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.It's crunch time.With less than three weeks left in the push for the playoffs, the wild-card races are nowhere close to being sorted out.Sunday's schedule included several teams in the mix, and resulted in some dramatic swings in terms of playoff likelihood, with the struggling Dallas Stars taking another big hit and the St. Louis Blues injecting some much-needed life.Here's a look at the numbers as of Monday morning:Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeSt. LouisW 5-4 (OT) vs. Chicago44.2%+10.9%AnaheimW 4-2 vs. New Jersey72.5%+9.5%ColoradoW 5-1 vs. Detroit83.6%+5.2%CalgaryL 0-4 vs. Vegas3.5%-5.6%DallasL 2-4 vs. Winnipeg31.1%-17.2%Eastern ConferenceTeam Result Playoff Chances ChangePhiladelphiaW 6-3 vs. Washington93.6%+6.1%New JerseyL 2-4 vs. Anaheim74.8-8.3%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.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs will include the Tampa Bay Lightning this time around.After beating the Edmonton Oilers in regulation Sunday evening, the Lightning officially clinched a spot thanks to a New Jersey Devils regulation loss in Anaheim later in the night.The Lightning have been rolling since the puck dropped on 2017-18 and are the second team to clinch, following the Nashville Predators.The berth comes a year after Tampa Bay finished a single point behind Toronto in the race for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.In years prior to that, Tampa Bay advanced to the Stanley Cup Final (2015) and lost in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals (2016).

The Dallas Stars will be without Ben Bishop for the foreseeable future.The goaltender was injured upon making a big glove save during Sunday's eventual loss to Winnipeg and was forced to make an early exit.Following the game, the team announced his lower-body injury will be reevaluated in two weeks.The Stars are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race and remain on the outside looking in after the loss to the Jets.The two-week time frame means Bishop will miss at least six games with a potential return coming in the last week of the regular season.In 52 appearances this season, Bishop has posted a record of 26-17-5 with a save percentage of .916.Kari Lehtonen will tend the twine in his absence.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex DeBrincat is providing some light in an otherwise dark season for the Chicago Blackhawks.The rookie forward snapped a 13-game goalless skid in style Sunday night, recording his third hat trick of the season to break the franchise record for hat tricks by a rookie, previously set by Steve Larmer in 1983.

Color Connor Hellebuyck impressed.The Winnipeg goalie was scored on by Dallas' Jamie Benn during the second period of Sunday's eventual Jets win, and had high praise for the pinpoint wrist shot that somehow eluded him.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba was forced from Sunday night's game after a punishing hit from Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn early in the third period.

Boston Bruins forward David Backes will miss at least the next couple games after suffering a laceration to his right knee on Saturday, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said, according to Joe McDonald of bostonsportsjournal.com.Backes suffered the cut to his knee in the first period of Saturday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning after Yanni Gourde's skate struck Backes during a battle in front of the Lightning net. The laceration required 18 stitches but was luckily not structural in damage.Meanwhile, Sweeney also noted forward Patrice Bergeron - who has been out of the lineup since Feb. 25 with a fractured foot - could join the team during its four-game Western Conference road trip next week.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ben Bishop made the save, but it came at a price.The Dallas Stars goaltender made a tremendous save off the stick of Winnipeg's Bryan Little but was forced to leave the game after suffering an injury on the play.

The Boston Bruins signed forward Ryan Donato to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Sunday.The 21-year-old is coming off his third season at Harvard University, where he put up 26 goals and 43 points in 29 games en route to being named the Eastern College Athletic Conference player of the year on Thursday.Donato's incredible year was highlighted by his appearance at the Olympics where he represented the United States. While there, he tied for the tournament lead with five goals in six games and paced all American players with six points.If all that wasn't enough, on Wednesday, Donato was also named as one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey.Donato will be eligible to make his NHL debut on Monday when the Bruins tangle with the Columbus Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Chicago Blackhawks Sunday, the team announced.The 26-year-old left Saturday night's game against the New York Rangers after the first period and did not return. The injury new comes with Tarasenko in the midst of a down period offensively, having notched just one goal and three points in his last seven games.Although they have just four wins in their last 10 games, the Blues sit just three points out of the final wild-card spot heading into Sunday's contest.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon is out to prove he's the NHL's most valuable player.The Colorado Avalanche forward recorded two goals, one assist and 11 shots in Sunday's win over Detroit, extending his personal point streak to 12 games and strengthening his team's bid for a Western Conference playoff spot as a result.Everything seems to be going his way these days, as evidenced by a fortuitous bounce on his second goal of the afternoon:

Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson indicated that Marc Bergevin will remain the team's general manager after this season, according to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette."We all know it's a very difficult season for us in all areas," Molson told RDS. "Marc and I are talking about it all the time. He knows that team performance at all levels is unacceptable and we have a plan to fix it."I'm talking about all areas: leadership, development recruitment, players on the team. We need to improve, we must become better. We have not been able to do that this year. We will succeed, I trust Marc to manage this transition, but he is aware that it needs to improve."The Habs sit near the NHL's basement and Bergevin has been criticized for some the moves he's made as the club's GM, including the P.K. Subban-Shea Weber blockbuster, the Mikhail Sergachev-Jonathan Drouin swap, and Carey Price's massive contract extension.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the midst of a deadlocked hunt for a playoff spot, the Colorado Avalanche will receive a huge boost Sunday, as defenseman Erik Johnson will play against the Detroit Red Wings after missing a month with an upper-body injury, the team announced.Johnson's return couldn't have come at a better time, as the Avalanche are in quite the battle for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference:WC rankTeamPoints1Avalanche842Stars843Ducks843Blues814Flames80The Los Angeles Kings, who currently sit in third in the Pacific Division, are also at 84 points.Every point will matter down the stretch, and having a steadying presence return to the blue line will be key. In 56 games this season, Johnson has 22 points while averaging a team-high 25:43 time on ice.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele will play Sunday against the Dallas Stars after missing the last five games with an upper-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice said, according to Jets TV Reporter Mitchell Clinton.Scheifele suffered the injury on March 6 against the New York Rangers - about a month after he returned from nearly seven weeks out with a previous upper-body ailment.The 25-year-old has 51 points in 50 games this season and is expected to slot into a familiar spot on the team's top line between Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor.Also making his return to the lineup is fellow center Adam Lowry, who hasn't played since Feb. 1 due to his own upper-body injury.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Notre Dame, Ohio State, Cornell, and St. Cloud State will make up the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Hockey Championship bracket.St. Cloud State is officially the No.1 overall seed, followed by Notre Dame, Cornell, and Ohio StateHere's the path to the NCAA Frozen Four, which will take place April 5 and 7 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. (all times ET):East RegionWebster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn.1. Notre Dame (25-9-2)

The 2017-18 Montreal Canadiens made history for all the wrong reasons Saturday.In getting squashed 4-0 by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre, Montreal set a franchise record for road regulation losses in a single season, according to TSN.The Habs own the NHL's worst road record at 9-23-4, and rank dead last in both goals for and goals against away from home.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was forced to exit Saturday's game in Vancouver after taking a puck up high.

Stop the presses. The Vancouver Canucks have scored a goal.Nikolay Goldobin fired one home on a power play midway through the first period against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night, ending the Canucks' goal drought at 222 minutes and 57 seconds.

Reinforcements are on the way.Following a win over Montreal on Saturday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock indicated center Auston Matthews and goaltender Frederik Andersen could be back for Tuesday's showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning."I think (Matthews) is playing right away here, I'm not 100 percent certain," Babcock said. "I think Freddie (Andersen) is playing right away. I think."Matthews has not played since Feb. 22 because of a shoulder injury, while Andersen has been out since March 14 with an upper-body issue.Thanks to the win over Montreal, Toronto sits five points back of Boston and seven points behind Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division standings.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues' playoff hopes are fading, and now they've lost their best player to an injury.Vladimir Tarasenko sustained an ailment Saturday night against the New York Rangers that the club would only classify as being of the upper-body variety, and the team revealed just before the second intermission that he would not return to the contest.Tarasenko played nine shifts in the first period but none thereafter.There was no indication of anything out of the ordinary on his last shift of the first period, according to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.Tarasenko leads the Blues with 27 goals and came into Saturday's game tied with Brayden Schenn for the team lead with 58 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins keep finding ways to get the job done.Without a host of key players, the Bruins went into Tampa Bay on Saturday and came out with a 3-0 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Lightning.It marked the first time this season that the Lightning failed to score a goal in game, with their last shutout coming against Boston on April 4, 2017.This time around, the Bruins did it while missing Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, and Jake DeBrusk to injury, and losing David Backes in the first period with a laceration above his knee.Stepping up in their absence was Tuukka Rask, who made 23 saves for his third shutout of the season, as well as Torey Krug, who recorded three assists.Not only did the Bruins prevent Tampa Bay from clinching a playoff spot, they also moved to within two points of the Lightning, with a game in hand.The Atlantic Division is far from settled and these two clubs will face off twice more before season's end - March 29 in Boston, and April 3 in Tampa Bay.Buckle up.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators forward Ryan Dzingel was forced to leave Saturday's game in Columbus after taking a Mike Hoffman slap shot to the back of the head.The shot was so hard, it actually knocked the No. 8 sticker off the back of Dzingel's helmet.

A veteran Boston Bruins forward was involved in a scary moment Saturday night.David Backes departed the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after it appeared Yanni Gourde's skate cut his leg in the Lightning crease in the first period.

With his team's playoff hopes fading, New York Islanders head coach Doug Weight is willing to try anything.That includes planning to deploy franchise center John Tavares as a winger during Sunday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, putting him on the left side of a unit comprised of Mathew Barzal (center) and Jordan Eberle (right wing).It's not permanent, Weight qualified, but rather an attempt to put his best offensive players on the ice at the same time."It doesn’t mean he’s going to play wing and it doesn’t mean he’s not a centerman," Weight said, per Andrew Gross of Newsday. "It’s an experiment. Moving forward it gives them (Tavares and Barzal) some experience together. I’m excited to see it."Tavares has played center since being drafted by the Islanders and will be entering the offseason set to enter unrestricted free agency, having likely missed the playoffs once again.For his part, however, Tavares appears open to the experiment."It’s not my natural position but I’ve played it before and I just try to have a lot of versatility with my game to begin with," Tavares said. "Mentally, I’ll prepare myself a little bit on what to expect and there are certain things that come with playing (wing)."Tavares added, "Your career only lasts so long. You want to enjoy every second of it, every challenge no matter how tough it’s going."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes are apparently pressing the pause button on their pursuit of a new general manager.Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is putting the GM search on hold for now, Sportsnet's John Shannon reports."Tom hasn't had the time he needs to do face-to-face interviews and feels that waiting will pay off," a Carolina source told Shannon on Saturday.The club will wait until the offseason, when a wider field of candidates may emerge, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported earlier in the day.Several candidates have withdrawn from consideration for the vacant position over the last week, including Los Angeles Kings assistant GM Mike Futa, Nashville Predators assistant GM Paul Fenton, and New Jersey Devils AGM Tom Fitzgerald.The Hurricanes made it clear upon stripping former GM Ron Francis of that title and appointing him president of hockey operations that the new GM will report directly to Dundon.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Roberto Luongo was taking responsibility for a loss to the Oilers in Edmonton on Saturday.Despite entering a save-of-the-year candidate in the second period, the Florida Panthers goalie was highly critical of his play later in the game, saying the winner off the stick of defenseman Adam Larsson is one that should have been stopped."It's just a bad goal, I don't know what happened exactly," he said via Fox Sports Florida. "It went underneath my glove and between my pants. It's a bad goal, no excuse for it. That shouldn't go in ever."Here's a look at the play in question:

Evgeny Kuznetsov's injury will keep him out of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.The Washington Capitals forward is listed as day to day with what the club would only call an upper-body ailment.He left Friday's win over the New York Islanders late in the second period after taking a Thomas Hickey slash and then crashing into the boards. He left the ice holding his arm and didn't return. Hickey was given a slashing minor.Kuznetsov ranks second among Capitals skaters with 71 points in 71 games this season. He leads the club with 50 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will undergo back surgery and is expected to be out eight weeks, head coach Paul Maurice said, according to Jets TV's Jamie Thomas.It is apparently the same injury he had last season when he missed 35 games with the Buffalo Sabres, per TSN's Sara Orlesky.Kulikov, who signed three-year, $13-million contract with the Jets this offseason, had 11 points in 62 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev will play Saturday against the San Jose Sharks after missing the last 17 games due to a leg injury, the player confirmed.Tanev, known more for his defensive abilities than his offensive prowess, has two goals and 11 points in 38 games this season, and hasn't scored since Oct. 12. The Canucks have struggled to score of late, going over a week without a goal.While it's unlikely that Tanev will help the team bust out of its offensive funk, he will no doubt provide much-needed stability to the blue line against a Sharks team coming off a seven-goal performance Friday against the Flames.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ilya Kovalchuk wants to return to the NHL this summer and play for "several more years," he told Russia's Match TV, according to The Associated Press.The 34-year-old added that if he doesn't return to the NHL to try to win a Stanley Cup, "I won't forgive myself for it when I get older."For now, Kovalchuk's top priority is winning another Gagarin Cup with his KHL club, SKA St. Petersburg, but will "examine offers" from the NHL this summer.He added that he wants to join the prestigious Triple Gold Club and win an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and a Stanley Cup. He won gold with OAR at PyeongChang 2018, has two World Championship gold medals, but a Stanley Cup ring still eludes him.Kovalchuk, who last played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in 2012-13, has 816 points in 816 career NHL games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs phenom Auston Matthews will miss his ninth straight game Saturday with a shoulder injury, but head coach Mike Babcock said he "looks like he's getting close" to returning, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.With Matthews, Leo Komarov (lower-body injury), Nikita Zaitsev (illness), and Frederik Andersen (upper-body injury) all sidelined, the Leafs will be a bit shorthanded when they take on the Montreal Canadiens.

Hockey and wrestling will collide Saturday when the Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers during their second annual Pro Wrestling Night.The promotion will feature several matches hosted by Coastal Championship prior to puck drop, as well as a live edition of the "Something to Wrestle" podcast with former WWE star Bruce Prichard, a.k.a. Brother Love, and Conrad Thompson after the game. The duo will be joined by a surprise guest for their first-ever appearance in South Florida, according to Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel will play Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks after missing the last 15 games with a high-ankle sprain, head coach Phil Housley said.Despite missing well over a month, Eichel still leads the team with 22 goals and 53 points.The Sabres currently sit dead last in the NHL with 56 points, so it's possible Eichel could play his team out of the league's basement, hurting his team's chances to obtain the No. 1 overall pick and select Rasmus Dahlin.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' poor goaltending and awful defensive play have been under the microscope all season. The club ranks dead last in goals against per game, shots against per game, scoring chances against per game, and high-danger scoring chances against per game, per Natural Stat Trick. This comes despite the fact they have one of the league's most dynamic offenses.Related: Capitals' Burakovsky gives harsh critique of Islanders' defenseHowever, it appears help in regard to goal prevention could be coming. Ilya Sorokin, a third-round pick of the Islanders in 2014, is having a lights-out postseason for CSKA Moscow over in the KHL.

Finnish hockey is at an all-time high.When Vegas Golden Knights forward Erik Haula scored a goal Friday against the Minnesota Wild, he became the seventh Finnish player to reach the 50-point plateau this season - the highest number in the country's history, per Reddit user Tazavoo.PlayerGAPMikko Rantanen (COL)255075Aleksander Barkov (FLA)254570Patrik Laine (WPG)412566Mikael Granlund (MIN)193958Teuvo Teravainen (CAR)213556Sebastian Aho (CAR)253055Erik Haula (VEG)282351(Stats courtesy: Hockey Reference)It's hard to argue this isn't the best-ever crop of Finnish players in the NHL. Given that the country has always had a stable of elite netminders, the Finns likely would've been a force to be reckoned with had the NHL participated in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics.However, the average age of the seven players is just 22.3, so it's safe to say Finland will be in good shape for the next international best-on-best tournament, whenever that may be.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get your catfish ready because the Nashville Predators are heading back to the playoffs.The Predators became the first team to clinch a playoff spot this season with a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

Evander Kane got himself a rooster trick.The San Jose Sharks forward tipped home his fourth goal of the game against the Calgary Flames early in the third period Friday night.

Evgeny Kuznetsov was forced to exit Friday's game against the New York Islanders late in the second period.The Washington Capitals forward was ruled out for the rest of the game and will be further examined Saturday after taking a slash and then crashing into the boards.

Cross another name off the list of potential hires for the vacant general manager's position with the Carolina Hurricanes.New Jersey Devils assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald has pulled out of the race for the job, he told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman."This is nothing against Tom Dundon," said Fitzgerald. "I am very happy in New Jersey and this is not the right time for me."Fitzgerald joins Nashville Predators AGM Paul Fenton and Los Angeles Kings AGM Mike Futa as executives who were considered for the job but have since pulled their name out of the running.Earlier in the day, Friedman reported that former Vancouver Canucks AGM Laurence Gilman, Buffalo Sabres AGM Steve Greely, and Hurricanes AGM Mike Vellucci were among the remaining candidates.Fitzgerald has served as the Devils' AGM since July 24, 2015.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Braden Holtby's break is over.The Washington Capitals goaltender started Friday's game against the New York Islanders after sitting out for four contests, stopping 22 of 25 shots in a 6-3 win.Capitals head coach Barry Trotz implied he was giving Holtby "a little reset" last week.The 2016 Vezina Trophy winner had a save percentage of .854 and only one win in eight games before taking the hiatus.Washington went 3-1-0 in his absence, including a 7-3 victory over the Islanders on Thursday night."It was obviously good to clear (my) mind and step back, and it makes it a lot better that we had success while (I was sitting out)," Holtby told reporters before Friday's game. "(The break) is something I haven't had in quite a few years, so there's a positive in it for sure, mentally and physically, to just regroup a bit."Philipp Grubauer posted a .940 save percentage in the four games Holtby sat out, and the backup netminder has been solid all season long, holding a .925 save percentage in 29 appearances.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scratch Paul Fenton's name off the list.The Nashville Predators assistant general manager has withdrawn from consideration for the vacant Carolina Hurricanes GM position, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports.Remaining candidates include New Jersey Devils AGM Tom Fitzgerald, former Vancouver Canucks AGM Laurence Gilman, Buffalo Sabres AGM Steve Greeley, and Hurricanes AGM Mike Vellucci. Some are expected to be interviewed in-person next week, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Fenton is in his 10th season in his current role with the Predators, and his 18th year with the franchise.Greeley has already interviewed for the job, as McKenzie reported earlier this week. Kings AGM Mike Futa also withdrew from consideration, according to Friedman.The Hurricanes' new owner, Tom Dundon, stripped Ron Francis of his GM duties and anointed him president of hockey operations last week. The new GM will report directly to Dundon.Don Waddell, the Hurricanes president who oversees the business side of both the franchise and PNC Arena, is reportedly expected to represent the club at the upcoming GM meetings in Florida.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After making an early exit in Thursday's win over the Buffalo Sabres with a lower-body injury, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov will have an MRI to see if there's any damage, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Komarov collided with teammate William Nylander and sat out the remainder of the contest, though head coach Mike Babcock said he appeared to be fine postgame.In 71 games this season, Komarov has recorded seven goals and 12 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Kevin Bieksa is expected to miss two to five weeks as he undergoes surgery to remove scar tissue in his left hand, the team announced Friday.The procedure could mark the end of his season, as the Ducks sit one point outside the final wild-card spot in the West with 11 games remaining.The 36-year-old is playing out the conclusion of his two-year, $8-million contract, and has eight assists in 59 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

James van Riemsdyk's 2017-18 season was always going to be under the microscope.Entering the final year of an incredibly team-friendly deal that carries a $4.25-million cap hit, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced a tough decision. They could've used him as an offseason trade chip while he still had term, presumably to fetch reinforcements for a blue line everybody knew needed some work.They opted to hold off, then did so again at the trade deadline, keeping the 28-year-old winger in-house for their playoff push, while taking the risk he could walk away in the offseason for nothing.For the moment, at least, it's a gamble that's provided quality returns.Van Riemsdyk is fresh off back-to-back three-point games - including five goals in less than four periods - to propel the Leafs to two wins while passing the sidelined Auston Matthews for the team lead in goals with 31, a new career-high despite averaging just 14:48 of ice-time (10th among Leafs forwards).His value to the Leafs has never been more apparent than it is right now, and while there's surely more to squeeze out of Van Riemsdyk down the stretch and into the postseason, he's likely played himself out of the slim possibility of re-signing with the club in July.Van Riemsdyk is one of three Maple Leafs forwards bound for unrestricted free agency, joining longtime linemate Tyler Bozak as well as Leo Komarov. There's no question JVR is the most difficult of the trio to replace, yet as is general manager Lou Lamoriello's wont, no indications of any contract talks between the two parties have seeped through the impenetrable walls of Toronto's front office.Even if some sort of information were to leak to the public, it's difficult to imagine a scenario where the Leafs and Van Riemsdyk reach an agreement.Plain and simple, Van Riemsdyk is going to be one of the hottest commodities in this summer's free-agent class. Behind John Tavares, who's scored the same number of goals and might not end up hitting the market at all, JVR is the top player available.Since arriving in Toronto via a one-for-one deal in exchange for Luke Schenn (we'll call that trade a win for the Leafs), Van Riemsdyk has been one of the league's premier goal scorers. His 149 tallies - 43 on the power play - in Leafs colors since 2013 ranks 18th in the NHL. Narrowed down to left wingers, JVR sits third among his peers, tied with Jeff Skinner and James Neal, while trailing Max Pacioretty, Brad Marchand, and Jamie Benn (173 each), and the incomparable Alex Ovechkin (261).The Maple Leafs have one more season before Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner are all off their entry-level contracts, and the negotiations of those three will be the ultimate priority for Toronto management. Unless Van Riemsdyk takes significantly less term and salary, the Leafs won't be able to match offers from around the league, and will likely end up filling his void with internal options.Glancing at some recent deals, it's easy to infer Van Riemsdyk is bound for a considerable raise. Here's a look at a few examples of contracts signed by free agent wingers over the past two offseasons, which could serve as the basis of JVR's asking price.Player (Team)YearsAAV Career P/GPT.J. Oshie (WSH)8$5.75M0.69Kyle Okposo (BUF)7$6M0.68Patrick Marleau (TOR)3$6.25M0.71Based on those deals alone, and the quality of the players in comparison to Van Riemsdyk (0.64 points per game), it's fair to assume he'll have his fair share of suitors willing to commit at least $6 million - $7 million per season, with notable term included.Should he put pen to paper on a deal similar to those above, he'll also be in the same ballpark as the NHL's best wingers. Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Taylor Hall, Filip Forsberg, Johnny Gaudreau, and Artemi Panarin all fall within that range.Van Riemsdyk may not bring as much to the table as those players in terms of all-around play, but he's established himself as one of the NHL's most consistent goal scorers.Now he's about to get paid like one.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) has decided to reveal each voter's ballot for the 2018 NHL awards.After debating the subject for months, the PHWA voted 81.3 percent in favor of the decision. Approximately 170 ballots are set to be revealed."As journalists we expect full transparency from the teams and people we cover," PHWA President Mark Spector said. "Our Members are aware that the same is expected of us from our readers, and many voters have voluntarily revealed their ballots in the past. As a group, we have concluded that it is time to make full transparency part and parcel of voting on the NHL Awards."PHWA members vote to determine winners of the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke, Masterton, Lady Byng, and Conn Smythe trophies, along with All-Star and All-Rookie teams.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 national sports editor James Bisson takes a look back at the highs and lows of their season, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The first edition focuses on the Vancouver Canucks.The GoodBrock Boeser's sensational season. Just about everything good that happened for the Canucks this season centered around Boeser, who was in the hunt for the Calder Trophy with 29 goals and 55 points through 62 games before suffering a season-ending back injury. The Islanders' Mathew Barzal should win the award, but Boeser is a deserving runner-up.The 2015 first-round pick was particularly dangerous on the power play, racking up 10 man-advantage goals to ensure at least one area of Vancouver's special teams wasn't a total disaster. And with the Canucks potentially freeing up a pile of cash this summer (more on that later), don't be surprised to see them add some help for their 21-year-old phenom.The first 10 games. It might be difficult for Canucks fans to look back this far, but the team actually got off to a great start with a 6-3-1 record through its opening 10 games. That stretch was punctuated by a 4-1-0 record on its five-game trip through Ottawa, Boston, Buffalo, Detroit, and Minnesota, with the only loss in that span coming at the hands of the Bruins.Vancouver showed sensational goal-prevention skills in winning five out of six games overall, allowing two or fewer goals in all five of those victories. The goaltending tandem of Anders Nilsson and Jacob Markstrom looked virtually unbeatable. The good times didn't last long, but for at least the first 12.2 percent of the season, the Canucks looked like a playoff threat.The power play. As deficient as the Canucks have been on offense, their power play actually ranks in the top half of the league as of Friday (20.9 percent). Vancouver has four players who have potted seven or more man-advantage goals as the season winds down, with Boeser joined by Daniel Sedin (eight), Bo Horvat (eight), and Sven Baertschi (seven).The problem is that the Canucks' somewhat successful power play hasn't been able to mask a penalty kill that ranks 25th overall at 77.5 percent. That, and the fact that Vancouver has been thoroughly outplayed at five-on-five (minus-29 through Thursday's games). But Boeser's return should ensure the Canucks once again roll out a strong PP next season.Horvat's step forward. Nearly every team has that one young player who divides the fan base - and it's fair to say Horvat was of the Canucks' most polarizing skaters in the past. But it's hard to deny that the hulking center, who turns 23 on April 5, has improved demonstrably in several areas, even if that betterment doesn't necessarily show up in his final scoring ledger.Horvat is seeing a career high in ice time (19:17) and is making the most of it, increasing his faceoff success rate to 53.1 percent while also establishing career bests in Corsi For (49.2), Fenwick (48.4), and PDO (100.6). Add in the fact that he's a near-lock to return to the 20-goal plateau, and it's clear he's a player the Canucks can build around moving forward.Brendan Leipsic's audition. It's impossible to know how Leipsic fits into the Canucks' long-term plans, but from what he has shown them so far, he could find himself as one of the team's key forwards in 2018-19. In addition to racking up six points over his first eight games with the club, he's playing an absurd 18 minutes per night - well above his 13-minute career average.Leipsic has had a positive impact in limited time, the Canucks' remarkable recent scoring woes aside. And at an absolute bargain cost of $650,000 next season - he'll be an RFA in the summer of 2019 - his emergence will allow Vancouver to slot him in as a top-six forward without paying him like one. Look for Leipsic to be a popular guy in British Columbia next season.The BadThe Sedins' graceful decline. It's always difficult for a fan base to see its beloved skill players - particularly those who spend their entire career with that team - lose their effectiveness. And it's doubly disconcerting for Canucks supporters, who have had to watch the only two 1,000-point men in franchise history hit their decline at the same time.Daniel has actually been slightly more efficient from a scoring perspective but is down to 15 minutes per game, his fewest since 2003-04. Henrik is headed for his first sub-50-point non-lockout showing since that same season. Unless they're willing to take a major discount, their time in Vancouver could be coming to an end. And if it is, they'll go out as they came in - quietly.Disappointing defense. Vancouver's blue-liners have been a disaster, contributing significantly to the team's season-long goal-prevention struggles. And they haven't provided much at the offensive end, either. Only one defenseman - Michael Del Zotto (six) - has scored more than twice, and the unit has just 15 goals combined.Vancouver has nearly $19 million tied up in its top-five salaried D-men next season, so look for a shake-up on the back end. It would behoove the Canucks to find someone who can produce offense from the blue line, and to consider moving at least one of their big-ticket defensemen out of town to make room for a blue-line prospect.Sam Gagner's struggles. Gagner might never have lived up to his promise in seven seasons in Edmonton, but at least he was consistent, producing 10-18 goals and 37-49 points each season. The Canucks only wish he were that prolific this season, as he's on pace for a career low in goals and points in seasons where he played more than 55 games.Playing for his fifth different team in the past five seasons, perhaps Gagner just can't get settled. And as hard as it is to believe, he's only 28. But with two more years and $6.3 million remaining on his contract, Vancouver needs to get more out of him on the offensive end. Or, perhaps they could trade him back to the Oilers - those guys could use a few more 40-point scorers.Loui Eriksson's contract. This has officially become one of those things you just don't talk about with Canucks fans, unless you're craving a face punch. Signed to an inexplicably bad six-year, $36-million deal in 2016 that prevents him from being traded until 2020-21, Eriksson's return on investment has been, to say the least, minimal (21 goals, 23 assists in 115 games).With the deal primarily made up of guaranteed money in the form of signing bonuses, a buyout isn't happening. And while he can hold his own on the defensive end, that contract is a poison pill for the Canucks for at least the next three seasons beyond this one. On the bright side, Eriksson's season-ending injury at the end of February spared him the fans' ire. For now.Dreadful goaltending. The Canucks' dismal stretch of play that ran for more than a month in December and early January can't be pinned on one or two players - but some were more culpable than others. And the duo of Nilsson and Markstrom didn't do the team any favors over that stretch, each allowing more than their fair share of questionable goals.The Canucks put together two four-game losing streaks and a five-game skid over that 15-game nightmare stretch - and Nilsson and Markstrom allowed at least three goals in all of those defeats. In fact, Vancouver surrendered five or more goals in seven of the 13 losses - and even surrendered three goals in one of the two wins over that span. It doesn't get much worse than that.The QuestionsAre the Sedins coming back? It's the biggest question of the offseason for the Canucks - and could completely alter the complexion of the team heading into 2018-19. The Sedins, for their part, haven't tipped their hand - but even if they do come back for what might be their final season, it should be at a much lower sticker price than the combined $14 million they made this year.If the price tag is reasonable, there's no way the Canucks don't re-sign them; allowing them to hit the market would be horrible optics for the franchise. But if they do decide to retire, Vancouver would have enough cap space to take an immediate run at a less seasoned star player while retaining enough money to take care of their gaggle of talented young players.What happens in net? Based on how Nilsson and Markstrom have performed this season, at least one of them won't be around in 2018-19. It'll be a lot easier for the Canucks to deal Nilsson, who has one year left on his contract at a reasonable $2.5 million cap hit. Markstrom is locked in for the next two seasons at nearly $3.7 million per year against the cap.Thatcher Demko is having a terrific season with the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Utica (20-10-6, 2.51 goals-against average, .920 save percentage) and should absolutely be given the opportunity to challenge for the No. 1 job. The 22-year-old could make an immediate impact for a team that desperately needs someone to stop the puck.How do they handle their young players? Vancouver has some interesting decisions to make over the next two offseasons, with seven restricted free agents this summer and another six RFAs at the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Boeser's a slam dunk to be retained when his contract is up next year - but what will the Canucks do with the rest of their RFAs?Baertschi is due a modest raise from the $1.85 million he made this season, while Markus Granlund, Derrick Pouliot, and Jake Virtanen should also see a slight boost. But with several other prospects coming up in the next two-to-three years, Vancouver won't be able to keep all of them. How they reshuffle the young guys will be an interesting offseason subplot.Is it time for a free-agent splash? How the Canucks proceed this summer will depend on what happens with the Sedins - and for a team with precious little wiggle room at the moment, the salary relief will be huge. That said, fans shouldn't necessarily expect a major free-agent signing - not with a handful of raises to give out and most of the other big-ticket guys still under contract.The Canucks have holes to fill at all three levels, but the organization will likely look to improve from within and at the draft rather than make it rain in free agency. And while that might come as a bit of a disappointment to fans, Vancouver clearly needs a long-term fix over a band-aid treatment - so there's more pain to come, the kind that can't be remedied through free agency.Can the draft provide immediate help? The short answer here is yes - especially if the Canucks win the Rasmus Dahlin sweepstakes. Dahlin would provide an immediate upgrade to Vancouver's beleaguered blue line, giving them the offensive defenseman they need while allowing them to shuffle out one of their current top four for picks or prospects.Other entries in this series:

James Reimer came to play against a key divisional rival.The Florida Panthers' backup goaltender stopped all 46 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.Florida is now three points behind the New Jersey Devils for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with two games in hand and one more regulation-or-overtime win than the Devils.The Bruins sit comfortably in second place in the Atlantic Division with 96 points and 41 ROW through 69 games.Boston was once again playing without star center Patrice Bergeron and promising rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy, and was also missing veteran blue-liner Zdeno Chara and rookie forward Jake DeBrusk. The latter two were ruled out for Thursday's game as well as Saturday's contest in Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andre Burakovsky wasn't exactly complimentary when asked about the New York Islanders' defensive efforts after a 7-3 win by his Washington Capitals on Thursday night."The Islanders just gave us a lot of room to skate on from the beginning," the Capitals forward told reporters after the lopsided victory, according to The Washington Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan. "I mean, my first three shifts, I was skating around and around and around with the puck and making plays. We didn't really expect that out of them."Burakovsky scored the eventual winner on a deflection early in the second period.The Islanders outshot the Capitals 38-22 and controlled possession by way of a 62.79 to 37.21 advantage in even-strength Corsi For rating, according to Natural Stat Trick.Still, New York's defensive woes have been their downfall all season. The Islanders are allowing an NHL-worst 3.56 goals per game despite ranking ninth in the league with 3.17 goals for per contest.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers are in crisis mode as they've seen their once comfortable hold on a playoff spot start to slide away over the past few weeks.With a 5-3 defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night, the team has now lost seven of its last eight games. As a result, they are now in jeopardy of falling into a wild-card spot and potentially out of a playoff spot altogether.Thursday's loss prompted the club to reportedly hold a team meeting postgame, according to Philly.com's Sam Carchidi.The Flyers currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points - after leading the Metro back on Feb. 26, the game that preceded their current streak. However, they sit tied in points with the Blue Jackets - who occupy the first wild-card spot - but have the tie-breaker with one extra win in regulation or overtime. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils also sit just two points back of the Flyers with a game in hand.It seems that going on long streaks of either wins or losses has been the Flyers' MO all season.

The NHL's hottest team kept it going Thursday night, and Cam Atkinson was a major reason why.He notched the fourth hat trick of his career as the Columbus Blue Jackets slid past the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 in a key Metropolitan Division matchup.Atkinson scored in the first period to give Columbus a 3-1 lead, buried the eventual game-winner that made it 4-2 in the second period, and added an empty-netter with one second left in the third.