With the GM meetings having wrapped up, this week's NHL roundtable focuses on four changes we'd make to improve the NHL's on-ice product. Check 'em out below and vote in the poll at the bottom of the post.Clean hits are allowed, you knowJustin Cuthbert: If I could tinker with the nervous systems of the several hundred players signed to NHL contracts right now, I'd cut the internal circuit that causes gloves to be flung off immediately in response to bone-rattling - but clean - hits.Nothing raises the temperature between two opponents like whopping body-on-body contact, much in the same way nothing sucks the life out of a game like a sloppy, short-lived wrestling match between two, or often a group of skaters, who belong to different weight classes.Hits lead to emotion. Emotion leads to mistakes. Mistakes lead to goals. Goals allow for exciting games.Let's allow the momentum to build, not shut off the valve.Speed up the challenge process, alreadyCraig Hagerman: Enough stalling.This week, 31 NHL general managers failed to make any changes to the current review and challenge processes.Offside reviews are excruciating to watch, with calls coming down to the slimmest of margins in a game played at incredibly high speeds. What makes these so painful is the fact coaches have found ways to stall the game between whistles, taking time to review plays on tablets behind the bench to determine whether a challenge is in order - for offside and goalie interference decisions.The point of the review process was to crack down on the few instances in which it was clear that officials missed something. Now it's become little more than a nuisance to a league already starved for offense.One solution to limit the amount of stoppages, especially those that appear too close to call, is to give coaches a strict window - let's say five seconds - to issue a challenge after play is blown dead. (Think of it similarly to a line change after a whistle when the home coach has a few seconds to decide what line he wants to send onto the ice after he sees who's out there for the opposition.)A five-second window would hopefully force coaches to only challenge plays they are certain were missed, and cut down on the time spent reviewing calls frame by frame.Ban goalies from playing puck behind goal lineNavin Vaswani: More pain for goaltenders, who have taken most of the blame for the drop in scoring over the years. But, really, goalies have only themselves to blame. They're too damn good.While the trapezoid behind the net currently keeps goalies from playing the puck in the corners, it's time to take it a step further and outlaw puck-stoppers from playing the puck anywhere behind the goal line - period. Sorry, 'tenders, but this must be done.As players only get bigger and faster, and NHL ice as a result only smaller, it's time to stop goalies from becoming a third defenseman on the ice. Right now, they're stopping dump-ins, serving as puck-movers, and starting breakouts.I mean, have you seen Carey Price play the puck? He can make better breakout passes than most bottom-pairing defensemen.While it's certainly unfair to penalize those goalies who are adept at playing the puck, dump-ins aren't going anywhere, obviously, so let's keep the players in charge of retrieving the puck and clearing the zone.And, yes, I've thought of everything: Goalies would be allowed to cover a loose puck at the side of the net that happens to be behind the goal line, in order to stop play. They simply wouldn't be allowed to use their goal sticks to play the puck behind the line.Fix the bloody standingsSean O'Leary: Each and every season, the race to the Stanley Cup Playoffs turns innocent hockey fans into hardcore schedule-lurkers and incessant standings page-refreshers. It's an exhilarating time of year, watching postseason hopefuls jockey for position all the way down to the wire, but in the end, it's a heavily flawed system.The NHL needs to scrap its current playoff format and revert back to having the top eight seeds in each conference qualify for the postseason. Keep divisions for scheduling purposes, but let the best teams get in - simple as that.Look no further than the current Eastern Conference standings to pinpoint the problem. The Rangers have the fourth-highest point total, yet technically are the seventh seed, due for a first-round series on the road if the playoffs started tomorrow.This isn't new, either. Last season, Philadelphia had 96 points, Detroit had 93, yet the Flyers were the wild-card team. That qualifies as backwards, right?Since the NHL re-aligned after the 2013 season, the same problem has resurfaced every year, and will continue to until the NHL finally gets it right.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Pittsburgh Penguins fan gave a homeless man an experience he won't soon forget last week.Jimmy Mains was prepared to watch Friday's game between the Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning alone after being left with an extra ticket, but that changed after he encountered a homeless man asking for money.As Mains explained in a Facebook post, he told the man - named Rob - he didn't have any money and asked if he'd like to come to the game with him."Rob was ecstatic and thought I was kidding," Mains wrote. "We went in and the whole time he couldn't stop smiling. Once we got to our seats it was time for the National Anthem. Rob took off his hat and sang the whole time."Once the puck dropped he cheered the whole game. During intermission we got chicken tenders. At the end of the game he told me that I made his life. He asked me how he could repay me and I told him just to pay it forward."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how each night's action impacts the playoff race, identifying which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Thursday night was more about keeping pace than cementing playoff berths.Wins by the New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning did very little to decongest the race for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.Meanwhile, in the West, the Los Angeles Kings kept themselves in the hunt with a win over the Nashville Predators, and the Calgary Flames' eighth straight win gave them a nice cushion in the first wild-card spot.Idle clubs like the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues were certainly not pleased with Thursday's outcomes.Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeIslandersW/OT 4-3 vs Canucks61.4%+4.4%LightningW 4-1 vs Wild16.7%+3.6%BruinsOff71%-5.8%FlyersL 4-2 vs Maple Leafs1.8%-3.2%Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeKingsW/OT 4-3 vs Predators42.4%+4.4%FlamesW 5-0 vs Canadiens94.4%+2.4%BluesOff82.8%-3.5%PredatorsL/OT 4-3 vs Kings81.1%-3.5%To see percentages for each team in the league, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a night for Jarome Iginla.The veteran forward almost single-handedly willed the Los Angeles Kings to a crucial victory Thursday over the Nashville Predators, burying the overtime winner on the power play for his second goal of the game.Iginla tied the game early in the second period with his first goal as a member of the Kings.The two-goal performance came in his third contest with the team after being acquired by the Kings on trade deadline day.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CALGARY, Alberta - Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and three assists, and the Calgary Flames beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win.Brian Elliott had 24 saves for his first shutout of the season. After assisting on all three second-period goals as the Flames blew open a 1-0 game, Gaudreau added his 14th goal at 16:12 of the third period.Gaudreau has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) during the Flames' win streak. It's the longest streak for Calgary since it also won eight in a row in November 2005.Mark Giordano, Sean Monahan, Michael Stone and Micheal Ferland also scored for Calgary (37-26-4), which visits Winnipeg on Saturday.Montreal (38-22-8) had won six in a row. The Canadiens were without goaltender Carey Price (flu), who was supposed to start for the 10th time in the last 11 games but instead served as the backup to Al Montoya - although he didn't appear on the bench.Montoya had 33 stops.Elliott, playing his finest hockey of the season, improved to 11-1-1 in his last 13 starts. He has a .931 save percentage over that span. He is 19-13-3 on the season.Stone made it 2-0 in the second when he scored through a crowd from the blue line. It was his first goal since joining Calgary in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 20.Stone left early in the third. He appeared to be favoring his shoulder. The Flames also lost defenseman Dougie Hamilton to an undisclosed injury late in the second period.There were no updates available.Calgary made it 4-0 on goals 26 seconds apart late in the second. Monahan fired in his team-leading 22nd goal after Stone's shot didn't get through. Then Ferland got his 14th goal, whipping a shot into the top corner.NOTES: Calgary's franchise record win streak is 10 in a row from Oct. 14 to Nov. 3, 1978, while the team was in Atlanta. ... Montreal's Claude Julien coached his 1,007th game, tying him with Jacques Demers for 25th on the NHL's career list.UP NEXT:Canadiens: Visit Edmonton on Sunday night.Flames: Visit Winnipeg on Saturday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson, showstopper.The Ottawa Senators defenseman ended Thursday's game in Arizona by going top shelf on the Coyotes on a breakaway opportunity.The goal was his second of the game after he tied it in the third period, and his 13th of the season.Karlsson added an assist to boost his season point total to 61 through 66 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Three games into his Los Angeles tenure, Jarome Iginla is on the board.The Kings' deadline acquisition picked up a loose puck Thursday versus Nashville, and neatly deposited his ninth goal of the season, and first with his new club.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CHICAGO - Jonathan Bernier made 43 saves for his 100th NHL win, and Anaheim Ducks cooled off the Chicago Blackhawks with a 1-0 victory on Thursday.Corey Perry scored in the second as Anaheim ended Chicago's seven-game winning streak despite being outshot 43-26 on the night. Corey Crawford blocked 25 shots as the Blackhawks lost for only the second time in their last 14.Bernier's second shutout this season and 14th of his career helped the Ducks pull ahead of idle Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division. Bernier made his sixth straight start with John Gibson sidelined a lower-body injury.Perry stopped a 10-game scoring drought with his 12th goal at 17:44. He hadn't connected since scoring twice on Feb. 9 at Buffalo.The Blackhawks outscored their opponents 53-29 in their previous 13 games, and they held the Ducks without a shot for more than 18 minutes stretching from the first period until early in the second.But Chicago wasted a chance to overtake Minnesota for the top spot in the Central Division and Western Conference. The Wild lost 4-1 at Tampa Bay.Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. He was paired with Swedish countryman Johnny Oduya, who played in his first game since being reacquired on Feb. 28 from Dallas. He had been resting an ankle injury.Hjalmarsson and Oduya often played together on Chicago's 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup teams.The Blackhawks outshot the Ducks 19-2 in a chippy first. Anaheim forward Ryan Getzlaf fought Chicago's Richard Panik late in the first, and the Ducks captain drew an extra minor for instigating and a misconduct on the altercation. Getzlaf entered with just 26 penalty minutes.The Blackhawks kept dominating into the second, but Bernier stepped up every time he was challenged. His best stops included a point-blank right pad save on Jordin Tootoo in the opening minute, a glove save on Patrick Kane's backhander with 5:05 left in the period and a block of Artem Anisimov's quick shot from the side of the net about a minute later.Perry scored on the Ducks' 14th shot, just moments after Marian Hossa's drive dribbled off the post to Bernier's left. He beat Crawford on the stick side as he cut across the slot.Aided by solid defensive support, Bernier preserved the lead in the third.Bernier had to come up with a sprawling pad save in Artemi Panarin and close-in stop on Jonathan Toews with Crawford on the bench for an extra attacker in the final 1:40.NOTES: With Gibson out, Bernier was backed up by Jhonas Enroth. Jeff Glass backed up Crawford for a third game. Scott Darling is recovering from an upper-body injury. ... Anaheim's Logan Shaw played in his 100th NHL game. ... With Hjalmarsson and Oduya in the lineup, Ds Michal Kempny and Michal Rozsival were scratched. ... Ducks F Antoine Vermette served the ninth game of a 10-game suspension for slashing linesman Shandor Alphonso. He's eligible to return when Anaheim hosts Washington on Sunday.UP NEXT:Ducks: At St. Louis on Friday in second of a two-game Midwest swing.Blackhawks: At Detroit on Friday in their final visit to the Joe Louis Arena.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A look at Thursday night's result for the Tampa Bay Lightning seems encouraging - a convincing 4-1 win over the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Wild.The two points - although crucial in Tampa's push toward the postseason - don't nearly tell the whole story, though, as centers Vladislav Namestnikov, Tyler Johnson, and Cedric Paquette all left the game with injuries.Related - Watch: Lightning's Johnson injured on knee-on-knee hit from NiederreiterHead coach Jon Cooper said there's no update on any player, and indicated he'll wait for Friday's medical reports before hitting the panic button, but did offer a rather ominous prediction."It doesn't sound encouraging for any of them," he said, according to Bryan Burns of the club's official website.Tampa Bay's season likely hangs in the balance, as their depth down the middle may take a major hit. The Lightning sent out pivots Brian Boyle and Valtteri Filppula at the trade deadline, and have been without captain Steven Stamkos since mid-November.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When he came out of the University of Wisconsin ahead of the 2012-13 season, the Edmonton Oilers thought Justin Schultz was the mobile offensive defenseman they so desperately coveted.But Schultz never really panned out in Edmonton, and the Oilers shipped him to the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of last season's trade deadline for a third-round pick. Then Oilers fans watched the reinvigorated blue-liner play a key role for Pittsburgh en route to winning the Stanley Cup.His former bench boss, at least, is happy to watch the 26-year-old succeed in a new environment."He needed an opportunity to go somewhere else and start over and start fresh," Oilers coach Todd McLellan told reporters Thursday. "There was a lot of stress and tension put on him here with the Oilers, whether it's fans, teammates or coaches."I'm proud of him," McLellan said. "I'm glad he's that he's having that year."Schultz makes his return to Edmonton on Friday night. He's crafted a career season with 45 points so far, ranking fourth among all NHL defensemen.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alain Vigneault is not seeing eye to eye with NHL officials.The New York Rangers head coach was not happy about an upheld call in Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The moment in question was this game-tying power-play goal off the stick of Sebastian Aho wherein Vigneault believed goalie Antti Raanta was clearly interfered with.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Here's what Vigneault had to say after the eventual 4-3 loss, per Steve Zipay of Newsday.

It was a difficult night for the Tampa Bay Lightning, but the ever-consistent Nikita Kucherov just kept scoring.The Lightning lost three forwards - Tyler Johnson, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Cedric Paquette - to injuries Thursday, but Kucherov scored twice to help Tampa Bay dismantle the Minnesota Wild 4-1.Kucherov buried a wrister on the power play to open the scoring in the first period, then added an empty-netter late in the third to seal the victory.The latter tally was his 30th, tying a career high that he set last season. He now has as many goals and assists as he had in all of 2015-16, accomplishing it in 18 fewer games this time around.The 23-year-old has scored at least 28 goals in each of his last three seasons, and he's only in his fourth full campaign with the Lightning, who signed him to a three-year contract extension last October.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews, and Sebastian Aho.That's the complete list of rookies who've hit the 20-goal mark so far this season.Aho reached the milestone Thursday by scoring a pair of third-period power-play markers that propelled his Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers, with the 20th coming off a nice tic-tac-toe passing play.Aho added an assist in the contest, and has now recorded 38 points through his first 64 NHL games.What's even more impressive is that Aho had not played hockey in North America prior to 2016-17, developing his game exclusively in Finland. And what he learned over there is certainly paying off.Of all the players selected over the past two years, only Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid, Laine and Matthews have scored more goals than Aho, who was the 35th pick in 2015.Aho likely won't garner much in the way of Calder Trophy support, seeing as the NHL is loaded with rookie talent. Still, what's he's accomplished for the Hurricanes to date should not be overlooked.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's game against Minnesota after receiving a knee-on-knee hit from Wild forward Nino Niederreiter.Johnson was helped off the ice, and it was later announced that both he and Vladislav Namestnikov - who also left the game with a lower-body injury - would not return.Tmpa Bay entered the contest with a slim shot at making the playoffs, and it could be even more of an uphill battle if Johnson's injury is ruled serious.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito has been suspended four games for boarding Winnipeg Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced.The incident occurred at 13:10 of the first period during Wednesday's game in Winnipeg. Sestito was assessed a major for checking from behind, along with a game misconduct.As the video shows, Sestito hit Enstrom forcefully in the back, driving him dangerously into the boards and causing injury. While Enstrom did turn his back to Sestito, the latter still had a responsibility to ease up.Enstrom was taken to hospital and examined for facial fractures, and is expected to miss time, while Sestito was previuosly suspended back in 2011 for another hit from behind.Based on his average annual salary, Sestito will forfeit $12,777.76.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's general managers are taking heat for their apparent reluctance to release protected and unprotected lists ahead of the upcoming expansion draft, but one of the league's top decision-makers says there's a chance they'll go public."The official answer was it looks like we're going to keep them private, (but) the unofficial answer was nothing's private and it's going to get out," Colin Campbell told Sportsnet 590 The FAN on Thursday.The NHL's executive vice-president and director of hockey operations reiterated his acknowledgement that any information the GMs attempt to keep from fans and the media will be reported anyway, citing that as a reason they're now considering sharing the lists."They may (ultimately) be (public), they may be because of that, it's going to get out there, you know it'll get out there," Campbell said.Another consideration was whether or not to televise the expansion draft itself, which will take place from June 18-20, with the selections scheduled to be revealed June 21.It isn't yet being billed as a made-for-TV event, but Campbell told "Prime Time Sports" co-host John Shannon that's also on the table."They talked about that a lot too, John," he said. "It's possible, yes."The GMs initially decided they did not want to share the lists, as ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reported Wednesday, and the executives' sentiment was criticized by multiple media outlets.Considering the flack some NHL teams take for not disclosing contract details, providing vague injury updates, and now hoping to keep these expansion-draft lists secret, it's refreshing to hear a top league official admit he's aware that there's little point to hiding the info if it's just going to emerge regardless.Campbell's comments might be seen as reactionary due to the backlash, but they should still be viewed as progress.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When Ken Hitchcock was let go as head coach of the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 1, much of the team's failures to that point in the season were pinned on poor goaltending, and for good reason.Both starter Jake Allen and backup Carter Hutton struggled mightily to start the season, and goalie coach Jim Corsi was fired along with Hitchcock.It's been a different story in St. Louis since Mike Yeo stepped in as bench boss, and assistant general manager Martin Brodeur took over as goalie coach.In fact, it's been a complete 180.

In addition to being one of the hottest teams in the NHL at the moment, the Chicago Blackhawks also boast the most loyal fan base.Fanatics analyzed arena occupancy, social media following, and jersey sales, and discovered that Blackhawks fans have the rest of the league beat when it comes to loyalty. Rounding out the top five are the Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings.The study also looked at the correlation between a winning record and sold-out arenas:Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last weekend, Olivia Lettich, an 11-year-old cancer survivor, was given the amazing opportunity to watch her beloved Calgary Flames for the first time.Olivia was left with only peripheral vision due to the treatment she received following her diagnosis of a rare form of eye cancer. But thanks to an incredible new technology developed by eSight, and the Flames' generosity, she was able to watch the team she loves like few have before.Olivia sat on the bench during warmups, stood with the anthem singer, caught the 5-2 win over the New York Islanders from the seats, and then met with Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and the rest of her favorite players in the dressing room afterward.(Video courtesy: Flames TV)Here's what she told the Calgary Herald's Eric Francis about walking into her backyard after putting the eSight glasses on for the first time:"I could see every little detail in the leaves, and I could read signs - it was so cool."I cried in my bed I was so happy. I was just so happy. It changed my life."Outstanding.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Valtteri Filppula confirmed Thursday in Toronto that he snuffed out a potential trade to the Maple Leafs by exercising the no-trade clause included in his contract signed with his former club, the Tampa Bay Lightning."Nothing against Toronto," he said, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic. "Obviously they have a great team and coach."Filppula was later dealt to the Flyers, a team included on his list of acceptable destinations, for defenseman Mark Streit. Streit was immediately flipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick.There was talk Filppula was uninterested in a reunion with Mike Babcock, who instructed him while he was a member of the Detroit Red Wings.Filppula dismissed that theory Thursday."I heard the stories, but that's not the case," he told Sami Hoffren. "I don't have anything against Toronto"Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Murray unexpectedly backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to their fourth Stanley Cup last season - the team's first championship since 2008-09.The rookie took over between the pipes for Marc-Andre Fleury, and went 15-6-2 with a 2.08 GAA and a .923 save percentage in his first real taste of consistent starts in the league.Still considered a rookie, Murray has gotten his first real opportunity to prove himself as a starter in the league this season and the results have been nothing short of fantastic.In 39 games, Murray continues to roll with a 2.39 GAA and a .923 save percentage. However, his biggest accomplishment this season has been his 25 wins.The 22-year-old hit the quarter-century mark on Wednesday night in a wild 7-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets, setting a new best for Penguins rookie netminders.While the milestone isn't something to marvel at from an all-time stand point, but with some continued success he could join some elite company.Murray's 25 wins currently puts him in a tie for the 32nd most wins by a rookie netminder in NHL history. With 17 games remaining on the Penguins schedule and just three sets of games on back-to-back nights, one can expect Murray to earn the majority of the starts down the stretch.If he were to start 12 of the remaining 17 games, at his current winning percent, Murray would pick up seven more wins. Those wins would give him a share of the 12th-most wins by a rookie goalie.Murray is quickly proving himself to be the goalie of the Penguins' present and future. He proved he can tangle with the best in the postseason last year, and with a full season now under his belt, there is no reason why he couldn't replicate his stellar play once again in just over a month's time.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Thursday, Mar. 9 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Tom Sestito will have a hearing Thursday for boarding Winnipeg Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.The incident in question occurred late in the first period Wednesday, and saw Sestito catch Enstrom with an apparent hit from behind.Following the game, Jets head coach Paul Maurice said Enstrom was in hospital to be checked for facial fractures.Related: Enstrom in hospital being examined for facial fractures after Sestito hitSestito was assessed a five-minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Simon Bourque to a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced Thursday.Bourque - who was plucked in the sixth round in 2015 - has split this season between the Rimouski Oceanic and Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL. He's posted a combined 15 goals and 51 points - second and fifth, respectively, among defensemen in those categories.In 245 career games, he has 40 goals and 144 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mobile app users - expand the banner below to view more on the race to the playoffs.Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back.▲ Brad MarchandThe most hated Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner in NHL history?Just maybe.With seven goals in his last seven games Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand has thrust himself into "Rocket" Richard territory, now boasting 32 goals through 67 games.The 28-year-old's most recent stretch has propelled him into a tie for second in goals alongside Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine and just two back of league-leader Sidney Crosby.Marchand has been by far the most lethal member of the Bruins with a 13-point cushion on the team scoring lead. He has already eclipsed his previous high of 61 points - set last year - by nine in 10 fewer games.The chippy forward is also set to post nearly 20 fewer penalty minutes than last season, which has given Marchand more time to spend on the ice scoring goals.A continued scoring streak by Marchand could make him the first Bruins player to pace the league in goals since Phil Esposito did so during the 1974-75 season.▼ General managersHeading into this week's general managers meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., many speculated that the league's 31 GMs would finally solve the issues plaguing the offside review.Since its inception, some glaring issues have become quite evident.Calls are being made not over dramatic misses by linesmen, but by teams debating the accuracy of calls to the exact millimeter. Additionally, coaches have found a way to delay and watch highlights on their bench before making their decision to challenge a play, and the headache of whether players' skates remain on the ice when crossing the blue line.These issues among others have in turn caused the review process to become more time consuming, and above all else an annoyance to fans, players, coaches, and more.The 31 GMs had the opportunity to make some changes, even if just slightly. Rumors of limiting the time coaches have before challenging were just a one of the many rumored fixes that could be considered. Instead, the same rules will remain for at least another season and with it more frustration is likely to ensue.▲ Montreal CanadiensOnce appearing to be falling from the sky, the Montreal Canadiens have caught an updraft.After a dismal beginning to February that saw the club go the first 18 days with a 1-6-1 record, the team - now under the guidance of Claude Julien - has posted seven wins in its last eight games including a current six-game winning streak.That being said, the Canadiens have still managed to score just 2.25 goals per game over the last eight contests, further highlighting the bounce-back of Carey Price.The 2015 Vezina Trophy winner has gone 6-1-0 in the seven games he has started during the recent streak and has amassed a ridiculous .953 save percentage, a 1.26 GAA, and a shutout over the Columbus Blue Jackets.With their current up-swing, the Canadiens have once again pushed their lead in the Atlantic Division to four points over the Ottawa Senators and have - in the meantime - proved that missing out on a top-six forward at the deadline might not have been the end of the world.Mobile app users - expand the banner below to view more on the race to the playoffs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When the San Jose Sharks looked to add some grit to their lineup, they swung a deal for Jannik Hansen just ahead of the NHL's trade deadline.After nine days, they finally will get to see what their newest acquisition can do.With immigration issues cleared up, Hansen is expected to debut with his new team and the Sharks will try to continue their domination of the league-leading Washington Capitals on Thursday night when San Jose opens a season-high six-game homestand.Pacific Division-leading San Jose (39-19-7) picked up the Danish-born right winger from the Vancouver Canucks for Nikolay Goldobin and a 2017 draft pick on Feb. 28. Instead of suiting up for a team that is fading out of the playoff picture, Hansen reportedly will be on the Sharks' top line with Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton to go against a Capitals team that leads the league with 95 points."It could be an easier opponent for sure, but these are the teams you've got to play," Hansen told the San Jose Mercury News after practice on Wednesday.Hansen clearly is not aware of the Sharks' history against Washington (44-14-7).San Jose has not lost at home in regulation to the Capitals since Oct. 20, 1993, going 12-0-2 with one tie. The Sharks also improved to 10-1-2 in their past 13 matchups overall with Washington following a 3-0 victory on Nov. 8.Injuries have limited Hansen to just six goals and seven assists in 28 games this season. That doesn't seem to matter to Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, who just wants Hansen to keep doing what has kept him in the league for 10 seasons."Come in and play your game," DeBoer told the Mercury News. "No expectations. We don't need him to fix our scoring woes or anything else. Just work hard, play your game and enjoy the situation. We've got a great group. We're winning a lot of games, and we want him to be a part of that."San Jose opens its longest run of 2016-17 at SAP Center after defeating the Jets 3-2 in Winnipeg on Monday, the Sharks' fourth win in five games. Just over a month after Patrick Marleau posted his 500th goal, Joe Thornton drew his 1,000th career assist on Pavelski's empty-net goal in the final minute.Thornton has multi point games in four of his past five appearances against Washington, including goals in four consecutive contests. Overall, "Jumbo Joe" has notched four goals and five helpers in the series dating back to 2014-15.The Capitals will play 10 of their final 17 games on the road starting with this contest. Despite a 17-8-6 record in opposing rinks this season, Washington is 4-4-1 in its past nine on the road.While 27 goals in a season for many players would be a success, it is not for Washington winger Alex Ovechkin, who recorded at least 50 in each of the previous three campaigns. He has just three goals in his past 15 games -- none at even strength."Early in that streak, I don't think he was getting very many chances," Washington coach Barry Trotz said Monday. "I think he's working better for those chances. Like I say, the hockey gods sort of are making him pay and making have to work for it for a little bit. ... It's tightening up now. You have to work for your goals, work for your space, all those things."One of Ovechkin's two career goals in San Jose came at even strength.The expected goaltending matchup should be a good one.Washington's Braden Holtby leads the league with a 1.93 goals-against average and eight shutouts. He ranks third with 34 wins and fifth in save percentage at .929.Holtby, who could be in line for his second straight Vezina Trophy later this year, is 7-0-1 and has allowed just 17 goals in his past nine road games.San Jose's Martin Jones, meanwhile, is tied for fifth with 30 wins, and he blanked Washington in November with a 24-save effort.If he starts, Holtby would try to help the Caps bounce back after their franchise-record, 15-game home winning streak was snapped Monday in a 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. The Capitals haven't lost back-to-back games in regulation since Nov. 26 and Dec. 1.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Through the remainder of the regular season, we'll take a look at how the night's action impacts the playoff race, highlighting which teams' postseason odds went up or down significantly.Wednesday was a light - but painful - night on the schedule for the Winnipeg Jets and idle Toronto Maple Leafs.Toronto still has less than 50 percent odds of making the playoffs, and they took a hit thanks to wins by Boston and Ottawa. And the math is very unkind to the Jets after a tough loss to the champs.Here are notable playoff swings after Wednesday's three games:Eastern ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeBruinsW 6-1 vs Wings76.8%+6.3%SenatorsW 5-2 vs Stars96.9%+2.3%Maple LeafsOff46.4%-3.1%IslandersOff57%-2.6%Western ConferenceTeamResultPlayoff ChancesChangeJetsL 4-7 vs Pens1.9%-2%StarsL 2-5 vs Sens0.5%-0.8%KingsOff38%+0.8%PredatorsOff84.5%+0.8%To see percentages for each team in the league, visit Sports Club Stats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom was taken to hospital to be checked out for facial fractures, head coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday night.Enstrom was hit into the boards from behind by Pittsburgh Penguins pest Tom Sestito, who was ejected for the incident, while Enstrom left the game and didn't return.Sestito was recalled earlier Wednesday before the game that followed a heated meeting between the two clubs earlier in the season, and Maurice was well aware of the enforcer's role when asked about the hit afterwards."There's no cost to them doing that. We're going to lose a good defenseman for a while," he said, later adding, "Well, (Sestito) wasn't brought up to dangle."Maurice said that the club will have a better sense of Enstrom's injury status on Thursday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As hard as it may be to believe, two men exchanged punches to the face out of mutual respect for one another.Pittsburgh Penguins star center Evgeni Malkin was taken to task by Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler for a high and dangerous hit during the last meeting between the two clubs Wednesday night, and the former obliged because that's just what hockey players do.Related: Malkin, Wheeler settle score by dropping gloves"I knew it wasn't a great hit. I respect (Wheeler). I was ready", Malkin said, per Pens Inside Scoop. "It wasn't my greatest fight, couple punches. I lost. One fight is enough for me"For his part, Wheeler said he had a lot of respect for Malkin answering the bell, adding, "It was good to get that out of the way."That settles that, then.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patric Hornqvist was a late scratch from Wednesday's game in Winnipeg, and Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan shed light on the injury following his team's 7-4 win.

Defenseman Fredrik Claesson scored his first NHL goal and added an assist to help the Ottawa Senators win their fourth straight game, 5-2 over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.Ottawa moved within four points of first-place Montreal in the Atlantic Division. The Senators' winning streak began after they acquired Viktor Stalberg and Alexandre Burrows near the trade deadline.Craig Anderson made 35 saves and tied the Ottawa franchise record with his 146th victory.Stalberg and Cody Ceci also each had a goal and an assist for the Senators, and Mike Hoffman had two assists.Chris Wideman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored against Dallas starting goalie Kari Lehtonen, who left at 3:21 of the second period after allowing three goals in 18 shots.Antti Niemi replaced Lehtonen. Ottawa didn't have a shot on goal against Niemi for 14:48, until Stalberg scored on the power play for a 4-1 lead. Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza scored for Dallas.The Senators scored first on the power play at 13:41 of the first period. Stalberg passed cross-ice to Wideman in the right faceoff circle, and he put a wrist shot into the right side of the net before Lehtonen could get back.Ottawa took a 2-0 lead at 15:21 when Zack Smith won a faceoff back to Claesson high in the slot for a slap shot and his first goal in 36 career NHL games.Pageau slid the puck from the slot through traffic and between Lehtonen's legs to knock the goalie from the game.Seguin pulled Dallas back within two goals at 3-1. Spezza passed from behind the net to Seguin at the left, and he put the puck into a narrow opening inside the left post.Stalberg deflected Dion Phaneuf's shot from the left post past Niemi.Spezza scored on the power play in the third period with a shot that deflected off Mark Borowiecki's right leg.Ceci's goal at 9:01 of the third went in off Niemi's skate.NOTES: The Stars signed RW Adam Cracknell to a one-year contract extension for $675,000. In his seventh season, the first with Dallas, he has career highs of seven goals and 54 games played. . Ottawa C Kyle Turris missed his first game this season because of an injured finger. ... In Pageau's past four games against the Stars, he has six points (three goals, three assists). He won 10 of 11 faceoffs in the first two periods. ... Playing in his third NHL game, Dallas' Remi Elie had his first assist on Seguin's goal, and Ales Hemsky had his first point in only five games played in an injury-riddled season. ... Borowiecki, the league leader in penalty minutes, increased his total to 126 with a double minor for roughing in the first period. ... The Senators had two goals on three power plays, after going 2 for 16 in their past six games, and Dallas' penalty killers had been 14 for 16 in the previous six.UP NEXTSenators: Play the second of three road games in four nights on Thursday at Arizona.Stars: Begin a four-game trip on Sunday at San Jose.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand knows a thing or two about sneaking up on people.But whereas in the past, the Boston Bruins winger was known primarily for his nettlesome ways, he now finds himself statistically among the NHL's elite.Marchand scored twice in Wednesday's 6-1 drubbing of the Red Wings, giving him 32 goals and 70 points on the season, the most by a Bruin in quite some time.

Evgeni Malkin is a superstar in his own right, but now he can be mentioned in the same breath as one of the greatest.The Pittsburgh Penguins forward was all over the score sheet, recording a Gordie Howe hat trick - at least one goal, one assist, and one fight - against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.He scored twice, added a helper on a goal by Justin Schultz, and obliged Jets forward Blake Wheeler in a staged bout, all within the first 31 minutes of the game.Related: Malkin, Wheeler settle score by dropping glovesHis first goal came on a breakaway, and it gave him 30 goals on the season for the first time since 2011-12.Malkin's 31st made it 5-3 for the Penguins at the 10:06 mark of the second period.The Russian sniper is having his best season since his 50-goal, 109-point campaign five years ago. Injuries have limited him to 69 games or less in each of the last four seasons, but he's now played more in 2016-17 (58 contests) than he did in all of the 2015-16 regular season (57).A healthy Malkin is a great thing for the NHL.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite a seven-hour time difference, Fredrik Claesson's dad didn't miss an important moment in his son's career.The Ottawa Senators defenseman scored his first career goal during Wednesday's game in Dallas, and his dad responded to a tweet to verify he indeed witnessed the moment all the way over in Sweden.

Shane Doan empathizes with Arizona Coyotes fans.As the team's longest-serving player and all-time leading scorer, the captain has devoted his career to making hockey work in Arizona. In light of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's letter that urged state legislators to release public funds for a new arena in the Phoenix area - citing unsustainability with the Coyotes' current home - the captain expressed what many must be thinking in and around the team."I truly don’t even know what to say in the fact that we make it hard to be a Coyotes fan at times, and we sure appreciate the fans that stick with us because it’s difficult and it’s because of a whole bunch of things," Doan said, per Sarah McLellan of azcentral. "It’s not because of what we necessarily do or what has been done by us. It’s what has to happen and things that happen. As a fan of the team, it makes it tough."Doan added: "You care and you take on the responsibility of the team, and then you continue to at times be an apologist for them. That’s frustrating."In his letter, Bettman wrote, "The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale."While the team has renewed its lease with Gila River Arena, the future is murky beyond that.Doan's contract is up at season's end, meaning he may be affected more as an observer than a player by the next step in this process.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tom Sestito was at it again.The Pittsburgh Penguins pest was kicked out of Wednesday's game against the Winnipeg Jets after crushing defenseman Toby Enstrom into the boards from behind.Sestito was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct, adding to the fighting major he served about 10 minutes earlier following a bout with Jets forward Chris Thorburn.The Penguins pugilist managed to rack up the 20 penalty minutes in only 62 seconds of ice time.Enstrom was ruled out for the rest of the game with what the Jets referred to as an "upper-body injury."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just like Don Sweeney ... drew it up.The Bruins general manager pulled of a small trade with the Winnipeg Jets that saw Drew Stafford move to Boston prior to the deadline.The winger got on the board in his third game with the club, roofing a loose puck past the Red Wings' Jared Coreau, spelling an early exit for the netminder, who was replaced by Petr Mrazek.The goal was Stafford's fifth in 43 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antti Raanta might be preparing his month-old daughter for a career in the crease.The New York Rangers goaltender had miniature pads made for Evelyn Raanta, who was born in February.

This was expected.Early in Wednesday's game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets, Blake Wheeler and Evgeni Malkin dropped the gloves and engaged in a round of fisticuffs.A seemingly unusual event, but not when you recall Malkin ignited a major skirmish after hitting Wheeler in the head during the last meeting between the two teams on Feb. 17.Wheeler later wondered how it was that Malkin wasn't suspended for the hit.Not to be outdone, Chris Thorburn and Tom Sestito - more traditional face-punchers - fought two seconds after play resumed.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL won't soon be tweaking what gets reviewed, but it is reportedly looking at speeding up the process.Officials are being instructed by the league to drop the puck immediately after announcing their decision, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.They're apparently being told not to go to the benches after revealing the verdict to explain the rationale to the coaches, Friedman adds.The NHL's general managers decided Wednesday not to change the criteria for offside video reviews or the coach's challenge that precedes them.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sometimes, it's just better not to tweet.The Colorado Avalanche learned that lesson Wednesday when an attempt to show support for women became a reminder that the club still employs ice girls.The team's account was quickly flooded with critical replies.

Willie Desjardins is aware his position as head coach will be evaluated in the offseason.Vancouver Canucks president Trevor Linden said as much on TSN 1040 Radio on Tuesday, disclosing all aspects of the organization will be assessed following what's likely to be another year out of the playoffs.In the meantime, Desjardins will focus on the present in an attempt to finish strong."I can't control (decision-making process)," he said Wednesday, according to TSN 1040. "I can control what I do with the team, I can control the players, and I feel like the organization always has to look at things, they just have to.""There are so many ways to look at a job, like what a person has done and where they are at, and to me it's sticking up for your players, it's battling for your players, and it's finding a way to get the best out of them, and that's what I do," Desjardins continued. "That's what I want to continue doing, and if it's not a fit then that's not a fit, but that doesn't change how I go about doing it."Desjardins is in his third season as head coach, compiling a record of 107-97-26 in 230 regular season games. He guided the Canucks to a playoff appearance in 2015 resulting in a six-game, opening series loss to Calgary.General manager Jim Benning was a seller at the trade deadline, and the Canucks are seven points out of a playoff spot with 16 games remaining.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Rookie forward Mikko Rantanen is emerging as one of the lone bright spots for the Colorado Avalanche this season.With the team well on its way to a last-place finish in the overall standings, and with questions surrounding the long-term futures of Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog in Denver, head coach Jared Bednar said both management and the coaching staff are very confident in Rantanen's ability to be a meaningful contributor moving forward.In fact, from Bednar's point of view, Rantanen compares favorably to top rookies Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews, despite trailing in actual goals and points."The big stat that comes out when I see (other rookie forwards) is he's playing 18-plus minutes a night, which I think is number one out of all those guys like Laine and even Matthews," Bednar said Tuesday on the team's website. "(He's) maybe not sheltered as much as those guys have been on other teams that are maybe a little bit deeper than our team is this year. So he's been thrown right into the fire and done a nice job."Rantanen does lead all rookie forwards in average ice time with 18:05 per night, ahead of Laine (18:04) and Matthews (17:49). But in 60 games, he's scored only 14 goals and added 16 assists for a total of 30 points, well behind Laine (59) and Matthews (55). That, for Bednar, is more a result of Colorado's issues than a reflection on Rantanen's individual skills.Bednar added: "A lot of the things that he's doing I would say are on par. We're not as productive an offensive team as some that those other guys are playing on so his number might not be as high, but he handles (more) minutes than those guys do and does a real nice job for us."The 20-year-old was drafted 10th overall in 2015, and, along with Nathan MacKinnon and this year's high pick, appears set to be a significant building block for an Avalanche team in need of serious retooling.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jimmy Howard is finally back in the NHL.The Detroit Red Wings recalled the veteran goaltender from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday, the parent club annnounced.Howard has been rehabbing a knee injury that's kept him out of NHL action since Dec. 20. He suffered a pair of setbacks during his road back, but then posted two strong AHL outings in his latest rehab stint, including a shutout on Tuesday night.Petr Mrazek has shouldered the load for Detroit in Howard's absence, and he's been spelled periodically by Jared Coreau, who'll likely be heading back to Grand Rapids on Thursday or Friday, general manager Ken Holland said, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.Howard is 5-7-1 with a 1.96 GAA and .934 save percentage in 17 NHL games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.