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.The breakout players of the 2016-17 NHL season are beginning to cement themselves as viable fantasy options. Perceived early luck and reliance on skilled teammates have transitioned into sustained production.While the majority of fantasy hockey owners continue to let this production go wasted on the waiver, here's a look at what can realistically be expected from five of the top breakout players thus far:LW Viktor Arvidsson, Nashville PredatorsArvidsson has been jostled around the Predators' lineup a little bit, but he has consistently been used in a top-six role. His most common linemates at 5v5 have been C Ryan Johansen and RW James Neal, while LW Filip Forsberg has recently joined Arvidsson and Johansen, forcing the former to his off wing.Per Corsica.Hockey, all three of the line combinations of which Arvidsson has been a part have had Corsi For ratings well above 50 percent. In 28.58 minutes played together at 5v5, Forsberg, Johansen and Arvidsson have accumulated a Corsi For of 63.33 percent. Their PDO of 114.29 is doomed to regress, as they've outscored their direct opponents 3-0.Arvidsson has totaled seven goals and seven assists through his first 22 games of the season while averaging better than two shots on goal per game and 15:32 of ice time. He has played 23:24 of 5v4 time this season, ranking eighth among team forwards. He has one goal and two assists on the power play, adding a goal and an assist while shorthanded.Just one of his four assists at 5v5 have been primary. Johansen works as the main distributor on the Predators' top line, working with two elite finishers on his wings at nearly all times. As part of such a skilled trio, Arvidsson can be expected to have skewed counts between primary and secondary assists.End of year projection:GASOGPIM+/-25352501010RW Patrick Eaves, Dallas StarsThe 32-year-old winger has played almost exclusively with Stars C Tyler Seguin and LW Jamie Benn at 5v5 this season. Exposure to two of the best forwards in the league has him nearly halfway to the career-high 20 goals he scored in his rookie season, when he played mostly with Ottawa Senators C Jason Spezza and RW Daniel Alfredsson.Eaves hasn't been able to top 14 goals ever since the rookie season. His career high of 18 assists came back in his sophomore campaign, a number he is more than a third of the way to matching already this season. He is halfway to topping his career best of 32 points set in 2006-07. His 16:51 of ice time is more than three minutes higher than his previous best single-season average.Eaves has a Corsi For percentage of 51.63 at 5v5 on his own, with the number improving to 56.46 percent with Benn and Seguin. His PDO of 96.6 is expected to improve toward a more standard 99.37, per Corsica. He is shooting at the highest rate of his career, providing some stability when his 15.5 shooting percentage inevitable falls toward his career rate of 8.4 percent.End of year projection:GASOGPIM+/-2030200320C/RW Charlie Coyle, Minnesota WildCoyle's ice time has been rising early in the season and sits at 18:08 per game, the highest mark of his five-year career. He has played exclusively with C Eric Staal, with their trio being used as either the first or second line. This usage has him at eight goals and 15 points through 22 games, easily trending toward career highs. He hasn't missed a game since the 2013-14 season.On his own, Coyle has a Corsi For rating of 53.03 percent, and is at an even 50-percent clip skating with Staal and LW Zach Parise. Coyle's three power-play goals on the season have come in just over 59.03 minutes of 5v4 time, where he works predominantly with the same unit as at 5v5.The increased special teams usage and top-six opportunity have him well on the way toward a career season. He has averaged just 1.70 shots on goal per game for his career, but he is tallying 2.41 per game this year.End of year projection:GASOGPIM+/-25252485412Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Isn't Phil Kessel the best?NBC's Pierre McGuire wanted a word Wednesday night in Brooklyn, but Mr. Kessel wasn't interested. Like, at all.Better luck next time, Pierre.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lindy Ruff is putting himself underneath the microscope.The Dallas Stars head coach is preaching accountability as his team sits outside the Western Conference playoff picture, and that includes those standing behind the bench."I have to do a better job," Ruff said Wednesday, according to Mike Heika of the Dallas News. "I have to hold them more accountable. I've let too many guys off the hook."The Stars had high expectations after winning the Central Division and coming within one win of the Western Conference Final last season, but following a 9-9-6 start, the club sits nine points behind first-place Chicago and one point back of a wild-card spot.Last year's campaign, Ruff reminded, was not without struggles, giving reason to believe his players can pull themselves out of their collective funk."We went through this last year," said Ruff, pointing to 1-5-2 and 1-6-0 stretches Dallas endured last January and February. "I think we're struggling and saying, 'There's got to be an easier way.' But there is no easier way. You have to put the work in."It's up to the coach to ensure everyone is on the right page, and Ruff admits he must do a better job."When I get my top guys on the right side, then we will win games on a consistent basis," he said. "I'm looking at the job I've been doing, and it hasn't been good enough because the guys I take so much pride in aren't on the right side for me, and that bothers me."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Harnarayan Singh helped hockey take a step forward Wednesday night.He became the first Sikh to work an English hockey broadcast when he served as the rinkside reporter for Sportsnet's telecast of the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Calgary Flames.Singh's work on the Punjabi edition of "Hockey Night in Canada" is well-documented. His viral call of Nick Bonino's game-winner during the Stanley Cup Final earned him an invitation to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins on the day of their championship parade in June.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

An unexpected coaching change hasn't prevented the Colorado Avalanche from falling further downhill.There was a sense that Patrick Roy's abrupt departure was a bit of a blessing in disguise for Joe Sakic in that the team president and general manager was able to hire a more forward-thinking head coach in Jared Bednar. However, the team has stumbled to a 9-11-1 record through 21 games, good for 19 points and a share of last place overall.As a result, the focus now shifts back to a group of six core players, namely Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Tyson Barrie, Erik Johnson, and Semyon Varlamov.Johnson, for one, acknowledges change could be afoot if things don't turn around soon, per Terry Frei of the Denver Post:

Good news is, they're humming along at a 104-point pace when competing on at least a day's rest. The bad? Every fifth game on the completed schedule for the Toronto Maple Leafs has been contested on the latter half of a back-to-back.The Maple Leafs fell to 0-4-1 while dealing with extra lactic acid in their legs, conceding twice in the opening 49 seconds before going on to suffer a 3-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night."Obviously (we) weren't ready as a team, as a coaching staff, as a goaltender - weren't ready. There's no excuse for that," head coach Mike Babcock said after the game, according to TSN's Mark Masters."(It) shows that you're not an upper-echelon team when you can't do it night in, night out," he added."Our preparation as a coaching staff, and our preparation as players in the room isn't good enough. We got some work to do."It was the first time they were shut out under the short-rest condition (and just the second time all season), but the Maple Leafs have opened up a considerable deficit, having been outscored 19-8 over those five games.Toronto has another 13 sets of back-to-backs on the schedule, and all but one of which involve travel.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the process of salvaging an important win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night, the New York Islanders made a little history.Three seconds after Anders Lee reclaimed the lead with a deft deflection in front of goaltender Matt Murray, Nikolay Kulemin was on target with an attempt at the empty net from center ice, matching the NHL record for the fastest pair of goals ever scored by one team.The 1935 St. Louis Eagles and 2004 Minnesota Wild are the only squads in league history to record two goals in three seconds, according to NHL Public Relations.

Jared Cowen and the Toronto Maple Leafs won't have to wait much longer for an outcome in their contract squabble.A decision on the case - currently sitting with an arbitrator - is due by Dec. 7, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.In the offseason, the Maple Leafs attempted to buy out the remainder of Cowen's contract - one year, paying $4.5 million. That move left Cowen's camp to cry foul, claiming the blue-liner is ineligible for a buyout due to an injury he sustained last season.Cowen originally came to the Maple Leafs in a February deal that sent former captain Dion Phaneuf to the Ottawa Senators, but never suited up for the club.The arbitrator's decision leaves a lot of money on the line for Cowen. The Maple Leafs would be on the hook for Cowen's entire salary should the arbitrator rule in his favor. At that point, Toronto could place Cowen on the long-term injured reserve to negate the salary cap charge.However, should the arbitrator side with the Maple Leafs, the team would be freed of Cowen's contract, but would be penalized with a $750,000 cap hit for each of the next two seasons as a means of the buyout.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hockey world runs in small circles.Prior to Wednesday's AHL match between the San Diego Gulls and Tucson Roadrunners, the Gulls unveiled a "14" decal on their players' helmets, honoring the jersey number of Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham, who collapsed earlier in November.Cunningham remains in a Tucson hospital and is in critical but stable condition.

Credit Matt Murray for keeping it close.The Pittsburgh Penguins goalie made a handful of key saves in Wednesday's match versus the New York Islanders, but none better than this diving glove save to stop a near-goal by Islanders captain John Tavares.So close in fact that it went for review to ensure the puck hadn't crossed the line. The play was ruled a no-goal to the relief of the Penguins.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Leafs are actually asleep.At the jump of the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday night in Calgary, the road-weary Toronto Maple Leafs surrendered two goals to Flames shooters before the ice could set.Freddie Hamilton opened the scoring 19 seconds into the contest, one-touching a Micheal Ferland feed past Jhonas Enroth as he settled into a soft area in the defensive-zone coverage.Kris Versteeg doubled the lead 30 seconds later, knocking in a long rebound after Sean Monahan placed a shot on target following an easy entry into the zone.(Video courtesy NHL.com)Matt Stajan later added a third first-period goal for Calgary, if you weren't already certain that it wasn't Toronto's night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHLPA will say no thanks to the NHL's offer to extend the current collective bargaining agreement in exchange for NHL player participation at the 2018 Olympics, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.NHLPA executive director Don Fehr is expected to reject the informal proposal next Wednesday, ahead of December's meeting of the NHL Board of Governors.The CBA expires in 2022, with an opt-out clause for 2020, which must be triggered the year prior. The NHL can opt out of the CBA at that time, but should it choose not to do so, that right then goes to the players' association.It's believed that escrow payments remain a major sticking point from the players standpoint ahead of the next round of CBA negotiations.Should the NHL forgo the 2018 Games, that won't stop Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, who has said he will go to Pyeongchang, even without the participation or permission of the NHL.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As he so expertly does, Mike Babcock has not so subtly let another group know that he thinks they could do their jobs more effectively.Asked about his penalty kill's clean performance versus the Edmonton Oilers a night earlier, the Toronto Maple Leafs coach took the opportunity to implicitly blast one officiating team - and potentially infiltrate the collective conscious of another."You obviously don't want to be in the box, but I see who's refereeing tonight, and there will be way less penalties in tonight's game," Babcock said Wednesday, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "That's the one thing about it, when you arrive at the rink you know whether there's going to be penalties or not."So then the question Wednesday night in Calgary as the Maple Leafs complete the second half of their back-to-back: Can this group be cajoled, or will they stick up for their brethren by sticking it to Babcock?Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pull up your socks.That's the message from Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan to a group of players, including forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, whose lagging production has been a key factor in the team's recent skid.After a terrific start to the season, in which the Oilers won seven of eight, the team has won just five of its last 16 games and no longer sits atop the Pacific.Suddenly, there is a creeping possibility that the Oilers could once again miss the postseason dance, marking the 11th consecutive season, which would surpass an NHL record set by the once lowly Florida Panthers.The Oilers' record hasn't been as strong in recent weeks, and part of that reflects Nugent-Hopkins' performance, who has scored just 10 points - a career-low 0.42 points per game this season.SeasonGPGAPtsPts/GP2016-172437100.422015-16551222340.622014-15762432560.742013-14801937560.702012-1340420240.602011-12621834520.84"It's too early to analyze based on standings," McLellan told reporters following practice Wednesday. "If I'm a fan, I'm analyzing based on performance, and I wouldn't be very pleased with our performance over the last few games. There is no doubt that (Nugent-Hopkins) is one of those players that needs to pick his socks up and give us better performances."As for Nugent-Hopkins, the young center believes he's gotten away from the defensive game that brought him success early in the season and at the World Cup as part of Team North America."I think there have been a few mistakes that I've made that have cost us, and then it looks like you're not playing well defensively," Nugent-Hopkins told reporters. "I need to get back to that same mindset I had at the start of the year, obviously defense-first, and being sharp all the time. One little breakdown can cost you."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

First they were convinced they could do better with the equipment staff.And then they were sure Dale Tallon, Scott Luce, and the assistant coaches couldn't do the job, either. So Tallon was reassigned, and the others let go, too. All of this coming on the heels of the most successful regular season in Florida Panthers history.Sudden radicals, Florida believes wholeheartedly in a greater alternative. And its strategist ownership has put full support behind the pursuit of progressiveness, eager to enfeeble, or cut loose, those who don't share the mindset, or possess those certain skills.The Panthers trust innovative tactics, believing they can build a championship team with emphasis on predictive data.And yet, they failed to appropriately evaluate their own leader.They are fixated on the process, not the immediate results.And still, it was the events of one period that were said to have precipitated the change.The Panthers put a stop to the internal tug-of-war Sunday, after a come-from-behind defeat at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, firing head coach Gerard Gallant with an announcement that cut the long-standing hockey fraternity deep.On one hand, there's something sort of admirable about it. A franchise forever victimized decided that it wouldn't pat itself on the back after eclipsing the 100-point threshold for the first time, and winning just its second division title.Instead it introduced change, believing it was capable of more.But what belies the idealistic efficiency was sitting tight, waiting to discover if Gallant, a coach that possesses a philosophical and stylistic viewpoint that directly clashes with theirs, was willing to conform. Or even have the ability to do so.If the outcry from certain factions didn't make it obvious enough, Gallant is old school at the core. He's the type that sees the value in someone like Derek MacKenzie not only serving as captain, but also being sent over the boards more often than a high-skilled forward like Denis Malgin, whose even-strength points rate is better than double. He still covets size, strength, and the straight line over purely speed and creativity, and employed a pace far too slow for what the Panthers were trying to accomplish.Given that, following their first loss after the quarter point of the season (which provides an indication of the precise time frame he had to assimilate into stats culture), inevitable action was taken.Why wait?The easy answer is, you simply cannot sell firing a coach coming off the best regular season in club history, where in which he earned a two-year extension on his contract and a Jack Adams Award nomination.However, setting a six-week timer doesn't make the inevitable justifiable. Damning data exists when examining game-to-game shots and scoring chance trends. But with greater than 50 percent turnover on defense and absences that affected all three scoring lines up front, the fact of the matter is that the Panthers were still in better standing through 22 games this season than they were on their way to the Atlantic Division crown last season. The writing was on the wall, here. In plain sight.Instruction will now match the data-driven intention, but as Tom Rowe steps in, running an NHL bench for the first time, the immediate expectation should not be that the Panthers return to the Atlantic summit.They're pressing restart while ranking relatively compact with the remaining 15 teams in the East, with each having sights set on a postseason appearance. And in addition to having to make up a slight deficit over 60 games, as well as maintaining his role as general manager, it's Rowe's job to convince existing factions in the Panthers room that this was the right call.Given their long-game ambition, it was the correct move to sever ties with a leader that didn't share the same initiative. This is as important now as its ever been.But while Gallant's presence challenged the process, so too did the circumstances surrounding his dismissal.The Ten10) Anthony Stolarz - In his first career start after backing up 26 times for the Flyers, Stolarz made 29 saves, anchoring a victory over the Flames.9) Columbus Blue Jackets - Two wins over the Lightning and five points from three games to conclude the best November in Jackets history.8) Craig Anderson - Allowed four goals on a four-game winning streak before allowing five in a loss to the Sabres on Tuesday night.7) Michael Leighton - The Hurricanes' emergency recall won an NHL game for the first time in almost six years, making 31 saves versus the Hurricanes on Sunday.6) Brent Burns - In the week that followed signing a max contract with an $8-million annual salary, Burns scored twice (including an overtime winner that gave him the second-most among defensemen in NHL history), and racked up five points.5) Jack Eichel - A much-need jolt. Eichel collected two quick points in his first game of the season, leading the Sabres to their most productive outing in six weeks.4) Pekka Rinne - The Predators goalie won his ninth game in November, finishing the month with a .949 save clip and 1.50 goals-against average.3) Ryan Johansen - Four goals (including three game winners) and seven points in four games. Decent way to break out of an early-season funk.2) Alex Ovechkin - The greatest goal scorer of this generation collected the 16th hat trick of his career, passing Jaromir Jagr for most among active players.1) Mike Cammalleri - The Devils forward scored four goals and eight points in his first three games back after missing six to be with his daughter, who required surgery with a severe case of pneumonia.More Takes1) Perhaps we've transitioned from William Nylander, Rookie of the Month, to William Nylander, can't play with Auston Matthews, too soon.2) There's reason to gush about the Canadiens' offseason. There's reason to fear Andrew Shaw and that $23-million contract.3) Muting "Russell" will change your life forever.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson has taken another leave of absence from the club to be with his wife Nicholle, who began cancer treatment Wednesday.Nicholle was previously diagnosed with throat cancer and has begun chemotherapy and radiation treatment.As for the Senators, the team will call on Mike Condon to start Thursday versus the Philadelphia Flyers, while Andrew Hammond has been recalled from Binghamton (AHL) to serve as backup.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A player got so upset with a penalty call during a recent Russian amateur hockey league game that he launched a vicious attack on a referee with his hockey stick.The footage above, which was captured by a GoPro camera attached to referee Nikita Tikhonov's helmet, shows the player swinging his stick and hitting the ref in the head before several teammates and an official step in to restrain him. He then punches the referee, knocking the camera to the ice.Officials were expected to meet Wednesday to decide on proper punishment for the player, according to Puck Daddy's Sean Leahy.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella has reinvented the wheel.The outspoken coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets has refined his approach, and the early returns certainly look promising.With his club holding down a 12-5-4 record, including a franchise-best mark through November - in which the Blue Jackets posted 21 points - Columbus currently sits in prime playoff position.The reason for its success? The brain trust in Columbus, led by Tortorella, GM Jarmo Kekalainen, and president of hockey operations John Davidson, sees speed and possession as the future of hockey.It's the name of today's game.Part of that includes more north-south hockey and less puck play in your own zone. The Blue Jackets want to constantly push the play forward."You have to use the D-to-D pass sometimes when your players aren't in place," Tortorella told Tom Reed of The Columbus Dispatch. "(But) it's a mindset of trying to play quicker, taking a chance, making a play in the middle of the ice. That's all part of the process of playing a different game here."We're trying to get that D-to-D play out of our game completely. To me, it's the process of the past couple of years and where the league has gone. We need (the defensemen) to be part of our quickness."Related: Tortorella sees 'different attitude' in Blue Jackets' locker roomIt all falls under Tortorella's "Safe is Death" mantra that has been a part of his philosophy in his previous stops, when he manned the bench of the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks.While it's early, Columbus appears poised for a postseason berth, only its third since joining the NHL in 2000. The franchise has twice cracked the 90-point barrier.The Blue Jackets are on pace for 109 points this season."I'll say it again, I think we've added leg speed, but I think we have added mental quickness, too," Tortorella said, "And (reducing the D-to-D pass) is part of the mental quickness."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Strome will make his return to the New York Islanders lineup Wednesday against Pittsburgh, after sitting the past two games as a healthy scratch.While head coach Jack Capuano delivered Strome a personal message in terms of what's required moving forward, the 23-year old also suggested the entire team needs a bit of a kick in the pants."I think our whole team needs a wake-up call," Strome said Wednesday, per Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post. "I think sitting pretty low in the standings is tough, so obviously you want to play your best, want to contribute. I’m responsible to go out there every night and perform. I think all you can do is look towards (the game) and putting your best foot forward."The Islanders enter Wednesday's action with a record of 7-10-4, good for 18 points and last place in the NHL. They are also tied for 27th with 51 goals scored. A wake-up call would be much needed, to say the least, although it might be too late to salvage this season.Strome, as a highly touted young forward, knows part of the responsibility for improvement rests on his shoulders."I think at the end of the day, we have to score goals, and I have to be one of the guys that does that," he said. "There are a lot of us right now that I’m sure would like to have a little bit more. But it’s a process, and for me, all I can control is myself and my work ethic."Strome has recorded two goals and six assists in 19 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brian Burke is not a happy man.The Calgary Flames president has addressed rumors that his team is making defenseman Dougie Hamilton available on the trade market, blaming "an army of leakers" who jumped into the fray after the Toronto Maple Leafs were mentioned as a potential suitor.Related - Flames GM: Rumors of shopping Dougie Hamilton are 'completely false'Here are his comments from an appearance on TSN 1050 on Wednesday:

The Calgary Flames say they aren't making Dougie Hamilton available.That was expressed clearly by general manager Brad Treliving on Wednesday, in light of recent rumors suggesting the young defenseman could be traded.

It's a birthday to remember for Marko Dano.On the eve of his annual celebration, the Winnipeg Jets forward was struck with a high stick, and he was proud to show off the damage on Twitter upon waking up Wednesday morning.

The John Scott story undeniably made the 2016 NHL All-Star Game an event to remember.What began as a bit of a lark ended in true Hollywood fashion, with the unlikely participant being hoisted on his teammates' shoulders as the Most Valuable Player.Voting for the 2017 All-Star Game begins Wednesday, and here are three under-the-radar players we suggest supporting this time around:Craig AndersonThe Ottawa Senators goalie is excelling this season despite unimaginable circumstances.After it was announced that his wife Nicholle had been diagnosed with throat cancer, Craig Anderson has been taking frequent leaves of absence from the team to be by her side.When he's been on the ice, he's been fantastic. In 18 starts, Anderson has posted a 12-5-1 record with a .930 save percentage. That he's played even better in stretches over his career to little fanfare is evidence of the fact he's regularly and criminally underrated as a high-end goalie.If anyone is worthy of being called an All-Star, it's Anderson.Jeff SkinnerAfter appearing in the All-Star Game as an 18-year-old and winning the Calder Trophy, Jeff Skinner's career longevity fell into doubt as a result of a series of concussions over the next three seasons.The Carolina Hurricanes winger has returned to full health and top form, leading the club in scoring with nine goals and 10 assists through 21 games.He's skilled and fun, and it's plays like this one that warrant support:

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

Farewell, Auston Matthews vs. Connor McDavid. See you next year.In a league that perilously struggles to market its greatest assets, the best opportunity of the season to shift the landscape came and went faster than McDavid picks up speed through the neutral zone.The Toronto Maple Leafs won't play the Edmonton Oilers again this season, discounting the microscopic possibility of an earth-shattering get-together in the Stanley Cup Final.The link between the two phenoms is glaringly obvious. Both were drafted first overall in consecutive years to turn their respective long-suffering franchises around, and both are doing a damn fine job of it so far.We got a taste of their combined talents at the World Cup, where they dazzled as linemates, but the hockey world couldn't wait for them to meet head to head as the cornerstones of two of the most rabid fan bases the NHL has to offer.As tame as the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry has become due to the patrons downplaying any individual feud in favor of focusing on team success, at least it was a rivalry at one point. They're in the same division, they've collided in the playoffs twice.But with Matthews and McDavid, we can't have that. Instead, we're left with two measly meetings every season, searching to compare the two with hardly any head-to-head data to draw from. Comparisons between them might be far-fetched, but they're inevitable.Perhaps its not all that bad for the NHL, though. McDavid shares a conference with Patrik Laine, while Matthews is a short drive from Jack Eichel, but the luster isn't the same. Not at this point, at least.Hockey fans can only hope that maybe one day, Matthews and McDavid will square off while representing their countries on the game's biggest stage. But until that time - or until the stars align perfectly to actually get Toronto and Edmonton in the playoffs - we're left with just two matchups per season, which sadly - yet uncontrollably - isn't enough.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Strombone is at it again.Following Tuesday's shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers netminder and strong Twitter personality Roberto Luongo offered some self-deprecating analysis of his effort against Artemi Panarin.Here's the goal:And Luongo's response:

Team Canada should not count on adding a couple Arizona Coyotes to the 2017 World Junior Championship roster.General manager John Chakya is not planning on loaning defenseman Jakob Chychrun or forward Lawson Crouse to the national team, according to Sarah McLellan of azcentral sports.This pronouncement comes as Chychrun has sat as a healthy scratch in five of Arizona's past seven games. Crouse, meanwhile, has recorded one goal in 17 games.Coyotes prospects Dylan Strome and Nick Merkley were among the 32 players invited to Canada's selection camp.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL doesn't think there's anything to worry about when it comes to reports of U.S. Army officials looking into the new Las Vegas franchise's use of "Golden Knights," a nickname used by the army's parachute team.Related - Report: U.S. Army reviewing Vegas' use of Golden Knights' name"I don't expect an issue," deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Scott Burnside of ESPN.Vegas owner Bill Foley went into a bit more detail:

Brian Boyle wasn't mincing words following the Tampa Bay Lightning's third loss in a row."I'd love to play against us right now in our own end - it's easy," the veteran center said Tuesday, per Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "We've relied on our goalies, they've been phenomenal. They're great teammates because they haven't ripped into us yet for how we're treating them, for how we're defending."The Lightning have dropped four of five games to end their November schedule, with the past three coming in rather lopsided decisions:

Andrew Shaw certainly didn't agree with the call.The Montreal Canadiens grinder took a hooking penalty late Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks and wasn't very pleased about the perceived infraction, shattering his stick before some choice words with the officials.Unsurprisingly, he was ejected for his actions. He didn't agree with that either.

Anybody out there still sour over Team North America not making it to the final of the World Cup of Hockey?Well, Tuesday may have helped ease any lingering disappointment as the game's young stars - many of whom comprised the 23-and-under squad at this September's World Cup - were out making magic with their NHL clubs.With 12 games on the slate it might have been difficult to catch what all the youngsters were up to. This is their league now and they were out proving it. So here is what the NHL's elite youth were up to on a busy schedule:

Ryan Johansen appears to be over whatever was causing his slump to start the year.After posting just six points through the Nashville Predators' first 13 games of the season, the 24-year-old is tearing up the league, with seven points in his last four games.Of course, none have been as pretty as his marvelous goal against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night.

The Ottawa Senators will be without Bobby Ryan for the foreseeable future after he left Tuesday's game versus the Buffalo Sabres with a hand injury, the team announced.Senators coach Guy Boucher confirmed that Ryan is out indefinitely, telling TSN's Brent Wallace that Ryan "won't play the next game for sure."Ryan missed two games earlier this month with a finger injury and aggravated the ailment on Tuesday night.The veteran forward has struggled this season, posting eight points through 21 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Breaking news, Patrik Laine can still score.The Winnipeg Jets forward got the monkey off his back after a six-game goalless skid Tuesday night, wiring a wrist shot over the blocking glove of New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider early into in the third period.The goal - Laine's 13th of the season - gives the rookie a share of second place in the league alongside Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak and teammate Mark Scheifele.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Hoffman found his scoring touch, but it wasn't enough as his Ottawa Senators fell to the Buffalo Sabres 5-4 on Tuesday night.Coming into the game, Hoffman had tallied just four times on the season after averaging 28 goals in each of the last two seasons.But the Senators forward has had the hot stick since missing a pair of games in mid-November, tallying five points in his last four games. He also picked up an assist Tuesday, bringing his total to nine points in his last five contests.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a goal in his Columbus Blue Jackets' 5-1 dismantling of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, Sam Gagner has matched his entire 2015-16 goal total.The 27-year-old - who inked a one-year, $650,00 deal with the the Blue Jackets late in the offseason - has been a pleasant surprise for the team who currently holds down the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a 12-5-4 record.After a forgettable stint with the Philadelphia Flyers last season that saw Gagner manage just eight goals and 16 points over 53 games, it appeared the former first-round pick could be weeded out of the league.However, he's emerged this season as a legitimate scoring threat, netting his eighth goal of the season Tuesday to go along with five assists in 20 games.In fact, his current pace would see him hit the 50-point mark which would set a career high, besting his 2007-08 output when he managed 49 points in 79 games as a rookie with the Edmonton Oilers.It's still early, but after never quite finding his stride since his early days in Edmonton, Gagner appears to have finally struck gold in Columbus.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

William Nylander is making his case to play alongside budding superstar Auston Matthews.In Tuesday's match between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, the two Toronto rookies combined to put the Leafs ahead early in the first.Beginning in the Maple Leafs' end, Nylander flew down the right side, gaining the Edmonton zone before firing a cross-crease pass to Matthews, who buried it by netminder Cam Talbot, notching his 10th goal of the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After the Carolina Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead Tuesday, the New York Rangers forced their way back into the game, thanks in part to the great individual effort of Rick Nash.Nash fought off a trailing Justin Faulk before firing a wicked backhand over the catching glove of Cam Ward, knotting the game at 2-2 early into the third period.The goal gives the 32-year-old double digits on the year.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Milan Michalek could go back in time, he would do things a lot differently.Last February - then a member of the Ottawa Senators - Michalek made the tough decision to waive his no-trade clause, accepting a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal that saw Dion Phaneuf sent the other way.Fast forward nearly nine months and Michalek now finds himself playing with the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League affiliate, the Marlies - while the Maple Leafs dress multiple first-year players - wishing things could have worked out differently."Looking back now it probably was the wrong decision," Michalek told Dave Alter of The Athletic. "But I’m only looking forward right now."Michalek made the Maple Leafs' roster out of training camp, contributing a goal and an assist in five games, but has not played with the big club since Oct. 22, following the Maple Leafs waiver pickup of Ben Smith.Despite his misfortune, he continues to compete at the AHL level, contributing a goal and four points in eight games, while trying his best not to be a distraction in the dressing room."I don’t want to be the guy that’s going to be pissed and bringing the guys down; I don’t want to be that guy," Michalek said. "I’m making the best out of what I can do here and help the young guys if I can. I’m also lucky that the minors are in the same town, so I don’t have to move my family, so thankfully that wasn’t an issue."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jack Eichel wasted no time in making his mark Tuesday.After grabbing an assist on a Kyle Okposo goal early in the first period, Eichel followed up with a tally of his own, firing a slap shot by Ottawa Senators netminder Craig Anderson.Eichel recorded both points on the power play. The Buffalo Sabres center made his season debut Tuesday after missing 21 games with an ankle injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes are all ears.With the club sitting tied for last place in the NHL standings, the team could be willing to make a deal, more specifically one including forward Anthony Duclair.TSN's Darren Dreger spoke on Tuesday's Insider Trading segment where he reported that though the Coyotes are not actively shopping the 21-year-old, they would consider a move if it was a significant deal that made sense to the team and saw a center come back the Coyotes' way.Dreger would go on further to note that this is not the first time Duclair's name has come up in trade talks, adding that his name was thrown around during the draft in Buffalo this summer.After a commendable 20 goals and 44 points in his rookie campaign last season, Duclair is falling victim to the sophomore slump, having posted just one goal and three assists in 20 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins will be without John-Michael Liles indefinitely as the team announced Tuesday that the defenseman has been sidelined with a concussion.Liles has appeared in 22 games this season, scoring five points and averaging 16:15 in ice time.The Bruins acquired Liles from the Carolina Hurricanes at last year's trade deadline.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks need more from Mikkel Boedker.After signing a four-year, $16-million contract with San Jose after spending his entire career with the Arizona Coyotes - save for last year's trade deadline deal that sent him to the Colorado Avalanche - Boedker has yet to find a role with the Sharks, or much of the net.The move to Silicon Valley reunited Boedker with coach Peter DeBoer, who he had previously played under while with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers, when he scored 73 points in 62 games. But the reunion hasn't yielded immediate returns, with Boedker recording just two points in 22 contests.In Saturday's 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks, the Danish winger saw a season-low in ice time, coming in at 8:56 after being kept off the ice for the entire third period. DeBoer hopes the benching will spark the streaky winger."I would hope he's pissed off. (Benching) is always a last resort as a coach," DeBoer told Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area. "There's no doubt (he's squeezing his stick). He's a point producer, and his contract says he should be producing points."Boedker scored 39 points in 62 games with the Coyotes last season before adding 12 in 18 with the Avs, tying his career-high of 51 points set in 2013-14."You've got to get out of that mindset. This is about winning games, and that stuff will follow," DeBoer added. "It's not an easy spot to be in where he's at, but you've got to battle through."Boedker will be in the lineup Tuesday when the Sharks take on his former club, the Coyotes. As fate would have it, Boedker's last point on the season came in a Nov. 1 loss to Arizona.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Canada named their 32 invitees to selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship on Tuesday, but the team is still eyeing a few other potential players.Lawson Crouse and Anthony Beauvillier remain with their respective NHL clubs - the Arizona Coyotes and New York Islanders - at present, but Hockey Canada's director of player personnel Ryan Jankowski is hopeful both players might be loaned to Canada for the tournament."Scott Salmond (vice president of hockey operations) has been in touch with Garth Snow and John Chayka and those discussions continue and hopefully we'll catch a break with both of them, if not one," Jankowski told TSN's Gino Reda. "We'll keep talking and hopefully let the teams know that obviously we're interested and what an experience it would be for both those players."Unfortunately for Canada, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Tuesday's Insider Trading segment that the Islanders have no interest in landing Beauvillier saying, "There are no plans whatsoever on that front." As for Crouse, McKenzie also noted that it would be 'highly, highly unlikely' that Crouse would be made available either.Nevertheless, Crouse would certainly be a welcomed addition after suiting up for Canada at the past two instalments of the tournament, including the 2015 gold medal-winning squad. He currently has just one goal in 16 games with the Coyotes this season.Meanwhile Beauvillier would also add more experience to the team having suited up last year, managing one goal in Canada's five games. The 19-year-old currently has two goals and six points in 17 games with the Islanders.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It looks like Peter Holland's time in Toronto is coming to a close.The Maple Leafs forward didn't accompany the team on their three-game road trip this week, and his agent met with general manager Lou Lamoriello, who will try to trade the 25-year-old:

Quite a bond was formed between Aaron Ekblad and Brian Campbell during their shared tenure on the Florida Panthers blue line.In advance of Tuesday's game between the Panthers and Chicago Blackhawks, with whom Campbell signed as a free agent in the offseason, Ekblad talked about the impact Campbell had on him both on and off the ice:

As always, scouts will be watching Canada's World Junior Championship selection camp closely this year, with 16 NHL teams represented among the 32 invitees.Related: Hockey Canada invites 32 players to World Junior selection campHere's the breakdown by number of prospects:

Bryan Little will play Tuesday for the Winnipeg Jets after suffering an injury in the first game of the season, head coach Paul Maurice has confirmed.The center will skate on a line with Drew Stafford and Blake Wheeler against the New Jersey Devils.Little left the season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes following a collision with Bryan Bickell midway through the first period, but not before recording an assist.In 57 games last season, Little scored 17 goals and added 25 assists.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.