It's the NHL All-Star break, and while the official midway point of the season is long gone, the annual festivities - held this year in Tampa Bay - usually signifies the start of the real stretch run, otherwise deemed the unofficial second half of the schedule.As the NHL's best head south, let's take a peek into the crystal ball and predict what may go down in the season's final two months.Penguins push for 3-peat with deadline splashAfter a tepid first half, the Penguins have started to turn it on lately, looking like the team that's won the last two Stanley Cups. Pittsburgh, at least momentarily, has slid into third spot in the Metropolitan Division thanks to a 7-3 stretch in its last 10 games, but does this outfit have the depth to push for a three-peat?The Penguins lost Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen up front in the offseason, but there are several players said to be available who could replenish the offensive potency that's made Pittsburgh so difficult to handle in the playoffs.Don't be surprised if general manager Jim Rutherford looks to make something happen in pursuit of another ring.Vegas wins Presidents' TrophyIf you're still not used to the fact that the Golden Knights will be a playoff team in their inaugural season, don't hurt yourself trying to wrap your head around the very distinct possibility of Vegas winning the Presidents' Trophy.Gerard Gallant's group leads the West with 68 points, and trail the Tampa Bay Lightning by three for first overall with one game in hand. However, with Victor Hedman hurt, the opportunity for Vegas is right in front of them.Vegas is a virtual lock for the postseason right now, thanks in large part to a 19-3-2 record at T-Mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights will play nine of 10 in a crucial stretch in late February.Giroux, Voracek set career highs to send Philly to playoffsThe Flyers' ascent back to playoff contention this season has largely been propelled by the nightly success of their top line, and with Sean Couturier already setting career highs across the board, it's reasonable to surmise his running mates can follow suit.After a down season sparked a move to the wing, Philly captain Claude Giroux has bounced back in a big way. Already one point shy of last year's total with 57 points in 49 games, he's on pace to reach a new personal best of 95. His longtime partner, Jakub Voracek, leads the league with 47 assists, and is on pace to reach 93 points, smashing his previous high of 81.Should both keep it up, the Flyers will be able to nab a playoff spot after missing out in three of the last five seasons.Canadian team wins draft lotteryIt's not where many of them expected to be, but four of the seven Canadian teams are well in the running for the No. 1 pick in June's draft.The Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Ottawa Senators all sit 24th or lower in the league standings, and any hopes of a playoff berth are essentially dead.With Rasmus Dahlin available as the top prize, tanking for the final two months of the season is worth the pain, as the No. 1-ranked prospect would immediately kick any teams impending rebuild into overdrive.Central, Metropolitan each send 5 teams to postseasonThe NHL's playoff format is considerably flawed, but the race for the wild-card spots in each conference promises to be entertaining to the bitter end with the Central and Metropolitan pressing to send five teams each.Only two points separate second and seventh place in the Metro, while three teams outside the divisional slots in the Central are well within range of latching onto a playoff spot. With an emphasis on inter-divisional games down the stretch, seeding is destined to change frequently, but in the end, the two deepest divisions will be well represented in the postseason.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid was a tad agitated with the officiating in Thursday's win over the Calgary Flames, and the Edmonton Oilers captain made sure the referees knew he wasn't pleased.In overtime, McDavid scorched the Flames en route to setting up what looked to be the game-winner, but it was controversially reversed because of apparent goaltender interference. Upon eventually scoring in a shootout, No. 97 gestured to the officials to make sure this one would count, a la Auston Matthews earlier in the week.

The last night of NHL action before the All-Star break is usually a wild one, and Thursday's 15-game slate certainly didn't disappoint.With only the Los Angeles Kings getting the night off, there were plenty of impressive plays and accomplishments around the league.Here are seven moments you need to see from an extremely busy evening of hockey:Callahan blows by Gostisbehere, buries stunning shortyThe goal of the night came from an unlikely source.Ryan Callahan's second of the season was a dandy, as he stickhandled past Shayne Gostisbehere, drove around Michal Neuvirth, and deposited a beautiful shorthanded marker.Teravainen goes backhand shelf on Price

The Edmonton Oilers rallied behind Connor McDavid's shootout winner against the Calgary Flames after yet another controversial goaltender interference call in overtime reversed the team's seemingly legitimate tiebreaker.Ryan Strome looked to have scored his first goal in 13 games in the extra period, sliding a McDavid rebound past goaltender David Rittich.

Brian Boyle's unlikely trip to the All-Star Game this weekend will provide the veteran with many firsts.The New Jersey Devils forward was named as the replacement on the Metropolitan squad for teammate Taylor Hall - who will miss the festivities due to a thumb injury. While this marks Boyle's first-ever All-Star nod, it will also give him the opportunity to finally play some 3-on-3 hockey."I've been dying to try 3-on-3 since it started," Boyle said, according to Chris Ryan of NJ.com. "This will be a good taste. Kind of ease me into it against the best in the world."Boyle has been one of the year's feel-good stories. He was forced to miss training camp and the first month of the season after being diagnosed with leukemia, before making his Devils debut on Nov. 1. He's since tallied 11 goals and 17 points in 38 games, including two three-point contests. While he knows he won't bring Hall's sort of skill, he plans to cherish the moment."I don't really know what to expect," Boyle said. "It's cool of them to think of me. I'm not naive to the fact that there's a lot more skill there than what I can bring. But I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."It looks as though the 2018 All-Star Game might have its latest feel-good story after John Scott took over the 2016 installment.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Joe Thornton has gone under the knife.The San Jose Sharks forward had an arthroscopic procedure performed Thursday afternoon to address an issue with his right MCL, general manager Doug Wilson revealed Thursday night.The GM said no timetable has been established for Thornton's recovery, despite estimating Wednesday the 38-year-old would likely be out for several weeks.Thornton collided with teammate Mikkel Boedker in Tuesday's game against the Winnipeg Jets.The troublesome knee is not the same one Thornton injured last season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Boyle is an All-Star.The veteran New Jersey Devils forward will replace teammate Taylor Hall at the All-Star festivities this weekend.Hall will sit out due to a right thumb injury.Boyle has been one of the best stories of the NHL season, returning to action Nov. 1 after being diagnosed with leukemia. He has 11 goals and 17 points in 38 games.This will be Boyle's first All-Star appearance in his 11-year career.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin took another step in proving he's one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time.The Washington Capitals captain deflected a Brooks Orpik point shot to pick up his 30th goal of the season.In doing so, Ovechkin became just the 10th player in NHL history to record 13 or more 30-goal seasons and the sixth skater to tally 13 consecutive 30-goal campaigns.

Move over, Jaromir. Next up, Mario.Sidney Crosby moved past Jaromir Jagr and into sole possession of second place on the Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time points list when he set up Dominik Simon's first-period goal against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.It was Crosby's 1,080th career point in his 833rd game with the Penguins. Jagr racked up 1,079 in 806 contests in Pittsburgh.Mario Lemieux is the Penguins' all-time points leader, having amassed 1,723 in 915 games.Crosby is also on the verge of another milestone, currently sitting on 399 career goals.He added two more assists after his milestone helper as the Penguins doubled up the Wild 6-3 on Thursday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings have reportedly declared themselves sellers at the upcoming trade deadline. Even though the team sits nine points out of a playoff spot, there are still available assets that many teams would covet for a Cup run.Jimmy HowardTeam that should be most interested: New York Islanders

With their historic playoff streak now only a memory, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves on the opposite end of the spectrum, and have informed teams they're ready to sell current assets for future ones ahead of the trade deadline, a source told The Athletic's Craig Custance.Entering Thursday's games, the Red Wings sit 13 points back of the final playoff position in the Atlantic Division and 11 shy of the second wild-card spot, all but surely signaling the second consecutive season Detroit will miss the playoffs after 25 straight years of postseason play.The most likely candidate to be shipped out is defenseman Mike Green, a pending unrestricted free agent, but Custance indicates more players could be made available for the right deal.This year's trade deadline is Feb. 26.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's now one more way to win big in Sin City, as placing a wager on the expansion Vegas Golden Knights has proven to be an excellent source of extra income.Except, of course, if you're the one taking the bets."We've been getting our butts kicked," South Point oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro told ESPN's Doug Kezirian. "We should rename it 'free date night.' A guy invites a girl out to dinner and stops at the sportsbook on the way to the game. What she doesn't realize is we are paying for everything."The first-year club is the biggest surprise of the season, and has easily surpassed pundits' and oddsmakers' low expectations. The Golden Knights sit atop the Western Conference after a 32-11-4 showing through 47 games, good for 68 points. That means they're already ahead of their 26.5 over/under mark for wins and knocking on the door of their 68.5-point season projection. There's no better team on home ice, either; Vegas has dropped just two of 23 contests at T-Mobile Arena."The betting public found a new ATM," said Westgate Las Vegas Superbook oddsmaker and manager John Murray. "It's called the Golden Knights."Nowadays, the house is putting a little more faith in the hometown team. Westgate's latest odds tab the Golden Knights as 7-1 favorites - behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning - to win the Stanley Cup.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will welcome back a key member of their lineup Thursday, as Jaden Schwartz has been activated off the injured reserve and will suit up versus the Colorado Avalanche after a 20-game absence.Schwartz took a shot off his ankle Dec. 9, and the Blues have struggled ever since, posting a 9-10-1 record. Before his injury, St. Louis was 20-8-2 while averaging 3.3 goals per game.Schwartz, Brayden Schenn, and Vladimir Tarasenko made up one of the NHL's top lines, and his return should help replenish an attack that ranks dead last with 2.11 goals per contest since the trio was forced apart.In 30 games this season, Schwartz ranks third on the Blues with 35 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames goaltender Mike Smith has been added to the Pacific Division All-Star roster, replacing Jonathan Quick, the league announced Thursday.Quick pulled out of the festivities Wednesday due to a "nagging injury."Smith joins Vegas netminder Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes for the Pacific. In his first season with the Flames, he has won 20 games and posted a strong .926 save percentage in 41 starts.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Senators are in the initial stages of a move to downtown Ottawa.On Thursday, the National Capital Commission announced it has signed an agreement in principle with RendezVous LeBreton for the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats, a downtown Ottawa neighborhood where the hockey team wants to build a new arena.The Senators currently play out of the Canadian Tire Centre in suburban Kanata. The hope is that a move to a more accessible arena in the downtown core will improve attendance figures.A joint venture between Trinity Development and the Senators, RendezVous LeBreton now holds exclusive negotiation rights as it works toward a master agreement with the National Capital Commission. That process could take more than one year, reports Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, on hand for Thursday's announcement, said in a statement, "(I am) thrilled to move one step closer to bringing fans a more enjoyable experience."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are down another netminder, as James Reimer will miss two weeks with a pulled groin, head coach Bob Boughner confirmed Thursday.Reimer left Tuesday's contest versus the Dallas Stars and will join Roberto Luongo on the shelf, as the veteran is still recovering from a lower-body injury suffered in early December.In 30 starts this season, Reimer owns a 13-12-5 record with a .911 save percentage. With both top options unavailable, the Panthers will turn to Harri Sateri in goal.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Russia has revealed its men's roster for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.Among those named to the roster includes former NHL superstars Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk, both of whom are competing in the KHL this season.The roster also features a number of other recognizable names to North American hockey fans, such as Vadim Shipachyov, Mikhail Grigorenko, and Alexei Marchenko.Here's a look at the full roster:Goalies:

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been suspended five games for elbowing New Jersey Devils forward Marcus Johansson, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.The incident occurred late in the third period of Tuesday night's game. Player Safety determined Marchand - who argued he was protecting himself - initiated the contract with Johansson.Marchand is considered a repeat offender and will forfeit $373,475.60 for the infraction. It marks the sixth time the 29-year-old has been suspended to go along with three previous fines, for a total of just under $873,000 in forfeited money over his career, according to CapFriendly.

The Pacific Division All-Stars have lost a key piece between the pipes.Jonathan Quick won't participate in this weekend's All-Star festivities as he "needs to take care of (a) nagging injury," LA Kings GM Rob Blake told TSN's Pierre LeBrun via text message.Quick will be forced to sit out a minimum of one game - either in LA's matchup with Calgary on Wednesday night, or upon his return - for late withdrawal from the All-Star Game, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told LeBrun.The Kings' netminder owns a .921 save percentage and a 2.44 goals-against average this season. However, his save percentage is just .876 over his last seven games, so it's possible the persistent injury is affecting his performance.With Marc-Andre Fleury now the only remaining goalie left on the Pacific Division roster, someone will be added to replace Quick. Calgary's Mike Smith and Anaheim's John Gibson headline the most deserving candidates.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With their first pick of the 2011 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers selected centerman Sean Couturier from the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs.As an eighth overall pick, the Flyers expected Couturier to become a forward the franchise could rely on for the foreseeable future. But they couldn't have known the 6-foot-3 pivot would average the fifth-most ice time among forwards and grow into one of the NHL's most complete players.To say Couturier is turning heads this campaign would be a massive understatement. Sure, his offensive production is impressive, as he's racking up points at a career-best clip (through 48 games, he has 26 goals and 23 assists). But that's just one dimension of the 25-year-old's game.Couturier can literally do it all at both ends of the ice.Power-play proficiencyCouturier sits 35th in the league in power-play minutes (152) and has six goals and four assists with the man advantage, good enough for fifth-most on a Philadelphia squad stacked with offensive weapons.He plays more power-play minutes than the likes of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and Artemi Panarin. His ability to eat up time and contribute with the extra man is downright stellar.The Flyers own the ninth-best power-play unit in the NHL, and a major reason for that is Couturier's versatility and ability to win faceoffs.Dominating the dot Claude Giroux might own the official title as the Flyers' top faceoff man, but Couturier is right behind him.His 323 faceoff wins are more than any Philadelphia player not named Claude, and he's converting his draws at a solid 54 percent pace.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Sprinkle in his solid 5-on-5 Corsi For percentage of 54.29, and Couturier is a big reason the Flyers find themselves sitting pretty in the third playoff spot in the insanely tight Metropolitan Division.Penalty-killing pieceSure, Philly still sits near the bottom of the NHL in PK efficiency (75.2), but that doesn't change the fact Couturier might be at his best playing in his own zone.The offensively gifted center has a versatile defensive game, and has built a reputation as a forward always willing to sacrifice his body and get back on D. This is especially evident on the penalty kill, where he's relied on to anchor the top PK unit alongside Wayne Simmonds, Ivan Provorov, and Andrew MacDonald.Couturier plays more shorthanded minutes than any other Philadelphia player, racking up 96 so far this season. Scott Laughton is next on the list at 71 minutes.No other forward in the NHL has played more than 150 minutes on the power play and 95 on the penalty kill except Couturier. The next-closest player in terms of minutes on special teams is perennial Hart Trophy threat John Tavares, who has 161 and 90, respectively.The complete packageGoals, assists, faceoffs, possession, special teams. You name it, and Couturier can do it - and do it exceedingly well.

The San Jose Sharks' path to securing a playoff spot just got considerably more difficult, as star centerman Joe Thornton will miss several weeks with an injury to his right MCL, general manager Doug Wilson announced Wednesday.Wilson says the club is awaiting the results of an MRI to determine whether surgery is necessary, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic.Thornton got tangled with teammate Mikkel Boedker late in Tuesday's contest versus the Winnipeg Jets and was forced out of the game.

Many labeled the Edmonton Oilers one of the Western Conference's greatest threats for a Stanley Cup entering this season, but the team's sky-high expectations for 2017-18 have cratered catastrophically.While Edmonton has bigger organizational problems, the Oilers' latest loss boils down to one thing: a miserable effort on the penalty kill. The 30th-place Buffalo Sabres and their 26th-ranked power play strolled into Rogers Place and tuned up the Oilers for three goals in four chances with the man advantage, setting the tone for a 5-0 victory.The strangest aspect of Edmonton's penalty kill is the home and road splits. The Oilers at home rank 31st - an unfathomable 54 percent. On the road, though, they're the best in the league, successfully fending off 86.6 percent of opposing power plays.What? How? No seriously, how?Tuesday's loss perfectly illustrated the horrific home side of the Oilers' bizarre special-teams discrepancy. Below, we'll break down the penalty kill's struggles in one of the unit's worst performances yet.Goal No. 1: Reinhart deflection squeaks past TalbotBuffalo opened the scoring with a power-play tally late in the first period. A deflection off the stick of Sam Reinhart trickled through Cam Talbot - who owns a save percentage of .802 while shorthanded this season.While it looks like an unlucky break, the Oilers' diamond formation allowed it to happen, particularly after Zack Kassian shifted all his attention to Jack Eichel - who definitely warrants an extra check or two.Eichel evaded the flailing Kassian with ease and set up Rasmus Ristolainen. The defenseman had enough time and space to wind up, read a short novel, and fire a slap shot through a sea of players - including the idle Mark Letestu, pictured between the circles.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point will replace teammate Victor Hedman on the Atlantic Division All-Star squad, the team announced Wednesday.Hedman was recently sidelined three-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury, opening the door for Point, who was chosen to participate in front of his home fans despite the Atlantic roster now featuring just two blue-liners - Erik Karlsson and Mike Green.Point has put together a terrific season thus far, producing 43 points in 48 games for the first-place Lightning.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets sent veteran forward Brandon Dubinsky back to Columbus on Tuesday to deal with personal issues that have impacted his season and could jeopardize his playing career, sources told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.Beyond confirming that Dubinsky will be away from the Blue Jackets indefinitely, the club wouldn't comment on the report.The team stayed in Las Vegas for four days ahead of Tuesday night's game. Portzline noted that the Las Vegas Police Department did not have a police report that named Dubinsky.Dubinsky's agent, Kurt Overhardt, said his client wasn't sent home for disciplinary reasons, and told Portzline that the forward left the team's road trip early for medical consultation."He was sent home for medical diagnosis," Overhardt said. "He's had several injuries this season. The club and my client decided that this was best. There are several issues we've been dealing with behind the scenes to get him healthy."

Ken Hitchcock has coached over 1,500 games in his NHL career, so he's seen just about everything. Even games such as the Stars' meeting with the Panthers on Tuesday, which resulted in 138 penalty minutes.Hitchcock doesn't seem to mind these type of games, though. During his postgame press conference, a reporter began a question by referring to the game as "weird," but the veteran bench boss didn't agree."I didn't find it weird," he told reporters while holding back a smile. "In a very sick way, it was fun."The Stars came out on top 6-1, so Hitchcock clearly had a reason to be chipper about his team's performance in the rough game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things got pretty heated between the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.Chaos ensued after Panthers netminder James Reimer suffered a lower-body injury attempting to stop a point shot, resulting in four fights in the first period alone and six overall.Panthers' Micheal Haley led all skaters with 39 penalty minutes, including a 10-minute misconduct and later a game misconduct. On the other side, Stars forward Radek Faksa dropped the gloves twice.In all, the clubs combined for 138 penalty minutes, including 84 in the first period. The Stars ultimately had the last laugh as they skated away with a commanding 6-1 win.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There was a significant lack of hype leading up to Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid's most recent matchup, but one thing was clear: Eichel came out the big winner.Eichel picked up a goal and three assists in the Buffalo Sabres' 5-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night, and was clearly the game's most dominant player. McDavid, on the other hand, was quiet, recording just three shots on goal.While nobody would argue that McDavid has accomplished more in their respective careers thus far, Eichel clearly has the upper hand whenever the two meet head-to-head:EichelStatMcDavid3Wins12G24A2Unfortunately, the hockey world will have to wait until next season for another meeting between the 2015 draft's top two selections. If both teams are competitive by then, it would only increase the rivalry's intensity.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins extended their point streak to 17 games Tuesday thanks to a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils.It marks the first time the Bruins have collected at least a point in 17 straight games since 1983, and the sixth time in franchise history. Over the past six weeks, the Bruins have gone 13-0-4, with their last regulation loss coming Dec. 14 against the Washington Capitals.The Bruins were backed by their top line once again Tuesday, combining for another four points. The line - Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak - has combined for 136 points on the year.

The improbable double-digit run of victories by the Colorado Avalanche is over.A 4-2 victory by the Montreal Canadiens over the Avalanche ended Colorado's win streak at 10 games on Tuesday night.The last time Colorado lost before Tuesday night's defeat was Dec. 27, 2017 against the Arizona Coyotes. The Avalanche started and ended the 10-game run with wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs that came 24 days apart.Colorado's torrid stretch was the longest win streak in the NHL so far this season.The Avalanche finished with the worst record in the salary-cap era in 2016-17.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With an assist on Dominik Simon's second goal of the season, Sidney Crosby tied Jaromir Jagr for second place on the Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time points list.

There's a surprising omission from the Tampa Bay Lightning's lineup Tuesday for their meeting with the Nashville Predators. Potential Rookie of the Year candidate Mikhail Sergachev is a healthy scratch, the team announced.The 19-year-old defenseman has 27 points in 47 games this season. Performance aside, Sergachev's absence is surprising given that All-Star D-man Victor Hedman remains out of the lineup with a lower-body injury.During the Lightning's previous game Monday against the Blackhawks, Sergachev took a four-minute, double-minor penalty - two for high-sticking, two for unsportsmanlike conduct - so the missed game may be a way to help the youngster learn a lesson.On top of that, his offensive production has slowed of late, collecting just four points in his last 15 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders are apparently nearing an agreement to play some regular-season games in their old barn while the new one is being built.Two sources familiar with the situation told Newsday's Jim Baumbach that the Islanders are closing in on a deal to play a mix of games at Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center in the years leading up to the opening of the new facility at Belmont Park.It's not yet clear how the games would be split, but the earliest the Belmont Park arena would be ready is the 2021-22 season, which means the club would need to figure out a temporary solution for three full seasons after this one.The Islanders are negotiating with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, which owns both their current and former homes, and have a deadline of Jan. 30 to opt out of their deal at Barclays Center.They won the bid to redevelop Belmont Park in December. Earlier this month, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said he was open to the possibility of the Islanders playing some games at the Coliseum in the years before their new arena is ready.Related: Bettman, Islanders owner tour Nassau Coliseum as possible temporary arenaNassau Coliseum recently underwent a $165-million renovation.The Islanders left it for Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2015-16, but have had a host of issues in the new building since, from complaints about sight lines and the ice conditions to the piping system reportedly not meeting NHL standards.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The future of Daniel and Henrik Sedin is an issue the Vancouver Canucks will have to address in the coming weeks.The twin faces of the franchise can become unrestricted free agents at season's end, thereby free to re-sign with the Canucks, jump on with another team, or hang up the skates altogether.Speaking on behalf of the pair, Henrik said on Tuesday that they'll try and let the Canucks know which way they are leaning prior to the Feb. 26 trade deadline."(The Canucks) want to do what's best for them and we want to try to help as much as we can too," he said, per TSN 1040 in Vancouver. "If we can give an answer, we'll give them something. If we're still undecided or not sure, they've told us they're fine with us telling them when we know."That could mean either being open to a trade to help the Canucks acquire assets for the future while the Sedins chase a Stanley Cup elsewhere before they retire, or sticking around and helping the team's young core.There's a lot that goes into the decision, Sedin added.

Seattle is catching the hockey fever.Mayor Jenny Durkan met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman ahead of a conference Tuesday in Washington, and promptly sent out this tweet:

Hockey Canada announced Tuesday its 2018 class of inductees for the Order of Hockey in Canada, and headlining this year's honorees are Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, three-time Olympic medalist Danielle Goyette, and former NHL All-Star Ryan Smyth.The honor is awarded annually to individuals for their contribution to the sport of hockey north of the border."As players and coaches, this group has led the way on and off the ice, teaching and inspiring Canadian players at all levels of the game," said Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney."To be selected as a distinguished honoree of the Order of Hockey in Canada is one of the most prestigious accomplishments one can receive in hockey in Canada, and this year's honorees are well-deserving of the recognition."

With the NHL seemingly on track to award an expansion franchise to Seatlle in the coming years, Bodog has released the odds for the potential team names.The early favorite is the Emeralds, a nod to the city's nickname, followed by the Totems, the name of Seattle's minor pro hockey team from 1958-74. Rainiers was the name of a minor-league baseball team.Here's a look at the top 12 options:Team NameOddsEmeralds9-2Totems6-1Rainiers13-2Evergreens8-1Kraken8-1Renegades8-1Sea Lions8-1Firebirds19-2Cougars10-1Eagles10-1Seals11-1Whales11-1(Odds courtesy: Bodog)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hockey Canada announced Tuesday its 2018 class of inductees for the Order of Hockey in Canada, and headlining this year's honorees are Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, three-time Olympic medalist Danielle Goyette, and former NHL All-Star Ryan Smyth.The honor is awarded annually to individuals for their contribution to the sport of hockey north of the border."As players and coaches, this group has led the way on and off the ice, teaching and inspiring Canadian players at all levels of the game," said Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney."To be selected as a distinguished honoree of the Order of Hockey in Canada is one of the most prestigious accomplishments one can receive in hockey in Canada, and this year's honorees are well-deserving of the recognition."

On the surface, everything's going great for the Colorado Avalanche.Last season's last-place club is riding a 10-game win streak and occupies a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot heading into Tuesday's game in Montreal. In the bigger picture, the Avs boast a season record of 27-16-3 with a fifth-ranked goal differential of plus-22.But is a team one year removed from finishing with the lowest point percentage in the shootout era truly a force to be reckoned with?At the moment, the answer appears to be a clear yes, but the underlying numbers suggest the Avalanche will eventually begin to roll downhill.First, it's important to note the Avs' special teams have been very effective, with the league's No. 8 power play (20.9 percent) and its second-ranked penalty kill (84.9 percent).The majority of the game is played at even strength, however, so here are a few key five-on-five stats that paint a more complete picture.Corsi For rating - 48.32As a refresher, Corsi measures shot attempt differential, and is calculated by adding a team's shots on goal, shot attempts gone wide, and blocked shot attempts, and then subtracting that number from the same types of shot attempts directed at that team's own net.The difference is then presented as a percentage of shot attempts for and against. A percentage above 50 generally signals a team's ability to control play.Colorado ranks 23rd in this category at 48.32 percent, meaning the team's opposition is regularly sending more pucks toward the net.Expected Goals For percentage - 46.86With that in mind, let's turn to expected goals for, which does not look favorably on the Avs. This stat evaluates the types of shots for and against, giving some more value than others. Corsica takes the following variables into account:

TORONTO — Coming off Monday's victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs that pushed their win streak to 10 games, the Colorado Avalanche are the hottest story in hockey. It's a development almost impossible to believe, considering where the franchise was at the same time last year.Colorado slumped to a 22-56-4 mark in 2016-17, a season some were quick to deem the worst performance of the salary cap era."Everything that could go wrong last year went wrong," Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said Monday.This year, the Avalanche have corrected their own trajectory with Nathan MacKinnon emerging as a leading Hart Trophy candidate. MacKinnon has already surpassed his output from 2016-17 and the Art Ross Trophy is also certainly within reach, but he's far from the lone contributor on this offensive inferno.Mikko Rantanen has developed into the Avalanche's second catalyst, forming one of the league's most potent lines with MacKinnon and Landeskog. The 21-year-old is ready for his closeup, and it's only a matter of time before the rest of the league takes notice.___________________________________________________________Selected 10th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, Rantanen's stellar rookie campaign was overshadowed by the Avalanche's worst season in over two decades. Rantanen notched 20 goals and 18 assists, showing glimpses of his star potential, but Colorado was out of playoff contention before his professional experience begun in earnest.This season has been in diametric opposition to last year's disaster. Rantanen is certainly channeling the learning experience, and he's now tied for 20th in league scoring with 17 goals and 30 assists, averaging just over a point per game."I just think it's the experience from last year, it gives a little more push in the rink when you don't think too much. You know what to expect," Rantanen told theScore.It's a sentiment echoed by Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar."I think, second year in the league, he knows what to expect. He came out, had a little bit of a slow start, but he's really found his stride here lately," Bednar said of Rantanen.Although Rantanen is content to defer to his teammates, it's become clear his potential is limitless while he continues to elevate his game throughout the winter."I said it all along last year and the last couple of years: this guy can only get as good as he wants. He's got no boundaries for how good he can get. He's got all the tools, it's just a matter of staying level-headed and he's a great kid, it's been a lot of fun to be a part of," Landeskog said.______________________________________________________________Rantanen benefits from playing alongside MacKinnon and Landeskog, both of whom were billed as the league's brightest talents upon breaking into the NHL. It's a terrifying notion for 29 other teams but at 25, Landeskog is the grizzled, sage veteran of the group, serving as the composed voice of the team.The camaraderie between the trio is obvious and Rantanen spoke about how he's happy to play on a line that holds three distinct skill sets."Nathan is in the middle, everybody knows he's a superstar. He's really fast, one of the fastest guys in the league, he drags a lot of d-men into him and makes a lot of room for us. Gabe is a great two-way guy and very strong with the puck. I try to be in the middle, make plays for them, and try to finish some chances too and be strong with the puck," Rantanen said."I think him and Nathan and Landeskog really have formed a good bond on and off the ice. They like playing with each other. There's some good chemistry there," Bednar said of his top forward unit.Landeskog detailed Rantanen's ability to overpower defenders while still exhibiting the high-end speed and playmaking that has come to define the Avalanche's top line."Obviously, he's got two really good linemates in Nate and myself and we've found some chemistry. He's doing really well as far as finding those loose pucks in front of the net and making sure he's making those strong plays because he is a big, strong guy making strong plays on the puck, protecting the puck, but he's also got that speed whenever he's challenging defensemen wide or taking them on 1-on-1," Landeskog said.Notching 14 points through January with a week still remaining, Rantanen is dominating the game with his complete skill set and although he's surrounded by stars, he's far from the third wheel of this rocket-powered arsenal.______________________________________________________________During a Jan. 6 game against the Minnesota Wild, Rantanen was caught on the bench rocking out to Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer", a song that predates the right winger's existence by a decade. It provided a brief account of what Rantanen is like as a teammate, adored by his peers for his lighthearted approach."I love him, everybody loves him around the locker room. I think that's one thing about our team is that nobody really dislikes each other. We all get along very well and that makes it fun," Avalanche center Tyson Jost said of Rantanen."He's very funny, he's goofy...he's an awesome guy to be around."Whether it's a function of starring on the west coast, or the rest of the league still trying to scrub last year from their memory, Rantanen has somehow gone under the radar while exhibiting star quality in every way. The Avalanche have their second catalyst, and it's unlikely it'll remain a secret for long.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's not every day you're mentioned among the greats.By recording his 50th point of the season Monday, New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal became just the fourth player in the last 20 years to reach that total in the first 50 games of a rookie season.Barzal joined Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin:SeasonPlayerGames to reach 50 PointsPoints through 50 games2005-06Crosby45582005-06Ovechkin41652006-07Malkin42592017-18Barzal49-Monday's contest against the Arizona Coyotes marked the 49th game this season for Barzal, and he'll play No. 50 on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Monday to extend their league-best winning streak to 10 games.Jonathan Bernier got the win for the Avalanche, turning aside 29 shots in his first game at Air Canada Centre since being traded away by the Maple Leafs in July 2016.The victory continued a turnaround season for the Avalanche - who finished with a league-worst 48 points a year ago - as they currently hold the second wild-card spot in the West with 57 points.Colorado will look to extend its streak Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews wanted everyone to know this one counted.The Toronto Maple Leafs star pointed emphatically to signal a goal after scoring to give his team a 2-1 lead over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night.Minutes earlier, Matthews had had a goal taken away upon review, when it was deemed he interfered with Avalanche goaltender Jonathan Bernier.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could be without Morgan Rielly for at least the next three games, as the defenseman was reportedly placed on the injured reserve Monday.Rielly missed Saturday's contest against the rival Ottawa Senators, and, unless placed on IR retroactively, will also be sidelined for upcoming contests against Colorado, Chicago, and Dallas. Those three games will be followed by a five-day break for the All-Star Game.Players must remain on the injured reserve for a minimum of seven days, meaning Rielly should return as soon as the Leafs' first post-All-Star matchup, Jan. 31 versus the New York Islanders.It's a key loss for the Maple Leafs, as the team relies on Rielly for more than 22 minutes a game. Through 47 games, he has five goals and 26 assists.In Rielly's place, blue-liner Rinat Valiev has been recalled from the AHL's Toronto Marlies.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's annual display of skill will look a little different this time around.Several changes are on tap for Saturday's All-Star Skill Competition in Tampa Bay.There will be six events during the skills portion of the All-Star festivities, including two new ones. Here are the descriptions from the league:Save Streak"Five goalies and all 36 skaters will participate in the NHL Save Streak, a shootout grouped by division where goalies compete to make the most consecutive saves. Each goalie will face one opposing division and a minimum of nine scoring attempts."Each scoring attempt is officiated in accordance with NHL shootout rules and begins on the referee’s whistle. Players from each division will shoot in numerical order, lowest to highest, with the divisional captain shooting ninth. A goalie’s round at the NHL Save Streak cannot end with a save - if the divisional captain’s shot is saved, the goalie will continue to face shooters until a goal is scored."If the goalie makes a save on the divisional captain’s shot, the order of shooters to follow is the same as at the original order. The goalie with the longest consecutive save streak during his time in net is the winner of the NHL Save Streak. If there is a tie for longest consecutive save streak, the goalie with the highest total saves made during his round will be crowned the winner."Passing Challenge"Eight players will compete in the NHL Passing Challenge, which consists of three skills over one round, including (1) Target Passing, where each player must complete four successful passes to targets that light up in a random sequence; (2) Give and Go, where each player must successfully complete the four required passes through a course set up in the neutral zone; and (3) Mini Nets, where each player must complete one pass over a barricade and into each of four mini nets, as well as an additional pass into the game net."Each skill must be completed before a player moves on to the next. The referee’s whistle signals completion of each skill. The player to complete all three skills in the fastest time is deemed the winner of the NHL Passing Challenge, and if there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner."Other changesBack this year are the hardest shot, fastest skater, accuracy shooting, and a relay event, but the latter two contests will be slightly altered:

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy underwent an ablation procedure Monday following a diagnosis of an abnormal heart rhythm.McAvoy first experienced heart palpitations during a Nov. 26 contest against the Edmonton Oilers. He informed team doctors after the game, at which point he was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia.While SVT can recur at any time and cause significant symptoms, it is not considered dangerous. McAvoy opted for an ablation given the high chance of recurrence. He is expected to recover in two weeks.The rookie blue-liner has been one of Boston's most impressive performers this season, as he's tallied five goals and 20 assists through 45 appearances.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Ottawa acquired forward Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche as the key part of a three-way deal on Nov. 5, most expected a Senators team that was only one goal away from the 2017 Stanley Cup Final to make a serious run in the postseason again.Unfortunately for Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion, his big splash in the trade market hasn't translated into success in the standings, as the Senators have gone 9-17-4 since dealing for Duchene.And just like that, Ottawa has gone from a legitimate playoff contender to a team that should be sellers come NHL trade deadline day on Feb. 26.Take a look at five players Dorion should move before the deadline in order to salvage the dumpster fire that has become his club's season:Derick BrassardThe Senators are loaded up the middle with talented prospects that include the likes of Drake Batherson, Logan Brown, and Alex Formenton. Mix in the upside of current NHLers Filip Chlapik and Colin White, and Brassard's skill set could be deemed expendable by the Senators' front office.More importantly, Brassard should fetch a decent return, as the rugged 30-year-old pivot still has plenty left in the tank and can chip in offensively.Through 44 games this season for Guy Boucher's club, Brassard owns decent numbers, racking up 12 goals and 16 assists to go along with a solid Corsi For rating of 52.1 in just over 18 minutes of ice time per night.Brassard might not be the 50-plus-point man he was a few seasons ago for the New York Rangers, but his value should still secure a solid prospect or draft pick that would serve the Senators well going forward. Mike HoffmanQuite obviously the biggest name on this list, Hoffman could be the ideal player to kick-start a partial rebuild in O-Town.Of course, it should be noted that the potential return on Hoffman could be at an all-time low due to his struggles this season (on pace for only 22 goals), but that doesn't change the fact that many GMs around the league would take a long, hard look at adding the perennial 25-goal threat.Hoffman, 28, has recently been bandied about in trade rumors, but the talented winger's remaining two-year salary at a hefty $5.1 million per year might deter some potential suitors from pulling the trigger.Regardless, Hoffman doesn't seem to be a player currently in Ottawa's long-term plans, so cutting ties with him now while he still has value seems like an option Dorion would be wise to pursue. Mike CondonCondon is another under-performing player this season that would still secure the Senators a respectable return in terms of picks and prospects, as the need for quality backup goaltenders is seemingly at an all-time high.Sure, some would say that losing a serviceable backup in Condon wouldn't be a good look, but with Ottawa losing games this season at an alarming rate, it might be wise to auction off the veteran backup while he's still in relatively high demand.Across 15 games this campaign, Condon has posted a 3-5-4 record and .894 save percentage - hardly numbers that you'd expect opposing teams to be attracted to. However, when you factor in the 39 wins and six shutouts he posted over the two seasons previous, Condon might just be another perfect piece to ship out to set the Sens on the right path for next season.Ryan DzingelCurrently on pace for his highest goal (24) and point total (35) of his short career, Dzingel's trade value has never been higher. Sprinkle in the fact that the speedy forward can play both wings, and his attractiveness as a trade chip grows exponentially.The slick-skating American is in only his second full season with the Senators, and at only 25 years young his best hockey is still in front of him.Dzingel also has another year of control to entice a potential trade partner, as the talented winger is under contract for one more season at a very reasonable price of $1.8 million per season.His age and offensive upside might be enough for Dorion to want to hang on to. But given the nosedive that Ottawa has been on this campaign, don't be shocked if Dzingel - along with a few others - gets shipped out of town before Feb. 26.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A television series based on the "The Mighty Ducks" franchise is reportedly in the works.ABC Signature Studios put the project in early development after being approached by the screenwriter and producer of the original trilogy, Steven Brill and Jordan Kerner, according to Lesley Goldberg of The Hollywood Reporter. Brill will reportedly write the script in-house for ABC Signature, and if it's well received, it will be shopped to cable networks and streaming platforms later this year.Goldberg notes that it's unclear whether the series would be a sequel or a reboot.Released in 1992, "The Mighty Ducks" grossed $50.7 million domestically at the box office and spawned two sequels - 1994's "D2: The Mighty Ducks" and 1996's "D3: The Mighty Ducks" - along with a 26-episode animated TV series that originally aired on ABC.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Years after his last NHL game, Marc Savard has officially announced his retirement after 13 seasons and 807 games.The 40-year-old last played for the Boston Bruins back in 2010-11, when concussion-related issues sidelined him indefinitely. His final contract - which later became property of the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils - expired last summer.Here's what Savard posted on Twitter in regards to the announcement:

Things are going from bad to worse for the sputtering Tampa Bay Lightning, as the team announced Monday that forward Ondrej Palat will miss the next six-to-eight weeks due to a lower-body injury.Palat was seemingly injured in the third period Saturday night against the Minnesota Wild after taking a slash from defenseman Jared Spurgeon, as reported by Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.In 46 games for the Lightning this season, Palat has eight goals and 22 assists to his credit.Palat's injury comes at a tough time for the reeling Bolts, as Tampa has lost six of its last 10 games, including a 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Minnesota on Saturday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Murray returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday following the death of his father last week."I just want to say a big thanks first of all to Pittsburgh," Murray said. "I want to thank my team - they did a lot for me and helped me get home."He appears ready to get right back out there, with Pittsburgh scheduled to play twice before the All-Star break."Hockey definitely took a back seat for a couple days, but when you're out there, it's kind of a sanctuary," he added.As for when he'll return to action, that's yet to be determined."It's great to see him on the ice and join the team," said head coach Mike Sullivan. "I will have a conversation with him this afternoon but we will take it day by day."Prior to his absence, Murray posted a record of 15-12-1 with a .903 save percentage.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.