Baby steps.Winnipeg Jets' star rookie Patrik Laine returned to the ice Wednesday, but there is still "no time frame" for his return to game action, head coach Paul Maurice said.Laine was concussed Jan. 7 following a devastating open-ice hit from Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe.The 18-year-old goal-scoring aficionado has recorded 21 goals and 16 assists in 42 games this season, and his production has been sorely missed as the Jets have stumbled to a 1-3-1 record in his absence.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 Wednesday, Jan. 18 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Brandon Wheat Kings forward Nolan Patrick remains in the No. 1 spot on NHL Central Scouting's rankings for the 2017 NHL Draft.The NHL released its midterm draft rankings Wednesday, and the 6-foot-3, 198-pound pivot leads the pack of North American skaters. Patrick missed 35 games and the world juniors with an upper-body injury, but has scored six goals and 13 points in eight games since returning.Here's a look at how the rest of the field plays out:North American skatersPlayerPositionTeamHeightWeightNolan PatrickCBrandon (WHL)6'3198Nico HischierCHalifax (QMJHL)6'176Gabriel VilardiCWindsor (OHL)6'3201Owen TippetRWMississauga (OHL)6'1202Casey MiddlestadtCEden Prairie High6'201Michael RasmussenCTri-City (WHL)6'5215Eeli TolvanenRWSioux City (USHL)5'10170Cody GlassCPortland (WHL)6'1180Juuso ValimakiDTri-City (WHL)6'1204Cale MakarDBrooks (AJHL)5'11179European skatersPlayerPositionNationality HeightWeightKlim KostinC/LWRussia6'3196Elias PetterssonCSweden6'1156Lias AnderssonCSweden5'11198Kristian VesalainenLW/RWFinland6'3207Martic NecasCCzech Republic6'167Miro HeiskanenDFinland6'170Timothy LiljegrenDSweden6'191Urho VaakanainenDFinland6'185Ostap SafinRWCzech Republic6'4191Filip WesterlundDSweden5'11179Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fans aren't the only ones that awe at Erik Karlsson.Upon visiting the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, opposing head coach Ken Hitchcock marveled at the swift blue-liner's skill set."He's a great skater but it's his anticipation that puts him ahead of everybody," Hitchcock told Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen. "It's his reads, when to jump, when to go, when to attack. He just seems to be a step ahead mentally (of) most players playing that position."The Ottawa Senators captain lived up to the praise, delivering what's become a standard one-assist, two-hit, five-block performance in 24:16 of ice time, a key cog in the 6-4 win.Hitchcock went on to coin Karlsson's unique style of play with a special term."We consider him to be an offenseman and we consider him to be a guy that's dangerous when you have the puck," Hitchcock said. "If you have the puck, and you make a puck error and he's on the ice, he will make you pay for it every time. That's just what exceptional thinkers do."He has a point. After all, not too many defensemen lead their teams in scoring three seasons in a row, and counting:SeasonGPGA P2013-14822054742014-15822145662015-16821666822016-174272936It's no wonder Karlsson has two Norris Trophies to his name.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

DENVER - Vinnie Hinostroza scored twice in the third period, including the go-ahead goal with 11:49 remaining, and the Chicago Blackhawks rallied for a 6-4 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.Tanner Kero had two goals and Nick Schmaltz and Brent Seabrook also scored for Chicago, which snapped a two-game skid.The Blackhawks switched around their line combinations, breaking up the Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa tandem in an effort to spark the offense. It certainly worked with Hinostroza, Kero and Hossa combining for eight points. Hossa had three assists.Matt Duchene had two goals and Blake Comeau and Matt Nieto also scored for the last-place Avalanche, who wrapped up a four-game homestand with a 1-3 mark. This game felt more like a road game, though, with all the Blackhawk fans in attendance.The loudest cheer of the night came when Hinostroza scored the game-winner by tapping a shot past Semyon Varlamov.Colorado pulled Varlamov with around 35 seconds remaining, but couldn't get anything past Corey Crawford. Kero added an empty-netter with 10.6 seconds left.Hinostroza tied the game at 4 early in the third period when he took a long pass from Seabrook and skated in all alone, lifting a wrist shot over Varlamov.The 22-year-old Hinostroza entered with four career goals.There were a combined four goals scored in a frenzied second period, with Colorado taking a 3-2 lead on Nieto's first goal of the season. The advantage lasted all of 19 seconds as Kero answered.On the play, Hossa had his first assist of the night to give him 600 for his career. He's the 32nd player in NHL history to record 500 goals and 600 assists.In the first period, Duchene scored a rare power-play goal for the Avalanche. They were 2 of 41 on the man advantage over the last 11 games before Duchene tipped Nathan MacKinnon's shot past Crawford.Given how far they're fallen, the Avalanche could soon be looking at a possible shake-up. Duchene, the team's leading goal scorer, captain Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Tyson Barrie have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors. The trio are part of the core that general manager Joe Sakic has been trying to build around for the last few seasons.''I believe in the guys we have in this room,'' Barrie said. ''It's about learning, but you can only say that for so long.''It would be a lot of fun to win with these guys. I don't think we're too far off.''Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mikael Backlund, Michael Frolik, and Matthew Tkachuk cannot be stopped.The "Triple-M" line paced the Flames again Tuesday, with the first of Backlund's two goals in 12 seconds holding up as the winner in a 5-2 decision over the Florida Panthers.The three forwards combined for two goals and five assists, and Backlund led the way with three points. The 27-year-old is at 14 goals through 47 games, only seven off his career high of 21. His 32 points are 15 back of the career-high 47 he registered last season.Frolik had 32 points in 64 games last season, and he's now collected 27 points.Tkachuk, meanwhile, is having a stellar rookie season, with 29 points in 43 games as a 19-year-old.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. LOUIS - Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone each scored twice to lead the Ottawa Senators over the St. Louis Blues 6-4 on Tuesday night.Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Bobby Ryan also scored for the Senators, who won their fourth straight at Scottrade Center for the first time in team history. Mike Condon made 19 saves.Paul Stastny, Kevin Shattenkirk, Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund scored for the Blues, who had their two-game winning streak snapped. Carter Hutton made 18 saves.Stone's third goal in four games at the 2:35 mark of the third period was the winner. Exactly a minute after Steen tied it, Stone stole Jaden Schwartz's pass to score his 14th goal of the season, giving the Senators a 4-3 lead.Hoffman's goal at 13:53, his 14th of the season, gave the Senators insurance. Stone added an empty-netter.Pageau scored his first goal in 15 games to give the Senators a 1-0 lead at the 3:03 mark of the first period.It was the seventh consecutive time the Blues surrendered the first goal on home ice.Stastny evened it with a power-play goal midway through the first. Stastny has seven points, including four goals, in his last seven games.Hoffman regained the lead for the Senators with a power-play goal with 6:34 left in the second period. Hoffman scored his third goal in his last four games after Kyle Turris' shot went off Robert Bortuzzo and deflected right to his stick.Ryan made it 3-1 Senators 85 seconds later. Hutton thought he had Ryan Dzingel's shot covered with his pad, but the whistle never blew and Ryan banged the rebound into the net.It was Ryan's 18th goal and 32nd point in 25 career games against the Blues.Shattenkirk scored with 46 seconds left in the second to cut Ottawa's lead to 3-2. Shattenkirk extended his points streak against the Senators to four games.Steen scored the Blues' second power-play goal of the game to tie it 3-3 at the 1:35 mark of the third period.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If the Colorado Avalanche are devoted to building around youth and speed, maybe don't trade Matt Duchene.The 26-year-old not-so-young forward turned on the jets and scored an absolutely beautiful goal against Chicago.Then again, with a bevy of scouts in attendance, maybe his trade value went up a level with this one.The goal was Duchene's second of the game and 15th of the season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some adversity for the Western Conference-best Minnesota Wild.Bruce Boudreau's squad's 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday came at a hefty price. Defenseman Jonas Brodin played only 9:23, and it was announced after the game that he sustained a broken finger.The extent of the damage and how long Brodin will be out will be known Wednesday. The 23-year-old went into the game averaging over 20 minutes of ice time and having registered 16 points, so his loss is a significant one.

Henrik Lundqvist has a few words to describe his play as of late.The New York Rangers goalie was pulled from a high-scoring affair against Dallas, and openly shared his feelings after the game.Related: King Henrik putting up peasant-like numbers in 2017"It’s tough. I feel like it’s embarrassing, frustrating, and disappointing, at the same time," he said. "The bottom line is I need to find another level; it’s not good enough."To be fair, the Rangers' defense let him down, allowing the Stars to score several of their goals in close and untouched. That certainly didn't help Lundqvist in his attempt to turn things around."Obviously when you’re looking for confidence and a good feeling you’re hoping for a game where there’s a lot of structure and shots are more to the outside, but that’s not the case right now. There are a lot of opportunities right in front and I just need to find a way to get going. But it’s hard when you’re trying to do all the right things and it’s not paying off right now."As for what's ahead, Lundqvist will be right back between the pipes when the Rangers visit Toronto on Thursday.

You can only pick one.A pair of Maple Leafs snipers put on a show Tuesday night in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre, and we want to know which goal you think was of the finer variety.Auston's worldUp first, the kid, Auston Matthews. Who else?Check out this release from the slot, upstairs blocker side.Oof.The puck was on the rookie's stick for about a second, and Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner's still looking for it (from the bench).JvR's officeIn the third period, with Toronto up 3-2 and on its first power play of the evening, James van Riemsdyk went to work where he does most of his damage: at the edge of the crease.In tight quarters, JvR made no mistake. Check out this roof job from No. 25's place of enterprise:

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals inspired the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers.A night after the Pens and Caps combined for 15 goals in a bananas 8-7 overtime win for Pittsburgh, the Stars and Rangers put on an offensive show - or lack of defensive show - at Madison Square Garden.A 1-0 Rangers lead turned into a 3-1 Stars lead after 20 minutes. New York cut a 4-1 deficit to 4-3 with half the game to play, before Dallas scored three goals to close out the second period, chasing Henrik Lundqvist in the process.The Blueshirts made it close in the third, Dallas' 7-3 lead evaporating into a 7-6 advantage, and that's how the game ended.Lundqvist left after stopping only 20 of 27 shots, while Stars starter Antti Niemi was pulled in the third period; he made only 22 saves on 28 shots.Naturally, the replacements, Kari Lehtonen and Magnus Hellberg, were perfect, the former stopping all 12 shots he faced and the latter four.Mika Zibanejad scored twice in his return to the lineup from a broken leg, while Mats Zuccarello and Pavel Buchnevich each finished with three points.For Dallas, Patrick Sharp scored twice, while Patrick Eaves and Jamie Benn each finished with a goal and two assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Henrik Lundqvist has to be the only person who misses 2016.The new year hasn't been kind to the New York Rangers goaltender, and "The King" was rocked again Tuesday, this time by the Dallas Stars. Lundqvist was pulled after 40 minutes, with only 20 saves to show for the 27 shots he faced.It was the fifth time in six games since the calendar turned that Lundqvist allowed four or more goals. Witness:Date Opponent SA GA SV%1/17Stars277.7411/14Canadiens225.7731/13Maple Leafs274.8521/7Blue Jackets374.8921/4Flyers322.9381/3Sabres194.789Save for his win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 4, those are very un-Lundqvist-like numbers. In fact, the usually stellar 'tender now sports an .841 save percentage in January.Lundqvist went into action Tuesday with a .907 save percentage on the season. That's notable because it was 2009 when No. 30 last finished with a save percentage below .920.Could age - Lundqvist will be 35 on March 2 - be finally catching up to one of the best (and one of the most handsome) goaltenders to ever play the game?It ain't easy being royalty.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders aren't wasting any time in their search for a new head coach.Hours after relieving Jack Capuano of his duties, the club has reportedly been granted permission to speak to former Florida Panthers bench boss Gerard Gallant, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Robin Lehner wanted to keep playing.The Buffalo Sabres goalie let it be known that he was not happy about being pulled after allowing three goals on 16 shots against Toronto. Lehner appeared to yell something at head coach Dan Bylsma as he skated past the bench, and slammed his equipment after taking a seat for good measure.Note the fan to his right, whose kid Lehner waved to on FaceTime during the game, possibly letting Bylsma know he wasn't completely focused.

Holy #@&%!Jared Spurgeon's sixth goal of the season may go down as the prettiest of his career.The Minnesota Wild defender settled a bouncing puck - in midair, mind you - before showing off some silly hand-eye coordination and batting it past Cory Schneider.That's the kind of season its been for the Wild. And let's face it, that one should count as two.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chris Kreider may be in some hot water of his own after taking Cody Eakin to task for his transgression.In the first meeting between the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars since Eakin ran Henrik Lundqvist and earned a subsequent suspension, Kreider challenged Eakin to a fight, and appeared to use his opponent's helmet as a weapon in the skirmish.Here's a better look:

Uh oh.The Toronto Maple Leafs have enjoyed almost perfect health this season. That may soon change in a big way.The club lost one of its most important players Tuesday, as Morgan Rielly was ruled out prior to the start of the second period against the Buffalo Sabres with a lower-body injury. He hurt his right leg on a collision in the first frame, William Carrier's weight coming down on it before the Toronto defender went awkwardly into the boards.It doesn't look good, and Toronto will update Rielly's condition Wednesday.

Christmas came late for Kyle Okposo.The Buffalo Sabres winger was able to easily score his 13th goal of the season after Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen tried to clear the puck away from the net and turned it right over.The goal was challenged based on suspicion of goalie interference, but to no avail.- Video courtesy: NHL.comCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some of the greatest to ever play in the NHL will be enshrined in the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame this year.Teemu Selanne, Joe Sakic, and Saku Koivu were announced as part of the 2017 class on Tuesday, and joining them will be Uwe Krupp, American 1998 Olympic gold medalist Angela Ruggiero, and builder Dieter Kalt.A six-time Olympian, Selanne's a Finnish legend. His career began in incredible fashion with the Winnipeg Jets, when he scored 76 goals as a rookie. He finished with 684 goals and 1,457 pionts in NHL 1,451 games. He won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.Sakic scored 625 goals and recorded 1,641 points in 1,378 regular-season NHL games. He was a monster in the playoffs, scoring 84 goals in 172 postseason games, winning two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche. He represented Canada on numerous occasions internationally, and is a card-carrying member of the Triple Gold Club.Koivu was part of Finland's first gold-medal-winning team at the world championships in 1995, after winning a bronze at the 1994 Olympics. He captained the Montreal Canadiens for 10 years, and finished his NHL career with 832 points in 1,124 games.The class will be honored and inducted on May 21 in Cologne, Germany, on the final day of the 2017 World Championship.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brad Marchand believes in the power of a hockey family.In an interview with ESPN's Joe McDonald, the Boston Bruins forward opened up about who he is away from the rink, and said when a professional hockey player does come out as gay, he'll be accepted by his teammates, "no question.""Guys would accept that," Marchand told McDonald. "We're a team in the (dressing) room and a family. It doesn't matter what different beliefs guys have, or where they come from, or whatever the case may be. Guys would accept it."The NHL in recent years has been spreading a message of inclusivity, partnering with the "You Can Play Project" in showing that the game is an accepting place, for anyone and everyone."Again, in the room we're a family," Marchand said. "That's the way it is on a hockey team, and that's the way it will always be."Marchand's been vocal about his support for the LGBT community, and takes pride in it."I have friends who are in gay relationships, and I don't think it's right for people to be against that," he said.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nobody expected the youthful Maple Leafs to be in playoff position through 41 games. Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma didn't. But he's well aware Toronto's a bit ahead when it comes to the two rebuilding franchises."You can hear the excitement across the border with where they're at," Bylsma said Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox, ahead of the second meeting between the clubs and first featuring Jack Eichel.It's hard not to be impressed by the Maple Leafs, led by first overall pick Auston Matthews."He looks so much older out there," Ryan O'Reilly - who watched Matthews' exploits at the Centennial Classic - said of the 19-year-old. "So calm in the plays he's making."Eichel missed Buffalo's first game against Toronto due to a high ankle sprain, and Matthews is looking forward to playing against one of his close friends in the Sabres' franchise player."He's a great guy," Matthews said. "He's been someone I've been able to lean on, especially last year during my draft year, going through similar things. He's definitely been a nice sounding board for myself."All pleasantries will be put aside Tuesday."I'm happy to see him have success and look forward to playing against him," Eichel said of Matthews. "The teams don't really like each other."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Capuano has taken the fall, but the New York Islanders are Garth Snow's mess.And the general manager wasn't shying away from that reality soon after announcing the firing of the head coach he had entrusted to guide the club for the past six years.

NHL coaching hopefuls, dust off your resumes.After the New York Islanders fired head coach Jack Capuano on Tuesday, general manager Garth Snow told media the decision stemmed from the fact that New York had no plans to bring Capuano - in the final year of his contract - back next season:

Jack Capuano is leaving Brooklyn, fired Tuesday by the New York Islanders after seven years and almost 500 regular-season games.Former Isle Doug Weight is the new interim head coach, and general manager Garth Snow will immediately begin searching for his potential replacement. And it's possible he reaches out to a familiar name.Gerard Gallant was fired by the Florida Panthers in late November and has a history with Snow and the Islanders, spending the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons behind New York's bench as an assistant coach. Snow took over GM duties in July 2006.With Snow acknowledging the Islanders had no plans to retain Capuano, who was in the final season of his contract, it's entirely possible the team will fill its new vacancy sooner rather than later, since another team - the Vegas Golden Knights - are looking for a head coach, too.Gallant's the biggest fish in the water. Vegas or Brooklyn?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's never a good day when you're being compared to the Atlanta Thrashers.If the Colorado Avalanche lose to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, it will mark their third straight defeat, and continue a historically bad season.Just how gruesome have things gotten in Colorado?With 27 points through 41 games, the Avs are on pace for 54 points - a number that would drop to 53 with a loss to the Blackhawks. Last year, the Toronto Maple Leafs finished in the NHL's basement while still managing to put up 69.In fact, only 14 teams have finished with less than 60 points since the Thrashers joined the NHL in 1999-00 - a stretch of 16 full seasons.SeasonTeamPoints2014-15Sabres542014-15Coyotes562013-14Sabres522006-07Flyers562005-06Blues572005-06Penguins582003-04Penguins592003-04Blackhawks592003-04Capitals592001-02Thrashers542001-02Blue Jackets572000-01Islanders522000-01Lightning591999-00Thrashers39Meanwhile, just three clubs - the 2013-14 Buffalo Sabres, the 2000-01 New York Islanders, and those same Thrashers - were worse than Colorado's current pace.If life in Denver is bad now, how ugly will things get if Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog are wearing different colors following the March 1 trade deadline?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders have relieved head coach Jack Capuano of his duties and appointed Doug Weight as interim head coach, the team announced Tuesday.Islanders general manager Garth Snow thanked Capuano for his contributions to the organization via the team's official website:

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton will miss three-to-six weeks with a small fracture in his hand, the team announced Tuesday.Hutton exited Vancouver's Jan. 6 win over the Calgary Flames after blocking a shot with his left hand. It wasn't believed to be serious, and Hutton actually warmed up the following night but has not been available since.The 23-year-old has been relied upon heavily on Vancouver's back end. He logged more ice time than any player before suffering the injury, at over 20 minutes per night.Vancouver also announced that Anton Rodin will undergo a period of rest after revealing his surgically repaired knee has not returned to "the same level of fitness." He's scheduled for an MRI.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Matt Cullen for 3-to-4 weeks, as the forward has been sidelined with a foot injury, reports Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Cullen sustained the ailment in Monday's 8-7 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals after he took a shot to the foot.The 40-year-old hasn't missed any games to date this season, recording 17 points in 43 matches.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

So Shane Doan may be open to the possibility of a trade. Maybe.The longtime captain of the Arizona Coyotes has been part of the franchise since the original Winnipeg club drafted him seventh overall in 1995. A year later, when the Jets took off for Phoenix, so did Doan, who's remained a key cog for the team ever since.But with the 40-year-old pending free agent's career winding down and retirement looking like a real possibility, there remains a chance that Captain Coyote could end his career elsewhere in pursuit of his first Stanley Cup.With Arizona once again mired at the bottom of the standings, the NHL playoffs won't see any home games in the desert this spring. It's a tricky situation for Doan, who recently reached the 1,500-game mark and is only the sixth player in NHL history to do so with a single team.The veteran leader carries a complex contract complete with bonus money and deferred payments, but it's nothing that couldn't be resolved by Coyotes general manager John Chayka, particularly if he's willing to retain money in a potential deal that facilitates Doan moving to a team he's approved.Speaking with reporters Monday, Doan acknowledged the difficulty in choosing the Cup winner, noting last year's popular picks among the pundits were the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks, while nobody pictured a Cup parade in Pittsburgh or San Jose.Doan's longtime friend and junior teammate Jarome Iginla has experienced that difficulty too. In 2013, he gave up his spot with the only team he'd ever known in the Calgary Flames to go Cup chasing. Four years later, Iginla is still searching for that victory, with a career that somehow seems a little less special given his short stints in Pittsburgh, Boston, and Colorado in pursuit of Lord Stanley.Still, that may not stop Doan from trying. Here are three teams that could make Doan's Cup dream a reality:Los Angeles KingsThe Kings play a hard-nosed game under the guidance of coach Darryl Sutter, the perfect mould for Doan - while 40, he still plays a physical brand of hockey, particularly when the playoffs roll around.In Doan's last postseason appearance, a run in which the Coyotes faced off against the Kings in the conference finals, he scored five goals and four assists while accumulating 41 penalty minutes.There seems to be a fit for Doan in Hollywood. This season, the Kings have rotated through an underwhelming host of talent on the right side, led by former captain Dustin Brown, plus the trio of Trevor Lewis, Devin Setoguchi, and Jordan Nolan. Only two Kings have reached double-digit goals this season, and while Doan has just four markers himself, he's only a single year removed from a 28-goal campaign.Sitting in the West's second wild-card slot, Los Angeles has experienced its share of struggles this season. Starter Jonathan Quick has missed all but one period after suffering a groin injury, and while minor-leaguer Peter Budaj has held his own in the meantime, there is no denying Quick's winning pedigree in the postseason.With Quick set to return in March and a weak year for the field in the West, there is an opportunity for a hot team to take a trip to the Finals. Just ask the Kings, who rode an eighth-place finish in 2012 to the franchise's first Cup.Montreal CanadiensThe Canadiens are built for speed, with a bevy of fleet-footed forwards, but the club has long needed to add bulk on the wings. Enter Doan.Montreal lacks size on the right side: Its top three right-shot wingers are Alexander Radulov, Andrew Shaw, and Brendan Gallagher, once the latter returns from injured reserve. Not to mention Doan's veteran experience and added scoring touch are always helpful in the playoffs.The Canadiens have cycled depth players through their bottom six this season, including Brian Flynn, Sven Andrighetto, and now Jacob de la Rose. Do any of these players improve Montreal's odds of being the first Canadian franchise to lift the Cup since the Habs did so themselves in 1993?A move to Montreal would also mark a family reunion of sorts for Doan, who is a second cousin to Canadiens netminder Carey Price.San Jose SharksIf not Los Angeles, how about another California club?In Silicon Valley, Doan would join a group of wily veterans all in pursuit of their first skate with the silver mug, particularly 37-year-old Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, whom Doan has long admired as a Pacific Division opponent.Finishing his career with the Sharks would reunite Doan with Mikkel Boedker after they skated together for eight seasons in the desert, and bringing Doan to San Jose would also accomplish a longtime goal for Sharks GM Doug Wilson.After making the Finals a year ago, only to fall to Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in a hard-fought six-game series, the Sharks could be poised for a repeat trip this spring.Defenseman Brent Burns has found another gear this season, scoring at a better than point-per-game pace, while the Sharks' frontline threats still include the likes of Logan Couture, who missed 30 games last season, and captain Joe Pavelski. Doan could be the final piece needed to ultimately bring the Cup to the Bay Area.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An Auston Matthews Centennial Classic sweater, worn by the rookie himself at the outdoor event, has sold for $11,400 on NHL Auctions.Bidding for the sweater began Boxing Day, and the item was sold two weeks after the Toronto Maple Leafs superstar scored the overtime winner against the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field in Toronto.It's obviously a lot of money to spend on memorabilia, but an investment this wealthy sports fans was willing to stomach. And who knows? It could be worth a fortune one day.But it should be noted: Matthews wore the sweater for the first period alone. It was likely already packed up well before the rookie's overtime heroics.- With h/t to SportsnetCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau couldn't have asked for a much better first season in St. Paul.The Minnesota Wild bench boss arrived in town on the promise of a new brand of hockey, and then transformed the defensively sound Wild into one of the league's most exciting clubs.

Minnesota Wild prospect Joel Eriksson Ek will remain overseas as a member of Farjestads BK for the remainder of the Swedish Hockey League season.The deadline to recall the talented forward and former first-round pick was Jan. 15, as TSN's Bob McKenzie noted Tuesday.Eriksson Ek began the season with the Wild, scoring twice and adding three assists in nine games. He scored his first NHL goal on his first shot.The Wild can bolster their playoff roster with Eriksson Ek if Farjestads' season ends before theirs.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 Tuesday, Jan. 17 (all advanced statistics courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Dynamic Duos

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."With the season at its halfway mark, let's take a moment to reflect on the seven Canadian franchises and their highs and lows of an exciting 2016-17 campaign.Calgary FlamesThe Take: The Flames entered the season with Canada's expectations on their shoulders, anticipated to be the nation's lone playoff entry in the West.After 46 games, the Flames are clinging to a postseason berth with 49 points. Calgary's had its share of surprises this season, beginning in goal. After the Flames made a draft-day deal that sent two picks to the St. Louis Blues to bring goaltender Brian Elliott to Alberta, he was expected to run with the starter's role. Through 21 games, though, Elliott's come up with just eight wins, paving the way for free-agent addition Chad Johnson to take over. He's done just that, owning a 15-10-1 record on the season.Most troubling has been the Flames' ability to be average. The club sits 18th in goals for, goals against, and on the penalty kill, while its play on the man advantage sees a bit of an uptick as the league's 12th-best. In the forward ranks, after scoring 64 points a year ago, winger Johnny Gaudreau hasn't been as offensively productive this season, with 28 points on the year and on pace to finish with a lower total than in 2015-16. Fellow forward Sean Monahan has also experienced a disappointing slide; he's on pace for 44 points after finishing with 63 last season. That could lead to a short tenure for coach Glen Gulutzan, who signed on to a one-year deal.The Grade: CEdmonton OilersThe Take: At this point in the season, Oilers fans are usually accustomed to poring over draft rankings and calculating their best lottery odds. Not this year.Things are finally on the up and up in Edmonton, where phenom forward Connor McDavid has been the piece needed to finally turn around the franchise. The Oilers are in playoff contention, holding down the second seed in the Pacific Division with a 24-15-7 record. Beyond McDavid, the Oilers have gotten key performances from a handful of players - most notably Cam Talbot, who's solidified things in goal, appearing in all but five games and collecting 23 victories.Credit goes to Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli, who made the wrong kind of headlines with the summer deal where he shipped former top pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for young blue-liner Adam Larsson. Larsson has been a critical cog in stabilizing Edmonton's defense alongside the likes of Andrej Sekera, Oscar Klefbom, and Kris Russell, and the Oilers appear poised to advance to the postseason for the first time in more than a decade.The Grade: BMontreal CanadiensThe Take: The Canadiens were roasted all offseason following a deal that sent blue-liner P.K. Subban to Nashville. While the trade landed stalwart Shea Weber in Montreal, the Canadians took heat for getting rid of a new-age blue-liner in his prime to bring in an aging defenseman.But all Weber has done since arriving in Montreal is stabilize the team's back end and act as a key leader for a team that's once again in Stanley Cup contention. Another former Predator, forward Alexander Radulov, has been a revelation through his first season in Montreal, putting up 32 points through 43 games. Sitting atop the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens have seemingly coasted through the regular season, with their closest divisional foe trailing by nine points.The Canadiens have battled through their share of injuries - forwards David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher are currently shelved. The club also maintained its strong play despite the long-term loss of Alex Galchenyuk. Through that stretch, the Canadiens posted a 9-5-4 mark while missing their top center. As always, Carey Price remains a rock in goal, owning a 21-8-4 record and .922 save percentage on the season.The Grade: AOttawa SenatorsThe Take: The Senators had a relatively quiet offseason, but their biggest move may have been the installation of coach Guy Boucher behind the bench.Thanks to Boucher's efforts, the Senators are a tough team to play against, allowing just 107 goals through the team's first 41 games - the fifth-lowest mark league-wide. That's despite losing starter Craig Anderson, who's taken a leave of absence to be with his ill wife. Waiver claim turned No. 1 netminder Mike Condon has held down the fort in his stead. Since arriving in Ottawa in mid-October, Condon has grabbed the starter's role and posted a 10-7-3 record, with Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs marking his 18th straight start.While things have been tight defensively, the Senators simply need more scoring. Blue-liner Erik Karlsson is once again the team's top producer, tallying 35 points, while winger Mark Stone leads the forward corps with 0.8 points per game. The Senators' 105 goals rank ahead of only four clubs, so you can understand why GM Pierre Dorion is on the lookout to add offense.The Grade: BToronto Maple LeafsThe Take: After finishing dead last a year ago and earning the right to select Scottsdale-born Auston Matthews first overall, the belief was that the Maple Leafs faced a slow climb up the standings. How wrong we were.With Matthews as the biggest piece of the team's future, the Maple Leafs are led by an exciting host of young talent - Matthews and fellow forwards Mitch Marner and William Nylander grab highlight-reel goals in seemingly every game. All three could be in the mix for rookie of the year honors, with the No. 1 pick likely having the best odds. Through 41 games, he's collected 21 goals and 16 assists in the type of performance that could make Matthews the first Toronto player to capture the Calder Trophy since Brit Selby did so in 1966.Beyond the rookies, forward Nazem Kadri is also worthy of mention. He's taken on a key checking role under coach Mike Babcock while also impressively scoring 18 goals on the season, just two back of his NHL best. With 48 points in 41 in games, the Maple Leafs hold down the third seed in the Atlantic, and if they keep it up, the team will return to the postseason for just the second time since 2004.The Grade: BVancouver CanucksThe Take: Darts were aimed at Canucks GM Jim Benning for his club's seeming lack of direction. Pundits and many a fan screamed for a teardown rebuild, while Canucks management insisted the postseason is the goal, at least while the Sedin twins are still around.Through 45 games, the Canucks sit within striking distance of the playoffs, only two points back of the Los Angeles Kings for the West's second wild-card slot. It's been a streaky season in Vancouver, to say the least. After starting the campaign 4-0, the Canucks went winless through their next nine matches. More recently, the Canucks rattled off a six-game win streak before the Flames ended that run Jan. 7. The club has just one regulation loss since returning from the Christmas break, going 6-1-3 over that stretch.Benning's reported plan from here is to stand pat and retain his team's draft picks, seeing no reason to send up-and-coming talent out the door in order to aid a playoff push. As for the Sedins, both are closing in on the 1,000-point plateau, combining for 53 points on the season.The Grade: CWinnipeg JetsThe Take: The Jets have been one of the league's most exciting teams to keep an eye on, led by a crop of young talent and headlined by a Finnish scoring sensation. Those seem to roll through Winnipeg every few decades.When the club chose Patrik Laine second overall in last year's NHL entry draft, he wasn't expected to make an immediate impact, but Laine has lived up to the challenge. Despite concussion concerns that have kept him out of the lineup for the past five games, Laine continues to lead the Jets in goals, already with 21 on the season. That's tied with Matthews for the most by a freshman, while only two players - the Kings' Jeff Carter and superstar Sidney Crosby - have found the back of the net more often than Laine.While the Jets have seen plenty of action at one end of the rink, things haven't been as rosy in their own zone. The young goaltending duo of Connor Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson has struggled. After banishing veteran keeper Ondrej Pavelec to the minors during training camp, the club recalled Pavelec earlier Tuesday in an effort to clean up the crease.The Grade: CCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

These are trying times for Mike Smith.The All-Star representative for the last-place Arizona Coyotes couldn't veil his frustration after another strong performance in a losing effort on Monday night versus the Edmonton Oilers."You feel it in here. There was no life," Smith said after the 3-1 loss. "There was no emotion; you could feel it on the ice. We were just playing. It was blah. It was blah. You can't play like that and expect to compete against a really good hockey team. That's what we did tonight."We have to learn from it," he added. "Sooner or later this organization has to move forward."He added a little later on his scrum: "We've got too many guys that aren't doing enough to push this thing along."Ryan Nugent-Hopkins beat Smith with the Oilers' second shot of the game, but the Coyotes netminder held his team, stopping the next 16 shots he faced. But as Arizona failed to mount an attack, Edmonton was able to put the game out of reach past the midway mark of the second with goals from Jujhar Khaira and Leon Draisaitl."I was trying to hold the fort there as long as I could," Smith said. "Unfortunately, couldn't quite hold them off long enough."Smith's best moment came just before Edmonton's breakthrough. He made an incredible glove stop on Jordan Eberle, who threw up his stick thinking he had beat Smith's glove on the breakaway.Though Smith may welcome a trade to a contending team, his contract makes a potential move nearly impossible. He has another two seasons at a $5.67-million cap hit before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2019.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets are turning back to Ondrej Pavelec.The club has recalled the veteran goaltender from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, as announced Tuesday morning.With Pavelec coming off a miserable 2015-16 season, where he finished with a woeful .904 save percentage in 33 appearances, the Jets decided to roll with a combination of prospect Connor Hellebuyck and backup Michael Hutchinson to begin the season. This meant waiving Pavelec and then sending him to the minor leagues to begin his 10th season with the franchise.It seemed like the obvious move. With a .941 even-strength save percentage in 26 appearances last season - and performing on a rookie deal - Hellebuyck was clearly the more cost-effective option, especially when factoring in the cap relief the Jets would obtain from burying Pavelec's $4.75-million salary.Of course, it hasn't worked out as planned. Hellebuyck and Hutchinson have struggled immensely - the Jets are one of five teams with a sub-.900 overall save percentage, and only the Philadelphia Flyers have allowed more goals.Simply put: the tandem hasn't given them a chance.Pavelec, meanwhile, has a .917 save rate in 18 appearances for a Moose team with 15 wins from 37 games.A change is needed in net for the Jets, but, unfortunately, their only option is a netminder who owns the worst statistical performance among those with at least 150 appearances over the last five years. On top of that, Pavelec's return carries with it the forfeiture of cap space.But as Cap Friendly points out, he'll take up just a little over $1.3 million based on the timing of his recall.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals were feeling pretty good about themselves heading into Monday night's game against their rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins. Not anymore.The Caps blew a 3-0 lead in a crazy game, eventually losing 8-7 in overtime after coming back from 5-3 and 7-5 deficits.Washington forward Justin Williams, who scored his 15th of the season, doesn't want to watch tape of the game, but believes lessons can be learned from the loss.

The Pittsburgh Penguins certainly weren't at a loss for words following Monday's 8-7 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals."This was kind of a wacky one," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said postgame. "Our mindset was right though. Desperation and winning battles all pays off at the end."The Penguins scored five straight goals in the second period, a frame in which both clubs combined for nine."That second period (was) one of the craziest periods I’ve been associated with," Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters, according to Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I don’t even know how to assess it."Related: Twitter explodes during insane 9-goal 2nd period between Caps, PensEvgeni Malkin notched a hat trick in the win, and noted afterward that the game was enjoyable, but not for everybody."It's fun for the forwards, but not the goalies," Malkin said.Penguins netminder Matt Murray and Capitals goalie Braden Holtby likely agreed.It was the first time an NHL game featured 15 or more combined goals in more than five years, and Murray earned a unique distinction for coming out on top.

What a game.The final meeting of the regular season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals proved to be well worth watching, with a handful of the game's 15 goals scored in spectacular fashion.Here's a look the best five, in chronological order:Ovi checkin'Alex Ovechkin took out two Penguins behind the net and gave T.J. Oshie the opportunity to feed Nicklas Backstrom with a spicy backhand dish.

Game of the year. Season, too.The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Capitals 8-7 in overtime Monday, ending Washington's nine-game winning streak in what can only be described as a throwback game to a bygone era.

Evgeni Malkin continues to prove he belongs in the "best player in hockey" conversation.The Pittsburgh Penguins center recorded the 11th hat trick of his career in Monday's game against Washington, putting himself in sole possession of second in points among all NHL players this season behind only Connor McDavid.The second goal in particular - at the 30-second mark in the video below - displayed the kind of skill he possesses, and resulted in the end of Braden Holtby's night.All three goals were scored in a frenetic second period against Pittsburgh, and in short order at that.

Best second period ever.It was 2-0 for the Washington Capitals over the Pittsburgh Penguins after 20 minutes. It was 6-5 for the Pens after 40.The middle 20 minutes Monday night were insane, and here are some of the best Twitter reactions:

Sidney Crosby saw Jonathan Drouin's pass and raised him one.Related: Drouin sets up Johnson's goal with nasty move, incredible passCrosby helped create Conor Sheary's goal Monday night against the Washington Capitals, faking a shot and feathering a sublime dish through defenseman Karl Alzner's legs to Sheary, who deflected it in for the second of five straight Penguins goals in the middle stanza.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.