If Seattle is granted the next NHL franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights aren't expected to lose a player or receive a cut of the expansion fee.There's no reason to expect Vegas would be put in a position to lose a player, as they won't be getting a share of the $650-million fee Oak View Group would pay if their application is accepted, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.That was part of the agreement between the NHL and Golden Knights owner Bill Foley when he was awarded the 31st club, per the report. The other 30 teams would get $21.67 million each from Seattle after receiving $16.67 million when Vegas entered the league.Commissioner Gary Bettman told GMs last month that any potential future Seattle expansion draft would operate under the same conditions as the one Vegas completed last June.An expansion draft is unlikely to take place before June 2020.OVG has already filed its expansion application. It received 10,000 season-ticket deposits within 12 minutes of opening its season-ticket drive on March 1.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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 Buffalo Sabres.The GoodHigh draft pick. While the Sabres' 2017-18 performance fell well short of even the low expectations for improvement, they’re guaranteed a high draft pick once again; Buffalo has picked in the top 10 in the past four drafts. And if the Sabres win the lottery, they can take defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the no-doubt No. 1 selection who could be a building block along with Jack Eichel.Adding Dahlin to a defense corps that includes Marco Scandella and Rasmus Ristolainen would suddenly make a mediocre unit look a whole lot better.Eichel's progress. Ankle injuries cost Eichel a large portion of this season, but he's still put up 54 points in 57 games (0.94 points per game) and his team-high 32 assists have already matched his career best.Eichel is without a doubt the Sabres' franchise player, and the cornerstone that general manager Jason Botterill should build around.Young, rising talent. Drafted second overall in 2014, Sam Reinhart leads a pack of talented, young players ready to take over in Buffalo. The 22-year-old center is third on the team in scoring with 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists). Meanwhile, goalie Linus Ullmark played 20 games with the big club in 2015-16 and could be ready to take over next season after an impressive campaign in Rochester.Botterill's progress. As part of the Penguins' front office, Botterill had a hand in the team's success for the better part of the last decade. He specialized in mining talent from the minors, something the Sabres desperately need to do if they want to surround their best players with complementary pieces. Most of their current key players have come via trades or high draft picks, and there's a noticeable lack of organizational depth.Botterrill hasn’t been shy about expressing his displeasure with this year’s group, referring to it as "a team that's just not working." His only move at the trade deadline was sending Evander Kane to San Jose, but he's got an opportunity to make a lot of improvements once the offseason begins.End of the Kane era. Kane was shipped off to the Sharks at the deadline in a trade that returned a conditional first-round pick in 2019, a conditional fourth-rounder in 2020, and forward prospect Dan O'Regan - and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Hopes were high when former Sabres GM Tim Murray initially acquired Kane in a 2015 blockbuster trade with Winnipeg, but things soured quickly.Kane did produce, recording 68 goals and 118 points in 196 games, but he was in the news one too many times for his off-ice behavior. His trade signaled Botterill's commitment to making the necessary moves for an overall culture change and more individual accountability.The BadThe team's record. The Sabres - who had just 16 points at the end of November and never recovered - are set to finish with the worst home mark in the league, sitting at 11-21-5 with just four matchups remaining. They're also going to miss the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, the second-longest drought in the NHL behind Arizona.The issues are at both ends of the ice. Buffalo is on pace to finish as the third-worst defensive team and the worst offensive club in the league this season.Injuries. For the last couple seasons, the Sabres have seemingly been plagued by endless ailments - and this year was no exception. With 10 games remaining, the team ranks third in man-games lost to injury. For a team that's trying to rebuild for the second time in three years, that kind of attrition has made it difficult to even reach mediocrity.Another rebuilding year. In 2014-15, the tanking was intentional, at least. And things seemed promising when Botterill and coach Phil Housley were hired last summer. But it became evident early on that things weren’t going to end well and now Buffalo is back in the draft lottery again. Sure, rebuilds don't happen overnight, but it seems like the Sabres take three steps back every time they take one forward. The situation should improve, however, especially if they land Dahlin in the draft and work some magic during free agency.The QuestionsWho stays and who goes? Botterill moved Kane at the deadline, but couldn’t do much else. It’s setting up to be a busy offseason, with 14 contracts expiring this summer, including seven unrestricted free agents. Eichel should really be the only untouchable player on the roster, while Botterill has had a whole season to evaluate who fits best in his plans.Will Casey Mittelstadt leave Minnesota? Buffalo’s top prospect hasn't signed yet, but Minnesota's failure to make the NCAA Frozen Four could help lead the 19-year-old center to bolt for the NHL next season. Drafted eighth overall in 2017, Mittelstadt could follow the same path as Clayton Keller and Tyson Jost, who both moved on to play professionally after their freshman years of college.In his first year with the Gophers, Mittelstadt was second in scoring with 30 points in 34 games, and was a standout during the world juniors in Buffalo, where he was named tournament MVP.Per the CBA, bringing Mittelstadt on board before the end of the 2017-18 season for even one game would burn a year of his entry-level contract due to his November birthday, so the Sabres will most likely sign him during the offseason. However, Mittelstadt could still return to Minnesota.Is Housley a good coach? The Sabres were such a mess this season that it's hard to accurately gauge Housley's capabilities. What will he be able to do with a better roster and a clearer organizational direction under Botterill? We may just find out next season.Other entries in this series:

The Toronto Maple Leafs could welcome Auston Matthews back into the fold Thursday against the league-leading Nashville Predators, as the 20-year-old told TSN's Mark Masters he's ready to go after missing 10 games with a shoulder injury.Matthews last played Feb. 22 versus the New York Islanders, when he was sandwiched on a hit from Cal Clutterbuck, knocking him out of the Leafs' lineup for the third time this season.At practice Wednesday, Matthews skated alongside usual linemates Zach Hyman and William Nylander, per Masters.Despite playing only 53 of 73 contests this season, Matthews sits in a tie for second on the team in goals (28) and points (50).Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have traded the rights to center Cooper Marody to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.Marody, 21, was drafted in the sixth-round in 2015 by the Flyers, and he recorded 14 goals and 32 assists in 37 games for the University of Michigan this season, good for the Big Ten scoring title.The pick going to Philadelphia originally belonged to New Jersey, and was acquired as part of the recent Patrick Maroon trade.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - The degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), though it has monopolized the conversation, is not the be-all, end-all outcome athletes who suffer repeated blows to the head should fear.On Tuesday, members of a panel debating the circumstances and consequences of brain damage in hockey advocated a simpler message: Concussions, whether they cause CTE or not, are inherently harmful and debilitating.Dr. Brian Levine, a neuropsychologist leading a study tracking the brain health of retired professional hockey players, wants to steer the public conversation, at least in part, toward the treatment of concussion symptoms and psychiatric disorders and away from the "hopelessness" of living with an incurable degenerative condition."We already knew, before CTE was discovered in professional athletes, that concussions were bad. And multiple concussions were worse," Levine said at an annual conference hosted by The Rotman Research Institute at Toronto's Baycrest Health Sciences."There needs to be perspective that CTE is a very important condition. It's something important to study; it's something I'm studying in my lab. But it's not the only pathology, and it's not the only thing that can go wrong. And, in fact, many other things that can happen from concussions can be treated."Levine referenced former NHL enforcer Todd Ewen, who died in 2015 at age 49, reportedly of a self-inflicted gunshot. Ewen was said to have suffered from memory loss and depression, but he did not have CTE, which has been linked to concussions and can only be diagnosed posthumously."Head injury and concussion is very complicated," said Levine, whose longitudinal study at Rotman has found the NHL alumni involved to be mostly free of significant brain impairment on objective tests, yet reporting high levels of emotional and behavioral issues. "Some people will develop CTE. We don't know who or when or how or what that even means in terms of how it will affect their lives. It's very important; we need to learn that. We already know enough about why concussion is bad for you." ... Steve Montador had 19 concussions - that's bad. He ended up getting diagnosed with CTE but someone else might have a similar dose and not develop CTE, but they might have lots and lots of problems. So it shouldn't be just about whether someone has CTE."Among those joining Levine on the panel at the Sheraton Centre Hotel was hockey icon Ken Dryden, a fierce critic of the NHL's handling of head hits and author of "Game Change: The Life and Death of Steve Montador and the Future of Hockey."A 10-year NHL veteran, Montador was 35 when he died in 2015 of an undisclosed cause. His history of concussions, and battle with depression and substance abuse, was the focus of a recent installment of HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel," examining the NHL's stance on concussions and CTE."He was living with significant depression. He was living with real problems of memory," said Dryden, a six-time Stanley Cup champion. " ... Whether he was discovered to have had CTE or not, it was a lousy life the last few years. His life had been affected."NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continued to deny a link between concussions and CTE. Meanwhile, a U.S. District Court judge in Minneapolis is currently deciding whether hundreds of former players suing the league over concussions can move forward with their case as a class action.Dryden wants to "close the gap" between concussion research and decision-making in hockey by narrowing the focus to issues like preventing all hits to the head, which he says are "undeniably" harmful to players.Levine holds a similarly straightforward viewpoint on brain injury and its lasting impact."When you have a significant head injury, let's say from a motor vehicle accident, single blow, serious head injury, over time you lose brain cells," Levine said. "Brain cells die, your brain shrinks - that's bad. If you have multiple concussions, that's a little bit different, then you're getting lots of hits, more hits. Maybe each individual hit isn't as bad as a serious motor vehicle accident, but that also causes brain tissue volume loss."So you're losing brain cells. And you're also causing all sorts of other biological consequences: a cascade of neurochemical reactions, hormonal changes, pituitary changes ... it's a complex injury that has multiple dimensions to it."One of them is tau (protein) in the brain, which is found in CTE, but it's not the only thing."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson and wife Melinda released a statement following the death of their infant son.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos has been fined $5,000 for a dangerous trip on Maple Leafs' defenseman Morgan Rielly during Tuesday's game, the NHL announced.The fine is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.The incident occurred at 10:25 of the second period, at which point Stamkos was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now that the New York Rangers have cashed in on their expendable assets through multiple deals at the trade deadline, general manager Jeff Gorton has begun planning the next stage of the rebuild that he and team president Glen Sather publicly promised in February.After trading away Rick Nash, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Grabner, and Nick Holden, the Rangers now possess seven picks in the first three rounds of the 2018 draft, including three in the first round alone.With multiple high-value picks at his disposal, Gorton told Craig Custance of The Athletic that he's open to trading one of the first-rounders, particularly if a young player who's ready to make an impact becomes available."At the point we're at, we're looking to get as many good players as we can," Gorton said. "We're trying to rebuild. It's hard to say no to anything. We have to keep our options open and I think we'll do that."Related: Rangers top prospects Andersson, Chytil could join team 'real soon'At last year's draft, the Rangers swung a deal to nab an extra first-rounder, the seventh overall pick, which they used to select Lias Andersson. Now, with a few promising youngsters already in the fold, Gorton wouldn't mind adding a little experience, too."They can't all be 18 (years old)," he said. "You need different age groups to build your team."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators are favored to get the job done this time around.The defending Western Conference champions were the first team to clinch a playoff spot this year, and have been tabbed by oddsmakers as having the best shot at winning the 2018 Stanley Cup.Here's the rest of the field, with odds from three weeks ago added for a look at how the landscape has changed through March:TeamMarch 1 oddsMarch 21 oddsNashville Predators7/115/4Tampa Bay Lightning23/44/1Vegas Golden Knights23/46/1Pittsburgh Penguins7/117/2Boston Bruins8/19/1Winnipeg Jets10/111/1Toronto Maple Leafs10/114/1Washington Capitals14/118/1Los Angeles Kings33/125/1Anaheim Ducks20/128/1San Jose Sharks25/128/1Colorado Avalanche66/133/1Columbus Blue Jackets66/133/1Minnesota Wild25/133/1Dallas Stars22/140/1New Jersey Devils50/140/1Philadelphia Flyers25/140/1St. Louis Blues25/150/1Florida Panthers75/160/1Calgary Flames40/180/1Carolina Hurricanes100/1100/1New York Islanders75/1100/1(Odds courtesy: Bodog)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the first time since 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks will not be participating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.But after being officially eliminated from postseason contention with a loss to Colorado on Tuesday, Chicago only has to look at those Avalanche to see how fast a team can rebound from a down season, according to head coach Joel Quenneville."There's a great example, the team we played today, of how far out you can be and how quickly you can recapture that winning attitude and feeling," Quenneville said, according to NHL.com's Tracey Myers."Things can go right, from goaltending to special teams to top players. There are a number of ways you can make a difference."At this time a year ago, Colorado was clearly entrenched as the worst team in the NHL and finished 2016-17 with the worst record of any team since the adoption of the shootout. Now, the Avs sit in a wild-card spot and could even move into third in the Central Division by the end of the regular-season slate.At least the Blackhawks' situation doesn't appear as dire as Colorado's looked last year. Chicago still has pieces of a championship core in place, which includes injured goaltender Corey Crawford, who was playing some of the best hockey of his career before being forced from the crease for much of this season."You're always going to have years where you'll have significant injuries," Quenneville added. "Some things go against you and we've always been able to overcome them and find ways and rectify tough situations and get back on track. This year we've been unable to do it."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL general managers have officially recommended a change to the goaltender interference rule, agreeing to leave video reviews up to the league's hockey operations department rather than on-ice referees, commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday.The team responsible for making the calls would consist of former officials in Toronto's situation room, but the proposed rule is still pending approval by the NHL's Board of Governors and the Competition Committee."At their annual March meeting, that concluded today, the general managers overwhelmingly voted to adopt this change to bring an added level of consistency to goaltender interference rulings and add the input of experienced former on-ice officials to the review process," Bettman said in a statement."While, since the adoption of the Coach’s Challenge, there have been relatively few controversial calls on goaltender interference - perhaps half a dozen of approximately 170 challenges this season - the objective is to be as close to perfect as possible. However, goaltender interference ultimately is a judgment call."There's no word yet on when the change could be instituted, though it could happen by the playoffs, per Stephen Whyno from The Associated Press.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have signed defenseman Christian Wolanin out of the University of North Dakota to a two-year entry-level contract, the team announced Wednesday.Wolanin was a Senators' fourth-round draft pick in 2015, and has spent the last three seasons with the Fighting Hawks. In 40 games this season, he led the team with 35 points.The 23-year-old is expected to join the Senators this week.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With his New York Islanders unlikely to qualify for the playoffs, John Tavares remains focused on the daily grind of the NHL season.That he's heading for yet another early offseason doesn't appear to be affecting his mindset in relation to his impending unrestricted free agency."Certainly, over the last couple of months, when things aren’t going as well, it’s never easy, no matter what," Tavares said, per Andrew Gross of Newsday. "But it’s not something I try to think about a whole lot. To me, it’s separate, the season and my contract situation. I don’t really see them going hand in hand or having an effect on one another."Since Jan. 1, the Islanders have posted an 11-17-6 record, and their 27 points over that period rank 27th. Trying to help the club get out of the tailspin and into playoff contention for only the fourth time in his career has been his singular focus."I just try to approach everything the same. It’s mostly been trying to fight to get into the playoffs and get out of the rut we’ve been in for a little while," he said. "You just invest so much into each and every day and every game. That’s the priority, not so much with what’s going on with my future."The Islanders' season wraps April 7 in Detroit, at which point Tavares will have plenty of time to think about his future. He can hit the open mark on July 1.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 each night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Much like that first car your parents might have given you in high school, the engine has completely fallen out of the Dallas Stars.The club dropped its sixth straight game on Tuesday with a loss to the Washington Capitals, concluding its road trip with a 0-4-2 record. As Tyler Seguin coined it postgame: It was "the road trip from hell."The club sits two points out of the final wild-card spot in the West, but Tuesday's loss took a big chunk out of the likelihood of them making the postseason.Here's a look at the percentages following Tuesday's games.Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeStars4-3 L vs. WSH17.8%-12.4%Avalanche5-1 W vs. CHI90.9%+8.3%In the East, the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils made moves in completely opposite directions.The Panthers continued their incredible late-season run with a dominant win over the Ottawa Senators, while the Devils saw their chances drop below 50 percent and helped in the Panthers' pursuit of a playoff spot by laying an egg against the San Jose Sharks.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangePanthers7-2 W vs. OTT69.3%+15.9%Devils6-2 L vs. SJ47.7%-19.4%Blue Jackets5-3 W vs. NYR94.4%+5.6%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.

There will be no Stanley Cup parade in Chicago this year.For the first time since 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks will not take part in the Stanley Cup playoffs, following Tuesday's loss to the Colorado Avalanche.The defeat kept the Blackhawks at 69 points. With just eight games remaining, it means Chicago could only reach 85 points, and that's if the team won out the rest of its schedule.As it stands, the Anaheim Ducks hold the West's second wild-card spot with 86 points.The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013, and 2015, but times have been tough in the Windy City more recently.Chicago was swept from last year's playoffs, and another disappointing season could mean a further shake-up to a roster already tight against the salary cap.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars can't wait to get home.The Stars fell 4-3 to the Washington Capitals Tuesday night, capping a disastrous six-game road trip during which they collected just two points.When asked how the team can bounce back from this, Seguin responded emphatically."The road trip from hell is over," he told reporters postgame. "Nothing you can really do now. Gotta go home, gotta get points. We're playing some good teams, but we gotta find a way here."Here are the results of the team's road trip:Game #OpponentResult1Penguins3-1 L2Canadiens4-2 L3Maple Leafs6-5 SOL4Senators3-2 OTL5Jets4-2 L6Capitals4-3 LThe Stars currently sit two points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Out of their remaining eight games, only one comes against a non-playoff team.DateOpponent03-23vs. Bruins03-25vs. Canucks03-27vs. Flyers03-29@ Wild03-31vs. Wild04-03@ Sharks04-06@ Ducks04-07@ KingsThe Stars will certainly need to play some of their best hockey down the stretch if they plan on returning to the postseason after missing out a year ago.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has topped the charts.Recording his 41st win of the season Tuesday over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Tampa Bay Lightning netminder moved into first place in the franchise record books for most goalie wins in one season.The mark was previously held by Ben Bishop, who found the win column 40 times during the 2014-15 campaign.Here's a look at the top five spots on the list:GoalieSeasonGPWinsAndrei Vasilevskiy2017-185941Ben Bishop2014-156240Ben Bishop2013-146337Ben Bishop2015-166135Nikolai Khabibulin2002-036530Vasilevskiy's 41 wins also ranks first league-wide, one ahead of Nashville's Pekka Rinne.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets received a scare Tuesday, as superstar winger Patrik Laine was injured blocking a shot early in the second period.The Finnish sniper did not return to the game.Laine suffered the injury after blocking a shot by Los Angeles Kings blue-liner Alec Martinez. He skated just 16 seconds of the second period before he was helped off of the ice.Following the game, Jets coach Paul Maurice noted that Laine had been checked by doctors, and that he believes the injury is not long term.A significant loss of time for Laine would be a big blow for the Jets, as he's tallied 43 goals and 25 assists across 72 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Sieloff is a man of opportunity.In a game against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, the Ottawa Senators defenseman scored his second NHL goal in just his second career game. In the process, he became the first player in league history to score in each of his first two career games while playing for different teams.

Brandon Dubinsky is not in the lineup as the Columbus Blue Jackets continue their push for a playoff spot. The veteran forward was made a healthy scratch Tuesday against his former club, the New York Rangers."You know how I feel about him," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told George Richards of the Columbus Dispatch. "He has been given plenty of opportunities to kind of find himself. I thought he really struggled (Monday) and I have other guys chomping at the bit to get in here."Dubinsky saw nearly 13 minutes of ice time Monday against the Boston Bruins, but was held off of the scoresheet. A one-time offensive threat, he has gone 17 games without a point, with his last coming Feb. 13 against the New York Islanders.Tortorella and Dubinsky, of course, were together with the Rangers from 2008-12, with the forward posting a career-high 54 points in 2011.Dubinsky is in his sixth season with the Blue Jackets. He finished last year with 12 goals and 29 assists in 80 games.The Blue Jackets hold the first wild card in the East, sitting three points above the New Jersey Devils and six ahead of the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While his collegiate career is over, Ryan Donato is still hitting the books.The Boston Bruins forward, formerly of Harvard, is two days removed from signing his entry-level contract with his hometown Bruins. But life in the NHL wasn't enough to stop his educational aspirations.

It's only a matter of time before the future arrives in the Big Apple.Head coach Alain Vigneault said there's a "very good chance" Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil - arguably the team's two best prospects - will join the Rangers "real soon," with Andersson possibly playing Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers.Andersson, the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft, has 28 points in 45 games this season split between Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League, and the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack. He picked up six goals and an assist in seven games while captaining Sweden at the World Juniors, and infamously threw his silver medal in the stands.Chytil, also a first-round pick last year (21st overall), has 31 points in 44 games with the Wolf Pack. He dressed for two games with the Rangers in October, so he can play up to seven games before burning a year off his entry-level contract. Andersson, meanwhile, could play up to nine games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins had reinforcements between the pipes Tuesday, as starting netminder Matt Murray returned to the lineup after missing nine games with a concussion.Murray's last appearance came Feb. 24 against the Florida Panthers, while his last victory came one night prior versus the Carolina Hurricanes. He'll man the crease against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.In Murray's absence, the Penguins turned to backup netminders Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith. Their numbers in Murray's absence, however, left something to be desired. Since Feb. 27:Goalie Games Record SV% GAAJarry64-2-0.8833.35DeSmith54-1-1.8933.23In 41 appearances this season, Murray has posted a 23-13-2 record with a .909 save percentage and 2.82 GAA.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This time it's for real.The Arizona Coyotes recalled forward Dylan Strome from the AHL on Tuesday, nine days after the club canceled an emergency call-up.Strome was expected to join the Coyotes earlier this month, but a clean bill of health from fellow center Derek Stepan deemed his recall unnecessary. The former third overall pick was then returned to the minors only hours later.With the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners this season, the first-year pro has tallied a team-leading 50 points in 47 games. He also ranks second in scoring among minor-league freshmen, behind Winnipeg's Mason Appleton.Strome has tallied one goal and one assist in 18 NHL appearances.The Coyotes drafted Strome in 2015 with the first available pick following the selections of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators released the following statement Tuesday regarding the death of Erik Karlsson's son.The collective thoughts and prayers of the Ottawa Senators organization, the city of Ottawa and entire hockey community rest with Erik and Melinda Karlsson following the loss of their son.We ask that you respect the family's wishes for privacy during the grieving process.Karlsson has been ruled out of Tuesday's game, and there's no word on his status moving forward.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Changes could be on the horizon in the NHL, as the league wants to give the situation room final say on goaltender interference challenges.Senior executive director of hockey operations Colin Campbell made the announcement Tuesday at the general managers meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., according to David Amber of Hockey Night in Canada. Campbell added that the league has reached out to the NHLPA for approval, and it's already being reviewed by the players' union.

The NHL won't be changing its offside rule.The oft-controversial regulation was on the agenda for the general managers meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., on Tuesday, but there wasn't enough support for tweaking it.

The Buffalo Sabres' season is long gone, but Jack Eichel isn't ready to hang up his skates.After he returned last week from a high ankle sprain that cost him 15 games, some wondered why Eichel would risk further injury with nothing on the line. The Sabres All-Star effectively put that narrative to rest."It's a bit frustrating for myself to get that question from people because it's a pretty simple answer, to be honest with you: I'm playing because I'm a hockey player," Eichel told John Vogl of The Buffalo News. "It's kind of ridiculous for somebody to think the fact that we're out of the playoffs and we don't have an opportunity to really do anything with our season that I would just pack my year in. It's not who I am as a person. It's not who I've ever been and not who I am as a hockey player.""I think there should be a lot more questions asked if I decided I did want to pack it in and end my season because I had an ankle injury," he continued.Despite missing a considerable chunk of the season, the 21-year-old leads the last-place Sabres with 54 points in 57 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba has been diagnosed with a concussion, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Tuesday.Trouba was forced from Sunday's contest after a hard collision with Dallas Stars' captain Jamie Benn in just his second appearance since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out 20 games. There is no timeline for a recovery at this point.When available this season, Trouba has logged nearly 22 minutes per contest, contributing three goals and 19 assists in 52 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Ondrej Palat will be back in the lineup Tuesday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing 26 games with a lower-body injury, head coach Jon Cooper confirmed.

Ottawa Senators blue-liner Erik Karlsson will not play Tuesday night versus the Florida Panthers, head coach Guy Boucher confirmed, per Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.Karlsson was held out of practice Monday because of an illness.In 66 games this season, the two-time Norris Trophy winner has recorded eight goals and 46 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price will be back in goal for the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins.After revealing his starter was fully healthy and ready to play on Monday, head coach Claude Julien confirmed Price will start the club's next contest, marking his first appearance since suffering a concussion Feb. 20.Price has yet to get on track this season, posting a 15-22-6 record with a .904 save percentage.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen will start in goal for Tuesday's Atlantic Division clash versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Mike Babcock confirmed.Andersen suffered an upper-body injury March 14 against the Dallas Stars, and subsequently missed the club's next two contests.In 58 starts this season, the Dane owns a record of 33-18-5 with a .919 save percentage.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames' playoff hopes are all but extinguished.While not mathematically eliminated, Monday's loss to the Arizona Coyotes could very well be the final nail in the coffin for the Flames, who have now dropped four out of five and sit six points out of the wild-card picture with no games in hand.Smith, along with defenseman Travis Hamonic, were brought to the Flames in the offseason to solidify the roster's most glaring holes. Smith, for his part, owns a sturdy .917 save percentage across 52 starts, but Calgary hasn't been able to put it together as a whole, particularly down the stretch."On paper, you look at our team and we should be a lot further ahead than we are," Smith told Wes Gilbertson of The Calgary Sun after Monday's game. "I think that's the frustrating part about this season and how it's gone is that we've underachieved by a lot."Despite having a top-10 scorer in Johnny Gaudreau, a 30-goal season out of Sean Monahan, and one of the most reliable top pairings in hockey in Dougie Hamilton and Mark Giordano, the Flames own a goal differential of minus-18, and will have to spend yet another summer trying to identify the problem.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 each night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.With less than a minute left in the Kings' matchup with the Minnesota Wild, it looked like Los Angeles was going to walk away without a point, but instead it picked up two. Dustin Brown deflected home a Drew Doughty point shot with 47 seconds left in regulation to tie it, before Jeff Carter notched the OT winner.It was a massive two points for the Kings, who have significantly improved their chances of returning to the postseason after missing out a year ago.Here's a look at the percentages following Monday's games.Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeKings4-3 OTW vs. MIN82.7%+9.8%Over in the East, the Devils underwent the biggest percentage change despite doing nothing but watching both the Blue Jackets and the Panthers walk away victorious Monday night.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangePanthers2-0 W vs. MTL53.5%+5.7%Blue Jackets5-4 OTW vs. BOS88.9%+5.4%DevilsOff67.1%-7.8%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.

It's been a wild week for Ryan Donato.Only three days removed from completing his third season at Harvard, then signing his entry-level contract on Sunday, the Boston Bruins freshman capped off a hectic few days with an impressive three-point performance in his NHL debut Monday.The night included a goal and two assists, as the Massachusetts native put on a show for the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. In all, Donato is just the second skater in Bruins' franchise history to notch three points in his introduction to the NHL.And while Boston was only able to collect a single point in the overtime loss, Donato's contributions were key to the ailing Bruins, with forwards Patrice Bergeron, David Backes, and Rick Nash unable to suit up for Monday's contest.Donato will get another shot to make his mark when the Bruins begin a four-game road trip Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets picked the perfect time to get hot.Notching their eighth straight victory Monday, the streaking Blue Jackets moved up to 85 points on the season following a come from behind win over the Boston Bruins.Forward Cam Atkinson sealed the victory, tallying his fourth goal in his past three outings, showing shades of the winger who potted 35 a year ago.Call it a turnaround month for the Blue Jackets, who fell to 32-28-5 following a 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, a pedestrian showing that saw the team sitting fifth in the Metropolitan Division clinging to the final wild-card spot by virtue of a tiebreaker.But if there is one thing the Blue Jackets are familiar with, it's win streaks. After all, just last season Columbus rifled off a franchise-record 16 straight victories.There is also something to be said for entering the postseason on a high note, a big change in fortune from less than three weeks ago when it appeared the possibility of the playoffs was slipping away.A win over the Bruins on Monday bumped the Blue Jackets to the top wild-card spot and just two points back of the second seed in the Metropolitan.Just how long can the streak go? We'll know soon enough, as the Blue Jackets return to the ice Tuesday against the New York Rangers when they will try for their ninth straight win.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators have been excellent all season, but down the stretch, they've been white-hot.With a 4-0 shutout victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night, the Predators established a franchise record by recording at least one point in 15 straight games, going 14-0-1 over that span.Monday's win was their fourth in a row, and their only blemish over the last 15 contests was a shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils on March 10.The Predators haven't lost in regulation since Feb. 17, when they fell 3-1 to the Detroit Red Wings.Nashville has the best record in the NHL at 48-14-10, sitting four points clear of the Tampa Bay Lightning (49-19-4). Both clubs have played 72 games.On Friday, the Predators became the first team to clinch a 2018 playoff spot with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lou Lamoriello believes changes to the NHL's goaltender interference protocol are both warranted and imminent."There should be change and there will be," the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager told TSN's Frank Seravalli at the GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., on Monday. "It’s just making sure it’s the right thing. I think we also have to be very careful and dwell on (whether) something is majorly wrong. We had several isolated incidents that were flagrant and they overshadow everything else."Goalie interference was the focus of the first day of the spring GM meetings, which will run through Wednesday.Several suggestions were made in an effort to ensure more consistency on calls involving contact with goaltenders, including putting an official in the league's Situation Room and giving that room the final say.Some form of change is likely coming, as TSN's Darren Dreger reported earlier Monday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Add another name to the Boston Bruins' injury ward.Forward Rick Nash is listed as day to day with an upper-body injury and will not play in Monday's contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets.It's just the latest ailment for the Bruins, who are already without key forwards Patrice Bergeron (fractured foot) and David Backes (knee laceration).Boston acquired Nash from the New York Rangers at this year's trade deadline, and he's since tallied six points in 11 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin has been sidelined indefinitely with a concussion, the team announced Monday.Hanifin missed Sunday's contest against the New York Islanders with what the Hurricanes described as an upper-body injury.In 71 contests this season, Hanifin has recorded eight goals and 21 assists. He ranks fifth among Carolina blue-liners in ice time at nearly 19 minutes per game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's most controversial in-game issue became the most talked-about subject on the first day of the March general managers meetings.Goaltender interference was the main topic of discussion at Monday's gathering in Boca Raton, Fla., and some form of change is likely to be announced, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.The GMs spent three hours going over the rule, and NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell had them vote on whether goalie interference occurred on some of the plays in question in order to show how difficult it is to reach a consensus, according to The Canadian Press.Even the press corps got involved.

Displeased Ottawa Senators fans are making their voices heard across the city.On Monday, four billboards emblazoned with #MelnykOut were unveiled across Ottawa, with one more set to go up April 2, per Tom Spears from The Ottawa Citizen.

The Montreal Canadiens are ready to welcome goaltender Carey Price back to the lineup.After the club sent netminder Charlie Lindgren back to AHL affiliate Laval, head coach Claude Julien said Price is 100 percent healthy and ready to play, though he won't start versus the Florida Panthers on Monday.Price has been out of action since suffering a concussion Feb. 20 and Julien was asked why his most important player, who has also dealt with knee injuries, is playing down the stretch of a lost season."The people who worry don't know all the details, they don't know everything and they will never know everything," Julien said, per John Lu of TSN. "But at the same time, if we worry about the perception on the outside, does that mean we're gonna make the right decisions on the inside?"So we can't get caught up in that stuff. No matter what: We play him, we're gonna get criticized for playing him; we keep him out, we're gonna get criticized. We understand that; we know that happens."In 43 appearances this season, Price owns a .904 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo was named the NHL's first star of the week after registering three goals and six assists in four games, helping his club to three wins amid the tight Western Conference playoff race.Elsewhere, Colorado Avalanche dynamo Nathan MacKinnon continued his torrid pace, notching six goals and two assists in four games to earn second-star honors. The 22-year-old leads the league with 1.39 points per game.Lastly, Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Curtis McElhinney was named the league's third star after leading his club to three consecutive wins with Frederik Andersen injured. McElhinney owned a 1.57 goals-against average and .955 save percentage with one shutout in three appearances.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Newly signed Boston Bruins forward Ryan Donato made his NHL debut Monday versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.Donato was originally going to suit up on the fourth line with Noel Acciari and PyeongChang 2018 teammate Brian Gionta, but he was bumped up to the second line alongside David Krecji and Danton Heinen due to an injury to Rick Nash.The Bruins are Donato's third team of the 2017-18 season. This year at Harvard University, he posted 26 goals and 17 assists in 29 games, earning Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year honors and being named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award given to the top player in college hockey.Donato led the United States team at the Olympics in February with five goals in six games.The 21-year-old, selected 56th overall by the club in 2014, signed a two-year, entry-level contract with Boston on Sunday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With another loss at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, the Dallas Stars' odds of making the playoffs continued to plummet.Thanks in large part to two more goals for Jets sniper Patrik Laine, the Stars lost 4-2 - their eighth defeat in their last 10 and eighth in a row against their Central Division rivals.It's a scene Dallas captain Jamie Benn is far too familiar with."Laine did Laine things again against us," Benn said after the game,Since entering the league last season, Laine has absolutely feasted on the Stars.GP (record)GPTSSOG9 (8-1)141834Although it's likely not much consolation for Benn and the reeling Stars, with 18 goals and eight assists in his last 15 games, Laine has been doing Laine things to just about everyone lately.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.