Hockey fans in the Northwest will soon be able to secure a chance to witness an inaugural season in Seattle.The group leading the charge to bring an expansion franchise to the city will begin taking deposits on season tickets March 1, Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan announced Tuesday.Prices range from $500 to $1,000, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.After receiving approval from the NHL Board of Governors in December, the Oak View Group, who spearheaded plans to redevelop KeyArena, officially submitted an expansion bid that included a $10-million down payment earlier this month.There has yet to be a verdict on the application.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hold your horses, people. The Ottawa Senators reportedly aren't looking to move Erik Karlsson.Despite rumors swirling in the nation's capital surrounding Karlsson and a potential blockbuster move out of town, TSN's Darren Dreger is reporting the chances of EK being dealt ahead of the deadline are low.Karlsson stirred the pot earlier in the season when he stated he would not be taking any "hometown" discounts during his upcoming contract negotiations, and he would get paid what he was worth, regardless of the team.Senators general manager Pierre Dorion stated last month that he would listen to offers for Karlsson despite not planning to move him, but the latest reports seem to indicate that a deadline move is becoming increasingly unlikely. If Karlsson were to be dealt, it would be more likely to take place in the offseason, according to Dreger.Karlsson took some time to regain his Norris-level play following offseason ankle surgery, but has been rounding into his all-world form over the past 10 games with nine points in over 26 minutes per night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the midst of a career season, Taylor Hall finds himself in an unfamiliar spot: competing for the playoffs.To the surprise of many, Hall's New Jersey Devils started the season red-hot, and have carried the momentum into the stretch run. They currently sit in the East's first wild-card spot with 70 points - six clear of their nearest chaser.The pursuit of a postseason berth is a new feeling for Hall. He spent his first six seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, who couldn't eclipse the 74-point mark during that span. Suffice to say, Hall is enjoying the new experience.

Jarome Iginla has been spotted.The 40-year-old skated alongside the AHL's Providence Bruins at practice Tuesday. Here's the proof, courtesy of Mark Divver of The Providence Journal:

The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a three-year, $12-million contract extension Tuesday, the team announced.Gudbranson was recently mentioned in trade rumors, but re-signed with Vancouver through the 2020-21 season at an annual average cap hit of $4 million.As a 2010 third overall draft pick of the Florida Panthers, Gudbranson has never lived up to the hype associated with being that high of a selection, topping out at 13 points with Florida during the 2014-15 campaign.Across 41 games this season, Gudbranson has two goals and two assists in just under 18 minutes of ice time per night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins acquired defenseman Nick Holden from the New York Rangers on Tuesday in exchange for AHL defenseman Rob O'Gara and a third-round pick in 2018.Holden will bring offensive depth to Boston's back end, as he has 14 goals and 32 assists over the last two seasons for the Rangers.On the other side, New York adds another pick for the 2018 draft along with O'Gara, a 24-year-old who was selected by the Bruins in the fifth round in 2011.O'Gara has no points in 11 career NHL games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shortly after acquiring goaltender Petr Mrazek from the Detroit Red Wings to fill in for the ailing Michal Neuvirth and Brian Elliott, the Philadelphia Flyers were dealt another injury to a key player, as winger Wayne Simmonds will be out two-to-three weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced.Flyers general manager Ron Hextall declared Neuvirth out long-term on Monday, but shed a bit more light on the situation in conjunction with the Simmonds news, declaring the 29-year-old netminder will miss four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury.Simmonds has suited up in all 59 games for the Flyers in 2017-18, recording 20 goals for the fifth consecutive season and adding 17 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks and pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman Erik Gudbranson are on track to finalize a multi-year contract extension this week, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.Gudbranson has been rumored as a potential trade target all season, but Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in January the team would try to extend him before any potential deadline deal.In 41 games this season, Gudbranson, 26, has registered two goals and two assists while logging just under 18 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eeli Tolvanen had three assists and Petri Kontiola scored twice as Finland survived a scare from host South Korea to win 5-2 on Tuesday night to advance to face Canada in the Olympic quarterfinals.Tolvanen, a Nashville Predators prospect, assisted on Finland's first three goals and is the tournament's leading scorer with nine points in four games. Dallas Stars prospect Miro Heiskanen and Juuso Hietanen also scored, Sakari Manninen added an empty-netter and Mikko Heiskanen made 17 saves for Finland.South Korea players carried flags around the ice after the game at their first Olympics. Brock Radunske and Jin Hui Ahn scored the quickest two goals in South Korea hockey history - 2:03 apart in the second period to make it a game.South Korea had been outscored 14-1 in pool play. Canadian-born goaltender Matt Dalton stopped 32 of the 36 shots he faced to keep South Korea in it against Finland.Germany to meet SwedenYannic Seidenberg scored 32 seconds into overtime to give Germany a 2-1 victory over Switzerland in the qualification round Tuesday night, earning a trip to the quarterfinals against top-seeded Sweden.Leonard Pfoderl scored in regulation for Germany, which got 20 saves from goaltender Danny aus den Birken in eliminating Switzerland.Former NHL goaltender Jonas Hiller stopped 23 of 25 shots in net for the Swiss, who got a second-period goal from Simon Moser to tie it. Switzerland couldn't muster much offense against a structured Germany team.Germany next faces Sweden, the only team to go 3-0-0 in pool play. The Swedes are led by former NHL forward Linus Omark and goaltender Viktor Fasth, who stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced in two starts.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Gibson and Ryan Miller teamed up to shut out the NHL's top team Monday night.Gibson exited the game after the second period of the Anaheim Ducks' tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury, prompting Miller to come in for the final 20 minutes. The replacement was perfect, turning away all 20 shots thrown his way as the Ducks prevailed 2-0.

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall pulled the trigger on a necessary trade Monday night.Related: Red Wings trade Mrazek to Flyers for conditional draft picksWith both Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth expected to be out weeks, Hextall did what he could to help aid his club, which currently sits third in the Metropolitan Division, by acquiring netminder Petr Mrazek from the Detroit Red Wings.For Hextall, the move was one his players earned."This is a sign that our players have done a really good job," Hextall said. "They've worked extremely hard. We're in a tough situation - you lose your top two goalies when you're fighting for a playoff spot, and our players have worked hard for a long time now, and I didn't feel like it was fair to not have a proven NHL goaltender for this team. That's the reason we acted. Our focus right now is to make the playoffs, and if we make the playoffs, then we’ll go from there."Mrazek will become a restricted free agent at season's end. And while his age and potential could be intriguing to the Flyers, Hextall admits he has no idea whether the team will re-sign him or not, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier Post.The 26-year-old Mrazek could potentially make his first start with his new team Tuesday when the Flyers host the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ron Hextall desperately needed a goalie.After pulling off a trade with the Detroit Red Wings for Petr Mrazek, the Philadelphia Flyers general manager revealed Michal Neuvirth will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury."Michal’s out long-term," Hextall said. "We’ll let you guys know probably (Monday), try to give a definitive timeline. But it is longer-term, not short-term."Hextall added: "It’s not days, it’s weeks - I know that much."Neuvirth's injury comes with starter Brian Elliott already on the shelf for an extended period of time.Mrazek will now assume starting duties with Alex Lyon serving as backup for the time being.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings have traded goaltender Petr Mrazek to the Philadelphia Flyers for an initial conditional fourth-round pick in 2018, the team announced.The terms of the trade could be greatly improved for Detroit, however. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, if the Flyers make the playoffs and Mrazek wins five regular-season games, the 2018 fourth-round pick becomes a third-round selection. If the Flyers can advance to the conference finals and Mrazek wins six playoff games, that pick would upgrade again to a second-rounder. Separately, if the Flyers re-sign Mrazek next season, Detroit will also get Philadelphia's third-round pick in 2019.

On a point-per-game basis, Brad Marchand is more productive than any player around the NHL not named Nikita Kucherov.The Boston Bruins winger scored the overtime game-winner in Calgary on Monday, giving him 22 goals and 33 assists for 55 points through 44 games. That puts him well down the list of scoring leaders, but a quick look at the points-per-game pacesetters paints a different picture.There, Marchand ranks second only to hockey's current points leader:PlayerGPGoalsAssistsPointsP/GPNikita Kucherov593146771.30Brad Marchand442233551.25Evgeni Malkin573337701.23Nathan MacKinnon502437611.22Connor McDavid582643691.19Altogether, Marchand has missed 13 games for the Bruins this season: six with an upper-body injury, two with a lower-body issue, and five due to suspension.Still, he's on pace for 35 goals and 52 assists, and those 87 points would top last season's career high of 85 recorded in 80 games.Injuries are one thing, but Marchand would be higher up the scoring list had he not been ruled out for that handful of games due to reckless behavior.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno is expected to miss one to two weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh, the team announced.Foligno recorded 13 goals and 13 assists in 59 appearances prior to the injury, and could miss as many as seven games if out for the full two weeks.The Blue Jackets sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division but are only a point out of a wild-card playoff spot.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have banned the fans who made racist remarks toward Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly on Saturday from attending future games."We have contacted the select individuals involved in the incident on Saturday to notify them that they are no longer welcome at our home games," a team spokesperson said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. "Racist comments and other inappropriate behavior are not tolerated by the Chicago Blackhawks."Related: Bettman condemns 'reprehensible' racist taunts toward Smith-PellyAfter dropping the gloves with Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy in the third period of Saturday night's contest, nearby fans uttered chants of "basketball, basketball, basketball" toward Smith-Pelly as he entered the penalty box."Totally unacceptable in our game, in any sport, and in society," head coach Joel Quenneville said, according to Eric Lear of ChicagoBlackhawks.com. "We have to learn from something like that. (It) can't happen. I talked to (Capitals coach Barry Trotz) yesterday, apologized to the organization and the player, Devante. We're sorry about what happened and let's learn from it."

The San Jose Sharks have recalled veteran defenseman Paul Martin from the AHL.Martin has appeared in only three NHL games this season due to injury, and the Sharks placed him on waivers Jan. 15.The 36-year-old is in the third season of a four-year contract that carries a cap hit of $4.85 million. He posted two assists in 18 games while playing for the AHL's San Jose Barracuda this season.Forward Rudolfs Balcers was also recalled Monday, while forwards Joel Ward and Tomas Hertl have been placed on injured reserve. Both of the latter have already missed time due to various injuries.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is showing no signs of slowing down.The Washington Capitals' superstar winger scored during the second period of Monday's game in Buffalo to give him 35 on the season, the most in the NHL to this point.The goal was scored on a net-front deflection, not a typical goal for Ovechkin. It was briefly reviewed for a potential high stick, but was ruled good, allowing him to reach the milestone for the 10th time in his career.Ovechkin is now on pace for 49 goals, and is in line to push for his seventh Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's top goal-scorer.Here's a look at his totals from previous award-winning seasons:

New Jersey Devils rookie center Nico Hischier has been named the NHL's first star of the week, followed by Arizona Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta and Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele.Hischier scored a goal in each of his four games from Feb. 12 to Feb. 18, adding three assists for seven points in four straight wins for the Devils.Here's a look at Hischier's latest goal, scored Sunday against Carolina:

Colorado Avalanche defensemen Erik Johnson and Anton Lindholm are both out indefinitely with upper-body injuries, the team announced.Johnson, arguably the team's top blue-liner, leads the Avalanche in time on ice and ranks second in hits (103) and blocked shots (117). The former No. 1 overall pick by the Blues in 2006 has also chipped in offensively with 22 points.Lindholm has been used in a more limited role. In 43 games, he's collected three points while averaging 13:26 of time on ice.The Avalanche are three points out of a playoff spot, so any significant time missed by their top minute-logger on the back end would provide a serious blow to their postseason aspirations.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year, one-way contract extension, the team announced Monday.The deal comes with a $950,000 average annual value, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.A native of LaSalle, Quebec, Deslauriers has seven goals and three assists in 36 games this season. The 26-year-old spent the previous four seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, accumulating 30 points in 211 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Blue Jackets are getting some reinforcements on the back end.Defenseman Ryan Murray has been recalled from his one-game AHL conditioning stint, the team announced Monday. He hasn't played since Nov. 27 due to an upper-body injury, missing 34 games.Injuries have plagued Murray throughout his career, as he's suited up for just 244 games in five seasons. The 2012 second overall pick has registered just 65 career points.Also joining the big club with Murray is forward Zac Dalpe, while defenseman Dean Kukan has been placed on injured reserve.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AP) One of hockey's most time-honored traditions is in danger of not happening at the Olympics.Officials have told players to fist-bump each other rather than shaking hands to prevent transmission of norovirus, which is highly contagious. U.S. defenseman James Wisniewski's 62-year-old father tested positive for norovirus last week and is one of 49 of 283 confirmed Olympic cases still in quarantine.''It's something that you're like, 'Ah, really how bad can it get?' And then all of a sudden bang, bang - a couple people close to you have it and you don't really know how, you don't know where,'' Wisniewski said Monday. ''You don't want it going through your locker room, that's for sure.''That's why players are taking precautions by fist-bumping instead of shaking hands. It's particularly important for the Russian team because it's customary for them to shake hands with everyone each day.The U.S. men's team definitely isn't shaking hands. Alternate captain Jim Slater even fist-bumps media members before interviews.''It's good,'' Slater said. ''I do it to everybody. Touching hands and stuff, you never know where hands are. Just being cautious.''Women's teams have decided to continue shaking hands, including the U.S. and Finland after their semifinal game Monday. Players know about the warning and decided the meaning behind the postgame ritual outweighs the risks.''That's part of what's special about hockey is the mutual respect and the handshake after,'' U.S. forward Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson said after advancing to the gold-medal game. ''In these tournament settings, it's not prelims anymore, so I think shaking hands ... it's just respect.''International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel is not sure it's necessary for players to stop but figures it's better to be safe than sorry.''You know doctors - one doctor (has a) different opinion, like the lawyers,'' Fasel said. ''That would be a disaster if a good team is just taken out because of that. I feel sorry because this is hockey game and we shake hands at the close of game. (But) If we can help to avoid that there is an infection in the team in a very important moment of the tournament, I think that's a good decision.''Fasel added that he hopes players can have a real handshake in elimination games because it's hockey tradition.U.S. players don't mind skipping this tradition, saying it's not worth the risk.''I'm not concerned about it, but just trying to take every precaution not to get it,'' forward Broc Little said. ''I think the fist-bump's a good idea.''Wisniewski and those around him thought it a good idea to stay away from his father, who is confined to one of two apartments the family is renting in South Korea. Wisniewski said his dad, Jim, started getting sick while waiting for a taxi and had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance.Jim Wisniewski is feeling a bit better now after sleeping almost all day Sunday, but his son isn't taking any chances.''It was pretty bad,'' Wisniewski said. ''I've stayed away from him.''Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded defenseman Michal Kempny to the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2018 third-round pick, Chicago announced Monday.The Blackhawks will receive the higher of the Capitals' two third-round picks. They had their own, plus one that was originally property of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Capitals obtained that pick in the Marcus Johansson trade with the New Jersey Devils, who acquired it from Toronto as compensation for hiring Lou Lamoriello.Kempny, 27, recorded 15 points in 81 total NHL games with the Blackhawks. He has been a bottom-pairing defenseman throughout his career, averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per game, and will likely play a similar role in Washington.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff appears to be a busy man a week before the trade deadline.The Jets have talked to a number of teams with the intention of acquiring a forward, it appears. Rangers veteran Rick Nash, Senators sniper Mike Hoffman, Blackhawks speedster Ryan Hartman, and Oilers forwards Patrick Maroon and Mark Letestu are among the many players the Jets have "kicked tires on," according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Related: Assessing the trade deadline avenues the Jets should exploreThe Jets have a rock solid blue line from Nos. 1 to 6, and have a Vezina Trophy candidate in goal in Connor Hellebuyck. Even with a potent top-six forward group, Cheveldayoff doesn't appear to be shy about adding to one of his team's strength.With a Central Divison-leading 79 points, the Jets are in a prime position to be buyers before next Monday's trade deadline.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

U.S. men's hockey captain Brian Gionta is mulling a return to the NHL upon the conclusion of the PyeongChang Games, according to his agent, Steve Bartlett, who's already had discussions with multiple teams.The forward captained the Buffalo Sabres last season and scored 15 goals, but after they elected not to re-sign him, the 39-year-old rejected offers from other teams in order to play in South Korea.Now, it sounds like Gionta will be available for the stretch run. Here, we determine his best NHL fits:New Jersey Devils This would be a homecoming for Gionta, as he played in more than 500 games for the Devils after they drafted him in 1998. He'd be a good fit with New Jersey's roster that needs more balanced scoring down the depth chart, as it relies almost exclusively on Taylor Hall and Nico Hischier. Gionta also offers veteran experience that would be an asset for a young, up-and-coming Devils team that currently sits in an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. He helped New Jersey win the Stanley Cup in 2003, and a second stint ought to be welcomed 15 years later.Tampa Bay Lightning The highest-scoring team in the NHL doesn't necessarily need Gionta, but it'd still be a mutually beneficial partnership. Gionta would be provided with an opportunity to end his career with another Stanley Cup, while the Lightning would gain another depth forward in pursuit of a title. Plus, with eight forwards under 6-feet tall on Tampa Bay's roster, Gionta's diminutive stature (he stands 5-foot-7) won't be held against him and he could be a stylistic match for the team. If he gets an offer from Steve Yzerman, it may be too good to pass up.Boston Bruins Boston would represent a homecoming in a different way than New Jersey. Gionta starred for Boston College before heading to the NHL, and the Bruins are once again in contention for the Stanley Cup. Gionta has never played outside of the Eastern Conference and it's unlikely he'll want to venture very far away from his family in Buffalo at this stage of his career. He wouldn't be asked to do too much in Boston's offense and offers a familiarity with its division rivals that few other free agents possess.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are among multiple teams "in the mix" for Ottawa Senators forward Derick Brassard, reports Darren Dreger of TSN.The Penguins have failed to address their third-line center void since Nick Bonino left in free agency. Riley Sheahan has filled that role for most of the season, but he provides very little offense.Related: 5 centers the Penguins should target to bolster 3-peat bidBrassard, 30, will be an unrestricted free agent after next season. He has 17 goals and 35 points in 55 games this year and has proven to be a clutch playoff performer, totaling 55 points in 78 career postseason games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner is day to day with an upper-body injury, according to John Vogl of The Buffalo News.In a corresponding move, netminder Linus Ullmark has been recalled from the AHL's Rochester Americans.Lehner is 12-22-8 this season with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. As a pending unrestricted free agent on a non-playoff team, it comes as no surprise his name has surfaced in trade talks.Ullmark, meanwhile, has put together a nice season with Rochester, owning a 2.43 GAA and .924 save percentage. The 24-year-old Swede has a 2.54 GAA and .918 save percentage in 22 career NHL games over the past three seasons.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Detroit Red Wings are engaged in "ongoing discussions" regarding goaltender Petr Mrazek, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Flyers' starting goalie Brian Elliott has been injured for more than a week, and isn't expected back for at least another month following core muscle surgery. To make matters worse, backup netminder Michal Neuvirth left Sunday's game with a lower-body injury.After the Elliott injury, the Red Wings reportedly offered Mrazek to the Flyers for a third-round pick, which was declined, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.Whether that offer still stands is unclear.Mrazek will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. He's gone 8-7-3 this season with a 2.89 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. He's played his best hockey of late, though, posting a .935 save percentage in his last 10 games.Mrazek just turned 26 and has shown flashes of brilliance in his young career, so it's possible he could be more than just a temporary fix for the Flyers.The Flyers are holding onto third place in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points. They're not in the clear yet, though, as the Devils (70 points), Islanders (64), Hurricanes (64), and Blue Jackets (63), are all battling for what appears to be three Eastern Conference postseason spots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the first running of theScore's NHL Rookie Power Rankings, editor Ian McLaren orders the top first-year players from around the league this season - with extra consideration given to their performances this month.10. Mikhail SergachevGPGAPP/PG5-ON-5 CF%57823310.5453.54The Tampa Bay Lightning made a bit of a gamble in trading Jonathan Drouin to Montreal for this young, highly-touted yet unproven defenserman, but Sergachev has fit right in, and sits within the top-25 in scoring among all players at his position.He does rank sixth on the Lightning in terms of average ice time on the blue line, but his production in limited minutes suggests even bigger things to come.9. Danton HeinenGPGAPP/PG5-ON-5 CF%521226380.7355.19The Boston Bruins are exceeding expectations this season based in part on the contributions of several youngsters, with Heinen fitting in well on the third line.He isn't the flashiest rookie, and maybe not even the most talented first-year forward on his team (honorable mention to Jake DeBrusk), but Heinen knows his role, plays it well, and his contributions are proving to be a boon for the Bruins.8. Kyle ConnorGPGAPP/PG5-ON-5 CF%532117380.7247.78Connor's addition to the Jets top six gives Winnipeg head coach Paul Maurice an abundance of offensive threats.The 21-year-old does not look out of place on the top line with Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele, and recently earned praise from the captain.

Wayne Simmonds believes the fans who heckled Devante Smith-Pelly of the Washington Capitals with a racist chant in Chicago on Saturday night shouldn't be allowed to attend another NHL game.On Sunday, the Philadelphia Flyers forward lamented the incident and suggested further punishment for the culprits in a reply to the Capitals' tweet sharing Smith-Pelly's response:

The Winnipeg Jets found themselves in seventh heaven once again Sunday night.Blake Wheeler and Mathieu Perreault poured in three points apiece and Kyle Connor scored twice as the Jets pounded the Florida Panthers 7-2.It was the fifth time this season Winnipeg scored seven goals in a game, and they've now done it in every month since the 2017-18 campaign began:DateOpponentResultScore10/29/2017PITW7-111/27/2017MINW7-212/01/2017VGKW7-401/09/2018@BUFW7-402/18/2018FLAW7-2Amazingly, the Jets have only lost twice in the 29 games this season in which they've scored at least four goals.Winnipeg entered Sunday's action ranked sixth in the NHL with 3.22 goals per game.Patrik Laine, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Bryan Little also scored for the Jets on Sunday night.The win gave Winnipeg a two-point cushion over the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division, although the Predators still hold two games in hand.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Don't count Connor McDavid out of the Art Ross Trophy race.The Edmonton Oilers are languishing near the bottom of the NHL standings, but it's not for a lack of production on the part of their franchise center.McDavid recorded a hat trick in Sunday's win over the Colorado Avalanche, marking his third such feat of the season and his second this month alone.As a result, his 2017-18 totals now stand at 26 goals and 43 assists, good for 69 points and a temporary share of second in the league scoring race.He remains eight points behind Nikita Kucherov, but the Oilers' phenom has recorded 11 goals and four assists through nine games in February, good for a 1.67 point-per-game pace.That's 0.5 points per game higher than his career average, but even if that recent pace falls off a bit, there's reason to believe McDavid could still challenge Kucherov.As it stands, McDavid is on pace for 98 points, two off his league-leading total from last season. Kucherov, however, is tracking toward 107 points of his own, so he'll be tough to catch.But if anyone can make up that ground, it's McDavid, and even on a team destined for yet another lottery draft pick.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An injury suffered by Michal Neuvirth during Sunday's game against the New York Rangers prompted Philadelphia head coach Dave Hakstoll to turn to rookie netminder Alex Lyon.The 25-year-old stopped 25 of 26 shots in two periods of play to earn the win for the Flyers, and with Brian Elliott already on the shelf, he could be in line for full-time duty if Neuvirth is ruled out for any length of time."That could be the case. (Or) maybe they trade for two guys and I’m sent down to (the AHL) tomorrow," Lyon said after the win - his first - according to Sam Carchidi of Philly.com. "In professional hockey, in professional sports in general, you just don’t know."So I’m going to take confidence from that (victory). I’ve said it all along: I’m just taking it one day at a time and working as hard as I can. That’s the best approach."Lyon, who went undrafted after excelling at Yale University, posted a record of 15-8-2 with a .911 save percentage in 26 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly responded to Saturday night's racially charged incident in Chicago when a group of fans were ejected for chanting "basketball" while he sat in the penalty box.Smith-Pelly addressing the media Sunday and acknowledged it's unacceptable for black athletes to be dealing with acts of racism in 2018.

New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood has been suspended two games for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov on Saturday night, the Department of Player Safety announced.Here's the play, which will result in the first suspension of Wood's career.Wood was given two minor penalties on the play. He's eligible to return to the Devils' lineup Feb. 22 versus the Minnesota Wild.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers could be dealing with quite an issue between the pipes, as goaltender Michal Neuvirth left Sunday's game versus the New York Rangers after the first period with a lower-body injury and was unable to return.He was replaced by backup Alex Lyon as Brian Elliott, the Flyers' other starter, is unavailable for five-to-six weeks after undergoing core muscle surgery, the team announced Tuesday.Entering Sunday's game, Neuvirth had posted a record of 8-7-3 with a .919 save percentage in 20 appearances.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers got a little crazy Sunday at Madison Square Garden.In the opening 20 minutes of their matinee at the World's Most Famous Arena, the Metropolitan Division rivals combined for six goals and three fights, starting with unlikely combatants Pavel Buchnevich and Shayne Gostisbehere just 15 seconds after puck drop.The others to drop the mitts were Wayne Simmonds and Tony DeAngelo, then a heavyweight bout between Cody McLeod and Dale Weise.

The NHL has responded after Saturday's incident in Chicago, when Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly was the victim of racist taunts from fans.The league released the following statement Sunday:"Last night in Chicago, individuals directed racial taunts and abuse at Washington Capitals player Devante Smith-Pelly," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. "The National Hockey League condemns this unacceptable and reprehensible behavior. The League fully supports the actions taken by the United Center and the Blackhawks to eject the offenders and would expect the same response to any similarly unacceptable behavior at any of our arenas."While this incident was isolated in nature, no player, coach, official or fan should ever have to endure such abuse at one of our games. The League will take steps to have our clubs remind all stakeholders that they are entitled to enjoy a positive environment - free from unacceptable, inappropriate, disruptive, inconsiderate or unruly behaviors or actions and may not engage in conduct deemed detrimental to that experience."Capitals head coach Barry Trotz and the Blackhawks also addressed the situation following the game.February is "Hockey is for Everyone" month, a movement to help provide social change and offer more inclusiveness across the NHL.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even though their captain may not want to admit it, the Winnipeg Jets have all the pieces to compete for the Stanley Cup this season.The Jets are quick, young, and strong up front, deep on the blue line, and have developed an All-Star netminder who's shown no signs of letting up in his breakout campaign. While Blake Wheeler may want to slow down the hype train until his team actually makes the "f---ing playoffs," the rapidly approaching trade deadline presents Winnipeg with several options to perhaps change his mind.Fighting for the top spot in the Central Division, the Jets, if anything, will look to add to their lineup for the stretch run. How significantly? Well, that remains to be seen, but because he constructed one of the NHL's deepest outfits, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has the unique luxury of being able to choose just how drastically he wants to change his roster with little risk of harming Winnipeg's chances of a deep playoff run.Without further ado, let's explore the avenues the Jets can go down before the NHL's Feb. 26 trade deadline:Option No. 1: Stand patBy far the most boring possibility, but the Jets probably wouldn't be too upset to enter the postseason as is - the return of a healthy Jacob Trouba notwithstanding.Just ask winger Mathieu Perreault."We've got so many guys here right now," Perreault said recently. "With all the injuries, when these guys come back we'll have a boatload of players. So I don't know if we necessarily need to add players to our team."Winnipeg's battle with the Nashville Predators for first in the Central will likely come down to the wire, but even if the Jets miss out on the top seed, a second-place finish will ensure home-ice advantage in the first round. This season at Bell MTS Centre, the Jets are 22-5-2.Additionally, the Jets are 9-6 against divisional opponents, and have gone 24-9-4 versus the West, proving they can hang with any potential postseason adversary.Even after losing Mark Schiefele, Dustin Byfuglien, Trouba, and two backup goaltenders for significant chunks this season, the Jets rank in the top five in goal differential, fifth in power play, and sixth in penalty kill efficiency. This team is as solid as they come right now.Option No. 2: Low-cost tinkeringAnother option for Cheveldayoff is to scan the market for cost-effective rentals to solidify the Jets' depth.Winnipeg obviously has tremendous firepower up front, but to win in the playoffs, teams need contributions throughout the entire lineup. Could a player like Michael Grabner work? He likely wouldn't cost more than a draft pick, and can contribute regular minutes in the bottom six as well as the penalty kill. Not to mention, he leads the Rangers with 25 goals.If the Jets are content with their wingers, upgrading the fourth-line center position and adding a body to play the left side on defense make the most sense.The Jets' fourth-line pivot is Matt Hendricks, and while he probably won't single-handedly win or lose a series, finding an improvement as insurance - perhaps Carolina's Derek Ryan - would be beneficial. Meanwhile, a reliable left-handed shot to fill in behind Josh Morrissey and Tobias Enstrom could round out the Jets' defense corps nicely without too much of a shakeup.Option No. 3: Go for itAlright, now let's have some fun. What if one of the NHL's best teams made a concerted effort to get ... even better?GMs have become somewhat sheepish to go big on rentals ahead of the playoffs at the risk of spending too much only to have the experiment fail, but the Jets have a major advantage in being stocked for both the present and the future.Winnipeg's affiliate - the Manitoba Moose - sit first in the AHL's Western Conference, and have consistently churned out NHL-caliber players, including Kyle Connor, Jack Roslovic, and Nic Petan, all of whom are in the Jets starting lineup. Trading any of these players would sting, but it's at least worth inquiring what they may bring back.Imagine a top-four of Trouba, Morrissey, Byfuglien, and Ryan McDonagh? Or sliding Rick Nash or Derick Brassard into the Jets' rotation of weapons up front? Now we're talking.If the Jets were to swing for the fences, it hardly affects their championship window, as new contracts for restricted free agents Connor Hellebuyck, Morrissey, and Trouba following the season will ensure the team's core is locked in for another crack at the Cup in 2018-19. Furthermore, the Predators are reportedly in the mix for trades, and at the very least will lure super-sniping prospect Eeli Tolvanen from overseas for the playoff push. The Blues are reportedly looking to make a splash as well, so if the Jets' main competitors are pushing hard to improve, shouldn't they try as well?We'll find out soon.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the midst of an unprecedented start to their Olympic bonspiel, the Canadian women's curling team received a surprise call from someone who knows a thing or two about succeeding on the international stage."We were just finishing up our team debrief meeting around midnight, and then Cheryl (Bernard) came into the room with a phone call for (Team Canada skip Rachel Homan), and it was Mike Babcock," Team Canada second Joanne Courtney wrote in a blog post.The Toronto Maple Leafs' current bench boss is a Team Canada alum himself, having coached Canada's men's hockey team to back-to-back golds at the Vancouver games in 2010 and Sochi in 2014.At this point, the Canadian women will take any momentum where they can find it. Homan's rink looked dead on arrival, dropping their first three games in round-robin play before finally breaking into the win column with an 11-3 drubbing of Team USA."... For him to be watching and thinking of us, it was really neat to hear his words and hear that he’s pulling for us," Courtney wrote of Babcock's pep talk. "He just reminded us to keep our heads down, working as hard as we can to get the results we want."Perhaps Babcock should call more often. In their most recent game, the Canadians beat a tough Swiss rink 10-8. The win brought their record to 2-3, resuscitating their medal hopes for the moment.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood will have a hearing for charging and boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov, the Department of Player Safety announced Sunday.Here's the hit, which Wood followed up by bloodying defenseman Andrej Sustr in the ensuing scrum.Wood was given two minor penalties on the play, and to rub salt in Tampa Bay's wound, he later scored the game-winning goal in the third period.The 22-year-old has no previous suspensions.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz was delayed in addressing the media following a 7-1 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago because he was busy attending to an ugly incident revolving around forward Devante Smith-Pelly.After fighting Connor Murphy in the third period and taking a seat in the penalty box, Smith-Pelly was met with chants of "basketball, basketball, basketball" from nearby fans, a Capitals spokesman told Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.When Trotz did come out of the locker room, he had a simple message."There's absolutely no place in the game of hockey or our country for racism," he said, per Tarik El-Bashir of NBC Sports Washington. "I think it's disgusting. There's no place for it. The athletes in our country don't deserve that. It just shows ignorance."Off-ice officials confirmed what happened and four fans were ejected. The Blackhawks later released this statement:

A temporary reprieve or a sign of things to come?The answer didn't seem to matter to the Chicago Blackhawks after a 7-1 win over the Washington Capitals, one that snapped an eight-game losing streak and featured an offensive outburst that captain Jonathan Toews said was "a long time coming," per Mark Lazerus of the Sun Times.The sentiment was shared by head coach Joel Quenneville:

Tuukka Rask's night ended much earlier than expected Saturday.The Boston Bruins goaltender had an uncharacteristically lackluster opening period against the Vancouver Canucks, who scored four times in less than 17 minutes to seal Rask's fate for the evening.Anton Khudobin replaced him to start the second frame, and Canucks forward Nic Dowd scored on him less than three minutes into the period to make it 5-0.Rask made only five saves on nine shots in his 20 minutes of work.Loui Eriksson, Daniel Sedin, Bo Horvat, and Sven Baertschi tallied for the Canucks in the first.Rask had won nine of his last 10 games before Saturday's hiccup.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last season, it was Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary who seemed to come out of nowhere to make a big impact for the Pittsburgh Penguins.Now, it appears it's Zach Aston-Reese's turn.Recently recalled from the AHL, the 23-year-old undrafted forward was placed on a line with Sheary and Sidney Crosby, and has made good on the opportunity with three goals in his past three games, including this one scored Saturday against Toronto:

The Pittsburgh Penguins have turned it up to 11 on home ice.A 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night gave the Penguins their fourth straight win overall, and their 11th consecutive victory at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.That's the longest active home win streak in the NHL, and the fourth time in franchise history that they've won at least 11 in a row in their own building.The Penguins are now two wins shy of the team record, which was accomplished between Nov. 15, 2013 and Jan. 15, 2014.Pittsburgh hasn't lost at home since Jan. 4, when the club was shut out 4-0 by the Carolina Hurricanes.Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust chipped in three points apiece in Saturday night's victory.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood made his presence felt in Tampa Bay on Saturday.First, Wood leveled Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov from behind, and then left defenseman Andrej Sustr with a huge gash in his face after breaking his visor in a retaliatory fight.Wood was assessed two minor penalties, one for boarding and the other for roughing, while both Namestnikov and Sustr skated off to receive medical attention.The pair did return for the third period.Wood could very well be hearing from the NHL Department of Player Safety after this one.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)Cam Talbot is fed up.The Edmonton Oilers netminder didn't mince words after a 1-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday in which Patrick Maroon's late tying goal was wiped out following a coach's challenge for goaltender interference."There's no consistency and I'm fucking sick of it," Talbot said postgame, according to the Edmonton Sun and Edmonton Journal's Rob Tychkowski. "It's fucking ridiculous. You can quote me, they can fine me, I don't give a fuck anymore."Maroon scored to temporarily knot the game at 1-1 with 8:52 left in the third period, but the Coyotes successfully challenged and ultimately hung on for a 1-0 victory.Here's a look at the play in question, on which Maroon makes contact with Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta:

Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. That's the complete list of players to record 900 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins after Malkin recorded a goal and an assist in the first period of Saturday's game against Toronto.The milestone point came on a goal scored on Frederik Andersen: