Brandon Sutter's debut season with the Vancouver Canucks is set to resume.Sutter centered the top line at practice Monday, indicating he'll return Tuesday when the Canucks wrap up the pre-All-Star portion of their schedule versus the Nashville Predators.All told, he'll have missed 33 games to repair a sports hernia."I feel pretty good. I'm excited to get a game in," Sutter said Monday after practice.Sutter scored four goals and eight points in 16 games before suffering the injury.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Ladd didn't think his future would be up in the air at this point, but it is.With multiple reports suggesting the Winnipeg Jets are focused on re-signing their other pending big-ticket unrestricted free agent in Dustin Byfuglien, Ladd's future is only getting murkier as the Feb. 29 trade deadline approaches.Having a down season, the Jets captain talked about his contract status Monday after practice. While he doesn't know if he'll be a Jet next season, he didn't expect the question to still be lingering in the new year."If you ask both sides, we would have both said we'd have something done by now," Ladd said, according to Sun Media's Paul Friesen.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jared Cowen hasn't been a highly sought-after trade target, but his value could rise prior to the deadline for an unexpected reason.Cowen has another year left on his deal after 2015-16, but if he's bought out of that final season, the team doing so would get a salary cap credit of $650,000 for 2016-17, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.That could be enticing for nearly a third of the league.Nine teams began this season over the salary cap and 10 clubs could be over next season, forcing them to pay potential penalties, as Seravalli gleaned from General Fanager.Overages are invoked when a team was required to pay performance bonuses without room under the cap.Cowen's in this unique situation for a couple of reasons. For one, as a 25-year-old, a buyout would only cost teams one-third of his remaining salary instead of the two-thirds required for players 26 and older.It's not often you see a player under 26 being bought out, but Cowen is also a candidate for early termination because although his cap hit repeats at $3.1 million next season, his salary will rise to $4.5 million.Cowen has four points in 35 games on the Senators' third pairing with Chris Wideman, and ranks fifth among Ottawa defensemen in average time on ice at 17:01.Seravalli notes that according to General Fanager, a salary cap credit has only occurred three other times, in the cases of Alexei Yashin, Cody Hodgson, and Nathan Gerbe.The Senators are comfortably under the cap ceiling, so they're likely not desperate to move Cowen, but his contract situation could mean general manager Bryan Murray gets a few more calls before Feb. 29.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite having a career-best season, not all is perfect for goaltender James Reimer as unrestricted free agency looms and his future with the Toronto Maple Leafs remains uncertain."Who knows what's going to happen over the next couple of months, but obviously I was drafted here (Toronto) and my heart's here," Reimer said, according to TSN's Mark Masters."I've loved being a Leaf and I'd like to be a Leaf my whole career, but obviously this unrestricted thing is sometimes a weird thing."Despite a pedestrian 8-7-6 record, Reimer boasts a league-leading .937 save percentage and equally impressive 1.97 goals-against average. League observers predict a long-term contract with a significant raise is in order for the 27-year-old, who is making $2.3 million this season.Whether the Maple Leafs decide to lock up Reimer themselves or simply let him walk in free agency is anyone's guess at this point, and the netminder himself admits he too is unsure of where he could end up next season."Who knows what plans they (Leafs management) have and who knows going forward. It's a lot of question marks," Reimer continued before adding he hopes to pick up a few more wins this year.With reports that Jonathan Bernier is on the trade block, it appears more likely that the Manitoba native will get his wish to remain in blue and white, but there's still a lot of hockey to be played before any decisions are made by general manager Lou Lamoriello and Co.His next opportunity between the pipes will come Tuesday, when he is expected to get the start against the division-leading Florida Panthers.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fathers of the Toronto Maple Leafs are with their boys as the club tours Southern Florida this week, and they are stoked.Check out how much fun they had watching the club practice Monday:(Courtesy: @MapleLeafs)You can't fake that kind of excitement.In all seriousness, the fathers-sons trips many clubs organize are, by all accounts, appreciated by everyone involved. The dads even got to hit the ice Monday for a group photo.

Bad news and good news.Bad, first: Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault won't be in the lineup Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes, head coach Paul Maurice announced. Perreault was forced from Saturday's game with a lower-body injury.The good news: Tests on Perreault's injury "turned out to be fairly positive," Maurice said, and the Jets are hopeful Perreault will be back in the lineup on Feb. 2 against the Dallas Stars, after the All-Star break.Winnipeg's nine points out of a wild-card spot, and it can kiss its slim playoff hopes goodbye if Perreault's out for an extended period of time. The underrated winger is third on the team in scoring with 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 48 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

When you're this good, you get your own burger.The Dallas Stars unveiled the "Klingburger" on Monday, in honor of defenseman John Klingberg, who's been a revelation on the Dallas blue line this season.Hungry? Look at it:

The Vancouver Canucks are ready to kick it old school.Here's the first look at the throwback black skate jerseys the Canucks will wear when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 13:In August, the team announced plans to don the retro duds as part of a season-long celebration of the club's 20th anniversary at Rogers Arena.Canucks forward Jake Virtanen showed off the full uniform Monday.

The second half of the NHL season is setting up to be an eventful one with All-Star weekend, the trade deadline, and an increasingly tight playoff race all approaching.The NHL awards race will also continue to heat up as the season winds down, so here are five favorites for major awards if they were decided today:Hart Trophy - Patrick Kane, Chicago BlackhawksThough he leads the league in goals (30) and assists (43) by just two, his 73 points are an incredible 16 more than his nearest competitor in Dallas Stars captain and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Jamie Benn.Not only is he on pace for the highest-scoring season since Joe Thornton racked up 125 points in the post-lockout 2005-06 campaign, he's also in line to be the first player to win the Art Ross by a 20-point margin since Jaromir Jagr topped Teemu Selanne by 20 points in 1999.In a league desperate for more scoring, Kane has been held off the scoresheet just eight times for the Western Conference leaders, making him the clear-cut favorite for the Hart.Honorable mentions: Braden Holtby's numbers for the NHL-leading Capitals continue to look a lot like Carey Price's from a year ago that earned the Canadiens netminder both the Vezina and a Hart, but a teammate of Kane's is beginning to make a similar case.Vezina Trophy - Corey Crawford, Chicago BlackhawksLong overshadowed by the Blackhawks' firepower up front and helped to a pair of Jennings Trophies thanks to a star-studded defense, Crawford has responded in a huge way in 2016.The 31-year-old has a 9-1-0 record so far in the new year, and has added two more shutouts to his league-leading seven. With his recent run of outstanding play, Holtby is now far from a runaway for the league's best goaltender.NameHoltbyCrawfordRecord30-5-228-11-2GAA2.012.08Save %.930.932Shutouts27It can't be ignored that Holtby has only one regulation loss since Nov. 10, but only Martin Brodeur has won a Vezina with under five shutouts since 2000 - recording four in 2008 when he took the award for a fourth and final time.Honorable Mention: Outside the two-man race, Cory Schneider sits in the top 10 of every major goaltending category and would receive serious consideration if he guides the Devils into the playoffs.Norris Trophy: Erik Karlsson - Ottawa SenatorsWith two Norris wins already under his belt, the 25-year-old is in the midst of a career-best season, and like Kane, could hit a milestone reached just once since the 2005 lockout by joining fellow Swede Nicklas Lidstrom as the only defensemen to hit the 80-point mark in the last 10 years.His campaign isn't being helped as Ottawa has allowed the second-most goals in the league (148), but Karlsson helps the Senators a lot more than he hurts them, and a playoff appearance could even push his name into Hart discussions.Honorable Mentions: Drew Doughty's outstanding two-way play could finally earn him a well-deserved Norris this season, while Aaron Ekblad could be a dark horse as the Panthers are winners of 14 straight games with the 19-year-old in the lineup.Calder Trophy: Dylan Larkin - Detroit Red WingsWhile Kane's linemate Artemi Panarin is running away with the rookie scoring lead, only one first-year player currently leads his own team in points and that distinction belongs to Larkin.Sporting a rookie-best plus-23 rating, the 19-year-old leads the Wings with 15 goals and is tied with captain Henrik Zetterberg at 32 points. With his team currently sitting in a playoff position, the Michigan native might just be "The Next Jonathan Toews" after all.Honorable Mentions: After Panarin, John Gibson's level of play should put him in the Calder discussion whether the Ducks make the playoffs or not, while big second halves from Max Domi, Jack Eichel, Shayne Gostisbehere, or even Connor McDavid should make this race intriguing to the end.Jack Adams Trophy: Barry Trotz - Washington CapitalsKnown for leading great defensive teams in Nashville, Trotz was never able to advance past the second round in seven playoff appearances with the Predators. This year, while the rest of the East scrambles for playoff position, the Capitals look very comfortable atop the league standings as they eye a deep postseason run.Career years from Holtby, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and John Carlson have definitely played their part in the team's success, but it's time Trotz gets the respect he deserves after a number of recent Adams winners have failed to carry their success from year to year.Honorable Mentions: Gerard Gallant's Panthers are still sitting first in the Atlantic, while Devils rookie coach John Hynes, like his goaltender, will see his stock rise significantly with a playoff berth.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A pair of hot goalies and a surprising veteran forward highlight the NHL's three stars, announced Monday.Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov takes first-star honors after going a perfect 4-0-0 last week, backstopping victories against a pair of division rivals in the St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars. He finished the week with a 0.99 GAA and a sparkling .972 save percentage.

The hockey gods haven't been kind to the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. Injuries have been an issue for months, and not even the coaching staff is safe.(Courtesy: Man-Games Lost)Head coach John Tortorella suffered two broken ribs in a collision at practice last week, which kept him out of Saturday's game. The injury will cost him at least two more games.

Steven Stamkos isn't sure how his contract negotiations are leaking to the media, and he wants them to be kept in-house.Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Tampa Bay Lightning captain was pitched an offer worth $68 million over eight years - or $8.5 million annually - some time in the last few weeks."I'm not going to comment on that," Stamkos told Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times on Sunday."We haven't talked about that stuff in the media all season long, and I don't know how they get a hold of stuff like that. All the things that we've talked about, it's staying internally, and it'll continue to be that way."The initial offer wasn't accepted, but it wasn't summarily rejected either, according to Friedman, who characterized it more as a negotiation point.Neither Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman nor Stamkos' representatives have commented on the report.Stamkos, a pending unrestricted free agent, is earning $7.5 million in the final year of his contract. He's previously expressed a desire to remain with the Lightning, with whom he's spent his entire eight-year career.The 25-year-old center hasn't scored in five games, but he has 20 goals and 37 points in 48 contests.Tampa Bay had a seven-game win streak snapped in a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen insists goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky didn't come back too soon before suffering yet another groin injury last week."It's tough to put this in words, because I've been assured that there was no way he came back too early either time," Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch.Bobrovsky missed nearly six weeks after sustaining his original groin injury on Dec. 8. He had a setback just after Christmas, then returned for two games last week before being ruled out indefinitely and placed on injured reserve again Friday."He was fully healed, with full strength, full range of motion ... everything was back to normal," Kekalainen said. "In everybody's mind who has worked with him, he was not coming back too early at all."Both of Bobrovsky's most recent injuries have been less significant than the original ailment, and Kekalainen said the latest one won't force his goalie to miss the rest of the season."I don't see any reason why that would be the case. This is not a … if you have a major tear, you're out six-to-eight weeks. This is not a major tear," Kekalainen said. "But obviously now that there's been a little tear twice now, after his bigger one, we're going to make sure."The Blue Jackets' franchise netminder has missed 44 games due to groin injuries since the start of the 2013-14 season, and he's been limited to 27 contests in 2015-16, going 11-13-1 with a 2.65 GAA and .911 save percentage.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the trade deadline just five weeks away, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello is busy working the phones with a number of players available for draft picks and young players - and not just rentals.James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail reports Jonathan Bernier, who has one year remaining on his current contract, has been made available by the Maple Leafs despite fellow goalie James Reimer remaining unsigned heading into next season.Bernier will be owed $4.15 million next season, which may seem like a steep price for a man who needed 12 starts to pick up his first win of the year, especially when there are only a few teams in need of an immediate upgrade between the pipes.Reimer, meanwhile, looks to be in line for a lucrative contract that could earn him around $5 million per year as he continues to lead the NHL with a .937 save percentage, though there is no guarantee Toronto will be willing to foot that bill.Mirtle adds that Lamoriello is also gauging interest on forward Daniel Winnik, who like Bernier has one year remaining on his contract, as well as potential rental players Roman Polak, P.A. Parenteau, and Shawn Matthias.While the team continues to slide further out of the playoff race with just three wins in their last 10 games, it will be very interesting to see how the 73-year-old GM puts his stamp on the team in the coming weeks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Ladd's future may not be with the Winnipeg Jets, after all.The captain's agents have broken off talks with the club and Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was recently seen meeting with the representative for defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, reports TSN's Gary Lawless.The Jets haven't held meaningful discussions with Ladd for some time and are shifting their focus to re-signing Byfuglien, according to the report. Both players are pending unrestricted free agents.Related: Report: Jets taking 'a real run' at re-signing ByfuglienLadd is earning $4.4 million in the final year of his contract, while Byfuglien is making $5.2 million in the last season of his deal.Last month, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Jets and Ladd's camp had agreed on a six-year term, but the two sides were still apart on salary by less than $1 million.The 30-year-old posted a career-high 62 points in 81 games last season, but has struggled to maintain that pace this time around, with 27 points in 48 contests.The Jets have lost three games in a row and seven of their last 10, slipping ever closer to the NHL's basement at 21-24-3. Only the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, and Columbus Blue Jackets have worse records than Winnipeg, with 35 days remaining until the trade deadline.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Darryl Sutter isn't exactly the first person that comes to mind when you think of excitement, but the 57-year-old couldn't hide his delight after Sunday's overtime win against the San Jose Sharks.After Marian Gaborik scored to seal the victory in the final minute of overtime, the often serious Sutter was smiling wide as he celebrated with a double fist pump, before punching forward Tanner Pearson in the arm.

The Los Angeles Kings were just 12.2 seconds away from surrendering two points to the San Jose Sharks. Instead, they shocked their archrivals with a massive comeback victory.Vincent Lecavalier tied the game in the dying seconds, setting the stage for Marian Gaborik's heroics in overtime. Gaborik took a perfect feed from Tyler Toffoli before going top shelf for the winner.The 33-year-old now has nine goals and 18 points in 48 games.The Pacific Division leaders improved to 30-15-3 with the victory.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks forwards Joe Thronton, Tomas Hertl, and Joe Pavelski executed a perfect tic-tac-toe to open the scoring Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings.Thornton exited the penalty box and pounced on the puck to setup Hertl, who then made a perfect feed to Pavelski for the goal.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Pavelski leads the Sharks with 24 goals and 48 points this season, while Thornton picked up his team-leading 30th assist.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks put an end to a brief two-game losing streak with an impressive 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.Corey Crawford made 25 saves for his NHL-leading seventh shutout of the season as the Blackhawks improved to 11-2-0 in January with the win.The Blackhawks - who sit atop the Central Division with a record of 33-15-4 - are just the second team in the league to reach the 70-point mark this season, and it's becoming increasingly evident that they may be even more dangerous than the Blackhawks that won the Stanley Cup last year.Chicago possesses the most dynamic duo in the entire league right now, and the Blues witnessed it first-hand.Related - VIDEO: Kane sets up Panarin with ridiculous cross-ice backhand dishPatrick Kane and Artemi Panarin have now combined for a league-leading 119 points by a pair of teammates this season.

Another night, another highlight-reel pass from Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane.The NHL's leading scorer made an effortless cross-ice backhand feed through traffic to Artemi Panarin, who buried the one-timer for his rookie-leading 17th goal of the season.The marker proved to be the eventual game-winner.

The Carolina Hurricanes chased Calgary Flames goaltender Karri Ramo by using the entire rink to execute a brilliant goal Sunday.Ron Hainsey sprung Eric Staal with a perfect pass, who made a beautiful dish to set up Kris Versteeg for the marker.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The goal stood up as the eventual game-winner as the Hurricanes hung on for a 5-2 victory.Versteeg added another tally in the third period, giving him 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Earlier this week, the Buffalo Bills made history by hiring Kathryn Smith as the NFL's first full-time female assistant coach. Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano believes it's only a matter of time before the NHL follows suit."With the way women have progressed in sports over the years, I think it's just a matter of time," Giordano said to the Calgary Herald. "Teams already have women employed by their organizations in different jobs. It'll be in the near future when they're behind the bench or in the press box coaching."I'd be open to it, I know that for sure."Flames general manager Brad Treliving is of the exact same mind set."If you're going out and looking for the best possible talent, the best possible individuals regardless of anything else," Treliving said. "I just know that some of the women I know ... They're as educated in the game, well-versed in the game as any number of men."In our situation in Calgary, the first criteria would be: 'Can you help us be better?' Outside of that, everything else is somewhat secondary."According to the Herald, Hockey Canada's annual general meeting indicated there were 7,067 female coaches registered in various roles with teams across Canada in 2015.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Damien Brunner just scored one of the sickest shootout goals you will ever see.The former Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils forward - who is currently playing for Lugano of the Swiss League - absolutely undressed this poor goalie with a jaw-dropping toe drag for an insane game-winning shootout goal on Saturday.Brunner made sure he celebrated the tally like a boss.The 29-year-old has 13 goals and 19 assists in 34 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bobby Ryan just changed a family's life forever.A young Ottawa Senators fan attended Sunday's game against the New York Rangers equipped with a sign that said, "Bobby dad said if you score we get a puppy!"Ryan certainly delivered.The goal was Ryan's 17th of the season, and stood up as the eventual game-winner in a 3-0 victory for the Senators.

Los Angeles Kings forward Milan Lucic has been suspended one game for his punch to the head of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton on Saturday night.The NHL's Department of Player Safety described the incident as a "punch to an unsuspecting opponent" in its announcement Sunday.Lucic retaliated after Connauton slashed him in the third period of Saturday's 3-2 Coyotes victory.Connauton was given a minor penalty for slashing, and Lucic was assessed a roughing minor and a game misconduct.Lucic criticized referee Brad Meier after game."I mean, if I don't react, I don't think he even calls a penalty," Lucic said Saturday night.He served the suspension Sunday against the San Jose Sharks.The 27-year-old winger was suspended for one game in 2009, and another in 2011.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid's return is on the horizon.The Edmonton Oilers forward has been cleared for full contact and plans to skate with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors over the NHL All-Star break, but won't play any games."It'll be good to skate with those guys and have some high-intensity practices," McDavid said Sunday.He's been recovering from a broken clavicle suffered Nov. 3 in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers.McDavid resumed skating Jan. 1, but the club said he wouldn't return before the All-Star break, which begins later this week.The 19-year-old notched 12 points in his first 13 NHL games after the Oilers selected him first overall last June.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drivers stalled by the blizzard along the East Coast got some help from an unlikely source.New York Islanders backup goaltender Thomas Greiss spent Saturday helping motorists who were stranded in the snowstorm, according to the netminder's agent, Ray Petkau.Greiss' wife, Brittney, got some photographic evidence of her husband's heroics.

The St. Louis Blues have a decision to make regarding David Backes, but dealing him doesn't appear to be in the cards.A pending unrestricted free agent, Backes is making $4.5 million in the final year of his contract while collecting only 28 points in 51 games, but the team doesn't plan on trading him before the trade deadline.Related: 3 players underwhelming in contract years"The least likely scenario would be to trade him because we're trying to win," general manager Doug Armstrong told Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.The Blues reportedly opened contract talks with Backes in training camp and held a serious round of negotiations. They offered him a three-year deal with an average annual value of about $5.5 million, which the 31-year-old captain turned down, multiple sources told Rutherford.Despite a lack of progress since then and the deadline inching closer, Armstrong isn't considering getting something in return for Backes prior to Feb. 29."A first-round pick does us no good when we're going to this year's playoffs," the GM said."I think we're going to be a good team and he's a big part of being a good team. He's our captain, he's our leader. We've had the most points in the NHL over the last five or six years. I mean, he's doing something right. If we didn't want to keep him, we wouldn't have talked to him in the first place. We've got now until March to find out where we're at."Backes won't become a free agent until July 1, but in not moving him, the Blues risk losing him for nothing or paying a premium to outbid other suitors in free agency this summer. The center doesn't seem fazed that he and his club haven't hammered out a new deal, though."That's OK, but I think both sides are optimistic and believe something is going to get done," Backes said."I wish I had a magic 8-ball and I could tell you, but I just can’t. The business side needs to make sense on all fronts. I try to keep the team stuff in the front of my mind. The contract, all that stuff, will all take care of itself.”Armstrong is also optimistic."I've been led to believe that he'd love to stay here,” he said. "From my perspective, there's no question that we want him. Now we've just got to see if the business side works. It's not a personal thing, there's no outlining factors of what we need to see or what he needs. I don't want to speak for him, but this is a business decision."Backes will suit up for his 700th career game Sunday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Sunday, we examine three players you should consider picking up from the waiver wire in your pool.The NHL All-Star break is fast approaching, which means fantasy owners are in for a short week.There are several players who can not only help you compensate if you're getting the short end of the scheduling stick, but produce in the long run, as well.Below, you'll find three players worth snagging off the waiver wire. But first, here are the league's top 10 scorers:Player Team Goals Assists PointsPatrick KaneCHI304272Jamie BennDAL273057Tyler SeguinDAL252853Erik KarlssonOTT104151Evgeny KuznetsovWAS153348Taylor HallEDM183048Evgeni MalkinPIT232447Joe PavelskiSJ232447Johnny GaudreauCGY202646Vladimir TarasenkoSTL252146Canucks F Bo Horvat: 9 G, 13 A, 8 PPP, -23, 80 SOGOwned in 9 percent of Yahoo leaguesHorvat wasn't worth owning for the first three months of the season, but he's been on fire since the calendar flipped to 2016.The 20-year-old has seven goals and five assists in his last 10 contests, including a pair of multi-goal games, a six-game point streak, and his current run of three straight contests with at least a point.Horvat has found a home between Sven Baertschi and Radim Vrbata on the second line, and Vancouver's ninth overall pick in 2013 is also getting power-play time on the second unit.He's starting to look comfortable in his sophomore season, and now's the time to nab him if you're in a deep league.Bruins F Ryan Spooner: 10 G, 25 A, 13 PPP, -7, 96 SOGOwned in 38 percent of Yahoo leaguesSpooner has been producing at a consistent rate for most of the season, but for some reason, he remains under 40 percent owned.The Bruins center has 35 points in 47 games, and he's at more than a point-per-game clip in his last 12 contests, with two goals and 11 assists over that span.The 23-year-old's value could take a hit now that David Krejci is back from injury, but head coach Claude Julien has been experimenting with Spooner as a right winger on the top line, which could pay dividends if it sticks.Spooner notched an assist in both games since Krejci's return and will continue to be worth watching as long as he remains on the first power-play unit for the Bruins, who have the second-best power play in the NHL.Penguins D Trevor Daley: 4 G, 9 A, 5 PPP, +/-0, 69 SOGOwned in 9 percent of Yahoo leaguesDaley wanted to play a bigger role in Chicago, and he's done exactly that since being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Rob Scuderi last month.The veteran defenseman has seven points in 18 games with his new club, including three goals and an assist in his last five contests.He's firmly entrenched in the Penguins' top four and second power-play unit.While you don't necessarily need to stop what you're doing to pick Daley up, he's worth adding to your watch list.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Milan Lucic has some explaining to do.The Los Angeles Kings forward has a hearing Sunday with the NHL's Department of Player Safety for landing a punch to the head of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton on Saturday night.Lucic was thrown out after retaliating against Connauton, who slashed him in the third period of Arizona's 3-2 victory.The Kings winger was critical of referee Brad Meier after the game.Lucic was suspended for a game in 2009, and for another in 2011.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, Todd McLellan.The first-year head coach of the Edmonton Oilers saw his team drop another decision Saturday night: 4-1 to the Nashville Predators. They'll have plenty of time to dwell on their third straight loss, as they're off until after the All-Star break, playing next on Feb. 2 versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.McLellan called out some members of his team following their 26th defeat:

Milan Lucic threw an ill-advised punch Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, and he's lucky he wasn't injured during the sequence leading up to it.Lucic landed a right to the head of Kevin Connauton, earning an ejection - and pain in his left hand. Lucic said postgame the X-rays came back negative, according to LA Kings Insider Jon Rosen, and so the power forward was more focused on the officiating - particularly referee Brad Meier.Connauton slashed the Los Angeles Kings forward in a scrum before the punch by Lucic, who said he was merely retaliating."I mean, if I don't react, I don't think he even calls a penalty," Lucic said. "Same guy - Brad Meier. I think this is the fourth time he's kicked me out of a game. It's always the same thing with him. ... Guys can take liberties on me and it's not a penalty. If I do something, then I'm automatically kicked out of the game. It's just unfortunate that it is that way with him, and I've just got to move on and not get frustrated by the referees in the game."Lucic said his "whole hand went numb" after Connauton's slash, hence his angry outburst."I truly thought the worst because I couldn't feel my hand after the slash like that, and that's the way I reacted the way I did. ... I'm just thankful that everything came back negative," he added.Though he may have avoided injury, Lucic may not be out of the woods, as he could be a candidate for discipline from the NHL's Department of Player Safety.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Blizzards. They're the worst. Ask Simon Thurgren.Thurgren, from Borlange, Sweden, is a die-hard Washington Capitals fan, and he chose this weekend to watch his favorite team in action, writes The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg. Well, Mother Nature had other plans.Scheduled to watch the Capitals on Friday and Sunday, Thurgren's plans were shot after a massive blizzard hit the East Coast, snowing out both games.A veteran of winter, Thurgren didn't think a little snow would get in the way."I was thinking it's nothing to worry about, they won't cancel the game because of that," he said. "Very, very disappointed; very disappointed, of course. I mean, the main reason for going here right now was to go to the games."Thurgren regularly stays up until the wee hours of the morning to watch his team while in his native Sweden. Capitals games that start at 7 p.m. local time in D.C. begin at 1 a.m. in Borlange, so don't bother questioning his fandom.As for how he became a Capitals fan, that's easy: Alex Ovechkin, obviously.Thurgren was unable to recoup his hard-earned money for his game tickets. He may not even be able to fly home Monday. But he's looking ahead."Now I'm looking (forward) to the next trip. I will probably go during the playoffs if I really want to see them this year," he said. "Hopefully I will come in (June)."The Capitals could be playing for the Stanley Cup in June. Here's hoping for some justice.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Temper, temper.Los Angeles Kings forward Milan Lucic lost it Saturday night, and Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton bore the brunt of his anger.Related: Lucic calls out referee Meier after being ejected for throwing rightAfter a scrum in front of the Coyotes' net, Lucic landed a right on an unsuspecting Connauton.Lucic was tossed from the game - rightfully so - after being handed a roughing penalty and game misconduct. While Connauton did slash him, he can't react the way he did, and may be hearing from the NHL's Department of Player Safety as a result.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Central Division is starting to resemble a Snakes and Ladders board.While the Colorado Avalanche appear to be climbing a ladder to the top, the Dallas Stars look to be riding snakes downward.Related - VIDEO: Klingberg's Getzlaf-esque giveaway leads to Avalanche goalOn Saturday night, the Avalanche topped the Stars 3-1, propelling the teams in two very different directions. With the victory, the Avalanche have now constructed a four-game winning streak, gathering wins in seven of their last 10 games. Meanwhile, with the loss, the Stars have now dropped eight of their last 10.

Arizona Coyotes forwards Shane Doan and Jordan Martinook were clearly inspired on Saturday, channeling Aaron Rodgers' Hail Mary touchdown pass in the Green Bay Packers' divisional-round game against the Cardinals.Doan threw up a prayer to Martinook, who used his glove to tap it by Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty before going backhand shelf for a filthy go-ahead goal on Saturday.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The tally proved to be the eventual game-winner as the Coyotes snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory.Martinook now has five goals and 10 assists in 46 games this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Los Angeles Kings forward Nick Shore scored one of the strangest goals of the season on Saturday.Arizona Coyotes goalie Louis Domingue went to play the puck behind the net, lost it, collided with teammate Boyd Gordon, and voluntarily took his mask off before Shore fired the puck into a wide-open net.The goal eventually stood following some confusion, and the Kings had absolutely no problem trolling Domingue on Twitter:

Lee Stempniak never forgets.The unheralded winger continued his strong season Saturday, scoring twice in the New Jersey Devils' 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. He's got four goals in his last three games, and continued an interesting trend by scoring against one of his former teams.Stempniak's an 11-year veteran and has suited up for the following teams:

It wasn't how the Montreal Canadiens wrote it up, but it was exactly what they needed.The club snapped its five-game losing streak Saturday with a 3-2 shootout win over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs.The Canadiens nearly threw the game away after flying out of the gate with two first-period goals. The team was silenced the rest of the way before Max Pacioretty and Lars Eller were able to solve James Reimer in the shootout.

The Florida Panthers extended their Atlantic Division lead to five points with a dominant 5-2 victory over the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.The Panthers' victory snapped the Lightning's season-high seven-game win streak, and was the third time they defeated their division rivals in four contests this season.After dropping four consecutive games, Florida is back on track with two wins in a row, playing like the team that won 12 consecutive games from Dec. 12 to Jan. 10.

Jaromir Jagr on Saturday put an end to the speculation about his All-Star status.With rumors swirling that he would miss the All-Star Game with an "injury," the 43-year-old cleared things up after his Florida Panthers took down the Tampa Bay Lightning and confirmed that he will indeed be in Nashville next weekend.

The joke is over.After the Anaheim Ducks struggled mightily to begin the 2015-16 season, dropping nine of their first 10 games, they've begun to resemble the team that came within a win of contesting for the Stanley Cup last season.With a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, the Ducks have victories in four of their last five games and look more poised for a playoff berth than a lottery pick.Stats First 10 games Last 10 gamesGoals for1023Goals against2518Wins16The turnaround shows patience is quite the virtue, as general manager Bob Murray was forced to publicly state the team would not make any rash decisions this season, even if fans surrounded the Honda Center with pitchforks.Anaheim sits just four points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference with four games in hand.The Ducks have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, and despite their poor start, they boast the league's best penalty kill and give up the third-fewest shots per game.Anaheim still has some work to do, but the Ducks are here to prove that a poor start doesn't make or break a season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Steve Yzerman's got a lot of work to do in Tampa Bay, but he knows his priorities.The Lightning general manager recently made a contract offer to pending unrestricted free agent Steven Stamkos that averaged $8.5 million per season, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, speaking on Saturday's "Headlines" segment on "Hockey Night in Canada."Friedman said the offer was made "some time in the last few weeks."Earlier this week, Friedman addressed the contract offer in his "30 Thoughts" column:

The Montreal Canadiens are not going to make any rash decisions.Despite the team's current slump, which has seen them drop outside the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, they are unwilling to part with forward Alex Galchenyuk, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said during Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment Saturday night.According to Friedman, "a couple of teams" contacted the Canadiens to see if Galchenyuk would be available in a deal and were told he wasn't.The 21-year-old sits fourth on the team with 10 goals and 27 points in 47 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dustin Byfuglien has been front and center in trade speculation all season, but it appears the Winnipeg Jets have no intention of parting ways with their star defenseman.The Jets are looking to ink the pending unrestricted free agent to a contract extension, Elliotte Friedman reported during Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment Saturday night."There are a number of teams who would love to get him as a rental player at the deadline," Friedman said. "But the word everyone seems to be getting is they are going to take a real run at trying to sign him."Byfuglien is in the final season of a five-year, $26-million contract.The 30-year-old is enjoying yet another All-Star campaign, with 11 goals and 14 assists in 48 games.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On most nights, mimicking Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf would be seen as a good thing.However, that wasn't the case when Dallas Stars defenseman John Klingberg coughed the puck up during Saturday's game against the Colorado Avalanche.Klingberg dropped the puck back to start a rush, but with no one tailing him. Carl Soderberg was able to collect the puck before placing it over goaltender Antti Niemi's blocker.(Courtesy: NHL.com)If it makes Klingberg feel better, his 39 points are 11 better than Getzlaf's total this season.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ryan Johansen is loving life as a member of the Nashville Predators - and life without Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella.With nine points in seven games since the big trade for Seth Jones, Johansen's living up to expectations. And the 23-year-old credits the Predators' coaching staff and its defined role for him as the reason for his early success."I think you just look at the opportunity that I've been given. (The Predators) believe in me being a first-line center and I believe in myself doing that job for this team," Johansen told The Tennessean's Adam Vingan. "The opportunity with being on the first power play, on the first line, and playing in all the key situations and playing with such great players. For me, I feel like we have another level to go. Yeah, we've been having some success, but I definitely think there's another level as well."Johansen's ice time is up over two minutes since the trade. He's playing 19:28 a game with Nashville, up from 17:21 with Columbus. In 38 games with the Blue Jackets, Johansen managed a single goal on the power play. He's already got three as a Predator."It was pretty hectic in Columbus just with line combos and power-play units," Johansen added. "You kind of never really knew what was going on. It's nice to just be settled in in a role right now these first couple weeks. I'm really enjoying it."Change is good.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Jurco used his sick mitts to make Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson look absolutely foolish on Saturday.Jurco took the breakaway feed from Gustav Nyquist and went backhand shelf for a beautiful game-tying goal.(Courtesy: NHL.com)The 23-year-old has struggled this season with just two goals and two assists in 25 games, but there's no denying his ability to put the puck on a string.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault's night came to an abrupt end Saturday.Perreault left the game and didn't return for the second period after sustaining a lower-body injury against the New Jersey Devils. He was seen to be in considerable pain after taking a hit from Tuomo Ruutu, but it's uncertain what caused his injury.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Toby Enstrom scored a strike against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.Unfortunately, the pins, or pin, in this case, was teammate Blake Wheeler. Enstrom lost his footing midway through the first period, taking out Wheeler and leaving Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak with a two-on-one rush that they converted perfectly.(Courtesy: NHL.com)Enstrom will be lucky if his blunder doesn't see him made a spare or a scratch.Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.