Brent Burns can't be stopped.The San Jose Sharks defenseman accepted a beautiful pass from Joe Pavelski and dropped an even nicer deke on John Gibson to score the 10th overtime goal of his career Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks.As a result, he jumped into second place for most regular-season overtime goals by a defenseman.

With yet another victory Tuesday night, the Minnesota Wild pushed their current winning streak to 11 games.The Wild edged the Nashville Predators 3-2, putting them within a point of the Chicago Blackhawks for top spot in the Western Conference with three games in hand.Despite the recent streak, the team has been rolling along all season which has new head coach Bruce Boudreau grinning from ear to ear, thanks in large part to one incredible stat."There has been one game that we've lost by more than one goal. it's not hard to be proud of them," Boudreau said, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune.That's right.Only in the team's 6-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Oct. 23 have the Wild lost by more than a single goal all season. Such a stat sees the team with the second-best goal differential at plus-37.As fate would have it, the Wild's next test will come against those very Islanders on Thursday before they host the Columbus Blue Jackets as the league's two hottest club face off.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another day, another goal for Sidney Crosby.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain reached the quarter-century mark on Tuesday, collecting the game-winner as the Penguins swept past the New Jersey Devils, 5-2.For Crosby, the goal extended his current goal-scoring streak to four games and his point streak to five - nothing new there.But what would be new is if Crosby were able to keep up such a streak for the remainder of the regular season. Crosby is currently on pace to hit 63 goals this season which would be far and away the highest total of his career.Crosby's highest goal total is 51 which he collected during the 2009-10 season, meaning the 29-year-old is on pace to eclipse his previous career best by 12 goals.Should Crosby hit that figure, it would be the highest total since Alex Ovechkin netted 65 goals in 2008. It would also mark the best single-season tally for the Penguins since Mario Lemieux put up 69 during the 1995-96 campaign.Crosby is playing out of his mind this season, and if he keeps it up he'll even outdo himself.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It wasn't pretty, but the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their winning streak to 13 games Tuesday thanks to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins.The Blue Jackets continue to build on their franchise record and become just the ninth team in NHL history to record a winning streak of at least a baker's dozen.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Nick Foligno scored a power-play goal midway through the third period, Sergei Bobrovsky had 37 saves and the NHL-leading Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Boston Bruins 4-3 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to 13 games.Scott Hartnell, Seth Jones, and Matt Calvert scored to put the burgeoning Blue Jackets up 3-0 in the first period, but they were outplayed from there by the more aggressive Bruins. Columbus stayed in the game thanks to the latest stellar performance by Bobrovsky, who got his first career victory in eight games against Boston.David Backes, Austin Czarnik, and David Krejci scored for the Bruins, and Tuukka Rask had 18 saves.Columbus hasn't lost since Nov. 26 on this franchise-best winning streak. It leads the brutal Metropolitan Division a season after finishing in last place.Foligno scored the winner with a wraparound goal 10:46 into the third period off a pass from Alexander Wennberg. The Blue Jackets then killed a power play with less than four minutes left and held off a rush by the Bruins after they pulled their goalie with about 1 1/2 minutes remaining.Columbus opened the scoring 3:02 into the first when a wrist shot by Lukas Sedlak bounced off Rask's pads. Hartnell skated in front of the net after being checked to the ice and poked it in for his ninth goal of the season.Jones scored from the middle of the left circle at 8:47 after taking a pass from Hartnell from behind the net just after a Jackets' power play expired. Less than a minute later, Calvert got a steal and scored after getting his own rebound off Rask's pads.Boston then got two goals in quick fashion. Backes charged through the slot and shot the puck over Bobrovsky's right shoulder for his ninth goal at 11:05, and 55 seconds later, Czarnik scored in traffic off a rebound.After Bobrovsky turned away a fierce barrage for most of the second period, Boston evened the score at 3 when Krejci got a put-back tally off a blocked shot by Ryan Spooner. Bobrovsky stopped 17 shots in the period.NOTES: The Blue Jackets haven't gone without a point since the day before Thanksgiving in a 2-0 loss to Calgary and have won seven in a row at home. ... Bobrovsky has now beaten every NHL team. ... The Blue Jackets are only the ninth team in the 99-year history of the NHL to have won 13 games in a row. They are 14-3-1 at home. ... Columbus is unbeaten this month and broke the franchise mark for wins in a calendar month (12). ... Boston D John-Michael Liles skated Tuesday for the first time since getting a concussion that has kept him out of the last 14 games. He hasn't been cleared to practice and it's not clear when he could return to the lineup. ... Boston's Torey Krug has five assists in three games and 13 in his past 16. ... D Joe Morrow, C Noel Acciari and C Tim Schaller were scratched for Boston, and D Dalton Prout and D Scott Harrington were scratches for Columbus.UP NEXTBoston: Plays at Buffalo on Thursday night.Columbus: Plays at Winnipeg on Thursday night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Eichel has little regard for the Detroit Red Wings' 20-year anniversary of their 1997 Stanley Cup win.Related: Red Wings honor '97 Stanley Cup-winning teamThe Buffalo Sabres forward scored a slick goal on Tuesday, side-stepping Thomas Vanek before going roof short-side on Petr Mrazek.For Eichel - who was not even a year-old during the Wings' '97 Cup win - the goal was his sixth of the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Cody Ceci nearly had his first-career two-goal game on Tuesday.After scoring his first of the season in the first period, Ceci looked destined to pick up his second of the contest when Bobby Ryan fed him a pass with an empty net.Unfortunately, New York Rangers goaltender Antti Raanta had other ideas, sliding to make a miraculous pad save.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was 20 years ago that the Detroit Red Wings finally put an end to their 42-year Stanley Cup drought.It was such an iconic moment for the franchise, and that 1997 Stanley Cup championship team was honored at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night ahead of the Red Wings' clash with the Buffalo Sabres.

No Christmas hangover for Taylor Hall.The New Jersey Devils forward made an immediate impact in his club's return from the holiday break Tuesday night.Hall undressed Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel before feeding P.A. Parenteau for an easy tap-in on Marc-Andre Fleury.With the assist, Hall now has 23 points in 27 games on the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrei Markov will stay off the ice for the next three games, Montreal Canadiens coach Michel Therrien announced Tuesday.Markov, 38, has missed the past three games with a lower-body injury.Therrien confirmed that Markov will not join the team on its current six-game road swing, with the next three matches against Tampa Bay, Florida, and Pittsburgh.Markov has appeared in 31 games this season and has recorded two goals and 19 assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things are not looking up for the Vancouver Canucks.Head coach Willie Desjardins announced forward Jannik Hansen is out with a knee injury and will be sidelined for the next four-to-six weeks.Hansen has recorded five goals and four assists in 18 games, and will be missed on a roster that's already struggling to create offense.The injury is believed to have been suffered during a game against Winnipeg on Dec. 22.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Get your NHL All-Star votes in before it's too late.With less than a week to go before the voting ends, Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid remain the leaders in their respective divisions.If the voting holds, those players will be the captains for the 2017 All-Star Game.Here are the top five vote-getters from each division:Atlantic:

The hockey world bid farewell to many beloved figures this year.From Hall of Fame players to respected coaches, builders, and journeymen, more than a few significant contributors to the game left us in 2016.Here are the most influential individuals in hockey for whom we mourned:Gordie HoweNo loss hit hockey harder than the death of "Mr. Hockey" in June.Howe's death at the age of 88 elicited an outpouring of grief from those involved in the sport and beyond.Many spent the day of his death sharing memorable stories of No. 9, and there was no shortage of tributes in the days and months to follow.Howe's skill, toughness, and unrivaled longevity were all part of his enduring legacy, and his remarkable character ensured he'll never be forgotten.Ed SniderThe Philadelphia Flyers lost their patriarch when co-founder and longtime chairman Ed Snider died at the age of 83 in April following a two-year battle with cancer.Snider owned the Flyers for nearly 50 years and was credited with turning Philadelphia into a hockey town. He was inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame in 1988.The successful businessman formerly owned the Philadelphia 76ers and was a part-owner of the NFL's Eagles.Marek SvatosThe former Colorado Avalanche winger left the world tragically, and far too young.Svatos was pronounced dead at the age of 34 in early November, and the cause was later determined to be a drug overdose due to a combination of substances including codeine, morphine, and anti-anxiety medication.He played six seasons with the Avalanche, scoring a career-high 32 goals in 2005-06, before concluding his NHL tenure with the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators. Svatos finished his hockey career with stints in the KHL and his native Slovakia, playing his final season in 2013-14.Andy BathgateA Hockey Hall of Famer whose No. 9 hangs from the rafters at Madison Square Garden, Bathgate died in February at the age of 83.He was a talented scorer who notched at least 25 goals every season from 1956-57 to 1962-63, winning the Hart Trophy in 1959 following a 40-goal campaign.Bathgate was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1964, and he immediately helped them win the Stanley Cup, scoring the eventual game-winning goal in Game 7.Bill DineenWhile Snider was the figurative patriarch of the Flyers franchise, Dineen was the literal father figure in one of hockey's most well known coaching families.Dineen, who died earlier this month at the age of 84, won two Stanley Cups as a player before becoming an accomplished head coach.He guided the WHA's Houston Aeros to back-to-back championships in the 1970s and won the AHL's Calder Cup twice in the '80s. His sons Kevin, Gord, and Jerry all followed in his coaching footsteps, occupying instructional roles in the NHL and AHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes will be without their highest-scoring defenseman for the foreseeable future.Justin Faulk suffered a lower-body injury against Boston on Dec. 23 and is considered week to week, head coach Bill Peters announced.In 30 games this season, Faulk recorded seven goals and nine assists while averaging 23:06 of ice time - six seconds below team leader Jaccob Slavin.The Hurricanes emerge from the holiday break seven points behind Philadelphia, which holds the Eastern Conference's second wild-card playoff spot. Bridging that gap will be much more difficult without Faulk.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O'Reilly is out indefinitely after undergoing an appendectomy over the holiday break, the team announced.The procedure reportedly took place Dec. 25, according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.The injury isn't without precedent, as a few players suffered the same malady in recent memory. Max Pacioretty missed four games in 2013 following an appendectomy, while Jamie Benn was forced to sit five games in 2012.More recently, Corey Crawford was sidelined for over three weeks.O'Reilly's absence, therefore, may not be long term.

Dan Carcillo is weighing in on a conversation started by Steve Downie.The latter recently took to Twitter to rip the Arizona Coyotes and Dave Tippett, and later Don Cherry, with a view to exposing how players of his stature are perceived and treated within hockey culture.Carcillo, a former NHL forward and tough guy in his own right, offered a thoughtful response, urging former players to seek workers compensation in the absence of meaningful support from the NHL and even the Players' Association.

Every Tuesday, theScore's editors will examine the fortunes of the north's seven NHL franchises. Welcome to "O Canada."Calgary FlamesPlus: A 7-3-0 record leading up to the holiday break helped the Calgary Flames slide into a Western Conference wild-card spot, and well within striking distance of the three teams ahead of them in the Pacific Division.Minus: Calgary's minus-nine goal differential is the worst among all teams currently sitting in playoff position.Take: The Flames' last two wins came with Brian Elliott in net. He'll need to reclaim the starting job from Chad Johnson and play at a high level in order for Calgary to remain in postseason contention.Edmonton OilersPlus: Leon Draisaitl leads the the Edmonton Oilers in December scoring with seven goals and seven assists over 12 games. Both Connor McDavid and Mark Letestu rank second with 11 points.Minus: Winger Tyler Pitlick will miss the remainder of the regular season with a torn ACL. He'd recorded two goals and two assists in five games prior to the injury.Take: It's not yet a perfectly constructed roster, but anything less than a 2017 playoff spot would be a massive disappointment after a strong start to the season.Montreal CanadiensPlus: Captain Max Pacioretty has stepped up, scoring nine goals over his past 11 contests, and tying Jeff Carter for the league lead so far this month.Minus: Shea Weber's offensive contributions have dried up. The defenseman has posted just a single assist across 11 December games.Take: As long as Carey Price is in net, the Montreal Canadiens are the class of the Atlantic Division, and it's not really all that close at the moment.Ottawa SenatorsPlus: Bobby Ryan appears to have found his scoring touch after posting four goals in five games heading into the break.Minus: Twenty-one-year-old Curtis Lazar has been held without a point in 14 appearances this season, and the Ottawa Senators will need something from their 2013 first-round pick to maintain their surprising success.Take: General manager Pierre Dorion looks like a genius for grabbing Mike Condon from Pittsburgh. Condon's been used heavily in relief of Craig Anderson (personal reasons) and Andrew Hammond (ankle), while posting a save percentage of .922 across 14 appearances.Toronto Maple LeafsPlus: After a rough first month with his new club, Frederik Andersen has been lights out for the Toronto Maple Leafs.MonthGamesSv%November12.931December9.947Minus: While Auston Matthews' goal scoring has picked up, Mitch Marner and William Nylander have been good for only one apiece through 10 December games.Take: The Maple Leafs sit five points back of an Atlantic Division playoff spot, but also only three points up on last-place Buffalo. Things could go either way, but count on Toronto remaining a bubble team instead of seeing it burst.Vancouver CanucksPlus: N/AMinus: Yes, things are that bad for the Vancouver Canucks.With a record of 14-18-3, the Canucks sit 28th in the NHL, and, to make matters worse, they seem to believe things should be better than they are.A full rebuild is in order, and should have already been initiated.Take: This isn't how the Sedins should be winding down their legendary careers.Winnipeg JetsPlus: Patrik Laine's game seems be be rounding out. The rookie sniper has recorded five assists in his past 11 contests - one fewer than he posted across his first 25 appearances.Minus: Another split with Alexander Burmistrov could be in the cards after the center recently voiced displeasure over his lack of playing time.Take: The Winnipeg Jets have some talented, young players on the roster, but general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff still has work to do in terms of building a consistent playoff team. At this point, one can't help but wonder if he's really the man for the job.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 Edmonton Oilers.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 Cam TalbotTalbot leads all goaltenders in minutes played, shots faced, saves and goals allowed. While the Oilers' still-porous defense makes life difficult for him, his assured workload increases his fantasy value. He has a .917 save percentage for the second year in a row, and he's just four wins behind last year's total. The improved team has increased his own value. Grade: BC Connor McDavidThe league leader in points and assists, McDavid has managed to stay ahead in the league's scoring race. Not much more needs to be said. He'll be either the first- or second-overall pick in next year's drafts. Grade: A+C/RW Leon DraisaitlWhile McDavid's production was expected by most, Draisaitl has stepped up as the team's next-best option. He's just five goals behind last year's total, though he has benefited from a shooting percentage over 17 percent. Keeper league owners should be making every effort to retain his services for the years to come. Grade: ALW Milan LucicLucic has enjoyed success while on the left side of McDavid, as he's on pace for all the numbers owners have come to expect. The biggest difference, as expected with the move from the Los Angeles Kings to Edmonton, is a minus rating for the first time since 2009-10, while with the Boston Bruins. It's a minor setback to an otherwise well-rounded fantasy campaign. Grade: B+RW Jordan EberleNever an elite scorer, Eberle is a solid depth piece with adequate scoring ability. A third of his points have come on the power play. He's far from an elite fantasy option and at 26 years of age, he has fully established himself. This will need to be taken into consideration for future drafts. Grade: B-C Ryan Nugent-HopkinsNugent-Hopkins has played in every game so far, something which needs to be considered a victory on its own. Alas, he hasn't proven to be much of a fantasy asset, and he's on pace for around 40 points. He's averaging his lowest ice time since his rookie season. Grade: CC Mark LetestuAt the age of 31, Letestu is having a career year on the offensive end, largely due to exposure on the top power-play unit. Five of his points have come with the man advantage, while he has also scored two power-play goals. He doesn't contribute enough hits or blocked shots to be an option in either season-long format, but he does have daily fantasy appeal. Grade: BD Oscar KlefbomA late-November offensive surge brought Klefbom onto the fantasy radar, but his season-long point total has been fairly lackluster. He is on pace for a career high in points, but he isn't worthy of a permanent roster spot. He should only be streamed during four-game weeks for the Oilers. Grade: B-D Andrej SekeraAt age 30, Sekera is averaging a career high in ice time. He's on pace for a career high in points, while also operating on the team's top power-play unit. His usage will keep him relevant in all fantasy formats. Grade: B-Player to watch: RW Jesse PuljujarviThe fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Puljujarvi is producing at a level far beneath his peers. Still, he's averaging a point every three games. Keep a close eye on the Oilers' lines, as he's worth consideration whenever given exposure beside McDavid.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 Tuesday, Dec. 27 (all advanced stats are at 5-on-5 and courtesy of Corsica.Hockey):Triple Threat

Dylan Strome scored twice and Mathew Barzal led the way with three points as host Canada upended archrival Russia 5-3 in the headliner on opening night at the 2017 World Junior Championship.Here's what you need to know:

The NHL's No. 1 star of the week is exactly who you thought it would be.Florida Panthers forward and all-time NHL legend Jaromir Jagr took home this week's honors, after recording five assists in three games, propelling him past Mark Messier and into second place on the league's all-time scoring list with 1,889 points. The 44-year-old is second on the Panthers with 21 points in 31 games.Jeff Carter's scoring tear earned him the second star, as the Los Angeles Kings center scored five goals in three games, resulting in two wins. Carter leads the Kings in points (29) and is tied for second in the NHL with 19 goals this season. His prominence in Los Angeles' attack is a major reason they're holding on to a wild-card position in the west.Lastly, Edmonton Oilers netminder Cam Talbot is the third star this week after achieving a 2-0-1 record with a 2.26 goals against average and .926 save percentage. Talbot leads all goalies with 32 starts this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Sullivan got some security for Christmas.The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed their head coach to a three-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season, vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford announced Monday.Sullivan took over the Penguins' job last season with the club outside the playoff picture, and guided Pittsburgh to a 33-16-5 finish, topped with a Stanley Cup victory after a dominant playoff run."Mike did the best coaching job in the NHL last season," Rutherford said. "He continues to be a terrific coach and we are happy to give him a well-deserved extension."Since Sullivan arrived, he's gotten the most out of his best player, Sidney Crosby, who's erased any prior doubts of his production, scoring 104 points in 81 games under Sullivan.This season, Sullivan's Penguins sit second in the NHL with 49 points, with a 22-8-5 record through 35 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Sullivan got some security for Christmas.The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed their head coach to a three-year contract extension through the 2019-20 season, vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford announced Monday.Sullivan took over the Penguins' job last season with the club outside the playoff picture, and guided Pittsburgh to a 33-16-5 finish, topped with a Stanley Cup victory after a dominant playoff run."Mike did the best coaching job in the NHL last season," Rutherford said. "He continues to be a terrific coach and we are happy to give him a well-deserved extension."Since Sullivan arrived, he's gotten the most out of his best player, Sidney Crosby, who's erased any prior doubts of his production, scoring 104 points in 81 games under Sullivan.This season, Sullivan's Penguins sit second in the NHL with 49 points, with a 22-8-5 record through 35 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's new series, "The Noise," is published every Monday. It kicks off each week with a quick look at three teams or players making headlines, good or bad.Jonathan DrouinMarred in a streak of misfortune, the Tampa Bay Lightning have desperately needed somebody to step up, and Drouin has been their guy.Injuries to Steven Stamkos, Ben Bishop, and Nikita Kucherov have placed the club's Stanley Cup aspirations on hold and shifted the focus to obtaining a playoff spot.While the club has struggled since its captain went down, Drouin has looked like the spirited competitor that emerged last postseason.Over his last five games, Drouin has recorded four goals and three assists, bringing his point total to 20 in 27 contests. He'll need to continue producing in order for the Lightning to remain in the Atlantic Division mix.Carolina HurricanesThe Metropolitan Division is a gauntlet, and the Hurricanes, after a slow start, are caught on the wrong end of it.With the Blue Jackets riding a 12-game win streak, the Flyers recently ending a 10-gamer of their own, along with the Penguins and Capitals being, well, the Penguins and Capitals, the Hurricanes have been lost in the shuffle despite coming on strong of late.Carolina won three in a row entering the holiday break, and has earned at least a point in seven of its last eight. With the Metro occupying both Eastern Conference wild-card slots, the Hurricanes sit seven points out. However, in the weaker Atlantic Division, they would have found themselves just three points behind third-place Boston, with three games in hand.The Hurricanes stumbled to a 2-4-2 October record, but have flown heavily under the radar since. Head coach Bill Peters deploys a vastly talented, youthful d-corps that is the strength of the club, as evidenced by it's league-best penalty kill (90.8 percent) and fourth-fewest shots against per game (27.5).Auston Matthews Matthews is coming into his own.After a 13-game stretch without a goal, the Toronto Maple Leafs' No. 1 pick is on the most consistent run of his young career, notching 10 tallies in 14 games since the drought.The 19-year-old has points in six of his last eight games, and is tied for the club lead with 26. More importantly, he's seen an increased role in Mike Babcock's system and his ice time continues to trend upward.Babcock isn't sheltering his young pivot anymore, either. Over the past week-and-a-half, Matthews has gone head to head with Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Getzlaf, and has managed to drive play.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's leading scorer - Connor McDavid, with 42 points in 36 games - is eligible to play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, which begins Monday. He'll be 20 in two weeks. He has 78 points in 68 games in 2016. Think about that.The league's second-leading goal-scorer - Patrik Laine, with 19 goals in 36 games - is 18 and could suit up for Finland and help defend its gold medal.Auston Matthews, after scoring seven goals at last year's world juniors, scoring six at the 2016 worlds, and two in three games for North America - remember that team, and how fast it was? - at the World Cup, could really help the 2017 under-20 U.S. squad. But he's busy, scoring more goals than all but two NHL centers (Sidney Crosby and Jeff Carter) in two-and-a-half months as a 19-year-old rookie.Forget about the NHL now being a young man's game. It's a kid's game now.They're everywhereThe majority of Jack Eichel's 29 goals in the NHL came were tallied as a teenager. Matthew Tkachuk turned 19 two weeks ago. Mitch Marner is tied for the lead in scoring - with Matthews, of course - on the Toronto Maple Leafs - like it or not, one of the more storied franchises in hockey - and is 19 (and barely looks 16).Ivan Provorov is averaging 21 minutes a game on a very good Philadelphia Flyers team as a 19-year-old. Noah Hanifin has 112 games for the Carolina Hurricanes under his belt and he's not yet 20. And both have teenage teammates: Travis Konecny and Sebastian Aho.The list goes on and on. Zach Werenski, at 19, has already set a Columbus Blue Jackets rookie record for points by a defenseman. It took him 30 games. Jakob Chychrun won't be 19 until March 31, and he's an NHL defenseman, playing 16:35 a night. Think about it this way: He's more than two years away from being able to legally buy a beer in the United States.They're only getting betterPlayers have been making the jump from junior to the NHL as teenagers for years - it's not new. But they weren't this good, this fast.PlayerDraftedAge 19 SeasonPointsSteven Stamkos2008 (1st overall)2009-1095Matt Duchene2009 (3rd)2009-1055John Tavares2009 (1st)2009-1054Gabriel Landeskog2011 (2nd)2011-1252Taylor Hall2010 (1st)2010-1142Jonathan Drouin2013 (3rd)2014-1532Ryan Nugent-Hopkins2011 (1st)2012-1324Tyler Seguin2010 (2nd)2010-1122Ryan Johansen2010 (4th)2011-1221The 2009-10 season was Steven Stamkos' second in the league; he had 23 goals and 46 points as an 18-year-old rookie. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' age 19 season was his second in the league, and injury shortened, like his first, when he had 52 points in 62 games as an 18-year-old rookie. Not in the above table is Alex Galchenyuk, who is 22 and already in his fifth season, getting better each one and on the track to stardom. Nathan MacKinnon had 63 points as an 18-year-old. Aleksander Barkov began his career at 18.It's the last two drafts that have stood apart, though. Between McDavid and Laine, still teenagers, they're going to win a lot of Art Ross and Rocket Richard trophies, starting now. Marner, Provorov, Hanifin, Konecny, Aho, Jesse Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, and Chychrun are all 2015 and 2016 draftees. The talent has come in and seamlessly transitioned, and in the case of McDavid, Laine, and Matthews, dominated. If Crosby's not shooting 23.3 percent, Laine's the top goal-scorer in the league (tied with Carter and David Pastrnak).Maybe McDavid, Laine, and Matthews are the outliers, a crop of special players who came along at the same time, like Crosby and Alex Ovechkin (who was 20 in his rookie year). But damn if they aren't great for the game.But, what if ...Another possibility is that this is how it's going to be: Those drafted in the top 10 - especially the top three - are going to be able to step in immediately, like they have been, but it won't be surprising to see some of their names atop the leaderboards.The kids will only continue to be bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. The draft and player development will only be that much more important. In a salary capped NHL dominated by teenagers and guys in their early 20s (David Pastrnak), will the next generation of Detroit Red Wings spend as much time in the AHL as this one did?We'll know the answer years down the line, though it is worth mentioning that no McDavid, Laine, or Matthews is projected to be on the way in 2017, with all due respect to Nolan Patrick.For now, as we inevitably look back at the year it was in hockey, it's remarkable to see exactly what teenagers accomplished in the NHL in 2016.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What's unexpected is often cherished most at this time of the year. And as we approach the annual futures showcase that might be a little short on hype this time around, the same may ring true.With that in mind, here are three predictions for the 2017 World Junior Hockey Championship:It creates its own hypeConnor McDavid or Patrik Laine are busy, and if there's a future No. 1 overall draft pick to appear in this futures showcase, it'll likely be another 18 months before he's taken off the board.This is a tournament devoid of certain, unassailable star power. But what it will have is strength in numbers.Canada, Russia, Sweden, and the United States - picked as the nations best equipped to contend for gold - are loaded with high-quality prospects nearing the end of their junior hockey eligibilities. Canada, in particular, is very deep and remarkably balanced, featuring dominant scorers across four lines - and not one draft-eligible prospect. The U.S., meanwhile, appears designed to outscore deficiencies - and look fully capable of doing it.There's no headliner, but the tournament boasts the requisites to be incredibly fun, and equally competitive; prepare for it to sneak up on you.Hart joins select groupIt's not the only reason Canada has one gold medal to show for its last seven tournaments, but goaltending has let the nation down, at times, throughout its recent fruitless run. And certainly before that.Naturally, when Carter Hart stumbled in the final tuneup versus the Swiss, it invoked similar concerns. But the Everett Silvertips starter and first goaltender chosen in the 2016 NHL Draft is as dependable as the country's had over the last decade.With his remarkable consistency shown throughout his three seasons in junior, and perhaps the best defense in the tournament protecting him, Hart's in a position to thrive and make certain Canada extends its medal streak to 12 on home ice.He's the most important player for Canada on its way to gold, becoming the first Canadian in nine years to win top goaltending honors, while joining Steve Mason, Carey Price, and Marc-Andre Fleury as the only netminders in red and white to do it this century.Bracco starsWith a shaky back line, the United States may have to fill the nets in Toronto and Montreal. So no player might be more important to its success than slight attacker Jeremy Bracco - especially considering the cuts of Alex DeBrincat and Logan Brown.After being a controversial exclusion from last year's squad, the second-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs has won over the coaching staff, and will have the opportunity to make a major impact in a specialty role.With loads of talent aiding his own, Bracco, one of the most productive junior hockey players in the CHL this season, takes the tournament scoring crown, edging Sweden's Joel Eriksson Ek and Canada's Dylan Strome and Mathieu Joseph.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 Calgary Flames.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 Chad Johnson/Brian ElliottWidely drafted by fantasy owners for extra goaltending depth, Elliott was an unmitigated disaster for the few starts owners allowed him to make. The Flames, unfortunately, are stuck with him. Johnson has been considerably better, though he has also regressed toward his career means of late. Still, he has been among the top waiver claims this season, and he should see the majority of the work. Grade: A/F-C Sean MonahanMonahan has slid backward after two consecutive seasons recording more than 60 points. He should hit 20 goals with ease, but he'll need to change his game in order to best last season's 36 assists. He may also need a second scoring winger, as he floundered while Johnny Gaudreau was sidelined by a finger injury. Grade: B-LW Johnny GaudreauGaudreau returned quicker than expected from his injury, and he picked up where he left off last season. The 23-year-old is just barely below a point-per-game pace, with a very modest and reasonable 11.1 shooting percentage. He'll need to take more than his 2.5 SOGs per game if he hopes to approach 30 goals once again, but he's all but a lock for 25-plus. Grade: AC Mikael BacklundBacklund has taken a step back after last year's 47-point season. He could still reach 40 points, but he's likely to finish closer to 35. A late-round draft pick in most formats, he's affected by the Flames' lack of depth on the wings beyond Gaudreau. He's likely a couple of successful Calgary draft classes away from being an impactful player on offense and in fantasy. Grade: CRW Troy BrouwerSigned for his physicality, Brouwer has been a surprise on offense, producing at a 1/2-point-per-game pace. He has spent time alongside Monahan and Gaudreau and is currently skating with the former on the third line. His ice time is up a half minute from last season, and he has been a very effective piece of the power-play unit. Grade: A-C/LW Sam BennettBennett has temporarily replaced Monahan as Gaudreau's center, with the two forming 2/3 of the unofficial second line. Wildly inconsistent, Bennett is a much better daily fantasy option than he is in for any season-long league. His power-play usage remains very low, capping his upside in either format. Consider him at a low cost in favorable matchups. Grade: C+LW Matthew TkachukTkachuk has bounced throughout the lineup as much as anyone on the Flames, as their lines are among the most fluid in the league. He's averaging slightly less than 15 minutes per game, but he does see some time on the second power-play unit. Tkachuk should finish with slightly more than 40 points in his rookie season. Grade: B+D Dougie HamiltonDecember has been Hamilton's best month of the season, with his surge commencing once trade rumors began rapidly swirling. Flames president Brian Burke shot them down, and he seems right to have done so. Hamilton is averaging a three-year low in ice time, but he does operate on the second power play unit. He should top last year's career high in goals. Grade: BD Mark GiordanoLast season, Giordano used a 15-point March to help him finish with a career-high 56 points. This year's slow start is considerably worse. His shooting percentage is less than half of what it was last season, but it's not the lone reason he'll finish well short of 20 goals. He's averaging a half shot less per game this season, and 20 fewer seconds of ice time. Grade: DPlayer to watch: D T.J. BrodieBrodie will need a big second half for his third consecutive 40-point season, but there is hope. His shooting percentage is better than last year, and he's on pace to top last season's meager six goals. He should finish closer to 10, but he'll need to start taking more shots. His ice time is down nearly two minutes per game, but he's still on the top PP unit. Hold out hope for a little longer if you made the investment.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's the most wonderful time of the year, for junior hockey fans at least.Like clockwork, the World Junior Championship is set to get underway the day after Christmas, and the 2017 tournament will provide no shortage of holiday drama for fans all over North America and Europe.Here are three things you need to know before the puck drops.What's the format?As a refresher, here's how the tournament works.The 10 participating countries have been divided into two groups, with Group A set to play preliminary round games at the Bell Centre Montreal, and Group B taking to the ice at Toronto's Air Canada Centre.Group AGroup BCzech RepublicCanadaDenmarkLatviaFinlandRussiaSwedenSlovakiaSwitzerlandUnited StatesEvery team will play one game against each of the other four in its group, earning points as follows:

It's a good time to be a Philadelphia Flyers supporter.The club sits 20-12-4 at the holiday break, firmly in possession of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Jakub Voracek, Claude Giroux, and Wayne Simmonds pace one of the league's top offenses, while teenagers Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov have 31 points between them.The present is bright, but so is the future: The Flyers have nine prospects set to compete at the World Junior Hockey Championship, which begins Monday in Toronto, writes NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. And that's without Konecny and Provorov, who are eligible to play but will remain with Philadelphia. That's about as stocked as a system gets.PlayerCountryPositionDraftedDavid BernhardtSwedenD199th in 2016Carter HartCanadaG48th in '16David KaseCzech RepublicRW128th in 2015Tanner LaczynskiUSAC169th in '16Philippe MyersCanadaDUndraftedGerman RubtsovRussiaC22nd in '16Felix SandstromSwedenG70th in '15Matej TomekSlovakiaG90th in '15Mikhail VorobyovRussiaC104th in '15The last two drafts will be on display for the Flyers, and it says a lot about their scouting when five of the nine listed players were drafted 100th overall or later, or - in the case of Myers - not drafted at all.Hart, the highest pick of the bunch as a second-rounder, is the best goalie in the WHL and will play an integral role in Canada's success at the tournament.The Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, and Tampa Bay Lightning each have five prospects set to play in Montreal and Toronto from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The World Junior Hockey Championship can serve as a coming out party for emerging talent.Consider last year's tournament, when the play of explosive winger Patrik Laine, who finished third in tournament scoring with 13 points in seven games, helped secure Finland's second gold medal since 2014.That performance saw Laine climb several spots in the 2016 NHL Draft, as he was selected second to only Toronto's Auston Matthews.This year's edition of the world juniors has plenty of talent of its own. With that in mind, here are 10 players to keep an eye on:Pierre-Luc Dubois - CanadaPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsLW186-2201LeftThe Columbus Blue Jackets' third overall pick in the 2016 draft has a solid frame and the offensive talent to go with it, so it's fair to say he'll play a key role on Canada's scoring lines.A native of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, Pierre-Luc Dubois is strong at both ends of the ice, while the early scouting reports have compared his game to Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar. With Cape Breton (QMJHL) this season, Dubois has tallied 18 points in 20 games.The tournament will mark his first appearance at the world juniors, after he didn't make the final cut last year.Jeremy Bracco - United StatesPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsRW195-9181RightJeremy Bracco doesn't let his lack of size keep him off the scoresheet.The diminutive winger stars for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers, with whom he's put up a staggering 51 points through 27 games this season. That after tallying 64 points in 49 games with the Rangers a year ago. The product of Freeport, N.Y., was originally recruited by Boston College before leaving for Kitchener.Bracco, selected in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, will be make his first appearance in the world juniors.Dylan Strome - CanadaPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsC196-3198LeftChosen to captain Team Canada, Dylan Strome is a returnee to the world juniors after leading the team in scoring last year, when Canada finished a disappointing sixth place. He'll look to avenge that performance this time around.Strome also serves as captain of his junior club, the OHL's Erie Otters, with whom he's tallied an impressive 16 points in just seven games this season, after being returned to the OHL by the Arizona Coyotes, who drafted him third overall in 2015.The native of Mississauga, Ontario, hasn't been short on offense through his development years, scoring 295 points in 191 games with Erie.Nico Hischier - SwitzerlandPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsC176-0174LeftNico Hischier has the chance to become one of Switzerland's better known hockey talents, joining a group headlined by the likes of Mark Streit, Roman Josi, and Nino Niederreiter.That's because his game is built for offense. A star player with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL, Hischier is a creative center who has tallied 48 points in 31 games this season.He'll be a top pick in this summer's NHL draft, with the most recent draft rankings by ISS Hockey placing the Naters-born forward as the eighth-best available talent. Hischier recorded two assists with Switzerland at last year's world juniors entry.Eeli Tolvanen - FinlandPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsLW175-10179LeftAmong the top-ranked Finns in this year's draft, Eeli Tolvanen is known for his scoring touch and impressive release, which are already of NHL quality.Starring with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, Tolvanen paces his team in both goals (16) and points (27) through 23 games. The 17-year-old will finish the year in the USHL and has committed to Boston College next season.Ranked No. 9 by ISS, Tolvanen will make his first appearance at the world juniors. He previously appeared at the Under-18s with Finland, posting seven goals and two assists in seven games.Elias Pettersson - SwedenPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsC186-2161LeftSweden is a tournament favorite, and a big reason why is the inclusion of lanky playmaker Elias Pettersson.Ranked 13th by ISS, Pettersson will make his first appearance at the world juniors, although he's not short on experience on the international stage. At last year's Under-18 tournament, he tallied a goal and seven assists through seven games.The Sundsvall native plays with Timra IK in Sweden, where he leads his team with 27 points in 27 games.Martin Necas - Czech RepublicPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsC175-11148RightIt has been a few down years for Czech hockey talent, but forward Martin Necas could play a big part in reversing that trend.Necas is an elusive playmaker whose on-ice vision is always apparent. He plays for the HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga, and has tallied six goals and seven assists through 29 games this season.Ranked 19th overall by ISS, Necas will make his first showing at the world juniors. He tallied five points in five games in the Under-17 tournament.Mikhail Sergachev - RussiaPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsD186-3216LeftLike Team Russia, the Montreal Canadiens liked what they saw in Mikhail Sergachev, opting to draft the hulking blue-liner with the ninth overall pick in June's draft.The smooth-skating and offensively-creative defenseman is effective on both sides of the blue line. It's that type of play that has enabled him to put up 15 points in 18 games with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires. He also saw an early showing with the Canadiens, as the 18-year-old played three games in the NHL at the start of the season.The Nizhnekamsk, Russia, product will be making his first appearance at the world juniors.Charlie McAvoy - United StatesPositionAgeHeightWeightShootsD196-1212RightThe United States boasts an impressive blue line, and it begins with Charlie McAvoy of Boston University, who was drafted by the Boston Bruins in June.McAvoy is a strong two-way defender who plays a physical brand of hockey. Born in Long Beach, N.Y., he'll make his second appearance at the world juniors. While he was held pointless in seven tournament games last year, he also held down a plus-five rating over that stretch.McAvoy has tallied 13 points in 17 games in the NCAA this year, after scoring 25 in 37 with Boston a year ago.Ilya Samsonov - RussiaPositionAgeHeightWeightCatchesG196-3205LeftSolid goaltending is key in any short tournament, and Russia has a gem in Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Samsonov.Playing with the KHL's Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Samsonov has just one loss on the season, racking up a 12-1-3 record through 19 games, with a .936 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average.Samsonov, who hails from Magnitogorsk, appeared in two games at last year's world juniors, posting a spectacular .956 save percentage and 1.00 GAA, as Russia finished with the silver medal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

'Tis the season to ask and hopefully receive.As NHL teams arose Sunday morning, here's what each hoped to find under its figurative tree. Merry Christmas!Eastern ConferenceAtlantic DivisionMontreal Canadiens: While the Habs could use some help down the middle, the club can't be greedy, and Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais will be back for the playoffs. It's Carey Price's continued good health Montreal is hoping for most.Ottawa Senators: The best Christmas gift of all would be for Nicholle Anderson's cancer to enter remission.Boston Bruins: A backup goalie, please.Tampa Bay Lightning: Some sort of remedy to reverse the club's injury curse.Florida Panthers: Some puck luck. Jaromir Jagr is shooting 6.8 percent, Vincent Trochek 8.5 percent, Keith Yandle 2.4 percent, and Jussi Jokinen and Nick Bjugstad 4.5 percent.Toronto Maple Leafs: A top-four defenseman and the kids could actually have Toronto in playoff contention come spring.Detroit Red Wings: The Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar of 2014-15.Buffalo Sabres: Goals. Buffalo is one of only three teams without a 10-goal scorer.Metropolitan DivisionColumbus Blue Jackets: For Sam Gagner's dream season - and the club's, really - to continue.Pittsburgh Penguins: A home for Marc-Andre Fleury.New York Rangers: Some help on the blue line for Henrik Lundqvist. He's earned it.Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin is averaging 0.75 points per game, the fewest in his remarkable career, but Evgeny Kuznetsov's startling drop in production is more concerning. He has to get it going.Philadelphia Flyers: For Steve Mason to keep doing what he's doing, especially after his nightmare October.Carolina Hurricanes: A winger to play with Victor Rask and Jeff Skinner.New Jersey Devils: Another team without a 10-goal scorer, but the Devils never fill the net, so what New Jersey needs most is for Cory Schneider's .905 save percentage to rise - and fast.New York Islanders: A time machine to go back and re-sign Kyle Okposo and not sign Andrew Ladd.Western ConferenceCentral DivisionChicago Blackhawks: Another team that can't be greedy, especially after the contributions of Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa through a quarter of the season - massive considering Jonathan Toews' struggles. But another defenseman wouldn't hurt.Minnesota Wild: Devan Dubnyk is something else, and it's hard not to ask for his out-of-this-world play to continue, but a healthy Zach Parise, if that's possible, would be very nice.St. Louis Blues: Perennial road warriors, the Blues desperately need better efforts away from home, where they've won only five of 16 games.Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg's scoring touch. Please.Dallas Stars: For the love of everything holy, some goaltending.Winnipeg Jets: Less of a gap between the top six and bottom six forwards.Colorado Avalanche: The first overall pick in 2017.Pacific DivisionSan Jose Sharks: Offense from someone not named Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, or Logan Couture.Edmonton Oilers: Anything at all from Benoit Pouliot.Anaheim Ducks: Last season's John Gibson.Los Angeles Kings: Some help from the hockey gods for Anze Kopitar, a career 12.2 percent shooter who's somehow at 4.9 through 29 games.Calgary Flames: The Brian Elliott the Flames thought they traded for.Vancouver Canucks: A rebuild.Arizona Coyotes: A mulligan.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The world juniors is a holiday tradition like none other.The annual holiday tournament provides a glimpse into the NHL's future, as the world's top under-20 players gather for international supremacy.There have been countless memorable moments since its official inauguration in 1977, and here are the top five.5. Zibanejad delivers gold for SwedenBoth Sweden and Russia advanced to the 2012 final in Calgary after narrow victories over respective arch-rivals Finland and Canada, and together provided a game for the ages.The game was scoreless after three periods, forcing sudden-death overtime. Creating something out of nothing, Swedish forward Mika Zibanejad darted to a loose puck to spring a break, then converted the breakaway chance.Russian goaltender Andrei Makarov recorded 56 saves in the loss, as Sweden won its second-ever gold medal.4. Russia stuns Canada with 3rd period comebackAppearing in their 10th consecutive final, Team Canada sought it's sixth gold medal in a row, as they took on Russia in 2011 in Buffalo.The Canadians jumped out to a 3-0 lead entering the third period, when Russia's attack - featuring the likes of current NHL superstars Artemi Panarin, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Evgeny Kuznetsov - launched a full-fledged barrage with five unanswered goals in the final frame.It was the biggest comeback in WJHC history, as Russia won its first gold since 2003.3. Finland captures gold on home soilFinland delivered for its home crowd in 2016.Pitted against Russia in the gold-medal final, Finland erased an early deficit in the third on a goal from Patrik Laine. After Russia regained the lead less than two minutes later, the Finns scored two goals and went ahead with only three minutes on the clock.With six seconds remaining, Andrei Svetlakov knotted things at three, forcing overtime.Kasperi Kapanen was the hero, converting a golden wraparound in OT to seal the deal. The incredibly talented Finnish team featured Laine and Kapanen, along with budding NHL prospects Jesse Puljujarvi, Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, and Olli Juolevi.2. The Jonathan Toews ShowIn Leksand, Sweden in 2007, the hockey world was first introduced to the clutch nature of Jonathan Toews.Team Canada and Team USA were matched together in the semifinals, and after three periods and overtime solved nothing, the bitter enemies were forced to a shootout.International rules permit repeated shooters after teams send their initial trio, so Canada picked Toews three times, and he converted all three with an ice-cold demeanor.The shootout lasted a tense seven rounds, ultimately ending with Carey Price stopping Peter Mueller to send Canada to the gold-medal game.1. 5.4 secondsJordan Eberle cemented his name into Canadian hockey history in 2009 in Ottawa.Trailing 5-4 to Russia in the semifinals, an ill-advised attempt at Canada's empty net resulted in an icing call, and brought the puck back to the Russian zone.The puck never left, and John Tavares proceeded to shovel a loose puck at the net, where Eberle found the rebound and converted the chance with only 5.4 seconds remaining in the third period.Eberle followed up with the shootout-winning goal to oust the Russians, as Canada advanced to win its fifth consecutive gold medal days later.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Optimism reigns as a new year begins, and three teams in particular are set to take bigger steps forward in 2017 than the rest.Here, then, are three teams on the rise:Edmonton OilersWill the NHL's longest postseason drought come to an end in 2017?After a surprise appearance in the 2006 Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers descent was rapid and their stay at the bottom prolonged, resulting in a full decade outside the playoff picture. The next longest drought belongs to the Carolina Hurricanes, who at least have the final series win over Edmonton to hang their hats on.Finally, almost mercifully, there's light at the end of the tunnel, and it emanates mostly from Connor McDavid. Playing in only his second season, and after the first was cut short due to injury, the new captain is leading the league in scoring and has helped put the club in a playoff spot as the calendar gets set to turn to January.He's not alone, with the likes of Leon Draisaitl, Milan Lucic, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins helping out up front, with a revamped but still lacking blue line giving Cam Talbot enough support to get the job done in net more often than not.Yes, we've become conditioned to expect the bottom to drop out at any time, but these Oilers appear to have a more determined look and, more importantly, a more balanced roster.It all revolves around McDavid, though, and as long as he's on the ice, the Oilers are a must-watch club finally on the verge of taking the next step.Nashville PredatorsDavid Poile is about to reap the rewards from his roster shake up.In 2016, the Predators general manager pulled off a pair of one-for-one trades that's positioned his club to legitimately - and finally - contend for the Stanley Cup as early as 2017.Last January, Poile sent defenseman Seth Jones to the Columbus Blue Jackets for center Ryan Johansen, and then followed that up with a June deal that saw captain Shea Weber shipped off to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for P.K. Subban.In so doing, he acquired a young, first-line center long coveted by the Predators, and assembled the kind of mobile defense corps that is the envy of the league.Whether the Predators can get it done in 2017 remains to be seen, but Music City is primed for at least a couple playoff rounds. And even with Johansen set to become a restricted free agent, the cap space will be there to surround Filip Forsberg and Co. with the talent needed to put together a winning product.One question remains in regards to the up and down play of Pekka Rinne in net, but look for highly touted Juuse Saros to take over as the team's starting goalie sooner rather than later, and don't be surprised if be becomes the next Matt Murray.Vegas Golden KnightsThe NHL's 31st franchise will literally be on the rise in 2017, moving from a team with a name yet to be officially trademarked to a 23-man roster set to take to the ice in October.Yes, we know team owner Bill Foley and Black Knight Sports and Entertainment aren't concerned about the Golden Knights trademark issue, which NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has called a "routine matter."Still, the rather embarrassing denial of the trademark application by the USPTO because of an apparent conflict with the The College of Saint Rose Golden Knights will need to be resolved, and the club has until June 7, 2017 to form an official response as to how the two can co-exist within the wider sports landscape.But that's the boring stuff.What's more of interest to the average hockey fan is the expansion draft, which will take place June 18-20, with the selections announced June 21.The Golden Knights must select one player from each existing club for a total of 30 players, including 14 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders. The 30 teams will have two options for players they wish to protect in the expansion draft:a) Seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goaltenderb) Eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goaltenderAdd it all up, and every team will be affected by the ascent of the Golden Knights in 2017.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Has Al Montoya lost his confidence?The Montreal Canadiens' backup goaltender is winless since his team's 10-0 blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 4, in which coach Michel Therrien left Montoya in net for all 10 goals against.Those same Blue Jackets bested Montoya again Friday, although by a more modest 2-1 margin.The Blue Jackets are hot, winners of 12 straight, while the Canadiens have grabbed just two wins in their last five outings.In between the two matches versus Columbus, Montoya has dropped decisions to the Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and St. Louis Blues.Date RangeStartsRecordGAASV%Before Nov. 443-0-11.47.955After Nov. 440-3-12.75.898Of the 47 goalies with as many starts as Montoya this season, only three have posted a worse showing than his post-Columbus .898 percentage.For a team that relies on strong goaltending, and a healthy and rested Carey Price, a trustworthy backup is critical, and the state of Montoya's game is troubling.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks. It happened. Friday night.It was a 2-1 overtime final, Nathan MacKinnon scoring the winner, giving Colorado - last in the NHL with 25 points - its first win in six games and only 12th of the season. But first-year head coach Jared Bednar is hoping it's the turning point of his team's fortunes."That was a great team effort from every guy," Bednar said after the game, according to the Denver Post's Mike Chambers. And it came one night after the club was embarrassed 6-0 on home ice by the Toronto Maple Leafs. "To a man, I thought we played the way we need to play. It's time to start building something. What better way to do it than against (Chicago), against (Cory Crawford), in (the United Center) and under the circumstances."Crawford made his first start since Dec. 1, after undergoing an appendectomy. He stopped 32 shots, but was bettered by Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard, who stopped 38 of 39 shots with starter Semyon Varlamov out with a groin injury."It says a lot about our team," Bednar added. "Now we have to find a way to duplicate that performance and repeat it over and over again. That, to me, is the standard for our team and we have not met it enough."The outlook remains bleak in Denver, however. Colorado has a league-low 67 goals for, while it's allowed 106. That minus-39 goal differential is worst in the league. A 4-11-1 record at home is also contributing to the team's struggles.MacKinnon, who's clearly having a hard time with all the losing, still believes in his team."It just shows that when we want to play, when we're ready to play, we're a very good team and can play with anybody," the club's leading scorer said.MacKinnon has nine goals and 14 assists this season.The club is off for a few days thanks to the holiday break, but much work remains to be done. And the reality may be that this season is already lost.Colorado ranks 30th in goals for (2) and goals against (3.2), and 25th on the power play (14.7 percent) and penalty kill (79 percent).Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shane Doan now has 400 goals, which is about the same number of teammates he's had over his 20-year career.On Friday, the Arizona Coyotes captain scored his 400th NHL goal, beating Toronto Maple Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen.Teammates old and new got in on the well wishes:

It will be the United States versus Canada once again on New Years Eve at the World Junior Hockey Championship, as the rivalry renewed on Boxing Day at the 2016 tournament in Helsinki has returned to its rightful slot on the sports calendar.Both teams will have appeared in three games before their head-to-head clash, which will decide seeding, if not the winner of Group B.So, to help you contribute to the conversation sure to be held around shrimp rings and various finger foods while wearing party hats, we've broken down the rosters.ForwardsIn many respects, the level of talent eligible, but not at Canada's disposal is as interesting than the team in Toronto to start the tournament. Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, and Travis Konecny are among qualified skaters, while projected No. 1 overall draft selection Nolan Patrick is unavailable due to injury.Regardless, this allows us to become familiar with the incoming wave of talent.Lottery selections Dylan Strome and Mathew Barzal form a potentially dominant one-two accompaniment down the middle, while Pierre-Luc Dubois, Tyson Jost, and Michael McLeod are prized first-round talents on the roster. Taylor Raddysh, Mathieu Joseph, Dillon Dube, and Anthony Cirelli seem poised to break out in their first opportunities on the big stage, while Mitchell Stephens and Julien Gauthier are among two of the five returnees on a team with no draft-eligible players.Dylan StromeEven without Brock Boeser and surprise omissions Alex DeBrincat and Logan Brown, the U.S. possesses a group of forward prospects that can stand up to any - including Canada. The Americans have as many first-round futures as its rivals, led by a lottery pick from last summer in Clayton Keller. Returnee Colin White will be at the forefront of a group of mid-to-late first-round picks out of the development program, including Kieffer Bellows, Jack Roslovic, and Tage Thompson.Clayton KellerRunning rampant this season in the Ontario Hockey League, Jeremy Bracco will be depended on to score. There's also a talented group, who by virtue of playing at the collegiate level, don't have eye-popping numbers, including Joey Anderson and Erik Foley, rising prospects Patrick Harper and Tanner Laczynski, as well as 16th overall selection Luke Kunin.Edge: Canada.Its high-end talent is superior, and the depth of scoring through the pre-tournament indicates that the top prospects will be protected, not relied on exclusively.DefenseIn most cases, reliance on an undrafted defenseman would cause a little angst for a hockey-mad nation like Canada. But Philippe Myers isn't your average player passed over seven times by all 30 teams.Philippe MyersThe tall, mobile, workhorse from the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies is expected to log major minutes on a blue-line full of blue-chip prospects. It's expected that he'll slot in the top four with Thomas Chabot, Noah Juulsen, and Jake Bean - each first-round prospects. Mid-first round selection Dante Fabbro and second-round picks Kale Clague and Jeremy Lauzon round out the group.It's another relatively thin back line for the United States, which will carry three defensemen chosen within the top-50 selections of their respective drafts. The returning Charlie McAvoy is expected to assume the workhorse role of Zach Werenski from the last tournament as the only high-end prospect in the group.Charlie McAvoyThe U.S. group hails almost exclusively from the NCAA ranks, with Edmonton Oilers fourth round selection Caleb Jones the lone defender plying his trade in the CHL.Edge: Canada.The Americans were patterned similarly when they won bronze in Helsinki, but prospect to prospect, it's not particularly close.GoaltendingCarter Hart and Connor Ingram - the top statistical goaltenders in the Western Hockey League - will look to solidify the often-tenuous position for Canada. Hart's expected to have the edge, but both have essentially been perfect in pre-competition contests.Tyler ParsonsTyler Parsons is expected to be lead netminder for the United States. What the Memorial Cup winner may lack in experience, is made up for with his immense success in junior.Edge: Unclear.There's little separating two goaltenders chosen six slots apart last summer. Hart has the sparkling numbers, and Parsons the shiny trophies.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Christmas is a lifestyle to the Pittsburgh Penguins.The club was in the holiday mood after Friday night's win over the New Jersey Devils:

Tradition is everything this time of year, and P.K. Subban continues his of giving back.The former Canadiens defenseman famously donated $10 million to Montreal Children's Hospital last year, and treated kids to a "Winter Wonderland" during the holidays. And even though he's now a member of the Predators, Subban enlisted the help of his former friends in Montreal to help spread some goodwill in his new home, Nashville.Yep, P.K. is still the best. Happy holidays.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The United States has its team.USA Hockey announced Saturday morning its final 23-man roster for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship, which begins next week in Toronto.Defenseman Chad Krys, a Chicago Blackhawks second-round pick in 2016, was the final cut.Here's the team:ForwardDraft rightsLuke Kunin (C)WildTanner LaczynskiFlyersJordan GreenwayWildJoey AndersonDevilsErik FoleyJetsJeremy BraccoMaple LeafsColin White (A)SenatorsClayton KellerCoyotesTroy TerryDucksKieffer BellowsIslandersJack RoslovicJetsTage ThompsonBluesDefensemanDraft rightsRyan LindgrenBruinsJack AhcanDraft eligibleCaleb JonesOilersCasey FitzgeraldSabresAdam FoxFlamesCharlie McAvoy (A)BruinsJoe CecconiStarsGoalie Draft rightsTyler ParsonsFlamesJake OettingerDraft eligibleJoseph WollMaple Leafs"We're excited about this group of players and the way in which they will maximize the style of hockey that head coach Bob Kotzko wants the team to play," general manager Jim Johannson said in a statement. "The talent level in the United States is among the best in the world and the difficulty we had identifying this year's roster speaks to that. These players earned their way on to this roster and we're looking forward to the tournament getting underway."The U.S. - last year's bronze-medal winner - opens against Latvia at the Air Canada Centre on Monday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on NHL Network.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Knowledge is power, especially in today's NHL.The game is about more than strength and skill, and players and management alike are using that to their advantage off the ice.It's all about being one step ahead of your opposition, separating yourself from traditionalists, and thinking outside the box, and these three men are doing all three.Connor McDavidThere isn't a player in the league with a mind for the game as sharp as Connor McDavid's.His hands are out of this world, and even more fascinating is that they're able to keep up with his legs, but what puts him above the rest is his ability to think two steps ahead.At no point was this more clear than when McDavid scored arguably the goal of the year last season, gathering speed before splitting nearly the entire Columbus Blue Jackets team and beating Joonas Korpisalo.Factor in that he was named the youngest captain in NHL history, and it's pretty obvious that he's as strong between the ears as he is on the puck.Stan BowmanNo general manager has mastered the salary cap since its inception quite like Stan Bowman.The Chicago Blackhawks GM has treated the cap as a bomb that he continually defuses, keeping his key players intact without ever being forced to blow the roster up.He has been able to sign those players to massive contracts, while somehow dealing seemingly significant players, only to acquire cap-friendly replacements to lead them to further success. It's amazing to consider the Blackhawks' track record given they've dealt away Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Brandon Saad, and Patrick Sharp, among others, to deal with cap restraints.In his seven seasons as general manager, Bowman has captured three Stanley Cups and reached the playoffs in each year, hitting the 100-point plateau in five of those seasons (he hit 97 in 2011, and was limited to just 48 games during the lockout in 2013).The Blackhawks have become the model organization in the NHL, and Bowman is a large reason for that.John ChaykaIt was revolutionary thinking that got John Chayka his job last May.Chayka was hired as the Arizona Coyotes' general manager as a 26-year-old, becoming the youngest GM in major-league sports history, largely due to his knowledge of advanced stats and unconventional thinking.Early in his tenure with the team, he has proven he's not afraid to make big moves and pull the trigger to make his club better. The clearest example was when he flipped the 20th overall pick for the 16th to select Jakob Chychrun in the draft at the price of taking on Pavel Datsyuk's contract from Detroit.Chychrun could pan out to be a solid defender down the line, while the club also needed to add money to hit the cap floor, which Datsyuk's $7.5-million contract helped with.He has since made other smaller but crafty moves, and while his club sits among the worst in the league, they're built for future success.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Picking up an assist against his childhood team was great, but it's not what Auston Matthews will cherish about his first-ever game in his hometown rink.The mature Toronto Maple Leafs rookie spoke postgame following the highly anticipated contest and admitted - like a true pro - that in the end it's all about picking up two points."It was special. Like I said earlier – today, coming home and playing in front of the home crowd, playing where I grew up, it's definitely a special moment," Matthews said, according to the team. "To get the two points here and to win definitely puts the cherry on top."Matthews was fortunate to have plenty of family and friends in attendance, and after growing up as a fan of the Coyotes and looking up to Shane Doan, the 19-year-old finally got the chance to go face to face with him.

The Arizona faithful love their Auston Matthews and he loves them back.Following the Toronto Maple Leafs forward's first game at his hometown arena, the 19-year-old - along with Coyotes forward Max Domi - stuck around to sign autographs for local youth hockey players on the ice.

The best way to end a goal-scoring slump is by netting a beauty.Toronto Maple Leafs rookie William Nylander did just that Friday, turning on the jets and beating Arizona Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith with a top-shelf backhand to give the Maple Leafs a 4-1 lead.Despite the lengthy goalless skid, Nyalnder still sits fourth in rookie scoring this season with 22 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

First Mark Messier, next Paul Coffey.Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr reminded the hockey world on Thursday that he's still a force when - with a rather unorthodox assist - he eclipsed Mark Messier's 1,887 to claim second place on the league's all-time points list.However, Jagr is not done collecting milestones this season. The 44-year-old picked up an assist in Friday's game against the Detroit Red Wings and with it moved within an assist of Paul Coffey's 1,135 for fifth all time in that category.

Florida Panthers forward Reilly Smith will be out the next 7-to-10 days with a concussion, head coach Tom Rowe said, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.Smith suffered the injury after taking a heavy hit by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall early into the second period of the team's 4-3 shootout loss on Friday.The club's timetable means the 25-year-old can expect to miss the Panthers' next three games following the Holiday break.Through 34 games this season Smith has managed six goals and 14 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Appearing in his 1,500th career NHL game, the Arizona Coyotes captain recorded his 400th regular-season goal.The milestone tally was assisted by Connor Murphy and Jamie McGinn, and came late in the second period on Frederik Andersen of the Toronto Maple Leafs.Doan became the 93rd player in NHL history to reach 400 goals, and extends his lead atop the Coyotes' all-time list.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The good news for the Boston Bruins is Tuukka Rask is playing some of the best hockey of his career.The bad news?All three goalies that have stepped in as backup have to this point failed miserably.The latest example was Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes wherein Anton Khudobin saw an early two-goal lead evaporate around him.Signed to a two-year, $2.4-million deal this past summer, Khudobin has not been able to effectively backstop the Bruins in relief of Rask, while rookies Malcolm Subban and Zane McIntyre did not impress in brief stints earlier this season.Here's a look at Rask's numbers compared to those behind him on the depth chart.GoalieGamesRecordSave %Tuukka Rask2617-6-3.930Anton Khudobin81-5-1.879Zane McIntyre30-2-0.859Malcolm Subban10-1-0.813One potential silver lining for the Bruins is McIntrye's play at the AHL level. In 12 games, he's posted a record of 8-0-0 with a .956 save percentage. He could be called upon to jump up to the big club if need be, but there's still the matter of what to do with Khudobin and his contract.With a record of 18-14-4 following the loss to Carolina, the Bruins remain in third place in the Atlantic. If they don't solve this particular problem, though, a third straight year out of the playoffs could very well be on the horizon.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.