While rumblings out of Montreal seem to have pitted head coach Michel Therrien and defenseman P.K. Subban against one another, the Canadiens faithful have made it clear where their allegiances lie.Related: Subban-Therrien incident remains the talk of the town in MontrealThe Canadiens were in action Friday for the first time since Therrien called out his star defenseman for a miscue in Wednesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche that led to the game-winning goal. Fans appeared to take Subban's side, serenading the 26-year-old with cheers early in the first period.Subban would pick up a pair of assists on goals by Dale Weise and Max Pacioretty to surpass the 40-assist mark, joining Ottawa Senators blue-liner Erik Karlsson as the only defensemen in the league to reach that territory (Karlsson has 54 helpers).Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Jordin Tootoo was ejected from Friday's game against the New York Islanders for a dangerous hit from behind.Tootoo received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for sending defenseman Johnny Boychuk head first into the boards with a cross-check during the second period.

Starting his 11th consecutive game Friday, Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo will have a tough time blaming this goal on fatigue.With the Blue Jackets on a power play, Buffalo Sabres forward David Legwand cleared the puck from his own end and watched as it bounced down the ice, and over the glove of Korpisalo from 150 feet away. The gaffe increased the Sabres' first-period lead to 2-0.

Teemu Selanne continues to do retirement right.The former Anaheim Ducks star showed off his latest post-hockey shenanigans Thursday when he pulled off a ridiculous golf trick shot while fooling around at the driving range.

After Tommy Wingels left Thursday's game against the Florida Panthers with an upper-body injury after crashing into the boards, San Jose Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer gave an update on the forward's condition Friday."He's been seen by everybody here," DeBoer said of Wingels, per Curtis Pashelka of the San Jose Mercury News. "We don't think it's long term, but he's definitely out for the near future."DeBoer added that the 27-year-old would remain with the team for the remaining three games of its five-game road trip which concludes Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche.Wingels has six goals and nine assists in 56 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While forward Ryan Johansen has certainly lived up to expectations since being traded to the Nashville Predators, the team hasn't exactly set the league on fire since acquiring its new No. 1 center.But with the team now hanging on to a wild-card position in the Western Conference, general manager David Poile isn't feeling any extra pressure to add more pieces ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline."If we don't make any trades this year, I'm comfortable," Poile said, per The Tennessean. "We've made a big trade. We've made a big trade that should have made our team better. And to this point, it hasn't, but I believe all the ingredients are there within our team to carry us into the playoffs and have success in the playoffs."Since the Jan. 6 swap that sent defenseman Seth Jones to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Johansen has produced at near a point-per-game pace with four goals and 12 assists in 18 games.While fellow forwards Filip Forsberg and James Neal have remained consistently productive, some secondary scoring would certainly help the team's playoff hopes as a number of Predators forwards are well below their scoring pace from a year ago.Points per gameName 2014-15 2015-16Craig Smith.54.36Colin Wilson.55.39Mike Fisher.66.28Poile admitted he is frustrated some players aren't playing at the level they are expected to, but is ultimately content with his team as it hopes to clinch a playoff berth for the second straight season."I am doing my job in terms of making calls, and if something is there that can improve our team, I will do that," he said. "But I'm comfortable with the makeup of our team. I'm just not totally happy with the production that we're getting on an individual basis and we just need to play a little bit better."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We've released initial 16-man rosters for Team Canada, Team USA, and the Team North America outfit that will fuse the best 23-and-under prospects from both countries. Now it's time to name the other 80 players who will be named to the tournament on March 2, when the rosters are due for submission.Remember, this is the NHL's baby, and it likely wants as many players under the league's banner as it can get involved. That's not to say there won't be representation from the KHL, and other top flights, when rosters are cemented, but for now, expect partiality to those plying their trade on this side of the pond.With perhaps one exception for Russia.Team EuropeMikkel Boedker, Arizona Coyotes (Denmark)

Blake Wheeler's fists will be the only form of retribution aimed at Anton Stralman.The Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman will not face sanctioning from the NHL for the dangerous hit he laid on Winnipeg Jets forward Bryan Little on Thursday, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reports.Here's a look at the hit, which came just moments after Stralman chopped Nikolaj Ehlers down in open ice.The principal point of contact is certainly Little's head, but the Jets center put himself in a vulnerable position when he lost his balance and staggered toward the line with his head down.Little required X-rays on his neck after the game, but was able to travel.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.A. Parenteau is having the time of his life.Okay, that's a stretch, but he's rejuvenated his career with the last-place Toronto Maple Leafs, and he's happy about his play, writes Sportsnet's Chris Johnston."It's the best I've felt in the last three years," Parenteau said, a day after scoring his 15th goal of the season. He's healthy, and he's got head coach Mike Babcock in his corner, something he cites as making a "huge difference."Signed to a one-year, $1.5-million contract, Parenteau's exceeded expectations with respect to production, and should be on the move to a contender come the Feb. 29 trade deadline. But that doesn't mean his career as a Maple Leaf is over."Absolutely," Parenteau said after he was asked if he'd consider coming back to the club in the summer as a free agent. "That's something I would definitely consider with the way they've treated me here and the way things went."The Maple Leafs traded forward Daniel Winnik at last year's trade deadline to the Pittsburgh Penguins, only to sign him in free agency, so this is a road Toronto's been down before. And it's no secret the club is looking to deal its expiring contracts, of which Parenteau's is probably the most sought after.With 30 points and power-play experience, Parenteau should be able to net Toronto a second-round draft pick."I know (being traded) is a possibility; I'm well aware of that and so is my family. I've said it - I love it (in Toronto), I'd love to stay, but I know how it works."After not getting along with head coach Michel Therrien in Montreal, Parenteau's had the opposite experience in Toronto."It's a little bit of everything," he said when talking about his bounce-back season. "You know when your coach wants you out there as a player, and that's the way I'm feeling this year. Even before we had all of those injuries, I felt like I was a big part of the team. It's fun, it's fun that way."You see, Toronto? Rebuilds aren't all bad.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov has been suspended three games for elbowing New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced Friday.Komarov elbowed McDonagh in the head Thursday night in the first period, sending the Rangers' captain to the ice. The league cited Komarov's deliberate extension of his elbow toward McDonagh's head as the reason for the suspension.

Max Pacioretty hates losing. Problem is, the Montreal Canadiens are becoming experts in the art.The captain of the floundering squad talked about how he's dealing with what has become a very trying season, especially as rumors of a rift between P.K. Subban and head coach Michel Therrien intensify."It's definitely my biggest test, not as a captain, but as a player, as a person, to dig out of this. We know what's going on," Pacioretty said, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu. "It's definitely added pressure, it's added stress, but if you can see the light at the end of the tunnel and know and genuinely believe that you'll be better from this, then that's the only way to handle it. It's definitely easy to lose sight of that because things have been going so poorly. I take most of that responsibility wearing the 'C.'"But I think for me it's going to be a great learning experience because the best way I can help the team is just by focusing on my game, and I've let it affect my game. I've tried to take too much on my shoulders and I think the message to me from everyone who has very good opinions, who have been in situations like this before, is to worry about your game first. That's the best way you can help your team. I think that message really got received after that Arizona game and that tough practice in Colorado."Pacioretty has 20 goals and 20 assists on the season, but his production has dipped, much like the team's, after an incredible start. He had 24 points in his first 25 games, as the Canadiens vaulted to the top of the Eastern Conference. He has 16 points in 33 games since.He spoke on, clearly a lot on his mind."We're in the position we're in, we know it, and we can only focus on the future. I think moving forward I just have to worry about playing the best I can. At the end of the day we're all only human. I can't change the past, I can't change the way I've handled things. But every time I've learned a life lesson or have gotten better it's through learning through experience. It's definitely been a tough experience, but I have to get better from this and I have to learn what it takes to be a great captain."It's obviously not the way I mapped out the season. Right from the summer, getting injured, no camp, no summer training. It's a great start to the last couple of months that we've had. But I genuinely have to feel there's light at the end of the tunnel and that if we handle this the right way and we're professionals with the right attitude, we will be better from this. It's tough to keep the faith in that at times when there's all this stress and the noise ... and the pressure. But I think at the end of the day that's why we play this game and it's what makes us better."Pacioretty sounds like he's accepted the Canadiens' fate this season. The club is going to need to play like it did in October and November in order to make the playoffs, and with Carey Price still out, that's about as unlikely as it gets.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban is apparently staying put.TSN's Darren Dreger poured cold water on an earlier report suggesting the Montreal Canadiens are gauging the market for the star defenseman.Related - Report: One team executive says Subban's 'name has come up' on trade market"P.K Subban isn't going anywhere," Dreger wrote Friday. "He's not being shopped and the Habs aren't calling around to see if there's a market for the $9-million star. And if calls are being received from rival (general managers) hoping to loot the train wreck that's the Canadiens' season, (GM) Marc Bergevin isn't listening."Subban was singled out by head coach Michel Therrien for a costly error Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, and the coach said Subban's "individual mistake cost us the game."The two were in the spotlight again Friday, and the blue-liner said he feels he's "part of the answer, not the problem."Related: Subban-Therrien incident remains the talk of the town in MontrealIt's been a nightmare season for the Canadiens, but dealing Subban is reportedly not a priority."Perhaps things change in the future - maybe as early as the summer if the Habs continue to slide - but the sense is there will be other changes considered (and likely made) before thinking of moving Subban out of Montreal," Dreger wrote.The Canadiens have been listening to offers on several other players, including Dale Weise, Tom Gilbert and Tomas Fleischmann, as The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garioch reported earlier this month.Dreger reported Thursday that Canadiens forward Lars Eller is available on the trade market.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In all likelihood, Andrew Ference has played his last NHL game.The Stanley Cup champion in his time with the Boston Bruins and former captain of the Edmonton Oilers told ESPN's Joe McDonald that he plans to walk away in the event Edmonton purchases him from his contract this summer."I think that's it for me," Ference said Friday. "More than likely (the Oilers) will probably buy me out this summer, and we'll probably part ways. That's it."He added: "I've been around long enough."Ference jumped at a chance to sign a multi-year deal with his hometown club in the summer of 2013. He served as captain for two seasons before his letter was taken away with the arrival of a new regime.In January, he was ruled out for the rest of the season to undergo hip surgery. He's yet to go under the knife.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Size and talent alone would have had Brent Burns on a pedestal back in his minor hockey days, but he was the coolest cat in the locker room for more reasons than one.In an entertaining Q-and-A with ESPN's Tal Pinchevsky - in which the two discuss Burns' snakes, beard, and love for the UFC - the heavily-inked San Jose Sharks defenseman said he got his first tattoo with his father when he was 11 years old."First one I got was a Canadian flag with a hockey stick," Burns said. "I was 11 years old, my parents took me. My dad was going to get one and asked me if I wanted to go get one. He said, 'As long as it's not a boneheaded idea, I'll let you do it.'"It was a pretty cool thing to get tattooed with your dad."No kidding, man.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Doug Armstrong, Marc Bergevin, Ken Holland, and Bob Murray have quite a lot on their plates.There are significant roster decisions to be made for now, and for the future of their respective NHL outfits with the trade deadline now rapidly approaching. But what's more is this little thing called the World Cup of Hockey, and those aforementioned executives have a rather significant roster submission due less than 48 hours after the market closes Feb. 29.So to lend them a hand, we'll tackle the leg-work. Here are the 16 players that should be named to Team Canada's 16-man initial World Cup roster, which is to be finalized March 2:ForwardsJamie Benn, Dallas Stars

Whatever ails the Montreal Canadiens, P.K. Subban believes he's part of the solution.Subban and his teammates met with the media Friday, ahead of Montreal's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, and after a contentious 48 hours in which the star defender was called out by head coach Michel Therrien, the incident continues to dominate headlines in Montreal."I think I'm part of the answer, not the problem," Subban said, according to NHL.com's Arpon Basu.Related - Report: One team executive says Subban's 'name has come up' on trade marketTherrien singled out Subban after Wednesday's late defeat to the Colorado Avalanche, saying "an individual mistake cost us the game." On Friday, he said he treated Subban no different than he would anyone else."I would've said that about any player making that play at that time of the game," the embattled head coach said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels.

If it's not conflict, it's not really communication in the eyes of John Tortorella.The brash, often bumptious Columbus Blue Jackets head coach, who has his bottom-feeding club playing its best hockey of the season right now, recently opened up about the type of verbal exchanges he prefers, in conversation with Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch.And to no one's surprise: the more color, the better."I even try to manipulate situations to try and cause an argument," Tortorella explained. "I want an argument. I want the conversation. If they're not going to come in and talk to me, I'm going to cause something so you have to talk to me."It may turn into conflict. But I think that's some of the most important stuff you can have with the player."When there's conflict, there's honesty."It sounds intense, and perhaps too extreme for, say, Ryan Johansen. But for the Blue Jackets, it's working."He has a reputation as a mean-ass coach, hard on superstars," winger Rene Bourque told Portzline. "That's been built up a lot over the years."Maybe he was like that before, but he's been really good with the guys in here. He wants the back-and-forth, he wants the interaction. He's a really good teacher."All that yelling, screaming, and berating, of course, is easier to tolerate when you're winning. Columbus has points in nine of its last 10 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline, we're taking a look at each division to assess who's buying, who's selling, and who's standing pat.The Central Division is by far the most competitive in the NHL this season. With the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars going head-to-head in the battle for top spot in the Western Conference - while three others within the group occupy playoff positions - the Central certainly screams buyer's market.However, the Winnipeg Jets are embracing the rebuild, with plans to be a part of the aforementioned conversation in the future. Adding to the intrigue, they possess a player that could be highly coveted by a pair of their division rivals.Here's a look at the potential trade deadline plan for each team in the tightest division in the league.BuyersDallas StarsThe Stars possess arguably the most potent offense in the NHL. Their 191 goals this season - tops in the league - make them a legitimate threat. However, in order to compete with the likes of the Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues in a seven-game series, shoring up their blue line must be a priority.Dallas is currently in the bottom half of the league in goals against. The future is bright, and the Stars can certainly remain patient in improving their mediocre goaltending tandem, but the team needs to bring in a top four defenseman immediately.Calgary Flames defenseman Kris Russell would be a perfect fit in Dallas. He's second in the league with 174 blocked shots, and averages 22:52 minutes of ice time per game. A solid puck-mover equipped with just a $2.6-million cap hit this season, the 28-year-old could be a perfect addition to the Stars' plans - both short and long term - moving forward.Chicago BlackhawksBuilt to succeed from the net out, it's no secret the Blackhawks remain a legitimate Stanley Cup threat once again. However, there is one glaring hole on their roster: A left-winger to slot in on the second line next to Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.Chicago could make life easy on itself by acquiring a cheap rental player such as Toronto Maple Leafs forward P.A. Parenteau, who is equipped with a $1.5-million cap hit this season. But general Manager Stan Bowman has shown he isn't afraid to think big and pull off unexpectedly bold moves.The Blackhawks will most certainly be a player in the Mikkel Boedker sweepstakes, and they might even have what it takes to pry Andrew Ladd from the Winnipeg Jets. One way or another, a difficult cap situation won't hinder Bowman from going over the top in an attempt at a fourth Stanley Cup in seven years.St. Louis BluesThe young core of Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz, and Robby Fabbri is illustrating that the future is now for the Blues. With a solid group of veteran producers surrounding the kids, St. Louis has a strong offensive core ready to win both now and down the road. However, they would be wise to look beyond this season when considering any trade deadline acquisitions.Someone will need to go if they want to keep Kevin Shattenkirk beyond next year. David Backes' contract expires at the end of the season, and parting ways with their soon to be 32-year-old captain makes sense. The Blues must make a move that adds to their young core moving forward, but doesn't hinder their ability to win now. Jonathan Drouin certainly fits the mold.Nashville PredatorsThe Predators are essentially the complete opposite of the Stars. When they traded from a position of strength to land Ryan Johansen, they made it perfectly clear that they're finally ready to take the next step. Although the 24-year-old has been a solid addition to the lineup, Nashville's top six quite simply fails to match up against that of their division rivals.If the Predators are serious about advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12, they must avoid wasting a solid defensive core in front of an ageing Pekka Rinne by continuing to add up front.Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd could be a perfect solution. A big body who has averaged 26 goals over a full 82-game schedule since 2010-11, he would certainly be a perfect veteran complement up front in Nashville.With the expectation that they will sign top college prospect Jimmy Vesey, and perhaps the addition of Kevin Fiala at some point this season, the Predators may suddenly find themselves with a very formidable mix of forwards playing in front of arguably the best defensive core in the league.SellersWinnipeg JetsIt's time for the Jets to move on from their captain, and add to the plethora of strong prospects in the system. Winnipeg must embrace the rebuild, let the kids play, and begin implementing one of the strongest prospect pools in the league for the rest of the campaign and into next season.The Jets were wise to lock up Dustin Byfuglien, and need to ensure they do the same with emerging stars Jacob Trouba and Mark Scheifele. Ladd is unfortunately the odd man out, and could fetch another pick and prospect to add to a promising future surrounding the likes of Nikolaj Ehlers, Joel Armia, Nic Petan, Kyle Connor, and Josh Morrissey.Standing PatColorado AvalancheThe Avalanche are equipped with a very solid young core - headlined by Nathan MacKinnon, Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, and Tyson Barrie - moving forward. Add in top prospect Mikko Rantanen, as well as Mikhail Grigorenko and Nikita Zadorov, and this is certainly a young team with a very bright future. There's no need to stray from the path for a brief stint in the playoffs this season.Colorado isn't quite ready to compete with the other teams in front of it yet, but this season is a very important stepping stone for what could be a very entertaining group moving forward. The Avalanche must stand pat, gain valuable experience from another playoff race, and aim to become buyers in a year or two.Minnesota WildThe Wild are in a strange position, as the majority of their core is locked up for quite some time. Defensively, they're pretty solid and don't tend to give up many goals in front of Devan Dubnyk. Despite decent play in their own end, though, there is no shortage of issues up front. The Wild just can't seem to score with regularity, which is something that might not change any time soon.Minnesota has roughly $7 million in cap space next season, which will go toward locking up Matt Dumba, Jason Zucker, and a backup goaltender. Unless the Wild can find a way to part with Mikko Koivu or Thomas Vanek, or somehow find a suitor for Jason Pominville's bad contract, they simply have no other choice but to stand pat and hope for the best with this group.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

U.S. President Barack Obama knows what's up.Obama welcomed the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to the White House on Wednesday, and, in a perfect world, he'd get a day with the "best trophy in sports." In fact, he knows exactly how he'd cap that day off."It's always fun to have the Stanley Cup here. By the way, we've got a state dinner with Canada coming up, so we might just leave it right in the middle of the room - to gloat a little bit," he said, according to Global News.Canada hasn't celebrated a Stanley Cup winner since 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens won their 24th championship.New Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, plans to bring some hardware of his own down to Washington.

Montreal Canadiens center David Desharnais will miss the next three weeks with a fractured left foot, the team announced Friday.Desharnais took a shot off the foot in Monday's loss to the Arizona Coyotes.The top-nine forward, whose deployment endures as a contentious talking point in Montreal, has nine goals and 26 points this season, but only nine since Carey Price's season-subverting injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Linesman Don Henderson is still dealing with concussion symptoms after being hit by Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman on Jan. 27, a source told the Calgary Sun's Eric Francis.Wideman was suspended 20 games by the NHL - a ban upheld by commissioner Gary Bettman earlier in the week. He'll appeal to a neutral arbitrator.According to Francis' report, Henderson may not return to work this season."(Henderson) still can't do anything because he hasn't gone two days symptom-free," Francis' source said. "I don't think he's coming back anytime soon, if at all."Henderson is 47 years old and a veteran of more than 1,200 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov will have a hearing Friday with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for his hit on New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Thursday night.Komarov was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct late in the first period for elbowing the Rangers captain in the jaw.Komarov's phone hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.McDonagh left the game and didn't return as a precaution. It was his second game back after missing four contests with a concussion sustained after being punched by Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's going from silly to sillier in Montreal.A night after TSN's Bob McKenzie reported that Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban and Michel Therrien aren't going anywhere, TVA's Louis Jean has chimed in.Jean cites a team executive who claims that Subban's "name has come up" on the trade market.

This season's rookie class is one of the best in recent years. Six players have more than 30 points - not including Connor McDavid, who will join the group in the coming days.But one stands head and shoulders above the rest: Chicago Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin. "The Bread Man" has opened up an 18-point lead in the freshman scoring race over Dylan Larkin, thanks to a five-point week and his first career hat trick.Chicago pumped 12 goals past Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers goalies in two games, and Panarin was in on five of them. The Blackhawks have points in six straight games with him in the lineup. He has five goals and six assists over that span.An honorable mention goes out to Patrick Kane, who had six points in three games over the past seven days, but Panarin gets the nod. He was doing the sniping.Stat LineArtemi PanarinGames Played3Goals4Assists1Shots on goal6Power-play goals3Game-winning goals1Notable NightFeb. 17 vs. Rangers: Panarin put on a show at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. He took three shots on goal, and scored on all of them, leading Chicago to a 5-3 win over New York. Panarin has fired the puck at Henrik Lundqvist five times in his life. The King's stopped him only once.Panarin's first career hat trick also made him the first rookie to score 20 goals this season.The Quote"He's been great for us," head coach Joel Quenneville said of Panarin. "The consistency, the contribution to that line, the power play, the puck possession game, the offense from Day 1. He's been fun to watch. He's enjoying himself here."The Tweet

The Washington Capitals have signed defenseman Taylor Chorney to a two-year, $1.6-million contract extension.Chorney will earn $775,000 next season, and $825,000 in 2017-18.He has five assists and an even-strength Corsi For percentage of 49.73 in 45 games.The 28-year-old was a second-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2005. He played for the Oilers, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins before signing with the Capitals last July.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks don't have a ton of salary cap flexibility, but that apparently doesn't preclude them from being buyers before the trade deadline."There's no question the Chicago Blackhawks are very aggressively trying to pursue a left winger to play on that top line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa," TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Thursday night's "Insider Trading."The Blackhawks are eyeing a rental player for financial reasons, according to McKenzie. Chicago has about $3 million in cap space and is projected to have about $3.8 million on deadline day, according to General Fanager.McKenzie suggests several players who haven't yet been made available, including Andrew Ladd of the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker, Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins, and "perhaps" Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal.Andrew Shaw has occupied the first-line left winger role for much of the season and he's been effective lately, notching two goals and four assists in his last four games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Max Domi scored for the first time since recording a hat trick on Jan. 12 to lead the Arizona Coyotes to an impressive 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.Domi scored two goals and added an assist, highlighted by a beautiful breakaway goal to snap the 14-game goalless drought.

It wasn't a move general manager Chuck Fletcher wanted to make, but it's paying dividends.The Minnesota Wild picked up their third straight win with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.The win is the club's third straight since firing Mike Yeo and promoting Iowa Wild head coach John Torchetti. It also marks the first time in franchise history the club scored five regulation goals in three straight games.

The Los Angeles Kings were dealt a huge blow Thursday against the St. Louis Blues as Anze Kopitar left the game late in the first period and did not return due to a lower-body injury.There was no update on Kopitar's status after the game.

Brian Elliott is showing no signs of fatigue despite making a career-high 16th consecutive start Thursday for the St. Louis Blues.Elliot absolutely robbed Los Angeles Kings forward Milan Lucic with a wicked glove save in overtime, setting the stage for Jaden Schwartz's game-winning goal moments later.

There's too much scoring in the NHL.The Tampa Bay Lightning and Winnipeg Jets needed five rounds of the shootout to decide their wild game Thursday.Related: VIDEO: Hedman waits, fools Pavelec with rising shotSteven Stamkos netted the shootout winner, lifting the Lightning to a 6-5 victory over the Jets. The contest saw 10 goals scored in regulation including six in the final period, four of which came from the Jets.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Winnipeg fell behind 4-1 early in the third period after a goal by Alex Killorn, but pulled itself out of the hole, scoring four straight before Nikita Kucherov netted the game-tying goal with just under five minutes remaining in regulation.

Jaromir Jagr is an ageless wonder.The Florida Panthers forward, who turned 44-years-old on Monday, beat San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones for his 18th goal of the season Thursday, making him just the fourth player in NHL history to score after turning 44.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Only Gordie Howe, Chris Chelios, and Doug Harvey have accomplished the impressive and unlikely feat. Jagr's marker also moved him just one goal shy of matching yet another impressive milestone.

This one is certainly going to sting for the Toronto Maple Leafs.Just 59 seconds after Colin Greening scored to tie the game Thursday, Morgan Rielly turned the puck over behind the net, and the New York Rangers made him pay by executing a tic-tac-toe to perfection.J.T. Miller found Mats Zuccarello in the slot, who then set up Derek Stepan for the go-ahead marker with just over one minute remaining to lead the Rangers to a 4-2 victory.Zuccarello recorded three points in the win, and established a new career high with his 20th goal of the season.New York improves to 33-19-6 with the win, while Toronto falls to 20-27-9.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PITTSBURGH - Phil Kessel scored twice, Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist and the Pittsburgh Penguins got plenty of help from other unheralded players in a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Benoit Pouliot really wants to play with Connor McDavid.The 29-year-old made a precise tape-to-tape pass on a 2-on-1 midway through the first period to set up the Edmonton Oilers phenom for his 10th goal of the season.Head coach Todd McLellan appears to have had a change of heart after removing Pouliot from McDavid's line during Thursday's morning skate, and rightfully so.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Stralman needed just one shift to decimate a pair of Winnipeg Jets players.Stralman caught forwards Nikolaj Ehlers and Bryan Little with devastating open-ice hits late in the second period of Thursday's game. Little had to be helped off the ice by the Jets' training staff, and didn't return.Streamable - simple video sharingStralman was jumped by Jets forward Blake Wheeler following the Little hit, and received a minor penalty for roughing on Wheeler.The fact that Stralman wasn't penalized for the hits didn't sit well with Jets head coach Paul Maurice, who went berserk after the referees sorted everything out, landing him a game misconduct.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Victor Hedman has a lot more patience than Ondrej Pavelec.The Tampa Bay Lighting defenseman grabbed the puck inside the blue line and outwaited the Winnipeg Jets goaltender before firing the puck over his catching hand.

Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov is up to his usual tricks Thursday against the New York Islanders.Kuznetsov fooled the Islanders with a perfect no-look spinning feed from behind the net to set up Alex Ovechkin for his league-leading 36th goal of the season.The helper gave Kuznetsov his team-leading 58th point of the season. Ovechkin added another goal on his very next shift.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Leo Komarov could have a hearing with the NHL's Department of Player Safety in his immediate future.Komarov was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct Thursday after delivering an elbow to the head of New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh.McDonagh left the game at the end of the period and will not return for "precautionary reasons." He was playing in just his second game since sustaining a concussion when he was punched in the face by Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds on Feb. 6.The 29-year-old Komarov has never been suspended in 160 career NHL games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As the Montreal Canadiens continue to fall in the standings, general manager Marc Bergevin is preparing to unload assets by the trade deadline on Feb. 29.Related: 'Very little contract talk' between Canadiens, WeisePending unrestricted free agents Dale Weise, Tom Gilbert and Tomas Fleischmann are all expected to be in play, but other players under contract beyond this season could be on the move as well.Lars Eller is available on the trade market, reports Darren Dreger on TSN's "Insider Trading" segment Thursday."There are a couple of NHL teams who are surprised that we don't have Eller's name on our trade bait board yet. Well he'll be on the board because they say he's been available for quite some time now," Dreger said. "Not suggesting that Bergevin is trying to shop him or feverishly pushing him out the door. He has two years remaining at $3.5 million. Perhaps there's interest considering the versatility of that forward."Eller has 10 goals and eight assists in 58 games this season.

The Ontario Hockey League has stepped in and named Flint Firebirds assistant general manager, Joe Stefan, the team's interim head coach, commissioner David Branch announced Thursday.Related: OHL's Flint Firebirds fire coaches for 2nd time this seasonStefan will take to the bench Thursday night when the Firebirds take on the first-place Erie Otters. Joining Stefan will be former NHLer Pat Peake, who'll serve as the team's interim assistant coach.Related: Flint Firebirds' star's father: 'They have to take this team away from' owner NilsenEarly Thursday, the OHL suspended owner Rolf Nilsen along with his management group and coaching staff. The league will continue to investigate the conduct of Nilsen and Co. surrounding their decision to fire head coach John Gruden and assistant coach Dave Karpa for the second time this season.The OHL's senior director of hockey operations, Joe Birch, will take over control of hockey operations for the Firebirds, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is undergoing a youth movement. As teams continue to get younger, the older ones must get results now.The New York Rangers have been consistent, missing the playoffs only once (2009-10) in the salary cap era. Last season, they won the President's Trophy, awarded to the team that finishes with the best regular-season record. The season before that, New York fell to the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final.Currently sitting second in the Metropolitan Division, the Rangers are destined for another playoff run.But they have to make it count. With the Kings and Chicago Blackhawks setting the bar over the years, the Rangers must find a way to put their existing roster over the top.At an average age of 28.9 years, the Rangers are the oldest team in the league. Simply put, they need to win now - the window will close.Biggest need: Help up frontThe Rangers could use another physical forward. With Rick Nash sidelined since late January with a mysterious leg injury, New York is in need of an experienced forward who can put up some points.In addition, the Rangers could be looking to add some insurance in goal. Antti Raanta, their current backup, has a less than impressive 4-4-2 record and .902 save percentage in 13 games. The Rangers have relied heavily on Henrik Lundqvist, who has dressed in 48 of 57 games. Reducing the mileage on their star goaltender should be a priority as the team heads into the spring.ManeuverabilityThe way the Rangers' roster is constructed, New York has roughly north of $1 million available in salary cap space if it were to keep its team unchanged at season's end. As of Thursday, New York has slightly shy of $4 million in cap space to take on salary. On trade deadline day, that number moves up to just under $5 million. The Rangers are in position to take on an expiring contract with little risk.CandidatesEric StaalA perennial centre, Eric Staal's versatility and experience could provide a mutual benefit to both player and team. The Rangers would get a player who has an ability to produce, and has something many of his teammates don't have: a Stanley Cup ring. Although Staal's production has dipped, the Rangers can hope a win-now environment would give him the boost he desperately needs. Los Angeles made a similar bet with Vincent Lecavalier (who is four years older). Staal's $8.25-million cap hit is a lot to take on, so some salary and/or roster players would need to be sent the Carolina Hurricanes' way.Andrew LaddIf the Winnipeg Jets are unable to agree to a contract extension with their captain, New York should target the physical winger. He can be plugged into Nash's regular spot and despite his age (30) and dip in production, he could be a potential building block for the Rangers going forward. The issue for New York is the Jets' asking price, thought to be massive. Likely a first-round draft pick, a prospect, and a roster player.Chad JohnsonWith Robin Lehner back in control of the Sabres' net, Chad Johnson could net Buffalo a decent return from a Rangers team that can use a backup goaltender it can rely on. With a $1.3-million cap hit, the Rangers would still have room to add while giving Lundqvist some needed rest down the stretch.James ReimerA long shot for the Rangers to acquire, but one that could make sense. James Reimer is used to splitting his role in Toronto, and although he is looking for a starter's job, his numbers would improve while playing in front of a better New York defence. A short-term move and some insurance for New York in case Lundqvist gets hurt.All-inThere are other players the Rangers could target, but few would put New York over the top. Adding Radim Vrbata or another fringe forward may help marginally, but wouldn't put the club ahead of other Stanley Cup contenders.The Rangers need to go over the top. The only way to do that is to land players who improve their chances immediately. They aren't getting any younger. It's time to make a splash.*Salary cap numbers courtesy of generalfanager.comCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jason Spezza is slated to return to the Dallas Stars lineup for Thursday's clash with the Arizona Coyotes.The second-line pivot took reps with Cody Eakin and Antoine Roussel at the team's morning skate, NHL.com's Pete Jensen reports.Dallas took nine points from six games, including five against Central Division opponents, while Spezza nursed his upper-body injury. They failed, however, to improve on their sparkling plus-32 goal differential, trading 17 goals for another 17 against over that stretch.Spezza scored 18 goals and 40 points before his setback.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Johnny Gaudreau's agent, Lewis Gross, is said to be in Calgary this week and is expected to compare notes with Flames brass on the next contract for his superstar client.The two sides aren't expected to hammer out a deal over the coming days. In fact, Gaudreau's sets up to be a long, fairly complex negotiation. So that begs the question - what can the shifty, high-scoring winger and best player on the team command in his first restricted free-agent season?Gaudreau will reach free agency faster than most elite prospects, having signed a two-year entry-level contract following his career at Boston College, as opposed to the typical three-year term. It seems advantageous, obviously, but Gaudreau will turn 23 during the summer in which he negotiates his first deal, whereas his linemate, Sean Monahan, will cash in before turning 22.That said, with his advanced polish, Gaudreau stands to command more than Monahan - or any other controllable asset this summer, for that matter.Gaudreau has produced consistently at an elite level throughout his two-year term. He ranks seventh in scoring right now, and his 119 points over the life of his entry-level deal sees him 15th among NHL scorers.He's merely a rung below Vladimir Tarasenko and Claude Giroux, is on par with Evgeni Malkin, and ahead of Anze Kopitar and Ryan Getzlaf - all players scheduled to make in excess of $7.5 million on an annual basis for the next several years.NHL RankPlayerGAPP/P11Tarasenko64581220.9113Giroux41811220.8914Malkin51681191.0115Gaudreau46731190.8816Kopitar33821150.8520Getzlaf31831140.88The generously listed 155-pounder has also answered concerns surrounding his size, having missed just three games in his career - all of which were coach's decisions.What does work against Gaudreau is the leverage Brad Treliving and his brain trust maintain throughout his restricted seasons. Gaudreau can't spring for the highest bidder for five more years, and cannot truly cash in on his to-date output in arbitration.In the end, it will come down to whether Gaudreau is willing to cash in on his immediate success with a few concessions on a long-term pact that will carry him into his unrestricted years.Recent trends suggest we shouldn't expect a short-term "bridge" agreement, even with the Flames maintaining control. While they limit risk, such agreements tend to lend upside to the player, and has allowed some (ahem, P.K. Subban) to launch their value into another stratosphere.Gaudreau's camp will push for the $7.5-million annual term Tarasenko signed for in St. Louis last summer, but an agreement akin to the expensive (and also quite reasonable) long-term contract Aleksander Barkov and the Florida Panthers agreed to seems more equitable. Dale Tallon successfully bought up Barkov's prime seasons last month with a six-year, $35.4-million deal.Scoring is in demand, so despite not playing the premium position, Gaudreau might be able to juice out a few more dollars and land between Tarasenko and the $5.9-million annual term Barkov jumped at.With an uncertain future pertaining to the league's salary cap, purchasing productive seasons should be in Calgary's best interest, whereas taking the most money and term while it's on the table is a wise decision for any player.Especially for those who might still be working off that college tuition.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter wants to change the way NHL Awards voters pick the Norris Trophy winner."If they're just going to give it to the defenseman with the most points, they should change the award," Sutter said Thursday, according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider.The coach's complaint comes in response to the apparent lack of buzz about his own blue-liner, Drew Doughty, who Sutter called "head and shoulders better than every other defenseman in the league."Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson ranks first among all skaters with 52 assists, and he's tied for third in that same group with 63 points.Doughty ranks third in the league in ice time, averaging 28:05, but Karlsson leads the NHL in that category, averaging 29:04. Doughty ranks fourth among all qualified skaters with an even-strength Corsi For percentage of 59.The Norris Trophy is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It's an immensely talented but limited prospect pool for Peter Chiarelli and Stan Bowman to scrutinize in their construction of the novelty North American roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.Like in choosing any team there will be difficult decisions, but with a couple hundred players to pluck from, narrowing it down to 16 proved quite simple.Here are the stars rising fastest, and those we believe will be named to Team North America's initial roster on March 2.ForwardsSean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers

The New Jersey Devils remain without their top forward.Mike Cammalleri, who last played on Jan. 26, will miss at least the next two games, according to The Record's Tom Gulitti. There's a chance the winger returns Tuesday against the New York Rangers, but head coach John Hynes is unsure.Cammalleri has 38 points in 42 games and was only recently passed by Lee Stempniak for the club's scoring lead.On Wednesday, general manager Ray Shero said "there's not really a target date in mind for (Cammalleri) to return to play," according to Gulitti.That's troubling for a Devils team in the thick of the playoff race. New Jersey currently holds the first wild-card spot, but things change on a nightly basis in the tightly packed Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evander Kane will be back in the Buffalo Sabres' lineup Friday, the club announced.Kane was suspended for a game after sleeping in Monday and missing practice. He was partying over the weekend, taking in NBA All-Star Game festivities in Toronto. He sat out Tuesday as a result and was apologetic."I'm looking forward to getting back on the ice and helping the team win," Kane said Thursday. "It was definitely a lesson. I'm going to make sure it was a lesson learned."Kane has 16 goals and eight assists in 47 games. He has five goals in his last six games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Third time's the charm.The Chicago Blackhawks paid a scheduled visit to the White House on Thursday, meeting President Barack Obama to celebrate their third Stanley Cup championship in the last six years.