Minnesota Wild cornerstone defenseman Ryan Suter was injured during Saturday's contest versus the Dallas Stars, subsequently leaving the game with an apparent foot issue.The Wild later announced he would not return."I got no update. I guess we’ll know Monday," head coach Bruce Boudreau said postgame. "Suter doesn’t get hurt often so when he goes off like that you worry."Suter went into the end-boards awkwardly after taking a hit from Stars forward Remi Elie, seemingly twisting his ankle in the process. He was helped off the ice and did not return.The 33-year-old veteran is a crucial piece to Minny's blue line, registering six goals, 45 assists, and an irreplaceable 26:54 minutes a night heading into Saturday. And with fellow top-four defenseman Jared Spurgeon also dealing with an injury, Suter's potential loss could be crippling for a Wild club destined for the postseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Victor Antipin was stretchered off the ice Saturday against the Nashville Predators after being hit from behind into the boards by Scott Hartnell, who received a game misconduct on the play.Antipin was face down and motionless for several minutes before they brought out the stretcher.Here's a look at incident:

The Penguins are going back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as Pittsburgh's win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday punched its postseason ticket for a 12th straight season.A season filled with ups and downs for the Penguins is coming together at just the right time, as Pittsburgh has points in 11 of 14 games down the stretch.

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott will not return Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets, leaving the game in the first period with an apparent foot injury after blocking a shot, the team announced.Dermott had to be helped to the dressing room, failing to put any pressure on his foot.Any prolonged absence would be detrimental to the Leafs' Stanley Cup aspirations. The 21-year-old has been a revelation on the club's blue line, displaying excellent puck-moving ability. Entering Saturday's game, Dermott led all Leafs defenseman with a plus-17 rating despite spending the first half of his season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will reportedly play for Team Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Championship, according to Oilers radio analyst Bob Stauffer.Despite his team's struggles, Nugent-Hopkins has had a stellar offensive season, recording 22 goals and 45 points in 60 games thus far.Unsurprisingly, he has found further success playing on Connor McDavid's left wing lately, picking up 15 points in his last 16 contests. The two could continue to develop their chemistry if McDavid were to accept an invite as well.The 24-year-old is no stranger to success on the international stage:YearEventGPGAP2010U17 World Championship (Canada Pacific)51452011Ivan Hlinka (U18)55272012World Championship84262013World Juniors (U20)6411152016World Cup (Team NA)3123The tournament begins May 4 in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov will play Saturday night against the Winnipeg Jets after missing the last seven games due to a lower-body injury.Komarov scored 14 and 19 goals, respectively, in the last two seasons, but he's been relied upon less for his offense and more for his checking and penalty-killing abilities this year. In 71 games, he has seven goals and 19 points while averaging a shade under 16 minutes per night.The Finnish super pest is expected to skate alongside Tomas Plekanec and Kasperi Kapanen on the Leafs' fourth line, with rookie Andreas Johnsson coming out in his place.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo left Saturday's game against the Florida Panthers after losing his balance and falling awkwardly in the corner late in the third period.Carlo appeared to catch an edge while fighting for the puck with Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov.

The Colorado Avalanche's playoff hopes just took a pair of major blows.Goaltender Semyon Varlamov is done for the season with an injury the club would only classify as a lower-body ailment, while defenseman Erik Johnson will miss six weeks with a broken kneecap, the club revealed Saturday.Colorado's No. 1 netminder, left Friday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks late in the third period after Tomas Jurco crashed into him.Johnson didn't play Friday, and like Varlamov, this won't be his first extended injury absence of the campaign.Varlamov missed about a month of action between early January and early February, and Johnson also missed a full month between mid-February and mid-March.The veteran blue-liner leads Colorado in average ice time in 2017-18, having logged more than 25 minutes per night in 62 contests.Entering Saturday's games, the Avalanche held the same amount of points (92) and regulation-or-overtime wins (40) as the St. Louis Blues, who occupied the second Western Conference wild-card spot.However, the Blues held a game in hand, so the Avalanche found themselves outside the playoff picture, and it's going to be even more difficult to qualify for the postseason without Varlamov and Johnson down the stretch.Compounding matters is that Colorado has only four games left in the regular season, and they won't be easy - a road back-to-back against the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on Sunday and Monday, another away affair against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, and then a meeting with the Blues at home to close out the schedule next Saturday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Saturday is a big day for the Vancouver Canucks and Thatcher Demko.The goaltending prospect is starting against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday afternoon, appearing in an NHL game for the first time in his career.The 22-year-old netminder was recalled under emergency conditions Friday because Anders Nilsson was ill.Demko has a .921 save percentage in 42 games for the AHL's Utica Comets this season after struggling in his first go-around with the Canucks affiliate in 2016-17.Vancouver drafted him 36th overall in 2014.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Johnny Gaudreau will return to the Calgary Flames' lineup Saturday night after taking a leave of absence to be with his family, the team announced.Gaudreau left the team - which was in Los Angeles at the the time - on Sunday to return home to New Jersey after his father suffered a cardiac event last weekend.Luckily, his father is now doing better, and will be watching as Johnny and the Flames take on the Edmonton Oilers."He's doing really well," Gaudreau said. "Very excited to watch my brother (Matthew Gaudreau of the ECHL's Worcester Railers) and me play tonight. He told my mom this morning that he's going to take a three- or four-hour nap this afternoon so he can stay up late, cause it's a late one tonight. He's doing really well right now. A scary couple of days there. We're very, very fortunate."The Flames will certainly be grateful to have Gaudreau back in the fold, as the team struggled mightily in his absence, dropping both games this week (against the Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets) by a combined score of 8-1.The 24-year-old has already set a career high in points this season with 82 in 76 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will welcome defenseman Jacob Trouba back into the lineup Saturday for their contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Paul Maurice told Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.Trouba has missed the last five games after suffering a concussion against the Dallas Stars on March 18 following a crushing hit by Jamie Benn.Saturday will be just his third appearance since Jan. 25, as the concussion came just two games after the 24-year-old returned from a 20-game absence due to a lower-body injury.In 52 games this season, Trouba has contributed three goals and 22 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The moment Nashville Predators fans - and many others in the hockey world - have been waiting for has arrived.Top prospect Eeli Tolvanen will make his NHL debut on Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres, Predators head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed following the morning skate.The highly touted winger practiced on Nashville's top line with Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen, and also got a look on the power play.Tolvanen terminated his KHL contract and signed his entry-level deal with the Predators earlier this week.The 18-year-old notched 21 goals and 38 points in 51 games with Jokerit.Nashville selected him 30th overall in last June's draft.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.It wasn't an overly busy night in the NHL on Friday, but with four fringe Western Conference clubs all in action, there was a lot of jockeying in the tight race.Meanwhile, no club in the East saw their playoff chances move by more than half a percent.Western ConferenceThe Colorado Avalanche made some slight ground on the St. Louis Blues for the final wild-card spot with a win over the Chicago Blackhawks and the Blues' overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks moved to within a point of the Los Angeles Kings with an overtime win against the California franchise, and also hold a game in hand over Friday's opponents in the race for third place in the Pacific Division.TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeDucks2-1 OTW vs. LA79.6%+5.7%Avalanche5-0 W vs. CHI50.2%+3.1%Kings2-1 OTL vs. ANA89.3%-3%Blues4-3 OTL vs. VGK81.9%-5.1%To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Soon-to-be free agent John Tavares might be seriously reconsidering staying with the New York Islanders past this season, as his Isles have somehow managed to lose 15 of their last 18 games.With New York's loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night, the club now has 21 losses in 28 games since the All-Star break.The horrendous stretch has seen New York fall completely out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture and into draft lottery contention, currently sitting dead last in the Metropolitan Division with a disappointing 74 points.Management should have a very interesting time trying to convince Johnny T to stick around now that the team has completely nosedived in the second half of the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thursday night in Chicago, the Blackhawks were faced with the unfortunate situation of having to employ an emergency goalie, thrusting former NCAA netminder Scott Foster into action against the high-flying offensive juggernaut Winnipeg Jets.Related: Blackhawks' emergency goalie Scott Foster: 'I think I'm just hitting my prime'Anton Forsberg was injured prior to the game, and backup Collin Delia was forced to the dressing room midway through the third period with cramps, prompting former NHL goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to offer up his services to the injury-plagued Hawks on Friday.

NEWARK, N.J. – In trying to become the first team to win the Stanley Cup three straight times since the New York Islanders' run of four straight from 1980-83, the Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled at times to look like a playoff team - let alone one capable of making history.To be fair, no club gets through 82 games without a clunker here and there, but for the Penguins, the bad nights have been something more. The hiccups, while occasional, have set off alarm bells among a team that remains confident, but still knows it doesn't have all the answers.The latest significant stumble for the Penguins came Tuesday, when they went to Detroit and suffered a 5-2 loss to a Red Wings team that's been out of contention for months and ranks 27th in scoring."It's a reminder that you can't just show up and expect to get two points,” Sidney Crosby said. “I don’t think we necessarily needed that in Game 77 or whatever it was, but we’ve got to learn from it, and it’s in the past now. We've got important games ahead.”That included the very next game against the Devils on Thursday, as the wake-up call was heeded and Crosby himself scored in overtime for a 4-3 win. But that doesn't mean everything is settled for the Penguins, who generally have followed some of their worst games of the season with victories.It wasn’t Game 77, but Game 2, when the Penguins went to Chicago and took a 10-1 thrashing, only to turn around two days later and beat the Predators, 4-0. Later in October, the Pittsburgh lost 7-1 to the Lightning, but then beat the Oilers in overtime in the next contest. The very next week, a 7-1 loss in Winnipeg was followed by a 3-2 triumph in Edmonton.As the season has gone on, the trend has continued. The Penguins were on the receiving end of an 8-4 mauling in Boston on March 1, but then went home two days later and beat the Islanders in overtime. Then, on March 10, the Penguins were handed a 5-2 defeat in Toronto, before going home and beating the Stars the next night.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)If there's a switch the Penguins can flip to turn from a Jekyll-and-Hyde team in the regular season into the force they've been the past two springs, now would be a good time to do it, especially because - with only four games left - there's still no "x" next to "Pittsburgh" in the standings."We've just got to have the mindset that it's a playoff game," winger Tom Kuhnhackl said. "We're fighting for the playoffs here. Every game is a very, very important game for us, and the kind of game we played in Detroit, where we didn't really show up, didn't really play our game, that just can't happen at this time of year. We’ve got to have that mindset that it’s like a playoff game. … We’re fighting for the playoffs, fighting for home ice, fighting for our lives. We just can't have the effort we had in Detroit.”Home ice is important, because while the Penguins know that a playoff spot is basically in their hands, even before clinching, they want to be in as good a position as possible once they get there. Winning a third straight Cup is already difficult enough with extra home games. Meanwhile, here are how many playoff series past teams have played without home-ice advantage on the way to winning a third (or more) consecutive title:TEAMHOME SERIES1983 Islanders1 of 41982 Islanders0 of 41979 Canadiens0 of 31978 Canadiens0 of 31964 Maple Leafs1 of 21960 Canadiens0 of 21959 Canadiens0 of 21958 Canadiens0 of 21949 Maple Leafs2 of 2That's just four out of 26, including three by clubs in a six-team league more than half a century ago. If the Penguins fall behind the Blue Jackets in the final days of the season, they could find themselves needing to win four out of four series as the lower seed in order to complete their three-peat.While the 2012 Kings did pull off the feat of winning four consecutive series without home ice in order to hoist the Cup, there was a key difference - Los Angeles did not come into those playoffs having been through back-to-back Cup runs, which take a toll. That's why the Penguins are taking these final games of the regular season seriously after their letdown in Detroit, and the results will play a role in shaping their chances to make history."It’s a tough league and everyone’s gonna play us hard, so hopefully we go in the right direction before the playoffs to give us that confidence and that swagger that we need," Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said. "We'll see what happens from there. It's always nice when you get that chance to get home ice. This is a big last five games."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins are set for some relief on the injury front.Rookie forward Jake DeBrusk has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury, but is likely to return Saturday when Boston takes on the Florida Panthers, head coach Bruce Cassidy said Friday.Prior to his injury, DeBrusk had put up nine points in eight games, going pointless just twice during that stretch. At practice on Friday, he skated on the club's second line alongside David Krejci and Ryan Donato.The Bruins also noted that defensemen Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy will both remain out on Saturday, but will travel with the team after the game and could return Sunday against the Philadelphia Flyers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As NHL teams are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The eighth edition focuses on the Detroit Red Wings.The GoodA young foundation. There are several players on the current Red Wings roster who could become the faces of the franchise during the ongoing rebuild. Center Dylan Larkin has a team-high 56 points this season, Anthony Mantha leads Detroit with 23 goals, and Andreas Athanasiou has 31 points. Meanwhile, defenseman Joe Hicketts made his NHL debut late in the season and recorded two points, and winger Evgeny Svechnikov has worked his way up to the top line during his short time with the big club.A new arena. After 39 seasons, the Red Wings bid farewell to the legendary Joe Louis Arena and moved into Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit. The new building is resplendent with nods to the rich history of the franchise; it even includes a bench from the Joe, and a statue of the great Gordie Howe, who played 25 seasons in Detroit.Lots of draft picks. With eight selections in the first four rounds of the 2018 draft - and 11 in total - the Red Wings can restock their prospect cupboard. One of those picks is the conditional fourth-rounder acquired from the Flyers in the Petr Mrazek trade, which will become a third-rounder if Mrazek wins five regular-season games and the Flyers make the playoffs (Mrazek has won five games, but the Flyers have not yet clinched a playoff spot). And, if the Flyers make it to the Eastern Conference Final and Mrazek wins six playoff games, the third-rounder becomes a second-round pick. The Red Wings also have two-first rounders, one of which was acquired from Vegas for Tomas Tatar.The BadNot trading Green at the deadline. There was talk of moving Mike Green at the trade deadline, but nothing materialized. In the last season of the defenseman's three-year, $18-million contract, it might have been wise for general manager Ken Holland to shop the 32-year-old - ideally for draft picks - since it doesn't appear likely he'll be back.Bad offense, bad defense. To figure out what doomed the Red Wings this season, you don't need to look much further than their offense, which has produced just 2.52 goals per game - fourth worst in the league. In fact, Mantha and Gustav Nyquist are the only players with 20 or more goals. Meanwhile, the defense isn’t much better, having allowed 3.11 goals against per game - ninth most in the league.Nine players over 30. There are nine players who are 30 or older on Detroit's current roster. While some of them - Henrik Zetterberg, for example - have continued to put up decent numbers, the team can't rely on them forever. A certain amount of veteran presence is a good thing - especially given the youth on the roster - but the league is getting exponentially younger and faster, and the Red Wings need to keep up.The QuestionsWill Holland and Blashill return next year? By all indications, Holland will stay in Detroit, although he's in the last year of his contract and it's not yet been renewed. His resume with the Red Wings includes four Stanley Cup championships (three as general manager, one as assistant general manager), and that has to count for something.Coach Jeff Blashill’s future is a little murkier. When things are evaluated this summer, there are questions that need to be asked. Was the team's lack of success due to a lack of talent or because of coaching? Is there a better coaching option available? Everything will be put under a microscope.Where do the Wings need the most help? Goaltending and defense are probably Detroit's largest areas of concern. Jimmy Howard is 34 and has one year left on his contract, while there isn't a goaltending prospect in the system who's ready for the NHL. There's also no true top-pairing defenseman in the system or on the roster, although it remains to be seen if prospects Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, or Vili Saarijarvi could eventually make that leap.Other entries in this series:

While the nominees for this year's awards are yet to be revealed, the Los Angeles Kings have gotten ahead of the game, releasing a video highlighting defenseman Drew Doughty's credentials for the Norris Trophy.Awarded to the NHL's top all-around defenseman, Doughty won the Norris Trophy in 2015-16 after finishing as runner-up the season prior.But does he have the credentials to take home the honor again this season?Through 78 contests, the Kings blue-liner has notched nine goals and 48 assists, outpaced by only six defenders league-wide. Meanwhile, his 26:45 in average ice time only trails Minnesota's Ryan Suter by a mere nine seconds.If those numbers don't make the case, how about this endorsement from Connor McDavid?"In my mind, he's probably the best defenseman in the league," the Edmonton Oilers superstar states in the video. "He's tough to play against defensively. He can get up and score offensively. He likes to have a lot of fun out there as well."The NHL Awards are held annually in June.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Thursday night, the Buffalo Sabres lost for the fifth time in their last six games.The game appears to have been extra frustrating for forward Jack Eichel, who sounded off on his team after they squandered a 2-0 lead against the Detroit Red Wings, ultimately losing 6-3."We think we can take shifts off. We think we can take plays off. We don't think every play matters, and it does," Eichel said, according to John Vogl of Buffalo News. "It all adds up at the end of the game. We continue to make similar mistakes and sleep through shifts, sleep through periods, and all of a sudden it's 6-3. It's frustrating."As for Eichel, he set a career high Thursday with his 25th goal of the year and tied his career best with his 57th point.The Sabres' season has been lost for some time, however; they currently sit with a five-point cushion over last place in the league standings.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At every NHL trade deadline, a number of highly sought-after players generate a ton of buzz.Fans become enthralled with what a big-name addition could mean for their team's Stanley Cup aspirations, experts become entwined in seemingly endless debates, and general managers endure sleepless nights spent waiting by the phone for that big deal to break.However, some trades come together with much less attention, involving names that aren't exactly destined for the rafters. But those players still hold the ability to make names for themselves, impacting the outcome of their new team's seasons.With that in mind, here's a look at the under-the-radar deals from the 2018 deadline that have panned out.Ian Cole, Columbus Blue Jackets Never one to exactly jump off the stat sheet, Cole has been nothing short of sensational for the Blue Jackets since joining the club from the Ottawa Senators as an extra piece in the Derick Brassard deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and has been a major reason for the team's late-season resurgence.Prior to joining Columbus, Cole was having a respectable season, but he's totally taken his game to the next level in his 16 games for John Tortorella and Co. Check out his numbers in Pittsburgh compared to his short time with Columbus:TeamGPPointsCF%+/-TOIS%Penguins471350.6+317:374.8Blue Jackets16752.64+1218:0413.3In only 16 games, Cole has already clearly earned the trust of the ever-menacing Tortorella, as the veteran rearguard's pairing with David Savard has been deployed more than any other Blue Jackets defensive combo over the last 10 contests, providing an element of stability to a back end already stacked with the likes of Seth Jones and Zach Werenski.Cole won't be winning any Norris Trophies anytime soon, but as an under-the-radar addition, he could be worth his weight in gold for a Blue Jackets squad honing in on one of the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.J.T. Miller, Tampa Bay Lightning While Ryan McDonagh's name dominated the airwaves immediately following the Lightning-Rangers blockbuster deal, it's been Miller who's been turning heads in the Sunshine State over the last few weeks.Basically an add-on in the major five-player trade, Miller has already had a major impact in Tampa, registering eight goals and six assists in 14 games while playing on the Lightning's top line with Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos.Miller's taken on an increased role since his move to Tampa, playing on the No. 1 power-play unit and averaging 18:25 of ice time per night - nearly two minutes more than with the Rangers. Not to mention, he's solid on the faceoff dot, winning 52.3 percent of his draws over the past 14 games.There is no denying McDonagh was the key piece in the deal, and he's also performed strongly since returning from injury. But the lack of attention paid to Miller's acquisition and his stellar play make him a lock for a list of this nature.Ryan Spooner, New York RangersAnother player involved in a blockbuster move as a periphery piece, Spooner was included in New York's mega-deal with the Boston Bruins to acquire highly prized winger Rick Nash - but since then he's been making some Bruins fans wish that maybe he hadn't.Not only does Spooner possess the versatility to play both up the middle and on the wing, but the speedy 5-foot-10 playmaker is adept at creating chances for teammates. Something he's already proven in 15 games with the Blue Shirts, racking up 12 assists along with three goals.Obviously overlooked due to the bigger pieces in the Nash trade, Boston's 2010 second-round pick is already proving to be a player the Rangers will want to keep in the mix for the foreseeable future.Thomas Vanek, Columbus Blue JacketsSeemingly traded almost every February, Vanek has been written off more than a few times over the past number of seasons due to his decline in foot speed and production. And because of that, his move to the Blue Jackets flew mostly under the radar.However, since that move, Vanek has arguably been Columbus' best forward not named Artemi Panarin. Take in his stats since joining the Jackets on deadline day:GamesGoalsAssists+/-CF%S%1577+1351.5418.4Vanek's found chemistry on a line with Boone Jenner and Alexander Wennberg, a trio on which John Tortorella has been relying more than any other over the past 10 games.Despite few expecting the move to pan out, Vanek is averaging just under a point per game with the Blue Jackets, making his acquisition a surprise success thus far.Brendan Leipsic, Vancouver CanucksWe won't blame you if you didn't realize Leipsic was even playing in the NHL, let alone doing well on a new team following a deadline deal. But that doesn't change the fact that prior to getting injured, he was finally hitting his stride after years of point-per-game production at the AHL level.Leipsic missed the last four contests with a upper-body injury, but before that, he was on a very nice tear for the Canucks while playing much heavier minutes - Leipsic averaged only 11:56 with the Golden Knights and 17:23 with Vancouver.Two goals, seven assists, and a positive Corsi For percentage of 51.3 in 11 games should have Vancouver interested in involving Leipsic in future plans, regardless of how under the radar his acquisition was.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff races, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Eastern ConferenceSitting three points back of New Jersey with a game in hand, it's possible the Florida Panthers could leapfrog the Devils for the final position in the East.But it's not about to get any easier after the Florida club squandered three points in three contests this month against the Ottawa Senators, the league's third-worst club.That could come back to bite the Panthers, who will close out their final six games against some tougher opponents, including the Nashville Predators and three matches with the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Bruins.TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBlue Jackets5-1 W vs. CGY98.8%+4.1%Penguins4-3 W (OT) vs. NJD99.9%+1.0%FlyersOff96.0%+0.5%Devils4-3 L (OT) vs. PIT75.5%+0.5%Panthers3-2 L (OT) vs. OTT29.9%-6.1%Western ConferenceOut west, a win over the Arizona Coyotes saw the Los Angeles Kings jump to third in the Pacific Division, dropping the Anaheim Ducks to the second wild-card position.Meanwhile, a loss to the Minnesota Wild has all but eradicated playoff hopes for the Dallas Stars.TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeKings4-2 W vs. ARI92.3%+4.4%Wild5-2 W vs. DAL99.6%+1.2%BluesOff87.1%-1.0%DucksOff73.8%-0.9%Stars5-2 L vs. MIN0.1%-1.1%AvalancheOff47.2%-2.5%To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson and the Ottawa Senators have been playing with heavy hearts following the loss of the captain's unborn son on March 19.Karlsson opened up about the devastating tragedy, saying things haven't been easy, but he appreciates all the support he's received."I'm doing okay," Karlsson told the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch following Thursday's overtime win over the Florida Panthers. "It's been an extremely tough time and a situation I never expected to be in."I just want to thank my teammates, this organization, this community, people around the league and people we don't even know for giving us their support and our time to be ourselves and grieve. Looking back it meant a lot to us for all the people that reached out - people that we know and people that we don't know. It helped us get through this a little bit."Karlsson doesn't anticipate things getting any easier, but he and his wife Melinda Currey have remained strong."It's going to take us a very long time to get back to normal, but we're going to do everything we can to stay as positive as possible," he said. "I think my wife has handled the situation better than I could have ever imagined and it's not something that you can prepare yourself for."Thursday's win was Karlsson's third contest since his son's death, but claims it's been hard to get himself up for games, even though it's helped take his mind off things."It's been hard ... It's been hard to kind of get the motivation," he said. "At the same time, it's been kind of a comfort zone to get back into routine and think about something else for awhile."At the end of the day, these guys mean a lot to me and when we go through something like this everybody gets together and they really embraced me and given me everything that I need in this time. For me to just get back to normal and see everybody else behave normal has helped me a lot."Karlsson's status for the team's final road trip remains unclear, but he's hoping he "can play the remainder of the season out."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks' emergency netminder Scott Foster is soaking in his special night.Related: Blackhawks' emergency goalie shines after being thrust into game actionFoster wasn't shy when chatting with reporters following his NHL debut, in which he stopped all seven shots he faced in relief and was named the game's first star.The 36-year-old accountant thinks he has a lot left in the tank."I think I'm just hitting my prime," he told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.Even though the last appearance on Foster's HockeyDB was in 2005-06 with Western Michigan University, he's managed to stay sharp over the past 12 years."Who would have thought? You just keep grinding away in men's league, and eventually you'll get your shot," he said.Now there's a point of motivation every men's league player can take with them.This wasn't Foster's first time on call for the Blackhawks, as he says he's done somewhere between 12 and 15 games. He usually ends up watching the game from the press box, has a bite to eat, and heads home. Yet, on Thursday, all it took was one injury for him to dress, and another to get him into the game."I'm an accountant by day, so a few hours ago I was sitting on my computer typing on the 10-key," he said. "Now I'm standing in front of you guys, just finished 14 and a half minutes of NHL hockey."It's safe to say Foster will be pretty popular around the water cooler during his next shift."You know, it's funny. You think there'd be a lot of pressure. But really, tomorrow, I'm going to wake up, I'm going to button up my shirt, and I'm going to go to my day job," he said. "What pressure is there for me?"Perhaps the reason Foster claims he felt no pressure, was because the whole thing was just a blur for him."The initial shock happened when I had to dress," he said. "And then I think you just kind of black out after that."While he may have blacked out during the game, the whole experience is certainly something he will never forget.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you haven't already heard, the Nashville Predators are a pretty solid hockey team, and with their victory Thursday over the San Jose Sharks, the Preds set a franchise record for points in a season with 111.

Scott Foster must've been shaking in his boots.The 36-year-old Chicago Blackhawks' emergency netminder was forced into game action after Collin Delia suffered an injury in the third period Thursday night against the Winnipeg Jets.Foster was flawless, too, stopping all seven shots he faced in 14 minutes as the Hawks won 6-2. He stoned Patrik Laine, the fans chanted his name, and he was the game's first star. Safe to say it was a night he'll never forget.Foster's HockeyDB page is pretty thin. He tended goal for Western Michigan University for 21 games in the 2002-03 season and one game in the 2005-06 season. That's it.As you can see, he's still sporting his Broncos helmet.

For the first time since Oct. 18, there's a new team atop the Eastern Conference.Following a Thursday night victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Boston Bruins are the toast of the East, sitting one point up on the Lightning for the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division lead with a game in hand.To say Boston is hot right now would be a criminal understatement, as the Bruins have gone 42-10-7 since Nov. 5.With less than two weeks until the puck drops on the postseason, the Eastern playoff races are getting very interesting at the absolute best time of the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are going back to playoffs, as the Ottawa Senators did their Ontario rivals a huge favor Thursday, defeating the Florida Panthers in overtime to punch Toronto's postseason ticket.The Maple Leafs are making consecutive trips to the playoffs for the first time in the post-lockout era.

The Washington Capitals received help from an unlikely foe Thursday night.Sidney Crosby scored a ridiculous overtime winner against the New Jersey Devils, and with that loss, the Caps clinched a playoff spot.This marks the fourth straight campaign the Capitals have made the postseason, and the 10th time in the last 11 years. The 2013-14 season is the only year they missed the playoffs during this run.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Under different circumstances, John Tavares might jump at the chance to represent his country at the IIHF World Championships.Ideally, his New York Islanders would be competing for the Stanley Cup during the annual international event, but with the team out of playoff contention, he'll certainly be in line for an invite. That he can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 adds a wrinkle to the decision-making process, however."I don't have a contract for next year so I've just got to determine what is the right thing to do," Tavares said Thursday, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday. "I've always enjoyed playing for my country. It's disappointing not being in the playoffs, but sometimes this gives you a chance, if circumstances are right, to continue your season and finish on a good note."Tavares suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing for Canada at the Sochi Olympics, and has to consider the risks involved at such a pivotal time in his career."There are two sides of it," he said. "You're playing a physical sport and a lot of things can be up in the air. At the same time, as a hockey player, you want to go out there and it's a special thing to play for your country."The World Championships begin May 4 in Denmark.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Daniel Brickley's college days are done.The Minnesota State defenseman and undrafted free agent has signed an entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings, the team announced Thursday.Brickley was a highly pursued free agent and made visits to multiple clubs, reportedly including the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, before deciding on the Kings.In 40 games with the Mavericks this season, Brickley notched 10 goals and 25 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Josh Ho-Sang doesn't understand why he was demoted.The 22-year-old, who has appeared in 43 games with the New York Islanders over the past two campaigns, is mystified as to why he has been left to mire in the minors."I love those guys, I want to make that clear," Ho-Sang told Arthur Staple of The Athletic. "I know they're working hard. But I got sent down for defense and what are they in goals against in the NHL? I only played (22) games up there this year. I don't think it's my fault. They really painted it like it was my fault at the beginning of the year and I didn't like that."After beginning the season with the Islanders, Ho-Sang played just six games before he was assigned to the minors. He then returned in November, this time for a one-month stretch before his future was once against cast in doubt. Ho-Sang has not played an NHL game since Dec. 14.As part of his assignment to the minors, Ho-Sang was instructed to further develop his game away from the puck."I do have things I need to work on down here, my game is far from perfect. It can constantly improve. But I do think a lot of the stuff was unwarranted, especially in terms of the rope that other people were given," he continued. "I understand I have a history and that might be a factor. I don't know. But it's frustrating to me."Look, if you're going to send me down because of defense, it'd be nice to see other people be held accountable. That's all."As Ho-Sang alluded, it's not the first time he has caused a stir in the organization. In 2015, he was cut on the first day of training camp after arriving late. Ho-Sang was dismissed, but not before he was made to run the stairs of Nassau Coliseum for three hours before he was delivered the bad news."Enough with the bull----. It's time to grow up," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said at the time.It may have been the first sign that Snow's patience with the talented but frustrating prospect was growing thin. After all, it was only a year earlier that Snow staunchly defended his selection of Ho-Sang, drafted with the 28th pick in 2014, when he said he "probably has the most talent of anyone in that entire draft" and that he'd have little trouble fitting into the Islanders organization because "they s--- on me too."After keeping pace with the Tampa Bay Lightning for much of the season as the league's most offensively dynamic club, the Islanders went off the rails in the second half, as their wealth of offensive talents could no longer make up for the team's back-end deficiencies. Would a Ho-Sang recall have helped the team's fortunes?Ho-Sang, for one, thinks so."I feel like I've played games of substance and I've done well. More importantly, the team's done well with me there," he said. "If you're going to tell me that I'm bad defensively, I do this, I do that, but you win more than you lose with me in the lineup."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's top team has added a little more ammo.On Monday, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile announced the club has signed forward Eeli Tolvanen to an entry-level contract.The Predators selected Tolvanen with the 30th overall pick in last year's draft.After two seasons with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers, and after his application to Boston College was rejected, the Finnish native opted to spend this season in the KHL to better his game in a pro league.With Jokerit, Tolvanen tallied a team-leading 21 goals and finished second in team scoring with 38 points.According to Predators coach Peter Laviolette, Tolvanen could make his NHL debut as early as Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Markus Nutivaara to a four-year contract extension through the 2021-22 season."Markus is a smart, mobile defenseman who reads the ice very well and excels at moving the puck," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Thursday. "He has become an important part of our blue line over the past two seasons and we look forward to his continued growth and contributions to our team success moving forward."Terms were not disclosed, but The Athletic's Aaron Portzline reports the contract is worth $10.8 million over the four years.

Finalists for the 2018 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, recognizing the NCAA's top hockey player, were announced Thursday, with three players in the running: Henrik Borgstrom, Ryan Donato, and Adam Gaudette.Borgstrom, a Panthers prospect, has spent the past two years with the University of Denver, where this season he tallied 52 points in 40 games. The Finnish forward signed his entry-level contract with Florida on Monday.Donato made his NHL debut with the Bruins earlier this month, potting three points to become just the second Boston skater to do so in his first-ever game. In 29 contests with Harvard this season, Donato recorded 26 goals and 17 assists.Gaudette, a fifth-round pick by the Canucks in 2015, is the final nominee. The Massachusetts native led Northeastern with 60 points in 38 games this season. Gaudette agreed to terms with Vancouver on Monday.The initial 10 nominees for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award were announced earlier this month.New Jersey Devils defenseman Will Butcher took home the trophy last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No retweets were necessary for a country singer looking to score a date with New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid through Twitter.Taylor Acorn, a Nashville-based singer/songwriter and Devils fan, reached out to Kinkaid last week asking how many retweets it would take for him to say yes to a date. Kinkaid didn't need any convincing, though.

Scratch Carey Price's name off the list.The Montreal Canadiens netminder will not suit up for Team Canada at the upcoming World Championships, Price announced through the team Thursday.It's been an injury-riddled campaign for Price, who's been limited to just 16 wins in 46 appearances this season. Meanwhile, when he has been in the crease, he hasn't looked like the Price of old, as he owns a career-worst .902 save percentage and 3.07 GAA.Price returned to action last Wednesday after missing 13 games with a concussion. He also missed 10 games earlier this year with a lower-body injury.The possibility existed that Price, whose Canadiens will not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, could use the World Championships to get his game back on track, but it's now a moot point given Thursday's report.Price has previously suited up for Canada at the Winter Olympics, World Cup, and World Juniors, but he has never participated in the World Championships.The Canadiens also announced that forward Brendan Gallagher has turned down an invitation to compete for Team Canada."It's never easy to say no to Hockey Canada. You never know how many chances you're going to get," Gallagher said in a statement. "I went the one time and had an awesome experience. We were able to win. That's a memory that I'm pretty proud of, but I think first and foremost my obligations are to the Montreal Canadiens and you've got to take care of your body and make sure that you're ready to go 100 percent next year."The 2018 World Championships begin May 4 in Denmark.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.A pair of one-goal games on Wednesday night resulted in serious hits to the playoff chances for two clubs.Eastern ConferenceThe Florida Panthers fell victim to the Maple Leafs in Toronto, leaving them three points behind the New Jersey Devils.Florida still has a game in hand, but time is definitely running out to make up the difference, as evidenced by the hit taken by the loss.TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeDevilsOff75%+4.3%Panthers4-3 L vs. TOR35.9%-16.3%Western ConferenceSimilarly, the Colorado Avalanche failed to take advantage of a game in hand on the Anaheim Ducks, losing a tight contest against the Philadelphia Flyers.Colorado trails Anaheim by a single point, and while both teams have five games remaining, the Ducks now hold the advantage.TeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeDucksOff74.8%+7.2%Avalanche2-1 L vs. PHI49.7%-16.6%No other team has lower than an 87.9% chance of making the playoffs.To see percentages for the entire NHL, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As NHL teams are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown takes a look back at the highs and lows of their season, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The seventh edition focuses on the Ottawa Senators.The GoodThere remains some talent up front. While the top six would look a little better with Derick Brassard still there, the Senators have a decent amount of skill in their forward group, including Mike Hoffman, Matt Duchene, Mark Stone, and Ryan Dzingel. Stone leads the team in scoring and is a restricted free agent July 1. Duchene, another player the Senators hope to sign to an extension this summer, has been one of their best players since his trade from the Avalanche, with 41 points in 61 games. He and Hoffman have found chemistry as linemates, and Dzingel has a career-high 20 goals.Filip Gustavsson. Acquired in the trade that sent Brassard to Pittsburgh, Gustavsson is one of the best goaltending prospects in the world. He was a star at the World Junior Championships, where he had a 1.81 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in six games. As Ottawa examines where its goaltending is headed with Craig Anderson’s contract up in 2020, knowing it has Gustavsson in the pipeline should be a comfort.Erik Karlsson’s mostly solid season. Karlsson continued to be a bright spot for the Senators during an otherwise joyless season. He’s fifth in scoring for defensemen and seven points off the lead with 58. Karlsson had his share of ups and downs, missing the first five games of the season for recovery from ankle surgery (that removed part of his ankle bone) and then losing his unborn son in March. The fact he’s been able to put up nearly 60 points despite all that is a testament to his elite talent.The BadMajor goaltending problems. Many of the Senators’ woes can be attributed to some truly abysmal goaltending. Anderson’s save percentage is under .900 and backup Mike Condon's is only slightly better at .902, both far below the league average of .913. This is especially concerning when you consider Anderson’s body of work in Ottawa and his terrific play that helped the team reach the Eastern Conference Final last year. The Senators might be in contention for the playoffs if they had even remotely consistent performances from their goaltenders.An irate fanbase. Between the Karlsson trade rumors and threats of relocation because of poor attendance and other issues, Senators fans are becoming increasingly frustrated with owner Eugene Melnyk and the overall direction of the team. Some even pooled money for a billboard calling for Melnyk to step down. The team's owner doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, but he has a lot of work to do to win back the fans' trust.One of the worst seasons in franchise history. Surely the Senators set out to make a different kind of history than having the fifth-worst season in franchise history. It was the worst since 1995-96 when they won only 18 games. This was a team that was one goal away from the Stanley Cup Final last year. How did everything fall apart so quickly?The QuestionsWill Karlsson be traded? Trade rumors swirled endlessly around Karlsson, especially toward the deadline. Now, the Senators are faced with the choice to either re-sign Karlsson or let him go, probably along with Bobby Ryan, to clear some salary from the books. He’s regarded as one of the best defensemen in the league and would command a serious haul in a trade.What happens to Guy Boucher? Every aspect of the Senators organization will be scrutinized this summer - and head coach Boucher is no exception. He’s in the last year of his contract and there’s a good possibility he won't be behind the bench in Ottawa next year. His fate will ultimately come down to whether he fits with ownership’s vision for the future of the franchise.What can be done to turn things around? Melnyk has promised Senators fans a rebuild - but what exactly does that entail? Are Ryan and Karlsson part of that plan? There’s also the matter of the first-round pick Ottawa relinquished to Colorado in the Duchene trade. The Avalanche could get a first-rounder in 2018 or 2019, but the Senators get to decide on the year. That decision will have a bearing on where the Senators are headed. Where they land in the draft lottery will have an effect, too. If they’re inside the top five, it would be wise to keep the pick this year.Other entries in this series:

Somehow, the Calgary Flames' disappointing season continues to get worse, as head coach Glen Gulutzan dealt fans some more bad injury news Wednesday.Forward Matthew Tkachuk and blue-liner T.J. Brodie have both been dealing with upper-body injuries over the past few weeks, and according to Gulutzan, both players have likely played their last game of this season."I'm not seeing that, with what's going on," Gulutzan said of potential returns for Brodie and Tkachuk."I wouldn't rule it out completely, but it’s doubtful at this point. I don't foresee either of them back before the end of the season."The Flames are already eliminated from the playoffs, but the season-ending injuries are still salt in the wound for Gulutzan and Co. It's been a tough campaign all around for Calgary, especially after the team was initially pegged by many as a potential playoff dark horse with legit Cup aspirations.The Flames currently sit fifth in the Pacific Division with 80 points, and will miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting hot at the best time of the season, as they've won seven of their last nine games with the playoffs approaching. And, with their victory over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday, the Leafs made a bit of history, too.The tight 4-3 win over the Panthers was good enough for the Leafs' 46th overall victory - and 27th at home - this season, which are both new franchise records.

Make it 30 for Auston Matthews.The young Toronto Maple Leafs superstar fired home a wrist shot to give his club a two-goal lead over the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night, hitting the 30-goal mark for the second time in as many seasons since entering the league.

Players aren't the only ones susceptible to injuries at the rink.New York Rangers assistant coach Lindy Ruff was diagnosed with a concussion after stepping on a puck and hitting his head in practice Tuesday, head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters Wednesday, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.Ruff was not with the team in Washington, D.C., for Wednesday's game against the Capitals, and Vigneault said Ruff needed stitches after the fall.Vigneault added that the former Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars head coach was hospitalized but should be back soon, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.Ruff joined the Rangers' coaching staff in July.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While some NHL veterans have cut down on heavier foods in an attempt to stay in shape in a league that's getting quicker and younger by the day, Florida Panthers soon-to-be 39-year-old goaltender Roberto Luongo has a different approach.For example, hulking Boston Bruins blue-liner Zdeno Chara has gone full vegan, but Bobby Lu is still doing his nonna and nonno proud: "Carb-based diet. Lots of carbs. Pasta, pizza, that kind of stuff. I’m Italian," Luongo joked when asked about his eating habits, according to TSN."There is a lot of stuff obviously, but it's more physical maintenance wise, making sure the body recovers well and you feel fresh when game time roll around."Luongo has dealt with a number of injuries this season, most recently sitting out the last two games with an upper-body injury. However, when he's been healthy, he's been solid, registering a 15-10-2 record to go along with a .927 save percentage and three shutouts."When I'm playing I feel good. I’m always working to improve and better my game. I'm never satisfied with the way I play, I always want to find things that make me better," Luongo added. "You just put in the work. Even though I might have slowed down over the last few years, but I think all in all, technically, I'm probably the best I've ever been."The Panthers are in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild-card hunt, and will have their No. 1 goalie back commanding the blue paint Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators signed free-agent forward Andrew Sturtz to a two-year entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.The 23-year-old is coming off his third season at Penn State, where he concluded his time as the school's all-time leading goal-scorer with 54 goals in 111 games."Andrew is a player whom we identified as someone we were interested in for some time," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a release. "He is a skilled, competitive player who can play both center and the wing. He's not only talented, but the type of character player we are looking for. He'll graduate from Penn State in only three years and we look forward to having him in camp next season."In his final year at Penn State, Sturtz tallied 14 goals and 26 assists for a career-high 40 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

History. It's something Connor McDavid has been making, yet it's the very thing that might be standing between him and his second straight Hart Trophy.With his fourth three-plus-point performance in the last seven games Tuesday night, McDavid eclipsed the 100-point plateau for the second straight season, becoming the first player in eight years to achieve the feat. In his last 10 games, he's put up an outrageous 21 points.In any other season, it'd be hard to argue against McDavid winning the Hart Trophy. This is where history comes into play. Not since the 1987-88 season - when Mario Lemieux paced the league with 70 goals and 168 points in 77 games on a Penguins team that finished one point out of a playoff spot - has a player on a non-playoff team won the Hart Trophy. In fact, it's only happened four times in the award's history.Changing a precedent that has stood for 30 years is no simple task, and with as many as a half-dozen other suitable candidates, it'll be hard for McDavid to push the needle.But what makes this all the more interesting is that McDavid is having himself a better season - at least statistically - than he did last year, when he won the Hart Trophy. Here's a look at the numbers:102: The number of points McDavid has put up this season with five more games to go - two more than his season total last year.40: The number of goals he has tallied, which is 10 more than he had last year, and tied for fourth overall.

The NHL announced Wednesday the odds for the 2018 NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held Saturday, April 28, in Toronto.The 15 teams that don't qualify for the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs - or any that have acquired a first-round pick from one of those non-playoff clubs - will participate in the lottery, with the following chances of grabbing the top selection:(Courtesy: NHL)The lottery will involve three draws. The first will determine the club selecting first overall, the second will determine the club selecting second overall, and the third will determine the club selecting third overall.Per the NHL: "odds for the remaining teams will increase on a proportionate basis for the 2nd Lottery Draw, based on which club wins the 1st Lottery Draw, and again for the 3rd Lottery Draw, based on which club wins the 2nd Lottery Draw."The remaining 12 teams will be allotted picks 4-15 based on reverse order of regular-season points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Atop this season's NHL goal-scoring list are pillars of consistency in Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin, fresh-faced superstars in Patrik Laine and Connor McDavid, and even an out-of-nowhere name in William Karlsson.But the most interesting name on the ledger belongs to a guy who just recorded his first 40-goal season in nearly a decade: Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal.It didn't take long for Staal to establish himself as an elite NHLer, registering 100 points and winning the Stanley Cup in just his second season. Yet, as fast as he gained his superstar status, it vanished just as quickly, hitting rock bottom in the 2015-16 season.During that disastrous campaign, he tallied just 39 points - including a mere six in 20 games after being traded from the Carolina Hurricanes to the New York Rangers at the deadline, for his lowest point total since his 2003-04 rookie season (31).During that nightmarish 2015-16 season - also a contract year - Staal knew of what he was capable, but admitted he had doubts whether he'd be able to return to form."I didn’t think that I wouldn’t be able to be a good player on a good team," Staal told theScore. "I always believed in myself as far as what I could do in this league and what kind of player I was, but when you have a tough year like I did - that last season in Carolina, then moving to New York - you definitely have your moments of doubt. You have your moments of, 'how are you going to get out of this?'"Staal wasn't alone in these moments of doubt. As a player on the wrong side of 30 in a league dominated by younger, quicker players, most people believed his best years were far behind him. Yet, with 40 goals - including a career-high 27 at even strength - in his second year in Minnesota, he's having arguably the second-best season of his career at age 33.In the process, he joined Gordie Howe as the only players in NHL history to go nine or more years between 40-goal seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Had Staal entered free agency a few years earlier, he likely would've been one of the most sought-after players to hit the open market in recent memory. Instead, his value was at an all-time low, making his decision where to sign that much more important."For me, going into that summer it was trying to find the right fit to join an established - what I considered a good team - and then to find a fit at center with some good players," he said. "There seemed to be a hole there at the center position in Minnesota. They were trying a lot of different guys that I knew at center and just felt like it was a good fit for me."Staal signed a three-year, $10.5-million contract with the Wild on July 1, 2016. Excluding players on entry-level deals, it's arguably the NHL's most team-friendly contract. Yet, even before he signed the deal, Staal was determined to restore his status as one of the game's best players, rather than one in decline."Going into that summer, it was just trying to find the right fit and the right opportunity for me to kind of re-establish myself and not only prove to other people, but prove to myself what I can do and what kind of player I am," he said.Staal turned some heads with a nice bounce-back season last year, potting 28 goals with 65 points in 82 games. This year, though, he's taken his game to another level, as he's tied for fifth in the NHL in goals with an outside shot at averaging better than a point per game for just the third time in his career.Staal's unexpected goal-scoring resurgence prompted head coach Bruce Boudreau to joke: "Start calling him Midas from now on. (Everything he touches) turns to gold. I hope it doesn’t end."It's been quite a fascinating career arc for Staal, as seen in the graph below (totals were extrapolated over an 82-game average to account for the shortened 2012-13 season):Excluding his rookie year, Staal's three worst statistical campaigns came in his age 29, 30, and 31 seasons. For most players, those three years represent the tail end of their prime. Those who struggle during those years rarely rebound, yet Staal is trending upward.So why has Staal been able to defy the odds and have one of his best seasons as he approaches his mid-30s? For him, there's no secret formula, like New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his TB12 method. Though there are many reasons, confidence has been the key."No, nothing different as far as training-wise going into the season," Staal laughed. "This year, the puck just seems to be hitting the back of the net. You get the confidence of scoring goals and the confidence of producing and that can carry a long way. You just want to hold onto that feeling as long as you can."Another factor in his resurgence has been the league-wide slashing crackdown. While it hasn't resulted in many more penalties in general, it's created more space for skilled players such as Staal."It does (open things up) for sure," he said. "You just get a little more time with the puck. You're able to hang on to it a little more, and kind of work your way into some of those tighter areas without giving up that scoring chance."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Yet, perhaps the most interesting part about Staal's sensational season is that he's averaging just 17:55 of ice time per game - nearly two minutes below his career average, and the lowest since his rookie campaign."You always want to play more, but I think it has (helped keep me fresh)," he said. "There’s nights you’re going to feel great, and there’s nights when you’re not, and then there’s nights when you’re coming from behind, or playing more because of special teams. Every game is different."What that has resulted in is some of the best per 60-minute numbers of his career, and some of the best in the league. Entering Tuesday, he sits fifth in the NHL (among players with at least 500 minutes) with 1.74 Goals/60 - which would stand as his career best. His 3.22 Points/60 would also be his best since Natural Stat Trick began keeping track in 2007-08.Unsurprisingly, right behind Staal on the Wild in many key offensive stats are Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund - who have spent most of the season on Staal's wings."Zucks is a guy with a ton of speed, so when you play with a guy with that speed, the defense usually backs up, gives gap, gives room to be able to make plays," Staal said."Granlund is one of those guys that can really make some great passes and looks in those tight spaces and those tight areas. For me, you get a little more opportunity to have the puck, a little more time to shoot, a little more space to operate."While Zucker and Granlund have helped Staal raise his game, he's done the same for them. Zucker has already shattered his career highs in goals and points, while Granlund is just three assists away from setting a new career best of his own.This season has put Staal - already a member of the prestigious Triple Gold Club - right back on track for a first-ballot Hall of Fame nod. Two years ago, it probably would've been more believable that he'd be out of the league by now. Instead, he's re-established himself as one of the game's best players, displaying remarkable resiliency in what's been a turnaround for the ages.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara to a one-year contract extension worth $5 million, the team announced Wednesday. The deal includes an additional $1.75 million in performance-based incentives.According to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, Chara will reportedly receive a $1.25-million bonus if he plays 10 games, an additional $250,000 if the team makes the playoffs in 2018-19, and another $250,000 if it wins the Stanley Cup.Chara could have become an unrestricted free agent July 1, but the Bruins were expected to retain his services for a 13th season with the club.The $5-million base salary is a $1-million raise over this season, but that's due to the front-loaded nature of the extension he signed in 2011.The 41-year-old is the longest-tenured captain in the NHL, and has won both the Norris Trophy and Stanley Cup during his time in Boston.In 68 games this year, Chara has recorded seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points with a plus-26 rating while averaging a team-high ‪23:00 of ice time per game.Chara is currently sidelined due to injury, but is expected to return prior to the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Linesman Steve Barton has been released from an Edmonton hospital, the NHL confirmed Wednesday morning to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.Barton spent Tuesday night in hospital following this scary fall resulting from a collision with Connor McDavid.Barton was stretchered off after banging his head on the ice during the first period of the game between the Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets, but was feeling much better Wednesday and will fly home.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.