Ten seconds after establishing a new career high in goals, Johnny Gaudreau went ahead and did the same with points.With his 25th and 26th goals - scored four seconds off Lanny McDonald's franchise record for the fastest two goals by one player - the Calgary Flames star improved on his 24-goal rookie total, and then his 64-point rookie total, in a flash Wednesday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs pumped the brakes on a six-game losing streak thanks to the soft hands of rookie Nikita Soshnikov.The 22-year-old beat New York Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss with a deceptive backhand in the skills competition Wednesday to give the Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory.The win snapped the Maple Leafs' six-game skid, which had seen their past five losses come in the form of one-goal defeats.The goal proved to be only Soshnikov's latest achievement to catch the eye of head coach Mike Babcock, who made it clear that the Russian and fellow rookie Zach Hyman - who scored his second goal of the season Wednesday - have futures with the big club.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews exited briefly, but was able to return to normal deployment Wednesday night after being ridden into an opened door at the St. Louis Blues' bench.Toews headed down the tunnel after a short shift, but returned just moments later.The durable top center has 24 goals and 47 points in 66 starts.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If Morgan Rielly wanted a goal for his birthday, he got one.The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman celebrated his 22nd birthday Wednesday in offensive fashion by punching in his seventh goal of the season, beating New York Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss blocker side with a rising wrist shot.Now blow out the candles, Morgan.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will face their Pennsylvanian rivals the Philadelphia Flyers for an outdoor game on Feb. 18, 2017 at Heinz Field as part of the Stadium Series, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Wednesday.The 2017 season will mark the 50th anniversary of both franchises. For the Penguins, the matchup represents the team's fourth time participating in an outdoor game, while the Flyers will do so for the third time."I think it'd be a really neat experience," said Flyers goaltender Steve Mason. "It's something I've never been a part of. Growing up in Canada you play on the outdoor ponds and that's always fun. To potentially have a chance to do that in the NHL would be pretty cool."Since the clubs entered the league, they've met 274 times. The Flyers hold the series edge with a 150-86-38 record against the Penguins.The outdoor game will also mark the first time the two teams have played each other on an outdoor rink.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will finally play outdoors.To celebrate its 50th anniversary, St Louis will host the Chicago Blackhawks at Busch Stadium at the Winter Classic on Jan. 2, 2017, the league confirmed Wednesday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will indeed celebrate their centennial season with an outdoor game.In a rematch of the 2014 Winter Classic, and as part of its season-long centennial celebration, Toronto will host the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field on Jan. 1 in the first-ever NHL Centennial Classic, the league confirmed Wednesday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled defenseman T.J. Brennan from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis.Brennan is expected to fill in for the injured Viktor Loov when the Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders on Wednesday, according to Leafs TV's Paul Hendrick.Brennan is once again leading the AHL in scoring by defensemen with 22 goals and 55 points, and ranks third overall.The 26-year-old dressed in six games with the Maple Leafs last season, managing just one assist.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Barry Trotz stays up late.The Washington Capitals coach - who's perhaps had an observant eye on the Western Conference heavyweight Los Angeles Kings all season long - was the latest hockey mind to weigh in on the enduring Drew Doughty-Norris Trophy debate ahead of their marquee clash Wednesday night.And he heaped strong praise onto the Kings' workhorse."He's probably been the best defenseman this year in my opinion," Trotz said, according to Yahoo's Josh Cooper.The debate, and this line of thinking, is nothing new, of course. Doughty is objectively great and universally extolled, especially by those inside the sport.But with volume-scoring Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson having a career season offensively, it appears likely that Doughty will once again finish in the bridesmaid position.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders netminder Jaroslav Halak will miss a minimum of six weeks after suffering an injury in Tuesday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team announced.Backup Thomas Greiss will start Wednesday night versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, and shoulder the bulk of the duties down the stretch with Halak out for at least the rest of the regular season.Greiss has been quite useful for the Islanders in what's been the busiest campaign of his seven-year career. He owns a league-best .930 save percentage in 29 total appearances, with 18 wins to his credit.Halak suffered the apparent lower-body injury late in what proved to be his 200th NHL win when he made a push to get in position to defend a shot from Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley.New York has a five-point lead and two games in hand on the Penguins for the final guaranteed postseason spot in the Metropolitan Division.Jean-Francois Berube represents the Islanders' third option in goal.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL has closed its independent investigation in regards to sexual assault allegations made against Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane this past summer.The league released the following statement:

One Philadelphia Flyers fan has taken Shayne Gostisbehere's nickname to a whole new level.Instead of filling out the nameplate with, well, his name, this fan requested the ghost and bear emojis now commonly used to refer to the rookie defenseman.(Courtesy: r/flyers)Thumbs way up for this creation.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have signed winger Kevin Labanc to a standard, entry-level contract, general manager Doug Wilson announced Wednesday.Labanc, 20, leads the Ontario Hockey League with 119 points (38 goals, 81 assists) through 59 games with the Barrie Colts this season."Kevin has become one of the premier point producers in the OHL and has elevated his game to new heights this season," Wilson said. "His smart, crafty play with the puck has made him a dangerous offensive player, but with the help of Barrie's head coach Dale Hawerchuk, his game has improved physically and in the defensive end as well."We're excited to see his continued development with our organization."Labanc was selected in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Draft, 171st overall.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuomo Ruutu's wallet is a little lighter this morning.The New Jersey Devils forward has been fined $5,000 for slew-footing Pittsburgh's Matt Cullen, the NHL announced.The incident occurred on March 6, and Ruutu was assessed a minor penalty for tripping at the time.The $5,000 is the maximum allowed under the current collective bargaining agreement.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TORONTO - Like many people in life, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nikita Soshnikov was faced with a choice. Little did he know how significant one small, simple decision he'd make as a child would end up being."I was five or six years old. I was finishing kindergarten and my father asked me if I want to take part in sports," Soshnikov said, as translated by theScore. "My choice was either boxing or hockey."Boxing may seem like an odd alternative, but it's fairly common where Soshnikov grew up. Soshnikov's hometown, Nizhny Tagil, is one of Russia's industrial epicenters. Unfortunately, it's also known for high crime. Eight prisons surround the city.For many in Nizhny Tagil, boxing may have been the wiser choice, merely for its self-defense benefits. But Soshnikov wasn't interested."Right away I liked to play," Soshnikov said. "I never had a thought to stop playing hockey and it started to improve. At age 14, I went to Moscow to go play."Soshnikov played his junior hockey in Moscow before being drafted into the KHL by Atlant Moscow Oblast. He quickly impressed with his speed and his ability to get to the net.In 2014-15, it was becoming clear that Soshnikov's career was headed for new heights.Becoming a Maple LeafThe Maple Leafs were in the driver's seat to land Soshnikov thanks to the hiring of Evgeny Namestnikov as a Russian scout. Namestnikov, a former NHLer and father of current Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov, had hands-on experience with Soshnikov - he'd served as Atlant Moscow's assistant coach.Once Toronto's interest became apparent, Soshnikov saw more ice time."He told me people are watching me and they'd put me on the first line at the end of the season for 20 games," Soshnikov said. "(Namestnikov) said not to stop and continue playing and to gain momentum and then you'll go across the ocean to show yourself there."Soshnikov finished 2014-15 with 14 goals and 32 points in 57 games. Toronto was impressed with what it saw, signing Soshnikov less than a month after his season ended.Getting the callWith 21 games remaining on the Maple Leafs' schedule, Toronto called up Soshnikov from the AHL on Feb. 29, along with three other high-profile prospects, who represent the future for the rebuilding, last-place club. Although much of the hype has been focused on William Nylander and Kasperi Kapanen, it's been Soshnikov who has dazzled so far."He just looks like a hockey player to me," said Toronto head coach Mike Babcock. "He catches guys from behind, he forechecks, every team is mad at him every night, I like that a lot. I play him against the best players every night, that's pretty good for me."Soshnikov had 18 goals and 28 points in 50 games with the Toronto Marlies. Through five NHL games, Soshnikov's scored twice and added an assist. Both goals have been highlight-reel material. He is unapologetic for his celebrations, backing them up with his physical play.Love for the gameLiving in Nizhny Tagil, watching NHL games was a challenge for Soshnikov. But it was important for him to find out what was happening with his favorite players."When I was small, I was waking up at three in the morning to watch reports about (Alexei) Yashin and (Pavel) Datsyuk. I tried to follow up on every Russian who played in the NHL," he said. "Teemu Selanne I really liked, a lot. Datsyuk was my favorite player."Yashin and Selanne are long retired, but Soshnikov will likely fulfill a dream Sunday, when the Maple Leafs visit the Detroit Red Wings, and he takes the ice opposite his favorite player, the "Magic Man." It's the perfect setting, Joe Louis Arena, a building named after a former world heavyweight championship boxer.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

All's well that ends well.One-month-old Beatrice was rushed from Montreal Canadiens' open practice in February to the hospital by mom Valerie Meloche after a puck tossed by star defenseman P.K. Subban accidentally struck her in the head.The baby girl and her family got the chance to meet Subban on Tuesday night after the team's victory over the Dallas Stars:

Boston Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles will have a hearing Thursday for an illegal check to the head of Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov.Kucherov briefly left Tuesday's game in accordance with the NHL's concussion protocol, but was able to return.Liles was not penalized for the hit.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sergei Bobrovsky is back on the case following a 19-game absence.Out since Jan. 21 with a groin injury, the Columbus Blue Jackets goalie has been activated off injured reserve.In a concurrent move, Joonas Korpisalo has been reassigned to the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters.Bobrovsky, 27, has been limited to 27 appearances this season, and has posted a record of 11-13-1 with a .911 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety after an incident involving Roman Polak of the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.The hearing falls under Rule 46.2, which would judge Nurse to be the aggressor in a fight with Polak after the Shark had leveled a hit on Oilers forward Matt Hendricks a couple minutes earlier.Nurse was assessed a five-minute major for fighting and a roughing minor at the time of the incident.The hearing will take place Thursday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another night, another Kobe Bryant fan receiving signed shoes and a jersey on the Black Mamba's farewell tour.Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin didn't leave the Staples Center empty-handed Tuesday night after the Los Angeles Lakers' victory over the Orlando Magic. No, he left with Kobe's signature on a pair of shoes and a jersey:

With little over a month remaining in the regular season, the Washington Capitals are without question the team to beat, while the Toronto Maple Leafs seem well on their way to a last-place finish.Everything in between is anyone's guess.Here's a look at this week's power rankings.1. Washington Capitals â–²

The heads of all three branches of the Canadian Hockey League will meet Wednesday, with the role of fighting in junior hockey set to be on the agenda.CHL president Dave Branch - who also serves as commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League - added fighting to the agenda for a meeting with Western Hockey League commissioner Ron Robison and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League commissioner Gilles Courteau after a column by James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail made waves in hockey circles over the past few days."I want to hear what Ron and Gilles have to say," Branch told Bob McKenzie of TSN. "It's a good discussion to have, to see where we agree or disagree, what challenges are involved. It's always better if (the three leagues that comprise the CHL) have the same rules but it's not necessarily essential either. That's why I put it on the agenda."While fighting is down 16 percent in the OHL this season, and has decreased in each of the past six seasons, but the call to ban fighting altogether in junior hockey appears to be rising.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jarred Tinordi has been suspended 20 games, without pay, for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, the league has announced.The suspension carries a mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment, as per the collective bargaining agreement.

NEW YORK - Anders Lee scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, Jaroslav Halak stopped 31 shots before leaving late in the third period and got his 200th career victory and the surging New York Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 Tuesday night.Halak left the game with 4:22 left with a possible injury. Thomas Greiss replaced him and stopped all three shots he faced. Halak, in his second season with the Islanders, improved to 200-115-37 in his career.John Tavares scored in the first period for the Islanders, who improved to 11-2-1 in their last 14 games in their first time back at Barclays Center since Feb. 18. New York was coming off a 6-1-0 trip that ended with 6-4 win against the crosstown-rival Rangers on Sunday.Kris Letang had the Penguins' goal and Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 25 saves.The Penguins, holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, had won four of their last six but fell five points behind the Islanders for third place in the Metropolitan Division.Just 20 seconds after the Penguins' Matt Cullen was sent off for cross-checking, the Islanders got their second power-play goal of the game. Frans Nielsen sent the puck from behind the goal line to Nick Leddy, and the defenseman fired a shot through traffic that Lee tipped from in front for his 12th of the season at 8:55.The Islanders won their fourth straight overall, improved to 5-0-1 in their last six at home and remained three points behind the Rangers for second place in the Metropolitan.

James Reimer turned away all 31 Edmonton Oilers shots to pick up his first shutout as a member of the San Jose Sharks in a 3-0 win Tuesday.For the former Toronto Maple Leaf, the goose egg was his first shutout of the season and first since Oct. 29, 2013 - also against the Oilers.The 27-year-old rebounded from a mediocre first appearance with the Sharks that saw him allow three goals on 25 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.Forward Logan Couture led the way offensively for San Jose with two goals as the team moved within a win of the Los Angeles Kings for second in the Pacific Division.Related: VIDEO: Sharks' Couture nets easy tap-in on oblivious TalbotThe Sharks will be back in action Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, when they'll look to push their win streak to three games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday thanks to the inspiring play of Alex Galchenyuk.The 22-year-old scored twice, including the overtime winner. He also added an assist as the Canadiens got by the Dallas Stars 4-3.The game proved to be another showcase for one of the club's lone achievements this season. With his three-point effort Tuesday, Galchenyuk is now tied with captain Max Pacioretty for the team lead with 23 goals - a career high - and 44 points, just two shy of his career mark.Galchenyuk has been on an incendiary pace while his club continues to struggle without No. 1 goalie Carey Price. The team has dropped four of its last five games and sits seven points outside of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.However, Galchenyuk has not slowed down. With a pair of goals Tuesday, he now has four multi-goal games in his last seven contests. His offensive production has been key for the Canadiens as his nine goals make up 45 percent of the team's total output in the last seven games.Arguably the biggest catalyst for the growth in Galchenyuk's game appears to be the confidence head coach Michel Therrien has shown in the youngster.Galchenyuk entered the season finally getting a chance to play center, his native position, after being used largely as a winger early in his career. Things have since changed with him now occupying the team's top trio.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner spoiled the party for the Ottawa Senators when they were less than a second away from victory Tuesday.Skinner fired home his second goal of the game with just 0.3 seconds remaining on the clock to knot the game 3-3, setting the stage for defenseman Jaccob Slavin's shootout winner to complete the 4-3 comeback win.Skinner hit the 25-goal mark for the third time in his career with the two markers while moving the Hurricanes within four points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.Meanwhile, anyone expecting a Cinderella-type surge like the one the Senators achieved last season is quickly being let down. With Tuesday's loss, Ottawa's dropped four of its last five games and has fallen behind Carolina in the standings.The Senators will look to get back on track when they take on the Florida Panthers on Thursday, while the Hurricanes look to ride the momentum into Boston for their tilt against the Bruins.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins are tied for the Atlantic Division lead with the Tampa Bay Lightning after beating their rivals in overtime Tuesday, with Brad Marchand scoring the game-winner - and the game's only goal - just 10 seconds into the extra frame.The game-winner continues an incredible season for Marchand, whose 34th goal trails only Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Kane this season.The win also makes the race for the Atlantic Division title that much tighter, with the top three teams now all within a point.Atlantic Division standingsTeamGPWLOPtsTampa Bay673923583Boston683823783Florida663621981Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After a few days of speculation, the Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Nikita Tryamkin to an entry-level contract, the team confirmed.

Logan Couture caught Cam Talbot napping.The San Jose Sharks forward collected his ninth goal of the season poking in a loose puck that sat at Talbot's feet. The Edmonton Oilers netmidner appeared to lose sight of it after he made a shoulder save on Couture.The blunder comes after Talbot was named the NHL's first star last week. Couture snapped a seven-game goalless skid.It wasn't pretty, but he'll take it.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins defenseman John-Michael Liles somehow escaped a trip to the penalty box for a hit during Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it won't be a shock if he hears from the NHL's Department of Player Safety.During the first period, Liles delivered a dangerous forearm to the head of Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, who struggled to get back to his feet.Kucherov, Tampa's leading scorer, went straight to the dressing room, but returned for the start of the second.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

During the first period of their Tuesday night meeting with the Dallas Stars, the Montreal Canadiens announced forward Brendan Gallagher will miss the next two-to-three weeks with a lower-body injury.The 23-year-old left the game after doing the splits and suffering an apparent groin injury, according to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette. He finished with just 4:52 of ice time.Gallagher has 18 goals and 17 assists in 49 games this season. He joins a crowded injury list for the Canadiens, who are already without a number of key players.

New York Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello took his sweet time circling in the neutral zone during a first-period power play in Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, and his patience paid off.The Norwegian winger found a teammate sneaking behind both Sabre defensemen and fed Derick Brassard a perfect pass, springing him on a breakaway where he buried his team-leading 24th goal of the season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings and forward Milan Lucic have apparently taken the first steps toward a contract extension.Both sides have exchanged contract proposals, ESPN's Pierre LeBrun said during Tuesday's TSN "Insider Trading" segment.Related: Lucic: 'I would love nothing more than to remain a King'According to LeBrun, it's very early in the process, and he expects talks could take a while, noting the length of Anze Kopitar's negotiations with the club. However, there's reportedly mutual interest in keeping Lucic in L.A.Lucic is enjoying his first season with the Kings since being dealt by the Boston Bruins. He has 15 goals and 40 points in 64 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Though the NHL was quick to shut down reports the league had made a decision on expansion Monday, the general managers are expected to discuss an important part of that process at meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., beginning March 14."They're going to talk about the expansion draft rules," Pierre LeBrun reported during TSN's "Insider Trading" segment on Tuesday."I'm not sure that this is an issue that's making GMs lose sleep at night. More than that, they want to get an idea of how this might work. If the NHL expands, the league is expected to give them a general parameter of how an expansion draft might look, even though that's not finalized yet."The league has not held an expansion draft since 2000, when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild joined the league. At that time, teams were allowed to protect either one goalie, five defensemen, and nine forwards, or two goalies, three defensemen, and seven forwards.Then-recent league additions the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers were given full protection for their rosters during that draft.Las Vegas and Quebec City are the two candidates currently going through the NHL's formal expansion process.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath will miss "a couple weeks" of action with a knee injury, head coach Alain Vigneault announced Tuesday.The 23-year-old was re-evaluated after originally being listed as day-to-day. He was injured as the result of a hit by forward Cal Clutterbuck during Sunday's loss to the New York Islanders.The Rangers recalled defenseman Brady Skjei from their AHL affiliate in Hartford with both McIlrath and Marc Staal (back spasms) out with injuries.McIlrath has three points and 60 penalty minutes in 31 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed forward Marcus Kruger to a three-year contract extension, the team announced Tuesday.The 25-year-old was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The deal will pay Kruger $9.25 million, an average of just over $3 million per season, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Kruger is having a forgettable season as he has battled injuries, limiting him to just 33 games and just one assist. He was placed on injured reserve Dec. 28 and has not suited up in a game since Dec. 17.The Swedish Olympian amassed 28 goals and 85 assists in 320 career games, all with the Blackhawks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes continue to galvanize their prospect pool.The club agreed to a two-year entry-level contract with forward Andrew Poturalski, the team announced Tuesday.Poturalski is enjoying an excellent sophomore season at the University of New Hampshire, where he ranks second in NCAA scoring with 22 goals and 52 points in 37 games."Andrew had an outstanding season with New Hampshire and attracted interest from numerous NHL teams, so we are thrilled that he chose Carolina to start his professional career," general manager Ron Francis said in a release. "He’s a smart hockey player with really good speed and skill."The deal will pay the 22-year-old $700,000 at the NHL level or $70,000 in the American Hockey League next season and $832,500 in the NHL or $70,000 in the minors during the 2017-18 season, along with a $185,000 signing bonus.Poturalski will report to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, where he'll finish the season on an amateur tryout.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There's simply too much at stake in the Stanley Cup playoffs.The NHL is reportedly planning to install cameras "inside the crossbar, looking down" and "along the blue line" in time for the postseason, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman's latest "30 Thoughts" column."The plan is to install (blue-line cameras) in the 16 arenas that will host postseason games," Friedman writes. "On the penalty box side, they will be set along the surface. The players' bench is trickier, so the mount will be above the ice."Offside reviews have been a point of contention this year, as the NHL works out the kinks of its first year with video replay.As for cameras inside goalposts, Friedman adds that the NHL "is not as bullish as it once was" about the idea. "Too much is obstructed."The playoffs are scheduled to begin Wednesday, April 13.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jared Cowen is looking ahead, not back.Physically able to play but effectively shut down by the Toronto Maple Leafs after being acquired as part of the Dion Phaneuf trade, the defenseman will not file a grievance against the club, choosing rather to take steps towards rehabilitating both his ailing hip and his professional hockey career."We’re going to take the time to get Jared right," Cowen's agent, Rick Valette, told Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. "He’s not injured, but he’s not right. Any doctor would clear him to play. But there are compensation issues when your hip isn’t 100 percent, other parts of your body are affected."Rather than having him sit as a healthy scratch with the Leafs or the Marlies, we’re going to have him go see some people and get healthy."The Maple Leafs plan to buy out the remaining year of a contract that carries a $2.15-million cap hit, and have allowed him to speak to other teams about his next contract, but Cowen's taking a step back, with a view to taking several steps forward."He’s 25 years old," Vallette said. "We’ve got six months to get him back to being a good player. That’s our game plan for now."Cowen, drafted ninth overall by Ottawa in 2009, appeared in only 37 games for the Senators this season prior to the trade, recording four assists in almost 17 minutes of ice time a night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

More than 25 years ago, before shattering any scoring records or winning any Stanley Cups, Wayne Gretzky was a bit self-conscious about his image.After a set of hockey cards were shown to Edmonton Oilers players prior to the 1981-82 season, Gretzky requested that his photo - featuring the legend with a messy mullet and an awkward smile - be retaken.

The NHL announced Monday that it's still mulling over expansion bids from Las Vegas and Quebec City, adding that no decisions or recommendations have been made. And according to Brian Mulroney - chairman of Quebecor, which is behind Quebec City's bid - a decision isn't coming any time soon.There's been a chain reaction of talk regarding expansion, after former NHLer Georges Laraque went on the radio Monday and said Quebec City's application had been denied. The NHL then put out its statement, and Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, went on the radio Monday, as well, and said the low Canadian dollar is playing a factor in the league's prolonged decision. He added that expansion to Quebec City will not happen "tomorrow morning," according to the National Post's Mike Zeisberger."Obviously, you know that with the Canadian dollar where it is, it is an extraordinary challenge not only for Quebec, but for all of Canada vis-a-vis the United States. So we must deal with this reality."We work well with the NHL and the case, quietly, (might) not advance quickly, but (will) advance as it should. Will it be tomorrow morning? No, I think not. But I think we are high up on the list of important applications to remember in the future."The Canadian dollar is valued at $0.74 to the American dollar Tuesday afternoon, rebounding from a yearly low of $0.68 in January, according to XE Currency Charts. The dollar has gone up as oil has rebounded from its low of $27.10 per barrel in January.Either way, the NHL appears to be in a holding pattern on expansion, and both Las Vegas and Quebec City remain in limbo.- With h/t to Pro Hockey TalkCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When you spend an entire hockey season sitting beside the same player in the dressing room, you can learn a lot about their habits - and their weaknesses.St. Louis Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, a seven-year NHL veteran, quickly figured out how to get the best out of his seating arrangement beside 22-year-old Joel Edmundson, paying the fellow blue-liner to take his skates off after practice.

Not even an established NHL star can pass up a piece of hockey lore.Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene appears to have secured signed sticks from Jaromir Jagr and Pavel Datsyuk after recent games against the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.

Jonathan Drouin is being welcomed back to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, and will have to work hard to repair damage done upon walking away from the team back in January, both on and off the ice.So says Crunch captain Mike Angelidis, who's appeared in only 14 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning while largely plying his trade in the minors for the past decade."I think he's going to have to earn his respect from guys as well," Angelidis said Tuesday after practice, according to Lindsay Kramer of Syracuse.com. "It's not something (where) you just come back in. I think he's going to come in and work hard and that's how everything's going to be fine. He's going to have to come in and play, and he's going to play hard. He can't just come through and go through the motions."For the time being, and despite recent circumstances, Angelidis is willing to give the 20-year-old the benefit of the doubt."I don't think he's got that kind of character. I think he's got a good head on his shoulders where he'll come in and work hard. If he comes in and doesn't work hard, then, obviously, there's entitlement there. But I don't think it's going to go that way. I think he realized the guys in the dressing room won't allow that to happen."Drouin was last off the ice at Crunch practice and picked up some pucks on his way to the locker room, which, in the captain's eyes, was a good start on the road back to the NHL.If anyone knows it doesn't come easy, it's Angelidis.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Matt Hunwick's season is over.The Toronto Maple Leafs are shutting down the defenseman, and he'll undergo surgery for a recurring sports hernia injury, head coach Mike Babcock announced.

John Klingberg will be back in the lineup when he's back in the lineup.The Dallas Stars defenseman won't play Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. He was hurt last Friday, with the team saying it's a lower-body ailment and calling him day to day."He's doing OK, but he is not ready to skate yet," head coach Lindy Ruff said Tuesday, according to the Stars' Mark Stepneski.Klingberg wasn't expected to travel to Montreal, so his being out isn't a surprise, but his absence, originally deemed short term by Ruff, appears like it will be longer than Dallas hoped.Dallas has a tough back-to-back coming up on the weekend, with home games against the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues. It doesn't get any easier after that, as they'll play home games against the Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Islanders before a visit to Chicago for another round with the Blackhawks.Playing in the Western Conference must be exhausting.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.