It was a defeat that will go down as one of the worst in Detroit Red Wings history.The club was picked apart by the Montreal Canadiens in a 10-1 drubbing, a game that had captain Henrik Zetterberg in disgust."You basically embarrassed everyone that played with a winged wheel tonight, and we’ve got to live with that," Zetterberg said, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.

Finally.The Buffalo Sabres snapped their three-game shutout streak Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it was all for not, as they lost 5-1 anyway.Prior to Jason Pominville's streak-breaking tally in the third period of Saturday's contest, the last time the Sabres scored was Nov. 24 against the Edmonton Oilers - a span of 232:09 minutes. Woof.The Sabres are now averaging a league-worst 2.07 goals per game, and are unsurprisingly in last place in the NHL.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens hit double digits Saturday night, annihilating the Detroit Red Wings 10-1 to pick up their fifth consecutive victory.Paul Byron scored a pair of breakaway goals and collected his first career hat trick, all before the second intermission.Seven different Canadiens posted multi-point games, and five of them notched at least three points in the rout. Alex Galchenyuk led Montreal with four, hitting that mark for the first time in his career.The outpouring of offense produced more than one milestone.

Daniel Sedin got a hero's welcome in his first home game since hitting quadruple digits.The Vancouver Canucks paid tribute to the Swedish forward in a pregame ceremony before Saturday night's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs.The ceremony included a pre-taped video with a letter read by his mentor, former NHLer Markus Naslund, plus appearances by Thomas Gradin, the former Vancouver center and scout who convinced the club to draft both Sedin twins, and Derek Dorsett, the current Canuck who was recently forced to put his career on hold due to a spinal condition.Daniel notched his 1,000th career NHL point with a power-play goal Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Post contains coarse languageThe Philadelphia Flyers are the anti-Rumpelstiltskin.While the fairy-tale character spun straw into gold, things haven't been so magical during the team's current 10-game losing streak, according to Jakub Voracek."Everything we touch right now turns to shit," Voracek told TSN's Frank Seravalli on Saturday.After defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere also dropped some profanity postgame, it's clear there's a lot of frustration in the Flyers' dressing room.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was the same old song and dance for the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon.The team lost a 3-0 decision to the Boston Bruins to push their current losing streak to 10 games, marking the sixth time this season the club has been shut out.The Flyers' current skid is now their longest since the 2007-2008 campaign, when they dropped 10 straight between Feb. 6 and Feb. 23, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier Post.However, while the Flyers did lose 10 straight that season, they had the luxury of doing so later in the year and entered the skid with a record of 30-17-5, emerging at 30-25-7.In the end, the Flyers still finished sixth in the Eastern Conference and managed to make it to the third round of the playoffs before bowing out to the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games.This time around, the Flyers find themselves with a record of 8-11-7 - the third-worst in the East.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Video contains coarse language

With the quarter mark of the 2017-18 season now firmly in the rear view, we approach the portion of the NHL campaign when teams begin to jockey for playoff position and assess their rosters ahead of a few months of intense puck.So naturally, we felt it was an excellent time to do some assessing of our own.Here's a look at a group of five veteran free-agent signings from this summer who are currently leaving their general managers searching for answers.Patrick Sharp, Chicago BlackhawksOnce a perennial 30-goal man, Sharp has seen his stock steadily decline over the past four seasons. But the Blackhawks still expected him to contribute on a regular basis when he was inked to a one-year deal in July.Through 25 games, however, Sharp has struggled to find consistency while being shuffled up and down Chicago's lineup.While few thought Sharp could recapture his 65-plus-point form, his current total of three goals and four assists just won't get the job done, regardless of his relatively cheap price of $800,000.Sam Gagner, Vancouver CanucksWhen Gagner was able to parlay his 18-goal, 32-assist 2016-17 campaign in Columbus into a three-year deal worth $3.15 million a season, Canucks general manager Jim Benning's competence as a front-office executive was questioned once again.With Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat currently on fire, Gagner's lackluster start of three goals and seven assists have been somewhat masked. Gagner has struggled to find a fit in Vancouver's lineup, and at that price, he needs to be much better.Radim Vrbata, Florida PanthersCurrently on pace for his lowest goal output since 2013 - a measly 12 - Vrbata is having a tough time hitting his stride in the Sunshine State. So far for the Panthers, Vrbata has been a complete non-factor while playing just under 14 minutes per night on a line with the offensively-challenged Henrik Haapala and Jared McCann.Until the Panthers find him some better linemates who are more suited to supporting a 36-year-old player with his best days clearly behind him, Vrbata's point total of 11 might not be increasing all that much this year.Chris Kunitz, Tampa Bay Lightning The four-time Cup champion moved from one Eastern Conference powerhouse to another when the Lightning signed Kunitz from the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer on a one-year deal.Despite the decorated mantelpiece, Kunitz has failed to translate his past success to his new club, registering only three goals, four assists, and a Corsi For percentage of 49 across 25 games for the Lightning.Trevor Daley, Detroit Red WingsBeing the highest-paid player on this list (three-year, $9.5 million), Daley gets the least amount of slack for his poor performance so far this campaign. He was added to Detroit's roster in the summer to bring an element of veteran defensive stability to a Red Wings blue line that allowed the fifth-most goals only one season ago.Fast forward to today, and the Red Wings are still allowing goals at an alarming rate.Factor in Daley's one point, minus-5 rating, and a negative Corsi percentage of 48, Detroit is probably wishing it hadn't sunk what it did into this 34-year-old veteran.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After scoring the game-winner for the wrong team Thursday night, Edmonton Oilers defenseman Kris Russell has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.Russell spun and fired a shot into his own goal late in the third period versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, throwing away the chance at a crucial two points for his team, and giving way to some relentless mocking online.But the Oilers are putting the miscue behind them, and head coach Todd McLellan came to defense of his oft-criticized defenseman on Saturday.Per Tim Campbell of NHL.com:

It was '80s night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, only nobody was dressed as Doc Brown from "Back to the Future," Michael Jackson's biggest hits weren't played during every whistle, and fans weren't wearing acid-washed jeans.It's possible only the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders received the memo.The game had 10 goals through the first two periods - making it very reminiscent of high-flying '80s hockey. It forced each coach to pull his starting goaltender midway through the second stanza. It was the equivalent of a baseball game where both teams are in the bullpen by the third inning.Nevertheless, Friday night's bout featuring the club with the NHL's longest active winning streak and one of the coldest teams in the league made for great entertainment, but it didn't end how many thought it would.Just as fate would have it, the Senators - losers of seven straight heading into Friday - defeated the red-hot Islanders - winners of four straight, and seven of their last eight - in what was one of the craziest games of the 2017-18 season thus far.Sens backup Mike Condon was able to stop all 19 shots he faced, outperforming Isles backup Jaroslav Halak, who allowed one goal on 15 shots in the 6-5 defeat. Still, Halak can hold his head high knowing he had the game's second-best save percentage.GoalieSaves-ShotsSV%Mike Condon19-191.000Jaroslav Halak14-15.933Thomas Greiss15-20.750Craig Anderson13-18.722There were four goals scored during a stretch of less than six minutes. It was a coach's nightmare, but a fan's dream.Those fans can only hope for a similar outcome when the Sens and Isles meet again in March.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres are forgetting to know what it's like to score.The club was shut out for the third straight game on Friday night - this time at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The team has now dropped 10 of their last 11 games. With the club clearly hitting rock bottom, head coach Phil Housley called out his team to be better."It’s quite embarrassing," Housley said. "We had a game plan, and I don’t think we executed on that."The only way this is going to change is that group in that room. They’ve got a choice."The Sabres currently occupy last place in the Eastern Conference, and with another game against the Penguins on Saturday and the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues next week, things won't get any easier."Hopefully, we'll look back at this stretch and learn from it," Housley said, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. "Right now we're in the thick of it and there's no easy way out. It's about digging in, having a lot of pride, and showing some emotion."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No Murray, no problem.With Matt Murray on the shelf with a lower-body injury, Tristan Jarry rose to the occasion Friday night recording his first career shutout as the Pittsburgh Penguins rolled over the Buffalo Sabres, 4-0.The goose egg was a good sign for the club who - with Murray listed as week to week - don't intend to search for another goalie.As for the Sabres, things seem to be getting worse. The team has now lost 10 of their last 11 games and have strung together just four points over that stretch.Their 16 points see them tied for the worst record in the league with the Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, they hold a six-point cushion on last place in the Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Worst hat trick, ever.New York Rangers speedster Michael Grabner registered arguably the most unimpressive hat trick of all time, scoring not one, but two empty-net goals Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.Grabner's first goal of the game came near the beginning of the second period on a nice feed from Kevin Shattenkirk. However, with the Rangers holding onto a 2-1 lead late in the third, he notched his second of the contest with the Canes' net empty with 2:13 remaining. About a minute later, with Carolina's net still empty, he completed the hat trick.Coaches league wide have been pulling their goaltenders earlier than usual, so multiple empty-net goals by the same player could become the norm.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tavares might not be the New York Islanders' hottest attraction.Forward Anders Lee picked up another two goals against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night and now sits with 15 on the season, just three back of Alex Ovechkin for the league lead.What is more impressive, however, is that Lee has now tallied 44 goals since Dec. 1, 2016. That's good enough for the second most in the NHL during that span, one more than the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews and just two shy of Tampa Bay Lightning sniper Nikita Kucherov.Lee set career highs in goals and points last season with 34 and 52, respectively. With 15 goals and 27 points through the first 25 games this year, he's on his way to shattering both those marks.- With h/t to TSNCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Starting goaltenders Craig Anderson and Thomas Greiss both failed to make it out of the second period in a game between the Senators and Islanders that was reminiscent of 1980s hockey Friday night in Brooklyn.Anderson was pulled in favor of backup Mike Condon after a Jason Chimera breakaway goal gave the Isles a 5-4 lead just 8:40 into the second frame. About three minutes later, Greiss was yanked for Jaroslav Halak after Mike Hoffman scored to even the game at five apiece.While scoring is indeed up throughout the league, 5-5 games midway through the second period are still exceptionally rare, but the fans certainly won't complain.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome Evgeni Malkin back to the lineup on Friday night, the team announced.Malkin returns as the club gets set to take on the Buffalo Sabres in a home-and-home series this weekend after missing the last four games with an upper-body injury.Of course, Malkin will surely give the Penguins a shot in the arm as he has been his usual productive self this season when healthy, posting 21 points in 22 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Kris Versteeg is month to month with a hip injury, the team announced Friday.The 31-year-old missed the last three games with what the team initially called a lower-body injury, and was moved to the injured reserve Wednesday.The ailment is a nagging issue that Versteeg has dealt with over the years, but recently re-aggravated against the Dallas Stars last Friday."He'd had some history with the hip,'' Flames general manager Brad Treliving said, according to team insider George Johnson. "He tweaked it. He zigged when he should've zagged."It's not something like he blocks a shot and you have a bruise there, or somebody hit him and that caused the problem."He turned and got jammed up and put stress on the joint. What we're dealing with is a hip labrum issue."Versteeg has tallied just three goals and eight points in 22 games, but has served well on the Flames' power play, recording one goal and five points with the extra man.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three players stood above the rest in the NHL in November.Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, and St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn have been named the NHL's three stars for November.MacKinnon wrapped the month with five goals and 15 assists in 12 contests. The stretch included seven multi-point games, plus a career-high five-point outing against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 16. MacKinnon sits first in Avalanche scoring with 28 points in 23 games.In 12 November appearances, Andersen posted a 9-2-1 record alongside a 2.14 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. The Maple Leafs netminder also picked up back-to-back shutouts against the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens.Schenn finished the month with seven goals and 12 assists in 12 games. The Blues forward saw four multi-point games in November. He also notched back-to-back game-winning goals against the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. Schenn has 30 points in 25 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks placed starting netminder Corey Crawford on injured reserve on Friday with an undisclosed injury, the team announced.Crawford played all 60:51 of the Blackhawks' loss Thursday to the Dallas Stars, but seemed to be laboring near the end of the game. No official update on his status was provided.In a corresponding roster move, Chicago recalled goaltender Jean-Francois Berube from the AHL's Rockford Icehogs.Crawford has an 11-7-2 record along with a 2.29 goals-against average and .930 save percentage across 21 games this season. Meanwhile, Berube has experienced an up-and-down year in Rockford, registering a 6-6-0 record and two shutouts.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get your pocketbooks ready to sprinkle a few wagers on some picks for the NHL awards.The list of favorites to take home the 2018 Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie was updated Friday.Vancouver Canucks stud Brock Boeser is currently a heavy 12-5 favorite to earn the honor, with Arizona Coyotes sniper Clayton Keller behind him at 11-4.Here is the list of odds:Player (Team)Odds to winBrock Boeser (VAN)12-5Clayton Keller (ARI)11-4Mathew Barzal (NYI)7-2Nico Hischier (NJ)5-1Alex DeBrincat (CHI)7-1Kyle Connor (WPG)9-1Will Butcher (NJ)14-1Mikhail Sergachev (TB)14-1(Odds courtesy: Bodog)Boeser's scored 13 goals with 12 assists in 23 games to lead the rookie class, but there's also some obvious value in players like Barzal, Hischier, and DeBrincat, who have all shown flashes of offensive brilliance.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Running an NHL team can be an extremely thankless gig.Sure, a multimillion-dollar paycheck should help soothe the stress of having your job security threatened and your competency questioned every day, but that doesn't change the fact that building a winning hockey club can be a grueling long-term project.Few general managers know what that's like better than the much-maligned Kevin Cheveldayoff, who's watched his reputation get dragged through the mud over the course of his seven seasons in the Winnipeg Jets' front office.Now, however, it's being rinsed clean, and the redemption of both Cheveldayoff and the team comes down to patience: his patience in waiting for the Jets' young guns to start performing, and the patience of ownership in allowing its GM to see out his plan.Ask any NHL executive: Stanley Cup-winning teams are - ideally - built from within. Take, for example, the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Los Angeles Kings - three teams that won their recent championships on the backs of talents they developed in-house.Cheveldayoff is doing his best to put Winnipeg in the same position, and the team's lineup is stacked with players he had a direct hand in drafting.Here's a list of the homegrown talent powering the Jets' assault on the top of the standings:Player (position)Draft yearDraft positionMark Scheifele (C)20111st round/7th overallAdam Lowry (C)20113rd round/67th overallJacob Trouba (D)20121st round/9th overallConnor Hellebuyck (G)20125th round/130th overallJosh Morrissey (D)20131st round/13th overallAndrew Copp (C)20134th round/104th overallNikolaj Ehlers (LW)20141st round/9th overallKyle Connor (LW)20151st round/17th overallPatrik Laine (RW)20161st round/2nd overallAfter looking over this list, it's not so much of a surprise that Winnipeg's currently just one point adrift from a tie with the St. Louis Blues for first place in the Western Conference.Of course, Cheveldayoff had the privilege of drafting six of those players in the first round, but that's no guarantee of overnight success, and Hellebuyck, Trouba, and Morrissey are just starting to hit their strides.Since Cheveldayoff took the helm in 2011 - when True North Sports and Entertainment bought the team and moved it from Atlanta to Winnipeg - the Jets have qualified for the playoffs only once. It's understandable that fans in the Peg have taken turns calling for the firing of both the GM and head coach Paul Maurice.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Repeat losing seasons usually lead a team to clean house or at least fire a coach. Ownership went in the opposite direction, though, awarding Maurice and Cheveldayoff multi-year contract extensions in September.While many observers scratched their heads, that move is looking better with each Jets victory.Cheveldayoff's patience is paying off with a young core that now includes the likes of Laine, Scheifele, and Ehlers - three players whose ability suggests they can carry the team deep into the postseason.A stacked lineup of homegrown players is garnering Winnipeg serious Stanley Cup buzz for the first time in years, and Cheveldayoff deserves credit for his work in putting that star-studded group on the ice.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four former NHLers will be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation's Hall of Fame in 2018.The inductees include Chris Chelios, Daniel Alfredsson, Rob Blake, and Jere Lehtinen. The induction ceremony will take place May 19 in Copenhagen.A three-time Norris Trophy winner, Chelios tallied 948 points over 26 seasons to sit second all-time among American blue-liners. His 1,651 career games ranks sixth in NHL history. Chelios won the Stanley Cup once with the Montreal Canadiens and twice with the Detroit Red Wings.Alfredsson, a former Ottawa Senators captain, is the franchise leader in several categories, including goals (426), assists (682), and points (1,108). In 1996, Alfredsson won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. He led the Senators to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.Blake's decorated career included a Norris Trophy win in 1998 while with the Los Angeles Kings. He then won the Stanley Cup in 2001 as part of the Colorado Avalanche. He played 805 games with Los Angeles, where his 494 points ranks first by a Kings defenseman. Blake currently serves as general manager of the Kings.A three-time Selke Trophy winner, including back-to-back wins in 1998 and 1999, Lehtinen was an exceptional defensive forward who provided value at both ends of the ice. He won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999, a season in which he collected 52 points en route to the Selke.Teemu Selanne, Joe Sakic, and Saku Koivu were among last year's inductees to the IIHF Hall of Fame.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chuck Greenberg still desires to become an NHL owner.The Texas businessman and former co-owner of the Texas Rangers remains interested in gaining a majority interest in the Carolina Hurricanes and continues to put together investors in order to submit a bid.Peter Karmanos Jr., the owner of the Hurricanes, hopes to sell the team for as much as $500 million."In late September, we had made a lot of progress getting the equity, but we weren't all the way there," Greenberg told Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. "Pete told me he felt the value had gone up, and he wanted to test the market by talking to other buyers."Since that time, the last eight or nine weeks, (Karmanos) and his representatives have been talking to other buyers. I've been talking to other potential investors."In September, Karmanos questioned whether Greenberg had the financial backing to buy the club, while on Wednesday, reports revealed a fellow Texas businessman, Thomas Dundon, is in discussions to secure ownership of the team.Greenberg previously had a letter of intent to buy the team from Karmanos, however Hurricanes president Don Waddell indicated that agreement has since expired."If he came back to the table, he would be one of the pursuers," Waddell said. "Right now we're meeting with other groups and talking to other people. It's wide open."Still, Greenberg remains hopeful."We're still very much in the process," Greenberg added. "It hasn’t been sold yet, and we'll see what happens."Karmanos purchased the then-Hartford Whalers in 1994 and relocated the team to North Carolina three years later. A sale to Dundon or Greenberg, or another buyer, would be conditional on the team remaining in Raleigh.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Have yourself a month, Brock.Vancouver Canucks rookie Brock Boeser was named the NHL's Rookie of the Month for November on Friday after racking up 11 goals and five assists in 15 games.Even more impressive, Boeser paced the league with 11 goals in the month, becoming only the second Canucks rookie to hit double digits in goals in a calendar month. The other was Pavel Bure, who had 12 tallies in March 1992.Through 23 contests this season, Boeser leads all rookies in scoring with 13 goals and 12 assists.Boeser narrowly edged out other standout rookies in the Islanders' Matthew Barzal and the Blackhawks' Alex DeBrincat who had 17 and 14 points, respectively.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Aussie is off to Alberta.The Edmonton Oilers have claimed forward Nathan Walker off waivers from the Washington Capitals, the team announced Friday.Walker notched one goal in seven games with the Capitals this season. He made his debut vs. the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 7, becoming the first Australian to play in the NHL.Born in Cardiff, Wales, Walker grew up in Australia and formerly played for the Sydney Ice Dogs of the Australian Ice Hockey League.In a corresponding roster move, the Oilers waived winger Iiro Pakarinen.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson is preparing for payday.The Ottawa Senators captain and superstar defenseman, who can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, is making no bones about what sort of dollars he'll need to sign on the bottom line."When I go to market, I'm going to get what I'm worth, and it's going to be no less, no matter where I'm going," Karlsson told Ken Warren of the Ottawa Sun."That's the business part of it ... I think it's time to realize that when we go to the table, it's business on both parts, not just (owners)."Karlsson's comments come just two days after Los Angeles Kings blue-liner Drew Doughty made it known he'll use P.K. Subban's salary as the benchmark when he's up for a contract renewal in the same offseason as Karlsson.Doughty also indicated he'd contact Karlsson prior to free agency to share ideas on their next contracts.As it stands, Subban's salary cap hit is $9 million, while Doughty's comes in at $7 million, and Karlsson a shade less at $6.5 million, per CapFriendly.The Senators' top draft pick in 2008, Karlsson has won two Norris Trophies in Ottawa and has been the NHL's top defensive scorer in three of the past four seasons. He finished the 2016-17 campaign with 71 points in 77 games.But whether he's long for Ottawa remains to be seen."I like it here, I'm comfortable here, I've been here my whole career," Karlsson added. "It's something that I invested all my time in and something I would like to see all the way through."But at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, if it's not the right fit and it's not going to work out business-wise, then you're going to have to look elsewhere because that's what (owners) are going to do, as well."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators are not for sale.Team president Tom Anselmi made that clear Thursday, denying speculation the club could soon see a change in ownership."There's nothing to it and I just have no idea where it's from," Anselmi told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen. "We're in the sports business and rumors happen, but there's nothing to it. I don't even want to respond to it to give any credence."Since 2003, the Senators have been solely owned by Eugene Melnyk, a Canadian billionaire whose background is in the pharmaceutical industry.However, while the team is not for sale, the Senators continue to work toward a move to downtown Ottawa. The team currently play out of the Canadian Tire Centre in suburban Kanata.The Senators hope to build a new stadium at LeBreton Flats in downtown Ottawa. Melnyk has since established RendesVouz LeBreton Group, the preferred proponent for the building rights that will lead negotiations with the National Capital Commission.Should the two sides reach an agreement, the project will then seek municipal and federal approval.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things were looking so good for Kris Russell before the 18:55 mark of the third period Thursday.The Edmonton Oilers defender tallied a goal and an assist before he mistakenly slammed the puck into his own net in what would hold up as the game-winner for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who skated away with a 6-4 victory.Related - Watch: Kris Russell shoots puck into own net for Leafs' winnerThe goal was a bizarre rarity and one that evidently had Twitter buzzing.

There's nothing quite like going head-to-head with one of the game's most lethal goal scorers.On Thursday night, Drew Doughty had that distinction as he and his Los Angeles Kings teammates tangled with Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, a game that the Kings took 5-2, and one that Doughty admits was extremely exhausting."They're so hard to play against," Doughty said, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press. "I've never been so tired in my whole entire life. I felt like I spent the entire game in my own zone playing against that Ovechkin line."But while trying to contain Ovechkin and his linemates Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson might be no easy task, Doughty loves the challenge."That was so much fun," said Doughty. "I live for that stuff. They didn't come out with any points. I don't even know if I had a friggin' shot on net, but we shut down that line."Doughty won't have the chance to face Ovechkin again until March 8, but he'll likely be tasked with shutting down Vladimir Trarasenko on Friday night and Patrick Kane and Co. on Sunday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The postseason doesn't start for a very long time, but the Montreal Canadiens are temporarily, and somewhat improbably, in a playoff spot.Carey Price continued his strong play since recovering from injury, making 28 saves on 31 shots to lift the Canadiens to a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.Montreal vaulted past the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division, albeit having played four more games than their longtime rivals, and having played more contests than any other divisional foe except the Toronto Maple Leafs.It was the star goaltender's fourth consecutive win since returning, and he looks to be back to his old self.

Vancouver Canucks forward Daniel Sedin scored a power-play goal midway through the third period of Thursday night's game against the Nashville Predators to record the 1,000th point of his career.Sedin entered Thursday night stuck at 998 career points, but sealed the deal on his sixth goal of the year after earlier tallying an assist on Loui Eriksson's fourth of the year.The 37-year-old is now the 87th player in NHL history to reach the mark and the eighth active player. In hitting the milestone, Henrik and Daniel are now the only brothers in league history to each score 1,000 points.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette was dealt a one-game suspension for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Thursday.The incident in question took part in the second period of Wednesday night's game and saw Paquette assessed a minor for boarding on the play.The one-game ban means Paquette will miss Saturday's contest against the San Jose Sharks. He'll be eligible to return Tuesday against the New York Islanders.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens are looking to deal defenseman Brandon Davidson.The club has sent out an email to all 30 NHL clubs stating it's looking to move the 26-year-old, a source tells Sportsnet's Eric Engels.Davidson has been limited to just 13 games this season, serving as a healthy scratch during the Canadiens' past three games. He was acquired by the club from the Edmonton Oilers last season, but has failed to find his groove in Montreal, tallying just three assists in 23 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Canadian national hockey team is adding a few former NHL forwards for its next pre-Olympic tournament.P.A. Parenteau, Max Talbot, and Matt Frattin were named to Canada's roster for the Channel One Cup in Moscow, Russia - a three-game tourney that will run Dec. 13-17.Parenteau will make his first appearance for Canada, while Frattin was named to the Karjala Cup roster last month, but wasn't able to participate. Talbot wasn't selected to play in the previous tournament.All three players are now in the KHL. Parenteau has been playing for Automobilist Yekaterinburg, Talbot is in his second season with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and Frattin has been plying his trade with Barys Astana.Mason Raymond was omitted from the Channel One Cup roster despite playing in the Karjala Cup, but general manager Sean Burke implied no official cuts have been made yet."Our goal remains to put together the best possible team to compete in Pyeongchang in February, and these 25 players are part of a larger group that remains under consideration," Burke said in a press release Thursday. "We continue to evaluate every Canadian player that’s eligible to play at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in order to give ourselves the best possible chance for success in Korea."The Channel One Cup will be Canada's penultimate tune-up opportunity before the Olympics.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils showed the rest of the league that they aren't messing around when they acquired Sami Vatanen to shore up their back end Thursday.Related: Ducks trade Vatanen to Devils for Henrique, BlandisiAnd the Anaheim Ducks aren't letting a rash of injuries to key players stop their push for a sixth consecutive postseason berth, as the addition of Adam Henrique should go a long way toward replacing some of the scoring punch they lack with a few of their offensive weapons sidelined.Here's a breakdown of Thursday's trade from each team's perspective, with corresponding letter grades attached.Ducks: B+The fact Anaheim could afford to offload a talented puck-moving D-man in Vatanen has a lot to do with the stellar play of unsung Ducks rearguards Josh Manson and Brandon Montour.Manson and Montour have been nothing short of sensational on the back end for Randy Carlyle's group, logging heavy minutes and serving key roles on special teams - two things that Vatanen also did, making the 26-year-old Finn expendable.As for the return, Anaheim's tied for the sixth-fewest goals scored in the league with 66 as the club's forward group has been decimated by injuries. Getting an offensively talented player like Henrique, who can play center and wing, should go a long way toward rectifying the Ducks' scoring issues, as he's racked up 54 goals since the start of the 2015 campaign.Sprinkle in the offensive talents of a former 50-goal junior player in Joseph Blandisi and a conditional 2018 third-round pick (the Devils get it if the Ducks re-sign Henrique), and from where general manager Bob Murray is sitting, this deal looks just fine.Devils: A- The team that gets the best player in any given trade usually wins that trade.Such is the case with the Devils and Vatanen. The slick-skating blue-liner has the potential to be a top-pairing defenseman and the ability to put up solid offensive numbers.In 280 regular-season games for Anaheim, Vatanen racked up 33 goals and 93 assists for 126 points while rocking a solid Corsi For rating of 50.6 in just over 20 minutes per night.Those numbers alone should make hockey fans in New Jersey excited, but what should really fire them up is considering what Vatanen can bring to a defense corps that already includes stud rookie Will Butcher and the criminally underrated Damon Severson.The Devils have been one of the biggest surprises of the season, and currently find themselves third in the consistently tough Metropolitan Division.With Vatanen in the fold at an affordable $4.87 million per year until July 2020, the Devils have gone from Metro pretenders to Eastern contenders in a matter of months.Chalk up another win for general manager Ray Shero in a deal that should benefit both parties.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette will have a hearing Thursday for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug, the NHL announced.The incident took place during the second period of Boston's win Wednesday, and resulted in a wild scrum.Paquette was assessed a minor penalty for boarding while Krug, uninjured, later scored the game-winning goal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils continue to benefit from winning the 2017 NHL Draft lottery.After his team finished 27th overall last season, general manager Ray Shero was awarded the first pick at the lottery draw on April 29, leapfrogging Arizona, Vancouver, and Colorado - all teams that finished with fewer points - on the draft board.As a result, Shero walked to the podium and called center Nico Hischier's name on draft day, and the 18-year-old immediately jumped right onto the Devils' roster this season, recording five goals and 13 assists through his first 24 NHL games.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Hischier gave the Devils some additional depth at center, as he joined Adam Henrique, Travis Zajac, and Pavel Zacha, along with other newcomers in Brian Boyle and Marcus Johansson.Still, the team was woefully thin on defense even after landing prized free agent Will Butcher, with a hole left gaping from the entirely understandable decision to trade Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall.Hischier's arrival, then, opened the door for Shero to deal from a newfound position of strength. He subsequently pulled off a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday, acquiring defenseman Sami Vatanen in exchange for Henrique and forward Joseph Blandisi, along with a conditional third-round draft pick in 2018.In Vatanen, the Devils receive an offensively capable, defensively responsible 26-year-old who's under contract through 2019-20 at a decent $4.875-million cap hit. He can jump right in and help solidify the blue line for a club that boasts a plus-4 goal differential despite having a top-ten offense.Henrique, 27, was a holdover from the previous regime - a center who played a big role in the Devils' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 as a rookie. He averaged 0.56 points per game in 455 appearances with New Jersey after being drafted 82nd overall in 2008, and proved to be a driver for a team not previously known for dynamic offense.Having said that, Henrique - who carries a $4-million cap hit - is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2019, meaning the Devils gained a measure of term on their end as well. Coupled with Blandisi's $680,000 cap hit, the deal is a wash financially, with no salary retained either way.That in and of itself is a nice bonus for Shero.And again, this trade likely doesn't occur if the Devils had selected fourth or even third in the draft. Nolan Patrick - who went second to Philadelphia - may have stepped in and produced like Hischier has, but Miro Heiskanen and Cale Makar - defensemen taken third and fourth, respectively - are more long-term projects and would have kept the Devils in more of a transition period for the time being.Instead, New Jersey has posted a surprising record of 14-6-4, and sits a point back of Columbus for first in the Metropolitan Division. Playoff contention may have been a hope coming into this season, but few expected the Devils to be this good, this soon.New Jersey has perhaps been riding a bit of a lucky streak, and the underlying numbers suggest some drop-off should be expected. Vatanen, though, will bring some stability to the back end, and this deal signals Shero is intent on maximizing the present around top talents like Hall and Cory Schneider, while developing a promising young core around them.And he has the hockey gods to thank for a gift in Hischier that keeps on giving.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jarome Iginla likely won't play at the 2018 Winter Olympics.The veteran forward will not be ready to suit up at the Spengler Cup and is considered a long shot to play for Team Canada in Pyeongchang, South Korea, sources told TSN's Darren Dreger.Iginla went unsigned as an unrestricted free agent this past offseason. He reportedly recently underwent a minor procedure on his hip.In October, Hockey Canada president Tom Renney said that if the 40-year-old wanted to play at the 2018 Winter Games, he'd need to hit the ice sooner rather than later.The Spengler Cup begins Dec. 26, while the Olympics take place in February.Iginla - a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner - split last season between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings, scoring 14 goals and adding 13 assists in 80 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for the Edmonton Oilers, No. 1 netminder Cam Talbot was placed on injured reserve Thursday, the team announced.Talbot, who's dealing with an upper-body injury, was hurt during Edmonton's game against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night.

The New York Rangers were dealt some bad news Thursday, as head coach Alain Vigneault announced that center Mika Zibanejad is out indefinitely with a concussion.Zibanejad was a late scratch for the Rangers' contest against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. The Rangers called the injury an upper-body ailment at the time.New York made a move earlier Thursday to shore up its forward depth, acquiring veteran pivot Peter Holland from the Montreal Canadiens.Through 24 games this season for New York, Zibanejad has been nothing short of sensational, leading the team in goal-scoring (11) and points (22).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derek Dorsett's playing days appear to be over.The forward will not return to the Vancouver Canucks' active roster due to both his current condition and the health risks associated with playing, general manager Jim Benning announced Thursday.Dorsett underwent cervical disc herniation surgery last December and was cleared to return this season, but recently returned to Vancouver with neck symptoms and back stiffness. Upon further evaluation, doctors recommended he seriously consider not playing again after being diagnosed with a separate cervical disc herniation.The veteran of 515 NHL games offered the following response:

In the second period of Tuesday's 5-4 victory over the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau gave fans a glimpse of what he does best - and showed off a new wrinkle that has helped transform him into one of the game's most dangerous forwards:First, the familiar: After corralling an arcing pass near center ice and gaining the zone as the lead on a 3-on-2, Huberdeau flicked a backhand feed into no-man's land above the slot - and right onto the stick of an in-stride Michael Matheson, who wound up with a whole lot of real estate to work with.In the past, Huberdeau would have deferred at this point - letting his linemates do the dirty work while he collects a secondary assist. But not this time. Huberdeau instead parked himself at the right edge of the net, collected a loose puck in front of Henrik Lundqvist, and flipped the puck past the prone Rangers netminder on his third try to give Florida a 4-1 lead.It was a superstar rush from start to finish. And it was the perfect snapshot of a new and improved Huberdeau - a player who is finally fulfilling the promise he showed when the Panthers made him the third overall pick in 2011."It's amazing how effortless everything looks for him out there," Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said prior to Tuesday's win. "He's always been that way, and I think he's getting better and better."He makes the game look easy. He's solidified now as a top one-two forward on our team, and in the league when it comes to each team. He's established himself as a scoring threat all over the ice. He's a great passer, and all those things come into play."Getting to this point was supposed to come more easily to the Saint-Jerome, Quebec native, who enters Thursday with eight goals and 17 assists in 24 games. His profile exploded when he took home Memorial Cup MVP honors as a 17-year-old while leading the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to the 2011 Canadian junior title.But after winning the Calder Trophy with 32 points in 48 games during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, Huberdeau hit a wall with just nine goals and 19 assists in 69 games the following year - and all of a sudden, the electrifying forward found himself facing major confidence issues."To get into the league, it's the toughest league to play in, and you're there at 19 or 20 years old in your second, third year, and things aren't going your way, how do you get through that?" Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said.Huberdeau rededicated himself to the things that worked for him in junior, and followed up his worst season with back-to-back 50-point campaigns. But before he had the opportunity to break out further, he suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in the Panthers' final 2016-17 preseason game. He subsequently underwent surgery and was out until February that season.To his credit, Huberdeau returned with vigor, recording 26 points in 31 games despite playing at less than 100 percent. And having shown flashes of what he was truly capable of, Huberdeau worked harder than ever this past offseason to make sure he was completely healthy going into the season."I wanted to work on getting my strength back," Huberdeau told theScore. "With the Achilles injury, my left leg was a little weaker. The summer was huge for me to get stronger and feel good for the season."It would have been easy for Huberdeau to simply fall back on what made him a household name as a teenager - silky soft hands that delivered the puck exactly where he wanted it to go. But both he and head coach Bob Boughner wanted more, particularly at the other end of the ice."He wants me to be a good player defensively and offensively, as well," Huberdeau said. "I try to be a two-way player, and I think that's what I've been doing. For him, it's just about playing hard every shift on the ice."Boughner has rewarded Huberdeau's dedication the best way a coach can - by keeping him on the ice as much as possible. Huberdeau entered Thursday ranked 23rd among forwards at just under 20 minutes of ice time per game - nearly two minutes higher than his previous career best."He's a guy that works hard every day, and he's just got so much skill, and he's so good in tight with the puck," Boughner said. "We ask a lot of him, and we've got to make sure that he's playing the right way as well: get the pucks deep, make your plays when you have a chance and you have numbers, but if not, he's got to be disciplined like everybody else and put the pucks behind. That's something we've been working with him on and he's been better at."But any elite forward will tell you that he can't do it alone. And in that regard, Huberdeau considers himself blessed to be on a line with fellow high draft pick Aleksander Barkov; he, too, is on his way to a career season with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) through 24 games."We've been playing together for two, three years," Huberdeau said. "You just find chemistry. I know where he's going to be, and he knows where I'm going to be. He's such a good player, and he's really good defensively, so that helps for us getting the puck back. I'm just fortunate to play with a guy like him."Barkov says the feeling is mutual."We don't really understand each other when we speak, but on the ice, we have the chemistry," Barkov said. "He's a highly skilled player and I love to play with those guys. He's the best guy I've ever played with, and it's fun to play with him. This season, we haven't been our best yet, but it's coming."Boughner raved about the pairing prior to Tuesday's game."You could see the little plays they make in tight, and the little give-and-gos around the net, with the experience there," he said. "They sort of know where each other's gonna be, especially when they use the back of the net. They're real good at finding each other."His chemistry with Barkov is pretty obvious out there, and when they're on, they're a pretty scary line. They're not going to score every night, but they're going to be an offensive threat and spend a lot of time in zone."Huberdeau emerged as a legitimate scoring threat in junior, but it was never part of his game in the NHL until this season. Huberdeau's eight goals put him on pace to top the career-best 20 he potted in 76 games in 2015-16 - but he isn't looking to become the South Florida version of Alex Ovechkin."I know a lot of people say 'You've got to shoot a little bit more,' and I've been shooting a little bit more this year," he said. "But it's not in my head that I have to shoot every puck. I try to do the right play every time. If it's shooting, it's shooting. But I don't tell myself I have to shoot at every opportunity."Shooting isn't the only way you can score - and nobody is more aware of that than Huberdeau, who has become a tip-in master. His 13 tips rank him third in the NHL, and his four tip-in goals put him behind only Pittsburgh Penguins mega-star Sidney Crosby and New York Islanders forward Anders Lee.Huberdeau admits it's something he has prioritized this season."That was one of the things I wanted to work on, and that's what I've been doing," Huberdeau said. "I'm more in front of the net on the power play this year, too. I've had some tips this year, but you have to be at the right place at the right moment."Tallon, who drafted Huberdeau six years ago, is proud of how the 24-year-old has taken on more of a leadership role this season."He's maturing and becoming a man in front of our eyes," Tallon said. "These kids start at 18, 19 years old, and it takes time. It's just a matter of experience and understanding, being more professional in your approach and attitude, and becoming a man."Yet, as well-rounded as Huberdeau has become, he doesn't believe he's reached his peak. Though, he hopes he's close."As a player, you always want to get better," he said. "And I still need to get better; I want to have a healthy year, get stronger. Sometimes injuries slow you down, but from 24 to 27, 28, you get to your peak. Hopefully I'll get there."(Jesse Spector contributed to this feature.)(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils acquired defenseman Sami Vatanen from the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday in exchange for forwards Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi, as well as a conditional third-round draft pick in 2018, the club announced.Vatanen immediately slots into New Jersey's top four blue-liners along with rookie Will Butcher and Co."In acquiring Sami, we bring on a right shot, top-four defenseman who can play in all situations," Devils general manager Ray Shero said in a team release."This move also gives us contract certainty on the back end for the next two-plus years. When acquiring a defenseman like Vatanen, you have to give back quality assets or players in return."Anaheim addressees a glaring need of its own by adding some offensive help in Henrique. The team is dealing with injuries to top-six forwards Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Patrick Eaves.In addition to acquiring a perennial 20-goal, 40-plus-point threat in Henrique, the Ducks also add Blandisi, a 50-goal man with the OHL's Barrie Colts only three seasons ago.Blandisi has yet to suit up for the Devils this season, while Henrique has four goals and 10 assists in 24 games played.Vatanen has four points in 15 games for Anaheim since returning from offseason shoulder surgery.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are prepared to ride the kids while Matt Murray's sidelined.The team's starting goalie is considered week to week with a lower-body injury, leaving netminding duties to Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith, who bring a combined six NHL appearances to the table.For the moment, general manager Jim Rutherford isn't seeking any further stopgap solutions."We'll watch it close, but we'll go with our two young guys that haven't played a lot of NHL games," Rutherford told reporters, including theScore, at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday. "Jarry's played well for us and he's a very capable goalie. So we'll just keep an eye on it, how long Murray's going to be out, how the goaltending's doing, how the team's doing, but I'm not actively trying to do something right today."Rutherford said he's always listening and open to suggestions on the trade market.The GM - along with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang - was at the Hall of Fame to donate the Stanley Cup ring from the team's 2017 championship run, in which Murray played a vital part.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon is finally living up to the billing of a first overall pick.The Colorado Avalanche center, the top selection at the 2013 NHL Draft, scored the overtime winner against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. He added an assist to bring his point total to 28 (eight goals, 20 assists) through 23 games.This marks a massive uptick in production over last season - a campaign MacKinnon and the Avalanche are more than ready to forget. He appeared in all 82 games for the last-place team, recording only 16 goals and 37 assists to lead Colorado with 53 points.At his current pace, he's on track for 29 goals and 71 assists, both of which would be career highs and would amount to an impressive 100-point season. MacKinnon's shooting percentage sits at 12.5, up from his career average of 8.4. He's also not recording as many shots as last season, suggesting his scoring may fall off a bit as the season wears on.Still, with Matt Duchene's departure via trade to the Ottawa Senators and captain Gabriel Landeskog sitting out a few games due to suspension, MacKinnon's emergence is timely, and the Avs are in contention for a playoff spot as a result.Quite a turnaround for both player and team after last year's disastrous results.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby has little, if anything, left to prove, though he hopes he gets another chance to take the biggest international stage in hockey.Standing in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain fit right in; his career accomplishments to date are already worthy of induction.He was there along with Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and general manager Jim Rutherford as the Penguins' 2017 Stanley Cup ring was added to a display celebrating current and past champions. It marked Crosby's third trip to Toronto for this purpose, having previously won the Cup in 2009 and 2016.The championships represent just a portion of Crosby's achievements. He's also collected a bevy of individual awards - including the Art Ross, Maurice Richard, Ted Lindsay, Hart, and Conn Smythe trophies - and shone in international play. He won a pair of Olympic gold medals with Canada, highlighted by the famous "golden goal" at the Vancouver Games in 2010.But as the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea draw near, the hockey world is still coming to terms with the reality that NHL players won't participate for the first time since 1998, meaning Crosby won't get the chance to add a third gold medal to his three Cup rings.He said it's not top of mind at the moment, but the disappointment will become more pronounced as the opening ceremony approaches."It's something you probably don't think about as much now, but I think as it starts to approach and you start talking about it a little more, it's something you probably think about," Crosby told theScore. "It's too bad, it's unfortunate, but maybe the next time. Hopefully it works out that we get there another time."The next Olympics are scheduled for 2022 in Beijing, China, a location that would make sense for the NHL. The league played a pair of preseason games in China this year, and exposing top-tier NHL talent to a vast, untapped market would help grow the game on a global stage. Crosby will be 34 then, and ideally he'll have plenty of hockey left.In lieu of making the trip to South Korea, he'll join a throng of Canadians who'll tune in from afar, cheering on whoever takes the ice for his country."Oh absolutely, yeah," Crosby said when asked if he'll be watching. "I'll be glued to obviously hockey, but all the events. You're pulling for your country and pulling for everyone to do well there."In the meantime, Crosby will try to help the Penguins improve upon a 13-10-3 start - a record that has them clinging to a wild-card playoff spot - with a view to returning to the Hall of Fame this time next year as a three-time defending Cup champion.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Over the next several seasons, there will be one overarching theme whenever the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs get together.Connor McDavid vs. Auston Matthews.McDavid and Matthews will face each other Thursday when Edmonton hosts Toronto.The golden prize of the 2015 draft lottery against the golden prize of the 2016 draft lottery. McDavid, the previous season's MVP, vs. Matthews, the previous season's rookie of the year. Last season, both players led their respective teams to playoff berths, bringing their franchises out of long post-season droughts.For a generation of hockey fans, McDavid vs. Matthews will be an ever-evolving debate.This season, McDavid has the edge in points, 30 to 24. But Matthews's Leafs (16-9-1) are enjoying a far better season than McDavid's Oilers (10-13-2).Both players will be looking to get on the scoresheet after not having vintage games Tuesday. While their teams both won their respective matchups, McDavid was held without a point, while Matthews, for the first time in his career, didn't register a shot on goal."He's obviously a real good player, he's got a great shot, I think one of the best in the league just in terms of how fast he can get it off and accuracy," McDavid said of Matthews after Wednesday's practice. "He's a real special player.""Obviously, he can skate," Matthews said of McDavid. "I think he changes speeds better than anybody in the game. Just his hockey IQ, just a mix of everything he can do at a high pace, is obviously what sets him apart from everybody else."McDavid knows that the comparisons will come every time the two young superstars face each other. And he knows it's worse for Matthews, who plays in Toronto, the world's media hub when it comes to hockey."Honestly, I try not to pay attention to the media stuff and all that," McDavid said. "But he seems to be handling it well. I don't watch interviews and all that, but you don't really hear anything bad about him or saying anything wrong."Like many star players, Matthews tried to downplay the showdown."It's just another game," he said. "You don't really get too worked up about the whole match-up, individual match-ups, that the media likes to make. It's just another hockey game, two teams going at each other. Obviously, they've got a lot of speed and skill and so do we. Usually that makes for a pretty exciting game, right."Oilers coach Todd McLellan was behind the bench for the Team North America squad that competed at 2016's World Cup of Hockey, and had McDavid and Matthews as teammates."It was an honor to coach both of them at the same time," McLellan said. "Remarkable athletes, and what I would say about both of them is that their competitive spirit, their fire to be elite is exceptional."McLellan said that when he had Matthews on the Team North America squad, he started camp as the extra forward. By the time the tournament started, Matthews was on the top line with McDavid.The offensive contrasts between the team are stark.The Oilers have only 67 goals in 25 games. The Leafs lead the league with 92 goals in 26 contests.When Matthews recently missed four games to injury, the Leafs went 4-0-0 during that run. Nazem Kadri and James Van Riemsdyk each have 12 goals on the season, which ties them for the team lead with Matthews."We always have entertaining games with them, anyway, which will be a lot of fun," Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. "They got a lot of talent so we've got to do a good job and be prepared to play."The Oilers are looking for their third win in a row. The team's current two-game win streak matches their longest victory run of the season; that's a sign of how inconsistent the team has been this season.Edmonton may have to do it without goaltender Cam Talbot. McLellan said Talbot, who has played in 22 of the Oilers 25 games this season, tweaked something in his upper body.Talbot has not been ruled out for Thursday, but if he can't go, McLellan said the team will call up a goaltender. Backup Laurent Brossoit would then be the likely starter. If they need to call up a goalie, McLellan said the roster move might force him to juggle lines for Thursday, as room would need to be made for the third netminder.Rogers Place won't be as hospitable for the home team as it usually is. Whenever the Leafs go on the road in Canada, their legion of fans across the country snap up tickets or buy ducats from their friends. There will be many blue Leafs shirts breaking up the wall of orange in the stands.As of Wednesday, the cheapest tickets on the secondary market near the top of the arena were being sold for $128 US each. Compare that to Tuesday's game against Arizona, where you could have found tickets for less than $40 apiece.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Most NHL players are tight-lipped when it comes to anything relating to contract negotiations, but Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty is the rare exception.In an interview with Craig Custance of The Athletic, Doughty revealed that he will be in contact with fellow superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson at some point prior to the 2019 free-agency period, when both players are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents."I know I'm going to talk to Karlsson back and forth, kind of see what money he's looking for. I'll kind of look at what money I'm looking for," Doughty said. "I don't know if he's going to re-sign with Ottawa, I don't know if I'll re-sign with L.A. You just never know what's going to happen."While Doughty didn't get into exact salary demands, he did note that P.K. Subban's contract, which comes with a $9-million cap hit - the most among NHL defensemen - should be the benchmark."Right now, I guess we'd be gauging off what P.K. makes," Doughty said. "I think both of us deserve quite a bit more than that."Doughty and Karlsson are widely considered the two best defensemen in the NHL, so it's hard to argue that they don't deserve to be paid accordingly.As to where Doughty would like to wind up if he doesn't reach an extension with the Kings by July 1, 2019, he didn't rule out his boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs."Growing up, watching them every single time, it's hard to say you'd never want to play for the Leafs," he said.While that comment may have Leafs fans salivating, Doughty reiterated his love for L.A."I love this organization," Doughty said. "I love the players. That's where I would really, really, really feel bad, if I left some of the players. I've done so much in this organization. I'm comfortable here. L.A. is going to be my No. 1 choice to re-sign here. But you never know what can happen, right?"Only time will tell.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.