The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly reached out to Patrick Maroon's camp to begin talking about a contract extension.There have been preliminary discussions between the Oilers and Maroon's agent, Allain Roy, about a new deal, TSN's Ryan Rishaug reports.Maroon has one year left on the three-year, $6-million extension he agreed to with the Anaheim Ducks in 2014, carrying a $1.5-million cap hit.The winger had a career season playing alongside Connor McDavid in 2016-17, notching 27 goals and 42 points in 81 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. This week's list focuses on the greatest team logos (active team logos courtesy NHL; defunct team logos courtesy SportsLogos.net):100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1Voter List

Ah, the old "player increases level of play during his contract year" adage, it's a classic.While it's difficult to determine through quantifiable evidence if this theory is true, athletes - on top of servicing us always reasonable, severely dedicated supporters of the game - play to make money, and when they have a chance at a raise, they generally try their hardest to earn it. Wouldn't anyone?Entering the 2017-18 season, there are several interesting candidates that have an opportunity to cash in next summer on the strength of a productive campaign. Here are five that can help your fantasy squad this season.Evander KaneWell, we all know how he feels about money.The not-so subtle winger had a breakout season of sorts last year, overcoming cracked ribs suffered in October to score 28 goals and 43 points in 70 games. When he was finally healthy, Kane showed just how high his ceiling can be, ranking ninth in goals and second in shots league-wide from Dec. 1 onward. If he and Jack Eichel are healthy, Kane should be a target on the wing in all leagues.John TavaresTavares will likely earn an eight-year contract no matter what he produces this season, but he can boost his salary astronomically with a big year.Amazingly, Tavares only makes $5.5 million per season, which is quite a bargain for a player that's recorded 537 points in 587 career games (enjoy the discount while you can, Islanders fans).If healthy, you can pencil Tavares in for 70-80 points, but with the added motivation of landing an eight-figure salary in free agency or in the form of an extension with New York, you can bank on No. 91 exceeding expectations.Elias LindholmWhile he won't land a contract as lucrative as Tavares, Lindholm has a good chance to cash in and emerge from his underrated shell.Lindholm racked a career-high 45 points with the Hurricanes last season, despite a shooting percentage of just 7.3. The 22-year-old tallied 29 primary assists, and 21 of his 34 total helpers came at even strength.The Hurricanes should be much better this season, and with a bit better luck converting his chances into goals, Lindholm can parlay his success into a long-term deal and some hidden value in your fantasy league.Jacob TroubaIn year one of his "show me" deal that stemmed from his holdout, Trouba excelled with the Jets, netting 33 points in just 60 games.At 23, Trouba has all the tools to prosper into a No. 1 defenseman in Winnipeg, and a repeat, or better, season should land him security far down the road and a hefty spike in pay.From the time Trouba's season started (Nov. 11), the 23-year-old placed 14th among all defenseman in shots on goal (154), and can be a valuable asset in a keeper league.Kyle TurrisAt 28-years-old, Turris presumably will sign his final long-term contract next summer, be it with the Senators or any other team looking for a dependable middle-six centerman.Turris recorded a career-high 27 goals last season and added 28 assists to go along with respectable contributions in both shots (185) and blocks (61) to boost his fantasy worth.Scheduled to earn just $3.5 million in 2017-18, Turris, compared to those of a similar ilk around the league, is quite underpaid, and it's safe to assume he'll push to break the bank with another effective season.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In his first game since being reacquired by the Chicago Blackhawks, Brandon Saad impressed by recording a hat trick Thursday.Yes, it's the preseason, and yes, it came at the expense of a Detroit Red Wings team that's not expected to do much in the coming months, but head coach Joel Quenneville believes it may portend what's to come in Saad's second tour of duty with the club."I still think there's room where he can go to another level as far as production goes," the coach said after the game, according to Eric Lear of Blackhawks TV.Saad began his career in Chicago, winning two Stanley Cups while establishing himself as a presence at both ends of the ice.Traded to Columbus in 2015, he enjoyed career highs in goals (31) and points (53) as a member of the Blue Jackets.During the offseason, Chicago general manager Stan Bowman pulled the trigger on a deal that brought Saad back at the cost of dynamic winger Artemi Panarin."It's always nice to be wanted and welcomed and these fans are the best fans in the league," Saad said, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times, "so it's good to be back."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With his client still seeking a contract from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Josh Anderson's agent has been in touch with Hockey Canada about the 2018 Olympics, Sportsnet's John Shannon reports.Anderson is one of two restricted free agents across the NHL, along with Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou, who has threatened to play next season in the KHL if an agreement doesn't come to fruition.With the start of regular season under two weeks away, Anderson still hasn't reported to Blue Jackets camp. If the two sides don't reach a deal before Dec. 1, he'll be forced to sit out the entire 2017-18 campaign.Anderson only has one full season of NHL experience, but was a key contributor to Columbus' wildly successful 2016-17. In 78 games, the 23-year-old scored 17 goals and added 12 assists, while averaging 12:01 per night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings fans are bottling memories of Joe Louis Arena.The club is selling limited-edition vials of melted ice from the team's old rink, with proceeds benefiting the Detroit Red Wings Foundation's mission to grow hockey.

The Joffrey Lupul health saga took another turn Thursday, as a league source told The Athletic's James Mirtle that the injured forward will undergo an independent medical examination to determine his health status.Lupul stirred controversy earlier in the week when he posted a comment on his Instagram account calling the Maple Leafs cheaters for the way they utilize the long-term injury reserve designation. He later retracted his comments and apologized in a Twitter statement posted to his official account Wednesday.In his apology, Lupul also stated that he would not be seeking a second medical opinion.But, as Mirtle reports, the NHL has apparently decided to step in, and Lupul will undergo an independent evaluation to determine whether he is physically able to compete.Lupul hasn't played in a regular-season game since February 2016, and was placed on LTIR in July. As a result, his $5.25-million salary for the 2017-18 season won't count against Toronto's cap.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs signed veteran winger Patrick Marleau to a hefty three-year, $18.75-million deal in July, many pundits - and media members - around the league expected him to be a natural fit on the top line, replacing Zach Hyman on Auston Matthews' wing.While the calls for Marleau to join Matthews and replace Hyman continue to gain volume and media attention, head coach Mike Babcock isn't prepared to make any hasty moves just yet."I'm not dumb," Babcock told reporters Thursday, according to The Athletic's Jonas Siegel. "That's what I read - that you guys want. But here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to coach the team and you guys are going to write the articles."Despite previously being a vocal supporter of Hyman and what he brings to the table, Babcock was prompted to once again voice his fondness over the 25-year-old Toronto native and his style of play."Hyman's a guy who gets the puck back all the time," said Babcock. "When you're a good player, I've learned from good players, they like to have the puck. When you have three guys who want the puck - like Datsyuk used to tell me all the time, 'No, put him on someone else's line. I want a guy to get me the puck.' He (Hyman) gets the puck back better than anyone."Hyman might not light the lamp on the regular, registering only 14 goals across 98 career regular-season games, but it's clear that his work ethic and sound two-way game have left a positive impression on his head coach.So much so, that Babcock has already seemingly decided that Hyman will be on the top line with Matthews when the puck drops on the 2017-18 season in just under two weeks' time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic is not afraid to make his feelings about the Olympics known.In April, the San Jose Sharks defenseman tweeted a picture of the Olympic logo after the NHL announced its players would not be going to the 2018 Games in South Korea. He was back at it Thursday after the medals that will be handed out in Pyeongchang were revealed.Vlasic couldn't help but point them out to the league's Twitter account.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) General manager Jim Johannson has ruled out the possibility of the U.S. men's hockey team having NHL draft-eligible prospects competing at the Winter Olympics in February.Johannson tells The Associated Press he doesn't view anyone from the 18-and-younger pool of prospects capable of cracking the projected lineup of non-NHL players, many of whom are opening this season playing in Europe.USA Hockey's assistant executive director says he's also targeting a number of established college players, and would not rule out keeping a spot or two open for members of the U.S. team competing at the World Junior Championships this winter.Johansson spoke in Buffalo, New York, on Thursday, where he is attending USA Hockey's sixth annual All-American Prospects game. The game features the top 42 U.S.-born players eligible to be selected in the NHL draft in June.---For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues are adding one of the best defensemen of all time to their front office.Larry Robinson is joining the Blues as the senior consultant to hockey operations.The Hall of Fame blue-liner left the San Jose Sharks in May after occupying multiple roles with the club over the last five years, including associate coach and director of player development.Robinson first became a coach with the New Jersey Devils when he was named an assistant in 1993, and guided the Devils to a Stanley Cup championship as head coach in 2000.The 66-year-old won the Cup six times as a player, and he ranks ninth all time among defensemen in NHL history with 750 assists and 958 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.With the NHL's crackdown on both stick infractions and faceoff violations in full force, the Winnipeg Jets are going the extra mile to give them a special teams advantage.The club will welcome former NHL referee Paul Devorski to training camp to help the club curb penalties, according to Sportsnet's Sean Reynolds.Head coach Paul Maurice reached out to the NHL to help them fix their penalty woes. The plan is to have Devorski on the ice with the club while they do battle drills where the former ref of 26 years will point out ways the club can avoid taking penalties, per Reynolds.The ploy is not just to help with the league's new stricter sanctions, but also to correct the team's previous discipline issues:

Who will be this year's Jonathan Marchessault?The diminutive forward signed a two-year, $1.5-million contract with the Panthers last summer and went on to score 30 goals.The following five players all signed new contracts in the offseason. Whether they were RFAs and re-upped with their current clubs or UFAs who signed with new (or old) teams, these five deals will all prove to be steals:Connor Brown, Maple LeafsTerm: 3 years

TORONTO - The NHL's third all-time leading point producer isn't too worried about the preseason crackdown on faceoff violations."It's just an adjustment period for the players. We got a little loose in the way we wanted the game officiated, and that happens," Mark Messier told theScore Wednesday at the launch of Bauer's "NeuroShield" collar."Every year, come September, (there's) a reminder for the players of what's tolerable and what's not, and the players will adjust," he said. "Once the season starts, I don't see it being an issue."In the preseason, NHL officials have ramped up enforcement of slashing infractions as well as existing faceoff rules that previously went largely uncalled, drawing criticism from players as well as from fans and the media.Offside challenges have been another source of officiating controversy, and while the league will reportedly attempt to curb the number of reviews with a minor penalty for lost challenges, Messier doesn't blame head coaches for using them to their advantage last season."Coaches are smart guys, and (if) they realize an opportunity to benefit the team, they'll use it," he said. "(Previously), there was no penalty for being wrong, and so they used it as a (way) to benefit the team, to rest a player or to get a timeout or whatever. Those are all things that are up for the general managers and the league, and all that. Whatever they decide upon, everybody will play by the rules."Messier also weighed in on several other topics, including the NHL's lack of participation in the upcoming Olympic Games, the Stanley Cup hopes of the two franchises he's primarily associated with, and whether he sees any current player who reminds him of himself:Alex Ovechkin has now accepted the NHL's position on the Olympics, and the league clearly isn't changing its mind on forgoing Pyeongchang, but do you think this is a missed opportunity?"It's not (about) whether I like it or agree (about) whether they should or shouldn't go. It's a tough situation for the owners and it's a tough situation for the players. Ultimately, the players work for the owners, and (the) decision was not to go. The players have to live by it, it's just as simple as that. Who's right or who's wrong is really indifferent at this particular time. The decision has been made and everybody's going to have to live with it."Are the Edmonton Oilers ready to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender or do they need a bit more time to grow as a team?"Well, I think you can say (that) anybody that makes the playoffs can potentially be a Cup contender, and I think any time you've got a player like (Connor) McDavid leading the way, you have to be thinking that special things are on the horizon, but of course, they still have to prove it."They had a great year last year, and I think they might have been a little disappointed that they didn't go further because I think they probably could (have), so it'll be an interesting year for them this year. They're going to have to earn it. The teams around the league will be ready for them, and they won't surprise anybody this year. The better team you become, the tougher it could get, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds for the Oilers."Can the New York Rangers get back to their Cup Final and conference final form of a few years ago, or are they going to continue to have difficulty getting back there?"They're a playoff team for sure, (but) there's a lot of competition. A lot has to go right for any team to win the Stanley Cup. You've gotta be lucky, you've gotta be good, you've gotta stay healthy. They've proven that they've had the goaltending there, (but) they're in a bit of a transition period right now, so time will only tell there, but I think everybody would agree that they're a playoff team."There are a lot of great players in the NHL these days, and you're one of the greatest of all time, but do you see any current players who remind you of yourself?"(I) never compare players ever. Never liked to compare players. I don't think it's fair to any player to compare (them) to any player in the past or the future. I think every player has to make it on their own merits and their own individual characteristics."There will never be another Wayne Gretzky. There will never be another Mario Lemieux. There will never be another Gordie Howe. There will never be (another) Sidney Crosby. There will never be (another) Jonathan Toews. These guys are who they are, and the reason they are who they are is because they've been able to put their own (stamp) on it without comparisons (to) anybody else. I don't think it's fair to compare young kids. I think it puts undue pressure on them and I think it's important for them to make a name on their own for their own individual style and skill."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's so much more to fantasy hockey than just picking players. Knowing the ins and outs of the NHL schedule can give you a massive advantage over other players in your league. Here are two ways you can benefit.Weird game daysHockey fans know the vast majority of games are played on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This can often lead to a logjam for your fantasy team on those nights, forcing you to decide which active players to leave on your bench. However, on less popular game days (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), you may find yourself with a nearly empty lineup.To exploit the NHL schedule and maximize the number of man games your fantasy team has, target players from clubs that play plenty of games on these less crowded days.TeamMondayWednesdayFridaySundayTotalAnaheim912151248Calgary91210839Detroit69121138NY Rangers71011937Toronto13155336Vegas65141136Washington10612836Chicago61081135NY Islanders10611835Winnipeg74131135Buffalo9713534Colorado8710934Columbus9515433Pittsburgh4911933Dallas7512832San Jose8681032Vancouver6791032Ottawa7911330St. Louis5910630Boston8103829Carolina5213929New Jersey5511829Edmonton6751028Minnesota7510628Florida9310527Los Angeles1056526Philadelphia684826Montreal785525Nashville557522Tampa Bay845522Arizona853521Just because the Anaheim Ducks are the only team in the NHL that plays more than half its games on these days doesn't mean you should bump Ryan Getzlaf to the top of your draft board. However, it would definitely behoove you to try to grab a handful of players from teams near the top of this list.Playoff schedulesThose who are confident enough in their fantasy hockey knowledge can take a peek at their fantasy hockey playoff schedule. In the majority of leagues, it's set up like this:

Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. This week's list focuses on the greatest team logos (active team logos courtesy NHL; defunct team logos courtesy SportsLogos.net):100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1Voter List

Torey Krug will miss the duration of the preseason.The Boston Bruins announced Thursday the defenseman will be re-evaluated in three weeks after sustaining a non-displaced jaw fracture after being struck by a shot during Tuesday's preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings.Boston is surely hoping the injury doesn't keep Krug out for too long, as the 26-year-old paced Bruins defenders with a career-high 51 points last season. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy was blunt, stating Krug won't be ready for the beginning of the regular season."We're going to take the best six or seven (defensemen) to start the year," Cassidy said, according to Joe Haggerty of CSSNE.com. "Could be anyone."Boston opens the regular season Oct. 5 when it hosts the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames insisted they were done negotiating with the city about a new arena, but that isn't stopping them from trying to sway public support.A proposal released by the club Thursday morning claims it was prepared to contribute $275 million toward a new facility in Victoria Park, with the other $225 million coming from a "Community Revitalization Levy" generated from the development of the area around the facility.The Flames once again stressed the city's proposal would leave them footing the entire bill, as opposed to the 33 percent figure Calgary lawmakers presented it as last week.Related: Flames CEO claims city's arena pitch would've had team paying '120 percent'Here's what the Flames released Thursday about their reluctance to continue negotiating with the city for a new arena:

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley is the latest player to speak ill of the NHL's crackdown on slashing and faceoff violations.On Wednesday, the Red Wings dropped a 6-5 overtime decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game that saw the clubs combine for an outrageous 16 penalties and five power-play goals.The teams were shorthanded for a combined 22:24, or more than an entire period's worth, which to Daley makes the game nearly unwatchable."Anybody who watched this game, that was not an NHL hockey game," Daley said, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "That was a special teams practice."It’s hard to call that a hockey game," Daley said. "I don’t know what they’re going to do about it, but I hope it’s not here to stay."Daley isn't the first player to criticize the league's crackdown. Earlier in the week, Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand called the crackdown "an absolute joke."On the other hand, Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz feels the strict stance on stick infractions - such as slashing - aren't a bad idea."You’ve got to learn," Schultz said. "You can't be slashing. I’m sure it’s going to calm down before the regular season, but it’s good for everyone to keep your sticks down. Don’t want broken fingers or hands."For the time being, it seems Daley and those fed up with the new standard for penalties will have to get used to it or be ready to spend a lot more time on special teams.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here are the top 250 skaters and goalies ranking in descending order based on their value in 10- or 12-team "banger leagues." A typical banger league consists of the following categories:SkatersGoaliesGoalsWinsAssistsGoals-against averagePlus/minusSave percentagePenalty minutesShutoutsPower-play pointsShots on goalHitsBlocked shotsThe key difference between a banger league and a standard league is the addition of hits and blocked shots. Though two additional categories may seem like a minor difference, it can have a major affect on the value of players.Top 250Rk.PlayerTeamPos.Trend1Alex OvechkinWASLW2Connor McDavidEDMC3Brent BurnsSJD4Sidney CrosbyPITC5Victor HedmanTBD6Jamie BennDALLW7Dustin ByfuglienWPGD8Tyler SeguinDALC/RW9Steven StamkosTBC10Carey PriceMTLG11Patrick KaneCHIRW12Patrik LaineWPGRW▲13Blake WheelerWPGRW▼14Evgeni MalkinPITC15Wayne SimmondsPHIRW16Vladimir TarasenkoSTLRW17Auston MatthewsTORC18Matt MurrayPITG19Erik KarlssonOTTD▼20Nikita KucherovTBRW21Rasmus RistolainenBUFD22Sergei BobrovskyCLBG23Braden HoltbyWASG24Jack EichelBUFC25Brad MarchandBOSLW26Joe PavelskiSJC/RW27Cam TalbotEDMG28Roman JosiNASD▼29P.K. SubbanNASD30Devan DubnykMING31Ryan GetzlafANAC▲32Nicklas BackstromWASC33Evander KaneBUFLW34Alex PietrangeloSTLD35Filip ForsbergNASLW36Leon DraisaitlEDMC/RW37Shea WeberMTLD38John TavaresNYIC39Kevin ShattenkirkNYRD▲40Tuukka RaskBOSG41Mark GiordanoCGYD42David PastrnakBOSRW43Corey PerryANARW▲44Patric HornqvistPITRW45Nazem KadriTORC46Kris LetangPITD47Max PaciorettyMTLLW48Drew DoughtyLAD49Jake AllenSTLG50Anders LeeNYILW51William NylanderTORC/RW52Colton ParaykoSTLD53Andrei VasilevskiyTBG54Mark ScheifeleWPGC55Artemi PanarinCLBLW56Jonathan QuickLAG57Chris KreiderNYRLW58Mitch MarnerTORC/RW59John KlingbergDALD60Oliver Ekman-LarssonARID▲61Alexander RadulovDALRW62Nino NiederreiterMINLW/RW63Dougie HamiltonCGYD64Corey CrawfordCHIG65Jonathan HuberdeauFLALW66Jeff CarterLAC67Nikolaj EhlersWPGLW68Ryan JohansenNASC69Aleksander BarkovFLAC70Jon GibsonANAG71Duncan KeithCHID72Milan LucicEDMLW73T.J. OshieWASRW74Pekka RinneNASG75Nick FolignoCLBLW/RW76Mike HoffmanOTTLW77Cam AtkinsonCLBRW78Ben BishopDALG79Shayne GostisbeherePHID80Seth JonesCLBD81Patrice BergeronBOSC82Anze KopitarLAC83Johnny GaudreauCGYLW84Jeff SkinnerCARLW85John CarlsonWASD86Torey KrugBOSD87Frederik AndersenTORG88Phil KesselPITRW89Aaron EkbladFLAD90Jonathan DrouinMTLC/LW/RW▲91Claude GirouxPHIC92Zach WerenskiCLBD93Brayden SchennSTLC/LW94Taylor HallNJLW95Sebastian AhoCARLW/RW96Justin SchultzPITD97Ryan McDonaghNYRD98Evgeny KuznetsovWASC99Mikael GranlundMINC/RW100Martin JonesSJG101Boone JennerCLBC/LW102Cam FowlerANAD▲103Brandon DubinskyCLBC104Patrick MaroonEDMLW105Charlie CoyleMINC/RW106Sean MonahanCGYC107Tanner PearsonLALW108Scott DarlingCARG109Nathan MacKinnonCOLC110James van RiemsdykTORLW111Mike SmithCGYG112Kyle PalmieriNJRW113Logan CoutureSJC114Justin FaulkCARD115Dmitry OrlovWASD116Jacob TroubaWPGD117Jonathan ToewsCHIC118Dion PhaneufOTTD119Brandon SaadCHILW120Viktor ArvidssonNASRW121Vincent TrocheckFLAC122Ivan ProvorovPHID123Henrik LundqvistNYRG124Craig AndersonOTTG125Nikita ZaitsevTORD126Brent SeabrookCHID127Jakub VoracekPHIRW128Anthony ManthaDETLW/RW129Alex GalchenyukMTLC/LW130Gabriel LandeskogCOLLW131Robin LehnerBUFG132J.T. MillerNYRLW/RW133Matthew TkachukCGYLW134Ryan KeslerANAC▼135Eric StaalMINC136Martin HanzalMINC137Cory SchneiderNJG138David BackesBOSRW139Oscar KlefbomEDMD140Jaccob SlavinCARD141Mark StoneOTTRW142Nick RitchieANALW▲143Mats ZuccarelloNYRRW144Alexander WennbergCLBC145Adam LarssonEDMD146Ryan SuterMIND147Rickard RakellANAC/LW148Radko GudasPHID149Jake GardinerTORD150Morgan RiellyTORD▲151Connor HellebuyckWPGG▲152Frank VatranoBOSC/LW▲153Brian ElliottPHIG154Thomas GreissNYIG155Jordan StaalCARC156Jason SpezzaDALC/RW157Henrik ZetterbergDETC/LW158Marc-Edouard VlasicSJD159Tom WilsonWASRW160Jake MuzzinLAD161Matt NiskanenWASD162Ondrej PalatTBLW163Jake GuentzelPITC/LW164Matt DucheneCOLC/RW165Elias LindholmCARC/RW166Patrick MarleauTORC/LW167Dustin BrownLARW168Travis KonecnyPHIC/LW169Jaden SchwartzSTLLW170Keith YandleFLAD171Leo KomarovTORC/LW172James NealVGKLW/RW173Bryan LittleWPGC174Tyler ToffoliLAC/RW175Tyson BarrieCOLD176Zach PariseMINLW177Evgeny DadonovFLARW178Roberto LuongoFLAG179James ReimerFLAG180Nico HischierNJC181Andre BurakovskyWASLW/RW182Ryan StromeEDMC/RW183Marcus JohanssonNJLW184Conor ShearyPITLW/RW185Steve MasonWPGG186Tomas HertlSJC/LW187Nolan PatrickPHIC188Nate SchmidtVGKD189Jonathan MarchessaultVGKC/LW190Jordan EberleNYIRW191Marcus FolignoMINLW192Jimmy HowardDETG193Matt DumbaMIND194Charlie McAvoyBOSD195Alec MartinezLAD196Kyle OkposoBUFRW197Antti RaantaARIG198Vadim ShipachyovVGKC/LW199Sami VatanenANAD▼200Hampus LindholmANAD▼201Jakob MarkstromVANG202Semyon VarlamovCOLG203Ryan EllisNASD▼204Josh MansonANAD205Tyler JohnsonTBC206Ryan O'ReillyBUFC207Jakob SilfverbergANARW208Kyle TurrisOTTC209Mika ZibanejadNYRC210Miko RantanenCOLLW/RW211Adam LowryWPGC212Marc-Andre FleuryVGKG213Jared SpurgeonMIND214Mark BorowieckiOTTD215Zdeno CharaBOSD216Brendan GallagherMTLRW217Josh AndersonCLBRW218Bobby RyanOTTRW219Patrick EavesANARW220Dylan LarkinDETC/RW221Viktor RaskCARC222Antoine RousselDALLW223Bo HorvatVANC224Julius HonkaDALD225Paul StastnySTLC226Daniel SedinVANLW227Henrik SedinVANC228Robby FabbriSTLC/LW229Brock BoeserVANRW▲230Derek StepanARIC231Joe ThorntonSJC232Shea TheodoreVGKD233Brandon MontourANAD234Matt MartinTORLW235Ryan ReavesPITRW236Andrew ShawMTLC/RW237Sam ReinhartBUFC/RW238Alexander SteenSTLC/LW▼239Jesse PuljujarviEDMRW240Richard PanikCHILW/RW241Kevin FialaNASLW242Nick SchmaltzCHIC/LW243Andrew LaddNYILW244Dylan StromeARIC245Matthew BarzalNYIC246David KrejciBOSC247Patrick SharpCHILW/RW248Jason ZuckerMINLW/RW249Kris RussellEDMD250Calvin de HaanNYIDThese rankings will be updated throughout the lead-up to the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's an updated look at the 2017-18 standard-league rankings.Be sure to monitor injury news and any major roster developments prior to your draft.These rankings apply to standard leagues. Yahoo! scoring counts goals, assists, plus/minus, penalty minutes, power-play points, and shots on goal for skaters. Goaltender stats consist of wins, goals-against average, save percentage, and shutouts.Positional eligibility may vary by fantasy site.Top 250Rk.PlayerTeamPos.Trend1Connor McDavidEDMC2Sidney CrosbyPITC3Steven StamkosTBC▲4Brent BurnsSJD5Sergei BobrovskyCLBG6Alex OvechkinWASLW7Nicklas BackstromWASC8Nikita KucherovTBRW9Braden HoltbyWASG10Jack EichelBUFC11Brad MarchandBOSLW12Patrick KaneCHIRW13John TavaresNYIC▲14Evgeni MalkinPITC15Victor HedmanTBD16Devan DubnykMING17Jamie BennDALLW18Tyler SeguinDALC/RW19Auston MatthewsTORC20Vladimir TarasenkoSTLRW21Erik KarlssonOTTD▼22Mark ScheifeleWPGC23Matt MurrayPITG24Carey PriceMTLG25Cam TalbotEDMG26Cam AtkinsonCLBRW27Patrik LaineWPGRW28Joe PavelskiSJC/RW29Alexander RadulovDALRW30P.K. SubbanNASD31Jonathan HuberdeauFLALW32Kris LetangPITD33Phil KesselPITRW34Claude GirouxPHIC35Shea WeberMTLD36Blake WheelerWPGRW37Johnny GaudreauCGYLW38David PastrnakBOSRW39Dustin ByfuglienWPGD40Evgeny KuznetsovWASC41Ryan GetzlafANAC42Patrice BergeronBOSC43Leon DraisaitlEDMC/RW44Filip ForsbergNASLW▼45Sean MonahanCGYC46Wayne SimmondsPHIRW47Andrei VasilevskiyTBG▲48Jeff SkinnerCARLW49Max PaciorettyMTLLW50Tuukka RaskBOSG51Roman JosiNASD52Aleksander BarkovFLAC53Kevin ShattenkirkNYRD54Jeff CarterLAC55John KlingbergDALD56Artemi PanarinCLBC/LW▼57Jonathan DrouinMTLLW/RW58Ryan JohansenNASC59Zach WerenskiCLBD60Jakub VoracekPHIRW61Nikolaj EhlersWPGLW62Sebastian AhoCARLW/RW63Corey PerryANARW64Pekka RinneNASG65Mikael GranlundMINC/RW66Ben BishopDALG67Duncan KeithCHID68Martin JonesSJG69Taylor HallNJLW70Mitchell MarnerTORC/RW71John GibsonANAG72Mike HoffmanOTTLW/RW73T.J. OshieWASRW74Viktor ArvidssonNASLW/RW75Jake AllenSTLG76Ryan SuterMIND▲77Jonathan QuickLAG78Oliver Ekman-LarssonARID79Dougie HamiltonCGYD80Rickard RakellANAC/LW81Nathan MacKinnonCOLC82Shayne GostisbeherePHID83Logan CoutureSJC84Jonathan ToewsCHIC85Mark StoneOTTRW▲86Jordan EberleNYIRW87Rasmus RistolainenBUFD88Henrik LundqvistNYRG89Justin SchultzPITD90Anze KopitarLAC91Mika ZibanejadNYRC▲92Jason SpezzaDALC/RW93Matt DucheneCOLC/RW▲94John CarlsonWASD95Brayden SchennSTLC/LW96Mike SmithCGYG97Drew DoughtyLAD98Craig AndersonOTTG▼99Ryan O'ReillyBUFC100Frederik AndersenTORG101Eric StaalMINC102Brandon SaadCHILW103Nazem KadriTORC104Cory SchneiderNJG105Scott DarlingCARG106Martin HanzalDALC107Henrik ZetterbergDETC/LW108Anders LeeNYILW109Robin LehnerBUFG110Torey KrugBOSD111James NealVGKLW/RW112Aaron EkbladFLAD113William NylanderTORC/RW▲114Jakob SilfverbergANARW115Colton ParaykoSTLD116Alex GalchenyukMTLC/LW117James van RiemsdykTORLW118Ondrej PalatTBLW119Mark GiordanoCGYD120Alexander WennbergCLBC121Bryan LittleWPGC122Nino NiederreiterMINLW/RW123Kyle OkposoBUFRW124Tyler ToffoliLAC/RW125Kyle PalmieriNJRW126Oscar KlefbomEDMD127Zach PariseMINLW128Nick SchmaltzCHIC/LW▲129Kyle TurrisOTTC130Marcus JohanssonNJLW131Patric HornqvistPITRW132Alex PietrangeloSTLD133Jake GuentzelPITC/LW134Corey CrawfordCHIG▼135Vincent TrocheckFLAC136Mats ZuccarelloNYRRW137Tyler JohnsonTBC138Mikko KoivuMINC139Matthew TkachukCGYLW140Andre BurakovskyWASLW/RW141Justin FaulkCARD142Patrick MarleauTORC/LW▲143Derek StepanARIC144Anthony ManthaDETLW/RW145Roberto LuongoFLAG146Milan LucicEDMLW147Travis KonecnyPHIC/LW148Ryan McDonaghNYRD149Jaden SchwartzSTLLW150Nick FolignoCLBLW/RW151Evgeny DadonovFLARW152Chris KreiderNYRLW153Keith YandleFLAD154Dylan LarkinDETC/RW155Ryan StromeEDMC/RW156Nolan PatrickPHIC157Sam ReinhartBUFC/RW158Victor RaskCARC159Patrick SharpCHILW/RW160Mikko RantanenCOLLW/RW161Seth JonesCLBD162Brian ElliottPHIG163David KrejciBOSC164Marc-Andre FleuryVGKG165Nico HischierNJC166Nick BoninoNASC167Richard PanikCHILW/RW168Antti RaantaARIG169Mathew BarzalNYIC170Radim VrbataFLARW171Boone JennerCLBC/LW172Conor ShearyPITLW/RW173Charlie McAvoyBOSD174Brady SkjeiNYRD175Jesse PuljujarviEDMRW176Charlie CoyleMINC/RW177Brendan GallagherMTLRW178Shea TheodoreVGKD179Kevin FialaNASLW/RW180Alexander SteenSTLC/LW181Tomas HertlSJC/LW182Jonathan MarchessaultVGKC/LW183Robby FabbriSTLC/LW184Sami VatanenANAD185Gabriel LandeskogCOLLW186Nick BjugstadFLAC/RW187Vadim ShipachyovVGKC/LW188Paul StastnySTLC189Patrick MaroonEDMLW190Dmitry OrlovWASD191Ryan Nugent-HopkinsEDMC192Daniel SedinVANLW193Gustav NyquistDETLW/RW194Pierre-Luc DuboisCLBLW195Jakub VranaWASLW/RW196Evander KaneBUFLW197Matt DumbaMIND198Teuvo TeravainenCARC/LW199Bobby RyanOTTRW200Artem AnisimovCHIC201Joshua Ho-SangNYIRW202Elias LindholmCARC/RW203Rick NashNYRLW/RW204Joe ThorntonSJC205Cam FowlerANAD206Bo HorvatVANC207Kyle ConnorWPGLW208Connor HellebuyckWPGG209Jimmy VeseyNYRLW210Justin WilliamsCARRW211Anthony DuclairARILW/RW212Tomas TatarDETLW/RW213Derick BrassardOTTC214J.T. MillerNYRLW/RW215Tanner PearsonLALW216Tyson BarrieCOLD217Tyler BozakTORC218Ryan PulockNYID219Ivan ProvorovPHID220Kevin HayesNYRC/RW221Patrick EavesANARW222Matt NiskanenWASD223Max DomiARILW224Mathieu PerreaultWPGC/LW225Clayton KellerARIC226Ryan MillerANAG227Tyson JostCOLC228Jake MuzzinLAD229Thomas GreissNYIG230Jason ZuckerMINLW/RW231Jake GardinerTORD232Ryan KeslerANAC▼233Jared SpurgeonMIND234Pavel ZachaNJC/LW235Jason PominvilleBUFRW236Ryan SpoonerBOSC/LW237Dylan StromeARIC238Josh MansonANAD239Mattias JanmarkDALC240Ryan EllisNASD▼241Juuse SarosNASG242Sonny MilanoCLBLW243Travis SanheimPHID244Jacob TroubaWPGD245Damon SeversonNJD246Mike GreenDETD247Will ButcherNJD248Zdeno CharaBOSD249Sean CouturierPHIC250Dion PhaneufOTTD▲Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Boyle is feeling the love.The New Jersey Devils forward, who has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, took to Twitter on Wednesday to offer a message of thanks and supplication.

The Anaheim Ducks got up close and personal during Wednesday's preseason game against the Arizona Coyotes.Several players didn't suit up for the game, but were put to work in various areas around the Honda Center.Outside the arena, Nick Ritchie served as a parking attendant.

Joffrey Lupul is sorry.The Toronto Maple Leafs winger - on paper, at least - took to Twitter on Wednesday to offer an apology for a since-deleted Instagram comment wherein he claimed the team cheats with respect to failed physicals, and "everyone lets them."

Jason Blake knows a thing or two about getting dealt a bad hand.As the former NHL veteran is battling the exact same form of leukemia - chronic myeloid leukemia - that current player Brian Boyle was recently diagnosed with. Boyle revealed his illness to the media Tuesday, and Wednesday Blake offered his insight and support to the newly-minted New Jersey Devils forward.Related: Hockey community rallies around Brian Boyle after CML diagnosis"I remember thinking, ‘God, he’s got a wonderful family.’ That’s going to help him a lot," Blake said of Boyle, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. " … He carries himself with such character, I think he’ll be just fine. I really do."While Blake - like Boyle - caught his disease early, he recognizes he was lucky, as most people don't have their bodies as closely monitored as hockey players do."For us as players, it’s a reminder how fortunate we are that we get to do this. Because we do these blood tests, they catch it early," said Blake. "Often, men don’t start it until north of 45. I was 34. Brian is 32. When I got diagnosed, as much as it sucked … they caught it early. The support system will be excellent."The Devils and the NHL will take care of him."After his diagnosis in 2007, Blake went on to play four more years in the NHL, and despite the battle in front of him, Blake knows that Boyle will come out of this difficult situation stronger than ever."I’ve played against him. He’s a tough guy who works hard every shift. His attitude will get him through this. God bless him, I really mean that."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Cole is officially hanging up the skates as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.The winger signed a ceremonial contract with the club and announced his retirement as a player, general manager Ron Francis announced Wednesday.

Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. This week's list focuses on the greatest team logos (active team logos courtesy NHL; defunct team logos courtesy SportsLogos.net):100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1Voter List

The St. Louis Blues could be without key forward Alexander Steen to begin the regular season.The longtime Blue will miss training camp after suffering a left hand injury in the club's first preseason game Tuesday in Dallas, the team announced Wednesday. He will be re-evaluated in three weeks.This news comes just a day after the team announced that defenseman Jay Bouwmeester will also be re-evaluated in three weeks after fracturing his ankle.While it's possible both Bouwmeester and Steen will be back for the Oct. 4 season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's confirmed center Patrik Berglund will be out until December after offseason surgery on a dislocated shoulder.Steen is an invaluable member of the Blues. He tallied 51 points last year, plays a strong two-way game, and serves as an alternate captain.If the Blues are without both Steen and Bouwmeester - in addition to Berglund - to begin the season, it will be tough sledding in the early going.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Whether you're playing daily fantasy, or streaming players for your season-long league, the following teams will provide the cushiest matchups in fantasy hockey this season.Colorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche were historically bad last season. It all starts with their blue line, and frankly, they did nothing to improve it in the offseason. Here's their projected starting six:LDRDNikita ZadorovTyson BarrieMark BarberioErik JohnsonAnton LindholmDavid WarofskyBarrie and Johnson are good D-men, but it's hard to imagine them being successful given the player they'll be partnered with.With a healthy Semyon Varlamov, the Avs should be better then they were a year ago, but they'll still allow plenty of goals.Vegas Golden KnightsThe narrative around the Golden Knights is that they're not that bad for an expansion team. Well, expansion team or not, they're awful. In fact, they're probably worse than the Avalanche. Sure, they stocked up on defenseman, and have Marc-Andre Fleury in goal, but with no familiarity or chemistry among the players, this team will be a disaster from the get-go.Moreover, Fleury showed significant signs of decline a year ago, posting a .909 save percentage and a 3.02 goals-against average for the Stanley Cup champs. Imagine what he'll be like behind an expansion team?Arizona CoyotesThe Coyotes were an absolute dumpster fire defensively last season. According to Natural Stat Trick, they ranked dead last in the following defensive categories (all at five-on-five):

It wasn’t entirely smooth sailing in fall 2016 when Rogers Place opened in downtown Edmonton, Alberta.“We had some problems; we had side effects. There weren’t enough men’s washrooms,” said city councilor Scott McKeen, whose Ward 6 encompasses the arena. “I had to deal with complaints about urination on downtown streets.”Disregarding the bladder-control issues of local patrons, the arena has largely been praised since opening its doors, and not only by fans of the National Hockey League’s Oilers and concert-goers. Rogers Place is credited by many, McKeen included, for serving as a “catalyst” project, igniting the regeneration of a neglected, underdeveloped downtown Edmonton.“The transformation of this downtown has probably been more spectacular than any other because of that catalyst effect of putting an arena downtown,” said McKeen, a former columnist and reporter for the Edmonton Journal. “And the amount of investment, largely in residential buildings, has been remarkable.“And it looks like it will continue.”Rogers Place was largely publicly funded, a point of contention for many councilors and taxpayers. Negotiations between Oilers owner Daryl Katz and the city were protracted, contentious and, at times, ugly - the nadir Katz’s 2012 visit to Seattle, which Edmontonians took as a thinly-veiled threat of relocation.Edmonton’s rivals in Calgary, the Flames, recently touched off a stadium-funding controversy of their own, announcing they were walking away from negotiations with the city following “spectacularly unproductive” meetings over a replacement for Scotiabank Saddledome.It’s a familiar refrain, sports owners demanding public financing for new stadiums, despite the glut of economic research indicating they don’t move the needle for a city’s economy.“Claims that it is a way of increasing the number of jobs or income of the city as a whole are just not the case,” said Trevor Tombe, associate professor of economics at the University of Calgary. “And that’s not just kind of like a gut feeling. There’s been study after study - that I’m aware of since the ‘80s - that repeatedly find no evidence to the effect of a sports arena, or having a professional sports franchise at all, have any effect, positive or negative, on employment or income.”Conspicuously absent from the early days of what could be a long haul in Calgary is much talk of how a new building would spark growth or generate new tax dollars, yet the city has already offered to pay for one-third of the $555-million arena, which Tombe described as “generous.”Pro stadiums built predominantly without public funds do exist, including AT&T Park in San Francisco and FedExField in Maryland. Also privately financed is Chase Center, the new home of the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors, set to open in San Fran’s Mission Bay neighborhood for the 2019-2020 season. But private financing is hardly the norm.Professional sports teams are, in many cases, woven into the fabric of cities to the extent they are considered vital organs, helping sustain a metropolis’ metaphorical heartbeat. They’re the consummate unifier; a wellspring of civic pride.A great many teams have relocated as a result of stadium-funding disputes. Within the last two seasons alone, Los Angeles gained two National Football League teams via San Diego and St. Louis, and the Raiders are scheduled to depart Oakland for Las Vegas by 2020 at the latest.With those cautionary tales in mind, and the Flames adamant they require a state-of-the-art facility to remain competitive, it’s no wonder the club is digging in its heels.But here’s the rub: Arenas are not a public good.“This is a facility that’s used by a business, a successful business, and that’s great,” Tombe said, “but public subsidies are typically only justified where there are market failures, like positive externalities for example. That’s why education typically gets subsidies from government. (An) arena is an entirely different beast - there are no obvious market failures to correct.”Still the debate rages on, to fund or not to fund. As to why, one can look to the scars left from arguably the most infamous sports relocation in history: the so-called Mayflower move of the Baltimore Colts.***Baltimore couldn’t stomach losing another professional sports team.The primary concern of the newly minted Maryland Stadium Authority in 1986, Herbert Belgrad said, was the return of the NFL following the Colts’ departure to Indianapolis two years prior, but preventing the flight of Major League Baseball’s Orioles was a close second.Admittedly not a sports fan, Belgrad was nevertheless approached by then-Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes to establish and spearhead the public entity which would ultimately secure state funding for the Camden Yards twin-stadium project.“It was not a slam dunk politically,” said Belgrad, a partner at the law firm Tydings & Rosenberg. “The legislatures were very suspect of the fact that we should fund - we meaning state funding - a ballpark where the ball team is owned by Edward Bennett Williams.”Williams was a prominent Washington, D.C., trial attorney who in 1967 founded Williams & Connolly, widely considered among the country’s top litigation firms. A part-owner and president of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, Williams bought the Orioles in 1979 for $12 million. Baltimoreans were concerned he intended to move the team to Washington, which had lost the Senators to Texas following the ‘71 season.“Williams had no geographic ties to the Baltimore area,” Belgrad said. “So just as the Colts had been stolen away, the concern was not only to replace our NFL franchise, but to retain the Orioles, because that was a real threat.”Buoyed by testimony from Williams, who assured lawmakers he had no intention of moving the club, Belgrad received the go-ahead in March of ‘87.At a cost of $225 million, including $100 million to acquire land, the stadium authority commissioned a red-brick, retro-style park which, upon opening in 1992, immediately became the architectural envy of baseball and the inspiration for numerous downtown ballfields to follow.The Orioles signed a 30-year lease, agreeing to share a percentage of money from various sources with the stadium authority, including ticket sales, concessions, and parking. Baltimore city, the primary economic beneficiary of Oriole Park, also contributes $1 million annually.Maryland Lottery proceeds pay the debt service (cash required to cover the repayment of interest and principal) on the 30-year bonds issued to fund the stadium. According to stadium authority figures obtained by the Baltimore Sun, the total cost of the bonds will reach $450 million when they’re fully paid off in 2019. The authority had received $255 million total from the Orioles as of June 30, 2016.Not unlike Edmonton, Camden Yards has been applauded for helping to revitalize Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area, which now boasts M&T Bank Stadium (home to the NFL’s Ravens), the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, and the reopened Hippodrome Theatre.“When this project started, nobody was looking for a pinnacle stadium,” Belgrad said. “And nobody imaged that it would have the impact that would bring the tourism that it has. We were building a ballpark.”Added Bill Cole, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, which serves as the economic development agency for the city: “It’s impossible for me to think of what that entire area would look like without that complex.”Economists, however, largely don’t buy into the theory that professional sports stadiums are uniquely capable of spawning the rejuvenation of downtrodden neighborhoods.“People might make that argument, but it’s not borne out by the evidence,” said West Virginia University economics professor Brad Humphreys, who’s done extensive research on the economics and financing of professional sports.As for the overall economic impact of a new arena, Humphreys cited Edmonton when discussing the economic principle of opportunity cost.“There’s a lot going on in the arena district - bars are full, restaurants are full,” he said. “Those people, if that arena wasn’t there, would have been spending money on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton. Instead they’re spending it down there.“It is pretty clear that an arena like that is going to move spending around. But all that spending that’s gone on down there is at the expense of somewhere - some bar, somewhere else in Edmonton, or St. Albert (Alberta), is suffering, because people are going to a bar somewhere else.”***The worst-case scenario, Humphreys said, is if taxpayers pay 100 percent of a new facility construction project from the general fund.In October, Nevada legislators approved $750 million in public financing toward a projected $1.9-billion domed stadium for the Raiders, the largest public contribution for a stadium in U.S. history, according to figures HuffPost obtained from the Taxpayers Protection Alliance.University of Georgia economics professor Jeffrey Dorfman views the Vegas project as an interesting test case for whether a new stadium and team are truly capable of increasing local tourism.“Basically the only way you do actually win from bringing a sports team in, is if those events attract tourists from out of town,” said Dorfman, a regular contributor to Forbes. “If the locals go, you just move their money from movies and dinner to the game - no real change in the local economy.“But if Vegas can get 40 or 50 or 60 thousand people flying into town for the Raiders game, and getting hotels and going out to restaurants and spending money that otherwise they would have spent somewhere in California, then Vegas could actually win. And could pay off their arena and come out ahead.”In July, the New York Times reported it will cost Miami and Miami-Dade County $2 billion over the life of the bonds issued to pay for Marlins Park. In 2009, the city and county agreed to cover three-quarters of the price tag on the retractable-roof stadium in Little Havana, using hotel-tax revenue to pay off the debt. The Marlins, however, have the lowest attendance in the National League and few new businesses have reportedly sprung up around the ballpark.It would be a fool’s errand to argue the Marlins are a magnet for tourists.Another cautionary tale is Coolray Field, home to the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett County, Ga. The $45-million project ballooned to $68 million, with the county financing $31 million in cash and the rest with debt. The Gwinnett Braves have suffered through lackluster attendance since 2009 and commercial development near the stadium never materialized.At least those facilities have anchor tenants.Quebec City has yet to lure an NHL team to the Videotron Centre to replace the Nordiques, who fled for Colorado in 1995. The city and province split the arena’s $370-million construction bill, despite receiving no promises from the league regarding expansion. In its first four months after opening in September 2015, the arena ran a $1.4-million operational deficit, according to a CBC report, half of which Quebec City is contractually obligated to cover.Markham, Ontario’s vision for an arena to house a second NHL team in the Greater Toronto Area was never realized, but local residents and politicians were likely breathing a sigh of relief when reports relating to the private-public project were ultimately released two years after the plan was nixed in 2013. The cost, it turned out, was $416 million, not $325 million.Humphreys was asked to provide a report on the economic impact of the Markham project and found the arena wouldn’t have brought any tangible economic benefits to the city. Although, he did forecast between $28 million and $56 million in intangible benefits.“The intangible benefits are world class-city status - if you’ve got an NHL team, it puts you on the map,” Humphreys said. “Or having an NHL team provides a sense of community and belonging to people who live in the area because they’ve all got something to talk about, and something to root for.“And that is value.”The problem, Humphreys warns, is that the intangible dollar value is never big enough to justify the subsidies teams get.In 2008, Humphreys testified on behalf of the NBA’s SuperSonics in a federal trial over whether the team could break its lease at Seattle’s KeyArena.“It was the easiest testimony I’ve ever done in my life because I’ve got 15 years worth of research that suggested Seattle would not be harmed if the Sonics left,” he said. “No other city has ever experienced any economic consequences of a team leaving.”The city and team ultimately reached a settlement, paving the way for the Sonics’ move to Oklahoma City. Seattle has been without NBA basketball since, but the L.A.-based Oak View Group recently announced its intentions to spend $600 million on renovations to KeyArena for NHL and NBA use.***Politics play a crucial, if not overriding, role in stadium-funding disputes. In Calgary, the arena saga is expected to influence Mayor Naheed Nenshi’s bid for re-election on Oct. 16.“These decisions give a community multiple personality disorder,” said McKeen, the Edmonton councilor, “because the same people who will say it’s unjust to do that would want to lynch city council if the team left town.”For his part, Flames president and CEO Ken King has refuted suggestions his Sept. 13 announcement regarding an impasse with city hall was politically motivated, while Nenshi was forced to defend the city’s stance."The narrative that me or that council doesn't want a new arena - it just ain't true," Nenshi told reporters. "Calgarians have told us, you know what, we're willing to make an investment. We're not willing to give away the farm."Earning public support for funding comes down to how you paint the taxpayer contribution. As Georgia’s Dorfman points out, taxpayers often believe they won’t be the ones left holding the bag.“They think it’s not going to be them,” he said. “The politicians are telling you, ‘We’re going to pay for it with a hotel tax. We’re going to pay for it with a rental car tax. We’re going to pay for it with an airport tax.’“They may hear a ticket tax and think, ‘OK I’ll pay a little on this, but that’ll be alright.’ So they think they’re getting something they want for pretty close to free.”In Edmonton, $313 million of the $614-million tab - which includes the rink, land, and the Winter Garden programmable space - comes from a community revitalization levy (CRL).Based on the premise revitalization projects increase local activity, investment and development, a city will repay the money it borrowed to fund the arena with taxes from new construction and rising property values within a certain boundary. The tax base within that boundary is fixed - or frozen - before the new facility is constructed. Only tax dollars earned above and beyond that fixed amount go toward paying for the catalyst project.But the argument CRLs don’t affect taxpayers, Humphreys said, is simply “spin.”“Government tax dollars have opportunity cost,” Humphreys said. “They could have used those dollars for something else other than paying off the bonds for the arena. Property values could have gone up just because of private development in that part of Edmonton, and had that happened, then those tax dollars could have been put to some other use.”Humphreys cautions that the CRL model is dependent on property values going up and staying up. The risk for taxpayers is future real estate decline - if property values and tax revenue decline, other tax revenue will be needed to pay off the principal and interest on the bonds.However, the economist does admit CRLs are more desirable than funding arenas with government general fund revenues.The Oilers are also repaying the city the principal and interest on a $125-million loan over a 35-year period using a ticket surcharge from attendees at Rogers Place events.A ticket surcharge is among the sticking points in Calgary, as the Flames would view that revenue as part of their contribution. U of Calgary’s Tombe doesn’t see it that way.“That’s just silly,” he said. “If they thought it was the same, then why wouldn’t they just be willing to have a higher ticket price. The fact that they wanted it structured as a surcharge is meaningfully different than charging a higher price on a ticket, because the surcharge transfers risk from the private company to the city.”McKeen considers himself a Rogers Place convert, initially skeptical of the proposal but now of the belief the catalyst effect of the arena is paying off. He advises assessing such development projects like player trades - not in the first year or two, but 10 years down the road. At that point, he predicts, Edmonton will receive high grades on its investment.Furthermore, he stresses the unquantifiable value a team like the Oilers provides to the local community. And the mere thought of losing that cherished asset is what gives teams and leagues all the leverage they need.“You either play ball, or possibly waive goodbye to your professional sports franchise,” he said. “That’s the ugly reality.”(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have taken outreach efforts to the next level.On Monday, the club signed Chinese goaltender Zehao Sun to an amateur tryout contract. The 21-year-old will join the team's training camp as it prepares for the NHL China Games, with a pair of preseason games to be held this week in Shanghai and Beijing.While Canucks coach Travis Green does not envision Sun seeing exhibition action, he will have the opportunity to take part in the team's camp and work alongside Canucks goalie coach Dan Cloutier."The good news is that NHL is coming to China already and bringing a very brilliant game to China, for the Chinese people to know the top players in the world," Sun told Lisa Dillman of NHL.com through an interpreter. "Also, it can help to increase the atmosphere in China, to help people know more about ice hockey."Sun has previously represented China internationally, most recently as part of the World Championships Division II Group B tournament, in which he posted a 2.40 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in five games to lead China to a division win.The tournament victory pushed China to Division II Group A, where it will now compete alongside Australia, Serbia, Belgium, Iceland, and the Netherlands.The NHL China Games are a league initiative to promote the game in the Asian market. The first game of the series comes Thursday in Shanghai before shifting to Beijing on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames' new netminder is still working out a few kinks.Acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in an offseason trade, Mike Smith made his preseason debut with the Flames on Monday, but came up short as he allowed four goals on just 13 shots. He finished the night with just under 29 minutes of ice time."If I had a perfect game, I wouldn't have anything to work on for the next couple of weeks," Smith told reporters following the 5-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. "It wasn't great, but it was nice to get in a game at least. I kind of have some stuff to work on, but like I said, get the jitters out, get used to a new team. I won't lose any sleep over it. I'll get back to work."Smith, 35, is the latest goaltender to take over the Calgary crease after the recent failed experiments of Brian Elliott and Jonas Hiller, among others."The preseason, you can't look too deeply into it," Smith added. "You just want to get feeling good going into the first game, the ones that matter."The Flames hope Smith can find his game in short order, with the club set to open the regular season Oct. 4 against the Oilers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle announced he's been diagnosed with chronic myleoid leukemia on Tuesday, a form of bone marrow cancer that is treatable with medication.Boyle assured he plans on returning to the ice soon as possible, and the hockey community subsequently made it known their peer will be heavily supported through it all.

New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle has been diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, the team announced Tuesday.The condition is a form of bone marrow cancer that is treatable with medication.Boyle has been away from the team's training camp but was made available for Tuesday's announcement."We are in a good place right now," Boyle said in a conference call, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.He added: "(I'm) looking forward to getting back on the ice."The 32-year-old joined the Devils this summer after splitting last season between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion has been aggressively trying to acquire Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene, sources told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.While Ottawa's apparently one of the most interested teams in the league, the two sides aren't believed to be close to a deal, Garrioch reports.Duchene has been on the trading block for well over a year, and showed up to Avalanche training camp last week despite reports indicating both he and GM Joe Sakic are committed to working out a deal.The 26-year-old is coming off a down year in which he only recorded 41 points in 77 contests, but through eight seasons in Denver, he's averaged a respectable 0.73 points per game.If the Senators and Avalanche did manage to orchestrate a trade, it would be a huge boost to Ottawa's offensive depth, especially considering lingering injuries to key contributors Erik Karlsson, Derick Brassard, Clarke MacArthur, and, most recently, Colin White.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's attempt to clean up the faceoff circle is pushing some buttons.Early in the preseason, referees have been liberal with minor penalty calls for faceoff violations, ranging from failing to line up properly to playing the puck with a glove to slashing hands and sticks.Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand hasn't played in a preseason game yet, but he's already sure he isn't a fan."This faceoff rule is an absolute joke," Marchand said Tuesday, according to Ty Anderson of WEEI. "That’s how you ruin the game of hockey, by putting that in there. They’re gonna have to do something about that because we can’t play this year like that."Four minor penalties were called in the opening half of a game between the Senators and Maple Leafs on Monday, causing quite a stir on social media.Marchand believes the crackdown renders many of the skills and responsibilities associated with the center position rather moot."You’re also taking a lot of skill away from the centerman by limiting what they’re able to do," said Marchand, who plays alongside one of the best in Patrice Bergeron. "Being a centerman is a skill and guys make a really good living at it. You’re completely taking away the skill of that."We might as well start throwing D in there to take draws if this keeps up."Zdeno Chara lining up for a draw would be quite a sight to behold.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With NHL training camps well underway, the league's second-leading all-time point-scorer remains without a contract for 2017-18.That would be Jaromir Jagr, who recorded 16 goals and 30 assists in 82 games for the Florida Panthers last season while playing on a one-year deal that amounted to $5.515 million. That followed a 2015-16 campaign in which he led the team in points.Jagr turned 45 in February, two months after he surpassed Mark Messier with his 1,888th career point, and now sits behind only Wayne Gretzky in the ranks of the game's scoring legends.The man can still clearly play at a high level, so unemployed and seemingly unwanted is not how Jagr should go out.Here's a look at how he can perfectly flip the script.Start in EuropeEarlier this month, Jagr admitted the possibility of staying in his hometown of Kladno and beginning the season with the local Czech club, for which he's played in the past.It's a perfect landing spot, seeing as he's a part owner and his father serves as club president. This would allow Jagr to remain in game shape on a lighter schedule, and be able to dictate the terms of his release.And the team already has his jersey ready to boot.

The Nashville Predators named defenseman Roman Josi the eighth captain in team history on Tuesday.In addition, defensemen Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm and forwards Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg have been named alternate captains. Meanwhile, P.K. Subban, Nick Bonino, and Pekka Rinne will all take positions among the team's leadership group.Josi steps into the role after the club's previous captain, Mike Fisher, announced his retirement this offseason. With the designation, Josi also becomes the second Swiss captain in NHL history and the second player drafted by the club to be named captain, joining Shea Weber."I'm really excited," Josi said in a release. "It's obviously a huge honor, and I've had some really good guys to learn from with former captains Shea Weber and Mike Fisher in the time I've been here. It's definitely a huge honor, and I know we have a great leadership group, a great group of guys, so I'm really excited.""This is the right time to name Roman the captain of our franchise," general manager David Poile added. "Not only is he one of our best players, but he's also one of the top defensemen in the entire league. He's respected by his teammates, coaches and opponents and he represents our organization and logo with the utmost class and integrity on and off the ice. I know Roman is ready to become captain and I have no doubt he will fulfill these duties with the same passion we've become accustomed to seeing from him day after day."Josi is coming off his sixth season with the Predators, in which he finished fourth in team scoring during the regular season and second during the playoffs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will likely be without workhorse defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to start the season. The veteran blue-liner suffered a left ankle fracture during a team scrimmage and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced Tuesday.Bouwmeester's offensive ability has diminished in recent years, as he's failed to crack the 20-point mark in three consecutive seasons. The former third overall pick by the Florida Panthers is 33 years old, but remains an exceptionally smooth skater for someone who stands 6-foot-4.His skating ability is what's allowed him to average 22:43 minutes per night during the past three seasons. He and captain Alex Pietrangelo form the Blues' shutdown defense pairing.In Bouwmeester's absence, fellow left-handed shooting defensemen Joel Edmundson and Carl Gunnarsson will likely be asked to pick up the slack.The Blues also announced that Zach Sanford, who was vying for a spot as a bottom-six winger, will miss five-to-six months with a dislocated left shoulder.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators forward prospect Colin White will be out for six-to-eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left wrist, the team announced Tuesday.White, 20, suffered the injury in Ottawa's preseason game Monday night. He was on the fast track to make the Senators out of training camp this year with second-line center Derick Brassard injured and unlikely to start the year with the club.White tallied 33 points in 35 games at Boston College a year ago. He then played three games with Ottawa's AHL affiliate, picking up three points. He suited up in two regular-season games with Ottawa and one playoff game.For hockey fans outside of Canada's capital, White is best known for his fantastic performance during the 2017 world juniors. He scored seven goals in as many games, helping the United States capture the gold medal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks were in a fog.No, this isn't a commentary on the team's rebuilding process, but rather the literal state of affairs as the team practiced at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, in advance of an upcoming preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings.Here's a look at the conditions:

Throughout the month of September, James Bisson and a cast of editors from theScore will share their rankings of the greatest players, teams, and moments in the 100-year history of the National Hockey League. This week's list focuses on the greatest team logos (active team logos courtesy NHL; defunct team logos courtesy SportsLogos.net):100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1Voter List

Mike Hoffman's first goal of the preseason Monday night needs a third assist, according to the Ottawa Senators.Hoffman buried a one-time pass from Alex Burrows against the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing a wide-open net, but, as the Senators' social media team revealed, the rest of the play was more intricate than it appeared.

Keeper league fantasy managers have to keep the big picture in mind, assessing not only which players can help their teams in the present, but also which players project to be high-end options down the road.Here, then, are five players you should target in those keeper fantasy leagues.Oliver BjorkstrandA third-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2013, Oliver Bjorkstrand has impressed in limited NHL time. Through 38 appearances, he's recorded 10 goals and 11 assists, all at even strength.Last season's sample size dipped to 26 games, but Bjorkstrand ranked ninth in points per 60 in five-on-five play among players with at least 200 minutes of total ice time, according to Nat Stat TrickIf he gets regular playing time and power-play opportunities, as is projected for this coming season, he'll certainly be a player worth owning in all fantasy leagues, and a potential building block on keeper rosters.Clayton KellerDrafted seventh overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, Clayton Keller is set to have an immediate impact after making the jump from a successful freshman year at Boston University, where he registered 21 goals and 24 assists in 31 games."He's consistently drawn comparisons to Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane," wrote Keith Duggan of Dobber Prospects, "and while that's a high bar to set, Keller has the skill, vision and creativity to live up to those expectations. He should be a top pick in keeper leagues but also a mid- to late-round pick in redraft leagues, Keller's that good."Sold.Thomas ChabotThe Ottawa Senators appear to have another top-flight defenseman on their hands, as Thomas Chabot certainly seems ready to take the next step.

Like all hockey players, Andrew Shaw tried to fight through the pain.And like many, the Montreal Canadiens winger kept his struggle under wraps. After all, hockey is a team sport, and Shaw didn't want to be away from the game, especially after already missing 14 games with a concussion.But the reality that followed was a worthwhile lesson."I remember waking up in the middle of the night, puking, not sleeping, and I wasn't getting more than two or three hours of sleep during that night," Shaw told Sportsnet's Eric Engels, describing his experience after suffering another concussion in last year's playoffs."I was worried. If I'm worried, there's really something wrong. The wife knew there was something wrong with me and she was angry with me for not doing anything about it earlier."A teammate came up to me and asked me if I was all right because he could see it in my eyes that I didn't look right. He said it looked like I was looking right through him, and I was thinking there must be something wrong with me then."Hits to the head, a cross-check to the face, and bumps into the boards, yet Shaw powered through. It wasn't until a fight with New York Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith drew the last straw.Shaw sat out the series-deciding Game 6 against the Rangers, sidelined with a concussion. It was his second of the year, after a January collision with Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug left Shaw concussed."I was in my room in my house for a month in the dark with depression issues, being sad and miserable," Shaw added. "My anxiety was through the roof."It was a tough road, but Shaw has come out better for it."If there's something wrong, right away you have to speak up and say something," Shaw told Engels. "Yes it's hockey, but you have a life outside of hockey. You've got family and friends. I plan on having kids and I want to be able to spend time with my kids and enjoy their life and have them enjoy mine."If you push yourself through it over and over again, you're going to have difficulties later in life."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Over the course of the offseason, the NHL, somewhat quietly, introduced a new rule to crackdown on faceoff violations. Now that the preseason is here, it's become glaringly evident that essentially no one knows how it works.In games between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators, as well as the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils on Monday night, viewers witnessed a remarkable amount of penalties they'd never seen before, and took to Twitter to voice their grievances.