The Montreal Canadiens' second-half climb into playoff relevancy will have to be done without the services of super-pest Andrew Shaw, as the chippy forward will be sidelined for the next four-to-six weeks.Shaw hasn't played since being injured Jan. 13 against the Boston Bruins and was subsequently placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.Through 43 games prior to getting hurt, Shaw registered 10 goals and nine assists along with a Corsi For percentage of 52.17.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One of the most prolific careers in NHL history looks to have come to an underwhelming end, as the Calgary Flames officially assigned Jaromir Jagr to HC Kladno of the Czech League, where he'll resume his professional career after clearing waivers.Jagr ranks second to only Wayne Gretzky in career points (1,914) and third behind Gordie Howe and Mark Messier in games played (1,733). While he could still technically revive his NHL career at some point down the road, all signs point to this being the final act of a wildly eventful journey for No. 68 in the league.The Flames were Jagr's ninth NHL team, and while it definitely wasn't his most memorable stop, his name still generated buzz everywhere he went, and inspired legions of fans to come out and watch. So, without further ado, let's look back at each of Jagr's tenures and rank them accordingly:9. Dallas Stars (2012-13)GPGA341412Jagr's first stop in the Western Conference was individually productive, as he notched 26 points in 34 games in the lockout-shortened season. But the Stars weren't a particularly great team at that point, and the luster quickly fizzled as he was traded to the Boston Bruins for the stretch run and playoffs.8. Calgary Flames (2017-18) GPGA2216Though even shorter than his time in Dallas, the excitement of Jagr landing a contract after an offseason of questions about whether he'd get one bumps his only stint in Canada ahead of his time in Texas. It certainly didn't end the way the hockey world had hoped, but it was fun while it lasted.7. Boston Bruins (2012-13)GPGA1127As mentioned, the Stars weren't very good in 2012-13, but boy, the Bruins were. Jagr joined a Boston team ripe with depth and went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. In 22 postseason games, he recorded 10 assists but failed to score, which somewhat soured a playoff run that fell just barely - and excruciatingly - short of a championship.6. New Jersey Devils (2013-15)GPGA1393561While coping with the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk, the Devils signed Jagr to a one-year deal after his time in Boston. New Jersey didn't do much with Jagr in the fold, but at least he was there for an entire season. Plus, he scored his 700th carer goal and played in his 1,500th game while with the club.5. Philadelphia Flyers (2011-12)GPGA731935After a three-year break in the KHL, Jagr provoked the imagination of all NHL fan bases by deciding to come back to North America. Pittsburgh fans dreamed he would don Penguins colors once more, but Jagr went full villain by signing a one-year contract with the archrival Flyers. Though it was ultimately a fruitless endeavor, the excitement of it all bumps this tenure ahead of his other brief stops.4. Florida Panthers (2015-17) GPGA1414881The Devils dealt Jagr to the Panthers in February 2015, where he found a comfortable home for the latter stages of his career. Jagr proved he could still be productive despite his age, leading Florida in scoring with 66 points at 44 years old. Most notably, he moved into second all time in points while suiting up in Sunrise.3. Washington Capitals (2001-04)GPGA19083118After an ugly split with the Penguins, Jagr was dealt to the Capitals and subsequently signed the most lucrative contract in NHL history at the time - a whopping seven-year, $77-million deal. Jagr's arrival didn't translate into any significant success for the Caps despite his gaudy numbers, which eventually prompted a trade out of the nation's capital.2. New York Rangers (2004-08)GPGA277124195Jagr landed in the Big Apple after Washington and remained one of the league's premier point producers. In 2005-06, he notched his third-highest season total with 123 points - the only time he reached triple digits after his time in Pittsburgh. His performance that year earned him the Lester. B Pearson award as the league's most valuable player as voted by the players' association.1. Pittsburgh Penguins (1990-2001)GPGA806439640Obviously.After being drafted fifth overall in 1990, Jagr teamed up with Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh to form arguably the most unstoppable tandem the league has ever seen. The Penguins won Stanley Cups in each of Jagr's first two seasons, launching him into superstardom. On top of his two rings, he also won the Art Ross five times, a Hart Trophy, two Lester B. Pearsons, and was named to nine All-Star Games as a Penguin.(Photos Courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brandon Dubinsky is apparently doing just fine after all - at least if you ask him.Despite being sent home by the Columbus Blue Jackets for personal reasons just last week - followed by reports about his career potentially nearing its end - Dubinsky said he's close to returning to game action."It feels good," Dubinsky said of his forthcoming return, according to the Columbus Dispatch's Steve Gorten. "I had to deal with some, some medical issues for myself. It's nice to be back in practice and have the opportunity to try to play tomorrow."We talked before that (optional) practice (Tuesday in Las Vegas), agreed on some stuff and I came home to look after myself. I had some stuff going on and I just had to take care of it."Dubinsky hasn't suited up for the Blue Jackets since breaking his orbital bone in a scrap with Edmonton Oilers tough guy Zack Kassian on Dec. 12, but said he'll be back in the lineup "1000 percent" by Friday at the latest.However, the biggest questions surrounding Dubinsky have still gone mostly unanswered, as the specifics behind his medical issue were never fully provided."You guys can speculate all you want. That's up to you," Dubinsky said. "I'm telling you what I'm going to tell you. We're people too. We have stuff that is private to us and we want to keep (it) that way. So that's just the way it’s going to be."Columbus returns to action Tuesday night against the Minnesota Wild, followed by games against the San Jose Sharks and New York Islanders on Friday and Saturday, respectively.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will start the second half of the NHL campaign without one of their top defenseman, as Jacob Trouba will be out six-to-eight weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Monday.Trouba suffered the injury near the end of Winnipeg's most recent contest, a shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.Through 50 games, Trouba has been an absolute workhorse, racking up three goals and 17 assists in 22:10 of ice time per night while anchoring Maurice's top defensive unit alongside upstart rearguard Josh Morrissey.Winnipeg sits one point clear of the Nashville Predators for the Central Division lead, but with injuries to key players mounting, the Jets' depth will be put to the test over the next couple of months.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames assigned Jaromir Jagr to HC Kladno of the Czech hockey league Monday, the team announced.Jagr was placed on waivers Sunday, subsequently cleared waivers earlier Monday, and became eligible to be assigned to his home club in the Czech Republic - a team Jagr also co-owns."I want to thank Brad Treliving and the Calgary Flames for giving me the immense opportunity to be a part of their team and continue my NHL career this season," Jagr said in a team release."Although I am very disappointed that things did not turn out as we had hoped due to a number of circumstances, I am deeply grateful to the Flames, the fans and the City of Calgary for having welcomed me so generously. I now look forward to continuing the season in Kladno."Now that Jagr has officially cleared waivers and been assigned, his contract comes off of Calgary's books for the remainder of the season, according to Cap Friendly.

Brian Gionta is getting a chance to get back into game action.The former Buffalo Sabres captain, who's been named to Team USA's roster for the upcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, has signed a one-game tryout with the Rochester Americans, the Sabres' AHL affiliate.Related: Gionta, Wisniewski highlight U.S. men's Olympic roster"Brian has been practicing with us on a regular basis since early in the season," Americans general manager Randy Sexton said in a statement. "These practices were part of his preparation for the Olympics and, given the Olympics are just around the corner, a game was the final tuneup for him to get ready to captain the U.S. Olympic team."The veteran forward is expected to dress for Friday's contest against the Toronto Marlies. It will mark Gionta's first game since last April when he was part of the Sabres, and his first AHL appearance since the 2004-05 season.A native of Rochester, Gionta has previously represented the United States internationally on six occasions, most recently at the 2006 Winter Olympics.Team USA's first game in PyeongChang comes Feb. 14 against Slovenia.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr has reportedly cleared waivers and will head home to Kladno in the Czech Republic after 22 games this season with the Calgary Flames.While his hockey career is expected to resume in Europe, it looks like his NHL days are over, though he leaves quite a legacy.Here's a look at some of the notable numbers from his career.5: The spot where Jagr was drafted in 1990 by the Pittsburgh Penguins.9: Number of teams Jagr played for: the Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, and Flames.68: Number worn by Jagr's favorite player.

It's been a good few days for Brock Boeser.After taking home MVP honors in the NHL All-Star Game on Sunday, the Vancouver Canucks freshman picked up another accolade Monday, as he was named the first star of the week.Related: Boeser leaves first All-Star experience with cash, a car, and a canineIn two games, Boeser picked up a pair of goals, with both tallies coming against the Los Angeles Kings. It brought his total to 24 goals on the year, the most among NHL rookies.Meanwhile, a pair of Buffalo Sabres picked up second and third star honors.Sabres forward Jack Eichel is the second star of the week after he netted five points in three games, including an overtime winner against the Calgary Flames and a four-point night versus the Edmonton Oilers.Eichel's teammate and Sabres netminder Robin Lehner was named the third star of the week after posting back-to-back shutouts over the Oilers and Canucks. Lehner combined for 63 saves in the two contests.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr has reportedly cleared waivers and the balance of his contract with the Calgary Flames is expected to be assigned to Czech club Kladno, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.This likely signals the end of the legendary forward's NHL career. It took until nearly the end of last summer for Jagr to come to terms on his one-year, $1-million contract with the Flames.A return to Calgary, however, remains possible:

The New York Islanders are returning to familiar territory.On Monday, the club announced it will play 12 home games at Nassau Coliseum next season, with the remainder to be played at Barclays Center, its current home in Brooklyn.The 2019-20 season will then see the Islanders split their home schedule between the two arenas.The Islanders previously played out of Nassau Coliseum between their formation in 1972 and their move to Brooklyn in 2015.However, a host of issues at Barclays Center, including poor ice conditions and a section of seating that offered obstructed views - in addition to a hard-to-reach arena for fans coming from Nassau County - left the team searching for a new home.In December, the team's bid was selected to build an arena in Belmont Park, about eight miles west of Nassau Coliseum. The hope is that it will be ready in time for the 2021-22 season.Nassau Coliseum has undergone extensive renovations since the Islanders left, which reduced seating capacity to 13,000, but the old barn appears to be a temporary solution as the team awaits its new home.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brock Boeser left Tampa with quite a haul.Making his All-Star debut, the Vancouver Canucks rookie forward proved he truly belongs among the NHL's elite. He won the accuracy shooting challenge, was part of the tournament-champion Pacific squad, and was named the event's Most Valuable Player to boot, all of which left him with an extra $551,000 in his pocket.Here's how his weekend bonuses break down, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo:

theScore's NHL Power Rankings are published every other Monday. Our seventh installment is put together by National Sports Editor James Bisson.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (34-12-3)With apologies to the Golden Knights (who are without a doubt the greatest story in the NHL this decade), the Tampa Bay Lightning have earned this spot. They've been dominant both at home and on the road, and they lead the league in goal differential. If they can get their penalty kill in order, they should remain favorites for the Presidents' Trophy.2. Vegas Golden Knights (32-12-4)Well, that was a fun first half! Not only do questions about Vegas' playoff chances seem ridiculous, they're overwhelming -300 favorites to win the division, according to Bet365. Yet, like the Lightning, they have their own special-teams issue to work on - specifically, that 21st-ranked power play. If they get that going, there's nothing stopping them from reaching the final.3. Boston Bruins (29-10-8)It isn't that Brad Marchand overshadowed his team's incredible 18-game points streak by picking up a five-game ban for elbowing in last week's win over New Jersey. It's that, despite becoming one of the most gifted offensive players in the league, he still can't control his limbs. Boston is a great team, but needs Marchand in the lineup - not in street clothes.4. Winnipeg Jets (29-13-8)You can't blame Jets fans for believing their team should be higher on this list - and in two weeks, it almost certainly will be. Winnipeg has played more road games (29) than any team in the league - that's about to change in a big way, with a 10-game homestand(!) after the break. The pride of Portage Avenue could very well be No. 1 by the next set of rankings.5. Nashville Predators (29-11-7)With Vegas the league darling and Winnipeg generating plenty of attention, the Predators have taken a backseat in the Hype-mobile - and that's probably just fine with them. Nashville and Boston are the only teams in the league to rank in the top 10 in goals for, goals against, power-play conversion, and penalty killing success rate. And the Predators haven't even hit their offensive stride.6. St. Louis Blues (30-18-3)The Blues have put their December swoon behind them, going into the break with four wins in five games thanks largely to sensational goaltending from Carter Hutton. And, with Jaden Schwartz back in the fold, look for them to remain on the periphery of the top five; they're 17-3-1 so far this season in games in which the talented winger records a point.7. Washington Capitals (29-15-5)On one hand, the Capitals have been one of the busier teams in the NHL, going to extra time in nine of their previous 16 games. But with three separate breaks of three or more days off in January alone - not counting its six-day All-Star stoppage - Washington shouldn't suffer any ill effects. That said, the Caps don't get another three-day break until the end of February.8. Toronto Maple Leafs (28-18-5)Are the Maple Leafs turning a corner? It would certainly appear so, as they took seven out of eight points over their final four road games ahead of the break - and looked good doing so. Squeaky wheel Frederik Andersen certainly helped the cause with solid goaltending, and the Toronto power play has creaked back to life with goals in three of its past four games.9. Calgary Flames (25-16-8)Seeing Calgary limp into the break with four straight Ls can't feel good for fans - but with each of those losses generating a point, the Flames enter the second half with points in 11 straight games (7-0-4). They can only hope that momentum isn't wiped out by the time off, with home games against league leaders Vegas and Tampa Bay to kick off the second half of the season.10. Dallas Stars (28-18-4)While the Stars have absolutely feasted on the East - going 12-5-4 to date - they're running out of games against that conference. And of particular concern moving forward is a dismal 7-10-0 showing against Central Division rivals. The good news: they'll play four of their next five divisional matchups at home, where they are an impressive 17-7-1 so far.11. San Jose Sharks (26-15-7)If it feels like the Sharks have been on the road a lot, you're right - they played nine of their final 13 pre-break games away from San Jose, going 4-3-2 in those contests. And in a strange scheduling quirk, they'll travel for 10 of their next 15 games, as well. If they can survive that brutal spate, they should be in great shape for a home-heavy final stretch.12. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-21-3)In a development that should scare the Dickens out of the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Penguins are starting to look a lot like a team that has captured back-to-back titles, winning eight of 11 so far this month while humbling teams with their league-best power play. And they're getting great goaltending from unheralded Casey DeSmith (3-2-0, 2.08 GAA, .927 SV%).13. Minnesota Wild (26-18-5)The Wild have quietly crept out of the Central Division cellar on the strength of an 8-3-2 stretch since the end of December. The key to Minnesota's surge? Consistentscoring, potting four or more goals in six of eight victories over that stretch. They also have a nice schedule coming out of the break, with six of their first nine games at Xcel Energy Center.14. Colorado Avalanche (27-18-3)That 10-game winning streak will show up on plenty of end-of-season highlight lists - but the sobering reality for the Avalanche is things are about to get a whole lot tougher. In addition to killing the buzz with back-to-back losses going into All-Star weekend, Colorado will play 10 of its next 13 games on the road, where it has gone a dismal 9-11-2 this season.15. Philadelphia Flyers (24-17-8)Flyers fans desperately want to believe their team's January showing - 8-3-0 with three overtime wins and a 3-1-0 road mark - is a sign of things to come. But it's Philadelphia's form in those three defeats - all 5-1 drubbings, two of them at home - that forces people to check expectations. The Flyers are, however, trending in the right direction.16. Columbus Blue Jackets (27-19-3)Things were a bit tense in the Ohio capital after Brandon Dubinsky left the team for reasons unknown at the time. But after Dubinsky's agent explained the veteran forward was simply getting medical advice for an eye injury, the focus returned to an on-ice product that continues to tread water, having not produced a three-game win streak since late November.17. Anaheim Ducks (24-17-9)One of the reasons for the Ducks' modest first-half success has been points in 16 of 24 games played outside Anaheim (10-8-6). That road proficiency will be put to the test after the break, as the Ducks travel for nine of their next 11 games. On the to-do list: Sharpening a wonky penalty-killing unit that has yielded six power-play goals over the past six games.18. Los Angeles Kings (26-18-5)Wedged in a group of other teams at 57 points, the Kings deservedly bring up the rear after dropping seven of their final nine games before the break. And as The Hockey News' Jared Clinton astutely points out, things aren't going to get any better if the Kings can't get Anze Kopitar some scoring help. Look for L.A. to acquire some forward depth ahead of the trade deadline.19. New York Islanders (25-20-5)While that Golden Knights encounter - aka "The Game With The Over/Under of 7" - ended up fizzling out from an offensive standpoint, the Islanders don't much care. They escaped Sin City with a win, showing rare defensive awareness in the process. This team can score with anyone - and any improvement in defense and goaltending makes it super scary.20. New Jersey Devils (24-16-8)It didn't take much to remind the Devils how much they rely on skilled forward Taylor Hall, losing all three games in his absence while scoring just twice. That makes losses in 10 of New Jersey's last 12 games, ensuring it's increasingly likely the Devils will be aggressive in shoring up their scoring situation come trade deadline time.21. New York Rangers (25-20-5)The Rangers went into the break on a positive note - ending a three-game skid with a wild 6-5 win in San Jose - but will be put to the test coming out of All-Star weekend. They'll embark on a seven-game stretch (vs. Toronto, at Nashville, at Dallas, vs. Boston, vs. Calgary, at Winnipeg, at Minnesota) that could determine whether they're buying or selling at the deadline.22. Chicago Blackhawks (23-19-7)The news is positive regarding injured netminder Corey Crawford, who might travel with the team to Vancouver and Calgary coming out of the break. Crawford hasn't played since a Dec. 23 loss to New Jersey - and Chicago desperately needs him back in the fold, having gone 6-6-1 without him while surrendering four or more goals five times over that stretch.23. Carolina Hurricanes (22-19-8)After a promising late-December stretch that made you think the Hurricanes might have the goaltending to make a playoff run, Carolina's goal prevention has gone right into the tank this month. The Hurricanes have surrendered 3.64 goals per game in January, fifth-most in the league - and when you have just two 15-goal-scorers on your roster through 49 games, that won't cut it.24. Detroit Red Wings (19-21-8)You can put the odds of Mike Green being in a Red Wings jersey after the trade deadline at somewhere around zero percent. Green should be an attractive rental option for teams seeking a puck-moving defenseman - and while he enters the break having gone minus-six over his last two games, he should still fetch a decent haul for the still-rebuilding Wings.25. Montreal Canadiens (20-23-6)Expect the Canadiens to be active sellers at the deadline, with the offense still stumbling and the goaltending never really coming around after a slow start. And aside from Carey Price, is there anyone you can really rule out for a change of address? GM Marc Bergevin has been one of the busiest trade-deadline dealers, and that should continue this year.26. Vancouver Canucks (19-24-6)The Canucks have assets to sell ahead of the deadline, but it appears they're in a holding pattern until the franchise's most famous lookalikes decide on their 2018-19 fate. Daniel and Henrik Sedin reportedly might consider making their plans known prior to the deadline, rather than wait until the end of the season as they originally intended.27. Florida Panthers (19-22-6)With a promising young forward corps, the Panthers are well-positioned to make opposing goaltenders miserable for a while. But a wafer-thin blue line behind Aaron Ekblad and dreadful goaltending - exacerbated by injuries to Roberto Luongo and James Reimer - will prevent Florida from making waves in 2017-18. The back end has to be a priority come draft time.28. Edmonton Oilers (22-24-3)When a team loses by five goals at home to an opponent 12 points lower in the standings, there's zero benefit of the doubt. And while bringing Paul Coffey on board is a feel-good story for the City of Champions, that isn't going to move the needle this season. The Oilers need help, and lots of it. Look for changes to come after the All-Star break - both on and off the ice.29. Ottawa Senators (15-23-9)Senators general manager Pierre Dorion insists star defenseman Erik Karlsson won't be moved this season - and you have to wonder if any of the players that are on the block will bring back enough of a return to get fans excited. The on-ice product certainly isn't doing the trick, as Ottawa continues to play its way into a top-3 pick this spring.30. Buffalo Sabres (14-26-9)The Sabres have to be happy with their performance out West, where they outscored Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton 11-1. Granted, they're still miles away from playoff contention, but more efforts like this - combined with whatever assets they acquire heading into the trade deadline - should provide a glimmer of optimism for a city getting tired of a never-ending rebuild.31. Arizona Coyotes (12-29-9)The Coyotes are still at the bottom of the rankings thanks to the league's second-worst scoring offense (2.3 goals per game) and third-worst defense (3.4 goals against). But with points in eight of 10 games this month - including three out of four earned in two meetings with the Predators - things are getting better. And that's all Arizona fans can really ask for, at this point.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will reportedly return from the All-Star break down a defenseman.Jacob Trouba is expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time with an ankle injury suffered during a shootout loss to Anaheim on Jan. 25, according to Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun.Trouba has been a key player for the Central Division leaders, recording three goals and 20 points while averaging over 22 minutes a game in a shutdown role alongside Josh Morrissey.Rookie Tucker Poolman is expected to take Trouba's spot in the lineup, with Dustin Byfuglien also bumped up to a larger role after recently skating on the third pairing.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Blake Wheeler has been one the league's top players (and perhaps most underrated) since arriving in Winnipeg seven years ago, but his value to the Jets has never been more apparent than over the last month or so.Mark Scheifele - the team's top center and budding young star - has been out of the lineup with an upper-body injury since Dec. 27. Since that date, the Jets are 8-2-2, in large part due to Wheeler's selflessness and versatility.In Wheeler's 10-year career, he's played almost exclusively on the wing (and was drafted as such), but over the last month he's shifted to center to fill the void Scheifele left behind. Although it's extremely uncommon to see a winger temporarily move to center for a prolonged period of time, Wheeler has done so seamlessly.And it's not all that surprising to see him succeed down the middle. After all, Wheeler has all the attributes of a great center: big, strong, fast, skilled, smart, with great playmaking ability. It is surprising, however, that he was willing to make the move. Most players - especially of Wheeler's caliber - would much rather stay in their comfort zone at the position they've been playing their whole career.Instead, Wheeler did what was best for the team - a mindset befitting of a great leader. Had he opted to stay at right wing, Bryan Little would've been thrust into a top-line role, Andrew Copp would've been counted on for more minutes, and Nic Petan probably would have been recalled.Would the Jets still be in first place in the Central Division with the aforementioned three centers moving up the lineup? It's impossible to know for sure, but most likely, they wouldn't, given that the Blues sit just one point behind them.Wheeler hasn't skipped a beat playing center, either, collecting 12 points in as many games since Scheifele went down. Playing alongside Patrik Laine means that he's drawing matchups against opponents' top checking lines and D pairings. This is all while learning a new position that comes with added defensive responsibility.Wheeler sits tied for 10th in the league in points, and tied for sixth in assists. As he continues to pile up points, excel on both the power play and penalty kill, and help his team win in any way possible, Wheeler should definitely be given some Hart Trophy consideration as one of the game's most complete players.Even though the Jets have plenty of skill up front, are deep on the blue line, and have received great goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck, Wheeler has proven to be the heart and soul of the team. He has clearly raised his game to new heights in his age-31 season, and it's hard to imagine where the Jets would be without him.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews may have had ulterior motives during the weekend's All-Star festivities.This season the discussion about what Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty will do following next season - when he becomes an unrestricted free-agent - has run rapid throughout the league.Related: Doughty feels he and Karlsson deserve 'quite a bit more' money than SubbanWith no clear-cut decision yet, the Toronto Maple Leafs forward admitted he at least attempted to try and sell the reigning Norris Trophy-winner on the potential to play alongside him in Toronto."I recruited him a little bit. He didn't bite," Matthews said, according to Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. "I said: 'Hey, how's it going?' He said: 'Good.' I said, 'Are you coming to Toronto?' He just laughed and skated away."With Doughty not budging for now, Matthews might have to turn his attention to Erik Karlsson.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If there was any doubt that Brock Boeser is already a bona fide NHL superstar, his performances throughout All-Star weekend showed he truly deserves to be mentioned among the game's best and brightest.The 20-year-old rookie left an indelible mark on the All-Star festivities in Tampa Bay all weekend, first by winning the Accuracy Shooting event in the Skills Competition on Saturday night, and then by earning tournament MVP honors with two memorable games in the All-Star tournament on Sunday.Boeser has already put himself on the map in NHL circles a little over halfway into his first full season, leading all rookies with 24 goals and ranking second in the class with 43 points in 46 contests.His unofficial first half went so well that he also finds himself in the top 10 in goal-scoring league-wide, tied for seventh with Colorado Avalanche sniper Nathan MacKinnon and sitting only six goals behind league leader Alex Ovechkin in three fewer games.Still, Boeser, the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick in 2015, came to Tampa Bay as the youngest Pacific Division All-Star in 2018, and as the only rookie playing in Sunday's 3-on-3 divisional tournament. And yet, he did more than just fit in. He excelled.Boeser looked like a seasoned veteran Saturday night, breezing through the targets in 11.136 seconds to win the Accuracy Shooting event over Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Brad Marchand, Anze Kopitar, Blake Wheeler, James Neal, and second-place finisher Brian Boyle.He even literally broke one of the new LED targets, causing a long delay after his round concluded, but all that did was prolong his inevitable victory.As if that wasn't enough, Boeser shone again on Sunday. He went top corner for a beautiful goal - for what would hold up as the game-winner - in the Pacific Division's semifinal win over the Central Division, then chipped in a goal and an assist to help the Pacific cruise past the Atlantic 5-2 in in the championship round.Boeser was named tournament MVP in a fan vote, becoming only the second rookie - and first since Mario Lemieux in 1985 - to capture that award in All-Star Game history.While there certainly were other deserving candidates for that honor Sunday, Boeser's popularity among viewers was unquestionably warranted.It's not just that he carried over his regular-season success in an exhibition tournament and a skills showcase, it's that he did it on one of the NHL's biggest stages and among the best of his peers.Boeser made a major statement with his All-Star performances, and if he wasn't quite a household name beforehand, there's no doubt he is now.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Alex Ovechkin has it his way, Mike Green will be back with the Washington Capitals, the superstar said, according to The Athletic's Craig Custance.With the Detroit Red Wings currently sitting outside a playoff spot and Green a pending unrestricted free agent, the 32-year-old has the potential to be traded ahead of the Feb. 26 deadline.The Capitals currently sit in the top spot in the Metropolitan Division and might look for an upgrade to their back end, but would need to shed some salary in any potential deal for Green.Of course, in the event of a trade, Green would be joining a club he is quite familiar with. He spent the first 10 years of his career with the Capitals and sits third among franchise defensemen with 113 goals and fifth with 360 points in 575 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another NHL All-Star three-on-three tournament is in the books.The Pacific Division reigned supreme with wins over the Central and Atlantic on the back of Brock Boeser's MVP performance. Sunday's tournament was full of amazing goals and some downright hilarious moments - everything one could want from an All-Star event.Here are the top 10 moments from a fun-filled afternoon:Wes McCauley delivers classic 'no goal' call

Vancouver Canucks rookie forward Brock Boeser has been named the All-Star tournament's most valuable player.Boeser recorded the game-winning goal for the Pacific Division in the semifinal round, and followed it up with a goal and an assist in a final victory over the Atlantic Division.The 20-year-old was given a 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, and a successful weekend triggers a few bonuses in his contract.

Rickard Rakell scored twice and added an assist as the Pacific Division defeated the Atlantic Division 5-2 to win the championship game at the NHL All-Star tournament in Tampa Bay on Sunday night.The Anaheim Ducks forward opened the scoring just before the one-minute mark of the first stanza, assisted on Drew Doughty's goal that held up as the game-winner later in the frame, then tallied again with less than three minutes left to put the game out of reach.Brock Boeser chipped in a goal and an assist and was later named MVP of the tournament. Doughty and Johnny Gaudreau also picked up a goal and an assist apiece in the final, while Anze Kopitar had a couple of helpers.Mike Green provided all of the offense for the Atlantic Division in the championship round, scoring twice in a losing effort.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hometown fans got a show Sunday as Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov scored a hat trick to lead the Atlantic All-Stars to a 7-4 win over the Metropolitan Division to set up a spot in the final against the Pacific Division.After Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin combined for four points in the first period, giving the Metropolitan Division a 3-2 lead, the Atlantic Division came alive in the second.The club outscored the Metropolitan 5-1 in the final period on the back of two of Kucherov's three goals. Jack Eichel and Erik Karlsson also collected a trio of points in a game that saw every member of the Atlantic squad tally at least one point.The Atlantic will now take on the Pacific All-Stars in a battle for the $1-million prize.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pacific Division advanced to the three-on-three All-Star tournament final thanks to a tightly contested 5-2 win over the Central Division.Connor McDavid led the way with four assists, while the goals - two of which came on an empty net - were scored by James Neal (two), Drew Doughty, Brock Boeser, and Brent Burns.Nathan MacKinnon and P.K. Subban scored for the Central in the losing effort.Both Marc-Andre Fleury and Mike Smith stopped seven of eight shots against for the Pacific. Pekka Rinne made four saves on four shots for the Central, but Connor Hellebuyck allowed three goals on eight shots in the losing effort.The Pacific await the winner of the second semifinal between the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr's brief tenure with the Calgary Flames appears to have come to a close, as the club will place him on waivers, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie.

The NHL is heading into just its third All-Star Game with the three-on-three format, but there have already been several legendary moments from the first two years. Here are the top five:Scott scores 2 goals, wins MVP (2016)When longtime enforcer John Scott was voted in as an All-Star captain, the choice came with plenty of scrutiny. Yet, his lone All-Star appearance couldn't have gone any better, as Scott scored two goals and was named MVP en route to helping the Pacific Division win the tournament.Scott drops the mitts with Kane (2016)Even though no punches actually landed, it was still pretty hilarious to see Scott drop the gloves with Patrick Kane, who would go on to win the Hart, the Pearson, and the Art Ross that season.Gibson robs Seguin (2016)John Gibson's toe save on Tyler Seguin while in the splits was one of the nicest stops of the 2015-16 season, All-Star Game or not. Adding icing on the cake, the save led directly to a goal for the Pacific Division.McDavid undresses Bobrobvsky (2017)Even while at what's probably half-speed for Connor McDavid, he was able to elude a sprawling Sergei Bobrovsky by putting on the brakes and giving Bobs the old shimmy shake. It was certainly the nicest goal of last year's tournament.Atkinson's slick dangle (2017)(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Cam Atkinson was a late addition to the Metro roster, but given his 35-goal breakout campaign (24 of which came prior to the All-Star break), he probably should've been there to begin with. He seemed out to prove that fact, walking around Erik Karlsson before tucking one past Tuukka Rask. Unfortunately for Atkinson, things haven't gone as smoothly this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury can thank his daughters for their instrumental part in helping their dad become the first-ever winner of the Save Streak competition at this year's NHL All-Star Skills Competition.The Vegas Golden Knights netminder put together a run of 14 consecutive saves to top Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne. The kicker in it all was each goalie got to select the music to be played during their session between the pipes, and for Fleury, his pick caught some off guard: "Let it Go" from the Disney movie "Frozen.""I thought the title "Let It Go" was very soothing for goalies," Fleury said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "It's the All-Star Game. You just have to let it go. I thought I was going to get lit up, so I just had to let it go."Fleury admitted he's a fan of the movie thanks to his daughters and now hopes the Golden Knights will consider playing the tune during shootouts after Saturday's success."I'm going to ask Vegas to put it on when we do shootouts," Fleury said. "Just be relaxed."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year's NHL All-Star Skills Competition had a couple of new events, a couple of tweaks, and more than a few moments worth watching again.Some players pulled off impressive accomplishments, while others struggled to complete their rounds.Here are the highlights - and lowlights - from another memorable edition of the league's annual skills showcase:Ovechkin fires hardest shot with triple-digit blast

The prospective ownership group interested in bringing an NHL expansion franchise to Seattle will apparently be submitting a formal bid in short order.Oak View Group is working on the application and should have it filed "in the not too distant future," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters Saturday at the All-Star festivities in Tampa Bay, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Bettman said any future franchises would insist on having the same expansion draft rules that the Vegas Golden Knights had, and added that the league hasn't gotten any "negative pushback" from teams about the way the most recent expansion team was allowed to construct its roster, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Mark Lazerus.The NHL's Board of Governors agreed to accept an expansion application from the Seattle group back in early December, three days after the city's lawmakers approved OVG's plan to redevelop KeyArena.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In what should come as a relief to many, the NHL has heard the recent complaints regarding goaltender interference calls.Related: Oilers need shootout to down Flames after more interference controversyIn a week that saw a handful of questionable calls resulting in goals being overturned due to goaltender interference - none more evident than that scored by Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Strome on Thursday night - NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the matter in a press conference on Saturday, suggesting that "everyone is overthinking it," according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Bettman also stated that a memo will be sent out to officials asking that they ease off when looking at video and get back to the spirit of the rule.

The NHL will play two preseason games in China in mid-September, the league announced Saturday. The details have yet to be finalized, Commissioner Gary Bettman said at a press conference ahead of Saturday's skills competition, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks played two preseason games in China in September of 2017 - one in Shanghai and one in Beijing. Not everyone considered it an overwhelming success.Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympics.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL stars will be flocking to Northern California around this time next year.The 2019 NHL All-Star Game will be hosted by the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.It will be the second time San Jose will host the festivities, having previously done so in 1997.Next year's All-Star weekend will run Jan. 25-27, 2019.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Victor Hedman will be taking part in All-Star weekend, albeit in a rather unexpected role.The injured Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman was named the assistant to the equipment manager for Saturday's skills competition and for the Atlantic Division's entry in the All-Star tournament on Sunday.He'll assist head equipment manager Ray Thill, who serves the same position with the Lightning.Hedman was originally named to the Atlantic Division squad but got hurt against the Calgary Flames two days later, and was later ruled out for three-to-six weeks.His father, Olle, was an equipment manager for Swedish club MoDo for 23 years.The All-Star festivities are taking place in Tampa, Fla. this weekend.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It did not take long for George Parros to find himself in the thick of NHL suspension controversies.Parros is serving as the NHL's head of player safety, and recently came under fire as a result of two contentious decisions: a two-game suspension for Anaheim's Andrew Cogliano that ended the Ducks forward's iron man streak at 830 games, and a maximum fine levied on Dustin Brown of the Los Angeles Kings for a dangerous looking cross-check.Parros addressed the decisions in a report at the NHL's Board of Governors meeting in Tampa on Saturday, beginning with Cogliano's hit on Adrian Kempe, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com:

The ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones came up with a spectacular way to commemorate the 25th anniversary of "The Mighty Ducks."The team will wear three different jerseys during Saturday's game against the Fort Wayne Komets, each modeled after the ones featured in the hockey movie trilogy. The jerseys will then be auctioned off beginning Jan. 29.

Now there's something worthy of cuing up "Brass Bonanza."The state of Connecticut has unveiled a new license plate design that features the iconic Hartford Whalers logo, 21 years after the team left.The franchise relocated to Raleigh and now plays as the Carolina Hurricanes, but passion for the Whalers never left Hartford."I ask the Whalers fans to get out there and purchase those license plates because maybe then they will come back," said Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, according to the Associated Press."We'll keep hoping. It was two decades ago that we lost on the Whalers, but in our hearts we have not."

James Neal's agent doesn't expect his client to be dealt prior to the NHL's Feb. 26 trade deadline.The winger is representing the expansion Vegas Golden Knights at the NHL's All-Star festivities in Tampa, Fla., and all signs point to Neal sticking around for a surprise playoff run and contract extension in the weeks ahead."I don’t negotiate in public, but if the trade deadline comes and goes, I will be shocked if James is on another team," agent Pat Morris said, per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "No other team has called me and said they are close to acquiring James. I think it’s full steam ahead for Vegas, and if we could agree to terms for him to (remain with the Knights) we would welcome that. He loves it there."Neal can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and before the season, it was expected he'd be dangled by the first-year club in order to acquire future assets. With Vegas sitting near the top of the league standings, he gives them a real chance at making noise in the playoffs."I don’t know (owner) Bill Foley, but he obviously has a passion to win," Morris continued. "His timetable of winning in three to five years has obviously changed now. This is not an irresponsible organization. You have to go for it when you have the chance, and James Neal and his play and leadership has been a huge part of what has happened there."At the All-Star break, Neal sits second on the Golden Knights with 22 goals through 48 games and ranks sixth with 34 points. The 30-year-old played a big role in Nashville's run to the Stanley Cup FInal a year ago before being exposed in the expansion draft.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Nashville Predators fan flew from Pennsylvania to Tennessee on Thursday, only to realize the team was on the road that night.Sydney Sanders told Kristopher Martel of FOX Sports Tennessee she bought tickets to watch the Predators take on the New Jersey Devils about a week in advance, but failed to look at where the game was being played."All I did is look up the Predators schedule and see what teams they were playing," Sanders said. "I saw the day before my birthday they were playing the Devils. I thought, 'Oh cool, I'll go to Nashville and catch a game.' I'm trying to go to every NHL arena, so I figured I'm finally going to get Bridgestone (Arena) off the list."I then found out the game was in Newark, which is like two hours away from where I live, driving. Instead, I flew two hours away from home to watch an away game."

Four teams will take part in regular-season games in Europe next season, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Among the matchups, the Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will square off for two games in Finland in November. Tampere native Patrik Laine is sure to be a draw, as is Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov, who hails from the same hometown.Additionally, the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils will do battle in Sweden at the beginning of next season. It's a homecoming for a number of players from both squads, including Oilers blue-liners Adam Larsson and Oscar Klefbom, and Devils forwards Marcus Johansson and Jesper Bratt.The Oilers will also head overseas during the preseason for an exhibition game held in Germany, the home country of forward Leon Draisaitl, while the Devils will do the same in Switzerland, where Nico Hischier will play in front of a home crowd.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Goaltender interference is a hot topic at the NHL's All-Star festivities in Tampa.The NHL's Board of Governors discussed the issue in a Saturday morning meeting, with the conversation centered around officials overthinking the call and getting too technical with the rule, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Further meetings are on the docket:

The 63rd edition of the NHL All-Star Game kicks off Sunday in Tampa Bay, where the game's best will decide which is hockey's most dominant division.It marks the third straight year the NHL has opted for the divisional format. The Metropolitan took last season's title in Los Angeles, and the Pacific Division won it all two years ago in Nashville.So which side will earn this year's crown? Each team is loaded with talent. Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan), Steven Stamkos (Atlantic), P.K. Subban (Central), and Connor McDavid (Pacific) captain their respective squads.The full rosters can be seen here.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

To be named All-Star Game MVP may not be the pinnacle of personal hockey achievement, but some of the NHL's greatest have their names on that list, and it remains a nice moment for individuals as all NHL eyes are on the event.Here, then, is the best - for various reasons - All-Star MVP candidate from the league's four divisions.Atlantic - Steven StamkosThis time last year, Stamkos was sidelined with a major leg injury, just months after re-signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning and cementing himself as the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future.Stamkos cited loyalty and "unfinished business" as reasons for remaining with the club in lieu of hitting the open market, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. Now back at full strength, Stamkos is in the midst of making good on that promise; he's on pace to match his career-high 97 points set in 2011-12 while helping the Lightning rebound from missing the playoffs in 2017 to challenging for the Presidents' Trophy and, more importantly, the Stanley Cup in 2018.With Tampa Bay in the spotlight as the All-Star host city, it would be fitting for the Lightning captain to shine as the brightest star on his own turf.Metropolitan - Brian BoyleDuring training camp, New Jersey Devils center Boyle was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a treatable form of bone marrow cancer.Boyle missed the campaign's first 10 games, but made his season debut Nov. 1. In 38 games since, he's scored 11 goals, and could very well match the 21 he scored over 82 games with the New York Rangers in 2011-12.A last-minute addition to the Metropolitan Division roster as a result of an injury to teammate Taylor Hall, Boyle's presence in Tampa will be even more special considering he was a member of the Lightning roster that advanced to the Cup Final in 2015.He's sure to be warmly welcomed by the home crowd, and would be the unlikeliest of MVP's due to maybe not being as skilled and experienced at three-on-three play as his peers.But that's exactly what would help make it an All-Star Game to remember.Central - P.K. SubbanIt's time for Subban to be acknowledged as one of the premiere faces of the NHL.Fresh off an appearance on "The Daily Show" where he talked about the $10-million commitment he made to the Montreal Children’s Hospital and his Blueline Buddies program that pairs Nashville police officers with underprivileged kids at Predators games, Subban has already taken Tampa by storm after hosting a free concert Friday.

Sunday's NHL All-Star Game will provide a dream come true for hockey fans.Metropolitan Division head coach Barry Trotz said he plans on deploying Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby together during the three-on-three mini-tournament.

2018 NHL All-Star Skills Competition

John Tortorella likes to gamble.The Columbus Blue Jackets bench boss issued his latest coach's challenge in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes, only to come up on the wrong side of the ruling.Although it was ultimately ruled a good call, meaning Tortorella forfeited his team's time out, the challenge was still worth the roll of the dice."I'm taking a chance. I think there's an opportunity," Tortorella told George Richards of The Columbus Dispatch. "You never know what you're going to get there."Midway through the final frame, Coyotes winger Brendan Perlini knocked a loose puck past netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. But with fellow forward Richard Panik knocked into Bobrovsky, the Blue Jackets threw caution to the wind in hopes of getting a goaltender interference call upon review. Despite the challenge, however, the original call on the ice stood and it was ruled a good goal."The only consistency (on call reversals) is the inconsistency," Tortorella added. "As a coach, you have to understand that. I'm not trying to circumvent the rule, but knowing how inconsistent the calls have been, I'm taking a chance."Tortorella isn't the only coach seemingly lost by how goaltender interference is decided. Maple Leafs bench boss Mike Babcock echoed similar comments Monday after Toronto had a goal reversed against the Colorado Avalanche.Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets weren't the only team on the losing end of a goaltender inference ruling Thursday, as a controversial call also came in overtime between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.The 2017-18 campaign marks the second season in which the NHL has allowed coaches to challenge goals for goaltender interference.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Everything must go, as the New York Rangers will be holding a fire sale ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.While the Rangers sit just one point back of the playoff picture, having collected 55 points in 50 games, holding down a postseason spot has proven to be an uphill battle in the competitive Metropolitan Division.Related: Why the Rangers should be driven deadline-day dealersThat means changes are coming, and that the likes of forwards Mats Zuccarello, Rick Nash, and even captain Ryan McDonagh could be suiting up elsewhere in the coming weeks.The three veterans should no doubt see interest from playoff buyers. Of the three, Nash is a pure rental, as he can become a free agent this summer, while both Zuccarello and McDonagh are signed through next season, at cap hits of $4.5 million and $4.7 million, respectively.Another potential target is speedy winger Michael Grabner, a pending unrestricted free agent who comes at an affordable $1.65-million cap hit. Grabner is on pace for 35 goals after scoring 27 last season, his first year in New York.According to Brooks, in selling off their wares, the Rangers hope to replenish the organization with young players, NHL-ready talents, and additional draft picks.The Rangers selected twice in the first round of last year's draft - with pick No. 7 coming from the Arizona Coyotes for Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta - but it was also the first time since 2012 that New York selected inside the top 40 picks.Qualifying for the last seven postseasons, only Pittsburgh and Chicago have longer active streaks than the Rangers. New York has missed the playoffs only once since the 2004-05 lockout.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winter Olympics kick off next month in PyeongChang, South Korea, with 12 countries set to battle for gold in men's hockey. Here's the full roster of each competing nation:Group ACanadaGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueJustin PetersKolner HaieDELKevin PoulinEHC KlotenSwiss NationalBen ScrivensUfaKHLDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueStefan ElliottHV71SHLChay GenowayLadaKHLCody GoloubefStocktonAHLMarc-Andre GragnaniMinskKHLChris LeeMagnitogorskKHLMaxim NoreauBernSwiss NationalMat RobinsonCSKA MoscowKHLKarl StolleryRigaKHLForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueRene BourqueDjurgardensSHLGilbert BruleKunlunKHLAndrew EbbettBernSwiss NationalQuinton HowdenMinskKHLChris KellyBellevilleAHLRob KlinkhammerKazanKHLBrandon KozunYaroslavlKHLMaxim LapierreLuganoSwiss NationalEric O'DellSochiKHLMason RaymondBernSwiss NationalDerek RoyLinkopingsSHLChristian ThomasWilkes-Barre/ScrantonAHLLinden VeyZurichSwiss NationalWojtek WolskiMagnitogorskKHLCzech RepublicGoalies:PlayerTeamLeaguePavel FrancouzChelyabinskKHLDominik FurchOmskKHLPatrik BartosakVitkoviceCzech ExtraligaDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueOndrej NemecCherepovetsKHLJakub NakladalYaroslavlKHLTomas KundratekNizhnyKHLVojtech MozikVityazKHLJan KolarKhabarovskKHLMichal JordanKhabarovskKHLOndrej VitasekYugraKHLAdam PolasekSochiKHLForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueMartin EratBrnoCzech ExtraligaJan KovarMagnitogorskKHLRoman CervenkaFribourgSwiss NationalMichal BirnerFribourgSwiss NationalMichal RepikBratislavaKHLLukas RadilSpartak MoscowKHLJiri SekacKazanKHLTomas ZohornaKhabarovskKHLRoman HorakVityazKHLDominik KubalikAmbri-PiottaSwiss NationalMilan GulasPlzenCzech ExtraligaTomas MertlPlzenCzech ExtraligaMichal VondrkaChomutovCzech ExtraligaPetr KoukalMountfieldCzech ExtraligaSouth KoreaGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueMatt DaltonAnyangAsiaKye Hoon ParkSangmuAsiaSung Je ParkGoyangAsiaDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueHyung Gon ChoSangmuAsiaWon Jun KimAnyangAsiaDon Ku LeeAnyangAsiaHyon Ho OhDaemyungAsiaAlex PlanteAnyangAsiaEric ReganAnyangAsiaYeong Jun SeoDaemyungAsiaBryan YoungDaemyungAsiaForwardsPlayerTeamLeagueJin Hui AhnSangmuAsiaMin Ho ChoAnyangAsiaJung Woo JeonSangmuAsiaKi Sung KimAnyangAsiaSang Wook KimAnyangAsiaWon Jung KimAnyangAsiaYoung Jun LeeDaemyungAsiaJin Kyu ParkSangmuAsiaWoo Sang ParkAnyangAsiaBrock RadunskeAnyangAsiaSang Hoon ShinSangmuAsiaSang Woo ShinAnyangAsiaMichael SwiftGoyangAsiaMike TestwuideGoyangAsiaSwitzerlandGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueLeonardo GenoniBernSwiss NationalJonas HillerBielSwiss NationalTobias StephanZugSwiss NationalDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueEric BlumBernSwiss NationalRaphael DiazZugSwiss NationalFelicien Du BoisDavosSwiss NationalPhilippe FurrerLuganoSwiss NationalPatrick GeeringZurichSwiss NationalRomain LoeffelGenevaSwiss NationalDominik SchlumpfZugSwiss NationalRamon UntersanderBernSwiss NationalForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueCody AlmondGenevaSwiss NationalAndres AmbuhlDavosSwiss NationalSimon BodenmannBernSwiss NationalEnzo CorviDavosSwiss NationalGaetan HaasBernSwiss NationalFabrice HerzogZurichSwiss NationalDenis HollensteinKlotenSwiss NationalSimon MoserBernSwiss NationalVincent PraplanKlotenSwiss NationalThomas RufenachtBernSwiss NationalReto SchappiZurichSwiss NationalTristan ScherweyBernSwiss NationalPius SuterZurichSwiss NationalJoel VerminLausanneSwiss NationalGroup BSlovakiaGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueJan LacoSparta PrahaCzech ExtraligaBranislav KondraOlomoucCzech ExtraligaPatrik RybarMountfieldCzech ExtraligaDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueIvan BarankaVitkovice RideraCzech ExtraligaMichal CajkovskyYekaterinburgKHLDominik GranakPlzenCzech ExtraligaMarek DalogaSparta PrahaCzech ExtraligaTomas StarostaTrencinSlovak ExtraligaJuraj ValachChomutovCzech ExtraligaPeter CeresnakPlzenCzech ExtraligaJuraj MikusSparta PrahaCzech ExtraligaForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueMartin BakosLiberecCzech ExtraligaMilos BubelaBanska BystricaSlovak ExtraligaMarcel HascakBrnoCzech ExtraligaLukas CingelMountfieldCzech ExtraligaTomas MarcinkoTrinecCzech ExtraligaPatrik LamperBratislavaSlovak ExtraligaLadislav NagyKosiceSlovak ExtraligaTomas SurovyBanska BystricaSlovak ExtraligaAndrej KudrnaSparta PrahaCzech ExtraligaPeter OlveckyTrencinSlovak ExtraligaMichal KristofNitraSlovak ExtraligaMatej PaulovicNitraSlovak ExtraligaMatus SukelLiptovskySlovak ExtraligaMarek HovorkaKosiceSlovak ExtraligaSloveniaGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueLuka GracnarSalzburgAustrianGasper KroseljRodovreDanishMatija PintaricRouenFrenchDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueBlaz GregorcMountfieldCzech ExtraligaSabahudin KovacevicKarlovy VaryWSM LigaAles KranjcCrimmitschauDEL IIZiga PavlinCeske BudejoviceWSM LigaMatic PodlipnikKarlovy VaryWSM LigaJurij RepeKladnoWSM LigaMitja RobarEC KACAustrianLuka VidmarSzekesfehervarAustrianForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueBostjan GolicicBruleurs de LoupsFrenchAndrej HebarLjubljanaSlovenianZiga JeglicNizhnekamskKHLAnze KuraltAmiensFrenchJan MursakFrolundaSHLAles MusicSzekesfehervarHungarianKen OgrajensekGrazAustrianZiga PanceDornbirnerAustrianDavid RodmanBruleurs de LoupsFrenchMarcel RodmanBad TolzESBGRobert SabolicNizhnyKHLRok TicarNovosibirskKHLJan UrbasFischtownDELMiha VerlicVSVAustrianRussiaGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueVasily KoshechkinMagnitogorskKHLIgor ShestyorkinSaint PetersburgKHLIlya SorokinCSKA MoscowKHLDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueVladislav GavrikovSaint PetersburgKHLDinar KhafizullinSaint PetersburgKHLBogdan KiselevichCSKA MoscowKHLAlexey MarchenkoCSKA MoscowKHLNikita NesterovCSKA MoscowKHLVyacheslav VoynovSaint PetersburgKHLArtyom ZubSaint PetersburgKHLAndrei ZubarevSaint PetersburgKHLForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueSergei AndronovCSKA MoscowKHLAlexander BarabanovSaint PetersburgKHLPavel DatsyukSaint PetersburgKHLMikhail GrigorenkoCSKA MoscowKHLNikita GusevSaint PetersburgKHLIlya KablukovSaint PetersburgKHLSergey KalininSaint PetersburgKHLKirill KaprizovCSKA MoscowKHLIlya KovalchukSaint PetersburgKHLSergei MozyakinMagnitogorskKHLNikolai ProkhorkinSaint PetersburgKHLVadim ShipachyovSaint PetersburgKHLSergei ShirokovSaint PetersburgKHLIvan TeleginCSKA MoscowKHLUnited StatesGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueRyan KapolskiJokeritKHLDavid LeggioMunchenDELBrandon MaxwellMlada BoleslavCzech ExtraligaDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueChad BillinsLinkopingsSHLNoah WelchVaxjoSHLRyan GundersonBrynasSHLWill BorgenSt. CloudNCAAJames WisniewskiKasselDEL IIBobby SanguintettiLuganoSwiss NationalJonathan BlumVladivostokKHLMatt GilroyKokeritKHLForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueJohn McCarthySan JoseAHLBrian O'NeillJokeritKHLGarrett RoeZugSwiss NationalBrian GiontaUnsignedUnsignedBroc LittleDavosSwiss NationalBobby ButlerMilwaukeeAHLRyan DonatoHarvardNCAAChris BourqueHersheyAHLJordan GreenwayBostonNCAAJim SlaterFribourgSwiss NationalTroy TerryDenverNCAAMark ArcobelloBernSwiss NationalChad KolarikMannheimDELRyan StoaSpartak MoscowKHLGroup CGermanyGoalies:PlayerTeamLeagueDanny aus den BirkenMunchenDELDennis EndrasMannheimDELTimo PielmeierIngolstadtDELDefensemen:PlayerTeamLeagueDenis ReulMannheimDELDaryl BoyleMunchenDELChristian EhrhoffKolnerDELYannic SeidenbergMunchenDELBjorn KruppWolfsburgDELJonas MullerBerlinDELFrank HordlerBerlinDELMoritz MullerKolnerDELForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueBrooks MacekMunchenDELMarcus KinkMannheimDELFrank MauerMunchenDELPatrick ReimerNurembergDELYasin EhlizNurembergDELGerrit FauserWolfsburgDELPatrick HagerMunchenDELFelix SchutzKolnerDELMarcel GocMannheimDELDominik KahunMunchenDELLeonhard PfoderlNurembergDELDavid WolfMannheimDELMarcel NoebelsBerlinDELFinlandGoalies:Player Team LeagueMikko KoskinenPietariKHLKarri RamoHelsinkiKHLJuha MetsolaHabarovskKHLDefensemen:Player Team LeagueMikko LehtonenTapparaSM-liigaTommi KivistoJokeritKHLLasse KukkonenOulunSM-liigaSami LepistoJokeritKHLJusso HietanenMoskovaKHLMiro HeiskanenHIFKSM-liigaMiika KoivistoOulunSM-liigaAtte OhtamaaKazanKHLForwards:PlayerTeamLeagueMarko AnttilaJokeritKHLJulius JunttilaOulunSM-liigaEeli TolvanenJokeritKHLJoonas KemppainenUfaKHLJani LajunenLuganoSwiss NationalJonas EnlundNovosibirskKHLPetri KontiolaJaroslavlKHLMika PyoralaBernSwiss NationalJarmo KoskirantaPietariKHLOskar OsalaMagnitogorskKHLSakari ManninenOrebroKHLTeemu HartikainenUfaKHLJukka PeltolaTapparaSM-liigaVeli-Matti 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James Bisson celebrates the 25th anniversary of the 1992-93 season with a look back at the Montreal Canadiens, who rode one of the most improbable streaks in history to their 24th Stanley Cup title. Several members of the team agreed to share their memories of that incredible run.After being swept by the Boston Bruins in the second round a year earlier, widespread change was the theme heading into Canadiens training camp. Gone was fiery head coach Pat Burns, who made the trek westward to become the new bench boss of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was replaced by Jacques Demers, who had last coached in the NHL with Detroit in 1989-90.Gilbert Dionne: Pat was dealing with stress, as I realized later on in my career ... he spent four years in Montreal, faced a lot of pressure there, and things weren't working out, so changes had to be made. So Pat was on his way out and ended up going to Toronto, which back then we thought was our nemesis. The Toronto Maple Leafs, just down the road! (laughs) I'm like, "Wow, Pat's going there?"Stephan LeBeau: I had played the three years prior under Pat Burns. I was playing great hockey, but didn't have a lot of ice time. I'm not saying it was a big battle between me and Pat - it was a battle between the media and Pat Burns regarding my situation. I was a French-Canadian, I was putting up the numbers for the ice time I had, so often the reporters were challenging Pat - not the best thing to do if you don't want to upset him. I struggled to get more ice time, and I felt it was a conflict of who's right in my situation - the reporters or Pat Burns. With Pat, it was step by step. "You're young, take your time, don't rush things." So when Jacques arrived, it was a complete change.Burns and Demers couldn't have been more different. While Burns motivated largely through tough talk, Demers was known best for being a player's coach - and that made an immediate impact on a team whose average age among players who suited up that season was 24.9.Vincent Damphousse: Jacques had a strong message for us. He was a very strong motivator. That was his strength. He was the best coach I ever had in my career. He was able to get the best out of everybody and find a role for everybody. He wasn't an Xs and Os coach or a tactical coach - just a guy who gets you to believe that you're really important, from the first to the last guy.John LeClair: It wasn't about yelling. It was just his approach to things. Burnsie had his own approach and that's how he was successful, but Jacques' was successful in a way where he was positive, and that positive feeling was something that the team really took in and thrived on.Dionne: When Jacques came in, we felt totally refreshed. For me, as a younger player, Pat was kind of harder on the young kids coming in. When Jacques came in he was more open to the rookies and made us feel welcome and want to be part of the team. We had a great coaching staff for that, with (assistants) Jacques Laperriere and Charles Thiffault ... these guys were there to teach us, not to punish us. I really enjoyed it when Jacques showed up and brought some positives to the team and helped us believe in ourselves.LeBeau: Confidence is a key element of success both as teams and individuals; Jacques not only believed in us, he made us feel like we could do it. I don't remember how many exactly, but several players on that team had the best seasons of their career in 1992-93.Demers' impact on the fresh-faced Canadiens was immediate. No longer was the bulk of the ice time reserved for the team's veteran skaters. Everyone got a chance to contribute across all forward lines and defense pairings.Dionne: Back then, everyone was looking for a 50-goal scorer. But we weren't going with one man only to get us 50 goals. Jacques and the coaching staff said, "If we can go with four lines, and maybe limit some of these guys' ice time by a minute or two (per game), something good is going to come out of it." And sure enough, that gave me a great opportunity, getting some second-unit and power-play time, and getting a few goals here and there.LeClair: Any time you get a new coach, there's always that boost of energy. Guys are excited to play for a new guy and show him what they can do. He gave guys different roles, me being one of them. I had a little bit of a bigger role with Jacques there than I did with Pat. You're a little bit more excited to play, and I think we proved that in our game.LeBeau: I don't remember exactly when, but very early in training camp, Jacques brought me in his office and said to me, "Stephane, I know what you've been through, but I really need you this year. And you're going to have a big impact on the hockey team." That was his first message to me, and I walked out of his office, and I was relieved. I was lighter. For once, I felt the trust that my role was going to increase. And it did happen - and that's why I had my best season.Demers wasn't the only new face in town. The Canadiens made two significant moves just prior to the start of the season; they acquired Damphousse from Edmonton for Shayne Corson, Brent Gilchrist, and Vladimir Vujtek, and snagged Brian Bellows from the Minnesota North Stars for Russ Courtnall.While goal prevention was the trademark of the Patrick Roy-led Canadiens, the addition of Damphousse and Bellows - who combined for 68 goals and 96 assists in 1991-92 - was expected to bolster a moribund Montreal offense that ranked 14th in the 22-team league a season earlier.Damphousse: I was traded in August, a week before a training camp. For me to come home and wear that jersey was unbelievable.LeClair: With Bellows, he was a pure goal-scorer. He knew how to put the puck in the net. And obviously Vinny was a big offensive guy, too. Adding those two guys, you hope that you will see some increase. Shayne was more of a two-way player. He could score, but he had more of an all-around game. (Courtnall) was a goal-scorer, but he was streaky. With what we got, we were hoping to get more consistent goal-scoring out of those two guys.Dionne: I think that helped big time; teams were coming in and they were confused, because even if the top line was shut down, we had the second and third lines stepping in and doing the job.Despite the influx of scoring and an emphasis on youth, nobody was picking the Canadiens to go all the way - nobody, that is, except for Demers, who came out prior to the season and proclaimed that Montreal would shock the world and win the Cup.Patrick Roy (as told to Hugo Fontaine of canadiens.com in March 2017): I remember when Jacques came out on the ice for our first practice and said that, we all just looked at each other with these confused expressions and wondered if maybe we hadn't heard him correctly or something.LeBeau: I always think that we were underestimated. No, we weren't the favorite, and I won't argue that we weren't the best team in the league that year, but we were certainly one of the best. We didn't have a Mario Lemieux or a Steve Yzerman offensively, but our team was a quality one - and that's why I think we were underestimated. But it didn't feel like we were young. The way we handled adversity and success made it feel like we were a mature team.Also working in the Habs' favor that season: leadership. Not only did they feature Guy Carbonneau as captain and a host of vocal veterans in Mike Keane, Kirk Muller, and Patrick Roy, but Canadiens players had access to more than a few guys who had played for the Cup before.LeClair: Guy was huge. When you talk about us being a young team, the reason we were able to be successful was because of the leadership we had - and that started with Carbo. The guy doesn't panic, he doesn't change, he's the same temperament no matter the situation, always says the right thing. His leadership on the ice was fabulous. He's the biggest team guy I ever played with. He's one of those guys that everybody loves to play with. I have tremendous respect for the guy.Dionne: We had great support up top with Serge Savard winning Stanley Cups, and with Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau and Guy Lafleur coming in the dressing room. I would ask them, "What did you guys used to do back in the day?" Communication with the alumni guys was huge for me. It helped me big time. Mario Tremblay worked for a local radio station, and he would come to practice. I would say, "Mario, I'm struggling on the wing here. What's up?" And he would guide me. That worked for me, and I appreciated it.The Canadiens came out on fire, putting together a 13-1-1 stretch from Oct. 17 to Nov. 17 en route to a 14-4-2 start to the year. But an 8-10-2 stretch over the next 20 games quelled much of the enthusiasm over the hot start - and typified the regular season for Montreal, which ran hot and cold for the majority of the campaign.LeClair: I can't speak for everybody, but that was only my second full year in the league. I wasn't by any means a polished pro, and it takes a while to get that consistency in your game. Any pro has ups and downs throughout the year, but the guys who have been in the league a while, theirs are a lot shorter because they know how to handle it and they get out of it a little quicker. I do think being young did (contribute) to a lot of that roller-coaster ride.Dionne: I think sometimes that's what happens with young players, and especially forwards like me. You gotta get goals, gotta get assists, and if you don't, you feel the pressure. I didn't want to go back to Fredericton. People talk, and the media puts pressure on you. And believe it or not, although you all like each other, sometimes when you're with the same players, you get grumpy. You get frustrated. Then you might start blaming others, saying, "I don't get the puck enough. I'm not getting enough playing time. I'm not getting enough power-play minutes." The forwards blame the defense, and the defensemen blame the forwards. And it snowballs.LeBeau: Jacques was always in search of the right move to put us in the right spirits. Sometimes he was hard on us, and sometimes he would flatter us. The strategy depended on the situation. He could feel the mood of a dressing room and adjust accordingly. So sometimes we would be playing well and he would be tough on us, while sometimes we would be in a slump and it was time to release the pressure - and he would do that. Jacques always had a way to hold on to the dressing room.While the Canadiens found themselves in a battle for top spot in the Adams Division with the Boston Bruins and Quebec Nordiques, the Journal de Montreal ran a poll in mid-January asking whether the team should trade Roy, who was having a good-but-not-great season to that point. The result: 57 percent of respondents said yes.It spoke to the immense pressure both media and fans were placing on the Canadiens to go all the way - and the players noticed.Dionne: There was so much stuff being said. You had a dozen reporters for one newspaper. I would drive to the rink with Carbo and we would hear things, and I would always look at him and ask, "Is this true? Is this true?" We had to listen to the radio so Guy was prepared to say something and wouldn't be caught off guard after the game or before the game when he met with the media. I personally said a few things I shouldn't have said, but you can't take it back. Though I wish I could, because I'd probably still be playing. (Iaughs)LeClair: I thought Montreal fans were supposed to be knowledgeable fans, so I don't really understand that. For me, everybody had so much respect for Pat, and we believed in him more than everybody else. There's nobody I trusted back there more than him.LeBeau: The mentality in Montreal has always been to win the Stanley Cup. If you don't win, you failed. Even though we were among the top teams in the league, the fans are demanding. So it wasn't a surprise to see that kind of pressure if we weren't on the top of the pyramid. And of course Patrick was our superstar; he had to make a difference every night. So when things weren't going well, people were complaining or criticizing us more than perhaps other fans would. But that's part of playing in Montreal.Dionne: It was all about team camaraderie - and it wasn't easy back then. We had 10 French guys and nine English guys, and the media kept throwing things at us. We had to stick together.In a precursor to their playoff run, the Canadiens closed the regular season with overtime outcomes in three of their final four games. They won just one of them, finishing with a 48-30-6 mark, good for 102 points and a third-place finish in the competitive Adams. Their first-round foe: The rival Nordiques.Damphousse: Boston had 109 points, Quebec had 104, and we had 102. We had a very tough matchup in the first round, and it was split on who the experts thought was going to win. Quebec had a lot of punch on the attack with Sakic and Sundin, and a lot of young guys ... a lot of talent.Jacques Demers (as told to Hugo Fontaine of canadiens.com in 2013): Just as the playoffs were about to start, I heard the song "Nothing's Gonna Stop us Now" by Starship. I went to my captains, Carbo, Muller, Damphousse, Roy, and Keane, and I asked them what they thought about playing that song before each of our games. Like the song says, "We can build this dream together ... nothing's gonna stop us now." The guys liked the idea.Things got off to a rough start for the Canadiens, who dropped a pair of one-goal decisions in Quebec - including the lone overtime loss they would suffer all postseason. Demers had a major challenge on his hands in trying to keep his young roster from feeling discouraged.LeClair: It wasn't panic at all. Everybody understood that we had to play better, and Jacques was relaying that message, too. He said, "There's a lot more that we can do, this isn't our best, and we need to bring our best."Damphousse: I think we felt a bit down, but at the same time, we still believed in our chances. I remember Jacques having conversations with me at the morning skate, because I didn't really have an impact the first couple of games. He said, "You know we need you, I don't have to tell you. But you need to step it up the way you did during the season."LeBeau: In those two games in Quebec, we were right there in the game. We knew we couldn't drop the third game, but if we win those two home games, we're back in the series. And I believe winning the third game was the key moment that brought us back, because we played two good games in Quebec, we won the third game, and we said, "We're back in the series; we can beat these guys."At that point, the hockey gods took over. Damphousse scored the overtime winner in Game 3, kicking off an incredible stretch that saw the Canadiens win four straight games - two in extra time - to eliminate the Nordiques, then reel off a four-game sweep of the Buffalo Sabres in which three of the games were decided in OT. Indeed, something special was happening with the Habs.Damphousse: Game 3 was the first of our 10 (overtime wins) in a row, and it really started something incredible. I don't think it'll be matched.LeClair: I think when we got into Games 3 and 4 against Buffalo, we could see the bounces are going our way, and you could see there was something special going on with Patrick that was easy to ride with the way that Patrick was going in net.LeBeau: For me, personally, (it felt special) after we beat Buffalo. The first two rounds are pretty tough mentally and physically; you're so far away from your goal and your dream. After you win the second round, now the trophy is within reach. And this is where you start to say, "Hey, there are only four teams left. Anything is possible."The catalysts: a combination of balanced scoring - four different players contributed overtime goals in the first two rounds - and clutch goaltending from the oft-maligned Roy, who was steady, if not spectacular, in the first two rounds of the playoffs. And a little luck didn't hurt.Damphousse: We felt very comfortable playing in tight games. You almost go into a routine in overtime. You get your equipment dried up; you don't know how long it's going to be. Trainers are running left and right. But everybody stayed very calm. Patrick made key saves in all the overtime games, and that made a big impact. Every game was a different guy, different story.LeClair: It's a little calmer. You're not as nervous when you go to overtime when you've had so many in the playoffs and been on the right side of them. But it all comes back to Patrick. He says, "I'm not going to let them score," and everybody respects and believes him. We know they're not going to score. So it wasn't a matter of if, but when.Dionne: We weren't getting nervous during overtime; we had the best goalie in the world. Patrick was so confident in himself, and we were confident in him. All he was asking is for us to score more than two goals. He would promise us and say, "I'm not gonna let more than two goals in, boys. If any." Every player had a job to do, every line had a job to do, and that's what we did. The further we went, the more confident we were in overtime. We were in the locker room and would say, "Who gets this winner, guys? Whose line is going to get it?" It was so much fun.LeBeau: We had a quality team, but it takes some breaks. Boston had had our number in the playoffs, but lost to Buffalo. Break No. 1. And then the Pittsburgh Penguins are upset by the New York Islanders. Break No. 2. That made a big difference; if Pittsburgh wins, we get on a plane and we start the semifinal in Pittsburgh; if the Islanders win, we start the series in Montreal. We were in our hotel on the seventh floor, and the Islanders won in overtime, and we all got out of our room and high-fived. Between Boston and Buffalo, and between Pittsburgh and the Islanders, I think 99 percent of the players would have chosen Buffalo and the Islanders.After riding two more overtime wins to a five-game elimination of the Islanders, the Canadiens found themselves in the Stanley Cup Final against Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings, who were coming off a grueling seven-game series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.It didn't appear to affect the Kings, who prevailed 4-1 in Game 1 and held a 2-1 lead late in the third period of Game 2. And it was then that Demers pulled off one of the gutsiest moves in Stanley Cup history, asking for a measurement of Kings defenseman Marty McSorley's stick blade. The decision completely changed the complexion of the series.LeBeau: Back then, it was more common to see teams trying to measure hockey sticks. Just behind the (Montreal Forum) dressing room was a hallway, and this is where we were cutting our sticks. And in between periods, the visiting teams would put the stick racks right there. During the regular season, we had access to those sticks. But during the playoffs, teams weren't putting the stick racks there. So we had to take a guess.LeClair: It was a nervous time. We just didn't play that well in the first game, but we played pretty well in the second game. It wasn't do-or-die, but it was a desperate time; we didn't want to go down 2-0 heading back to their place.Dionne: I'm sitting next to Guy on the bench, and Jacques is speaking in French to Carbo. It's unfortunate, because Marty and I are good friends, but even his backup stick was illegal. So Jacques decided to do it. And Carbo said, "Yes! Do it. Might as well do it now." And once I saw Kerry Fraser using that stick blade measurer at the penalty box ... everyone was so nervous, but I was confident. "That thing's illegal! There's way too much curve."LeBeau: We were targeting (Luc) Robitaille and McSorley. We knew those two guys had illegal sticks. We had players on our side using illegal sticks; Vincent Damphousse played with a huge curve. But they always carried an extra stick, a good stick, just to make sure near the end of the game that, if it was going to get measured, it was going to be legal.Damphousse: It was a turning point for us. We knew there was some guys that had illegal sticks, but to be able to call that was a gutsy move. If you make a mistake, you look a little dumb.LeClair: There's no in-between on that one. You're a genius or an idiot.The rest is Canadiens history. Eric Desjardins ended a lengthy Montreal power-play drought with the tying goal at 18:47, and completed an unlikely hat trick 51 seconds into overtime - Montreal's eighth straight OT triumph.LeClair: We needed that extra advantage, and Eric got us a big goal.Damphousse: Desjardins scored three goals that game, but the second goal was basically because of Jacques' guts.Dionne: Eric Desjardins with a hat trick, plus an overtime goal ... who expects a defenseman to score three goals? It confused everybody.LeClair, who had been under the radar for most of his first two NHL seasons, burst out in a big way in the 1993 playoffs. His virtuoso performance came in Tinseltown, when he potted overtime winners in Games 3 and 4 - contests in which Montreal squandered multi-goal leads - to give the Canadiens a 3-1 stranglehold in the series.LeClair: You're a team, and you want everybody to succeed, from the first guy and the last guy. And when you have everybody in there contributing and pitching in, it just makes everybody feel part of it. For the most part, we played four lines, so everybody was a part of it. Everybody felt happy for everybody, and it made it that much more enjoyable.Dionne: I remember flying back from L.A. after the two big overtime goals from LeClair, and I turn around in my seat and I'm looking at Carbonneau and the guys at the back of the plane, and I ask, "We're not coming back, are we? You think this is it?" I was personally getting tired, and the emotions were running high. I said, "Are we flying back? We're not flying back, are we?" And Carbonneau said, "Just sit down and eat your ice cream and relax." (laughs) Everyone was so calm, but I wasn't. I was excited, and I really didn't want to lose in Montreal. I wanted to win the Cup in Montreal.LeBeau: I was injured. I had a right ankle injury, and then in the semifinal against the Islanders, when I scored that goal in the second overtime, during that game I was hit in the knee and I didn't play Games 3 or 4. I ended up finishing the playoffs on one leg, almost, so my offense wasn't as sharp as the regular season because I wasn't able to skate as well.Despite this, LeBeau - who came into the game with just two goals in 12 postseason games - wound up scoring the biggest goal of the postseason in Game 5 at the Forum. His tally 11:31 into the third period gave the Canadiens a 3-1 lead, and the Kings wouldn't threaten again.LeBeau: That goal was a big one. It was a rush, and if I remember, it was Mike Keane that dropped the puck to me about the top of the circle, and I was able to almost get by myself in front of Hrudey. I lost the puck a little bit but Hrudey lifted his leg a little bit, and I shot it between his legs.LeClair: It was nice. It made the last part of the game a little more enjoyable; you're not holding your stick so tight. But it's a weird feeling knowing you're going to win but still seeing time left; that clock looked like it wasn't ticking.LeBeau: As the playoffs went on, we became invincible. We felt that in the dressing room; I did, anyway. So at 3-1, the way we were playing, the way we were controlling the game, we knew it was going to be very difficult for them to beat us. And we were in complete control after that.Montreal cruised to a 4-1 victory, securing its 24th Stanley Cup in front of a delirious Forum crowd. Roy was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner for the Canadiens, who, nearly a quarter-century later, remain the last Canadian-based team to win the NHL championship.Guy Carbonneau (as told to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette in 2013): It's everybody's dream if you ask everybody that played hockey, especially in Canada. Here we play hockey in the streets and you dream of scoring the wining goal in the Stanley Cup Final and hoisting the Cup. To be able to do it for me was unbelievable in '86 and even better in '93 because we were able to do it here in Montreal and I was the captain. It was fun. For me, having the chance to win the Cup the second time and the third time (with Dallas in 1999) kind of made me reflect on it. I was able to sit back a little and enjoy it a lot more than I did the first one.Dionne: It was very special, especially for my family. My older brother Marcel had a wonderful career, he's a Hall of Famer and a Top 100 player all time. We looked up to Marcel, we watched him all year, and saw how frustrating it was for him to play in L.A., and how disappointing it was for him to never have a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final. My late father was so happy, he said to Marcel, "We finally did it! We finally won the Cup!" (laughs) Marcel was in the stands, and I said to him, "Just come on down to the room. We got it." I could tell in the pictures that he was so proud of what I had accomplished with Montreal.LeClair: It's a great memory of mine. Any time you win the Stanley Cup, it's a special memory. I still get a chance to see some of the guys. It was so much fun to go through it with them.Kirk Muller (as told to Hugo Fontaine of canadiens.com in 2013): I remember going to sit with Mike Keane in the Forum stands a few hours after the end of the game. We each sat there with a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other, and we looked out at the empty rink, saying to ourselves: "Oh my God, we just won the Stanley Cup!"LeBeau: Twenty-five years ... I cannot believe it went so fast, but at the same time, it feels like yesterday that I was in the dressing room after that fifth game against L.A. with my teammates, and living my dream. It went so fast, it's unbelievable.Damphousse: A lot of people underestimated our team. But when you look at everybody's career, how they turned out, we had a really solid team. LeClair turned out to be a 50-goal scorer in the league; he had just started his career, he was 22 at the time. Eric Desjardins made the Canadian national team. Patrice Brisebois played 18 years. Mathieu Schneider became one of the best defensemen in the league. We really had a lot of talent - and nobody knew how good we were except for the guys inside. And Jacques really believed in us. He said we were going to shock the hockey world. And we did.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zach Bogosian's season is over, as the Buffalo Sabres defenseman will undergo hip surgery next week and faces a recovery timeline of four-to-six months, the team announced Friday.Bogosian was originally said to miss four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury he suffered in practice earlier this month, but Sabres GM Jason Botterill said the 27-year-old has dealt with the hip injury since the start of the season.Since being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in 2014-15, Bogosian has played 159 games for the Sabres, recording 43 points. However, injuries have been a common occurrence for the former third overall pick, as he hasn't appeared in more than 70 games in a season since 2010-11.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the hockey world's elite set to descend on sunny Tampa Bay this weekend for the 63rd edition of the NHL All-Star Game, we've hit the unofficial halfway point of the 2017-18 campaign.As each club hovers around the 50-games-played mark, we felt it was an opportune time to look back at some of the major storylines that have dominated the hockey consciousness over the past four months.Insanely tight division races, expansion buzz, and an influx of talent from south of the border - you name it, the first half of the NHL season had it.Let's take a look at what we've learned now that All-Star weekend is upon us:Parity reigns supreme Unlike some other North American professional sports leagues - cough, the NBA, cough - the NHL is increasingly becoming a multi-horse race, as more than a handful of teams currently have legitimate shots at taking home the Stanley Cup.This trend is best exemplified in the Central and Metropolitan Divisions, where jockeying for playoff positioning is already in full swing:The Jets, Predators, and Blues are three well-balanced clubs with bona fide Cup aspirations. However, don't sleep on the talent of the Stars or the experience and winning pedigree of the Blackhawks. With only 13 points separating first from seventh, this division could look a whole lot different when April rolls around.As for the Metro, only 11 points separate first and last in a division also stacked with playoff-ready squads.The two-time reigning champion Penguins, two-time reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals, and up-and-coming Blue Jackets all possess enough talent to go on deep postseason runs. Not to mention the high-scoring Islanders or Flyers, two more teams that could also do some damage come April.Both of these divisions are stacked, highlighting the quickly developing trend of parity in both the Western and Eastern Conference. Don't be shocked when the Metro or Central produces the 2018 Stanley Cup champion.Americans taking NHL by stormPatrick Kane, Auston Matthews, and Jonathan Quick - American-born players who've become or are on the cusp of becoming superstars - have helped push the development of the game in non-traditional U.S. markets.And because of it, there is a brand new wave of American rookies putting the NHL on notice this campaign. Entering the All-Star break four of the top-10 rookie scorers hail from the U.S.:Player (Position)TeamPlaceGoalsAssistsBrock Boeser (RW)Canucks2nd2419Clayton Keller (C)Coyotes3rd1422Alex DeBrincat (LW/RW)Blackhawks6th1715Kyle Connor (LW)Jets9th1514Team USA Hockey is also booming at the international level, as the Americans have earned a medal in three consecutive world junior tournaments for the first time in the program's history.Factor in that there are three USA Hockey products projected in the top 10 on the NHL Central Scouting's North American Skaters list for the 2018 NHL Draft (Brady Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, Oliver Wahlstrom), and the invasion of American talent into the NHL is just getting started.Coach's challenges ruining the gameRules implemented to erase egregious offside and goalie interference calls have now evolved into a messy scenario that is quickly becoming the biggest talking point of the NHL.Coach's challenges were enacted in hopes of getting the calls right and improving the overall quality of the game - but neither of those things have happened. Overturned goals, phantom goalie interference calls, and subsequent on-ice debates now dominate nightly hockey discussions and morning highlight shows.

Columbus Blue Jackets rearguard Seth Jones will miss the All-Star festivities this weekend in Tampa due to illness, but one of his teammates is stepping up in his absence.On Friday the NHL announced that Blue Jackets D-man Zach Werenski will be taking Jones' spot on the Metropolitan Division's roster for Sunday afternoon's clash of All-Star talent.Werenski, 20, is having another stellar campaign in his second full season in the NHL, notching 11 goals and 11 assists while anchoring Columbus' top defensive pairing along with Jones.This will be the first All-Star game of Werenski's career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.