Jorge Alves is embracing the opportunity.The Carolina Hurricanes equipment manager has been signed to a professional tryout agreement in order to fill in as Cam Ward's backup Saturday, relieving an ill Eddie Lack.Alves even helped paint his own mask, with a hat tip to his colleagues.

Jack Eichel was not a happy man following yet another Buffalo Sabres loss.Eichel reportedly exploded in the locker room after his team dropped its second game in a row at the hands of the Boston Bruins, pounding his equipment, screaming, and storming out without speaking to the media, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News.It's the kind of passion head coach Dan Bylsma appears to want to see on the ice.

No, they weren't kidding.A pair of hockey's finest got into a heated discussion during Saturday's alumni match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.While alumni games are generally good-natured fun, Red Wings forward Kris Draper and Maple Leafs winger Gary Roberts nearly dropped the gloves late in the third period, following a heavy hit in the corner and some crafty stick work between the two sportsmen.The Red Wings won the game 4-3, with Draper scoring the game winner, beating Maple Leafs netminder Curtis Joseph.Draper spent 17 seasons with the Red Wings, leading up to his retirement in 2011. That stretch included four Stanley Cup wins with the Winged Wheel.Roberts was with the Maple Leafs for four seasons, spanning from 2000 to 2004. The rugged winger brought his best in the playoffs, as he finished the 2002 postseason with 19 points in 19 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed their equipment manager to a professional tryout.Jorge Alves, 37, will serve as Cam Ward's backup goalie during Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning due to an illness that has befallen Eddie Lack.He regularly practices with the team and brings some measure of experience to the table.

Detroit Red Wings legends beat their Toronto Maple Leafs counterparts in the Centennial Classic Alumni Game on Saturday afternoon, though the final score is already immaterial.Supremacy is a moot point in this sort of exhibition. It's really nothing more than a reunion - a chance to celebrate team, and brotherhood, and to feel those feelings one more time.But old timers remain intrinsically proud and competitive. And for that, the entire process, from selection to beer-in-hand completion, is an emotional one. Just ask Kris Draper and Gary Roberts.Here is that spectrum, in their words:PrideLanny McDonald: It is such an honor. Not just the 100th anniversary of the league, but the 100th anniversary of the Maple Leafs. To be able to come back and be a part of this, how they have it set up with the alumni sitting in between the current players. It is so cool. What a class move by Brendan Shanahan and Mike Babcock. Three different generations all hanging out, loving the fact they wore the Maple Leaf.Bryan McCabe: Pure excitement. It is a complete honor to be included in this group of players, and to participate in this special weekend - especially here in Toronto, where I played seven years. It's a real special time.Dave Andreychuk: I was honored. There are so many good players here, and there's obviously a lot of guys to pick from. I didn't spend a lot of time in Toronto, when you think about it. It was only three and a half years of my career. But three special ones, that's for sure.Sudden angstSteve Thomas: Don't expect very much from me. That's all I have to say right now - seriously.Darren McCarty: The worst part is playing.Good natureDarcy Tucker: We'll have some fun in the first couple periods, then we'll see how it goes.Chris Chelios: I wanted to cheer for the Leafs. We won the last game, so I was hoping they would pull it off.Instinctual competitivenessMcCarty: Not shocking. You almost expect it. Guys are volatile. Just because you're retired doesn't mean you don't have the same jam. You just don't have the ability.Chelios: It started slow, then at the end it comes out. Most players have that.McCarty: We're no different than buddies getting together on Thanksgiving to throw the football around in the backyard. When you're playing something, and it (starts) getting a little out of hand, and it gets a little more intense and down the wire. Boom.PerspectiveChelios: This is the best part of the whole alumni weekend, getting together with guys that you haven't seen in 20-25 years. (The game) gives you a little feeling from back when you were playing, and now the fun part is having beers with the guys and reminiscing about the old times.McCarty: It's just cool - cool to be around the guys.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres received some bad news Saturday, as coach Dan Bylsma announced forward Johan Larsson will be out 'weeks' with a dislocated wrist.Larsson left early in the first period of Saturday's game versus the Boston Bruins after taking a heavy hit from Bruins blue-liner Adam McQuaid.Larsson has recorded 11 points in 36 games this season.Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges also left the game with a hip pointer injury; however, no further update was provided.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins announced Saturday that center David Backes is out indefinitely after suffering a concussion.Backes sustained the injury in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.The 32-year-old has appeared in 33 games this season, scoring nine goals and 10 assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It all starts with the right mindset.For a long time, times were bad in Edmonton, with the pinnacle of poor play marked by three consecutive first overall picks, the latest in 2012.That landed Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Nail Yakupov in Edmonton, one of who remains with the club.Then, one more time, in 2015, the Oilers chose first overall, selecting phenom Connor McDavid, who has 90 points through his first 82 NHL games.Now, after years of ugly games and mounting frustration, the Edmonton Oilers are finally on the road to recovery.This season is different. Through 37 games, the Oilers sit second in the Pacific, owning a 19-12-6 record and 44 points.Not only does that performance surpass any recent Oilers season, but the team is on pace for 98 points - such a finish would mark the best season in Edmonton since 1987-88, coincidentally Wayne Gretzky's final season in Alberta, a season capped with the Oilers fourth Stanley Cup in five years.The Oilers returned to the winner's circle two years later, but playoff appearances soon become infrequent altogether over the next two-plus decades, as Edmonton qualified for the postseason just nine times in the next 25 years, a stretch which includes the franchise's current 10-year playoff drought.That could all change in as little as four months, as McDavid, whose 42 points sit tied with Sidney Crosby for first in the NHL scoring race, has Oilers fans believing that, for the first time in a long time, playoffs are a real possibility in Edmonton."It all starts with believing when you come to the rink that you can win," McDavid told Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Journal. "We've found ways to pull ourselves back. You look at a game like San Jose, where we didn't have much going on, we were still able to pull a point."Through December, the Oilers have missed out on points just twice, carrying a 7-2-4 record through 13 games. That includes four wins in their last five, and 11 points out of a possible 14."When we're up we can hold it, when we're down we can come back," McDavid added. "We feel we can play with anyone in the league. It's definitely a good feeling as opposed to last year."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils defenseman John Moore was stretchered off the ice Saturday in the first period following a hit from Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson.Wilson drove Moore into the end boards from behind, but there was no penalty on the play.Moore appeared to be talking to trainers while on the ice, and will be released from hospital Saturday evening, Devils head coach John Hynes announced, per Tarik El-Bashir of CSN.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaroslav Halak is on his way to Bridgeport.The club placed the netminder on waivers Friday, and the 31-year-old has cleared them, resulting in a trip to the AHL, the Islanders announced.Halak could have been an upgrade somewhere else, but his $4.5-million salary likely kept suitors away.On a struggling New York team, Halak hasn't enjoyed his best season, accumulating a 6-8-5 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and .904 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a long, long, very long time since the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs played a game that mattered. More than 23 years, in fact.It was on the night of May 5, 1993 when Toronto ended what was, until then, the greatest Red Wings season of all time - a 103-point, .613-winning percentage campaign - in overtime of Game 7. And it was shocking.Steve Yzerman's 137-point regular season was over after one playoff round. And it cast serious doubt over whether he could lead Detroit where it wanted to go.ComebackToronto was no slouch. The Maple Leafs finished with 99 points, and were led by Doug Gilmour, who set Toronto's single-season record for points with 127. Nikolai Borschevsky, an overaged rookie out of Russia, had 34 goals and 74 points. Glenn Anderson was third on the team in scoring, Dave Andreychuk arrived before the trade deadline, Wendel Clark was the team's heart and soul, and Felix Potvin, only 21, also a rookie, was the kid in goal.Toronto dropped the first two games of the opening-round series in Detroit, thoroughly outmatched by a combined 12-5. It was loud at Joe Louis Arena. Intimidating. Toronto, which came out of nowhere with Pat Burns behind the bench, seemed destined to lose the series - and fast - before it could figure out how to win in its current incarnation.A different Maple Leafs team showed up at home, however. Toronto, host to playoff hockey once again, was buzzing. The atmosphere at Maple Leaf Gardens was electric. And after being lit up in Games 1 and 2, Toronto allowed only four goals across the next two - Potvin was stellar - and, somehow, the series was tied 2-2 heading back to Detroit.Best of 3Maple Leafs supporters of a certain generation can still hear Joe Bowen screaming "Michael Foligno!" They can still see Foligno leaping - twice - in customary fashion after his overtime winner gave Toronto a 5-4 comeback win, in Detroit no less, and a 3-2 series lead.Toronto was outshot 30-21. The Maple Leafs trailed 4-1 at one point in Game 5. Yeah.Game 7Detroit wasn't going out like that. It dominated Game 6 in Toronto. Dino Ciccarelli had a hat trick, Yzerman a goal and an assist, Sergei Fedorov two assists, and Paul Coffey a goal and three assists. Back to Detroit.Late in the third period of Game 7, the Maple Leafs trailed 3-2. Clark chased down a loose puck in the corner behind the goal line in Detroit's zone, to Red Wings goalie Tim Cheveldae's right, and threw it out front. Cheveldae redirected the puck with his stick into the slot - right to Gilmour. Tie game, 3-3, with 2:43 to go.That set up the heroics of Gilmour, Bob Rouse, and Borschevsky.A dump-in by Rouse ended up on Gilmour's stick. From the slot, he fed Rouse at the top of the right circle. Rouse, a stay-at-home defenseman, fired a slap-pass on the ice to the top of the crease, where Borschevsky tipped the puck into the empty net; 4-3 Toronto, in Game 7, and in the series.Toronto went crazy. That same group of Maple Leafs supporters who can still see, when they close their eyes, Foligno leaping, can still see general manager Cliff Fletcher losing it in the Toronto press box, and can still see team trainer Chris Broadhurst spraying a bottle of water onto the ice in celebration. The Maple Leafs had done the impossible.Gilmour finished with a goal and three assists that night. It was one of the most incredible playoff appearances by a Maple Leaf.Nik the StickAfter the game, Borschevsky, who couldn't speak much English, put it perfectly when asked how he felt."Oh, unbelievable."He spoke for every single Maple Leafs fan on the planet that night.It's been a long time, too long, but we're due for another Red Wings-Maple Leafs playoff series. It would be something else, like it was in 1993.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Marko Dano will miss roughly eight weeks after suffering a lower-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice announced Saturday.Dano crashed into the boards Thursday versus Columbus and was helped off the ice. Maurice didn't provide the specifics of the injury.In 28 games this season, Dano has managed three goals and seven assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

See ya, 2016.Over the past week, we've been looking back on the year that was in the NHL. The past 365 days gave us a little bit of everything.From youth being served, to remembering those who left us, to hockey's Person of the Year, to our favorite moments, here's theScore's NHL year in review:

Break out the bubbly, another year has come and gone.Yes, 2016 is in the books and while we rock our party hats, sip champagne, and listen to the dulcet tones of Auld Lang Syne, lets take a look back at some of the wondrous goals that left us jaw-dropped over the past 366 days (don't forget that one leap day).5. Ryan O'Reilly vs. KingsIt wasn't quite the Gustav Nyquist goal we saw in 2014, but O'Reilly's one-man crusade-type goal over the Los Angeles Kings in mid-December was quite something.It's because of goals like this that the Buffalo Sabres will be missing the 25-year-old who remains out of the lineup for the next little while following an appendectomy.4. Patrick Kane vs. CanadiensHe's the reigning MVP, can we expect anything less?One of Kane's gems of the last calendar year came earlier this season when he put on a stick-handling clinic against the Montreal Canadiens before going shelf on Al Montoya.3. John Tavares vs. BluesWho said behind-the-back had to refer to a pass?Certainly not Tavares who dumbfounded onlookers - including the St. Louis Blues - when on Dec. 8 the Islanders captain stepped around Jay Bouwmeester by putting his stick behind his back before rifling a shot top corner.Slow clap.2. Rickard Rakell vs. OilersThis is exactly what we wanted to see when news broke that 3-on-3 overtime was coming to the NHL.Anaheim Ducks forward Rakell absolutely torched the Edmonton Oilers last season with a goal that was strikingly similar to Bobby Ryan's complete undressing of the Kings two seasons ago.1. Connor McDavid vs. Blue JacketsIt was the goal of the year, simple as that.McDavid deked out pretty much every single person in Rexall Place before sliding the puck past Joonas Korpisalo and subsequently dropping jaws around the league.McDavid has scored some pretty goals early in his career, but few have compared to this one. Never forget.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pekka Rinne has been a mainstay in the Nashville Predators' net since the 2008-09 season, proving to be one of the NHL's most consistent goaltenders from then until now.However, there's another star netminder waiting in the weeds: 21-year-old Juuse Saros, who picked up his first-career shutout Friday night with a 25-save effort versus the Blues.Saros only has seven NHL games under his belt, so if this is the first time you're hearing his name, be sure to remember it.In those seven games, Saros owns a .947 save percentage and a measly 1.43 goals-against average. It doesn't appear to be beginners' luck, either, as Saros has been rock solid everywhere he's played.SeasonLeagueRecordSv%GAA2013-14SM-liiga (Finland)16-16-80.9281.762014-15SM-liiga (Finland)13-18-160.9292.132015-16AHL29-8-00.9202.242016-17AHL11-2-00.9381.76Reminder: he's 21. The Predators selected him 99th overall in 2013.Saros' strong AHL season has afforded him the opportunity to earn starts with the big club, and if he keeps on his current pace, the 34-year-old Rinne would be sure to welcome some extra rest heading into the stretch run.Don't expect a controversy in the cage, though. Rinne is their go-to guy, and Saros told Adam Vignan of The Tennessean that he idolized his fellow Finn growing up.As Rinne approaches the end of his contract (two more seasons at $7 million), don't be surprised to see Saros receive an increased workload.Nashville has had a solid foundation in its crease for nearly a decade now, and with Saros on the rise, it appears the future holds much of the same.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being drafted fourth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015, there was a measure of apprehension in regards to whether Mitch Marner could replicate his high-end junior-level production in the NHL.The knock, as is often the case in today's NHL, was Marner's size, raising questions about his ability to withstand the rigors of the pro game. But in less than half a season, Marner is the latest to prove a smaller player can bring a big game to the table.And while his speed and stickhandling abilities have allowed him to make good on a few breakaway opportunities, he's also demonstrated the ability to play an effective possession game and make smart decisions in the offensive zone, creating opportunities instead of simply capitalizing on them.That was made evident on the play that led to his second career goal, scored in Buffalo back on Nov. 3. Placed on a line with Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, Marner put himself and the puck in all the right spots, leaving the Sabres completely flummoxed.Here's how it happened:The play began with van Riemsdyk (25) carrying the puck along the wall, Bozak (42) battling for position at the front of the net, and Marner (16) open and ready to accept a pass.Instead of attempting to dish the puck off to Marner, van Riemsdyk decided to swing it back into the corner.And rather than chase the puck into the corner himself, Marner cut to the front of the net, wisely deferring possession to Bozak.Despite being boxed out by Sabres center Zemgus Girgensons, Bozak was able to tap the puck away and towards the far corner, an area to which Marner had a clear lane.Marner slid into the corner to scoop the loose puck, commanding the attention of all six Sabres on the ice.As he skated to the right and circled out of the corner, Marner was able to deftly move the puck to his left, back behind the net towards Bozak.Bozak received Marner's pass, and positioned himself to either take a shot at a heavily-guarded short side or dish the puck to one of van Riemsdyk or Marner, both of whose paths to the net were impeded by Sam Reinhart (23) and Dmitry Kulikov (77).Here is where Marner's speed came into play, as the rookie needed only a few strides to break away from the defense. Meanwhile, Bozak was given ample time and space to fire a pass across the crease.Marner was able to extend his stick for the easy tap in, giving him the second goal of his career.The smarts and maturity displayed on the play - and on another goal scored by Marner later in the game - were not lost on head coach Mike Babcock, who lauded the young forward's ability to create rather than focus on finishing."He was playing great and focused on doing everything right," Babcock said after the game, per Joe Yerdon of NHL.com. "And then when he scored, then he probably wanted to score a little bit and focused on scoring and didn't score. Focus on doing things right and everything works out for itself."Yes, there will be bumps along the road to potential success for any young player - Marner has since spent time on the team's fourth line before being reunited with Bozak and van Riemsdyk.Marner has generated a ton of excitement in Toronto based on his gamebreaking abilities. At the same time, however, Babcock expects him to slow things down at times and make the smart play, and he's clearly able to hold his own as an undersized player in the context of a possession-focused cycle game in the offensive zone.Neither Connor McDavid nor Jack Eichel were going to be overlooked with the top two picks in 2015, but the Maple Leafs should be thanking the Arizona Coyotes for letting Marner drop to four.Copyright © 2016 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 Saturday, December 31:Triple Threat

It's been a superb 365 days for hockey.As 2016 comes to a close, we're looking back at those stories and players that dominated puck conversation over the year.Matthews and LaineAuston Matthews and Patrik Laine were the talk of 2016.From the 2016 world juniors, to the '16 world championship, to the draft, to the World Cup, and, finally to the NHL. Matthews and Laine. Laine and Matthews.PlayerTournament/LeagueGPGoalsPointsLaineWorld juniors7713MatthewsWorld juniors7711LaineWorlds10712MatthewsWorlds1069LaineFinnish Elite League461733MatthewsSwiss League362446LaineWorld Cup300MatthewsWorld Cup323LaineNHL381930MatthewsNHL351830Rather remarkable, right? That the two head into the new year separated by only a goal in the best hockey league on the planet is fitting.Matthews and Laine, one-two, changing the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets. Countless headlines. And they're only getting started. It's difficult not to wonder what they'll do in 2017 for an encore.87Sidney Crosby, of course. A story in and of himself. The NHL's Person of the Year.What was available to be won in 2016, Crosby did. The Stanley Cup. The Conn Smythe Trophy. The World Cup. The calendar Art Ross (he goes into action on New Year's Eve with 100 points in 75 regular-season games).Between Connor McDavid, Laine, Matthews, Mark Scheifele, Nikita Kucherov, Johnny Gaudreau, Jonathan Drouin, and more, the NHL is rich with young talent. It's arguably never been richer. But Crosby remains the best hockey player on the planet, period.Montreal MadnessNever a dull moment in Montreal. And no one should want it any other way.It's been a rollercoaster 2016 for the Canadiens and their supporters, but you can probably break the year down into three parts: The collapse, the trade, the rise.Everyone learned a valuable lesson in 2016: The Canadiens are only as good as a healthy Carey Price. Without him, their 2015-16 campaign went off the rails.On June 29, Montreal played an integral role in what will go down as one of the most important days in modern NHL history, trading P.K. Subban to Nashville for Predators captain Shea Weber in a monumental one-for-one deal.So far, so good. Price is healthy, has won 18 of 26 starts, and owns a .931 save percentage. Weber's third on the team with nine goals, eight of them on the power play, and he's outproducing Subban.Most importantly, Montreal's in first place in the Atlantic Division, and will be there on Jan. 1.Enjoy the ride in 2017.Blue Jackets risingThe Blue Jackets have been making headlines since January.Six days into the year, Columbus traded Ryan Johansen, its franchise center, to the Predators for Seth Jones in a blockbuster nobody saw coming. The club went 34-33-8 with John Tortorella behind the bench; good things appeared in store moving forward.Then the stars aligned for the Blue Jackets at the draft lottery, as Columbus ended up with the rights to the third overall selection. The team went into the lottery looking at pick No. 6, which they had 33.2 percent odds to land. They only had a 9.7 percent chance at No. 3, which they eventually used to draft Pierre-Luc Dubois.On Dec. 31, Columbus is the best team in the NHL. Say it out loud if you don't believe it. The Blue Jackets have the NHL's best goal differential (plus-48) and are riding a monumental 14-game winning streak.Most surprising of all, perhaps, is that Tortorella has mellowed. And that's saying something, considering Columbus has points in 29 of 34 games, winning 25 of them.McDavid's OilersConnor McDavid, the savior, is living up to the billing.Here are the point-per-game averages of the top 10 scorers in calendar 2016:RankPlayerPPG1Crosby1.332McDavid1.133Patrick Kane1.074Artemi Panarin1.035Joe Thornton0.996Vladimir Tarasenko0.957Brent Burns0.948Erik Karlsson0.91T9Phil Kessel0.90T9Joe Pavelski0.90When you're second only to Crosby on that list, at 19 years old, you're special. And McDavid is more than that; he's already the Oilers.Edmonton hasn't made the playoffs since 2006, when it lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. On Jan. 1, 2017, the Oilers will be in playoff position.New captain, new building, new beginning. The lost decade is over.Honorable mention: The Florida Panthers, and Jaromir Jagr. From the club's success on the ice, to the upheaval in its front office, and to Jagr's incredible accomplishments at 44, it was a banner year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mark Scheifele may lead that it's "hockey, hockey, hockey" all the time - but there's more to the Winnipeg Jets star.Scheifele and teammate Jacob Trouba made their stage debuts at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet on Friday night in "The Nutcracker."And these weren't cameos:

Ah. Sweet, sweet reversion.After his cursed opening two months of the season, in which he scored twice with 63 shots and counted three goals in his first 30 games, Filip Forsberg is rather predictably now scoring in bunches.The Nashville Predators star scored in a third straight game - and recorded his fifth goal in six contests - in Friday's 4-0 triumph over the St. Louis Blues, bumping his season total to seven.He's still only on pace to achieve about half the production of his 33-goal campaign from a season ago - but still, he's firing at about half the total success rate he had with 247 shots last season.Though it's unlikely that Forsberg will be able to maintain linear totals, there's no reason to believe he won't be one of the more productive scorers in the NHL down the stretch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger could miss considerable time with an upper-body injury suffered Friday versus the Carolina Hurricanes.Coach Joel Quenneville told reporters shortly after the 3-2 loss that Kruger will be "week to week," according to Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune.Kruger exited in the second period and did not return.The resident checker has played many roles for Chicago this season, filling in, at times, for injured top-six players.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That was Viktor Arvidsson with the dirty dangles.Hosting the St. Louis Blues on Friday, the Nashville Predators forward put on a show of his own, breaking into the zone and dancing veteran blue-liner Jay Bouwmeester before tucking the puck by Blues netminder Jake Allen.The goal brings Arvidsson to 10 on the season, four back of James Neal for the team lead.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaroslav Halak can be yours, free of charge.The New York Islanders waived the veteran goaltender on Friday, one day after coach Jack Capuano ripped Halak following the team's 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild."Jaro wasn't sharp at all," Capuano told Newday's Arthur Staple following the loss. "He gave up some soft goals and we had to battle back."Halak allowed four goals on just 24 shots before being relieved by backup Jean-Francois Berube.No doubt Halak has struggled this season, finding just six wins in 21 games, while posting a career-worst GAA and his lowest save percentage since 2012-13, a season he spent with the St. Louis Blues.In fact, New York has a winning record when it has called on fellow goalie Thomas Greiss, but it's not as if the club would be running away in the standings if not for Halak. As it stands, the Islanders own the second-worst record in the East, claiming a 14-15-6 record through 35 games.Goalie GP Record GAA SV%Thomas Greiss148-5-02.48.922Jaroslav Halak216-8-53.23.904J.F. Berube40-2-13.27.901Several Islanders have underwhelmed more than one-third of the way through the season. Captain John Tavares leads the team with 25 points, but at 0.71 points per game, he is at his worst production of his career, save for his rookie campaign. Tavares is also just one of two Islanders to reach double-digit goals, with Anders Lee leading the way with 13.Don't forget the World CupBut it'd be shortsighted to think Halak's game is no longer there. That wasn't the case at the World Cup, where the Slovak-born netminder represented Team Europe and was arguably the MVP of the mish-mash team.Through that six-game performance, Halak posted a 2.15 GAA and a .941 save percentage en route to Team Europe advancing to the best-of-three final versus the heavily-favored Canadians. There, Halak held his own against the world's best, and despite the two losses, allowed just five goals on 72 shots, good for a .931 rating in the final round.The challenge is Halak's contract. He's owed $4.5 million against the salary cap for the remainder of this season and through 2016-17. As of Friday, just eight teams can absorb that payment.One of those clubs is the Edmonton Oilers, who just happen to need a goaltending upgrade behind starter Cam Talbot.Don't claim, but tradeIt'd be a tough sell for Edmonton to claim Halak outright, given his underwhelming play and inflated salary. But what about sending back an ugly contract of their own, perhaps veteran defenseman Mark Fayne?Fayne, 29, is off to Bakersfield, home of the Oilers' AHL club, after an injury-riddled season has limited him to just four games. On the hook for the same term as Halak, Fayne is owed slightly less, coming in at a $3.63 million AAV this year and next. Such a swap would save the Islanders just shy of $1 million on the cap each season.For the Oilers, it allows them to upgrade their No. 2 man behind Talbot, that being Jonas Gustavsson.Sitting second in the Pacific, Edmonton is on pace to end a 10-year drought by qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2006. A big reason for that has been the play of Talbot, who has been regularly called on by Oilers coach Todd McLellan.In fact, Talbot has started all but four games this season. Gustavsson, however, seems to have lost the confidence of his club after his abysmal play - allowing 13 goals - in his minimal starts thus far.That means Talbot is on pace to appear in 73 games this season. In other words, all but nine games. No other goalie has played as many games as Talbot this season, nor is any other netminder on pace to make more ice appearances.In the end, the Oilers could make the playoffs for the first time in a decade, only to show up to the dance with an exhausted goalie.Thankfully, Halak offers postseason experience of his own. Despite his struggles this season, Halak has proven to be a clutch goaltender when called upon. Not only was that evident with Team Europe, but no hockey fan can forget Halak's playoff performance with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010, when he nearly single-handedly stole rounds over the first place Washington Capitals followed by Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.Make the money work and Edmonton would provide Talbot with a much-needed rest, while also bulking up their crease for a long-awaited playoff run. Halak's acquisition would be a no-lose for the Oilers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

RALEIGH, N.C. - Bryan Bickell says he doesn't want to let multiple sclerosis end his hockey career.The Carolina Hurricanes forward said during the first intermission of Friday night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks that ''my mindset is to get back on the ice, and I think I can do that.''The Hurricanes announced Bickell's diagnosis last month, and he's been on injured reserve since Nov. 11.He says his treatment includes a round of medication once a month, which he began taking ''a couple of weeks ago.''The matchup held special significance for Bickell, who helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups before he was traded to Carolina over the summer. The 30-year-old had one goal in seven games with the Hurricanes but hasn't played since Oct. 30.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have made rookie Travis Konecny a healthy scratch for Friday's game versus the San Jose Sharks, Philly.com's Sam Carchidi reports.Coach Dave Hakstol told Carchidi that his benching is meant to be a "learning experience," and that Konecny must clean up the details in his game.Overall, the tenacious winger's been a positive influence, and has left onlookers wondering how he fell to Philadelphia late in the first round.Konecny picked up his 13th and 14th assists in Wednesday's loss to St. Louis, moving him into a tie for seventh in rookie scoring with 18 points, but hasn't scored in 22 games.The Flyers sat young defender Shayne Gostisbehere, citing a similar rationale, earlier on this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

At long last, the Dallas Stars are where everyone expected them to be - holding down a playoff spot.Winners of four of their last five (4-0-1), the Stars have collected nine points through that stretch, boosting the club back into playoff contention. Through 37 games this season, Dallas has now reached 39 points, good for the second wild-card slot in the West.So what's finally clicked to have the Stars playing as the highly-flying and offensively exciting team we've come to expect?For one, it appears that some of Dallas' scoring stars, namely Tyler Seguin and captain Jamie Benn, circled the season's beginning as mid-December:Date RangePlayerGPGAPtsPts/GPSince Dec. 13Seguin73581.14Before Dec. 13Seguin301019290.97Since Dec. 13Benn72791.29Before Dec. 13Benn30816240.80But the forward ranks aren't the only part finding their game. Point to the crease as a big reason for the Stars' turnaround, as goaltenders Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi have solidified in recent weeks:Date RangeGoalieStartsRecordGAASV%Since Dec. 13Lehtonen33-0-01.81.939Before Dec. 13Lehtonen186-9-32.92.894Since Dec. 13Niemi42-1-11.76.941Before Dec. 13Niemi125-4-33.22.901Still, the Stars have their work cut out for them, as Dallas sits four points shy of the St. Louis Blues, who hold down the third playoff slot in the Central, despite playing one less game than the Stars.As well, four other teams - namely Calgary, Los Angeles, Winnipeg, and Nashville - are all within four points of this playoff battle, with only two wild-card positions up for grabs.In the end, the play of the Stars' top players will determine if last year's Central Division winners will make a return trip to the postseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brent Burns: The most interesting man in hockey.The San Jose Sharks defender was put to work in Montreal, scaring the bejesus out of Subway patrons who were simply going about their lives, pouring a fountain drink.Fun.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What do two sports legends talk about when they run into each other?Golf, of course.St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer, and arguably one of the best defensive shortstops of all time, Ozzie Smith, ran into "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky on Friday, where the pair caught up on old times, made jokes at each other's expenses, and chatted about some recent golf scores.

The Dallas Stars will welcome Patrick Sharp back to the lineup Saturday when they take on the Florida Panthers, head coach Lindy Ruff announced Friday.Sharp is coming off a 12-game absence and has missed 26 total contests this season because of concussion-like symptoms."Anytime you can put Sharp, a healthy Sharp, back in the lineup your lineup is going to get better," Ruff said.Sharp joins the Stars at a good time, as they've moved into a wild-card position in the West, and own a 6-3-1 record over their past 10 games.In just 11 games this season, Sharp has one goal and one assist.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Time flies. Especially when you're losing.The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Detroit Red Wings outdoors on Sunday afternoon, New Year's Day, in the seminal event of their centennial season year-long celebration. So there's no better time than to look back, and look forward.Legacy of defeatBy now, you know: 13 Stanley Cups. None since 1967. The facts are the facts - the Maple Leafs have only ever known victory in a six-team NHL.There will be 31 in 2017.So there's no point in looking back on the first 50 years. They were good. Hell, grand. But it was a different NHL, a different hockey world. It's the last 50 years that have come to define Toronto's hockey team.DarknessYou can break down the Maple Leafs by players by era, and one who approaches life with a glass-half full approach would say, post-1967, the blue and white belonged to Darryl Sittler (drafted in 1970) and Borje Salming (debuted in 1973). A more pessimistic, defeatist person would go with Harold Ballard, who owned the team from 1972 until his death in 1990.Either way, the legacy of those years is the same: losing.The longest playoff runs of Sittler's and Salming's careers as Maple Leafs were 13 games.From 1967-68 through 1991-92, the Maple Leafs won 40 games in a season only once. They won only eight of 24 playoff series, and were swept in the spring seven times. And even those numbers are deceiving: seven of those 24 postseason appearances came after losing regular seasons. In 1985-86, Toronto went 25-48-7, but won its first-round series. The Maple Leafs made it to the second round in 1986-87 after a 32-42-6 season.A lost generation.Eye of the stormIt hasn't been all bad. Mostly bad, but there were some good years. Great, even. The Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, and Mats Sundin years. Let's call them respites. Short and sweet.These years were defined by key people and key moments.Clark's arrival, Cliff Fletcher's. The 10-player Gilmour trade. Pat Burns' turn behind the bench, Gilmour's 127-point 1992-93 season. The unforgettable Conference Finals runs in '93 - Wayne Gretzky's high stick in Game 6, and his otherworldly Game 7 - and 1994. Clark for Sundin, another trade that shook Toronto.Ken Dryden's arrival, Pat Quinn's, Curtis Joseph's, Alexander Mogilny's. In Sundin's prime, from 1998 through 2004, Toronto won 40 or more games in five of six seasons, 45 in three of them. Four straight playoff wins against the Ottawa Senators - for many Leafs supporters, their Stanley Cup. More deep playoff runs, highlighted by Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, even Alyn McCauley.But in the end, Sittler, Salming, Clark, Gilmour, and Sundin - the greatest Leaf of all time - all made it to the same place and no further. Forget about winning a Stanley Cup, Toronto hasn't played for one since '67. In the end, Leafs fandom remains one that ends in heartbreak.HellThe years after the 2004-05 lockout are ones Maple Leafs supporters try only to forget. No goaltending. No penalty kill. After Sundin, no one down the middle.Enter Dion Phaneuf, arguably the worst captain in Maple Leafs history. He tried. And Brian Burke, the most impatient GM in Maple Leafs history. He tried, too, in his own way.Don't forget Phil Kessel, acquired for two first-round picks. He played hard, loved the game, scored. But it was never good enough.Only one playoff series to show for it all, one that ended in the most Maple Leafs way possible, Game 7 in Boston on May 13, 2013. Yes, it was indeed 4-1. It's a badge of disturbing honor.The planBrendan Shanahan was hired in 2014. He brought with him, finally, a plan. A tear down in every meaningful sense of the word occurred, the organization stripped and put back together. A true rebuild. And, already, it's working.Toronto, with Mike Babcock behind the bench, bottomed out - and this time it had its first-round pick. For the first time since 1985, when Wendel Clark's name was announced first overall, the Maple Leafs would draft No. 1.The ping-pong balls, literal and figurative, never bounced Toronto's way. Until now.LightAuston Matthews is a Maple Leafs rookie like no other. A generational young player the likes of which, arguably, Toronto's never had before.And yet he's already surrounded by those who will help him do what no other Maple Leafs team has done since the NHL expanded 50 years ago.William Nylander. Mitch Marner. Local boy Connor Brown. A goalie in Frederik Andersen. Morgan Rielly. Nazem Kadri. Point-per-game AHLers in Brendan Leipsic and Kasperi Kapanen. A core.The Maple Leafs are building something. The system has never been so full of young talent. The organization has never been so competent. That it's coming together so quickly, far quicker than anyone anticipated, in the club's centennial season, makes one wonder if this - a committed rebuild, a plan - is all it took.Could it have been so simple, all along?No, probably not. And there likely will be more bumps along the way. But that's the point - the Maple Leafs are on their way, traveling somewhere, as opposed to spinning their wheels, trying anything, desperately, to get out of the ditch.So much of life comes down to timing, and after 50 years, it appears a broken clock is ticking once again.As Toronto prepares to host its first outdoor NHL game, this incarnation of Maple Leafs is playing its best hockey, so you can forgive the club's supporters for thinking big, for dreaming.That's what celebrations are for, after all.Playoffs? Sure, why not.Consider it practice. There are even bigger things in store.As the Maple Leafs turn 100, it's more a rebirth than a birthday. Years from now, perhaps the Centennial Classic will be looked upon as the beginning.Shanahan, Babcock, and Matthews - two former Detroit Red Wings and a kid from Arizona - came along when one of hockey's most iconic franchises needed them most. The timing, for once, seems right.Here's to the next 100 years - but especially the next 10.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling revealed he would be wearing a Chicago Cubs-themed mask at the upcoming Winter Classic on Jan. 2, his counterpart is following suit.St. Louis Blues netminder Carter Hutton will wear a St. Louis Cardinals mask at the event.

This week on "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, we're reflecting on the year that was. Here are four memorable moments from 2016 that have stayed with us.June 29Sean O'Leary: Where were you when P.K. Subban was swapped for Shea Weber? Or when Taylor Hall was unthinkably dealt one-for-one for Adam Larsson? Do you remember what you were doing when Steven Stamkos announced he was staying in Tampa Bay?Well, chances are you were staring at your Twitter feed with your jaw on the floor. Either that, or you missed everything, because over the span of an hour, the hockey world was flipped upside down.The entire landscape of the NHL's offseason was shifted June 29, all in a rapid fire of breaking news.Is Edmonton getting anything else for Hall? Nope. Montreal actually traded Subban? You betcha. Oh, and after a full year of speculation, the biggest name in unrestricted free-agent history isn't going anywhere? Perfect.All the shock, the reactions, and the hot takes made for unprecedented chaos in the hockey world. It was awesome.Marchand wins hearts and mindsIan McLaren: Brad Marchand was put in a prime spot to excel at the World Cup of Hockey, and he stepped up when Canada needed him most.Named to the roster on the heels of a career season and a strong showing at the World Championship in June, Marchand was handed a dream line assignment alongside Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron to begin the best-on-best tournament.Marchand responded with five goals and three assists in six games, including a shorthanded game-winning goal against Europe with 43 seconds remaining in Game 2 of the best-of-three final to seal the title for Canada.Marchand proved he belongs on the big stage, and earned the love of an entire nation - including those who root against him at the NHL level - in the process.Maple Leafs hit the jackpotCraig Hagerman: Mission accomplished.After lots of talk of tearing the whole thing down, the Toronto Maple Leafs did exactly that last season. Players were shipped out and questionable replacements were brought in to help aid the team as it tanked, and it worked. Toronto finished last in the league, giving it the best chance at the first overall pick in the NHL draft lottery.The culmination of all that planning - and all that pain Mike Babcock talked about when he was hired - paid off in April when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly announced that Toronto had indeed won the first overall selection in the 2016 draft - in other words, the right to draft Auston Matthews - on live television.It was official: For the first time since drafting Wendel Clark No. 1 in 1985, the Maple Leafs would hit the podium first.Toronto indeed drafted Matthews, and after only three months it appears there is light rather than more heartache at the end of the tunnel. The Maple Leafs look to finally be turning a corner.OT in SeptemberJustin Cuthbert: It was exhilarating and deflating, colossal, and trivial, and absolutely everything, though it would amount to nothing.It was Nathan MacKinnon's electrifying and endorphin-pumping overtime winner at the World Cup of Hockey. And it was the last we would see of the team that no one ever wanted to see disband. Beginning with themselves.This was the paradox that faced a tournament that struggled with legitimacy. What we'll remember most - that wide, audacious toe drag around Henrik Lundqvist's attempted poke check, the cool backhand flip, and the ecstasy when it hit mesh - carries with it no significance.They had two wins to one loss, but Team North America was eliminated the next day when Russia defeated Finland. For that reason, we're left forever wondering what would have happened if the game's future had their shot at challenging the present.But we'll always have that moment, and we'll always treasure just how much those kids treasured being teammates.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took 10 years, but New Jersey Devils rookie winger Miles Wood finally got Alex Ovechkin's autograph.While speaking with Devils All-Access on Thursday, Woods' father, Randy, told a story about his son sending a hockey card and an autograph request to Ovechkin as a kid.Woods warned Ovechkin, "If you don't sign this and send it back to me, when I make it to the NHL, I'm going to give you a big body check."Ovechkin never returned the card, but with his Washington Capitals hosting the Devils on Thursday night, he made good on the request.

The New York Islanders have placed goaltender Jaroslav Halak on waivers, the club announced Friday.After a strong showing for Team Europe at the World Cup in September, Halak has struggled throughout the regular season in Brooklyn, compiling a 6-8-5 record with a 3.23 goals against average and .904 save percentage.Halak was pulled in his latest outing, after allowing four goals on 24 shots Thursday versus Minnesota.The 31-year-old has been mostly reliable over his career, but a $4.5-million cap hit this season and next could affect where he lands, be it with a team in need of goaltending help, or the AHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Count T.J. Oshie on the list of those who want to see NHLers at the 2018 Olympic games.After participating in the last five, the NHL's presence in Pyeongchang is in doubt because of travel logistics, costs, and preference among owners.Oshie, however, has a different opinion than those in charge."One hundred percent, we should be there," the Captials' winger told Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post. "I think it's just important for hockey. I think it's our responsibility in the stage that we're at and the impact that we have on the game. I think it's our responsibility to play in that tournament and represent our country."Oshie was a hero for the Americans at the 2014 games in Sochi, scoring four times in one shootout to defeat the host Russians.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to provide a definitive answer in the new year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The 2016 calendar year meant big things for many NHL players, but these five saw their stars rise more precipitously than most:Brent BurnsMaybe you purchased stock in Burns, when he was a rangy "tweener" with the screwball personality and dreams of growing the gnarliest of beards - and finding the right fit for his hockey career.If so, 2016 was the payoff.Not a single player boosted his status and enhanced his exposure this year quite like the San Jose Sharks rover. He was the best defender in the world over the last 12 months, and because no subject is more interesting, or could provide a better interview, he might have been the most written about, too.But beyond sartorial choices at All-Star weekend, the military-grade backpack stuffed with the essentials, his fascination in all things, and other eccentricities that make for good reading, it's Burns' impact that made him a must-see attraction this year. Just a handful of superstar forwards recorded more points than Burns' 100 in 2016.Mark ScheifeleWhen we look back on the Winnipeg Jets in 2016, what will immediately come to mind is Patrik Laine, the prized sniper bagged in the NHL draft.But the Jets discovered more than their elite finisher - they discovered they had a true No. 1 center, too.Scheifele broke out late last season after he was upgraded to the top-line center role, scoring 17 times and accruing a league-best 29 primary points over the final eight weeks. His increased production carried over into the 2016-17 campaign, as he was neck-and-neck with Connor McDavid for the NHL scoring lead entering December before picking up an injury.Sandwiched between his scoring runs, Scheifele inked a max-term contract with the Jets.Artemi PanarinOh, the chicken and the egg: Was it that Panarin scored a top-10 finish in scoring because of Patrick Kane, or was it that Kane won the Hart Trophy because he had Panarin at his side?Nevertheless, Panarin is a genuine superstar in his own right. The shifty wing scored 19 goals and 43 assists in the first four months of 2016 to finish among the NHL's elite scorers in his rookie season, and cash in the incentives built into his contract.And so far this year he's outshone Kane, sitting fifth in league scoring with 15 goals and 28 points.David PastrnakCrosby, Pastrnak, Ovechkin: the top goal rates in all situations in 2016.It's been a meteoric rise for Pastrnak, the 20-year-old Boston Bruins sniper who, when he wasn't injured, was often nailed to the bench last year. He's now tied for second in the NHL with 19 goals, and has made better use of his ice than any player (save for Sid, of course), when speaking solely in terms of goal scoring.Cam TalbotThere are two reasons the Edmonton Oilers find themselves in the thick of a division race for the first time at this point in a season since, well, what feels like forever. Connor McDavid's one, and Talbot's the other.Talbot was indispensably terrific in 2016. In the face of more shots and more high-danger scoring chances than any other goalie, Talbot's maintained higher than a .920 save percentage.His Goals Saved Above Average (at stat that offers a relative comparison to the league average) is tops in the NHL.- Advanced data courtesy corsica.hockeyCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NHL fantasy picture for Friday, December 30:Triple Threat

The Washington Capitals are 20-9-5 through 34 games, sitting comfortably in a wild-card position with 45 points.Sounds good, right? Sure, but the results could be better.One season after capturing the Presidents' Trophy, the Capitals haven't consistently looked like the Eastern Conference force they were a year ago.Why, you ask? The Metropolitan Division.Playing against Metro opponents, the Captials own a record of 4-5-4, creating a strange disparity between that and their record versus everybody else: 16-4-1.Much has been made of the Metro's depth this season, but it sent five teams to the playoffs last season as well, and the Capitals won the crown with a 16-point cushion, going 20-5-5 against divisional opponents.The Capitals are stumbling their way into the New Year, dropping four of their last five - three of those losses to different teams behind them in the Metro standings.In order for Washington to get back to the point they reached last season - and beyond - they'll need to rectify the problem, as inter-divisional points become even more crucial down the stretch, and a playoff meeting with a Metropolitan opponent is more than likely.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

All eyes will be on the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild on Saturday evening. You can probably count on one hand how many times that's ever been said.It isn't a significant rivalry, or a homecoming for anybody. In fact, the only historical connection between the franchises is joining the league together in 2000. But as of right now, the Blue Jackets and Wild are the hottest teams in the NHL.Columbus has won 14 games in a row, and Minnesota 12. Saturday's matchup will mark the first time in NHL history two teams will play each other on active streaks of at least 12 games, according to ESPN Stats & Info.Additionally, the respective streaks mark the first time two NHL franchises have had concurrent winning streaks of 12-plus games, per ESPN. It's perfect timing.Columbus entered the season pegged as a lottery pick for the 2017 draft, while Minnesota started a new regime under Bruce Boudreau, and was hardly expected to be within a point of the Central Division lead by the New Year.The Blue Jackets and Wild have the same recipe for success: stellar netminding, and plenty of goals. Their impressive surges share many similarities and have taken the NHL by storm, but come Saturday night, something has to give.Copyright © 2016 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 gameStats are as of Thursday, December 29; advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey.Sell high on Jeff CarterCarter has been magnificent for fantasy owners this season. He is second in the NHL with 19 goals. He takes plenty of shots and also chips in with a healthy amount of hits and blocks.Now is the best time to trade Carter for an elite asset. His 17.0 shooting percentage is the second-highest of his career. Furthermore, his linemate, Tyler Toffoli was recently placed on IR, leaving him with Devin Setoguchi and Tanner Pearson on his wings. Yikes.Add Anders LeeLee scored 25 goals in 2014-15, but really bottomed out a season ago, scoring just 15. This season he got off to a terrible start, but now has 12 goals in his last 16 games. Playing on a line with John Tavares is a big part of his success.Lee won't add much in the assists column, but 30 goals is a realistic possibility. He also has 80 hits on the year, helping those in banger leagues.Drop Pittsburgh's depth playersThe 2016-17 NHL schedule introduced bye weeks, sort of like the NFL. The Penguins will have theirs this coming week. They play against Montreal on December 31, but then don't hit the ice again until January 8 against Tampa Bay.Obviously Pittsburgh's marquee players should be held onto, but if you were streaming the Bryan Rusts and Chris Kunitzs of the world, they can be dropped for players who play three or four games this coming week.Hang on to Marc-Andre FleuryDespite the fact that Pittsburgh only has one game this coming week, you must keep Marc-Andre Fleury, even though he is having his worst season in more than a decade. Matt Murray is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, but for goalies, it could it always be much longer. Fleury has regained the starting role for the time being, giving him great fantasy value.Avoid outdoor games in daily fantasyOn January 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field. The following day, the St. Louis Blues will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Busch Stadium.No matter how much work gets put into the ice, the playing surface will always be much worse than a regular indoor game. Teams simplify their approach and usually play a chip-and-chase type of game.Some of the most recent outdoor games have ended in lopsided affairs, but it is still best to stay away from these games in daily fantasy.Take a flier on Brandon MontourMontour, 22, has 88 points in 107 games in his AHL career across three seasons. These are pretty impressive numbers, but even more so since he is a defenseman. The second-round pick by the Ducks in 2014 has recently been called up to the show. If you need help on the back end, get him on your roster. There is obviously plenty of upside.Pick up Mika ZibanejadZibanejad is injured, but he is expected to return to the lineup in mid-January. The 23-year-old was on the verge of a breakout season before being sidelined, picking up 15 points in 19 games. He was getting 4.63 iSCF60 (individual scoring chances for per 60 minutes) at 5v5, the the ninth-most in the NHL among players with at least 200 5v5 minutes.Scoop up Timo Meier in keeper leaguesMeier, 20, has only played five NHL games this season - and in his career for that matter - but his 19.64 iSF60 (individual shots for per 60 minutes) at 5v5 is the highest in the NHL - by far. The next highest is Patric Hornqvist with 13.67.Meier only has one goal in his brief five-game career, but his willingness to get pucks to the net could earn him more ice time and maybe even an audition on Joe Thornton's line.Scout the World Juniors for future fantasy talentThe IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is not only great for pure viewing purposes, but it is a great way to recognize future fantasy stars. Some of these teenagers may not be fantasy relevant for another five years or so, but if you make a list of players you think stood out to you from an offensive standpoint, you will remember their names when they get called up.This is especially helpful in keeper leagues. Some keeper leagues have multiple NA spots where you can stash high-potential youngsters before they're even in the NHL.Copyright © 2016 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.theScore will be giving out fantasy report cards discussing the fantasy value of key players on each of the 30 teams. This edition focuses on the Toronto Maple Leafs.ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI | COL | CLB | DAL | DET | EDM | FLA| LA | MIN | MTL | NAS | NJ | NYI | NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL | TB | TOR | VAN | WAS | WPGG Frederik AndersenAndersen has been everything the Leafs expected and more. He was dreadful in the first five games of the season, but since then he is 14-7-3 with a .939 save percentage. He has started 29 of Toronto's 35 games this season. The Dane has been one of the most reliable goaltenders in all of fantasy, despite his team's defensive zone deficiencies. Grade: A-C Auston MatthewsMatthews has lived up to his expectations. The No. 1 overall pick already has 18 goals and 12 assists in 35 games. He is among the league leaders in shots on goal and fantasy owners can expect him to get better as the season goes on. He is both physically and mentally mature beyond his years. At 19, he is already one of the game's elite fantasy producers. Grade: A+LW James van RiemsdykJVR is on pace to match his career high of 30 goals set back in 2013-14. With more talent around him compared to previous years, it's not surprising that he has improved his production. Grade: BC Nazem KadriPlaying fewer minutes in a shutdown role has somehow helped Kadri's offensive game. He is on pace for 30 goals, which would shatter his career high of 20. He was bound to get some luck on his side after finishing with a 6.5 shooting percentage last season. In addition to his goal scoring, he provides plenty of shots, hits and PIMs for banger leagues. Grade: B+C/RW Mitchell MarnerMany thought Marner's slight frame wouldn't hold up in the NHL as a 19-year-old. With a boatload of skill and an advanced hockey IQ, he has proved his doubters wrong. He has benefited from playing on a line with two veterans (van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak), but has arguably been the line's best player with 26 points in 35 games. Grade: A-C/RW William NylanderNylander has spent a good chunk of the season in Mike Babcock's doghouse, but he has still been able to produce offensively - in large part due to his power-play prowess. Fourteen of his 24 points have come with the man advantage. The slick Swede doesn't play on a line with Matthews these days, but it hasn't affected his fantasy value in a dramatic way. Grade: B+C Tyler BozakBozak has never reached the 50-point mark in a single season. He has come close multiple times though. He does have a solid chance to do so this season, but with the depth at the center position, he is only worthy as a streaming option in season-long leagues. Grade: CD Jake GardinerGardiner is well on his way to setting career highs in goals, assists and points this season. He is one of the best skaters in the entire league and plays for one of the fastest teams in the NHL. He is still prone to defensive-zone gaffs, but fantasy owners don't mind as long as he produces. Eight of his 18 points have come on the power play. Grade: B+D Morgan RiellyRielly is also one of the league's best skaters. He is on pace to set a career high in assists, but he has scored just one goal. His 1.3 shooting percentage is bound to improve, but his shot is inferior to Gardiner's. What he has lacked in goal scoring he has made up for with 61 blocked shots. Grade: C+Player to watch - C/LW Zach HymanHyman is not the most talented player on the Leafs, but he might be the hardest working. He has 84 shots this season, but just five goals. He is getting 3.78 individual scoring chances for per 60 minutes at 5v5, per Corsica.Hockey. Playing exclusively on Matthews' LW, it wouldn't be shocking if he finished with 20 goals and provided excellent daily fantasy value the rest of the way.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews is doing things no Toronto Maple Leafs rookie has done before.But you knew that.More specifically, after Thursday's contest, he's the first Maple Leafs rookie to score 18 goals in his first 35 games, according to NHL Public Relations.

Thursday was not a good night for Evgeny Kuznetsov.Related: Capitals' Kuznetsov takes vicious butt-end shot at ParenteauThe Washington Capitals forward let his temper get the best of him against the New Jersey Devils, and his costly turnover in the second period left his coach steaming.Barry Trotz did not hold back after the game, ripping Kuznetsov for a blind pass that landed on the stick of P.A. Parenteau - who promptly fired the puck past Braden Holtby."I mean, we're in our zone, we have a faceoff, we've won it, and you're going to throw a blind pass?" Trotz said, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan. "I was really upset with that pass. It was unnecessary, I thought."The goal turned out to be crucial, serving as the Devils' lone tally in regulation. The Capitals went on to lose in a shootout.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Erik Haula scored midway through the third period to help the Minnesota Wild hold off the New York Islanders 6-4 on Thursday night for their 12th victory in a row.Marco Scandella, Chris Stewart, Jared Spurgeon, Jordan Schroeder, and Mikael Granlund also scored for Minnesota, which had a franchise-record three goals in 80 seconds in the second period.The Wild's Devan Dubnyk allowed more than three goals for the first time this season but made 23 saves to win his 10th straight start.Haula put Minnesota ahead 5-4 with his sixth goal after Nino Niederreiter's shot deflected off Haula's leg. New York's Brock Nelson scored twice in 42 seconds early in the period to tie it.The win sets up a showdown on New Year's Eve against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have won 14 straight games. It's the first game in NHL history featuring two teams on such long winning streaks.Jason Chimera and Nick Leddy also scored for the Islanders, who had won three in a row. Jean-Francois Berube stopped 10 of 11 shots for New York after taking over for Jaroslav Halak.Nelson's quick trigger negated Minnesota's flurry in the second.After Leddy had given the Islanders a 2-1 lead in the second, Stewart scored from beside the goal, banking it off Halak's shoulder into the net. Spurgeon scored 35 seconds later and Schroeder capped the franchise's fastest stretch of three goals with his second of the season.The Wild's previous record for fastest three goals was 1:41 in 2004.The outburst ended Halak's night. He was pulled early for the second time this season after giving up four goals on 24 shots. Berube played just his fourth game of the season and second in relief.NOTES: The Wild reassigned F Kurtis Gabriel to Iowa of the AHL prior to the game. Gabriel has one assist and 24 penalty minutes in 10 games with Minnesota this season. ... G Thomas Greiss was scratched for the second time since Nov. 18 as the Islanders have rostered three goaltenders all season. ... New York's 6-3 win earlier this season is the only time Minnesota has lost a game by more than one goal. ... The Wild have outscored teams 44-22 in the second period this season.UP NEXTIslanders: A four-game road trip continues in Winnipeg on Saturday.Wild: The two hottest teams in the NHL meet as Minnesota hosts the Columbus on Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets extended their franchise record for consecutive wins to 14 games Thursday night with a 5-3 result over the Winnipeg Jets.Alexander Wennberg had his first multi-goal game and Nick Foligno racked up three points, leading the Blue Jackets to a victory that earned them a share of the third-longest win streak in NHL history, according to NHL.com.They also moved back ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins - who happen to own the NHL record with 17 consecutive wins back in 1992-93 - for the top spot in the overall standings.The Blue Jackets will meet the Minnesota Wild, winners of 12 straight themselves, in a New Year's Eve clash between early season titans, and the first two teams in NHL history to be riding win streaks of at least 12 games at the same time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With two points against the Nashville Predators, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane reached the 700-point plateau Thursday.After picking up an assist on Jonathan Toews' sixth goal of the season, Kane ripped home his 11th to reach the milestone, becoming just the sixth player in franchise history to reach the mark.The goal would also hold up as the game-winner as the Blackhawks snapped a three-game losing skid.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.