Vadim Shipachyov had the chance to extend his NHL career, but ultimately elected to return to Russia.Vegas Golden Knights general manager George McPhee confirmed Shipachyov's retirement from the NHL on Thursday, while noting Vegas had worked out a trade that would have sent the Russian to another NHL club, but he didn't want to go to another team, according to NHL.com's Danny Webster."We wanted to work with him, but he wanted to go home," McPhee said.Shipachyov tallied one goal in the only three games he played with the Golden Knights after agreeing to a two-year, $9-million contract during the offseason.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vadim Shipachyov is no longer a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.The Russian forward's retirement papers were signed and processed by the NHL and the players' association Thursday, ending his brief relationship with the expansion club, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Golden Knights general manager George McPhee confirmed the development to NHL.com correspondent Danny Webster.

The Philadelphia Flyers could get a significant boost to their lineup as early as next week.Nolan Patrick - who has not played since Oct. 24 due to an upper-body injury - has been skating and general manager Ron Hextall is hopeful the rookie will return to the lineup as early as next Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, according to Sam Carchidi of Philly.com.Patrick has had a shaky start to his NHL career since being taken second overall in the draft in June. The 19-year-old has a goal and two assists in nine games.The Flyers have dropped three of their last four games and find themselves just two points out of the final wild-card spot.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What was supposed to be a relaxing day off in Stockholm turned into a nightmare scenario for Colorado Avalanche rookie Alex Kerfoot.In Sweden as part of the Global Series showdown with the Ottawa Senators, Kerfoot - who's blogging about his experience for NHL.com - planned to spend Wednesday walking around Gamla Stan, the city's Old Town district.A series of unfortunate events got in the way.First, his iPhone would not charge, so he went to an Apple store to get it looked at. While waiting for an assessment, he ventured off to a nearby coffee shop, where things really took a turn for the worse.He ordered a sandwich, which he attempted to confirm did not contain any traces of nuts, to which he is severely allergic. Upon taking a bite, he realized something was amiss, and the manager informed him there were indeed cashew nuts in a pesto sauce in the sandwich.Kerfoot explained what happened next:

Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players, coaches, and officials in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their careers. This edition focuses on Bryan Lewis, who was an NHL official from 1967-86 and served as the league's Director of Officiating from 1989-2000.On what he remembers from his first NHL game:I remember very vividly standing at center ice, shaking so badly that I thought, "If I keep moving here, I'm going to be at the blue line with the players lined up for the anthem." It was my first one, it was in Montreal ... I have a puck here that has the date here, I could tell you what date it happened. I can't remember who the visiting team was.At the end of the day that's what you strive for. I had worked three years in the American League, the Central League, the Western Hockey League ... and to finally get an assignment that has an NHL logo attached to it, that's no different than a player trying to get to the NHL from the American League.There was a little bit of comfort in the fact that I had officiated some of the players on the ice when they played in the American League. But once you drop the puck, that's long gone - they do what they can to win, and I put them in the penalty box when appropriate. I just remember being nervous as heck.On the process of becoming an NHL referee:Not only is the learning curve steep, but it's a long process. There are no shortcuts. Of course, today, with the two-referee system, it's a lot quicker to get into the NHL than it was. I had to serve an apprenticeship. Linesmen could come on board and go work in the National Hockey League in Year 1.There was a time you went to the minors because it was an accepted part of your training. "Go learn your skills, guys. You're now dealing with pro players and not amateur players. Go down, learn your skills and come up." And in hindsight, it was a good process.On what he learned over his first few years in the NHL:My first training camp, my roommate was (former referee) John Ashley, who was a veteran at the time. That gave me the opportunity to say, "Hey, John, what would you do here, what would you do there?" I got some very candid comments as to what to do under various pressure situations.I remember being on the ice with the Bobby Orrs and the Bobby Hulls and the Stan Mikitas. You had nothing but respect for them, as it was when I looked up to the veteran referees. But all of a sudden, you're on the ice thinking, "Oh my gosh, I used to watch him on Saturday night TV." And you're actually out there skating beside him, or even putting him in the penalty box.Was it a thrill? Oh, it was - but you still had to stay focused. As big a thrill as it was to be on the ice with some top-talent athletes, I had a job to do. And you had to keep reminding yourself, "I cannot be a spectator out here. I am, in fact, a participant."On dealing with big-name coaches:You get on the ice, and you've got the Bob Pulfords and the Scotty Bowmans and the Glen Sathers ... it was a little bit more difficult to deal with those guys, because they've been around a long time. And you didn't come up through the process, so now you have to earn your stripes with each of those guys.So you say, "Okay, I have to be strict, I have to be fair," with the idea that the rulebook is always going to be my ace in the hole, because I'm doing whatever it is I have to do in accordance with the rulebook. But in terms of skating over to the bench and actually talking to the Pulfords and the Bowmans ... you're intimidated sometimes to do it.It could be my fifth game in the National Hockey League and I have Pulford on one bench and Sather on the other bench ... man, oh man, those were two tough people to deal with. So I did everything I could not to go there, because you never thought that you were going to win, and the last thing you want to do is turn around and say, "Okay, you've got a bench minor penalty." Pulford would be slamming the door as you skated away (laughs).You learned to ignore some actions and some words from the likes of those people. Maybe they were right; they've been around a long time, and I was just a rookie, so maybe I didn't really know as much as I thought I did. So I wasn't going to get into a debate with those guys. But as long as I had the rulebook, I could say, "I know what the rule is."On his most memorable colleagues:I remember taking a bus from Springfield early in the morning on Peter Pan Bus Lines to get to Boston to have breakfast with Art Skov. Never once did I feel like Art Skov was not going to give me the right answer for fear that I was taking his job. And when I became the boss, I liked the way he handled stuff, so I used him as a supervisor because of the way he helped me.Lloyd Gilmour is another name. Lloyd Gilmour would do stuff that rookies would never think about doing. I remember one time watching Lloyd work a game, and I asked him, "Hey, how come you don't go into the other zone?" And he said, "Sooner or later they're coming back." You couldn't function that way, but you appreciated his comments. He was very down to earth.On his favorite player interactions:On more than one occasion, you'd have a player come over and say, "The coach sent me here. He wants to know about this or that, should the faceoff be outside, don't give us a bench penalty, throw him out, I can't stand him, either." So you're covering your mouth so that people can't see you laughing.You'd get that aspect brought to you a fair amount of times. "Have I been here long enough? Does it look like I've told you what the coach told me to say? Yeah?" And then away they'd go.You'd have players come up to you and talk to you about the good-looking girl at the end (of the rink). They would say, "Can you take the faceoff to this side? There are better-looking people in this corner than that corner." Some were very, very humorous. Some were masters of it - and on the flip side, there were some that made me go, "Do you whine to your mom like this?"On his least favorite interactions:I had one unnamed player say to me one night going off the ice, "Someday, I'm gonna cut your f---ing eyes out." Or you'd have the booster club say, "Next time you come to such-and-such city, we're going to shoot you." So you sit there thinking, "Jeez, I hope the guy's a bad shot, I've got games in that city" (laughs).Off the ice, only once in my 18-year career do I recall a player saying anything to me I would consider to be bad after a game. It was a Pittsburgh player who was brought up from the minors, and the game was in L.A. I recall this player saying something that was very, very bad. And I remember his teammates putting him in his position about not doing that kind of stuff.On what he brought to the director role from his time as an official:When I became the boss, I remember a guy coming to me that wasn't married. He said, "Bryan, even though I'm not married, that doesn't mean I don't want to go home." And I never forgot that.When you're doing road trips, you realize the value of guys being home and maybe getting the odd weekend off or coming home to Toronto and doing a game Wednesday night so that you could stay home an extra couple of days before you had to work in New York on Saturday.Because you lived it, those were the kind of things you were thinking about all the time for other people, and just trying to treat them in what you considered to be the proper manner.On how he handled Stanley Cup games:You have to realize the importance of it. That was always put in our minds. Where it really showed up: the importance of not having a marginal or poor-quality penalty. The idea was that marginal penalties do more to upset the flow of the game than they do to control it.We did everything we could not to have a marginal/poor-quality penalty. Here's the worst-case scenario: It's 0-0, you have a poor quality penalty, the other team scores on the power play and wins the game 1-0. You can't get out from under that.We were always charged with, "Oh, yeah, sure, you put your whistle in your pocket in the third period." No, the players are playing differently. And an unnamed general manger said to me one day, "Why don't you have them referee the first period like they do the third?" And my response was, "Have them play the first period like they do the third."On what he would change in today's game:To me, being shorthanded should be a penalty; you've done something very bad. I remember the days when you couldn't come out of the penalty box when a goal is scored. I'm not championing that cause. But it should never be to my advantage to be shorthanded and then to shoot the puck down the ice so that the other team has to get the puck and come all the way back.Another one I would change: Let's say it's 3-3 with 30 seconds to go. We take a faceoff in your end, you have the best center in the league, and he shoots the puck down the ice. The other team has to skate down the ice, touch the puck, and then play is stopped. I would have the whistle stop the play immediately once the puck crosses the goal line in order to stop the puck.The other one I would change: The goal line runs from the ice surface to the crossbar. Why can't the blue line go from the ice surface to the top of the boards? So that if a person is coming down the ice and he's stretching to stay onside, and his right skate is in the zone, and if his left skate is in the air ... what's the difference between that and keeping a foot in contact with the line?If his foot is on that imaginary blue line to the top of the boards, I would say he's onside.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Other entries in this series:

Don't ask Mike Babcock when Auston Matthews is coming back."I don't have a clue, honest to God, I don't know," the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach told reporters when asked for an update on his second-year superstar Wednesday night following a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild.Babcock said the Leafs' medical staff will determine when Matthews is healthy enough to go."We'll go in there tomorrow, they'll do whatever they do with him and they'll keep me abreast as it goes on," Babcock added. "One thing I know is you can't go to a guy and ask him every day, you're putting pressure on a guy. It's not like that. When they're ready to play, they're going to tell me and we're going to get him in."Matthews missed the first game of his young career Wednesday night with what the club would only call an "upper-body injury." He was a game-time decision Monday night, and ultimately played in a shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights.Toronto has a home-and-home against the Boston Bruins on Friday and Saturday nights, and is then off until next Thursday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their first taste of life without super sophomore Auston Matthews on Wednesday versus the Minnesota Wild, and survived the test with a 4-2 victory.By no means was it the prettiest win, as Toronto was outshot 37-19, but it's a big two points nonetheless.Here are three players who ensured the victory with Matthews serving as an onlooker.Frederik AndersenAndersen was far and away Toronto's best player, making 35 stops to give the Leafs a chance.The Wild largely controlled play, and produced 32 scoring chances - 10 of which classified as high-danger - at 5-on-5 (Natural Stat Trick), but Andersen stood tall and was able to steal the win in one of his better performances this season.Nazem Kadri(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)Kadri gave the Leafs an early lead in the first period, while he and his line - featuring Leo Komarov and William Nylander - were the only Toronto forwards to record a positive shot differential at even strength.If Matthews remains out, Toronto's reliance on Kadri as the No. 1 center, at both ends of the ice, will be of utmost importance.Nikita ZaitsevZaitsev didn't contribute a point, but was noticeably solid alongside partner Jake Gardiner in ensuring Toronto survived Minnesota's onslaught as the game wore on. He was particularly strong on the penalty kill, where he logged a staggering 4:47 of ice-time.At 5-on-5, Zaitsev led the way among Toronto defenseman with a Corsi-For percentage of 48.5, which, given how tilted the ice was in Minnesota's favor, is a respectable performance on a night that was more about survival than making the highlight reels.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mathew Barzal's NHL career didn't get off to a promising start like many other greats, but to both his and the New York Islanders' credit, patience seems to be producing results.Barzal was plucked 16th overall by the Islanders in the 2015 draft - the infamous McDavid, Eichel year - with a pick that swapped between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers before landing with New York.After tallying 57 points in 44 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League in his draft year, he returned for his third season in the WHL and took a leap forward posting 27 goals and 88 points in 58 games, while also representing Canada at the world juniors.Then came the 2017 campaign where he got his first true taste of the NHL. Barzal had an impressive training camp and made enough of an impression to earn a roster spot with the Islanders to begin the year.Unfortunately for Barzal, it was an experiment that didn't last long. After just two games, while playing a combined 19:30 of ice time with no points to show for his effort, the former first-round selection returned to the Thunderbirds. It was at this point where Barzal deployed a tremendous work ethic to get back to the big stage.Barzal - serving as the team's captain - tallied 79 points in 41 games, finishing just shy of a two points per game pace. He also returned to Canada's world juniors squad where he finished with eight points in seven games, while serving as an alternate captain, en route to a silver medal.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)His stellar season continued as he tallied another 25 points in 16 playoff games, aiding the Thunderbirds to an Ed Chynoweth Cup victory and earning playoff MVP honors.With this new-found confidence, Barzal came into training camp determined to cement himself a spot on the Islanders' roster. As fate would have it, he did just that. He was pointless in his first five games of the season, but after some fine tuning, he is now setting the league ablaze.Over the past 10 games, Barzal has gone pointless just once, tallying three goals and 14 points, including a monstrous five-assist game during the Islanders' 6-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche.His 14-point output has pushed him into a tie for second in rookie scoring with Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser - putting him just three points back of rookie scoring leader Clayton Keller.What's more impressive - and a sign of Barzal's professional growth - is he's earned the confidence of his coaches. Barzal is slotted on the club's second line alongside Jordan Eberle and Andrew Ladd and manning the point on their top power-play unit. In fact, during the team's recent 2-1 loss to the Oilers, Barzal played 18:59 minutes - the third-most among Islanders forwards, behind only John Tavares and Josh Bailey.Further to that, Barzal is gaining confidence in himself, which was clear when he pulled off a ridiculous deke on Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom Tuesday night.Things might not have gone as planned to begin his career, but after an incredible three weeks, Barzal looks to be a rising young talent in the NHL.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Peter Forsberg may not have directly influenced the Colorado Avalanche in the trade that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa, but the Hall of Famer is happy to see it resolved after recently suggesting the forward should have been benched in the meantime."I would say I'm happy that it got solved so quick afterward," Forsberg said Wednesday from Stockholm, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. "I don't know if I had anything to do with it, but it got highlighted when I said something like that. I'm glad for all sides that it's solved.""All sides" includes the Avs, Ottawa Senators, and Nashville Predators, who agreed on the blockbuster three-way trade on Nov. 5."I think it worked out for all three," Forsberg added. "When it comes to three teams it shows how complex the situation is, but I think all three teams benefit from where they are in their situations. I think everybody is happy with what they got and what they're going for."Duchene, of course, is now a Senator and is getting ready to face off against his old team - who received a package of picks and prospects in return - during two games to be played in Sweden later this week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the better part of 18 years, Hall of Fame netminder Billy Smith was the NHL's Public Enemy No. 1, abusing opposing players in a way that made him revered by New York Islanders fans - and reviled by everyone else.But hacking shins and butt-ending kidneys is hard work. So should we really be that surprised that Smith - who racked up 489 career penalty minutes in the regular season and another 89 in the playoffs - occasionally liked to kick back with a fruity drink pond-side in full goalie gear while pondering the mysteries of the universe?Longtime Getty Images sports photographer Bruce Bennett, who was responsible for the 1983 shoot, told theScore it was an assignment from a monthly magazine called “Inside Sports.”"There was a small pond I knew of in Woodbury, New York that wasn’t far from the Islanders practice rink, and I floated the idea to him," Bennett said. "He was game. He got his equipment on in the parking lot and we walked over to the pond as I carried my father’s lounge chair."I shot a few up close and others from across the pond. I did a bunch on the lounge and then others just kneeling by the pond."Kneeling, you say?As great as it is to see "Battlin' Billy" smugly staring out across the water, dreaming of which Philadelphia Flyers forward he was going to shank next, there's more to this photo shoot. Much more."It was kind of a day in the life piece," Bennett said. "So I shot him driving his car and did some shots of Smith at his home, working and cutting firewood."Whether channeling his inner Bob Vila ...... or honing his role as Tom Selleck's stunt double ...... or simply staring out into the vastness of rural New York ...... it's clear there was a softer, gentler side to Smith, one that didn't involve weaponizing his Koho.Bennett, who said the shoot lasted about 20 minutes, wishes he could have had more of an opportunity to work with players away from the sports sphere."Although I have proposed this sort of thing - players in full uniform in everyday locations - I can’t remember getting any other approvals to shoot these."(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While fighting in the NHL has been on the decline in recent years, some teams still have a habit of dropping the gloves.Analyzing data from the 2000-01 season onward, OnlineCasino.ca found that the Philadelphia Flyers are most likely to engage in fights, averaging a league-high 66.5 per season. The Calgary Flames came in second, followed by the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks.The study also looked at which rival teams square off the most. Leading the way are the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, who have a long history of mutual hostility.(Photos courtesy: OnlineCasino.ca)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews will miss the first game of his young NHL career on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild as he deals with an upper-body injury, head coach Mike Babcock announced, according to TSN's Mark Masters.Matthews had been dealing with soreness earlier in the week and after dressing in Monday night's game against the Vegas Golden Knights, was absent from practice on Tuesday.He is considered day to day with the injury, Babcock confirmed, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton, meaning the 20-year-old will be watched closely heading into the weekend as the Maple Leafs will tangle with the Boston Bruins in a home-and-home battle Friday and Saturday.Prior to Wednesday, Matthews had played all 98 of the Maple Leafs' games dating back to last season, in which he has tallied 50 goals and 88 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In need of an offensive spark, Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville is hoping history can repeat itself.While it's still early, his team sits fifth in the Central Division and is averaging fewer than three goals per game. As a result, Quenneville has decided to reunite a line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Patrick Sharp - a unit that helped Chicago come back from a 3-1 series deficit in a second-round series against Detroit en route to a Stanley Cup win in 2013.The goal is to "create some magic," Kane told Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.Sharp rejoined the team on a one-year deal this past offseason after having been traded to Dallas in 2015. He's recorded two goals in 15 games this season, and explained why this line might be effective once again."Three different players," Sharp said. "You’ve got a playmaker/puckhandler (Kane), a grinder (Toews), and a shooter (Sharp). We all have speed, and we all kind of think the same way. It’s been awhile since we've been a unit ... but hopefully we can do something."The unit's first test will come Thursday against Philadelphia.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Nick Shore scored on a pass from Dustin Brown with 1:09 left in overtime, and the Los Angeles Kings rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night in the first Freeway Faceoff of the season.Brown also scored the tying goal early in the third period for the Pacific Division-leading Kings, who surged to an 11-2-2 start with an exciting victory in their local derby with the five-time defending division champion Ducks.Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, and rookie Alex Iafallo had two assists. Jonathan Quick made 33 saves and got an assist on Shore's game-winner.Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who have lost four straight.Jared Boll ended a 61-game goal drought and Sami Vatanen scored his first of the season for the injury-plagued Ducks in their first game since captain Ryan Getzlaf had surgery on a broken cheekbone, sidelining him for up to two months.John Gibson made 30 saves for Anaheim before his mask was knocked off by a blow to the head, forcing backup Ryan Miller into the game with 6:53 left in regulation. Miller made nine saves, including a point-saving stop on Tyler Toffoli with 90 seconds left in regulation.The local rivals played their usual bad-tempered game filled with big hits of questionable legality and several ensuing scrums. Quick even got into it with agitating Ducks forward Corey Perry, trading shoves in a prolonged scuffle that led to roughing penalties for three players.Kings defenseman Kurtis MacDermid was given a game misconduct for the worst hit, an open-ice shot that sent Ducks forward Ondrej Kase to the dressing room in the first period with an upper-body injury.Vatanen scored immediately after the ensuing five-minute power play ended, putting Anaheim up 2-0. After Kopitar scored his team-leading eighth goal, Rakell popped the water bottle off Quick's net with a goal that ramped off Iafallo's stick in the second period to make it 3-1.Kempe kept it close with his seventh goal in 10 games off a sweet pass from Tanner Pearson. Brown evened it with 14:11 left in regulation, converting Iafallo's setup for the revitalized former Los Angeles captain's seventh goal of the season.Brown appeared to put the Kings ahead five minutes later after converting a beautiful backward pass from Drew Doughty, but the goal was wiped out when video review determined Doughty had been offside. Los Angeles had yet another goal waved off moments later when Gibson's helmet came off during play, forcing the goalie into the dressing room.NOTES: Boll opened the scoring by converting a rebound of Brandon Montour's shot for his first goal in 59 games with the Ducks over two seasons. The goal was just the 28th of the hard-nosed enforcer's NHL career, and his first since March 20, 2016, with Columbus. ... The Ducks scratched D Jaycob Megna with Francois Beauchemin returning from a one-game absence. ... Los Angeles swapped Swedish defensemen in its lineup again, scratching Christian Folin and dressing Oscar Fantenberg.UP NEXTKings: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.Ducks: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) Henrik Sedin scored for the first time this season 38 seconds after Bo Horvat's tiebreaking goal, lifting the Vancouver Canucks over the Calgary Flames 5-3 on Tuesday night.Horvat scored 4:12 into the third on a power play when he swatted in a centering pass from Ben Hutton. Shortly after, former Canucks defenseman Matt Bartkowski got caught flat-footed in the neutral zone, enabling Henrik and Daniel Sedin to break in dangerously, with Daniel setting up Henrik.Sam Gagner, Thomas Vanek and Derek Dorsett also scored for Vancouver, which has four straight road wins. Dorsett leads the team with seven goals.Dougie Hamilton, Johnny Gaudreau and Micheal Ferland scored for Calgary, which ended a three-game winning streak. The Flames are 3-2-0 with two games left on a season-long seven-game homestand. Detroit visits Thursday.Tied 1-1 after the first period, Calgary took the lead twice in the second but was unable to hold it each time.Gaudreau's power-play goal at 11:51 made it 2-1. The Canucks answered at 15:09 when Vanek ripped a 35-foot slap shot into the top corner.Calgary took the lead again at 17:27 when Ferland stripped the puck from Chris Tanev in the corner and beat Jacob Markstrom on a wraparound.The Canucks scored a short-handed goal tie it 3-3 when Sutter had his centering pass bounce into the open net off Dorsett's leg.With backup goalie Anders Nilsson away from the team and with his wife, who is about to give birth, Markstrom got the start once again after losing 3-2 to Detroit on Monday night.The tall Swede was solid, finishing with 29 saves.Calgary's Mike Smith was beaten five times on 21 shots.NOTES: Flames RW Jaromir Jagr (groin) returned after missing six games. To make room, Matt Stajan was a healthy scratch. ... Vancouver C Brendan Gaunce (shoulder) was activated off injured reserve and made his season debut. He took the spot of C Markus Granlund (upper body), who was hurt in Monday's loss to Detroit. ... Vanek played in his 900th game.UP NEXTCanucks: Play at Anaheim on Thursday night.Flames: Host Detroit on Thursday night.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

MONTREAL (AP) Brendan Gallagher and Jordie Benn scored in the first period and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on Tuesday night for their third straight win.Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, which has gone 5-1-0 since starting the season 2-7-1. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren, called up from AHL Laval last week when Carey Price went out with a lower body injury, won his second game in a row and has won all five of his NHL starts over the last three seasons.Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Erik Haula scored for Vegas, which ended a six-game trip 1-4-1. The Knights were coming off a shootout loss in Toronto on Monday night and were playing their sixth game in nine days.The Canadiens outshot the Knights 13-2 in the opening period, but Vegas battled back and had a 31-28 edge for the game.Tomas Plekanec won a race to a dump-in and fed Gallagher alone at the side of the net for his seventh goal at 8:24. Benn got his first on a point shot through heavy traffic at 10:55.Vegas got one back when Bellemare deked past Jeff Petry and beat Lindgren from close range at 17:41.Pacioretty was at the doorstep to redirect Petry's shot past Maxime Legace 3:31 into the second frame.The Knights had Legace pulled for an extra attacker when Jonathan Marchessault fed a cross-ice pass that Haula one-timed into an open side with 1:17 left to play.NOTES: Montreal center Jonathan Drouin did not play in the third period due to an upper body injury.UP NEXTGolden Knights: Host Winnipeg on Friday night.Canadiens: Host Minnesota on Thursday night.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks have been hit hard by injury. Not only is their captain and No. 1 center Ryan Getzlaf out for up to two months, but their No. 2 center Ryan Kesler has yet to play this season and isn't expected to return until Christmas.The Ducks, a team expected to compete for the Stanley Cup this year, currently sit at 6-6-2 and rank 22nd in goals-for heading into Tuesday night.Even just making the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference is going to be a difficult challenge for the Ducks while rolling out these centers for the next two months or so (lines courtesy Daily Faceoff).The Ducks need to add a center, and they need to do so as soon as possible. The following three players represent their best, and most realistic trade options.Tyler Bozak, Maple LeafsThe Leafs and Ducks have long been involved in trade rumors, given Toronto's need for a defenseman and Anaheim's surplus of blue-liners. With the Ducks now in need of a center, perhaps they could finally make a deal work.Bozak will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. He played under current Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle for parts of four seasons in Toronto, so there is a familiarity factor in place. The biggest obstacle is his $4.2-million cap hit, given that the Ducks have just $629,483 in cap space, per Cap Friendly.In order to make this deal work, someone with a significant cap hit would have to the other way. That could be defenseman Sami Vatanen, who has a $4.875-million cap hit through 2019-20. Vatanen is the far superior player, so Toronto would have to sweeten the deal with someone such as rookie forward Kasperi Kapanen, for example.Alex Galchenyuk, CanadiensGalchenyuk's name has come up in many trade rumors over the years. A player who many projected as a top-line center has spent much of the season buried on Montreal's fourth line playing left wing.He has played a more prominent role as of late, and he has four points in his last five games. With his trade value climbing, now could be a time for the Habs to pull the trigger on a deal.The Habs desperately need a puck-moving defenseman, so Sami Vatanen could once again be the player going in the other direction. Galchenyuk's contract ($4.9 million through 2019-20) is virtually identical to Vatanen's ($4.875 million through 2019-20) so a one-for-one swap could work if both general managers deem the player they're receiving is more valuable.Sam Bennett, FlamesBennett is seemingly in need of a fresh start. The fourth overall pick from the 2014 draft has yet to record a point through 14 games this year. Over the last two seasons he's combined to score a respectable 31 goals. A natural center, Bennett is currently slotted in as Calgary's third-line left winger.Unlike Bozak and Galchenyuk, Bennett has a modest cap hit of just $1.95 million, making life easier for Ducks GM Bob Murray.Calgary could use a right winger to complement Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Jakob Silfverberg would be a nice fit, but considering he's a far better player than Bennett, it might be tough for Calgary to sweeten the deal.Ondrej Kase was chosen 201 spots after Bennett in that 2014 draft, but he's off to a nice start with five goals and three assists in 11 games. There's potential for a swap between these two players if the Flames are ready to give up on Bennett.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf will be out of the lineup for up to two months following surgery to repair a fractured zygomatic bone, the team announced Tuesday.The injury occurred when Getzlaf took an errant puck to the face during an Oct. 29 contest against the Carolina Hurricanes.The Ducks center has collected seven points in six games, but has already missed eight games with injuries.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price remains sidelined with what the Montreal Canadiens are referring to as a lower-body injury.Head coach Claude Julien said the ailment is still considered to be minor and the hope is Price will be able to return to practice in a few days. Julien also made a point of confirming the current issue has nothing to do with a serious injury that kept Price out of action for a large chunk of 2015-16.The star goalie will miss his third game since the injury was first announced on Nov. 4, and Charlie Lindgren will draw the start Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights.Price has underperformed this season, posting a 3-7-1 record and .877 save percentage.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets are out to prove they're for real.After being embarassed by Toronto on opening night, this team seems to have found its way, posting a record of 6-1-3 over the past ten games and jumping to second place in the Central Division.Here are three factors in their recent run of success.Dynamic duo up frontIn Monday's 4-1 win over Dallas, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler combined for seven points; Scheifele scored two goals and added an assist, while Wheeler racked up four helpers, all of which were primary in nature.The offensive outburst lifted Wheeler to third in the NHL in total points (21), behind only Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. Scheifele's 18 points puts him in a tie for sixth, giving Winnipeg the league's second-most productive duo, albeit by a fairly wide margin.DuoGoalsAssistsPointsStamkos/Kucherov212748Scheifele/Wheeler142539"I love playing with (Wheeler)," Scheifele said after the win, according to The Associated Press. "He's my favorite player I've ever played with, so we're happy with the way it's going right now and we've got to continue it."There's really no reason to believe they won't.One Hellebuyck of a goalie(Photo courtesy: Action Images)When general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff signed Steve Mason to a two-year, $4.2-million contract this past offseason, the expectation was the former Philadelphia Flyer would step into the starter's role, with Connor Hellebuyck pencilled in as the backup.That script has flipped early on, and head coach Paul Maurice has been calling Hellebuyck's name with great regularity based on his near-perfect early-season performance.Hellebuyck has posted a record of 8-0-2 with a save percentage of .936, while Mason has yet to win a game as a Jet, going 0-3-1 on an abysmal .872 save percentage.This is all likely to level off as the season progresses, but for now, Hellebuyck is the starter, showing management the answer in net may have been there all along.Healthy blue lineAt present, the Jets are rolling three solid defense pairings, per Daily Faceoff:An optimal lineup wasn't always at Maurice's disposal last season, with Tyler Myers, Toby Enstrom, and Jacob Trouba all missing significant time due to injury, and only Josh Morrissey and Dustin Byfuglien able to consistently remain in the lineup.The addition of Dmitry Kulikov was questioned at the time of the signing, but he's filled out the back end effectively in a more limited role than he's had in recent, subpar seasons.To be fair, there's work that needs to be done here, as none of these defensemen have positive Corsi ratings at even strength, and the Jets are allowing 34.5 shots per game, fourth-highest among all teams.But as Hellebuyck said after the win over Dallas, they're still making things easier for him out there."I think the guys in front of me really got in the way and blocked a lot of the key shots," Hellebuyck said, per the team's website. "If they weren't blocking it, they were controlling and keeping it to the outside, so I was able to see pucks."It might have looked like a lot of shots (34), but the guys were doing the right things out there."The way things are looking top to bottom, this may be the season this franchise finally wins a playoff game, at the very least.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the Arizona Coyotes cut ties with Shane Doan this summer, they walked away from the face of the franchise.But a budding superstar in the desert is making his case for that claim. Clayton Keller, who leads all rookies with 17 points, and stands seven points ahead of Arizona's next-highest scorer, is turning heads in his freshman campaign.The electric winger has collected 11 goals and six assists through the season's early goings, stacking up nicely against some of the best rookie performances in the post-lockout era.Alex Ovechkin, 2005-06Games Goals Assists Points1613518The Washington Capitals sensation went neck-and-neck with Sidney Crosby in his rookie season, ultimately finishing with 106 points and edging the Pittsburgh Penguins center by four points to capture the Calder. Credit a prolific start in his first 16 games as part of the reason for Ovechkin's win.Evgeni Malkin, 2006-07Games Goals Assists Points16101020The most impressive performance on this list, Malkin hit double digits in both goals and assists through his first 16 NHL games. The Penguins center parlayed a hot start to the season into rookie of the year honors, wrapping the season with 85 points.Patrick Kane, 2007-08Games Goals Assists Points1661319Keller models his game after Kane, so it's a fitting comparison given how the elder American winger took the NHL by storm in his first season. Kane's Calder win in 2008 was the first of many trophies for the Chicago Blackhawks star.Jeff Skinner, 2010-11GamesGoalsAssistsPoints166915While a few lesser campaigns followed, it's hard to forget Skinner's introduction to the NHL, when the Carolina Hurricanes winger finished with 31 goals and 32 assists. Skinner bested fellow forwards Logan Couture and Michael Grabner for the most Calder votes.Nathan MacKinnon, 2013-14Games Goals Assists Points162810The top pick in the 2013 draft, the Colorado Avalanche forward wasted little time in showing off his talents to the NHL audience. MacKinnon tallied 10 points through his first 16 games, later finishing with 24 goals and 39 assists to become the franchise's third Calder Trophy recipient.Auston Matthews, 2016-17Games Goals Assists Points166612Scoring four goals, the Toronto Maple Leafs center made the most of his first night on NHL ice. Matthews used that performance as a launching pad, finishing the year with 69 points. He would become the first Maple Leafs player to be named the top rookie since 1966.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players, coaches and officials in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This edition focuses on Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger:On what he remembers from his first NHL game:I got to play in the Montreal Forum. It was pretty special.When I look back on that first year, I think in my first 10 games as a pro I got to play in the old Boston Garden, the Montreal Forum, the old Chicago Stadium, the old barn in St. Louis, the Aud in Buffalo, and I think I played at (Madison Square Garden) ... all old arenas that had some significance historically. As I look back, having that opportunity was pretty special.On his first goal:You know what? It was a little floater from the blue line through Ron Hextall's legs. (laughs)On his favorite memory of playing with the Whalers:I think it's the players that I played with, the coaches I had. I have fond memories of my first partner, mentor, and roommate, Brad McCrimmon. I still see guys that I started with. My first head coach (Paul Holmgren) then became the GM in Philadelphia, and now he's the president.It's interesting how the world goes around. Hockey is such a small community, you're always running into guys you played with. And it's funny where you run into guys.On whether he ever caught himself humming "Brass Bonanza":(Laughs) Oh yeah! That's a very iconic goal song.On absorbing plenty of contact throughout his career:I always had a target on my back, so I was always keenly aware of who was on the ice, who they were ... I come from an era where you had to know who was on the ice, who was coming on the ice, who was getting off the ice, where everybody was.I really tried to take advantage of my knowledge of that so I would know where to go with the puck, where to position myself and whatnot. There were obviously guys who hit hard coming across the middle; you had to be very aware of guys like Scott Stevens and Bryan Marchment and guys like that.One of the guys that you probably wouldn't think of was Dallas Drake. He hit very hard. And you get some of the power forwards, guys like Cam Neely, that I had the opportunity to play against that could certainly rock you any number of ways. It was a matter of understanding where they were on the ice, and how to avoid what might be an uncomfortable collision.On how he dealt with trash talk:There was a lot of guys that would try to get you off your game, running their mouth, saying stupid stuff. To be honest with you, I never really paid much attention to it. At the end of the day, they needed to be able to back it up on the ice - and most of the guys who could back it up didn't trash talk. (laughs)I wasn't overly invested in dealing with guys like that. I was usually trying to catch my breath, and we had guys on our team who suited that role just fine.On his relationship with officials:With each referee, you knew what type of game it was going to be.Paul Stewart wanted to see an aggressive, hard-hitting game with some fights. You get into the scrums, and you see certain guys trying to stir the pot, and once the referee comes in and says "Okay, let 'em go!", you knew right away who would put his tail between his legs and say, "Oh boy, I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew."Ron Hoggarth was one of the guys I always enjoyed, I think he was there my first couple of years. He was always funny to talk to and always had a sly comment for you. Paul Devorski, as my career went along, I always enjoyed games that he refereed. We always had a really great rapport.On who he considers underrated from his time on the ice:I don't think people realize how good Thomas Steen was as an all-around two-way player. He played in the Gretzky era, played behind Dale Hawerchuk, played in all situations. A lot of times players don't get a lot of attention. He'd put up 60, 70 points in an era when 125 probably led his team.There's a lot of guys who garnered some publicity, but playing against them, you realized how good they could be. Maybe they didn't put it all together, or maybe they played with another superstar who garnered more attention.On winning a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 after being traded from Edmonton to Anaheim the previous offseason:I knew the type of team they had, having just played them in the conference finals. And I knew what their goals were, what their expectations were. They were in full-win mode, and they felt like I was one of the final pieces.Right from when I got there, the goal was Stanley Cup or bust - and that sentiment never wavered at any point. We had some bouts of adversity midway through the year with some injuries, but we kept trucking.That was a special group. I think Scott Niedermayer was the only player on that team that had won a Stanley Cup before, so it was really special.On how he felt when he played his best hockey:You have moments throughout the course of a year where you're healthy, where you're feeling good, where the schedule isn't as compressed, and you get into a rhythm. There were stretches where you'd play 10 or 15 games and you'd feel in total command - you're moving around on the ice as you want to, you're seeing the ice, you're playing the game the way you know you can.Sometimes that translates into offensive production, sometimes it translates into defensive stops or outlet passes, whatever your job is. Sometimes my job would be to get points and run the power play, or I had to key on one line and I have to focus on shutting down that line, and that's my sole job that night.I think the year I won the Hart and the Norris ... I felt great all year, and was really seeing the ice well. I had a great summer of training, I came into camp in really good shape. I played with one line virtually the whole year, and we were the shutdown line. The run that I had that year was pretty special.On how he would have scripted the end of his playing career:I think we all look at Ray Bourque, or John Elway, or Kimmo Timonen, where you know you're on your last legs and you're able to finish off with a championship. That's everybody's ultimate goal, but for most players, that doesn't happen. Most guys push it as far as they can because it's the game that they love, and they want to play.Having played 19 years as I did, while I may have been forced out because of injury, I certainly had a long, storied career. I wasn't devastated. I had been to the peak and seen the mountaintop, had a nice long look and was on my way down. So it was a little easier to stomach.On remaining in hockey after retiring as a player:I always had visions of wanting to be a GM, wanting to be a president of a team, wanting to be involved in hockey in some capacity. In my view, I needed to step away for a few years after I got hurt, but I always had my toe in, whether I was with Philadelphia doing little scouting trips for Paul Holmgren, or working at Player Safety the last three years until my contract was up.It gave me good perspective on the league and a better understanding of the business side. It helps to stoke that fire so that once you're back on the hockey side, you have a greater understanding of everything, and you start to refine and understand exactly what it is you want to do.__________Rapid FireThe best player he ever played with: Wayne GretzkyThe best player he ever played against: Mario LemieuxThe best goalie he ever faced: Patrick RoyHis favorite coaches of all time: Mike Kitchen, Jeff TwoheyHis favorite visiting arena: Maple Leaf Gardens, Air Canada Centre__________Fact FileBorn: October 10, 1974, Dryden, ONDrafted: First round (2nd overall), 1993, Hartford WhalersTeams: Hartford Whalers (1993-95), St. Louis Blues (1995-2004), Edmonton Oilers (2005-06), Anaheim Ducks (2006-09), Philadelphia Flyers (2009-12)Awards: Hart Trophy (1999-2000), Norris Trophy (1999-2000), First-Team All-Star (1999-2000), Second-Team All-Star (1997-98, 2003-04, 2006-07), Stanley Cup (2006-07)STATSGPGAPPIMRegular Season11671575416981590Playoffs1732695121326(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Other entries in this series:

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella has never been one to mince words.After his club's 5-3 defeat Monday at the hands of his former team, the New York Rangers, Tortorella didn't hold back any frustration, specifically with his team's lack of discipline and penalty killing."Couldn’t kill one off. When you take stupid penalties, you don’t kill them off," he told reporters after the game. "We’re a dumb hockey team tonight. We pissed one away."The Blue Jackets had a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, but took three penalties in the frame - all of which resulted in power-play goals for the Rangers.This came in spite of the fact that they controlled possession for most of the game.

TORONTO (AP) Mitch Marner scored in the shootout to lift Toronto to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night after the Maple Leafs blew a two-goal lead.Marner was the first skater in the tiebreaker and went out wide to the left before cutting in toward the net, forcing Maxime Lagace to commit with a deke before tucking the puck past him.Nazem Kadri had two goals and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Toronto, which led 3-1 after one. Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and stopped three skaters in the shootout.Deryk Engelland's third-period goal for Vegas forced overtime. James Neal and Reilly Smith also scored for the expansion Golden Knights, and Lagace stopped 25 shots.The win was a much-needed boost for a Maple Leafs team that had dropped back-to-back games and lost six of their past 10 after starting the year with a 7-1 record.Kadri put Toronto in front with a power-play goal 4:14 into the first. A long shot in by Morgan Rielly rebounded off Lagace and Kadri snapped it in from the slot, with van Riemsdyk serving as a screen right on the crease.Vegas quickly replied with a fluky goal. A long shot deflected off the skate of Neal as he tussled with a Leafs defender and bounced in past Andersen.Van Riemsdyk restored Toronto's lead on the power play near the midway point of the first, but Auston Matthews did the heavy lifting on the play.Carrying the puck down the right wing, Matthews spun around Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa and drove to the net, getting a shot on Lagace. The rebound came to van Riemsdyk's stick and he made it 2-1 at 9:31.Matthews had left the morning skate early with what Leafs coach Mike Babcock described as ''soreness.''Kadri scored his second of the night with 4:57 left in the opening period. Standing in the slot with his back to the net, he took a cross-ice feed from Patrick Marleau, put the puck on his backhand and shot it past Lagace as he fell to his knees.The pace of the game slowed down in the second, with Toronto having to kill a lengthy two-man advantage starting with a too many men on the ice penalty 12 minutes into the period. Zach Hyman took another penalty 48 seconds later when he was called for goaltender interference after he ran into Lagace on a breakaway. The Maple Leafs argued he had been taken down by a Vegas defender, but the penalty stood.Although Toronto kept the Golden Knights scoreless for those overlapping power plays, it couldn't hold them off later in the period with Matthews off for tripping. Smith cut into the Leafs' lead with just over a minute to go in the second, rifling in a rebound.Engelland tied it 6:16 into the third, wiring a wrist shot into the far corner of the net over Andersen's shoulder.NOTES: The announced attendance was 19,398. ... Toronto FC players Alex Bono and Jay Chapman were in the crowd a day after the Major League Soccer club advanced to the Eastern Conference final. ... It was the first time in history Vegas and Toronto played each other since the Golden Knights officially joined the NHL on March 1.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WASHINGTON (AP) John Carlson scored the winner in overtime as the Washington Capitals came back to beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Monday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.Carlson scored with 45.4 seconds left on the clock in overtime, his first goal in 16 games, after T.J. Oshie whiffed on his shot attempt. Devante Smith-Pelly and Alex Ovechkin scored in regulation for Washington, which got 24 saves from Braden Holtby.Clayton Keller scored his rookie-best 11th goal of the season and Christian Fischer added another for Arizona. Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood was one of the best players on the ice with 37 saves on 40 shots.The Capitals outshot the Coyotes 40-26.Keller scored exactly a minute in when he blocked a shot by Lars Eller and scored on a 2-on-1 rush. It marked the 12th time in 16 games this season that the Coyotes scored first.Fischer deflected a centering pass by Christian Dvorak past Holtby at 6:41 to give Arizona a 2-0 lead on its first two shots. Washington dominated play and got on the board 8:41 in on a backhand by Smith-Pelly.It took until the Capitals' fourth power play for them to break an 0-for-21 home drought. Ovechkin scored from his usual spot in the faceoff circle to tie the score at 2-all 14:23 into the second period.Washington went 1 for 6 on the power play and is 2 for 26 this season at Capital One Arena.NOTES: Ovechkin scored his 216th career power-play goal, one back of Jaromir Jagr and Hall of Famer Mike Gartner for 10th in NHL history. ... Capitals D Madison Bowey left midway through the second period after blocking a shot but returned for the third. ... Coyotes LW Anthony Duclair was a healthy scratch for the fourth time in five games.UP NEXTCoyotes: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night as coach Rick Tocchet faces his former team and gets another Stanley Cup ring.Capitals: Also on a back-to-back as they visit the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After being listed as a game-time decision earlier in the day due to soreness, Auston Matthews will indeed suit up Monday for the Maple Leafs against the Vegas Golden Knights.The star forward has 10 goals and eight assists in 15 games this season, to go along with an NHL-best plus-14 rating.The Leafs have sputtered of late, winning just one of their last six games, so having their leading scorer in the lineup is no doubt an integral part of trying to snap out of their skid.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Canada has added former NHLers Teddy Purcell and Nick Spaling to the pre-Olympic squad that will compete for the Karjala Cup.Purcell last appeared in the NHL in 2016-17 with the Los Angeles Kings. The 32-year-old is currently suiting up for Omsk Avangard of the KHL, where he has tallied three points in four games.Spaling is two years removed from the NHL, as he last skated with the San Jose Sharks in 2015-16. The 29-year-old has spent the past two seasons with Geneve Servette of the Swiss League.Team Canada also announced Monday that forwards Matt Frattin, Derek Roy, and Dylan Sikura are no longer on the roster. The team first announced its full lineup in October.The Karjala Cup takes place Nov. 8-12 in Helsinki. Canada will compete with Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, and host nation Finland in a precursor to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.On Monday, Team Canada also named former NHL defenseman Adam Foote a player development consultant. Foote won Olympic gold with Canada in 2002.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers have assigned forward Owen Tippett to the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads, general manager Dale Tallon announced Monday."Owen was impressive in his time with our club and has a bright future with the Panthers," said Tallon. "This was a tough decision, but we think it's best for his long-term development."Tippett was selected 10th overall at this year's draft, and recorded one goal on 17 shots through his first seven games at the NHL level.Last season, he led Mississauga with 44 goals and 75 points in 60 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There could be some fireworks in Dallas.Stars captain Jamie Benn and Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien dropped the gloves and engaged in a heavyweight bout last Thursday in Winnipeg, and there may be a rematch when the two teams face off again Monday night.

The Ottawa Senators believe Kyle Turris didn't have a long-term future in the Canadian capital.After trading the forward on Sunday in a three-team deal that brought former Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene to Ottawa, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said his team felt it wouldn't be able to sign Turris to an extension."At the end of the day, we just felt a contract wasn't going to get done with Kyle, so why not try to maximize that asset for someone we know we have for at least one more year?" Dorion told TSN 1200 on Monday.Turris was shipped to Nashville as part of the trade, where he subsequently agreed to a six-year, $36-million deal with the Predators.At a Monday press conference, Dorion added that a six-year deal was never presented as an option for Turris with the Senators, and that the player's camp was insistent on a seven- or eight-year extension, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Meanwhile, Duchene is signed through the 2018-19 season.Turris recorded nine points in 11 games with Ottawa this season, while Duchene tallied 10 points in 14 contests for Colorado.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Scratch Matt Duchene off the list.Following the deal that made the former Colorado Avalanche center a member of the Ottawa Senators, the NHL trade market will see five other star players move to the front burner.John TavaresThe New York Islanders captain is just months away from free agency, and he'll need a long-term extension to remain on the Island.Interestingly enough, reports have indicated Tavares has yet to crunch numbers with the club, and it's believed the biggest holdup could be the franchise's future home. The Islanders play out of the cramped Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but showing Tavares the blueprints for a new barn at Belmont Park should go a long way to securing his future in New York.Arena aside, Tavares won't come cheap. Playing alongside Anders Lee and Josh Bailey, the center is firing on all cylinders early on, with 12 goals in 14 contests. Only Nikita Kucherov has potted more.It's now crunch time for the Islanders, who must get their captain's name on a new contract. If that can't come to fruition, it's critical that Tavares is recouped for assets rather than squandered in free agency.Evander KaneThe Buffalo Sabres have appeared noncommittal regarding their future plans for Kane. They could be willing to move him, but haven't closed the door on re-signing the winger either.Like Tavares, Kane is a pending unrestricted free agent, so a decision on his future will need to be made in the coming months. With 13 points in 14 games, he is producing at a career-best clip, and it may be wise for the Sabres to strike while Kane is hot and move him to shore up the rest of the roster, particularly the blue line.Rick NashNo longer the goal-scoring machine he once was, the New York Rangers winger could still be an intriguing acquisition, particularly for a contender looking to add some offense from the wall.Nash, 33, carries a heavy $7.8-million cap hit, so it's likely the Rangers would need to retain part of that money to facilitate a deal for the veteran. Freeing up that salary would also allow New York to retain other pending free agents, including J.T. Miller and Kevin Hayes. Barring a significant hometown discount, the likeliest outcome is that the Rangers move Nash for younger assets rather than continuing his tenure on Broadway.James NealThe Vegas Golden Knights made no bones about building for the future when selecting their expansion squad, as the team stockpiled draft picks in the process.As it stands, Vegas enters the 2018 draft with seven selections, but could add another high draft choice by moving its top scorer in Neal. The veteran winger brings a scoring touch and significant playoff experience, an added bonus for a contender making a Stanley Cup run. While he's been the Golden Knights' most productive player, cashing in on Neal helps Vegas maintain its focus on the road ahead.James van RiemsdykThe Toronto Maple Leafs winger's name has circulated the rumor mill for more than a year, and for good reason. Quite simply, dealing Van Riemsdyk could allow the Maple Leafs to upgrade to their back end without sacrificing a younger talent - namely William Nylander or Mitch Marner.Van Riemsdyk, 28, is on the final year of his $4.25-million contract. Dealing the winger for a defenseman also playing out the last season of his deal would be the most fitting scenario.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford has been named the NHL's first star of the week. In three appearances, Crawford came away with two wins as he posted back-to-back shutouts over the Philadelphia Flyers and Minnesota Wild. Crawford leads the NHL with a sparkling .945 save percentage.New York Islanders winger Josh Bailey was given second-star honors. Playing alongside captain John Tavares, Bailey capped the week with seven assists in three games, including a three-point outing against the Vegas Golden Knights.Martin Jones is the NHL's third star of the week. The San Jose Sharks netminder claimed three straight victories in which he allowed a combined four goals. Jones ranks second league-wide with an impressive 1.98 GAA.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Duchene shed some light on why he requested a trade from the Colorado Avalanche last December.With the Avalanche mired in a historically awful season at the time, Duchene - who was dealt to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday - saw signs that general manager Joe Sakic was leading the club into a retooling phase. Having been down that road before, the now 26-year-old wasn't willing to spend his prime years not seriously competing for the Stanley Cup.As a result, Duchene made the request to management, which he called "the hardest thing I ever had to do" at an introductory press conference in Ottawa on Monday."I wanted to play playoff hockey" he explained, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. "I’ve got eight playoff games to my name right now and that’s not where I want to be at this point of my career. I only get one shot at this. I get to play this game for however long my body lets me play it and I felt I wanted to let Joe know it was time to move on."Duchene was a Colorado fan as a kid, and dreamed of winning the Cup with the Avalanche. His 586 regular-season games with the franchise only translated into two trips to the playoffs, however, wherein he recorded six assists in eight games.The Senators came within a goal of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final last season and certainly hope Duchene will add to his postseason totals with the club.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have reassigned rookie forward Kailer Yamamoto to the Western Hockey League's Spokane Chiefs, the team announced Monday.Yamamoto appeared in nine games with the Oilers, recording three assists. As he played fewer than 10 games, the first year of his entry-level deal will slide to 2018-19.Yamamoto impressed at Oilers' training camp, as he earned playing time alongside captain Connor McDavid and a roster spot ahead of 2016 fourth overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi.Yamamoto scored 99 points in 65 games with Spokane last season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs may be without Auston Matthews when hosting the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.The super sophomore left the morning skate early and did not return, and has been listed as a game-time decision due to soreness.

theScore's NHL Power Rankings are published every other Monday. Our third go-round is put together by editors Cory Wilkins, Flip Livingstone, Craig Hagerman, and Josh Wegman.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (11-2-2)Previously 1stThe Lightning remain at the top for the second consecutive week. They're still scoring at an incredible pace, and Andrei Vasilevskiy continues to be rock solid between the pipes. - Wegman2. St. Louis Blues (11-3-1) ▲Previously 7thThe Blues are for real. They have had the second-toughest schedule in the league, per Hockey Reference, but continue to pile up wins. Jaden Schwartz is having a huge breakout season, and Alex Pietrangelo is playing like he wants a Norris Trophy. - Wegman3. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-4-1) ▲Previously 11thThe Blue Jackets have been dealt the toughest schedule in the league thus far, but they have responded relatively well. The Lightning have had their number so far, but they're at the top for the reason. The Jackets are fast, physical, and as deep as they come. Having Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes doesn't hurt either. - Wegman4. Los Angeles Kings (10-2-2) ▼Previously 2ndThe Kings move down two spots on this list, losing two of their last three games, and needing overtime or a shootout to pick up two of their last four wins. They're still a strong team, but how long will their scoring depth hold up, and how long will Jonathan Quick continue to stand on his head? - Wegman5. Winnipeg Jets (7-3-3) ▲Previously 22ndThe Jets are 7-1-3 since the first two games of the season. An OT loss to the Habs on Saturday wasn't the way they wanted to end their week, but three straight wins over Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Dallas by a combined score of 14-4 is impressive. For the first time in its history, the team seems to have an answer in goal with Connor Hellebuyck, and that has been the difference. - Wegman6. New Jersey Devils (9-3-1) ▲Previously 10thThe Devils continue to prove they are more than just a hot start. They currently boast the fourth-best points percentage in the league and have dropped just one of their first six road games. They're getting both scoring and solid goaltending from committee and are torching clubs with their speed with no signs of slowing down. - Hagerman7. San Jose Sharks (8-5-0) ▲Previously 25thThe Sharks are cruising, currently on a four-game winning streak and on the back of strong defensive play that has seen them concede the second-fewest goals per game (2.31) while boasting the second-best penalty kill. Logan Couture is off to a hot start, while Brent Burns is still without his first goal of the season. If he returns to his Norris Trophy-winning self the Sharks could climb that much higher. - Hagerman8. Dallas Stars (8-6-0) Previously 8thThe Stars continue to do work with their top-ranked power play and third-place penalty-kill units. Some more consistency at 5-on-5 and they could really start making some noise in the West. - Hagerman9. Pittsburgh Penguins (8-6-2) ▼Previously 5thThe Penguins have dropped four of their last five games and have managed to score more than two goals in a game just once in their last eight games. In all they've tallied 13 goals in eight games with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel combining for just five. That should change. - Hagerman10. Vegas Golden Knights (9-4-0) ▲Previously 15thInjuries in goal and the team's first real taste of life on the road has seen the Golden Knights fall back to earth a touch. They still cling to a top-third offense and could receive a jolt once some of their goalies return to regular duty. - Hagerman11. Ottawa Senators (6-3-5) ▼Previously 6thEarly trade rumors surrounding Matt Duchene may have been a distraction for Ottawa, as it was thumped by the Habs and lost a close, one-goal game to the Knights. Now that the deal is done, the team should be able to get things back in order. - Livingstone12. Nashville Predators (7-5-2) ▲Previously 14thAfter a rough start to the year the Preds are seemingly rounding into form. Back-to-back road wins over the Ducks and Kings have Peter Laviolette's crew on the rise. - Livingstone13. Vancouver Canucks (7-4-2) ▲Previously 24thShow of hands from those who expected the Canucks to ever crack the top 20, let alone the top 15? We'll wait. - Livingstone14. Anaheim Ducks (6-6-2) ▼Previously 13thThe Ducks continue to hold on despite significant injuries up front. They are just over a week out from dismantling the top-ranked Lightning and that shouldn't be overlooked. - Hagerman15. New York Islanders (8-5-1) ▲Previously 16thThe Islanders have the unfortunate distinction of being a team that wins big and loses big. But, with Johnny T filling the net on the regular, New York finds itself smack dab in the middle of the pack. - Livingstone16. New York Rangers (6-7-2) ▲Previously 27thMuch like the team right below, the Rangers are trending in the right direction once again, earning three straight wins and four of their last five. If New York can keep lighting the lamp and getting consistency from Henrik Lundqvist, look for it to continue its ascent up this list. - Livingstone17. Colorado Avalanche (8-6-0) ▲Previously 28thColorado continues to shock the hockey world by not being the flaming pile of garbage it was last season. The Avs only managed 22 wins last year, and already have eight to start this campaign. Three wins in their last four games have Colorado on the rise once again. - Livingstone18. Montreal Canadiens (6-8-1) ▲Previously 29thFour victories in the last five games, including a statement win on the road against the Jets, have fans in Montreal shelving their pitchforks - for the time being. - Livingstone19. Boston Bruins (5-4-3) ▲Previously 21stBoston may have lost three of its last four, but one of those was a shootout loss, one was an OT loss, and the other was a tight one-goal game against the Capitals. The Bruins could easily have four wins in a row instead. - Livingstone20. Minnesota Wild (5-5-2) ▼Previously 19thThe injury-plagued Wild are struggling to score, as defenseman Jared Spurgeon leads the team with only nine points. Two things here should be alarming to Minnesota fans: One, a defenseman is leading the team in scoring. Two, the leading scorer has only nine points. - Livingstone21. Toronto Maple Leafs (8-7-0) ▼Previously 3rdAfter starting the season 6-1, Toronto has found the win column just once in its last six. Goaltender Frederik Andersen continues to struggle in the early going. - Wilkins22. Washington Capitals (7-6-1) ▼Previously 12thThe Capitals have looked incredibly pedestrian in their last five contests, winning three times but allowing as many goals as they've scored. Washington won't have to worry about the Presidents' Trophy this year. - Wilkins23. Philadelphia Flyers (7-6-2) ▼Previously 9thPhiladelphia's top line is putting plenty of pucks in the net. The problem is keeping them out of their own. Offseason addition Brian Elliott has looked only average as the Flyers' go-to goaltender. - Wilkins24. Chicago Blackhawks (7-6-2) ▼Previously 4thGoaltender Corey Crawford leads the league with an eye-popping .945 save percentage. He's doing all he can for a lackluster Blackhawks squad that has scored just 11 times in its last six appearances. - Wilkins25. Calgary Flames (8-6-0) ▼Previously 17thCaptain Mark Giordano called goaltender Mike Smith the Flames' MVP. It's a fair statement given Calgary has scored just 11 times in its last five games. - Wilkins26. Edmonton Oilers (4-8-1) ▼Previously 20thYears of high draft picks - including superstar Connor McDavid - leaves the Oilers with no excuses. The team has no business sitting second-last league-wide. - Wilkins27. Detroit Red Wings (7-7-1) ▼Previously 26thDetroit's 4-1 start to the season appears to be a mirage, as the Red Wings have won just three of their last 10. The good news: With 13 points in 15 games, Dylan Larkin is back after struggling through his sophomore year. - Wilkins28. Buffalo Sabres (4-8-2) ▲Previously 30thStarter Robin Lehner was given a show-me contract but is failing to live up to his end of the deal. A banged up blue line hasn't helped either. - Wilkins29. Carolina Hurricanes (4-5-3) ▼Previously 23rdThe expectation was the Hurricanes would take the next step this season, but fans are still waiting. New netminder Scott Darling is still adjusting to the starter's role. - Wilkins30. Arizona Coyotes (2-12-1) ▲Previously 31stThe overall record is ugly, but the Coyotes are finally showing some signs of life, coming away with the win in two of their last four. Rookie sensation Clayton Keller continues to impress. - Wilkins31. Florida Panthers (4-7-2) ▼Previously 18thThe Panthers have struggled in their last six outings, picking up just one win, while interim starter James Reimer has allowed 19 goals in his last five appearances. - Wilkins(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Duchene is saying his goodbyes.The newest member of the Ottawa Senators took to Twitter on Monday morning to offer a heartfelt note to the Colorado Avalanche organization, his former teammates, the fans, and the only place he's ever played pro hockey since being drafted third overall in 2009.Related: Avs trade Duchene to Sens in 3-way deal involving PredatorsHere's what he had to say:

The Ottawa Senators upgraded the middle of the ice Sunday, acquiring Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche.It came at a hefty price, though.Not only did the Sens lose Kyle Turris in the process, but they also gave up a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and their 28th overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft, Shane Bowers.Essentially, the Sens gave up two first-round picks and a third-round pick to upgrade from Turris to Duchene. The majority of hockey fans would agree Duchene is better than Turris, but is he a big enough upgrade to warrant the cost?Since 2013-14, Duchene and Turris have put up similar numbers:StatDucheneTurrisGP320310G9693A139123P235216P/PG0.7340.696Obviously there is more to the game than just goals and assists, though. Only so much goes into these totals.Sometimes goal scoring has a lot to do with luck, which brings us to the wonderful world of expected goals for.Expected goals essentially tracks shot type, shot location, and shot quality while a player is on the ice, therefore giving us a better indication of how sustainable a player's offensive numbers are, compared to a stat such as Corsi For, which simply tracks shot attempts.Here are Turris and Duchene's expected goals for numbers since 2013-14 at five-on-five, per Corsica.StatDucheneTurrisixGF/600.750.59xGF168.89166.19xGA194.25179.01xG+/--25.36-12.82Duchene has the edge in individual expected goals for per 60 minutes, but both the Avs and Sens were expected to have negative goal differential while Duchene and Turris were on the ice over the last five years. Duchene's xG+/- is nearly twice as bad, though. However, the Avs have been significantly worse than the Sens in recent years.Thankfully, Corsica uses what's called relative stats. This compares a team's numbers relative to when a player was, and wasn't on the ice.StatDucheneTurrisRel xGF%3.41-1.3As you can see, the Avs' expected goals for percentage was 3.41 percent higher when Duchene was on the ice. Ottawa's expected goals for percentage dropped 1.3 percent when Turris was on the ice.While Rel xGF% is a nice indicator, it still really comes down to a team effort. Takeaways and giveaways can provide a better individual explanation as to which player does a better job at retrieving pucks, therefore giving his team more chances to play on offense, rather than defense. Given that both players are centers, faceoff percentage was also included, per Hockey Reference.StatDucheneTurrisTakeaways205147Giveaways153174TK/GV +/-52-27FO%55.551.5From a pure individual standpoint, it is clear Duchene gives his team more chances to go on the attack. His ability to strip the puck will be especially beneficial in Guy Boucher's 1-3-1 trap, which specializes in counter-attacks.When it comes to special teams, Turris has been the more productive player on the man advantage.StatDucheneTurrisPPG1921PPA3038However, when it comes to discipline, and drawing penalties, Duchene has been the more useful player (iPENT = individual penalties taken, iPEND = individual penalties drawn).StatDucheneTurrisiPENT2450iPEND7460iP+/-5010Over the last five years, Duchene has provided his team with 50 more power plays than penalty kills, while Turris has only provided his team with 10 more.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The verdictThe expectation before this deep plunge into statistics was that Ottawa forked up two first-round picks and a third-round pick to upgrade from an equally productive - yet perhaps less exciting player - to a flashier player who passes the eye test.As it turns out, all the underlying numbers suggest Duchene is the far superior player, despite his basic numbers registering similarly to Turris'.Sure, two firsts and a third seem like a lot, but for a team that is clearly in win-now mode, this was a deal that needed to be made for Ottawa. Turris is a good player and a very solid No. 2 center, but Duchene's game-breaking ability puts the Sens over the top, and a much-needed change of scenery should only lead to more success.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While it's been well documented that Matt Duchene has wanted out of Colorado for some time now, just how long he's been waiting to be dealt has been kept on the down-low - until now.Following the three-way trade that sent Duchene to the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic explained that Duchene formally asked to be traded last year."Matt, last Christmas, he asked me if I could move him just for a fresh start," Sakic said, according to Stephen Whyno of The Assoicated Press. "I just told him: Be patient."Duchene told reporters in January that he was open to a trade, stating he understood that it was part of the business and something that could potentially happen. Evidently it appears he was more than open to a trade.In all, it took just under 11 months for Duchene to get what he truly wanted. Sakic, however, noted that Duchene is "relieved" and "excited to go to Ottawa," while reiterating the move was the best thing for the Avalanche.Everyone can now move on.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK (AP) Mathew Barzal had a franchise-rookie record five assists and Nick Leddy and Jordan Eberle each scored twice to help the New York Islanders beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-4 on Sunday night.Johnny Boychuk and Scott Mayfield also scored for the Islanders and Thomas Greiss made 31 saves.Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Alexander Kerfoot scored for Colorado.The Islanders won for the sixth time in eight games and ended Colorado's winning streak at three games.The wild night on the ice was nearly overshadowed off of it when Matt Duchene was traded from Colorado to Ottawa in deal that involved the Nashville Predators.Duchene stealthy left the ice when team trainers were helping injured Avs forward Blake Comeau off the ice in the middle of the first period. Duchene left the arena in the middle of the second period, briefly speaking with reporters, before jumping into a black SUV waiting outside the Barclays Center.The Islanders scored less than five minutes into the first period on a fluky goal from Mayfield. The defenseman skated from the point down to the side of the net, where Sven Andrighetto tried to sweep the puck away but inadvertently pushed it past his own goaltender.Bailey was credited with the primary assist on the goal and extended his points streak to nine games.Eberle gave the Islanders a 2-0 lead when he finished off a good feed from Barzal. The goal was Eberle's third as an Islanders and the assist extended Barzal's points streak to five games.MacKinnon scored 40 seconds into the second period, briefly pulling Colorado within one goal. Leddy scored less than a minute later to put the Islanders back in front by two goals.Leddy scored again moments later to give the Islanders a 4-1 lead. Boychuk scored off a shot from the point at 9:46 of the second period and Eberle scored his second of the game 1:23 into the third period.Landeskog scored Colorado's second goal at 13:02 of the second period on a scramble in front of the net. MacKinnon recorded an assist on the game extending his multi-point game streak to four.Kerfoot scored the Avalanche's third and fourth goals in the final minute of the game.NOTES: The Islanders held a moment of silence before Sunday night's game to honor the victims of the terror attack in New York City earlier in the week as well as the victims in Sunday's church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. ... The Islanders scratched defensemen Thomas Hickey and Adam Pelech against Colorado. Alan Quine was also listed as a scratch for New York. The Avalanche scratched defenseman Andrei Mironov. ... Sunday's game against the Islanders was Colorado's final one before leaving for Sweden. The Avalanche will play two games against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm as part of the SAP NHL Global Series.UP NEXTAvalanche: Face Ottawa on Friday night in Stockhom.Islanders: Host Edmonton on Tuesday night.---More AP NHL: www.apnews.com/tags/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's done.After more than a year of speculation as to where and when the Colorado Avalanche would trade Matt Duchene, those questions have been answered. Ultimately it's the Ottawa Senators that landed Duchene, but not without a large helping hand from the Nashville Predators.Related: Avs trade Duchene to Sens in 3-way deal involving PredatorsThe three clubs came together to make a blockbuster deal that largely addresses the needs of each, but when it comes down to the nitty-gritty, some general managers make the grade over their colleagues.Predators: A-While they didn't get their initial target, the Predators have to be happy walking away with a different potential No. 1 center in the form of Kyle Turris.In late June it was reported that the Predators - along with the Columbus Blue Jackets - had presented offers to the Avalanche in an attempt to acquire Duchene. While that trade never came to fruition, in Turris they get an equally capable center.In fact, Duchene (0.74) holds only a slight edge over Turris (0.70) in the area of points per game over the last four years.In return, the Predators sacrificed a second-round pick in next June's draft along with prospects Samuel Girard and Vladislav Kamenev, both of whom were second-round selections by Nashville in the 2016 and 2014 drafts respectively.What might be most noteworthy to the Preds is that they completed the deal without giving up any of their top-4 defensemen and, after finalizing the swap, were able to ink Turris to a friendly six-year, $36-million extension. Even with all of their top guns signed through next season the club will still have more than $9 million in cap space.Senators: C+The Senators got their guy.After reports that the club had been aggressively pursuing Duchene, Pierre Dorion was able to make it all work. The final price tag was Turris, prospect Shane Bowers, goaltender Andrew Hammond, a first-round pick in 2018, and a third-round pick in 2019, all for a player who has one more year on his contract at $6 million.In Bowers, the Senators also sacrifice their first-round selection from this past June's draft. The team is able to rid themselves of Hammond though, who - despite his brilliance two years ago - was making $1.5 million while playing in the AHL.It's a pretty penny to give up for Duchene, meaning it will be up to the team's newest member to prove he was worth it.Avalanche: A+Love or hate how Joe Sakic handled the Matt Duchene-trade saga, but what can't be argued is the incredible haul he was able to get for the former first-round pick.In all, the Avalanche acquired three prospects, one goaltender, and three selections in the next two drafts.It's an abundance of riches and one that makes it clear as to why Sakic waited so long to pull the trigger on a deal, despite how many were on the table recently.

CHICAGO (AP) Charlie Lindgren made 38 saves in his first career shutout, helping the Montreal Canadiens beat Corey Crawford and the Chicago Blackhawks 2-0 on Sunday night.Lindgren and Crawford were locked up in a scoreless duel before Jonathan Drouin skated through the slot and shot the puck into the left side of the net at 1:54 of the third. Drouin's third goal of the season stopped Crawford's scoreless streak at 173 minutes, 9 seconds.Defenseman Joe Morrow added his third career goal at 7:45, helping Montreal to its fourth win in five games. Morrow blasted a slap shot by a screened Crawford for his first goal since Oct. 27, 2015, for Boston against Arizona.Coming off consecutive shutouts against Philadelphia and Minnesota, Crawford finished with 33 stops in his first career regulation loss against his hometown team. He was 8-0-2 with a 1.49 goals-against average in 10 career games against Montreal.With Carey Price sidelined by a minor lower-body injury and Al Montoya coming off a 19-save performance in Saturday night's 5-4 overtime win at Winnipeg, Lindgren made his first appearance of the season for the Canadiens. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native responded with Montreal's first shutout of the season while improving to 4-0 in four career NHL starts.Lindgren got over for a great blocker save on Jonathan Toews with 1:40 left in the first. Toews banged a shot off the left post early in the second, and Lindgren gloved another solid opportunity for Chicago's captain with about seven minutes left in the third.Lindgren also robbed Richard Panik with 15 seconds left.The Blackhawks also went 0 for 3 on the power play after scoring with the man advantage in each of their previous two games, including Saturday night's 2-0 victory at Minnesota.NOTES: Canadiens F Phillip Danault skated off gingerly after blocking Michal Kempny's shot with about four minutes left in the third, but returned to the game. ... Chicago F Artem Anisimov had scored in four straight games. ... Blackhawks D Gustav Forsling missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury. He could return Thursday night at Philadelphia. ''He's very close,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''I think we give him four more days is what we're looking at.'' ... Canadiens F Jacob De La Rose was inserted into the lineup in place of Charles Hudon, who was sidelined by an upper-body injury. It was De La Rose's first game since Oct. 20. ... The Blackhawks wore camouflage-style jerseys for warmups that will be autographed and auctioned off online to benefit USO of Illinois.UP NEXTCanadiens: Begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday night against Vegas.Blackhawks: Visit Philadelphia on Thursday night.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenapCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is giving himself a little bit of insurance.In order to acquire Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche, the Sens had to send their 2018 first-round pick to the Avs, along with multiple other pieces. However, if Ottawa misses the playoffs this season, and that first-round pick ends up being in the top 10, the Sens will have the option to keep it. In that scenario, the Avs would get Ottawa's 2019 first-rounder no matter what, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The Senators currently stand at 6-3-5, good for second in the Atlantic Division, and are just one year removed from a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Missing the playoffs seems unlikely, but anything can happen in this league, and it never hurts to provide yourself with some insurance.After all, it was only this past offseason that the Philadelphia Flyers jumped 11 spots from 13th overall to second overall at the draft lottery. If that happened to the Senators this offseason without protecting their pick, they would surely be kicking themselves.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche sent Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators Sunday in a three-team deal involving the Nashville Predators. As a refresher, here's who each team received:Ottawa: Matt DucheneNashville: Kyle TurrisColorado: From Ottawa: First and third-round picks, prospect Shane Bowers, goaltender Andrew Hammond.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Petr Mrazek made 36 saves and Martin Frk and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and an assist to help the Detroit Red Wings beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 on Sunday.Frans Nielsen and Gustav Nyquist also scored. The Red Wings have won three of four to reach 7-7-1.The Oilers dropped to 4-8-1. They have yet to win two games in a row this season.Detroit opened the scoring 3:23 into the first period. Nielsen made a perfect redirection on Nick Jensen's point shot that was headed wide, giving goalie Cam Talbot little chance.The Red Wings went up 2-0 midway through the first on a scramble in front of the net, with Nyquist whacking home his first goal of the season. Nyquist was helped to the dressing room later in the period after a knee-on-knee collision with Oilers defenseman Eric Gryba.Detroit added to its lead midway through the second period when Eck scored off a turnover.Mantha added his seventh of the season on a power play in the third.Notes: It was the first meeting of the season between the clubs. They will play again in Detroit on Nov. 22. ... Talbot made 31 saves.UP NEXTRed Wings: At Vancouver on Monday night.Oilers'' At New York Islanders on Tuesday night.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kyle Turris has signed a six-year, $36-million contract extension with the Nashville Predators, the team announced. Turris was traded to the club from the Ottawa Senators as part of the three-way deal that sent Matt Duchene to the Senators.Turris was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season and, according to his agent, was seeking a seven- or eight-year deal worth roughly $6 million per season during contract talks with the Senators back in early October.Since joining the team during the 2011-12 season, Turris has tallied the most goals (117) and second-most points (274) among all Sens players, while dressing in 407 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The wait is over.The Colorado Avalanche have traded forward Matt Duchene to the Ottawa Senators in a three-way blockbuster deal involving the Nashville Predators, the team announced Sunday. The Preds will receive forward Kyle Turris in the deal.In return for Duchene, the Avalanche will receive prospects Samuel Girard, Vladislav Kamenev, and a second-round pick from Nashville. From Ottawa, the Avs will receive prospect Shane Bowers, journeyman goaltender Andrew Hammond, a first-round pick, and a third-round pick.Duchene, who has long been seeking a trade out of Denver, had 10 points in 13 games this season before being pulled during the first period of Colorado's matchup with the New York Islanders Sunday. He is scheduled to become a free agent following the 2018-19 season.Turris was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, but recently inked a long-term extension with the Preds. He has nine points in 11 games so far this season.Related: Report: Predators sign Turris to 6-year, $36M extension following tradeDefenseman Samuel Girard, 19, has played five games for the Predators this season, picking up a goal and two assists. He's just 5-foot-10, but his skating and offensive ability should play well in today's NHL, and he's coming off back-to-back 70-point seasons in the QMJHL.Kamenev, a left winger selected in the second round by Nashville in 2014, has registered 96 points in 136 career AHL games, including eight points in nine games this year.Bowers was Ottawa's first-round pick (28th overall) in the most recent NHL draft. A center, he is currently playing at Boston University and has four goals and two assists in 10 games.Duchene will get to face his former team almost immediately, as the Sens and Avs will square off in Sweden Friday and Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Going to work every day as an NHL player isn't always as rewarding as it should be. Guys get banged up, barked at by coaches, and are sometimes overlooked for their excellent play or contributions to their team's success.Such is the case for the following players, as all five are off to excellent starts to the season, but for whatever reason, aren't getting the love they deserve.Here's a look at the NHL's five most underrated players so far this season.Sean Couturier, Philadelphia FlyersThe eighth overall draft pick from 2011, Couturier has never really lived up to the lofty expectations associated with being a top-10 pick.But this year, Couturier is silencing his haters.The 24-year-old center is on fire right now, notching a team-leading nine goals to go with nine assists for the Flyers. His 18 points through the first 15 games has Couturier sitting tied for fourth in league scoring among some pretty elite company.Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning It's understandable for one to be lost in the background when they're playing on the same squad as Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov.That is exactly the scenario Point currently finds himself in on the Lightning.With Stammer and Kuch currently setting the league ablaze with 48 combined points already to their credit, Point's solid start of seven goals and nine assists is going mostly unnoticed.Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis BluesPietrangelo might not be underrated among more dedicated hockey fans, but when it comes to the average puckhead, the Blues No. 1 rearguard doesn't get nearly enough credit for how good he is.Not only is Pietrangelo St. Louis' captain, but he's its unsung leader both on and off the ice, commanding the respect of his teammates by playing an unselfish brand of hockey that has become his trademark.This season, Pietrangelo is off to the best start of his 10-year career, notching six goals and nine assists while leading the Blues to first place in the Western Conference.Anders Lee, New York IslandersIf not for the hat-trick binging John Tavares, Lee would be pacing the Islanders in goals and points to start the campaign.The hulking 6-foot-3, 231-pound forward has racked up solid numbers while playing on Johnny T's wing this season, scoring eight goals and seven assists while also serving time on New York's top power-play unit.Thirty-five goals only a year ago announced Lee as a legit goal-scoring threat, but somehow he is still operating under the radar for Doug Weight and Co.Vincent Trocheck, Florida PanthersBy playing in Florida in the shadows of guys like Aaron Ekblad and Aleksander Barkov, Trocheck has become a criminally underrated player.However, back-to-back 50-plus point seasons had Trocheck entering the 2017-18 campaign with lofty expectations, and so far, the 24-year-old Pittsburgh native has not disappointed.A solid start of 15 points in his first 13 games has the versatile forward finally turning heads, as he is on pace for his best season yet.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images) Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Ryan Reaves was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer, most expected him to fill the position of Sidney Crosby's personal on-ice body guard. And while he's filled that role quite nicely, it's his role as Phil Kessel's new bestie that's garnering the most attention.Reaves' love for his new friend was on full display following Saturday's loss to the Vancouver Canucks, rocking an awesome shirt for his postgame interview with Kessel's head Photoshopped on the body of Michael Jackson on his famous "Thriller" album cover.Shooting hoops, playing pranks on each other, and now custom gear, this budding relationship is starting to look like a full-blown bromance.Your move, Phil.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.