The good news: Dallas Stars superstar Tyler Seguin is skating after cutting his Achilles on March 17.The sort of bad news: Seguin's status for Game 1 of the playoffs remains up in the air."He's skating," head coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday, according to the Stars' Mark Stepneski. "He's skating in a limited fashion, I would say somewhere between the 50 and 75 percent range. There are times he pushes it but we're trying to be a little cautious with that, too. He's progressing nicely and we just hope to keep on progressing here."Ruff said it's too early to say whether Seguin will be in the lineup when the playoffs begin."I don't know," he said.The Stars are 6-2 since Seguin went down. The 24-year-old will finish the regular season with 73 points in 72 games. He had a goal and two assists in six playoff games last year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We made it.The regular season concludes Sunday, so these are your final power rankings. It's been real.1. Pittsburgh Penguins â–²

Tyler Motte is turning pro.So says Michigan head coach Red Berenson, who revealed the 21-year-old center will sign his entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks instead of return for his senior season, according to Jason Rubinstein of Michigan Daily.Motte was drafted 121st overall by Chicago in 2013 (fourth round), and recorded 32 goals and 24 assists in 38 games for Michigan this past season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Antoine Vermette has apparently served his time.The Arizona Coyotes center was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for boarding Artem Anisimov of the Blackhawks on Tuesday, and will not face further discipline from the league, according to Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune.Anisimov is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and his status for Thursday's game against St. Louis remains up in the air.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was the fall of 2014 when the NBA contemplated changing its draft lottery format, putting a proposal to owners with a simple goal: eradicating tanking, which was becoming an obvious problem.Prior to the 2013-14 season, Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie was open about building a roster fit to lose in the short term. He never called it "tanking," as many fans like to term it. But he did explain his rationale - and you almost had to appreciate his honesty.Hinkie said the only way to win a NBA title was with a team capable of winning 55-plus games, and the only way to build such a team was with great players. Those players could only be acquired one of two ways: through the draft, or by trading a package of talent for a player who could help a team make a "big leap.""We're focused on how to put the building blocks in place that have a chance to compete in May. Those teams win in the high 50s," Hinkie said. "They don't win in the teens and they don't add two or three wins a year and they don't add a win a month for a little while to try and get to where they're going. They get all the way to the 50s."And they get there usually on the backs of great players. We are still - as much as I've talked about how we make decisions and as much as I've talked about our organizational goals and our player development - it is a players-driven league, still. When we have a set of players that can carry us deep, that's the only way, that's the only way to get where we're going."'The Process'The 76ers won 19 games in 2013-14 and 18 in 2014-15. Hinkie continued to sell his prospects, loading up with more draft picks. He was open about "The Process," worrying enough owners about the integrity of the game and the league.The proposal presented at a board of governors meeting was simple: discourage losing on purpose.In the current system, the team with the worst record in the NBA has a 25 percent chance of winning the lottery. The second-worst team has a 19.9 percent chance of winning. The percentages drop accordingly down the list.NBA TeamChances of winning30th25%29th19.9%28th15.6%27th11.9%26th8.8%Under the proposed new system, the four worst NBA teams would have around an 11 percent chance of winning the top pick. The fifth-last team would have a 10 percent chance of winning, while the team with the best record among non-playoff teams would have a 2 percent chance, up from 0.5 percent.The vote on the proposal was 17-13 in favor, but it didn't pass, because at least 23 votes in favor were required to implement the reform.Although the NBA's current lottery system remains unchanged since 1990, commissioner Adam Silver acknowledges a flaw in the system - one that Hinkie continues to exploit. The 76ers GM is still accumulating draft picks; Philadelphia has six first-round picks in 2016, including its own, giving it phenomenal odds of drafting first overall, and potentially twice in the top four.This season, the 76ers are the worst team in the NBA, with only 10 wins in 78 games.Auston DreamsThis year, the NHL has adopted a lottery system similar to the NBA's, with one subtle but important difference - the worst team in hockey has a 20 percent chance of winning the lottery, compared to 25 percent in basketball. But the fundamental problem remains. Teams are open about their intentions to sell assets for draft picks and prospects, making games featuring non-playoff teams painful to watch during the final weeks of the regular season.The NBA's proposed lottery reform was narrowly rejected, but the NHL must adopt it.Heading into play Wednesday night, the Edmonton Oilers sit last in the NHL with 67 points. They are followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who also have 67 points but have a game in hand. Columbus is next with 70 points, followed by Calgary's 73. Can you really distinguish between these bad teams? Isn't there an argument to be made that all four deserve an 11 percent chance at Auston Matthews, the presumptive first overall pick?Given the hard salary cap in the NHL and flaws in the points system, a fairer lottery makes sense. Sure, there would be jockeying for position, as has always been the case. But maybe some teams wouldn't view consistently finishing last as a slam-dunk route to success.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Bryan Bickell from the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.The 30-year-old and his cumbersome contract were buried in the minors after Bickell recorded only two assists in 23 games for the Blackhawks this season. He was, however, good for 15 goals and 16 assists in 44 games with Rockford.A member of the Blackhawks' 2010, 2013, and 2015 Stanley Cup championship teams, Bickell contributed 20 goals in 75 playoff games.Bickell remains under contract through the end of next season at a cap hit of $4.5 million, but salary matters not in the playoffs, and the Blackhawks appear to be hoping to get something out of him when it matters most.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a difference a year and a reliable center or two makes.Last season, the Buffalo Sabres ranked dead last in power-play efficiency, converting on only 13.4 percent of their opportunities. In 2015-16, under head coach Dan Bylsma and with the addition of some key personnel, the Sabres' success rate has risen to 18.9 percent, good for a ranking of 13th.The improvement was on full display during Tuesday's game against New Jersey, in which Buffalo opened the scoring with a beautifully executed power-play goal from Ryan O'Reilly that was assisted by Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen.Here's how it happened.The play began with an O'Reilly faceoff win to the left of Cory Schneider, with the puck quickly gobbled up by brother Cal O'Reilly.Cal wasted no time dishing the puck to Ristolainen on the point.Eichel, a 19-year-old rookie, was tasked by Bylsma to man the left point, and it's to him that Ristolainen immediately fired a one-touch pass.Just as quickly as he received the puck, Eichel fires a quick and hard one-touch pass of his own to Ryan, who had been left unchecked by the Devils' defense.Using the time and space afforded to him by the quick puck movement, Ryan was able to gather the puck and put himself in position to wind up for a slap shot that was delivered top shelf, glove side past Schneider.Altogether, the play lasted five seconds, with four different Sabres touching the puck as it traveled from the faceoff dot to the back of the net. The play began and ended with Ryan, with Eichel and Ristolainen playing key parts in keeping the puck moving and the defense flummoxed.This short but effective sequence is but one example of why the Sabres' power play, and the team as a whole, is on the rise heading into next season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Neither Carey Price nor P.K. Subban will appear in another game for the Montreal Canadiens this season, general manager Marc Bergevin confirmed Wednesday.The club revealed that Price, who's been out of the lineup since November, has been dealing with a medial collateral ligament injury (MCL sprain) to his right knee.From team physician Vincent Lacroix:

The NHL's second oldest arena will host its final game Thursday when the Edmonton Oilers face off against the Vancouver Canucks.Known today as Rexall Place, the Oilers' home rink opened in 1974 under the name Northlands Coliseum, providing the setting for several historic moments over the years.Here's a look at five memories that will stand the test of time.50 in 39For the better part of a decade, Wayne Gretzky regularly provided Oilers fans with plenty of reason to be legitimately awed.It was in 1981, however, when he achieved a level of greatness that will likely never be matched as long as the game is played.After scoring 45 goals through the first 38 games of the season, The Great One scored five in a single game against the Philadelphia Flyers to hit 50 in 39.1984 Cup winThe Oilers met the four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders in the 1984 final after having been swept by that same team the year before.This time around, however, Edmonton would not be denied, beating the Islanders in five games and hoisting the first Cup in franchise history on home ice.Gretzky scored a pair of goals in the series-deciding contest, while Mark Messier was named the Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP.As it turned out, this team was just getting started, with four additional Cup wins coming in the next six years.Gretzky breaks scoring recordPlaying as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky fittingly used Rexall Center ice to make NHL history once again on Oct. 15, 1989.No. 99 entered the game with 1,849 career points, one back of Gordie Howe for first on the all-time scoring list. Gretzky recorded an assist early in the game to tie the record, and went on to score a game-tying, third-period goal to set a new bar.After a lengthy celebration, in which the Oilers and their fans willingly participated, Gretzky capped the night with a game-winning, overtime goal.Busted WingsThe past decade of Rexall Center history has not provided much to write home about, but the 2006 Oilers thrilled Edmonton with an unexpected run to the final that was kick started by a massive opening-round upset.The Detroit Red Wings entered the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners (124 regular-season points), as well as the Western Conference regular season and Central Division champions. Edmonton came in as the eight seed and as apparent easy fodder.The Oilers managed to stun Detroit with a 4-2 series win, coming back from a 2-0 deficit on home ice in Game 6 to cap the improbable upset. Ales Hemsky broke a 3-3 tie in the late stages of the third period to play the role of hero.Sam Gagner's 8-point nightThis one came out of nowhere.With an eight-point outburst in a win over Chicago, then 22-year-old forward Sam Gagner tied a franchise record set by Gretzky and Paul Coffey.Gagner recorded four goals and four assists in 17:28 of ice time and on six shots.He became only the 13th player in league history to record eight points in a single game, and by factoring into each one of Edmonton's goals, Gagner matched a feat accomplished only once before by Mario Lemieux.The Oilers will begin playing in the brand new Rogers Place next season; you're up, Connor McDavid and Co.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Missing the playoffs two years in a row often leads to change.That's the situation in Colorado, where the Avalanche were officially eliminated from postseason contention courtesy of a loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.As a result, it's quite possible general manager Joe Sakic will look to shake up the roster during the offseason, and forward Matt Duchene is well aware his name could be at the top of the trade candidate list."I'm sure it will be thought about," he said of possibly being dealt, according to Terry Frei of the Denver Post. "Early in the year, there were lots of rumors, and it's part of the business. All I can do is be the best I can be and play as hard as I can for my teammates and do whatever I can do to help this team win."Back in November, it was reported the Avalanche were indeed calling around to gauge interest in the 25-year-old, and this past week, he was called out by head coach Patrick Roy for celebrating his 30th goal in a loss.Still, Duchene clearly seems to want to be part of the long-term plan in Colorado."Maybe there's a bigger plan at hand here," he said. "I think it's just going to make us better. We have to take the lessons from it and move forward and continue to improve in the offseason and really remember this taste of defeat ... We have a great group in here, we all love each other and we want to stick together as long as we can."Duchene has recorded 30 goals and 29 assists in 74 games for the Avalanche this season, and has three years remaining on his contract at a salary cap hit of $6 million.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette was tossed from Tuesday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks for hitting Artem Anisimov into the boards.Anisimov left the game and didn't return after being checked by Vermette midway through the second period. Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said Anisimov "should be OK" but is considered day to day with an upper-body injury.

The Calder Trophy race has been one of the most exciting storylines of the NHL season, but Artemi Panarin's recent play might take away any need for debate.After recording four points in each of his past two games entering Tuesday, the 24-year-old recorded three assists against the Arizona Coyotes to become the first rookie to record at least three points in three consecutive games since Teemu Selanne accomplished the feat in 1992-93.Panarin now has 75 points on the season, with his first assist making him the highest-scoring Blackhawks rookie since linemate and NHL scoring leader Patrick Kane scored 72 points in 2007-08. He now leads the rookie scoring race by 21 points.His scoring prowess could prove costly for the Blackhawks though, as the winger will command a $1.725-million bonus - if he finishes in the top ten league-wide in goals, assists, points or points-per-game - which would put them over the salary cap for the year.His eleven-point run has now brought him into a three-way tie for seventh in league scoring, and if he stays there, it would mean Chicago would have an estimated $2.64-million overage applied to their cap next season, per General Fanager.While Panarin's production has been incredible for the Blackhawks, it may just cost them their ability to re-sign key free agents in the offseason:

John Scott's storybook campaign has come to an emotional end.The Montreal Canadiens gave him the option to head home to Michigan and he won't play again this season, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu."It's fairly emotional. I don't know what's next. Yeah. It's, yeah, emotional," Scott said, holding back tears.The All-Star Game MVP took the ice in the starting lineup for Montreal's 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night after being recalled from the AHL's St. John's IceCaps.The 33-year-old didn't announce his retirement after the game, but he did take time to reflect on his career.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - James Reimer made 29 saves for his third shutout in eight games and the San Jose Sharks beat the playoff-bound Minnesota Wild 3-0 on Tuesday night.Minnesota lost its fourth straight game and second straight with a chance to clinch a playoff berth but backed into a postseason spot when Colorado lost to Nashville on Tuesday night.Patrick Marleau scored twice and Logan Couture added his fifth goal in the past four games for San Jose, which owns an NHL-high 28 road wins this season.Devan Dubnyk made 17 saves for the Wild.Reimer has become a stout complement to goaltender Martin Jones after coming to San Jose in a Feb. 27 trade from Toronto. In eight games with his new team, Reimer has allowed 13 goals. He did not record a single shutout in his final 97 games with the Maple Leafs.Reimer was making his first back-to-back starts with the Sharks after bearing Nashville on Saturday.Another lackluster performance from Minnesota allowed San Jose to take control early.Couture scored his 15th goal of the season less than 5 minutes into the game after grabbing a loose puck out of the air, dropping it to his stick right in front of the goal and knocking it past Dubnyk.Marleau scored on the power play in the second and added his 24th with just 1:45 remaining.San Jose has won seven of its past eight games on the road and is just 17-19-3 at home, where it will finish with games against Winnipeg and Arizona. San Jose owns the third playoff spot in the Pacific Division.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite being shut out 3-0 by the San Jose Sharks earlier in the night, the Minnesota Wild grabbed the final playoff spot in the Western Conference as the Colorado Avalanche were eliminated after a 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

The Florida Panthers clinched first place in the Atlantic Division with a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, coupled with the Tampa Bay Lightning's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.It's the first Atlantic Division title and second division banner for the Panthers, who finished first in the Southeast back in 2011-12.Florida's 46th victory of the season increased its franchise record, and the Panthers reached the 100-point mark for the first time.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs Tuesday night during their game against the New York Rangers.The Boston Bruins' shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes ensured the Lightning of a postseason spot for the ninth time in franchise history.Tampa Bay improved to 45-29-5, moving four points ahead of the idle Detroit Red Wings for second place in the Atlantic Division, and both teams have three games remaining.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders clinched a playoff berth Tuesday after finding themselves down 3-1 early in the third period, as Thomas Hickey completed the 4-3 comeback win with an overtime goal.

Turns out Erik Karlsson's season isn't a total loss.The Ottawa Senators defenseman reached a slew of milestones in a single play, firing a slap pass that deflected off Pittsburgh Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist's skate and into the net Tuesday night.Karlsson became the first blue-liner in club history to notch 80 points in a season, padding his career high.He also matched Nicklas Lidstrom's league record for points in a single campaign by a Swedish defenseman and became the second rearguard in franchise history to score 100 career goals.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Filip Forsberg continued his incredible second half of the season with a highlight-real goal Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche.The 21-year-old scored his 32nd goal of the season - bringing him one shy of the Nashville Predators' single-season record - by going between-the-legs and lifting the puck past Semyon Varlamov to give his team a 2-0 lead.The goal was his 18th since the All-Star break, bringing him even with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin - who also scored Tuesday - for the most in the NHL at the time. Ovechkin would retake the lead with another goal later in his game against the New York Islanders.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils are sending Tom Gulitti off in style.The Devils honored the longtime beat reporter at practice Tuesday before their game against the Buffalo Sabres, gathering and raising their sticks in his direction at the end of the morning skate.Head coach John Hynes and many of his players also wished Gulitti well with personal messages in the post-practice media session, and the team presented him with a jersey during his final game Tuesday night.

The injuries keep piling up for the Tampa Bay Lightning.Already without veterans Anton Stralman and Steven Stamkos, the Lightning have lost two more as defenseman Victor Hedman and forward Ryan Callahan are out for Tuesday's game against the New York Rangers due to injury. Both players are considered day to day.Hedman is out with an upper-body injury after taking a hit from defenseman Thomas Hickey during Monday's game against the New York Islanders, while Callahan is dealing with a lower-body injury.Defenseman Slater Koekkoek and forward Jonathan Marchessault will draw into the lineup in their place.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid is reportedly going to play competitive hockey in the spring, after all.The Edmonton Oilers forward plans to suit up for Canada in the World Championship next month, TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Tuesday's edition of "Insider Trading."McDavid will battle Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel and projected first overall pick Auston Matthews, who'll play for the United States, according to the report.Dreger said Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is expected to join McDavid on Team Canada.Carolina Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters will guide the Canadian squad at the tournament, which takes place May 6-22 in Russia.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have won the Alex Lyon sweepstakes, signing the Yale goaltender to an entry-level contract, general manager Ron Hextall announced Tuesday.At least five teams were rumored to be interested in the 23-year-old free agent including the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Carolina Hurricanes, and Chicago Blackhawks, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Lyon finished his junior season with the Bulldogs with a .936 save percentage, the second-best mark in the NCAA. In three college seasons, the Minnesota native compiled a 47-22-13 record.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, and will not dress for his team's final three regular-season games, the team announced Tuesday.The 26-year-old suffered an apparent right hand injury after blocking a shot during Monday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He did not return to the game.Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that McDonagh suffered a small break in his right hand, and may miss the "first few" games of the postseason.The Rangers captain has nine goals and 25 assists in 72 games this season. He also leads the team in ice time, averaging 22:21 per game.Earlier in the day, the team recalled fellow blue-liner Brady Skjei from the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be landing the model after all.Thought to be the favorites to land free-agent goaltender Mantas Armalis, the signing appears to be off the table, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his latest "30 Thoughts" piece.Friedman writes:

Embrace the pain, Toronto Maple Leafs fans. There's more on the way.That's according to general manager Lou Lamoriello, at least, writes The Canadian Press' Jonas Siegel. While Toronto's at the bottom of the NHL standings, the team has taken strides this season under head coach Mike Babcock, who's somehow formed a positive-possession team with a roster torn down throughout the season and featuring mostly American Hockey League players.But patience is key, according to Lamoriello."I don't want to get ahead of ourselves. We still have a ways to go," the 73-year-old said. "We can’t get excited about success we’ve had recently because all of these things have a way of changing when the pressure starts."By "success," Lamoriello means the impact of Babcock, as well as the play of William Nylander, who has five goals and five assists in his first 19 games of NHL action. There's also the Toronto Marlies, who are the AHL's best team and primed for a playoff run."Right now, we're still in that early stage. To use the expression that Mike did - 'there will be pain' - there will be more pain, but it is in the right direction."The Maple Leafs are tied for 30th in the NHL standings with the Edmonton Oilers, but can't catch them in regulation wins. If both teams lose out to close the season, Toronto will finish last and have the best odds at selecting first overall in the draft.While the standings are a disappointment, Toronto has been open about the fact it's rebuilding. Expectations have been low from day one, and the Maple Leafs have been impressed by the young players who have worn the blue and white this season - the Zach Hymans and Nikita Soshnikovs and Kasperi Kapanens."I think we've got a couple players, more than a couple, that can be outstanding players in the National Hockey League. But I say that with a little bit of tongue in cheek, because I've seen situations before (where it didn't work out)."Looking ahead, Lamoriello will be watching the coming World Championship with interest, especially with presumptive No. 1 pick Auston Matthews set to represent the United States in Russia.After the draft comes free agency, and Lamoriello said the Maple Leafs won't shy away from dipping into the market if they can get a player who will help them. Lamoriello also has to get Nazem Kadri and Morgan Rielly signed, with both players set for restricted free agency.There's no doubt Lamoriello views both as core players, especially Kadri, who's been praised by both the GM and Babcock in what has been a down season statistically.For once, the Maple Leafs have a plan. Supporters of the franchise will surely take some pain along with it.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Duchene gets it.After being called out by head coach Patrick Roy for celebrating the first 30-goal campaign of his career in a loss to St. Louis, the Colorado Avalanche forward says he was in the wrong and is ready to move forward."We talked, we had a good chat (Monday), everything's good," Duchene said, according to Terry Frei of the Denver Post. "I totally understand where (Roy's) coming from, what he's trying to do. I'm on board with it, I think we all are. It was one of those things where right away, I certainly knew it wasn't the right thing, the right reaction."I kind of buried my head after that, even going back to the bench. I understood it wasn't the right thing. We had a good talk and it's all good."Duchene's goal came with the Avalanche down 4-0, and Roy took exception with the celebration of a personal milestone with the team losing and out of the playoffs."If I could go back and change it, I would. I can't do that. I think everybody here knows that's not what I mean to do. It's all good," he reiterated.Still, Duchene was rumored to be available on the trade market earlier this season, and the Avs will most certainly miss the playoffs for the second year in a row, so one can't help but wonder if something will give in the offseason.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Minnesota Wild attempt to lock down a playoff spot with a win over San Jose on Tuesday, defenseman Matt Dumba will sit as a healthy scratch.His response?

One day after injured captain Willie Mitchell said the NHL is too lenient with respect to headshots, the Florida Panthers may have lost another defenseman to a head injury.Defenseman Erik Gudbranson has reportedly left the club to return to Florida to be re-evaluated for a concussion, according to the Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov.Gudbranson took a high hit from Toronto Maple Leafs forward Colin Greening on Monday. There was no penalty on the play, something the defender was furious about. Gudbranson missed time earlier this season due to a concussion, so the Panthers are exercising caution with the playoffs a week away.The Panthers are in Montreal on Tuesday and will be in Ottawa on Thursday. Their final game of the regular season is Saturday at home against Carolina.Gudbranson has two goals and seven assists in 64 games. Alex Petrovic will take his spot in the lineup Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Corey Crawford will be the man in net for the Chicago Blackhawks once the Stanley Cup playoffs begin.So says head coach Joel Quenneville, who gave an update on the injured goalie who hasn't played since March 14 with an upper-body issue.

On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, continues. We're talking Patrick Kane, unquestionably the league's best player - and perhaps the greatest to ever come out of the United States.Is No. 88 America's No. 1?Ian McLaren: With three games remaining for the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane is the runaway winner of the Art Ross Trophy and the only player to reach 100 points this season. His impressive performance has pushed him over the point per game mark for his career (657 points in 655 games), and raises the question as to whether he could end up as the best American-born player of all time.In terms of total points, he's not even halfway to Mike Modano's 1,374, but, at age 27, and health permitting, should have plenty of time to make up the difference. It's Pat LaFontaine who holds the points per game advantage, however, posting a remarkable 1,013 points over the course of an injury-plagued career that lasted only 865 games.Kane would have to continue to improve in order to push his points per game average from 1.003 to Lafontaine's 1.17, but if his career has the longevity of Modano (who averaged 0.92 points per game), he could set a new bar for total points.There's still a long way to go, but Kane is already a three-time Stanley Cup champion, further boosting his chances of going down in history as the best U.S.-born player the game has ever seen.Navin Vaswani: With all due respect to Mr. LaFontaine, in the end, it will be Kane.It's always tricky to compare players from different eras, but in this case, it isn't so difficult. LaFontaine played in an era in which goals were, well, scored. Kane doesn't have that luxury.LaFontaine became a point per game player in his fourth full season in the league, as a 21-year-old in 1987-88. He was a force through 1993, when injuries hit, but he had one more stellar season, in 1995-96, scoring 91 points in 76 games.The difference in eras for LaFontaine and Kane is striking.LaFontaine:Season Goals Per Game1986-873.6787-883.7188-893.7489-903.6890-913.4691-923.4892-933.6393-943.2494-952.9995-963.14Kane:Season Goals Per Game2007-082.7808-092.9109-102.8410-112.7911-122.7312-132.7213-142.7414-152.7315-162.71Everything about today's NHL is different - and arguably better. The players are bigger, stronger, and faster. The goalies have all but perfected their position.While LaFontaine was a smallish player - like Kane - and could very well have thrived - like Kane - the guy who's done it in an NHL that will probably never again average three goals a game has to get the nod.Wherever he ends up, when all is said and done, Kane will undoubtedly be in the greatest American NHLer conversation. And he's got half a career, if not more, to go.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Having already clinched the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, it should come as no surprise that the Washington Capitals are favored to win the Stanley Cup in June.Their odds of winning the East were boosted by a tumble down the board by the injury-riddled Tampa Bay Lightning, although the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins may have something to say about that.The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks lead the way out West, while the best value on the board comes from the team with the lowest odds in the conference, the Nashville Predators.Here's a look at the entire field:TeamOddsWashington Capitals17/4Los Angeles Kings7/1Chicago Blackhawks15/2Anaheim Ducks8/1Dallas Stars9/1Pittsburgh Penguins9/1St. Louis Blues9/1San Jose Sharks16/1New York Rangers18/1Florida Panthers20/1Tampa Bay Lightning20/1Detroit Red Wings28/1Minnesota Wild28/1Nashville Predators28/1New York Islanders28/1Philadelphia Flyers28/1Boston Bruins50/1(Courtesy: Bodog)Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As Joe Thornton approaches his 37th birthday, he is showing no signs of slowing down.Through 79 games this season, the San Jose Sharks center - whose birthday comes in the offseason - has recorded 18 goals and 60 assists, ranking second in the NHL in the latter category. His elite-level performance (and beard) in what should be the late stages of his career raises the question of whether he'll continue on into his 40s in the same vein as Jaromir Jagr."I love the game, I love the guys. The fellowship, competing. I love everything hockey has to offer, if my body and mind allows me to play until I’m 44? You can’t predict that," he told Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.In the present, he feels fresh and able to keep rolling, thanks in large part to a change in routine suggested by Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer."(DeBoer) convinced me to stay away, get rest. The light turned on … it’s okay not to skate, not to work out. I’m a creature of habit. So I changed my mindset, and it definitely helped. My energy level, I feel so alive, no fatigue."With 376 goals and 961 assists, Thornton's 1,364 career points are good for 30th on the NHL's all-time scoring list. The 1997 first overall pick and 2006 NHL MVP has won at every international level, but remains in search of a Stanley Cup win.The Sharks are surprisingly well positioned to challenge this year after missing the playoffs last season, but should it not work out in California, Thornton would no doubt have plenty of suitors as a free agent once his contract runs out in 2017.Six or seven additional seasons with the pick of the litter could allow him to end his career as a champion at the NHL level and become a surefire Hall of Fame entrant.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada's officially going with Bill Peters.Hockey Canada announced Tuesday that the Carolina Hurricanes' head coach will man the Canadian bench at the 2016 World Championship in Russia. He'll be joined by Dave Cameron, Mike Yeo, and Misha Donskov, who will serve as assistants.Peters is completing his second season as Hurricanes head coach, the team a positive-possession club with a young, rebuilding roster. Peters was an assistant for Canada at last year's tournament, which Canada won, and spent three seasons as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings before heading to Raleigh. Peters will also be an assistant coach at the World Cup of Hockey in the fall.Hockey Canada president and CEO Tom Renney had the following to say in a statement:

Patrik Elias is getting a chance to finish the season on the ice.Sidelined since Dec. 19 with a knee injury, the veteran New Jersey Devils forward will be back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against Buffalo.

The Tampa Bay Lightning believe. They have to.Dealt back-to-back massive injury blows to defenseman Anton Stralman and captain Steven Stamkos, the Stanley Cup finalists know they will be receiving no pity. In fact, they welcome the challenge before them."This is our group now," forward Alex Killorn said before Monday's loss 5-2 to the New York Islanders, writes NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "We have to win with this group. The belief is strong. It's always strong. Those guys are huge parts of our team, but we still believe in this group that we have right now."The Lightning no doubt miss Stamkos and his 36 goals and based on Monday's performance, they're going to have to shift their mindset to their own end, according to head coach Jon Cooper."We didn't think about our net," Cooper said, according to the Tampa Bay Times' Joe Smith. "That's it. This had nothing to do with Ben (Bishop). This had everything to do with the quality of chances we gave up. It's too bad."The Lightning were outshot 36-24 as the Islanders were playing with a lot more desperation, fighting for their postseason lives. Tampa Bay will look to rebound Tuesday in New York where a point against the Rangers will send the Lightning back to the playoffs for a third straight season.The Lightning played one of their best games of the season Saturday, according to Cooper, who wondered whether the Stamkos news - he had surgery for a blood clot in his arm - made his team more focused on the task at hand. On Monday, the news might have settled in."It's a lesson," Cooper said.It's been a season full of them in Tampa Bay."We just played the other night without (Stamkos and Stralman) and things were OK. It's tough to go on a four-game road trip and lose the first one, but there's always tomorrow."Until the playoffs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The spring was made for ice hockey. That's how Henrik Lundqvist feels, at least.The New York Rangers goaltender was feeling pretty good Monday night, after his team clinched its sixth straight playoff berth. It took 79 games, but that's life in the NHL."It's a great feeling, a proud feeling," a relieved Lundqvist said, according to Newsday's Steve Zipay. "We're in. It hasn't been pretty at times, at times it's been great, but playing in this league, it's a grind and it's about finding ways to win games that can go either way. We'll see who we're going to face. This is the time of year when you really want to play hockey."Lundqvist has played a lot of playoff hockey over the last four seasons - 76 games, almost a full season's worth. But he's a man of his word.Postseason GP SV% Shutouts2011-1220.93132012-1312.93422013-1425.92712014-1519.9280While the numbers are certainly impressive, Lundqvist would be the first to say the only one that matters isn't in the above table: 16 wins. He hasn't been able to get there yet, but he did come close, winning a career-high 13 in 2013-14 when the Rangers lost in the Stanley Cup Final.Monday's achievement was tempered with uncertainty after N.Y. captain Ryan McDonagh was hurt in his team's win, leaving the game with an apparent right hand injury after blocking a shot. He'll be re-evaluated Tuesday."... There is a good chance we might call somebody up," head coach Alain Vigneault said.McDonagh plays 22:21 a night on the blue line, and his loss would be a significant one for Lundqvist and the Rangers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While Ottawa's Erik Karlsson and Los Angeles' Drew Doughty are the main subjects of this year's Norris Trophy debate, San Jose Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer believes Brent Burns belongs in any and every discussion regarding to the NHL's top defenseman."I can't understand why he's not in those conversations more for (the Norris Trophy)," DeBoer told Curtis Pashelka of the Mercury News. "He's a version of (Nashville's Shea) Weber and Doughty."He plays well in both ends for us, plays against other team's best lines. They're big guys a lot of nights, and he brings a physical element too, which some of those guys don't. For me, he should be in that conversation all day long, and I don't understand why I don't hear his name more."It's a sentiment shared by goalie James Reimer, who's been able to get a firsthand look at Burns' body of work since moving to California from Toronto."He's an animal," Reimer said after a recent win over Nashville. "He's arguably one of the best defensemen in the league right now and probably not getting the recognition he deserves."The numbers certainly back that up, with his ranking among defensemen in brackets.Goals Assists Points Shots TOI/GP Corsi (5v5)27 (1)47 (3)74 (2)344 (1)25:57 (7)53.2It should also be noted that Burns' 344 shots put him 104 clear of second-place Karlsson.Over the past three seasons, the award has been given to offensive-minded players like Karlsson and Montreal's P.K. Subban. Burns is only five points behind Karlsson and certainly has the trust of his coach in his own zone. His all-around game is likely to earn him at least a top-three finish in Norris voting this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here's what postseason matchups look like after play on Monday, April 4:Eastern ConferenceTeamTeamSeason SeriesA1 PanthersW1 Islanders1-1-1A2 LightningA3 Red Wings2-2M1 CapitalsW2 Flyers2-0-2 CapitalsM2 PenguinsM3 Rangers3-1 Penguins

Amazingly, the Los Angeles Kings had two Stanley Cups more than they had 30-goal scorers over their last six largely successful seasons - until now.Tyler Toffoli became the first Kings skater since Anze Kopitar in 2009-10 to crash through the 30-goal threshold, jumping on and burying a loose puck skipping through the Vancouver Canucks' crease early in the first period Monday night.Toffoli continues to build on his career-best totals, upping his overall production to 56 points.He'll need another four over the final three-plus games to match Kopitar's 34 six years back.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK - John Tavares got his 30th goal and two assists, and the New York Islanders scored three times in a 5:15 span to get a crucial 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.Ryan Pulock, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson and Johnny Boychuk also scored for the Islanders, and Thomas Greiss had 32 saves. New York holds the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot and won for the third time in four games to reduce its magic number to two over Boston to secure a third straight postseason berth.Alex Killorn and Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning, and Ben Bishop gave up five goals on 23 shots before he was replaced by Andrei Vasilevskiy, who stopped 13 shots. Tampa Bay remained two points behind first-place Florida in the Atlantic Division, and the Lightning's magic number for their third consecutive playoff berth remained at one.The Lightning were without star Steven Stamkos, who had surgery to remove a blood clot from near his right collarbone Monday and is expected to miss 1 to 3 months.The Islanders remained two points behind the crosstown-rival Rangers for third place in the Metropolitan Division, and the teams meet at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. The Islanders improved to 10-2-1 at home since the All-Star break and play two of their last four at Barclays Center.Martin put the Islanders ahead 2-1 with 9 minutes remaining in the second when he took a pass from Cal Clutterbuck, cut toward the net and lifted the puck in off Bishop for his ninth of the season.Nelson made it a two-goal game about 4 1/2 minutes later when he got ahead of Lightning defenders, took a perfect pass from Nikolay Kulemin and lifted a backhand into the top right corner.With the Lightning's J.T. Brown off for a high-stick to Clutterbuck's face, Tavares made it 4-1 with a slap shot from the top of the left circle with 3:45 left in the second. Kyle Okposo had his team-high 39th assist on the play.Hedman pulled the Lightning back within two with his 10th of the season with 7 seconds left in the middle period.Bishop stopped two shots by Anders Lee on a breakaway, but Boychuk wristed it in at 4:28 of the third. Tavares had his second assist of the game and team-high 64th point on the score.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There will be playoff hockey in Manhattan for a sixth consecutive spring.The New York Rangers officially clinched a berth in the NHL's postseason tournament with a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night.

Simon Despres is getting healthy at the right time for the Anaheim Ducks.Despres has healed from his latest injury, and has received clearance to return to the lineup after missing six games with an upper-body injury, he's revealed via Curtis Zupke of the Los Angeles Times.It's been a trying season for the 24-year-old defenseman, who missed 42 games earlier this season with a concussion.Despres' availability puts coach Bruce Boudreau's entire defensive rotation in play, with four games left on the schedule and the Pacific Division up for grabs.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaromir Jagr's been working on his Blue Steel.The ageless Florida Panthers forward gave one of his many fans a treat Monday night, joining him for a selfie during the pregame warmup prior to the Panthers' game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed center Mitchell Stephens - their 33rd overall draft selection last summer - to a three-year, entry-level contract.Stephens was limited to just 39 games in his injury-shortened third season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit. He contributed 38 points, by far his highest rate in Major Junior, and also represented Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship.Tampa Bay did not select in the first round last summer, spending its first draft pick on Stephens.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.