that amount after trading him to the Rangers in the Rick Nash deal in February.The Rangers can reduce that cap hit to $875,000 now that Beleskey has been assigned to their AHL affiliate.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scott Darling is ready to go.The Carolina Hurricanes summoned their No. 1 netminder from the AHL's Charlotte Checkers on Thursday, the club announced.Darling stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Utica Comets on Wednesday. He was activated off injured reserve and assigned to Charlotte on a conditioning stint earlier this week.Darling hurt his hamstring in Carolina's final preseason contest against the Nashville Predators on Sept. 30. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour initially expected his goaltender to miss two weeks.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights inked defenseman Nate Schmidt to a six-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.95 million, the club announced late Wednesday night.The deal is front-loaded and includes a 10-team no-trade clause, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Schmidt is currently serving a 20-game suspension for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program.The 27-year-old is suspended without pay, but when he returns, he'll be in the final season of the two-year, $4.45-million pact he inked with the Golden Knights after being plucked from the Washington Capitals in the expansion draft two summers ago.Schmidt posted a career-high 36 points and led the Golden Knights in average ice time at 22:14 last season.He was suspended on Sept. 2.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks will be without Brock Boeser, arguably their top sniper, against the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night while he deals with a groin injury.Boeser also missed practice on Tuesday. He's been battling the ailment since last Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, head coach Travis Green told reporters on Tuesday, according to Patrick Johnston of The Province.The 21-year-old is off to a slow start after a sizzling rookie campaign. He's scored just two goals and recorded six points during the Canucks' first nine games of the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki has been suspended one game for elbowing Boston Bruins defenseman Urho Vaakanainen, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Wednesday.Borowiecki elbowed Vaakanainen, who was playing in just his second career game, on Tuesday during a scrum in front of the Senators' net, and he wasn't given a penalty.

Brian Boyle got some great news this week.The veteran New Jersey Devils forward told NHL.com's Mike Morreale on Wednesday that test results Monday showed his cancer is in remission."A test looks for the leukemia cells in your blood and when I was first diagnosed, it was at 75 percent," Boyle said. "At the end of last season, it was at 0.08 percent, and in July I was (at) 0.04 percent. The results showed all zeros on Monday. It's full molecular remission, and I feel really good. It was kind of the way the progression was happening the last few tests. When I told my wife, she was excited and got emotional."Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in September 2017. He was initially told by doctors that it could take up to 18 months before going into full remission, but it took just over 13 months.The 33-year-old center missed the start of last season while undergoing treatment and returned at the beginning of November, ultimately playing in 69 regular-season games and then five more in the playoffs.He's suited up for all six of the Devils' regular-season contests so far in 2018-19.This past June, Boyle was the recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers placed forward Matt Beleskey on the waiver wire Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Beleskey suffered a separated shoulder in the preseason and hasn't played a regular-season game with the Rangers in 2018-19.The 30-year-old is in the penultimate campaign of the five-year, $19-million deal he signed with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2015.His cap hit is $3.8 million, but the Rangers are only on the hook for half of that, as the Bruins retained the other half in the trade that sent him, Ryan Spooner, and a first-round pick to New York for Rick Nash in February.Beleskey's cap hit could be reduced to $875,000 if he clears waivers and is then assigned to the AHL, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tavares' first road game against the New York Islanders will be played at the team's original building.New York's home game on Feb. 28 against Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs - which was originally scheduled for Barclays Center in Brooklyn - will now take place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island.That means 21 regular-season games will now be played at the older facility in 2018-19 - or more than half of the Islanders' home schedule.Tavares signed with the Maple Leafs on July 1 after spending nine seasons with New York, including five as the team's captain.The Coliseum was the Islanders' primary home arena from their inaugural season in 1972-73 until 2014-15.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki faces a hearing Wednesday for his hit on Boston Bruins blue-liner Urho Vaakanainen, the NHL's Department of Player of Safety announced.Borowiecki elbowed Vaakanainen in the face Tuesday night, and the Bruins rearguard was later diagnosed with a concussion.Vaakanainen was playing the second game of his NHL career. Boston is already without defensemen Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, and Kevan Miller.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a weekly NHL podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's National Hockey Writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play.Trevor Georgie, the 29-year-old president and GM of the Saint John Sea Dogs, joins John to talk about his career path, how to lead, and where hockey is headed. Other topics include:

Boston Bruins rookie defenseman Urho Vaakanainen suffered a concussion during Tuesday's contest against the Ottawa Senators and will not return after catching a Mark Borowiecki elbow in the face, the team announced.

The 2018-19 season has officially begun for Anaheim Ducks forward Nick Ritchi.The left winger is in the lineup against the Chicago Blackhawks after he said his visa paperwork came through on Monday.Ritchie skated on the Ducks' top line Tuesday.

Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk made his season debut on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, donning his new colours for the first time.Galchenyuk missed Arizona's first seven games due to a lower-body injury.Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in an offseason deal for Max Domi, Galchenyuk will get his chance to play center after spending much of his career on the wing. Ahead of Tuesday's contest, Galchenyuk centered a line between Lawson Crouse and Clayton Keller in practice.Galchenyuk recorded 19 goals and 32 assists in 82 games with Montreal last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Kyle Dubas was spotted inside Madison Square Garden this past weekend, some fans went down a rabbit hole of speculation.Why would the Maple Leafs’ general manager attend a random game? Is he dealing restricted free agent William Nylander to the Rangers? What about the visiting Flames?According to reports, Dubas had actually travelled to New York to chat with Nylander’s Manhattan-based agent about a contract extension, and he stayed for the game. In other words, don’t hold your breath waiting for a blockbuster.Some time ago - say five-to-10 years - the GM of the Leafs might have thrown gasoline on the fire, revelling in any and all speculation, especially if none of it was true.“I can tell you right now,” Brian Burke said Monday during a phone conversation, “there were many times where I went to a game in another arena for just that reason - let’s stir the pot.”“Even when I was going to scout, I would say, ‘Watch the bees come out of the hive now,’” he added with a chuckle. “A couple of times I’d say to (former colleague) Dave Nonis, ‘We’ve got to stir this up. You go to Philly tonight and we’ll start that rumour.’”Burke is one of a kind. Currently a TV analyst for Sportsnet, the 63-year-old untied tie enthusiast has lived a number of hockey lives: college and pro player, junior hockey franchise owner, pro scout, president of hockey operations, GM for multiple NHL teams, disciplinarian at the league office, and player agent.Speaking ahead of the PrimeTime sports management conference - a star-studded event he co-chairs every November in downtown Toronto - Burke discussed a variety of topics with theScore.The long view of the Nylander sagaBy Burke’s calculation, the Nylander saga is not just about dollars and term. When the ink has dried, Dubas will be graded in other categories.“People are saying, ‘Why don’t they just sign him?’ Well, Kyle needs to have this fight for two reasons,” said Burke, who occupied the GM’s chair for four clubs - the Leafs, Ducks, Canucks, and Whalers - over a 20-year span.“One, this (deal) has to be somewhat cap friendly. It has to be something that will allow him to keep this group together, if he can. I don’t see a number that’ll work, that’ll keep this group together, but he has to try. In the hard-cap system, you have to fight for every dollar.“No. 2, he’s a rookie GM. The gloves are off for the first time, everyone is watching. He has to get a victory here, so the other agents know he’s not a guy who you can push around.”Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesBurke is quick to praise Dubas for refusing to cave during a marathon game of chicken with Lewis Gross, Nylander's agent. That Switzerland visit to get in quality face time in a neutral setting? Invaluable, as it could help filter out the noise associated with such a public story.Barring a serious souring between the two sides, the Nylander situation seems destined for a happy ending. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported on Tuesday that strong dialogue continues, and a six-year term is being discussed.Not every drawn-out negotiation is rainbows and lollipops, though.“I had it with Peter Schaefer in Vancouver,” Burke said of the nine-season NHL left-winger. “He was a good young player for us, went to Finland, refused to sign. He came back (after a season) and I had a trade worked out with Ottawa for Sami Salo - one of my best trades - and I said to Peter, ‘I’ll trade you once you sign the deal that I have sitting on the table. A three-year deal at my money, because this isn’t about you, it’s about every other player.’”The downside of running the LeafsBehind the fat paycheck, the exclusive experiences, and the power of running the Leafs, there's something else. Loneliness.Nobody is going to feel sorry for the general manager of a professional sports team, because anyone with that job is living out a dream. But there's a human element that perhaps the outside world tends to forget, or refuses to acknowledge (just ask longtime Habs GM Marc Bergevin).“In our business, there’s far more public criticism when you’re not successful than there is in most businesses. If you’re running IBM and have a bad quarter, you might get thumped for a couple of days when the quarterly results come out. But, if you’re GM of the Leafs and you’re struggling, you’re getting thumped every day,” said Burke, who’s had his fair share of spats with media members over the years.“You’re getting thumped every minute on sports radio and TV. It’s not just the loneliness of leadership in any company - which is across the board - it’s also the fact that loneliness of leadership (is being paired) with constant criticism while you do it.”Burke hasn’t been an NHL GM since 2012, when his tenure with the Leafs came to an abrupt end. However, his interactions with high-ranking execs didn't stop during his recent five-year run as president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames.Which begs the question: Is there an active GM whose mere presence strikes fear into his counterparts?“Everyone is tense dealing with Lou,” Burke said. “Lou Lamoriello is a class guy. But he’s a thief, he’s a pirate. I made my first big deal with him and it worked out well for both teams - and I love Lou and I respect him and I owe him a lot - but he’s a pirate. (Ducks GM) Bob Murray is a pirate. Both of those guys will gladly make a deal with you that’ll get you canned. And I say that with much praise.”The commissioner’s forgotten traitBased on the periodical boos and the constant jeers, NHL fans don’t seem particularly fond of longtime commissioner Gary Bettman.Burke, on this topic and many others, is happy to play contrarian. Asked what fans might have wrong about Bettman - a man he worked under during a stint at the league office in the early-to-mid 1990s - the 2007 Stanley Cup champion doubled down.“Everything. In Canada, everything,” Burke said.“No one likes Gary Bettman in Canada. It used to make me mad, now it makes me sad. I used to get mad at people - you don’t even know this guy … It’s become fashionable for fans to boo the commissioner at the draft and when he’s presenting the Cup. I think it’s unprofessional and disgusting, but I’m tired of ranting about it.”Richard Wolowicz / Getty ImagesInstead, Burke wants to talk about the “brilliant” side of Bettman, this generation’s most powerful off-ice figure. Burke and Nonis even have a running joke about the soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee.“This guy is smart and the other guy is Bettman smart,” the pair sometimes say to each other when discussing hockey people.“There’s a lot of smart people who can’t see five miles ahead. Gary can see 100 miles ahead,” Burke continued. “He’s not just looking over the next hill, he’s looking over the next 20 hills to the point where we had to tell him sometimes in (league) meetings, ‘hey boss, slow down.’ … I went to Harvard law school, I’m a pretty smart guy, and I couldn’t keep up with Bettman at some of these things.”The sport’s slow, steady acceptanceAfter hanging up the phone for this interview, Burke was off to Winnipeg to work Wednesday’s Jets-Leafs game. On Tuesday, he had plans to hunt geese in Manitoba.In a nutshell, that’s Burke. He's a man of many passions.On the subject of women making waves in the NHL, and specifically, if he sees a woman like Hayley Wickenheiser becoming a GM someday soon, he has a strong opinion.“I think it’s still really far off. These are institutional biases that have emerged. We have been in business for over a century. These are not doors you kick in. These are walls that erode over time. Long before there’s a woman head coach in the NHL, someone will have to become a head coach in the CHL. Coach boys, coach men. Someone will have to be an NCAA Division I men’s coach. They’re going to have to establish themselves - just like we all had to - at a lower level. As much as I love women’s hockey, I’m not handing the keys to the coach's office to a woman unless she’s been successful at a level below mine.”On the topic of homophobia in sports, he has both a vested interest as a co-founder of the You Can Play project, and a strong stance.“Would I like the day to come when we don’t talk about women in hockey? Yes. And I would like the day to come when I don’t have to march in the pride parade. As much as I love marching in pride parades, hopefully the day will come when we won’t need to celebrate a different community. They’ll be so absorbed into the rest of society that we won’t need pride parades. We might still have them because we want them, but right now they are a really important tool for our community to advertise itself and reach out to the world to say, ‘Hey, we’re important, we count.’”But, when Burke’s gig at Sportsnet is mentioned alongside the idea of possibly reentering the hockey operations world, the hedging stops.“This is not some parking lot job where I’m waiting for the phone to ring. The phone has already rung. Two teams called and asked me about potentially joining their staff. And I said, ‘no, I’m out.’ I promised my daughters here in Toronto that I’m not commuting again. I’m out, I’m not going back and working for a team.”John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild are off to a respectable 4-2-2 start after winning three straight games, but they've done so without production from one of their key offensive players - Nino Niederreiter.The Swiss-born winger has been invisible thus far, going goalless on 14 shots with a pair of assists through the first eight games.Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau spoke candidly about Niederreiter, admitting the 26-year-old's morale has been suffering as a result of his struggles."In some way, we've got to find his confidence," Boudreau told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "He's lost his confidence a little bit."Niederreiter is just two years removed from a breakout 25-goal, 57-point campaign in 2016-17. Last season he dealt with injuries and wasn't quite the same player, picking up 32 points in 63 games.Boudreau is intent on allowing Niederreiter to fight through his slump."Right now, it's just, 'Keep throwing him out there, keep throwing him out there,'" Boudreau said. "And you know ... We've talked to him, and sometimes we talk to him too much. And everybody talks to him and everybody's worried about Nino. Just, we're letting Nino play."Niederreiter is averaging just over 14 minutes per night, which would stand to be his lowest ice time average since his first season in Minnesota as a 21-year-old."He'll get out of it" Boudreau continued. "His history of him as an NHL player is he'll come out of it and he'll start playing good. I think we're all too worried about Nino right now. And I expect him very shortly to get a game where he knocks one in and then all of a sudden takes off."Slow starts aren't out of the ordinary for Niederreiter as he's never totaled more than four points through his first eight games. Over his career, November has been his most productive month by quite a wide margin, so all it may take is a flip of the calendar before he starts filling the net.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the annals of Toronto Maple Leafs goaltending history, they don’t come much more resilient, athletic, and classy than Curtis Joseph.Now 51 and a hockey parent who resides just outside of Toronto, Joseph lives forever in the hearts of Leafs fans who’ll never forget his key role in the franchise’s 1998-2002 successes - including two Eastern Conference Final appearances - and individual feats including being a two-time finalist for the Vezina Trophy and being named a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1999.An Olympic gold medalist and the first NHL goalie to register at least 30 wins for five different franchises, Joseph just released his first book, "CUJO: The Untold Story of My Life On and Off the Ice." Co-authored with longtime hockey journalist Kirstie McLellan Day, Joseph’s book is a wry, moving account of his turbulent upbringing as an adopted child, his rise through the game’s ranks, and his most notable achievements in the planet’s best league.Joseph took time Monday to speak about the book, John Tavares joining the Leafs, Joseph’s NHL days (and his time in Toronto in particular), and what he’d change about the game.Adam Proteau: The book is a fun read. You’ve made your chapters short and vibrant, describing your journey you take and some sides with people that you’ve played with over the years. When you were mapping out the book, how did you want to connect with readers?Curtis Joseph: Well, most people didn’t know about the way I grew up. I was embarrassed about my childhood early on, and it was hard for me to write a book because I’m a private person. And you want to tell a true story, you want to make sure you’re not hiding anything, so you know you’re going to have to open up. But my wife, Stephanie, we’ve been married six years, and she was the one who said, "You know, I love your story. I’m glad you don’t come from money. Your story is great, you need to embrace it, it’s so good." She’d tell me that and I’d think, "You know, you’re right, it’s made me who I am."What I want people to get from the story is perseverance and inspiration. I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy, I always have been. And it’s really helped me become who I am. I was the last person you ever thought would make the NHL.AP: It’s funny you phrase it like that. In talking to (Leafs president and Hockey Hall of Famer) Brendan Shanahan earlier this year, he told me nearly the same thing verbatim - that, among a group of kids he hung out with playing hockey, he would’ve been the last person you would’ve guessed would’ve been an NHLer, let alone an elite NHLer. But with the state of goaltending and the fact there always will be more candidates than available positions, do you have to be more resilient as a young goalie?CJ: Actually, my goals weren’t that lofty. I never thought I’d make it, either. My goal as a teenager, was to go to (university/college). I couldn’t pay for it, and my only shot was getting a scholarship. It really took until I was 21 years old to get one. I remember going out to Notre Dame and getting a scholarship offer from North Dakota when I was there. And I was like, "Oh my God, this is it. I’ve made it. This is what I’ve been dreaming of."Then once I got there, the scribe with the team told me there were NHL scouts there to see me. I said, "What?! What do you mean? I just got here!" I wasn’t dreaming about making it at all.AP: A friend of mine who played goalie at the pro level said it was always like walking on a wire all the time. Is it true that, for that job, you have to be living in the moment every day?CJ: Oh yeah, you know how bad it can be, and how embarrassed you can be. Like, when I’d drive into Toronto, you could cut the tension with a knife. You could just feel it driving in. It’s the playoffs, Game 7 against Ottawa, and you’re thinking, "Oh man, I better not let one in from center tonight. I’ll be roasted."Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyAP: That choice to come to Toronto - people talk about (agent) Don (Meehan) and (then Leafs-GM) Ken (Dryden) meeting at an ice cream store downtown and getting the deal done and signing you as an unrestricted free agent. But you’re still the one driving the decision, right?CJ: Obviously, l leaned on Donnie for years as a friend and agent to help make decisions, but it was always up to me, and I’m so glad I made that decision. It was like, "Wow, this is Toronto, they have interest in me." I knew they had Felix (Potvin) already, then I was like, "Wow, how amazing would that be to play in Toronto?" I hadn’t thought about it, because they were not in the (free agent) game at that point. It was Philly-Philly-Philly for me, and they had the Legion of Doom, and they needed a goalie. And then that door closed.Once it became Toronto, I started embracing it and thinking how great this would be. But I’ll always remember Felix - he was such a pro. I felt bad for him, and I respected him as a goaltender. He was such a pro to me, and it was tough for him, but he was great to me.AP: With that Leafs team, with all those names Torontonians hold dear now, what was the effect of their personalities on you?CJ: It was so much fun right off the get-go, partially because expectations were low. I think they’d missed the playoffs for two years in a row, so expectations were very low, and we started winning right away. We started winning and winning and winning, and we’re having fun, we’re having the time of our lives and we’re doing it with a bunch of great personalities. Mats Sundin, Derek King, Kris King, Mike Johnson, Stevie Sullivan, Fredrik Modin - we had a bunch of fun guys, and we just kept winning. So it was almost like a jovial, "Look at us! Look at us!" And it never ended, it just kept going for four years.AP: As someone who grew up around the (Greater Toronto Area) and watched the Leafs as a kid, what was the biggest lesson for you once you joined the team?CJ: How big Leafs Nation really is. And that’s a great way to describe fans - Leafs Nation. It really is a nation. I mean, we go to Calgary and we score a goal, and there would be all Leafs jerseys. We go to Tampa Bay, it was a home game. The roof would pop off. It was crazy. We’d go to the East Coast, to the Maritimes - all Leafs fans. It was like Broadway and the New York Yankees. If you’re successful, there’s nothing better.That’s why I’m a big fan of John Tavares making the decision he did. I’m so happy for him, and the fact he’s off to a great start. Because that’s the perfect scenario: a Toronto kid playing for the Leafs. You’re in your prime, you’re not going to struggle, and you come back and get a long-term deal. Oh my gosh, that’s a no-brainer. And I’m sorry, but the Islanders just aren’t on the brink of winning the Stanley Cup. And hopefully the Leafs are going to win a Stanley Cup and he’s going to be a big part of bringing a Cup back to Toronto. It’s just a perfect scenario.Graig Abel / National Hockey League / GettyAP: Growing up for me, being able to go to Maple Leaf Gardens - for Oasis and Radiohead concerts, for pro wrestling matches, for NHL games when I was lucky enough to get tickets - there always was a special aura about the building. What was it like to play there? Was it that the stands were almost on top of each other? Was a combination of things that made it unique?CJ: It was a combination of things for sure. I never attended a Leafs game until I was 18 years old. And I tell Wendel Clark this story - the game I was at was the game where Wendel scored four goals on Daren Puppa - and I told him, "The next time I saw you score four goals was on me. Thanks, Wendel (laughs)."But the Gardens was a special place, and yeah, part of it was the steepness (of the seats). I can’t believe nobody was killed in the greens (section) behind the nets. It was insanity. Someone would tip one up there in warmups and I’d look up and think, how does nobody die? You could never have that now.As a goalie playing there, there was no other rink like it. Because the corners were like a pinball machine. They weren’t deep, and the boards weren’t square, they were oval, so anytime a team would dump the puck in, it’d pinball right to the slot for a one-timer. I’m like, "Wow, this is a tough place to play in." Then the new building came in with the deep corners, and I was like, "Wow, this is so much easier (laughs)."AP: For the past 10-15 years, it feels like goalies and goalie equipment are a focal point for criticism on how to improve the game, or how to increase scoring. But with the removal of obstruction we’ve seen players be more able to show what they can do in terms of creating offense. Do you feel like, as a card-carrying member of the goalies union, netminders have been unfairly picked on?CJ: No, I understand. Goalies looked like lacrosse goalies for a while there, and it looked out of whack compared to the history of the game. And I’m the same way - I wish the pad size was one standard pad size, which is smaller. Because I feel the best goalies would still be the best goalies, and they’d put some distance between themselves and some of the not-so-good goalies.So I’d like to see a more athletic goalie; I think it’s just more entertaining, so I’d love to see the pad size come way down to, like, 33 inches, instead of the tall guys, who have 43 inches. And (those extra 10 inches are) really for stopping pucks. Because I used to do it, too. You’d see a more athletic goalie, a more challenging goalie. You’d see more goals. You’d see more athletic saves. Not quite back to Mike Palmateer-level excitement - and how exciting were those days - but honestly, they’d have to scramble and do more. The Carey Prices of the world, they’d still be the best, because they’re the best athletes. And I think you’d see a bigger difference between the best NHL goalie and the worst goalie. And nobody would ever complain about the equipment again. You’re not changing the net size, nothing like that.And also - sorry, I’m on a bit of a soapbox here - but I see minor hockey goalies, and parents come up to me and they’ll say, "Hey, what do you think of my son? And I’ll say, "He’s an amazing goalie. I love him, and he’s great." But I also say, "Can you make him 6-foot-3?" Because otherwise, he has no chance. If he’s not over 6-foot-2, he will not make the NHL. And I hate saying that because you’ve made the game available to the Johnny Gaudreaus and everybody else. Kudos for that. That’s great. Now let’s make it available to at least a 6-foot goalie.Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyAP: With the way the game has changed since you retired, what stands out for you?CJ: I love the speed and skill of the game, the skating, the passing, and no obstruction. Even the shootout. I was against it at first; I was more of a purist and (hated) putting more pressure on the goalies. Now if I’m watching it, I’ll flip through to see if there is a shootout. Because now you see moves you’ve never seen before because it’s about entertainment. So in the regular season, a shootout is a great way to win a game.The only thing I’d change, is the goalie pads - cut them way down. Oh, and take the trapezoid out. Playing the puck is such a skill for goalies, and when I’m watching a minor-hockey goalie who can play the puck, he stands out to me. I’m impressed. I loved watching Marty Turco wheel around, and when I was in college playing against Robb Stauber as he was shooting the puck down at the other end at me. And goalies playing the puck would give it away once in a while, and you’d get entertainment.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The group representing ex-NHL players is "all-in" on endorsing cannabis as a pain relief option for its members.That is, if future research can prove the drug’s supposed healing capabilities."I think science has to prove it first. If science proves it, then I’ll endorse it. But it’s gotta be science first," Glenn Healy, executive director of the NHL Alumni Association, said Monday, less than a week after Canada legalized cannabis."It can’t be me first. When I went to Pickering High School, I didn’t get a PhD. I certainly didn’t."Healy, a former NHL goalie and broadcaster, has been learning about the substance also named marijuana throughout 2018. He's deeply interested and the association, which he notes is partnering with a couple of neurologists, is "diving into this in a huge way.”"We’re all-in," Healy said repeatedly. (He declined to specify what "all-in" entails.)It’s no secret some ex-NHLers - most famously homeless Stanley Cup champion Joe Murphy and Matt Johnson - struggle with neurological problems in their retirement years. Hailing from a different, more violent era, players are prone to a number of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.Painkillers prescribed to treat nagging injuries have been part of the problem, so finding a widely accepted treatment alternative, something that is less destructive and addictive - cannabis or otherwise - would be a boon for athletes worldwide."It’s our players, it’s our life, it’s our families, it’s kids, it’s wives," Healy said. "I don’t get the calls from the players, I get the calls from the wives, I get the calls from the (children). We’re looking into all of it."One-time Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Riley Cote has quickly become an unofficial pot spokesperson for NHL retirees, insisting sleeping pills and other medication should be replaced by natural substances. He's the creator of Hemp Heals Foundation, an organization promoting the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD), the therapeutic part of a cannabis plant, and has spoken to Healy directly about the matter.Like Healy, though, Cote admits further digging is needed."There's probably billions of anecdotal stories, but those don't mean anything unless it's backed by science, unless it follows the order of the way it's supposed to be," he told The Associated Press recently.The NHL and NHLPA test active players for cannabis. However, a positive test for pot does not warrant any kind of punishment. And now, those slipping on a jersey for a Canadian team have no red tape to cut through.Cannabis and its oils can help with the normal aches and pains associated with playing sports for a living. Count Connor McDavid among the intrigued."I say this more talking about the CBD side of it, obviously: You'd be stupid not to at least look into it," the Edmonton Oilers superstar told the AP. "When your body's sore like it is sometimes, you don't want to be taking pain stuff and taking Advil all the time. There's obviously better ways to do it.""You're seeing a lot of smart guys look into it," added McDavid, arguably the sport's best player. "You're seeing a lot of really smart doctors look into it. If all the boxes are checked there and it's safe and everything like that, then I think you would maybe hear them out."John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn. Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sebastian Aho just etched his name in the Carolina Hurricanes record books.The Finnish forward picked up an assist in the club's 3-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, giving him a nine-game point streak to open the 2018-19 campaign. That streak is the longest to begin a season in Hurricanes history.

Get the massage table ready, because the shoulders of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen must be quite sore from carrying the Colorado Avalanche to an impressive 6-1-2 start - the second-best record in the league.Colorado's top line has been absolutely sensational through the first nine games, as they've scored 20 of the Avalanche's 33 goals this season (60.6 percent), including three tallies in the club's 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.PlayerGPGAPMikko Rantanen941216Nathan MacKinnon98715Gabriel Landeskog98412Though it's still early in the season, there's a case to be made that Colorado's first line is the most dominant trio in the league. Perhaps even better than the Boston Bruins' top unit of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak.The Avs are playing great team defense and have received phenomenal goaltending from both Semyon Varlamov and Philipp Grubauer, but it's clear this team will go as far as MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Rantanen take them. By the looks of it, it seems like they're gearing up for a marathon.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's too soon to decide a winner of the June 2017 trade that saw the Chicago Blackhawks send Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Brandon Saad, according to Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.Bowman told The Athletic's Mark Lazerus that scoring statistics alone shouldn't determine which side wins a trade."You can't try to measure it just on the performance in one season," Bowman said. "You've got to remember there's the bigger picture, which is the players' status and their leverage and contract negotiations. There's not one factor."Panarin can become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, and the Blackhawks projected that his next deal would not fit their salary cap structure."If it was just based on their offensive production last year, then you would have concerns," Bowman said. "But it's a different story than that. I understand why you're asking, and why people look at it that way. But I don't look at it that way."Ultimately, those concerns may prove to be right. Despite early success in Columbus, reports indicate Panarin is not long for the Ohio capital and his sights are set on a free-agency payday come July 1.Interestingly enough, cap concerns originally led the Blackhawks to ship Saad's rights to the Blue Jackets in the 2015 offseason. In Columbus, Saad excelled, notching a career-high 31 goals in his first campaign, while his second season saw him equal his 53-point finish from the year prior. But when Panarin, the 2016 Calder Trophy winner, became available, Saad was sent back to the Windy City.On paper, the early results have been a clear win for the Blue Jackets, as Panarin finished his first season in Columbus with a team-leading 82 points, while Saad sank to 35 points, his worst showing since his freshman campaign.It now appears those struggles have seeped into the new season, as Saad has picked up just two points through eight games, while head coach Joel Quenneville has already contemplated making the $6-million winger a healthy scratch.Still, Bowman says the season is young and, while Saad may not be producing as expected, he's providing value in other areas of the ice."A little bit I think has been overblown. He's played, what, six games? He's probably played two games that I thought he played poorly. Other than that I think he's played fine. He's not scoring. That's the thing," Bowman said. "He's still killing penalties. When you look at other numbers, he's not on the ice for many chances against, he plays against good players and he's able to shut them down. So that's an aspect of that."I realize that's not the one that maybe gets a lot of attention. But no, I'm not that concerned about it. It's similar to last year - he does a lot of good things. It's just the biggest thing is the production's not there, and that's what gets people's attention."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.