Gold is a good color for Matt Duchene. He proved as much in September's World Cup of Hockey, and at the 2014 Winter Olympics.In keeping with that trend, maybe the 26-year-old should be draped in those colors full time as a member of the Nashville Predators.Duchene's name continues to be thrown around in trade rumors, and he said he's open to the idea of joining a new club. The number of teams that have inquired about him is reportedly extremely high.The Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders have been discussed as potential destinations for the former third overall pick, but it's the Predators that make the most sense. Here are a few reasons why:Lineup fitSure, the Ducks and Islanders could use the services Duchene can provide as a dependable offensive center, but the fact is he can't just slot right into either team's top six that easily.Moving Duchene into the Ducks' lineup means one of Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Duchene would be either playing on the third line, or forced to play the wing.Duchene has experience on the wing, where he played as a member of Team Canada at the World Cup. The biggest difference there - and why that ultimately worked - was the ridiculous talent that Canada has. It makes sense when the world's elite are involved, and when the team is made up almost entirely of centermen.It could work in the short term for a playoff run, but given Duchene's contract carries an extra two years, that's a long-term commitment.A similar conundrum exists with the Islanders. Sure, Brock Nelson would certainly get pushed down from the second line in favor of Duchene, but considering Nelson has posted nearly identical numbers to Duchene this year, you could be messing with his potential success.The Predators, on the other hand, have the luxury in that after Ryan Johansen, each center could slot down one spot. Plus, the thought of James Neal on Duchene's wing is intriguing, and could provide the team with a potentially lethal second line.Predators expansion preparationAcquiring Duchene could also help the Predators fix their expansion protection problem.As it stands, the team is likely to go with the second protection option, wherein the club will elect to protect eight skaters (forwards or defensemem) and a goalie over the potential to save seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie.This is because the Predators have one of the strongest quartets of defensemen in the league, and they would be silly not to try to hold on to it.Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Ellis are about as mobile a unit as any team could want, but a deal for Duchene would could see one of these four go.It would likely be either Ekholm or Ellis, and, while it hurts, the fact is it comes in the form of Duchene, and gives the team the ability to in turn save three extra forwards. It's a blessing in disguise, especially with the club boasting many young, budding forwards, such as Austin Watson, Jarnkrok, Craig Smith, and Colin Wilson.Goals wantedThe Predators hold the third playoff spot in the Central Division, but it's far from cemented, with Winnipeg just four points behind.With that in mind - along with the fact the team will need to compete with the offensive juggernauts of the West in Chicago and Minnesota - the Predators need to keep pace, and Duchene can help them do that.The Predators sit in the middle of the pack with 2.76 goals per game and the 15th-ranked power play. The team does muster the seventh-most shots, though, so they could simply need a finisher, and Duchene could help in that department.There are still many clubs throwing their hat into the Matt Duchene sweepstakes, but the Predators are the best fit.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Conor Sheary will miss at least a month with what head coach Mike Sullivan would only describe as an "upper-body" injury.Sheary ranks third on the Penguins in goals (17) and fourth in points (35). He'd been clicking with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust since being bumped up to Pittsburgh's top line earlier in the season.The 24-year-old had scored nine goals in nine games before collecting just a single point over his last three contests.Sheary is in his second NHL season, both with the Penguins who signed him after he went undrafted out of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's official - Evgeny Kuznetsov has gotten his game back on track.After a miserable start to the season, the Washington Capitals forward earned first-star honors for the month of January. Kuznetsov finished second in the league with seven goals and 20 points in 15 games.The 24-year-old recorded seven multi-point games in the month and was instrumental in the Capitals reclaiming top spot in the standings. He now sits third in team scoring with 39 points in 50 games.Despite a $10,000 fine for his dangerous trip on Niklas Kronwall, Brad Marchand was equally lethal on the scoring sheet in January.The Boston Bruins forward earned second-star honors, leading the NHL with 11 goals in the month - including a five-point outing against the Philadelphia Flyers - while pacing the league with three shorthanded goals and four shorthanded points.Brent Burns also continued to do his thing and earned the month's third star. The San Jose Sharks pivot extended his lead in the defensemen scoring race by putting up a league-best six goals and 18 points in 14 games.Burns now has a 12-point cushion in league scoring by defensemen, while his 53 points are fourth overall.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's Mitch Marner's turn.The Toronto Maple Leafs center has been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for January after recording four goals and 11 assists for 15 points in 13 games.Marner joins teammates William Nylander (October) and Auston Matthews (December) to earn the honor during the current campaign, making the Maple Leafs the first NHL team with three different Rookie of the month honorees in a single season.As a result of his productive month, Marner sits in a tie with Winnipeg's Patrik Laine for first in rookie scoring with 41 points. Matthews ranks second (39), while Nylander is in a tie for third (31).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a difficult day for Ken Hitchcock, but Doug Armstrong didn't have an easy one, either.The St. Louis Blues general manager fought back tears during his opening remarks Wednesday at the first press conference of the Mike Yeo era, after Armstrong named the former Blues associate coach Hitchcock's replacement earlier than initially planned.

A dominant run of play has put the Washington Capitals back atop the latest Stanley Cup odds list.The Capitals - who won 12 of 15 games in January - now sit first in the NHL standings, and by extension have the best odds of being the last team standing in the playoffs, according to Bodog.Also of note on the list below: the St. Louis Blues - who fired head coach Ken Hitchcock on Wednesday - dropped well down, while the Toronto Maple Leafs made a bit of a leap.

The situation behind St. Louis' bench this season was a bit odd to begin with.Early in the offseason, the Blues added Mike Yeo - former head coach of the Minnesota Wild - to serve as an assistant to longtime bench boss Ken Hitchcock. There was nothing odd about that, except for the fact it was concurrently announced that Yeo would take over for Hitchcock at the end of 2016-17.The best laid plans often go awry, as they say, and on Wednesday the club decided to expedite the succession process, relieving Hitchcock of his duties and promoting Yeo to the head coach position effective immediately.And so ends a successful run for one of the NHL's most experienced head coaches.

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 Wednesday, Feb. 1:Dynamic Duos

Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand will reportedly not face discipline for a dangerous trip on Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman.

Mike Yeo was always next in line, but he's taking over sooner than originally planned.The St. Louis Blues have dismissed head coach Ken Hitchcock and named Yeo his immediate replacement, general manager Doug Armstrong announced Wednesday.When Yeo was hired as associate coach last summer, Armstrong initially said the former Minnesota Wild head coach would succeed Hitchcock as Blues bench boss after this season and "for three years after that."However, the move was made now with St. Louis having lost five of six games and sitting last in the NHL with a team save percentage of .887, according to Corsica Hockey.Related: Jake Allen key to Hitchcock's early dismissalHitchcock led the Blues to the playoffs in each of his five previous seasons behind the bench, but their run to the Western Conference Final last spring was the furthest he'd take them.The 65-year-old ranks fourth on the NHL's all-time wins list with 781 - only a single victory behind Al Arbour - in 1,453 regular-season games.Prior to his Blues tenure, Hitchcock spent parts of four seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, parts of four campaigns with the Philadelphia Flyers, and seven seasons with the Dallas Stars, leading them to a Stanley Cup championship in 1999.He was named Blues head coach following the firing of Davis Payne early in the 2011-12 campaign.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks are staying the course.Despite sitting one point out of a Western Conference wild-card spot, team president Trevor Linden confirmed the club won't deviate from a plan designed around sustained, as opposed to short-term, success."There's no question we won't be in the rental-player market, regardless of what (the playoff picture) looks like," Linden said Tuesday on TSN 1040. "If there's an opportunity ... with a young player that we feel is an upgrade, we'll certainly look at that. But there will be no situation where we'll go and mortgage any future pieces to make a playoff push."That said, general manager Jim Benning could still be active in advance of the NHL's March 1 trade deadline."If it make sense on the whole philosophy of getting younger and developing then we'll do that," Linden said, "but we'll see how the second half plays out."The Canucks have posted a 23-21-6 record through 50 games with a minus-21 goal differential, and are already without their fifth- and sixth-round draft picks in 2017.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Who says scoring is down in the NHL?In a night when all but two teams were active - the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks watched from the sidelines - fans were treated to goals aplenty. In all, 98 goals were scored on the night, most coming in one-sided contests.In Carolina, the Hurricanes pasted the Philadelphia Flyers 5-1. Hurricanes rookie forward Sebastian Aho scored the first hat trick of his career, the first Carolina freshman to do so since 2001. The Flyers had a stronger showing in the third period but managed just six shots through the first two frames.In Montreal, the Canadiens captured their 30th win of the season, dropping the divisional rival Buffalo Sabres 5-2. Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty scored his second hat trick of the campaign, with linemate Alexander Radulov grabbing assists on two of the tallies.South in Texas, the Dallas Stars were quick to chase Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen after the Stars netted three goals through the first 11:18 and five goals in the first period all together. Dallas scored the victory on the evening in a 6-3 final, with 12 Dallas skaters picking up at least one point in the win.In all, 10 players finished with multi-goal efforts on the evening:PlayerOpponentGoalsSeth JonesRangers2 goalsPatric HornqvistPredators2 goalsSebastian AhoFlyers3 goalsMax PaciorettySabres3 goalsKyle PalmieriRed Wings2 goalsAlex KillornBruins2 goalsRyan DzingelPanthers2 goalsMichael MathesonSenators2 goalsTyler GraovacOilers2 goalsJakob SilfverbergAvalanche2 goalsCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another day, another defeat.With their 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche marked their 32nd defeat of the season, and their eighth straight.The Avalanche have just a single victory since Dec. 27, a stretch where the team has posted a 1-12-1 record, including Tuesday's loss to the Ducks. Colorado picked up a lone point with an overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 21.To make matters worse? There are still 35 games of misery remaining.This already ranks as the fifth-worst Avalanche campaign since the franchise arrived in Denver in 1996:SeasonPointsLosses2008-0969452010-1168442015-1682392011-1288352016-172834At their current pace, the Avs will finish the season with just 49 points. The previous franchise-low in a full season was set in 2008-09, when the club ended up with 69 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second time in as many games, the Minnesota Wild's offense suffocated their opposition, as the club put up five goals in its dominant win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.The Wild went into the All-Star break fresh off a similar performance, taking down the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-1.It must be beginning to feel like routine for Minnesota, as this certainly isn't new territory for the club. The Wild have scored five goals in five of their past 10 games, with the first of that span being a seven-goal performance against the Montreal Canadiens - with Carey Price in the cage.They've already scored five or more goals a total of 12 times through 49 games this season, after doing so 11 times over the entirety of 2015-16.The club continues to score by committee as it rolls over the rest of the league. Tyler Graovac wired in two against the Oilers, while Zach Parise, Jason Zucker, and Chris Stewart each added a goal.One game earlier, it was Graovac, Erik Haula, Mikko Koivu, Nino Niederreiter, and Mikael Granlund putting pucks in the net. And veteran Eric Staal ranked as the team's goal-scoring leader heading into the tilt with Edmonton.Plenty of goals to go around in Minnesota, it seems.All in all, the Wild rank fourth in the league in terms of offensive prowess, scoring at a clip of 3.32 goals per game. With the 5-2 win over Edmonton, Minnesota remains the Western Conference leader with 71 points in the bag.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand was up to his old tricks.The Boston Bruins forward claimed his latest victim Tuesday, dropping Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman with a slewfoot play late in the second period.Marchand was not penalized on the play.The incident comes just five days and two games after the league dropped the hammer on Marchand, hitting the Bruins winger with a maximum fine of $10,000 following a dangerous trip on Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall.It's unknown whether the NHL will act on the play, but it will need to work in fast order, with the Bruins back in action Wednesday against the Washington Capitals.The NHL defines a repeat offender as those who commit a second offense within an 18-month window, and considering the short turnaround from Marchand's latest indiscretion, the grounds exist for a longer penalty.In all, here is short history of Marchand's long history of misdemeanors:DateOffensePenaltyJan. 26 '17Dangerous tripfined $10 000Dec. 30 '15Illegal clippingsuspended 3 gamesNov. 13 '15Roughingfined $5 000Jan. 16 '15Slewfootsuspended 2 gamesJan. 09 '12Illegal clippingsuspended 5 gamesDec. 12 '11Slewfootfined $2 500Mar. 17 '11Elbowingsuspended 2 gamesCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Leon Draisaitl continues to prove he's more than a sidekick in Edmonton.After breaking out with a 51-point effort last season, Draisaitl has taken his play to a new level in 2016-17, establishing himself as one of the game's brightest young stars.He confirmed that step forward once again Tuesday, hitting 20 goals for the first time in his career with a rocket of a one-timer.By reaching the 20-goal plateau, Draisaitl earned a $212,500 performance bonus, according to Cap Friendly.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists, Jacob Trouba scored a key third-period goal, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Tuesday night.Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers and Blake Wheeler also scored for the Jets, who improved to 12-4-1 within the Central Division and 3-0 against the Blues. Ondrej Pavelec made 24 saves.Alexander Steen, Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Pietrangelo scored for the Blues, who lost their fourth straight on home ice. Jake Allen made 19 saves.Winnipeg opened a 4-2 lead on Trouba's fourth of the season 3:33 into the third. Trouba initially fanned on the shot but the puck went off of Pietrangelo's skate and into the net.The bad bounce on Trouba's goal was another tough break for Allen, who made his first start since being pulled after allowing four goals on 10 shots on Jan. 19. He was replaced in each of his previous three starts, allowing 10 goals on 36 shots during that span.Allen received sarcastic cheers from the crowd of 19,483 for routine saves throughout the game.Steen put St. Louis in front just 3:37 into the game on a shot from the point. It was the first time St. Louis scored the opening goal on home ice since Dec. 15.Scheifele tied it with 30 seconds left in the first on a give-and-go with Blake Wheeler. It was Scheifele's second goal in two games, and Wheeler's assist gave him 20 points in his last 21 games.Laine gave the Jets a 2-1 lead 22 seconds into the second period. Laine is on a seven-game point streak, and his 41 points leads all NHL rookies.After Ehlers scored just seven seconds into Winnipeg's first power play, Tarasenko responded for the Blues with 52 seconds remaining in the second. It was Tarasenko's fifth goal and ninth point in his last seven games against the Jets.NOTES: The Blues recalled F Ivan Barbashev from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. ... Jets F Mathieu Perreault missed his third straight game after taking a slash from Anaheim's Corey Perry on Jan. 23.UP NEXTJets: Will travel to Dallas on Thursday.Blues: Will host Toronto on Thursday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last season, he went all in, but this time around, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman seems comfortable standing firm.Bowman orchestrated a series of moves to bolster his club's attack a season ago, acquiring Andrew Ladd, Dale Weise, and Tomas Fleischmann in separate trades at the expense of two high picks, prospect Marko Dano, and depth forward Philip Danault.The moves didn't pan out, as Chicago's playoff run lasted all of seven games.On top of last year's postseason failure, it's a new team dynamic that leaves Bowman hesitant to shake things up this time around."There’s something to be said for chemistry and keeping your guys together, and not having someone come in externally, swoop in, and try to find a role for him," Bowman told Mark Lazerus of The Chicago Sun-Times. "So we’ll see. Things change quickly. But as we look at it today, I’m not expecting a big addition like that."Chicago, in second place in the Central Division with 65 points, is relying on a crop of rookies more so than years past, and Bowman doesn't want to alter that."Established players, they don’t typically get better as the year goes on. They’re at their level and they maintain it or if anything, they drop off due to injury or fatigue or whatnot. But we’ve got a different dynamic at play. We’ve already seen it with a few of them. They’re better now than they were in October," Bowman said.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers don't have a single defenseman ranking among the top 25 blue-line scorers in the league. But the club made it clear Tuesday night that they have more than enough talent on the back end to get the job done.Florida's rearguards dominated offensively during their goal-fest against the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers finished the game with a 6-5 victory, the eventual game-winner coming with just 35 seconds left in the tilt.Astoundingly, four of the Panthers' six tallies came from defensemen - Michael Matheson scored twice, while Jason Demers and Mark Pysyk added one goal each.

It was an evening to remember for Kyle Palmieri, as his New Jersey Devils dropped the Detroit Red Wings with a nail-biting 4-3 victory.For the 25-year-old winger, it was an especially crucial one, as Palmieri got back on track with two goals - his first multi-goal effort of 2016-17.The offensive outburst was surely needed, as Palmieri's play to this point hasn't inspired much confidence for the struggling Devils.After breaking out with 30 goals and 57 points last season - both career highs and nearly double his previous marks - it seemed the former Anaheim Duck had found his stride back in his hometown.Already rolling, Palmieri saw Taylor Hall come to town in the offseason - adding an elite talent to help him raise the Devils out of the league's offensive basement.But it didn't quite work out that way. Instead, Palmieri's production tailed off, seeing his goals per game pace fall from 0.37 in 2015-16 to 0.23 this year. His overall points per game pace similarly fell, from 0.70 to 0.58.A performance like the one Palmieri put forth against the Wings seems a fine remedy, however.Not only did he register his first multi-goal game of the season, he also tallied his first career shorthanded goal, cutting through the Red Wings' powerplay unit for a highlight-reel finish.With the impressive night, Palmieri's season totals now sit at 13 goals and 30 points through 49 games, while the Devils' point total rises to 51 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It certainly wasn't the start they were looking for.The Toronto Maple Leafs stood still as the Dallas Stars stormed out of the gate with five goals in the first period Tuesday, en route to a 6-3 loss.It's the first time Toronto's allowed five first-period goals since April 3, 2009 against the Philadelphia Flyers, per Sportsnet Stats.Naturally, Leafs' starter Frederik Andersen was pulled at 11:18 of the opening frame, allowing a trio of goals on eight shots.Despite a 43-20 advantage on the shot counter by the end of the game, the first-period onslaught was too large to overcome.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' Doug Weight era has gone swimmingly so far, but the club took their winning ways to a new level Tuesday.With an impressive 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, the Islanders stretched their record under their new head coach to 5-0-1, the club having yet to lose in regulation with Weight at the helm.Related - Watch: Islanders' Nelson, Strome link up for silky smooth tallyNew York has taken down some strong teams over that span - particularly the Columbus Blue Jackets in Weight's fourth game - but the victory over Washington is a different animal.The Caps entered the contest as the league's top squad - boasting 72 points this season - and also one of the most offensively potent, sitting fifth in goals per game.Not an issue for the Islanders, apparently. Weight's club held Washington to one goal - scored in the first five minutes of the game - until the final moments of the contest, when Alex Ovechkin scored to try to bring his team back from the brink.New York hasn't simply been winning games since Weight took over. They've been doing so by committee, as a slew of the club's supposed stars have found new life since the coaching change.Ryan Strome scored his first in 12 games in the win over the Caps. Andrew Ladd tallied his third point in two games after taking nine games to post his previous three.Suffice to say, the Islanders have woken up - and just in time, it seems.The club has a tough month ahead with eight away games on the docket, but after taking down the best with relative ease to remain hot, it's beginning to look like a foregone conclusion that John Tavares and Co. will close the gap and climb back into a playoff spot soon enough.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lost in the fold of the NHL's remarkable group of rookies this season is the quietly productive and highly effective Sebastian Aho.The Carolina Hurricanes freshman, a second-round pick in 2015, broke out in a big way Tuesday night, netting his first career hat trick.They weren't exactly garbage goals, either:

Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov - it's working.The pair of dynamic Canadiens' forwards linked up twice Tuesday versus Buffalo, as Pacioretty was the beneficiary of a pair of perfect passes from his Russian linemate.Pacioretty would complete his second hat trick of the season, without Radulov this time, banging in a rebound early in the third period.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A promising upswing didn't survive the All-Star break for Henrik Lundqvist.After a disastrous stretch of play prompted The King to evaluate his play a"embarrassing, frustrating, and disappointing," the New York Rangers linchpin bounced back with four strong starts ahead of last weekend's festivities in Los Angeles.However, any hopes of complete rejuvenation were quickly dashed Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, as the Blue Jackets chased Lundqvist with three goals on 16 shots midway through the second period.Lundqvist's replacement, Antti Raanta, didn't fare much better, allowing three goals on 10 shots as the Blue Jackets earned a 6-4 win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Trevor Daley had it on a tee.Facing the Nashville Predators on Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins blue-liner walked into the opposing zone and blasted a slapshot by netminder Pekka Rinne.The tally marked Daley's fifth goal of the season and second in his past five games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A trip into Columbus used to mean an two easy points.Qualifying for the playoffs just twice since entering the NHL in 2000, more often than not the second half of the season in Columbus has seen fans focused on draft rankings rather than the playoff race.The Blue Jackets have finished no higher than fourth in their division dating back to 2006.But things have changed this year.No longer the NHL's pushover, the Blue Jackets have made a name for themselves this season, emerging as a respected opponent after years as the league's dormant.Related: Tortorella sees 'different attitude' in Blue Jackets' locker roomFor much the of the season, the Blue Jackets have hovered around the top spot in the East, including a near-record win streak, one short of the all-time mark set by the 1993 Pittsburgh Penguins.Coming out of the All-Star break, the Blue Jackets hold a 32-12-4 record, good for 68 points, and are poised for the playoffs for the first time since 2014. In all, the Jackets sit just four points behind the Washington Capitals for first place league-wide, while holding a game in hand."It's great that finally we're not the underdog anymore; teams are starting to show us a little more respect," Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson told Arpon Basu of NHL.com. "But that being said, teams aren't taking us so lightly anymore. We have to kind of embrace that and accept the challenge and be ready to go."It's been more of a challenge for Columbus of late, where the Blue Jackets have struggled to a 5-6-0 record since the win streak was snapped by the Capitals on Jan. 5 following a 5-0 drubbing."Obviously when you go on a 16-game win streak you feel like you're on top of the world and nothing can go wrong," said defenseman Seth Jones. "Then you kind of come back down to Earth a little bit and realize that's going to end at some point. We're around .500 this month, not where we'd like to be after a month like last month."The Blue Jackets will have a chance to get back to their winning ways in short order, as the team's schedule coming out of the All-Star break includes 28 games against the East, and 18 of those matches within the Metropolitan Division.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche may be going on an extended road trip next season.The two clubs are "likely" to play two regular-season games in Sweden scheduled for November, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.The decision must be approved by the NHLPA before being finalized, and an answer could be coming within two weeks, Dreger adds.Both captains - Erik Karlsson of the Senators and Gabriel Landeskog of the Avalanche - are natives of Sweden, adding a nice tie-in to the potential event.The NHL hasn't traveled to Europe since 2011, when the Ducks, Sabres, Kings, and Rangers all opened their seasons stationed across the Atlantic, playing games in Finland, Sweden, and Germany.Beyond a possible European expedition, Dreger reports the Kings and Vancouver Canucks are likely to travel to China for a slate of exhibition games, which also depends on approval from the player's association.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After seeing just how much of an impact Connor McDavid has had on the NHL since being tabbed as the 2015 No. 1 pick, it should be no surprise to see his Edmonton Oilers finally getting in the win column more often than not.But it may be a bit of a shock to see how well McDavid's club is doing from a historic perspective.As Edmonton comes out of the All-Star break, the club sits with 64 points through 51 games, tied with the San Jose Sharks for the Pacific Division lead. Impressive? Sure, but nothing compared to how that pace stacks up against the legendary Oilers teams of old:

The NHL referred to former players as 'mere puppets' in documents connected to its ongoing lawsuit regarding the handling of head injuries, according to TSN Senior Correspondent Rick Westhead.The league took issue with former players involved in the concussion lawsuit who wrote op-ed pieces on the subject for news publications. Such was the case with Reed Larson, formerly of the Detroit Red Wings, who penned a 2015 piece for The Detroit News on the subject.Wrote Westhead on the league's request:

Joe Colborne was a polarizing figure during his time with the Calgary Flames, showing enough inconsistency to leave some unsure of his worth, but enough raw potential to convince some he was the club's greatest hidden gem.So when Flames fans watched Colborne rattle off a hat trick in his first game wearing Colorado Avalanche colors, it seemed clear Calgary had let another one slip away.But it looks like general manager Brad Treliving has nothing to worry about, as Colborne has fallen well short of replicating that opening-night performance.After posting three tallies in game one and adding an assist three games later, Colborne hasn't registered a single point in the 32 games that have followed - a colossal cold streak that has spanned three months.It isn't as if the big-bodied winger is lacking the tools to contribute. He may not be an All-Star, but Colborne has been a fairly serviceable offensive option in the past.He potted a career-high 19 goals and 44 points in just 73 games for the Flames last season, seeing top-six minutes for much of the campaign. While it was clear he was on track for a slight regression - he posted a pretty unsustainable shooting percentage of 19 percent - Colborne had proven himself to have enough raw skill to become a decent secondary option at the NHL level.Half a season later, it's unclear if that's still the case.A downgrade in linemates seems to have sapped Colborne of his ability to put up numbers, as he's moved from playing with Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik to spending time with the likes of John Mitchell and Cody McLeod.That abrupt plot twist is terrible news for Colorado, as the club remains desperate for any type of offensive life. The Avalanche rank last in the league in goals per game, and - unsurprisingly - sit last in the standings as well.Related: Avalanche's MacKinnon: 'We're pretty fragile'Unfortunately for general manager Joe Sakic, Colborne isn't coming cheap either. The snake-bitten forward is owed $5 million over this season and the next.For perspective, veteran Avalanche winger Rene Bourque is earning only $650,000 this season, and has nine goals to his name - tied with Gabriel Landeskog for third-most on the team.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get ready to see post-deadline trades this year.That's because the league's expansion franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights, could start making deals beginning in just over a month's time.Once the sale of the team has been finalized - which is expected to happen around March 1 - the Golden Knights will be granted the opportunity to begin making trades, NHL deputy commissioner Billy Daly noted during All-Star festivities this past weekend, according to Sportsnet's Emily Sadler."Once they close the transaction, (general manager George McPhee) will be able to make player-related transactions within some parameters," Daly said. "Obviously he still can’t acquire players who are still playing the 2016-17 season, but he can acquire draft picks, he can acquire (unsigned draft choices), sign draft choices, player assets. He can start making deals associated with the expansion draft."The provision should certainly help the infant franchise get going on its roster construction. In addition, the team will also be granted a 48-hour period - between the time the protected roster lists are submitted and the expansion draft - where they will be allowed to negotiate with unrestricted and restricted free agents who are not protected, and sign players, which was reported by TSN's Pierre LeBrun back in October.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri has once again been asked to comment on happenings south of the border.A rare player of Muslim descent to make the NHL, Kadri was asked Tuesday about U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order banning citizens of seven primarily Muslim nations from entering the United States.Kadri offered the following response, per Sportsnet:

The Montreal Canadiens have unveiled the new look for their AHL affiliate.The Rocket - named after Canadiens legend Maurice 'Rocket' Richard - will be represented by the following logo and jerseys when the team begins play at Place Bell in nearby Laval in 2017-18:

The All-Star festivities were a much needed distraction for Nathan MacKinnon.The Colorado Avalanche forward has watched his club spin out of control, crashing to the bottom of the league standings and leaving him and his teammates in shock."It sucks. I've never been in a position like this in my life," MacKinnon said, according to Puck Daddy's Greg Wyshynski."We didn't expect this. We thought we'd be in the mix. I know we wouldn't have won the division (this season), but I thought we'd have a chance to make the playoffs. Obviously, that's not the case. So we're just trying to get better, get ready for next season."The club sits 30th in the league - 10 points below the next-closest team, the Arizona Coyotes.It's been a complete system failure, too. The Avalanche are last in the league in both goals for and against per game with 2.02 and 3.37 marks, respectively."We've been in games, but we can't score," MacKinnon said. "We score two a game, and we give up the most goals in the league, so that's not a good combo. We're pretty fragile. I don't want to beat up the team too much. We're in a lot of games, but then we press the panic button too easily. Like in San Jose, when Marleau scored four against us in one period, in like eight minutes. That was a 1-1 game."What's made the losing so unbearable, MacKinnon admits, is the amount of optimism that surrounded the team following the 2013-14 season, which saw the Avalanche capture the Central Division with 52 wins and 112 points."We thought we were going to be a Cup team in the next five years," he said. "Looking back on it, I took it for granted how hard it is to win. I came in, won 50 games. I thought I was going to win every year."With this season all but over for the Avalanche, eyes will be fixated on next year. It's looking more and more like the club will tear it down, and the focus will soon be shifting to the likes of Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier at June's draft.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The American Hockey League has approved the relocation of the New Jersey Devils' minor-league affiliate from Albany, N.Y., to Binghamton, N.Y., effective for the 2017-18 season."After evaluating multiple scenarios and obtaining the approval of the AHL Board of Governors, we have agreed to partner with a local operating group in Binghamton, NY to relocate our AHL franchise for the 2017-18 season," Devils president Hugh Weber said in a statement."The new arrangement will allow the organization to focus its efforts on developing our player prospects, while leaving the business operations to those with expertise in the market."A spot had been opened up for a team in Binghamton when the Ottawa Senators announced their AHL club would be moving to Belleville, Ontario.The city's Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena will therefore have a main tenant for the immediate future.

The greatest player in hockey and one of his likely successors boast the NHL's top-selling jerseys so far this season.Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby ranks first - and deservedly so - while Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews sits in the second spot.Here's a look at the top 15, according to the NHL Shop.

The NHL has returned from its All-Star break - and so has Squad Up, which will award a cool $75 in cash prizes in our latest Cashnado contest.The winner will receive $21, which is some nice folding money for a few minutes of work. Prizes are paid out to 300th place - so even if you don't finish near the top, you still have a chance at taking something home. And best of all, the game is absolutely free! That's right, it costs you zero dollars to participate. You don't pay us - we pay you.The path to riches, fame and glory is a simple one: download the Squad Up app, get your account set up and start playing contests immediately! Choose your five-player team consisting of one center, one right winger, one left winger, one defenseman and one goaltender, stay within the $300K cap, then sit back and watch as your players accumulate fantasy points.Looking for some advice to get you started? Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Tuesday, Jan. 31 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

The Toronto Maple Leafs have at least one fan in Dallas.Stars forward Patrick Sharp admitted to reporters ahead of the teams' clash Tuesday that when he's not watching or playing with his own team, he keeps an eye on the Maple Leafs."Whenever the Stars aren't on the ice, I am watching the Leafs," Sharp said, according to Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun. "They're exciting. Great for the league."Teammate Jason Spezza echoed Sharp's sentiment, addressing the strong play of rookies Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner."They are guys who have changed (the Leafs) team and made them a dangerous team," Spezza said.Expect the praise to die down come game time, as both the Stars and Maple Leafs will be looking to claw their way back into a playoff spot.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrei Markov will return to a new linemate Tuesday night.The Montreal Canadiens defenseman will play his first game since Dec. 17 Tuesday when the club takes on the Buffalo Sabres, the team announced.Markov's return from a 19-game absence with a lower-body injury will see him slotted with newly acquired Nikia Nesterov, according to TSN's Amanda Stein.Nesterov was acquired by the club Thursday for blue-liner Jonathan Racine and a 2017 sixth-round pick.Markov's return will provide a huge boost to the team as the 38-year-old currently leads all Canadiens defensemen in points per game this season, having posted 21 in just 31 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now that business details have been ironed out, Alain Vigneault is setting his eyes on the prize.The New York Rangers head coach's contract extension was made official on Tuesday. It's a deal that reportedly sees the final year of his current contract - for next season - scrapped in exchange for a thee-year deal that will pay him just over $4 million per season through 2019-20, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.With his new deal in place, the Rangers bench boss is setting his sights on Lord Stanley."I feel I've never been more driven than I am at this point," Vigneault said, adding: "I'm working my butt off to win the ultimate thing," according to Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post.Vigneault noted Tuesday that extension talks were first brought up by general manager Jeff Gorton last summer, but that real discussions didn't begin until about a month ago, according to Newsday's Steve Zipay.Of course, it's certainly a smart move by the club, as Vigneault's .632 points percentage is the highest in franchise history among coaches with at least 100 games under their belt.The Rangers have also won five playoff rounds under Vigneault's direction, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014 and capturing the Presidents' Trophy in 2015, all since he took over for the 2013-14 season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators are somewhat surprisingly in position to challenge for a playoff spot, and both clubs will have their work cut out for them as play resumes following the All-Star break.By way of having played the second-fewest games among all teams to date, the Maple Leafs and Senators are among four clubs with the busiest upcoming schedules, along with the Colorado Avalanche and New York Islanders.

The New York Rangers have signed head coach Alain Vigneault to a contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.While terms weren't revealed, the deal will keep him with the organization through 2019-20, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."Calgary FlamesPlus: A win over the Senators prior to the All-Star break helped ease the stress of a previous four-game losing skid. Goals from Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were both welcome sights in the 3-2 victory.Minus: Despite the win, Calgary still finished the week 1-2-0, giving up 11 goals in that stretch. The Flames need to be better if they hope to maintain their current playoff spot, and that starts with goaltending.Take: Gaudreau wasn't just the Flames' lone All-Star representative in Los Angeles; he was arguably the most dominant player at the event. The 23-year-old had four points in two games, along with a plethora of chances. He'll hope his offensive surge can translate back to regular-season play.Edmonton OilersPlus: A 7-2-1 stretch before the break, highlighted by dominant wins over the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks, propelled Edmonton into a tie for the Pacific Division lead.Connor McDavid also had an eventful weekend at his first All-Star event, capturing the fastest skater award.Minus: Milan Lucic has found the back of the net just once in his last 16 games. The Oilers are rolling, but added contributions from their $6-million man would go a long way toward keeping momentum.Take: Edmonton is red hot, averaging five goals per game in its last three. The team now has four games before its mandated bye week, and it'll be crucial to pick up points before the schedule gets even more condensed down the stretch.Montreal CanadiensPlus: He's still got it.Shea Weber picked up his third straight hardest shot title at Saturday's skills competition. The 31-year-old also used his cannon to score two goals in Montreal's last four games.Minus: Carey Price keeps downplaying his recent poor play, but having allowed three or more goals in 10 of 13 games, it might be time for some skepticism.Take: The Canadiens' grasp on the Atlantic Division is slowly slipping. The team now holds just a seven-point lead over the Senators, who have three games in hand. Don't look now, but this division race is far from over.Ottawa SenatorsPlus: Mike Condon. Outside of a rare seven-goal outing against the Blue Jackets just over a week ago, Ottawa's netminder has been a rock.Minus: Derick Brassard has gone eight games since he last scored. The 29-year-old has just eight goals and 25 points on the year, one less in each category than New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad does in 23 fewer games. The trade seemingly has a clear winner - and it isn't Ottawa.Take: Speaking of trades, the Senators pulled off what should be the first of many ahead of the deadline, acquiring Tommy Wingels from San Jose. Sure, it's not a big name or the top-six forward the Senators are looking for, but props to management for the minor upgrade and getting the trade train rolling.Toronto Maple LeafsPlus: The goalies are doing their jobs. Frederik Andersen is coming off back-to-back shutouts - earning third star of the week honors - while Curtis McElhinney was nearly perfect in a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia last week.Minus: It's a drum that warrants beating once again; the Maple Leafs will need to be better in back-to-back games. The club was uninspired in their latest attempt against the Flyers, but with seven more chances there's no room for fatigue.Related: Babcock doesn't buy back-to-back fatigue: 'Play the game'Take: With games against the Stars, Blues, and Bruins this week, picking up points will be crucial. The Maple Leafs' offense should take advantage of playing two Western Conference clubs with poor goaltending. Meanwhile, Toronto can take advantage of its games in hand on the Bruins with a victory on Saturday.Vancouver CanucksPlus: Like Gaudreau, Bo Horvat had an inspired All-Star tournament, picking up four points in two games, and proving he's certainly a star on the rise.Related: Horvat states his case with impressive All-Star showingMinus: The Canucks stumbled into the All-Star break, earning just two points against the bottom-feeding Avalanche and Coyotes. That included a disastrous 3-0 loss to Arizona that saw Vancouver go almost half the game without a single shot on goal.Take: The Canucks remain within striking distance of a playoff spot. With just two remaining back-to-back sets and with its bye week approaching, Vancouver has one of the lighter schedules in February. It will be important to capitalize if the team wants to remain serious about a postseason berth.Winnipeg JetsPlus: Yes, the Jets' top line has been great all year, but lately it's Bryan Little who's been torching the opposition.Little has nine points over his last five contests - nearly two per game - including four multi-point outings.Minus: No matter who mans the net these days, pucks are still going in. The Jets have gone 3-5-1 in their last nine games, allowing at least three goals in each. Whether it's Ondrej Pavelec or not, someone needs to stop the puck.Take: Patrik Laine appeared to have some All-Star jitters in his debut.He couldn't replicate his superb time from the accuracy contest at the Jets' skills competition - which would have won him the All-Star event - and went pointless in the Central's crushing 10-3 loss to the Pacific.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's no debate in Phil Kessel's mind.The omission of Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin from the 100 Greatest NHL Players list was a glaring mistake, Kessel asserted Monday."He should be there, obviously," Kessel said, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I’m pretty sure he’s one of the top 100 players of all time. It is what it is. In my book, he is."A quick look at Malkin's accomplishments suggests Kessel is definitely on to something: