Blame the captain.Blake Wheeler is taking responsibility for his fight with teammate Ben Chiarot at Winnipeg Jets practice Saturday. Wheeler said Sunday that the altercation happened because he was having a bad day and sent a shot toward the defenseman that was a bit too high and tight, according to Scott Billeck of Pro Hockey Talk.

Matt Duchene won't realize his goal of making the playoffs this season, but he still sees a future with the Ottawa Senators.Duchene, who was acquired from Colorado earlier this season, can become an unrestricted free agent in 2019, and responded favorably to general manager Pierre Dorion saying the team would like to discuss a contract extension as early as July 1 of this year."Absolutely," Duchene said Saturday with regards to interest on his end, per Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "I’m encouraged from what I see here. Obviously, there’s a whole other business side to approach and I have no idea what that’s going to look like and feel like yet."Whether the two sides can ultimately agree to terms is yet to be seen, but there's clearly an appetite to try and find some common ground."I guess we’ll see but that’s encouraging to hear that they’re interested and trying to work something out long term. I’ve really enjoyed my time here as tough as the season has been for the team. I feel I’ve been able to be more myself than I have in a long time here and it’s been encouraging for me."Duchene got off to a slow start with the Senators, but he's recorded 40 points in 60 contests since the trade and is averaging almost a point per game since the All-Star break with 12 goals and 13 assists in his last 27 appearances.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.No Stastny, no problem.Despite being a surprise seller ahead of last month's trade deadline, dealing center Paul Stastny to the division-rival Winnipeg Jets, the St. Louis Blues aren't giving up their shot at the postseason.It's familiar territory for the Blues, who dealt defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk ahead of last year's deadline before managing to secure the third seed in the Central Division.One year later, St. Louis has pieced together a similar run, wrapping their fifth straight win Saturday - an impressive 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets that bumped the Blues into the final wild-card spot in the West.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff chancesChangeDevils2-1 W vs. TBL71.4%+7.5%Panthers4-2 W vs. ARI48.7%+2.1%FlyersOff89.5%-3.4%Blue Jackets2-1 L vs. STL91.3%-5.9%In the East, the New Jersey Devils refuse to leave their fate in the hands of other clubs, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday to sweep the season series over the conference's top-seeded team.Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBlues2-1 W vs. CBJ72.9%+11.9%Avalanche2-1 W (OT) vs. VGK79.2%+4.6%Wild4-1 W vs. NSH95.9%+3.3%DucksOff73.9%-4.2%Kings3-2 L vs. EDM75.1%-14.1%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.

One head coach hit a milestone in Minnesota on Saturday night, and the other one got kicked out of the game.Peter Laviolette was ejected late in the third period of a 4-1 loss by his Nashville Predators to the Minnesota Wild, on the same night Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau earned his 500th career coaching victory.As the Wild led 3-1 with less than five minutes remaining, Predators forward Scott Hartnell hit Minnesota's Joel Eriksson Ek, and Wild defenseman Nick Seeler responded by roughing up Hartnell.Hartnell was whistled for a boarding penalty, and Seeler was assessed a roughing minor on the play.The Predators bench boss clearly wasn't happy about the way the sequence was officiated.

Nicklas Backstrom demonstrated once again Saturday night that he's still one of the NHL's best playmakers.The Washington Capitals center led all skaters with four points in a 6-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, and in doing so, joined some elite company.All four of Backstrom's points were helpers, tying Wayne Gretzky for the second-most four-assist performances in the last 25 NHL seasons, according to TSN.The 30-year-old chipped in four helpers for the 11th time in his career, which is the most among active players.He also tied Mike Gartner for third on the Capitals' all-time points list with 789 while padding his lead atop the franchise assist list with 582 after Saturday's contest.It was the 20th career four-point game for Backstrom, and his second of the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday marked the 500th career win for Minnesota Wild bench boss Bruce Boudreau.Boudreau became the second-fastest coach to reach the impressive plateau, trailing only the legendary Scotty Bowman.

A familiar name to hockey fans could soon suit up for the Montreal Canadiens, as the team has signed undrafted free agent Hayden Verbeek to an entry-level contract.Verbeek, 20, is the nephew of former NHLer Pat Verbeek, whose 20-year career spanned stops with five teams, 1,424 games, and 1,063 points.The younger Verbeek has spent the past four seasons with Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL. This season, he has 30 goals and 31 assists in 67 games.Verbeek attended the Arizona Coyotes' prospect development camp on a tryout last offseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a 4-3 victory Saturday over the Detroit Red Wings, the Toronto Maple Leafs tied their franchise record for wins in a season with 45.The 45 wins match the marks set during the 1998-99, 1999-00, and 2003-04 seasons. Meanwhile, the club also tied their franchise record for home wins in a season with 26.Furthermore, the Leafs also extended their home winning streak to 13 games, which also stands as a franchise-best.

The St. Louis Blues foiled the Columbus Blue Jackets' quest to gain sole possession of the longest win streak in the NHL this season, halting Columbus' run at 10 games with a 2-1 victory Saturday night.St. Louis earned its fifth consecutive win in the process, moving past the Anaheim Ducks and into the second Western Conference wild-card spot by virtue of having five more regulation or overtime wins.The five-game run is the Blues' longest of the 2017-18 campaign.On Thursday, the Blue Jackets tied the Nashville Predators and Colorado Avalanche for the longest such streak in the NHL this season with their 10th straight victory in a shutout win over the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Dylan Sikura is ready to turn pro.With his college season finished, the Northeastern forward is expected to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, a source told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.Lazerus added that Sikura is expected to be in the Blackhawks' lineup as soon as Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets.In 34 games with Northeastern this season, Sikura netted 21 goals and 32 assists.Sikura was a sixth-round draft choice by the Blackhawks in 2014.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cue the "Jaws" theme, because the San Jose Sharks are circling.The Sharks cruised to their seventh consecutive win with a 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday.San Jose moved to within six points of the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division. The expansion club picked up a single point in a shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche earlier in the day.Both the Sharks and Golden Knights have seven games remaining in their regular-season schedules.Evander Kane scored twice for San Jose in Saturday's win. He now has seven goals and 12 points in 12 games with the Sharks since arriving in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres on deadline day.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evgeny Kuznetsov is on the mend.The Washington Capitals star returned to the team from injury Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens.Kuznetsov was forced to miss the last three games after exiting last Friday's win over the New York Islanders.He left that contest late in the second period holding his arm after taking a slash from Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey and then crashing into the boards.Kuznetsov ranks second on the Capitals in goals (21) and first in assists (50), having collected exactly a point per game this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things got a little testy at Winnipeg Jets practice Saturday, as captain Blake Wheeler and defenseman Ben Chiarot exchanged punches.The fight was witnessed by several reporters, including Pro Hockey Talk's Scott Billeck.Neither player was hurt in the dust-up, and things cooled down pretty quickly - at least according to Mark Scheifele, who said the incident was simply the result of an "intense practice."

As NHL teams are officially eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, Katie Brown takes a look back at the highs and lows of their season, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. Up next, the Chicago Blackhawks.The GoodYoung gunsIn a season that disappointed in many ways, the Blackhawks at least have a couple of things to give them some hope. Alex DeBrincat's 25 goals (entering play Saturday) tie Patrick Kane for the team lead in an impressive rookie campaign, and it's a matter of time before he's regularly skating on Kane's line. Promoted to the Blackhawks from Rockford in December, winger Vinnie Hinostroza settled in nicely too, recording 24 points in 42 games.Nick Schmaltz, top-6 centerThe Blackhawks might have their No. 1 center of the future in Schmaltz, who had a solid showing in his second NHL season with 48 points. Coach Joel Quenneville has been patient with Schmaltz's development, and that can only mean good things going forward.A chance to immediately improveFor the first time in nearly 10 years, the Blackhawks are in the draft lottery, setting them up for their highest pick since they selected Kane first overall in 2007. That gives them an opportunity to get a player who could make an immediate impact. The chances of winning the right to pick top-ranked prospect Rasmus Dahlin are slim, but general manager Stan Bowman could do a lot with a selection in the top 10.Patrick KaneKane was possibly the only Blackhawks forward who lived up to expectations this season. Though Jonathan Toews found some consistency in March, Kane's the one who currently tops the team in scoring, with 25 goals and 71 points. That's respectable for most players, but something of a slump by his standards, since it's a far cry from his 106 points two years ago or his 89-point 2016-17 season.The BadThe decline of Duncan Keith and Brent SeabrookKeith and Seabrook, once two of the Blackhawks' top defensemen, evidently aren't what they used to be. Keith, 34, had one goal on 172 shots, the third-fewest assists of his career, and maybe his worst season defensively. A revolving door of defensive partners didn't help. Seabrook, 32, was a healthy scratch in January and saw his overall ice time decrease. He seemed to have trouble keeping up in a league that's gotten younger and faster, and he's signed for six more seasons with a salary-cap hit of $6.875 million.Combine the Blackhawks' defensive problems with their goaltending issues, and it's clear why things went south.Corey Crawford injuryDefensive issues aside, what hurt the Blackhawks most was losing Crawford to a head injury in late December. Before that, he was in the top five in the NHL in save percentage and may have even been a Vezina Trophy candidate. It's not hard to imagine the Blackhawks still fighting for a playoff spot if Crawford had stayed healthy.End of playoff streakFor the first time since 2008, the Blackhawks missed the postseason. Their list of accomplishments during that run is impressive: three Stanley Cups, the 2013 Presidents' Trophy, and last season's Central Division title. With back-to-back first-round exits at the conclusion of that playoff streak, however, the team's trending downward.QuestionsDoes Quenneville stay?Quenneville can't be blamed for the declines of Seabrook and Keith or the injury to Crawford, all major contributions to a dismal season. He also didn't trade Artemi Panarin to bring Brandon Saad back, a deal that hasn't panned out (at least not yet). Though Quenneville's been a big part of Chicago's success over the last decade, if his message is being tuned out, it might be time for him to go. He wouldn't be out of a job for long.Will Crawford be healthy enough to play next season?Crawford was put on IR on Dec. 27 for what was reported as concussion-like symptoms. He was sidelined in 2015-16 for four weeks for similar reasons. It seems unlikely that he'll return for the end of the season, and if he hasn't fully recovered by next fall, the Blackhawks will have to explore other options in goal - in his absence, Anton Forsberg, Jeff Glass, and Jean-Francois Berube weren't exactly up to the task.Can Stan Bowman add a top-4 D-man and stop looking to the past for solutions?All six current blue-liners will be back next year, and the defense is arguably the team's biggest offseason concern. General manager Stan Bowman needs to find a top-four defenseman - essentially, someone to play alongside Keith - either through free agency or the draft.Last summer, Bowman tried to stop Chicago's slide by bringing back some of the Cup-winning crew, dealing for Saad and signing Patrick Sharp. Neither has lived up to expectations. Sharp is an unrestricted free agent this summer and it seems unlikely that he'll be re-signed. It's time to look toward the players that could help the Blackhawks succeed in the future instead of gazing longingly into the past.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson will play Saturday versus the Carolina Hurricanes after missing two games following the death of his son, head coach Guy Boucher confirmed after the morning skate.Karlsson and his wife, Melinda, announced their son was stillborn earlier in the week, and after taking time off, the Senators captain made the decision himself to return.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made one of their biggest fans' dreams come true.Roman Marcotte, a 9-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, went viral after he showcased his impressive skills on his front-yard rink at in a Sidney Crosby jersey.After catching wind of the youngster's skills, the Pens invited Marcotte to meet his idol and catch a game in Mario Lemieux's suite at PPG Paints Arena.

The St. Louis Blues will be a little shorthanded on the back end for the rest of their playoff push.Carl Gunnarsson is out for the remainder of the season with an ACL tear in his left knee suffered in Friday's win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Blues confirmed postgame.The defenseman sustained the injury in the first period and was later taken to hospital where an MRI revealed the tear.Gunnarsson contributed nine points in 63 games while averaging 16:09 in ice time for the Blues this season.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.The jockeying between the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers looks like it could come down to the final day of the regular season at this point.After giving up a two-goal lead in the third period, the Devils rallied, on the back of a Taylor Hall overtime winner to earn a critical two points against the Pittsburgh Penguins.Of course, the Devils' good fortune is anything but for the Panthers who watched in agony during an idle Friday.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeDevils4-3 OTW vs. PIT63.9%+12%PanthersOff46.6%-9.1%The Dallas Stars let another game get away from them, giving up a 2-0 third-period lead to the Boston Bruins, topped off by a David Pastrnak winner with just 11 seconds left to play. The Stars have now lost nine of their last 10 contests.On the other hand, the St. Louis Blues made up ground on the final wild-card spot with their fourth straight win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBlues4-1 W vs. VAN61%+9.7%Stars3-2 L vs. BOS5.2%-8%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.

Players are reportedly on board with the league's new plan for the draft lottery.The NHLPA signed off Friday on the new percentages that the NHL submitted to it for approval, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports.Here are the new odds of winning the lottery for the three worst clubs and the best non-playoff squad, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman:

Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine was back in the lineup for Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks after taking a shot to the foot in Tuesday night's contest versus the Kings.It was believed Laine could miss up to two weeks, which would've seen the 19-year-old forgo the majority of the Jets' remaining regular-season games.His speedy recovery kept him in contention for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal-scorer. Entering Friday night, he was one goal off Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who paces the league with 44.Prior to Tuesday's contest, Laine scored 18 goals in his previous 15 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is dealing with flu-like symptoms and is subsequently not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, the team announced.The news comes with the Ducks currently battling to clinch a playoff berth. The team sits in the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a slim three-point advantage over the St. Louis Blues, who have a game in hand on the Ducks.Anaheim is currently on a roll, having gone 7-3-0 in its last 10 games, including four straight wins. Meanwhile, Getzlaf has tallied three goals and 18 points in those 10 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Dan Carcillo has joined the concussion lawsuit against the NHL.Carcillo has long been outspoken about concussions and the NHL's failure to warn players about the potential risks regarding them, and hopes his involvement will further push the league to make changes."I'm not a bitter guy looking to hurt the NHL," Carcillo said, according to TSN's Rick Westhead. "I'm not out for money."I'll donate anything I get to research. I just want to put pressure on the NHL and educate and advocate for guys."Carcillo - who joins a group of over 5,000 former NHL players seeking restitution from the league - played 474 games (regular season and playoffs) and suffered several concussions during his playing career.The case is currently awaiting the decision of judge Susan Nelson as to whether it can proceed as a class action lawsuit.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sean Monahan is done playing for the 2017-18 campaign.The Calgary Flames forward will have season-ending surgery in the coming days, the team confirmed Friday night.Earlier in the day, Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan revealed Monahan has been playing through two significant injuries, and general manager Brad Treliving added that Monahan has been dealing with them for the past month, but neither the coach or the GM disclosed the nature of his ailments.The Flames entered Friday's action sitting eight points behind the Anaheim Ducks - who occupy the second Western Conference wild-card spot - and trailing both the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars in pursuit of that position, with more games played than all three clubs.Monahan has a career-high 64 points in 74 games, the latter of which would be a career low.The 23-year-old leads Calgary with 31 goals in 2017-18.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bill Zito, assistant general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets, has been named GM of the 2018 U.S. men's national team in advance of the IIHF World Championship in May.Zito will be supported by an impressive advisory group made up of a collection of NHL executives including Stan Bowman (Chicago Blackhawks), David Poile (Nashville Predators), Ray Shero (New Jersey Devils), Dale Tallon (Florida Panthers), and Jeff Gorton (New York Rangers)."This is a tremendous honor and I want to thank USA Hockey for the opportunity," Zito said in a statement Friday. "I look forward to working with the advisory group in building a team that will represent our country well. I'd also like to thank John Davidson, Jarmo Kekalainen, and the Blue Jackets for their support and allowing me to take on this endeavor."The former player agent has been with the Blue Jackets since 2013. He also serves as GM of the AHL's Cleveland Monsters, who won the Calder Cup in 2016.The United States will begin play at the World Championship in Denmark on May 4 against rival Canada.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Perhaps the Winnipeg Jets won't have to experience life without Patrik Laine after all.The Finnish sniper was diagnosed with a bruised foot after blocking a shot in Tuesday's win over the Los Angeles Kings and was subsequently ruled out for four to 14 days.However, Laine was a full participant in practice Friday morning, and told coach Paul Maurice he's ready to play against the Anaheim Ducks. That said, the 19-year-old still needs clearance from team doctors.Laine was one of the hottest players in the league before his injury snapped a 15-game point streak across which he recorded 20 goals, vaulting him into second in the "Rocket" Richard race with 43 tallies on the season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues welcomed star winger Vladimir Tarasenko back to the lineup for Friday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

H. Wayne Huizenga, the former owner of the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, and Florida Panthers, died Thursday at the age of 80.His daughter confirmed his death but didn't disclose the cause to the Sun-Sentinel.Huizenga is also known for founding Blockbuster Video, Waste Management, and AutoNation.The South Florida tycoon purchased a partial stake in the Dolphins in 1990 before buying control of the team in 1993 from Joe Robbie. In 2008, Huizenga sold 50 percent of the franchise but remained the managing general partner until January 2009, when he sold all but 5 percent.The billionaire was also the first owner of the Marlins franchise - then known as the Florida Marlins - and helped lead the team to its first World Series championship in 1997. In 1998, he sold the club to John Henry.

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion shed some light on his club's offseason plans Friday morning.Speaking on a conference call with season-ticket holders, Dorion addressed how the organization intends to make up for a disastrous season that's fallen dramatically short of expectations. In doing so, Dorion revealed one item on the agenda will be an evaluation of head coach Guy Boucher's future, per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.Boucher joined the Senators in 2016 on a three-year contract, becoming their fifth coach since 2008. His first year on the job was a tremendous success, as his defensive game plan carried the Senators to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.Season two, however, has produced starkly contrasting results, as the Senators currently sit 28th in league standings.Whether Boucher stays behind the bench for the final year of his deal remains to be seen, but Dorion made it clear things can't be the same in 2018-19.

It's no exaggeration to suggest more than a dozen players could make a case for the Hart Trophy this year. The landscape could shift a bit over the final two weeks of the regular season, but here we narrow it down to five MVP candidates, with a few honorable mentions.5. Claude GirouxIn training camp, Philadelphia Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol decided to shift captain and longtime top center Giroux to the wing, allowing Sean Couturier to establish himself as the man down the middle.Giroux accepted the move, and it's worked out beautifully. He ranks fifth in scoring with 26 goals and 64 assists for 90 points through 75 games, and he's helped Couturier break out to the tune of 30 goals and 40 assists, both career highs.The Flyers are also sitting comfortably in a playoff spot, and Giroux's flexibility has made a huge impact up and down the lineup. It's the productivity, however, that matters most, and the 30-year-old could very well establish new career highs of his own in goals and points by season's end.4. Alex OvechkinAfter loading up over the past few seasons in order to maximize their chances of winning, the Washington Capitals were expected to take a step backward this season after losing some key players last summer.Lo and behold, they're back atop the Metropolitan Division, in large part due to Ovechkin's pursuit of a seventh Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer.Ovechkin's 44 goals are good enough for the lead entering play Friday, and he clearly remains the straw that stirs the drink for a still-successful (at least in the regular season) Washington club.3. Evgeni MalkinA year after being left off the NHL's list of the top 100 players of all time, Malkin is highlighting the egregiousness of that omission.Malkin ranks third in goals (41) and fourth in points (91), and is in contention for both the Maurice Richard and Art Ross Trophies. Should he collect both, adding the Hart should be an automatic.He also ranks third in points per game (1.30), behind only the next two players in these rankings, and leads all players in scoring since Jan. 1 with 55 points in 34 games.Even if he falls short of the goals lead, points lead, or both, he continues to prove the Pittsburgh Penguins are considerably more than Sidney Crosby's team. At the very least, it's way past time to stop overlooking just how good Malkin is.2. Nikita KucherovThe Tampa Bay Lightning have been the top team in hockey since puck drop, with Kucherov in front of the scoring race all along. With eight games remaining on his schedule, he leads the NHL with 95 points.The Lightning boast a rather stacked roster and teammate Steven Stamkos has also been playing elite hockey, but voters tend to default to the league's leading scorer when it comes to the Hart, especially if he plays on a first-place club.The fact he's surrounded by so much talent, however, may ultimately discount his performance enough to open the door for a different winner.1. Nathan MacKinnonThis time last year, the Colorado Avalanche were on the verge of making the wrong kind of history as the worst team over an 82-game schedule since the shootout was adopted in 2005.Now, Jared Bednar's squad is close to clinching a playoff spot on the strength of what's by far MacKinnon's best season as a pro.The first overall pick from the 2013 NHL Draft has recorded 38 goals and 54 assists through only 66 games, having missed some time due to injury. He ranks third in overall scoring, but first in primary points and points per game.Naysayers will point to the Avalanche's league-high shooting percentage as proof that their success is based on luck, but MacKinnon's performance combined with the club's remarkable turnaround is enough to make this decision rather easy.Honorable mentionsConnor McDavid: The last player to win the Hart on a non-playoff team was Mario Lemieux in 1988, and he captured the scoring title by 19 points over Wayne Gretzky.McDavid remains the best player in hockey despite the Edmonton Oilers' sad record. He could win the Art Ross, but he isn't lapping the field enough to offset his team's failures, and that will hurt his case.Taylor Hall: The Florida Panthers currently have a better chance of grabbing a playoff spot than the New Jersey Devils, and Hall's point total and per-game average lags a bit too far behind the NHL leaders for legitimate MVP candidacy.(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 race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.The Florida Panthers' abundance of games in hand is slipping through their fingers.With their 4-0 loss to the Blue Jackets on Thursday, the Cats are now just 3-3-0 in their last six games - one point back of the Devils with only one game in hand. This, after Florida had a whole slew of games on New Jersey.The Panthers still have slightly better odds than the Devils, but it will all come down to who performs better down the stretch.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBlue Jackets4-0 W vs. FLA98.1%+3.7%Flyers4-3 W vs. NJ94.7%+5.2%Panthers4-0 L vs. CLB55.7%-13.6%DevilsOff51.9%+4.5%Over in the West, a lopsided Kings-Avs game provided a dramatic swing for both teams' playoff hopes. The Avs still hold the first wild-card spot over the Ducks thanks to the ROW tiebreaker, but the Blues are nipping on their heels, sitting three points back.Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeKings7-1 W vs. COL90.2%+11.4%Avalanche7-1 L vs. LA76.5%-11.5%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.

Has any player had a quieter 80 points this season than Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen?The 21-year-old picked up his 27th goal on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings, becoming the fourth Finnish player in NHL history to record 80 points in a season, according to Hockey Reference.Rantanen joins the elite company of Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne, and Olli Jokinen. Tomas Sandstrom is also listed among the players on Hockey Reference since he was born in Finland, but given that he grew up in and represented Sweden internationally, he does not count.It's been quite a season for Finnish hockey, as last week, Golden Knights forward Erik Haula became the seventh Finn to record 50 points this season, which surpassed the country's previous best of six.Nathan MacKinnon gets all the attention in Colorado - and deservedly so - but it's time to start recognizing Rantanen as one of the game's bright young stars.- With h/t to Sami HoffrenCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning established a new franchise record for wins in a season when they recorded their 51st victory Thursday against the New York Islanders, according to NHL Public Relations.The win surpassed the team's previous record of 50, set in 2014-15.Though the Islanders are well out of the playoff picture, the victory was no smooth sailing.The Bolts held leads of 4-1 and 7-3 in the contest, but after a late surge from the Islanders, they were forced to hang on to a 7-6 win.In the process, Jon Cooper surpassed John Tortorella for the most head coaching wins in team history, per Bryan Burns of the team's website.The Lightning now sit at 106 points - six ahead of the Boston Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eddie Olczyk received some very encouraging news regarding his cancer battle.The NBC broadcaster and former NHL player and coach told play-by-play voice Pat Foley and the NBCSN audience on Thursday night that his scans came back clean last week.

The Columbus Blue Jackets blanked the Florida Panthers 4-0 to push their winning streak to 10 games on Thursday night.With the win, the Blue Jackets have now tied the Colorado Avalanche and the Nashville Predators for the longest winning streak in the league this season.

The logjam out West is apparently unprecedented.Entering Thursday's games, seven teams were either four points above or four points below the playoff line in the Western Conference for the first time this late in the season since the advent of the conference format in 1993-94, the Anaheim Ducks revealed to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.That doesn't include seasons shortened by a lockout.The Los Angeles Kings came into Thursday's action occupying the second Western Conference wild-card spot with 87 points.Four teams - the San Jose Sharks (91), the Minnesota Wild (90), the Ducks (88), and the Colorado Avalanche (88), were ahead of them by four points or less, while the St. Louis Blues (85) and the Dallas Stars (84) also sat within four points of the Kings and the eighth postseason position in the West.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the Calgary Flames' most promising prospects is staying in college.Adam Fox will return to Harvard for his junior season in 2018-19, he told Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson on Thursday.“The Flames have been really good with my development and with helping me get better along the way," he told Gilbertson. "But for right now, just staying and focusing on school and hockey, that’s my focus.”The 20-year-old defenseman poured in 28 points in 29 games with the Crimson this season, and he piled up 40 points in 35 contests in 2016-17.Fox was a member of the United States squad that won bronze at the World Junior Hockey Championship in January, and he was also part of the 2017 team that won gold at the tournament.He was a third-round pick by the Flames in 2016.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Mike Green will undergo season-ending surgery on his cervical spine, the team announced.Green, a pending unrestricted free agent, was a prime candidate to get moved at the trade deadline by the rebuilding Red Wings, but the team was unable to find a partner as concerns over his injury grew.He missed seven games beginning in late February due to an upper-body injury but returned on March 2. Since then, he had played in all of the Red Wings' games leading up to Thursday's announcement.The 32-year-old finished the season with 33 points in 66 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The longest game in KHL history is finally in the books.After seven full periods of hockey, Jokerit forward Mika Niemi finally put an end to an epic playoff game versus CSKA Moscow by scoring just over two minutes into the fifth overtime frame. With the goal, Jokerit skated away with a 2-1 win in a game that clocked in at 142:09 - 15:54 longer than the league's previous longest contest.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom underwent successful shoulder surgery on Thursday and will miss the remainder of the regular season, the team announced.The 24-year-old will require five-to-six weeks of recovery after which he will be cleared for workouts.Back on March 14 the team announced that Klefbom was returning to the lineup after a two-game absence, while knowing that he would be having season-ending surgery soon after.Klefbom had a career high in goals (12) and points (38) in 2016-17, but has put up just five goals and 21 points through 66 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers continue to lend support to nearby Parkland, sending the hockey team from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to the national tournament on a special charter flight.The NHL team teamed up with Swift Air to send the Eagles to Minnesota in fine fashion, and Shawn Thornton, former NHL forward and Panthers vice president of business operations, was there to send them off Wednesday."They're getting the full experience that our team would get when flying on a road trip," Thornton said, according to Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post.The Eagles recently won the state championship, less than two weeks after a former student opened fire on teachers and students at the school and killed 17 people.The 17 players who appeared in the state final brought their medals home and placed them on the memorials set up for those lost in the tragedy.The Panthers also recently invited the team to practice at the NHL rink, bringing out the Stanley Cup as an added bonus."You can't ask for anything more than a team of guys that just understand what you're going through and they're going through the same thing with you," said player Matthew Hauptman. "And everyone's come together and making us even stronger as a team."The Eagles begin their national title quest Thursday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets have avoided a massive injury scare.Star winger Patrik Laine was forced to leave Tuesday's game against Los Angeles during the second period after blocking a shot with his foot.Upon further evaluation, the injury was deemed to be a bruise and not a broken bone, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed Thursday.

St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn will not face supplemental discipline for a hit to the head of Boston Bruins forward David Krejci on Wednesday.The NHL reviewed the incident and decided it was not an egregious case of charging, noting that Schenn's skates were on the ice at the point of contact, according to The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford.Furthermore, Schenn's contact with Krejci's head was deemed unavoidable due to the latter's positioning.Schenn received a minor penalty for charging, and Krejci was not injured on the play.The Department of Player Safety deliberated on the hit "quite a bit," according to NBC's Joe Haggerty.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews is back.The Toronto Maple Leafs center will play Thursday in Nashville against the Predators, making his first appearance in a month after being sidelined since Feb. 22 with a shoulder injury.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will miss a couple of games with an upper-body injury, head coach Joel Quenneville announced Thursday.

Sidney Crosby's career highlight reel is already one for the ages, and yet he still finds ways to wow.The latest "how did he do that?" moment came in Wednesday's win over Montreal, wherein Crosby managed to juggle the puck on his stick in front of the net and bat it past none other than Carey Price.True to form, Crosby was rather humble when talking about how he managed to pull it off."I was just trying to follow the bouncing puck," Crosby said, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It worked out. It was nice to see one go in."Watching from the other end of the ice, goalie Casey DeSmith's reaction was more typical of the average fan."That was jaw-dropping," DeSmith said. "That’s a world-class player making a world-class play. If that’s not No. 1 on SportsCenter, I don’t know what is. That was one of the cooler things I’ll see."Don't worry Casey; they noticed.

The Boston Bruins joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as the only Eastern Conference teams to thus far clinch a spot in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Boston's berth came after it earned a single point in an overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.The Bruins qualified for the postseason for the second straight year and for the ninth time in the last 11 years.They earned their 100th point in the standings Wednesday night and improved to 45-17-10 through 72 contests. The Bruins sit second in the Atlantic Division behind the Lightning, who punched their ticket to the playoffs on Sunday night.On Friday night, the league-leading Nashville Predators became the first team this season to secure a playoff spot.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Miller had a tough night at the office.The NHL linesman endured two separate scares in the second period Wednesday night, first getting run into at the blue line by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, and then getting his hand cut later in the frame.Miller appeared to get cut by the skate of Charles Hudon as the Montreal Canadiens forward was jumping over the boards and coming off the ice, according to TSN's John Bartlett.The official returned to the game in the third period with his right hand taped up, per The Athletic's Seth Rorabaugh.Miller was a late add to Wednesday's game. One of the two originally scheduled linesmen, Jonny Murray, couldn't make it in time because of the heavy snow that has been falling in the Pittsburgh area.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL Players Association has approved the general mangers' proposed change to goaltender interference video reviews that would give the league's hockey operations department the final call over the on-ice referee.Unanimous approval from the Board of Governors is still required before the change can be put in place."First and foremost, the players want consistency in the application of the rule, and therefore support this proposed change in order to help accomplish that goal," said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director.Botched goaltender interference reviews have been an ongoing subject matter throughout the 2017-18 season, but it appears the league is taking the necessary means to get it fixed before the postseason begins.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.