The Florida Panthers will be holding their breath in hopes that an apparent leg and/or ankle injury to Jonathan Huberdeau isn't serious.The Panthers forward left Saturday's preseason contest against the New Jersey Devils and didn't return after taking a skate to the back of his left ankle. The injury took place during a first-period battle behind the Devils' net with Sergey Kalinin.According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the extent of Huberdeau's injury won't be known until he undergoes an MRI, which is scheduled for Sunday.A long-term injury would be devastating for the Panthers, who earlier this week learned forward Nick Bjugstad will miss approximately four weeks with a broken hand.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL expansion team in Las Vegas has a date in mind for its big reveal.Speaking before the Vegas Hockey FanFest as part of the Frozen Fury series, owner Bill Foley confirmed the team is aiming for Nov. 18 to unveil its nickname, according to Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com.The team name and logo have reportedly been decided, while Foley has yet to finalize the uniform colors. He previously confirmed that the team name will be one of the Golden Knights, the Silver Knights, and the Desert Knights.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Oliver Bjorkstrand scored a goal Saturday that probably wouldn't hold up in the regular season.Bjorkstrand's second of the game gave the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead in their preseason tilt against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, it appeared the puck actually went through the back of the net and off the back of Marc-Andre Fleury.Luckily for the 21-year-old, the league isn't using video review during the preseason, so the goal stood.Enjoy 'em while you can, Oliver.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The clock is ticking for the Calgary Flames and Johnny Gaudreau to get a contract done, but general manager Brad Treliving is hopeful Gaudreau will be in the lineup when the Flames open the season against the Edmonton Oilers."Our hope, and what we're striving for, is get that done so that not only Johnny will be back here with us, but with us on Wednesday," Treliving said, according to Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald. "I have every confidence that we are going to get a contract that works for Johnny, that works for us."Despite the GM's apparent optimism, Gaudreau's agent said last week that both sides hadn't spoken in nearly a month.Gaudreau's camp has expressed his desire to return to the club, noting he won't ask for a trade.The 22-year-old led the club in scoring last season, tallying 30 goals and 78 points in 79 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bruce Boudreau has a lot to like about his new team, but believes its physical game has been lacking through the preseason.The new coach of the Minnesota Wild highlighted his team's strong work ethic and skating game, but would like to see more away from the puck."We went over a lot of video (Friday) morning, more than I like to do, but it shows that you can't play the game without making contact with people. You just can't do it," Boudreau told Michael Russo of The Star Tribune. "But, what is taking time to get used to a little bit is we're nowhere near as physical as the teams I've coached."Boudreau previously coached the Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals."So I'm trying to find sort of a halfway medium that they become more physical but don't get out of what they're good at. Like, I can't make them into a bunch of Alex Ovechkins hitting everything that moves."The Wild finished with 87 points last season, qualifying for the postseason before falling to the Dallas Stars in the opening round. The Wild open their season against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 13.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Alex Ovechkin wants to play in the 2018 Olympics, he has the support of Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.While the NHL has not decided if it will go to Pyeongchang, the Russian star has said he will play regardless, and Leonsis stood behind his captain in an interview this week."The Olympics are incredibly meaningful to Alex and his family," Leonsis told Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated. "So my commitment to them was, I will always do what's in Alex's best interest, and I said it 10 years ago, I'll say it today: If Alex Ovechkin says this is really important to me to go represent and play for my country, I'm going to support him."What's the worst that could happen? We'll get fined or something. I hope it doesn't get to that. But I've got to have my captain's back, and I will."Ovechkin isn't the only Capital who plans to play in the event. Last month, teammate and countryman Evgeny Kuznetsov said he will join Ovechkin in 2018.The International Olympic Committee has set a Jan. 15 deadline for the NHL to commit to the games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues won't wait long to see new addition Nail Yakupov, as coach Ken Hitchcock confirmed the Russian winger will play in the season opener Oct. 12 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks.As for Hitchcock, he's looking forward to integrating Yakupov into his lineup."I have a lot of experience in dealing with this type of player," Hitchcock said. "Given the opportunity he's going to get here, I think we can work with him. We did our homework."Still, Hitchcock cautioned that fans shouldn't expect Yakupov to turn into a 200-foot player overnight."He has a skill set and we want to enhance the skill set. The stuff without the puck, it's going to take time, and we're in no hurry," Hitchcock said. "We're not going to turn a player into a defensive specialist and we don't anticipate doing that at all. We want to take what his strengths are and get him to really focus on that. The other stuff is teachable and we'll work with him."The bench boss believes Yakupov will benefit from being surrounded by a veteran core in St. Louis."It's not a lot different than Robby Fabbri, or these type of players," Hitchcock added. "What (Yakupov) does well, we're going to really enhance and try to augment with the people we play him with, then turn him loose, and then nudge the other stuff that's the team part and see if we can get him up to speed here in a couple months."The Blues acquired the former first overall selection Friday, sending prospect Zach Pochiro and a conditional third-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers. Yakupov scored 23 points in 60 games with the Oilers last season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The captain is back.Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg will make his preseason debut Saturday night versus Toronto, the club announced ahead of their final exhibition tilt.Zetterberg missed training camp, as well as the World Cup because of a knee injury sustained while training in the offseason, and he's excited to be back on the ice."This game tonight's going to be huge for just to be back playing games," Zetterberg said, per the team website. "You can only do that much in practice but you need to be out there and play games. So we're happy I was able to come back here and play tonight, and it will help me for Thursday."The soon-to-be 36-year-old scored 13 goals and added 37 assists in 82 games for the Red Wings last season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Peter Chiarelli shined the NHL's spotlight back on the Edmonton Oilers Friday, making a pair of significant moves days before the puck drops for the regular season.First, he orchestrated the trade that sent 2012 first overall pick Nail Yakupov in exchange for a conditional third-round pick and prospect Zach Pochiro, a move Chiarelli believes could benefit the 23-year-old.Related: Yakupov excited to join Blues: 'I don't know what winning is'"We decided Nail deserved a fresh start ... We told him he's a good kid but it just didn't work out here," Chiarelli told media Saturday.Shortly after trading Yakupov, Chiarelli added another piece to their developing blue line as the Oilers signed free-agent defenseman Kris Russell to a one-year contract.Chiarelli said Russell's "speed and puck retrieval" are two of his strongest assets, and can see the veteran on either side of a defensive pairing.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.Renewed optimism should be the theme for the Winnipeg Jets, who return this season with a prize to show for the disappointment of missing the playoffs - the ultra-talented No. 2 overall draft pick Patrik Laine.But impact players are littered throughout the Jets' depth chart, even with Jacob Trouba deciding he doesn't want to be one of them.Here's how the Jets stack up for this season:LWCRWNikolaj EhlersMark ScheifeleBlake WheelerDrew StaffordBryan LittlePatrik LaineKyle ConnorMathieu PerreaultAlex BurmistrovShawn MatthiasAdam LowryJoel ArmiaChris ThorburnAndrew CoppMarko DanoNic PetanAnthony PelusoBrendan Lemieux

It feels like only yesterday. Remember when the Edmonton Oilers were finally poised to climb out of the basement of the NHL? They had the most young talent in the league, after all, and just spent their third consecutive first overall pick on Nail Yakupov - an Ilya Kovalchuk-esque offensive dynamo who notched 170 points in 107 games for the Sarnia Sting.Now, the day after Yakupov's departure from the City of Champions, the Oilers are still in the process of finding a fresh identity. Rather ironically, with two of those three No. 1 picks now out of the picture, Edmonton finds themselves in a better position than ever before.The X-factor forcing the upswing, of course, is Connor McDavid. The youngest captain in NHL history. The savior. The future. The fourth No. 1 pick.Now, with Yakupov in St. Louis, a true verdict can be established. Was he a victim of four different head coaches and an inept upper management in Edmonton, or is he just a bust?When Edmonton drafted Yakupov in 2012, they failed to address a need. Eight of the next nine players selected were defenseman, the outlier being Yakupov's linemate in Sarnia: Alex Galchenyuk, who is fresh off his first 30-goal season.Yakupov enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, notching 31 points in the 48-game lockout-shortened season, but other than sliding into the highlight reels after his first NHL goal, he failed to create much else in three frustrating seasons.No matter what Yakupov goes on to accomplish with the Blues, his tenure in Edmonton will quickly be forgotten. Partially from a lack of success, but mostly because of what the Oilers have in store.Sure, trading a No. 1 pick for a conditional third-rounder and a player who scored 26 points in the ECHL last season seems like a typical Oilers move, but the deal signifies another positive step on the road to sustained success.Yakupov will be a restricted free agent come season's end, and trading him before a potential struggle to establish a reasonable contract makes sense for the Oilers.Edmonton made a huge splash July 1 in landing Milan Lucic. They were practically gifted Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth overall pick, and while it may have been for a steep price, the blue line is in better shape with Adam Larsson in the fold.It may have taken a few extra years, and the luck of a real golden ticket in landing McDavid, but with season two of the new era on the horizon, the culture surrounding the Oilers continues to develop for the better.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 are the fantasy repercussions following the news that defenseman Kris Russell has inked a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers:

Detroit Red Wings forward Ben Street avoided a major scare Friday night, escaping serious injury after taking an errant skate to the side of his neck versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.Street was released from the hospital Friday night and will return to Detroit on Saturday, reports Sportsnet's John Shannon.The 29-year-old center played in the Colorado Avalanche organization last season, suiting up in seven NHL games, as well as 15 for the AHL's San Antonio Rampage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.After delivering fans in Winnipeg postseason hockey for the first time in almost two decades, the Jets fell short of adjusted expectation last season, quickly falling out of the race in the perpetually ultra-competitive Central Division.With lessons learned and a new lease on life, along with second overall pick Patrik Laine leading a whack of quality prospects who've inched closer to contributing, there's plenty of reasons for optimism.And yet that division remains.Here are three questions facing the Jets:Who breaks out?For good reason, all eyes will be on Laine when the season begins. This is the magnetic, pure, lethal goal-scorer Winnipeg has been without in its most recent history - except this team isn't limited to its big-ticket draft night addition when it comes to assessing breakout candidates.Well-established, but not yet in the upper echelon of NHL stars, Mark Scheifele created offense at an astounding rate over the final eight weeks of last season. He scored 17 times and contributed a league-best 29 primary points over that span, showing every sign that he's capable of being a dominant No. 1 center in the NHL.There's also Nikolaj Ehlers. On a line with Scheifele and Blake Wheeler late in the year, the dynamic attacking talents that made him the ninth overall pick began translating before an eye injury stalled his momentum. And along with Laine, we're expected to see the rookie season of Kyle Connor, the Hobey Baker runner-up who led the nation in scoring in his dominant final season at Michigan.The Jets are loaded with fresh faces primed to make an impact, a luxury that's become paramount in the NHL.Trouba: Will someone flinch?Leverage may be on the Jets' side in their standoff with a 22-year-old defender with four more seasons of organizational control. But make no mistake: Jacob Trouba's conviction that his development is being curtailed because of his affiliation is an enormous blow to the Jets.While his request is borne out of the fact that right-shot defense is a clear position of strength, without him, Winnipeg is rendered dangerously thin on the backline, and a team with an enduring inability to stay out of the box would be without its minutes-eater on the kill.If the two sides remain at an impasse, the Jets are seriously undermining their ability to contend for a postseason spot, in the same way Trouba's risking his own career trajectory. And if they appease his request - and the return is anything short of a direct comparable in terms of contract, control, position, and ability - then the Jets risk squandering one of their more valuable assets in a league that tends to punish such mistakes.Who's in net?The biggest question emanating from the actual happenings at Jets camp is centered around a cluttered crease. Ondrej Pavelec, Michael Hutchinson, and Connor Hellebuyck all had turns shouldering the load last season, and each made cases to return in that capacity with encouraging performances in camp.The veteran Pavelec is entering the final season of his current deal, valued at $3.9 million. He's likely not part of the future, and, statistically, he's been a subpar starter throughout his career with the Jets. At the same time, his peak late in the 2015 season was the driving force behind this team's lone playoff appearance.Hutchinson's destined for the backup role; this is defined by the two-year, $2-million extension he signed over the summer. While that transaction cleared up his situation, it introduced more uncertainty for Hellebuyck, who posted the best numbers among Jets goalies last season.Hellebuyck remains on a two-way deal, so the goaltender with options - who many consider the best option - figures to start in the minors for at least one more season barring a trade, an injury, or the rare decision to roll with three goaltenders.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, returns, and we're making our Stanley Cup predictions this week.Tampa's TimeSean O'Leary: After stumbling out of the gate last season, Tampa Bay overcame adversity time and time again to ultimately fall one win shy of its second Stanley Cup Final appearance in as many years.Nikita Kucherov's contract situation is a major concern at this point, but looking back at Jonathan Drouin's holdout, Steven Stamkos' health and free agency rumors, along with an injury to Ben Bishop in the Eastern Conference Final, you have to believe Steve Yzerman and Co. will find a way to make it work.Victor Hedman was retained early. Stamkos stayed put. The Lightning remain incredibly tight-knit and equally as talented, and should be poised for another deep run come April and beyond.Craig Hagerman: As Sean pointed out, the Lightning came within a single win of making their second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance last season, and the club remains stockpiled with elite young talent. That's why 2017 will be Tampa Bay's year.The club's roster looks similar to last year's, but Kucherov - granted he signs - Tyler Johnson, Drouin, and others all have another year under their belt.The team will - for the meantime - boast a tandem of Bishop and Andrei Vasilevskiy, who can both get the job done. Drouin is set to build on his emergence after his trade request saga last season.However, what should make the club a more lethal threat is that - barring unforeseen circumstances - it should have captain Stamkos for more than just one postseason game.The Lightning won each of their first two playoff series by 4-1 margins and took the Stanley Cup champs to seven games, with Stamkos suiting up just once. The Pittsburgh Penguins may not have visited the White House this week had Stamkos been healthy in the spring.Ovie's TimeJustin Cuthbert: Oh, how quickly we forget.The Washington Capitals are bringing back a refined version of the team that won 56 games, racked up 120 points, and were the class of the NHL, wire to wire, in the regular season. And inciting what should be considered the exemplar will be the realization that their current configuration is finite.Washington will soon have sizable imbalance on its payroll with Evgeny Kuznetsov approaching restricted free agency, meaning that soon there will be no room for luxury assets like Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie, who are unrestricted at season’s end. This awareness, plus the fact that Braden Holtby can do incredible things with career-average numbers, make the Capitals favorites in 2016-17.Josh Gold-Smith: This is the season the Capitals finally exorcise their playoff demons and hoist Lord Stanley's mug.Alex Ovechkin knows his window is closing, and that sense of urgency - along with last season's ouster by arch-rival Pittsburgh - will push him to new heights. Kuznetsov broke out in 2015-16, and his ascent should only continue playing alongside Ovechkin and the dynamic Oshie.Holtby won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie last season, and there's no reason to believe he won't build on that accomplishment. Washington's top-six has always been deep, but its bottom-six is better with Lars Eller now centering the third line.Washington's only weakness is its defense, and the club has less than $1 million in cap space, but if general manager Brian MacLellan can get creative prior to the trade deadline and bolster the back end while staying under the max, the Capitals will finally be unstoppable.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kris Russell's uncomfortable offseason is officially over.The Edmonton Oilers signed the unrestricted free-agent defenseman to a one-year contract, the club announced Friday night.Russell and the Oilers were reportedly finalizing the $3.1-million agreement earlier Friday.The 29-year-old ranked second in the NHL with 210 blocked shots last season after leading the league with 283 in 2014-15.Russell was traded by the Calgary Flames to the Dallas Stars prior to February's deadline. He appeared in 11 regular-season games and 12 playoff contests for the Stars.The 29-year-old spent parts of three seasons with the Flames following stints with the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For Nail Yakupov, it wasn't a case of if he'd be traded, but where he'd be dealt.Related: Oilers trade Yakupov to BluesThe Edmonton Oilers shipped the former first overall pick to the St. Louis Blues on Friday, a team Yakupov was surprised to find out was in the mix for his services."I think it's a good thing for me,"Yakupov said. "I was expecting something. I didn't expect it was going to be St. Louis."For Yakupov - who hasn't eclipse the 17-goal mark he reached in his rookie campaign - he feels a change of scenery could be just what he needs, especially leaving a team that seldom won hockey games."This is first time I've played on really, really good team," Yakupov said, according to Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I think it's awesome, I don't know what winning is."It's going to be a great move for me and I get to play with one of the best teams in the league," said Yakupov. "I'm looking forward to it."Yakupov has amassed 50 goals and 11 points in 252 career games.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 are the fantasy repercussions following the news that F Nail Yakupov has been traded to the St. Louis Blues:After years of disappointment and continually being pushed down the Oilers' depth chart, the Yakupov project in Edmonton is officially over. After four years as an Oiler, the first overall selection in 2012 never accumulated more than 33 points and never scored more than 18 goals in a single season.Yakupov's career actually began on a high note. In 2012-13's shortened season, the top pick potted 17 goals and 14 assists in just 48 games. Since then, he's played at least 60 games in each of the following three years but failed to top 33 points in any one.This lack of productivity led Yakupov to ultimately assume a bottom-six role with the continually rebuilding Oilers. Last year, he averaged just over 14 minutes of ice time. It was the third time in four years that he failed to see 15 minutes of action.His role with the BluesOpportunity and environment are significant factors in any player's production. Last season, the Blues scored only 20 more goals than Edmonton and sported a power play 3.4 percentage points superior to that of the Oilers. Yes, Yakupov is moving to a superior offensive team, but not a drastically better one.In terms of fitting in, Yakupov should be expected to assume a third-line role with St. Louis. This would likely place him alongside winger Robby Fabbri, who picked up 37 points last season. This doesn't improve Yakupov's fantasy profile too much, but it should hold it steady in terms of five-on-five productivity.The real factor in Yakupov's progression could come on the power play.St. Louis lost David Backes and Troy Brouwer this offseason, and Jaden Schwartz and Alex Steen are dealing with early-season injuries. This could open a door for Yakupov to see time with the man advantage, potentially alongside fellow countryman Vladimir Tarasenko.For his career, Yakupov has notched 16 goals and 16 assists on the power play. Incorporating him into either the first or second power-play unit shouldn't be too difficult for head coach Ken Hitchcock. If he can work his way onto the top unit, alongside Tarasenko, fantasy players should reconsider the written-off 23-year-old winger.Astute fantasy players in both season-long and DFS formats should keep an eye on this development, as it could cause a rapid increase in Yakupov's productivity.Draft dayAn ADP of 245 will leave Yakupov off most draft boards, and rightfully so. But should the winger develop some chemistry alongside Fabbri and see time on the power play, he'll be worth keeping an eye on to begin the season.Look to Yakupov as either a late-round flier or an early-season waiver wire addition, with his appeal being dependent on early productivity and his special teams role.In deeper leagues, Yakupov should be afforded a late-round selection in hopes that he develops some early-season chemistry. However, he shouldn't be held for too long if he continues to disappoint.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews aren't the only prospects who can finish for the Toronto Maple Leafs.The team was in Hamilton, Ont. on Friday for a preseason tilt against the Detroit Red Wings where Colin Smith and Brendan Leipsic put on a show.The two combined for a stunning top-shelf goal when Smith - while falling - sent a pass to Leipsic, who finished with a wicked wrister.So many prospects, so few roster spots.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers are working late on a Friday night.The club is nearing a deal with free-agent defenseman Kris Russell, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Friedman reports Russell is expected to sign a one-year, $3.1-million contract that may not be announced until Saturday, and ESPN's Pierre LeBrun adds that the two sides are finalizing a deal with those parameters.The original report came moments after the Oilers traded former first overall pick Nail Yakupov to the St. Louis Blues.Four teams, including the Calgary Flames, were reportedly in the mix to sign Russell as of Thursday night.Russell was traded by the Flames to the Dallas Stars before last season's trade deadline. He posted 19 points in 62 games between the two clubs, appearing in 11 contests with Dallas following the deal.The 29-year-old spent parts of three seasons with Calgary after playing two years with the Blues and five campaigns with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who made him a third-round pick in 2005.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues have acquired forward Nail Yakupov from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Zach Pochiro and a conditional 2017 third-round pick, the Blues announced Friday.

A pair of rookies have reportedly made the Montreal Canadiens' opening-night roster.Mikhail Sergachev and Artturi Lehkonen will begin the season with the NHL club, TVA's Renaud Lavoie reported Saturday.RDS' Francois Gagnon corroborated the fact that Sergachev has made the team, adding details about his status.

The New Jersey Devils announced Friday the signing of 2016 first-round pick Michael McLeod to a three-year entry-level contract.The Devils plucked the 18-year-old with the 12th overall selection after he enjoyed a strong sophomore season with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League, tallying 21 goals and 61 points in 57 games.The Devils recently assigned McLeod to the Steelheads, where he has three assists through two games. He contributed one goal In two preseason games with the Devils.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If it were based on the performances through the preseason alone, the Toronto Maple Leafs would bring a roster chock-full of rookies and other young players of limited experience to opening night.But many more factors are considered when it comes to roster selection, and head coach Mike Babcock was quick to remind reporters of that Friday in advance of the team's final cuts."In my history in the league I've rushed some players the odd time and then they end up back in the minors and to me that's counter-productive," he said, according to Jonas Siegel of the Canadian Press."So we don't want to err on the over-excited side. We want to err, I think, on the cautious side. And if we make a mistake at the start of the year (those players are) allowed to change your mind over 20 games in the American League and get back. To me, that's the right mistake not the other way around."Though music to the ears for the likes of Brandon Prust - who's trying to earn a contract in camp - and Roman Polak - who's competing for minutes with Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Carrick, and Frank Corrado - Babcock will, to an extent, have to manage this risk.Toronto's third unit to start is expected to be Auston Matthews centering a combination of kids from a group that includes the likes of William Nylander, Zach Hyman, Mitch Marner, and Connor Brown.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michael Del Zotto will be stuck watching his Philadelphia Flyers come opening night.The 26-year-old blue-liner will miss four-to-five weeks with a lower-body injury, general manager Ron Hextall announced Friday.The injury is ill-timed for Del Zotto, who missed the final 28 games, and the first round of the playoffs, last season due to a wrist injury.Del Zotto suited up in 52 games for the Flyers last season, recording 13 points.The hole left in the Flyers' blue line from Del Zotto's injury should all but guarantee Ivan Provrov - the seventh overall selection in the 2015 draft - a roster spot.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Harrison Browne will make history Friday when the Buffalo Beauts and Boston Pride begin their NWHL seasons, becoming the first transgender athlete in professional North American team sport.Harrison, born as Hailey Browne in 1993, has identified as a man with friends, family, and teammates at varying stages beginning in university, but decided to make it official in advance of this season, notifying the NWHL.The league is now working on creating a policy to include transgender athletes but, regardless, is fully accepting of Browne, and his position on a women's professional team."At the end of the day, Harrison is the same player he was last year," NWHL commissioner Dani Rylan told ESPN. "We're here to support him. It's really not a big deal when you look at it, we're respecting his name, the pronouns and his request to be his authentic self."Browne planned to transition medically, but is postponing that until his career in the NWHL is over.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Griffin Reinhart is continuing his downward trend.Following his "very poor camp" in the eyes of Sportsnet's Mark Spector, Reinhart has been sent to Bakersfield to start the season in the American Hockey League.Reinhart, acquired for first- and second round picks at the Connor McDavid draft, made the Oilers out of camp last season, but was soon demoted.He dressed in a total of 29 games, collecting an assist and 20 penalty minutes, while throwing 62 hits.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.The Carolina Hurricanes are in a rebuild and, after last season, it appears to be heading in the right direction.The club boasts a very young squad, but managed to exceed expectations by finishing 10 points out of the playoffs. The offseason saw them add some experience in Lee Stempniak and Bryan Bickell while locking up young talent in Teuvo Teravainen, leaving them in good stead for the future.Here is how the team should stack up this season:ForwardsLW C RWJeff SkinnerJordan StaalAndrej NestrasilJoakim NordstromVictor RaskLee StempniakSebastian AhoElias LindholmTeuvo TeravainenBryan BickellJay McClementViktor Stalberg

Thomas Chabot's impact on Ottawa Senators' brass appears to have taken a turn for the better.After disappointing management with an underwhelming development camp, Chabot has opened the eyes of head coach Guy Boucher over the course of a strong preseason.While he remains on the roster with one preseason game to go, Boucher is still looking for a few key things from the 19-year-old defenseman before he cements a spot on the Senators blueline."He still needs to show us defensively that he can be thrown on the ice. We don’t want to be closing our eyes every time he goes on the ice. That's the thing. He's a great player, very smart, great speed, he can transition the puck exactly the way you want in the NHL," Boucher told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen."With him, and you saw it again this morning, I’m pushing him. We're not treating him like a kid. We don't want kids. We want players who are ready. So if he's young, he needs to be ready. Right now, he's shown us a lot of good stuff and that's why he's still here, but camp's not over."Boucher praises Chabot's offensive vision, but urges the need for intensity while defending against NHLers.Chabot will have one more chance to prove his worth, as the Senators wrap up their preseason docket Friday versus Buffalo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The IOC has outlined a target date for the NHL, and its pending decision on player participation at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea."There is a date set at Jan. 15 to find an agreement," IOC executive director Christophe Dubi told the Associated Press."Until then it will be work between all parties involved to make sure that we get the participation of the very best, and that's for both Pyeongchang and Beijing (host of the 2022 games)."While the NHL has tempered expectations, the IOC is becoming increasingly hopeful. Dubi called the NHL's decision to pay an inspection visit later this month "reassuring," and a "very positive step" toward hosting a best-on-best tournament that's objectively most important in the minds of players and fans.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Metropolitan Division featured both the Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup winners last season, and the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins appear set to be serious contenders once again in 2016-17.The New York Rangers have ranked among the top teams in the division for the past several seasons, but they appear stuck somewhere between the past and the future.While a few other clubs - Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Carolina come to mind - are on the rise, one team in particular jumps out as able to join Washington and Pittsburgh in the top three.Let's rank them, shall we?1. Pittsburgh PenguinsWashington may have had a 16-point advantage over Pittsburgh in the division standings last season, but the Penguins get the edge here based on eliminating the Capitals en route to an eventual Cup win.The emergence of Matt Murray over the course of the postseason gives head coach Mike Sullivan two bona fide starting goalies, with Marc-Andre Fleury eager and motivated to show he's still a core member of the team.The Penguins will also continue to roll out four lines capable of giving the opposition fits shift in and shift out, and a defensive corps capable of pushing the puck out of the zone after locking things down in front of whoever's in net.Yeah, this team's got it going on.2. Washington CapitalsStill, the Capitals posted far and away the best record in the division, and finished the season 11 points ahead of the team with the second-best record league-wide, that being the Dallas Stars.Washington will ice basically the same team that ranked second in both goals for and against, a testament to an overall proficiency at both ends of the ice.Management chose not to tinker after another failed bid at a long playoff run, save for the additions of Lars Eller and Brett Connolly. It's safe to say, then, that general manager Brian MacLellan believes in his core group built around Richard Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin, star centre Nicklas Backstrom and Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby, and the Capitals will be swinging for the fences in hopes of coming out on top when it matters most.3. New York IslandersDespite the losses of Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo in free agency, the New York Islanders are still primed to be one of the top three teams in the division, thanks in part to the decline of the rival Rangers.John Tavares is a perennial MVP candidate and, at 26, entering the prime years of his career. And while the addition of Andrew Ladd will help buffer Okposo's departure, the forward ranks will be bolstered from within by the likes of Ryan Strome and Anders Lee.The Islanders also boast a deep defensive unit, and Jaroslav Halak's play for Europe at the World Cup inspired confidence in his big-game ability.If youngsters like Matthew Barzal and Ryan Pulock can make positive contributions, the Islanders could surprise those who thought they'd be weakened by key losses.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With over 44 years of experience in the sport, Bruce Boudreau has made more than a couple pit stops along the way.His latest, though, moving to Minnesota after being named the Wild's coach in the offseason, was nothing he'd ever seen before.Boudreau and his wife, Crystal, packed their belongings from their offseason home in Hershey, Pa., and learned four days after arriving in Minnesota, that one of three moving trucks flipped, and destroyed everything inside."Crystal's losing it because one-third of two houses is gone," Boudreau told Michael Russo of The Star Tribune. "We're basically getting half-broken furniture. We lost five big-screen TVs, a bubble hockey game, popcorn makers, tables. My wife used to run a business, they called her the Chocolate Lady. The chocolate fountain was destroyed. So much stuff, pictures, lots of pictures, all the frames destroyed."According to the moving company, the Boudreau family safe was also destroyed in the crash. The safe's contents included the coach's two Memorial Cup Championship rings, an engraved Rolex watch, and his prized Spiderman comics.Boudreau, however, disputes the movers' claim, as video has since been discovered of two people moving the safe from one truck to another."We want justice," Boudreau said. "I've never been sort of violated like this. I just want them arrested because I know they did it. I don't think it was a planned robbery or anything, but they took advantage of the situation. But they didn't count on there being video."I don't see us getting anything back even though there's that one percent of yourself that would like to think maybe."The incident is currently under investigation.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - P.K. Subban already has belted out ''Folsom Prison Blues'' at Tootsie's, a famous tonk. He visited the local children's hospital before training camp opened. Then he scored a goal in each of his first two preseason games with his new team.In Nashville, that's called knowing how to make an entrance.Subban's passion may not have gone over well with coaches and management with the Montreal Canadiens. His new teammates with the Nashville Predators see the defenseman as a perfect fit in Music City - a town built on entertainment and filled with fans who want a great show from a franchise now expected to go further than ever before in chasing the Stanley Cup.''Fans are going to love him, there's no question,'' Predators captain Mike Fisher said. ''And our fans are very passionate. They're loyal. They're forgiving, too, even through the ups and downs. ... It's not going to be long before he's a lot of people's favorite player.''Montreal and Nashville stunned the NHL on June 29 when the teams swapped star defensemen straight up, sending Predators captain Shea Weber north for the 2013 Norris Trophy winner. Talk surfaced of personality conflicts with the organization and inside the Canadiens' locker room, and Subban tried to make it clear he loved Montreal, both the atmosphere and media in a town that loves its storied hockey team.''At the end of the day, there's a lot of people who have microphones and pens and paper and I can't challenge every person that has made an opinion of me based on `facts,''' Subban said. ''So for me, I'd rather just let my play do the talking, and I look forward to being a big part of this team moving forward. ... I've always been one to let my actions do my talking for me.''Subban is busy making friends in his new locker room and learning his way around Nashville, a switch for a guy used to being the one who welcomes new players.''It's an exciting time for me at 27 years old with no family or any children or anything like that,'' Subban said. ''It's like you get a bunch of new brothers right? So it's fun.''The Predators prefer to make their own minds up about Subban rather than listen to rumors. Fisher said it's easy to hear a lot of things about players, and he believes Subban will fit in nicely.''Everyone knows he's an outgoing guy that brings passion to the game and sometimes the game of hockey that's a little bit laid back it's something new, but I think it's a good thing,'' Fisher said.Forward James Neal has had dinner with Subban and sees someone both passionate about hockey and his fans. Subban's comfort handling both the media and social media has been quickly noticed.''He's going to be good for our team,'' Neal said.Goaltender Pekka Rinne was shocked by the trade sending his close friend Weber to Montreal.''But all of a sudden you realize you're going to get P.K., all the potential and all the talent he brings,'' Rinne said. ''He's going to bring a lot of different elements to our team and also the attention on him. He's very electric and a very exciting player to watch on the ice and off the ice. He's going to bring a different element to our team. It's good for the city of Nashville, the organization.''Nashville fans got a great look at Subban during the NHL All-Star weekend in January. Subban slipped on a wig to imitate Jaromir Jagr for lots of laughs during the breakaway challenge and ended up winning the event decided by Twitter .This franchise went seven games in back-to-back series last spring in the postseason, and general manager David Poile saw Subban as the perfect combination of skating and speed for coach Peter Laviolette's attacking offense. The trade was criticized in Montreal with the Predators getting the younger player. Poile thinks that speaks more to just how popular Subban was throughout Quebec.''We've seen in the short time P.K.'s been here ... he makes a lot of touches and he gets a lot of publicity,'' Poile said. ''People gravitate to him because he's a hockey player, yes, but he has more going on his life and he has some really good purposes in his life.''The Predators sold out a franchise-record 35 games last season, though the need to sell tickets never fades. Subban is more than happy to help sell the sport of hockey in his new winter home.''At the end of the day, it's sports entertainment, and we have to perform to keep fans in the seats and what they pay helps put food on our tables,'' Subban said. ''The more people we can engage and bring into the game, the better our game is going to be.''A perfect fit indeed.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.The Carolina Hurricanes surprised many last season.No, they didn't make the postseason, but while many had them pegged as one of the league's bottom-feeders, the team finished 10th in the Eastern Conference, just 10 points out of a playoff spot.The Hurricanes iced a young roster that allowed the fifth-fewest shots per game and had the 11th-best Corsi-for in the league.The team is young and continues to grow, and heading into next season there are three players fans should keep an especially close eye on.Sebastian AhoWhile Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine may have garnered the most attention at the last installment of the World Juniors, it also marked a great coming out for Sebastian Aho.The Hurricanes forward finished second in tournament scoring with an incredible 14 points en route to Finland's gold medal.Ever since Aho has continued to prove his worth with great play in the Finnish league and a spot on Finland's World Cup roster. He should fit seamlessly into the club's mold and in case you need more convincing, just see what Teemu Selanne had to say of Aho during the World Cup.

Michel Therrien did everything but mention P.K. Subban after Shea Weber's memorable debut with the Montreal Canadiens.The head coach praised his new defenseman's steady play after Weber scored a goal and registered seven shots Thursday in Montreal's 6-1 preseason victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs."(He made) the percentage play at the right time," Therrien told reporters, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu. "That's leadership, as far as we're concerned."Therrien's comments will no doubt be read by some as a reference to the controversial offseason trade that sent Subban to the Nashville Predators and brought Weber to Montreal.Weber logged more than 25 minutes in his first appearance in a Canadiens uniform, and his goal atoned for an earlier miscue when he was caught screening goaltender Carey Price on Auston Matthews' first goal with the Maple Leafs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews was in no mood to celebrate his first preseason goal Thursday after the Toronto Maple Leafs fell 6-1 to the rival Montreal Canadiens."It means nothing when you lose 6-1. It's pretty embarrassing," he told Amanda Stein of TSN 690.Matthews was the Leafs' lone scorer, beating Montreal's Carey Price. "It's great," he said. "He's obviously one of the best goalies in the world."Related - Watch: Matthews beats Price for 1st goal in Leafs uniformThe Canadiens cruised to victory, with offseason addition Andrew Shaw leading the way with a pair of goals.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Galchenyuk may have the goal of the year, and the year hasn't even started yet.Facing the Toronto Maple Leafs in preseason action Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens center weaved through the Maple Leafs defense before roofing the puck past netminder Frederik Andersen.The most impressive part of the play may be the passing play by winger Alexander Radulov, who set up Galchenyuk from his knees.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens' fans didn't have to wait long for Shea Weber's first goal.Facing the rival Toronto Maple Leafs in preseason action Thursday, Weber snapped a point shot past Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen.Fellow newcomer Andrew Shaw also scored a pair of goals for the Habs, while big winger Michael McCarron also got on the board. Meanwhile, Auston Matthews scored his first with the Maple Leafs, beating Carey Price.The Canadiens acquired Weber in a summer blockbuster deal that sent defenseman P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Negotiations between Nikita Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning are reportedly at a standstill."Right now, as best we can tell, this thing is (going) nowhere," TSN's Bob McKenzie said on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading"."It's really unusual, simply because ... the Tampa Bay Lightning obviously have immense cap pressure to try and deal with here, and Kucherov is a potential elite player who should be getting a long-term deal for a significant amount of money," McKenzie added."I can't even begin to assess whether there's a chance he could be in the lineup on opening night, but right now, we don't get the sense that anything's close at all."Kucherov won't report to training camp until he has a new contract.The 23-year-old notched 30 goals and 66 points in his third NHL season last year, building on a solid sophomore campaign in which he posted 28 goals and 64 points.He became a restricted free agent on July 1. Tampa Bay has an estimated $5.9 million in cap space entering the season.The Lightning open their regular-season schedule at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 13.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Auston Matthews has arrived.The first overall pick in June's draft scored his first goal as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, and he did it in impressive fashion.Matthews wired a short-side shot past Carey Price on the power play to cut the Montreal Canadiens' lead to 2-1 in preseason action Thursday night.We get the feeling it was the first of many from No. 34.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four teams remain in the Kris Russell sweepstakes, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The free agent defenseman continues to weigh offers, with interested clubs keeping cap space open to sign the veteran defender. LeBrun believes Russell will sign prior to the season opening Oct. 12.The Ottawa Senators, one of the teams pursuing Russell, confirmed Thursday to no longer be in the running. However, Russell's former club, the Calgary Flames, are believed to still be in the mix.Russell, 29, split last season between the Flames and Dallas Stars, recording four goals and 15 assists through 62 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL expansion team in Las Vegas won't begin play until 2017-18, but in the meantime, the Los Angeles Kings will host a pair of games on the strip.The T-Mobile Arena will be home to two exhibition games this weekend as part of the Frozen Fury series, with the Kings and Dallas Stars facing off Friday, while the Colorado Avalanche take on the Kings on Saturday."It's going to be fun," Kings winger Tyler Toffoli told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm anxious to see the building. I hear it's beautiful."The Frozen Fury, an annual event since 1997, was previously held at the nearby MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Kings have participated in the event every year.The NHL first came to Las Vegas in 1991 as part of an outdoor game played before Caesars Palace, with Wayne Gretzky and the Kings defeating the New York Rangers in front of 13,000 spectators.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban believes the trade that sent him to the Music City had more to do with his personality than his game.Dealt to Nashville in an offseason blockbuster deal that returned former Predators captain Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadiens, the outspoken Subban didn't hold back in discussing the trade with Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated."People said it was a hockey trade. I think it's the furthest from that. I think it was a personality trade," Subban told Prewitt, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.The trade has continued to make headlines in both markets, with Canadiens goalie Carey Price saying Weber is a better fit with the Habs, and Subban quickly becoming a fan favorite among the Predators faithful.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg will draw into the lineup when the team closes out its preseason schedule Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.The 35-year-old Zetterberg had been sidelined with a knee injury, which kept him out of the recent World Cup of Hockey.Zetterberg appeared in all 82 games last season, recording 13 goals and 37 assists. The veteran forward is signed through the 2020-21 season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A major incoming storm doesn't scare Jaromir Jagr.The Florida Panthers forward says he's prepared for Hurricane Matthew to make landfall in Florida."I'm okay," he told George Richards of the Miami Herald on Thursday."(Some) people have to survive two weeks without water, (so) I can try for two days."As millions of Floridians began evacuating under Gov. Rick Scott's orders, Jagr tried his best to lighten the mood, telling Richards - with tongue planted firmly in cheek - that he isn't going to back down from the hurricane."I have to test my body, I want to see how strong I am." Jagr said."Everything's sold out. It's a great business for the U.S.," the NHL's elder statesman joked. "Maybe they're just saying that (there's a storm because) they just want to sell everything in the shopping (centers)."On Wednesday, the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning postponed their preseason game because of the storm, and on Thursday President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Florida.More than 100 people have died in Haiti as a result of the hurricane, according to The New York Times.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

First-round pick Matthew Tkachuk will start the regular season with the Calgary Flames, head coach Glen Gulutzan announced Thursday.Tkachuk will have up to nine NHL games before a decision has to be made on the rest of his season.The magic number, of course, is 10 - the number of appearances needed to lock a rookie into the first year of their entry-level contract.Tkachuk was drafted sixth overall from the OHL's London Knights, for whom he recorded 30 goals and 77 assists in 57 games last season. He would return to London should the Flames ultimately decide he needs further development.For the time being, however, he's a Flame, based on a very strong showing at training camp.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' 2014 first-round picks will continue to wait for their opportunity to break into the NHL.Fifth and 28th overall picks Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang, respectively, were sent to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on Thursday as the Islanders announced their latest round of cuts.Dal Colle and Ho-Sang are still young, and more than likely will contribute at the NHL level, but it should be noted Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier - New York's pair chosen in the 2015 first round - remain in camp.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.