The Vegas Golden Knights signed defenseman Brayden McNabb to a four-year contract extension worth $10 million, the team announced Wednesday.McNabb, 26, has recorded just two points in 20 games this season, but the blue-liner isn't getting paid for what he does offensively. He's averaged 19:30 per game this season (fourth-most among Vegas defensemen), owns a plus-10 rating, and has just 11 giveaways compared to 13 takeaways.The hulking 6-foot-4 rearguard also brings an element of physicality, as he leads the team with 56 hits and 19 penalty minutes, and he's fearless in his own zone, leading the squad again with 52 blocked shots.McNabb will be under contract through the 2021-22 season with a cap hit of $2.5 million.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes president Don Waddell confirmed that Dallas billionaire Thomas Dundon is in the midst of discussions to purchase the franchise, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon.While nothing is set in stone, a potential deal would see Dundon given controlling interest of the Hurricanes, according to Shannon.

There's a great degree of comfort for a head coach in being able to depend on a solid trio up front - a line that consistently controls the puck while also scoring with regularity - day in and day out.Below we rank the NHL's top 10 trios at even strength by examining their underlying numbers (Corsi For Percentage, Shots For Percentage, Goals For Percentage), while also considering their shooting percentages to account for a measure of luck working for or against. In order to qualify, a trio must have played at least 150 minutes together at five-on-five.10. Claude Giroux - Sean Couturier - Jakub Voracek(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)TOICF%SF%GF%Sh%315.1255.9954.6469.711.5Philadelphia is mired in a potentially season-altering losing streak, but the top line isn't the problem. Coach Dave Hakstol has shifted Giroux to the wing and allowed Couturier to emerge as an offensive force at center, but unfortunately not much else is working for the Flyers these days.9. Leon Draisaitl - Connor McDavid - Patrick MaroonTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%206.0856.4254.55609.09When all else fails, put two of your best players together to get the offense rolling. Edmonton coach Todd McLellan did just that for a stretch of time, allowing Patrick Maroon to enjoy the benefits of playing alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. In recent games, McDavid has been skating with Milan Lucic and Mike Cammalleri to help spread out the offense, but it might be time to put him back with this line to help salvage the season8. Evander Kane - Jack Eichel - Jason PominvilleTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%174.5854.1357.9256.257.69As in Edmonton, not much is going right in Buffalo this season, but first-year coach Phil Housley can roll out this unit knowing they'll do more good than harm. The line of Kane, Eichel, and Pominville could be even more effective if and when their shooting percentage - and by extension their goals for percentage - begins to rise.7. Brandon Saad - Jonathan Toews - Richard PanikTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%199.7557.6753.1457.898.66Chicago's top line is giving up a fair share of shots and goals against, but gets the benefit of the doubt due to logging heavy defensive assignments and for a bit of bad luck, as evidenced by their low shooting percentage. Bringing Saad back into the mix has certainly benefited Toews.6. Zach Hyman - Auston Matthews - William Nylander(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)TOICF%SF%GF%Sh%198.7453.1951.16758.18Toronto coach Mike Babcock recently moved Nylander to the fourth line and replaced him here with Connor Brown, which is curious considering how formidable this line has been in limited time. The low shooting percentage also suggests even greater success could be had should Nylander be bumped back up. Regardless, Matthews makes things happen no matter who he plays with.5. Johnny Gaudreau - Sean Monahan - Micheal FerlandTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%226.857.5855.668.4210.08Gaudreau garners all the attention as Calgary's diminutive scoring giant, and there's no denying the chemistry he has with Monahan. Coach Glen Gulutzan did well to discover how well Ferland compliments this pair.4. Jonathan Marchessault - William Karlsson - Reilly Smith(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)TOICF%SF%GF%Sh%158.5758.4160.125010.08This line hasn't been together long, but Vegas appears to have struck gold. General manager George McPhee needs to thank the Florida Panthers for being willing to part ways with Marchessault and Smith while he was assembling the inaugural Golden Knights roster. And yes, this trio has been on the ice for an even share of goals, but the underlying numbers and the level shooting percentage skews on the side of dominance.3. Jonathan Huberdeau - Aleksander Barkov - Evegenii DadonovTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%258.2757.3959.49609.2Florida will have to somehow make due without Dadonov, who'll be sidelined four-to-six weeks with a shoulder injury. That's a huge blow to a team on the outside of the playoff picture despite this line's dominance, but Barkov and Huberdeau can certainly keep it rolling with whomever they play with in the meantime.2. Filip Forsberg - Ryan Johansen - Viktor ArvidssonTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%186.4557.2559.872.2210.66One can't help but wonder what the outcome of the Stanley Cup Final would have been if Nashville had a healthy Ryan Johansen on their side. This line is basically as good as it gets across the board these days, with one exception.1. Bradeyn Schenn - Jaden Schwartz - Vladimir TarasenkoTOICF%SF%GF%Sh%202.6259.7158.380.9512.41The only knock on this line at the moment is an inflated shooting percentage, but the trio is so dominant in terms of attempts, shots, and goals that it kind of makes sense, although some regression should probably be expected. GM Doug Armstrong hit the jackpot by adding Schenn in the offseason, as he's excelling alongside Schwartz and Tarasenko.Honorable mention: It seems odd not to mention Tampa Bay's trio of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Vladislav Namestnikov - a line that's outproduced all others so far this season. However, their success has been boosted by excellence on the power play, while their even-strength performance has them sitting behind the trios mentioned above. Their lower possession numbers and a somewhat inflated shooting percentage - along with a serious cool-off period as of late - means they rank 11th in a discussion that's focused on five-on-five play.(Advanced stats courtesy: Corsica Hockey)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins will welcome two crucial pieces back to the lineup Wednesday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, as Brad Marchand and David Backes will return from injury, head coach Bruce Cassidy confirmed.Marchand, who ranks second on the Bruins in goals despite playing only 15 games, will play his first game since Nov. 11 after missing the last six with an upper-body injury.Backes, meanwhile, is the more surprising return, as he was supposed to be sidelined for up to eight weeks due to Nov. 1 colon surgery. The 33-year-old has played just five games this season, producing one assist. Despite the poor output, Boston should be delighted to welcome any regular back to the rotation considering the team's offensive woes.With injuries to key personnel playing a large role, the Bruins have scored just 66 goals this season, better than only the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

No need to panic.That's the message Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall shared following Tuesday's loss to the San Jose Sharks, the team's ninth-straight defeat.The latest loss pushed Philadelphia to 8-10-7 on the season, but the team's recent play hasn't been indicative of its record. Five losses have come after regulation and two others have been decided by two or fewer goals."We're not playing poorly," Hextall told reporters Tuesday. "To look objectively at our team right now, to say we're playing poorly? No. Are we shooting ourselves in the foot at times? Yes, we are."I still believe we're a playoff team. We need to be better at some critical moments. But part of it, we need to continue to do what we're doing because we're doing a lot of good things."The Flyers sit six points back of a playoff position. The team missed last year's postseason by seven points and hasn't failed to qualify for the playoffs in back-to-back years since 1994.On Tuesday, frustrations over the losing skid spilled into the stands, as fans chanted for coach Dave Hakstol's firing, and later booed the team as it left the ice.The Flyers have three days to prepare for their next contest, and possibly their first victory in more than three weeks, when they take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews failed to record a shot on goal for the first time in his NHL career Tuesday in Calgary, ending a streak that spanned 103 games.Matthews had two shot attempts, but one missed the net and the other was blocked by a Flames defender.

Frederik Andersen was dialed in Tuesday night.The Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender extended for an impressive toe save to deny Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames after a slick centering feed by Micheal Ferland on what began as an odd-man rush.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rock bottom is seemingly dropping deeper and deeper for the Philadelphia Flyers.The club dropped its ninth straight game Tuesday, a 3-1 decision at the hands of the San Jose Sharks, and the Philadelphia faithful made sure to voice their displeasure over another lackluster effort.Fans serenaded the Flyers with boos following the second period and once again after the final buzzer as the team left the ice. As has become somewhat of a common occurrence at Wells Fargo Center, chants of "Fire Hakstol" could also be heard during the game.

Anze Kopitar's career year continued Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, notching two goals and an assist in the Kings' 4-1 victory.With the two-goal performance, Kopitar now has 12 through 25 contests, which is the same amount he had in all 76 games he played in last season.In fact, Kopitar is now on pace for 39 goals and 92 points - both of which would surpass his previous career highs of 34 and 81 set back in 2009-10.As one of the league's best defensive centers, Kopitar could very well be given some Hart Trophy consideration if he continues this offensive pace. Without Jeff Carter in the lineup for the majority of the season, it's hard to imagine where the Kings would be without Kopitar's elevated play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL Officials Association went above and beyond for a young boy with aspirations of becoming a referee when he grows up.Reddit user Jowilant said her son Ben, who's in Grade 3, emailed the association to ask some questions about the profession. He not only received a response from referee Tom Chmielewski, but was also gifted a care package that included an official NHL rule book, two whistles, and a handwritten note."Thank you for your interest in the life of an NHL referee. Hope I was able to give you some useful information," Chmielewski wrote. "Best of luck in your future. Always work hard and have fun. All the best."Courtesy: r/hockey user 'Jowilant'Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Regardless of the final result, the New York Islanders' 2017-18 season is only going to be defined by John Tavares' next move.The perennial Hart-worthy superstar and organizational linchpin will be an unrestricted free agent in July if he and the Isles, who selected Tavares first overall in 2009, can't reach an extension before the end of the season.Tavares has affirmed his interest in staying with the club numerous times, but any potential information on offers and negotiations from the team's standpoint has largely been kept under wraps, which is a reasonable approach considering the magnitude of the situation.The journey down the winding road to the end of his current contract has seen Tavares endure changing arenas, new owners, a coaching change, and only one playoff series win - a double-OT triumph in Game 6 of the 2016 first round, the clincher courtesy of No. 91.That said, the situation between Tavares and the Islanders might be as good as it's ever been, right now. But is it enough to keep him around?Individually, Tavares has been outstanding this season, netting 26 points through 23 games. But somewhat quietly, the Islanders have been playing quite well as a whole. Since Doug Weight took over as head coach in January, he's led his club to 38-19-6 record - the third-most wins in the NHL over that span, behind only the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals.Weight managed to salvage what seemed like a lost season in 2016-17 and fell one point shy of the final playoff spot in the East. Right now, the Islanders sit third in the new-look Metropolitan Division, just two points out of first with one game in hand on both the Devils and Blue Jackets.The Islanders' success through this point in the season is mainly credited to the NHL's third-most potent attack - but at last, Tavares isn't the only contributor. Josh Bailey, his right winger, actually leads the club in scoring thanks to 23 helpers. Elsewhere, Nick Leddy is tied for second among defesemen in points with 20, and rookie dynamo Mathew Barzal is blazing his way to the Calder Trophy, averaging a point per game.The Islanders seemingly have enough complimentary weapons throughout the lineup to compete this season, and if a chance at the Stanley Cup is Tavares' main focus before signing what would likely be the final long-term contract of his career, general manager Garth Snow might want to prove winning is a possibility in Brooklyn.The team's weakness is between the pipes, as Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss each have .903 save percentages through 12 games played. Elite netminders don't exactly grow on trees, and acquiring talent in goal via trade is next to impossible.Defensively, the Islanders average 32.3 shots against per game, which ranks ninth in the NHL, and they sit 12th at 2.28 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five (Corsica). Still, adding a significant piece to the blue line to solidify the roster and potentially help mask any problems created by Halak or Greiss might be the best avenue for New York to achieve anything going forward.Asset wise, the Islanders obtained three high-end picks in the Travis Hamonic deal, and have a few promising prospects who haven't quite scratched the NHL surface yet and could become expendable. It might be a steep cost, but if it helps keep Tavares in town, it's definitely worth exploring.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray suffered a lower-body injury Monday versus the Philadelphia Flyers, and will be out week to week, head coach Mike Sullivan announced Tuesday.Murray exited the contest late in the second period after Flyers forward Jakub Voracek lost balance and crashed hard into the goal. Backup Tristan Jarry provided relief and will be the starter for the back-to-back champs going forward.In 20 starts this season, Murray owns an 11-7-1 record, to go with a .906 save percentage and 2.95 goals-against average.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the International Olympic Committee set to rule on the participation of Russian athletes in the 2018 Winter Games, amid widespread doping, the International Ice Hockey Federation Council voiced its full support for allowing all clean athletes from that nation to play.From IIHF President René Fasel:

The Pittsburgh Penguins learned goaltender Matt Murray will be out week to week with a lower-body injury suffered Monday, but they don't sound concerned about handing the reins to Tristan Jarry in the meantime.Head coach Mike Sullivan likes what he sees from the 22-year-old, and believes a 33-save performance in Saturday's win over the Tampa Bay Lightning is indicative of what the youngster can bring to the table."As far as Tristan's concerned, we believe he's a solid goalie," Sullivan said, according to Jason Mackey of the Post-Gazette. "I think the game he played against Tampa was the perfect indication of what he's capable of. That being said, if that becomes the scenario, then Tristan's going to have to make timely saves for us game in and game out. We believe he can do that."Jarry was selected 44th overall by Pittsburgh in 2013, and recorded a .925 save percentage while winning 28 games for the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season.He's appeared in only five games for the Penguins over the past two seasons, posting a 2-1-2 record and a .902 save percentage.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's top line isn't shining as brightly these days.After a cracking start that sent Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov to the top of the NHL scoring leaderboard, the unit, rounded out by Vladislav Namestnikov, has cooled off significantly, and the team has lost three of its last four.The trio has combined for four points over those four games, with Kucherov and Stamkos recording an assist apiece and Namestnikov chipping in a goal and a helper.After a recent video session, Stamkos - who admits to being frustrated by the recent skid - was encouraged by the opportunities being generated, and believes it's only a matter of time before the Lighting convert them."When you go watch afterwards, sometimes it's not as bad as you think when you're going through a little bit of a tough patch in terms of production," Stamkos said Monday, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "We're still getting chances. They're not always going to go in. You know it's not going to last the whole season."Tampa Bay remains first in the Eastern Conference, but only has a two-point cushion over New Jersey, The Lightning will have every opportunity to get rolling again, however, in a visit to the last-place Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The CFL season ended Sunday, but a Winnipeg franchise scored a touchdown and added the extra point on Monday night.The Jets poured in seven straight goals, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to destroy the Minnesota Wild 7-2 at Bell MTS Place.Winnipeg scored a pair of markers to tie the game late in the first period, added two more in the middle stanza, and piled on three more in the third.Seven different players scored for the Jets, as Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Kyle Connor all scored a goal and added two assists apiece.It was the second time the Jets notched seven goals in a game this season, following their 7-1 pummelling of the Pittsburgh Penguins back on Oct. 29.Winnipeg came into Monday's game ranked ninth in goals per game in the league at 3.13.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Two games, two wins.Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price secured his second straight win in as many games Monday, as the Canadiens defeated the Blue Jackets by a 3-1 score. The victory snapped Columbus' six-game win streak and, in the process, gave Price his first consecutive wins on the season.Price allowed one goal on 38 shots against the Blue Jackets, just two nights after recording his first shutout of the season against the Buffalo Sabres.Since his 10-game absence, Price has turned aside 73 shots for a spectacular .986 save percentage. It's a stark contrast from his performance earlier this season, when he owned a .877 save rate through his first 11 appearances.In 13 games, Price is 5-7-1 with a 3.24 GAA and .898 save percentage. But If his last two outings are any indication, the Canadiens' MVP appears to be back to his old self.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Roberto Luongo's longevity continues to help him etch his name in the record books.The Florida Panthers goaltender hit another milestone Monday, earning his 200th win with the organization in a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and becoming only the second netminder in NHL history to notch that many victories with two different teams.

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray left Monday's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers with an apparent leg injury.Murray exited with 4:21 remaining in the second period after he was bumped by Flyers forward Jakub Voracek, who was crashing the net.The Penguins netminder left the ice favoring his right leg and was replaced by backup Tristan Jarry.Pittsburgh came back for a 5-4 win over Philadelphia. In his postgame press conference, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan noted Murray had suffered a lower-body injury and would be re-evaluated Tuesday.Should the Penguins need to rely on Jarry - who turned aside eight of 10 shots versus the Flyers - in the short term, Sullivan is confident in his rookie netminder."If that becomes the scenario, then Tristan is going to have to make timely saves for us, game in and game out, and we believe he can do that for us," Sullivan told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions are reportedly trying to trade one of their depth defensemen.Ian Cole is being actively shopped by the Pittsburgh Penguins, multiple sources told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Jason Mackey.Cole was a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game Monday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. He's a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a $2.1-million cap hit.Several teams have expressed interest in the 28-year-old blue-liner, according to the report.Cole ranked third in the NHL last season with 194 blocked shots, behind Erik Karlsson and Kris Russell.The Penguins could use a boost, entering into Monday's contest sitting in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with only 12 wins in 25 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Paul Maurice isn't quite on Ken Hitchcock's side of the injury transparency debate."He must not have any," Maurice, the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, quipped to reporters with a smile Monday when asked about the Dallas Stars bench boss' plea for teams to end vague injury updates in the NHL.Maurice then referred to doctor-patient confidentiality to make his case."You're not allowed to tell anybody what a doctor knows," he said. "They've got laws. People can get sued for letting that kind of information (out). I don't really have the right to come out and tell you how a guy is feeling, but we do anyway."He then explained why he believes sharing more information would be detrimental to his team."I would think on average (that) somewhere between nine and 11 players, about half your hockey team, every single night, has something that they're dealing with. Bone bruises, I had a guy playing with cracked ribs. I don't want anybody to know that."Head injuries are the one area Maurice said should continue to be addressed and disclosed. The Jets head coach praised his backup goaltender, Steve Mason, for being upfront about the concussion with which the netminder was just diagnosed."I do think we have a responsibility to show our league is handling them in a certain way," Maurice said.Hitchcock implied last Tuesday that he wanted to end the "dance" of saying "upper body" and "lower body" when reporters will inevitably find out what the specific nature of an injury is shortly thereafter.The Stars head coach said he doesn't believe teams and players target other players when they know their injuries, and Maurice agreed with that Monday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been suspended four games following a cross check to Calgary Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk.The incident occurred Saturday when Landeskog repeatedly hit the Calgary Flames forward with his stick. Landeskog was assessed a minor penalty.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The four-game suspension will cost Landeskog nearly $120,000 in forfeited salary, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.Landeskog's last suspension came in March 2016, when he was banned three games following a cross check to an Anaheim Ducks skater.Given the time since his last suspension, Landeskog is not considered a repeat offender under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, Seravalli added.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In what should be a battle between two of the NHL's top goalies, Sergei Bobrovsky heads into Montreal with the clear upper hand over Carey Price.Winners of six in a row, the Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Canadiens on Monday with a goalie who's been nearly perfect as of late.

Following three consecutive three-point games, Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault was named the NHL's first star of the week Monday. Vegas has now won five consecutive games for the second time this season, thanks in large part to Marchessault's recent efforts.Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky earned second star honors. He posted a 3-0-0 record with a .950 save percentage and one shutout last week to stay ahead of the pack in the early Vezina Trophy race.Finally, Washington Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin was named third star of the week after netting four goals in five games, including a hat trick in Saturday's win over the Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins appear to have an old-fashioned goalie controversy on their hands, with starter Tuukka Rask giving way to backup Anton Khudobin.As far as Rask is concerned, though, any such talk is purely media-driven and doesn't reflect any issues in the locker room."It's only a matter of what you guys (in the press) write that makes it a controversy," said Rask, according to Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald. "For us, it's not a controversy. Obviously people look at salaries - how much I'm making ($7 million) and how much he's making ($1.2 million) - and make that a big deal. But if he's playing very, very good and getting the wins, then I can't complain."After 11 days off while head coach Bruce Cassidy rode Khudobin's hot hand, Rask returned to the crease Sunday. He allowed three goals on 35 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, failing to secure his status as the de facto No. 1.As a result, the numbers continue to skew heavily in Khudobin's favor:GoalieGamesRecordSave %Tuukka Rask133-8-2.899Anton Khudobin107-0-2.932Cassidy hasn't named a starter for Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Rask is prepared to either start or sit while trying to maintain a level head."It can affect you mentally if you let it. I try not to," Rask said. "Doby has played unbelievable. He's getting the wins and that's what matters. ... The only thing I can control is to show up, have a good work ethic and a good attitude. And when you play you try to give the team a chance to win."Rask's career save percentage sits at .922, but he hasn't eclipsed .915 in either of the past two seasons, perhaps suggesting some decline in the 2014 Vezina Trophy winner's play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the second running of theScore's NHL Player Power Rankings, editors Sean O'Leary, Craig Hagerman, and Ian McLaren order the top players from around the league this season - with extra consideration given to their performances this month - and there are plenty of new faces this time around.10. Auston Matthews Previously 5thGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%211211231.1053.12An unknown upper-body injury sidelined Matthews for four games this month, but the Toronto Maple Leafs star made his presence felt immediately upon his return, burying two goals in his first game back.Despite missing action for the first time in his young career, Matthews remains highly productive as the heartbeat of one of the league's most exciting teams. -O'Leary9. Taylor Hall Previously unrankedGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%23818261.1349.69The New Jersey Devils are still in the thick of the Metropolitan Division race, and Hall is a huge reason why.The 26-year-old is on pace for the best campaign of his career, and has developed nice chemistry with rookie Nico Hischier on the Devils' top line. It's refreshing to see Hall healthy and playing up to his full potential again. -O'Leary8. Phil KesselPreviously unranked(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)GPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%251120311.2450It's almost crazy to say, but where would the Pittsburgh Penguins be without Kessel right now?With Sidney Crosby playing well below his usual standards and Evgeni Malkin injured, Kessel has easily been the best player for the back-to-back champs this season. He sits nine points clear of the captain for the team lead in scoring, and is fifth overall in the league. Phil forever. - O'Leary7. Connor McDavidPreviously 4thGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%241020301.2555.53Poor Connor - the NHL's most exciting player is on pace for another 100-point season, but all anyone can talk about is how awful the rest of his team is.In fairness, the Oilers have been pretty terrible, but McDavid can't do it all by himself, and his talent shouldn't be discredited by a failing supporting cast. - O'Leary6. Sergei BobrovskyPreviously 10thGPSV%GAAWSOSASV19.9361.86143574537Bobrovsky continues to make a strong case for his second straight Vezina Trophy.He's gone 7-2-1 during the month of November and has helped the Columbus Blue Jackets move to within a point of the Devils for top spot in the Metropolitan Division.Plus, he's made some downright unbelievable stops along the way. - Hagerman5. William KarlssonPreviously unranked(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)GPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%22139221.0052.27No one has scored more goals this month than Karlsson.Through his team's 11 games, he found the back of the net 10 times and chipped in with another five helpers. He's currently riding a five-game goal-scoring streak that's seen him light the lamp seven times.Karlsson's success on the Vegas strip likely also has the Blue Jackets' front office kicking itself right about now. - Hagerman4. Brayden SchennPreviously unrankedGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%241020301.2557.08Next to the red-hot trio in Tampa Bay, the threesome of Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Jaden Schwartz in St. Louis has been the league's most lethal.Leading the pack has surprisingly been Schenn, who's paced the group with 30 points early in his first season with the Blues. His 19 points in November are tied for the most in the league, while the 26-year-old is already more than halfway to matching his career high of 59 points. -Hagerman3. Nikita KucherovPreviously 1stGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%231717341.4852.46Passed in the goals race by Alex Ovechkin, Kucherov has recorded just a lone assist over his past four games, thereby allowing the field to catch up in the overall scoring race, too.He still remains in a tie for second in scoring, but with five players now within five points, Kucherov has lost a touch of the luster garnered during his dominant start to his season. - McLaren2. Steven StamkosPreviously 2nd(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)GPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%231026361.5754.06It's hard to knock the NHL's leading scorer, but just like Kucherov, Stamkos has begun falling back to earth after a truly out-of-this-world start to the season.He's also recorded only a single assist over his past four games, and while Stamkos' performance to date coming off a major leg injury has been downright inspiring, a plucky underdog has eclipsed him in our rankings, at least for the time being. - McLaren1. Johnny GaudreauPreviously unrankedGPGAPP/PG5-on-5 CF%231123341.4854.63Since the beginning of November, no player has recorded more points than Calgary's Gaudreau, whose eight goals and 11 assists have him level with Schenn for the month.Over that stretch, he's jumped into a tie for second in NHL scoring with Kucherov, and is just two points back of Stamkos for the lead.On pace for 121 points, Gaudreau is well on his way to bouncing back from a down 2016-17 season and smashing the career-high 78 points he recorded in 2015-16. As it stands, he's put himself in the running for both the Art Ross and Hart trophies. - McLaren(Advanced stats courtesy: Corsica)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes recalled center Dylan Strome from the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners, general manager John Chayka announced Sunday."Dylan did a nice job taking advantage of the opportunity to work on his game at the AHL level," Chayka said. "He was focused on the areas we asked him to work on and was very productive as well. We're expecting him to come up and continue to grow with the group here."Obviously, his production is elite at the AHL level, especially for his age. He has great poise with the puck and converts on his chances. He continues to progress on his all-around game and we felt he earned the opportunity to be in Arizona."Strome began the season with the Coyotes, but was sent down after two games in which he failed to record a point. But the 2015 third overall pick has been a dominant force for the Roadrunners ever since, recording eight goals and 18 assists in 15 games.Strome ranks second in AHL scoring, but his 1.73 points-per-game average dwarfs that of the top-ranked Chris Bourque (1.29).Strome has appeared in nine games at the NHL level, but could now be set to become a staple in the Coyotes' lineup after leaving nothing to prove in the minors.

The New York Rangers are lighting up Broadway.With a shootout victory over Vancouver on Sunday, the Blueshirts extended their home winning streak to eight games. That matched the Vegas Golden Knights' active eight-game home win streak (8-0-0 from Oct. 15 to Nov. 25) for the longest such run this season.New York's streak began Oct. 26 against Arizona, and includes wins over Vegas, Columbus, Boston, Edmonton, Ottawa, Detroit, and Vancouver.Meanwhile, Vegas has posted a record of 9-1-0 on home ice this season, with wins over Boston, Buffalo, St. Louis, Chicago, Colorado, Winnipeg, Los Angeles, and San Jose during the current run of success.The Rangers will be presented with a chance to extend their streak on Tuesday against Florida, while the Golden Knights will host Dallas that same night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks apologized for - and removed - a video posted on the team's Twitter account that was supposed to be in celebration of the NHL's 100th anniversary on Sunday.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will have a hearing Monday for cross-checking Matthew Tkachuk of the Calgary Flames, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.The incident took place near the end of the first period Saturday. Landeskog was assessed a minor penalty.

Regardless of where you stand in the analytics-versus-eye-test debate that's encompassed the hockey world over the past several years, advanced statistics in the NHL undeniably create some interesting talking points.For example: How can a 29-year-old with under 90 NHL contests to his name rank in the same breath as two of the most prolific goal scorers the league has to offer? Well, let's find out.Below are five individual-based advanced statistics and the five league-leaders in that category so far in the 2017-18 season, followed by a few takeaways to digest what we learned.(All stats at 5-on-5, minimum 200 minutes. Per 60: 60 minutes of even-strength play. All stats courtesy: Corsica)Goals per 60Player (Team) G/60Nikita Kucherov (TB)2.14Alex Ovechkin (WSH)2.07Brock Boeser (VAN)2.03Brian Gibbons (NJ)1.85William Karlsson (VGK)1.82

Hats off to Alex Ovechkin.The Washington Capitals captain pocketed three goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, and in the process fulfilled a promise to a 13-year-old fan and cancer survivor.Alex Luey - who plays for the Niagara Falls Flyers and a survivor of osteosarcoma cancer - attended Saturday's contest after learning he'd have the chance to meet his hero at the game.

Eight was enough for Matt Duchene.The Ottawa Senators forward scored Saturday night for the first time as a member of his new club, corralling and burying a rebound on the power play late in a loss to the New York Islanders.Duchene had gone seven games without a goal for the Senators since Ottawa acquired him in a blockbuster three-way trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators on Nov. 5.He was technically on an eight-game scoreless streak including his final appearance with the Avalanche, but he was removed from that outing moments before the deal was announced after playing fewer than two minutes.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome back, Carey.Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price recorded a shutout in his return from nearly a month-long injury hiatus, stopping all 36 shots he faced against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.The shutout was almost ruined when the Sabres scored with about 30 seconds left, but it was waved off due to goalie interference.The Sabres tallied 10 more shots than the Habs, and out-chanced them 27-18, according to Natural Stat Trick. Price was clearly the difference in this contest.Despite losing seven of their first eight games, the Canadiens are now just four points behind the Detroit Red Wings for third place in the Atlantic Division. With two meetings with the Wings this coming week, Price's return couldn't have come at a better time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

From one leader to another.Mats Sundin, who captained the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1997-2008, believes Auston Matthews should be next in line to wear the "C" for the iconic franchise."In my book, he's obviously the right person to be captain, no doubt about that," Sundin told Rosie DiManno of the Toronto Star. "He leads on the ice and you can tell he's a good man off the ice."The Maple Leafs have not had a captain since 2016, after former leader Dion Phaneuf was dealt to the Ottawa Senators.The team has been coy on when it will name its next captain, as general manager Lou Lamoriello noted in September, "With the number of leaders we have in that room, we don't feel it's necessary."Matthews, 20, leads the Maple Leafs in scoring this season, with 22 points in 20 games. The reigning Calder Trophy winner - the first Toronto skater to take home Rookie of the Year honors since 1966 - finished last year with 69 points."I have (Matthews) right up there with Connor McDavid," Sundin added. "The Leafs have waited so long to have a young franchise player to build around. He's that player."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ordinarily speaking, the return of any team's most important player from an extended absence should provide a considerable spark. But right now, the Montreal Canadiens are no ordinary team, and Carey Price's comeback to the crease on Saturday night isn't enough to completely fix what ails the 2017-18 Habs.Price missed 10 games after attempting to play through an injury he suffered in warmups versus Minnesota on Nov. 2, and although Montreal tread enough water to earn four wins without him, the Canadiens have now lost five consecutive games, with their struggles going far beyond reliable goaltending.Charlie Lindgren filled in admirably by posting a .924 save percentage across eight starts, and Montreal was actually able to salvage a point with Antti Niemi in goal - which should probably count as a win considering his anemic body of work this season. Yet, potential security between the pipes isn't some magic elixir poised to solve all of the Canadiens' problems, and with Price (hopefully) healthy again, the spotlight needs to be shifted elsewhere.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)With Price shelved - a catastrophe so major in Montreal that his wife had to squash a rumor (yes, seriously) about her alleged desire to leave the city and her husband - the Canadiens scored 20 goals, good for 28th in the NHL. The power play operated at 16 percent (22nd), while the penalty kill only succeeded 74.2 percent of the time (24th). Over those 10 games, Joe Morrow, a defenseman with 78 NHL games to his credit, tied for the team lead in goals with three, more than each of Jonathan Drouin, Alex Galchenyuk, Phillip Danault, and Tomas Plekanec.To put things succinctly: things have been bad.Even though Price himself has put forth numbers below his all-world norm - .877 save percentage in 11 starts this season - he's the type of talent who's earned the benefit of the doubt in terms of being able to turn things around. It's his teammates who need to use his comeback as an opportunity to right the ship.And it's as perfect a time there is for Montreal to do so, with the Atlantic Division being wide open. The Canadiens currently sit five points out of third place, despite being just three clear of last.It's been a disastrous start for Montreal, but the chance to get on track is here and now, but it will take an entire team effort, not just No. 31.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After an individually fruitless playoff performance last spring, Jordan Eberle's time with the Edmonton Oilers was done.Eberle recorded just two assists across 13 postseason games, and earned the ire of his coach midway through the club's second round series versus the Anaheim Ducks.As a final result, Eberle was shipped to the New York Islanders in the offseason for Ryan Strome, and the 27-year-old has since admitted the constant pressure from his former town negatively affected his performance."The Edmonton media can be pretty brutal and your confidence goes and this is a game you can't play if you don't have confidence," Eberle said, per Sportsnet's Tim Panaccio. "It's that simple. It's the Edmonton Oilers and everything around it. When you read articles every day about how much you suck, it's tough."Despite a sour ending to his tenure with the Oilers, Eberle was actually quite consistent in Edmonton, recording 382 points over 507 games. Through his first 22 contests this season with the Islanders, he's notched eight goals and eight assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tyler Seguin has put himself in the Dallas Stars' record books.By recording a hat trick in Friday's win over Calgary - Seguin's seventh hat trick with the Stars - the 25-year-old center broke a tie with Mike Modano for the Dallas record. Dino Ciccarelli's 14 regular season hat tricks with the Minnesota North Stars remains the franchise record.His third goal of the night came by way of an empty net, but the previous, game-winning tally was the most impressive.

In a meeting of the top picks from the 2015 NHL Draft, number two came out on top.Jack Eichel - selected second overall that year - and the Buffalo Sabres hosted Connor McDavid - the first pick - and the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, with both teams entering the game near the bottom of the league's standings.Related: Don't blame McDavid, Eichel for their teams' disappointing startsBuffalo opened the scoring in the second period, and Eichel tallied the eventual game-winner in the 3-1 decision at the 43-second mark of the third.

One could not have scripted this moment any better.As the New Jersey Devils hosted 'Hockey Fights Cancer' night at the Prudential Center on Friday, center Brian Boyle notched his second goal of the season off a brilliant rush by rookie defenseman Will Butcher.

Marian Gaborik is ready to play.The Los Angeles Kings have announced the veteran forward has been activated from the injury reserve. He is expected to make his season debut against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday.Gaborik missed the first 22 games of the season as he rehabbed from offseason knee surgery. He tallied 21 points in 56 games with the Kings last season.The 35-year-old is signed through the 2020-21 season at a $4.875-million cap hit, as per CapFriendly.Gaborik won the Stanley Cup with the Kings in 2014.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's not always a good day when you're trending on Twitter.That's the case for Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, whose name took form in the aptly titled #FireHakstol hashtag following his team's latest loss.Friday's overtime defeat to the New York Islanders marked seven straight losses for the Flyers, who have collected just four points over that time for an 0-3-4 showing.Philadelphia entered the stretch with an 8-6-2 record, but has since fallen to 8-9-6 and is three points removed from a playoff position.That's left Flyers faithful calling for a change behind the bench:

The man behind Los Angeles Kings mascot "Bailey" is being sued for allegedly groping the buttocks of a former Staples Center dishwasher in 2016, according to ABC News.The club acknowledged the suit Friday, denying its merits.

It appears Carey Price has learned his lesson.For the the second time in three seasons, Price suffered an injury during pregame warmup, but opted to play through the pain instead of pulling himself immediately following the injury.Related: Price to start Saturday after missing 10 games with injuryAhead of his first start in nearly a month, Price admitted that playing through the injury wasn't the smartest decision."I think the damage was already done at that point. By that time, it was already the end of warmup and I didn't want to throw Monty (backup goalie Al Montoya) under the bus at the end of warmup," Price told reporters, according to the club's official website. "It probably wasn't the greatest idea to go, but what are you going to do now."Luckily for Price and the Canadiens, he only missed 10 games with the lower-body injury. In 2015-16, he was limited to just 12 games all season after suffering an injury under similar circumstances.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers showed off the uniforms they'll be wearing for the 2018 Winter Classic:

Carey Price is back.The Montreal Canadiens' star goaltender will make a return to the crease Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres, the Canadiens confirmed after practice Friday.Price missed the last 10 games with an injury the club both initially and subsequently deemed "minor."Much like the team itself, Price struggled before sitting out with the ailment, going 3-7-1 with an .877 save percentage and a goals-against average of 3.77.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seven months removed from finishing second last in the NHL with a frustrating 69 points, the Vancouver Canucks find themselves in a position few around the league expected them to be in through a quarter of the season: holding down the first Western Conference wild-card spot.Sure, there's still plenty of puck left to be played, but the fact remains, the Canucks are one of the biggest pleasant surprises so far, and a lot of that has to do with the seamless meshing of old and new regimes.The combination of established veteran Canucks and players new to the team is plain to see when you take a look at Vancouver's forward lines, with a nice mix of youth and experience sprinkled throughout the lineup:(Lines courtesy: DailyFaceoff.com)Although, let's not get it twisted, as much as the Canucks have been a feel-good story, a lot of that success has to do with the top line of Sven Baertschi, Bo Horvat, and Brock Boeser.The "Killer Bs" have been nothing short of sensational for head coach Travis Green and Co., combining to lead the offensive charge for Vancouver.Through 22 games, Boeser (11), Baertschi (8), and Horvat (8) have posted impressive numbers, combining for 44 percent of the Canucks' total goal output (61).While Boeser continues to dominate Calder Trophy chatter (sorry, Clayton Keller), some of Vancouver's offseason additions are being somewhat overlooked despite playing some excellent hockey.When the Canucks added veterans Thomas Vanek, Michael Del Zotto, and Sam Gagner this past summer, hockey fans in B.C. couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness. Nervous about the potential results that would stem from adding three guys with their better days likely behind them.However, so far, general manager Jim Benning's risky moves are paying off, as the combination of seasoned vets and talented young guns is currently powering the team to a playoff position.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Also, don't forget, another big reason for Vancouver's .500 record of 11-8-3 has been the play of another offseason veteran addition in netminder Anders Nilsson, who is serving as a superb second option to No. 1 'tender Jacob Markstrom.Across his seven starts, Nilsson has been rock-solid, going 5-1-1 while posting a .934 save percentage and 2.25 goals-against average in relief of Markstrom.Stellar performances from their young stars, unexpectedly strong starts from the supporting cast, and consistency in net have the old and new regimes combining quite nicely for the Canucks.But who's to thank for this harmonious combination?Look no further than first-year bench boss and former 16-year NHLer Travis Green, who already has his name being mentioned in early Jack Adams Award discussions.Green was taking heat from fans and media just over a month ago for sitting Boeser for the first three games, choosing not to rush the 20-year-old into any regular-season action this campaign.Funny how winning can change things.That move, along with others, is another major reason Vancouver is currently proving the haters wrong.Green's four years spent grooming the Canucks' future NHL talent in Utica with the AHL's Comets has allowed him to watch some of his current players with a keen eye, leading the club to taste success in a season that most expected them to be bottom feeders.Again, there is still lots of hockey left on the schedule, and Vancouver could end up finding itself in the basement come April. But for now, meshing of the old and the new have the Canucks forcing people to take notice.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Duchene's inauguration with the Ottawa Senators hasn't gone quite as smoothly as he had likely hoped.Since being acquired by the Senators, as the catalyst of a three-way trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators, Duchene's offense has dried up. The 26-year-old has gone pointless with a minus-8 rating in six games - a fact that's been hard to stomach for some Sens fans, especially with Kyle Turris having tallied five points and adding a shootout-winner in six games with the Predators.All that aside, Duchene still appears to be settling in nicely with his new club - despite the offense - and as far as the play-by-play voice for the Senators on TSN 1200, Dean Brown, is concerned, it's too early to be pushing the panic button."He has played well actually, that's the irony," Brown told theScore. "He's actually played very well and had some good chances and just has been unlucky, certainly more than anything else. If you were playing bad and not getting any chances and not really doing the things you need to do, people would probably be more concerned and maybe upset. That really isn't the case, he's played very well since he's been here."The underlying numbers are quite intriguing. Through his first six games with the Senators, Duchene has thrown 23 shots at the opposition, an average of just under four per game and the same number he put up in 14 games with the Avalanche prior to the trade.Meanwhile, Duchene's played largely on a line with Bobby Ryan and Ryan Dzingel, and the trio are rocking a Corsi For of 60.78 at 5-on-5. However, the three have just one goal to show for their possession efforts. So is it time for a rejigging of the lines?"Maybe yes, maybe no. The thing that - well not last night's game in Washington - but the game in New York, Guy Boucher tried 25 different line combinations," said Brown. "So, I suppose you could never say no, but again it’s not like he's played badly and it's not like he hasn't gotten chances with whoever he's played with. It's just one of those things that when it snaps it will snap. I think sometimes in situations people look for immediate answers to their problems and sometimes the solution isn't immediate."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Of course, as a team, the Senators are playing some of their worst hockey of the season. After rifling off two wins in Stockholm against the Avalanche in Duchene's first two games, Ottawa has gone 0-3-1 in its last four, scoring just five goals while conceding 14.In fact, the team has averaged just 26.25 shots per game, which means Duchene has actually put up a respectable 12.3 percent of the team's shots over the last four games, and the quality has been there as well.In his six games with the club, Duchene is averaging 11.95 scoring chances per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, the highest such total on the Senators next to Nick Paul - who has played in only three games - and 5.4 more than Duchene was averaging with the Avalanche.And while the chances in the offensive end appear to be there, fans and Guy Boucher can rest easy knowing Duchene has been playing strong on the opposite side of the puck as well."I think knowing he's on a team where that is an important thing he's put extra emphasis on that," said Brown. "He is very rarely out of position. He's not a guys who's out waiting at center ice banging his stick waiting for a breakaway pass. He's in his own zone, the forwards all leave together, and he's been very responsible."The team's new center is probably gripping his stick a little tighter these days as both he and the club are becoming more and more desperate for a goal, but he's getting too many chances to continue failing. Things are bound to start going his way."I don't know if it's time for them to be concerned, if they think that he is that terrible of a player and not worth keeping then I guess that would make them concerned," said Brown. "I think he's kind of the same as this team's been right now, he's a good player that's going through a tough stretch. They're a good team that's going through a bad stretch. Every team goes through slumps and they're going through one right now. He's got a personal one going, but I'm not sure fans should be all that concerned about."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames reportedly placed Eddie Lack on waivers Thursday, less than five months after he was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes.The veteran netminder had struggled with the Flames, owning a 5.29 goals-against average and a save percentage of .813, so it's understandable why Calgary chose to move on.The Flames are one of five teams who could use better play from their No. 2 between the pipes:Calgary FlamesStarter Mike Smith has been a revelation this season, putting on a goaltending clinic not seen in Calgary since the days of Miikka Kiprusoff. The first-year Flame has posted a .925 save rate through 19 games and has been consistently reliable for coach Glen Gulutzan.Related - Help wanted: The Flames' backup goalie situation is untenableBut Calgary could run into trouble down the road by asking too much from a 35-year-old netminder - Smith is on pace to play 74 games - with a history of groin injuries. A reliable backup would help, but for now the team is likely to recall AHL farmhand Jon Gillies should Lack clear waivers.Edmonton OilersMuch like their Alberta rival, the Oilers have entrusted starter Cam Talbot with big minutes. The 30-year-old took on 73 games last year and is on pace to surpass that number this season. That workload deviates from the offseason plan, as coach Todd McLellan noted Talbot could benefit from fewer minutes.The problem has been the performance of No. 2 goalie Laurent Brossoit, whose play over the past two years has given little reason for McLellan to regularly call upon him. Brossoit has posted a subpar .865 save percentage through five appearances this season.Pittsburgh PenguinsPlans have rapidly changed in Pittsburgh, where general manager Jim Rutherford initially thought offseason pickup Antti Niemi could handle 30-to-40 games and lighten the workload for young netminder Matt Murray.However, Pittsburgh waived Niemi after three shoddy performances and turned to minor-league keepers Casey DeSmith and Tristan Jarry. Both have potential but aren't yet NHL-ready, meaning Rutherford must head back to the drawing board in search of a consistent backup.New York RangersIt was difficult to understand New York's rationale in signing Ondrej Pavelec, who struggled last year with the Winnipeg Jets and wasn't much better after being demoted to the minors. The Rangers even paid Pavelec more than their former backup, Antti Raanta, who was dealt to Arizona in the offseason.The results haven't been good. Through five showings on Broadway, Pavelec owns an .886 save percentage - ever-so-slightly worse than his numbers last year with the Jets. That's left 35-year-old starter Henrik Lundqvist to maintain a busy schedule, even though the veteran 'keeper could benefit from more nights on the bench.Tampa Bay LightningAndrei Vasilevskiy, all of 23 years old, has proven capable of holding down the crease, but the high-flying Lightning could be one injury away from disaster.Backup Peter Budaj, who filled in well for the sidelined Jonathan Quick last season in Los Angeles, hasn't enjoyed as much success since shifting to Tampa Bay via trade in February. The veteran netminder has allowed 10 goals in three outings this season, and over two campaigns with the Lightning his save rate sits below .900. Beefing up Tampa's backup goaltending prior to this season's trade deadline would be a wise move by GM Steve Yzerman.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Duncan Keith still has plenty of tread on his tires.The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman - who's suited up for more than 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff contests - has claimed three Stanley Cups, a pair of Norris Trophies, and a Conn Smythe as playoff MVP during his decorated career.Still, the 34-year-old has no plans to hang up his skates any time soon."I want to play until I'm 45. Honestly," Keith told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Eleven more years. I feel like I'm 22 right now. I do. I'm 34, and I feel great. I feel better than I did at times when I was 27, 28."Keith hasn't slowed down at all this season, as he leads all Blackhawks blue-liners with 11 points while averaging more than 25 minutes of ice time per night."You look at (Nicklas) Lidstrom and (Chris) Pronger, those guys weren't always skating 100 miles an hour every shift," Keith added. "It was being smart and being in good position and skating hard when you had to."Should Keith get his wish and still be taking shifts into his mid-40s, a few more contracts will likely need to follow. The veteran defender is currently signed through the 2022-23 season, according to CapFriendly.This season, there are only three players aged 40 or older across the league: Boston's Zdeno Chara (40), Minnesota's Matt Cullen (41), and Calgary's Jaromir Jagr (45).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.