It could be a week. It could be two. It could be even longer.The point is: Jason Spezza's going to be out of the Dallas Stars' lineup for the foreseeable future.

The Nashville Predators placed forward Mike Ribeiro on waivers Friday, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.The move comes after the 36-year-old reportedly requested a trade from the team, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. Ribeiro has been a healthy scratch the past three games and five of the last 11.

The Toronto Maple Leafs set their longest regulation losing streak of the season Thursday night, thanks to a 5-1 shelling from the St. Louis Blues.With the loss, the team has now dropped three consecutive games in regulation, the team's longest stretch without a point this season.The club remains confident in itself, but as defenseman Morgan Rielly insists, the team has little to hang their hat on of late."The confidence is there. We have lots of confidence in our group, we don't have a lot to be proud of right now," Rielly said postgame. "We have two outings that didn't go our way and we're not very happy with so, if anything, we have that much more motivation going into a big game against a team within the division. There's no reason to start getting concerned, it's just a matter of trying to get our focus back and make sure we know what to think. Just get playing our game again."The Maple Leafs fell 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers just prior to the All-Star break, but it's been their first two games coming out of the time off that have been the most troubling.The team fell 6-3 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. A game that saw the Maple Leafs surrender five first-period goals and followed it up with Thursday's miserable display. The club has now given up 11 goals in their last two games.As far as James van Riemsdyk is concerned, the team is better than how they have looked in their last few games, and getting back on track shouldn't take much mending."I'm sure everyone realizes where we're at in the standings and what part of the season we're at," said van Riemsdyk. "We know we've got more to give, we've got better hockey we're capable of playing, and it's just a matter of going out there, executing, working, and doing the things we know how to do."The Maple Leafs will need to put that all together starting Saturday night. Toronto will play their most meaningful game in some time when they take on the Boston Bruins who sit three points ahead of the team and who have played five more games than them.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Only the Winnipeg Jets have played as much hockey as the Boston Bruins.With four full days off after Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the club's bye week running Feb. 13 through 18, the Bruins appear to have dodged major injury bullets with respect to stars Tuukka Rask and Patrice Bergeron.The club announced Rask won't participate in practice Friday, being given a maintenance day instead, after he hurt his groin Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Bergeron won't practice, either, and he's considered day to day with a lower-body injury.Bergeron blocked a shot off his knee Wednesday, was forced from the game, and was seen limping afterward.There's no word whether Bergeron and Rask will play Saturday, when the Bruins host the Maple Leafs. Boston's three points up on Toronto for third place in the Atlantic Division, but the Maple Leafs have a ridiculous five games in hand.

Ryan Johansen knows what's up.The Nashville Predators' top line he centers with Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson accounted for both his team's goals in Thursday's 2-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers, and Johansen let out the secret to the trio's success:"Well, we're all really good looking," he said, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan. "That kind of says it all."It does, doesn't it?Nashville's playing inspired hockey at the moment, and Johansen's got two goals and six assists in his past six games, in which the Predators have gone 4-1-1. His 38 points lead the team in scoring.Forsberg, who's second on the team in scoring, contributed an assist Thursday, after a January that saw him score seven times in 14 games.Arvidsson's a point behind Forsberg, and he's got two goals and two assists in his last five games. He's already set career highs in goals (13), assists (19), and points (32)."They're playing really well," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "We put it together and we've stayed with it. It's given us some results."The Predators are playing their best hockey after dealing with injuries to key players like P.K. Subban and Roman Josi. Things are looking good as they prepare to hit the stretch.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 Friday, Feb. 3 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

It's hard to look at Patrick Marleau's body of work and be unimpressed.The quiet veteran forward from Aneroid, Saskatchewan did Thursday what only 44 players have before him: score 500 regular-season goals in the NHL.Related: Watch: Marleau joins 500 clubMarleau broke into the league in the fall of 1997, after the San Jose Sharks drafted him second overall that summer. He's been scoring for the Sharks ever since - like, every season. The 37-year-old has been remarkably durable throughout his career, with his 74-game rookie season the fewest number in 19 campaigns.Marleau has 500 goals and 564 assists in 1,463 games. His next goal will give him 20 in 2016-17 - the 14th time he's hit the mark. He's a seven-time 30-goal scorer, and even hit 40 once, potting a career-high 44 in 2009-10.Related: Marleau: Joining 500 club is 'pretty special'Marleau's never won a Stanley Cup - he plays for the Sharks, after all - but he's produced in the playoffs, too, with 65 goals and 51 assists in 117 spring games. He's also a two-time Olympic gold medalist as a member of Team Canada in 2010 and 2014.So, you've got the facts. Now you tell us: Does Marleau have a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame when his career's over?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While everyone continues to salivate over the potential of seeing many blockbusters go down this trade deadline season, it's time to scale things back a bit.While names likes Matt Duchene, Ben Bishop, and Marc-Andre Fleury continue to be thrown around, it's important to recall almost every other trade deadline of the past five years.Time and time again rumors of big name players on the move have run rampant only to see general managers fail to deliver. Be that an uneasiness to pay a hard bargain or an unwillingness to give up a player for cheap, the big fish usually aren't dealt until the offseason.Be that as it may, this season sees - among the perennial stars - a collection of names that are slam dunks to be dealt ahead of this year's trade deadline. Let's check out that crop of players:Jarome IginlaJarome Iginla made his intentions known this week that not only is he open to a trade, he would welcome one to a playoff contender.The future Hall-of-Famer understands his career is coming to an end and he would love one last crack at winning the Stanley Cup.As for the Avalanche - a team primed to start a rebuild - the club has literally no reason to keep him. The team's playoff aspirations died weeks ago, while Iginla will become an unrestricted free agent and is most likely to retire at season's end. A deal of any magnitude would be a gain for Colorado.Of course, how serendipitous would it be if the Calgary Flames could make the postseason and acquire their former captain?Martin HanzalMuch like Iginla, Martin Hanzal is on an expiring contract and can be counted on to be shipped out of Arizona.The Coyotes forward has had his name in rumors for the better part of the season and it should be only a matter of time before a deal is done.What does seem peculiar - and what could be slowing things down - is the rather substantial demand by the Coyotes. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last week that the Montreal Canadiens had interest in Hanzal and that the asking price was a first-round pick, forward Michael McCarron, and a conditional draft pick.It's a lot for a player who has never cracked the 20-goal plateau, but with nothing to gain standing pat, count Hanzal in as one to be moved before March 1.Thomas VanekIf you haven't caught the common theme here yet, it's that all the players on this list will become free agents this summer.While Thomas Vanek has fared admirably with the Detroit Red Wings this season, the Red Wings are likely to go in a different (younger) direction going forward, and for that expect Vanek to be dealt before the deadline.Vanek is a cost-effective option for teams - only making $2.6 million - while his 31 points in 38 games on a club that sits in the Eastern Conference basement is not too shabby.Factor in his history of producing as a rental player and he is the perfect candidate for a contending team looking for added depth.Radim VrbataMuch like Vanek, Radim Vrbata is a great candidate for depth scoring at a bargain.His contract is bonus-laden with a $1-million cap hit and bonuses that pay him extra if he hits either the 20-goal mark or the 40-point plateau, as well as for playoff rounds won, eventually capping off at $3.25 million.It might scare off some teams, but if that's the cost of winning in the playoffs, you'd likely be hard-pressed to find a team that wouldn't be willing to fork that over.He provides value, and with the Coyotes continuing to rebuild, don't expect him back after March 1.Kevin ShattenkirkWith high-end talent on the table, the risk of teams standing pat at the deadline always remains an option.However, the St. Louis Blues saw how this worked out last season and they're unlikely to follow the same path with Kevin Shattenkirk. The club watched as captain David Backes and Troy Brouwer both signed elsewhere on July 1 last year, proving when in doubt, sell at the deadline.There appears to be high interest in Shattenkirk and rightfully so as the 28-year-old sits fourth among all defensemen in scoring with 35 points in 51 games.He's a power-play specialist which in tight postseason hockey could be the difference between a long playoff run and an early exit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're about to learn a lot about the Florida Panthers.Last year's Atlantic champions aren't going to repeat. They're 22-19-10, four points out of the division's third and final playoff spot, with a few games in hand. They can't score, averaging 2.3 goals per game, 26th in the NHL. Ditto their power play, which ranks 25th.Help is on the way: Jonathan Huberdeau will make his season debut Friday against the Anaheim Ducks, after Achilles surgery cost him the first half of the season. Aleksander Barkov will be back in the lineup, too, having last played Dec. 28. And he was heating up after a slow start when he went down, with 13 points - including seven goals - in 13 games in the final month of 2016.No time to settle inFlorida doesn't have luxury to wait for Barkov and Huberdeau to find their legs. While the second wild-card spot is also within Florida's reach, it's third place in the division the Panthers covet. And in order to get there, Florida's going to have to beat some very good competition in February.After Friday's game, Florida's off until Feb. 9, thanks to its mandated bye week, and then it's off to the races against very stiff competition:Date OpponentFeb. 3DucksFeb. 9KingsFeb. 11@ PredatorsFeb. 15@ SharksFeb. 17@ DucksFeb. 18@ KingsFeb. 20@ BluesFeb. 22OilersFeb. 24FlamesFeb. 26SenatorsFeb. 28HurricanesIn other words, the Panthers' immediate and long-term future will be decided in the coming weeks.On the surface, things aren't good. Florida hasn't improved since Gerard Gallant took over, and that minus-20 goal differential is very difficult to ignore. And should the Panthers struggle on that upcoming five-game road trip against stiff Western Conference opponents between Feb. 11 and Feb. 20, it's a good chance they're sellers at the March 1 trade deadline.Who could go?And that could mean Jaromir Jagr's time in Sunrise may be up. While he's enjoyed his time in Florida, the soon-to-be 45-year-old is playing for a chance at a Stanley Cup - and he's on an expiring contract. If the Panthers aren't going to the dance, they must make sure Jagr does.Jussi Jokinen, signed through next season at $4 million, is another player who could be made available if the Panthers find themselves on the outside looking in at the playoffs come Feb. 21. Florida can chalk up this season as lost due to injury, take the positives - Vincent Trochek's emergence into an All-Star and finding Jonathan Marchessault - and look to 2017-18 with its young core intact.On defense, Jakub Kindl will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, while Mark Pysyk and Alex Petrovic will be restricted. And every playoff team needs depth defenders.In other words, the Panthers have some assets they can move, should they decide to sell. With an unfavorable schedule, and no more points to waste, it's do-or-die time for Florida as the calendar inches towards deadline day.Should be fun to watch.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Donald Trump's controversial ban on immigration and travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations has a rather unlikely backer.George Saad, the Syrian-born and raised father of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Brandon Saad, is in favor of the executive order."I guess you can tell that I voted for Trump," George told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette with a laugh for a story published Friday. "But I can’t say I disagree with him."The order has caused widespread panic, led to worldwide protests, and has been deemed unconstitutional by virtue of several federal court rulings since the U.S. president signed it last week."I'm glad they're upping the immigration laws," the elder Saad said. "There's a legal way to enter the United States; you have to follow the right channels. We're a country built on laws. Let's follow the laws."George left Syria - which is among the countries included in the ban - at the age of 18 to study engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He now owns a Pennsylvania-based development firm."The opportunities available here are not available anywhere else on the planet," George told Mackey.The Saads have helped 24 family members immigrate to the U.S. from the war-torn nation."Without (Brandon's) financial ability, it's very difficult to sponsor that many people," George said. "There’s a minimum requirement the United States immigration law will demand from you. I could have sponsored five, six, or even 10 people. But I couldn’t sponsor all of our family members. That's why Brandon stepped in and helped sponsor the rest of the family."As for the ban, it's received plenty of criticism and legal challenges from civil liberties groups alleging it targets people based on religious affiliation. It will prevent visitors from the seven countries from coming to the U.S. for 90 days and stop refugees from being admitted for 120."If it's going to take 90 days to make this country safer, I wouldn't mind it," George said. "They're not saying we're going to shut the doors completely for eternity. They're saying we're going to delay it for 90 days until we make sure everybody is following the proper channels."Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nazem Kadri, a Lebanese immigrant of Muslim descent, and Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers, a Swede whose father is Iranian, both lamented the executive order when asked about it earlier this week.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers will receive a major boost on Friday night, as forwards Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau have both been cleared to play, the team announced."Sasha and Jonathan were cleared for contact earlier this week," president of hockey operations Dale Tallon said in a release. "As of today they have been cleared to return to our lineup and are ready to play. They are two of our young cornerstone players and have been adamant about getting back to game action. It's exciting to have our team returning to full health as we continue our push to the playoffs."Huberdeau's return has been a long time coming. The 23-year old will make his season debut Friday against Anaheim after missing the entire campaign to date following Achilles surgery.Meanwhile, Barkov - who remains fourth in team scoring - will return after missing the last 14 games with a back injury."I've seen how hard both Sasha and Jonathan have worked to recover from their injuries and I know they can't wait to get back to competing alongside their teammates," head coach Tom Rowe said. "Our medical staff deserves a ton of credit for the work they've done in helping two franchise players through their recovery process. Our organization and our locker room are thrilled to welcome them back to the lineup."The Panthers are winners of two straight games and sit four points behind the Boston Bruins for third in the Atlantic Division - and a guaranteed playoff spot - with three games in hand.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Marleau is both happy and relieved.San Jose's veteran forward scored the 500th regular-season goal of his career Thursday - all with the Sharks - against the Vancouver Canucks, and more than anything, he's excited about not having to spend a ton of time at 499, which he recorded on Tuesday."Yeah, that'll do, getting it right away," Marleau said after reaching the milestone Thursday. "It was good to get it out of the way."Related: Watch: Marleau becomes 45th NHLer to score 500 goalsMarleau's next goal will make it 20 on the season, the 14th time he's done so in a remarkably consistent career."When you hit a mark like this, you just start thinking about everybody who's kind of helped you along the way," he said. "Playing with one club and playing with a lot of guys for a lot of years on this team, it means a lot to share that with them and see how happy they are for you. This are going good right now. We're on a roll. It couldn't come at a better time."The subject of trade rumors last season, Marleau, 37, is playing out the final season of his contract. He had five goals and eight assists during San Jose's run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, and with the Sharks still in win-now mode, Marleau is gearing up for another shot this spring.But he will always savor Thursday night."The biggest thing for me is just seeing all my teammates and even getting congratulated by some of the other guys on the other team," he said. "It's pretty special."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Seasons can turn on a dime. Or on four-game road trips through the midwest.The Winnipeg Jets fashioned a three-game win streak for the first time this season Thursday, holding on to defeat the Dallas Stars 4-3. And while the Colorado Avalanche remain a living, breathing, oft-competing NHL entity, a win over the floundering last-place club Saturday will complete a critical four-game sweep inside the division for the Jets, and extend their win streak to nine games over Central foe.They now sit just one point behind the Calgary Flames for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.Since the recall of Ondrej Pavelec, who made 39 saves Thursday, the Jets have racked up five wins opposed to just two losses. His steadying presence has been important, but what's driving the Jets' surge is an attack that can compare with any in the NHL.Led by Mark Scheifele, who reached the 25-goal plateau Thursday, the Jets have scored 64 times since the holiday freeze, which is second only to the 80 scored by the Washington Capitals.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Pekka Rinne stopped 31 shots for his 42nd career shutout, leading the Nashville Predators to a 2-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen each had a goal and an assist to help Nashville win for the second time in three games.Cam Talbot made 25 saves for Edmonton, which has lost two straight.Rinne, who had his second shutout of the season, beat the Oilers for the eighth straight time - including three shutouts.Arvidsson scored the game's first goal at 1:26 of the second period. He carried the puck up ice and sent a slap shot from the right faceoff dot high to the short side over Talbot's glove for his 13th.Johansen doubled the Nashville lead in the final minute of the second. With the puck just inside the Edmonton blue line, Filip Forsberg stickhandled past three Oilers players before sending a pass to Arvidsson at the right faceoff dot. There, Arvidsson slid a cross-ice pass to Johansen at the left dot, where he beat Talbot with a one-timer.Early in the second, Rinne kept the game scoreless, making three consecutive saves on Edmonton defenseman Oscar Klefbom with the final two coming at close range.Rinne had to be sharp at the start of the third as well, stopping Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on a breakaway at 29 seconds.NOTES: Nashville D Matt Irwin played his 200th career NHL game. ... Johansen has four points in two games against the Oilers this season. ... Nashville is 16-1-5 when scoring first. ... Edmonton LW Milan Lucic played his 700th career NHL game. ... The Oilers have not allowed a power-play goal against in their last four games.UP NEXTOilers: At Carolina on Friday night.Predators: Host Detroit on Saturday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Just over two weeks since calling his club's free fall down the standings "disgraceful," Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brian Boyle hasn't changed his tune.Tampa Bay lost again Thursday, a 5-2 result to the Ottawa Senators, giving the Lightning a 3-5-2 record over its last 10 games.The Lightning are one point clear of last-place Detroit, shocking positioning for team pegged as Stanley Cup contenders entering the season.For Boyle, again, it's simply not good enough."If you accept losing, then you're a loser," Boyle said following Thursday's decision. "That's the bottom line.""There's not going to be a flip or switch. It's going to be hard work," Boyle added when asked what it will take to get out of the frustrating slump.With 30 games remaining, the Lightning have an eight-point deficit to overcome to qualify for the playoffs.Time to stop being losers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw didn't see a single shift after taking an unnecessary interference minor Thursday in a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.While pivoting on the blue line to remain onside with Montreal in possession, Shaw reached out and needlessly twisted Nick Cousins to the ice.Claude Giroux tied the game on the corresponding power play, and the Flyers tacked on two more unanswered goals.Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien had this explanation for keeping Shaw planted to the bench for the remainder of the game."We can't accept to take that type of penalty as a team," he said, according to TSN's Dan Robertson. "Pretty simple."Shaw declined to speak with the media after the game.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. - Mark Stone had two goals and an assist, Mike Condon made 19 saves and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Thursday night.The Senators, second in the Atlantic Division, also got goals from Kyle Turris, Mike Hoffman and Chris Kelly.Ottawa coach Guy Boucher was behind the bench in Tampa for the first time since being fired by the Lightning midway through the 2012-13 season. He led Tampa Bay to the Eastern Conference finals in 2011.''It was such a great experience. It was so positive,'' Boucher said, after Thursday's morning skate, about his time with the Lightning. ''For me coming back, it just brings a great smile.''Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning, who have lost 11 of 14 (3-9-2). Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 25 shots.After Johnson opened the scoring 3:39 into the second, Ottawa went up 2-1 on goals by Stone (6:33) and Turris (11:03) on the power play. Turris has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 23 games against Tampa Bay.Hoffman made it 3-1 early in the third with a power-play goal.Point's second goal in two games after missing 14 due to a hand-wrist injury midway through the third pulled Tampa Bay to 3-2.Stone's nifty redirection, coming 1:36 after Point scored, gave Ottawa a 4-2 lead. He has seven goals in 11 games against the Lightning.Kelly had a late empty-netter.Condon, who is 4-0 against Tampa Bay, made a pair of strong saves on Nikita Kucherov in the second period.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There it is.San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau scored the 500th goal of his career Thursday night in Vancouver, becoming the 45th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat.Marleau, drafted second overall in 1997, is only the 18th player ever to amass 500 goals with one team, and the first in Sharks history to break the threshold.The 37-year-old had logged 1,462 games entering Thursday's contest, and with a release like that, it's no wonder Marleau got into the exclusive club.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bottled up.Limiting the Montreal Canadiens to 16 shots in a 3-1 win Thursday night, the Philadelphia Flyers are now responsible for the Atlantic Division leader's two fewest shot totals on the season. In those two outings, they reduced Montreal to a combined 33 shots, or as many as the Flyers allowed in their first contest this season.It was, however, the Flyers' first win over the Canadiens in three tries. Michal Neuvirth, who earned the victory on Thursday, allowed five goals on 17 shots in the team's Nov. 5 loss in which they outshot Montreal 38-17.The Canadiens are one of seven teams averaging more than three goals a game, but their output hasn't been the product of a steady onslaught. They rank just below the league average with 29.7 shots per game.They remain a top-10 team in total attempts, but were limited to just 44 versus the Flyers, and out-produced in all three periods.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This isn't the classic case of a top prospect failing to find traction, and change in scenery being the only practical recourse.But it's trending that way.Ottawa Senators former first-round draft selection Curtis Lazar can't crack Guy Boucher's lineup, can't produce when he does dress - either for the big club or the farm - and seems in danger of circling the NHL drain.Lazar has diminished in the final season of his entry-level deal, contributing one assist in 27 appearances with the Senators, and just three goals and four points in 13 games at minor-league Binghamton.He has 12 goals and 36 points in 170 games since the Senators spent their first draft pick - and the 17th overall selection - on the Edmonton Oil Kings forward three years ago.Chosen to be a top-six contributor for many seasons, Lazar has instead offered 0.80 points per 60 minutes at five-on-five. There's merely a handful of active players, essentially each stone-handed checkers, producing at a similarly meager rate.Still, teams have apparently inquired about his status in the trade market. It raises the question: What could the Senators possibly receive in return?It's hard to pinpoint a comparable, because he's hardly formed an NHL identity. His stats compare to players he isn't billed to be, and his development seems stunted by the negligible ice time he's logged - which has fallen to just over eight minutes a night under Boucher.But if we base his value on the market, an inference can be made from the Edmonton Oilers' extrication of the quintessential draft bust in the salary-cap era: Nail Yakupov.The Oilers accepted a conditional third-round pick and a warm body in a trade with the St. Louis Blues for the former first overall draft selection. Their return will be upgraded to a second-round draft selection if Yakupov scores 15 goals this year.He's got three.Even still, Yakupov has twice as many goals, as well as almost double the points Lazar has mustered, in the 170 NHL games they've each played across the last three seasons.Though Edmonton's desire to cut bait certainly factored into the return for Yakupov, the deal suggests that Lazar's current market value isn't anything greater than a late-round pick.If the Senators are offered a deal comparable to the Yakupov trade, they might be wise to jump at it. But because Lazar has little value, less leverage, and many seasons of control, it's hard to imagine a scenario where he's dealt before the March 1 deadline.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw was announced as an ambassador for the You Can Play Project on Thursday as part of NHL's "Hockey is for Everyone" initiative in February.The month is directed in part by the You Can Play Project, a nonprofit lending support to the LGBTQ community and dedicated to fighting homophobia in sport. Each of the NHL's 30 teams have named a You Can Play ambassador who will "lead the way" in combating homophobia in their markets.The entire list can be found here.Last spring, when Shaw was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, he was suspended for directing a homophobic slur at an official.The You Can Play Project contacted the NHL, condemning Shaw's actions, but also expressing desire to work with and educate Shaw.Shaw seemed contrite when he apologized for the incident, and now he's supporting that remorse with what will hopefully be meaningful action.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild have signed goaltender Alex Stalock to a two-year contract extension.The deal will be one-way in 2017-18, and a two-way contract for 2018-19, carrying a $650,000 cap hit at the NHL level.As has become a trend this season, the contract carries expansion draft implications.

A quartet of hockey organizations will reportedly be represented at Friday's meeting regarding the NHL's potential involvement with the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea.The NHL, NHLPA, IIHF, and IOC will all be accounted for at the discussion in New York City, and IOC president Thomas Bach and IIHF president Rene Fasel will be among the participants, TSN's Bob McKenzie confirmed following a report by Sportsnet's John Shannon.As for the purpose of the meeting, a source told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun that while no resolution to the ongoing negotiation is expected Friday, there will be "frank discussion of where things stand."The issue of expenses has been a sticking point since the IOC implied it would stop paying for the players' travel costs and for contract insurance, but Fasel said last weekend that the IIHF has figured out a way to cover those."Yes, we worked really hard and I would like to thank all our member federations," Fasel told LeBrun.If an agreement can't be worked out, McKenzie says there is a potential backup plan in the works.

Vladimir Tarasenko is all business.The St. Louis Blues' best and highest-paid player refuses to dwell on general manager Doug Armstrong's decision to fire head coach Ken Hitchcock and replace him with Mike Yeo."There is no time to be sad," Tarasenko said, according to Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "We have a game today. There is no reason to talk about it more."Tarasenko, who carries a salary cap hit of $7.5 million through 2022-23, is certainly doing his part to help his team win, leading the Blues with 22 goals, 49 points, and 163 shots.The Yeo era begins Thursday at home against Toronto, with St. Louis sitting outside the Western Conference playoff picture.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He shouldn't have to say sorry, but here we are.Marc-Andre Fleury did some damage control Thursday after his Stadium Series mask made the rounds when Pittsburgh Penguins equipment manager Dana Heinze shared it in a tweet.

Nothing is imminent on the Shane Doan trade front.While the long-time Arizona Coyotes captain has admitted he'd be open to being moved prior to the trade deadline - albeit to a destination that "would have to be exactly perfect" - general manager John Chayka is seriously downplaying speculation on the matter."I haven’t had any discussions in the last several weeks now," Chayka said Wednesday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “And like I said ... I think (trade talk) is slightly overblown."A month away (from the trade deadline), it’s not something that’s pressing on either side," he continued. "So we’re just focused on our own team here in terms of improving in the short-term and the long-term."Doan, 40, has been with the Coyotes franchise for the entirety of his career, dating back to the Winnipeg days. The closest he's come to a Stanley Cup, however, was a rather surprising Conference Finals appearance in 2012.Still, that doesn't mean Doan is intent on playing for a contender in the latter stages of his career, although there is time for trade talk to heat up."As of now, he’s happy to be a Coyote, and we’re certainly happy to have him, and he’s not planning on leaving anytime soon," Chayka said. "But, at the same time, we’re not trending toward the playoffs and, if there’s a perfect spot that comes up, then maybe he’d be open to considering it."Doan has recorded four goals and 11 assists in 49 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The reeling Colorado Avalanche have dipped into the waiver pool for help on the blue line.The club claimed defenseman Mark Barberio, who was waived Wednesday by the Montreal Canadiens.The 26-year-old was drafted 152nd overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008, and has spent more time in the AHL than in the NHL since that time.When given a chance, first by Tampa Bay and then by Montreal, Barberio has proven to be a positive possession player, and clearly Colorado liked what they saw from the left-hand shot, who has averaged 0.66 points per game in the minors.

Good seats don't come without the risk of danger.Los Angeles Kings forward Marian Gaborik's girlfriend, Ivana Surovcova, found that out firsthand Wednesday night when she was was hit in the face by an errant puck during the Kings' game against the Colorado Avalanche at Staples Center.

The "Ghost Bear" will be invisible during Thursday's game against Montreal.Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, along with rookie forward Travis Konecny, will be scratched for Thursday's game against the Canadiens.The 2016 Calder Trophy runner-up has not scored in 27 games, but is most frustrated with his play in his own zone."It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s more frustrating to be on the ice for goals against," Gostisbehere said Wednesday, per Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post. "I really don’t care about points or scoring goals. My first job is to play defense. Sometimes the way the pucks are going in the net I feel like I have bad luck, but again I can’t just use that as an excuse. I just look at that and say I can do a lot better myself."Gostisbehere is well off the 17-goal, 46-point performance recorded in 64 games as a rookie last season, but it's not for a lack of effort. His shot rate is identical, but his shooting percentage is way down.GamesGoalsShots/GPShooting %64192.37511.24842.3753.5In five-on-five play, Gostisbehere is a positive possession player, with a Corsi rating of 53.69, highest among all Flyers defensemen. Meanwhile, his Goal For percentage sits at 33.96, the lowest among Philadelphia players at his position.Add it all up, and the Flyers are routinely recording more shot attempts then the opposition with Gostisbehere on the ice, but are also getting drastically outscored.Certainly there's some bad luck at work there, and the hope appears to be a night in the press box will give him a fresh view of what's going on during the game.Gostisbehere, by the way, will be honored Friday at the Philadelphia Sports Writers Award Dinner as local athlete of the year while the Flyers are clinging to the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.(Advanced stats courtesy: Puckalytics)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, Feb. 2 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Each week, theScore looks at the teams, players, and other hockey figures trending upward and taking a step back. This week, we're examining the NHL's most recent replacement head coaches.▲ Mike YeoKen Hitchcock's firing means Yeo takes over the St. Louis Blues a little earlier than he - or anyone else - was expecting, and he'll do so with the club in relative free fall.It wasn't Hitchcock's fault that the Blues had the worst goaltending in the NHL, nor will it be Yeo's, but it will be the new bench boss' responsibility to right the ship until and unless general manager Doug Armstrong is willing to make a move to improve the team's netminding woes.Yeo has enough previous head coaching experience with the Minnesota Wild and associate coaching time learning under Hitchcock to be fully prepared for this role.He's expected to lead the Blues for three more seasons after this one, so while there's certainly pressure to make the playoffs and match last season's Western Conference Final run, Yeo can take comfort in knowing he was hand-picked and groomed for this opportunity.▼ Tom RoweCoaching changes often rouse teams regardless of whether it's a necessary move, but that awakening simply hasn't happened in Florida.When the Panthers fired Gerard Gallant and named general manager Tom Rowe the interim head coach for the rest of the season, it was a puzzling move, not only because of Gallant's abrupt departure but also because his replacement occupied a desk in the front office.Rowe isn't without coaching experience, but the skepticism appears to have been warranted. The Panthers have reeled off two straight wins, but they're 11-10-9 in the 30 games since he took the reins. For those scoring at home, that's really 11-19, or eight games below .500.The defending Atlantic Division champions find themselves on the outside of the playoff picture looking in - two points back of the Philadelphia Flyers for the second wild-card spot in the East, and one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have three games in hand.▲ Doug WeightThe New York Islanders look like an entirely new team under Weight, who was elevated to the head coaching position when Jack Capuano was fired last month.They're 5-0-1 with Weight behind the bench, rising from last place to within three points of the Flyers for that final playoff position in the parity-riddled Eastern Conference.The Islanders have outscored opponents 19-10 in the first six games of the Weight era. Like Yeo, he was groomed for the job, but, unlike his Blues counterpart, his tutelage came as an assistant coach. Either way, he's proving that experience paid off.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are embracing their golden side.The club has unveiled the full "Pittsburgh gold" uniform to be worn during the NHL Stadium Series game at Heinz Field on Feb. 25 against rival Philadelphia, as modeled by winger Bryan Rust.

The Los Angeles Kings are in a playoff spot, and it's largely thanks to Jeff Carter.The veteran center scored a pair of goals in Wednesday's win over Colorado, and continues to carry the offensive load for a roster that's otherwise struggling to put the puck in the net.Carter has now scored 26 goals in 51 games, two behind Sidney Crosby for the league lead and one ahead of reigning Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin.That Carter is on pace for 42 goals over the course of 82 games is significant on a personal level, seeing as he's topped the 40-goal mark only once in his previous 11 seasons (46 in 2008-09). But what's even more striking is where the Kings would be this season without his hot stick.Carter's 26 goals account for exactly 20 percent of Los Angeles' total to date, as the Kings rank 21st among all teams with 130 goals through 51 games.Winger Tanner Pearson is the only other King to hit double-digits in goals so far this season (15), and Carter is quite simply skating laps around the rest of his teammates.

Jarome Iginla wants out.In an interview with Puck Daddy before the Colorado Avalanche were shut out by the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Iginla confirmed that he hopes to be dealt to a postseason contender before the March 1 trade deadline."I would like to, at the deadline, go somewhere," Iginla, 39, said. "I would like to be in the playoffs. I would hope that there is some opportunity to go and play in the playoffs."Those are the best games, the most fun for sure, and you have a chance to win. So no, I haven't given up on that chance to win."Iginla has briefly functioned as a rental commodity, pursuing the championship that has eluded him since his rookie season in 1996-97 with two short stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins in 2013 and 2014 following his 16 seasons with the Calgary Flames.He chose stability over the chase in the summer of 2014, signing a three-year, $16-million contract with the Avalanche, a deal set to expire this summer.Iginla said he hasn't approached management with a formal request to be dealt, but suggested that it's implied based on his age, contract status, and the direction of the last-place Avs."I have enjoyed it (in Colorado) and there are lots of great young guys here, and I think it's going to be a promising future. But yeah, my window is not the same as the other guys for sure."The Avalanche are one of a few obvious sellers with the deadline now less than a month away. The club will likely have to retain a considerable portion of Iginla's $5.33-million salary to facilitate a deal.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Finally rocked.Devan Dubnyk was beaten five times for the first time this season Wednesday night in Calgary, as the Flames jumped on the Minnesota Wild on the second night of a back-to-back, defeating the Western Conference leader 5-1.The Vezina Trophy front-runner, who rode a 20-2-2 stretch coming in, allowed two or fewer goals in 27 of his 38 starts entering the contest. Before the loss, he had more shutouts (five) than starts where he allowed more than three goals.But despite the positive results, Dubnyk's game-to-game trajectory suggests this was a long time coming. Five weeks to be exact.Each of his five starts where he's allowed at least four goals this season have come since the holiday break, and during a 13-game run where he's stopped the puck at a pedestrian .903 rate.He entered the holiday freeze with a spectacular .948 save percentage.With Braden Holtby riding an upward trend, sporting better than a .935 save rate over the previous two months, and Sergei Bobrovsky's numbers remaining comparably solid, we might have a Vezina race after all.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Progress lost in the standings seems trivial right now for the Boston Bruins.Tuukka Rask and Patrice Bergeron hobbled off the ice Wednesday, injured in the club's 5-3 loss to the Washington Capitals.Appearing to hurt himself while over-extending to make a save, Rask told Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe he "popped his groin."

Alex Ovechkin is at a fun stage in his career. It seems every goal carries with it some historical significance.The generational sniper scored a go-ahead power-play marker in Washington's 5-3 win Wednesday over the Boston Bruins, and in the process eclipsed two Top 100 brethren.Ovechkin's goal was the 550th of his career, which moved him passed Ron Francis for 27th all time. And because it came from his common home on the power play, he exceeded Wayne Gretzky on the all-time goals list when on the man advantage.His 205th career power-play goal moved him into a tie with Joe Sakic for 14th all time, and 69 back of the NHL record held by Dave Andreychuk.If he reaches the 40-goal plateau this year (he's at 25 through 50 games), he will exceed John Bucyk, Guy Lafleur, Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Mats Sundin, and improve to 22nd in NHL history.He's 251 goals behind Gordie Howe for second all time, and 344 behind Gretzky's record of 894 goals.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand's immense talent is outshining all that other stuff.With all eyes intently watching him after two dangerous tripping incidents over the space of three games, the Boston Bruins controversial star erased a two-goal deficit by himself Wednesday night versus the Washington Capitals with his third multi-goal performance in the last four games.Marchand's first goal was spectacular. He accepted a pass from Patrice Bergeron while darting through the slot, and, against his momentum, tucked a perfect snap wrist shot under the crossbar.

When Chicago Blackhawks backup Scott Darling pulls on his new slimmer-fit goalie pants before his next start, he will be doing so "begrudgingly," he told Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune.He made his distaste for the NHL's new in-season mandate known prior to it coming into effect this weekend."I think it's a waste of time and money. But whatever the league feels they need to do."An annoyance, sure. But when he continued on the topic, he hinted to the changes perhaps having the NHL's desired effect.Stopping the puck is suddenly less simple."You just have to get used to it and squeeze a little bit harder when you go down," Darling said.He explained that the tailored pants come in upwards of 10 different sizes, as opposed to the traditional small, medium, and large.Darling's partner Corey Crawford, who wore the pants at the All-Star Game and a recent loss to the Washington Capitals, expressed concern about the inner part of the thigh having no padding."Hopefully we can do something where we're completely covered and not exposed," he said.All NHL goaltenders will either slip, or fight their way into the new contoured pants beginning Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ken Hitchcock's career is not over, as far as Mike Babcock is concerned.Related: Emotional Armstrong laments firing 'best friend' HitchcockThe St. Louis Blues relieved Hitchcock of his duties Wednesday, but the Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss doesn't think Hitchcock's career is over."I don't believe he's going away to retire, I just don't believe that," Babcock said, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "Someone will be happy to have him."The Maple Leafs take on the Blues on Thursday in the club's first game with Mike Yeo as head coach.

Max Pacioretty should have been in Los Angeles over the weekend.The break did the Montreal Canadiens captain good, though, as he returned to the ice Tuesday and scored the second hat trick of his season, with each tally coming at even strength. He's now up to 24 goals, a mark only five players have hit, with only Sidney Crosby (28) having scored more.Among the league's top goal-scorers, it's Pacioretty who stands apart with his 5-on-5 play:PlayerCorsi For %TOIES GoalsGPPacioretty54.34%712.481751Crosby53.33%614.091843Jeff Carter52.26%630.151550Auston Matthews52.2%677.012048Mark Scheifele49.4%748.131850Alex Ovechkin48.73%675.791550Cam Atkinson48.1%606.581349Patrik Laine47.33%638.281545The majority of the game's contested at 5-on-5, and that's when Pacioretty's been the most adept at driving play. When he's on the ice, the Canadiens have the puck, and he's a major threat to score.When it comes to power-play goals, Pacioretty's near the bottom among the league's top snipers - because he's too busy dominating at 5-on-5:PlayerPPGSGHCrosby100Atkinson92Ovechkin90Carter81Laine80Pacioretty61Scheifele50Matthews30Here's a look at power-play ice time, with Pacioretty again near the bottom:Player PP TOIOvechkin3:46Crosby3:39Scheifele3:07Laine2:51Carter2:50Pacioretty2:50Atkinson2:42Matthews2:31Auston Matthews and Pacioretty are both dominant at 5-on-5 and deserving of more power-play minutes, but it's hard to argue that Mike Babcock and Michel Therrien must find these two more playing time with the man advantage. The Toronto Maple Leafs rank second in the league on the power play at 23.6 percent, while Montreal's right behind them at 23.4 percent.May as well save the guys for even strength. Montreal's lineup is one of the more balanced in the league, with Pacioretty leading all forwards in ice time, averaging 19:02 per game. It's probably a sound strategy - by keeping his captain fresh, Therrien can push him over the 20- and 21-minute mark come the spring.It's harder to score in the playoffs, which means Pacioretty will need a few more minutes per game - at even strength and on the power play - to make sure he does.The point is: Pacioretty is an elite goal-scorer who does it while everyone's on the ice, when it's hardest to do so. It's hard to believe a hockey universe exists in which the Canadiens' captain is underrated, but it's safe to say that's the case, especially after a Pacioretty-free weekend in Hollywood, where the game's best were celebrated.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now or never.Turning to reckless hyperbole seems almost excusable when assessing Bruce Boudreau's title chances, considering the position he has the Minnesota Wild in through one night in the post-All-Star break schedule.The Wild now sit atop the points percentage standings with the NHL's top goal differential after their convincing 5-2 win over the upstart Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, as they capped the month of January with a 10-2-1 record with their 33rd win from 49 starts.Of course, Boudreau, one of the best coaches on the planet, is in just his first season of a four-year contract with the Wild, and would be hired immediately, again, if his time in Minnesota fails to bear a championship.But, in many respects, this season is shaping up to be his next best chance to finally - finally - experience the immense success he's had in the regular season come spring and summer.Balance, and that Dubnyk guyMinnesota's balanced, fourth-ranked overall attack has produced more goals than any team at five-on-five without a single player in the top 20 in league scoring. Meanwhile, netminder Devan Dubnyk has a tight, two-hand grip on the Vezina Trophy with a league-best .936 save percentage and five shutouts.This combination, and the corresponding PDO wave, has the Wild on pace for 119 points, or the second-most in Boudreau's wildly successful career. He's averaged 108 points in the space of seven uninterrupted 82-game campaigns behind an NHL bench.Yet again, he's extracted all he can from the parts he's been provided. But this season, what's beyond Boudreau's control works in tandem, further boosting Minnesota's postseason chances.Altered NHL landscapeThe balance of power in the NHL has shifted to the Eastern Conference, with many West Coast outfits slipping into mediocrity. The league's taken another bite out of the Kings, who continue to diminish, while the Blues are suddenly a mess. The Predators seem to be working through an adjustment period, and the Oilers have improved by leaps and bounds, but still seem to be below the elite tier. Boudreau's old team, the Ducks, may win a fifth consecutive division title, but their underlying data is merely ordinary. The Blackhawks' stars aren't scoring, and continue to trend toward the mean in shot-based possession metrics. And the defending conference champion Sharks are formidable once again, but long postseason runs are taxing, and nearly impossible to survive in consecutive seasons.The conference is there for the taking. A Stanley Cup Final coin flip awaits.Another reason that this must be the year? Minnesota's bracing for a mini cap crunch this summer.Leading scorer Mikael Granlund is a restricted free agent when the season is up, and is putting himself in position to command a considerable raise on his current $3-million salary. Nino Niederreiter and Erik Haula will also need new deals. To that, the upcoming expansion draft will claim a body, in turn creating some financial wiggle room to retain free agents, but losing a key asset is an obvious detriment to the program.Entrance into the tournament has been a certainty for Boudreau-led teams over the past decade; it's been the consequence of crashing out early that has changed over the years.Boudreau won't have to worry about his job if the Wild suffer more heartbreak, but failure to seize this opportunity may torment the coach just the same.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 are the fantasy repercussions following the news Pittsburgh Penguins RW Conor Sheary will miss four-six weeks:

It's time for the captain to rally the troops.St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who was selected to wear the 'C' following the departure of David Backes this past offseason, addressed the firing of head coach Ken Hitchcock after practice Wednesday, saying it's time the team pulls itself together.Related: Emotional Armstrong laments firing 'best friend' Hitchcock