The United States has left two high-skill, potential impact forwards off its World Junior Championship roster.Alex DeBrincat and Logan Brown were announced as cuts Thursday morning as Bob Motzko and the U.S. staff trimmed the roster down to 24 skaters ahead of its final pretournament clash.DeBrincat, a second-round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks, made the team last year, but was sparingly used after being ejected from the tournament opener and picking up a shoulder injury. He's been one of the most productive forwards in the Ontario Hockey League this season, and throughout his career. With 30 goals and 60 points in 28 games, DeBrincat is on pace to cruise beyond the 100-point threshold for a third consecutive season.A lottery selection of the Ottawa Senators last summer, Brown was dealing with a wrist injury leading up to the selection camp. The towering center has been a dominant player when healthy, and was expected to be a key forward for the United States.The Americans are set up front with 13 forwards. They must make one more decision on defense.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It took a a bit longer than many hoped, but Connor McDavid has nearly played a full season in the NHL.The Edmonton Oilers captain was held pointless in Wednesday's win in Arizona, but 80 games into his career, McDavid has recorded 88 points, something only the NHL's biggest names can relate to.Over the last 20 years, only three players have matched McDavid's output through their first 80 contests: Alexander Ovechkin (105), Sidney Crosby (100), and Evgeni Malkin (88), according to Sportscenter.That's some pretty good company.McDavid, 19, currently leads the NHL in scoring with 40 points (12 goals, 28 assists) through 35 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It wasn't as if the Edmonton Oilers finally mustered up the courage to take down the vaunted Arizona Coyotes in regulation for the first time in 26 attempts. But they didn't put an end to the dubious skid with the speed, flash, and dash that we've come to expect.They bullied their way to two points Wednesday night.The fourth line scored twice, and its pivot, Mark Letestu, helped create a third on a power play, before the unit made a statement late in the game when a minor melee broke out in protection of the lead.Zack Kassian responded to Oliver Ekman-Larsson walloping Matt Hendricks into the boards with a sharp cross-check to the back, then turned with his gloves flung off, as if to invite all comers. Letestu was off trading punches with the much bigger Martin Hanzal.Related: Kassian viciously cross-checks Ekman-LarssonIt's the response not seen nearly enough over the last few seasons. Swift and impulsive, and at the same time deliberate."We want to be a team that doesn't get pushed around," Hendricks said after the game, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.Succinctly put, that's precisely what Peter Chiarelli and management is trying to accomplish with the personnel around Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the club's other skilled forwards. The acquisition of all three pieces on the fourth line, along with top-nine muscle in Milan Lucic and Patrick Maroon, were made with the intention of creating time and space.But it sure is an added benefit when they can step in and win a game on a night when the stars are muted - especially when it wipes away an irritating narrative."Every year is a new group, but we've won now and we don't have to come and answer all your questions," said coach Todd McLellan.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Call it intuition. Call it whatever you want. But Claude Giroux knows.The Philadelphia Flyers captain was asked after his club's 3-2 shootout win over rival Washington whether there's one thing he looks for that tells him goaltender Steve Mason is on his game."He stops the puck," Giroux said, according to The Fourth Period's David Strehle. "That could be one (thing)."It's brilliant, really, when you think about it.Mason did a whole lot of puck-stopping Wednesday, making 36 saves in 65 minutes of play, then allowing only one Capitals player to score on four shootout attempts.Mason's now 9-1-1 in his last 11 games with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage, and he's 6-0-1 at home during the stretch.Yeah, he's stopping the puck, alright.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things got heated between the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.Late in what was eventually a 3-2 Oilers win, their first against Arizona in years, Oliver Ekman-Larsson hit Matt Hendricks hard into the boards as the two chased down a puck deep in the Coyotes' zone.Earlier in the game, Hendricks sent Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the dressing room with a hit, so you could say he had a target on his back.After Hendricks hit the ice, Zack Kassian came in and delivered a brutal cross-check to Ekman-Larsson's back, sending the Swede to the ice. Kassian knew he'd have to answer for his stick work, and immediately dropped the gloves.Anthony Duclair, hardly a fighter, came to his defender's aid, and Kassian knocked him twice in the face. Finally, an irate Shane Doan went after Kassian, eventually taking the big Oilers forward down to the ice.Meanwhile, Martin Hanzal and Mark Letestu fought."Two teams that are competing pretty hard," Letestu said after the game. "Sometimes things boil over."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Miracles are known to happen this time of year. Ask the Oilers.For the first time in years, Edmonton beat Arizona. It was a 3-2 final Wednesday, and ended a ridiculous 21-0-4 run by the Coyotes between the two teams.There was bad blood, too. A lot of it, actually.Jakob Chychrun, Arizona's 18-year-old wonder on defense, was the recipient of two hard hits, one from Matt Hendricks that sent him to the dressing room in the first period, and another from Eric Gryba, whose night ended early after he was given a major for a hit to the head.Luke Schenn fought Gryba after the Oilers' D-man leveled Chychrun, and Schenn needed repairs after he suffered a cut above his left eye.Late in the third period, after Oliver Ekman-Larsson hit Hendricks into the boards, Zack Kassian gave the Coyotes defender a wicked cross-check, leading to a massive scrum.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PHILADELPHIA - Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmonds scored in the shootout, Steve Mason made 36 saves and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Wednesday night.Michael Raffl and Claude Giroux scored in regulation for Philadelphia, which snapped a two-game skid that followed a 10-game winning streak.Andre Burakovsky and Lars Eller scored in regulation for Washington.T.J. Oshie converted in the shootout for the Capitals, but Voracek, Philadelphia's third shooter, beat Braden Holtby to tie it at 1. The tiebreaker went to sudden death when Nicklas Backstrom misfired on Washington's third attempt.Simmonds put the Flyers ahead by beating Holtby with a forehand shot, and Mason stopped Justin Williams to end it.The Flyers improved to 4-3 in shootouts while Washington dropped to 1-3.The game was the first meeting between the Metropolitan Division rivals since the top-seeded Capitals eliminated the eighth-seeded Flyers in the first round of a contentious playoff series last season.It also was the first of eight games in their next 15 for the Flyers against division opponents. The Metro features five of the league's top 10 teams, with Pittsburgh (47 points), the New York Rangers (47) and Columbus (46) just ahead of the Flyers (44) and Capitals (42).Giroux tied it at 2 with 20.7 seconds left in the second period. The puck landed right on the Flyers captain's stick after a turnover, and Giroux whizzed a wrist shot past Holtby's glove for his 10th goal of the season.Eller scored on a rebound midway through the second period to give Washington a 2-1 lead. Burakovsky started the play with a shot on goal, John Carlson backhanded a follow shot and Eller finished the rebound.The Flyers had tied the game about 5 1/2 minutes earlier on Raffl's seventh of the season. Radko Gudas' shot from the point went wide, and Raffl pounced on the hard carom. His wraparound attempt went off Holtby's stick and just over the goal line, and the goal was awarded after an officials' review.Burakovsky returned after sitting the last three games as a healthy scratch and scored his first goal in more than two months to put the Capitals up 1-0 with 1:36 left in the first period. After the Flyers turned the puck over in their own zone, Dmitry Orlov found a wide-open Burakovsky in the slot. Burakovsky fired past Mason's blocker for his third tally of the season and first since scoring two goals on Oct. 13 versus Pittsburgh.Mason and Holtby each made 36 saves in regulation.NOTES: Vice President Joe Biden attended the game. ... Giroux has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in his last 14 games. ... The teams next meet on Jan. 15 in Washington. They'll return to Philadelphia on Feb. 22 before finishing the season series March 4 in Washington. ... Flyers rookie Travis Konecny has gone 20 straight games without a goal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It seems as if the Toronto Maple Leafs are willing to trade forward James van Riemsdyk. At the right price, of course.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman writes in his "30 Thoughts" column:

The Tampa Bay Lightning's New Year's resolution should be something along the lines of: Keep our head above water.The club was dealt another significant blow Wednesday with the announcement that goaltender Ben Bishop will be sidelined for roughly the next month with a lower-body injury.It marks the latest blight the hockey gods have cast upon the team, as captain Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat, top scorer Nikita Kucherov, and former Vezina Trophy nominee Bishop are all sidelined by injuries.The good news is that it appears Palat and Kucherov shouldn't be out for too much longer. Nevertheless, the firepower the Lightning are missing is significant, and the injuries are coming at a bad time.Tampa Bay finds itself outside the playoff picture, sitting a win back of the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division and six points back of the final wild-card spot in the East.To add to the Lightning's misery, their schedule doesn't do them any favors. The team has five games remaining in 2016 including a back-to-back with the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals, plus a meeting with the Montreal Canadiens.Then the calendar turns to 2017, and January will see the club play 13 games - 10 against teams that sit above them in the standings. They play four of the NHL's hottest teams in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Columbus, and Chicago. They'll make the dreaded California road trip and play all three teams, finishing with what could be a crucial tilt with the Bruins.Of course things haven't gone their way of late. The Lightning find themselves in this rather tight spot thanks to a 3-4-2 December record.One bright spot in that tough stretch appears to be Jonathan Drouin, who seems to be heating up with 10 points in his last eight games, including a goal and an assist Tuesday.Related: Lightning's Drouin: My confidence is nearing playoff levelThe team will need others to follow suit, such as Tyler Johnson, who's underwhelmed with 19 points in 33 games and just four in his last eight contests.The Lightning were among the favorites to capture the 2016-17 Stanley Cup after their second straight trip to the Conference Finals last year, but those early predictions could soon fall to the wayside.The team isn't out of it yet, and a long playoff run wouldn't be out of the question, but first the Lightning must make the postseason, and that will rest largely on how the the next five weeks go.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ray Shero's not happy.The New Jersey Devils general manager was candid about his team's struggles - losers of seven in a row - during an interview Wednesday."Play harder," Shero said when asked about the Devils' poor play, according to The Record's Andrew Gross. "Really. Play (expletive) harder. That's what I'm talking about. There's a will they need. There's a passion and emotion to our game. How many scrums have we been involved with? No one is mad at us."Known for strong defensive play, New Jersey's allowed five goals in four of their losses on the seven-game skid."There's got to be pushback in your game and pride in your game," Shero added. "Someone takes your lunch money, what the hell? It's not good. That's something we established last year. It's a tenacity to your game. Our team last year, we never gave up. That, to me, is what you're trying to build, and that's pride."The Devils finished 38-36-8 in 2015-16, in head coach John Hynes' first season behind the bench. While New Jersey missed the playoffs, there were positives to build upon, but things haven't gone the way Shero imagined as 2016 comes to a close.The GM still believes in his head coach, though. This is on his players."John's a really good coach, without a doubt," Shero said. "People around the league recognize that, and so do I. I can't even stress, I'm 100 percent supportive of (Hynes)."After play on Nov. 15, the Devils were 9-3-3. They were playing solid hockey. New Jersey's won three games since. And that's what bothers Shero the most - there's been no signs of life as the season slowly slips away in hockey's toughest division.It's not going to get any easier, either. The Devils' remaining schedule to close out 2016 is brutal:

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop will miss three-to-four weeks with a lower-body injury, the club announced Wednesday.The news comes after Bishop was forced to leave Tuesday's game against the Detroit Red Wings, after he stretched out to make a pad save in the first period.In wake of the news the club has recalled goaltender Krister Gudlevskis from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, who is likely to backup Andrei Vasilevskiy.Related: Vasilevskiy ready to step up if Bishop out long termIn 22 games this season, Bishop has a 9-10-2 record, with a 2.79 GAA and a .907 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Last week, when Dean Lombardi shed light onto the decision to stand pat in the absence of Jonathan Quick, he didn't bemoan the Los Angeles Kings' position under the salary cap.That would bring attention to his failure to preserve financial flexibility to compensate for a loss. Instead, he touched on the pitfalls of acquiring a player to be plucked in the expansion draft, and reluctance on the part of teams to move their own safety valves.These reasons are valid. That said, exhausting his resources isn't something Lombardi should hide. Spending to the limit is precisely what teams with title aspirations must do in today's NHL. Show us a franchise that's not, and we'll show you one with other intentions.This isn't to say Lombardi hasn't made unwise financial decisions. He has. But while Dustin Brown's and Marian Gaborik's albatross contracts do more harm than good, it's not like the millions tied up in those deals would be in safekeeping instead. The money would likely be tied up in Milan Lucic.Not even teams built to nearly unanimous approval are safe from catastrophe. Take the Tampa Bay Lightning, who sunk fast after Steven Stamkos damaged his knee.In the NHL, there's no coverage for those who design rosters to be competitive. There's only opportunity for lesser clubs to take advantage. This is wonderful for parity. Not so much for that two-month tournament come spring.Why is that not the focus?Well, hold on. There is a loophole that can benefit an enterprising entry in the event of injury - when the circumstances are just right. Salary parameters don't apply in the playoffs. So, a team like the Chicago Blackhawks, who lost leading scorer Patrick Kane to a broken collarbone a few seasons back, can tap into long-term injury relief to find a replacement, then re-insert their star into an augmented postseason roster.Aside from the looming threat of expansion (and, we suppose, one player being an MVP candidate), timing is the only thing separating Quick's injury from Kane's. Because of this arbitrary mandate, the Kings are fighting to tread water, while those Blackhawks, with the luxury of loading up at the trade deadline, rode the wave to a third title in six seasons.Relief shouldn't be circumstantial. It should be available for all teams - for a price.The NHL would be a better, more competitive league with a small, highly taxed emergency reserve to help teams compensate for unforeseen events. It should function beyond the temporary relief afforded by LTIR, allowing teams to seek out suitable replacements without having to cut salary or worrying about the other associated hazards that come with a player's return.Just like in the playoffs.That financial leeway should be granted on a strict, case-by-case basis that is transparent, objective, and investigative. (It's for Quick's damaged groin and Stamkos' torn meniscus, not whatever it is that's ailing Joffrey Lupul.)Further, teams must spend the emergency relief on a comparable player, and never spend beyond a fixed upper limit or the value of the injured asset. Depending on that percentage ceiling, the Kings could, in theory, pry Marc-Andre Fleury away from the Pittsburgh Penguins.It's paramount that this functions as a "luxury." Each dollar spent beyond the standard limit should be taxed at an increasing rate, so the cost in real dollars is well beyond the value of the purchased replacement. The high interest won't deter big markets, but the price of tapping into this reserve has to be significant enough to give managers real pause.Considering the circumvention of the current collective bargaining agreement, the method would have to be seal-tight - professional in its meticulousness. This isn't hiding anchors on the payroll; it's protecting what ambitious teams have built.It's about time the league incentivized winning, not losing. A little insurance for unforeseen circumstances is a good place to start.The Ten10) Anders Lee - Four goals in four games this week to make 11 from his last 14. Lee hadn't scored in 14 straight before catching fire.9) Ottawa Senators - Claimed wins over the Blackhawks, Islanders, and Devils this week, and collected seven of a possible eight points since Guy Boucher's first tirade in Ottawa.8) Eric Staal - You really can't help but root for him. The veteran center has been reinvigorated with the Wild, and has been especially hot of late. He scored three goals and added two assists as the Wild went 3-0 this week.7) Justin Schultz - Raising his game to another level in the absence of Kris Letang, Schultz has two goals and six points, including three on the power play, and averaged almost 22 minutes over the last four games.6) Andrew Cogliano - He scored the opening goal in a contest that gave him the fifth longest ironman streak in NHL history - and the longest in 23 years. He hasn't missed a single game in his career.5) John Tortorella and the Columbus Blue Jackets - Make it 10 straight wins for the Blue Jackets, who have - incredibly - taken points from 25 of 30 games. Tortorella also became the first U.S.-born coach to collect 500 NHL wins, and just so happened to do it against the Canucks. If it made it that much sweeter, the suddenly mellow bench boss sure didn't show it.4) Roberto Luongo and Henrik Lundqvist - Luongo matched Terry Sawchuk for fifth on the all-time wins list, while Lundqvist caught Dominik Hasek.3) Artemi Panarin - The week's offensive leader cashed four goals and nine points to total 12 points on a six-game scoring surge.2) Jaromir Jagr - Having matched Mark Messier for the second-most points all time, the ageless one will accomplish his greatest individual achievement with his next appearance on the scoresheet.1) Craig Cunningham - A Christmas miracle, indeed.More Takes1) Chicago's sacrificed some outstanding talent over the last decade. But with the way things are going, Panarin may wind up being the best of the bunch.2) His "Bobblebread," by the way, is the bobblehead that should really end all bobbleheads.3) It's too bad about Rick Nash and his uncooperative groin. He's been a force in all situations for the Rangers after his miserable 2015-16 season, showing the high-grade talent that got him to Broadway. This near-impossible short-side snipe versus Nashville was sensational.4) Likewise for Jimmy Howard, who can't stay on the ice long enough to truly showcase for Las Vegas.5) And finally with the Wild, has Bruce Boudreau ever been more on brand?Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SUNRISE, Fla. - Jaromir Jagr knows No. 2 is as high as he'll go on the NHL career scoring list.In his mind, that's a record in itself.Jagr's next point will be the 1,888th of his career and give him outright possession of second place on the all-time NHL points list, breaking a tie with Mark Messier. Only Wayne Gretzky's total of 2,857 is better than that, and Jagr - the 44-year-old Florida Panthers forward who has said he can see himself playing until he's 50 - knows the top spot is going to stay far from his reach.''For me, it's like No. 1,'' Jagr said recently when asked what passing Messier would mean. ''I don't really count Wayne Gretzky. He was from another planet. I don't think he was from this planet. Whatever he did, it's unbreakable.''Jagr caught Messier on Tuesday with a three-assist effort in Florida's shootout win over Buffalo. His next chance for the tiebreaker is Thursday, when the Panthers play host to the Boston Bruins.Jagr would have been No. 2 long ago if not for his leaving the NHL to play in Russia from 2008-11. Jagr collected 146 points in those three seasons, deciding to play there in part because of the proximity to his parents in the Czech Republic. But he missed the NHL, returned to play with Philadelphia in 2011-12, and has been collecting jerseys since, also logging time with Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, and now Florida since coming back to North America.''It's an honor to be around him, get a little wisdom from him, get a few laughs from him,'' said Florida's Nick Bjugstad, who scored the goal that became point No. 1,887 for Jagr. ''He's been nothing but awesome for our organization.''Including playoffs, Tuesday's three-point game was the 215th of Jagr's career.He's reached seven points in an NHL game twice, and that's not even close to his career best. He played one game in a German league in 1994-95 during an NHL work stoppage and racked up 11 points - one goal and 10 assists.His first NHL point was a goal on Oct. 7, 1990, when he was the youngest player in the league at 18. The goalie who gave that one up was Chris Terreri, who was just in his second full NHL season and a relatively young player at 25.Terreri had a fine, full career and his last NHL game was 16 years ago. Jagr is still going, with no end in sight.''The way he comes to work every single day is unbelievable,'' Panthers interim coach and general manager Tom Rowe said.The NHL is made up of two conferences, six divisions, and 30 arenas. And to illustrate how long Jagr has been in that league, consider that he's played in four conferences, 11 divisions, and 57 different arenas.That doesn't even include four neutral-site arenas, or two baseball stadiums - Yankee Stadium in New York and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.''He's kind of inspired us with his passion and dedication,'' Messier said.For Messier, going to No. 3 on the all-time scoring list is merely a formality. He said the huge numbers Jagr put up early in his career deserve credit on their own, and now he merits more of the same credit for staying so fit and committed at this point in his life.''This is kind of anticlimactic for me in a way,'' said Messier, a former teammate of Jagr with the New York Rangers. ''I understand the amount of time that he put in overseas when he left the NHL and came back and the amount of points he amassed over there and where he would be if he would have stayed (here). So I guess in my own mind he surpassed me a long time ago.''Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A little more than a month after collapsing prior to an American Hockey League game in Tucson, Ariz., Craig Cunningham spoke at a press conference at Banner University Medical Center, expressing gratitude to the emergency personnel that helped preserve his life."I wouldn't be here today," he said, without the efforts of the doctors and nurses involved in his care, along with the training staff, fire fighters, and first responders on-hand.His mother spoke as well, thanking his medical team for its tireless efforts while providing care for her son."Everyone who's helped have given me a gift, a gift that I get to look at every day, and that's my son," she said.Cunningham indicated that he was resigned to the fact that his playing career is likely over. He wouldn't, however, rule it out for certain, electing instead to see what happens after he embarks on his physical rehabilitation.The topic caused one doctor to interject another, and say that what epitomized Cunningham, and his perseverance, was when he was told that he was going to have a tough time and responded: "Bring it on."

The Detroit Red Wings have placed goaltender Jimmy Howard on injured reserve, the team announced Wednesday.General manager Ken Holland confirmed that Howard will be "out a while," telling Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News that the team will see how the goaltender's body responds before providing a timeline for the injury.Petr Mrazek relieved Howard, who suffered a leg injury midway through the second period of Tuesday's game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.In the meantime, Detroit has recalled netminder Jared Coreau from Grand Rapids (AHL). The 25-year-old made his NHL debut this season in a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens blue-liner Andrei Markov will not be in the lineup for the next two games as his team takes on the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets.Canadiens coach Michel Therrien confirmed that Markov will not play versus the Wild on Thursday and that he would be "surprised" if he suits up Friday against the Blue Jackets.Markov missed his first game of the season in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The 38-year-old was held out of the lineup with a lower-body injury.Markov has scored 21 points in 31 games with the Canadiens this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We know that Erik Karlsson can score.He's done it for years. Making his NHL debut in 2009, the 26-year-old has already amassed 416 points to his name. Career-wise, his total goals and assists both rank within the top 100 in league history.This season, Karlsson outpaces all defensemen in points, as he's done each of the previous three campaigns. Remove the 2012-13 season, when an Achilles injury limited him to 17 games, and his production continues. In 2011-12, Karlsson's 78 points were 25 more than the next highest-scoring blue-liner.But there's another end of the rink, an area where Karlsson and most offensive defensemen are criticized for playing a too one-dimensional game. But Karlsson's supporting numbers spurn the notion that he's only focused on offense. In fact, he continues to be a leader at both ends of the ice.SeasonGamesBlocksTakeawaysG-A-Points2016-173391257-24-312015-16821756116-66-822014-1582895921-45-662013-14821016820-54-74Karlsson has appeared in all 33 games for the Ottawa Senators this season, keeping with his perfect attendance record over the past three campaigns. And while his production continues to hover around a point-per-game pace, his presence in his own zone has only grown. This season, he's on pace for a career-best 226 blocked shots.

Heroes are remembered, but legends never retire.If you're Jaromir Jagr, at least.The Florida Panthers' ageless wonder and all-time NHL icon recorded three assists last night to give him 1,887 points in his legendary career, tying Mark Messier for second all-time.Only one name lies ahead of Jagr on the list now: some fellow named Wayne Gretzky with an unfathomable 970 points beyond.Jagr's latest accomplishment is truly remarkable. His longevity, competitive edge, and love for the game has solidified his place among hockey's greatest. He's 44-years-old and still doing it day in and day out for heaven's sake.It's fun to wonder, though, where Jagr's totals might be without a three-year venture to the KHL from 2008-11, while he was still scoring at an elite rate.At this point, catching Gretzky is out of the question, but in the name of fun, let's see what he'd have to do.PlayerGames PointsCareer P/GPGretzky1,4872,8571.92Jagr1,6621,8871.13Simple subtraction indicates there's 970 points separating No. 99 and No. 68. If Jagr were to catch Gretzky, he'd need to play 10 more 82-game seasons, at his career point-producing pace.But, gone are the days of Jagr winning the Art Ross. Since the 2012 lockout, Jagr has 234 points in 316 games over four-plus seasons, 0.74 points per contest. At that pace, he'd need an additional 16 full seasons to become No. 1.He'd be 61-years-old by then.While the grand total is out of reach - Gretzky has more assists alone than anyone else has combined points - had Jagr stuck around the NHL, The Great One's goal record (894) could have been attainable.

Edmonton mayor Don Iveson is pushing to name the Edmonton Coliseum after Wayne Gretzky, according to The Canadian Press.The Coliseum was the home of the Oilers up until this season, when the team opened the brand-new, $600-million Rogers Place in the city's downtown core.The old arena, which resides on Wayne Gretzky Drive, is in the process of being transformed into a sports complex for the public.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's been a Jekyll and Hyde season for Anders Lee.The New York Islanders forward scored twice in a 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night, giving him 11 goals in his last 14 games.His hot streak follows a 14-game stretch in which he failed to score a goal, and he tallied only once in the 18 contests before his current run.The 26-year-old winger leads the club with 12 goals - three ahead of captain John Tavares - and ranks fourth with 16 points despite the prolonged drought.The Islanders haven't been able to capitalize on Lee's impressive roll, though. They've gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, and they sit in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-14-6 record.New York is relying on Lee to produce and compensate for the offseason departures of Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen, especially in light of high-priced acquisition Andrew Ladd's struggles.Given Lee's streakiness, it's unlikely his scorching stretch is sustainable, but the Islanders need him to keep it going to have any hope of climbing out of the basement.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Crawford's return appears imminent.The Chicago Blackhawks activated their No. 1 goaltender off injured reserve Tuesday night, reassigning Lars Johansson to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.Crawford has been out since having an emergency appendectomy performed Dec. 3.Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said Sunday that he was targeting Friday's game against the Colorado Avalanche for Crawford's return, and that's the next time Chicago will play following Tuesday's loss to the Ottawa Senators.Scott Darling was stellar at times in Crawford's absence, but has given up four goals in three of his last four games.Crawford was 12-6-2 with a 2.27 GAA and a .927 save percentage before having the procedure.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Drouin is feeling good about himself these days, and that's bad news for the opposition.The 21-year-old picked up a goal and an assist Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings and his confidence is approaching a high:

The effects of Craig Cunningham's on-ice collapse are coming into focus.On Nov. 19, the Tucson Roadrunners captain dropped to the ice prior to a game against the Manitoba Moose due to an acute cardiac arrest ventricular fibrillation, which almost cost him his life. The event ended Cunningham's playing days as his left foot and leg were severely damaged, raising questions about future functionality, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.The good news, of course, is Cunningham is expected to be discharged from hospital before the holidays, and with much to be thankful for."I do feel lucky to be alive," Cunningham told McKenzie. "It's taken me awhile to realize what I've been through. They explained to me what happened; the doctors showed me video of when I went down on the ice. ... Now I realize why I'm in such rough shape."Still, the reality of his playing days being behind him is difficult to process."I do feel lucky. I know that. But at night, I think about it, and it bugs me I can't play again. Hockey is the only thing I've ever known. Since I was four years old, the only thing I've ever wanted to be was a hockey player. Now I have to move on, focus on something else."To be honest, though," he reiterated, "I'm just so happy to be alive."On top of that, Cunningham plans on having a future in hockey in some capacity."One hundred per cent, I love this game," he said. "It's all I've ever known. I'll find a different way to stay involved."The biggest thing now is for me to just focus on getting my health back," he added. "I'm still pretty weak. I've had a lot of surgeries. I have to have another one."Drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft by Boston, Cunningham appeared in 63 game with the Bruins and Arizona Coyotes, recording three goals and five assists.Cunningham is set to meet with the media Wednesday, along with his mother and the doctors who saved his life.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price had a rather quiet night Tuesday.The Montreal Canadiens backstop turned away 12 of the 13 shots thrown his was by the Anaheim Ducks in a 5-1 victory, setting a new career-low for saves in a game that he started and won, according to TSN's StatsCentre.

Andrei Vasilevskiy is ready to take the reins for as long as needed.That was the clear message he relayed following Tuesday's win over the Detroit Red Wings in which he was pressed into relief after Ben Bishop left with a lower-body injury.

There's a goal Nick Bjugstad won't soon forget.The Florida Panthers forward scored his first of the season in Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, but the goal was more notable for who drew an assist on the play, namely Jaromir Jagr.The point was Jagr's 1,887 in his illustrious career, tying him with Mark Messier for second on the NHL's all-time list.It should be noted Bjugstad was born on July 17, 1992, at which point Jagr had already amassed 126 points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr should save some of the limelight for Roberto Luongo.On the same night Jagr tied Mark Messier for second on the NHL's all-time scoring list, the Florida Panthers netminder collected win No. 447, tying Terry Sawchuk for the fifth-most wins in NHL history.Luongo accomplished the feat after the Panthers withstood a late Buffalo Sabres surge, en route to a 4-3 shootout win.The 37-year-old matched Sawchuk's mark in 22 fewer games.Luongo is likely to move even further up the all-time wins list, as seven more victories will match Curtis Joseph's career total of 454.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It sure didn't take long for Viktor Arvidsson to get the hang of things.Midway through just his second year in the league, the Nashville Predators forward is quickly and quietly becoming one of the more dominant offensive forces on the club's front end.With three assists in Tuesday's contest against the New Jersey Devils, the 23-year-old set a career-high for points in a game and matched Ryan Johansen for the team lead with 23 points.Arvidsson's emergence has come on the back of a solid stretch that has seen him collect nine points over his last eight games.

Jaromir Jagr tied Mark Messier on Tuesday for second on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,887.

The Boston Bruins were embracing the holiday spirit in the midst of an eventual loss.During the second period of Tuesday's 4-2 decision at the hands of the New York Islanders, anthem singer Rene Rancourt led his annual carol sing, featuring a spirited rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock."Grab some eggnog and enjoy.- Video courtesy: NHL.comCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Cam Atkinson had two goals and scored in the shootout, helping the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Tuesday night for their franchise-record 10th straight victory.Curtis McElhinney made 44 saves and Sam Gagner scored the decider in the shootout, keeping Columbus unbeaten since Nov. 26.The Jackets have points in 12 straight games, improved to 21-5-4 and next host the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night with a chance to jump into first place in the brutally competitive Metropolitan Division.Jeff Carter scored twice for Los Angeles, including a tying goal 10:16 into the third period. Peter Budaj stopped 25 shots but allowed goals on two of three shootout attempts.The Kings, playing their fifth game of a nine game road trip, fell to 16-13-3.Columbus got on the board at 7:35 of the second period when Brandon Dubinsky picked up a pass from Boone Jenner behind the Kings' net and scooped it one-handed to Atkinson. Atkinson buried it past Budaj for his 13th goal of the season, extending his career-high seven-game point streak.The Kings tied it with Carter's power-play goal at 16:12 of the second, just 38 seconds into Josh Anderson's penalty for roughing. Alec Martinez and Drew Doughty got the assists.Atkinson's shot from the left point at 4:05 of the third period put the Jackets back on top after a tenacious Jackets attack kept the puck in the Kings zone. Dubinsky and David Savard earned the assists.The Kings knotted it after Gagner's backhand attempt to clear the puck from the zone put it right on Carter's stick. Carter buried a shot past McElhinney for his second goal of the night.NOTES: Columbus won nine straight games during the 2014-15 season. ... The Jackets had outshot opponents in 12 of their past 14 games, but the Kings pounded McElhinney with 46 shots.UP NEXT:Kings: Travel to Nashville for a game Thursday night.Blue Jackets: Host the Penguins on Thursday night. Pittsburgh thumped the Rangers 7-2 on Tuesday to tie New York for first place in the division. Columbus is in third place, trailing the Pens and Rangers by a point.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have lost Ben Bishop to injury, at least for the remainder of Tuesday's game against Detroit.The netminder was forced to make an early exit after dropping to the ice following a pad save.Andrei Vasilevskiy entered the game in relief, and skated out to begin the second period, signalling the end of Bishop's night.

Andrew Cogliano's impressive run of durability reached a new level Tuesday night.The Anaheim Ducks forward appeared in his 738th consecutive game when he stepped on the ice against the Montreal Canadiens, passing St. Louis Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to move into sole possession of fifth on the all-time list.Cogliano now owns the longest active ironman streak in the NHL, although he has a long way to go to catch the all-time leader.

Everything Sidney Crosby touches turns to goal.The Pittsburgh Penguins captain picked up his 22nd goal of the season Tuesday, using another nifty tip off an Ian Cole shot to send the puck over the blocking hand of New York Rangers netminder Antti Raanta.Crosby continues to pace the NHL in goals.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anders Lee must not have been able to believe his eyes.The New York Islanders winger was gifted a goal early in Tuesday's game against the Boston Bruins after Tuukka Rask and Brad Marchand got their signals crossed and bumped each other behind the net.The goal was Lee's sixth this month and 11th of the season, and marked a good start for the NHL's worst road team this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks put pen to paper with 2016 first-round pick Sam Steel on a three-year entry-level contract, the team announced on Tuesday.Steel - who was among Team Canada's final cuts for this year's world juniors team - is pacing the Western Hockey League in scoring, having amassed 23 goals and 54 points 25 games.The 18-year-old was picked 30th overall by the Ducks at last year's draft, using the selection acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Frederik Andersen deal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Sweden received an early Christmas present on Tuesday.Buffalo Sabres draft pick Alexander Nylander has been loaned to the team for the World Junior Hockey Championship, the Sabres announced.Nylander was plucked by the Sabres eighth overall at this year's draft after a stellar outing at last year's tournament. Nylander led Sweden in scoring with four goals and nine points in seven games, en route to the team's fourth-place finish.In his first taste of professional hockey, Nylander has five goals and 17 points in 29 games with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's some wonderful news on the health of Tucson Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham.Cunningham, who's been in hospital since collapsing on the ice before a game in Tucson on Nov. 19, is "recovering well" and will be discharged from hospital this week - in time for the holidays, the Banner-University Medical Center Tucson announced Tuesday.It's also expected that Cunningham will speak at a press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to AZSports' Craig Morgan.The statement released by the medical center detailed the incredible process and heroic acts that contributed to saving Cunningham's life.

PITTSBURGH - The former nanny of Pittsburgh Penguins player Chris Kunitz was sentenced Tuesday to five years in federal prison for setting fire to her rental residence and then filing fraudulent insurance claims for the contents.The public defender for Andrea Forsythe, 28, unsuccessfully sought a term running concurrently to one she'll receive next month for thefts from the Penguins player and other people for whom she worked as a nanny.She also was ordered to pay more than $179,000 restitution to the insurance companies that covered her losses in the June 23, 2014 fire in Sturgeon.In the other cases, Forsythe was convicted of numerous crimes and will be sentenced Jan. 3 by a judge in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. Prosecutors say she stole $12,000 diamond earrings from Kunitz's home in 2013 and sold them to jewelry stores. The earrings were a birthday present for Kunitz's wife, Maureen.The theft charges filed by police in Collier Township, where Kunitz lives with his wife and their children, grew out of the arson and insurance fraud investigation by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into the Sturgeon fire.Forsythe pleaded guilty in July to federal charges of malicious destruction of property by fire and wire fraud for burning the house, then filing fraudulent insurance claims for the contents, including some jewels she had allegedly stolen from another couple while also working as a nanny.The other couple told investigators that an 18-karat gold diamond necklace worth about $4,400 and a gold diamond stud earring worth more than $10,000 had been stolen from them. Appraisals of those jewels were then used by Forsythe to make the fraudulent insurance claims, federal authorities contend.As that investigation progressed, Forsythe eventually confessed to stealing the earrings from Maureen Kunitz. They were appraised at $11,900 when Kunitz bought them for his wife's birthday sometime before she noticed them missing in September 2013.Forsythe acknowledged stealing the diamond earrings from Maureen Kunitz's bedroom while the couple wasn't home, the Collier Township police complaint said. Forsythe then sold a loose diamond from one earring to a jewelry store for $2,542 and the other earring to a precious metals and jewelry store for $1,408.50.Forsythe's federal public defender, Jay Finkelstein, in court documents blamed the thefts on Forsythe's allegedly abusive home life as a child. Finkelstein has a blanket policy of not commenting to the media.U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon refused Finkelstein's request to allow Forsythe's federal sentence to run concurrently to whatever sentence she receives next month saying the theft victims ''deserve their own justice, so to speak, and the court will not intervene here.''However, the county judge could still order that sentence to run concurrent to the federal sentence. If that happens, Forsythe would get credit for serving both terms simultaneously, instead of serving them one after the other.Forsythe's public defender in the Allegheny County theft case didn't immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Burmistrov is fading into irrelevancy in Winnipeg.The former lottery selection of the franchise, stuck on just two assists for the season, has made four appearances for the Jets in the last four weeks. He voiced his frustration about both his usage and the instruction, or lack thereof, that he's received from the coaching staff."You know, I feel great, working hard - watching games," Burmistrov told Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press. "It's tough, tough for me because I do not know why I'm not playing, you know. I never have a conversation with the coach, so he never tell me why I'm not playing."Jets coach Paul Maurice denied that communication lines have been cut off, suggesting that there's dialogue every day."We both have a pretty clear understanding of where he's at," he said.Winnipeg has won its last two games without Burmistrov in the lineup, so he doesn't expect to draw in for the club's back-to-back road appearances versus the Vancouver Canucks before the holiday break.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers winger Rick Nash has been ruled out through - and perhaps beyond - the holiday break.Rangers coach Alain Vigneault announced that Nash would miss at least the club's pair of games this week with a groin injury, and also potentially a third when it reconvenes after the holidays.It's believed that Nash suffered an injury to the opposite groin, which cost him a few games earlier this month.Nash has enjoyed a fairly productive season despite the second setback. He owns a top-20 goal scoring rate with 0.43 per game, and 20 total points.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Remember when Joel Quenneville split up Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin?It wasn't punishment by any means, as Quenneville was handcuffed by injuries and inexperienced forward depth. He wanted a more balanced attack, and there's certainly nothing wrong with experimenting early in the season.However, now 34 games in, to hell with that idea.The Chicago Blackhawks have won five in a row, and are eight points clear of Minnesota for first in the Central, largely due to the production of the league's most dynamic duo.Panarin is tied for third in league scoring (34), while Kane is tied for the fourth-highest output (32). Over their last 10 games, they have 13 and nine points, respectively.This is hardly news, though. No tandem has been more productive offensively since the start of the 2015-16 season.PlayerGamesGoalsAssistsPointsKane11656 (3rd)82 (2nd)138 (1st)Panarin11444 (9th)67 (7th)111 (5th)* (x) indicates league rankMuch of the attention regarding this season's scoring race has been focused on Connor McDavid's pursuit of the Art Ross or Sidney Crosby's torrid goal pace, but don't sleep on the pair of wingers steering the ship in the Windy City.They're still the reigning MVP and rookie of the year, after all.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The distraction that can often undermine the process instead encouraged it for Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler.It's no coincidence that Fowler's delivered perhaps his best hockey at a time where his value to the Ducks, as well as prospective buyers, has been thrust under the media spotlight.But his impetus amid trade chatter wasn't to prove his value to the team that will determine his future ahead of the looming expansion draft. Rather, Fowler took it as an opportunity to have the entire league recognize his capabilities."It kinda helped me stay in my lane. It gave me a little motivation, to be honest with you. I wanted to show teams, if they're interested in me, they'd be getting a good-quality player. It pushed me in the summer and even at the start of the season," Fowler told Sportsnet's Luke Fox."Five games into the season, (general manager Bob Murray) pulled me in and said, 'Hey, I was a player before, too. I heard my name tossed out there all the time.' He just said, 'I'm not shopping you. Teams are calling. Teams are gonna call.'"The reason is twofold. First, he is that competent puck-moving defenseman all teams covet, and his talent is made only more enticing by the modest $4-million salary he'll earn through next season. Fowler ranks third in goals on a top-10 scoring team with nine, and has produced a clean 0.67 points per game scoring rate.But second, it's no secret that, as it stands now, Anaheim's expansion draft strategy could all hinge on the decision to protect, or to expose, Fowler. If both he and Sami Vatanen remain on the roster at the time of selection, the cost to protect the pair is likely talented winger Jakob Silfverberg.For his part, Fowler's done all he can: Muddle the situation further.Because everything else is beyond his control."We're a team people are pointing at might lose a real quality player with the way the numbers are working," he said."It's not something we focus on, but in the back of our minds we understand that."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. 20 (all advanced stats courtesy of Corsica.Hockey and apply to 5v5 situations):Triple Threat