Benoit Pouliot's been booted off the gravy train.Edmonton Oilers coach Todd McLellan rotated other wingers on the top line with Connor McDavid and Jordan Eberle at Thursday's morning skate, while reducing Pouliot to a bottom-six role, TSN's Ryan Rishaug reports.With the greatest familiarity on the team with McDavid, having flanked the wunderkind both before and after his injury, Pouliot is producing at the highest rate of his career. Though he's clearly of value to the rookie, Pouliot has struggled in consecutive games after a four-point performance in a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs last week.Pouliot has 11 points - and the line has 35 - in the eight games since McDavid returned, and with 33 in total, he's three shy of a personal best.Edmonton hosts the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, who've put together a two-game win streak since the firing of Mike Yeo.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eric Staal has not been asked to waive his no-trade clause with the Feb. 29 trade deadline looming, the lifelong Carolina Hurricanes forward said Thursday, according to TSN1200's Ian Mendes. Not yet, at least.An unrestricted free agent at season's end, Staal said contract talks with the Hurricanes are ongoing, but he is "not going to be crushed if a decision is made and I'm moving on," he added.Staal's play can't have suitors knocking on general manager Ron Francis' door. The 31-year-old's having his worst season, with only nine goals and 30 points in 57 games, He has one goal and five assists in 2016, and is yet to find the scoresheet in February, going pointless in six games."I don't know anything different," Staal said about life in Carolina. "I was drafted by this organization, won a Stanley Cup here as a young player and committed long term to being here and I feel like, you know, I know no other way. And as an NHL player, not a lot of people can say that."But the reality is it's a business, there's decisions that are made as you move forward. I'm at the end of my contract and we'll see how it shakes out here in the next little bit. ... Right now my focus is helping this team win games and pick up points because we're learning how to win, learning how to get better every day. It's been fun to see some of these young guys develop and improve."Staal's earning a whopping $9.25 in salary this season and he carries an $8.25-million cap hit.The Hurricanes and Staal won a Stanley Cup in 2006, but have only made the playoffs in one season since.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ontario Hockey League suspended Flint Firebirds owner Rolf Nilsen, as well as his management and coaching appointees, until further notice following his second dismissal of head coach John Gruden and assistant coach Dave Karpa.

The World Cup of Hockey is on the horizon.Initial 16-man rosters for all eight countries participating in the tournament will be revealed March 2, the NHL announced Thursday.Canada's roster will be released at 6:05 p.m. ET, broadcast on Sportsnet as part of a three-hour television special. The United States' roster will drop at 6:45 p.m. ET on ESPN's SportsCenter.Here are scheduled roster announcements for the other six teams (all times Eastern):

P.K. Subban wasn't great Wednesday night. In fact, he hasn't been all that, all season long.Yeah, he leads the Montreal Canadiens in scoring, ranking fourth among defensemen league-wide, but what's relative does not apply to those earning $72 million across eight seasons. Being held at a higher standard is found in his contract, somewhere in the fine print.So when things head south, when a promising season is deep-sixed despite whatever dearth of talent surrounds the player, they'll be criticized, nitpicked, and caviled. And to a certain extent, rightfully so.It will come in many forms and from every angle in a market like Montreal, but it shouldn't be fed into a reporter's mic from the head coach's mouth.Michel Therrien spun the chamber after a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal's 24th over the last 32 games. He called out his superstar without calling Subban by name after a turnover in a hazardous area in the offensive zone led to Jarome Iginla's eventual game-winner."We played hard, played a solid game, (it's) too bad an individual mistake cost us the game late in the game," Therrien said."As a coach I thought he could have had a better decision at the blue-line. He put himself in a tough position."Subban was certainly culpable on the play - and in another loss - in his effort to create something for his offensively challenged team. The puck was knocked off his stick as he attempted to wheel around Mikhail Grigorenko, and he blew a tire reacting to the play while turning up ice.It was a mistake, one of a couple on the play, many in the game, and of an innumerable amount in this lost season.What Therrien failed to touch on, and the real reason the puck ended up in the net, was the egregious breakdown in the transition defense he teaches. His exculpated captain, Max Pacioretty, failed to recognize Iginla slipping away from coverage and to the front of the net as his fellow back checker, Jacob De La Rose rotated toward the puck handler.It was in that moment that the game was lost - and because Carey Price was not around to bail them out.Therrien then decided to orchestrate a teaching moment, perhaps one of his last with the organization, when he kept Subban, the team's most capable offensive player, on the bench while down one, with the goaltender pulled in a game they absolutely needed. Montreal failed to muster a meaningful scoring chance without Subban - or at least the threat of his cannon - in the final 90 seconds. As such, they remain nine points out in the division they once led by double figures.In that decision, Therrien prioritized making an example out of Montreal's best player before two points. Can there be a more damning example to suggest he's given up? That he's lost control?His biting remarks were measured, cogent, and came across as intrinsically vengeful, doing well to underscore the glaring oversight that seems to echo throughout, and continuously fell this organization. But if there's a silver lining, Therrien likely doesn't make them without one foot already out the door.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 and assessing who's buying, who's selling, and who's standing pat.The Atlantic isn't the strongest division in hockey, and the team believed to be the runaway favorite is battling for a playoff spot. In the grand scheme of things, these eight teams range from lottery bound to bubble contenders (at best), with the Tampa Bay Lightning serving as the only club that appears to have a legitimate shot at winning it all.Here's a look at the trade deadline playbook for Atlantic Division teams.BuyersTampa Bay LightningHere's the thing with the Lightning: After making it clear that Steven Stamkos would not be traded prior to the deadline, they're all in with a view to coming out on the right side of the Stanley Cup Final this time around. As such, general manager Steve Yzerman will be looking for any and every way to upgrade the roster.But Yzerman also has a big seller's chip to toss on the table in the form of Jonathan Drouin, whose trade request was made public earlier in the season.The GM holds all the cards in this situation, and, as per his modus operandi, Yzerman will do what's best for his club, both short and long term.Ottawa SenatorsEnter the Senators, who are believed to be one of the front-runners in the Drouin sweepstakes.GM Bryan Murray already tipped his hand with the Dion Phaneuf trade, making it clear that Ottawa's goal is to qualify for the postseason and challenge for the Cup. At the same time, holes abound up and down the lineup, with a clear need in the top six forward group.It may cost them a high-end prospect or draft pick, but, for better or worse, the Senators are in buy mode, and could very well land the deadline's biggest prize.Boston BruinsLike the Lightning, the Bruins are in buy-sell mode, with clear needs on the blue line and a key impending unrestricted free agent to possibly use as bait.While the direction GM Don Sweeney is set to turn remains unclear, this season's trade deadline will be defined by what he does with Loui Eriksson. With 20 goals and 25 assists, the veteran winger ranks second on the team in scoring, but may be pricing himself out of Boston's range.Meanwhile, Boston has yet to replace Johnny Boychuk and Dougie Hamilton, and Eriksson - or maybe even the extra first-round pick in the Bruins back pocket - could be flipped prior to the deadline in order to add a young, right-handed defenseman.Trading Eriksson might be a step back in terms of Boston's chances this season, but could be worth it in the long run as Sweeney works toward rebuilding the blue line.SellersToronto Maple LeafsThe term "cellars" is probably more appropriate here, as that's exactly where the Maple Leafs are headed.This team is in the midst of a total rebuild, with no fewer than nine soon-to-be unrestricted free agents on the active roster, with another four players set to become restricted free agents at season's end.There are few untouchables in Toronto, so Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello, and the rest of the brain trust will certainly be looking to deal for draft picks and prospects with a view to the future.Buffalo SabresThe Sabres are further ahead in the building process than the Leafs, but some further clearing of the deck may be in order.David Legwand and Jamie McGinn - both of whom will be UFAs - are likely to be floated on the market, while GM Tim Murray could be tempted to part ways with one of his 11 draft picks in 2016 in order to further upgrade his roster.The Sabres are no strangers to pulling off big trades since Murray took the reins (see: Evander Kane and Robin Lehner), and it would be surprising if they're not in on the trade deadline action again this year.Standing PatFlorida PanthersThe Panthers have exceeded everyone's expectations this season, rising to the top of the division.GM Dale Tallon would love to add some more veteran experience for a playoff run (Andrew Ladd, perhaps?), but not at the expense of the wealth of young talent that he has amassed in recent years.Florida boasts an enviable core group that should remain competitive for years to come, and there's no reason to rock the boat when qualifying for the postseason was the 2015-16 goal.Detroit Red WingsThe Red Wings pulled off their deadline-type additions during the summer, signing veterans Mike Green and Brad Richards to the mix.GM Ken Holland doesn't have much cap space to work with, and a team that's known for building through the draft isn't likely to drop picks on a rental player.Detroit was believed to be in on Phaneuf leading up to last season's deadline, and the Red Wings could still use an upgrade on the blue line. Holland's colleagues will be looking to take a dip in the prospect pool, and, again, he'll be incredibly reluctant to give up on the homegrown talent.Montreal CanadiensWhen, amid a disastrous tailspin, GM Marc Bergevin announced head coach Michel Therrien would be retained for the balance of the season, the Canadiens made their beds as a team that's standing pat.While not entirely accurate, Montreal's collapse will largely be attributed to an injury suffered early on by Carey Price, and the core of the club will be kept around to see if the ship can be righted upon his return, whether it be later this season or next.Dale Weise could be a trade candidate, but there will be no selling of key pieces.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The John Scott movie appears to have the green light."The movie thing is still - I think - going to happen, which is going to be super cool," Scott told Sportsnet 590 The FAN's Dean Blundell on Wednesday.Scott said he was contacted by a screenwriter before the NHL All-Star Game in Nashville, then again with reassurance that "this is definitely going to be a movie now" after Scott scored twice and earned MVP honors."I think they want to do it fairly quickly, just so it's still fresh in everyone's mind," the 33-year-old forward said.Scott wasn't sure who would play him in the tale of his journey from veteran enforcer to Pacific Division All-Star captain to the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, but said Liev Schreiber of "Goon" is unavailable.Related: Casting the inevitable John Scott movie: Schreiber, Goldblum, Chiklis and moreScott scored Wednesday night for the first time since tallying twice in the All-Star tournament, and clearly, this story is the gift that keeps on giving.- With h/t to Awful AnnouncingCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The father of Flint Firebirds' leading scorer Will Bitten wants a new owner to take over the OHL club.Michael Bitten said there's "no way" his son Will - who leads the Firebirds with 23 goals and 51 points - will play for the team next season is Rolf Nilsen is still in control."If there are not changes there, my son will not go back, and I don’t think many others would as well,” Michael Bitten told Ken Campbell of The Hockey News.“It’s probably out of (OHL commissioner) David Branch’s control to a certain extent, but he must have the power to rectify it and I don’t know what that is. But surely they have to take this team away from that man. How can you go on long term?”The Firebirds fired head coach John Gruden and assistant coach Dave Karpa - again - on Wednesday.Related: OHL's Flint Firebirds fire coaches for 2nd time this seasonThe Firebirds host the Erie Otters on Thursday, and Michael expects the players to show up for the game.“They know a lockout is probably not appropriate any more and a lot of them are nervous about the perception that way,” he said. “And I told David Branch this: the players are putting everything into him to do the right thing.”Branch said in a statement that the OHL plans to investigate the matter."This change, the manner in which it occurred and the way it was communicated to the players and the league is of great concern. It is the league’s intention to immediately review the actions of the Flint Firebirds before we determine the next steps we will take to address this situation.”Gruden and Karpa were originally fired by Nilsen in November, when the owner was reportedly displeased that his son, Hakon, wasn't getting enough ice time.Firebirds' players staged a walkout in response, and the coaches were reinstated with three-year contract extensions."I spoke with David Branch tonight and I told him that nothing had improved, that the owner continued to do things that were making it difficult for the coaching staff and that stress level gets passed on to the kids,” Michael told Campbell on Wednesday night.“This owner, he’s a billionaire and it seems like he’s challenging the OHL right now. I really hope they’re able to come to a solution because this problem is not going away.”Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A John Scott All-Star tattoo exists. Obviously. It's 2016.

P.K. Subban's used to this.A lightning rod for criticism, Subban took the heat from his head coach Michel Therrien on Wednesday, after a late turnover cost the Montreal Canadiens at least a point in the standings as they fell 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche."An individual mistake cost us the game," Therrien said.Subban, as expected, took his leader's comments in stride."I've always had a huge target on my back," he said, according to La Presse's Marc Antoine Godin. "I expect it to be a huge story about the play that happened on the ice (Wednesday). I expect all that stuff. When you're the highest paid guy on the team, you make a lot of money and you speak your mind; people are going to have an opinion on you and that's fine."I just want to compete and be the best player I can be every night. I also understand that not every night is going to be your night. Sometimes the bounces aren't going to go your way."It hasn't been the Canadiens' night in a long time; the bounces haven't been going their way for months.Subban also spoke about his personality, and how it's perceived as different."It's funny," he said, "when people talk about the differences between players and teammates, everybody says my personality is so different from everybody else. You look around the league, every team is in the same situation. You look at Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, they're not the same type of people. They find ways to get along. Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, it's the same thing. So why is it different for me? For me, I'm willing ot do whatever I have to do for the betterment of the team."Subban was benched after his turnover, spending the final two minutes of the game on the bench with his team down a goal. As Montreal's season spirals away, Wednesday's happenings may be looked back upon if and when the Canadiens miss the playoffs, or if and when Therrien is relieved of his duties.Subban leads the Canadiens in scoring, with 44 points in 58 games. He also leads the club in ice time, at 25:59 a game. When you're out there that often, things can sometimes go wrong. It could be argued the defender's trying to do too much on the ice, but with Montreal reeling, options are slim.Points wise, Subban has been more than solid since the calendar turned to 2016. He has four goals and 14 assists in 19 games in the new year.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Amid all the ongoing turmoil in the Montreal Canadiens organization, there was some positive news Wednesday night.John Scott scored his first goal of the season - first one that counts, anyway - for the AHL's St. John's IceCaps, beating Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Kristers Gudlevskis for a power-play goal in a 3-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch.Scott was playing his seventh game for the Canadiens' affiliate after being assigned to the AHL following the controversial trade that sent him from the Arizona Coyotes to the Montreal organization.It was his first goal since he tallied twice and led the Pacific Division All-Stars to victory while claiming MVP honors at the NHL All-Star Game in Nashville last month.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ouch, that's gotta hurt.The Calgary Flames got back in the game Wednesday thanks to a lucky bounce as David Jones' shot went off the head of Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba and into the net.Thankfully for Dumba, the Wild hung on for the 5-3 victory.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was another frustrating result Wednesday for the Montreal Canadiens, and head coach Michel Therrien placed the blame on his star player.Related - VIDEO: Avalanche's Iginla finishes perfect tic-tac-toe to down CanadiensP.K. Subban turned the puck over, setting the stage for Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla's eventual game-winner with just two minutes remaining in regulation.Therrien had some harsh words for Subban - who was benched for the remainder of the game following the play - during his postgame scrum."It's too bad that an individual mistake cost us the game late in the game," Therrien said."We play as a team, and at the end of the game when we don't play as a team, we could be in trouble and this is what happened."Subban said the turnover was the result of him losing an edge, indicating it's a play he usually makes with regularity."If I had to do it over again, I'd try not to have lost an edge," Subban said. "I think I put myself in positions a lot where I have control in one hand and I use my body to shield it. In that position, he didn't really do anything, I just crossed over and lost an edge."He added, "I didn't anticipate losing an edge in that situation."One way or another, it's going from bad to worse in Montreal with every passing game.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The season just keeps getting worse and worse for the Montreal Canadiens.P.K. Subban lost the puck at one end, and the Colorado Avalanche went the other way and made him pay Wednesday as Matt Duchene, Mikhail Grigorenko, and Jarome Iginla executed a perfect tic-tac-toe for the game-winner with just two minutes remaining in regulation.Iginla had another marker earlier in the game, giving him 606 career goals.Related - VIDEO: Avalanche's Iginla gets goal called back, scores on next shift

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Artemi Panarin continues to pull away in the Calder Trophy race.Panarin recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career - highlighted by the game-winning goal in the dying minutes - to lead the Blackhawks to a 5-3 victory Wednesday over the New York Rangers.Related: Blackhawks' Panarin becomes 1st rookie to score 20 goals this seasonPatrick Kane made a perfect no-look feed to Panarin, who beat Henrik Lundqvist on the power play to put Chicago in front with just three minutes remaining in regulation.

Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla wasted no time putting a frustrating situation behind him Wednesday against the Montreal CanadiensIginla appeared to tie the game late in the second period. However, the goal was overturned after he was assessed a questionable penalty for interference on Canadiens goaltender Ben Scrivens.The 38-year-old certainly had no problem moving on from the call, exiting the penalty box and unleashing a wicked shot from the point for a game-tying goal on his very next shift.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Artemi Panarin can't stop scoring.Panarin beat New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist on the power play with a perfect shot through traffic for his 20th goal of the season Wednesday.He's the first rookie to reach the 20-goal mark this season.

After the NHL announced Wednesday it's upholding the 20-game suspension to Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman, people had plenty to say.Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke didn't hold back on his thoughts on the league's ruling and the length of the process."Now, if this is appealed to the neutral arbitrator, they've virtually guaranteed that the player's going to do 10 games no matter what because it's going to take a couple days to get this thing put all together," Burke said on Sportsnet's "Tim And Sid.""So to take a week to rubber-stamp a decision that was made by the hockey operations department of the NHL as games tick off for my player, that affect my team's ability to win, that affect playoff races, that affect competitive balance, is incomprehensible to me."Related: Wideman text to teammate blamed hearing on 'stupid refs and stupid media'There was a flurry of reaction to commissioner Gary Bettman's ruling, which cited a text message Wideman sent to a teammate in which he blamed the hearing on the "stupid refs and stupid media." Bettman noted the apology was "somewhat hollow."

The Ontario Hockey League's Flint Firebirds are making headlines off the ice yet again.Related: OHL's Flint Firebirds reinstate fired coaches after player walkoutOn Wednesday, the Firebirds fired coaches Jon Gruden and Dave Karpa for the second time this season.OHL commissioner David Branch said in a statement the dismissal and "the manner in which it occurred" is "of great concern" to the league."It is the league's intention to immediately review the actions of the Flint Firebirds before we determine the next steps we will take to address this situation," Branch said.Late last year, all 24 players walked out after owner Rolf Nilsen fired the coaching staff. The Nov. 8 incident stemmed from a lack of playing time for Nilsen's son, Hakon, who took part in the walkout.Both coaches were reinstated and earned thee-year contracts on Nov. 9 after Branch met with ownership.A statement on the team's website indicates director of hockey operations Sergei Kharin will take over as interim coach.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he was "troubled" by Dennis Wideman's "total failure to accept any responsibility for his actions" in a written ruling Wednesday upholding the 20-game suspension assessed to the Calgary Flames defenseman.Related: NHL upholds Dennis Wideman's 20-game suspensionBettman cited a text message Wideman sent to a teammate following his hearing with executive vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell on Feb. 2.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has upheld the 20-game suspension assessed to Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman for cross-checking linesman Don Henderson, the league announced Wednesday.Related: Wideman text to teammate blamed hearing on 'stupid refs and stupid media'The NHLPA announced it'll appeal the ruling to a neutral arbitrator, which is a first under the most recent CBA."We are extremely disappointed but not surprised that Gary Bettman upheld the decision of his staff to suspend Dennis Wideman for 20 games," the statement from the players' association reads. "This decision completely ignores the effects of the concussion that Dennis sustained when he was driven into the boards eight seconds before colliding with the linesman. We will appeal to the Neutral Discipline Arbitrator in order to have this decision overturned."Wideman hit Henderson into the boards from behind while skating to the bench during a contest against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 27. Henderson was subsequently sent to hospital for precautionary reasons.

Sports reporter David Alter will be writing for theScore throughout the rest of the NHL season.TORONTO - James Reimer was the last player off the ice following the Toronto Maple Leafs' first practice at home in over a week.After surrendering seven goals in a hopeless loss to the Blackhawks on Monday in Chicago, Reimer acknowledged there could be a lot at stake over the next couple of weeks."It is what it is. I mean, at some points it's exciting," Reimer said of the season of change in Toronto. "I think you just make it work so you just try to be a good human and be a good teammate no matter what is going on. It's kind of hard to answer really."Of course, the last time the Leafs were on the ice at MasterCard Centre, they still had their captain.With Dion Phaneuf traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of a nine-player deal, the tone in the dressing room has changed.For one thing, it's a lot quieter.Garbage timeWith a 20-26-9 record and sitting in last place in the NHL standings, a feeling of acceptance is beginning to permeate the room.Playoff hopes are gone, but year one of a rebuild is never about the postseason."When I look at the game in Ottawa and Chicago, to me we weren't prepared enough, we weren't structured enough," said head coach Mike Babcock. "As a team, you are what you are, but you have to maximize the group and go from there."With leadership by committee and injuries plaguing many veterans like Tyler Bozak (upper body) and Joffrey Lupul (middle body), Reimer finds himself the longest serving Maple Leaf currently on the active roster.The question is for how long?Free agency loomsReimer has had a career season, despite Toronto's record and recent struggles.At one point, his .937 save percentage was leading the league. It has since dropped to .920.Those who will look at how Reimer performed will not put the blame solely on him, but it may not make much of a difference in the eyes of other teams.With his numbers declining, it's hard to measure what his value is as the Feb. 29 trade deadline approaches."I think you think about it like anybody at this time of year, heck, even if your name isn't being tossed around, you never know what is going on," Reimer said. "It's that time of year when things happen, the unexpected happens. I've got faith in what I can do and what I feel people think of me so if you end up going somewhere, you make the most of it. If not, you just enjoy the moment, you enjoy where you are at and you just keep working."Management has been noncommittal on Reimer's future. With Jonathan Bernier having his worst season, which included a 10-day conditioning assignment with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, Reimer is doing what he's managed to do throughout his time in Toronto: deflect criticism and focus on his performance on a daily basis."For me, the big thing is you have faith. That's a big part of who I am and I understand that. Even if you think everything is going wrong, there is a purpose to it," Reimer said. "You just kind of roll with it. Obviously you don't want to let in seven (goals). You just put your head down and keep doing what you have to do."Renting ReimerReimer, who will turn 28 on March 15, is in the final year of a two-year contract that holds an average cap hit of $2.3 million. He is sure to receive a raise and his camp is looking for an extension that will be more generous in both term and annual salary.Only a few teams (the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators come to mind) are looking for goaltending help at the deadline. But the help required is at the backup level. Right now there is no ideal fit for Reimer for the second half of the season, which adds a further wrinkle to his short-term future.Whatever happens, Reimer will deal with it."If you sit there and worry about what's going to happen, obviously it's normal, it's human, but you don't want it to overtake you," he said. "You realize there are bigger things going on and you just try to do your part."Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers and Brian Campbell are going to try to make it work.The veteran defenseman, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, has expressed an interest in remaining with the club, while general manager Dale Tallon maintains the team would like him back on the blue line next season, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.Campbell will almost certainly have to take a significant cut in terms of length and valuation on his next deal, as the 36-year-old is nearing the end of an eight-year, $57.143-million contract signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.He is a key piece for the first-place Panthers, recording five goals and 19 assists while averaging a team-high 21:46 a night. He's posting a Corsi rating of 51.5 in five-on-five play.The two sides are reportedly set to begin discussing terms when Campbell's agent comes to town next week.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carolina Hurricanes workhorse defender Justin Faulk is expected to miss at least another three games with an undisclosed injury.Faulk will not travel to Ottawa, the team announced Wednesday, adding that he's been ruled out for games versus the San Jose Sharks and Tampa Bay Lightning this weekend.

As it turns out, the Anaheim Ducks are who we thought they were.The Ducks have vaulted into the top five, taking the biggest leap in this week's edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings.1. Washington Capitals

Karri Ramo's season is over.The Calgary Flames goaltender suffered a torn ACL and meniscus damage to his left knee in a collision with San Jose Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi, and requires season-ending surgery, the team announced.Ramo has handled primary duties for the Flames since stumbling out of the gates this season, and had been especially strong over the last two-and-a-half months, sporting a .917 save percentage since Dec. 1.Jonas Hiller and Joni Ortio will man the crease moving forward, and make it more difficult for Brad Treliving to move a goaltender before the deadline.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The captain is back.New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh will return to the lineup Wednesday after missing the past four games with a concussion, the team confirmed.McDonagh suffered the injury upon being punched in the face by Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 6.In 52 games, McDonagh recorded seven goals and 19 assists while averaging 22:45 a night.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Radko Gudas can turn off his phone.The Philadelphia Flyers defenseman will reportedly not be hearing from the NHL's Department of Player Safety after being ejected Tuesday for a hit to the head on Bobby Farnham of the New Jersey Devils, according to a league source.This marks the fourth such incident Gudas has been involved in this season alone, one of which drew a three-game suspension.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The early reviews are in: Phil Kessel has been just "OK" in Pittsburgh.This according to Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, who this past offseason pulled the trigger on a trade with the Maple Leafs that sent Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, and conditional first- and third-round picks to Toronto in exchange for the offensively gifted winger."Phil’s done OK," Rutherford told Michael Traikos of the Toronto Sun. "You always want more from him, because you know what the talent level is and how he can score."Through 55 games with the Penguins, Kessel has recorded 16 goals and 19 assists, putting him on pace for the lowest full-season goal total since his sophomore year as a member of the Boston Bruins.His shot rate and shooting percentage numbers are also down, and he's yet to really go on a serious scoring streak with his new club.MonthGoalsAssistsOctober42November36December42January46February13Part of the issue was learning to play with superstar centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, according to Rutherford. While things didn't fall into place with Crosby, Kessel now seems more at home with Malkin."They way over-tried," Rutherford said of Crosby and Kessel playing together early in the year. "They were trying so hard to make that work. I mean they’re both great passers and every time they got the puck they would try to pass it to the other guy, even if that’s not what the play was."I believe if Phil went back and played with Sid, now that the experiment happened, they would play fine together. The newness has worn off. But I doubt it will end up that way, because there’s been good chemistry with Malkin and Kessel."The Penguins are holding onto the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and a Kessel hot streak down the stretch could be the difference between an early exit and a prolonged postseason run.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patience seems to be paying off for the Anaheim Ducks.Coming off an appearance in the Western Conference finals in which they pushed the Chicago Blackhawks to Game 7, Bruce Boudreau's squad kicked off 2015-16 by going 1-7-2 in October, failing to score a single goal in five of those games.Cue speculation that the head coach was in danger of losing his job, as is often the case when a team with high expectations sputters out of the gate.But general manager Bob Murray remained patient, and decided to afford Boudreau the opportunity to turn things around.That he has done.

He may be the elder statesman of the San Jose Sharks, but Joe Thornton is showing no signs of slowing down.The 18-year veteran tallied two assists Tuesday as the Sharks doubled up the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 to earn their sixth win in their last 10 games.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The story of the game, though, was arguably the two primary helpers Thornton collected. Thornton now has 50 points in 55 games this season, and the assists pushed his current point streak to six games.At the tender age of 36, Thornton has remained his usual productive self this season, sitting just three points behind captain Joe Pavelski for the team lead.

Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson's value continues to rise.Related: 3 teams that can use Loui ErikssonEriksson, who collected the game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday to push the Bruins to a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, continued to make a case for himself as the most desirable name on the market leading up to the trade deadline. The Swede has been red-hot of late, posting five goals and six points in his last six games.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The 30-year-old remains an intriguing rental possibility as he and the Bruins have yet to agree to a contract extension beyond this season. Early reports suggest the veteran could command a deal north of $6 million at a term of five to six years. However, a long-term deal might not be in the cards for the Bruins, making it in the team's best interest to trade Eriksson.If that's indeed the route Boston decides to take it would appear Eriksson could garner a decent return.Eriksson sits second on the Bruins with eight power-play goals and four game-winning goals, giving him a total of 20 goals and 45 points in 57 games.

Evgeny Kuznetsov continues to be a difference maker for the red-hot Washington Capitals.Kuznetsov scored the go-ahead goal with two minutes remaining in regulation Tuesday to lead the Capitals to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.Justin Williams picked up a helper against his former team on the play, setting up Kuznetsov with a great effort from behind the net.The 23-year-old Kuznetsov broke an 11-game goalless drought with the marker, although he recorded 15 assists during that span. He leads the Capitals with 57 points in 55 games this season.Philipp Grubauer was solid making a rare start in place of Braden Holtby, stopping 39 shots to help the Capitals improve to 15-1-1 at home in their last 17 games.

The referees appear to be giving St. Louis Blues forward Jaden Schwartz the benefit of the doubt.Schwartz collected his second goal in three games since rejoining the club following a 49-game absence due to a fractured ankle on Tuesday thanks to an unlikely assist.The 23-year-old picked up the easy goal against the Dallas Stars after Colton Parayko's dump-in hit the skate of a ref in the corner, and then bounced directly on to the stick of Schwartz.Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen was clearly upset with the call, but the goal ultimately stood.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Joseph Blandisi scored a perfect 10 from the judges for one of the best dives of the season Tuesday.Blandisi took a slash to the back of the leg from Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andrew MacDonald, and went down with an epic flop.Blandisi takes a 2 handed slash to the back of the knee - StreamableThe 21-year-old's attempt certainly didn't fool the officials. Blandisi was given a two-minute minor for "embellishment" on the play.

Buffalo Sabres rookie phenom Jack Eichel just makes everything better.Eichel made a perfect behind-the-back no-look pass to Matt Moulson, who then buried his first goal in 45 games Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.The marker was Moulson's fifth of the season, and first since Nov. 1.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Absolutely nobody can keep Philadelphia Flyers rookie Shayne Gostisbehere off the scoresheet right now.Gostisbehere beat New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider with a perfect shot from the point for his 11th goal of the season Tuesday, extending his point streak - which remains a rookie record among blue-liners - to 13 games.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The 22-year-old has recorded four goals and 12 assists during the impressive stretch. He has 32 points in 38 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Alexander Wennberg proved he has some hands Tuesday.The 21-year-old froze Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask before going forehand-backhand for a slick penalty-shot goal to give the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas continues to toe the line with yet another questionable hit Tuesday.Related - VIDEO: Flyers' Gudas crushes Sabres' Catenacci with devastating headshotGudas nailed New Jersey Devils forward Bobby Farnham - who was nowhere near the puck - with a blindside hit early in the first period. He was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for "illegal contact to the head."Tyler Kennedy capitalized on the extended power play for the Devils.The 25-year-old Gudas is certainly no stranger to delivering questionable hits. He was tossed from last week's game against the Buffalo Sabres after crushing Dan Catenacci with a dangerous check, and he was suspended three games earlier in the year after delivering a blow to the head of Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dale Weise has been one of the few bright spots for the Montreal Canadiens this season, but he could find himself playing for another team by the trade deadline on Feb. 29.There has been "very little contract talk" between the pending unrestricted free agent's camp and general manager Marc Bergevin, reports Darren Dreger on TSN's "Insider Trading" segment Tuesday.Should Weise be made available on the trade market, indications are that there will certainly be interest in his services."He is a pending unrestricted free agent and based on his performance in the regular season, and the fact that traditionally - or at least recently - for the Canadiens, he's a decent playoff performer. Absolutely, there will be interest," Dreger said. "If Bergevin decides that he's not going to engage contractually, and he is going to put him on the market, I'll tell you this much: If Weise hits the market, there will be teams that will want him."Weise has scored a career-high 13 goals in 53 games this year, and has recorded 56 points in 149 games over three seasons since joining Montreal.The 27-year-old is in the final year of a two-year, $2-million contract.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres have set their price for forward Jamie McGinn.The Sabres are asking for a second-round pick in exchange for McGinn, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on TSN's Insider Trading segment Tuesday.According to McKenzie, what might hinder a potential deal in the mean time is the fact that with no significant moves made this season, McGinn's market value remains a question mark.McGinn has suited up in all 57 of Buffalo's contests this season a year after being limited to just 19 games with the Colorado Avalanche.He has put up 12 goals and 25 points, and is on pace to finish just shy of his career-best marks set during the 2013-14 season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins activated defenseman Adam McQuaid off injured reserve, the club announced Tuesday.He is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.McQuaid has not played since Jan. 5 after sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit from Washington Capitals forward Zach Sill, for which Sill was handed a two-game suspension.The 29-year-old has one goal and five assists in 38 games this season.Colin Miller has been assigned to the AHL's Providence Bruins to coincide with McQuaid's return.Miller, 23, recorded three goals and 12 assists in 39 games with Boston this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While general managers across the NHL may not be relishing the fact that potentially the biggest rental player ever won't be available prior to Feb. 29, Steven Stamkos is breathing a sigh of relief.Related: Lightning potentially face an uncertain future without Stamkos, DrouinOn Monday, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that Stamkos, a pending unrestricted free agent, will not be dealt ahead of the trade deadline. While the decision ensures Stamkos will remain in Tampa for at least the rest of this season, the biggest relief for the 26-year-old will come in the form of the endless trade rumors being put to bed."It's been a tough year in that regard, having to deal with that stuff," Stamkos told reporters Tuesday. "Hopefully this lightens the load a little bit. I said it all along from training camp that I wanted to be here and I want to win a championship."Stamkos has been pestered with questions about his future in Tampa all season, and the inquiries increased once the Lightning passed the 55-game mark of the season without having reached a contract extension with their captain.While it remains to be seen if a long-term deal can ultimately be reached, the two sides agreed that putting the trade rumors to rest was the best way to proceed right now."We've had a lot of discussions this season we've kept to ourselves," Stamkos said. "And obviously this is a decision by both parties that we thought was the best route and something that I wanted. So obviously I'm looking forward to not having to deal with all the questions for the remainder of the season and focus on hockey."While questions about possible trades can now be put on the back burner, questions about Stamkos' looming free agency are sure to heat up in short order.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anders Lindback's season appears to be over.The Arizona Coyotes goaltender is out indefinitely due to an Achilles injury, and general manager Don Maloney told reporters it's fair to say Lindback will miss the rest of the season, according to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM's Craig Morgan.Lindback suffered the injury warming up for Monday's game and hasn't played since allowing five goals in a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 5.Maloney said more tests are planned and surgery is likely. Lindback went 5-7-1 with a 3.11 GAA and .894 save percentage in 19 games.The Coyotes recalled goaltender Niklas Treutle from the AHL's Springfield Falcons on Tuesday.Nathan Schoenfeld, the bank employee who served as Arizona's emergency backup Monday night, practiced with the Coyotes on Tuesday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This isn't how the season was supposed to play out in Columbus.Hope abounded for the Blue Jackets in training camp, but things went south early, putting the team in a hole they wouldn't overcome, even after a coaching change.Columbus, however, has posted a 23-21-6 record under John Tortorella, including a 6-1-1 run over the past eight games.Having already added Seth Jones to the blue line at the cost of center Ryan Johansen, and with a high lottery pick on the way come June, president John Davidson maintains his club remains in the building phase, with no plans of a tear down on the horizon."We’re in the midst of a build, 3 1/2 years into it," Davidson said, according to Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Post-Dispatch. "Three years into the build, some things have gone well and some things haven’t. But, no, we’re not looking to tear this thing down."As such, don't even mention the concept of tanking."Are you kidding? We have some pieces in place. These guys are going to play every game to win. That’s just in their DNA and the coaches' DNA to win every game they play."We’ve gone through a lot this year, but there’s no change in the plan. We’ve done good things; we’ve made some mistakes. But you live with that and continue with your plan. We’ve not giving up our future. No chance, unless it just makes a ton of sense. We’re going to continue to draft and develop and go through the process."Heading into Tuesday against Boston, the Blue Jackets sit 28th in the NHL, with 52 points through 57 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Evander Kane took to the ice Tuesday in Ottawa, hours before he'll be watching his Buffalo Sabres take on the Senators from the press box.The forward will serve a one-game, team-imposed suspension after sleeping in and missing practice Monday following a jaunt to Toronto to take in the previous night's NBA All-Star Game and the ensuing gatherings about town.Kane met with general manager Tim Murray prior to the optional skate, and then appeared to have been given a heavy workout from the coaching staff.

The Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Rob Scuderi on waivers Tuesday.The 37-year-old has no points in 17 games since being acquired from the PIttsburgh Penguins for Trevor Daley on Dec. 14.Scuderi is under contract for this season and the next at a cap hit of $2.25 million. If he clears waivers and gets sent to the AHL, the Blackhawks will save nearly $1 million.

Marian Gaborik won't be back in the Los Angeles Kings' lineup any time soon.Head coach Darryl Sutter said the veteran forward will be out "long term, for sure," according to Lisa Dillman of The Los Angeles Times.Sutter added that the club hopes Gaborik is able to return in time for the postseason, which begins in mid-April.The 34-year-old winger was hurt in a knee-on-knee collision with New York Rangers forward Dominic Moore on Friday night. The Kings placed Gaborik on injured reserve one day later.- With h/t to Pro Hockey TalkCopyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's best team is set to welcome back its second-highest paid defenseman after an extended absence due to injury.Brooks Orpik is expected to be activated off long-term injured reserve and cleared to play Tuesday's game against Los Angeles after missing the past 40 with a lower-body injury suffered in early November.

With less than two weeks to go before the NHL's trade deadline, Boston Bruins winger Loui Eriksson stands out as one of the most enticing targets.After a shaky start to his Boston tenure due to a serious 2013 concussion suffered at the hands of NHL All-Star Game MVP John Scott, the 30-year-old is playing his best hockey to date in a Bruins uniform, tied for second in team scoring while boasting positive possession numbers and deployed in all manner of situations.GPGoalsAssistsShotsCorsi (5 on 5)OZFO%56192511753.332.5While it could hurt the Bruins in the short term to lose a player of Eriksson's caliber, general manager Don Sweeney could look to deal the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent if it appears the two sides won't be able to agree to a contract extension, as long as he can secure blue line help as well as future assets in return.Here are three teams that should be very interested in acquiring his services for the stretch run:Anaheim DucksThe Ducks overcame a dreadful start and have risen to second in the Pacific Division, but remain a question mark in an incredibly competitive Western Conference.Anaheim's biggest issue remains a lack of scoring, as evidenced by their 26th-ranked 2.35 goals per game through 55 contests.Eriksson's 44 points would slot him first among the Ducks, ahead of both Ryan Getzlaf (43) and Corey Perry (40), and he would increase the number of Anaheim players with a double-digit goal total to four.The Ducks possess what the Bruins would be looking for in return, namely a young defenseman capable of playing top-four minutes. If Anaheim has ambitions of returning to the Conference Finals, adding Eriksson would be a big step in the right direction.Minnesota WildThe Wild won interim head coach John Torchetti's first game, but a slew of losses to kick off 2016 have them outside the playoff picture. Still, this is a roster that advanced to the second round last spring, with a payroll that spells Stanley Cup aspirations.Like the Ducks, Minnesota's sticks have gone cold, averaging 2.5 goals per game. Eriksson has more goals and points than any Wild player, and he could step into the top six to give the offense an immediate boost.Only four points behind Colorado and Nashville with games in hand, a playoff spot is still very much in Minnesota's grasp, with Eriksson's addition potentially serving as another springboard after the coaching change.The question is whether they're prepared to trade the likes of Jonas Brodin or Matt Dumba to make it happen.Colorado AvalancheHere's where the Avalanche would be wise to step in.Traditionally a poor possession team under head coach Patrick Roy, Colorado could benefit greatly from Eriksson's two-way game, especially with Carl Soderberg - with whom he achieved great chemistry in Boston - currently playing first-line center.Not one Avalanche player sits on the positive side of the ledger in terms of five-on-five Corsi, and adding Eriksson to a line with countrymen Soderberg and Gabriel Landeskog would allow Roy to roll out better balanced combinations while putting increased pressure on the opposition.Eriksson has as many points as Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, and he would be an added measure of defensive responsibility that's sorely lacking in Colorado.This is the kind of deal that needs to be made in order to hold off the Wild and secure a playoff spot, with restricted free agent Tyson Barrie perhaps being the cost.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.