The Edmonton Oilers signed college free-agent forward Colin Larkin to a one-year, entry-level contract Monday.

The Boston Bruins will likely be without their talented starting goaltender for yet another game.Tuukka Rask is nursing a minor injury and it "doesn't look like he'll be able" to play Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters Monday.The coach said it appears unlikely Rask will be ready in time for the contest because he hasn't skated for three days now, and the netminder "probably wants to get in a little work before he goes back in" the crease.Rask was a late scratch Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens with what Cassidy deemed a "very minor injury" at the time, according to WEEI's Ty Anderson.The 30-year-old has a .919 save percentage and a record of 26-11-4 in 42 games this season, but has struggled lately, going 4-3-0 with an .888 save percentage in his last seven contests.After Tuesday night's home date with the Red Wings, the Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday and then take on the Chicago Blackhawks in Boston on Saturday, in the first game of a weekend home-and-home back-to-back.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon doesn't seem to be showing any rust from a recent injury spell.The Colorado Avalanche forward has tallied 11 points in his past four games, including a five-point outing against the Minnesota Wild. On Monday, he was recognized as the NHL's first star of the week.Winnipeg Jets superstar Patrik Laine is the NHL's second star of the week after he notched seven points in three games, including back-to-back multi-goal efforts over the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes.Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers, who have made a late surge toward a playoff position, can credit NHL's third star of the week Aleksander Barkov for their recent performance. The forward has collected five goals and an assist in his last four appearances. Barkov leads the Panthers in scoring with 64 points in 62 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are riding hot streaks from two of their most talented forwards, but the stellar play of their elder statesman has been the most impressive element of their late-season rise.Roberto Luongo has been rock-solid in goal both before and after returning from injury less than two weeks ago, and while the 38-year-old has been limited to only 22 games, he's playing at a level he hasn't reached since he authored one of his best campaigns more than a decade ago.Sure, there have been other factors that help explain why the Panthers are on a six-game win streak and have been one of the league's best teams over the last five or six weeks.Aleksander Barkov has five goals in the last four games and seven in his last nine, and Evgenii Dadonov has scored a handful of goals in the last five contests and nine in the last 11.But Luongo, who turns 39 in just over four weeks' time, has been channeling his prime both before and after getting hurt, and his level of play at his advanced age has been the biggest - and perhaps most unlikely - reason the Panthers are now pushing for a playoff spot.The veteran netminder started strong with a .928 save percentage in his first 15 games, and since coming back on Feb. 22, he's put up a .935 mark in seven games and has allowed just over two goals per contest while earning wins in five of Florida's six consecutive victories.His performance so far in 2017-18 brings back memories of the 2003-04 season, when he posted a career-best .931 save percentage in 73 contests for the Panthers and finished third in Vezina Trophy voting for the first of three times in his career.Yes, the sample size is much smaller this time around, but Luongo's efforts have helped Florida climb within a single point of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with three games in hand on the Columbus Blue Jackets.Luongo has been plagued by injuries in the latter part of his career, but he's proving now that he's still capable of high-level play when healthy. It's no fluke that the Panthers' recent roll has coincided with one of his own.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Mason rejoined the Winnipeg Jets on Monday following a two-day conditioning stint in the American Hockey League.The veteran netminder was assigned to the Manitoba Moose on Saturday, with the intention of getting him back into game action after he missed nearly two months with a concussion.Mason appeared in Saturday's contest between the Moose and Iowa Wild, and came out on the winning end of a 5-4 affair in which he made 18 saves. It marked his first AHL contest since the 2008-09 campaign.With Mason sidelined, the Jets turned to farmhand Michael Hutchinson, who posted a .933 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average across two games. Hutchinson was assigned to the Moose on Monday.Mason hasn't suited up for the Jets since a 7-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 9.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hits keep coming for the Montreal Canadiens, as the team announced Monday that captain Max Pacioretty will miss four-to-six weeks with a knee injury.Pacioretty sustained the injury Friday against the New York Islanders. He left midway through the second period and did not return.Given the time frame, Pacioretty could be sidelined for the remainder of the season. The Canadiens sit 10 points back of a playoff spot, with their final regular-season game scheduled for Apr. 7.Through 64 appearances in 2017-18, Pacioretty has recorded 17 goals and 20 assists. His 37 points rank third on the team.Pacioretty's injury is just the latest blow for the Canadiens, who already lost blue-liner Shea Weber for the remainder of the season following foot surgery, while star netminder Carey Price is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion.On Monday, Montreal also announced that rookie defensemen Victor Mete will miss six weeks after fracturing his finger versus the Islanders.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a hip injury, the team announced Monday, while adding that he'll be sidelined for four-to-six months.It's been an injury-riddled campaign for Bouwmeester, who also sat out the first 21 games with a broken ankle. He then missed a nine-game stretch in December with an undisclosed injury.In 35 games this season, Bouwmeester netted two goals and five assists. He ranks fourth among St. Louis' blue-liners with 20:08 of ice time per game.

For the last two months, Taylor Hall's been a one-man wrecking crew for the New Jersey Devils.Dating back to early January, the 26-year-old has enjoyed the best stretch of his professional career, earning at least one point in 25 consecutive appearances. Only seven other players have accomplished that in the past 30 years.After recording a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Hall sits 11th in league scoring with 72 points in 61 games - a 96-point pace over a full NHL schedule.His surge has single-handedly kept the Devils in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and could make the Hart Trophy conversation a lot more interesting should he maintain such a torrid clip. With that said, Hall's incredible run - no matter where it may end - deserves its fair-share of recognition, and below, we'll dive into the numbers behind one of the most prolific individual streaks over the last three decades.36: The number of points Hall's accrued over the streak, divided perfectly with 18 goals and 18 assists.25: Primary points. (Goals or first assists).1: The amount of players Hall trails in league scoring since the streak started Jan. 2. Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin leads the pack with 43.20:03: Hall's average ice-time in the last 25 contests, which ranks 20th among all NHL forwards.3: Game-winning goals, including two in overtime.100: Shots on goal, tied with Alex Ovechkin for second-most over that span.(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)13: Power play points.53.08: Hall's 5-on-5 Corsi-for percentage.10: Multi-point performances.31: The gap between Hall and the Devils No. 2 scorer, Nico Hischier.12: The Devils even-strength goal differential with Hall on the ice over the past 25 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a stellar rookie season in which he scored an impressive 36 goals in 73 games, many around the NHL expected Winnipeg Jets super sniper Patrik Laine to light it up this campaign.Four goals in his first 11 games had fans and coaches in Winnipeg nervously awaiting a breakout from their franchise cornerstone piece, but thankfully for Jets supporters, Laine has recaptured his All-Star-level form over the last couple months.

Don't look now, but the Florida Panthers are closing in on an Eastern Conference playoff spot.Despite losing seven of nine games heading into the All-Star break, Florida finds itself in serious contention for one of the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots, winning six in a row and 13 of 16 since the break.

Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi has a separated shoulder that will likely cost him the rest of his season, head coach Travis Green confirmed Sunday.Baertschi was injured Friday night during Vancouver's contest against the Nashville Predators when he took a hard hit from Nashville rearguard Alexei Emelin. He left the game and did not return.The injury is the latest setback for the struggling Baertschi, who already missed significant time this year with a fractured jaw.Through 53 games, he registered 14 goals and 15 assists in 15:36 of ice time per night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

About a month remains in the regular season, and with the playoffs now just around the corner, it's not too soon to daydream about tantalizing potential matchups.With that in mind, here are three playoff series we're dying to take in this spring:Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida PanthersYou've heard of the Battle of Alberta, but how about the Battle of the Sunshine State?The red-hot Panthers have surged in recent weeks, and sit just one point outside of a playoff position entering Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers. If the team can keep up its recent play, it should secure the East's second wild card for an opening-round date with the cross-state Lightning.The two sides have never met in the playoffs - the Panthers have made the postseason only once in the past five years, and just twice in the last 16 seasons. But these aren't your same old Cats.Since Feb. 1, Florida has accumulated 22 points, good for the NHL's fourth-best total over that stretch, and is essentially neck and neck with a Tampa Bay squad that has posted an 11-4-1 showing over its past 16 games. The Lightning will enter the playoffs as a favorite to win the Stanley Cup - their second since 2004 - but momentum means a lot in the spring, and the Panthers have no shortage in recent weeks.Throw in exciting talents like Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, and the ever underrated Aleksander Barkov, and Florida won't make life easy for the Bolts.Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsRivalries are made in the playoffs, and the Flyers and Penguins already have a great one. Arguably the NHL's best.Who wouldn't want to see a repeat of 2012, when the Flyers and Penguins last connected in the postseason? That wild opening-round series served up some silly results - the Flyers took Games 2 and 3 by 8-5 and 8-4 scores - before the Pittsburgh hammered Philly 10-3 in Philadelphia in Game 4.These two sides share significant hostility toward one another. Going back to 2012, Game 3 served 158 minutes in penalties, including seven misconducts, and the following game also reached triple-digit PIMs.After a slow start this season - the Penguins were outside of the playoff picture at the beginning of January - the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are back to their old selves and look poised to capture a third straight title.Much like in Pittsburgh, it's been a roller-coaster year in Philadelphia, one that included an 10-game winless streak near the end of 2017 that left fans calling for coach Dave Hakstol's dismissal, followed by a 10-1-2 showing to close out February.Nashville Predators vs. Winnipeg JetsShifting to the West, hockey fans were treated Tuesday to what might ultimately become a battle of the titans. The Jets and Predators traded chances in a wild 6-5 Nashville win that proved to be one of the best games of the season.Unfortunately, the two squads are unlikely to link up until at least the second round. Should that happen, prepare for a fun series, as the Jets and Preds play some of the NHL's most exciting brands of hockey, and have the offensive chops to prove it, with both clubs sitting in the top seven in goals scored.Both sides are loaded with talent, and the argument could be made that both are strong contenders to win it all. The Predators proved as much a year ago when they pushed the Penguins to Game 6 of the finals, and they're even better this time around.Meanwhile, the Jets offer a perfect balance of young skill in Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers mixed with talented vets in Blake Wheeler and Dustin Byfuglien. The team also bulked up for a long run this spring by acquiring center Paul Stastny at the deadline.The Predators put on a show en route to last year's Stanley Cup Final with raucous affairs at Bridgestone Arena, and a similar fan atmosphere is sure to show up in Winnipeg as the franchise remains in pursuit of its first playoff win.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Eichel is back on the ice.The Buffalo Sabres center resumed skating Saturday, his first time back on the ice since suffering a high ankle sprain last month.While there is no timetable for his return, Sabres coach Phil Housley told Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News that Eichel is itching to play again this season."You don't want to put any timeline on it but it's good to see him skating and that's a step in the right direction," Housley said. "Obviously, he wants to play some games before the end of the year."Eichel has been sidelined for past 10 games but remains first in team scoring with 53 points.The Mass. native missed 21 games last season due to a similar injury.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Given the success of Saturday's Stadium Series contest between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals at the United States Naval Academy, it's understandable why the NHL hopes to host more games at American service academies in the future."It's unique and as we continue to move forward with the outdoor games, you look for new concepts and new themes and new things that'll interest the fans," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said, according to the Associated Press."Certainly the hope is, with a successful game (at Navy), we'll continue the venture with the Army and the Air Force and we'll see where we go from there."Army's West Point in New York and the Air Force Academy in Colorado could be possible sites for future games.At least two teams have major ties to the U.S. military - the Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights, as ownership of the two clubs hold significant armed forces backgrounds. Either team could be a good fit for an outdoor game.Saturday's contest at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. marked the NHL's 24th foray outdoors.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals took the Toronto Maple Leafs to school Saturday night.The Capitals steamrolled the Maple Leafs 5-2 in a Stadium Series game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium and, to Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, his team sure didn't look its age.Related: Capitals remain undefeated in outdoor games with win over Maple Leafs"They look at us and they still think we're kids," Babcock said. "It looked like we were kids here tonight. I thought they smacked us around and forechecked us. I didn't think we executed at all, I didn't think we played fast."The Maple Leafs' dismal display means the team will practice tomorrow in Buffalo despite a late flight, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.Related: Capitals score 5 goals to chase Maple Leafs' Andersen"Obviously, we've got to regroup," said Babcock. "We'll be practicing tomorrow. The work we didn't put in today we'll be putting in tomorrow and get back on track here."The Maple Leafs face the Sabres on Monday, when they'll look to halt a three-game losing streak.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Though the actual Stadium Series game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals lacked the excitement and intensity many expected, the sights didn't disappoint.Here are the top 10 photos from their matchup at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium:Who doesn't love fireworks?The Leafs' uniforms were very ... white:(Photo courtesy: Action Images)John Carlson was pumped following his 12th goal of the season, which gave the Caps a 4-2 lead from which they'd never look back:A Blue Angels plane located outside Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium:(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Alex Ovechkin normally shines under the spotlight, and Saturday was no different, as he scored his 40th goal of the season (598th of his career):An action shot of a reaction to Ovechkin's goal, probably:James van Riemsdyk has played in five outdoor games, tied for the most in league history, per NHL Public Relations:A midgame power outage made for a great photo op:The Canadian contingent was strong in Annapolis, Md:A wide-angle view of the stadium:(Photos courtesy: Getty Images, unless otherwise noted)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals might want to consider playing outdoors permanently.With a commanding 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Saturday night's Stadium Series game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the Capitals improved to 3-0-0 all time in outdoor games.Saturday's game was the Capitals' first outdoor contest since the 2015 Winter Classic, where they topped the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 at Nationals Park in Washington.In their only other outdoor game, the Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.As for the Maple Leafs, the loss on Saturday was their first in an outdoor game after two wins against the Detroit Red Wings during the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium and last season at the Centennial Classic at BMO Field in Toronto.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With five goals on 25 shots Saturday, the Washington Capitals forced the Toronto Maple Leafs to mercilessly pull goaltender Frederik Andersen.The Capitals took a 3-1 lead in the first period, but the Maple Leafs got to within a goal early in the second on a seeing-eye shot from Nazem Kadri. However, the Capitals answered back with tallies from John Carlson and Jakub Vrana for a 5-2 advantage, after which Andersen was pulled in favor for Curtis McElhinney.It marked the first time Andersen has been pulled from a game this season, outside of an injury, according to TSN's Mark Masters.Offensively, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Carlson each contributed three points, tied for the most in an outdoor game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's no secret Alex Ovechkin is one of the greatest goal-scorers in NHL history. It seems every goal he scores continues to prove how special he truly is.Ovechkin notched his 40th goal of the season in the first period of the outdoor game against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday, becoming just the sixth player in NHL history with at least nine 40-goal seasons, per NHL Public Relations.Player40-goal seasonsWayne Gretzky12Marcel Dionne10Mario Lemieux10Alex Ovechkin9Mike Bossy9Mike Gartner9To make this feat all the more impressive, Ovechkin has done it while playing in one of the lowest-scoring eras in league history.Moreover, the tally was Ovechkin's 598th of his career. With two more goals, he will be just the 20th player in NHL history to join the 600-goal club.Ovechkin's goal also marked the seventh time in his career where he was the first player in the NHL to reach 40 goals in a season, passing Phil Esposito and Bobby Hull for the most in league history, per ESPN.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy left Saturday's game in the first period against the Montreal Canadiens with a lower-body injury and is not likely to return, the team announced.McAvoy left the game just 37 seconds in after appearing to be tripped by Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher."It's a lower-body injury ... team is off tomorrow, we'll have a better idea on Monday," head coach Bruce Cassidy said postgame. "Hopefully it's not serious."An injury of any severity would be a big blow to the Bruins as the 20-year-old sits second in team scoring among defensemen with 32 points in 58 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steven Stamkos was red hot Saturday, as the Tampa Bay Lightning captain picked up a career-high five points in a 7-6 shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers.Stamkos wasn't the only member of the Lightning with the hot stick, either.Linemate Nikita Kucherov, who returned to the lineup after a two-game absence, tallied three assists, including a perfect set up on a two-on-one break with Stamkos that fooled Flyers netminder Petr Mrazek.Stamkos then added to his afternoon by sealing the shootout winner.Tampa Bay blue-liner Victor Hedman also notched four points.The Lightning's next game comes Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dan Carcillo isn't happy with Gary Bettman's claim that the NHL is making an effort to address traumatic brain injuries.The former pugilist criticized the commissioner for remarks he made when Sportsnet 960's Rob Kerr asked Bettman about concussions and the league's apparent lack of progress in addressing them.

Wind or no wind, the show will go on as scheduled.Saturday night's Stadium Series game between the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., will begin at the original start time of 8 p.m. ET, the NHL confirmed in the afternoon.There's been some concern about windy conditions there this week. Friday's practices that were originally intended to be outdoors were moved inside and to other locations, and neither team took part in a morning skate on the open-air ice surface Saturday.Winds gusted up to 80 mph Friday, but conditions improved significantly Saturday afternoon.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is ready to go.The Edmonton Oilers forward is set to return to the lineup Saturday against the New York Rangers after missing 18 games with an upper-body injury, he confirmed to David Amber of Hockey Night in Canada.

Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty has returned to Montreal for further evaluation after he sustained a lower-body injury against the New York Islanders on Friday.The injury will keep Pacioretty out of the lineup for Saturday's contest against the Boston Bruins. It will mark the first game he has missed this season.Pacioretty has recorded 17 goals and 20 assists in 64 games.Also headed back to Montreal for evaluation is rookie defenseman Victor Mete, who injured his hand Friday.Mete has tallied seven points in 49 games this year. He was also a key contributor in Canada's gold medal win at the world juniors.No timetable has been announced on when either will return to the lineup.The Canadiens sit third-last in the Eastern Conference with a 25-29-10 record in 64 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikita Kucherov is in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.The Tampa Bay Lightning superstar missed two games after suffering an injury his club would only classify as an "upper-body" ailment against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.Kucherov is the NHL's points leader with 82 in 63 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Mason is ready to return to game action and will get a chance to get back up to speed with a conditioning assignment with the AHL's Manitoba Moose.The Winnipeg Jets netminder has been sidelined for the past 20 games due to a concussion. His last appearance came Jan. 9 against the Buffalo Sabres. It was the second head injury Mason has suffered this season.No timetable has been announced on when Mason will rejoin the Jets, but conditioning assignments are only permissible for a maximum of two weeks.Mason has posted a 3-6-1 record with a .897 save percentage in 11 games this season. He has not suited up for an AHL contest since 2008-09 when he appeared in three games with the Syracuse Crunch.The 29-year-old is under contract through 2018-19, carrying a $4.1-million cap hit.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers aren't playing for much anymore, but Henrik Lundqvist clearly hasn't given up on the season.He made 50 saves on Friday night in a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames, becoming only the third goaltender in NHL history to make that many stops in consecutive appearances since shots on goal became an official statistic in 1955-56.Legendary netminder Gump Worsley accomplished the feat with the Rangers in 1963 and Al Rollins did it with the Chicago Black Hawks in 1955.Lundqvist also made 50 saves (albeit while allowing five goals) in a 6-5 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators forward Ryan Johansen was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for spearing Vancouver Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson between the legs Friday night.Here's a look at the incident:

Don't look now, but the Florida Panthers are red hot and closing in on the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.With their 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres Friday night, the Panthers have won five straight games and are now 12-3-0 since the All-Star break, putting them in an enviable position among those fighting for a spot in the postseason.WildcardGPPTSROWDevils657429Hurricanes656926Blue Jackets656926Panthers626829The Panthers are now just one point behind both the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes with three games in hand, and with the ROW (regulation plus overtime wins) tiebreaker in their back pocket.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty left Friday's game against the New York Islanders with a lower-body injury and did not return.Pacioretty fell awkwardly in the offensive zone during the second period and was seen soon after walking down the tunnel to the locker room. It was later announced he would not return.This season has been a huge disappointment for both the Canadiens and Pacioretty, as the team is languishing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and the captain has only 37 points in 64 games.Unfortunately for Montreal fans, the bad injury news didn't stop there, as defenseman Victor Mete was also hurt and did not return.Head coach Claude Julien told reporters postgame that Mete suffered a hand injury and will be sent back to Montreal tomorrow once the team arrives in Boston. As for Patches, his injury is considered less serious and will be re-evaluated on Monday, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Calgary judge has dismissed a $10.25-million lawsuit against former Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman, TSN's Rick Westhead reports.The suit, filed by NHL referee Don Henderson, came in response to an on-ice incident in January 2016 when Wideman hit Henderson from behind:Wideman was suspended 20 games as a result of the incident. An appeal later reduced it to a 10-game ban.By the time the appeal was announced, Wideman had served 19 games, and was subsequently compensated for the lost games.Henderson has not officiated since the incident, while his suit claims he now suffers from a host of neck, back, and shoulder injuries, in addition to headaches, anxiety, and depression. Henderson was concussed on the play.According to Westhead, the judge ruled that the case should be dealt with by an NHL arbitrator.Wideman, 34, is an unrestricted free agent.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He's back.Mike Fisher will make his season debut with the Nashville Predators on Friday, just seven months after he had announced his retirement.The former Predators captain called it quits after the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final last season.In late January, Fisher announced his comeback. He officially signed with the team prior to the Feb. 26 trade deadline, a move that keeps him under contract for the remainder of the season.Fisher, 37, tallied 42 points in 72 games with Nashville last season.As for the Predators, the team has won six games in a row, and will look to make it seven against Vancouver.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL season has entered the stretch drive.With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the schedule has reached its most critical point, as teams in both conferences claw for final playoff positions.Here's how the coming schedule breaks down for 10 teams on the bubble:Eastern ConferenceColumbus Blue Jackets (32-27-5, 69 Points)Games remaining: 18vs. Divisionvs. Eastvs. Westvs. CARvs. FLAvs. NYI399010Series records:

Gary Bettman made it clear he wasn't trying to directly threaten the Calgary Flames on Friday, but he continued to insist the club's apparent financial woes are only getting worse.The NHL commissioner once again said during a visit to Calgary that he believes the Flames require a new arena above all else, even though neither the team nor the city has shown a desire to resume negotiations."I'm not here to issue any threats," Bettman said, via TSN. "It's clear that this is the oldest building in the league. It's clear that the team needs a new building. Calgary's a great market, (there are) great fans here, but the building is as important a factor as anything else."The Flames will remain at the Scotiabank Saddledome, which is indeed the NHL's oldest unrenovated building, for the foreseeable future after the team decided to stop pursuing a new arena last September.Nothing has apparently changed on that front."We completely concur with the position that the Flames have assumed because I don't see any point either in there being any talks," Bettman said.The commissioner also reiterated a familiar refrain that Calgary was once a team with a surplus of revenue but is now a revenue-sharing recipient."(It) used to write a cheque for revenue sharing, but for the last couple of years, they have been receiving cheques," he said. "The cheques are getting bigger, which means the situation financially continues to deteriorate, and that will affect ultimately the competitiveness of the organization, but they have said they're going to do the best they can for as long as they can."Both the club and the city traded barbs last year over the various proposals made during the discussions, which ended after months of negotiating both privately and through the media.In September, Bettman said, "At some point, I envision without a new building there will be consequences that everybody is going to have to deal with."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock doesn't even want to think about the possibility that the Stadium Series game between his Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals might be jeopardized by the weather."(On Saturday,) we're gonna get up, there's going to be no wind and we're going to have a good game (Saturday) night. That's just the way it's gonna be," the Leafs head coach told reporters Friday, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel."These things have a way of working themselves out," Babcock added, via Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.On Thursday afternoon, both the Capitals and Maple Leafs cancelled their Friday outdoor practices originally scheduled for the ice surface at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., opting to move them indoors.The high winds did indeed arrive Friday, gusting up to 80 mph, per TSN's Kristen Shilton.

Shayne Gostisbehere is giving his alma mater a special opportunity in the wake of a tragedy.The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman has invited the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School hockey team to Sunday's game between the Flyers and the Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., according to Sam Donnellon of the Philadelphia Inquirer.Gostisbehere has been impressed by his alma mater's hockey team, which upset a pair of higher seeds to win the state championship last weekend, less than two weeks after a gunman killed 17 people in the Parkland, Fla. school.Related - Luongo gives powerful pregame speech on Parkland shooting: 'Enough is enough'“The way they handled themselves was pretty cool to see,’’ Gostisbehere said before Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. “Obviously the circumstances were a little rough. And what they did with their medals, bringing (them) to the school for the memorial, was pretty cool. They handled themselves like adults. It was pretty cool to see.’’He said he's also been impressed by how the students have made their voices heard on the issue of gun control."It’s cool to watch these guys stand up for what they truly believe. Obviously, they want some change. It’s cool to see how some of the kids who survived are coming through it and … handling themselves as young adults.’’Gostisbehere spent two years as a student at Marjory Stoneman before transferring to South Kent, Conn. He'll return home Sunday for the first time since the tragedy.On the day after the shooting, Gostisbehere - from nearby Pembroke Pines, Fla. - lamented the tragedy, told reporters that he lived 10 minutes from the school, and said his grandparents still live about a mile away.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators' comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday gave Predators architect and general manager David Poile his 1,320th regular-season win, moving him into first on the all-time regular-season wins list for GMs.

If you weren't lucky enough to be tuned into the Eastern Conference heavyweight clash between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins on Thursday night, you missed quite the first period.It certainly wasn't a night for the goaltenders, as the Pens and Bs combined for a ridiculous eight goals before the first intermission.Boston notched an impressive five goals and got two-point periods from newly acquired forward Rick Nash (goal and assist), as well as David Pastrnak (goal and assist), Torey Krug (goal and assist), and Riley Nash (two assists), chasing Pittsburgh start Casey DeSmith after three goals on five shots. DeSmith was replaced by Tristan Jarry, who promptly allowed two goals on the next nine shots.Here's a look at Boston's first goal:

The Los Angeles Kings have signed 2017 first-round draft pick Gabe Vilardi to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Thursday.Vilardi was drafted 11th overall after posting 61 points in 49 games with the Memorial Cup champion Windsor Spitfires in 2016-17.In 23 OHL contests this season, the 6-foot-3 pivot has registered 14 goals and 29 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk shed some light on his future plans for the organization in a letter sent to its fans Thursday."This has been a disappointing season for our team," Melnyk said in the letter, per Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun. "Our place in the standings speaks for itself. Trust me, no one is more aware of this - and more frustrated by it - than I am."The Senators sit 29th in the league and have endured a difficult season that began with the optimism of building off last season's run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final."Enduring a tough year has given us a chance for clear-eyed evaluation," Melnyk said. "This is an ongoing process, but I can tell you one thing: We are not looking to tweak our lineup, nor mortgage our future for stop-gap solutions.""As a team, we need to get younger, faster, and more skilled."Ottawa has undergone plenty of roster change over the course of the season, acquiring Matt Duchene for Kyle Turris and shipping off Derick Brassard at the trade deadline, while holding off on a potential Erik Karlsson deal that had the hockey world on the edge of its seat.Melnyk made it clear he wants to shift the focus to his club's future, including developing a downtown arena at LeBreton Flats and making the Senators competitive once again."On a personal level, let me repeat that I have every intention of rebuilding the Senators to become the finest team in the NHL and bringing a Stanley Cup to Ottawa."Melnyk's entire message can be read here.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks will be without forward Loui Eriksson for the remainder of the season as he deals with a fractured rib, head coach Travis Green announced Thursday.Eriksson has only suited up in 50 games in 2017-18, in which he's recorded 10 goals and 13 assists. He also missed four weeks from mid-October because of a knee sprain.The 32-year-old is in the second season of a six-year, $36-million contract he signed with the Canucks in 2016.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tim Leiweke says hockey fans in Seattle made a big-time statement Thursday.The CEO of Oak View Group, which is overseeing the renovation of KeyArena, implied as much to Sportsnet's Irfaan Gaffar after fans made 10,000 season-ticket deposits in the first 12 minutes of the ticket drive and 25,000 overall on Thursday."Congratulations to Seattle. The fans have spoken, and now we'll go through the process with (NHL) Commissioner (Gary) Bettman to hit the other milestones that we need to hit and hopefully by June (we'll) be able to deliver a team to this town, because I think today they proved they want it and they're worthy of it, "Leiweke said.The longtime sports executive admitted he was surprised by how quickly the goal of 10,000 was met after the season-ticket drive opened at 10 a.m. PST."I'm shocked ... 12 minutes, that's pretty amazing. It shows you the pent-up demand for hockey in the Northwest," Leiweke said, before adding that he really shouldn't have been too shocked considering the rapid growth of the Seattle market."We have 35 million people that are part of our base here, and so we're really excited about the ability to (possibly) be the regional team, but I think it also shows you how quickly Seattle's (growing)," he said."It's the fastest growing city in North America. When you drive around this city and you see the cranes, I don't think you should be surprised and shocked. It's an amazing place, it's an amazing city, and it has an amazing future in front of it, and we couldn't be prouder to be a part of it."Leiweke also expressed pride in Seattle's hockey fans, specifically."(I'm) really proud of the marketplace. What a resounding message they (sent) back to the other 31 (team) owners and to Commissioner Bettman, but now the exciting part gets to start."The prospective Seattle ownership group, which also includes renowned Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer and investment company billionaire David Bonderman, submitted its formal NHL expansion application last month.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks signed forward Kole Lind to a three-year, entry-level contract Thursday, the team announced.The 19-year-old was taken in the second round - 33rd overall - in last June's draft. He recently amassed a 20-game point streak with the WHL's Kelowna Rockets between Dec. 9 and Feb. 2, wherein he tallied 15 goals and 38 points."Kole has had an outstanding season in Kelowna despite missing games due to illness and injury," general manager Jim Benning said in a release. "We've been impressed not only with his high-end offensive skill but also in the way he battles, sees the ice and makes plays in the defensive end. We're excited for him to continue his development and provide further forward depth for our organization."Lind leads the Rockets in scoring with with 35 goals and 85 points in 51 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seattle appears to be hungry for hockey.The city's potential NHL team owners sold 10,000 season tickets in the first 12 minutes and sat at 25,000 total tickets sold about an hour into their ticket drive Thursday.Seattle's investors include Oak View Group, led by former Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke, as well as legendary Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer and investment company billionaire David Bonderman.They began their season-ticket push at 10 a.m. PST, or 1 p.m. ET.

The NHL is taking notice of what Eric Staal is doing at age 33.The Minnesota Wild forward was named the league's first star of the month for February on Thursday after piling up 13 goals and 21 points in 13 games and notching at least a point in 11 of those contests.Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was named February's second star after scoring 10 goals and racking up 21 points in 12 games.Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights earned third-star honors with eight goals and 20 points in 14 contests.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.